The science lab takes shape at Mathare...

On Friday, January 10th, we were so excited to visit the MCEDO School in Mathare with two more deliveries of science lab supplies for the high school students. In October we visited the school with the first batch of science supplies (models, posters, beakers, test tubes, etc.) sponsored by my aunts and uncles (Betty and Dennis, Irene and Sal, Sherri and Paul). On Friday, the next two batches of supplies were sponsored by more generous family members (Susan, Lorraine and Dan), friends (Sarah and Kyra) and friends of friends (a US woman who heard about Freedom Through Learning through a teacher at ISK). Our good friends Devin and Sue, along with their daughters Amber and Kyra (one of the sponsors) came with us for the morning and we were treated to speeches and songs from students. The lab is taking shape! 

Fun at home...

After the girls left to head back to snowy, icy Canada, we needed some distractions to finish out our break. What better than some projects around the house? Brian and Cora fashioned a fantastic shoe rack for me out of bamboo and thick string (my shoes were so sad languishing in the depths of a dark closet). I made some more kimchi (best batch yet!) and tree tomato compote (created with tree tomatoes grown from a tree we planted last year in our yard; these fruits are also known as tamarillos and they make a killer compote).

A day trip to Naivasha: Owls and Hiking Hell's Gate Gorge...

After we sent Rebecca off on a plane back to cold Canada, we needed to distract ourselves with a day trip to Lake Naivasha. We visited the Naivasha Owl Sanctuary, an amazing place run by conservationist Sarah Higgins where injured owls are cared for and rehabilitated; afterwards, we enjoyed a few hours of hiking in the Hell's Gate gorge and topped off our day with dinner at a new Eritrean restaurant in Nairobi. Magical. (All of the owl photos in this post were taken by Cora.)

New Year's in the Aberdares...

One of our favourite places here in Kenya is Aberdares National Park. This mountain range faces Mount Kenya and is absolutely gorgeous, with acres and acres of untouched moorland and mountain forest. We celebrated New Year's with a lot of peace and quiet (along with some sparklers and champagne), some hiking, and beautiful encounters with elephants, a Martial Eagle, a melanistic (black) serval cat (a very rare sighting!) and three gigantic hyenas. What a fabulous way to ring in 2014!

Festive days at the beach...

Rebecca and Hannah were pretty excited to escape the snows and ice of Ontario to spend four days at the beach on the Kenyan coast. Highlights included: snorkeling (and Hannah's close encounter with a pod of dolphins), lazing on the beach, walking in the sacred Kaya Kinondo forest, seeing a 16th-century mosque made of coral and a centuries-old baobab tree, eating dinner at the Ali Barbour Cave Restaurant and enjoying many long chats.

The girls arrive for Christmas!

Rebecca and Hannah arrived in Nairobi in mid-December to celebrate the holidays and we had so much fun! Christmas day was here in Nairobi, along with visits and celebrations with additional families for a few days afterwards. It was so wonderful to have everyone under one roof!