Wintery Mix!!!

This afternoon about 2:30 pm we heard the winds howling and the rain start pouring... then we started to hear a sound we have not heard in a long, long time! HAIL!!!! While our families on the east coast are getting slammed again with their 18th or so snow storm, we enjoyed about 10 minutes of what I want to call a wintery mix! It's the closest I've had in 3 years! So, if you look closely you can see a few hail stones!! This also was taken after a few minutes and some had melted... but we couldn't miss the chance to share in our excitement!! YAY FOR WINTER!! This will probably be the last we see of you until this coming one!

Life Lessons

Life is full of challenges and lessons whether you live in the States or anywhere else in the world. And our little girl is starting to learn these lessons!! Watching her learn can be both fun and hard. We went to a park area last weekend with some friends and our little extravert was off playing with the national kids while the rest of us ate lunch. Being a parent, watching your child interact with other children is really fun to do... especially when you live in another culture! Knowing they are speaking only Arabic to her, knowing their "rules" could be different than how we've taught her, and what do they think of her, the foreign kid??!! Well, being a little ways off and only watching and trying to snap pictures, these were the life lessons we think she learned that day at the park.

Learning the Waiting Game

Learning to take turns: apparently she says, "No thanks"...

Learning to Run with the Bigger Dogs, or at least try to...

Learning the grab and run technique. (When they won't give you what they want... you grab and run!)

Now We Call it "Football"

This side of the world is crazy about "football"... and it's been hard to call it that growing up in America where soccer is the name of the game! Our friends always laugh at us when we say, "soccer... I mean football"!! Last week I walked out to our balcony and saw the next generation of hopefuls that would love to play for their country or somewhere professional I'm sure. Watching them was a lot of fun. We love our house and balcony that looks over the garden/grassy area where we can see the sea and the upcoming soccer/football stars!

Happy Valentine's Day!

We hope you are enjoying celebrating this Valentine's Day... we are! Sadly little Sadie Mac is sick and we had planned a date night, but looks like we will be taking a rain check on that. Stephen had a meeting this morning and came home and surprised both me and Sadie Mac with flowers. Tulips for her and red roses (and white chocolate... my favorite) for me!! He is an amazing husband and dad! While he was out we made him special Valentine's cards, and his favorite... no bake cookies!
Hope each of you are having a great Valentine's Day!!

Better Late than Never!

Yay for Christmas Presents!!!


A few days after New Year's, we received a package from Stephen's aunt and uncle and we were all thrilled. She emailed and said to be expecting it... and you never know exactly when we are going to get things. But, thankfully Curious George books and bath soaps don't go bad!! :-) We were so thankful for their generosity and the thrill of getting mail! Thank you Uncle Mark and Aunt Gay, Natalie and Heath!!! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!