Mangoes, Lizards and Burkas, oh my....

The first 2 on this list played a large role in the kids summer here (they are now back in the U.S. with family and friends that they missed dearly) due to the 2 mature mango trees in our yard and the abundance of lizards, who seem to procreate faster than cockroaches. Luciano was constantly on Mango duty, running into the house shouting excitedly each time he found one that fell from the tree. They are so juicy, if I can, I make them sit in the shower and eat them, which is the picture you see here, that way it's easy to wash the kids off and eliminates the juicy drips that accompany and the ants that IMMEDIATELY follow. I don't think Luciano necessarily appreciated this, but mangoes are really expensive here, $1-$1.50 per mango, so each fallen mango was like $1+ in my pocket. We went through a dozen or more a week, so I appreciated it much. And then the lizards, many an afternoon was spent capturing, making a home for, playing with, and sometimes accidentally severing the tail of our little lizard friends. And of course, taking pictures with them! As for the burka, well that was how Ava decided her and Luciano should spend the afternoon. A red sheet fashioned into a burka for a three year old, teaching him to belly dance and follow director's orders to make one very entertaining video (which of course I cannot upload because again, the internet connection...) is no small feat.