Mark and Jessica Spangler

This one escaped!

The new ones

The old ones

Well, today is Micah’s 7 th birthday but that has nothing to do with the business of our day. Things went as planned as we went to church. But, on our way home, and really as we were stepping into our yard, suddenly we were all swarmed by thousands and thousands of bees. It was like a cloud of bees descended on our yard! Neighbor children were walking with us and we all ran into our house swatting at bees as we ran. We killed the bees that followed us in and Mark checked our heating stove. It was full of bees of course so he began lighting cardboard on fire and tossing them in and shutting the door, we again killed more bees that flew in the house when he opened the door. The bees died in the fire place and the swarms weren’t as numerous in the yard but there was loud buzzing and we couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. Finally I went outside to look at our chimney and it was covered with bees! It looked like a huge mass just sitting on our chimney! Craziness! So, we kept the fire burning hotter and hotter and after a long while and lots of praying the bees started to disperse. There are still an unusual amount of bees around our house and flying around our chimney so the fire lives on and on even though it is the heat of the day here.

Mark had arranged to go pick up six new young hens for our flock of chickens and so the time came for him to go do this. He came home with six adorably cute hens. We add them to the cage and all seems to be going well so Mark and I went inside to rest for a few minutes. Next thing you know Caleb is saying Ali needs us and the chickens are gone! So, we go check it out and sure enough all the chickens were out of the pen and several of them had wondered into the wilderness outside the hedge of our yard. So, Mark had to crawl through the hedge and scare them back into our yard and we had to chase them down the hill back into their cage. There are certain things that words can not do justice in these stories. The words, wilderness, yard and cloud of bees are probably not what you think but I will leave it at that. What else can I do? I guess you’ll just have to come to Cameroon yourself and see. Our lives here are never dull but often very unexpected. Well, hopefully all the drama is done for the day and the birthday celebration can begin!!! We love Micah so he will just have to have his own birthday post. I’m sure birthdays will forever be dull in the city of America after this!

Ali and her friend have a recipe club and as they make recipes they write them in their recipe book, but they have to do it by themselves!

Here are the girls working in their second batch of scones. I’m writing this as I eat their warm, first batch.

Warm scones!

The kids found an oragami book on the shelf this morning and began making for paper things. Well, next thing you know Ali shows me this…

Then Mark gets the idea to use big paper taped together to make a HUGE oragami Christmas tree. I’m not sure if you remember our homemade tree from France but it is on this blog 2 years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised it Mark finds a way to make our tree next year. Here is the work in progress.

I can post better pictures later with our camera.

Mark and I have been cooking cleaning and visiting with passerbyers all the while the kids are painting. Next thing you know they are calling us in to look and they’ve made a nativity towards the bottom. 🙂 What a creative bunch of kids!

The kids decided to enter the coop with the chickens so they could help us tie the chicken wire at the seams. Better them than me! I am so grateful for their help!

Here is Caleb working hard!

Micah is wanting to join them.

This is the door to collect eggs and feed them and such.

Bye bye Micah. We threatened them to leave them in there. Hahaha, they know us all too well and weren’t worried one bit.

There is still more work to be done but little by little it will get done. So far though the chickens are healthy and growing and now safe from wild dogs and falcons!

These are just a few activities going on in the Spangler house. We have also been busy hosting folks (missionaries) who are passing through, baking cookies and making Christmas cards for the kids in the hospital. We are all enjoying our break from school!
The books I am reading.

Ali is crocheting many gifts.

Zoe sleeping on the floor. This is a trend during her life so far. We are happy she is clothed!

The living room is full of kids and the boys are enjoying the wii!

Sewing projects! I am enjoying sewing while I am not teaching.

The kids have also been making sock puppets for a Christmas play they are preparing all by themselves.

Hahaha. We love that our chickens like to roost. These birds are just so interesting. We are sad that one got eaten by a stray dog yesterday but we are thankful for these four. Mark has divided our dog run, so tomorrow the chickens can have a safe pen to run and eat bugs in.

Here is Caleb after his first guitar lesson! He is practicing Em. A strange first chord but it is the first chord in his favorite Christmas Carol. He is already asking all about an electric guitar!
His mom will be getting one before him!

This post is for Berta who asked for pics of the kids learning guitar. This post also goes out to Uncle Drew who gave us this sweet backpackers guitar, that we have used endlessly ever since.

I organized the game cabinet and left the room to go make coffee for My Love and I. I walk back to the game cabinet to make more progress unpacking ect., then I turn around to this…

Mind you I just reorganized all our cards ect. My first thought was “oh no, I will never sort this out.” Then I realized it was our hand and foot box. Hahaha, for those of you that play hand and foot you realize now, just as I so happily did, this will just be a game of 1000 card pickup. Whew!