Compare/Contrast

Snow storm!

Over the past few weeks we have experienced Jordan's heaviest snowfall in the past ten years and then one of the most warm/beautiful weekends on record only 6 days later.  The snow was celebrated across Jordan and filled the dams with enough water to sustain the people and agriculture through the dry summer (a rarity).  Here are some pictures from the snow storm: 

The front of our house before the snow (ours is the whole first floor).

                                        From the front steps of our house looking down the street.

                                                       Part of our back yard/patio/terrace.

                                                        Smiling normally is just so hard mom.

                                                         Loving every minute of the snow...

                                        Snow man, complete with Jordanian chili pepper smile.

                                  Picture of a snowball fight outside of Amman, curtousey of Ibrahim Katlan.

Six days later we were enjoying the Dead Sea...

Dylan floating in the Dead Sea.

Ben covered in the "healing" mud.

Floating

Two pictures, taken ten feet away from each other that beautifully depict the contrast in Jordanian women- one in a traditional "birkini" and two younger girls straight out of In-style magazine.

                                                          

                                                          Family Shot.

     

                                 Beautiful Sunset!


                       

                   Dylan's First Jordanian Birthday Party

On Saturday we were invited to a 5th birthday party for a friend in Dylan's class.  It was something you would see on tv in the states.  There were a hundred people (mostly family members), giant indoor sparklers, exploding confetti, an appearance from spongebob and lots of singing.  We enjoyed meeting her extended family.  They were very welcoming and loved that Ben spoke Arabic.       


                                                                                Dylan and her friends (Massa, the girl in the pink shirt is the birthday girl).                                              

                           

                                    There were three kids cakes, one for Massa, and 

                          one for each of her brothers and then 5-6 cakes for the adults.  

                                      

Dylan and her "big friend" Hibba (this is what Dylan refers to her as...we keep telling her she can't say that to Hibba but apparently four year olds are not too concerned with these things)...Hibba is one foot taller than Dylan but they get along famously.