Midweek Ramblings....

A bunch of randomness...


Remember how John was done with turnaround? Well...apparently that wasn't the case. He had one day when he had regular hours, that weekend off and then it has been chaos. Somedays he is home an hour late, somedays it is two and even three and I never know. I almost wish we were back in turnaround as it was predictable and he was getting paid over time. It is really hard and frustrating to don't know when or if he will be home and it has especially been hard on Peyton. I just want to cry....mostly because....


7 days until we depart on our cruise! And 6 days until we fly to Rome! As excited as I am.....I am a little stressed about finishing up packing and doing everything all on my own and watching two kids at the same time. Next week is super busy with friends leaving for the summer and saying good bye and so I need to finish this weekend with both kids, a birthday party to attend and well....it makes me want to cry :(


I forgot Graham's extra clothes today at swim lessons. He swims before Peyton and so he has to sit in the stroller and wait during her lesson and I like to make sure he is changed out of his clothes. Since we leave right after Peyton's lesson, I wait until we are home to change her. I found extra clothes in the bag...Peyton's extra 3T clothes and surprise, surprise...they fit. Not really his color but they did the job. I can't believe they fit him...well, I kind of do believe it but still!

I was making lunch and in came Graham....pushing Peyton in the baby doll stroller!

Graham and Peyton were playing peek-a-bo in the back seat on the way home from Khobar. Such happy kids for it being way past their bedtimes!

Graham is getting around 4-5 teeth all at once which means he is MISERABLE! He is not napping at all and just fussy. He walks around asking for me and that is fine but when I carry him he is still fussy. Nothing soothes him. No medication, chew toy, nothing! Not fun!


My hair dryer died. Not normally a significant event but our house is wired for 110V appliances while the whole rest of Saudi is 220V which means that they carry very little to no 110V stuff....especially not a hair dryer. We do have two outlets in the kitchen that are 220V so I am now drying my hair in the kitchen and storing my hair dryer next to my baking stuff!

I am doing a color consultation class on Monday. It is by an independent consultant with a program called House of Colour based out of the UK. The description from the website is that "through an expert Colour Analysis, Make Up tuition and assessment by Personal Stylists, you learn everything you need to become your own excellent personal shopper." You learn about what colors and styles work best for your body and skin tone and it sounded like fun. A friend asked me if I wanted to do it with her and I thought it would be fun and since John has been working so much, I seriously doubt he has had the time to do anything for Mother's Day so I told him it would be my Mother's Day gift. 


Praying hard that John is off from work this weekend....or at least is getting paid if he is at work...and hoping that I can finish packing.

Midweek Ramblings...

Another Wednesday and the end of the work week....well it would be but John no longer has weekends and my work never ends.... so....it is just a Wednesday here! 


Some ramblings of thoughts from this week....

• I have also been looking back to last year at this time and am amazed at how much as changed.....last year we knew we were moving but couldn't tell anyone yet, we had a one week old baby, John was spending his paternity leave doing errands/inventory and getting us ready to leave the country in nine weeks and I was trying to recover! Hard to believe that we are about nine weeks away from our one year anniversary in Saudi! I have lived here for almost a year! I remember the time from when Graham was born to when we announced our move to when we left as flying by! Crazy....where life takes you and how much can change!
• I am starting to wean Graham from bottles. He only gets three a day anyways so I was hoping it would be easy. We have gotten off the morning one and I know I should start the afternoon one soon but it is so easy to avoid this....the before bed one....I am dreading that one!
• Peyton's imagination is so much fun. She is always pretending to be something else and insists you call her by her new name...sometimes it is Cat Bones Cat, Fluffy the Dog or the other day she was Penny from the movie Bolt and I was Penny's mom. Also, when we are on vacations and I forget to bring books we do "pretend stories" before bed time. They are always hilarious! She gives me a topic, helps name the characters along the way and we both have fun. Lately even when we are home she requests "pretend stories" and we have had some interesting ones! 
• Graham needs to learn how to walk....he is killing my back and is so heavy! I think with a little more determination he could but he thinks it is funny to stand up and fall down.
• Speaking of things Graham thinks are funny...he thinks it is hilarious to tackle me! Seriously! I am laying in the floor relaxing and he crawls over, leading with his head (or helmet if we were playing football) and tackles me and he laughs uncontrollably. He has a pretty powerful punch for a 12 month old. He might just be our little linebacker!
• Peyton has her first ballet performance next week! I am so excited! She has been doing amazing in going to ballet and school unlike before mostly due to a sticker reward system which honestly has made life so much easier in the mornings with school and with ballet. I might do a post about that and our chore chart later, both has helped tremendously with giving her responsibility for her actions in an age appropriate way.
• We have been walking to school pretty much everyday which has been nice. Her school is probably as far you can get from our house but we don't live on that big of a camp and so it is a long but nice walk. It takes me about 20 minutes and gets me moving in the mornings and Graham and I walk back along the beach which is always a nice way to start your day.
• We are day 14 into the turnaround...and we are doing pretty well. The days are long sometimes but we are managing and it has gone better than expected. I am tired though and it is hard to go to bed early because by the time I get the kids to sleep, clean up...then John gets home and I want to talk to him. So we talk and then I get to the other things I wanted to do that night and then I realize it is late. I need to get to bed earlier because we do have long days and I need my sleep but it is hard to choose what to let go. I do know that the cleanliness of my house needs to slid. I was crazy cleaning and staying on top of things last week because of Graham's party and I knew I wouldn't have a chance to do a four hour cleaning spree so now that the party is done I can be a little more lax and give myself a break.
• We are busy researching and thinking about different vacation destinations for the year which is exciting. Once we get final approval for our vacation in May and I can book it finally, then I will post details about that! I am pretty excited about it! And also about possible trips in October and December. Lots of fun and I feel pretty blessed that our biggest struggle with all of it is picking a place to go!
• This weekend we have a parade and carnival on camp supporting all the groups that meet and that is about it. I am going to try to be more purposeful with our Friday because last week it was a long, boring and very unproductive day. The hardest part by far with John's new work schedule has been the weekends because our friends are with their families and it is hard to find things to do! But this week will be different!

