On the Hunt for Eggs!!

Easter fun has begun around here!!! Yesterday morning we went to a friend's house and spent the morning decorating eggs! We dyed and colored and enjoyed our time together. Today we met at the park and Sadie Mac had her very first Easter Egg Hunt!! She was funny and didn't seem that impressed. After her second egg, she sat down in the grass and started to peel them. Then her tiny tot friends came over so we could take pics! Sadly, her little Easter Basket is at home in the sandbox, so I made her a home made one last night out of a cracker box and the old school paper weave!! I put a piece of cloth as the handle and it worked just fine!! We had a wonderful time and are so thankful to share holidays and fun with friends here.


Let the Game Begin!!

"Mommy... I found one!"

She's a daddy's girl, for sure.


The Toddler Trio...


The Toddler Trio and one big sis playing "Ring Around the Rosie". This is Sadie Mac's favorite game!

My Favorite Accessory

I recently bought a "ring sling" and Sadie Mac LOVES IT!! (The proof is in the pictures!) She makes me laugh that whenever we are about to go out, she gets the sling and brings it to me! She even gets so comfortable in it she likes to become my little kangaroo in the sling and even falls asleep! Stephen caught this picture from our balcony when I was walking home from the store with my hands full... and she was snoozing! I like to take her wherever I go!! She is how I "dress up"!! [For the record: I hate these pics of me... but they were too cute of little missy to not publish. I know she is all the grandparents want to see anyway!! ;-) ]

What we've been up to...

Well, we have been doing some things here and there and been taking pictures all along the way. So, here are some of our random happenings recently...

Sadie and her friend were the Queens of the Beach with all the beach boys wanting to take their pictures and dote over them!! Oh no... I feel like we have trouble on our hands!

Making an Arabic birthday cake! The first one I've ever made for one of my national friends... she was pleased with it!

Celebrated a good friend's birthday! We enjoyed the day doing hair cuts and Outback Steakhouse! (Happy birthday Janet!)

Home Remedies... I was sick with a bad cough for 3 weeks and crushed almonds with a baby food grinder... made a paste with it and ate it... I think it helped... I feel better now!

Got a hair cut!

Enjoying take out dessert! We are hoping to go back to the sandbox next week so we are taking full advantage of the delivery service here... Oreo Maddness in 15 minutes, and no dirty dishes!!

She is a doll, isn't she?!?

This evening we went to visit some friends and Sadie got to meet them for the first time. They thought she was just as cute as we do... and even wanted her to be their baby doll! Everyone here LOVES blonde hair and so her new little friend wanted to give her a little more, from her own baby doll. We had a great time and are thankful for the friends we have made here. Sadie Mac even got to meet their little baby chick too!!! Hope you enjoy the pics from our visit!

Beach Day...

Today is Thursday, which is kinda like the American Friday... the end of the week!! We decided to cut out early and head down to the little beach by our house. Since the wintery mix ended it's been much warmer weather and we thought we'd enjoy it. We met a really nice family there and practiced our Arabic with them. Sadie Mac loved going down to the water. She and I had a nice little mommy/daughter chat. So fun. We talked about "waves" and when we did, she waved at the sea. Daddy took her down there to dip her toes and a bigger wave came in a got them by surprise! Oh well... it was a fun little family outing anyway.

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!