Halloween Fun

My werewolf


Skeleton bride

skeleton bride

So we had a halloween party, and wow did the kids have fun! We had about 25 kids maybe? I'm not sure, but there were alot. Both kids from monkey's class, and midgets, so they were both so excited. We had people from Australia, India, America, Canada, the Netherlands, Britain, South Africa and Japan. How amazing is that? It still floors me, but it does go to prove people all like to have fun, and it really is a melting pot. I'm so glad that we can give this gift and life lesson to our kids. We had a pinata, and a game where the kids go read a story about a man losing his body parts, and it was hilarious. We had a date/fig for the ear, a rubber glove filled with wet sand for a hand, peeled grapes for the eyeballs, a wet noodle for the windpipe, sliced cheese for his tongue, doll hair for the hair, and wet sponges for the brain. A boy read the story, and monkey and his friend passed it around and had the kids touch it with their eyes closed. It was funny... and so gross. we bobbed for apples too. The pinata broke, so hubby and midget dropped the pinata from the balcony. Lots of fun. Monkey made his own werewolf costume, and midget was a skeleton bride. We couldn't find an alice costume :(.
After we ate we had birthday cake for one of our friends who has beaten his family here. We got them on skype so they could blow candles together. It was very sweet, as she had made a cake for him and the kids ate it there. I remember those days. They are so bittersweet. I know how hard it is, so i hope this time passes quickly for them.

Catching up...

Here is a pic of midget, she too is wondering when things will slow down :)

I have not been very good about posting on here lately, so sorry about that! I'm still waiting for things to slow down, but it doesn't seem to be happening. I did get my driver's license for here, and my id. So that means i can legally drive our jeep. That has been so much nicer, nothing against the lovely chevy aveo, it's a great car :) Although now, hubby is feeling the sudden urge to hurry up and get me my own car for good. He doesn't like driving the aveo either :)

Here's the new jeep, it's got 4 wheel drive :)
Sometimes this place really amazes me though. Some of the things you can see here, are so breathtakingly beautiful, and then of course some are not. But there is a mosque here called the grand mosque, it is so beautiful. I drive past it every time i go to carrefour, which we've decided is more like kmart, than target. Not quite as nice as target, but a bit nicer than wal-mart. It has just about everything... but ricotta cheese. A whole other story.... So here is a picture of the mosque, it is so pretty, even at night all lit up with the colors on the white. I hope to go tour it soon, lots of people say it is even more gorgeous inside.


Super Kit-teh arrived. He is settling in nicely. He's very lovey now, and seems to be liking his new home. Although he really misses sitting on the sill of the window in our old kitchen. We are going to have to find him a good sunny spot somewhere. he has been sleeping in my bed, or cuddled up with midget, as her new comforter is chenille. Yes, she did pick that to entice him :)

Here are some barbie's i thought you all might get a kick out of. The barbie here is called fulla barbie. Not sure what that means? But here is there barbie and ken, now what i am wondering, is what does barbie have on underneath. Because the lady in ikea who took her abaya off to go to the bathroom, i will forever remember, had on nick and nora cloud pajamas:)


Yes, that is a bratz doll box too...

Guess who's coming??

No, not the family :) That will take some time, and convincing :) However, the final member of our immediate family, the furry ginger, will be here today, well tonight. Woohoo! My kitty kitty, sheldon. We do owe him tons of hugs and kisses, or space, whichever he prefers. Ok, he will probably prefer the space, so he will have to endure a few hugs and kisses.
Also, after being here for 2 months now, we are all having withdrawal from our favorite fast-food establishment. Chik-fil-a. Oh how i miss you chik-fil-a. For that matter, drive-thru. I guess since everything delivers, they don't need drive thru's. Sonic people, a sonic would go over really well here. Then i could have my cherry limeade. So out of desperation, i found a recipe online for both of my favorite things from home. So I think tonight we will have fast food night. Do you think i should serve them dinner in a paper bag ;)

Chik-Fil A Sandwich
Ingredients:

Yield:

4
Servings Size

*

chicken sandwiches
Update

chicken sandwiches

* 3 cups peanut oil
* 1 egg
* 1 cup milk
* milk (for dipping chicken)
* 1 cup flour
* 2 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
* 4 plain hamburger buns
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 8 dill pickle slices

Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

1. 1 Heat the peanut oil in a pressure cooker to about 400°F.
2. 2 In a small bowl beat the egg and stir in the milk.
3. 3 In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, salt and pepper.
4. 4 Dip each piece of chicken in milk and roll in flour mixture until completely covered.
5. 5 Drop all 4 in cooker.
6. 6 When steam starts shooting through the pressure release, set timer for 3 minute.
7. 7 IMPORTANT: DO NOT CLOSE STEAM RELEASE.
8. 8 IT IS VERY DANGEROUS!
9. 9 While chicken is cooking, spread a coating of butter on the face of each bun.
10. 10 When chicken is done, remove it from oil and drain on paper towels.
11. 11 Place two pickles on each bottom bun, then top with chicken and top bun.
12. 12 You can add lettuce and tomatoes if you like.
13. 13 Mayo also goes well.

Cherry Limeade>
Ingredients:

Servings:

1
Servings Size

*

Update

* 1 (12 ounce) can Sprite
* 3 lime wedges
* 1/4 cup cherry juice (Libby's Juicy Juice best)

Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 2 mins

Total Time: 2 mins

1. 1 Fill a 16 oz glass 2/3 full with ice Pour sprite over the ice.
2. 2 add the juice of 3 lime wedges and drop them into the drink.
3. 3 add the cherry juice and serve with straw.
4. 4 Makes 1 16oz drink.

