Jake's First Piano Recital

After watching his big brother on the piano for a year, Jacob was pleading for his own lessons. Seriously. He even coaxed a babysitter into teaching him how to play Fur Elise while we were out one night. We happily gave into his "demands" to learn, and started him in lessons this September with Miss Lydia.





Jake had his first piano recital last weekend. This was the very first time he has performed completely alone in front of a large audience. All of his other performances have been with groups for cub scout skits, 2nd grade musicals, etc. While he was eager to show off his hard work, he was understandable nervous (as was his mother!). He did a FABULOUS job and we couldn't be more proud of him.

He played Ode to Joy by Beethoven and The Clockshop, which was a duet with his teacher. Here are the short video clips:

Halloween 2009

Here's one for you...I now have to worry about their Halloween costumes being too hot, instead of worrying about how to get the costumes over their coats! Thank goodness the trick or treating doesn't start until after the sun goes down. However the 2:30 parade at school was a different matter...

This was Michael's very last Halloween parade. How did he grow out of those so soon? As 2010 and middle school approaches, I imagine that there will be many more "lasts" and "firsts" for him. He is already talking about the school dance that will replace the parade for him at Halloween. Oh boy...

Please indulge me as I take a quick detour down memory lane...here is a picture of his first Halloween parade in 2003, as a 4 year old in preschool. What a great big brother he was (and is), taking 2 yr. old Jake along with him:



...and then six years later as a 10 year old in 5th grade:


The kids paraded and had their parties at school on Wednesday, Oct. 28th, which is our "Friday." The theme seemed to be Black for the 2009 Green family costumes. Jacob sported an authentic ninja costume that Julia brought him from Japan this year:


Don't you think that Jacob's costume looks very similar to one of our everyday sights...


We waited until the 31st to do the actual trick or treating. We kept things pretty low-key this year and stuck close to home. There are some neighborhoods of the community that are literally packed with kids, teens and parents trailing with cars. It's down right dangerous on some of the streets - in fact last year a kid got hit by a car. It's much less crazy in our immediate neighborhood. The Miller family came over to go trick-or-treating with us, and then we had some fabulous roasted butternut squash soup for dinner. A very autumn-like meal, despite the desert heat.

Catching Up...

Hmmm, it looks like it's been awhile since I've posted. I have been keeping lists of things I want to write about and hopefully I will start working on those topics this week. Normally I have a ton of time to spend at the computer. However lately, I've been spending much of that time working on itineraries, flights and accommodations for our upcoming trips to London (November) and China (March).

In addition to that, I have been researching and applying to schools for online classes. I'll be registering later this month for classes at Bellevue Community College (in WA state) for the winter and spring, and I'm waiting to hear from Washington State University on acceptance for the fall -- they both have distance learning classes and I'll be able to finish my accounting degree completely online from over here. WSU is going to treat my situation similar to military and give me in-state tuition once I've had my WA driver's license for a year, which will be in July. We are excited beyond belief about their decision, which will allow me to use my 20 year old tuition scholarship there. Next on our plate will be computer shopping, as I'm not confident I will be able to rely on our "dinosaur" for online classes.

School is still going well for both the boys. We had parent/teacher conferences several weeks ago and both the boys are doing great. Socially, it's like night and day from last year at this time. Hurray for settling in and making friends! Speaking of school, did you know that that our school in the compound is the ONLY school in ALL of Saudi Arabia that held classes before mid-October? The other international schools, as well as the Saudi schools have been closed, due to Ramadan and swine flu fears. I feel for those mothers, and am horrified to think of how short their summer break will be next year.

On a sad note, we took Skippy back to her foster parent in town a couple weeks ago. Jake was doing great with his allergies but there were other issues that ultimately made her a bad fit for our family. At the top of the list was her ongoing grave dislike of Jacob and her inability to stop terrorizing children that came over to play. The psychology of what may have been causing all of that was well beyond our limited knowledge of dog training, and we thought it would be best to break the bond before it was too difficult to do. It was heartbreaking, especially for Michael but she really didn't turn out to be the family dog we wanted. We are going to give it some time, talk to some animal behaviorists and see if it's something we can do better with a different dog. The worst part of all of this was that it came to a head within a week of Uncle Fuzzy, the hamster, dying.

