Modern Day Pilgrims

More Sewing

2012-01-10T14:53:00.000+03:00

I've recently completed a few sewing projects and they're all Oliver + S. I just love their patterns. They're very easy to follow and have a more tailored look than most sewing patterns. Here's some pictures:

Oliver + S Swingset Tunic, Size 5T

Oliver + S Swingset Tunic, Back View (Snap Closure)

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress, Size 4T

Oliver + S Jump Rope Dress, Back View, Size 5T

Oliver + S Nature Walk Pullover, Size 4T. I altered the pattern to have a hood instead of a collar. I also added a flower pin for a more girly touch.

Pants to match the Oliver + S Nature Walk Pullover. I started with the pants tutorial from dana-made-it.com and made adjustments to help it match the pullover better.

Oliver + S Nature Walk Pullover, Back View, Size 4T. I altered the pattern to have a hood instead of a collar.

For the Boy: Oliver + S Nature Walk Pullover, 6-12 Months

For the Boy: Oliver + S Nature Walk Pants, Size 6-12 Months

For the Boy: Oliver + S Nature Walk Pullover, Back View, Size 6-12 Months

And here's some pictures of Charlotte in the 4T clothes:

Headed to the park. I hadn't made the matching pants yet.

Wearing her Jump Rope dress at a birthday party last weekend.

I'm not sure what it was about her thumbnail that captivated her interest in this photo.

Yay for being at a birthday party!

Big Girl Bed

2012-01-07T14:25:00.001+03:00

Here's a picture of Charlotte in her new, temporary "big girl" bed. She was pretty excited when we showed this to her, but we're having a hard time getting her to nap, as I know all parents deal with when they make the transition from crib to bed. She's gotten up a good 6 or 7 times so far with various lame reasons and I'm sure she'll get up a few more times between now and when her nap is usually over, so we'll see how long it takes to break her into the new bed without the crib rails to keep her in...hopefully before Uncle Matt gets here in a week!

Christmas Party and More Sewing

2011-12-18T13:43:00.007+03:00

This past Friday, we went to a Christmas party for Chris's job. As is typical with all things State Department, it was a liberal party and there was not one mention of Jesus in song or otherwise. For some reason, it's okay for the Embassy to sponsor, host, or attend Islamic religion events (especially around Ramadan), but a Christmas party specifically for Embassy families has to be "politically correct". Bah Humbug! They put together a group of people to sing "Christmas Carols" at the party, and I was going to participate, but when I saw all the music was holiday jingles and that none of the songs had even a single mention of Jesus, I decided not to participate. It was originally on the calendar as a "Holiday Party", so I guess I should be happy it was at least called a "Christmas Party" in the end. Although, what is Christmas without Christ? On our way there, I told Chris I wish I had a huge nativity necklace to wear to the party. But I digress. As I stated in a previous post, I decided to make a Christmas dress for Charlotte to wear to the party and promised in that post to take plenty of pictures of her in it. Well, here are those pictures!

Charlotte with her "ee ee" before we left. I couldn't get her to smile. I think she was still tired from her nap since we had to get her up earlier than normal to head to the party.

Charlotte and I before leaving.

Charlotte in a gazebo in the Ambassador's front yard.

Charlotte decorating a Christmas cookie. I entered a Christmas cookie contest at the party and entered Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. I got third place....out of five. :-) I thought they tasted great, but I guess if not all the judges liked pumpkin....

Charlotte Decorating a Christmas Cookie

Back of Charlotte's Christmas Dress

Big smile! This was the best smile we got from her all day. She loves saying "Merry Christmas!" and smiles really big every time she says it. She was in the middle of saying it when I took this picture.

Charlotte waiting for a Christmas story and for a present from Santa.

The Ambassador reading a Christmas story to the kids. Chris was asked to read it if the Ambassador couldn't make it to the party (he was called away for something). The Ambassador showed up literally a minute or two before Chris was going up there to read...bummer!

Charlotte getting a gift from Mom and Dad via Santa. She was shy once again.

On top of going to a Christmas party, I finished another outfit for The Boy. I bought some teddy bear sailor fabric here in Bahrain about a year ago and figured I'd find a use for it someday. I thought it had an adorable Japanese vibe to it and thought it was cute enough to add to my stash. I looked through my sewing patterns and found one with an infant boy's sailor romper. I wasn't sure if it would be super duper cute, but I thought I'd give it a try since I happened to have all the notions the pattern called for, along with coordinating fabric. Even now that it's done, I'm not sure I love it. I definitely wouldn't love it for a 2 year old, but for a 3-6 month old? Maybe. It's probably a little too cutesie for anything behind a 3-6 month old, but I did get Chris's stamp of approval on it, which is comforting. Feel free to tell me your thoughts...good and bad.

Sewing for "The Boy"

2011-12-15T16:10:00.002+03:00

So I FINALLY got around to sewing for The Boy. I found a couple free tutorials online and decided to give them a try. I was able to make everything below with a flannel pajama shirt I never wear anymore because it shrunk too much in the wash and just looked funky on me as a result. I'm glad I didn't throw it away, because I think it made some super cute things for The Boy!

Keep in mind I dressed a doll. They will hopefully look cuter on our little guy!

A profile pic of the hat. Love it! I got this "He's All Boy" baby cap tutorial from ThisMamaMakesStuff.

A front (smashed) view of the hat. In case you missed it above, I got this "He's All Boy" baby cap tutorial from ThisMamaMakesStuff.

Basic baby pants from Made by Rae. I will probably be making a bunch of these!

A bib pattern that I made myself. I did the guitar applique with my embroidery machine. Why a guitar? It's the only free applique pattern I could find that I didn't think would look stupid. :-) I got the free applique pattern from Planet Applique.

Christmas Dress

2011-12-12T15:00:00.004+03:00

A family Christmas party for my husband's employer is this weekend and I had the sudden thought to try and make Charlotte a pretty Christmas dress and jacket for the party. I have quite a bit of Christmas fabric on hand with no intended purpose for any of it, so I had fun looking through my patterns and figuring out what fabric I wanted to use with which pattern. I'm definitely glad I stock up on patterns and sewing supplies when I'm in the states, because it makes it super easy to do last minute projects like this. Charlotte loves the new dress and keeps asking to wear it. I tried it on her last night and there's definitely not any room for growth. I guess it's good she can only wear it this month! I used Simplicity 2270 and made a few alterations, as you'll see in the pictures below. The pattern called for a zipper on the backside, but Charlotte loves buttons and I think buttons are cuter, so I made the backside a button closure instead of a zipper closure. I also added some pom-pom fringe to the neckline to make it more festive, which Charlotte loves and calls them "balls", along with rack rack along the bottom of the dress and some colorful thread as a fun decorative accent. I promise I'll get plenty of pictures of Charlotte in her cute little Christmas dress this weekend. In the meantime, enjoy these:

The completed dress and jacket.

The backside of the dress.

Closeup of jacket back

Here's the dress front without the jacket. There's also decorative stitching outlining the pockets, but you can't see that very well in this picture.

Closeup of front dress neckline

Closeup of rick rack and decorative stitching at bottom

backside of dress

Closeup of back neckline and buttons

another closeup of the back buttons

The pattern I used.

Santa Claus 2011

2011-12-09T10:31:00.002+03:00

Last night, the Navy Base hosted their annual Christmas tree lighting and live nativity. This is the 3rd year we've gone and at the end of the program each year, they bring out Santa Claus. It bothers me that "the best for last" is Santa Claus and not the live nativity scene, but unfortunately, that's Christmas in America today. Honestly, in today's world, it's amazing that no one complains about the live nativity scene so I guess we should at least be thankful for that!

Chris and I are seeking to "redeem" Santa Claus in our home. Charlotte and our other kids will know from the start that the modern day Santa Claus is not real and that he's just a fun, fictional part of Christmas and that all the gifts they receive on Christmas are from us or another friend or family member. We plan to read a story to our kids every year about the real Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, who was a godly man and an example to look up to. We want them to remember that just as God gave us the gift of His Son, our focus should be more on giving to others during Christmas rather than receiving, just as the real St. Nicholas did when he was alive. So when we take Charlotte to "meet" Santa each year, these are the themes or lessons we have in mind! Here are some pictures from last night...for the 2nd year in a row, it did not go well. Her first Christmas picture with Santa went well because she was only 4 weeks old and was fast asleep in Santa's arms! Maybe she'll do better next year when we get to celebrate Christmas in the states with all the grandparents cheering her on.

She refused to sit on his lap so I got in the picture with her. They were giving out candy canes after each child sat on Santa's lap, and Charlotte LOVES candy canes, but even that incentive didn't help.

This is probably the best one we got.

Charlotte looks thrilled, doesn't she?

You may notice her fly is undone...whoops. We went potty shortly before this and she didn't want me to button her jeans back up because they're a little tight and uncomfortable for her around the waist. I obliged since her tank top covered it, but obviously in this picture you can tell. Haha. I wonder what Santa and Mrs. Claus thought!

Santa FINALLY giving her the candy cane we kept talking about. She was one happy girl the whole way home and kept saying "Santa candy cane" as she got herself into a sugary, sticky mess!.

20 Weeks

2011-12-04T08:42:00.001+03:00

I'm 21 weeks today and never did post about my 20 week appointment. Please accept my apologies. The 20 week appointment went well and the doctor once again saw no causes for concern. We definitely confirmed it's a boy. That was quite obvious as soon as the ultrasound image pulled up in the doctor's office. We also think we finally have a name. We're not going to share it yet just incase Chris changes his mind. I think I'm pretty good to go after agonizing over a name for a few months now. Here's some pictures:

This was taken this past Friday before church for those who want to see my growing belly.

A picture of Charlotte and I. She wanted to get in on the photo taking fun.

Another of Charlotte and I. You may notice the mark on her forehead. She is as clumsy as I was as a kid (and still am). She was running in the house and tripped over her own two feet and slammed into a concrete wall (all of our walls are concrete). It looked waaaaay worse than this when it first happened. Poor girl.

Pictures of baby boy at 20 weeks

Cutie patootie

He was being very shy and wouldn't let us see anything but his profile, and even getting a profile shot was hard because he kept covering his face with his hands.

What I've Been up to

2011-12-01T17:39:00.004+03:00

I have been working on a Christmas quilt for a couple months now and actually made my deadline! I was hoping to have it finished by December 1st and I finished it yesterday. I had enough fabric leftover that I decided to make two matching pillows today. I love how the project turned out! I got the pattern from Moda Bake Shop at this link: http://www.modabakeshop.com/2011/08/road-to-tennessee.html#more

We also went to an auction this past weekend and picked up a couple Tiffany lamps. I'm very excited and I think they coordinate well together!

29 Years Young

2011-11-16T15:34:00.001+03:00

How does being 29 feel? Mature. Sophisticated. Hip. I still have my youth, yet I'm older and more experienced at this life thing. Not that 29 is in any way old. I quite like how 29 feels so far, though I can't say I'm looking forward to 30! So yesterday was my birthday, as you probably already knew if you know me, and it was a good day, if you care to hear how a 29-year old's birthday went. Chris and the rest of my family spoiled me rotten!

My day started off as usual: wake up, go to the potty, and stumble into the kitchen and pour myself a bowl of cereal. I opened up the cereal box and noticed a white piece of paper inside. I thought it was some insert that the cereal company put into the box that I hadn't noticed before, so I took it out and saw that it wasn't from the cereal company; it was from Chris and it said "Happy Birthday". How cute. I took my bowl of cereal, my prenatal, and a glass of O.J. into our office to check e-mail and facebook, as I do every morning with my breakfast. Here I saw another note that said "Happy Birthday", and I figured this was a cute little birthday treat that Chris was giving me and that I would find more throughout the day. Sure enough, I was right. He placed the little notes on or in everything I use each day. There was one in my coffee maker, one in the cardigan I usually wear, one under the presser foot of my sewing machine, one in my knitting bag, etc. It was such a cute, sweet gesture! Just when I thought I'd found them all, I kept finding more! I even found another today inside my wallet. Who knows how many more I'll yet find, but Chris definitely did a good job putting them on or in everything I use each day. I guess I'm pretty predictable for him to know my routine SO well!

Chris made reservations for us at a Mexican restaurant in town that actually has a Mexican as the head chef. I wanted to go there since I love, love, love Mexican and crave it all the time and was hoping the food would taste more like what we get in the states since the chef is a Mexican. It was a very nice restaurant and we enjoyed our food. We shared a crab empanada appetizer and we both got different types of enchiladas. While it was good, we both agreed it still wasn't nearly as good as what you can get in the states. Oh well. I still satiated my Mexican cravings and it was WONDERFUL to have a date night with Chris, sans Charlotte. It was weird not having her there with us but also so very, very nice.

I got absolutely spoiled with some amazing presents this year. I would say the theme this year was "books". I got books from my parents, Chris, and from my in-laws. I looove to read, so books are always the perfect gift!! My new hobby, ever since going to Italy, Turkey, and Israel, is studying church history. I've already read a few church history and reformation era books, and I'm currently working through Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History. Yesterday, I got a few more church history books to add to my collection and study. Yay!!! One of them is a "collector's" copy from the early 1950's on Documents of the Early Christian Church...woot woot! I also got a new study bible...the HCSB translation. It's a pretty newish translation that finally came out with a study bible version. I've been using the ESV translation solely since 2002 and people are hotly debating which translation is better. Just google HCSB vs. ESV and you'll see what I'm talking about. I haven't had a chance yet to really look through my new Bible, but I've been impressed with what I've seen from my skimming. Will my new HCSB replace my ESV? Well, I think it's probably too soon to tell, but I'm so excited to have it.

I also scored on maternity clothes, and they're all so comfy, timeless, and cute! I'm currently wearing a new pair of corduroy's I got yesterday along with a black pullover top with an attached hoodie. I look like a walking ad for comfort and I love it!