Midweek Ramblings

Another end of a week here in the Kingdom! 

• This week Graham started making smacking noises with his mouth and saying "yum, yum, yum" whenever he is hungry. So cute. He is also into EVERYTHING and climbing on anything and everything. I found him in his new fort the other day....

• Peyton received several "letters" from G which makes her day. My mom made these letters before we left and fills each envelope with a note, some stickers and then a picture of them either my mom or dad or both of them. Peyton LOVES them and they always help her when she is getting a little down and missing them. I am so appreciative of the time my mom put into doing them for her.

• I booked our trip to Abu Dhabi at the end of the month to visit with my sister and also see my dad who is stopping there on his way back to the States from a worldwide business trip. When I told Peyton that I bought tickets to Abu Dhabi she was so excited to see Auntie Ashley, Max and her blue lovey (he left it there in September when we were there) and then when I told her Papa would be there as well her she was shocked and said, "I am so excited, I love Papa so much." I was really not wanting to fly by myself with them, deal with car rental and then being away from home but seeing her excitement is worth it.
• I finished making some artwork for the kids bathroom. I brought the supplies back with my from the States, mainly scrapbook paper, and finally made some art to hang on the walls. I couldn't find anything to match/go with the ABC theme and this worked out great and a nice way to add color on the walls. I do have some wooden letters I want to paint and add in the toilet area and maybe I can finish that up this weekend.

• Last weekend we visited our friends, The Perry's, who just had their third baby, and after two boys they have a baby girl! We were not able to see them while they were in the hospital but it worked out well since the kids got to play while we visited and held little Brooklyn.

• Our weight loss challenge between John and I is in full swing and we have about three more weeks to go. So far I have lost 6 of the 10 lbs to my goal and am feeling great. I am starting to focus more on toning and am just feeling healthier, more energetic and my clothes are fitting better. I am not sure how John is doing or who is winning so we will see.
• We build a tent with tunnels in the playroom and both of the kids loved it and played forever together. Peyton was the princess, and Graham alternated between the prince or the dragon depending on whether I was the dragon. It was lots of fun and something different. I don't know why the video will only upload a portion of it but you get the picture of what our fort looked like.

• We are hoping to take a trip to Kuwait in a couple of weeks to explore another country around us and also visit Pottery Barn. I am wanting to update our master bedroom and move away from the cool tones of blues and greens to something warmer and more vibrant to give more color in there. And the closest Pottery Barn is in Kuwait....or Riyadh but I don't feel like going on vacation and having to cover more of myself as I would have to cover my hair if we went there. 

This weekend I am going to take some newborn pictures of our friend's baby girl which I am excited and nervous about and hopefully eating at my favorite Indian restaurant in the area that they live and then just spend the rest of the weekend relaxing and working on getting things together for Graham's birthday party which will be shortly after we return from Abu Dhabi so I am trying to get as much done beforehand as possible. I still can't believe he is 11 months today!

Midweek Ramblings

I haven't done these posts in awhile but it seemed appropriate for this week because so much random stuff has happened...

