Thanksgiving plus a week!

 

Well Happy Thanksgiving to everyone...wait a minute... I am a tad late on that one! Well, Thanksgiving was  interesting for us this year. Usually we eat turkey and lots of sides, watch the game, maybe take a nap, eat some yummy desserts and then feel miserable for eating so much! But this year we didn't really do anything special for Thanksgiving. It's kind of sad! Michael had to work on Thursday/Thanksgiving day so right there it just didn't feel right. I can't even remember what we had for dinner! I told you it was sad! We can get turkey here and pretty much have most the side stuff we usually have but we just didn't do it. But we were invited to an after Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving feast on Friday. So we counted this as our Thanksgiving. One of our friends opened her home and invited a ton of people over, well at least 50 people! Everyone brought a dish and filled their bellies to their fullest. I didn't even eat any dessert because the food was so good! On Saturday, we were invited to another friends house for another get together. Again everyone brought a dish to share. The kids had a blast because there is a play scape just outside our friends back yard! The only problem about all the eating is that I didn't take any pictures. It's terrible that I didn't capture our first Thanksgiving in Saudi! Oh, well there will be another one next year!

 

On Sunday our friend Brad and two of his children were so kind to take us in to Rahima. I needed to get the girls a few pairs of pants because it has been a little chilly in the morning and evening times. I found some at a store called Center Point which is kind of like a Target (kind of!). Brad then took us to restraint called East West. It was okay, a bit too spicy for me and the girls to eat. It was so spicy for me that my eyes were watering...I was trying my best to eat the food! So here we are with our  Saudi Champagne!

 

 

Michael turned himself blue! Looks pretty good! He turned blue because the sixth graders made their goal of raising money for a men's cancer group. Michael as well as dour other teachers turned themselves blue. He did come home at lunch and took a shower. It took at least three showers to get all the blue out of his hair!

 

 Last week the girls had their showing week a dance, Now, they haven't been going very long but their dance instructor Kristy Lee gave them a certificate and a little goody bag. She was so sweet to do this for them and the girls were just as excited to receive them!

 

 Macey trying to touch her toes to her head! Love her mouth opened wide, must help!!

 

Back home, we would have put up our Christmas tree on Friday after Thanksgiving. But that didn't happen here. One, we don't have a Christmas Tree and didn't put one in our shipment (although we might have been able to get it here). Second, you can't just go out an buy one...actually you can but you have to know where to go. I've been told that the trees at this one place are really small. You can go to Bahrain and bring one back but we don't have transportation to get there. Plus, it could get taken away at the border. So this year we decided to make a paper tree. I think it turned out pretty cute. Although, some of the paper keeps falling but I guess I can pretend it's needles falling from a real tree! The girls have enjoyed making paper ornaments, coloring them and taping them on the tree, A true tree made from love!

 We did buy some light from someone who is retiring soon!

 

 This weekend the "Visitor from the North" arrived! That's what they call Santa around here! The girls had a blast! Both sat on his lap and didn't cry although they did look a little frightened! Caley keeps say that this is her "Santa," so I guess no other child can have Santa because he is hers! She's so cute and serious when she talks about her Santa! During this activity there were little craft type activities to do. The girls made reindeer food, got a lollipop with a Christmas character to cover it. They colored got a giant cookie and juice. Plus, they got a gift from Santa. It's our first presents under the tree. We told the girls that Santa said not to open till Christmas. I know they have the same thing but not sure what is inside!

 

 

This week is a big week for us. On Tuesday we will finally get our shipment. We are super excited about this and are preparing for the change in furniture and lot of good feelings to fill this home from our home in TX. On Wednesday we are having a play set installed for the girls. They have no idea that this is going to happen so I'm pretty sure they are going to be very excited.

 

Please pray for Sandy's visa to go through this week. We applied back in October for her visa. It turns out that she never received the paperwork to get the visa, we didn't know that there would be papers sent to her otherwise we would have been on top of this a lot sooner. We were able to make some calls and the Houston office was able to email her the paperwork, Visa's can take anywhere from 2 -4 weeks to process. Sandy did have to jump through some hoops before that big ice storm came because a visa would not be issued if your passport expired in less than nine month. Well hers does, in eight months. Go figure. So on Thursday, she went to the passport office and was able to get a passport the same day, She then overnighted the paperwork and passport to Houston. Now our fingers, legs, toes, hair whatever is crossed hoping that this will come through. She has a flight that leave on the 18th.

 

 

Blessings

The Myers



Lots of rain and Caley's Birthday Party

 

What a crazy weather week we had! People that have lived here in Saudi haven't seen the kind of weather that we had. I'll tell more about that later.. Our Sunday night was a neat one for the girls. Gammy Skyped and read them their bedtime story. The really enjoyed it! Thanks Gammy!

 



 On Monday I took Caley to her first Tiny Tots Dance class. She wasn't so sure about it at first but ended up trying to follow he teacher's instructions! She was so cute bobbing up and down and blowing kisses (part of the routine)!!!

 So the rain started, I think on Sunday. A very slow and very gentle rain the kind you like to have to grab a book, snuggle up under a blanket and read with no electronics on so you can hear the rain. But the problems is that the rain just kept coming down. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...Oh it was nice but it caused a lot of problems here on camp. Many streets flooded. Some people had problems inside their home, to the point that their ceilings fell in some rooms. It was crazy! Saudi wasn't made for this much rain at one time!

The yellow bucket that you see in this video was completely full by the time the rain had stopped!

 They ended up bringing in the big rigs to suck up the water! They did a great job and took a good 24 hour to get this one part cleaned up enough so that we could travel on this one road.