The weather is cooling down to reasonable finally, enabling us to enjoy Jake's baseball games, bike rides and many other outdoor activities. The highs have been ranging from 88-98 degrees this week. Unfortunately with the "cooler" weather comes mosquitoes and the flu. Oh well, I guess you can't have it all.

In a nutshell, that's what we've been up to...Stay tuned for Halloween pictures, a photo tour of the inside of our house here, an education of the different types of palm trees we have, and our thoughts on a recent teen riot in downtown Khobar.

We Couldn't be more Proud

There are times as a mom when I just think my heart is going to burst with pride. Michael provided me yet another one of those moments this week...

As I mentioned before, my brave son ran for Student Council President of his elementary school, along with a dozen other candidates. Listening to the speeches at the school assembly (a crowd of over 700 students, teachers and parents) on Tuesday, I was impressed with the maturity and courage the candidates all possessed. Their counselor has been working with them for weeks, coaching them on good, fair, campaigning as well as practicing their speeches. Their hard work was evident not only in the professional way they presented themselves but also the maturity they displayed in the entire process.

Sadly, Michael did not win the election, but still walked away a total WINNER for running. I can't begin to put into words how proud we are of him. A year ago he was a new student, one that had a very difficult transition into the school and a tremendous struggle to make friends. That his confidence has turned around to the point of running for president speaks volumes.

Here is the video of his speech:

RIP, Uncle Fuzzy

I have a very, VERY sad boy tonight.

Uncle Fuzzy passed away sometime between last night and tonight. He was in his nest under the platform, his favorite spot, with his eyes shut.

Uncle Fuzzy was our first non-aquatic pet. He brought Michael much joy and taught him a little bit more responsibility. He will be missed.

Snapshots of September

It's hard to believe it's the last day of September already. One month of school under our belts (minus the week off for the Eid holiday) and I couldn't be more pleased with how well school is going, academically and socially. What a difference a year makes!

Michael is doing well - he's keeping up with the school work and still managing to practice his trombone, and occasionally the guitar. He just began his campaign for Student Council President this week. The elections will be held on Oct. 14th...I'll let you know what happens. He has to give an election speech on the 13th at an assembly with the entire student body, teachers and parents. He says it will be "no big deal - after participating in the variety show last spring, it's not so hard to talk to 800+ people." Wow.

Jake is holding his own again. However, during the 2nd week of school his teacher had a family emergency that she had to attend to in the US. Then while she was there she fell ill or something. Unfortunately she's been gone since Sept. 7th and the school has no idea when she will be returning. They have a long-term substitute in there right now. Not the best start to school, but what can you do? THANKFULLY, this did NOT happen to Michael. I shudder at the thought...

Here's what else we've been up to this month:





Playing dress up with our friend, Ethan. They've all clearly mastered the art of posing for the camera!

Enjoying some down time with Skippy. This was before we remembered she shouldn't be on the sofa. Now when we sit here she lays in our laps, if invited. Otherwise she has a little bed she likes to nap in.

Michael and his gold "basketball" time capsule. Uncle Fuzzy no longer has a hamster ball to use. Everyone else in his class used the recommended Pringles can. Where DOES this child come up with his creativity??

A little father/son bonding: practicing guitar together.

Poker / Fudge / Popcorn Night. What? Sure it goes together!

Diligently practicing piano

Jake loved the birthday gifts Michael bought (using his own money - a first).

More father/son bonding? For the record, Michael can cream any of us on Guitar Hero. Too bad it doesn't translate in "real guitar" playing ability!

Introducing....Skippy

Are you sitting down? Great...let me introduce you to the newest member of our family: Skippy! She is named after Skippyjon Jones, the Siamese cat who thinks he is really a Chihuahua (a picture book written by Judy Schachner).

Skippy is a 2 year old Chihuahua who desperately needed a loving home after being dumped in Khobar by what we speculate to have been an abusive family.

Yes, Jacob is still allergic to cats and dogs. But he wanted a dog so bad that he was all set to start allergy desensitization shots when we got here. The local allergist had no qualms about arrogantly telling me what he really thinks about the situation: He believes the shots are immoral and totally unethical unless you are a vet or other professional that works with animals. He then continued on about the "fact" that the allergists in the U.S. are in the back pockets of the pharmaceutical companies, and that's why they "push" the allergy shots. After controlling my white-hot rage, I realized that day that medical ethics are not the same everywhere as I had always assumed, but instead are probably unique to each culture. We have had some absolutely outstanding allergists in Washington, Maryland and Michigan and I don't believe for a minute that they are in any one's back pocket. But I digress...