• Sunday....Peyton went to a birthday party at the horse farm and was able to ride a horse. She LOVED it which made me feel horribly guilty that her former equestrian mommy is depriving her of this experience. I just don't think she is ready to understand that it is a serious thing and she needs to be still and listen BUT she listened incredibly well at the party and walked up to the horse, followed the grooms instructions and did great SO...maybe we need to look into riding lessons next fall? 
• Then after the party....things got interesting and not the good kind of interesting....Peyton had an potty accident and she was waiting for me in the bathroom, she decided to get her by herself and when I started walking towards the bathroom and saw her,  I yelled at her to stop, she turned to look at me and then fell forward hitting her head on the soap dish and then fell backwards hitting the back of her head on the side of the tub and then was on the bottom of the tub just still with no response. She was conscious but I was screaming her name over and over and nothing. Finally, she responded and started screaming and crying and sat up and as soon as she did started bleeding out of her nose. I grabbed a towel, picked her up out of the tub, ran and found some pants since she was naked and then searched frantically for a phone (which of course were not in the right place), John came home at that moment and I just yelled that we needed to get to the ER. He asked why, Peyton looked at him and he saw the massive bruise on her forehead and the blood and he went and found Graham who was still playing in the playroom oblivious to what was happening and he drove us to the ER. The whole ER experience was great. The doctor and the nurses were calming, good with Peyton, good with me and very proactive and did everything that they could and should. I was really impressed. BUT the experience with Peyton was awful, she didn't want anyone to touch her or come near her, she was so scared and it was just awful. Finally we were able to calm her down to do some tests and an x-ray and by the time we were done with observation she was playing with me in the bed. We were released with instructions to wake her every 2-3 hours, keep her home from school and watch for all the serious head trauma signs. She did fine throughout the night and the rest of the day and was cleared at her 24 hour follow up. She does have a massive and nasty bruise on her forehead, on the top of her eye and a swollen nose/eye area. She finally agreed to get into the bathtub last night but only my bathtub and not the one in the kid's bathroom where she fell. It was awful and I still start to get teary and shaken up. When we got home from the hospital and she had fallen asleep for the night, I just sat there and started sobbing and shaking. I knew she was fine but I hadn't cried since it happened, I had to be strong for her, sing songs and be silly and it just hit me. I pray that we never have anything more serious with her. So thankful that she is fine and despite some nasty bruises will be alright.....I am still shaking thinking about all of it. Here is her bruise almost three days later...she still her funny silly self which makes me feel better.

• So...we spent the rest of the week home from school and cuddling but we did manage to have a baby play date on Tuesday morning and it was nice to have Graham's friends here and for him to have some play time. Peyton was a wonderful hostess since she wasn't at school and was so sweet. She answered the door and said welcome to everyone and would tell Graham his friends were here, she would give the babies toys and then when people would leave she would walk them to the door. That afternoon a couple of her friends from school came over for ice cream sundaes and she loved being able to see friends after being stuck at home.

• My left eye has been twitching for three weeks now and it is getting worse. I know it is sleep, stress related and I can't get it to stop. It is so annoying and draining.
• Graham waves and says "bye bye" now and will also say "hey" 
• Swimming lesson sign ups have started and I am so excited! I am hoping Peyton can do the class without me in the water and if that is the case then I am going to try and do the Mommy and Me class with Graham.  
• Our house closes on  Monday. My dad signs our papers as our power of attorney on Thursday and then it is all done on Monday. At first I was sad but now I am glad we are done and that it isn't just sitting there. It was a wonderful house but it is no longer our home...Saudi is our home and it is a nice feeling to know that we don't have one foot there and one foot here.

• Peyton's class had a field trip to the duck pond. I didn't know that there was a duck pond here so it was a nice surprise. It was incredibly windy but the kids still had fun and then we went to the Golf House restaurant for french fries afterwards. I love her school and her teacher and am so thankful that we were able to find something here for her.

 

• After months...we started when we moved....we finally found a buffet piece for our dining room. When we moved I purposely didn't bring something for the dining room because I wanted to buy something here and then when we got here our house had the perfect spot but I couldn't find something that I liked. Last weekend we were doing errands and decided to look at a store called Anteak Factory and as soon as I walked in I told John that I found what I was looking for....I also so an old wooden door from Afghanistan that I liked but I could only have one or the other! So, we bought the buffet and of course it was delivered while we were in the ER. Luckily it was after all the craziness, x-rays and John could leave with Graham and it worked out better so Graham wasn't having to sit there and just wait. The buffet has pieces of old Saudi doors on it but most of it is a new piece built to use the doors as accents. The flash made the glass look lighter but it is actually a really dark brown glass that blends in with the wood.

• Not sure what we will be doing this weekend but I am looking forward to some rest! Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of your week or start of your weekend depending on where you are!

Midweek Ramblings

I am so bad about updating the blog! We have been loving Washington and I have pretty much decided that if I could have it my way we would be moving here right after Saudi. I have been looking at houses as we drive around and already have a stack of ones that I think would be just perfect for us...and they are all within a reasonable price range! I will have to do a post sometime of all my favorite houses.


