Ali made dinner the other night!

Hi!  How ya doin'?

I am such a proud mama.  My Ali started a Junior Chefs program at the local culinary institute!  Amal, my daughter, starts this Thursday.  Remember, the weekend here is Thursday and Friday!  So, I took Ali last week to his class and he was so good because at 12 years old; he wasn't so happy going solo without a friend or knowing anyone there.  I wasn't worried because he is easy going, helpful and would be fine.  He was also a little worried because his age group is from like 8 to 12 and he is 12.  He towers over everyone even the teachers!  As soon as we walked in he saw a friend.  He went right over to her and said hi.

Ooh, this is off topic a little bit, but I have to tell you all!  About two weeks ago, he was invited to a little boy's birthday party.  He was also turning 12.  He did not want to go and I talked and talked and talked to him trying to encourage him to go anyway.  He stated that no one likes this guy.  He is new to the school.  He is different.  None of his friends were going.  He was feeling so bad for feeling like this.  He had me thinking the kid was green and with things growing from his forehead.  But nevermind, I have a very animated head.

He decided to go for the kid's sake and no one elses.  I said he might get to know this kid (picturing in my head that Ali was one of like two kids there) better or meet someone new.

Boy!  You could hear the noise level from the entrance to the compound!  There were SO many kids there from his old school, new school and neighborhood!  When Ali was getting out of the car, the kid saw him and his face lit up and he screamed, "ALI!  You're heeeeerrrreee!!"  That made my night and so I did not get mad when I ended up going in circles trying to get home!

Ali had the BEST time!  He did not get to spend much time with this kid but there were some girls from his class that he had a great time with.  And...he met a FOURTEEN year old girl from the British School!  Ooohhh..

This kid was in his cooking class!  So, he was very happy.  She is Scottish!

Now, welcome to my world of gab, gab and gab!  Such a long story just to tell you about this other kid in his class.

Wow, this is long!  Ok.  So, he was a little bummed when I picked him up.  There were a few things and I was all ears but pass me the grub man!  The kids, in three hours, made peach cobbler's in tiny cupcake cases.  They made these fish and potatoe things.  We often have these during Ramadan (the Holy month of fasting for Muslims).  The best part, they get to take it all home!

Two nights ago, I wasn't feeling so well again and he decided that he wanted to make these fish things.  I suggested instead of using the Hammour fish, that he should try canned tuna.  More flavor.  The ones he made at school were bland.

oh, oh, I forgot to mention that we got to class late and he did not get a recipe booklet.

So, back to the other night.  He got in the kitchen and I stressed to him that cleanup before and after was the key to Mami being happy.

Good God Almighty!  This kid, without a recipe, and from memory made these 'kabob's' PERFECTLY!  He did not hurt himself frying, first off.  He made a huge mess but cleaned it all up.  Ok, so I had to go after him and re-wash the frying pan and a couple of other pots.  I did not tell him.  He was so cute!  He got the taste perfect.  Just enough salt, coriander and lemon to enhance the flavor of the tuna and potatoes!  The bread crumbs stayed on and did not segregate (like my fried chicken when I made it at 12) and they were golden brown, nothing burned!

Once the kitchen was cleaned up, I got in there and made a salad.  I used spinach and gargar, ooh, what is that in the West?  Rocket?  Peppery green leafy thing.  Anyway, I put walnuts in too with cucumber, feta cheese, salt and pepper, tomatoes and chick peas.  Oh, here you go.  Here is a picture!

It took me a bit to figure out why they were so big!  He got bored making them smaller!  They should be smaller but we enjoyed them so much!  Unfortunately, my orange was dead inside!  yuk!

You can see my pin cushion WIP there with my Mystery Quilt paperwork!

Thanks for hanging out on this one!

Oh, P.S., he is SO excited to go to class this coming Thursday!  

Ali got a package from Japan! Uki is helping me!

Ali got a much anticipated package from Japan yesterday.  He got good grades in Arabic and he swindled 30OR out of his dad; which is roughly about $100.  Sucker!  I don't believe in that necessarily. I believe in reward, in moderation.  Anyway, I ended up ordering on the net and it is gonna kill me.  He did so much research and picked out the few things he wanted but Amazon sends out several packages.  The way I have my mailbox set up in NY is to send over here to Muscat three times a week and it is just gonna kill me.  However, the package from Japan did not cost any additional monies and it got here in a week.  I snapped this pic just to show him setting up the photo for me.  He is a swindler but a doll!

