Souqs in the Desert

A New Pair of Shoes

2011-07-17T16:50:00.000+04:00

For me to write on.

"Wait, shoes?"

No, actually it's a blog. But it feels like a new pair of shoes still needing to be broken in. So, this is the first step.... to tell you how to find the blog:

souksnthedesert

So, please visit. Save the website. And let's keep in touch.

Things I Will Miss #8

2011-07-14T18:38:00.000+04:00

Simply Put:

Aliza and Norah

Just Imagine

2011-07-12T15:54:00.000+04:00

that this sign.......

Says Kate

Instead of Pumpkin Spice Latte....

Things I Will Miss #7

2011-07-12T09:26:00.000+04:00

Geckos as pets.

Things I Will Miss #6

2011-07-11T11:13:00.000+04:00

Playing Dress-Up!

Things I Will Miss #5

2011-07-09T12:00:00.000+04:00

"Two shoes. Two shoes."

To prop open the door at bedtime.

Things I Will Miss #4

2011-07-07T15:23:00.000+04:00

Naps....

Both mine and Norah's

Been A Long Time Since

2011-07-06T16:41:00.000+04:00

I posted one of these :)

Juelie Juelie Juelie

Hope you're having fun!

Things I Will Miss #3

2011-07-06T09:30:00.000+04:00

So many things about Judson....

1. Rocking him to sleep

2. Laughing with him

3. Watching him wiggle

Things I Will Miss #2

2011-07-05T21:10:00.000+04:00

Aliza's Art

Things I Will Miss #1

2011-07-04T13:37:00.000+04:00

Picnics

Ready to see....

2011-07-02T10:43:00.000+04:00

some of these things:

Maybe not Barry....

And more!

Another Yaya Roll

2011-06-29T10:28:00.000+04:00

This is the Yaya roll compiled from the time the "Kates" took the Furman girls to SNOG:

All I can say is brilliant!

Speaking of the Aquarium

2011-06-28T10:20:00.000+04:00

The girls and I spent a wonderful day at the aquarium a few weeks ago. It was fun seeing them talk to the animals.

And they (especially Aliza) found it important to support a mama penguin and her baby:

Wrapping up my Mum's Trip

2011-06-27T21:27:00.000+04:00

These are the last few pictures I haven't yet included in "Baba's Trip to Dubai Saga" currently being hosted on my blog. They are a bit random, but necessary... quite necessary.

This is what it looks like when you try to take a picture in an underwater tunnel:

This reminded me of my days at Sky Ranch as Singing Otter:

(I couldn't get into the exhibit with him, so I'm sorry that I'm not in the picture too. You'll be quite happy to know that the otter and I carried on a very long and extensive discussion on the difference between otters and beavers. And he mentioned that he considers it an animal right violation if you get the two species mixed up, so watch out. You've now had fair warning.)

This photo montage of Norah is especially for my mum because she bought each of the kids something before she left. This shirt is what she got Norah:

At the Creek

2011-06-26T16:50:00.000+04:00

....In continuation of what mum and I did while she was here.... (I could write a whole travel book with the amount that we packed into our week together)

Thing #566: We got to visit the creek with Etienne and enjoy the sunset together.

Before the sunset:

I really like those pictures on my mum.

She's a beautiful lady!

During the sunset:

Two pictures

2011-06-25T10:51:00.000+04:00

to describe my mum's time in Dubai:

All that glow in these pictures is from the humidity.

Priceless.

Traveling with lots of Cords

2011-06-22T11:46:00.000+04:00

I had an idea after I saw this on Martha Stewart's website (I know, what was I doing on Martha Stewart's website?.... that will have to remain unanswered...):

Gadget Tote Directions

So cute! But I didn't have a tea or dish towel, so I created my own out of some fabric. Thanks for the inspiration Martha!

Perfect for holding all of those cords and electronics you have instead of letting them be loose in your carry-on!

"Boo boo Kate"

2011-06-22T11:23:00.000+04:00

That's what Norah says when she has hurt something. Around here, we make sure to check on boo boos. Whether they are our own, mommy/daddy/one of the kate's or a stuffed animal's. It's very important to tend to your wounds and we did a round of tending this morning:

This Really Happened

2011-06-21T14:37:00.000+04:00

in the land of SNOG.

And this was the perspective of the SNOG yoghurt cups that we were eating out of....

Baba's Favorite Part

2011-06-21T11:04:00.000+04:00

of her trip was....

Just a Ball?

2011-06-20T19:53:00.000+04:00

I've never seen two girls more excited about Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey dancing together at the ball... Man, I haven't laughed that hard in a while!

http://www.moviemobsters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/enchanted_008.jpg

In Real Time

2011-06-20T18:13:00.000+04:00

And happening right now. Popcorn and Enchanted!

Anybody ever heard of...

2011-06-20T15:03:00.000+04:00

Dubai Drums?

I'm not even sure I remember how I found out about it, probably by stumbling through the entertainment book one night.

When my mum was here a few weeks ago we went to their Djembe class on Monday night and it was absolutely wonderful! If you live in Dubai.... all I wanna say to you is: "GO!!!!"

I had never played the djembe before and afterwards my hands looked like this:

RED

AND THAT IS A GOOD THING because it means that I learned a lot and had so much fun in the process.

