We just got back from a 3 day trip to San Antonio to visit Aunt Julie, Uncle Eric and the cousins Evelyn and Charlotte. It had been a while since we’d seen Evelyn and it was our first visit with baby Charlotte. It was a wonderful visit with the Lacoutures and we packed a lot into 3 days not least of which was a visit to Randolph AFB to look at the jets where Uncle Eric is a flight instructor. Here is the first set of pictures.
2012 Christmas at the Fort
Forts Folle Avoine, a local fur trade re-enactment attration, hosts a “Christmas at the Fort” event each year. This year we were luck to catch it while Lea Ann, Nina and Sara Post were visiting. Grandma and Grandpa Jacobs also came over for a visit. The weather was beautiful except for the no snow part. That came a day later.
Flag Football
Kai recently started participating in a weekend Flag Football group here in Dhahran. He’s really enjoying it and has super coaches. I feel really fortunate that we have a vibrant social fabric here supported by people who get involved. Thank you coach Brad, coach Gary and all the rest.
Kai gets and 'attaboy from super coach Gary
Kai looks ready for a drink of water
At the end of practice
Cub Scout Campout
This last weekend was the annual Cub Scout campout for Pack 3253. Even though the campout was right on camp a lot of work and planning goes into it – especially from Den Leader Crystal. The kids had a wonderful time though and I know that it is an event that Kai really looks forward to. Siblings were allowed to join starting at 4pm so Nora was there playing flashlight tag and sleeping in the tent overnight as well.
This year Den 14 was in charge of the opening flag ceremony and Kai’s name was drawn to be the US flag bearer. He took his role very seriously and it was one of the best executed flag ceremony I’ve ever seen 3rd graders do.
Enjoy the photos!
A shot of our table where we would hand out candy for the next 4 hours.
The pumpkins have a fan in the base constantly blowing in air which leaks out of tiny holes. Nora found one of the holes and was panicked that the pumpkins had sprung a leak.
Sometimes the force just isn't enough....
Nora very abruptly lost her second tooth recently and is still quite proud of the gap.
Out inflatable pumkin yard decoration that we picked up in target a decade ago is still going strong. Dozens of families stopped for a photo opportunity.
With the lights off...
Kai's pumpkin along with the original plans.
With the lights off...
Nora's final pumpkin along with the original plan. The eyes don't go all the way through - a thin layer of pumpkin remains. It was my first attempt with this technique and it turned out pretty well.
This isn't a Halloween picture but I thought I'd throw it in. Nora has no trouble keeping herself entertained. Here she decided to put on a Thai hat and an armful of bracelets and then went around the house playing a memory card game in different locations.
Den 14 gets ready for the opening flag ceremony
Kai psychs himself up for his role
Kai was all business. There was no way that flag was going to touch the ground.
Kai kept his eye on the crowd in case anyone made a move for his flag
Kai gives it his all during the tug of war
Den Leader Crystal
On the hike
While rinsing his photo paper Kai makes threatening gestures towards the paparazzi
After just one session of flag footbal Kai can put a better spiral on a football than his Dad.
Kai gets ready to slap coach some skin
Halloween 2012
We weren’t expecting a very busy Halloween night given that so many people were still away on holiday. However, we were still well-stocked with 600 pieces of candy which we figured would be more than enough. Lance and Deb Riley brough pizza and joined us for a very pleasant evening of sitting in the driveway and handing out treats. There were a lot of Saudi visitors and most even had some sort of costume. All of the trick-or-treaters were fun and courteous with only one exception – a young boy who was really set on getting a double helping of candy.
Things started out slow a little before 5pm and by the time the sun was down we were mobbed. The candy we had on hand gave out around 6:30pm and Ben ended up doing a run to the Quicky Mart in his “Reneaisance Man” costume for more. By 8pm the trick or treaters had slowed to a crawl and we packed it in. I didn’t keep count but clearly we had more than 600 stop by.
Kai and Nora ended up doing some local loops on their own and then made an far loop to the other side of the school with some friends. I was glad that they showed some independence and I’m also struck by how lucky we are to live in a place where I can let my 3rd grade and KG kids run around trick or treating on thier own. Security was out in force with foot patrols at major intersections and cars driving by every 30 minutes. I can only speak for the area of camp we were in but I think they did a great job of ensuring a safe and kid-friendly evening.
Enjoy the pictures…
Halloween 2012
A shot of our table where we would hand out candy for the next 4 hours.
The great pumpkings
The pumpkins have a fan in the base constantly blowing in air which leaks out of tiny holes. Nora found one of the holes and was panicked that the pumpkins had sprung a leak.
Stormtrooper having an off day
Sometimes the force just isn't enough....
Cinderella and her missing teeth
Nora very abruptly lost her second tooth recently and is still quite proud of the gap.
