Yesterday I baked Christmas cookies with the kids. About half were burned until I figured out the oven but dipped in Kenyan tea even the burned ones taste amazing. We had lots of fun using Christmas cookie cutters I had brought from home to make Christmas trees, bells, candy canes and Santa cookies. It made me wish I had brought more cookie cutters for the other holidays. PJ and I are going to share a few with “Auntie Carolyn” (auntie is used as “Mrs.” here or a sign of respect). Auntie Carolyn is in the open air market and roasts fresh peanuts. She then sells them as snacks and sells peanut flower and peanut butter as well. She has a spirit of hospitality pulling up places for us to sit, getting water from her roof to wash PJ’s muddy feet and teaching both of us some Swahili phrases. It is looking more and more like we are going to be in Nairobi for Christmas so we have our stockings taped to the wall, a few Christmas lights around the windows and are enjoying doing our daily advent calendar.
I’ve been hanging up laundry to dry while listening to Handels M. and feeling quite festive. Here in NRB many people leave to go home for the holidays so the city is starting to become quiet and traffic is becoming less. Hoping your holidays are special wherever you may be celebrating them!
We willl add cookie cutters for holidays to your “WOW” box–sounds like fun for all of you and a great connecting point. Eager to hear your new Swahili words. Christmas activities seem to be filling your days and the guest house looks very homey. Love to you all.