First Day of SCHOOL!

Finally, the big day of a new school year.  The boys both going to the same school for the first time ever! Whoohoo! They were so so so excited to get started.  PreK and Kindergaren both started a few days after the rest of the school.  We were dying by the time it was actually "our" 1st day but we were also thankful for the special attention ASD gave their little ones in order to help them settle in easily.  Believe it or not, ASD students do not meet their teacher until the morning of their very first day.  ugh...how un-American!  Well, it went just fine and the boys had incredible 1st days without having met their teacher before hand.  You know not everything has to be done exactly how its always been done!  That's a big lesson I keep having to learn! 

Way too many pictures for the blog book I dream of creating but probably never will. 

We started off with some red and blue Dragon pancakes! Go ASD Dragons!

 Early birds...we have to be up by about 6:30 and leave our house around 7.  The commute isn't far but the traffic is hideous! 

 
My two dragons! 

 

I'm thankful for the easy transition into having my first born go to Kindergarten.  Having been there last year, Brooks was so excited and it just seems right for him to keep movin' on!  I'm certain that if we were back home in Texas I would be much more emotional about him leaving our little nest and being away every day all day.  Its just a different, comfortable, easy feeling for all of us, which is great.  His schedule changes this year by being at school for a whole day vs. half a day.  Seems like his spot in our house is empty for a long time during the day though. 

So excited to be a Kindergartener!  

 

And this little buddy...is in heaven being at ASD in PreK following in his brother's footsteps.  He's so proud of it.  And it if there's a little hand I had a hard time letting go of, its definitely my Barrett's.  

 

Not sure Georgia minds them being at school but there is nothing sweeter than their reunion at the end of the day!

 

 

Locked, loaded and ready to go. 

 

Daddy of course accompanied us to see the new digs.

 

 

The ever-so-famous DRAGON!

 

Mrs. Chaplin and Barrett...

we once again are blessed to have a Junod son pass through her classroom!!

She is so gifted with this age and has 2 boys of her own.

 

                         Giving Bear one last squeeze!! Sweet little thing.

 

Welcome to Kindergaren!!

 

Brooks next to his cubby/locker.  I love the names next to his.  

Such a blessing to be apart of this school. 

 

Brooks walked right in and started a building activity at his table.  Georgia wanted to stay and had I lingered a little longer I could have lost it completely...watching him settle in with such confidence and the lack of needing me :(

 

Stinker and I made a grocery run while the boys were busy getting smart.

 

Then it was back to school at 12:30 to pick Mr. Barrett up.  He was very sad that he didn't get to see Brooks on the playground.  We just assumed preK and Kinder would be together at recess like they were last year but that didn't happen so he was pretty disappointed.  Needless to say he's been surviving just fine without him and enjoying every bit of recess!

 

 After pick up we took Barrett out for a special PreK lunch...his choice.

 

Loving the dip the days!

 

Finally 3 o'clock rolled around and we were back to pick up Brooks.  He had an awesome day.  Unlike Barrett he didn't seem tired.  He talked all afternoon about his day and how much he loved it. 

Brooks and Mrs. Heney

 

Just a pic to remember our beautiful scenic drive home.  The number of trucks is ridiculous.

 

1st day surprise for the smarties! 

 

For desert I surprised the boys with my first ever cupcake cake.  Thanks to help of my sweet friend Jaime Ferguson, it actually worked and they actually ate it.  Sad but true, the boys thought it was a rocket.  Not sure what to think about that. 

 

 Here's to another school year!!

Hangin in the HEAT

Good gracious while waiting for school to start we weren't sure what to do with ourselves except sweat and swim.  Once we're back in Doha we usually jump right back into the sand and usual scenery but I was thankful for the slow transition of a few weeks before getting back into the school routine.  We enjoyed being lazy, meeting Daddy for lunch and playing with friends as everyone trickled back to the "Land of Almost".  

These pictures are random which represents exactly how our schedule and days went.  While we did enjoy the slowness, we were GOOD and READY for school and something to do when that 1st day finally came around! 

Just a few days before Ramadan was over, we met up with the Harris family to watch the daily canon go off which is symbolic for Muslims to break their fast for the day.  Its just a loud noise but for our boys its awesome.  It brings all types of people and is just a tradition in Doha and for our family to see every year.  We joked and said how fun it would be to break out a big Texas football-style tailgate party as soon as the canon went off. 

 

The volume of Arabic music coming from this Qatari truck was enough to send Georgia through the roof.  The man was so excited and proud for us to take a picture...Georgia: not so much! 

 

 

We get so used to the scenery in Doha.  But to look at this picture is a strange.  This location is basically down town. Behind the camera are skyscrapers and the corniche.  Here you see some desert and Doha's incredible Tennis facility.  Its all pretty random.  If you think Houston is poorly zoned and planned...well you have no idea.  

"How will it look in 2022", is my question???

Cruisin the compound but not without hydrating!

 

Hello humidity!

 

He doesn't realize he's training his competition for the driver's seat...and my precious Bear is always along for the ride!    

 

We celebrated 11 years!

 

Dinner date at one of our favorite restaurants at Spice Market in The W Hotel.  

 

Lots of people use the Eid holiday to travel but we stayed home.  Nick was off for 3 days. The boys wanted to go camping but they were even more excited about Tailgating in the toy room!  We set the tent up about 5 days before the big BU/TCU game which turned out VICTORIOUS!!!!  Pretty sure it was all the the BEAR spirit coming from the Middle East!

 

After the big win!!

 

  

Still celebrating our win over the horny toads!!!  Go BEARS!  

The boys slept in the tent for 12 nights straight!

 

Our dryer broke and Brooks was enthralled with the repair man.  Dress up!

 

Played with Cres and Emery at Doha's version of Chucky Cheese's minus Chucky and pizza.

 

 

Nothing like a little MickeyD's to wrap things up.  

 

Mr. Jerry and the his Doha grand-kids at Chili's after church! I'm thinking this is the perfect Santa pic if Jerry was in his red suit and gained a few pounds! 

 

poor iPhone pix all of this post

I went to hear our good friend Dr. Steve Scoot give a mini concert before heading to the US last week to give the real concert at Dartmouth for a found raiser.  He is amazing!  Whatever happened to the 7 years of piano I took.   

 

Just a lovely reminder of my first accident in Doha.  Of course it was on a round-about. Thankfully I was the first of a minor 4 car pile-up.  Very little damage and very very nice people and police authorities.  Sure would be nice to know Arabic though!  Thanks to my husband and his co-worker who were there to translate.  Also huge thanks to my friend and neighbor Gena who jumped down the street to keep my babies for an extended amount of time during the choas of dealing with a car accident.  

 

Justa swingin'!