My Cooperative Man :)

Shopping at True Value....

Lindsay: Now hunnie, don't be embarrassed. (Pulls out camera from purse). We have to document this moment - buying paint for our first home!

LESSON LEARNED?

Double the cheese does not always mean double the fun! It turns out two slices of Kraft singles equates to only one once the sandwich maker does its part!

Do Us A Favour?

And one more thing - never forget to say "I Love You". Those three words matter. And to some people, they can make all the difference.

Better Late Than Never?

While trying to fall asleep....

Lindsay: Ugh. I have such a bad headache!

Phil: Okay. Goodnight! (Turns over)

Lindsay: (Shocked at an unexpected response) WAIT A MINUTE! What?! "Okay. Goodnight"?!!!! I think this calls for a conversation replay.

Phil: (Laughs) You're right. I'm sorry you have headache, hun. Can I get you anything?

Lindsay: (In a pouty, "it's too late" tone) No, thank you. Goodnight!

(And we went to bed laughing).

Change of State or Change of Mind?

On leaving the bathroom floor wet....

Phil: Lindsay! There's water all over the place in here!

Lindsay: Only temporarily! That is the good thing about water - it evaporates!

Phil: (gives "the look")

Lindsay: Hunnie, I BELIEVE IN SCIENCE!

Phil: Well I DON'T! I believe in mopping it up!

Lindsay: You just refuse to give science a chance!

Oh, DADDY!

Remember that time I went on the "Liftlock Cruise" in grade three? Well, you packed a Five Alive juice box and a Twinkie in my lunch.

It made my day :)

Maria Aragon on Ellen

There's nothing like young, Canadian talent to cheer you up! Enjoy this ten year old's rendition of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way".

What a BUMMER!

As IF that just happened! Chris Medina didn't make it through to the top 24?! Talk about a good cry during reality television. Ah well, one thing's for sure: he may not be the next American Idol but he sure is America's Sweetheart.

People like him don't go unnoticed. We'll be seeing him again.

Here's the thing....

This weekend, Kuwait will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Independence, the 20th Anniversary of Liberation and the 5th Anniversary of the Amir (CONGRATULATIONS, KUWAIT!). There are many outstanding, Guinness-Book-of-World-Record's events planned and we have four days off to enjoy the festivities! Unfortunately, everyone we encounter advises AGAINST attending these events and we have been encouraged to stay indoors this long weekend!

To this I say: OKEE DOKEE! Who doesn't love a forced weekend on the couch?! Television-wise, we have American Idol, Survivor, and the Oscar's to look forward to. Movie-wise, we purchased eight new films after school today. Food-wise, we have all the imported goodness from the Sultan Center :) Oh - throw in some comfy p.j.'s, a handsome hubby, and lots of tea and we are in for a FANTASTIC, RELAXING, and ENJOYABLE four days!

P.S. Kuwait is so pretty this month! It is just like Christmas here, with lights all over the place! I wish you were here to see it!!! Some of the displays would make your jaw drop!!!

My Favourite Ten Minutes in Kuwait.

After driving 45 minutes to the middle of nowhere to see a "kite festival"....

Lindsay: (laughing, smiling, jumping up and down) PHIL!!!!!!!!

Phil: (also laughing) Hunnie, you are so easy to please!

Expats at the Sultan Center?

Just like children in a candy store!

Here are the purchases that left us jumping for joy last night:

* Nutri-Grain Bars
* Taco Bell Taco Seasoning
* Magazines: Glamour, Self, Elle, and "SLAM"
* ICING! (I have been looking for this EVERYWHERE - since AUGUST!!!!)
* My Biore Face Wash
* Quaker "Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip" Granola Bars
* Five new boxes of cereal - all created by the brands we know and love (Kellogg's, General Mills, etc.)

Also exciting (yet not imported from home) - 2 "KUWAITI" mugs and 2 "National Day" hats!

I declare this grocery expedition a GREAT one!

Local News @ Home.

1) FLASH MOB at the MALL?! I can't believe I missed it!!! This is my dream come true!

2) WAY TO GO TASSS!!!! Senior Boys Basketball CHAMPS!