We put everything on the back burner until we came back to the states this summer. After consulting and testing for several hours, our allergist in Washington State gave us the green light to bring a dog into our family, with the following conditions:

• The dog MUST be kept out of Jake's room at all times. (easy enough to do - we'll learn to keep his door closed)
  
• The carpets and tile must be vacuumed 2-3 times a week. (they already are)
  
• Jacob may need to stay on Zyrtek, with the possibility of backing off it slowly. (He takes it most of the year anyway, due to other environmental allergies)
• It should be a small dog, and one from the hypoallergenic list is preferred.
• The dog should be trained to stay off the furniture, or get leather furniture (I voted for buying new leather furniture, but the keeper of the family finances said to do the training)

After returning to Saudi in August, we started putting the word out that we were looking for a small dog, preferably NOT a puppy. Last week, Skippy was put up for adoption through the Saudi PAWS organization. Jake spent some time with a Chihuahua this summer and didn't have any issues, so we pursued her even though she's not on the "hypo-list."

Skippy is house trained, energetic and has the sweetest little disposition. She doesn't bark unless someone comes to the door, and she hasn't nipped AT ALL. She is very trainable - we almost have her trained not to get on the furniture or beds unless we've invited her to sit on our laps. Maybe a couple more days...

We've had her exactly one week now and so far Jake has done fine, the exception being the time that he allowed Skippy to stick her nose in his eye (don't ask why...). He holds her and plays with her, but we remind him to not let Skippy lick him. Thankfully she's not much of a licker. She does love taking walks, chewing dried pig ears (can you believe we were able to get them here, but I can't get bacon?), being held, being included, and just being loved.

We've all hoped we'd be able to have a dog for a long time - it's been a decision we didn't take lightly. We know that being good pet owners takes a lot of time. Living here with the laid back schedule gives us the extra time we needed to not only be good owners but also diligent about the allergy issues. It's a HUGE emotional risk for both the dog and us - we know that. However, no amount of time spent in other people's homes with other people's dogs and other people's cleaning habits would predict how Jake's allergies would do in our own situation. We decided to go for it...wish us luck!

Totally Different, Yet Very Much the Same

We just ended the long month of Ramadan last week Saturday, at sunset to be exact. It was amazing how friendly and happy the security guards at the gates were the next day as we went in and out of the compound. It's the beginning of Eid Al'Fitr, the celebration that starts immediately following the end of Ramadan, and clearly the gentlemen were no longer fasting. Keeping in mind that I am not an Islamic scholar, just an observer, let me give you some background on the two most important holidays of the Islamic calendar.

In a nutshell, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It's based on a lunar calendar, so the date moves forward by about 10-11 days each year. The beginning is marked by the viewing of the crescent moon. During this month, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking (even water is forbidden), smoking, having sex, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured; from sunrise to sunset. In addition, during Ramadan followers of Islam are especially generous to the needy, repentant of past sins, and generally try to purify themselves through self restraint and good deeds.

Eid Al-Fitr occurs on the sighting of the next new crescent moon - it officially marks the end of Ramadan. During Eid festival, Muslims celebrate by offering Eid-specific prayers, visiting relatives, feasting, gift giving, wearing their best or new clothes, and donating food to the poor. This Eid is a day of rejoicing, happiness, and celebration. The Saudi government gives us four days off, making it a week-long holiday.

I read an interesting op-ed piece in the Arab News last week that caused me to stop and think about religious celebrations. The author of essay was pointing out that many Muslims were not approaching Ramadan with the sincerity and reverence they should, that they had a basic lack of spirituality during the holy month. Often people turn their schedules upside down to make "getting through" the month of fasting easier...so they sleep much of the day and then feast, drink and party all night. I have heard that many people actually gain weight during the month! There are all kinds of special (but non-religious) entertainment shows broadcast on cable in the middle of the night. Lamenting the increasing amount of "Ramadan Sales" and other retail specials that are profiting from the holiday, the author voiced his concern about his fellow believers losing the spirit of Ramadan.

In a broad sense, doesn't that sound familiar?