The inspiration for all of this came from Baba, who is an excellent drummer.

And who has inspired so many women to drum through leading a drum circle in Connecticut!

And now she's inspired me.

Some Beautiful Flowers!

2011-06-17T19:01:00.000+04:00

My favorite too!

The Dubai Museum

2011-06-16T16:08:00.000+04:00

It wasn't until my mum came out that I really did some of the touristy things around Dubai.... Like go to the Dubai Museum, which was wonderful. We even got to see some traditional Arabic boats that reminded us of Gig.

The Dubai Fort

Who's that?... Just kidding. It's Baba... I know.

A traditional place to sleep in the winter.

A baby's cradle!

The Souks with Baba

2011-06-15T09:21:00.000+04:00

One of the best things my mum and I did was go to the old souks by the creek. It was so fun! I got to see Baba haggle for some textiles and we even got some dresses made by a tailor. Here are some pictures from one of the shops:

The Sharjah Monument

2011-06-14T08:51:00.000+04:00

When my mum was here we took a trip to Sharjah, one of the other Emirates, to go to the Arabian Wildlife Center:

It was amazing and full of all sorts of desert wildlife. I couldn't take any pictures inside and it actually made it even more enjoyable as we walked around and read about all of the animals. I focused on the animals instead of focusing my camera the whole time.

And on the way there, we found a gem in the desert....

the Sharjah Monument:

Driving up to it.....

Getting closer.....

And there it is!

I would have never seen it if my mum hadn't come to visit!

The Lost Fish of Atlantis

2011-06-11T08:41:00.000+04:00

While mum was here we took a trip to Atlantis to see the lost fish.
The lost fish are a lot like the lost boys in Hook: kind of rowdy. There was one that even looked like Rufio.

And the Story Begins...

2011-06-09T14:02:00.000+04:00

It's important to ease into new time zones. If you arrive late at night, it's best to arrive tired so that you can sleep the first night. If you arrive early in the morning, it's important to stay up most of the day in order to wear yourself out. Everything has a strategy. Everything. That's why Baba and I hit up Cafe Ceramique the first night she was here to eat a little dinner and to paint a little pottery...

Baba arrived early in the morning and by this time you could tell she was ready for bed!

I was absorbed in my artwork.

I mean... Look at that fence.

A Masterpiece. And the finale of Baba's first day in Dubai.

Learning a Different Language

2011-06-09T13:10:00.000+04:00

It takes time. And now after being here for 9 months I'm finally learning a different language:

Afrikaans

What? Did you think it was going to be Arabic?

A Short Siesta

2011-06-06T08:45:00.000+04:00

I took a short siesta from the blogging world.... it's true.
I really want to post pictures and stories from when my mum was here, but didn't have time to do that this past week so I just continued to rest away from the Internet- you guys should try it, it's exhilarating!
So, I wanted to say a quick hello while I have time this morning! And to say that I'll be back soon.

With that said, I'll post a picture that Gloria took of Norah and I. I think that it's fitting because Norah is one of the best and most committed siesta-takers I know. Even I have a hard time competing with her napping schedule!

I didn't want to be a screen shot!!!!!

2011-06-01T23:34:00.000+04:00

But you are and I love you!

You're number 1 in my heart.

(Deanna, don't worry- I'm just saying that because she was fine with being number 2, but why not give the girl what she wants) ((Good thing only you can read that part))

Fellow Traveler

2011-06-01T08:38:00.000+04:00

You can't change who I am
Or the way that i think
I won't change how you live
Or the words that you speak
But neither of us is a stranger to joy or pain
No matter how we're different
We're very much the same

Fellow traveler let me take you to a place where I've found rest
Fellow seeker let me show you where I've found true happiness
Fellow beggar I have good news, I know where there is bread

I don't know where you've come from
Or where you've been along your way
But I can tell you what I've lived through
And how I made it here today
Let me share with you the story of hope I've come to know
A love that's always for me
And a peace that frees my soul

- Ginny Owens..... good song

Tricks of the Trade #4

2011-05-31T08:55:00.000+04:00

This morning after I got Norah out of her crib we went into my room and I shared a very important trick of the trade (The Tricks) with her:

Trick of the Trade #4:
After you wake up in the morning and rub the sleep out of your eyes, make your bed.

Norah listened intently while I shared the fourth trick of the trade with her and it's importance. After I was done, she said, "Me... Bed... Back....Kay." To which I replied, "You're going to go make your bed now?" "Yeah, kay. Back." she said. After one and half minutes she came back and told me to come into her room to observe the progress. This is what it looked like:

By Golly, I think she's got it! :)

Excited

2011-05-29T11:56:00.000+04:00

to see more of these girls this week:

The Eve of Summer

2011-05-29T11:38:00.000+04:00

I woke up to a phone call from someone I love (*cough, cough.... Jane) and I'm very grateful for that because the Lord used it to place my heart here this morning:

CAMP

I have been so blessed by the years I spent at camp and this morning it is amazing to me that for the first time I get to observe it from the outside world. I want to write this to the people that are there this summer and who are living out the good news at Sky Ranch:

There is no other place that you'll pour yourself out for others the way you do at camp this summer. You are on the eve of something incredible that you can't predict and that you can't force. You can only trust the One who has placed you there and that's my prayer for you on the eve of your first day of campers... to trust.

