Happy Happy, Jon...

Yes...the damn mail system here stinks!!

Gammy & Papa sent Jon a card and cutie t-shirts (plus he got spending money when we were home this summer for some new clothes) but they wanted him to have something to open on his birthday. Well, his birthday lives on...he received his package yesterday and LOVES his new t-shirts!! Fayth of course loved them too!! She had to be in the photo!!

Jon's other cards from family & friends haven't arrived yet either (as I know some are on their way)...it's funny that a package or card can take five days or five weeks!!!

So once again, Happy Birthday Jon!!! I think he could get use to this "extra long" birthday!!!

Happy October...Happy Halloween!

Yesterday, we received a package from Gramie to get us in the "Halloween" spirit. As you all know, I LOVE Halloween and am feeling sad that Fayth is missing out on the holiday. I loved celebrating it at school with all my munchkins and dressing up myself. I also LOVED that a lot of my former students that would make a special trip to our house to see me and say "Trick or Treat" on Halloween night. The fall is just the best and we are missing out on that!

However; after today's surprise box, we are in the spirit and Fayth is in dress-up heaven!! Gramie hit a big sale at Tuesday Morning and Fayth made out big time!!

When she woke up this am...I had it all spread out on the family room table. She came running in our room with her card and said, "Santa Came!" Jon and I just about died. It was hysterical!! So, now we have "Halloween Junk" all over our apartment and are in the spirit. She has had on about 20 combination outfits all morning and socks, socks and more socks. I think Walmart was having a "blow-out" on socks or something...we have enough to cover all the feet at Fayth's preschool!! But...wouldn't ya know...she's had on about 6 pairs and lovin' them for dress up. I don't think we'll be hitting the Dubai mall anytime soon in the socks...but for around the house, they are totally FUN!!

Her favorite thing...the princess flashlight with different shining images and the Snow White outfit!!

So, Happy Almost October to all of you!! Carve an extra pumpkin for us and have fun visiting the pumpkin patches...I'm envious!!

And Gramie, thanks for everything. Remember, dad does want to retire someday...Ha Ha!!

Our Mini Vacation

Our trip to Fujairah was once again a great "escape" from the hustle and bustle of Dubai. It's a fun drive because you see tons of camels, goats, mountains, dunes, etc. It only takes about an hour and a half to get there but seems like you are so far away!!

We spent three days and two nights at the JAL Resort and Spa. The best part of this resort is it is totally "kid" friendly and you walk straight out of the hotel and you are yards away from the five pools and gorgeous Indian Ocean. Fayth had a blast because Crue was there and also Kohl (a new friend to play with). Cara's buddy Chandell came for two weeks to visit her and brought her 4 year old son Kohl with her. Her husband is home with her little 3 year old daughter!!! Let's just say we thought our trip being 16 hours from Chicago to Dubai was long...Chandell's trip from Canada to Dubai was 26 hours!! No Joke!! However; as she said...it's been well worth it and much more manageable with one child vs. two!!

As for the weekend, this is what we did:

we swam, we drank, we swam, we ate, we swam, we collected shells, we played in the sand and we chatted for three days straight!! It was a blast and wonderful birthday get-a-way for Jon!! Boozie Suzie made a return Thursday afternoon. We had an episode with our daughter at breakfast, let's just leave it at that, so I left without hardly eating and then forgot about lunch. Sun and Vodka will do that to ya!! By 4:00 p.m. I felt happy and numb!!

I will post a few more photos when I get them...but here are a few from the trip!!! We sure had some Good Times!!!!!

Some of the photos are foggy...that is because it was SO HOT OUT and the lens would steam up.

P.S. For those of you who knew I LOVED the name Lexi for a girl when I was prego...well thanks to Dave Schlee and his "stripper" comment...she became a "Fayth" instead. Probably a good thing...the performance at breakfast would have made Dave's comment come true!! I thought I was going to KILL her!!

Camel Crossing??!!??

Well, it didn't actually have the sign on the side of the road for camel crossing, and YES...there is such a thing...but as we were cruising home at about 135 kilometers per hour we said is that what we think it is up there?? And sure enough...it was a HUGE "wild" camel (kinda wild...owned by someone...that is why the feet are tied up) crossing the street. We were following Cara and she was already stopped, pulled over, and out of the car taking photos. Unfortunately, Fayth was DEAD to the world, and I mean OUT COLD...three days in a pool & on a beach will do that to you so we had to tell her the story and show her the pictures. She laughed so hard...it was adorable!!! She was excited!!!

The photos of the red rolling sandy hills is what we were driving through. It was gorgeous!!

More to come later on our mini vacation. Waiting for some photos. :-)

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Today is Jon's birthday!! Yippee!! He works all day and tonight we are going to the mall to have a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill. It sits in the back of the huge aquarium which will keep Fayth happy & has great views of the fishies and sharks!! Instead of baking another birthday cake, we decided to make him his favorite cookies. We made a ton and will take them with us on our mini vacation to Fujairah. We can't wait!! We are going with our friends Cara, Craig, Crue, Cara's mom, and Cara's buddy and son that are here visiting her. It will be a great time!! It's a little birthday get-a-way!!

Happy Birthday Daddy...We love you...xxxoooxxxooo

Chillin' Like Bob Dylan...

Yes, today we are having a very needed PJ and Robe day!! One of the perks of being a stay at home mom!! Love these days!! And YES, I will be leaving the TV on all day today...we are reading magazines, doing laundry, cleaning up after the party, packing for Fujairah, cleaning & organizing Fayth's room, and putting photos in my "generic albums." A little piece of heaven!!

SURPRISE Daddies...It's Your Birthday

Yes...Daddies is right. Jon's big 38th birthday is on Tuesday and Ry Ry's dad's 33rd is on Wednesday. So, Jon had planned a little laid back pizza & football with the Vanney's and Swanson's...and I decided to "surprise" it up and turn it into a birthday party!!! Well a few streamers, blow horns, sugar and a 1600 sq. foot apartment sure did the to the two little people of the party. From 4:00 on they were like "Let's get the party started!" Let's just say it was birthday "HELL"...and I mean it!!! Ry Ry and Fayth couldn't get along to save their life. We yelled, did time-outs, laughed at times, screamed, spanked, just about everything and nothing did the trick!! The Vanney's had their precious 5 week angel with them and I'm sure there we thinking inside look what we have to look forward to...!!!???!!! We were wondering if it was a full moon...but funny thing...it's a new moon...it marks the end of Ramadan. So, we couldn't blame it on the moon!! There is hardly a stinkin' moon!

Despite the feud, of the two three foot midgets, it was a nice thought at least!! By the end of the night, Jon and Glenn were down to only one beer in the refrigerator & arm wrestling over it and KellyAnne and I were lying, almost pasted out, on Fayth's bed monitoring the monsters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Vanney's had enough and jumped ship about 8:30!!

I guess all that matters is Jon said it was a fabulous birthday and he loved every minute of it. I've decided he is a good liar!!! No...really...if I wasn't so honest, you'd think it was a perfectly wonderful evening from the photos!!! Any-who...Happy Early Birthday to the "daddy's" of two wonderful two year olds!!! We Love YA!!