Here are some ramblings about what we have been up to...

• We have been enjoying the trails a bunch! We have gone several times to feed the ducks and walk around and love the trails here. There are so many that I am sure we will never get bored and there will always be a new one to explore. One day when we went to the park I overheard a couple of moms who were leaving talking about how they were off to run some errands. I was just thinking how wonderful it would be to go for a walk along the trails in the morning with the kids before you started your day. Love!

• I was able to go for a run today! I went down to the trails and ran with Max..my sisters lab that my mom is watching...and we did a 3 mile run through the trails along the Whatcom Creek Falls. It was a wonderful run! 35 degrees and beautiful scenery and just the right amount of hills. Such a wonderful, relaxing and refreshing way to start the day.

• We have been exploring some of the towns around Bellingham and walked through the town of Fairhaven and all the shops. I found some gifts for friends babies back in Texas, some stuff for Peyton for Christmas and also a great Christmas present for her that I think I will need to go back and get...a fairy tree house doll house thing!
• Graham is finally sleeping through the night again and same with Peyton so we are starting to get some rest!
• The other night I drove (so thankful for that freedom here) to Barnes and Noble and bought some travel books and a Beth Moore book (so thankful that I can have the freedom to buy a Christian book) and I spent the evening drinking coffee, writing in my journal and enjoying time away from the kids. It was wonderful!
• John was approved for a couple days off in late January so I am starting to plan where we can all go for a quick family trip before he starts the big turnaround and long days/hours. So far the top choices are Oman or Turkey. I picked up a book on Turkey and they are ordering one on Oman for me so I can read those while I have some time here.
• I am also thinking about taking the kids on a trip somewhere by myself to help break up the time that John is in turnaround. It is currently supposed to last 60-90 days and I know I will need a break and I am planning on visiting my sister and the UAE but I am thinking about a trip to somewhere in Europe. I am starting to look into it and we will see how brave I will be and if I ended up doing it.
• I am looking forward to a week with my dad in Washington and then my youngest sister off for Thanksgiving and spending time up here! So excited about having family around and enjoying the Thanksgiving holidays!

Midweek Ramblings

What a busy week this has been...a week ago we were in Saudi and now in the United States...what a crazy life I lead...

• The night we left to fly back to the States we had our first rainstorm in Saudi in the five months we have lived there! John and I both heard the thunder and saw some lighting and looked at each other in disbelief. Thankfully it was nothing big but our dog was a little scared...I guess he has forgotten what thunderstorms are! Also...of course as soon as we leave we have awesome temperatures with highs in the upper 70's...hopefully that wonderful weather will be there when I return....certainly nicer than the 135 we saw in the summer!

• Forgot to post awhile ago that Graham got his first tooth (October 23) and another one is close to appearing. 
• Speaking of Graham...he is so determined to crawl! He is practicing/trying non stop to figure it out. He is so persistent and doesn't get frustrated when he fails, he just keeps going. So cute and he is very close and I am excited to see his look of excitement when he figures it out.
• It was a very long week with John unexpectedly working 12 hour shifts and then some but I am unbelievably thankful that he was able to spend some time with the kids and me on Saturday and Sunday in between shifts before we left.
• Much to our surprise the Texas Longhorns game was being broadcasted live on TV in Saudi on Saturday night! We enjoyed watching the Longhorns beat the Texas Tech Raiders which is huge in our house considering my two younger sisters are Tech fans (one is an alumni and the other currently attends Tech). I had to laugh that my sister who lives in Abu Dhabi called to talk smack at the start of the game when Tech was up but was pretty silent the rest of the game. I am so excited about being in the States for the end of the season and start of bowl season. I have been missing my college football!

• We made it back to the States and are trying to get over jet lag. Night one consisted of Graham waking up every 2 hours and then me giving up at 4:30 AM and taking him in the living room to play. This part is not fun!
• The customs/immigration officer in Seattle asked me if I was returning from during the Haj in Saudi when he found out I was coming from there. I was kind of dumb founded...really...if I was muslim and did the Haj would I be wearing a lower cut shirt and my hair not covered and tight yoga pants. Made me laugh! And how everytime I get my passport checked the question I get is if I can drive. 
• While we were driving up to my parents we stopped for a Starbucks run. It was kind of sad the joy and excitment I felt as I walked up to any door I wanted and ordered my Pumpkin Spice Latte! Delicious!
• The view is BEAUTIFUL from my parents! I have always felt more connected with God when I am in nature and seeing His awesome creation and it is pretty amazing to wake up and look out your window and see mountains and water and the beauty of nature!
• Then yesterday we went to Target and I was in love! I could have spent hours in there! Peyton came home with some new toys and even she was overwhelmed with the toy aisle. I picked up some baby stuff that I needed and then looked around at other stuff and just was in awe of all the choices. We couldn't spend that long because Peyton was falling asleep in the cart but it was a nice trip and I am sure we will be making more trips soon!

