Running on Empty

Hi, I know, I didn't post on Friday like I said I would. Our internet has been down since Thursday night. We upgraded the speed of our internet and then it went out for the whole weekend. The battery on my camera is dead, my laptop battery is dead and I can't find the cords and plug-ins. Please be patient with me and I will have pictures posted soon!!! This weekend, we went to the big mall in Heliopolis called City Stars. It is like walking into a little piece of America. It is air-conditioned, big and fun to wander around in. Spencer and Grant also got haircuts. Grant hadn't had a full on "official" haircut since, oh I can't remember when, maybe April or May. So, when the girls got home from school they had a surprise. They said Grant looked bald!! And Jacqueline is completely walking now. No more crawling for her. Unless she's in slippery socks and can't get her footing. I will post more when everything is charged and loaded.

First Day of School

Today was the day!!! Mairyn started school. She was beside our bed at 5:50 am, "Mommy? Daddy? Today is school!! Is it time yet?" No, Mairyn, school doesn't start for another 2 1/2 hours!! We all made it to school on time. Mairyn has the same teacher Eliza had for Year 1, Mrs. McInroy. She is a great teacher. Eliza's Year 3 teacher is Mrs. Hawkins. She is excited because she has an upstairs classroom this year. When I picked her up from school, her highlight of the day was that they did numeracy on the computer, without any paper. I asked Mairyn what she did today and she said they had snack, then recess and then lunch. Of course, what else could be more important?

Boy for Sale!!

Attention:
Boy for Sale
Age: 3 years old, definitely
Hair color: Would be blond if he would take a bath
Weight: Does it matter? He still sits on his sisters and makes them scream
Eye color: blue, but I swear they flash red sometimes.

Will sell to highest bidder, o.b.o.

Call for details, but after you've heard them, you won't be wanting a 3 year old any time soon.

You can reach me at home, but after today, I will be at the state insane asylum.
Thank you!!

Long time gone

It has been a long time gone! We had quite a whirlwind summer, split between Nebraska and Idaho. Spencer and I even managed to squeeze in a kid-free get-away to Nauvoo and other church historical sites! We got family pictures too. If this works, I believe you can order from the link I pasted here.
We have been back home for 5 days now and it seems twice as long. Everyone up at odd hours and pleading for sleep during the day. Jacqueline and Grant are the ones having the hardest time adjusting. Jacqueline actually had a decent night last night (Thursday night) it was Grant and Mairyn that were up at 3:30 am and wanted to know when it would be morning. Actually, Mairyn asked that and Grant just rolled out of his bed screaming at the top of his lungs. If I wasn't worried about trying to keep Jacqueline asleep, I would just let them get up and do as they please, but things start getting rowdy and out of control. So we just sleep when we can, be awake during the day as much as we can and eat breakfast,lunch and dinner when we are supposed to eat. Grant woke up Wednesday night with diarrhea, fever and a rash all over his arms, leg and torso. We took him in to the doctor Thursday morning and they drew blood. It came back ok (whatever that means).We tried to get a "pee-pee" sample, but you can imagine how well that went with a grumpy Grant. We're still trying to get one this weekend and get it to them on the first of the week. Today he woke up complaining of his rash itching. His rash had turned into hives; puffy welts all over his arms, cheeks and stomach. I called the doctor and he still believes that it is an allergic reaction to the antibiotic he has been taking. So we have applied Cortisone cream and given Benadryl liberally and everything is now "non-itchy". I just want to get Grant completely healthy again.

Jacqueline turned 1 this August 5th and the next day decided that she wasn't going to be my baby anymore. She wanted to walk, talk and act like a toddler. She has even proven that she can survive as Grant's little sister. She will scream at him and whack him when he provokes her or tries to take away a toy. She is a little volcano of activity now. Mairyn is anxiously awaiting school to begin. Next Tuesday, the 28th, is the big day. Eliza is also wondering aloud which of her schoolmates she hopes will be in her Year 3 class. I just found out about a trip the CLO (community liason office) is sponsoring in October. It is a trip to the Siwa Oasis, about 7 1/2 hours from here. There will be guides to the sites and sandboarding in the desert. And this is real desert, sand dune sand! The desert out and around Cairo is rock, with dirt and sand blowing around. Further out is where the real desert is. There is even an option to spend one of the three nights in a tent. Yipee!! I won't be taking any kids, it will be a blast. There's even 4 wheeling through the dunes to get to one of the sites. Anyway, that is the latest update with us! I'm going to try and post at least every Friday; hopefully I will get into the habit and post during the week as well!! Enjoy!!!