Thank you to NANA for your generous donation to Team Diabetes!

THE MORE THE MERRIER!

HEY YOU!!!!! Come run with us in Iceland this summer! The deadline to register with TEAM DIABETES is February 25th (that is THIS WEEK)! Learn more about this AMAZING OPPORTUNITY HERE.

Welcome to the TERRIFIC TWO'S!!!!

Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday DEAR OSCAR,
Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!!!!

We miss you, Buddy!

Love,
Mom and Dad :)

WAY TO GO!

CONGRATULATIONS to the WORLD'S BEST COACH! In four short weeks, you turned a group of kids (who were new to the game!) into hardworking basketball players!!! I am so proud of you!

Love,

Your BIGGEST FAN! XOXO

P.S. "Sweetest Man Award" AND "World's Best Coach Award"? WHAT A WEEK!!!

Details, PLEASE!

In response to a particular song played during the movie we watched last night....

Phillip: Is that the person that sounds like that other person?

Lindsay: Ya.....you're going to have to elaborate!!!

(Laughter).

Sweetest Man Award.

Tonight I came home from tutoring to a BIG surprise - a candlelit dinner prepared by CHEF PHILLIP! He whipped up something EXTRA special I tell ya and he refuses to tell me the secret recipe he discovered. Apparently "every chef has a secret"! Well, now Phil has his and guess what?! I don't mind if he is the ONLY ONE that can make it again :)

Thank you hunnie. That was very "romantic" of you :)

What Do You Think?!

Here they are - our three Buddhist paintings from Sri Lanka! I love them. The colour boost looks outstanding in our black and white bedroom :)

P.S. Notice the two Oscar-like stuffed toys on our bed? I guess you could say we REALLY miss him....haha. OSCAR - WE MISS YOU, BUDDY!!!!!

A+ Activities in Q8.

This weekend was full of Pat & Lindsay adventures! Here is another one of our boy-less outings: an early morning walk along the corniche! It is one of my favourite things to do in Kuwait, especially when followed up by coffee at the marina, a trip to the salon, and an afternoon in a bikini, poolside. YES - did you hear me?! YESTERDAY I WORE A BIKINI OUTSIDE! YAHOO! It is FINALLY nice outside again!!!

The HOUSE of MIRRORS.

On Thursday morning, Pat and I ventured out to the "House of Mirrors" in a district I like to call "Quesadilla". For 2 KD each, we had a 3.5 hour adventure through this art museum, which consisted of jaw-dropping (and time consuming!) mosaics that decorated every spot you could think of in a regular home. From the telephone to the ceiling fan to the light switches to the toilet to the bookcases.....EVERYTHING was plastered with colourful mirrors. And not only that, the mosaics formed pictures on the floors, walls, and ceilings of things like dolphins, birds, butterflies, and planets! It was clever and well planned. Each room had it's own special vibe.

In addition to the beautiful mosaics, the sweet Italian artist (and the most hospitable person you will ever meet), had exhibitions of her own paintings, jewellery, and sculptures. Many of her paintings lit up and she played music while we watched the different colours dance around the canvas in the dark. In one of these dim-lit rooms, we played a dart-like game with velcroed art pieces and became quite good at it after she insisted we practice for longer!

When the private tour of the house finished, we indulged in more (yes, more!) fresh apple cake and another (yes, another!) delicious cappuccino (told you she was a GREAT host!). It was lovely to chat with her further, as she is a very animated, talented, and brilliant person. She told us tales of the invasion and we browsed through one of the many books she had published. She also drove us home to Hawalli and even asked, "why didn't you tell me to pick you up"?! She must be the sweetheart of the country.

There you have it - one more tourist attraction to add to the "reasons you should come to Kuwait to visit us" list. Also on the list are: Phillip, me, Jade, and the soon-to-be open Tim Horton's!!! Betchya can't say no now!

Let's Talk TV.

1) Glee. We watched the latest episode this morning. Loved the "Bieber Experience" and especially loved that Quinn got what she deserved. The carousel sweaters were adorable and Sue's participation in a performance with the club made us smile! I shed some tears during the sing-a-long at the hospital but took them back when Sue signed up as coach of Aural Intensity. NOT NICE.