He got some Bakugan thing and a cute note from a little boy and some favorite Japanese treats.  We tore through them!

Then, I started working on a little project, another mug rug for who knows?  Eminem?  Haha.  I'm still jammin' to him and love him.  Back to reality; I found Uki at my sewing machine again.  This time, her motive was not hangin' with me...

It's these little annoying flying-looking ants.  They have been swarming my sewing room lately.  Perhaps because we have the windows open!?

Look closely, can you see it???

Yep, on the foot!  On the right hand side.  Little buggers.  Go Away!

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning:  lovely.  but no pics!
breakfast was yummy.
Got the turkey in the oven around 10 to sit down for lunch around 2pm.  Just like my Mom and  Dad did all my life.
Ate, it turned out so lovely.
I rested a little bit and then got up to make American Potato Salad for my BIL's BBQ that evening.
Went to the BBQ and Ali got sick.

Christmas evening:  awful.  got pics.

Ali ended up in the hospital for around 5 hours.  Poor Amu.  She was so tired.  My husband was also sick and both are now on antibiotics.  We got home around 4:30am or closer to 5am and settled the kids into bed and began the disinfecting of the house.  I got to bed at 6:30am and woke up at 10 for an appointment.  I have been scrubbing the house since.  Now, I'm off to have leftovers.  Well, later.  The culprit?  Hard to say but on Christmas Eve we had KAY EF SEE.  Never, NEVER again!

We need to get better and the house in tip top shape for my friend's visit from the USA.  This will be glorious!

Merry Christmas!

Ali singing at the Intercontinental Hotel

Ali was one of 55 children that was chosen to sing for the annual Christmas singing at the Intercon.  We went to this and then immediately went to the Oryx Caravan launch.

Please check the few posts below as this is my third post today!  Don't want you to miss anything!

I thought this was such a nice photo.  The Christmas tree next to a beautiful painting of three Omani men having dates and kahwa (Omani coffee).

From my seat, I looked up and liked the huge ornaments hanging and the wreaths.

There is my Ali.  I think he got up on his tippy toes.  Wanted to make sure that I was watching!  See the painting?

My kids next to the tree.

Happy Holidays!

I miss my Ali!

Ali went on a school trip yesterday morning, Sunday, December 12th and won't be back until tomorrow late afternoon, Tuesday, December 14th.  Three days and two nights.

I MISS HIM!  IT HURTS!

Amal and Ali in Saudi Arabia in 1999.

On his new and first big boy bed.  Reading about his favorite subject:  DINOSAURS!!  He loved these things.  Learned all about them.  Now, we saw Disney's Dinosaur and we saw Aladar and Baylene after so many years.  We both looked at eachother and sighed.  Aaahhhh...

This was his official birth announcement.  What a pretty baby! 4.1 kilos.  You do the math.  4.1 x 2.2 (lbs) = 9.02 lbs.  Big boy!

Don't you hate the date stamped on the picture?  I do.  However, I am grateful for this very useful information.  This was taken here in Oman in Seeb at the now defunct Ostrich Farm.  He is holding a 'toddler'.  He is 5 years old!

Here in Muscat.  This is his 'Nanny McPhee' tooth!

Can you BELIEVE it!????  We are driving up the western coast of Scotland with so much beauty to look at and he and Amal are asleep!  The bums!  My face was smashed against the window!

This was his little friend's birthday and he put on a tie all by himself.  My God, what a doll!

His Kindergarten graduation!

Yay!  That darn tooth finally came out!  He had to have them both pulled!  He is dressed in Omani dress.

My kids were hit by a car while coming home from school on the bus.  He lost his sandal.  Never saw it again??  He dislocated his elbow.  Amal had a head injury and was upset that there was "nothing to show for it".  Ali milked his sling to death!  Scary afternoon.

Ali is so happy that I bought him designer shades in Italy outside of the Pantheon.  There is Seth on the left of the screen; Liz behind him and Grandma Betty on the right of the screen.  Great trip!

Here is Ali at St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy.  He is feeding the pigeons and freaked out about it!  Aw...

Ready for his uncle's wedding in Omani formal attire.