Realize that you will walk in grace this summer, whether it's your first summer or your fourth. There will be times when you feel like it's you who's doing everything, but in reality it's only by grace. When you feel the tension in your body to stop or quit, push through and let go because that's when you know something incredible is about to happen in your own life and in one of the lives' of your precious campers.

Remember to laugh. Remember to not take yourself too seriously. Wear a gnome around your neck and for one summer let go of the plans you might have for the next school year or the start of your "real life" after school and just be there. Trust and be there. And know that you're not in this alone. You have your brothers and sisters at camp and at home, camp leadership who loves you and somebody on the other side of the world who is thinking and praying for you every day.

When it Rains...

2011-05-19T14:56:00.001+04:00

It Pours.

On Thursday of last week, I had an unexpected guest at 1:30 am in my bathroom. A leak.

It started out as a drip................drip...........drip.....drip...drip.drip

And turned into about 11 different water faucets coming down from the ceiling.

Thankfully bathrooms here come complete with drains on the floor. I placed two buckets underneath two of the faucets and emptied them for 3 hours, until I got tired and had to go to sleep, thanking God for drains and their usefulness.

It would have looked much worse than this if we didn't have those drains:

And alas, when the plumber came in the morning we found out this was the culprit:

You learn something from every thing.

Baba's Coming!

2011-05-18T15:10:00.000+04:00

In less than two days....

Glamour iShots

2011-05-18T07:58:00.000+04:00

Kingston & Me

2011-05-16T16:18:00.000+04:00

A Photographic series done in black & white

Subtitle: Fuzzy pictures

Subtitle: Sharp picture

It's all about the lighting.

Or maybe Kingston is controlling the camera's fuzziness without us even knowing...

We'll have to ask him if he's one of the X-MEN when he gets bigger.

Bathing Beauties!

2011-05-15T09:58:00.000+04:00

This happened a few weeks ago right after the Easter Sunrise service, but I realized that I never shared these really cute photos! It is a must!

Right after the service, the girls got their bathing suits on and spent some time in the water. But then everything got really exciting and wonderful for them when Sarah and Bethany showed them how to swim in the water!

So sweet!

Silly Eater

2011-05-14T11:05:00.001+04:00

I know a Silly Eater. I may even know two. But I know one for sure. Let us examine.

Above shows Silly Eater's eating strategy.

If you have a bowl full of something, you need to transfer the food onto your table and spread it around. If that something in the bowl happens to be cereal, it's a good idea to transfer it to your table and back into the bowl several times if possible. Food just tastes better if it is transferred to other surfaces to pick up the tastes of those surfaces.

If there is something interesting on your knee during a meal, you need to check it out for at least twenty minutes. Losing focus on eating is important and this is just one way to do it.

Yup, I love the Silly Eater.

Updated Post-it Plan

2011-05-12T03:06:00.000+04:00

You know how when someone's gone and you just really miss them. You been there? And then you start this plan, but you forget to do it for a few days and you feel like a bad friend.... an inconsistent friend. Well, I just can't be an inconsistent friend to Kate Wright. I mean, she's such a consistent friend to me and to Aliza. Kate Wright is the type of person who comes into the kitchen when we're eating lunch and helps Aliza stay focused.... stay on task..... eat instead of daydreaming. She helps Aliza turn a frown upside down. And to Norah- man, Kate Wright does the car wash. (don't worry, she's crying everyday in your absence). I mean- THAT'S CONSISTENCY.

So, I decided to start over, to get a new plan. And I lost steam after a little while because it would have been really demanding. But at least that little Texas girl knows that I care.

You have to read it from the bottom up.

"My Baby"

2011-05-10T09:24:00.000+04:00

Norah might be considered a bag lady to some people. Last week I saw her carrying 7 different bags of all shapes and sizes at one time. I wish I had a picture to show you. But I do have photographic evidence of something else. This morning she was mixing her two favorite things together: a bag and her baby.

I caught her in the act:

I'm so glad she keeps her backpack right next to her for handy access... Can you find her baby in this picture?

Picture perfect family.

Another New Phone in the Family

2011-05-09T06:19:00.000+04:00

Once upon a time I posted on here that my mum, Baba, got a new phone. After pondering over it last night, I reasoned that it would be a good idea to announce the arrival of another new phone in the family, Gig's phone.

Now, you might notice that it's not an iphone like Baba's. Don't feel bad for Gig, it's for everyone's best that he didn't get a "smartphone" as he told me.

But at least this one has a sporty cover that matches his mustard Carhart shirt.... (also what he told me)

Post-It Plan

2011-05-07T10:15:00.000+04:00

I took this girl to the airport yesterday:

(Don't worry, that's not her baby. That's Kingston.)

But after waking up this morning to the realization that my very good friend Kate Wright is gone for a month, I came up with a plan.... A Post-It Plan.

That's all I can announce for now because it's top secret and this is posted onto the world wide web, on which Kdub is a frequent attendant. I'm saying too much already. I need to stop.

An Interactive J-Town!

2011-05-05T15:34:00.000+04:00

J-Town and I spent some time together this morning.

And he had some tummy time on my tummy, which I couldn't help but capture:

Look! He's awake!

He has eyes!

