Monday, July 30, 2012

Gummie Candies and Gummie Snacks Rot your Teeth!

I am not a complete moron.  I did know that gummie anything would eventually rot your teeth, but I thought it would take time.  Like at least over 10 years.  Not sooooo.  I have been officially kicked in the butt.  I have received the "Bad Mom" Award this week.

All my kids love gummie anything.  It is their favorite treat.  I admit that I was nonchalant about their daily fix of gummies from the dukan (little shop) down the street.  It made them happy and the candy is dirt cheap.  You can get 2 gummies for 5 cents.  Well, they are not cheap anymore, after a trip to the dentist.

Who, you may ask, has rotten teeth?  My oldest? No, but he does have braces.  My middle?  No, but that would have made more sense.  That leaves my youngest?  YES!!!  The four year old with all her baby teeth had to have dental work done.  Not just any work done.  She had two root canals done on her back molars!!!!  I am in my mid thirties and have never had a root canal done (But I am long overdue for a dental checkup).  It is very ________ (fill in the blank) that my four year old has had two root canals. UGH.

Can you believe that?  I have instructed my kids that gummies are no longer allowed in their mouths!!!!!  Not even the vitamins.  They will have to just be happy with chips, chocolate, and gum from now on!  lol.

Our dentist said that gummies are the worst thing to eat for teeth.  Let this be a lesson to all!  Say No to Gummies!


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Baba is Home!

Yes, he is!  Baba is home for 7 weeks!  I am sooo loving how he has been able to visit us every three months this year.  The first year I was in Jordan, guess how many times he could visit?  If you answered ZERO, than you win first prize.  My second year in Jordan has been a different story, thank God.  Ray has been able to visit 3 times for at least 4 weeks every three months.  Love him!

This visit was the "Surprise visit".  The kids and my in-laws did not know the correct date he would arrive.  I actually was a good liar this time.  On the day of Ray's arrival,  Layla and I left our house with my lie of needing to go grocery shopping. (My MIL says ,now, that she was suspicious because I was going grocery store shopping with makeup on?lol)  I even told Layla that we were going to the airport, because a man was bringing her a present from Baba.  hehe.  She bought it!

On our way home, I called Rami on the phone to tell him and Adam to get their butts downstairs and help me with the "groceries".  But before we round the corner to the house, Ray wants to get out of the car and walked the rest of the way.  So, Layla and I round the corner in the car, and see Rami and Adam waiting with a confused expression on their faces (because Layla is screaming inside the car, "Baba is here!"over and over)  Ray takes his sweet time walking around the corner.  During this time, all the kids do not know what to believe.  Needless to say,  it was a very exciting reunion.



The Next Morning Cuddle Time!

Saturday, July 21, 2012

First Day of Ramadan

Hooray, Ramadan is here!  (For those of you that know me, lol.  For those of you who do not know me, read past post).  Ramadan is a fasting month for Muslims where you do not eat or drink anything during the daylight hours.  This year will be the hottest and the longest fasting time in many years.  It also does not help that Jordan is in the middle of another heat wave.  Most people are staying up all night and sleeping as much as they can during the day.  In my opinion, these are smart people!

In previous years, the first meal of Ramadan is spent with everyone crowded around the food on the floor of Teta's garden.  This means 10 adults and 14 kids in the space of about a 12 seat dining room table.  Very crowded, loud, and messy.

This year, we broke fast in our separate houses.  It was a nice change, and very relaxing. I cooked macaroni spaghetti and fixed my yummy salad.



Now, I knew that Teta was cooking stuffed grape leaves, (yummy, but too much work involved), so I had to get me some.  I traded two bowls of macaroni spaghetti and two bowls of yummy salad for a plate full of stuffed zucchini and grape leaves.  Score!!

Congratulations to Rami for fasting the entire day!  Great job to Adam for fasting 8 hours.  Layla is too young to fast.  As for me,........  I am Christian. 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Update

Well, an update is by far, long overdue.  My family and I have been back in Amman, Jordan for two years.  Why have I not been posting new material, you might ask?  I could make excuses and say, "All my work was lost in cyberspace!" or "The dog, we do not have, ate it!".  But I won't.  I will tell you that I did not post because I did not post.  No reason, no excuses.

The last two years have been an education.  My greatest accomplishment is navigating the streets of my adopted city.  I know so much about my way around Amman, that even my mother in law is impressed.  Snaps for me!

As of now, the kids and I are trying to make it through another heat wave in Amman.  We are bundled at night in the one room with air conditioning, the boys' room.  It is actually very nice.

Thank goodness we have a year membership to YMCA (Can you believe they have one of those here?!  My husband saw the sign for it on the highway by chance the last time he was here for a visit.  Love him!).  The kids and I are swimming 3 times a week.  We are all getting so tan!  MIL is kinda freaking out about how dark the kids are.  Here in Jordan, everyone wants lighter skin.  Everyone, except the crazy Americans who adore tans.

Anyway, in closing, I have decided to return to blogging about my adventures here.  The past two years have given me lots of material to write about.  Yeah!!!