The Countdown is ON!

Although Phil almost had a heart attack over the whole booking process (re:  VISA thinking our online activity was legitimate fraud), our flights home to Canada are OFFICIALLY booked!!!  We answered a BA-ZILLION security questions to get the job done, but we're happy to report that IT IS DONE and WE ARE COMING HOME!   

We arrive in Canada on June 20th (YAY!) and leave for Kuwait on August 13th (BOO?).  Besides a wedding on June 28th, another wedding on July 12th, and a potential sibling reunion on Canada Day weekend, our schedule is pretty open.  We remain car-less on the home-front, however I promise to throw one heck of a tea party for those that make the trek to our beautiful hometown.  Message me!

See you SOON, Canada!  (Really!  The next 3 months will FLY BY!) xo

I think this is worth a watch.

You can also find out more HERE. 

IF YOU WERE HERE FOR TEA.

*  It would be the EXTRA-CAFFEINATED kind because there's a huge sweep of exhaustion going through this house.  And I have a cold.  And I'm REALLY, REALLY hoping that Nory doesn't get it too!

*  We've been having quite the family dance parties this week.  Our current favourite tunes include:  Happy by Pharrell (obviously), Ai Se Eu Te Pego (no clue who sings it or what it means), Sweater Weather (The Neighbourhood) and Let It Go (Frozen soundtrack).  Nory can really get a groove on!

*  If you haven't started watching The Fosters yet, I repeat that you MUST.  It's one of our new favourites.  Up there with Parenthood!  THAT is saying something.  GO WATCH IT!

*  I read an article from Facebook about iPhone tips and tricks.  Let me tell you, the whole "put your phone on airplane mode to charge it" is mind-blowing.  So is using the volume up button to take selfies.  Talk about LIFE-SAVERS ;)

*  Some of you back home got snow today.  Ew.  But to make you feel better, we had a dusty day here in Kuwait and we are expected to have more of it tomorrow.  So whilst you shovel your driveways, we sweep our kitchen/living room floors!

*  I really, really, really want to go to Chicago.  I don't even know why.  Perhaps it's that big silver jelly bean thing that I've seen in pictures....or because Guiliana and Bill live there......or because I kinda like it when I hear people say "da Bears!"  Who knows?!  I'm strange.  

*  Cathy and I made an "I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER PIE" over the weekend.  The first night we had it as soup (because we were too impatient to wait 'several hours' for it to freeze) and the second night we enjoyed it as the real deal.  Rich and delicious, it was.  RICH and DELICIOUS!

*  It's almost April.  Which means it is almost May.  Which means it is almost June.  Which means we are ALMOST HOME!!!!!!!!!  I tear up at the thought of seeing my Dad at the airport.  AHHH!!!

I thought I liked hugging before.

And I did.

A LOT.

A LOT, A LOT.

But then this thing happened recently where my daughter started to hug me.  Upon request!  And JUST LIKE THAT - HUGGING 2.0 was brought to my attention and I almost can't take it.  It's the ABSOLUTE BEST feeling in the whole wide world.  It even makes me believe in that whole "one person can change the world" thing.....

This girl is so, so fun right now.  She has a whole slew of new tricks that I wish you could see.  Perhaps I should make that my spring break mission:  to catch a video of each one!

Four more days to go!  We can't wait for our Kuwait stay-cation to begin!!!

Her First Kiss!

It happened in Doha last Sunday.  We were at the Villaggio Mall, wasting away some hours before our departure to Kuwait.  Nory was running up and down a certain hallway when she was drawn to a kiosk called "Doha Candle" that sold, not candles, but TOYS!!!!!  At this toy-store-with-a-deceiving-name, there was a three year old boy doing the same thing as Nory - checking out the stuff that childhood dreams are made of!  Cars, trains, balls, and dolls - all boxed up in bright colours, being sold by a smiley Filipino lady that was thrilled to be working at that very moment.  The kids seemed to use these items as conversation starters and began to speak in a language that I'm sure only the two of them understood.  He would point at a certain toy and chit-chat, while she would stare at him and smile.  She would point to a certain toy and jibber-jabber, while he would stare at her and smile.  This interaction continued until the little boy's Dad hollered "let's go, Fuad!"