I got a few other bits and bobs that I'm so excited about, including all of the Harry Potter books, presented in a case that says, "Delivery: Hogwarts". You can see it here: http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Hardcover-Boxed-Set/dp/0545044251/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_h?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321444339&sr=1-1 It's awesome! Now I know some Christians have a problem with Harry Potter, but most (if not all) of those people have never even read the books. They're just taking another's word for it. While I certainly don't want to be a hypocrite or inconsistent with my views (such as not liking most aspects of Halloween while loving Harry Potter), I don't really see the difference between Harry Potter and Christian-loved classics like Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings. There are so many redemptive elements and situations in Harry Potter that it wasn't surprising when I read that J.K. Rowling claims to be a Christian. Whether it's true or not, I don't know, and she's certainly no theologian like C.S. Lewis was, but I do know that I wouldn't bat a eye at allowing our kids to read the Harry Potter series when they're older. In fact, I'm looking forward to reading them again with them. But I'm not supposed to be on my soapbox with this post!

Here's some photos of me opening presents. To the grandparents, I'm sorry there's no pics of Charlotte in this post. She was at our friend's house when I opened presents. She loves opening up gifts, and we didn't want the gift opening to turn into a fiasco. She is quite the handful lately. It's amazing how a naughty little switch is turned on when a child turns 2.

One of my comfy new maternity clothes. Chris was "all done" taking pictures by this point, so we didn't get any more pictures of my other maternity clothes.

Harry Potter

I'm still teaching myself piano so my mother-in-law bought me level 3.

Church history books

smelling my new Bible...I love the smell of new Bibles. Weird, I know.

Ah, how could I forget to tell you about this! I'm sooo excited I got the Joy of French Cooking by Julia Child!!!! Yesssss! The only thing is that Chris said I have to make him sweet breads...not going to happen. And no, I don't mean real bread. Look it up if you don't know what I'm talking about.

A novel called Madman recommended by my friend, Stefanie.

another church history book!

Here's the 1950s edition of Documents of the Early Christian Church that my beloved got me

Francine Rivers...love her!

All of my presents. For some reason, blogger downloaded all of these pictures opposite of what they should be, but I don't really feel like going through and putting them in the right order.

Potty Training

2011-11-09T15:54:00.001+03:00

This past Saturday, Chris and I embarked on one of those parenting milestones that every parent has to go through but doesn't necessarily look forward to: potty training. Thanks to a long Muslim holiday, Chris had a 5 day weekend. We knew we wanted to wait for a long weekend for when we'd try and potty train Charlotte, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity since we both thought she was ready. A couple of days before we started with the potty training, I went to a discount store here in Bahrain and bought lots of little prizes to give to Charlotte whenever she pee pee'd or went poopy on the potty. I also bought poster board to make a little potty chart for her. I wanted to make it as fun as possible for her and for Chris and I! I'm glad we decided to go this route with potty training, because Charlotte has really taken to it and loves to put stickers on her potty chart whenever she goes on the potty.

On the first day, she pee pee'd in the potty 3 times. On day two, she pooped once and peed twice. She did have a few accidents and both the first and second day. By day three, however, we had no accidents and we haven't on day four or five, either! She has really learned to control her bladder and she has even been waking up from her naps and in the morning dry. We are having problems with Charlotte holding her bladder as long as she can before she finally decides she has to go pee. She'll tell us every few minutes she needs to go pee, and so we'll take her into the bathroom, put her on the potty, and then a few seconds later, she says, "no pee pee" or "all done pee pee". We're trying to explain that she needs to go when she feels the urge - not to wait until her bladder is completely filled up to the point of exploding! When we know she really has to pee, we'll sit in the bathroom with her for a 1/2 hour to an hour until she finally goes. Today has been a little better and shortly before her nap time, she said she needed to go potty and she went as soon as she sat on it. Yay! Progress! I am so proud of her and am surprised at how well this is going. It's still not fun and takes a lot of time and energy, but I know it will be worth it when Charlotte is truly and fully potty trained, hopefully before her baby brother arrives. Did I mention we're having a boy? :-)

Here's the potty chart we are using with Charlotte. I ended up using it differently than I planned to initially. At first, we were going to offer a cookie and a reward from the basket if she she achieved 4 stickers. I decided I wanted to reward her every time at first to help encourage her to go potty. We bought mini shortbread cookies and 100 calorie oreo stick packs and we gave her either one shortbread cookie or one oreo stick (2 come in a pack) each time she went potty, plus a sticker on her chart, plus a prize from the basket. This technique has worked well, and of course, the more she gets the hang of going potty, the fewer rewards she'll get and we'll transition from cookies to raisins or at least something healthier that she likes.

Here's a view of her prize basket before we got started. Charlotte loves stickers, so the sticker sheets have been a big hit!

14 Weeks, Approximately

2011-10-19T14:58:00.001+03:00

Yesterday, Chris and I had the opportunity and joy to see our next little one on an ultrasound at the doctor's office. The doctor said the baby is developing great and she didn't see any cause for concern. Praise the Lord! Since I've been having major food aversions and haven't been eating as healthy as I wanted to this pregnancy, Chris teased that despite my best efforts, the baby is developing great. Ha. Ha.

We took Charlotte with us to the doctor's office and she was impressed for the first couple of minutes and then she wanted to run around the doctor's office and grab my feet as the doctor was trying to get different measurements of the baby. We think next time we may ask a friend to watch Charlotte. I don't think the doctor minded her being there, but Chris was bothered that he didn't get to watch the baby as much as he wanted to and didn't get to hear everything the doctor was saying as she did the ultrasound.

The doctor also told us what she thinks the gender is. She said the percentage of accuracy is 75%. I know that is a high percentage, but we were hoping for a little higher. As a result, I think I'll wait to share the gender until we have another ultrasound and get more confirmation. Of course, now I have the gender she told us on the brain and am starting to think of baby names and other things related to the gender she told us. Hopefully the doctor was right, because it will definitely be a huge shock/adjustment to have another ultrasound and be told it's the opposite gender from what she told us yesterday, as you can imagine. I guess we'll just have to be patient and wait.

We're still having issues getting a firm due date, too. Before we did the ultrasound, the doctor said I'm 13 weeks and 3 days pregnant with a due date of April 21. The machine calculated a due date based on the baby's measurements, which stated I'm 14 weeks and 4 days pregnant with a due date of April 13. The doctor said she's going to input all the measurements into another program that's at her house and come up with a new date, probably something in between April 13 and April 21. I'll post when I know what the new due date is. I should find out at my next appointment in 3 weeks.

Enjoy some ultrasound pics from yesterday!

Expecting Again - 9 weeks

2011-09-13T13:27:00.002+03:00

Chris and I are adding to our family! We found out last month that we are expecting baby #2. I'm about 9 weeks along now, and we went to the doctor today and got to see the baby and its little heartbeat pumping away on the ultrasound screen. Charlotte kept saying, "Baby! Baby! Hi baby!" It was sweet.

It's always so comforting and special to see the baby and know it's growing okay, so I couldn't wait for today. It's definitely a different experience going to the doctor in Bahrain than in the states. No urine test, no blood pressure test, no checking my weight. We literally went in to the doctor's office, she asked me the start of my last period, asked what day I found out I was pregnant, and then did the ultrasound. It took all of 15 minutes - a lot shorter than I expected. Our next appointment is in a month, at which time our doctor said there's a 70% chance she'll be able to tell the sex. This pregnancy feels different than my last one. I'm still not nauseous, but I don't feel as good as I did with Charlotte. So maybe it's a boy? ;-) I guess we'll have to wait and see in another 5 weeks.

Raggedy Ann

2011-09-06T16:55:00.001+03:00

I love Americana, and Raggedy Ann is certainly Americana. The cute little rag doll with red yarn hair is so nostalgic and reflects a bygone, simpler era that I wish I could go back in time and experience for at least a day. When I saw a Raggedy Ann pattern for only $1.99 at JoAnn's, I couldn't pass it up. I figured I might one day get around to making it. Well, that "one day" finally arrived. Raggedy Ann took awhile to make because there were so many pieces and the wig part of the doll didn't exactly go as I wanted it to, but all in all, I think it turned out alright and I hope it will make one little girl very happy for her 2nd birthday.

I loved this pattern because it had a cute little heart applique to put on the chest. Since I've recently acquired an embroidery machine, I embroidered the heart and the face.

This is a close up of the embroidered face. I managed to find a free doll face embroidery pattern online!

Here's Raggedy Ann with her clothes on. I also used the embroidery machine to embroidery her dress and petticoat.

I made a second outfit for Raggedy Ann, and it fits on other dolls, too!

This is the pattern I used. Perhaps I'll get around to making the cute little kitty and doggy, too.

Invisible Charlotte

2011-08-23T14:22:00.002+03:00

Today I had a doctor’s appointment at the Embassy’s Health Unit. The appointment was for me and not for Charlotte, but she thought it was for her and started crying when we started to walk through the Health Unit doors. We told her the appointment was for mommy and took her to an area of the Health Unit that has a child’s table, puzzles, kids books, and other toys. We told her she could sit down and play, but she still didn’t seem sure. Chris and I went into the office where my appointment was (which was right by the children’s area) while Charlotte stayed at the kids table. NIcole, the nurse, could see her from where she was seated in the office, but Charlotte was so quiet that Chris and I kept peeking to believe that she really was still there. Every time we peeked at her, Charlotte was sitting perfectly still and quiet and had her blanket over her head. At home, she always plays the game “Where’s Charlotte” by putting a blanket over her head. We’re pretty sure she thinks we can’t see her if she’s hiding under a blanket, so we think her doing that today was to hide so she wouldn’t have to be seen by the doctor. It was funny and sad at the same time. I went out to the hallway and said, “Charlotte? Charlotte?” And she took the blanket off her head and looked at me with a scared little face. I comforted her and told her once again that the appointment was for me and not for her and asked if she wanted to sit on my lap. She said yes, so I brought her into the office with me and she sat so still and cuddled with me the rest of the time. Too cute.

Mourning

2011-08-02T14:40:00.002+03:00

Today I am mourning the loss of our 3 date trees. When I went outside to pick some ripe dates about an hour ago (as I've been doing everyday), all three trees had their date bunches cut off. Apparently, the gardeners did this and they didn't bother asking permission. They cut down all the dates in our compound, including the dates at my friends house. A month ago, she told the gardeners not to do anything with her date bunches because she wanted them for herself. She's now pretty sure they didn't understand her even though they said "okay". We're not sure what they do with them, but I'm guessing they sell them as a side income. Frustrating. :-(

Ramadan Begins

2011-08-01T10:34:00.007+03:00

And so it begins. Today marks the beginning of Ramadan, a significant Muslim observance that will last for pretty much all of August. I already vented a bit about my thoughts on Ramadan here. I have major issues with the Islamic religion in general, and their observance of Ramadan is no exception. I have nothing against fasting, but since Muslims fast to a false god and do it forcefully and flauntingly, I can't help but take issue.

Matthew 6:17 says "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." This verse implies that all Christians will fast at some point, and that we shouldn't flaunt our fasting. We're supposed to go about our day as we normally would and not look or act any differently. I like the way Charlie Handren, pastor of Glory in Christ Fellowship in Minnesota, defined fasting on his blog: "Jesus warned us in Matthew 6:16-18 not to fast in order to be seen by others. We should heed this advice and be careful that we are not doing what we’re doing for the praise of men and women. But this does not mean that we cannot fast publicly together, any more than his teaching to pray in secret means that we cannot pray publicly together. Again, the key is doing what we’re doing, in the depths of our hearts, for the glory of God and not the praise of others."

This is not how Muslims fast, from what I've read and observed. Of course, I can't expect them to fast biblically when they don't follow the God of the Bible to begin with. Ramadan is quite the religious observance and partially shuts down Bahrain (and I'm sure other Muslim countries) for a month every year. In today's version of Ramadan, everyone but the most strict Muslims find a way to bend the rules. They either sleep all day and stay up all night to avoid the temptation of food, drink, sex, and smoking, or they absolutely binge at night when the sun goes down. Muslim scholars would say a person is only supposed to eat and drink what he or she needs to sustain them through the fast. From the number of Iftar buffets that Chris and I have personally watched people binge at during Ramadan, it is safe to say that not every Muslim observes this "moderation" guideline.

I've mentioned before that during Ramadan, it is illegal for anyone - Muslim or not - to eat, drink, or smoke in public. The government wants to ensure that all Muslims observe Ramadan and they don't want the temptation of food, drink, or cigarettes dangled before Muslim eyes. As a result, with just a few exceptions, restaurants are closed between sunup and sundown during Ramadan, even though grocery stores are still open. Even more intriguing, there are billboards all over town that say "Ramadan Kareem" (god is generous) and depict delicious food a person should consider enjoying at sundown. During Ramadan, there are a lot of food deals in grocery stores and in restaurants to help celebrate Iftar, the breaking of the fast each day. To me, seeing sumptuous looking food on billboards would be just as tempting as watching someone eat, but apparently the Bahrain government hasn't noticed or doesn't care about this contradiction.
To conclude this post, here are a few billboards that depict what I'm talking about. Since it's so hot outside and since I can't even drink water in my car, I'm not going to go around town taking pictures of this year's billboards. These are billboards I found on google, and they'll have to suffice. You may be surprised by some of the companies wishing a happy Ramadan or advertising that "god is generous" through the phrase, Ramadan Kareem:

Getting Creative

2011-07-27T16:40:00.005+03:00

With the heat (and humidity) of the summer in full swing, we've had to get creative with things to do inside. There's only so much TV I want Charlotte to watch and her toys get boring quicker than they should. Oh me oh my. Since I want Charlotte to learn to self-entertain and don't exactly enjoy her bugging me every few minutes, I needed to think of something new to keep her distracted and be fun! Lately, Charlotte has developed a love for the water cooler. She found where I kept (notice past tense) disposable cups and started taking them over to the water cooler, filling up the cup, taking a couple sips, then disposing of the remainder on the floor or in the trashcan. She'll also use cups from her play kitchen if she can't find another cup. Since one of us will soon break our neck from the amount of water on the floor, I'm trying to discourage her from playing with the water cooler from now on. Instead, I thought I'd try to get her to play with water in another way. Enter the inflatable duck tub. I received the duck tub as a shower gift and thought it would work today as an indoor pool for Charlotte. I laid down a bunch of towels, filled the duck tub with bath water, and then got out a few of Charlotte's bath toys. Success! She was distracted for a good hour and probably will be again after she gets up from her nap. Here's some pics:

Inspecting the tub.

