Confessions of both Mama and Daughter....

Mama first...well, cause I am writing this....

1. When I get on the elevator I not only hit the button for the floor I am going to but I hit the 'close doors' button repeatedly. (When no one is trying to get on of course)

2. I put on Ratattoue rather than Minnie Mouse for my two year old(even though that is what she was asking for) because I was tired of listening to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse song.

3.The Pioneer Woman is one of my favorite people even though I have never met her. I am reading the pioneer woman’s blog while eating dinner. Saddly, I am eating plain spagetti noodles (leftover) with butter on them for dinner. Is that allowed? Reading the blog of a wonderful cook, yet eating bla...plain...leftover noodles. Oh well, if I dont eat them tonight , the trash can eats them tomorrow.

4.After being stingy with bubble wrap and tissue paper when putting away Christmas decorations, I found three unused pieces of bubble wrap. Part of me wanted to get my decorations back out and utilize these pieces of treasured bubble wrap. Guests are coming tomorrow, more cleaning is waiting me right now....so I will stick them in the cabinet beside the box of Christmas decor to use on a less busy day....who am i kidding they will probably stay there (or shoved in the Christmas decor box), unused, until next year.

Confessions from Annaka....

1. Annaka likes "chocolate in a line". I had no idea what this was until I looked at her handmotions as she asked (begged) for it. Fingers closed, flat and fingertips touching...."I want Chocolate in a line....no the one in a line" Chocolate in a line=Candy Bar

2. After being scared out of her cute little pants in a restaurant that reminds me much of Rainforest Cafe in the states...Annaka is now not fond of Rhinoceros. "That one that moves its head, thats one that moves its head, that rhinoceros is gonna kill me" ....oh my.

3. Art can be found in anything. Even when oatmeal is smeared in our hands and then our hands are clapped leaving a splattering design on the floor. "Oh pretty mommy, look" ...Annaka was very amused....mommy was not.

4. Confession....Annaka is very good at the art of delay. One night we put her to bed at 8:30pm...she was still awake at 12:30am when we went to bed. We decided a slumber party was in order so she came to sleep in our bed.
As soon as we lay down she said..."There are shadows on the ceiling, its from a car outside"
Me: Yes, now it is time to go to sleep.
Annaka: I just wanna talk to you mommy.
Me: Now it is time to be quiet and go to sleep, when we wake up and eat breakfast we can talk more.
Annaka: Ok mommy, I will be quiet now and then when i wake up we will go eat breakfast and then i will talk to you.
Me: ok, good night sweetheart.
Annaka: Good night mommy, i am going to be quiet now but when i wake up in the morning, i am going to eat breakfast and talk to you.

*cue the exact same conversation for about 10 minutes.

5. Oh there could be so much more....

Pics I never posted from Christmas

So we got a little behind....here is a brief photo overview of some Christmas events....


We made gingerbread houses three times with different friends who live around us....


I was very surprised that Annaka was old enough/interested in actually putting it together. She really knew what to do. I put the icing on and she put on all of the candy. I tried getting pictures of Annaka by our house...but her tongue was sticking out for every one....

This is her face after being told not to stick out her tongue anymore because mommy wanted a picture of her pretty smile.....

Ok, maybe this is better....

We also made Christmas cookies to deliver to friends who live near us...after rolling it out we realized we did not have any cookie cutters. I found an elephant and a whale cookie cutter in Annaka's toys. We can make an elephant work:) (Doesnt everyone have Christmat elephants?) :)



I cut out a few trees, candy canes, what was supposed to look like a star...then gave up and used a lid to cut circles. Ah I know on thing I will bring back with me next time....

Im Dreaming of a White Christmas....

Much to our surprize, pleasent surprize I might add, we got to experience a white Christmas just a few days early! In a land where temperatures hover around 75-80 during the day we escaped to a salt desert for a few days. Camels took us from our tents to this great place. Annaka loved riding on the carts and learned that Camels spit. If you ask her what a camel says she squints her eyes and pretends to 'spit'.


The camels are decorated beautifully and are ridden by patrolmen. Each division of law enforcement has a different head dress.


The desert really was amazing. I have never seen anything like it! Salt covered the ground looking much like snow!

Friends were made along the way.....


Annaka also got to ride a train here for the first time! Four letters....C.O.L.D...it was an overnight train and we about froze! Was not expecting that. Should have brought warm blankets:) On the way home, it was playtime for Annaka...so she thought.


We were so exhausted we came back a day early. Just enough time to make cookies and deliver them to friends for Christmas!

Shopping...

When entering a new culture there are many joys and many frustrations as you re-learn to do common, everyday things.

Shopping, for instance. I dont think I will every get used to having someone follow, one step behind, beside, and infront of me. Not only do they analize everything I look at or pick up...they stand in front of items I would like to look at and stare at me. Or sometimes when you are looking for something specific they throw many options in front of you without giving you the chance to look for yourself. I say all this and then go to a hobby store to get some paint (I'm painting butterflies on Annaka's bed) and could not find someone who works there to answer my question -or- ring up my purchase.

There are, however, ways I realize how I am growing accustomed to some fo the ways of life here. I remember getting a little uneasy and a bit frustrated when they would tell me I need to leave my bags at the door. Then I learned they did not mean my purse...just excess bags. Bags from the other stores. Recently while shoping I checked bags in stores...then went into a store that did not collect bags from shoppers. Rather than being relieved, I was a bit frustrated. I had stopped at a bookstore early on in the day and my bag was heavy:)