Carnaval

This weekend, Bolivia celebrated Carnaval. It's a big celebration all over Bolivia, especially in Oruro. In Cochabamba, I've seen parades and all of the elementary schools celebrate. In the days leading up to Carnaval, you better be careful going out because you're likely to get hit with water balloons and/or foam. Kids love this holiday! 

I was sprayed with water much more last year than this year and didn't notice much water in the streets this year. Some of the tías have told me that it's because there is a shortage of water this year so playing with water balloons and water guns has been banned in some areas. 

Today after church, we had a going away party for Sarah and Daniel, and then the kids got to celebrate Carnaval at house 2. We didn't have water balloons, but Sarah and I bought the toddlers water guns and the big kids used buckets and whatever else they could find to throw water on each other. Most of us stayed out of the line of fire while they played but by the end, we were all soaked! The toddlers loved spraying the water guns and acted surprisingly okay with being sprayed too. The only time they cried was when they got hit with buckets of water!

I would have liked to have taken more pictures but with so much water being thrown everywhere, I was nervous to have my camera and phone outside too much!

Rudi bought ice cream for everyone. It's not a treat our babies usually enjoy, and L. loved his! 

R. had fun playing in the water before the big kids threw a bucket of it on her. 

…and the celebrations begin!

The Boohers' kids, especially Myles and Clancy, had a great time soaking the big kids!

On a mission…

…to soak E.! It's hard to see him but he tried hiding in the playset.

 B. was so busy throwing water on the other kids that he didn't realize his pants had fallen down!

Sarah and I bought water guns for the little ones to use!

 Sitting in the safe zone before they managed to get wet too!

Nobody was safe from the water!

Emily teaching S. and N. how to use their water guns.

 After the tías put an end to the water play, we had to wrangle the kids up for a group picture. We'd actually planned on taking the picture before everyone was wet, but some of the kids managed to soak others while we were waiting on everyone to come outside. 

Casa de Amor Volunteers!

 C. acting like she actually enjoyed having water thrown on her… She wasn't a fan!

After everyone was thoroughly soaked, we sent them all inside to change and put on a movie so we could clean up the house.

We tried to make the babies rest and they wanted none of it.

Brother and sister asleep on the way home.