2) American Idol. SO GOOD! I like the new judges and Phil's new-to-the-show opinion seems to be good so far, too! We're still rooting for Chris Medina and have found favourites in the personalities of the ginger kid, the chubby kid, the deep voice country kid, and the white house intern. Tonight we will watch round two of Hollywood auditions.

3) Survivor. Season 22 starts tonight (for us!) and we (but mostly Phil) can't wait to see what changes have been made to the game! Being "voted off" but "not really" is intriguing to us, as is the Survivor Pool we are preparing for this evening. It may just be Pat, Phil, and I, unless we can recruit others to make a weekly commitment to the show.

4) Jessica Simpson's "The Price of Beauty". I'm not sure if this is an old show or a new one, but I like it either way! I've already watched as Jessica has explored the theme of beauty in Thailand, France, and India. I wonder what episodes 4 and 5 will bring this afternoon! I will keep you posted :) (P.S. Phil WILL NOT watch this one with me.)

5) Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice will have to wait until tomorrow! As for One Tree Hill, ICK. I think I may have to cut all ties with the drama.

Thank you to CURTIS CHANCE for your generous donation to Team Diabetes!

HELLO LONG WEEKEND :)

So nice to see you! Let's celebrate our reunion with breakfast for dinner, American Idol, a chat with Joycie and Tayls, and a tea party for TWO!

Sigh - in our p.j.'s and unwinding from another hectic week!

The Parkinson Scoop.

* Last weekend was highlighted by the following events: one basketball game, one 15 km run, one trip to a magical grocery store that has EVERYTHING imaginable, one annoying visit from men doing "building maintenance", and one excellent coffee date with our Egyptian friend at the mall! (Forty-five minutes after the latter, we were calling him back in tears - in celebration of Mubarak's resignation!)

* Track and field is going well. We've just finished our second week of try-outs and are impressed to find some great competitors in the mix! I've really enjoyed hanging out with Phil in his "niche", although I'm sure I've frustrated the heck out of him by opposing his cuts of adorable grade fives! ("But she has cute braids, but she's the really cute one with glasses, but she's the cute one that ran the whole time....." Doesn't cuteness count for something?????). All jokes aside, I've learned a lot from his coaching already (so much so that some of the kids refer to me as "coach"!).

* This week is a four day week, meaning we have ONE DAY LEFT until a three day weekend! YIPPEE! Even better news? The next weekend is a four day affair!!! WOO HOO!!!!

* Everyone keeps asking us about what we did on Valentine's Day. Do you want to hear about our romantic evening? It went like this: work, track and field try-outs, basketball practice, tutoring, dishes, and bed at 8:15 pm. Fairytale-like, right?! Haha - Phil and I plan on celebrating the occasion this weekend.....during our THREE DAYS OFF (YAHOOOOOOOO!).

* Other random updates: I'm so sure Lady Gaga arrived in an egg. My shoes are the most comfortable on the planet. I decided that my newest stuffed toy is actually a girl. We are anxiously waiting for a baby to be born in Thunder Bay. Our maid just finished making our apartment spic and span. I received two roses today from a sweet boy in my class. Tim Horton's is coming to Kuwait officially. Surprise visits from friends with little kids is AWESOME. Paintings from Sri Lanka are FRAMED - pictures to follow.

Team 'D' Tuesday, Week #22

Welcome to AWARDS SEASON! The Golden Globes, the Grammy's, the BAFTA's, the Oscar's, the Emmy's, the People's Choice Awards and, our personal favourite, the "GREATEST TEAM TO SPONSOR" Awards! This month, the best of the best are being recognized and TEAM DIABETES is NO EXCEPTION! This "Canadian Diabetes Association" crew aims to improve diabetes research, education, awareness and advocacy. And it's not a job that comes with all the glitz and glamour of other award recipients. Team members must train for a full marathon (26.2 miles!), while raising funds that allow the organization's mission statement to be met! WOWEEEEE! That's a lot of sweat. That's a lot of hours. That's MORE than a lot of STEPS!