May I fly by and go to June?

I can't believe it is June! Grant turned 3 on the first. We had a kind of pizza theme. Pizza for dinner and then birthday cookies (cut like pizzas). And now we are winding down activities. No more song and dance for the girls. Ha! No, really, their class is through forever! Miss Debra is moving back to the US so we'll have to find another outlet for them this fall.


And what post wouldn't be complete without a picture of our little Jackie? She is such a sweet, mellow baby. And Eliza adores her. She packs her around and even gets her in the morning when she wakes up. She'll bring her into me and sit at the end of the bed while I nurse her and then ask,"Are you done yet so I can go play with her?" And Jacqueline is crazy about her too. When Eliza gets home from school, Jacqueline squeals and crawls as fast as her little arms and legs will go to get to her.


Ok, here's another cute one of Jackie, about to raspberry me.


Ok, ok . . . just one more. Grant the big boy on his third birthday!

New posts? I love new posts!

We haven't done much this week. Mairyn went on a field trip to a farm where they make soap, raise ducks and other stuff. She got to bring home a little soap that they made. Eliza had her half-term holiday this week on the 23 & 24th. No school! She gets out of school the 26th of June. And we're off to the states on the 27th! Grant is in a word funk. He loves everything! He'll ask, "What's that?" pointing to a basket or window. And I say, "It's a basket, Grant." "Basket? I love baskets!" Or the bread on the counter. "Bread? I love bread!" And that's how most of our conversations with Grant have been for the last little while. And Jacqueline has been babbling all week. More than usual. Now it's "ba-ba-ba-ba" or "ma-ma-ma-ma". Or some other jibberish, but it's her jibberish. And she'll copy you. You say something and she'll imitate it. The little parrot. I have been busy showing a woman around Maadi. She and her husband and two little girls got here to post about 3 weeks ago. And I was assigned as her sponsor. So we've been corresponding for the past few months, answering questions, etc. Now I'm just taking her around, getting her familiar with the area and things to do! Also, I'm helping my friend Rachel get ready to move. She, her husband Mat and their 4 girls leave Egypt on the 20th of June and are moving to . . . . . . Rexburg! Mat got a job with BYU-I in the Psychology department. So it's not really goodbye for us, it's just see you later! She has been my closest friend these last two years in Egypt. Isn't that wild? 2 years!!! Not that she's been my friend, but that we've been here in Egypt that long. Ok, you can stop laughing at me. Alright, that's all for now. And Jacqueline won the draw for which gets kid a picture(s) posted.

Saturday

This Saturday went down like any other one. We got up and went to Maadi House for breakfast and playground time. It was a beautiful morning, not too warm and really sunny. We ran by and picked up Grandpa and then we came home. I put Grant and Jacqueline down for naps. Then Eliza, Mairyn, Grandpa and I left to go to the Khan al Khalili. Grandpa needed some scarves (for Grandma) and I got some t-shirts for the girls. The main reason I wanted to bring the girls was b/c they wanted to get a henna design on their hands. I usually run into at least 2 or 3 ladies that want to put a henna on me each time I go to the Khan. Well, we were there for 2 hours and we didn't see any of the usual ladies. Then I saw a woman walking by that had a fresh henna on her hand. I asked her where she got it and she pointed in the direction of the square near the row of cafes. So we waited around and she showed up. The girls got their designs and then the waiting-for-it-dry process began. It takes about 15-20 minutes for a design to dry. More if it is really globby. Well, Mairyn smeared part of her arm even before the lady was done. She fixed it and Eliza's too. Anyway, we made it home with minimal damage to the designs and the girls couldn't wait to show their friends at school.
There was one moment yesterday that couldn't be captured on film. It was an energy, a change. We were walking through the crowded alleys and every shopkeeper is calling out to you. "Hey, what do you need? I got it! You want statue, scarf, galabeya? I got it!" ad infinitum. One shopkeeper aimed his petitions at Eliza and she did such an egyptian and grown up thing. She shook her head, looked at the ground and waggled her little finger at him. All in one smooth movement! Is she a smooth operator or what?
Anyway, that was our Saturday.