What counts as Screen Time?

We have all heard about "screen time" and how we're supposed to be limiting it with our kids.  So, my question is, what exactly is screen time?  Officially, it's anytime you are looking at a screen whether it be a computer, TV, iPad or phone screen.  But, what do you count as screen time for your kids?

For instance...
      Does Skype Count as "screen time"?

      Does Reading on your Kindle count as "screen time"?

     Does doing homework or educational games on a computer count as screen time?
 
     Does watching Praise and Worship DVD's count as Screen time?
      
     Does doing a Wii Fit work out count as Screen time?

To be honest, I DO NOT count these things against my children's screen time, but they are only allowed 30 minutes of "free" screen time each day where they can watch a TV show or play a video game.
      It's difficult to balance screens and imaginative play/getting exercise.   So, what do you count/not count as screen time?   

Shopping Day

Shopping here is a little different.  There are "grocery stores" but they never have everything you need, so multiple stops are required.  Here is a typical shopping day for me.

1.  The first stop is at the small duka (shop) where we exchange our 20 L water bottle for our water cooler.

2.  Next we usually stop and check our PO box, and mail any letters that need to be sent at the Post Office down town.

3.  The ATM is next, if we need to get money out.

4.  A quick stop at the bakery to pick up 4-5 loaves of bread.

5.  Next, to the dairy to pick up our cheese and butter.

6.  On to the first grocery store to pick up most of our canned foods, and eggs.  We buy eggs by the tray (30 eggs). 

7.  Pick up some frozen mince beef at one duka, and some chips, cookies and bread sticks and another small duka.

8.  Next, we stop at a small grocery store attached to a gas station to pick up frozen chickens, and sometimes they have apples.

9.  Another grocery store next, the "expensive" place in town where we pick up dog and cat food.  It's the only place in town that sells pet food. 

10.  The market to pick up vegetables and fruits.  Also, rice and beans.

11.  We are finally on our way home.  We sometimes stop and pick up some ice-cream or candy at another duka.

            So, there you have it!  It usually takes about 2 hours to do all of our grocery shopping.  We've been blessed to find everything we need here.

Slower Pace

It's been over a month since my last entry, and it's hard to think about what to write. 
    My days are pretty much the same, doing school with the kids in the morning, in the afternoons baking, cooking, spending time with Bill and the kids, reading.  Weekends we watch movies, shop for groceries and go swimming.  Things are very pleasant, but there is not much new to report.

  Life here is very laid back, relaxed.  Nothing is rushed.  We are enjoying this slower pace of life.
         We have had very busy times in our lives.  When both Bill and I were taking 18 hours of seminary classes, and we had two small children, as well as driving to report to our churches every weekend.  Times when we were raising support that we would send out 50 letters a week to churches and then spend the rest of the week calling those churches to try to set up appointments, as well as taking seminary classes and taking care of our baby (Katrina) and finding out I was pregnant.
    So, we are enjoying a time of a slower pace.  For now.  Because nothing stays the same forever.... change is the only constant!

Christmas Traditions

 

 

    In Tanzania, Christmas is very understated.  No one puts lights up on their house.  Christmas music is not playing in stores.  There are no commercials to buy this or that for loved ones.  No snow. 
    
                                What we do have is our family's traditions. 
We put up our small tree on Dec 1st each year.
  
We have an "Activity Advent" calendar, that each day we do a holiday activity together like bake cookies, or do a craft.  It's a tradition we've kept for many years as a family.

         Here, we have to make our own holiday magic...   how does your family celebrate the season?

Things that are different in our new location

There are so many things that are the same in our new location.  Most of my daily life is very much the same as it was in Arusha- homeschooling three kids, shopping and cooking supper, spending time with family and having “me-time”.  But, some things are different.  Here are a few…

      The HEAT.   It can be oppressive.  There are days that I am sweating before breakfast. Thankfully, it’s not always horribly hot.  There are cool breezes, and iced tea/coffee is a MUST here.  Staying indoors during daylight hours is a pretty good idea.  The kids play outside once the sun starts to go down.  We are very thankful to have an AC in our bedroom.

       Store Hours.  Closely related to this topic—most stores in town close from 12pm-3pm.  This is due to prayer times, as well as it being the hottest time of the day, and NOONE wants to be out!  The posted hours for stores are usually around 9-6pm…. But they aren’t there until around 11am. Then, they are off for lunch for three hours.  Then, they come back in for an hour or two before closing for the day!  It’s been a bit of a challenge to get to the stores when they are actually open!