It was then that it happened.  THE KISS!  Her very first one.

Fuad leaned in and gave her the sweetest little kiss on her forehead.  Then he blew her another one as he ran off with his father.

I have to admit that I was RIGHT SMACK BESIDE them when it happened and was too stunned to think anything of it.  Then I looked down the hallway and saw her Daddy standing at the end of it with the "OH MY GOSH" face.  I couldn't help but laugh.......

It's really only a joke that he minds at all.  You know, that his daughter's first kiss happened at a venue with 11 of her uncles and his over-protective self.  That his daughter's first kiss happened in a place where kissing in public isn't so much an acceptable thing.  It's only a joke.....

Oh Fuad.  He was a handsome wee thing.  Dark eyes and long eyelashes.  A heartthrob, for sure.  Who doesn't love a forehead kiss (especially after an engaging and flirtatious conversation)?!  It makes it all the more sweet when you find out that his name means "heart" in Arabic.....

THIRTEEN MONTHS going on THIRTEEN!  This is THE LIFE.

"That's what love feels like, Honey!"

At the start of their final basketball game together, I saw one of the starters start to cry on the court.  Naturally, this made me start to cry.  Naturally, this made Phil start to cry.  And then somebody said those very words to me, leading me to sob-cheer like YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW for the remainder of the game.  It really is LOVE.  How did four years go by so quickly?

The basketball "FAMILY".

It's been an emotional few days (weeks, actually!) for this household.  When so much of your time is occupied with these people, it's difficult to figure out what to do once it's all over.  Today we got home from school at 3 p.m.  There was no rushing home to pick up Nory, no rushing back to school to cheer on the boys, no rushing back home to get Nory to bed.  No discussions of strategy at dinner time.  No debates over who to play where or which players should start the next game.  No figuring out which day to get groceries, run to the bank, or FaceTime with home.  Our schedule is wide open and it's weird and we can't believe it's only 7:30 p.m.....

The team won third place in the tournament this weekend.  But, more importantly (or so I think!), is the fact that they won the sportsmanship trophy.  Yep, every other team in the tournament voted THE BULLDOGS as the team with the best character.  I think this speaks volumes about the coach, don't you?  (Phil's team also won our school's VERY FIRST SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD EVER two years ago).  I am so, so proud of my husband.  And his boys.  If only you had been here to enjoy this amazing Bulldogs journey with us.

Perhaps you could hop on board for the next big coaching adventure.  Phil's been assigned to coach the Varsity basketball team at the new school next year.  He actually received a text message from one of the players this afternoon - asking when practice for next year can begin!  How big do you think Phil smiled when he shared this little tidbit with me after work?

Congratulations on an incredible FOUR YEARS of basketball at BBS, my love.  After this weekend, it's obvious how influential you've been to the basketball program at our school.  Those boys love the heck out of you!

We do too.
XOXO  

Left Side Lindsay / Right Side Eleanor

My Dad sent me this picture over the weekend.  I think I can see the resemblance now ;)

Thanks Dad!!!! XOXO

My Mini Me?

I posted this picture on social media today and was excited to see comments about Nory looking so much like me.  I've been told this by people before, but I have a hard time seeing the resemblance myself!  Your remarks are a happy reminder of just how MINE this fabulous little creature is...

We had another great day cheering on the boys in Doha.  Nory has perfected the word "go!" and the boys secured a second place finish in the round robin part of the tournament.  Let's hope they can cope with today's injuries as they fight for a place in the finals tomorrow!

GO BULLDOGS GO!!!!

P.S.  Our daughter might have participated in a FaceTime call with a random spectator's wife today....(the man simply HAD to show his wife the sweet little baby he met!)