I should've known to put her in a swimsuit from the very beginning. I have no idea why I was dumb enough to think she'd sit next to the tub and play with the toys instead of actually sitting in the tub to play with them. You'd think I'd know my daughter better! By the way, if you like her tank top, it's a free pattern from Oliver + S, found here.

Oh boy. That is one soggy diaper.

Charlotte's, lets go put you in a swimsuit.

That's better!

This is fun, Mommy!

Of course, this didn't go without complications. There are still trails of water all through our house - just not from the water cooler this time. I don't think the towels I laid down quite soaked up all the water, either. And we currently have 4 blankets and one stuffed Tigger on the drying line because Charlotte thought it would be a good idea to swim with them. :-) Even so, doing this was worth it and Charlotte had a blast!

Date Picking

2011-07-21T11:00:00.001+03:00

Every summer, most wives and kids return to the states while their poor husband's stay here and work. We did this last summer, but since Charlotte and I recently returned from a 3 month stint in the states, we'll be sticking it out here this summer. Most wives and kids go home in the summer to avoid the heat of Bahrain and to get out of Ramadan, which begins at the end of this month. Ramadan is a month long period for Muslims to fast from eating, drinking, and sex. During Ramadan, it is illegal for anyone - Muslim or not - to drink or eat in public from sunup to sundown. This includes water. Considering it's 110 degrees outside, that's just silly and unhealthy since there are still people who have to work outside during this time. Muslims observe Ramadan to "purge" themselves and to resist temptation. To them, it's supposed to be a month to teach them patience and humility. Although, if you really want to resist temptation and learn patience and humility, then you'd think they'd allow non-Muslims to eat and drink in front of them. If no one's allowed to eat or drink around them, then it's not really a temptation, is it? People also skirt the rules of Ramadan by sleeping all day and staying up all night. How this is tolerated or in the spirit of Ramadan, I don't know, but many people do it. But I digress. This post isn't supposed to be about Ramadan but what we did last night: date picking.

Since our family will be staying in Bahrain this summer, we won't miss the date harvesting season like we did last year. We have 3 date trees in our yard alone, plus others around our compound. I have never had a fresh date before and since they're starting to ripen, we decided to go outside as a family last night and look for some ripe dates. It was also Charlotte's first time eating a fresh date and she LOVED them. She kept asking for more even though there weren't too many ripe dates yet. If you've never tried fresh dates before, they are quite sweet and I think they sort of taste like a honey soaked raisins. Today, I'm going to "test" ripening dates in our oven. When they're yellow, it means they're almost ripe, and I read on the Internet that you can pick yellow dates and ripen them in the heat as long as they're not in the sun. We'll see if the oven does the trick. If not, we'll have to be patient and just pick them as they ripen on the tree. Here's some photos from last night:

Chris reaching for some ripe dates, but our ladder is not quite tall enough for this date tree!

Charlotte taking an opportunity to ride her bike.

The date palm tree in our front yard.

Here are a couple clusters of dates that are unripe and almost ripe.

Chris obliging me and posing for the camera!

The green dates are unripe, the yellow dates are almost ripe, and the reddish brown dates are ripe.

Charlotte loving these dates!

Yummy!

The Hidden Truth Behind Vaccinations

2011-07-20T07:14:00.006+03:00

Chris and I recently came across some troubling information regarding vaccines and how they are produced. Perhaps we have been living in a cave, but I don’t think so. I think this information has been intentionally kept under the radar because of the controversy that would entail if it were fully disclosed to people getting vaccinations. Unfortunately, this information came to us after we had Charlotte vaccinated, but we are still thankful we’ve learned this information so that we can do things differently for our future children and for any vaccinations that Chris, Charlotte, or I will need in the future.

We found out that most vaccinations are made from using aborted human fetal stem cells to grow the viruses that are used to produce vaccinations. Since viruses are incapable of reproducing on their own, a living host is required in order for the virus to grow. Monkey, chicken, and even yeast cells can be used to grow the viruses, but manufacturers are turning more and more to using aborted human fetal cells (AHFC) to accomplish this goal. The technique of using AHFC has apparently been used for decades, such as when the rubella vaccination was created after harvesting the vaccination from an electively aborted baby that was sent to the Wistar Institute in the mid 1960’s because the mother contracted rubella during pregnancy and passed the virus to her baby. Rubella in pregnant women can result in miscarriage or birth defects, so the mother aborted the child and the baby’s remains were sent to Stanley Plotkin at the Wistar Institute to help aid in discovering a rubella vaccination, which he had begun working on in 1963. Unfortunately, this aborted baby was not the first sent to the institute to aid in finding a rubella vaccination. He or she was the 27th. This is why the Rubella vaccine is clinically known as RA 27/3, which stands for rubella abortus, twenty-seventh fetus, third tissue extract. The rubella vaccination is usually combined today with the measles and mumps vaccination, known as the MMR but can still be administered separately.

In 2005, Stanley Plotkin discussed the controversy that surrounded the rubella vaccination when he recalled, "I have no doubt that (the) rubella vaccination has prevented thousands and thousands of abortions. From strictly an arithmetical assessment, the good done by the vaccine -- if you are opposed to abortion -- is infinitely greater than any possible harm." The rubella outbreak in the 1960’s led to a loosening of abortion laws in many states, so even if mother’s no longer abort their babies because they become infected with the rubella virus, they can now abort for any reason at all. The 1962 - 1965 rubella outbreak resulted in 11,000 abortions (both spontaneous and surgical). This is an average of 2,750 abortions per year over the 4 year outbreak period, and remember that this number also includes miscarriages. Today, an average of 3,700 babies are electively aborted in the U.S. every day. That is a sobering number! Plotkin may be correct that women no longer seek abortions because of rubella, but his research still took 27 innocent human lives who had no say in the matter and may or may not have had any major birth defects had the mothers carried them to term. Even if these babies had been born with crippling birth defects, who are we to decide who should and should not have a chance at life? Fundamentally, the creation of the vaccine was derived in an unethical way and this taints all the science that has come from it. I am under the firm belief that pro-life people should have nothing to do with this kind of science and should seek to find alternative methods to vaccinate their children (more on alternatives later).

Chris and I find this discovery so troubling - not only because we believe it is unethical, but also because the CDC and vaccine manufacturers are not truly forthcoming with this information. None of the Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) we were given at the doctor’s office or the consent forms we had to sign mentioned anything about the vaccinations being made from aborted human fetal cells. Obviously if we had known, we would have asked if there were any alternatives. It seems that including this information on the VIS or on another handout would be an easy thing for doctor’s to do. This way, pro-life people aren’t unwittingly doing something against their morals. When I first mentioned the AHFC finding to Chris last week he thought it sounded too ridiculous to be possible, probably because he has an undergrad and masters in chemistry and absolutely loves science. Since vaccinations are made through the science of biology and not chemistry, Chris had never been taught this in school. Therefore, when we did the research, the truth was surprising but undeniable.

For parents and individuals seeking an alternative route for vaccinations, the Right to Life of Michigan website lists U.S. produced vaccines derived from aborted cell lines along with U.S. produced alternative vaccines that are derived from chick cells, monkey cells, or yeast. The Right to Life website lists the alternative vaccine name and manufacturer so that you can specify to your doctor which vaccine you’d like for you or your child to be vaccinated with. Currently, there are no U.S. alternatives for Chickenpox, Rubella, or Hepatitis-A. The Japanese, however, have produced alternative vaccines for Rubella and Hepatitis-A that were developed from the cell lines of rabbit and monkey kidneys. These vaccinations are available in the U.K. but the FDA currently has not given them approval for use in the U.S. Since most American families can’t afford to fly to England for these alternative vaccinations, many pro-life families will have to wait until they are approved for use in the U.S. The chickenpox vaccination doesn’t currently have an alternative, but since probably everyone reading this post had chickenpox as a child and lived, I personally don’t see that as a big issue. Chris and I will rest easy at night even if none of our future children get vaccinated for chickenpox!

For full disclosure, most pro-life articles you’ll read about this issue come across as dramatic and bombastic. I agree with the end conclusion of what these articles say, but the language and descriptions used can often be counterproductive by alienating moderate, casual or scientifically trained readers. I’ve tried not to use the same methods when writing this post, and I hope I’ve succeeded. I had to write this post to let others know what’s going on in the science world in case you were presently unaware. While the manufacturers and CDC are not forthcoming with this information, you can find several articles on this issue and a list of other non-Internet sources if you look for it. Please do the research for yourself and you’ll find that what I’ve written is true and please, please share your research with others who are currently in the dark and continue to get vaccinations that contain AHFC without knowing it. I don’t know if this subject matter is on the cusp of breaking out in the open or if it will always sort of float under the radar as it has since the 1960s, but if more and more pro-life individuals who are committed to the sanctity of human life learn about what’s going on AND share it with others, manufacturers could be forced to stop making vaccinations using AHFC or at least be forced to provide ethical alternatives for ALL vaccinations. That is my hope and what will hopefully one day be the outcome of all this.

Summer Exercise

2011-07-06T13:33:00.000+03:00

Most parents in the U.S. see the summertime as an opportunity to send their kids outside to run around and enjoy the warm summer sun. Well, that's not the case in Bahrain! It gets so hot here (at least 106 degrees F) that most children stay indoors. To help keep Charlotte busy and active this summer since she won't get much opportunity to run around outside, Chris and I decided to buy her a trampoline. Grandpa and Grandma P had one and Charlotte fell in love with it while we were at their house in May. She loves it, although it's bigger than the one her grandparents had, so she can fit on it along with other things, as you'll see in the pictures below:

Notice the baby doll

And now Tigger

And her two kitty's and sippy cup

And a couple BIG blankets!

She truly cracks us up!

VIP's for a Night

2011-06-17T09:25:00.006+03:00

Chris and I have gone to the movie theater three times in Bahrain now. With a baby and a projector/movie screen at home, it just hasn't been practical. But we wanted a date night and there are a few movies out right now that we've been wanting to see. I'm pretty sure I shared our first movie theater experience on this blog, but this last one topped it all. Last night, Chris and I went to the huge, newest mall here called City Centre (yes, I spelled Centre right) with the plans to see Pirates of the Caribbean in 3D. In Bahrain, at the time you buy your movie tickets, they have you choose your seats as if you were going to see a play or opera, so you can't just walk into a theater and choose your seats like in the U.S. From the touch screen they showed us, Pirates was pretty well filled up and the only seats available were the first three rows. That was right up Chris's alley since he likes sitting up close, but I'd rather not crane my neck for 2 hours to watch a movie...especially one in 3D, so we ended up seeing The Green Lantern that started around the same time.

The description next to the movie title stated it was showing in the VIP room. Chris and I had no idea what that meant, but the computer screen with our seat options showed much fewer seats for The Green Lantern than for Pirates. When he told us the price ($27 per person!), we gasped and weren't sure if that was the normal price for seeing a movie (things are exceedingly expensive here) and thought that this had better be amazing. (May I also point out that when he told us how much we owed, I was really glad we opted to eat dinner at home rather than at a restaurant!) I also wondered if we were paying more than a normal movie ticket price because it was a VIP room and that maybe we'd be watching the movie with fewer people in a smaller room.

Well I was wrong, at least on the smaller room part. We walked up to the VIP area, and the first thing I noticed was that it was completely roped off so that non VIP's couldn't access it, and the VIP area had it's own concession stand and bathroom. Who am I? A famous Hollywood actress? That's sort of how I felt! We gave the guy our tickets and walked into the theater and were blown away. Talk about the decadence of the Middle East. Perhaps there are theaters in the states that have the same thing but I have never heard of or seen them. The room was every bit as large as a normal theater but was filled with those crazy expensive but amazing movie chairs that recline, have their own cup holder, and are delightfully squishy and comfy. The chairs all had a good foot between them on the sides and at least two feet on the front and back, so everyone had plenty of room. This wasn't so great for a cuddly date night but it was still luxurious! We just couldn't believe it. We both reclined, felt like millionaires, and ate our popcorn in total movie bliss knowing that we would never, ever do that again.

Oh, the vanity of Arabs.

Back Home Again, Unexpectedly

2011-03-19T18:10:00.000+03:00

So the protests in Bahrain didn't get better as we had hoped. In fact, they got worse...a lot worse. Presently, there are GCC troops in Bahrain from Saudi Arabia, UAE, and a few other countries. The King has stopped short of calling it martial law, but there's not really another term for it. They will be there for 90 days according to the king, and as a precaution, the Embassy announced "authorized departure" for spouses and other dependents of Embassy employees. Authorized departure means we have a choice to leave but it is STRONGLY recommended. Charlotte and I took advantage and after a long and frustrating flight, we are in Detroit with my in-laws. On Monday or Tuesday of this coming week, Charlotte and I will drive down to Indianapolis where we will be staying until the authorized departure status is lifted, whenever that will be. We've been told to expect 90 days, but Chris is also optimistic that it won't last beyond 45. We'll see. Please be praying for us. I am trying to stay strong and trust in the Lord, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't aggravated and frustrated by this entire situation. Also pray for Chris as he remains in Bahrain.

Amazing Grace

2011-03-03T13:53:00.000+03:00

You're never too old to learn something new, contrary to what some people think. You see, for the past couple of months, I've been trying to teach myself piano. I took lessons for about a year when I was in first grade, but that was it. I deeply wish I knew how to play so that I could play for leisure and to do better when playing hymns during family devotions. As a result, I decided to try and teach myself. I've been practicing almost everyday and here is the first song I'm fairly competent with...not perfect yet, but getting there. I need to order some beginner hymn books from Amazon. I don't desire to be at concert piano level...I'd be happy with level 2 or 3...just good enough to play some recognizable hymn songs competently.

Jacket 1 is DONE!