We are looking forward to a wonderful week in Washington state and enjoying time with G and Papa and the wonderful scenery and looking for my future house...just kidding John...kind of! We are so happy and feel so blessed to be here!



Midweek Ramblings...Weekend Recap

I didn't do a midweek ramblings post because not much went on during the week so I really didn't have much to write about...and not much has gone on during the weekend but here is what has been going on...

• Wednesday Peyton went to play at a friends house. They have been become really close and always look for each other at school. They played well...like the always do...and when we went to leave his mom told him she would be gone for awhile and to give her a "cuddle" (they are British and that is what she calls hugs) and he just broke down sobbing. He was so sad she wouldn't be at school next week and was distraught. I felt awful but am thankful that Peyton has made good friends here.
• Also on Wednesday we found out that John would be working 12 hour shifts until further notice due to a leak at the refinery. Boo! This meant our family weekend trip to Bahrain was canceled and the family time we were hoping to have before we left for the states wouldn't happen.
• Since John was working I decided to take the kids on the shoppers bus to the mall. We all had a good time and the kids were amazingly well behaved. We got some crafts and small games for the plane, a baby gift for a friend back in Texas and I managed to find four shirts at Zara and we I got home to try the on...they all fit and look cute! I am getting pretty good at buying clothes without trying them on. 
• While at the mall Peyton had a funny conversation with some Saudi women sitting waiting for Chili's to open after prayer..

Women: "What is your name?"

Peyton: "My name Peyton, what is your name?

W: "Sawhalya"

P: "Hmmm, please repeat"

W: "Sawhalya"

P: "Oh.. Sawhalya...that a hard name"

W: "Yes...you have very pretty hair."

P: "Thanks...I can't see your hair."

The women laugh and we all talk some more about where we are from and about them and it was a really nice conversation. It was also the first time that I really was able to talk with some Saudi women. I am sure it was because John wasn't with me and they were alone as well. It was nice.

• Yesterday was my sister's 20th birthday! I can't believe she is turning 20! Since she is 8 years younger than me, I remember when she was born and when she was Peyton's age. I wish I could celebrate her birthday with her. Happy Birthday Shannon! We love you so much and I am so thankful for where our relationship is and how much it has grown over the years. Thank you for loving my kids as much as you do. I am so proud of you and where you are right now. You have so many good things in your life right now. I am also so proud of all the work you have done this past year to get where you are from following your dreams and releasing your CD to pursuing your education and starting college life. You are a strong woman and I love that I get to see you pursue your dreams! Love you so much!
• Today starts the second Eid...not sure what it is exactly for but it is another Eid celebration with parties and a holiday for John...well it was supposed to be but he is sill at work and will be for several more days. 

Hope everyone in the western world has a wonderful weekend! I am off to pack...

Midweek Ramblings...

Some random moments from our week.....

• This week has been better than last which was needed. We are learning that we need to find contentment and joy with where we are and are praying for that! I am also praying and looking for ways to feel purposeful with the time I have. Part of it will be pursuing interests such as photography but I need a place to serve and love on people. And it might not look like it did in the past or in the way I though it would but something has come up which I am excited about...see below for more details!
• Friday night we went for a walk and then to the grocery store and while we walking we noticed the barber shop was still open. John needed a trim and so he went in and instead of just a cut he went ahead and took off a whole lot more. He had been talking about doing it for awhile and finally just went ahead with it. Graham took several looks at him when he came out and about the third look finally smiled. I love it and think he looks so handsome!

• John and I have been talking about how we have been struggling with contentment and finding joy in where you are in life. We would like to do a study together. Anyone have any suggestions on a good study we could do together? I was thinking about ordering something to be waiting for me at my moms and then I could scan and send John the pages for the week or maybe he could get the ebook and we could do it together (through skype, email etc) while I was away. It would be nice to have that time apart to contemplate but would also be good to have something to do together and grow together even if we are apart. Any suggestions? 
• Peyton had a cough over the weekend and woke up sounding worse so I ended up keeping her home from school on Saturday and took her to the clinic. The pediatrician is out on vacation so we saw another doctor and I was surprised how well he did with her. She has a slight bronchial infection, got some antibiotics and we were on our way...paying nothing! It is always nice to leave with a doctor's visit, antibiotics and not have to pay.
• This is the weather report for today but it is pretty representative of what it has been lately...check out those lows! It has been amazing! I never thought that highs in the mid 90's would feel so good!