And he's so cute!

Just a Little Emily

2011-05-04T10:22:00.000+04:00

Many things remind me of Emily Watkins.

Every time I have the giggles I'm reminded of my old roommate. When I would come home from work and see her.... I would start to giggle and I wouldn't be able to stop.

When I see someone dancing or listen to country music I'm reminded of her.

And the other day when I made some things out of tissue paper, I was also reminded of her. So this one's in your honor, Watkins. Keep on livin' even after Taylor is gone.

I even dressed up the camel...

And we both miss you!

(Me and the Camel)

"A Praying Life"

2011-05-03T16:19:00.000+04:00

I'm currently reading this book called A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. And I can't help myself, I have to post something about it because it's been so wonderful to read. Here is an excerpt from the book:

The difficulty of coming just as we are (in prayer to God) is that we are messy. And prayer makes it worse. When we slow down to pray, we are immediately confronted with how unspiritual we are, with how difficult it is to concentrate on God. We don't know how bad we are until we try to be good. Nothing exposes our selfishness and spiritual powerlessness like prayer.

In contrast, little children never get frozen by their selfishness. Like the disciples, they come just as they are, totally self-absorbed. They seldom get it right. As parents or friends, we know all that. In fact, we are delighted (most of the time!) to find out what is on their little hearts. We don't scold them for being self-absorbed or fearful. That is just who they are...

This isn't just a random observation about how parents respond to little children. This is the gospel, the welcoming heart of God. God also cheers when we come to him with our wobbling, unsteady prayers. Jesus does not say, "Come to me, all you who have learned how to concentrate in prayer, whose minds no longer wander, and I will give you rest." No, Jesus opens his arms to his needy children and says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 NASB). The criteria for coming to Jesus is weariness. Come overwhelmed with life. Come with your wandering mind. Come messy.

What does it feel like to be weary? You have trouble concentrating. The problems of the day are like claws in your brain. You feel pummeled by life.

What does heavy-laden feel like? Same thing. You have so many problems you don't even know where to start. You can't do life on your own anymore. Jesus wants you to come to him that way! Your weariness drives you to him.

Don't try to get the prayer right; just tell God where you are and what's on your mind. That's what little children do. They come as they are, runny noses and all. Like the disciples, they just say what is on their minds.

We know that to become a Christian we shouldn't try to fix ourselves up, but when it comes to praying we completely forget that. We'll sing the old gospel hymn, "Just as I Am," but when it comes to praying, we don't come just as we are. We try, like adults, to fix ourselves up.

Private, personal prayer is one of the last great bastions of legalism. In order to pray like a child, you might need to unlearn the non-personal, nonreal praying that you've been taught. p. 31-32

Seriously- Get this book and read it.

A New ART Time

2011-05-03T10:57:00.000+04:00

Yaya has been making more and more by herself during our art times.

After talking to my friend Rachel, who is an art teacher, she helped me realize that one useful thing gained by drawing and creating is that Yaya is able to improve her fine motor skills. So instead of trying to force her hand to draw something, we've just been letting her creativity flow. Talking to Rachel also reminded me that during this developmental stage, things shouldn't look like they do in reality because she is figuring out her own way of expressing herself.

Alas, this is one of the first things she came up with:

A Christmas Tree in April

A good song

2011-05-02T21:13:00.000+04:00

The Church by Derek Webb

I have come with one purpose

to capture for myself a bride

by my life she is lovely

by my death she’s justified

I have always been her husband

though many lovers she has known

so with water i will wash her

and by my word alone

So when you hear the sound of the water

you will know you’re not alone

'Cause i haven’t come for only you
but for my people to pursue
you cannot care for me with no regard for her
if you love me you will love the church

I have long pursued her

as a harlot and a whore

but she will feast upon me

she will drink and thirst no more

So when you taste my flesh and my blood

you will know you’re not alone

There is none that can replace her

though there are many who will try

and though some may be her bridesmaids

they can never be my bride

Listening

2011-05-01T10:22:00.000+04:00

I've always been a better listener than talker. Even when I was a little girl, it was more natural for me to listen than to talk. But graciously, the Lord has taught me how to use words. And I now talk too much... it's okay, I knew you were going to say it too.

Over the past few weeks, Yaya has been expressing more through her words. By not just using her words to talk, but using her words to express her emotions. When I child does this, we don't always want to listen. Especially if it involves self-centeredness or whining over circumstances; both being sins which we see in our own hearts (all of the time if you're me). During these times with children, it's easier to talk at them instead of listening to them.

This morning I was reading "Shepherding a Child's Heart" and a wonderful verse was highlighted by the author, Tedd Tripp: "A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion." Proverbs 18:2. Tripp says,

"The finest art of communication is not learning how to express your thoughts. It is learning how to draw out the thoughts of another. Your objective in communication must be to understand your child, not simply to have your child understand you. Many parents never learn these skills. They never discover how to help their children articulate their thoughts and feelings." p. 73

He adds a little later:

"What is important in correction is not venting your feelings, anger or hurt; it is, rather, understanding the nature of the struggle that your child is having. What is important is understanding the 'why' of what has been done or said." p. 74

I admit that when being faced with the truth of Proverbs 18:2, I can honestly say that I am a fool. I don't listen, I give vent to my own opinions. And when it comes to the children and others in my life, I don't want to be a fool. I want to listen because it's through listening than we gain understanding.

