Cute Kids...

Yeah, I know it's been awhile.  With rough back to back colds and various other life events, we've been distracted.  So here are some pictures of the kids from January to now.

Micah loves playing with her kitchen set and "feeding" us.

The many faces of Micah (she loved posing for my new camera):

 

Levi loves this screen...

 

When you gotta go, you gotta go!

 

Micah and her friend Priscilla love going to the potty together...and buttons can be tricky!

 

Messy face, Levi!

 

 

 

Levi learning how to clap in February:

 

Box fun...

 

 

 

These two little girls ran out of church and grabbed these donuts to eat before we could say no.

 

 

Believe it or not, in Micah's three years, this was the first time I've made popsicles for her.  Levi loved them too!

 

This was also Levi's first time having monkey bread (his piece was mostly biscuit, not sugar).  You do things a little differently with the second child.  James thought it was monumental so he wanted to take a picture.

Okay, I've finally done it...

I got a maid. Now, those of you who don't live in Doha, don't think I'm odd. I'm actually one of the last of my friends to get one. To be honest, I felt kind of odd for not having one - especially in my compound (neighborhood) where it seems as though every house has a live-in maid. Mine is only coming once a week for four hours - if she wasn't scared off from cleaning our master bathtub. (My excuse on that one was that I just had a baby but I guess I can't use that anymore since he is almost 10 months old!)

I've actually wanted to have someone come clean ever since we moved here. The dust that creeps into the house is just so hard to keep up with. Add to that two children, three cats, a messy husband and my laziness, things were just not getting the deep cleaning they needed. (Ooh, I hear she is in the kitchen now which means she is coming to an end for the day.) I feel a little weird though - the kids are both napping, I am wasting time on the computer and someone else is cleaning my house. Isn't that my job since I am staying at home? Well, I really want to put all my energy into my kids. That's my rationale and I'm sticking to it! Oh, Levi just woke up...now I can feel productive even when someone else is cleaning my house.

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Take twelve whole months.
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness,
hate, and jealousy.
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into twenty-eight, thirty, or thirty-one different parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients.
Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage,
and one part of work.
Add to each day one part of hope,
faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer, one part meditation,
and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits,
a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humor.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy,
garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness,
and cheerfulness.
You're bound to have a happy new year.

Author - unknown