Midweek Ramblings...

Another week in the so called "Magical Kingdom," still not sure what is so magical about it but life here is growing on me.....

• This past weekend while in Qatar I went to a adorable salon called Dados Beauty to get my hair cut and colored. The stylist did a great job and I was very pleased. But I was told three different times by three different people that I look "exhausted." Hmmm....thanks? I know I am tired but I didn't realize I looked that bad. Then when I told them how I have two very young kids....I got, "yes but you look awful." Wow...way to make me feel great! I am hoping that my hour long massage, some sleep and then the under eye/bag cream I bought after I left the salon will prevent future comments.
• To add to the tired comments....I am actually pretty exhausted lately. My dear children are killing me! I go non stop all day and feel like I never stop and often don't which means I am not very good about eating any meals, drinking enough or even going to the bathroom. I have about zero energy and am just worn out.
• While at the commissary earlier this week I came across Organic milk for the first time. I didn't get excited because I was pretty sure it would cost a small fortune...sure enough....$40/gallon. I don't think we will be having organic milk anytime soon.
• We went shopping in Khobar on a school night again this week. I told myself we wouldn't do that anymore and would have to plan our trips better because we get home too late and we are all way too tired. Well, I needed some stuff for Thursday morning and didn't know how many trips it would take to find it all. You would never guess how hard it is to find a bean bag in this county! We finally found one but had to pay way more than we would have liked...pretty typical over here!
• While out the other day Peyton got really scared at one point and told me she was scared of all the people. I don't know what happened or what clicked with her but she said she didn't like not seeing their faces and she didn't want them to touch her head (which they do constantly). We had a good talk about why they wear the abaya and head covering, that she can and should tell them no and that when she is with mommy and daddy we will tell them no as well and protect her. She walked the whole mall holding both of our hands which never happens. 

• Graham and I started a Mommy and Me Yoga class yesterday! I think he is the most adorable yoga buddy ever! It was so much fun to be able to do something special with just him and he did pretty well. I didn't plan my morning very well and tried to run to the commissary to refill our water jugs and pick up dry cleaning an woke him up from his nap early and then the room was really cold so he got fussy after awhile. But next week I will plan better, bring a sweater and some pants and we will have a great time. He is by far the biggest baby (not the oldest) which makes for more work for me lifting him up etc. I am looking forward to this special time with him and am also planning on doing a Yoga class (without kids) on Friday evenings to help relax, take some time away from everything and prepare my mind for the upcoming week!

• One of the blessings of living right next to the beach (and having your husband home at 4:00 PM every night)...and I guess that means Saudi as well...is that at 3:00 PM you can plan a beach BBQ with friends for that evening! We love our impromptu beach dinners (which are normally with the same family that we love to hang out with). All we do is grab whatever food we can find, grab some drinks and head on down to the beach. The kids play at the beach, in the sand or in the sprinkler/splash pad while the grownups cook...tonight was hot dogs...we eat and then head home with a bunch  of full and tired kids. Perfect! So much fun and reminds us how blessed we are to live near the beach. And last night we had some intense wind which made it nice and cool!

A busy weekend ahead with me doing a photo shoot of my friends triplets...I can't even begin to tell you how excited, nervous and scared I am....birthday parties, Fellowship, Yoga, working on getting our house finished by hanging the remaining pictures and curtains.....and then another busy week next week...and only 32 more days until we leave for the States!