DIY Lao Style: Coconut Bubble Wands

One of the things I love about living here is how much I've learned. I've always liked making things versus buying things, but I'm always impressed with the things "every Lao country kid already knows".

Seriously, we made these at the Montessori school I work at and everyone thought it was great fun. However, when I was telling La about them later that evening, he was a little less than interested... "yeah...so..... next time I'll show you how to make paintbrushes"....... anyway, for those of us raised in a more ready-made consumer culture.. here's a fun afternoon project.

Gather some coconut fronds 

(Any strong yet bendy plant material works, I was born in the Adirondacks, I'm thinking ferns would work? Let me know...)

Strip off the "spine" of the coconut frond. You'll want to use the end near the leaf tip, as it's more flexible.

Tie in a knot, depending on the size bubble you want to make. If you are not adding any corn syrup or veggie glycern to the bubble mix, keep the loops small or the bubbles break easily. (ie.. frustration). Clip off the excess coconut.

Bubble wands are ready for action!

Baby name reveal!

Living with an artist, my world is always a little bit more colorful. Sometimes, good (I have more orginal oils decorating my walls than the MET) sometimes...well... let's just say I've tried both navy  blue bath towels (you still see the white paint) and white towels ( you see..everything) ... and more than one articles of my clothes has been giving a "splash" of color.

However, cool things are coming home from work to find one's bathroom mirror painted with "K.La love Kelly and River" (La uses K.La as his signature because there are just too many Khamlas in this city...ignore the English, it's his 2nd language) I thought it was pretty cool so I took it outside to take some photos and reflect something more beautiful than my Lao style bathroom. ; ) Of course, I wonder what inspired painting the bathroom mirror.......... ?

Tada. Yep, it's been decided... the wee one's English name will be River. 

Oh my mangoes!

Well, it's been long enough since I've posted. I'd thought I'd be writing up a storm during my pregnancy, but honestly I haven't been able to find enough (OK, make) enough time. I'm working up until August 4th with an August 22nd due date. Mind you, that work involves 30some little ones at the Montessori school I teach at here in Vientiane. :) So, by the end of the day, when I come home I usually find myself horizontal and asleep by 7:30. (Get sleep while I can!)

Today La and I joked about my mango intake (it's still Mango season) and we decided to do a little math. I know I eat a lot of mangoes (and make yummy icy mango shakes, minus all the sugar and condensed milk the shake shops here add ) but....... get this........ on average I (as in 1 person, eating for 2 but still 1 person..) consume 15 -20 KILOS of mangoes a week. For all you American folks who like me, still have trouble with conversions, that something like 33 POUNDS of mangoes a week! Should I worry my little wee boy is gonna come out orange? ^-^

In this photo the mangoes are 8,000 kip a kilo, but in reality most places you can by the "not beautiful" ones for about 3,000kip a kilo. ( 8,000kip = 1USD)

Are mangoes traded on the stock market?

But other than Mango shock, all is well here in Vientiane Mamma-to-be Land. I think we've gotten most everything on our to buy list. Life in Lao is much simpler, so we haven't acquired as much. Waiting to see what more to get after the wee one arrives. Grandma ('Em.. La's mom) is coming to live with us to help out for 2 months). Right now La is taking evening English classes (he's OK, but with someday going stateside, he wants to improve) so I have a little free Kelly time.. so hopefully, I'm get back in the blogorama routine.

Until.

With love from Laos :)

Kelly

At 35 weeks pregnant