The parallels between modern-day Ramdan/Eid Al-Fitr and Christmas celebrations provides food for thought. Why is it that modern society, regardless the religion or country, seems to be slowly secularizing religious holidays? Is it part of human nature? How far back does this trend go in history? Are there indications of this happening in places such as ancient Mayan cultures, for example? Or is this truly a modern trend, perhaps a sign of "end-times" ?

I'm not convinced that it's an intentional secularization of these religious observances. Perhaps pieces of the celebrations, such as gift giving, are gradually being taken to extremes, elevating that particular portion of the celebration above other equally important ones and thus corrupting the original intent. Capitalizing on the potential profits from these holidays is just common greed, one of the ugly characteristics of human nature that knows no borders.

When we first arrived, the differences between our culture and the Saudis were glaring. Those obvious differences still exist, but the longer we're here it's becoming clearer to me that the differences are just surface. Underneath it all we are more alike than we realize.

Some Video....finally!

I am still waging the battle to provide you with good quality video. We did buy a new video camera this summer and I've recorded a bit to get my feet wet. Learning to use the camera was the easy part. Figuring out how to transfer the video to the computer and use the software was an hours-long nightmare. Cannon definitely earns a nomination for the Most Poorly Written Owner's Manual award on this one! I'm still pretty amateurish, but it will be good enough to serve my purpose...to keep you updated on our lives over here.

So without further delay, here are the two debuting videos from the Green Family Production company. Coincidentally they both display the musical talent (?) we Greens possess! They're both about 20 seconds long, and all you need to do is click on the triangle to begin playing them. If you are receiving this post through email, you may have to click on the link (the post title) to view this on the web - let me know.

This one is the first day Michael brought his trombone home from school. See what we have to look forward to:




This is the infamous clip of Jake playing the recorder with his nose. His mouth is shadowed, but I assure you it is closed and he is only playing with his nose. Such skill! What's even crazier is that when I uploaded it to YouTube, there were three other clips of kids playing the recorder with their nose...one of them also named Jake!

Have I Changed? Most Definitely.

An odd thing happened while I was doing the most ordinary of tasks; making cookies. As I packed the brown sugar into a measuring cup, I found myself thinking, "...I just opened the last box, I better put it on the shopping list." Huh. When did I start putting things on a grocery list before we were low on them? Probably around a year ago, when I started realizing that certain things take longer to find in Saudi. Brown sugar that isn't as hard as a brick is not always easy to find. It might take me three shopping trips, four stores and two weeks to find it!

I don't remember specifically making the change in my mind. And that led me to wonder how many other ways I have changed my habits, ways of thinking or doing ordinary things as a result of living here...without even knowing it. After some pondering here is what I've come up with:

Shopping:

I now plan for weekly grocery shopping several days in advance for many reasons: arranging transportation, figuring out the best routing to get the most shopping in before prayer time, keeping a running shopping list at ALL times, and finding companions to share the cost of the driver. This is no longer a last-minute, easy run to the store-kind of lifestyle I have.

I have become a complete hoarder. Obscene amounts of things like chocolate instant pudding, frozen pie shells, multi-grain toaster waffles, semi-sweet chocolate chips and Frosted Mini Wheats can be found in my kitchen because I don't know when they will magically appear on the store shelves again.

Cooking:

My method of cooking has slowly evolved from selecting recipes because I'd like to try them...to buying what produce is available AND is good (or even fair) quality, and then deciding what to make for dinner based on what I brought home.

I've been making more than ever from scratch (salad dressing for example), not because it's healthier but because it TASTES so much better than what I can buy.

I NEVER use the tap water to cook anything anymore, and rarely even use it to wash our fruits/vegetables. It won't hurt us (well, maybe eventually?), but it tastes BAD, BAD, BAD. The sweet water tap (treated water) tastes pretty bad too but I do use it for washing. We only drink and brush our teeth with bottle water now.

Eating Out

What's that? We rarely eat out anymore, maybe once month and on trips to Bahrain. We've mostly eaten at home during other phases of our life, but for different reasons (tight budget, small children, etc.) Why don't we eat out anymore? Frankly, it's mostly because it's just too much hassle to go into Khobar (off compound). The food is just NOT that good to make it worth dealing with of prayer time and Khobar traffic. Even on compound the restaurants and dining hall are just not that good - the kids would rather eat at home.