Show your support for this award-winning TEAM with an online donation! It is easy! Little sweat. Little time. And NO STEPS involved!!! Click HERE to make your move (and make our day)!

P.S. So maybe we aren't incubating in an egg for our big performance, but you can bet we are training hard here in Kuwait. And, HEY! During the summer months, this country is as good as any incubating egg out there!!!!!

A Tribute to the Day of LOVE!

Meet Jade.

While browsing Pottery Barn Kids for Valentine's Day cards....


Lindsay: Ohhhhh! HUN! Look at how adorable this puppy is! The tag says he needs to be adopted.

Phil: Ya, he's cute. Do you see cards anywhere?

Lindsay: Yep - robot ones. Doesn't he look like Oscar?

Phil: Ya. Let's go pay for the cards.

Lindsay: But wait! (Smiles at Phil) The tag also says "for all ages"!

Phil: (Laughs and Shakes Head) Fine. Get the puppy, too!

Lindsay: No.....it's okay. (Takes another look at the puppy in her hands). Okay! Let's get the puppy too!

Shoe Shopping for Craft Time.

Yesterday I went on a mission for new shoes! I was looking for black ones that were kinda sporty, yet dressy enough to wear to work. It was a frustrating process in the beginning (with my shoe size varying from size 7 to 9.5 depending on the brand), but we found me some Cinderella slippers on our last attempt! We hit success at a store called "Ecco" and I am happy to announce that I may just have the most comfortable shoes ever invented. They were just what I was looking for! But, you know what the best part is? I have TWO new shoe boxes to transform into treasure chests!

MABROUK, MASR!

Great Minds Think Alike.

Phil: Do you know what I was thinking about today?

Lindsay: (without hesitation) Probably what you were going to give me for Valentine's Day?

Phil: (laughs) Yes, hunnie. That's it!

Lindsay: (smiles) Can't wait til Monday!

ONE YEAR :)

Happy birthday to you,
happy birthday to you,
happy birthday dear THE PEARL CURRICULUM,
happy birthday to YOU!!!!!

Woweee! Today is the one year anniversary of our blog! Can you believe it?! It all began as a Valentine's Day gift for Phil (our rule was "you have to MAKE it yourself!"). You can read our first ever post HERE.

Thank you to all of our readers for motivating us to write more!!! We are excited for another WACKY YEAR of BLOGGING :)

On My Mind.

1) Yesterday I was called "COACH" for the first time. I had to do a double-take to make sure the kid was talking to ME!

2) Worst thing to say to a financial advisor? Maybe something like this: "I don't mean to be rude, but you seem sketchy."

3) I just made a tea at school. The tea flag reads "go for a short run in the park". I declare this far superior to "ANTI-AGING".

4) Another week of American Idol begins tonight! YAHOO!

Thank you to THOM CUTEAN for your generous donation to Team Diabetes!

Thank you to JASMINE HAMILTON for your generous contribution to Team Diabetes!

Back with a "Bang".

Really. Poor Britney. Can you believe that Sue?! I'm glad the gals quit the Cheerio's and even MORE glad the football team opened their eyes to a different extra-curricular! I wonder what the next few episodes will bring?!

Thank You???

Should I be offended that I was served "anti-aging" tea while tutoring last night? I mean, of course I have teas that have similar benefits, but they don't say it outright on the "tea flag". Hmmm....maybe I should just be happy that the family is looking out for my future! Afterall, that mom truly is YOUNG and BEAUTIFUL :)

Sri Lanka's BEST Gift!

Sri Lanka has treated us to many things - days of sunshine, friendly faces, elephants GALORE, Christmas celebrations, delicious fresh fruit, and tales of adventure. But, our favourite gift from Sri Lanka would have to be the lovely woman who cleans for us. Her name is Shani and she may be the sweetest gal you'll ever meet.

Her and her husband just dropped by the house with a surprise of traditional Sri Lankan food! It was incredibly thoughtful and TASTY! (And we will have yummy leftovers for DAYS!!!)

Thank you, Shani! We must work hard to be as kind and wonderful as you!