Eid Holidays are over, almost!

Last Wednesday was Eid al Fitr, the Eid celebration after the Holy month of Ramadan.  We went to my MIL and FIL's house and had a really nice time.  I was going on 2 hours sleep as I am still going to bed at 6:30ish in the a.m.  I cooked Tandoori Chicken the night before and by the time we got to my MIL's house, everyone had started eating and did not eat my chicken!  No problem, we ate it later.  I really enjoy the little kids.  This year it was Sundus who stole my heart.  She is a doll at 2 years old.

Just look at that face!  She is a bit shy and therefore aloof but I can ALWAYS get a child to at least smile at me.  She doesn't speak English so I must be strange to her.  I don't see her so often so she hasn't warmed up to me.  Most of my hubby's nieces and nephews have not.  My kids say I scare them and I ask, "why?" and they say I'm so WHITE!  Golly....

My SIL Shazia on the left in blue and Sundus and her Mom, Hanaa.  She is married to my husband's little brother.  She is Omani and very nice.  I like her a lot.

I've never seen this kid smile so I was so happy.  I have to become a better photographer though man.  I no longer think it is my camera but ME!

Here is Amal.  She looked so pretty but hates her photograph taken.

I have no idea what the joke was but that is me with my biggest well, I guess I was laughing!  That is Abdul Aziz with me and he is a sweetheart.  He is the other BIL's son.  

I'm trying to get Aamina to sit on my lap but she was a bit shy with me.  That is my SIL in the blue, her mother and Abdul Aziz's mother whom I really like too.  You see, my husband is the eldest of 7 kids and I am older than he is so I rank 3rd in command according to me but my sweet FIL says his son ranks above me so I am 4th!  It is FIL, MIL, HUSBAND and me.  My age doesn't matter but I am the eldest.  So, I get a lot of respect but because I am foreign I don't have the 'duties'!  Yes!

After I took the kids out of the Omani educational system and put them in the International system of education; Ali has forgotten how to wear a dishdasha for the last three years.  I insisted he be in one this year so my husband had a couple made.  Now I can't get the kid out of them!  His uncle tied on his Mussar and Ali said his brain was being squeezed out of him!  Sweet!

This is some of the golden work on my dress.

Here I am with my two babies.  They are both taller than I now and such wonderful kids.  Sometimes I think I should have had more in this culture as Amal misses having a sister and Ali feels alone a lot.  It would be futile to have any at this stage in my life so this is the dish we have been served.

We went home that night and chilled and then the next day we chilled and went to a friend's house and watched a REALLY bad movie!  Still, it was a lot of fun to reconnect with an old friend both for me and Amal.  The 3rd day, I took the kids to see Conan.  Jason Mamoa is freakin' H.O.T.

I noticed that my sapphire ring that I was wearing the previous night was missing.  I called my friend and she found it where I had been sitting then I remembered I took it off to put lotion on my hands.  So, after the movie, we went over there for a few minutes and then decided Savannah would come with us to the mall.

We were on the hunt for school supplies.  We just had a phone call that my BIL invited us all to dinner and then to an Eid Islamic Quiz.  I was scared!  I am not well read.

Amal was having a 'moment'.  Body language is so honest!  She wasn't feeling well all day to be fair to her.  Savannah and Ali were posing in the elevator for me.

I can't believe how these kids have grown up so quickly!  I still feel 18 myself!

Savannah is doing her best to cheer Amal up.

We went to the mall and to Lakeland, which is a British store full of all things cooking.  You KNOW I am happy!  I saw a Paella dish and my sweet, sweet Ali bought it for me as my Eid gift!  What a generous soul!  At the store they had this uber cool chandelier made out of strainers and stuff.

I can't wait to make this traditional dish!  I have some Spanish men that are working with my husband that promised to teach me how.  They come from the village that invented this dish!  They have already brought me back the special rice used in this and some of my favorite Spanish candy!

Then, we went to the restaurant after having dropped Savannah back home.  I added this photo because Aasiya is posing in the green.  Ali is eating Kulfi which is pistachio ice cream.  I don't care for it but he really liked it.  Sundus and I bonded and I was sharing my Naan bread (Indian flat bread) with her.  She would accept it from me and it took her forever to eat a little bit but I have the patience of whatever the saying is...

Every time Ali would ask for a bite, I missed the kodak moment so he picked her up and put a piece in her mouth and she took it and then I was happy!

I took crabby Amal (bless her) home and Ali and I went and this is our team.  We won the quiz and this is when you want the loud American relative as I was loud in our victory!  My BIL shaking Ali's hand gave us 50 OR (Omani Rial) which is around $150.  We split it with the team members and it was so much fun.  We finished at 3:30ish and I took another SIL home and got home after 4:30am.  Strange for me.  I went to bed around 6am and got up at 9:30 to get the kids to school for orientation.  Today is better.  I slept most of the night versus the day.

Now, I just got a text from another SIL and they are coming for a visit so I need to get my Red Velvet cupcakes made and in the oven and to change and tidy up before they get here!

When at the store last night, I saw this sign for ladies and three men were in the line!  I thought it was the funniest thing!  So, I had Amal take a picture.  Then, the last guy, closest to me, I started talking to him and we laughed and the cashier said it was for the other side.  No one was attending the register.  It was a good laugh!

Oh, I interviewed a maid and I really like her and she is ready to start anytime so my husband better cooperate with me and let me have her!  Wish us luck!  Once she is working out I can take the job which is open and start or devote my energies to that!  Yay!  

First day of school tomorrow too!  Lots of changes!

Thanks for stopping by and having a glimpse into my life.