What makes me

2011-04-28T14:36:00.000+04:00

eager to ....

To dance? The footloose soundtrack. Also a little known fact: Any time I hear country music now I want... no, NEED to two step. I miss you Texas. I miss you El Chaparral.

To laugh? Seeing people I love do silly things. Or sometimes, just being around them. I'm a giggle box.

To smile?

To cry? Legends of the Fall, every time... it gets embarrassing after awhile.

To blog? Talking to my parents and thinking about my friends.

To write a book? When I think about my desire to share my experiences with others.

To make a yummy meal? When I hear the word Mediterranean.

To play the guitar? When I listen to Enter the Worship Circle.

To rearrange my room? When I feel like a change.

Easter Sunrise

2011-04-27T15:54:00.000+04:00

Last Sunday morning, we packed up really early and drove to the beach to watch the sunrise with our friends.

Norah and Aliza had a great time in the sand:

And so did everybody else:

The sunrise was beautiful!

Even the Burj Khalifa thought so...

M&M's on a Rooftop

2011-04-26T10:23:00.000+04:00

Last week I went to a walk-up movie with some friends. It was just like a drive-in movie except without a car. And it was a little unfortunate that it was a walk-up movie because I tripped and fell on the stairs... it didn't show the rest of the movie goers my true aptitude for walking. Like I said unfortunate.

But check it out: Wafi, one of the malls here, holds this walk-up, sit-in, watch-out movie experience called Peanut Butter Jam. And while you're watching the movie, you get to sit on M&M bean bags.

Quite nice, right?

To make things better they were showing Meet the Parents.

And I got to share the experience with these girls:

Night well spent.

An Encouragement to my friend Amanda

2011-04-25T13:22:00.000+04:00

This just happened a few days ago:

Yup, still rockin' the triangle.

And you had everything to do with that. :)

Love you!

He's Back

2011-04-24T23:42:00.000+04:00

For the last few weeks I haven't been able to see Gig. When your parents take a trip to Disney World without you (even if you're long gone out of the house), it's harder to stay in touch. Thus, there have been fewer opportunities for skype dates. And honestly, you may have noticed a few things during this time period:

1. I haven't been blogging as much. This proves that much of my inspiration comes from Gig.
2. I haven't been singing as much. Or at least not so loudly that you can hear it across the world. Yeah- that used to happen a lot before the last few weeks.
3. My new smile started to look like a frown.

But tonight, I got to see Gig and it was wonderful!

I even sang a song to him that I made up.

It goes like this:

"Happy Easter to you.

Happy Easter to you.

Happy Easter dear Gig,

Happy Easter to you."

This picture shows his fond reception of my impromptu Easter song.

Cry, Me? No.....

2011-04-21T16:37:00.000+04:00

I have become a bit of a "crier" since moving here.

If you know me at all, you'll know that the statement above is not true. I've always been a crier.

I just looked up crier in the dictionary for a bit of a spellcheck and it says,

"an officer who makes public announcements in a court of justice." That's me.
Short for "Town Crier." Also me.
Or.... this is the one I really like: "A person who shouts out announcements about their wares; a hawker."

Me written all over it.

With that said, I've noticed that I snivel the most when I'm holding new born babies. And of course, with Amara Muthiah being born a week ago, I've had an occasion to "turn on the waterworks."

She's the most beautiful baby in the world! Congrats Sam and Lenny!

My Shoes on Wrong

2011-04-20T16:12:00.000+04:00

On Fridays, Aliza and I stay at church while Norah goes home with her mum. Our goodbye at this point is always a lot of Norah telling me, "Back, kay? Back, kay?" And I always assure her that I will see her soon.

Last time we had to say goodbye under these circumstances, I got an email afterwards telling me this:

"In the car on the way home Norah was so worried about you that she burst out with great clarity of thought and speech, 'Mamma! Go back get KATE!'"

And that's why she's my "Shoes on Wrong".

The Next Yaya Reel

2011-04-19T10:15:00.000+04:00

Yaya's in love

2011-04-17T08:17:00.001+04:00

with her pink big girl bike.

This was Yaya as she opened her eyes to see her big present on her birthday.

That beautiful hair featherness on her head was another one of her presents, from Norah.

And this was Yaya with her new wheels.

Don't be alarmed, this is her traditional and customary "I love this!"-face.

Who needs a prince when you have wheels like this?

Playdoh Princess

2011-04-16T10:18:00.000+04:00

Aliza loves Playdoh so much that sometimes she ends up looking like this:

Notice her jeans. It seems that her Playdoh has become one with her.

If I didn't know better and I saw her walking down the street, I'd say she looks like a pretty serious artist.

A Question Only An Aussie Could Answer

2011-04-15T16:43:00.000+04:00

Do you consider possums and sugar gliders to be the same thing?

Because the other day, I was in the girl's room doing a bit of light reading and found this:

"'Listen to me, Green Frog. You can learn to swim,' says Old Possum, coming down her tree."

When I taught science to kids, we Americans would always refer to that little furry creature on the left page as a sugar glider. So, I was just wondering.....

Should she be referring to herself as "Old Possum"?

Is it just her Aussie name?