March 20th

Wowee!!! I know it doesn't feel like "spring" for many of you back home, but today we found GRASS to play on and this traveling trio couldn't be more pleased.  It really does feel like the first day of spring on this beautiful campus in sunny, sunny Doha.  Nory is soaking it all in :)  (While the rest of us are soaking wet.....with sweat.....from chasing her...)  Sounds romantic, eh?

We flew out of Kuwait yesterday evening, after a whirlwind day of 65 sheep heart dissections, some VERY LAST-MINUTE PACKING (I threw hair clips and socks into my backpack as we headed out the door), and a one hour flight delay.  Nory rocked the flight (I keep holding my breath until the day she doesn't) and, despite having a live Falcon on board, the rest of us rocked it too!  We made it to our hotel by 9 and Nory crashed at 9:15.  She slept like a log until 5:58 this morning, too!  Phewf.

We have been at the tournament all day today - making friends, storming the court during half-time's, and playing with anything we can get our hands on.  The team definitely enjoys having Nory here and I think the other schools see her as some sort of a "team mascot".  I suppose that's a fitting description ;) Phil's team has been working hard but has yet to secure a "W".  They play again at 5:30, so please send all your warm wishes this way!

In other basketball news, with March Madness coming up, we are busy making our selections.  We found THE BEST thing online for kids/people-like-me.  You can find it HERE if you too would like to take this "March Madness" approach :)  I think the lady who invented it is a genius!

Wishing you all a happy first day of spring and an even happier "WORLD HAPPINESS DAY"!!!

XOXO

The First Rule of Fight Club: Don't Talk About It!

Today Girlie earned another war wound.  It happened while Phil and I were getting ready for school this morning, just after K-POP arrived.  We heard Nory start to cry in the other room and then an urgent knock on the bedroom door.  When I opened the door, there was a hysterical Kumari with a hysterical Nory - blood running down Nory's face and tears running down Kumari's.  Nory had slipped and fell on her "Busy Town" box toy and both parties were OUTTA CONTROL.  I, embarrassingly, added to the drama in this "OMG, DOES SHE NEED STITCHES?!" moment and my mind was torn between rushing to the hospital or quitting my job and firing the nanny.   Thank goodness Phil kept his cool (two thumbs up, Daddy!) and was able to settle Nory down (eventually!) and stop the blood too (eventually!).  No stitches.  Phewf.

I realize the whole thing was an accident.  Nory has gone through a growth spurt and she hasn't quite mastered the art of walking with that extra inch.   But in the moment, I didn't so much see it this way.  I was completely irrational and not very nice towards Kumari.  Cruella de Vil comes to mind.  I couldn't believe that Nory had now been injured TWO TIMES in less than a week - both times under Kumari's care.  It blew my mind.  I was convinced that she was being careless but in actuality, I think K-POP just ran into some really bad luck.....

These things could happen to ANYONE.  Nory moves about 100 miles per hour and has become a huge fan of running while shaking her head (where did she get this from?!).  She jumps from one activity to the next without warning and always manages to find the things with the greatest potential for danger to be the most interesting.  It's impossible to shield her from every sharp edge or slippery surface.  She's a mover and a shaker and the scratches, bumps, bruises, and fat lips are all part of growing up....RIGHT?!

Too bad I didn't approach this morning's situation from this realistic stand point.  After crying it out in the bedroom, I got ready for work and then came out to apologize to Kumari and give her a hug.  I explained to her that it wasn't her fault and that it's happened to me before too.  I know she does a good job and loves Nory like her own.  Phil echoed my concerns and we distracted Nory with toys before rushing off to work. 

ANYWAYS.

When your kid has an injury that is visible to others, the horror of the incident goes on forever.  "Oh no!  What happened?!"  "Where did that come from, Nory?!"  "Ouch.  That must have hurt!"  These are the remarks we heard at tonight's basketball game.  It drove me CRAZY!  But, rather than pulling another Cruella, I decided to diverge from the original tale with a simple "first rule of fight club" comment.  Turns out there is a God and his name is Brad Pitt.  Worked.  Like.  Magic.  Haha.

Oh parenting.  I really do think you're making me a better person.  But at the same time, it's become very apparent that I'm a flawed woman!