• Sunday afternoon we went to Moms and Tots which is an organization here. They have there own meeting house provided by the company and it is run by volunteers. I have become friends with both of the moms that run it and they have been looking for some more people to step up and become leaders. They approached me and I am really looking forward to being involved with something meaningful and have something to fill my time. I feel so useless here. What I love about getting involved with Moms and Tots is that it is the first place new moms go when they move here and where they start to meet people. I know how hard it is when you move here and would love to be able to serve these moms at that time in their life. I am excited and look forward to when I come back getting involved, being accountable for something and just having some more purpose!
• Here are some random photos I forgot I had on my phone though....I found this hat at the H&M Qatar and tried it on Graham...he is so handsome! Daddy didn't let us get it though and said we could look in Saudi and of course...Saudi doesn't have it..boo!

• Tuesday I was supposed to have a riding lesson and the baby sitter never showed which was really upsetting. I was looking forward to that all week and really sad when I didn't get to go. And it made me feel like maybe this is something that just needs to wait until the kids are older and in school.
• Because I was down about the missed lesson, Tuesday night I just needed to get out so we went into Khobar. I went to find some ring to use as a faux wedding ring since I realized the other day that the prong on my engagement ring is really bent and then my wedding ring (which I have been missing a diamond from for awhile) feels like the stones are loose. So, to prevent losing more stones I took them off but I don't want to be without any ring for the two months I am away so I found something at the silver museum for a whole $13 that will work in the meantime.

• We went to eat at Outback! They just opened one here and it tasted just as wonderful as back home! They were really great with the kids which made a huge difference. They brought Peyton's food first, brought her a balloon when they noticed her getting restless, coloring books and it was such a nice time out. Graham sat on the bench side and enjoyed some bread...

• After dinner we went to our favorite grocery store and picked up some snacks for the trip home, some meat to last us until I leave and then some more veggies/fruits to make Graham baby food to last until we leave. Peyton and Graham sat in the police car shopping cart and played together the whole time. They play so well together now and I love it! They entertain each other constantly and it is wonderful to watch. Graham adores Peyton and thinks she is hilarious and she just does so well interacting with him. 

• I started to pack/gather/organize for our trip home and realized that Graham has hardly anything for our trip home and all my sweaters etc don't fit so looks like I will be ordering some stuff online to be sent to my moms house waiting for us. Old Navy is having a sale though which helps. Peyton hasn't grown much from last year so she has stuff left from last year and I got her a couple of things the other week so she is set which is nice.
• This weekend we have a Halloween party to attend which I still haven't finished my costume for and then Peyton has a birthday party to attend. 
• Then one more week...a Halloween party at school, a pre trick or treat party at our house, hopefully a trip to see friends in Jubail and then one more weekend (which we will hopefully be spending lounging by the pool with a margarita in Bahrain) and we leave to see G and Papa!

Midweek Ramblings...

This week has been such a roller coaster. With being excited and feeling great about riding again to the very next day just crying with frustration and hatred (yes I know that is a strong word) for where we are right now. As dramatic as it sounds, unfortunately I feel like that roller coaster and constant up and down is way too much of the norm here.

Lets recap some random moments of the week and document the highs and lows....

