Taking Flight

I haven't forgotten to upload pics of the house I just haven't had time. I have to take new pics with the sod in it really makes all the difference to the outer appearance to the place. Mr. Man had quite the time setting up the sprinklers on set timers but hopefully it will all work out. We did find a teenager (and his father) to come around help with the yard, run the water inside the house (so the pipes don't freeze) and just keep an eye on the place.

The neighbors are super friendly and have been told we will be away until December so they will keep an eye out as well. The head of the neighborhood watch not only wants to take Mariam home to "Miss Kitty" but will be looking out for mail and the house as well. We must seem a bit odd, we buy a home and a few days latter leave the country.

Usually when I'm away from 'home' in Saudi (or Bahrain) for such a period of time I am ready to go back. I want nothing more than to be in my own home, with my own things, living my boring life even if it is in the heat. But this time we aren't in a rush and could hang out even longer here in our new home. It will be interesting to see how our sense of 'home' changes or even if it does.

Ramadhan Mubarak to all I'll update with pics as soon as I get over my jet lag.

What Differences Does $5.10 Make?

Well when you are closing on a house it means getting your keys or not. So ladies when you find out your closing cost has changed by even the smallest amount and you ask your husbands going out the door "Do you have the checkbook?" and he answers "Yes". Take it from me that you must ask to physically see it!

Yes, Mr. Man walked out of the house without his check book and our closing cost changed by 5.10 USD because we closed two days earlier. I think it was the estimated land tax that changed the fees. Nothing very important in his mind as he went to the bank the day before to get a cashiers check for the amount of the house (no mortgage is a wonderful feeling) so he just assumed he had a check floating around his brief case. He sat in search for a single check, not a check book and I said "Yea I'm blogging this!!"

Thankfully our ever so wonderful real estate agent was there with her check book. If anyone ever needs a real estate agent in the St. Louis area please email for a reference she is fantastic. The time she took with my boys while they were here alone and helped them choose such a wonderful house there aren't enough good things we can say about her.

Keys in hand to our brand new house we will set off today just to look at it. I'll take some pics and upload them tonight. The area is perfect and even though our lot is small and not what I initially set Mr. Man out for I think it works out better because I don't have to worry about much yard work while I'm away. Also having a community pool means I don't have to worry about the upkeep, total bonus. And we are surrounded by a lakes and parks with trails and fishing. In fact we go the worms in the fridge and we are off to toss a few lines in the lake today to see if anything bites.

4 Hours In Best Buy

I can't believe it was that long but it was. Four hours in that store with clerks apologizing a dozen times for taking so long. Why did it take that long? I'm not really sure other than Best Buy has a way of zapping time from people. Good news is the store survived the five kids who I must say were rather good for being in there so long They were rewarded with gift cards from our purchases so it worked out for them (more wii games)

Just to note, TVs are much more expensive here. Of course I should factor in that we are buying a bigger TV and that it is HDTV (whatever that is) but still expensive especially when you add in the 300 dollar install charge!!! We almost had heart failure (free with purchase in Saudi and Bahrain). But a TV is high on the priority list when you expect kids to sit still while you decorate a house.

A washer and dryer is also top on the list with five kids. Mr. Man made the mistake of suggesting we 'wait' for that purchase but than I asked "Are you going to go drag the clothes to the laundry and wash them?". The answer of course was a purchase of a washer and dryer (nothing real fancy and I could have went all out on some fancy machine but than for those prices I'd expect it to fold).

The house is coming along on schedule and we are very pleased with it. The plan is to have the security system in place asap and the basement finished by the time we arrive in December to go sledding down the huge hill that is down the street. It is a really great area, so many tress around and easy access to parks. Mr. Man did a good job even if it isn't the acres I dreamed about. I'll save that for the retirement house when the kiddos get older.

We are all very excited about the house but it is kind of sad that we close than three days latter we are on a plane leaving it behind. What is exciting is that next year I get to spend my summer shopping in order to decorate the house. So any decorating sites that you ladies know of send my way!

Arrived in St. Louis

We arrived on Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis and I tell you I couldn't leave my brothers house fast enough, I even forgot a few things. He came around before we left, dropped his kids off and talked to Yehya. I was in the living room trying to find Leyna's mp3 under a pile of junk and he says "well I have to go now" I didn't even turn to recognize him as I said "Bye!" and showed my excitement at finally finding the mp3.

