We're moving...again.
Hopefully by September 1st, we will be all settled in to our new place.....half a block away--literally.
After many struggles with the management of our current building over them poorly maintaining our building/apartment, we decided that it's time to move on. Additionally, we're doing the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and think it would be a good idea to downsize a little bit so we can save more money.
We scoured Juffair (and another nearby area) for apartments that met our criteria. The result:
We will move 1/2 a block away, which means we'll still be very close to Shawn's work. He can still ride his bicycle there and spend lunch hour with us.
We found a cute, but more modest 2 bedroom apartment (our current one is 4 bedrooms and we never use most of the space in our house).
We'll still have all the amenities we have here, including a pool, gym, cable, all utilities paid, furnishings, etc.
We will be saving 200 dinars in rent--534 dollars a month!
We're very excited about the move and it has been taking up our time lately through the apartment search and now packing. We have boxes everywhere!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Exciting News!
So, I have to put this on the blog! My sister and niece Elle are coming to visit us here in Bahrain in just six short weeks! I'm so excited I can hardly wait!
The downside is that she's coming during Ramadan, so we'll be spending a lot of time indoors during the day. Most shops and restaurants are closed during the day because Muslims fast during the daytime for an entire month. It's a civil offense for people to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public.
The downside is that she's coming during Ramadan, so we'll be spending a lot of time indoors during the day. Most shops and restaurants are closed during the day because Muslims fast during the daytime for an entire month. It's a civil offense for people to eat, drink, smoke or chew gum in public.
Kitchen Fun
Kai's Injury of the Week
Poolside
Thursday, August 16, 2007
How It Happened
Last Saturday Shawn was playing basketball and rolled his ankle. He got checked out and it was just a really bad sprain, but it was very swollen and purple for several days. He was limping around with a cane for three days!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Lunch Time!
The Most Pitiful Face Ever
The Kids Playing
Bath Time!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Toddlerese
I wrote in a previous post that I want to learn another language before I die. Well, I realized that I am actually quite fluent in another language already--Toddlerese!
Somehow I can take a series of grunts, hand gestures and garbled consonants and hear very clearly, "I would like more Cheerios, Mommy!"
Lately Kai's language abilities have really taken off. He is starting to speak mostly in sentences and his words are becoming much clearer. Shawn is also becoming proficient at this new language, though he still relies on my fluency from time to time to translate more complex combinations.
It has made everyday living much easier, as Kai can now express what he wants, likes, dislikes or needs. Other things are also changing because of this language explosion.
Here's something that happened this morning:
As I was getting things ready to make breakfast (in accordance with my Mom Diet), I sliced a small pat of butter and set it aside on a butter wrapper. I went across the kitchen to the countertops and continued making preparations, turning my back to Kai. After about a minute or two, I turned back to find the pat of butter missing in action. I looked in Kai's hands, all around on the table and floor, but I could not find the butter pat.
So, I asked Kai where the pat of butter was. He said, "Butter went on the floor. My spit it out." I turned around to see a partially chewed piece of butter on the floor. Mystery solved.
Here's what would have happened before Kai started talking so much:
I would have looked all over for the missing butter pat and then would have started to question my sanity. My internal monologue would have been something like this--"I know it was there before, right? I mean, I remember putting the butter there. Or was it just a figment of my imagination? Am I getting today confused with yesterday? How could it have just disappeared? Did I already use it and not remember? I must be losing my mind!"
Later, after making breakfast, I would have gone back to the countertop to put breakfast on our plates. I would have stepped in the missing butter pat and then a new line of thinking would emerge--"How did that get here? Did I drop it? Did it somehow transfer on my clothes??? How could that possibly have happened??" The mystery would never have been solved and I'd have butter on my foot!
Hooray for my newfound Toddlerese abilities! It helps solve so many of life's little mysteries.
Somehow I can take a series of grunts, hand gestures and garbled consonants and hear very clearly, "I would like more Cheerios, Mommy!"
