ALEX IS HERE!!!!!

Although I have no evidence of this because I have not seen or heard from him since he arrived.  I DO know that Phillip left for the airport at 12:15.  And I DO know that he returned to bed at 2:30 a.m.  And I DO know that the door to the guest room is closed at the very moment.

Alas, I have heard not even a peep and both of the boys are still sleeping.  Baby P and I are trying our darnedest to wait patiently on the couch.  Whenever will they wake up?!!!!!!!!!

"Off Task" Chatter.

While circulating the classroom.....

Me:  Excuse me young sir, what should you be working on?

Student:  (embarrassed)  Miss.....what I was trying to tell my group was (long pause).....we are going to become young men!  I think that my peach fuzz is starting to form!!!!!  (big smile)

Happy faces really are contagious.  I love my job. 

Haitham Comes to KUWAIT!

Remember our loveable and oh-so-wonderful taxi driver friend from Oman?! Well he is HERE!!! In Kuwait!!!!  And last night we got to visit with him! 

In the very late evening hours (of 7 p.m. and beyond), we went for teppanyaki near the towers to enjoy the culinary show and some yummy, yummy TRES-GARLIC-Y RICE!  It was fantastic (besides the part about me wanting to be in bed at the same time!).  Andrea and Calvin joined us for the evening, as they went to Oman a few weeks after us and also met up with Haitham during their stay.  The reunion was SPLENDID :) 

After dinner, we had to do the whole "it's Haitham's birthday" trick - just for laughs - and of course the touristy "look at us by our significant landmark!" pictures.  Inshallah we will see him again tomorrow before he returns home to Muscat.  

The men.  You can tell which three are used to "Canadian" temperatures.

In this picture, you cannot tell which two are used to "Canadian" temperatures.

In related news, I wore my North Face to school today for the first time.  The belly doesn't allow for zip-up but it was better than toughing it out fleece-less!!! 

In other related news, Alex arrives tonight after midnight!!!!  We can't wait to see him!!!!

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR (DECAF) TEA.

*  The weather here has been WACKY!  In the past three years, we've never experienced so much pouring rain!!!  And now the cold is beginning to set in.  Today I had to wear a scarf.  A toque and mittens are not far off.....

*  Last night I had woke up to a seriously painful charley horse in my calf.  It was QUITE UNPLEASANT.  Many tears ensued and this morning I had a bit of a limp as the entire muscle felt bruised.  Well......I raised the issue with Phil that childbirth is bound to be ten billion times more painful than that.  To this he responded, "oh my gosh".  This should give you some more insight into my reaction at 10 p.m. last night!!!! 

*  Turns out that Alex will not be our first visitor in Kuwait!  Our friend Haitham from Oman is HERE and we are meeting him for a "Muscat Reunion" tomorrow evening.  I believe Phil, Steve, and him are also hanging out tonight.  Alas, I keep my night time outings to a minimum as I have trouble staying awake past 6 p.m.  It saves everyone from embarrassment if I call it a day and retire to the bedroom as necessary :) 

*  My favourite thing to do when I get home from school is turn on the Christmas lights.  The tree makes the room so COZY and I wish it was socially acceptable to keep it up ALL YEAR LONG!!!!!

*  December is almost here!!!  WOWZERS!!!!!  I am eager to reunite with my very favourite month of the year :)

For us it is HUMP DAY!  HIP, HIP, HOORAY!!!!!

Happy ALMOST mid-work-week to all of you :)
XOXO

It's KIM KARDASHIAN EVE!!!!!!!

Tomorrow she arrives!  And for the weekend she will stay!  Perhaps we will catch of glimpse of her at the Avenues......

Eeeeeee!!!!!  I'm so excited for my students to show me their meet & greet pics next week!!!!!!  (Note:  We won't have any of those because we can't afford the price tag.....)

ONE MORE MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Sleigh bells are REALLY, TRULY ringing now!!!)

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR (DECAF) TEA.

*  Emily and I are hosting a "Christmas Cookie Exchange" on December 7th.  It is a ladies-only affair that is sure to bring even MORE JOY to the holiday season.  It will be my first event of this sort and I can't wait to see how it goes!!!!  (Side note:  So maybe it's not the BEST idea to host a COOKIE party the day before my monthly OB/GYN appointment.  You know, being a gestational diabetic and all.........I will have to be MENTALLY TOUGH that afternoon!!!!!)