 

 This poor Land Rover had a tree fall on it. Apparently it was a new one, too! Ouch....

 The day after all the rain stopped we ended up having no power for about 8 hours or so. Luckily the sun was shining so Macey and I made a turkey together. It was interesting, the whole power be out, because  there was a good section of camp without power but the other side was find. They even canceled the middle school in the afternoon because the school didn't have power! Michael's building had power and so he had to stay at work were other got to go home and "work from home!" So here is the turkey we made! Gobble, Gobble!

 Friday we had Caley's birthday party. I sent out an email canceling the party the day before(which was to be outside at a playground) because of all the rain we had...but on Thursday it turned out to be very nice and so I sent another email out say it was on! We had a great time with our friends and the weather couldn't have been any better! We spent almost 3 hours out there!

 Silly face!

 Daddy and Macey at the playground just chillin!

The picture below was taken after we sang happy birthday. Blogger wouldn't load the video, think it maybe too long. She did well this year and didn't cry like she has in the past!

 Macey after eating her cupcake!

One of our friends Mollie had a great camera to snapped these photos of the girls! Thanks Mollie!!

 Chocolate frosting mustache!

 Look at the sparkle in Macey's eyes, love it!!!

 

Update on our stuff from the states: Michael got word that our shipment arrived in prt on Nov. 17. He ws told it could take 12-14 days for us to get it at the house. But some of our friends have got theirs in less time one was 5 days! So I'm hopeful that this could be the week but more than likely it will be next week!

 

Until next time,

As’salam Alikum ~ Peace be with you!

The Myers

 

 

 

And we are still waiting for our stuff!

This week wasn't too crazy around here! The biggest thing that happened on camp is that our commissary changed companies. This was a BIG thing for our camp as the other store owner weren't taking care of business and many customers were not happy. So a new company called LuLu's took over. The store closed for a few days and then on Sunday they had their big grand opening. There were a lots of people that came to the opening, Macey and I being one of them, but it was great to see some really great products and lots of fresh produce. Everyone was oohing and awing over stuff. These will be so nice because I won't have to take a bus into town and lug all of our groceries home plus have the girls with me!

We couldn't stay too long because we had to go pick up Caley. We did buy some Italian peperoni! It was so good that when we went shopping yesterday we had to pick up another half kilo, because we ate nearly all of the other one from Sunday! Yummy, can' wait to put it on our home made pizzas!

 

 Just a little bit of the croud!

 On Monday and Tuesday our library has some kids activities. We haven't been before but wanted to give it a try. The first night the girls heard a story and colored a bear. The second night they made butterflies.

 I am so proud of Macey! She is trying so hard to stay in the lines and did you see her name! Yep, she did that all by herself! She isn't even 4 and can write her name. I had kindergarten students that couldn't write their name. Just goes to show if you work with them a little they can and will do it!!!

 On Thursday Michael had a volleyball match (he is coaching 6th and 7th graders). So the girls and I went to the ball park were the teachers from the elementary and middle school were playing ball. The field is near the ocean and the wind was blowing pretty good making just a little chilly! Hince the pants and jackets the girls are wearing!

 After the game they got to go and run around the field a bit. Lots of fun!

 

On Thursday Macey and I took our first Mum and Tots Dance class. She had a blast. I didn't get a picture of her but will next week. She is ready to go back!!!

 

Last night Michael and I watched our friends, Ambre and Brad's kiddoes so they could have a date night! They have three kids and with our two girls, well lets just say they had a blast playing together! I didn't get any pictures but they had fun just digging in the dirt, running around chasing each other and having some yummy cauliflower mac and cheese for dinner! Ambre and Brad came over and we hung out on our patio and just talked and laugh until we realized that it was 9:45! Oh the fun we had. We ended up taking some of our Aramco furniture to sit on outside since we still don't have our stuff! The weather was PERFECT!!!

Speaking of our stuff, crossing our fingers that when Michael goes into work on Sunday that he will have an email that of stuff is in port! Awww, so close but still so far away! We are ready for it to be here but are nervous because we don't have a clue where everything is going to go!

 

Until next time,

As’salam Alikum ~ Peace be with you!

The Myers

Caley Goes to Preschool!

Last was a big week for Caley because she has been missing school so much. She is always talking about her Julie and Dianne from her school in Texas. So, we finally gave in and found a preschool here on camp that she can go to and be with other kids her age (which she is needed, for socialization). She goes five days a week from 8:10 to 11:10. I have to say she was so excited to go to "her school!"

Caley Dressed herself for her first day of school!

 



 

 Caley is tell her sister it is "her school!"

 Silly faces!

 One the mornings this past week I did my normal routine of going out for a walk (I'd run but have pulled some tendons in my right foot, so I can only walk for now) but this is what I saw...the threat of rain!!!

 Oh, wait ya'll it did sprinkle on me. I haven't felt rain since we left Texas. But this I am afraid to say is all we got! Those clouds soon blew away and it became sunny as normal.

 On another day I went out for my walk and had this incredible picture of the sun rising. Breath taking!

 On one of my morning walks Macey joined me because she woke up early and didn't want to go back to sleep. I wanted Caley and Michael to sleep so she joined me. Although it was a bit chilly this morning! I didn't get my entire walk done because she was too cold, scary to say!

 On Friday I stopped by a friends house, her kiddos were playing outside so the girls wanted to play too! Here is a picture of the girls and Ethan riding around in the car! Macey was having a blast driving the car!

 Macey has a little crush on Ethan and I'm pretty sure it's the same for Ethan. Both of them gravitate towards each other when they see each other! So here is Ethan driving Macey around! We will have to watch these two in the future....