• High- I did a photo shoot of triplets about a week and half ago. I finished up the edits and sent the gallery to the mom and she LOVED them. Tons of praise and I was so pleased with how they turned out considering it was only my second shoot and my first doing babies...and there were three of them!
• Low- we no longer have swimming lessons as the coach is taking some personal leave. Which means nothing to do two afternoons a week. I was planning on just taking Peyton myself and keeping with the consistent routine of having a babysitter come for Graham and we go but the first time we tried, she said she didn't want to swim without her teacher and she was scared of the big pool which is so far from the truth. In the end we left early, frustrated because she wouldn't even play and I told the babysitter we would call her when we got back because I didn't want to pay her and have the hassle of all of it if Peyton wouldn't even play at the pool.
• Low- I locked myself out of the house while I was leaving to get Peyton from school which meant I couldn't get in the car to drive to the other side of camp. John also left his keys at home that day so he got a ride to the lock out office while I walked to get Peyton from school. A friend saw me walking and gave me and Graham a ride which was a huge help but it didn't help my already bad...I have had it with Saudi...day.
• High- Riding on Sunday day night for the first time forever and then my lesson on Tuesday. My lesson was so much fun and both the riding instructor and I had a blast. She teaches a lot of beginners/kids here so she had fun teaching me and able to use "real" horse riding words. We had fun! I am amazed at how easily it has come back and I just love being out at the stable and soaking it all in.
• Low...really, really big and consistent low- Childcare or the lack of it. I stayed home before we came so I know what it is like but I don't know if it is the addition of another baby, living here, the removal of conveniences such as quick outings to give you a break, grandparents or maybe it is a combination of everything but I am going crazy. I am so drained and so worn out from parenting....yes, feel free to say that all parents are. I am also frustrated with the availability of all these great amenities such as great exercise classes, horse riding but yet I can't do them because I have Graham in the mornings while Peyton is at school. Or I can't ease the burden of grocery shopping during the week because I have both of them and there is no bus that leaves to get me back before Peyton gets out of school or leaves after school. It has worked out great with a consistent person for when we do swimming but now if I want to ride in the mornings which is when my lesson was this week because the riding instructor has no availability at night time and the babysitter can't come in the mornings, I have to find a different person. So, now I have two different people coming for a total 6 hours a week and it takes to much coordination and reliance on too many different people and schedules. I also hate that Graham is just the one that just is passed off. I never have a break from being mom. I have no where to go by myself or go do something by myself and now with the possibility of riding being that outlet the whole childcare issue comes back up. And honestly some things that are supposed to be "fun" and breaks such as play dates/coffee gatherings are not all that fun when you are dealing with a toddler and a baby while everyone else just has one child (either they are only children or the other one is off somewhere at a friends house, their husbands work weird schedules so they are home for two weeks and then gone for three nights (pilots) or at home with the nanny). I don't ever get to visit, relax and so it is really hard to get to know people without always looking like the frazzled/overwhelmed/crazy lady....which is pretty much a true description.
• High- We had two really fun play dates. One was a Halloween party we went to and then yesterday we had some friends over to play. Since I had everyone over here it was easier on me for sure. I was able to get Graham to nap before they came and he woke up about half way through but I had all my toys/stuff to entertain him. It was a fun afternoon and I love hosting/setting up the table with fun decor and it was a nice afternoon.
• Low- I am frustrated with losing weight from my pregnancy with Graham. Not so much the lack of progress because honestly I haven't put much effort into it. Not because I don't want to but because I don't have the time. I learned from Peyton that I have to work hard to lose the weight and I don't have the time to do it here. Well, I do have the time...lots of time in the mornings while Peyton is at school...I actually spend two to three mornings a week bored at home because I have nothing to do BUT I can't do anything because I have Graham. There is no childcare at the gym, too hot to run and so I don't work out and sit at home being down. And the afternoons get filled up with play dates and by the time John gets home I am so worn out from dealing with kids at play dates, swimming etc (and Peyton is no longer napping) that I just want to curl up in bed and forget about the day.
• High - I get to see G and Papa and spend lots of time away from Saudi in 18 more days! And we are pretty busy with some stuff these next couple of weekends which is good. At this point I would leave early if it wasn't for some of the plans coming up and I know they will only help us feel more connected and make this feel more like home...some of the things I am looking forward to are ladies night with the Indian Women's Group who are hosting a "Night in India," an adult Halloween party, Halloween with Peyton and Graham, a baby shower, more riding lessons, a bazaar and one last trip to Bahrain to spend time as a family relaxing before I fly out.

I hate being so down and blah about living here and I keep praying that I find peace in where we are. None of this makes sense right now to John and I and we love to plan, know the answers and so this unknown...and five months of unknown...is so hard. Why are we here? How can we make this work better because right now it isn't. And of course the same day that I just about lost it (the lock out day) was also the day that John was feeling the same way and just wanted to throw in the towel....coincidence? I think not....but we are stronger than that and we both are trusting in Him, clinging to His promises that He is control of this because right now that is all I have.

Midweek Ramblings

A day late but it has been a long week....

• Graham caught his first cold. Nothing too bad but it was the first time he was sick and it was draining on everyone. Did find out that he weighs 24 lbs. Seriously.....he weighs almost as much as Peyton.
• We have started preparations for our trip back to the States. I love having H&M here especially for really cute boy clothes and so we went and found a coat for Graham and some other winter gear just so I wasn't having to run out as soon as we landed to look for appropriate gear for my kids.
• A pretty awesome and unexpected opportunity (I still am not sure what I am going to do about it) fell into my lap yesterday regarding possibly getting back into horse riding. We have a hobby farm but it is hard to get lesson (few lesson horses/spots) and essentially adults need to lease/buy a horse to be able to ride. I have stayed away because I wasn't sure if this was something I wanted to jump back into. Well, when I was eating breakfast at the hobby farm yesterday, I ran into a lady I met at Fellowship and at boot camp and just started a casual conversation. She asked me if I had ever ridden, we talked about my past around horses and she said she was looking for someone with some experience to lease one of her horses. She told me to think about it and I am thinking and just not sure why I am not 100% about moving forward...I don't know if it is the time commitment, jumping into something I loved doing and was so sad to give it up, or that I am worried that I am going to not be good at it this time around. Anyways....I am planning on calling her and talking to her some more about it and we will see.
• We really did a whole lot of nothing this week. With Graham being sick it put us into a kind of funk and we stayed home a bunch
• Both kids have been really draining on me. The hardest part of living here has been the lack of a break for me. I am around them constantly and don't have a rest. Even if John watches them...where can I go? It is very draining, tiring and just hard being mom all the time. I miss the days of running to the store by myself, doing errands, having G and Papa down the street, dates with my husband, dependable babysitters. I need a rest!
• We were out shopping at the souks the other day and it felt cool. We commented how nice it felt, how we must have gotten a cold front and then realized when we got home it was still 90! I guess when you go from 135 to 90 that could be considered a cool front! Today it was back to being miserable.