I mean... a marsupial is as a marsupial does.

Food Court Mumbo Jumbo

2011-04-14T09:12:00.000+04:00

Just a little food court fun...

Don't Try This at Home

Two Different Sides of the Same Coin

Abstract Art

Cutest

Lost in Thought

Glamour Subway Shots

Just a cup of tea this morning

2011-04-13T12:00:00.000+04:00

We got an amazing package a few weeks ago from Gloria's parents that included some Yogi Tea.

The thing I love about Yogi Tea is that all of the packets include a wise saying on the tab.

This morning my tea said this:

For some reason, this wise saying made me stop in my tracks and hold my breath.

Here's why...

In Isaiah 55:6-8 it says:

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake his way

and the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

Should our thoughts be forming the world when we are the ones who have forsaken the ways of God?

I would rather it be His thoughts that are forming the world.

How many...

2011-04-12T15:59:00.000+04:00

pictures of J-Town looking like this:

could I post on my blog?

Answer: The world may never know.

Notorious C.U.P.C.A.K.E.

2011-04-11T13:01:00.001+04:00

Cupcake has a few more letters than B.I.G.... but I figured this title would work anyway.

The girls helped us celebrate Aliza's birthday last week, and boy- what a celebration it was! It even included cupcakes. And I found out what happens when you mix those two things: the girls and cupcakes.
It's notorious, as in: famous, well-known, or scandalous.

Let me show you, this is how it started:

Here's Subject A:

Seemingly interested in the art of making cupcakes.

And here's Subject B:

Obviously more interested in the sprinkles.

And yet look who ended up inhaling the sprinkles after the cupcakes were made:

Notorious Subject A

Even after the incident shown above, Subject A had enough room in her tummy to eat one of her birthday cupcakes. Thank Goodness.

And Subject B made it out okay too.

Resting

2011-04-10T20:10:00.000+04:00

I've realized over the years that people have different and very personal definitions of rest. I mean- I studied rest, right? Recreation and leisure.... for some people it doesn't get more restful than that. I have to say, if things were different and it had not been the essence of my degree plan, I would still be a true believer in rest.

Because Sundays are my day off, they are my day of rest. And today was.. well, you know.

It started with this:

A bus to a waterpark with 2 wonderful friends, Kate and Bethany.

I hadn't been to a waterpark since middle school when I went for a band trip. And... it was unbelievably FUN!

And then it continued here:

My very favorite place, Lime Tree Cafe.

Need I say more?

When I got home, I was reminded by my dear friend Kate that I needed to really rest, so I ended up here:

On my balcony with the word, a bowl of ice cream and golden grahams and the beautiful weather outside.

(It feels just like an early summer day in Texas right now.)

And now as I'm typing this post, it looks like this:

And there it is

REST.

Esther

2011-04-07T10:36:00.000+04:00

It's amazing when people pop into your life at unexpected times. Like the other day when Norah brought a picture of our friend Esther into the kitchen. Gloria and I both exclaimed, "Esther!!!" And it made me so happy that I had to take a picture of all of them together!

"Do you remember...

2011-04-06T13:19:00.000+04:00

this lady?" I asked Aliza and Norah earlier today.

"Yeah! It's Miss Amanda! Why are you looking at her like that?"

They responded.

Arrested Development Chicken Dance

2011-04-05T11:27:00.000+04:00

Gloria and I find Arrested Development very funny. I would hope that you do too.

After we realized that we quote the show through 50% of our day, we reasoned that we should make it a regular part of our lives. Thus, we taught the girls different variations of the chicken dance. They especially like Lindsay's variation. Here's a mash-up from youtube if you don't know what I'm talking about:

Chicken Dance

Just a few moments ago, they did it.... umprompted. I'm amazed.

In Real Time

2011-04-04T09:37:00.000+04:00

This is real time. Happening right now.

Playing the Prince

2011-04-02T09:10:00.000+04:00

I have noticed a trend in my life. I am always the Prince and Aliza is always the Princess. At least 5 times a day Aliza approaches me and says, "You be the prince, I'll be the princess."

This morning, I was sitting on the couch and Aliza informed me that I was the Prince. After a few minutes of watching her I tried to say something to her and she shouted very seriously:

"The Prince doesn't talk to the Princess. You're not supposed to talk to me!"

After this incident, I've reasoned that it's hard to pursue your princess when she doesn't talk to you. But because of my nobility and station in life, I have decided to continue to pursue Aliza through all of these regulations. So my new "Prince Strategy" is to make googly eyes. It's worked on me before, so I figured.... I'll let you know how it goes.

My Calendar

2011-04-01T16:25:00.000+04:00

I opened my calendar this afternoon because I had a feeling... A feeling that I have been very busy lately. And that feeling was right- I have. It was in fact proven to me by my calendar. These days I feel that the only way I can stay up to date with myself and my life is to refer to my calendar. And that's a weird feeling.

But after reflecting on this, I realized that I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. Because the family and friends that keep me busy are the best people I know. And the last 6 months have been life changing.

Club House Participation

2011-03-31T15:43:00.000+04:00

Every kid is different, I've realized that over the past few months. Some are really energetic, some are really shy, some love to climb, some want to stay on the ground....

When Aliza, Norah and I do something together, I'll see millions of differences between them. It continues to amaze me every day.