Travel

Our low-budget vacations are no longer road trips to stay with relatives...quick, inexpensive trips now are to nearby locations such as Jordan, UAE, Egypt, and hopefully in the future...India, Turkey, Thailand and the Red Sea.

Home Repairs

When something needs repair in our home, I now pick the phone up immediately, without second thought, to have it fixed. We live in a rental here so we are no longer financially responsible for repairs, nor do I have to wait for Steve to get the time to work on the endless stream of household maintenance. Not only that, but when I do make the call about the air conditioner not working, the leaky sink or the rusty shower curtain bar...repairmen are here the same day - sometimes within the hour! For free!

Attire

I rarely wear socks or jackets (and never a coat). That's a HUGE change from living in Michigan.

Before leaving the house, I now take a minute to stop and think about where I am going and what I am wearing. Yes, on the compound I am generally free to wear whatever I like. That being said when I am wearing shorts and a tank top, I'm not comfortable going into the administrative buildings or the clinics. I usually change into capris (below the knee) and a short sleeve shirt (cover the shoulder).


I'm sure I could come up with more, but it's time to stop typing...I have already figured out which morning works best this week to go grocery shopping. Now I have to call Julia and Laura to see if they want to go with me. And then I have to call a driver to make a reservation. Then I have to call the ladies back to let them know if I've secured transportation...

Or...on second thought, maybe I'll just skip it. Does anyone know how to soften brown sugar?

It's YOUR Turn to Talk!

...I want to hear from you!

I'm curious as to why you read my blog...are you mostly interested in keeping up with our family activities? Or are you curious as to what we experience over here in terms of cultural differences? Are you just checking out the pictures and places we have the opportunity to travel to? Or perhaps you are just being a supportive friend and you really don't care otherwise?

Naturally this is so I know how to entertain you in the future. So please take a minute to either email me or add a comment. I am always open to suggestions for future posts as well.

Meeting the Mouse

Was it a labor of love for two boys, or just an excuse for three adults to have some good ole' fun?

As we were making plans for the summer, I began to see some issues with the last two weeks that the boys and I would be spending in the states. Imagine: After four weeks straight of travel, summer drawing to an end, everyone sure to be tired of living out of suitcases, Steve already back in Saudi...I would be faced with trying to entertain the boys for the last two weeks of vacation on my own in Western Washington.

While talking to Steve's sister Holly about my dilemma I mentioned that going to Disneyland would be the perfect solution, but it would be far too difficult for me to take the boys there without Steve: Michael loves fast, wild rides...Jacob likes to take things easy. Neither of them are old enough to be left alone in Disneyland.

Imagine my surprise and delight when Holly enthusiastically responded, "We'll go with you!" There was no way I could pass up an offer like that...we booked four nights in Anaheim for the week before we had to return to Saudi. This was to be the first time the boys have been to Disney, and though I was sad that Steve wouldn't be able to be part of it - it was such a relief to have something to break up a couple difficult weeks.

As worried as I was that the boys would be too old to enjoy seeing the characters -- it totally was not the case. What do they say...you're never too old to enjoy Disneyland? That must explain all the couples I saw on their honeymoon there (judging from the bride and groom mouse ears).

Here are a few of my favorite pictures:





At the Medieval Times dinner, waiting for the food and the show. The boys LOVED this neat experience.

Jacob at the Jedi Training Academy, battling with Darth Maul. (Can I just say how TOTALLY cool this was for Jake! Talk about unforgettable...)

The classic picture, no explanation needed.

Jacob and Aunt Holly having fun!

NO RIDE was too fast for Michael and Uncle Kelly!

Making good use of the hotel bed and their Medieval hatchets

The boys HATED this ride...too slow, singing dolls, an annoying song over and over and over again. All it takes to make them crazy now is to start humming, "It's a Small World."

We were on a mission to find Donald, the boys' favorite character. It took four days, but we finally tracked him down.

One thing I have to say about Disneyland...I was surprised and TOTALLY impressed with how well run the park is. I never saw trash on the ground anywhere. The bathrooms were always clean and had toilet paper, didn't stink, and amazingly there were no lines. The friendly workers were smiling and helpful, and appeared to genuinely enjoy working there.

