Jeepers!

Has it seriously been that long since my last post? I'm totally slacking, and super busy.

We went on a family camping trip--pictures to follow soon. Had a magnificent time together. I honestly feel as though I'm living the American dream sitting under the stars with my Mr. and roasting marshmallows. Hearing the children playing in the trailer with new friends and spending nothing but good ol' quality time with each other is the ultimate vacation. Who the heck needs swanky hotels, spas and five star restaurants? Well....now I'm getting a little bit ahead of myself! I do so love places such as that, but camping feeds my soul. Plus, they wouldn't allow my sleeping buddy to come along.

I've been studying nearly every waking minute........and.........I'm thrilled to report that it has payed off! I passed the LPN boards and just yesterday submitted my application for the nursing program this August. Phew! I feel the relief, no longer in my hands, no longer weighing on my shoulders. Feels great to clear this mess from my desk, if only for two months. I will find out in either April or early May if I have been accepted (fingers crossed).

Smooches,

Rie

New Year New Dreams

Off to Tucson we drove to camp for a whole week! Relaxation and quality time with the kids was calling our names. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans.

Our trailer almost tipped on it's side when one of the jacks broke. Our heater went out during the night with temperatures in the 30's. They don't allow campfires in Tucson (this perhaps was the biggest bummer of all). I chipped a tooth. My mother and father-n-law came along and their heat went out at night. They had a major leak that required a plumber. He came down with double pink-eye and she had a major allergic reaction requiring a trip to urgent care.

Needless to say, we threw in the towel.

The lesson we all learned: You cannot control what happens around you but you can control your own reactions. We chose to make the best of everything that happened and continue our vacation... at home.

I had a lot of time to think about the New Year and all the things I want to change, but settled on two.

1. I need to be healthier. I've already begun getting back into the gym, if only to walk a treadmill for 30 minutes.......it's a start. Breakfast is the most important meal and I've skipped it for years, not this year.

2. When we brought Leila home I made the decision to stay home and work my butt off getting her the best care to give her the best start. Dealing with the State to get her accepted into their program which provides free therapy was a full time job in itself. She was accepted and has received therapy mostly in our home two-three times weekly. There have been surgeries and there will be more.

In October, the public school system will take over the responsibility for therapy integrated in the preschool program. She will go four times a week. I will continue my part at home. But now this leads me to ask the question, what will I do with my time come October?

I'm ever so proud of the family we've created. The time has come to strengthen myself and in doing so, strengthen my family. I want my kids to be proud of their mom, proud of her accomplishments.

The time has come.

The big decision is that I will be going back to school to receive my RN. I only have one year left but it will be a difficult one. Sacrifices will have to be made but it's never going to be easy. I've prayed long and hard for many years and this year feels right to pursue my dream. When both children are in school full time, I can work and help support our family.

On New Year's Eve, I submitted requests from the three school's I've attended to have transcripts sent to our local nursing school. A symbolic event as I marked the New Year with new dreams.

May the force be with me eh?

What new dreams will you fulfill in 2010?

Crap!

So Terri went to take the laundry to the front of the resort......
his check engine light came on! He is now at a local dealership trying to get a diagnosis. Jalyn and I are stuck at the trailer, and Terri is stuck there. Not exactly the way we envisioned our vacation. Hopefully it won't be anything major.

We've made new friends. Our neighbors. They are an amazing family that lives in Northern California. We made a vow that every year we will meet up with them here for a family camping trip. We are hoping for the fourth of July next year however, I went in to reserve a beach-side spot and they wanted $3200 for a week! NUTS! I could take the whole family to Maui for that price. Our friends hubby does work here and several co-workers live here year-round, so he's going to try and work his magic on the price issue. Don't get me wrong, this place is a 5-star camping resort and for most people here it would be a drop in the bucket.......but we ain't most people:)

I was sad to hear about Jon and Kate plus 8's episode last night. Yes.....I'm hooked. I've been hooked since the very beginning. I've basically watched a marriage fall apart over time and it's so sad. I pray that there is still hope. The camera's should have been gone long ago and their priorities should have re-arranged. Who could thrive in a fish bowl like that? Not too many of us.

I'm watching my kiddo feed the ducks right outside our trailer......does life really get any better? Well goodbye for now my dear blog, I'm getting MY priorities straight right now and going to join my son and his ducks.

Memorial Weekend

Camping up north. No make-up no hair no problems.