2011-02-15T13:24:00.000+03:00

I finished the Oliver + S School Days Jacket today and I am so excited! This is probably the hardest thing I've ever sewn and it turned out really well. The directions were quite clear, which didn't hurt! For having to choose fabric from my stash to make this jacket, I think it turned out rather cute! I got the toile fabric online from Hancock's thinking it was going to be a quilting-type cotton - not a thick, duck cotton! When I got the box from Hancock's and saw the fabric, I had no clue what I was going to use it for and now I'm glad I got it (accidentally). The lining fabric is from India. My friend Jhancy, who comes once a week to help clean our house, brought it back with her when she visited her family over Christmas.

Now on to the trench coat for myself.... :-)

Here are some pictures of the completed jacket. It's still a little big for Little Bit since I made a 3T so I had to roll up the sleeves for the picture. Excuse the hair...it's not greasy; it's wet. Chris had just given her a bath.

Bahrain Protests

2011-02-15T12:45:00.000+03:00

For our friends and family who don't have facebook or didn't see my note about the protests that occurred last night:

"I wanted to let everyone know we're just fine here in Bahrain. If you've been following the news, then you know there was a violent protest last night (while we were in bed) that left 25 injured and 1 dead. Bahraini's (particularly the Shia's) love protesting and look for any excuse to do so, but they are usually non-violent and don't go further than burning tires. Last night was obviously an exception, but the police were tipped off about these protests weeks before and had been on their guard to stop any protests before they really even started. I want you to know that the news media is fabricating or over exaggerating some of the events (like that Internet is blacked out), which will probably just make things worse in the end since it will encourage protestors to continue protesting against a government they see as oppressive and unfair. From my perspective, the king is mostly good, fair, and wants the best for his people. Not perfect, but good. In fact, if you just look into Bahrain, you'll come to the conclusion that it is probably the most tolerant and "liberal" Middle Eastern country there is. Unfortunately, since it's in a Shia's nature to protest, I don't think they'll ever be happy with the king (especially since he's a Sunni) and will always protest something. The media has all too often sided with the Shia side, which I think is where the real unfairness lies. My hubby (who is obviously very much in the know) is not too worried at this point and doesn't think things will continue to get any worse. However, I think if the media doesn't stop trying to create another Egypt, it could encourage the Bahraini's to continue protesting over nothing. The Navy's 5th fleet is located here and where we go to church, so we are definitely in safe hands should anything worse happen (not that I'm worried it will). Thanks for your prayers! I'll keep you updated if anything else happens!"

The Jacket's Coming Along

2011-02-09T17:49:00.003+03:00

I started the Oliver + S School Days Jacket two days ago, and I'm quite happy with the progress and how the jacket is turning out so far. I was a little hesitant to even try this jacket. Oliver + S gave it three scissors, meaning it's intermediate and "for the experienced sewer who has made a wider variety of items and feels comfortable with a new challenge." I guess I have made a wide variety of items and am always up for a new challenge, but maybe my wide variety of items have all been one or two scissors and perhaps the three scissors would be out of my skill range! This is the first Oliver + S pattern I've tried, and I am so impressed. The directions are very detailed and clear. Sometimes I get stuck on a pattern because I can't figure out what it wants me to do. I haven't had that problem at all with this pattern and that seems to be what everyone says about Oliver + S. Since I'm borrowing the School Days Jacket pattern from a friend and don't yet personally own an Oliver + S pattern, I'm convinced after trying this one that their super cute patterns are worth the $14.95 they charge. I hope to buy just about all of their dress patterns sometime in the future!

Anyway, enough about my plug for Oliver + S. Back to the jacket...I've basically made the outer part of the jacket. I decided to buy some fusible fleece interlining to make the jacket warmer and thicker. I won't be able to start the lining portions of the jacket or piece it all together until the fleece gets here. It shipped yesterday so hopefully it will be here in a week! I also ordered some buttons that will *hopefully* match the blue in the jacket. I'm a little concerned that the toile pattern and the jacket design looks a little too kimono right now, though. I'm hoping that's because I'm not finished. None of the finished jackets in this flickr pool appear kimono-like. Not that there's anything wrong with kimonos...the Japanese style is super cute; it's just not what I'm going for here.

Here's some pictures of what I've done so far and my cute little model. I'm making a size 3 and it seems to be swimming on Charlotte, so she should get a lot of wear out of this assuming I don't thoroughly mess up the lining part....

Our Expensive Purchases, Unintentionally

2011-02-08T10:53:00.008+03:00

Well after a month long break from blogging, I am back. Thank you for being patient with me. The past month and a half has seen my brother come to Bahrain for a visit along with my husband's birthday. My brother's trip was so much fun and I wish he could have stayed longer. Chris's birthday was also a success and he got spoiled rotten. We spent his actual birthday here at home. Terry and Jill came over and I cooked up some ribs, homemade mac and cheese, biscuits, spinach, asparagus, and a french silk pie with a chocolate cookie crust. I guess you'd think we were southern, huh? I guess if you trace back our family roots enough, we are! Anyway, my brother's trip and Chris's birthday is not the subject of this particular post.

If you follow this blog, then you know Chris has had a few suits made at the local souk. A souk is basically a market with all sorts of shops. You can find just about anything you need at a souk for good prices...fabric, spices, electronics, jewelry, you name it. There is an abundance of tailors at the souk, with a few that are used regularly by our friends and by people at the Navy base. Some good friends of ours go to a different tailor than the one Chris went to for his suits. They've raved and raved about this place and have been happy with everything they've had made. One day at the souk, I had my friend show me where their tailor was and I asked him about coats and jackets. He said he is very good at both and can make them from pictures, so I decided to have him make a coat for me and a jacket for Charlotte. Why a coat for me? Well, having a suit made would be kind of pointless but I didn't want to leave Bahrain without have something tailored for me. It's just one of those things you can't pass up and was on my "bucket list" of things to do before we leave this post. I thought a coat would be a good substitute for a suit - something I'd eventually wear, even if not here. I decided on a jacket for Charlotte because we're going to Italy at the beginning of April when it may still be a bit chilly and Charlotte doesn't have much that is warm. I asked them to make it a bit bigger than her measurements so that she can grow into it.

So a few days later after I searched online for the style of coat and jacket I wanted for each of us, I went back to the tailor with fabric from my stash that I thought would make a cute jacket for Charlotte. I chose the wool at the tailors for my coat since I didn't have anything in my stash that would work, plus the gray wool they had looked beautiful. He said it would just take a week to finish the two items, so I said thank you and left the tailor with a skip in my step. I was pretty stinkin' excited that I was finally getting something tailored to fit myself perfectly. My fatal mistake: I did not ask about the price. For Chris to pick out fabric at the tailor and to get an entire suit made (jacket, shirt, pants, and tie), it cost $120. I figured my coat wouldn't be near this expensive since it's basically just the jacket portion of a suit. Charlotte's would have to be dirt cheap since I gave them the fabric to make it and since it's not an adult-sized jacket. Boy was I wrong....

We went back to the souq a week later, and long story short, they charged us 100 dinar. 60 dinar for my coat and 40 for Charlotte's. What is that in US dollars? My coat cost $160 and Charlotte's cost $107. I can't believe we didn't complain or just leave them and walk out. I think we're both too polite to do that, and at least for me, I don't think the conversion of 100 dinar kicked in until we were to our car. I really don't understand why Charlotte's was $107 when I gave them the fabric to make it. The jacket from Nordstroms that Charlotte's jacket is based from would've only cost me $42 to just buy it from their website. My coat that I based from a J.Crew coat is still cheaper than if I had bought the one from J.Crew, but it doesn't even have the toggle buttons I wanted, nor is the cording the right color. For the most part, they are very well made (mine more so than Charlotte's), but bottom line: they charged way too much. This is in no way our friends fault. Many people from the Navy base use this tailor and are happy. I just think, that for some reason, he charges more for coats and more for women's clothing. It's my fault I didn't ask for a price before arranging to have him make us the coat and jacket.

After seeing their work, I decided that I wanted to take on the challenge and see if I could just make a jacket and coat for us myself. Maybe this is just wrong and prideful, but I really think I could do a good job even if I'm not good enough to make a coat or jacket from a picture. You see, I was going to have them make a trench coat for me and even bought the fabric already, but after seeing how much they charge, I'm getting a McCall's trench coat pattern and will do my best to make it and make it right. If I'm successful, the coat will only cost $50. I'm also going to try and make another jacket for Charlotte from an Oliver + S pattern I'm borrowing from a neighbor. I have some yellow and blue canvas tulle fabric that will work for it, and while it may not have been my first choice of fabric for the jacket, it will at the very least be a good run-through of the pattern to see if I can do it, and hopefully it will turn out cuter than I envision. That jacket will only cost about $30 to make if I'm successful.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the whole expensive ordeal:

This is the jacket I found on Nordstroms that I thought was really cute. I gave this picture to the tailor to base Charlotte's jacket from. Below are pictures of her completed jacket. The tailor messed up on the lining (which you can't see when she wears it) and it fits just right. They didn't leave room for much growth, unless Charlotte somehow manages to lose her baby belly. It's cute; I just don't think it's worth $107.

Here's the coat I picked out from J.Crew for myself. Gorgeous!

This is the tailors take on the J.Crew coat. I'm not sure what he did for the toggle part. It looks awful to me, and I'm not sure what he was thinking using ivory cording instead of black. Luckily, I think that will be an easy change I can do myself once I can get my hands on some black cording and black toggle buttons.

The back side of the coat.

And finally, here are two pictures of the coats I'm going to try and make myself for Charlotte and I:

The lesson in all of this, which really is an obvious one, is that you should always, always ASK ABOUT THE PRICE BEFORE YOU COMMIT TO PURCHASING SOMETHING! :-)

Motorcycle Rocker

2010-12-21T17:35:00.000+03:00

I am really behind on my blogging but will just have to let this video suffice for now. Yesterday, I turned around and Charlotte was on her rocking motorcycle...she got on all by herself. Later that day, she even managed to figure out how to get off, too. She's getting so big. In fact, we took her to the doctor today for 3 shots and she is around 27 pounds.

I'll try to blog more after Christmas...I have a lot to catch you up on!

Another Bag

2010-12-12T15:09:00.001+03:00

I finished another bag last week and gave it to our friend, Sammy, as a Christmas present. I thought I'd show a couple pictures on the blog, along with a cute picture of Charlotte. I've learned that some readers of this blog don't like me posting new stories that aren't about Charlotte. Hmph. ;-) Anyway, I caught her sitting on a Christmas box and buzzing her lips together having a good ole time. The box was supposed to be under the tree but she walked off with it - apparently so she could sit on top of it and make funny noises with her lips. When she saw me whip out the camera, she went into picture mode and started smiling.

Christmas Pictures

2010-12-06T13:41:00.000+03:00

Today is Charlotte's 14 month birthday! I decided to use this day to take a few pictures of her in a Christmas dress my mom made for her. Enjoy!

My First (Successful) Pattern

2010-12-03T08:25:00.008+03:00

Below are a couple pictures of my first ever pattern. Well, it's technically not my first if you count this dress and this doll, but it is my first successful one! I'm really excited about it and think it turned out rather cute. :-)

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T16:37:00.009+03:00

Our family had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday and we sincerely hope that you did, too. I love the feeling that holiday's bring. Something about it just brightens your spirit and makes the whole day cheerier. Chris said it's all in the head, but even if that's true, it's still wonderful! We spent the day with our good friends, Terry and Jill. About a month ago, Jill and I met up for lunch and divvied up the menu. She took the turkey, ham, pecan pie, salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, and deviled eggs while I took the sweet potato casserole, stuffing, mushroom gratin, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and my favorite...homemade bread. We couldn't have asked for a better day, but we got it. Instead of only celebrating the holiday between our two families, three members of the Armed Forces joined us, along with a co-worker of Terry's who is here without his wife and four kids. The former three are currently assigned to Isa Air base at the southern tip of the island. They endure pretty primitive and basic living conditions there, so needless to say, it was the least we could do to open up our hearts and home and share a proper Thanksgiving with them. This was one of the most memorable Thanksgivings we've ever had and I know it's not one we'll soon forget.

Homemade bread I made. If you didn't know, baking bread is one of my favorite hobbies, and I definitely think the extra work is worth it on a day like Thanksgiving.

The whole gang (minus myself). Charlotte ate her body weight in food.

Today, we celebrated "Black Friday" by going to a fair at a nearby British school. I'm trying to get rid of jewelry that I still have from my year-long stint of selling Premier Designs. I didn't get rid of all of it today, but I made a good dent. Chris came along and helped because we also sold my mom's homemade soap. The soap went over pretty well and we sold 30 bars! Yay, Mom!

The soap on display before the fair began.

Our Santa Baby

2010-11-24T15:07:00.004+03:00

I got into the festive mood yesterday and decided to decorate for Christmas. I usually wait until the day after Thanksgiving, but I've had a productive week (just don't ask about laundry) and decided to set things up a couple days early. After I looked at the fruit of my labor, I felt like getting Charlotte dressed up in something festive! You see, my sweet friend, Erin, had just given me a pile of clothes that belonged to her daughter, Sadie, before she outgrew them. One of the outfits was a little Santa dress sized 18 months. My not-even-14-month-old-daughter is a chunk and is already in 24 months clothing, but I thought I'd squeeze her in the Santa dress, even if just for one time, to see how cute she looked and snap some photos. She was cute indeed, and I think the dress being a bit too small made it even cuter!

The look on her face cracks me up.

Strutting her stuff like a little model!

The Quintessential Middle East Souvenir

2010-11-22T10:56:00.005+03:00

For the past several months, Chris and I have been saving our pennies. Every time Chris has had to work overtime, we've put the extra money he made into an account we called the "rug fund". When we got assigned to Bahrain, we knew before we even arrived that neither of us would want to leave without purchasing an authentic Persian rug. Most Bahraini's can trace their ancestry to Persia, so the carpet vendors in Bahrain are able to go to Persia (Iran) and use their family lineage to buy rugs at a reasonable cost and then sell them in Bahrain for much less than you could get elsewhere. Other Arabs who do not have Persian descent are not able to do the same. If they went to Iran to buy a Persian rug, they would end up paying more than Bahraini's who go over their and use their family connection. And since we can't exactly go to Iran without potentially spending the rest of our lives in jail, we did the next best thing and bought one here in Bahrain!

