The After School Club party

It is taking me awhile to get things posted (=  The After School Club ended suddenly a two weeks earlier than planned because the school schedule was changed. So we had a rather impromptu celebration (=

....sorry

Sorry for the indiscriminate posting lately - that video of Dad and Ryan should be working but it is over a year old. The dead animal carcass one was from last summer (= Like I said I am clearing up old things on my blog and computer! I am getting into the swing of sort of sorting and cleaning. LOVE IT. My desk is finally clear and I found a GREAT way to deal with all of Layla's artwork from school. It was overflowing everywhere.

Next week is her last week of school and just today we were told that the first two days of the week have been declared a national holiday (= Love this country. "Type A" people just lose it eventually and even "Type B" folks (from the western point of view) would feel like life is too random and slow (=

Anyway. I'm happy I'm clearing things out! Now for the dreaded "craft cabinet" in Lj's room. Sigh.

Welcome Home!

Yikes! If you are grossed out by all this, so were we when we got home from our week away in Turkey! It was the week of Eid and we had a conference to attend in Istanbul. We've loved our visit to Turkey but coming home to this was a bit of a surprise. We had forgotten how Eid always brings animal sacrifices....and carcasses! One of the two neighborhood trashcans is right next to our house and INVARIABLY some live animal gnaws on the dead one and drags it right near our front door. These are about 15 feet from our gate.

uuuh......sorry this is super old

With the updating of my blog look, I am going through my "drafts" posts which is usually what happens when I get interrupted while blogging (1000+ times) and have to save something and go back to it. I guess I forgot about this one.

Ryan being a little boy......

Add caption

Tutu Lisa - this is that shark shirt you gave him. He LOVES to say "Fish" all the time so this is perfect for him  these days (=

Desperate to beat on something......

New Look

Yes, it is a dramatic shift.....I am feeling distinctly hot, parched and tired and this just seemed the coolest, wettest look I could find (=
A little funky in places but whatever - I need a change!

Layla's Ballet Recital

It has taken awhile for me to get the photos to post, but here we are! Layla thoroughly enjoyed her ballet class and we will miss it this fall while her teacher has a baby!

Preach it girl!

http://www.djiboutijones.com/2012/06/fifty-shades-for-muslims-and-christians.html

LOVE this post by my friend Rachel.
Wish there were more of you out there!!

Our swimming pool

I had captions on each of these photos and then they didn't "take" when I posted this. Oh well. Here is  wonderful Azeb our house helper preparing the place for the pool. She LOVES the pool (=

Layla was very eager to be helpful - this is such a fun age. Ryan likes to be helpful to but it is a little more symbolic and less literal (=

 

It was hard to imagine that for less than $200 we could have a real pool in our yard! With all of Layla's friends (in her western circle) leaving for the summer AND just the plain old HEAT....we decided we needed a little proactive intervention (=  Smart Hubby suggested the pool.

Layla - always ready to pose!

Ryan always ready to run and yell and throw himself around (= Tom says he is in a stage of "violent cuddling" now. So true!

Loving it!