ENT

With the move quickly approaching, we needed to make sure the kiddos were in good health before having to go overseas.  Will had tubes in a few months ago, but after a couple of follow up appts. we found that they have been blocked and there is swelling and fluid build up.  The doctor tried to replace the tubes in office today but we couldn’t keep Will still enough to get the new ones in.  Their doctor is amazing and should receive an award for staying so patient and working with Will while he had a dirty diaper – the smell was horrible and I couldn’t change him because I forgot the diaper bag as I was rushing out to be at our 8:30 apt. what a mess!! Will was very unhappy as we left the office and his kicking and screaming knocked my “to-go” coffee cup out of my purse and ALL over me.. also trying to wrestle him into the carseat, my phone got catapulted out of the car and hit the concrete – luckily it came out unscathed…

Audrey has sleep apnea and will be having her adenoids and tonsils removed on Friday…. Will is also having surgery on Friday to get his tubes replaced with a different kind.  All the while Charles will be out of town!!!  My parents will be coming and helping out with the morning of surgery and they’ll take Will to Lake Charles for a couple of days while I take care of Audrey here at home.  It is certainly a lot on our plates - all the while having to prepare for our big move and keep the house “show” ready since it is on the market. what a nightmare. We’ll get thru it though.

Christmas Pics

 

Yes, No, Maybe So

I read this post a while back and I didn’t realize how profound it was until I started thinking this way daily.

Yes and NO – are you aware that every yes has a no attached and every no has a yes attached?? Read this post: and come back

http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2010/11/30/how-saying-yes-and-no-shape-a-life-story/

thanks for coming back :)

The “take away” I got from this as a mother of little ones that every time I say Yes to something (or someone) I am saying No to something else I could be or should be doing.  Right now as I type I am saying yes to blogging and no to the whites that need to be folded in the dryer. (Ha!) Get it? Ok – so think of what your yeses are automatically saying no to.  Saying yes to others too often may mean that you are saying no to your family too often.  Balance is what it is all about… not mommy guilt…keep in mind what is priority when choosing what is getting a yes and what is getting a no…  

Like she said in her post, you get into trouble when you say yes to the yes’s and yes to the no’s too… decoding: when you say yes to something, the automatic no to other things is there, ignoring it and trying to do it all is just overwhelming and stressful.  To avoid this – we must be intentional about our yes’s and pay attention to the attached No’s.   If they attached no is not an option.. maybe we should re-think the yes…?

I am also guilty of saying yes too often to the lesser important things and no to the more important – it is more difficult to say no others than it is to say no to your husband/kids and home…

Looking at a situation thru the filter of “are they trying to take advantage of my Yes’ness?” is helping me to decipher what gets a yes and what gets a no.

I can honestly say that saying “NO” to Gift Chick this Christmas was a wonderful decision.  I loved my job – I am sure that was obvious, but the “busy-ness” and total occupation of my time and energy was not something I was willing to say yes to since I knew the automatic no would be to the kids during the Christmas season… not. worth. it.    I am loving and enjoying the freedom of my time and the ability to choose what to do each day with the kids without stress and obligation.  I had to say no to something I loved to be able to say yes to something I love wayyy more.

Christmas Card

This is the best I could do this year. HA! Unless you’ve had your house on the market with daily showings… with two Tasmanian devils living under your roof.. you wouldn’t understand.

I plan to do a card with all of our Abu Dhabi Contact information on it just before we move…

Christmas Festivities

I have been terrible about posting lately.. I thought I would do one big ole post on what we have been up to this Christmas Season.  We have been busy busy busy with our house on the market and all the while having lots of fun with all things Christmas!  We have more activities planned so stay tuned!

   

 

    

this ended up being a disaster ^^ the poor child worked so hard on it and the icing just would not harden.. we all gave it our best effort… and had fun anyway.. that was the goal so I guess it was a success after all :)

Appetizers

Baked Brie

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry

1T unsalted butter

1/2 cup walnuts

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 8oz wheel of brie

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

preheat oven 375 degrees

defrost puff pastry 15 to 20 minutes and unfold

trim off only the top of the outer coating on the brie

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Sauté the walnuts in the butter until golden brown, approx 5 minutes.  Add the cinnamon and stir until walnuts are coated well.  Lay the puff pastry out on a flat surface.  Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Place the walnut mixture on top of the brie and sprinkle brown sugar over the mixture.  Gather up the edges of the brie, pressing arount he brie and gather at the top.  Gently squeeze together the excess dough.  Brush the beaten egg over the top and side of the brie.  Place brie on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.  Serve with Ritz crackers.  Enjoy!

  

Southwestern Spinach Dip

10 ounces frozen chopped spinach  (1 pkg) DEFROSTED & DRAINED

1/2 red onion finely chopped                                   

12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese                                      

8 ounces cream cheese softened                                 

1/4 cup chopped jalapeno chiles (can be canned)                

2 cans Rotel 1 drained, 1 undrained

1/3 cup sour cream                                             

1 teaspoon cumin                                               

1 teaspoon chili powder                                        

Mix and bake at 350 until bubbly

Serve with tortilla chips – SO YUMMY!

Apple Dip

1 block cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 container of caramel apple dip
chopped up heath bars
green apples (4 or 5)
mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar spread on a platter
top with caramel apple dip
top with chopped up heath bar
line the platter with apples.

MATTHEW 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own

I have been clinging to this verse on the days I feel emotionally overwhelmed… so much to do, So many decisions to make, So many what if’s, hopes and unknowns.  So much is left up to the last minute, timing and ultimately God’s Will.  I am taking one day at a time right now and really trying hard to not “worry about tomorrow” and just focusing on what is here and now in the immediate present.  Having gone thru a move with the company before, I have learned there is so little planning you can actually do.  It is an experience that has to unfold as it goes.  With each unfolding, come new challenges, new questions and answers.  I have learned not to worry “too much” about the future what ifs, as they will still be there in the future - I do however enjoy planning and preparing to alleviate some future troubles or difficulties.

Philippians 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."

I have been emailing back and forth with someone that lives in Abu Dhabi, I mentioned her before in a previous post.  I am thankful for the contact and know that this is the Lord’s way of putting my heart at ease and allowing me prepare for a world of difference and change.

here are some pictures she shared with me of the neighborhood that she lives in and we will also most likely live.

  

here are the “Villas”   they look similar to a condo here in the US.  except the terracotta roof and stucco walls.. which i love

this is the pool in the gated community of villas.. it looks like top right has tennis courts?

oh dear, this is a total radical change from what I am used to.  My kitchen is absolutely glorious here in Sugar Land. I better enjoy it while I can.  ^^this is what all of the kitchens look like since all the villas are identical.  Surprisingly I am most bummed about the electric cook top.. I have been so spoiled by my gas stove. Yes, that is the washer/dryer you see in there.  Seriously the kitchen makes me want to cry.

Here is my kitchen now:

   

Oh how I will miss you.