The whole process was a lot of fun. When Bahraini's are doing a business transaction that requires a lot of money, it's expected to be a process and a relationship is built between the buyer and seller. When we first walked in, they asked us what we wanted to drink and then they asked again a few minutes later. We ended up having water, fresh orange juice, and tea before we were done. Unlike many rug stores in the states, the rugs were not hanging on rods that you could flip through yourself or pictured in a master book. Instead, we gave an idea of what we were looking for to the shop owner and then a few employees picked out several and rolled them out for us on the floor. Since they wanted us to be completely happy with our selection, it was not a bother to continually roll out more and more rugs. We weren't necessarily planning on buying that day, but with the incredible service, we decided to not wait any longer. No two rugs are exactly alike, either, since they're all hand-made. If you see one you can't live without, you better not wait because it could be gone next time!

We actually ended up buying two rugs. One is a silk/wool blend that was made in India and the other is an authentic 100% silk cashmere Persian rug. We didn't really plan on buying two, but I'm glad we did. The Indian rug is on display in our entryway and the Persian will hang on our wall as soon as we get a rod for it. Both rugs were entirely hand-knotted and took at least a year and half to make. I won't tell you how much we paid for these, but when you look at the intricacy and think about the labor that went into hand-knotting each thread, I'm amazed they didn't cost more. Yes, we're going to become those annoying people who ask people to take their shoes off at the door.

This is the front entryway rug that was made in India. Our housekeeper, Jhancy, who is from India, looked at the rug admiringly, paused as if in contemplation, and then said all the nice ones are exported. Ha! We wanted a really big one and I think this one is perfect!

This is the Persian rug that we'll be hanging on our wall...it's a bit too nice to let people walk on. The design of the rug is a "dome" design. This was by far our favorite design scheme for a rug. They had another one that was similar in colors to this but a bit darker. It was a little bigger and had more knots per square inch, so it was almost twice the price. They went and got this from their warehouse and it was worth the wait. Even though it's not as nice as the other, we are still very happy with this one.

A Statement

2010-11-15T08:41:00.003+03:00

I woke up to this sign on my computer this morning. I just love my husband and his sense of humor channeling Dwight Schrute from The Office!

An Afternoon at the Park

2010-11-14T17:12:00.005+03:00

The weather is starting to cool down in Bahrain as the winter approaches. Winter in Bahrain feels like Springtime in the states. It is so lovely! We decided to get out and enjoy the welcomed cooler temps by going to a park that recently opened on the island of Muharraq. We decided to take a picnic and stopped at a new cafe by our home. By the time we got to the park, our food was cold (traffic) and then we saw an EZ's fast food restaurant at the park. Have you ever seen a McDonald's or Burger King at a park? That was new for us. Oh well. Besides seeing a fast food restaurant at the park, we also saw a couple other interesting things:

A man sweeping the grass....? I don't even see anything that needs picked up.

Chris noticed this one. There's a fence coming down from the other fence and has barb wire and the whole works, but you could easily go around this fence and jump over the low cement wall. We're not sure why they even bothered with this!

The park had a 3k trail that went around the Persian Gulf. Unfortunately, we went when it was low tide so we didn't get the full experience of walking along the coastline. It was still a very nice day and I know we'll go back before our time here is up.

Chris and Charlotte walking on the trail.

A pic of Charlotte enjoying her time at the park.

More Sewing - For Charlotte This Time

2010-11-07T17:22:00.003+03:00

I spent a tedious two days doing my least favorite part about sewing: tracing patterns and cutting out the pieces. I did this for 10 dress or so because I wanted to know how much fabric I'd have left to work on a few projects I'm hoping to have done by Christmas. As a result, I can get sewing on a dress whenever I want now! I love it! I may do this method from now on...spend a couple days getting my least favorite part about sewing over with so I can just sew, sew, sew on all those projects waiting on me! Here's some pictures of what I made yesterday and today:

If you look in the lower right, you'll see an embroidered tree. I did this with my sister's help on her embroidery machine this past summer. I love how this dressed turned out. I think it's much cuter in person than it looks on the front of the pattern.

The back of the dress. This is a 2T but it's really not too big on Charlotte...maybe just a bit long.

front

back

This skirt is fun. It looks pretty basic here, but....

I altered the pattern a bit and pleated the contrast fabric to create some lovely folds and movement. This should be a very flow-y and poofy skirt when Charlotte is big enough to wear it. I'm also going to make a tulle petticoat for her to wear under this, which will make the skirt even poofier!

The skirt is actually a circle skirt...thus the flowiness and poofiness!

Here's the patterns I used: Butterick 3477, McCall's M6063, and McCall's M6066

Snuggle Bunny

2010-11-06T09:39:00.005+03:00

Three posts in one day and on a Saturday? You might be asking yourself why I'm not doing something more important like spending time with my husband. Well, he's not here. He had to work this morning so don't you feel bad now. ;-) Just kidding. Anyway, for Charlotte's birthday, someone gave us the book, "Snuggle Bunny". Charlotte isn't real into books yet, but she LOVES this book. She'll literally bring it to me every few seconds and would be perfectly happy if I did nothing all day but read this book to her. I've read it so much that I have it memorized and it got to the point where I put it way up high so that she couldn't reach it and bring it to me. Although, she somehow managed to get her hands on it and brought it to me this morning. I'm not sure if Chris took it down? This book was written by a British author so it doesn't come out in the states until the Spring of 2011. Being in Bahrain, a former British colony with lots of British expats, it's available here. I recorded myself reading it to her this morning:

Tennis Lessons

2010-11-06T08:29:00.004+03:00

Two blogs in one day! I guess it's a busy Saturday blogging morning for me.

Tennis is something my brother, Matt, got me into about seven years ago. We started watching men's tennis on TV whenever it was on, and we even spent a ton of money to go to the Indianapolis RCA Tennis Championships to watch every match Andy Roddick was in. Ever since that time, I've wanted to learn how to play the game. It's an incredible sport to watch and it takes so much skill and strategy. If I had my childhood to do over again, I think I would've played tennis since learning a new sport seems to be one of those things reserved only for kids. I know it's never to old to learn something new, but how many adult leagues do you know about that teach you to play basketball or football or any sport for that matter? Adult leagues are usually reserved for those who already know how to play. If you think about it, this isn't very fair since only a fourth of our life is spent as a kid, but it's the way it is and it probably won't be changing anytime soon. Imagine my delight when I learned about tennis lessons for adults here in Bahrain.

My friend, Erin, started taking private lessons last year and she recently set it up for her, myself, and two other girls to take group lessons. So for the past 5 weeks, I've been learning to play tennis! I'm not very good, but I see potential. Maybe not pro tennis potential, but I see the kind of potential that means I could have a leisurely and fun tennis match with a friend without frustrating them or myself. Last night, the company I'm taking tennis lessons through held a social tournament. Everyone was there just to have a good time, meet new people who are also learning tennis, and practice their game. It was a lot of fun. I was very nervous about going knowing full well I'd be the worst player there since I've not been taking lessons for very long. It was excellent practice and I didn't do as bad as I thought I would. Mind you, I didn't do good, but I don't think I stunk up the court, either! When I first started taking tennis lessons, I struggled most with my serve. After some practice, I finally figured out what I was supposed to do last week. Last night was my chance to see if I was right! Most of my serves went in (yes!), which I was thrilled about!! I even won a doubles and single match! I won't tell you how many I lost, though! :-)

When we move back to the states, I hope I can find someone to continue giving me lessons, and I hope I can find enough people to play with. Here in Bahrain, most of the mom's don't work and most of us play tennis or are learning how to play, so it's not hard to find someone who wants to hit balls back and forth. Chris took a few picture from last night. He had a hard time getting some good ones because it was too dark for the camera and most of them came out super blurry. Here's the best ones he got:

Only in the Middle East

2010-11-06T07:42:00.006+03:00

I was flipping through a local magazine the other day to see if I could find anything to put in the newsletter I edit, and I stumbled across this ad, which absolutely cracked me up. I'm used to seeing ads like this in American magazines, and I'm sure that's what this company was trying to imitate, but there's one problem. We're in the Middle East. Things are much more modest here. Having the model don a bikini (or even something that's more form fitting) would not be considered appropriate. As a result, the model looks the same in her "after" photo as she does in her "before", and taking off her abaya doesn't really help, as I'm assuming the creators of this ad thought it would. Maybe if you're Middle Eastern you can see the difference. I can't, which makes this ad entirely too ridiculous and funny.

Click on this photo to make it bigger.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-01T09:06:00.005+03:00

Chris and I are in the process of developing family traditions. I think they are really useful in developing a family bond, making memories, and even building a spiritual heritage for our kids. If you're interested in reading more about this, Kent and Barbara Hughes talk about it in their book, "Disciplines of a Godly Family". We're not entirely sure what traditions we're going to establish for Halloween because neither of us are super keen on how it glorifies and celebrates evil...something that wouldn't exist if it weren't for sin. I could expound on my reasons for agonizing over this holiday, but I'll stop myself. If you want to know, you can ask me sometime. The only thing we really have figured out for Halloween is that we're going to focus more on October 31st being the anniversary of the Protestant Reformation and make it a family tradition to watch the movie "Luther" on or around October 31st.

My friend Erin threw a children's Halloween party and we decided to take Charlotte to it. Afterwards, we trick or treated with our friends, Jill and Terry. Here's some pictures:

Wonder Woman!

Wonder Woman times two?

Captain American is married to Wonder Woman and they had a baby Wonder Woman together...did you know that?

Justine the mermaid, Sammy the box of crayons, and Charlotte as Wonder Woman.

Trick or treating

USS Harry S. Truman

2010-10-31T08:32:00.005+03:00

Yesterday, Chris and I had the privilege of touring the USS Harry S. Truman that is currently docked in Bahrain for the next couple of days. We weren't able to take Charlotte because she was too young, so you won't get to see any pictures of our cute little punkin this time around. We had a nice time and it was awesome to see with my own eyes what a Naval ship looks like on the inside. Even though it was the size of a cruise ship, it didn't look anything like it on the inside! I can see why our brave soldiers get tired of being at sea for so long at a time. They definitely don't have near the luxuries we do, nor is there life even comparable to a cruise!

Here's some pictures from our tour:

There was a small room dedicated to Harry S. Truman, the ship's namesake. This picture shows what the oval office looked like while President Truman was in office. Apparently, there was a lot of construction while Harry S. Truman was president and he was tried of looking at it, so he hired someone to paint a tree mural to put behind the oval office windows. And did you know the S in his name doesn't stand for anything? He wasn't born with a middle name, but when he was running for office, advisors told him a middle name would make him sound more distinguished. His middle name was literally the letter s. Here is Justine pretending to sit in one of the chairs on the mural!

This is a carbon copy of the letter President Truman signed giving permission to drop the Atom bomb. You should be able to click on the picture to view it bigger.

A collage of pictures inside the ship and a few decals painted onto the planes.

Chris and I posing in front of a plane. We got in the mood to watch Top Gun after touring the ship and I think we will soon.

"Give 'Em Hell" is the ship's motto. Harry S. Truman never actually said this, but one time during a speech by Truman attacking the Republicans during a 1948 presidential election campaign, a supporter yelled out, "Give 'em hell, Harry!" Truman replied, "I don't give them hell. I just tell the truth about them and they think it's hell." Thus, "Give 'em Hell!" became a popular slogan for Harry S. Truman amongst his supporters.

The chain on the ship and some pictures from the flight deck.

The air traffic control tower. It's amazing to think that this ship is its own functioning airport.

Sammy and Justine in an air traffic controllers chair.

Justine in an air traffic controllers chair, typing on a computer, another picture from the flight deck, and a picture Justine took of me.

A view from the balcony of the ship. I loved how they arranged the planes for us tourists!

3K Fun Run

2010-10-30T09:14:00.006+03:00

This past Wednesday, our family participated in a 3K fun run at the Navy base. I used to run 3 to 6 miles every day and I regret stopping. I don't have the endurance I used to! And when I do run, I usually do it inside on a treadmill. Running outside in the heat and humidity adds an extra challenge. Nonetheless, when I heard about this event, I asked Chris if we could do it. I'd love to make running a normal part of my workout regime again. 3K is only 1.89 miles...that should be like getting back on a bike, right? All the sailors were talking amongst themselves and I heard comments like, "3K is nothing!" or "Dude, it's only a 3K run." Bleh. I wasn't going to let them rob me of the joy I'd have in finishing.

Chris was a good sport and ran the whole thing with me at my pace even though he could've kept up with most of the sailors. We ended up doing the 3K in 20 minutes or so...give or a take a couple minutes. ;-) But we never stopped, thanks to Chris's encouragement, and we kept a steady pace throughout. Since we weren't going at a fast pace, Chris pushed Charlotte along on our Quinny Buzz. It's not technically a jogging stroller, but it held up okay - not that I'd want to try it at a faster pace. I think Charlotte enjoyed riding along and feeling the breeze on her face. We got t-shirts afterwards and they even showered us with free bananas, orange slices, and water. We may or may not have snagged a few bananas for later....

The Navy base has a lot of these fun runs, but they're usually at 0630. I hope they do more of the night runs because it was a wonderful and fun thing to do as a family. Here's a couple pictures from the night:

Ready to go!

Charlotte would've tried to run it with us if we had let her. She loved walking all over the place before the race began.

The 3 of us after the race was over.

A Senator and the Ritz Carrolton...All in One Day!

2010-10-26T16:30:00.007+03:00

Today was not our typical day in Bahrain. Our typical day consists of Charlotte playing inside because it's too hot outside and getting bored and whining for Mommy's attention all day because she's tired of being cooped up in the house. All the while, Mommy's getting annoyed because she's trying to either work from her computer or get things done around the house and she's having a hard time because of Charlotte's incessant whining. I like atypical days like today. They're refreshing and recharging. I feel like we had a mini vacation today that was only 10 minutes from our home. Why?