*  Yesterday morning I went to the mall with Emily to do some Christmas shopping.  Phil and I are doing a new type of advent calendar this year which consists of 24 little paper bags for 24 little christmas treats (THANK YOU IKEA)!  We are going to take turns opening a gift each day of December!  So - I was on a hunt for small things to complete his much-anticipated advent.  I think I found some perfect goodies :)

*  Yesterday afternoon, Phil went to play ball and I enjoyed some down-time before my yoga class.  We also tackled "groceries in the pouring rain" - a challenge we don't encounter too often in Kuwait!  Phil ended up soaked trying to hail a cab home, but returned to pick up the food and I with a big grin :) 

*  Why are we still hailing cabs, you ask?  Didn't you apply for your driver's licenses, you ask?!  Well, YES WE DID.  But the process - which has already taken us two months - has come to a complete HALT and we're unsure if we'll be able to get one at this point.  Keep your fingers crossed that we run into the right people at the right time........

*  Have you been watching The X-Factor?  Carly Rose is AMAZEBALLS.  I could listen to her sing "Over the Rainbow" on repeat.  LOVE HER.    

*  Today was a GREAT DAY!  In the Phillip department, there was a golf tournament in support of a local animal shelter as well as an afternoon basketball practice and a mustache-refining face shave!  In the Lindsay department, there was an 8K walk along the water, a coffee date, a mani/pedi appointment, and some chill time at Em's. 

*  Pregnancy update:  rash on the belly and spider veins all over my legs.  Luckily, my neighbours have helped me to see the light!  My body is simply "decorating for Christmas", of course!!!!  With nice reds and purples...........haha.  Other than that, I am feeling great and growing (HAHA!) more and more attached to Baby P every single second!  Here's a new bump photo (29 weeks): 

Tomorrow we have a P.D. Day and after a short department meeting in the morning, I look forward to a productive day of marking the rest of my electricity tests!!!  I am excited to get into school and get started! 

Happy FINAL WEEK OF NOVEMBER!!!!!!!!  We will be welcoming the next month with our first official visitor - ALEX!!!!!!!

BLAH, BLEH, BLICK!

Today was one of those days we should have just stayed in bed.  Sadly we had something called "work" to attend to (what gives?!)!  To remedy the horrible school day, Phil is enjoying basketball practice (and sweet thoughts of a Lions game early this evening) and I came home to soak up anything and everything CHRISTMAS.  The tree lights are on.  The holiday candle is burning.  And I'm having a tea in my BRAND NEW FESTIVE MUG (thanks GEMILY!!!). 

Fingers crossed that Good Morning America transitions into the Macy's Day Parade.  The tv guide is telling me that Ellen is up next but I feel like sometimes the tv guide is wrong.........right?!

Regardless, the WEEKEND IS HERE!!!!!  Three cheers for R&R!!!!!!!!

Things I Have to Tell You....

1)  Today Ms. Belly Touch (one of my students) felt Baby P kick for the first time!  You should have seen her face!  Oh I wish I had a camera with me!  It was PRICELESS.

2)  Yesterday I was in a predicament.  I was all out of regular decaf tea.  Feeling a bit chilled, I decided to tough it out and steep a "strawberry mango" variety.  The box said "best enjoyed without milk".  But...........I ALWAYS put milk in my tea.  It's what I do.  So I ignored the instructions and went ahead with the pour.  BIG MISTAKE!  The milk curdled and I tossed the tea down the drain.  I don't think I'll be drinking this wannabe delicious tea anytime soon....

3)  Emily has SAVED ME from my tea dilemma!  She rummaged through her cupboards and brought me three bags of tea today at school!!!  THANK YOU, GEM!!!!  You're a sanity-saver!!!

4)  The cleaning lady was over tonight.  When I went to put on my running shoes she INSISTED that she needed to put them on for me.  I refused.  But she made me fight for the right to do this myself!!!! 

5)  Christmas lights make the living room so much COZIER. 

6)  Even as an optimist, I have trouble believing what people say to me anymore.  No matter how genuine, I seem to hear only "words" and wish for some REAL ACTION!  A simple example from today:  students who say "they will come for extra help and they want to improve".  Don't tell me you're going to do it......JUST DO IT!!!!! 

7)  Less than ONE MONTH until my birthday!!!! 

28 Weeks!

Phil wanted to be included in this week's photo shoot....

He's glowing, isn't he?! :)