I've learned to forgive wrongs done to me. I mean if I can forgive my father for our differences and move on I can just about forgive anyone. But wrongs done to my children are a bit harder for me to get over. I guess I'm just not that person yet.

Right now I'm trying to catch up with my scrapping which is hindered by the fact that my EHD is not reading. Crisis mode as it has all my pictures on it so I'm going to try and find a place today and see if it can be recovered. So I better take this free time (Mr. Man took four kids to the pool) and get some work done. I'll update again soon.

Somethings Only A Mother Can Tell You

Lesson number 2849 a diaper is the last thing you want to accidentally put in a washing machine with your clothes. Just FYI they don't hold up well, I don't think it is the water as we have all seen those things sag down to the knees of little kids in a water park. I believe it was the agitation of the washing that made it break down to small little gel like balls that fly everywhere when you shake your clothes out before you put it in the dryer.

Quite a mess which I would have been doubly annoyed with if I was in my own house. I consider those gel like balls that are in the basement with the spiders a parting gift to my brother. Just thinking about the annoyed expression on his face as he tries to figure out what they are almost makes the mistake more of a blessing.

The 411

I posted yesterday than deleted it because I was leaving out some updates so I thought I would re-post giving all the updates.

1. I'm a legal driver!!! Yesterday went as smooth as pie with my road test, I tend to worry about things for nothing (most mothers do). It was expensive 242 USD. I paid 200 for a driving school to come pick me up, give me a quick lesson as to what the inspectors look for and to take me to DMV to get my license. The guy was super nice, a high school chemistry teacher who is rather young, but his car was a mess. If your going to have a driving school, clean your car.

It was also interesting to spot some of the habits I've developed as a driver over the past few years. I learned parallel parking to judge by the doors as a guide, but with the driving school car they put marks on the windshield to help with the parking. It was three separate spots to judge by in three motions, which would have been really easy if that was my first experience. But after parallel parking for some years now (remember I'm forever 17) it was difficult for my mind to remember the spots. No real worries though, during the test I was in perfectly.

2. I was tired during my test, well exhausted is more like it, because at 9 pm the night before I realized that little darling Leyna was infested with head lice. I have read the nightmares that mothers have gone through dealing with head lice and I dreaded the thought. It is such a pain in the rear to not only have to pick through her hair but also to treat the house, cleaning, vacuuming, and spraying for these little buggers. Add in that every time I think of them and the fact that girls has slept in my bed for several weeks makes me itch!

So at something after 9 on Sunday night I had to call my ex sister in law to tell her about it so she could check her kids, they are both fine. I had to run around checking every ones head, all are clear and than have crazy Hannah check mine. "I see one!" she would shout over and over again just to annoy me. Than to top it all off I had to call my brother to run to the pharmacy to get something for her which came with the added pleasure of his girlfriend asking a zillion questions in the background.

In the midst of the exchange I asked "who am I being inspected by?" He was asking questions like "You just found out?" and "you didn't notice before?" like I've been some neglectful mother that let her child's blood be sucked by these little bugs. If that wasn't' a phone conversation I would have had Mariam go punch both of them.

I had noticed that a few weeks after our arrival Leyna's hair got more dry as time passed. Her hair would frizz out, kind of like she stuck her finger in the socket so I associated her constant itching with a dry scalp. I scrubbed her hair with different shampoos and conditioners to help, I put in leave in lotions added oils to her hair and the last thought was to get a treatment for an itchy scalp.

The directions read to apply right to the scalp so that is what I did. I spotted white spots but I thought it was due to the dry skin so I continued it didn't take long for me to notice something move on her head. I thought "Noooooo can't be" and kept inspecting until I found another so off I went to the Internet to do a search for I don't have any idea what lice are, until now of course. Sure enough my poor girl was up until 12:15 am as I picked through her hair with a fine comb which has to be done again today.

3. Mr. Man arrived yesterday and the kids are so super happy. His first flight was delayed to he had to catch a latter flight out of London. He is of course a single Arab guy flying into the US so one can expect him to be selected for a special screening. Not surprising but he was aggravated as usual especially since they pulled his luggage for inspection to, a first. He arrived in NY behind schedule and without luggage we are waiting for that to be delivered now.

