Saturday, October 3, 2009

Last week was field trip week for our entire school.  My class was supposed to to camping out in the woods but it was too wet and cold for the little guys. So, we camped out at the elementary school.  We went horse back riding, boating, hiking, and on a trampoline.  We saw monkeys, rolly pollies the size of your finger, cows, monkeys, cows, did I mention monkeys?  According to the kids, we saw bison, a fox, and a baby grizzly bear.  We didn't, but their imaginations get the best of them sometimes.  We put their sleeping bags in the library watched a movie to fall asleep too and then dog piled Mrs. Mitchell.


I (Kyle) went with the 10th graders to a city called Coimbatore about 6 hours from our house.  We did some various social awareness activities like visiting a tribal village, planting trees, communicating with a transgender community, hearing tough stories at an HIV/AIDS support group and learning about child labor.  We also learned how to make bricks (see below).

Making bricks out of mud
As you may know, Kyle and I like adventure.  We like exploring, climbing, and anything out of the ordinary.  I wanted a bean pod.  Not just any bean pod.  A 1 1/2 foot long bean pod that you can shake and make music.  Naturally they grow on trees, so I climbed up and took one.  On the way back down however, the last branch broke and I fell shin first into the edge of a concrete hole.  It was a bummer, but I got to see what my bone looked like up close!!  Kyle got to take care of me all week with a bum leg...that was fun.  I got lots of piggy back rides.  I got the stitches taken out yesterday and it seems to be healing slowly, but at least it's healing.  



Brick-making is one of the main sources of income at this tribal village.  We learned how they do it and then we tried it ourselves.

video video

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Random stuff


Had some students over to the house (I'm their academic advisor)
Found a dead chipmunk under our bed...Lynea looked under the bed and exclaimed, "There's either a big hairball with eyes, or a dead chipmunk under our bed."  It was indeed the latter.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Note from us

well, we’re back in India and have jumped right into a new school year.  for those of you that didn’t know, we went back to the U.S. for the summer and surprised some of our closest friends and family.  we had an amazing time with our families, especially our 2 new nephews!!  but now we are thoroughly excited to be back in india in our “little house on the mountain.”

we’re also quite excited to have momma harrill staying with us for 2 weeks!  she has made the grueling journey all the way to india and up the mountain to kodai.  wish she could stay longer (she just left this morning).

I (kyle) am teaching full time this year (grades 9-12) and lynea is still doing a superb job with the 3rd and 4th grades.  the second year of marriage is just as good as the first so far.  I’m still baffled by this girl that has come into my life.

I compare this blog update to the first time you work out.  it’s easy to work out when you’re in a rhythm, but the longer the break, the harder it is to start back up, especially because you know there will be kinks and soreness to work out.  I’m working out the blog soreness now in hopes that the blogging rhythm will start back up.

thanks for taking the time to stay connected to our lives.

uncle kyle


Tough job

With our mother!
First day of school
Uncle Kyle and Judah
Aunty Neea and Mathéo
Videos in order:
1. Lynea visits my 10th grade class
2. My 9th graders learning trust
3. Riding through a town
4. Eating "Indian" style
video video video video