Hoping for a sick free week ahead and being a whole lot more productive around the house and in spending time with friends!

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!

Midweek Ramblings...

A pretty busy week here which is so nice because it helps the week fly by.....

• We booked our flights back to the States! I am flying back solo with the kids the beginning of November from Saudi to Amsterdam to Seattle. Then I am heading down to Texas for 10 days at the beginning of December and then John meets us in Seattle the middle of December and we all head back to Saudi together December 30. I am scared to death of flying with two kids by myself. I would have no problem with one or the other but not both. I am worried.
• We attended a weekly meeting last week. It made us miss CCCC but it can be a good thing here. It was really hard to attend with both of our kids so we are trying to look more into what is available for kids and also see if this is where we need to be involved and what our purpose looks like here. Please pray over us as we try to determine where we need to be pouring our time into. Is it the weekly meeting? Is it a smaller meeting to study in our home for people who are not comfortable with the other larger place? We came not knowing what our purpose was and knew that it would be revealed and right now we are trying to determine the needs of our community and where we need to be.
• I skyped into my good friend Diane's baby shower on Sunday. I loved that I could see her on her special day, wish her well and see the beautiful shower that was thrown for her. I never really thought about how I would handle it emotionally so it caught me by surprise when I got off skype and broke down crying...more like sobbing. I don't know why I didn't think it would make me upset. I wished I could have been there. It made me sad to miss friends, important memories and also just hit me again the roller coaster of emotions you experience here. Earlier that day I was thinking about how this is working, how we are happy, getting more settled and then BAM...I start crying. I know it is normal and I am so thankful I will be back to actual see her little boy!
• I hosted two seperate coffee mornings at our house this week. Although it would have been fun to have the kids play, I planned them in the mornings when Peyton and everyone else's kiddos are at preschool as I have found that it is really hard to spend time socializing when I am monitoring Peyton and wanted to focus on quality conversations. I am truly blessed with such a vast group of women in my life that come from all over the world. Lots of fun!
• Peyton is doing better with school. Her teacher sends us weekly pictures of what they did and it was nice to see her being happy and engaged in her class during the week. I am really pleased with her teacher and looking forward to her getting more and more settled in school.
• We went to a play date as well and I loved that out of the six women there....I was the only one from the States/North America.
• We visited a remodeled grocery store called Tamimi's. They have several but this one just opened and it was beautiful! I felt like I was shopping in an upscale Krogers. I was so overwhelmed by all of the choices, the cleanliness and really was overwhelmed. I am not sure how I am going to handle shopping in the States. I am not used to so many options, and seeing foods I haven't seen in 4 months. I even wanted to buy a bag of Funions because I have never seen them here. I have never had one in my life...let alone bought a bag but I saw them and felt like I should buy it. I didn't...but I did find the last bag of Reeses Pieces in the whole store which are delicious. I almost don't want to eat them. We did see Charmin for $37...didn't buy it....real trash bags, clorox everyday cleaning spray, Pepperidge Farm Texas Toast (we did buy that) and so much more. And yes that is me sporting my awesome abaya and being overwhelmed with choices in the cleaning aisle. Goodness...what has my life become...excited beyond belief over grocery stores!

• I am having issues with Titus stealing food from Peyton or off the counter and yesterday was the worst when he stole banana bread off the dining room table today while I was in the kitchen cleaning up from coffee this morning. I got mad. Peyton told me to "be nice to my doggy." Fun times.
• John had a three day weekend this past weekend. He hasn't worked a full work week in awhile due to training courses, holidays, being sick, our shipment etc. I am enjoying him being home more and being around to help with the kids
• Graham loves solids! I am not used to having a baby eat solids so well. I had to do another big batch of baby food this week to stock up. I made peaches, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, apples, pears, pumpkin, mango, papaya, spaghetti squash. I love how easy it has gotten to make baby food and how much I can make in just a couple of hours.
• We are off to Doha, Qatar this afternoon to celebrate my birthday! I am excited about visiting their famous Souq Waqif, Mexican food, getting my hair cut, a massage and exploring another country around us!