A senator from the states is doing a mideast tour right now and landed in Bahrain yesterday. You know what that means: Chris is working and I won't see him again until tomorrow after the senator leaves. The Senator is staying at the Ritz Carrolton; therefore, Chris got a room there, too. Who was it, you might ask? Scroll down to the bottom to see or keep reading and see if you can guess from my clues. He was a super nice guy and someone who I actually respect. I don't agree with him on everything (like his social views), but he actually sticks to his beliefs even if it means ticking off either side. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this man has gumption. Instead of playing politics, he tries to vote upon his beliefs and even switched parties from Democrat to Independent to stick to his convictions. He has been on both sides of the presidential election spectrum...once as a vice presidential running mate for a crazy loon of a Democrat and then as a staunch supporter of John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. Have you guessed who yet? We met Senator Joe Lieberman!

I hate not seeing Chris for 2+ days when politicians come into town, but getting the opportunity to meet them helps make up for it. Note that I didn't say it does make up for it; it just helps. A little bit. A lovely thing about Chris's job is that I can more easily finagle my way into meeting politicians than other people because of the tight schedule they're always on. A "meet and greet" isn't always allocated on the schedule. Chris, however, is the keeper of the schedule and can always figure out when would be a good time to squeeze a meet and greet in, with permission, of course, from whoever the visiting politician is. All I have to do is be flexible and go where Chris tells me. Today, I was told to wait outside an elevator in the Ritz Carrolton. And it was there, outside of an elevator, where I met Senator Lieberman.

He was so nice and I immediately told him what I said above...that I respect him because he sticks to what he believes in even if it means ticking off either side. He laughed, said thank you, and said he has managed to offend just about everyone. I told him that was okay, because it means he's not playing politics and that's how it should be. I then told him I wish there were more politicians like him who were willing to stick to their beliefs and not play politics. Chris said I did real good and that Senator Lieberman really seemed to appreciate what I said. I didn't know until I got home and looked up his wikipedia page that he only has a 25% approval rating and 67% disapproval rating in Connecticut. I can see why saying something like that might encourage him and lift his spirits a bit, so I'm glad I said it.

He also doted on Charlotte a little bit and said that in 1988 when George H.W. Bush was vice president and about to become president, Lieberman was being sworn into office and wanted to get a picture of George H.W. Bush with his daughter, Hani, who was about Charlotte's age at the time. He said Hani screamed as soon as he put her in Bush's arms. Haha! He said Hani eventually came to love him, though, later on as she got older. Charlotte didn't cry or anything, but she was sure wiggly and we had a difficult time getting a good shot. Oh well. It was past her nap time. At least she wasn't blocking his head like she was when President Clinton came to town. We made sure to hold her this time to keep that from happening.

Anyway, I've been blabbering about meeting Senator Lieberman that I'm failing to explain all the other pictures below. Because Chris has a room at the Ritz, that means we can "legally" visit the Ritz as guests! So this afternoon before meeting Senator Lieberman, Charlotte and I enjoyed the beach and pool. It was a lovely afternoon. Their beach is gorgeous. It was a lovely, soft white sand and very well kept. No trash, cigarette butts, or sharp objects to watch out for. The water was low tide, so that was the only negative. We had to walk a bit just to get to the water. But if that's the only thing I can find to complain about, then it was a great afternoon!

a private island of the Ritz Carrolton. I don't know if this is for parties or what, but it looked nice.

Charlotte loved throwing sand up in the air today. She got it ALL over her hair, and even with a bath, I still haven't gotten it all out yet.

another view from our side of the beach.

Yep, she ate sand again. Lots of it.

Chris surprised us while we were in the pool. He was able to stop briefly and say hello because they were ahead of schedule and stopped by the Ritz for a few minutes. Charlotte was ecstatic to see him because she hasn't seen much of him these past couple of days. She screamed and cried when he left. Poor girl. He better make it up to her this weekend! Here's a picture of her wet kisses. She likes to kiss with her tongue sticking out. It's hilarious and very slobbery!

Attempt 1 at a picture.

Attempt 2...probably the best we got because Charlotte is at least looking in the right direction.

Just not wanting to cooperate...

"All done"...oh well, we tried.

A Hearty Dress

2010-10-25T19:18:00.002+03:00

Remember this dress? I took this picture when Charlotte was just 2 months old.

But somehow it still fits! And no, it's not because Charlotte is petite. My baby is in 24 month clothing at 12 months old! Yikes! Yes, it is a little snug, but I love this dress because it's so roomy and Charlotte was able to get lots of wear out of it...unlike most of her clothes. Yay!

A Dress for Justine

2010-10-25T19:02:00.005+03:00

Justine's 7th birthday was last Wednesday and I meant to do a blog about it the next day but I've been a little busy. Two days before her birthday, I had the idea to make a dress as a birthday gift, along with a few books we had already bought her. I looked through my patterns and my highest sized patterns went up to a 6. Justine is a 7. So I chose a pattern that went to a 6 and redrew the pattern to *hopefully* be a size 7. I felt like I was really winging it, and I knew it may not turn out, however disappointing that would be. I ended up spending the day before her birthday relentlessly sewing until I finally finished. I know; I'm crazy. I should've thought about this sooner than 2 days before her birthday. Oh well.

Unlike most kids, Justine was happy to receive clothing on her birthday. Seriously, I think she's the first kid I've ever met who seemed genuinely happy to receive clothes. That's my kind of girl! She was even nice enough to try it on for me, and I was so thrilled it actually fit. It ended up being a bit big so I could've made the size 6 afterall, but it fits proportionately, which means I modified and sewed the pattern correctly. Wahoo!

Pigtails

2010-10-21T15:53:00.002+03:00

I've been waiting for this for a long time. I can finally put Charlotte's hair in pigtails! I tried it this morning, and if you look at her eyes, you can see she wasn't real happy about it. She was a good sport and smiled for the camera, anyway!

1st Birthday Party

2010-10-10T17:06:00.006+03:00

Yesterday was Charlotte's first birthday party. We did a brunch party with a zoo animal theme. Charlotte loves stuffed tigers, so that was the inspiration for the party and for the cake. We had about 40 people show up and we all had a great time. We thought we wouldn't have much food since we told everyone it was a brunch, but we had PLENTY of leftovers. We ended up giving tons away and we still had enough breakfast casserole for Chris and I to have generous helpings this morning for breakfast. We're really thankful for our friends here, specifically Terry and Jill. They came over an hour early to help with last minute things. Without their help, we still would've been running around trying to frantically get things in order at 10. They even stayed after to help us clean up. We just love them and I keep telling Jill they aren't allowed to leave this summer when their tour is up. We are really going to miss them. :-( But I digress...here's some pictures from Charlotte's special day:

Round two on the cake....

And this time I made a mini cake for Charlotte with leftover batter I had from making the big one above.

Charlotte before her party. She didn't stay this happy, unfortunately. The dress she is wearing was made by me. I saw the fabric at JoAnn's and thought it would make a great birthday dress. It says "Happy Birthday" all over it.

Charlotte showing a side view of the dress I made her.

Charlotte with her friend Shahin at the party.

I'm not sure why she's making this face, but it's cute!!

Charlotte was tired, crabby, and did not like it when everyone sang happy birthday to her. Even Daddy holding her hands and telling her it was okay didn't help.

All better now that I have some sugar in my system!

A family picture at the party.

Charlotte loved playing with the balloons!

Once again, Justine helped Charlotte open all her gifts. We specifically told people to not bring a gift...I don't think a single person showed up without one. Oh well. We are very blessed.

Daddy helping Charlotte with a puzzle she got.

First Birthday Extravaganza!

2010-10-07T13:18:00.008+03:00

Here we were dreading Charlotte's first birthday and it's already over! We had a super fun day filled with toys, sweets, and good friends! Our good friends and Charlotte's surrogate Aunt, Uncle, and cousins came over for cake and to watch Charlotte open gifts. She wasn't nearly as messy with the cake as I had thought/hoped she'd be, which is surprising since she absolutely makes a mess of everything else she gets herself into. The birthday celebration isn't quite done yet. On Saturday, we're having close to 50 people over for a birthday brunch. Oh boy. This weekend is going to be pretty crazy getting everything ready! I hope it will be a lot of fun. Below are lots of pictures from Charlotte's big day and at the very bottom are two videos. Unless you're a grandparent, you'll probably find the videos very dull, but hey! Maybe I'm wrong. Enjoy!

Charlotte cuddling up with her blankie!

Excited to open gifts and see her new toys!

A glimpse at the decorations for her birthday. We are so thankful to have her in our lives.

She came walking out into the living room with a broom. I guess she wanted to help Mommy clean?

The bow on her head is from my sister, Heather. She made it. Isn't it cute?

I found Charlotte laying on the weights relaxing. The look on her face is priceless. I'm not quite sure why she was doing that!

This is better!

Eating her birthday cake.

Yummy!

We enlisted Justine to help Charlotte open her gifts. Charlotte tried with the first one but was more interested in her sippy cup full of milk.

What did I tell you? At this age, it's all about the sippy cup.

All the presents Charlotte got, minus the other beautiful bows, a bow holder, and a few outfits my sister and brother-in-law sent us. We got those over a week ago, so I just spaced adding them when I took this picture. Sorry!

And now for the videos:

Below is a general video from yesterday. It shows her throughout the day, eating her cake, and trying to open presents:

This morning, Jill (Charlotte's surrogate aunt) brought over her birthday present because they couldn't fit it into their car last night with the whole family. It's this awesome slide that Charlotte is in LOVE with! I'll be glad when she can learn to climb up the ladder because I can't put her back at the top quick enough! It's sort of a work-out!

Roar!

2010-10-05T13:48:00.003+03:00

Yesterday I did a test run of Charlotte's birthday cake. I guess I'm pretty happy with how it turned out considering the last cake I decorated was over 16 years ago as a 4-H entry. We're having a big party for her on Saturday but our friends Terry and Jill are going to come over tomorrow night to celebrate her actual birthday with us. I'm planning to give Charlotte the "test run" cake tomorrow and make another one for Saturday if I have time. It's a little hard to believe that my baby girl is almost one. Chris and I are still saying she's 11 months. We'll be clinging on to these last 10 hours as long as we can!

Bridget Monkey

2010-10-02T07:42:00.003+03:00

I gave the Molly Monkey to Justine and she LOVED it. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera to get a picture. She even brought it to church the next morning and was carrying it around everywhere. She decided to name her Bridget, though. I hope Larissa at mmmcrafts won't be offended that she didn't like the name Molly! Ha! And as promised, here's a picture of the raggedy doll that Justine initially fell in love with. As a reminder, I made it without a pattern and it turned out to be a total disaster!

Molly Monkey

2010-09-28T15:46:00.006+03:00

Our good friends Jill and Terry have a 5 year old daughter named Justine. We just love Justine. She is so cute and never ceases to make us laugh. Last weekend was no exception. They came over for pizza and a movie and Justine found a raggedy doll I made for Charlotte a few months ago. It turned out just awful. I didn't follow a pattern and was trying to figure things out as I went and it just continued to get worse as I realized it wasn't going to turn out. [By the way, I thought I had a picture of it but I can't seem to find it. When I get back to Bahrain I'll take a picture so you can see how bad it turned out!] After I made the doll, I went ahead and gave it to Charlotte thinking maybe she'd love and adore it regardless of how it looked. Nah. Charlotte held it for about two seconds and then threw it on the ground. She's never looked back. I threw it in her toy box anyway hoping maybe she'd change her mind someday. Well, Justine found it last weekend and just adored it. She held it the whole night and I could tell how much she liked it, so I asked her if she wanted me to make her one. Her whole face lit up and she said, "Oh, yes! I would love that!" So we made a little deal that I would make her a doll and she would draw me a picture. Well, I didn't exactly make her a raggedy doll. Instead, I followed a free pattern from http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com and made her a Molly Monkey. I love how it turned out and I hope Justine is happy with this instead of the raggedy doll she fell in love with! I've been wanting to make one for awhile and our little deal gave me a perfect opportunity. I'm thinking I may be making a few of these for Christmas gifts this year....

Qatar

2010-09-28T15:40:00.008+03:00

I'm writing this post from the Marriott in Qatar! Chris had to attend a conference so Charlotte and I thought we'd tag along and enjoy the awesome hotel and amenities! We are having a great time and Chris is trying to sneak away as much as possible to enjoy the warm weather, pool, and beach along with us!

And funny enough, on our way to breakfast this morning, a black man in front of the lounge said "You are welcome". The accent and phrase was so familiar and I immediately asked, "Are you Nigerian?" He looked surprised and said, "Yes, I am." I told him we lived there for two years. We ended up talking for awhile and I found out his name was Jubilee (a very Nigerian name) and he was telling me about how he ended up in Qatar (a work visa for 3 years). He asked if Charlotte was born in Nigeria and I told him she was conceived there and then continued to say "The land is green", which was a phrase we heard every time someone found out they were pregnant or had a baby. Haha...as much as I hate Nigeria, I can honestly say that it was fun to chat with Jubilee.

Here's some pictures from our day:

Our Day

2010-09-21T16:30:00.005+03:00

Today, Charlotte and I went to the health unit so Charlotte could get her polio vaccine and then we stayed to have lunch with Chris (mac 'n cheese...mmmm!). I'm glad it was only one shot today. In the past, she's gotten as many as 5, which I personally think is too much at once. She still cried a bit but not the heart wrenching sobs that 5 shots bring. She also got a tiny stuffed pig from the nurse, which help coax some smiles! She weighed in today at 26 lbs and is right at 80cm long (31 1/2"). I guess we'll have to bust out the 24 month clothing soon.

So Charlotte got a shot today, but what did Mommy get? Cotton candy!! We got a box today from my mother-in-law and in it was fabric we bought at JoAnn's in August. Behold the beautiful 100% cotton fabric (hence cotton candy) that I can't wait to get my hands onto and sew some cute dresses for Charlotte:

Daddy Said We Needed More Pants!