Going with Holly and Kelly was perfect: Kelly was more than willing to go on the super fast, wild rides with Michael...over and over again. When Jake needed some time to slow down and get away from his type A mom, Holly stepped right in and happily took him off for a couple hours to explore at his own pace. We ALL had a fabulous time and I owe so much to them for "helping" me out. Thank you!

I was especially proud of my boys' behavior: there were no melt downs, no "I want ___," no arguing...just a couple of great kids enjoying something they'd always dreamed of doing. As a mom, it just doesn't get much better than that!

Ribs, Rain and Really Good Friends

"I'm singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again..."

We were reminded how much we miss the rain during our week in Memphis this summer. Of the four years we've been visiting the Kvande family in Tennessee, this was the first year we had consistently bad weather. It rained five of the seven days we were there, only allowing us to play in the pool 3 times. Did this setback upset us? Judging from the glee on Michael's face it clearly didn't! He could hardly be talked back into the house. While having to unexpectedly entertain four kids indoors for four days straight got on our nerves a bit, the cooler weather was a nice break for the Greens.


As has been our tradition, we put all the kids in day camp again this year. Back by popular demand was Mud Camp. It's as fun as it sounds and I have to say that the counselors do an amazing job of hosing the kids off before sending them home (really). During the time that the kids are in camp, Dawn and I spent our time joyfully doing various childless activities such as sightseeing, crafting, cooking, shopping and or browsing, reading and just general moms-on-the-loose fun! This year Steve was hoping to fit in a week of golf, but the weather only gave Thor and him a couple outings.



And what trip to Memphis, TN would be complete without local BBQ ribs? Having been deprived of pork products ten months out of the year, this was a special treat that Steve had been looking forward to all year and it didn't disappoint!






We also had a fabulous wine and cheese night as well as a very memorable night out with Dawn and Thor at a French restaurant. Good friends, good food, good wine...how can a vacation get any better?








Even though we only see the Kvandes once a year, it's thrilling to see the kids connect immediately and pick up right where they left off. We were delighted to see our boys begin to develop the same deep connection with Claire and Thomas that we have with their parents.


As always there were big hugs and tearful goodbyes when it was time to leave, as well as plans being made to meet somewhere again next summer. The goodbyes continued at the airport where, as a family, we parted ways: after four weeks off, Steve flew directly from Memphis back to Saudi...the kids and I went back to Western Washington for a couple more weeks.

Jake's 8th Birthday

Happy Birthday, Jacob! He was very aware that he turned 8 on Sept. 8 and took great pains to point out to us that it was his "golden birthday."

The fact that it's Ramadan AGAIN during Jacob's birthday kept the celebration low-key. He really wanted to have a pool party, and since the pool is free for us to use, we were good with that. But it was turning out to be too much of a hassle between scheduling and the restrictions on public partying/eating/drinking during daylight hours (while the Muslims are fasting). Not that we were going to having a huge blow-out anyway, but we weren't even sure about bringing a cake to the pool with a few friends. It's just not very respectful, and we ARE guests in their country...

So, we postponed having a party with his friends until the first weekend of October, when most people will be back from the week-long holiday at the end of the Holy Month. Jake showed a lot of maturity in accepting the delay - we're proud of him - we always are.

The four of us ended up having Jake's favorite dinner (crepes and beef bacon), presents, and cake. Nothing earth shattering....an intimate little celebration. Just perfect.

Ramadan moves up 11 calendar days every year, as it's based on a lunar calendar. Unfortunately, his birthday will still hit during Ramadan next year, but right toward the end. However, when he turns 10, we should be able to really party!

Two Fun-Filled Weeks in Western Washington

After leaving Michigan in July, we spent a whirlwind two weeks in "the valley," also know as Startup/Sultan/Monroe, WA -- our hometowns. Squeezed in between spending quality time with our families and friends, eating as much ham, bacon and pork loin as we could, and drinking some really nice wine....we also managed to get the shopping done. Some of the things I stocked up on were sunscreen, kids toothpaste, marshmallows, surge protectors, birthday presents and deodorant.

Highlights of our time in Western Washington included:





Going "crabbing" in the San Juan Islands with Uncle Tom and Uncle Dan

Hiking up to Wallace Falls

The family dinner at the farm with our cousins (we missed you, Jenny)

Going up the river on Uncle Joe's party barge and being brave enough to swim in the cold river (Michael you ROCK!)

