Better than Happy Mail

你好!

(hello)

Guess what?

The girls are here!!

And they are simply the sweetest things. They're names are Alice and Eva, and they are 15 and 16 years old. They actually arrived on Wednesday evening, and when I picked them up at the airport, there were shocked faces all around: everyone was younger than everyone else expected. When I was told a junior and a senior, I made the assumption that meant between 17 and 18.... but that's not how things work in Taiwan. They, on the other hand, were expecting someone 40ish, but they are typically teen enough to be very appreciative of the fact that they get a host sister instead of a host mom. (I mean, c'mon. I let them buy a 3 foot tube of flavored sugar and a lollipop the size of my face. What's not to love?)

Salad for dinner, I guess...........

Now, since they are young, and I haven't explained blogging to them just yet, (although I am suspicious: they took pictures of the dinner I made and then whipped out their laptops...hmm.) I am not going to post the pictures we've taken of ourselves. But I will share a photo or two of the lovely goodies they brought me from Taiwan!

I can't wait to use the tiger wristlet, and those chopsticks are just to pretty to eat with, although I did promise to use at least one set to eat the traditional Taiwanese meal Alice is preparing later this week. They have also shared pictures of their beautiful home country.

All in all, it's been a good week. Busy, but good. The class has reached the point where they are flowing along quite peacefully, although I do declare, they're an emotionally needy bunch this year! I'm not used to middle schoolers who still want hugs, and on occasion, slip up and call me mommy; I'm usually stuck feeling jealous of the K5 teacher whose kids looooove her.

No outfit photos this week, unfortunately. My morning routine isn't exactly seamless yet, now that I have to worry about getting 3 people to school instead of one. But, I have improved my room a bit, so I won't be so embarrassed to take photos in there!

before & after

No more gaping hole!

A corkboard wall, because I don't trust myself with drywalling. It's actually quite functional, I've put up my broaches and long necklaces, and may even end up wearing one or two, since they're now so easily in reach when I'm dressing. Hopefully, my newly organized room will result in an organized me, complete with daily wardrobe photos, and even a genius, unique, unheard of idea for one of those 'weekly special' sort of things...

Goodness, this one was kind of picture heavy and ramble-y!

I wish I could be more organized. I am so in love with the idea of blogging, but mine is kind of all over the place. Ahh well, I'll find my niche eventually.

Time for me to go do some heavy duty Etsy browsing!

再見!

(goodbye)