A few weeks ago, we were over at some friends' house and I saw that they most definitely have two different strategies to enjoying club house time.

Norah wanted everyone to be involved in the togetherness of the club house. Here she is reaching out to others, inviting them in to her fun.

Come one, come all.

While Aliza was conducting a delicate sting operation with a long stick. I'm sure in her imagination she was rescuing someone from impending doom.

Close, closer. Now, just grab the stick!

Potty Time

2011-03-30T18:32:00.000+04:00

Recently, Norah has been undergoing some intensive training. Not ninja training or training to be a chef. No. Potty training. And the thing I've learned about potty training is that you all have to be on the same team...

Norah, we're on your team.

Golden Camels

2011-03-30T09:08:00.000+04:00

Yaya Has Moved Up in the World

2011-03-27T00:04:00.000+04:00

Or back, depending on how you look at it.

She's now the cool big sister that gets to sit at the very back of the Pajero!

Rolling past the dunes

2011-03-25T15:16:00.000+04:00

This is what it looks like to be "rolling past the dunes," as it says above:

Norah's Quiet Time

2011-03-24T16:28:00.000+04:00

If I were Norah and I had an hour everyday to do whatever I wanted to in my crib....

Oh, the plans I would make.
Oh, the stories I would create.
Oh, the projects I would begin.

She has started to catch on....

She put her pajamas on over her dress and secured her baby inside for maximum motherly protection.

My Friend George

2011-03-23T09:28:00.002+04:00

is one cool guy. Thanks for the new header George, it's wonderful!!!

Little Sleeping J-Town

2011-03-22T14:38:00.000+04:00

Many people have asked me: "How's J-Town?" And with the hub-bub surrounding his fame and his baby-ness, I thought it would only be right to give you an update. It would be selfish of me to keep all this information to myself, right?

Two days ago Gloria and I were googling over the fact that J has become more active. Oh no, wait, we were goggling... goggled.... gogglizing. Wait, maybe we were just giggling.
He was socializing with me as I walked away from him to the door. Just laying on the bed and following me with his eyes. As I reached for the door knob, he cooed and continued to look at me- and that's when we realized. So, of course, I went back over to the bed and socialized some more. We're just all so social here.

I also get some good time with him when he's wrapped up like a little burrito:

A Little Sleeping J-Town

I'm hiring

2011-03-21T09:40:00.000+04:00

someone to take pictures of the sunset for me from now on.

A Winter Wonderland

2011-03-20T12:16:00.000+04:00

There's always a possibility that someday I'll be able to show you pictures from the inside of this winter wonderland. But until that hypothetical day, I'll show pictures from the outside looking in.

One Early Morning...

2011-03-19T23:06:00.000+04:00

I went into the girl's room and was surprised to find that Yaya had already dressed herself.
This is the ensemble she put together:

I'd like to point out a few things:

1. She looks like a tennis player. You see the way that headband is adorning her head?.. Yeah, you see it now.

2. I don't know if you noticed, but there seems to be a color trend...

3. She's wearing socks with Mary Jane's, always a classy look.

4. I loved this moment because I could tell that she was so excited about her selection. It really touched my heart to see her like that.

A is for...

2011-03-18T16:31:00.000+04:00

I'll never remember the difference between an alligator and a crocodile. That's just a fact of life for me. No matter how many times I look up the facts and re-educate myself on the topic, I forget seconds later. But you'll never see me spending even an entire second worrying about this fact of life either. So the above statement isn't meant to make you worry about me. I'm not worried, so you shouldn't be either. And hey, maybe you have the same problem, in which case we should get some tea and talk about it together. Maybe we'll form a support group, I'd be up for something like that if you would.

But I'm moving away from the real reason for this post, which is: I used to talk to kids about science. All the time. And there was one class that I taught where we would talk about the inherited traits of animals and how those traits helped them in their ecosystems. Alligators or crocodiles, which ever one I would talk to them about, have some pretty cool inherited traits. Like their color and scales, which help them to blend into their environment. Or their jaw strength. Their jaws are much stronger when they are biting down then when they are opening up. That's why an alligatordile (new term coined by me) will sit in the water with it's mouth partly open to catch some dinner, as opposed to keeping it closed and then opening it really fast only to bite down again. That's also why when I wrestle an alligator, I just put a piece of tape around his mouth to keep it closed and win every time, impressing all of my friends.

Here is a picture of me wrestling an alligator:

Oh wait, the alligatordile newsreel must have gotten mixed up with my fish dinner newsreel.

Maybe I can find that picture some other time...

But this brings me to my next point. You can admire alligatordiles without even knowing any information about them. Aliza would fit into this category of person. She does know one good fact about them though and that is that they start with the letter A!

A Full Cart

2011-03-17T10:35:00.000+04:00

This week, our friend Amber came to do some cooking for us. She stocked the freezer, made yummy breads and fed us dinner. But before all that could happen, we had to buy groceries (Bethany, this one's especially for you):

Don't worry, that's 10 packages of chicken.

My Bubble

2011-03-16T11:21:00.000+04:00

Gloria took some pictures of Shoes on Wrong and I this morning:

Shoes on Wrong was being my Bubble.