4. We are leaving tomorrow and I can't wait!! Woooo HOOOOO I'm out of this house which is falling down around me, although Umar is helping it along. They boy has pulled the fire place doors off their hinges. He has pulled the heating vents apart, although they were falling apart. He has found every piece of dirt on this floor and tore off pieces of wood from damaged doors. Umar has brought child proofing to a whole new level!

The house is a junk fest! I swear one day someone is going to go in the basement and be found days latter in a spider web drained of their insides. There are so many of them down there you really have to watch where you walk. I thought there was a clear path between the steps, the washer and the dryer but there isn't. I dropped something and didn't notice until my next trip down there to change loads, spiders got to it. Freak me out!

The electricity continually goes out. If you have the window AC on in the living room, the television, the window Ac in the bedroom and than try to turn on the microwave or toaster oven at the same time the breaker will blow. So that means I get the pleasure of going down into the spider's den several times a day to reset it. The joys of travel.

5. Because I like to share my joys of life here I have a story. Yesterday as I was updating this blog my niece came in with a snicker across her face as she said "Umm I think Jihad needs your help." I took a deep breath and asked "Why?". She giggled as she responded "He is stuck on the fence." Another deep breath "What?". She giggled as she explained that Jihad decided to jump a fence but got caught up by his pants which were now torn and his underwear. So I went to the room for my cover and grabbed my camera "Your going to take a picture?" my niece asked in surprise. "Of course" I said for what scrapping mama wouldn't.

I headed out back where a I saw Hannah under Jihad trying to help him, a neighbor boy from above trying to help him out and my ever so pleasant nephew just laughing at him. I powered up the camera and looked up to see the most pathetic expression I've ever seen on my son's face. He was sweating profusely and I looked down at a sight that would make any men cry out in pain. The look on his face as sheer desperation took over and tears swelled up his eyes made me forget about a picture and want nothing more than to save my boy from the pain he was enduring. As he cried out "Mama help me please!" I raced over and pushed him up on my shoulders as a neighbor boy tried to work his pants off of the fence. Hannah stood and screamed at my nephew who, considering the nature of that boy, just stood and laughed at Jihad.

It took a few long moments to finally relieve my boy of his turmoil and I don't think he will try to jump a fence any time soon. At least not until his Mama teaches him her tomboy ways of how to push out and off instead of falling straight down.

6. The best update is one I almost forgot to post. Umar took his first step today, a small one but a step all on his own.

Watch The Right Hook

Earlier this week I finally got out with the kids to the beach. Since my brother's daughter was under my watch yet again I wasn't able to take a local bus into Ocean City so I had to ask my brother for a ride which he complained about while we was doing it. Since I have been using his car, his girlfriend has decided another way to be a pain in my rear, besides limiting my use of it, is by insisting they are the safety patrol and insist that Mariam be in a car seat.

Legally she should be in a car seat, she is four and not even fifty pounds. But I don't have one and the one my brother has he left sitting in the open garage since my last visit. (December of 07). Thanks to his lack of housekeeping skills it is not only dusty and dirty but has creepy crawlies all over it. But he decided, after giving me a computer printout on information about car seat recommendations (his snarky girlfriend did that) that he would insist she be in that one for the ride. As he was pounding dirt off the of the seat I told him no way was I sitting that girl in it.

Mariam also protested, she started to cry after he told her she had to be in it. "Tell Uncle Patrick I'm a big girl not a baby". I calmed her down and told her yes she is a big girl but the laws here are different, not that she understood any of that. She settled down in the back and we made our way to the beach with Mr. Grumpy at the wheel.

When we arrived I was getting the stroller ready for Umar and my brother was helping the kids out of the car. Mariam came back to me crying that Uncle Patrick was mean and I asked what happened. "She hit my dad" my niece said. It took me a minute to digest what she said and I looked at Maraim "He is mean I'm not a baby!" she screamed through tears. My brother came around the back of the car and with his usual grumpy way "She hit me! Right in my face and knocked my glasses off!!"

I scolded Mariam for hitting especially a grown up and she has to tell him she was sorry. Inside me I was cheering my little girl for doing exactly what I have wanted to do this entire trip. It has been so bad here and my children are angry at my brother and rightfully so. So fair warning I'm raising girls with good right hooks!