Lately Kai's language abilities have really taken off. He is starting to speak mostly in sentences and his words are becoming much clearer. Shawn is also becoming proficient at this new language, though he still relies on my fluency from time to time to translate more complex combinations.
It has made everyday living much easier, as Kai can now express what he wants, likes, dislikes or needs. Other things are also changing because of this language explosion.
Here's something that happened this morning:
As I was getting things ready to make breakfast (in accordance with my Mom Diet), I sliced a small pat of butter and set it aside on a butter wrapper. I went across the kitchen to the countertops and continued making preparations, turning my back to Kai. After about a minute or two, I turned back to find the pat of butter missing in action. I looked in Kai's hands, all around on the table and floor, but I could not find the butter pat.
So, I asked Kai where the pat of butter was. He said, "Butter went on the floor. My spit it out." I turned around to see a partially chewed piece of butter on the floor. Mystery solved.
Here's what would have happened before Kai started talking so much:
I would have looked all over for the missing butter pat and then would have started to question my sanity. My internal monologue would have been something like this--"I know it was there before, right? I mean, I remember putting the butter there. Or was it just a figment of my imagination? Am I getting today confused with yesterday? How could it have just disappeared? Did I already use it and not remember? I must be losing my mind!"
Later, after making breakfast, I would have gone back to the countertop to put breakfast on our plates. I would have stepped in the missing butter pat and then a new line of thinking would emerge--"How did that get here? Did I drop it? Did it somehow transfer on my clothes??? How could that possibly have happened??" The mystery would never have been solved and I'd have butter on my foot!
Hooray for my newfound Toddlerese abilities! It helps solve so many of life's little mysteries.
Arabic lesson
Many people here use the phrase, "Insh'allah" sprinkled into their speech. It means, "God willing."
Unfortunately, many people use it in this context:
"Yes, your car should be ready tomorrow, insha'allah."
"I will come check your broken A/C. I should be able to do it later, insha'allah."
Now I will say, "Ebrahim said he was going to come fix the A/C today, insha'llah." Shawn says, "Oh....GREAT.....that means WHO KNOWS!!" I guess if you didn't know the actual translation, you might be inclined to believe that IS what it means!
Unfortunately, many people use it in this context:
"Yes, your car should be ready tomorrow, insha'allah."
"I will come check your broken A/C. I should be able to do it later, insha'allah."
Now I will say, "Ebrahim said he was going to come fix the A/C today, insha'llah." Shawn says, "Oh....GREAT.....that means WHO KNOWS!!" I guess if you didn't know the actual translation, you might be inclined to believe that IS what it means!
It's Hot, Ya'll!
Seriously! It is super hot! How can we tell?
1. The temperature inside our air conditioned bedroom was 82 degrees at 11 o'clock at night the other night.
2. The temperature in our un-air conditioned bathroom was 102.5 degrees at 11 o'clock at night the other night.
3. The coolest water we can get out of the tap in our house right now is 105 degrees (the cold tap all the way on). In order to give the kids baths, I have to plan ahead by filling the bathtub and letting it cool down for a few hours.
4. Getting into my car the other day, I burned myself pressing the door unlock button. Then I burned myself strapping the kids into their car seats. I burned myself starting the car. I burned myself adjusting the rear view mirror.The steering wheel was blistering hot, too. And we even had the sunshades in place!
And for added fun, it is humid, humid, humid!
1. The temperature inside our air conditioned bedroom was 82 degrees at 11 o'clock at night the other night.
2. The temperature in our un-air conditioned bathroom was 102.5 degrees at 11 o'clock at night the other night.
3. The coolest water we can get out of the tap in our house right now is 105 degrees (the cold tap all the way on). In order to give the kids baths, I have to plan ahead by filling the bathtub and letting it cool down for a few hours.
4. Getting into my car the other day, I burned myself pressing the door unlock button. Then I burned myself strapping the kids into their car seats. I burned myself starting the car. I burned myself adjusting the rear view mirror.The steering wheel was blistering hot, too. And we even had the sunshades in place!
And for added fun, it is humid, humid, humid!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)