Playing water tag with ultra cool squirt guns at Uncle Jim and Aunt Ruth's lake house

Mulitple card house building sessions with cousin Andrew

Exploring the Seattle Science Center with Auntie Beth and Hollee

Driving Grandpa's lawn mower

Learning how to play blackjack with Aunt Holly

Picking cherries with Grandpa

And a fabulous overnight date for Steve and I (babysitting compliments of Aunt Holly and Uncle Kelly - THANK YOU!)

The First Three Weeks of Summer

This post is dedicated to the memory of Brianna Lyn Ingvall

May 1, 1992 - August 4, 2009

Several of you have asked about what we did this summer. I'm happy to share it all with you but I should warn you...though we spent a fabulous six weeks traveling (four with Steve), it wasn't nearly as exotic a trip as Egypt or spring break on the Indian Ocean... and you know I have trouble being brief!

It was one of the longest "vacations" we've ever had, and at the same time it was the shortest "summer" we've ever had. The kids didn't get out of school until July 1. Oh yes, let me tell you there was plenty of squawking going on around here mid-June. Michael is old enough to remember that most schools in the States finish at the latest by the second week of June. How quickly they forget that we had 3 weeks off in December, 3 weeks off for spring break, plus 2 sets of week-long Muslim holidays out of school!

Our flight out of Dammam, Saudi Arabia left in the early morning hours of July 3. After a brief two hour layover in Amsterdam, we continued on to Detroit. From there, we rented a car and drove five hours to Chautauqua , NY (near Lake Erie) to visit my Uncle Lee and his new bride, Ann. It was great to finally meet Ann and absolutely wonderful to see how happy the two of them are together.

Ann has a home in the Chautauqua Institute on Lake Chautauqua . It's a gated town/community with programs going on for nine weeks during the summer. Day and night you can attend lectures, concerts, exhibits, etc. pertaining to art, music, religion, and academics. I would say it's similar to day camp, but for adults. We tried to beat the nasty jet lag with a steamboat tour of Lake Chautauqua , attending a symphony, finding a used book store and going on long walks around the beautiful community.

In an effort to keep everyone happy, one day we planned a day trip to a winery for the adults and then went to nearby Lake Erie so the kids could play. Unlike Lake Michigan, which has a sandy beach, this Great Lake had a rocky beach with some very interesting rocks and water washed glass. There were tons of flat, round stones that made for an impromptu class in skipping rocks. After several hours of scouring the beaches, I completely lost the battle with my rock hounds (all three of them) about hauling rocks in the suitcases the rest of the summer! I did however manage to get them to narrow their treasures down to just the best of the best. And it wasn't just rocks coming home with us: Michael found a starfish! Somehow we were able to transport it all the way back to Saudi unbroken, where he proudly displays it on his dresser.

We left Chautauqua on the morning of July 8th, which happened to be our 20th wedding anniversary. We commemorated the milestone by driving six hours from Chautauqua, NY to Kalamazoo, MI with two boys fighting in the back seat!

As we got closer to where we used to live, we all enjoyed pointing out how our old "stomping grounds" had changed. It was really bittersweet to drive by our house and remember all of fun we had there, as well as our wonderful neighbors.




Waiting in Kalamazoo were loads of friends we were all longing to see. We had lots of laughs and fun staying with the Pfeiffers - our "twin" family: they have two boys nearly the same age as our boys, or as Lisa likes to put it, "someone for everyone." We had a great time golfing, laughing, shopping, playing, eating Eric's BBQ ribs, going out for sushi, talking ...our time ended before the fun did.





The boys also got to have sleepovers with their best friends, Drew (Jacob) and Jonathon (Michael). It was really heartwarming to see them embrace each other for the first time in over a year. I think they finally believed all the times I told them that when you've found a good friend, even thousands of miles won't take them away from you. They had so much fun playing we had to drag them away.


We will always treasure the afternoon we were able to spend with our Michigan friends and neighbors: Jay, Mary Jane and Brianna (unfortunately Abbey was out of town). We had a wonderful time laughing, talking, coloring Sponge Bob pictures, playingLegos and eating Mary Jane's fabulous cooking. Brianna had more courage, strength, warmth and positive attitude in her little finger than most people have in their entire bodies. She lost a three-year battle with leukemia less than a month after that special afternoon we had together. We will always remember her smiling face and wonderful hugs. We love and miss you, Brianna.