2010-09-16T14:33:00.004+03:00

I've been sewing like crazy since I got back to Bahrain. Some dear friends are preggo so I've been trying to sew a few things for their impending arrivals. I promise that I'll make a blog about those things but not until after they've received their gifts. Although this post may give my friends a hint of what's to come.

Anyway...around the same time I was sewing some cute little curdoroy pants for the babies, Chris mentioned that Charlotte needed more pants to crawl around in. [side note: yes, Charlotte's walking, and quite well in fact, but she still likes to crawl.] So after Chris asked for more pants, I decided to take a break from sewing for my friends and I sewed a few pairs of pants for Charlotte. I really love these little pants and I hope my friends will, too. It was a very easy pattern and I love how they fit on Charlotte.

I modified the pattern by adding these leg cuffs and pockets. Can I just say that I love this tomboy look on her?

I also added these back pockets that were not on the original pattern.

These were once sweatpants of mine that I decided I no longer wanted. I repurposed them into pants for Charlotte using the original drawstring waist band. I'm sorry I didn't get a close up of that, but they turned out pretty good.

Relaxing on her Boppy.

I've had this pink corduroy print for awhile and wasn't sure what to use it for. I'm happy with how the pants turned out. I think they're cute with the plain green top.

Hmmm...what to read...what to read....

OK, so the pattern I used was Simplicity 3511:

One thing I hate about patterns is that they're seldom straightforward about sizing. Instead of being 12 mths, 18 mths, 2T, etc., they're just plain confusing and you have to guess what size it really is. The size I made is 1/2 and they say the measurements are for babies with a 19" chest, 19" waist, and an approxiamate height of 28". So I'm guessing it's supposed to be around 12-18 months, but Charlotte is almost in 24 month clothing and these pants are a bit big for her around the waist and a few inches too long. I guess this isn't a bad thing since she has room to grow and will be able to wear them longer. I'm still trying to get used to pattern sizing. I made a birthday dress for Charlotte from this pattern and I know she's going to be swimming in it on her birthday. Maybe she'll get to wear it next year, too! Ha!

Learning To Eat With A Spoon

2010-09-13T17:14:00.003+03:00

Today we decided to try and teach Charlotte how to eat with a spoon. She did better than we thought she would, and it helped that we loaded the spoon and just had her pick it up. We did that because she wasn't figuring out how to "scoop" things onto her spoon. We've also been trying to figure out if she's a lefty or righty. We're leaning towards lefty, but it may be too soon to tell. You can let us know what you think after watching this video, which reminds me of something: I fixed the comment section so that anyone can comment whether or not you have a blogger account. I guess there was issues with that before. Enjoy the video!

Tissues

2010-09-11T19:48:00.003+03:00

Here's what I caught Charlotte getting into tonight. At first glance, you just want to say, "No, ma'am!", but then you're reminded that sometimes you just have to laugh at your kids and their innocence. Oh the things they're amused by!

11 Months

2010-09-07T13:15:00.011+03:00

Charlotte turned 11 months old yesterday. It's a little hard to believe that in just one month, she'll be a year old. As you may have seen in a post a few days ago, Charlotte took her first steps. Since then, she's been trying to walk everywhere. She can only go a few steps before losing her balance and taking a tumble, but she is so resilient and brave. She always gets right back up and tries again. Every time she takes a few steps, Chris and I always clap and say, "Yay!!" enthusiastically. Charlotte LOVES this and will start laughing and clapping along with us. She loves it so much that whenever she tumbles (even if it's just after one or two steps), she starts clapping and looking for us to clap with her. She's hilarious and is definitely a ham. She's always trying to make us laugh and is very successful at doing it!

Charlotte is entirely on table food now. This is really nice since I don't have to make baby food anymore and we can eat as a family at the dinner table every night. We're still trying to teach her that she can't drop her sippy cup, food, or plate from her high chair. She is getting much better with this, but every once in awhile she tests her boundaries...like this morning. It was not a good morning. Charlotte started by dropping her bottle from the high chair. I said "No, ma'am" firmly, and then as soon as I turned around, she proceeded to drop her plate. I usually put her food on a plastic kid plate, but this morning I kept it on a small Corelle plate I used to heat up her food instead of transferring it to a plastic plate like I usually would. Well guess what? The plate shattered everywhere. Mommy was not very happy with Charlotte's heart and her unwillingness to obey the first time, so she got in trouble. She didn't attempt to do the same thing at lunch, so I'd like to believe we're making progress on the obedience front. Some days you feel like you've taken two steps back (like this morning), but since being back from vacation, we really have noticed a huge difference in her. It was hard to discipline consistently on vacation since we were out of a routine and around so many family members and friends, but I know that being home, being back into a routine (with regular naps), and getting disciplined consistently is making all the difference.

Here's three pictures that I took a day shy of her 11 month birthday:

I love spaghetti...Mmmmm!!

I love it so much that it's all over my face!

I'm tough, doggie (blankie) and all. Don't mess with me!

And here's the 11 month pictures I took yesterday. As is becoming usual, Charlotte didn't want to cooperate. I wanted to get some of her standing, but she wasn't in the mood. Oh well. Maybe next month. And in case you're wondering, the adorable outfit she's wearing is something my mom made.

Getting Older

2010-09-04T16:34:00.003+03:00

The other night when I was getting ready for bed, I noticed something white in my hair. It wasn't baby powder or lint. It was an actual hair...a gray hair. I immediately plucked it out in horror and then looked to see if there were any more. Two. Three. Four. Five. I quit counting at five. I didn't think you were supposed to get gray hair until much later in life. I'm only 27! I know there are some unfortunate people who get them in high school but I wasn't one of them so I thought I had years to go before seeing my first one. And who knows how long they've been there! It's only been a short time since I've been back to my natural color. What a sad night and sign that I'm not getting any younger. Solomon compares wisdom to gray hair, but it could also be stress...or just getting older. I'll go with Solomon on the wisdom thing. :-)

First Steps

2010-08-29T21:14:00.003+03:00

Mark today on your calendars because Charlotte took her first steps! As with crawling, she took them in the evening shortly before her bedtime. We are so excited about this milestone and are quite glad she waited until we made it home to Daddy!

Leaving Today

2010-08-18T16:42:00.002+03:00

Around noon today, Charlotte and I will make our way to the Detroit airport to begin our long journey to Bahrain. With two connections, the total time it will take to get to Chris will be around 21 hours. Please be thinking about and praying for us today. We both have little colds and Charlotte is teething. This is causing her to be fussier than normal and her "normal" is not fussy. Charlotte has never done well with sleeping if she's not in her crib. On the way to the states in June, she only slept 5 hours the entire way. I had Chris's help but now I'm on my own - with a cold. Please pray for God to give me patience!

I'll get an update on here when we've made it back safe and sound, Lord willing.

More Pictures of My Sweet Girl

2010-08-16T06:07:00.004+03:00

I don't think Charlotte has had this many pictures taken of her since she was a newborn, and I have taken A LOT of pictures of her these past 10 months! Here's some pictures I took of Charlotte at my grandparents house yesterday. Enjoy!

And we also got some four generation pictures. From left to right: my grandma, my mom, me, and Charlotte. I love these!

Sneak Peek....

2010-08-13T04:02:00.003+03:00

I am excited to share a sneak peek photo that my sweet friend, Nicole, took of Charlotte. If you want to see a few more, please visit Nicole's blog. I've seen all the pictures she took and they are amazing. I can't wait to share some more with you soon.

The Great Indiana State Fair

2010-08-13T03:39:00.012+03:00

So today my parents, sister, brother-in-law, two nieces, myself, and Charlotte went to the Indiana State Fair. I love going to the fair every year that I can and always have a great time. This was Charlotte's first fair, or second if you want to be technical since I went last year when I was pregnant. From pony and elephant rides to corn dogs and honey ice cream, we had a fun filled day even if it was ridiculously hot and humid (really, it was ridiculous). Nothing says Indiana like our state fair. I'm always so proud to be a Hoosier when I go, and no matter where I live, Indiana will always be home. Here's some pictures from the day:

I'm proud of my mom because she got 2nd place on her key lime cake recipe! She also won 4th on a smocked dress she made for Charlotte. Go Mom! Maybe now she'll believe us when we say her cakes and sewing are amazing!

Charlotte being pushed by my niece, Savannah.

A picture of my beautiful niece.

Ice cream...er, formula...on her chin. Yeah, that's what it is....formula....

Savannah on a pony ride.

Savannah taking a elephant ride.

Sifting through rocks and dirt looking for semi-precious stones.

Charlotte playing with a John Deere toy tractor. That's my girl!

Dad in front of the elephant ears stand. Mmmmm!!

The theme of this year's state fair was "year of the pigs". This was made entirely out of canned food and will be given to a food bank after the fair ends.

This was the winning gourd/pumpkin at the state fair. It was judged by weight.

Eating some lovely Indiana corn. I will fight you if you say that your state has better corn than mine.

10 Month Photoshoot and Update!

2010-08-10T02:33:00.009+03:00

Charlotte is officially 10 months old! She turned the big 1-0 on Friday but I didn't get to take pictures until today. And I have good news for all you Charlotte lovers out there. Her 10th month of life is a bonus month for pictures, because yesterday my dear friends Nicole and Dan took some pics of Charlotte, too! Yay! I should have those pictures within the next couple of weeks, but until then, you can enjoy the pictures I took of Charlotte tonight even though I can guarantee they won't be even half as good as Nicole's! In other words, Nicole is so good that I shouldn't even have bothered taking some pics of Charlotte tonight, but I was wanting to post some 10 month pics right away since I was so slow in getting her 9 month pics up. By the way, if you want to see what a good photographer Nicole is before you see the ones she just took of Charlotte, you can visit her website here.

As a 1o month old, here's a list of what Charlotte is doing:

Crawling everywhere and walking along furniture. It wouldn't surprise me if she's walking before her 1st birthday.
She eats table food now but still takes a bottle after her meals. She is still an excellent eater and we've yet to find something she won't eat. Her favorites include cheese, broccoli, green beans, bread, and blueberries.
She can drink out of a sippy cup, and thanks to Grandma P, she can use a straw!
She's in 18 month clothing and weighs around 23 pounds. When we went to the doctor last week, they didn't get her length, so I guess I should do that myself sometime.
She can clap her hands.
She can wave bye bye.
Besides the two teeth she already has, she is currently working on 6 others. One of six has broken the surface on the bottom and the others are close behind!
She can say dada, mama, and baba (bottle), but I think baba is the only word she really understands what she's saying. She loves to talk but it's all gibberish!
She can also recite all of the U.S. president's in order. Ok, maybe she can't quite do that yet. But my baby will be a genius, you know! ;-)

Here's the 10 month photos I took of her:

On a Soapbox....

2010-07-28T17:01:00.005+03:00

I don't often blog about my strong personal opinions (I have a lot of them), but this one I can't resist. Has anyone heard of the American Patriot's Bible? Apparently it was one of the best selling study Bible's of 2009. According to Amazon's description, it "shows how a 'light from above' shaped our nation...this extremely unique Bible shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible...."

Really? Does anyone else find this description to be arrogant and idolatrous? I will admit that I haven't actually opened this study Bible and looked at it myself, so perhaps this nullify's everything else I'm about to say, but at onset, something doesn't seem quite right about this Bible. You're not going to find a more patriotic person than me, but what a shame that it sounds like this Bible is trying to weave America into God's infallible and holy Word as if our country is God's chosen nation or something. The Bible has certainly given me the worldview I have and it has certainly influenced my political beliefs, but this Bible seems to elevate patriotism and an understanding of American history to the same importance and position of God's Word. It also seems very syncrenistic as it claims to weave United States history into God's Word, which will inevitably change Scripture to say what it doesn't in order to fit the purpose and agenda of the author(s).

We should love God and His Word more than we love our country since heaven is our REAL home. Don't hear me wrong. I'm not saying we shouldn't love our country. I love our country more than I can describe through words, but as one Amazon review states, "the Bible is not about a single geo-political entity - it is about God shaping salvation for humanity." As in, the whole world. Not just America. How offensive and arrogant to assume and make money off the latter. And don't forget the purpose of the Bible: to show us how to get right and stay right with God through Jesus Christ.

As someone who is politically conservative and very patriotic, I can see why this has been such a bestseller at a time such as this. With the political climate in our country and with so many patriotic Americans wanting to restore the Constitution and take our country back to what our forefathers intended, it's no wonder why a Bible like this would be so appealing and emotionally stirring. There are so many books out there by wonderful Christian authors who present American history from a Biblical perspective. Weaving American history directly into a study Bible is just taking this admirable goal too far, in my opinion. To close, if you're a family member reading this and you were thinking about asking for this Bible for Christmas, don't ask Chris and I to get it for you, because it will be a futile request. :-)

New Glasses

2010-07-27T22:18:00.006+03:00

We have a few more days in Michigan before heading down to Indy again. We're having such a great time even though we're missing Chris a lot. While in Michigan, I got some new glasses. It was on my agenda for this summer, and I'm so glad I decided to do it in Michigan. There is this awesome store called SEE that sells retro-looking, fun frames. SEE is only in a few locations around the country so finding it was a real gem. They only make 150 frames of each design (total!), so you know that anything you pick out will be unique and one of a kind. The chances of me ever finding one of the 149 people who also chose my frames will be very unlikely! Although, maybe it would be neat to meet them. Maybe we'd be like kindred spirits or something since we obviously have the same taste! :-) Attached are a couple pictures of my new glasses. I like so many pairs that I ended up getting two! I also posted a picture of Chuck wearing her new cowboy boots. I posted them because they are so typical of her. In one picture, she's studying them. In the next, the boot is in her mouth. She does that to everything - studies and then devours! Unfortunately, studying things first doesn't necessarily keep her from putting things into her mouth that she shouldn't. Oh well.

I got these as my everyday, go with anything glasses since there's black and brown on them.

These are my funkier frames as they have hunter green, lime green, and a brownish orange shade on them.

