Whats up with us ...

Hello, so after a few seriously frustrating weeks trying to update and upload photos, I've given up and this'll be a text update.
Whats up with us, well, Uncle Larry has left us :(
While Andre was in the US and Larry was staying with us, he was introduced to any of our friends as Uncle Larry, my Rent-a-husband or Rent-a-dad while ours was away hehehe Of course to our American friends, this invoked endless teasing as when they refer to a guy other than the children's dad as "uncle" it means he's a "special friend" of Mom's hehehe So anyway we are very thankful to have had him here for the short time that we did and look forward to visiting soon.
While I am writing this, Andre is sitting in Yanbu again for a few days.
He is back tomorrow but I took advantage of his absence and put up Christmas decorations :D Those that know me, know I'd have them up all year round if I could ! Not because I'm lazy - well that too, but I do truly love it all. Yes the rule - so my friends inform me, is that anytime after Thanksgiving is good to start decorating. (Of course our Canadian friends said Thanksgiving was a month ago so there's nooooo problem) So what, I am a few days early :) mmmm a huge thing for me and I deserve a medal for it, even let the girls do most of the tree this time - so its not all even etc. but I managed to survive hehehe.

After doing the brown, red, even blonde, decided it was time to try black - for my hair that is ! So for Halloween, out came the box of hairdye. Andre's face when he got back from the US - Halloween eve was a hoot. Its faded now and is more a dark brown but we're getting really used to it and think it may stay for a while.

Really cooler weather here finally, first drizzle of rain on Friday, and Saturday we had some good showers. Girls wore long pants to school on Saturday and all of us had jackets on YAY ! No rain today but we're wearing long clothes and keeping sweaters with us now. We love cooler weather !
Won't it be odd to get used to heat suddenly when we head home for our 'winter' break in 3 short weeks ?! Looking forward to the short stay home for Christmas.

Well thats about it for now. Love, laughter, happiness and friendship to all.
Have a great day !

Halloween, poolside and The Beach

So its been a busy week or so, even more so than usual. And well this entry seems really strange ... been sitting in drafts for the past almost 2 weeks because of our connection being so terrible I haven't been able to upload any photos :grrr:

Last weekend we celebrated Halloween on the compound. Kids Halloween party on the Friday afternoon, this was the girls dressed up and then getting their faces painted at the party. Andrè and Larry had gone across to Bahrain for Andrè to ref. They arrived back just in time for Andrè to go trick or treating with the girls.

And trick-or-treating done, time for lights out and bed, school in the morning !

This weekend we spent some time by the pool - as you can see the weather has definitely cooled down. The wind was more a problem than anything else - the sun just didn't seem to have any power.

Andrè, Larry and I then headed out to the consulate for a Happy Hour Thursday night. A good evening had by all :)

Friday up bright and earlyish (got in at 1-ish and left the house by 8:30am) and off to the beach. Great morning, one of Aimee's friends from school was there as well so the girls kept themselves busy while I got some work done and we all relaxed a bit.
Back home and just about everyone had their afternoon nap :)

mmmm this may seem to be a photo of Larry enjoying the beach but in reality it was Andre enjoying the sights at the beach - look a little closer and you'll see what he was enjoying seeing :)

Of course a wonderful day had by all and everyone - especially the girls were rather pooped by the time we left :)

Too late she cried ...

As an update to the prayer request made, Bruce is resting peacefully now.
Sadly he passed away last night.

"Bruce went to the United States for a medical assessment. The doctors there determined that he required heart surgery to replace one valve in his heart and to repair another. That surgery was performed on October 25. He had a difficult 24 hours following surgery, but then appeared to be recovering well.

On October 30 he developed septicemia. His seemingly good recovery reversed very quickly and within hours he was placed on life support. He passed away in St. Louis on the evening of October 30th."

This is a very sad time for us, obviously especially his family.
For me, Bruce was not only my principal but a very special friend who will be sorely missed. I honestly don't know if I'd be where I am if it weren't due in large part to his encouragement and support. Struggling with the selfish feelings not wanting the outcome to be as it is, we must be joyful when we are reminded that he is finally at peace, having no more pain or suffering.

Bruce, I'll miss your shoulder to cry on, your discerning ear, your friendly smile and your hearty laugh. It'll surely take some getting used to not being able to just pop in and say Hi or to run something by you. But ...
It's time to say Goodbye, enjoy heaven, I hear the view from up there is pretty magnificent !
Totsiens, Masalama

Please continue to pray for Norma, Ryan and Carrie - his immediate family, they need all the strength we can give them.
And also our school family because indeed that's what we are and it feels like our "Dad" is now gone.

Prayers PLEASE !

URGENT, SHORT AND SWEET -

MY PRINCIPAL, MR. BRUCE HUDSON NEEDS YOUR PRAYERS.

Less than a month ago he left Saudi to go back to the US for heart surgery.
He had his surgery almost a week ago. He was critical but stable to begin with. A day or so later was doing much better, even got up. Suddenly however, yesterday he took a turn for the worse.
He is fighting but its a serious up-mountain (forget the hill) battle.
He NEEDS your prayers, his family NEEDS your prayers.
God can work miracles, we've all seen them, this is what we need now.
We NEED him to come out of this.
Thankyou, and God Bless all of you !

It's finally a bit cooler.....

Eid Mubarak !

Well I'm back from Oman, wonderfully enriching experience over the two days.
The family is all good and Uncle Lerry (as the girls insist on pronouncing Larry) is staying with us while Andrè is away. He arrived in kingdom on Sunday night last week and is getting settled at the moment.
Before Andrè left however we did have a day or two and with the weather finally cooling down, we enjoyed some time outside.
Girls playing, of course dad's car parked in front of the house was just too tempting and had to get 'washed'. Camping across the street was also very necessary once the adults had disappeared inside again. Fun was had by all hehehe

And then Andrè had to leave us but not before I took the girls for a haircut :)
Lucy requested it and Aimee got coerced into following her lead hehehe
....MUCH easier to get washed an brushed now !

Best I clarify quickly - Andrè has gone to California for 10 days - work related (if it was a holiday I'd have some serious problems hehehe), will be back on the 31st, just in time to watch the girls while I go to a two day conference in Bahrain ! And then its Halloween :) our compound celebrations are on Friday the 3rd so watch for photos thereafter :)
It's Eid right now so we're at home for the week - hopefully getting some time to catch up on work.
Have a great week everyone, til the next posting I guess.