how quickly February went by- 2011

I'm trying to catch up with the blogging, but daily life is getting busier and busier and they're not even 3 yet! Living in Saudi, Dan and I noticed time just zooms by us...we don't know if it's the time difference, different weekends (Thurs & Fri are our weekends) or just the fact that we are really enjoying our family time that things just whizz on by. What ever the case, I do enjoy blogging and it serves as their memory book so they can look back one day and see what we've done for them and hopefully they will appreciate all our love for them.

After starting preschool last month, they got sick more often, something I was afraid of, but had to deal with eventually. Everyone had colds here and there, but my boys were constantly coughing. The pedi told us that school is prolly the culprit and also it's shamally season. A shamal is the mother nature diaster here, it's a sandstorm, where EVERYTHING gets dusty and you should not be outside as it can cause respiratory problems. Since being here, we've witnessed two of them already, of course from the inside of our home. It's so sandy and dusty you really can't see anything and by the time it's over, EVERYTHING is covered in a thick layer of dust. Luckily our home didn't get sand inside, I know some moms who were not fortunate and sand came through the cracks between windows/doors. Another strange occuring was we did have some rain here that lasted a few days, on and off. It was so nice and refreshing to clean everything off. I love how mother nature balance herself out!

February was my first GNO trip to Bahrain, a nearby country who's more relaxed with their religious views. You don't have to wear an abaya and women are allowed to drive. It was so refreshing to go the mall and not see the "blacks and whites" (abayas and thobes- what the Muslim Saudi women and men wear). Going to Bahrain is a like going to Galveston, distance wise. It's really not that far except for all the checkpoints you go through and when the freeway merges down to 2 lanes and everyone is neck to neck fighting for their space. I just can't stand the driving here, they are literally all crazy drivers!

It was a group of 6 women and we hired a driver to take us there Thursday morning and stayed overnight til Friday afternoon. I got to shop, had a full body massage and pedi, wine tasting, ate sushi, had a few refreshing beverages, bar and club hopped, lots of laughter and girl time...it was just the weekend getaway I needed. Haven't stayed up til 3am in a looong time! Dan was so awesome taking care of the kids. He totally rocks!!! This is the second time I have not tucked the kids in at night, the first was my bday gift from Dan 2 years ago when he booked me a room at The Granduca. We hired a couple of pre-teen girls to play w/the kids and to help him at the park. As much as he wanted me to have my girl time, I could tell he was happy when I came back! :-)

Dan's co-workers from the London office visited and we had dinner w/them at Tandoori House, an Indian/Chinese restaurant on camp. Not my favorite because everything taste the same, but it's convenient. We also had them over for dinner one night, very nice group of people. They did the trip that Dan did here in 2008, to check out life in Saudi so they could better tell potential candidates what life on camp is like.

February 14 marked the day the kids walked in by themselves to school. Everyone was excited about school when we're getting ready, No one cried and I didn't have to carry anyone in. It took them 5 weeks to fully adjust and boy was I proud of them! That was a huge milestone!!! Now they love school, they even ask if they can go to school on the weekends. They are constantly saying their teacher names, Mrs. Libby and Ms. Tori. They've learned so much from being there, their vocab is increasing and they love singing all the songs, doing puzzles and crafts, and coloring. I think from school and me working with them at home, they all know their ABC's, colors, shapes, and numbers. It just depends if they want to tell you the right one when you ask them. They all can count 1-10 and they "randomly" count 10-20. They are constantly asking "what's this" to EVERYTHING OVER and OVER AGAIN and I'm constantly telling them the same thing OVER and OVER AGAIN x 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like a broken record sometimes, but I know that's the stage they're in. Hudson is really smitten with Ms. Tori. The other day he told me he gave Ms. Tori a hug, a future ladies man in the making. :-0) At one point Ms. Tori was telling me the boys were constantly playing tricks on her by pretending to be the other boy when she talks to them. She couldn't keep them straight...now when I drop them off, I let the teachers know who's who by the color shirt they're wearing.

I went to my playgroup mommies babies shower, Laila and Tara. They both were due about a month apart. Tina hosted the shower and it was another wonderful time hanging out and getting to know these ladies more. Tina is a really fantastic party planner, all of her playdates and parties are always so much fun and relaxing! Dan, Semira, and Kamal took the 4 kids to Rashid Mall, where they have an indoor amusement park filled w/rides and games.

Pictures for the month:

Aramco beach w/Bee, Ana, and Caroline's family one weekend.

Tobin playing with Aileen, Atticus and Aiden. Aiden (boy in yellow/blue shorts goes to school w/them). Mike, Caroline's hubby brought this water/sand table and it was a hit with all the kids.

Tobin, his busted lip was from me. I felt horrible! The day before we were coming home from someplace and I didn't see him b/c I was carrying Hudson as I was walking through the front door. When we came home, we always get greeted by the furries and of course, I just didn't see him walking in front of me. With the furries getting in the way, I accidentally pushed him and his lips hit the concrete step by the front door. It was one of the worst day of my life being his mommy!





Tobin- he just LOVES pockets, that's his thing now is putting his hands, toys, crayons, whatever he can put in his pocket. He will NOT wear shorts or pants if it doesn't have atleast 1 pocket. Guess what we'll be buying more this summer!

Daddy w/the 3 amigos! I just love the caught in the moment shot of Skyler throwing sand- PRICELESS!

Kiddos marking Daddy w/chalk.

Dan hanging out w/his boys and Ana and Bee's hubbies.

LOVE LOVE LOVE these shots of Skyler!

Lunch time!

couldn't resist this one, squating like an Asian! :-0)

overall views:

Daddy w/Hudson & Skyler. Adrian, Caroline's daughter is next to them.

Hudson- LOVE him!

Joint birthday party for Atticus 4th (Bee's kid) and Selah 2nd (Ana's kid)
They had it at the Hills park, the biggest park on camp. One of the few times that I dress the boys alike...Hudson pushing Tobin.

Skyler, Tobin & Hudson eating chips. They discovered these munchies recently at all the birthday parties and playgroups we go to...can't hold out on them forever!

Skyler and Hudson w/the birthday girl, Selah!

Hudson, I think this is his first lollipop!

Tina hosted a Valentine's theme playdate for one of our Sunday playdate.
I dressed the boys in Skyler's shirts since they don''t have any pink clothes.

They look quite adorable in pink, I might say.

Tobin, Skyler and Hudson

Before heading out, Skyler's been camera shy lately!

Tobin, he LOVES playdough!

Hudson munching away!

it's the end of her world, her playdough broke!

didn't last very long, nothing like some snacks to cheer her up! :-)

Aileen's 2nd birthday party (Caroline's kid) at Hills snack bar.

Tobin

the best group shot we could take of all the kids

Me and Skyler, one of the few pictures I have w/her.

some of the mommies: Caroline, Bee, and Fiona (left side)

Lidia and Saadia

cake time!

Hudson, Skyler, and Tobin w/Semira

Logan (Bee's kid) and Hudson

Hudson in the front, Tobin in the back.

Some pictures around the house:

this happened after one of the playdate I hosted. Had the water/sand table out and Tobin and Skyler took advantage of playing w/the hose. Notice our barely there plants and grass that's been really slow coming in!

an impromtu photo, they were hiding from me in the downstairs bathroom

Skyler, Hudson and Tobin

Hudson

Tobin was so proud of this, he said "mommy Tobin make it high" and asked me to get the camera. Daddy's holding Hudson and Skyler. I think this is the last picture we have w/Semira (will post about it for March).