Studying the new shoe

Eating the new shoe

Vacation Pictures, Part 3 and 9 Month Photo Shoot

2010-07-23T23:34:00.014+03:00

Vacation is going great. Charlotte and I are currently in Michigan and Chris has made his way back to Bahrain and into a normal routine at work. Charlotte and I will be staying in the states for at least 2 1/2 more weeks. The original plan was to leave in the middle of September, but since we're already missing Chris terribly, we may be leaving a little sooner. I'm still thinking it through and trying to decide what to do. If we leave early, I'll miss a good friend's wedding, I won't get to see my brother-in-law's family who lives in Utah, and I'll have to put up with Ramadan and the hot weather in Bahrain. But on the plus side, we'd be reunited with Chris sooner.

Since we've been on vacation, I didn't get time to "formally" sit down and get Charlotte's 9-month pictures like I normally do. Please consider the following pictures her "9 month pictures". Hopefully I'll do better next month.

You may also have noticed that the blog looks a little different! When I signed on the other day, there was a notice saying that my blog background would disappear because the website I took it from was removing it from their free blog backgrounds. So I was forced to change it. We'll see if the new design warms up on me. Otherwise I'll be changing it again!

At my in-laws lake cabin in Michigan

Eating sand...she'll put anything in her mouth these days

Aunt Jenniy trying to give Charlotte a bath. She wasn't exactly cooperating!

A punk hairstyle Aunt Jenniy gave Charlotte after her bath. Too cute!

Charlotte's first boat ride.

At the Premier Designs 2010 rally. This was on patriotic day, so everyone wore red, white, and/or blue

My mother-in-law and I went shopping and took Charlotte and Macie (Charlotte's cousin) with us. We proved you can run errands and go shopping with little ones! They did pretty good and completely crashed on the way home!

Macie and Charlotte love to climb stairs. Here they are at the top of the stairs in matching t-shirts that say, "No rules at Grandma's".

Charlotte loves these stuffed animals. She smashes them in her face and it's so cute.

Cousins Charlotte and Macie in matching outfits before a day at the zoo.

Charlotte and Macie in the double stroller. I'm sure people thought they were twins!

It ended up pouring down rain and we all got drenched! The babies were good sports and I think really enjoyed being wet. It made for a short day at the zoo, though!

More Vacation Pictures

2010-07-05T17:03:00.007+03:00

Monument Rock near Alma, Kansas

Monument Rock near Alma, Kansas

The Sunnyland Bed and Breakfast we stayed at in Garden City, Kansas

We stayed in the I Corinthians 13 room.

Charlotte inside our guest room.

Dodge City, KS

We stayed at the Scenic Valley Inn in Manhattan, KS

We stayed in the Americana room.

Charlotte in the grass at the Scenic Valley Inn.

President Eisenhower's presidential home.

On our way to General Custer's home at Fort Riley

General Custer's home at Fort Riley in Kansas.

Waiting to take a tour of General Custer's home.

Waiting to tour General Custer's home.

A family picture while we're waiting to tour General Custer's home.

Grandpa Wolfe and Charlotte before the Cardinals game.

Charlotte and I before the Cardinals game.

Charlotte and I before the Cardinals game.

Cardinals game - they lost. :-(

Waiting to leave the hotel room to start the day in St. Louis.

Grandma and Charlotte in St. Louis

Standing next to the Arch in St. Louis.

A picture of the Arch in St. Louis.

Summer Vacation, Part 1

2010-06-26T18:04:00.007+03:00

We've arrived safely at destination #1: Miami. We've enjoyed catching up with some old friends and look forward to a couple more days with them. We've also had a great time as a family. I know Chris is so excited to spend more time with Charlotte since the crazy amount of hours he has to put in at work limits the time he has at home. I'm going to try and do a super job of taking my camera wherever I go, even if I annoy people with it! Here's some pictures from day one, with most of them being sweet Daddy/Charlotte pics:

Charlotte's first time in the grass!

Relaxing by the pool! Haha!

I love the look on her face...too cute!

A Little Rest & Relaxation

2010-06-23T07:48:00.006+03:00

Our summer vacation starts tonight! We are leaving Bahrain this evening, and I feel a little overwhelmed. It seems like today snuck up on us even though we've had it planned for awhile. I should probably be getting things ready instead of typing another post for the blog! We're a little nervous about how Charlotte will do on the flight, but we're hoping for the best. We're going to take a direct flight from Bahrain to Washington D.C. and then down to Miami, so it's going to be one long stretch of flying from here to the states. We have plenty of formula and snacks packed to hopefully help if Charlotte gets fussy on the flight, but we're hoping she sleeps. I posted the map above to give you an idea of where we'll be. We'll get to see 8 of the 50 beautiful states - mostly in the heartland. Chris has to leave after stop #7, and the remaining stops are for Charlotte and I. Chris only gets to stay for 3 weeks, but Charlotte and I will be in the states until September (yay!!!).

I cannot wait to be home sweet home again!

My First Attempt At Creating a Sewing Pattern: FAIL!

2010-06-16T17:25:00.003+03:00

So I don't know what overcame me yesterday, but I decided to put aside everything else that needs to be done and try and make my first pattern. I think it would be so cool if I could learn to design the clothes I sew instead of just buying a pattern, so I decided to make Charlotte a dress out of some yellow gingham I had lying around. It was fun to try, and even if my first attempt didn't turn out perfectly, I don't think it turned out pathetic, either!! I would still classify it as a big ole FAIL since I didn't quite get a few things right. The dress was meant to be a 2T, but the waist is more like 12 months, which threw everything else off. I wanted the top to be a boat neck, but I didn't quite get that right, either. The front has enough room for boobies even though Charlotte won't have any for a few years yet! Haha! Perhaps if I had gotten the waist right, then the top front would fit properly. Anyway, I also wanted the sleeves to flow from the front instead of having to sew them on separately, but now I know why dresses aren't made like that. It bunched at the armpit and I couldnt fix it even by clipping the corners. Oh well. Perhaps I'll try to fix my errors and see if I can get it right. Even if the dress is a pitiful sight, you can still enjoy the pictures of Charlotte in it!

I'm Glad I'm Not The Only One....

2010-06-14T13:06:00.002+03:00

C.J. Mahaney wrote the following on the Sovereign Grace Ministries Blog, and it was encouraging to read that I'm not the only one who has the problem of forgetting almost everything I read:

"I have friends who can accurately reference specific footnotes from books they read 20 or more years ago! Those friends not only read a lot, they remember just about everything.

I find this very discouraging.

I recently finished A. Lincoln, a 676-page biography by Ronald C. White, Jr. And yet when I closed the book and communicated to others how much I enjoyed the book, there was really only one sentence I clearly remembered—which is one reason why I dog-ear and mark paragraphs and sentences in my books.

I try to read a lot but unfortunately I forget a lot, too. (Did I mention how discouraging this is?) But over the years I have read many unforgettable sentences and paragraphs that have made a lasting impact on my thinking and on my ministry.

Is reading worth the time investment when so much is forgotten? John Piper says yes.   In a message long ago (July 12, 1981) he said this:

What I have learned from about twenty-years of serious reading is this: It is sentences that change my life, not books. What changes my life is some new glimpse of truth, some powerful challenge, some resolution to a long-standing dilemma, and these usually come concentrated in a sentence or two. I do not remember 99% of what I read, but if the 1% of each book or article I do remember is a life-changing insight, then I don’t begrudge the 99%.

Read, but not to remember everything. Read because that 1% that you remember has to potential to change your life.

Although I remember only one sentence from A. Lincoln, that sentence has informed my leadership in a number of ways.

So keep reading."

Mormon Evangelism Videos

2010-06-14T13:00:00.003+03:00

I was recently informed about a ministry called Source Flix & Living Hope Ministry that seeks to evangelize Mormons and win them to Christ. They just came out with a new movie entitled "The Bible Vs. Joseph Smith" that looks really good. They are selling it for $7, so I'm going to buy a copy for our family. They also had some other videos available on their website for free:

DNA vs The Book of Mormon

Called To Be Free

Lifting The Veil of Polygamy

I watched DNA vs The Book of Mormon and it is pretty good. I learned some things about Mormonism that I never knew before and I hope will be useful when evangelizing to my Mormon friends.

Free Christian Downloads

2010-06-13T15:21:00.008+03:00

I posted this on my facebook page, but I wanted to post it here, too, to make sure no one misses it. Christianaudio.com gives away a free audio book every month! I wish I heard about this sooner, as I keep thinking about all the free books I have missed! This month's book is Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I've had the privelage of hearing Francis Chan a couple of times and I highly recommend him. When I had the privelage of attending The Master's College in southern California during the 2001-2002 school year, Francis Chan spoke at chapel a couple of times. You see, Francis Chan also went to The Master's College and later to the Master's Seminary and was pastoring a church in Simi Valley at the time.

He's as real as they get.

Forgotten God is about the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives, among other things. Under the title on the cover, it says "reversing our neglect of the Holy Spirit". Chris and I have listened to half of it so far, and I'm not exaggerating or kidding when I say that I have been deeply challenged and convicted to change my way of thinking about the Holy Spirit and His place in my life. Why not download his book for free and see for yourself?

Visit http://christianaudio.com/free to download it. You'll also see other free downloads and a few discounted audio books. I just downloaded an interview of John MacArthur by Mark Dever entitled "Four Decades of Ministry with John MacArthur". Yeeees!

Baby Recipes, Part 4: Vegetable Curry

2010-06-08T15:41:00.005+03:00

Besides being a fun baby food dish, this would also be a nice, quick soup for you and your spouse! This recipe has a soup consistency because of the yogurt and zucchini that's in it. When I give it to my daughter, I add rice cereal to help make it thicker. I would say this is a phase 2 or 3 food, but always check with your pediatrician to find out what's recommended for your child.

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

1 stalk celery, chopped
1 large carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 TBSP fresh mint, minced
1/2 TBSP fresh cilantro, minced
1 TBSP curry powder
1/2 TBSP turmeric powder

Directions:

1. Place yogurt, mint, and cilantro in a blender and puree. Pour into a small bowl and set aside. This can be made ahead of time, if desired.

2. Saute celery, carrot, and onion in olive oil until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

3. Add zucchini, bell pepper, and mushroom and cook for a couple of minutes. Add yogurt mixture, curry powder, and turmeric powder. Stir occasionally until vegetables are cooked through.

4. Move vegetables to blender and puree until smooth. It will be a soup consistency.

5. Let the curry cool and then portion into ice cube trays or baby food trays and place in freezer. I generally portion about 3 days worth into baby food bowls and place in the fridge.

Baby Recipes, Part 3: Applesauce and Pear Sauce

2010-06-08T11:35:00.003+03:00

Apple sauce and pear sauce is very easy to make and it makes the house smell heavenly! Apples and pears are both stage 1 foods, so when the apples and pears are cooked, puree them to a phase 1 consistency. Otherwise, this recipe is great for stage 2 and above.

Applesauce

Ingredients:

Apples of different varieties that are peeled, cored, and sliced into wedges (The number of apples depends on how much applesauce you want. I usually buy 15 apples of five different varieties)
Cinnamon, to taste

Directions:

1. Place apples in a large saucepan over low heat and pour 1/3 cup water over the apples.

2. Place a lid over the saucepan and let the apples slowly break down, stirring the apples occasionally.

3. When the apples begin to break down, sprinkle cinnamon over the apples, to taste. You can always add more later if you feel it's not enough.

4. Applesauce is done when the apples are all broken down. This will take a few hours, but you can further this process along by breaking up the soft apples with a wooden spoon, or you can leave it chunkier for bigger babies.

5. When applesauce is done, remove from heat and let cool. Portion into ice cube trays or baby food trays and place in freezer. I generally portion about 3 days worth into baby food bowls and place in the fridge.

Pear Sauce

Ingredients:

Pears that are peeled, cored, and sliced into wedges (More pears will yield more pear sauce. I usually buy around 15.)
Cinnamon, to taste
A pinch of nutmeg
Ginger, to taste

Directions:

1. Place pears in a large saucepan over low heat and pour 1/3 cup water over the pears.

2. Place a lid over the saucepan and let the pears break down, stirring them occasionally.

3. When the pears begin to break down, sprinkle cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg over the pears, to taste. You can always add more if you feel it's not enough.

4. The pear sauce is done when they are all broken down. This will take awhile since it takes pears twice as long as apples to break down, but you can further this process along by breaking up the soft pears with a wooden spoon.

5. When the pear sauce is done, remove from heat and let cool. Portion into ice cube trays or baby food trays and place in freezer. I generally portion about 3 days worth into baby food bowls and place in the fridge.

**You can also make an apple-pear sauce by cooking both together and just using cinnamon to flavor. The picture I posted above has apples, pears, and half a bag of frozen strawberries in it (fresh strawberries are expensive here) with cinnamon.

Chris taught Charlotte how to drink out of a water bottle a couple weeks ago. She can't do it herself, but she loves it when we hold the water bottle up to her mouth and give her a bit of water. I guess this has translated into our drinking cups. She doesn't quite get that she has to lift up the glass. If baby's could use straws, she'd be in business!

Baby Recipes, Part 2: Broccoli and Cauliflower Puree

2010-06-07T14:33:00.009+03:00

Here's another recipe that is very simple yet fresh tasting and full of flavor. It only has 3 ingredients, but the three ingredients go together very well. I like it so much that I'm going to start making this for Chris and I for dinner. I didn't write any measurements down as I just did it all by taste. I'll try and give you a general idea of how I made it below. This is easily a level 2 recipe and could even be a level 1, but I would recommend talking to your pediatrician first about when you can start introducing certain foods.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Puree

Ingredients:

Equal amounts fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets

1/4 - 1/3 cup cream cheese, or more to taste (it also depends on how much broccoli and cauliflower you use. You don't want the cream cheese to be too overpowering, so start with the minimum and work up from there.)

Directions:

1. Steam broccoli and cauliflower florets until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.

2. Puree in blender or food processor, along with the cream cheese. Add water if needed to get the puree to a smooth consistency. If using a blender, you may have to run it through a cycle more than once.

3. Let cool and portion into ice cube trays or baby food trays and place in freezer. I generally portion about 3 days worth into baby food bowls and place in the fridge.

Charlotte loves this dish!