So Thankful

Just wanted to let you know, I had posted while back at the guest house that we could only wash dishes with cold water, but when we moved into our house, the bathroom and kitchen are next to each other and the hot water heater in the bathroom runs to the kitchen also. I have never been so excited to wash dishes!!! Love having hot water!!! The first week we were in the house the hot water heater didn't work, an apprently that is not something the owner is responsible for. So after a week of Kirk working on it, we finally just bought another one, and we were so excited to get it and take hot showers and wash dishes in hot water and give the girls a bath without warming water on the stove. What a blessing hot water is, I can't imagine living back in the old days, no wonder they only bathed once a week!

dress up

As you can see dress up is still a favorite and Annie Lynne dresses herself. They really like playing dress up here because they get on their pretty dresses and then get on the window ledge (it is wide) and pull the curtains where we can't see them and then ask us if we are ready for the show. They pull back the cutains and sing and dance in their dresses. It is so funny and Addie's favorite thing!!!

thank you Becky

Thanks Becky for teaching me how to braid. Because of the water shortage and the fact that the city has not pumped water down to our street since we have moved here, we only wash hair a couple of times a week. We have one water tank on the ground and it pumps water up to the tank on the roof. The city usually pumps water into a neighborhood once a week or so, but we have not gotten any. When you run out of water you can call a water truck and pay him to fill your tanks, so we have done that once. Of course it is more expensive then city water, no cleaner, and a lot more of a hassle, but o-well. anyway back to my point, since to fill up the bath tub is a lot of water, we have only been bathing the kids every few days. (Their hands, feet, and face of course have to be washed every night, it is so dirty here). But when they get out of the tub, they get to watch one movie at least 45 min. long so I have time to braid there hair tight is possible. It will usually last two or three days and then I can take it down and it is curly the last day before a bath. This is our new routine and it seems to work well. Addie loves it because it means i only brush her hair once every few days. Also i am guessing it is because the air is so dry but there is a lot of static and if there hair is not pulled up it is crazy with lots of tangles and lots of tears trying to brush it out.

our bathroom

It is nice and pink, kirk did change out the pink shower curtain that was there when we moved in. And you have your choice when you need to go. When anyone ask Ayden about our house she always tells them about the pink bathroom, it is so funny.

my little taste of home

I have found my escape, when i need one. If I walk out of our gate and go oh about 2blocks to the left there is a little stand type thing. They sell these little sandwiches (which we do not know yet if they are safe to eat or not), but they also sell french fries. They call them chips here which is easy to remember. So for about 1 dollar I can get one can of Pepsi and enough french fries for all of us!!!!! I was so excited when we found this little place so close. The french fries are so good even better then McDonalds! The men in the shop speak no English so it was interesting buying them the first time, but fun. And now they will know us so it should be easier to get them. Kirk and I and the girls went walking a lot today and are beginning to find out way around and see what all we have around the house. We went to the "fruit stand" today and got lots of good fruit and veggies, which I came straight home and soaked in clorox water. The man selling the fruit was very nice and gave each girl a carrot, he had washed off with his bottle of water. We told the girls to take it and say thank you (one of the words they know in arabic) but do not eat. Of course the big girls listened but before we could get it Annie Lynne took a big bite. Carrots or one of the worse things you can eat without cleaning because they grow in the dirt, plus I am sure the water he used to wash it was not filtered. So we will see how strong her tummy is very soon!!!

more of addies b-day

We were finally able to do Addie's cinnamon roll b-day picture, of course no cinnamon rolls but i was able to make muffins. Every b-day since ayden was 1 we have had cinnamon rolls on their b-day in the shape of the number they are. So since no cinnamon rolls i decided to use muffins and put them in the shape of the 4. Addie has the crown on her head that Annie Lynne gave her and the purse on her arm that Ayden picked out for her birthday present. Addie loved the gifts from her sisters. And thanks Granny for throwing in the fun plates and napkins, it make the birthday even more special.

Addie's Birthday

Addie blowing out candles

This is Addie with her new mirror, she loves it. She dresses up and put on her pretend make-up, she has been playing with it all day.

helicopter

Here are the girls while we were still at guest house, they are riding on the "helicopter" they loved to spin and spin. going to miss somethings about the guest house, but really glad to be in our own house.

eating out

Here we are eating lunch yesterday, the girls have been good about trying lots of new foods, Annie Lynne likes just about everything, Addie likes most stuff, but Ayden's hasn't been a realy fan of hardly anything. I am sure it has something to do with age.
The food here was pretty good, we had a whole grilled fish, and somekind of meat stew type stuff you eat with bread.

differeces here

Washing Dishes

Every so often i will post about something that is different here then at home.
Today I would like you to be thankful for warm water. There is only one hot water heater in the house and it is only connected to the shower. So washing dishes is a little different for me. At home, if i was not using the dish washer, i would get the water as hot as i could take it, it made me feel like the dishes were cleaner. Here on the other hand i am washing dishes with freezing water that could make me very sick if i drank it. Not only that, right now we are having winter, so even though it is mild compared to yalls winter it is still cold to have my hands down in freezing water. Then there is the water shortage problem. Everyone has a tank on the outside of the house that has all your water, the city pumps water into the tank maybe once a week and when you are out, your out! (You can call the water truck and they will come fill it up for a fee if you have to.) So not only are you washing dishes with cold water that can make you ill, you are doing it with as little water as possible.
Fun Fun Fun!!!
(I think when we do come home i will be so thankful for the little things.)

going to bed

Here is ayden and addie going to bed with baby carsyn, if you don't know Addie named her baby doll after Carsyn my neice because the doll has red hair like carsyn. and since we have started the moving process here, addie thinks baby carsyn needs to go everywhere with us. Now not only is addie attached to her, annie lynne is too which just causes more problems. They can't decide who gets to sleep with her at night. So not in this pic but the last two nights annie lynne and addie have shared one of the twin beds with baby carsyn sleeping with both of them. This is great in two ways, one they both get to sleep with carsyn so less fighting and two annie lynne sleeps on the inside so she doesn't fall out of the bed. Which has already happened once. At 3:30 one night she fell out and now she has a big bruse on her face from the nightstand.

Here we are in the airport in Europe. one long flight down and one more to go. The girls are hanging in there and now baby Carsyn has become part of the family. She goes everywhere with us. Here we are just waiting, the airport was crazy and this is the only spot we could find to sit and wait for an hour until we could get to our gate. not a bad layover thankfully it was only 3 hours.
The girls look tired but they were hanging in there very well.
Carsyn really helped Addie get through the chaos of the airports.

Leaving

Here we are at the airport, starting our journey. We had five carry ons and five backpacks, going through security was not easy, but we made it. The girls did great on the trip. It was sad to say goodbye but exciting to start our journey.

It's so hard to say goodbye

Leaving was so hard!!!
Annie Lynne and Bro Bro love each other and have asked for each other lots since we have been gone. When we tell Annie Lynne that we are going look for houses she always says "Bro Bro's house" It is so funny! She will miss him lots.
It was hard for everyone to say goodbye and i think this picture captures it.