I call her my bubble anytime she lets me hold and cuddle her. If you know Norah, you know that she doesn't always want to cuddle. So if the opportunity is given, you jump at the chance! I'm so grateful for my lil' bubble.

My New Favorite Place

2011-03-15T16:13:00.000+04:00

They even have Jarritos... wow.

A Feather in his Cap

2011-03-14T14:16:00.000+04:00

I have a favorite memory. You may too. Most people do.

My favorite memory is of sitting on my Grandpa Swanson's lap while he would sit in his easy chair. He always wore a feather in his hat and I loved taking them out and sticking them in my hair. That was always a happy place for me to be, sitting on his lap and visiting.

A few weeks ago during a skype conversation with my parents, Gig looked just like Grandpa Swanson. He was wearing a different type of cap and the feather was a little bigger than I remember, but it reminded me of my favorite memory.

The Biggest Project Yet

2011-03-12T16:13:00.000+04:00

A few years ago, while in University, my mum made me a prayer shawl to wear when: I was having a hard time, having a good time, praying, watching a movie or missing home. Basically, I could wear it whenever I wanted to, as long as I remembered that there were people praying for me that loved me.

Recently, I made a prayer shawl for my friend Kate. It's my biggest knitting project yet and it was a lot of fun!

Tinsel

2011-03-09T16:38:00.000+04:00

Everyone knows what tinsel is, right? According to my Mac's dictionary, tinsel is "a form of decoration consisting of thin strips of shiny metal foil; showy or superficial attractiveness or glamour." That's deep.

But have you ever seen any tinsel like this?

Someone please tell me how this is showy!

Ha! (she says in disbelief)

I think it's beautiful:

Tricks of the Trade

2011-03-08T14:55:00.000+04:00

I have realized that teaching the girls is an everyday occurrence. Yes, art is my subject with Yaya, but there are a variety of other things I can be teaching her and Norah at all times. That's why something entitled "Tricks of the Trade" has entered our lives.

Every woman knows that being a woman is a trade, a profession of sorts. You may be a teacher, but you were a woman first. And as every woman grows up, it is the job of older and well-seasoned women to teach them the tricks of the trade.

Tricks of the Trade:

1. If you spill yoghurt on your shirt, use your spoon to lift it off of your shirt and then eat it. This should be done before you ever think about reaching for your napkin.

2. If you don't have a hair band for your hair and yet need to put it up, use a pencil.

3. Some things have shells or protective casings around them. If you pick up something of this nature, like a banana, orange, or hard-boiled egg, and then decide a few seconds later that you don't want it- you can put it back. But if something does not have a protective casing around it, like an olive, than you must eat it or you will suffer penalties and stares from those you are with when you try to put it back.

Those are the three tricks of the trade we have discussed and reviewed several times over the past few weeks. And it's working: Yaya asked me today if I would help her put a pencil in her hair. Of course, I got distracted and forgot, but the point is: she asked! She has a deeper understanding of what it is to be a woman.

This morning I also revised the second trick of the trade with an addendum:

2. If you don't have a hair band for your hair and yet need to put it up, use a pencil or the combination of a plastic drinking cup and a clothespin.

Happy Trekkie Tuesday!

A Pig Nurse

2011-03-07T14:24:00.000+04:00

The other day Aliza was nursing her pig, Wilbur, back to health. I think his fever may have been induced by the extra bright light next to his sick bed. But what do I know?... I'm not a doctor.

Some people apparently have

2011-03-05T10:34:00.000+04:00

something to say.

And I guess they find ways to say what they feel.

Maybe they need to start something more constructive, like a blog...

In the Spirit of the Tutu

2011-03-04T17:36:00.000+04:00

When I was a little girl, I liked to play dress up. I would go over to my friend Jordan's house and sneak into her dress-up box, which I envied more than I like to admit. We would put on dresses, shirts, pants and boas. But the thing most prized in that box was Jordan's pink ballerina outfit, complete with tutu.

Whenever I was away from Jordan's I would try my hand at dress-up, but I could never quite master it without those quality costumes. Oh man, I wish I had a picture to show you... The only outfit I could come up with was a full-length cat costume my mother made, spiced up with a pink tutu over it. On a good day, I would also hold a wand. I must have been a magic ballerina kitty. You'll be happy to know that I'm allergic to cats and have been for the extent of my life, so none of this quite makes sense looking back on it.

But even after my failed attempts, I think about the spirit of the tutu often. And can see that the girls I am blessed to walk alongside here every day are also spirited tutu-wearers. More passionate than I ever was.

Pop Art

2011-03-03T14:56:00.000+04:00

"Grocery Shoppers"

2011-03-02T09:15:00.000+04:00

After J-Town came into the world, two super heros emerged from some kind of rubble somewhere to help the cause of the villa mates.

The cause: Tummies: We need food to eat and the fridge needs to be well stocked.

Because we are super heros sometimes we go incognito to the grocery store to keep our identity a secret:

I can't reveal the identity behind this zucchini or my own identity.

Oh, wait... did I say "my" identity.... I was talking about my friend.

It's Art Time

2011-03-01T16:28:00.000+04:00

We haven't had as many art times as it would take to fill the MoMA in New York City or the Louvre in Paris, but we still have heart. And besides that Aliza's collection is growing.

A Blue Seal

Princess Yaya