We finally got some snow! 

And it was only a little bit, but it came...just a few times.  Once in November and a few times this month in January.  This winter has been so mild.  Definitely not what we were expecting.  We came from Latvia prepared with snow pants and boots just in case, but there was never time to play in the snow because it would melt off so quickly.  We got one day when the kids got out 2 hours early and then a snow day the next day (school was canceled!) because the temperatures were supposed to be too cold that it be too icy after it snowed for people commuting.  D.C. basically shut down as well with all government employees going home at 1pm the day the snow started and staying home the next day, along with most other businesses.  It really didn't end up being bad, but it was too icy for driving.  Better safe than sorry.  Glad we got to have some snow though so it would feel a little more like winter for us!

I have really enjoyed being able to be more active in the kids' school here in Latvia!  I felt so out of it in Angola with being far away from the kids (not in distance but in traffic), and it being such a huge production to get to and from the school.  At least a half day "excursion" for a 20 minute parent teacher conference.  So being just a few miles away, I feel like I have more freedom with what I can do and how to involve myself in the school.  After a few months of being here, I decided to start substituting as well, which gets me on campus even more.  This has been important to all of the kids, but Rhea has been the most vocal about it.  With some friend troubles (4 of the 8 girls in the only 4th grade class that started out as her friends, started bullying and excluding her for a month and a half).  Rhea appreciated being able to give me a quick hug in the hall, on the playground, or cafeteria and allow her to check in with me to tell me how her day was going.  I love it too--this girl is a bottle of sunshine and I love being able to make her happier when I can!

Here we are in a bus getting ready to go see a movie for a field trip (what mom doesn't want to go on that field trip?!  No chasing kids around a museum!).  We saw a movie called, "Swallows and Amazons."  Cute film, and it related to their unit on media and the influence it has on us.  It was in English so that made it even better.  ;)

Rhea's classmates:  Ashlyn and Emily

 Celeste and Rita
Lev and AndrewGundega
The Splendid Palace in Riga:
 I've also gotten to substitute in Rhea's class about four times now.  So fun to see first hand what she's doing, how her class is being run, who her classmates are, and what the classroom dynamic is like!
 On this particular day with Ms. Mikyla, the kids had to create an airplane that would travel a certain distance and then troubleshoot as to why it didn't work (if it didn't).  They did some research online and used youtube videos to help teach them how to make them.

 Another day of substituting, Ms. Mikyla was gone so I worked with Ms. Ita.  The kids were being challenged to bake a moving car out of recycle parts.  That was a challenge!!  They spent hours and hours trying to work with imperfect parts like water bottle lids for wheels, water bottles for the bodies, rubber bands, a hot glue gun, etc.  Definitely frustrating for not only them, but for me and Ms. Ita!

Sandra

 We also took the kids outside for a communication activity and the kids had to work together to pass around a hoola-hoop while holding hands.

And the last day subbing that week, we took the kids to a Retro car museum.  Not your typical large museum with concrete walls.  It looked like multiple houses and garages where everything was kept.  First we got to see old bikes, motorcycles, etc. used here in Latvia since the early 1900's.  Very cool!

Here's Ms. Ita with a bike that looked like one she had growing up.

Then we moved on to old cars.

 Our tour guide was the first woman racer to ever win a race here in Latvia!
I loved my time substituting in Rhea's class!  I don't know if I'll have the opportunity again, so I'm grateful I was able to do it then.  It was great to see her working so hard and trying to get along with her classmates.  And I'm grateful I was there when the bullying situation seemed to be at its worst.  After I mentioned the situation to one of the other moms, she talked with the other moms (because she knows them), and one of them went and talked to the school administration as well, and the four girls were pulled out and talked to.  Things have been wonderful since then over the last two weeks, with the girls apologizing to Rhea and being nice to her.  I know this seems to be the age when girls get mean and possessive of their friends (it happened with Savannah too in Angola), so I'm praying she'll make it out of this year alive.  ;)  It is a learning experience anyway and has provided a lot of opportunities to discuss relationships, how to treat others, how to forgive, the dangers of gossiping, excluding others, etc.  Hopefully things will continue to be good, but we've advised her to make friends with the other girls in her class and to not put her eggs all in one basket.  So far, so good.  :)