      The sand.  In Arusha, it was always a bit dusty when it was dry. Here, there isn't that much dust, because it's all sand.  Our whole yard is pretty much sand.  I've always wanted to get a sandbox for the kids... now we don't need one!

      The monkeys.  There are two troops of monkeys that frequent our yard- the Blue monkeys which are bigger and a blackish color, and although are more skittish around humans can be more threatening; and the Vervet monkeys which are smaller and white with a black face, and more comfortable around humans.  We hear them running around on our roof, and jumping from our roof to land in a tree branch.  They taunt the dogs, and have broken the water pipe going to the water tank on our roof twice- water started pouring off the roof like a flood!  It’s been quiet interesting being in this close of contact with monkeys here.

       The Ants.   There are about 6 different species of ants here.  There are weaver ants in the trees that sew leaves together to form a nest.  There are some huge looking ants, and then in varying sizes, down to the tiny, tiny ants that you can barely see.  It’s these miniscule ants that I am referring to the most.  Because, they climb on everything (like computers, water jugs, dishes, etc.  And, innumerable times a day, we find these tiny ants crawling on our bodies.

Weaver ants in our lemon tree.

       Pets.  It’s small, but we’ve picked up 2 puppies and a kitten since coming which is different for us.  We are enjoying the pets.

      Swimming.  I have to admit that I don’t like to swim unless it’s in the 90’s.  Which it is here!  Which means we are swimming a lot more here than in Arusha.  In Arusha, even when it’s hot, the pool always felt ice cold to me.

     The Beach.  You gotta love living so close to a beach, even if it’s not a very big or very “nice” one.  We even get to go to a private beach house that is owned by our land lady.

We spent Thanksgiving at the beach.

       No Glass Windows.  Our house has no glass in the windows, except for our bedroom.  At first I thought this was strange and worried about rain coming in through the open windows. (They have screens and bars, but no glass.)  We have had many rain storms, and only once has rain come in, and it was easily mopped up the next morning.  There are windows lining most of the walls, to let the most amount of breeze through.

    These are a few of the things that are different.  We are enjoying are new house, which is larger than our old house, and the nice spacious yard. We are starting to meet people here as well which is nice. 

Blessings!

      

Pets!

 

So, we have gotten a new kitten!  She is 6 weeks old, and we have named her Masala.  We aren't sure, but we think she may have wild cat in her because of her big ears, and black paws and tongue. Sooo cute!  She will be an inside cat.

 

Our puppy, Max with Heather

 

Our puppy, Ruby.  The puppies are 15 weeks.  They are outside dogs.

 

 

Katrina holding our hedgehog, Mouse.  We've had him since Feb, but we are unsure of his age although he was quite young when we got him.

In Process

Pasteurizing fresh milk 

         I am learning to make kefir, which is a yoghurt-like milk drink that is high in probiotics.  I need to take probiotics for my digestive health, but it is difficult and expensive to find here.  While at a Women's retreat in Dar last week, a friend gave me some kefir, and explained how to make it. 
                      
                      It begins by pasteurizing fresh milk (since the milk I buy here is UHT or Ultra High Temperature, it tends to not work so well for this).  Thankfully, a milk man comes by every evening to deliver fresh milk in our neighborhood.  He brings it in 1 liter water bottles. 

                        The first thing I had to do was figure out how to pasteurize milk.  When I looked it up, it takes bringing milk to almost a boil, and then cooling it quickly, by placing the pan in ice water. 

           The first batch didn't turn out since I accidently left out the milk over night, but this time it seems to have worked.

            Next, you add the "kefir" grains to the milk and leave it on the counter for 24 hours.  After it has "thickened up", you then can drink it or add it to smoothies or other food.

          This is quite a long process with many steps that I have never tried before.

 

And that is how I am feeling about our life right now.

 

 

          Since moving to a new location in Tanzania, I have felt that there are many things that I am trying to figure out about being here.  I am still trying to develop relationships and friendships.  Just learning where to shop for food was a process.

                      

                   So, even though we are still in the same country, I feel that we are in a state of transition... a state of process. 

                                                           

 

And, hopefully we will come out of it with something beautiful.