Boy does she love suckers!

Cool man cool. Jalyn going for a ride on his uncles quad.


Hotter than blue blazes in this place....
remind me again how I ended up in the bowels of the desert...ahh yes, I remember.....boyfriend moves to desert, girlfriend follows boyfriend to desert, boyfriend flakes and leaves girl in desert, girl meets prince charming and lives happily ever after in the desert, not so happily in summer.

We went on a camping trip this weekend up north. There were storms! We even had to wear sweaters around the fire. We went with my in-laws, Mr. and Mrs. Whoo and Thing One and Thing Two.

We returned to the miserably hot desert only to find that our air conditioning............died. Dear God in heaven.

It has been a long few days in the Al-Mutawa house. Hot mama equals grumpy mama. AC guy came and fixed the darn thing.....500 bucks later. I sure can think of a better way to spend 500 dollars! The joys of being a homeowner.

Back to my Kyrgyz stories tomorrow. Right now, last year, we were in Kazakhstan. And boy do I have stories from that phase of our visit.

But for now, I'm off to bed to hopefully enjoy a good nights sleep with air conditioning.

Adios!

Our first camping trip was a success!

We had a blast! Our friends Mary, Bill and their son Billy joined us along with Tariq's parents. Leila had a slumber party at her friend Brooklyn's house. This way we could spend some good quality time with J and not have to be so stressed our first time out. We stayed at a lake that is only 45 minutes from our house! We found this great area where you pull your truck right up to the water (since there is no "beach", it's paved) and the parents just put their chairs right in the water and watch their children. We roasted marshmallows, had great bbq's and most importantly, we spent time bonding with J and Tariq's parents. Family and friends are the most wonderful gifts.Jalyn bonding with Daddy. They sat here for about an hour just taking in the views of the water and mountains. A picture perfect moment.
I love my bubby so much! We played catch with a football in the water and just had a blast!

J loved riding the waves that came from the boats farther out. Some were actually quite big.

Our big camping dog, Nasser. He loved going for walks and meeting new friends. Jafar is getting too old to take out in the heat. He has terrible arthritis and wouldn't be able to tolerate getting up into the camper. And Amir is grouchy, he would not be a good camping boy! Nasser is only one and very well trained (although we didn't train him! Vet thinks he is part boarder collie so maybe he's just smart like that:)

The guys playing washers on our site. The camper in the background is Tariq's parents.


Next camping trip will be with our whole AZ family! The entire Whoo family will be there while we celebrate thing 1 and thing 2's birthdays along with Tariq's parents! I'm really looking forward to it. Although it was a TON of work to get ready, it was completely worth it. We created so many memories and that is what it's all about. I'm finding that camping is addictive, you just feel so relaxed when you get back. We are also planning another trip. We are either going to take an ADULT ONLY trip, just me and my man having some alone time together.........OR take the kiddos to CA and maybe go to Sea World.............decisions, decisions.........

Our Big Family Surprise...........

After years of saving, researching and dreaming..........we finally had a dream come true and found our perfect trailer.

We have dreamed of camping with our kiddo's and sharing with them what our parents gave to us as children........memories.

I vividly remember camping every fourth of July and watching spectacular fireworks, standing on my dad's shoulders in the lake and jumping off, campfire stories, smores, wading in the creek, fishing and loading up on boat loads of candy for only a dollar at the campground market (long gone are those days).

May I present to you our new memory-maker on wheels!

Jalyn jumping for joy when we pulled up with the trailer.

MY domain! Well as you can see I'll share with our camping dog:)

We surprised Jalyn with the opportunity to have a slumber party in the trailer (parked in front of our house) the first night we brought it home. He asked that I sleep in there with him. Now, if you know anything about me at all, you know I'm a big chicken! But I took one for the team. We watched Gremlin's, ate junk and called it a night around ten. I had a terrible nightmare that someone broke into Tariq's truck (as it was still connected to the trailer) and hauled us off. I woke at 2am scared out of my mind. I felt so vulnerable sleeping out there on our street!!! But I was a trooper and toughed it out. Jalyn, Nasser (our camping dog) and I all slept on the queen bed. Even though Jalyn has his own bunk beds in the back complete with TV, he wanted to sleep with Nasser and I.

Since Miss Leila retires at 5pm, she slept in the house, but she did join us for (her third) breakfast in the trailer. She was so excited!