A photo op
Out inflatable pumkin yard decoration that we picked up in target a decade ago is still going strong. Dozens of families stopped for a photo opportunity.
Kai's Pumpkin 2012
With the lights off...
Kai's Pumpkin 2012
Kai's pumpkin along with the original plans.
Nora's pumpkin 2012
With the lights off...
Nora's pumpkin 2012
Nora's final pumpkin along with the original plan. The eyes don't go all the way through - a thin layer of pumpkin remains. It was my first attempt with this technique and it turned out pretty well.
Games Nora Plays
This isn't a Halloween picture but I thought I'd throw it in. Nora has no trouble keeping herself entertained. Here she decided to put on a Thai hat and an armful of bracelets and then went around the house playing a memory card game in different locations.
Koh Samui 2012
The Eid Holidays are our major chance for travel during the school year and because they align with the Hijra lunar calendar they move up about 11 days each year. This year the break fell at the end of October which made the time right for a tropical island trip to Koh Samui, Thailand. We stayed at Rocky’s Boutique Resort which was just perfect – small and private with a great staff and a wonderful beach. For the most part we simply alternated between beach, pool, massage and food in various combinations each day. One interesting side trip was dinner at the Tree Tops restaurant – only 7 tables and nestled in the branches of a huge tree and overlooking Chaewing Bay. Amazing dining experience complete with a “salt guru” who visited our table to recommend the correct type of salt to use with the various dishes. The other highlight was hiring a boat for the day to take us out for some “snorgling” as Nora calls it, fishing and some time on a tiny island that was all beach.
Enjoy the pictures ((Some of these pictures were also posted on facebook during the trip itself but I’m didn’t take the time to weed out duplicates))! Note that I’m still fiddling around with the new gallery format on the site since I upgraded – hopefully everything is working. Drop me a line if things don’t seem to work or you have a suggestion for improvement. I’m keeping my web photos on Flickr now and just linking a gallery onto the blog. You can use the “view in Flickr” link to just to my photostream and view even more images.
The kids are goofy but in high spirits as we departed for Koh Samui.
Nora was happy to have finally arrived.
Nora with a long nose.
It was sunny when we first landed and we took a quick nap. We were awoken by Nora squealing with excitement over the rain storm that swept in.
This was early in the storm. By 15 minutes later that entire path was underwater.
At the tip of the resort was a tiny little beach that we spent a lot of time on. Often we had it to ourselves but never were there more than one other couple.
Kai and Nora fight the incomming tide.
I never get tired of Nora's sunny disposition
All that fun on the beach can wipe a girl out.
Kai staring out to sea.
A Panorama of our favorite beach.
Kai is caught unawares by the paparatzi.
Dinner at Tree Tops restaurant. It may not look like it but we were way up in the branches of a tree.
We weren't sure they would but Kai and Nora really took to massages.
Kai was too cool for things like face paint.
Nora the butterfly.
Halloween Parade 2012
Today was the annual Halloween Parade at the Hills School. It happened very early this year since people were scattering for the Eid holiday it was now or never. As is usual, the day of the Halloween Parade was unusually warm and humid. Also as usual Kai looked like he couldn’t wait for it to be over and Nora loved the stroll in front of her adoring fans.
Halloween Parade 2012
Kai went as a clone trooper. He was all set to go as a pirate but backed out at the last minute for fear of looking rediculous. Being on public display in any context takes Kai out of his comfort zone.
Halloween Parade 2012
Nora went as Cinderella this year - we've really gotten some wear out of the Disney princess costume from last year. She made a sensible choice in wearing crocs instead the plastic heels that came with the dress because heels just won't do on the playground during recess.
Nora’s Birthday and a Website Change
Nora turned 6 last month and it has certainly taken me a long time to get photos posted. My previous webhost that I’ve had since I launched our family website many years ago was not delivering the way I had hoped and and I shopped around I saw that I could be getting more for less. So I started the process of transferring almost a decade worth of blog over to a new host which was no small task – at least no small task for me who had never done it before.
The website is now hosted on another personal domain of mine shammal.net though the old address redirects and is the best way to get there – just type in bencrystal.net to get to the site as always. I updated the software that runs the site during the move and a few of the plugins are currently broken such as the gallery. I’ve got a work around for now and hopefully that will get better.
Anyway – on to the pictures – here are a few from the party…
The Last set from Danbury
It doesn’t usually take an entire month to work through the last of the vacation photos but this time it did. I’m blaming the network. At any rate, the last images of a fantastic summer vacation are posted on the bencrystal.net website. Enjoy!
The County Fair
Though we’re back to the heat in Saudi there are still a few images left to work through – here are some of the Post’s visit to Danbury and our visit to the Sibley County fair. Kai was allergic to something there (or maybe all of it) so he was a watery eyed mess by the end but both he and Nora still really enjoyed it.