Fishies...

They really wanted their pics taken under water... :)

So we have been spending any free time we have, which is not much, in the pool. The kids have swimming at school 2 times a week, for p.e. That has really helped their swimming. So now they are getting to be amazing swimmers! Which is good, because their mom, who is a big dork, holds her nose. Yes, i am the odd duck, or fish, shall we say in the house. It is quite sad when your 8 yr old offers to help you "learn to swim" without holding your nose :) So i am thrilled they are such great swimmers.
We spent most of yesterday morning and afternoon putting pictures up. It's alot harder here, with these concrete walls! I could put all my own things up back home, and if i messed up the wall, well there's spackle. But, i do know, once it's up here, it's up :) Some things are still missing it seems, not sure where they are either. My wall of "M's" back home, had a few more :( I hope they turn up. I guess i'll have to get an arabic letter M here... Now whenever hubby goes by them, he keeps going "MMMMMMMmmmmm". I feel like i'm living in an episode of sesame street :)

Woohoo!

We are all so excited!! Our favorite kit-teh is going to be here monday!!! He gets picked up from grandma's house by the transport lady. Then he gets his exams, and leaves on the plane Saturday. He gets a one night layover at the pet hotel in Amsterdam. Then he arrives here on Monday, delivered to our door by the animal clinic here. So they do all the paperwork. The kids are so excited and so am I. We've missed our favorite cat :( I think grandma is ready for him to go, apparently he has gotten used to all the excitement at our house and was a bit bored there :)

We have the internet people!!!!!

The pool

The living room

The alleyway on moving day

The entryway

The front of the villa


the star trek who's outside your gate speakerphone

midget before ballet on the porch

the emirates palace, totally a bad pic

This is for Bob
We have the internet people, and boy did i miss it!! we didn't have any for a while, then i had it on my phone. There's nothing as pathetic as a mom, jonesing for the internet, huddling by a window with an iphone.
But, it's all good now :) We are slowly, slowly settling in. We went this weekend and got a vanity for me for our room. It sounds fancy, but really it's a necessity. Our villa has no outlets in the bathroom, most don't. So the only one in our room is behind our bed, so i have an 80 ft cord stretched across midget's room to dry my hair in front of her mirror. Well, apparently it drove hubby crazy, so he suggested a vanity. God love him for it. It's nice to have a place to sit and get dressed.
We also got our very own, just for us car. A jeep cherokee sport, more commonly known in the us as a jeep libery. It's 4 wheel drive, so we can go over curbs, as is needed sometimes, really, it is :) it's got a sunroof, and leather and is so fun to drive!
Midget joined her new ballet class last week, and this week is signed up for mad science. We had that back home, and she loved it. So as we speak, she is cleaning coins with coke and salt in a beaker. To each their own:) Monkey is writing stories at school, and he is so good at it. His english teacher, this adorable, spunky girl is encouraging him to enter it into a contest, and to write for the paper. I suggested it too, but it might seem cooler from her...
A few more families are coming out this next month, and i can't wait! It's going to be so nice to have some more people. Especially kids for the kids to play with. So that is all that is going on here. Halloween is coming up, we are debating on a little party. I'm going to find some costumes this week, and bug hubby. We'll see, maybe we will wait and do it next month, and call it halloween.

I hope this works...

This is one step short of standing on my head, with one leg out the window and having to wrap myself in tinfoil to do this... So i hope it is worth it, and it works :)
We are all moved into our new house/villa. It has been a feat of sheer endurance, and patience to get here. We don't have the internet yet, and only a few tv channels. To show you how up to date american tv is here, we have miami vice reruns on during the day. Although I must say, i do like them. I grew up watching that show with my dad, so i'm enjoying them.
The furniture shipment arrived. I do want to put a hit out on the man who packed my things though. There were many tears shed over our stuff. Some of midgets special things were broke, and my champaigne glass from our wedding was broken. Hubby's was fine though. So for that, and a broken china plate, and my dinged nighstand, that man had better not cross my path....
We have frequented ikea, and gotten the kids rooms almost done. Monkey loves his low platform bed, and midget loves her big white one. As soon as i am not mortified, and it's presentable we will put pics up of their rooms. We had to go get appliances, and that was a feet in itself. Things have been mad crazy around here, and no internet makes it even more difficult.
We went and looked for cars a few times, and finally got one for hubby that i will drive for a month or so, and we will extend on our rental car. Then next month go and get mine... We bought a jeep liberty that has 4 wheel drive. Still has room for the kids, and can jump the curbs, as it's needed here sometimes :)
The kids are still loving life here, and keep saying they never want to leave. Monkey went to the palace for a orchestra concert thursday. Midget tried her ballet class, and we are going to try another school just to see. There was only one other girl, so as it's ballet, and social a few more would be nice. They are both doing music lessons at school. Monkey is doing the guitar and loving it, and she is doing the flute. It's a little hard for her, i wish she's done the piano. We'll see. She's signing up for a small football/which is soccer/ tournament. We will see how that goes....
They are both loving the pool though, and dad is teaching them swimming and diving. It's so good to get all their energy out!
So we are alive, internetless, and it stinks. They said 2 weeks, but we will see. Cross your fingers :)
I tried to upload pictures, but after it taking 20 minutes, that might have to wait until we have our own internet.... Sorry!