This is what I am afraid of.  See what a little tiny ant bite does to my boy?  It is an allergy that is prevalent here.  He has graduated to steroid shots and breathing machines.  Now, I sent him with two EPI pens and an inhaler and pills!

In St. Louis at a pet store holding something exotic.

He loves to do your hair.  Here he is doing his cousin Melina's hair in Cleveland one summer; maybe two years ago by the looks of the kids.  That is Sofia, my niece and Amal.

OMG.  Too  cute!  We were at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Cleveland, Ohio, maybe two years ago and it started raining.  Rain is a novelty for my kids as it doesn't rain too often here in the Middle East!  Ali wanted to catch the 'fresh rain in my mouth'.  This was certainly a Kodak moment and thank you God that I had my camera ready.  Priceless!  Here we have Amal, Ali, Melina and Sofia all in an action shot!

This must have been 2008 when my Mom came to Oman.  Here she is with the kids at the Dubai Aquarium in Dubai!

Another priceless photo and memory.  Here Ali and my Mom are cutting the rug.  She is sooooooooo happy that he has that joie de vivre and loves to dance.  We all got worried about him at one point because he got so pink!  Unfortunately, he is no longer invited to mix with women now that he has passed age 10.  It's a Muslim thing.  Anyhow, he can cut the rug with my Mom any day of the year and with me too!

I went to Dubai with a friend a couple of years ago for the Dubai International Quilt Exhibition and bought Ali this really cool wig.  He took it to a friend's house and we have never been able to find it!  They looked but did not find it.  It disappeared!  You can't find wigs in Oman.  Every time I go to Dubai I look for a wig for this boy and can't find one!  I did not have a chance but did look around in St. Louis for one and couldn't find one.  I have to find one for my little man.  Here we are at home (no longer have this furniture or carpet, yay!) and he was chillin' and playing on his Nintendo when he zonked.  Priceless!

Ali, I hope you are having a wonderful time and I can't wait to see you tomorrow and hear all about it!  Love, Mami.

Stash Update 4; Ali's 12th Bday and other stuff!

Hi!  What a week!  I started off with the kids going back to school after our one week Eid Holidays.  Ali was sick so he got to stay home Saturday.  In the Muslim world; the weekend is Thursday and Friday so Saturday would be our first day of the week.  I stayed home with him and we hung out.  I sewed a little.  Sunday, we had our weekly Hardanger meeting.  I talked and talked and remembered my Mom.  When she was here two years ago she said I talked too much and did not work enough.  She observed that the other ladies were talking and getting work done.  Oh how I miss her!  Sandra's son got married in America and had a ceremony here but I could not make either one.  She kindly and graciously took all of us ladies to lunch to celebrate his marriage!  We had a lovely lunch!  Thank you Sandra!

Here from the left you see Maya, Shirin, Megumi, Sandra, MOI, Sylvie and Anisa.

This is a sneak peek for Lois and Isra!  I have since sewn 6 rows and it looks like it needs to be enlarged!

This was a cake I made last night with Ali's help!  He wanted a black and white theme so I made a new recipe of Devil's Food chocolate and a White Vanilla cake.  I am afraid to say that I did not care for the chocolate.  The kids loved it and took some home!  It was a three layer checkerboard cake.

Will I EVER achieve perfection?  I suppose if I implement the rules that I have learned instead of winging it!  The buttercream is vanilla and chocolate.  The kids loved the fork 'sewing lines'.  Yay!

My beautiful still 11 year old!  He blew the candles out way before Amal got to take the pictures so I had to relight the candles and he was posing!

Here is the bad boy cake.

Funny story:  I was washing the dishes late, late last night when I noticed that the tip of one of my spatulas was broken off.  I had SUCH a mess that I set it aside with all the debris to toss.  Never did I wonder where that piece went!  Then, fast forward to tonight and I was helping Ali cut the cake and I saw it!  I immediately realized that it was the missing piece!  I chuckled to myself and tucked it in the center.  I thought all the kids were done with the cake.  Little did I know that Amal took a little tiny piece!

Well, later Amal and I were in the kitchen and I told her the story when it was like a lightbulb went off in her head.  She exclaimed, "So THAT is what is was!!!".  I laughed so hard.  She said she ate it!  My my!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my American friends!  We are going to a friend's house and I can't wait!  I am making Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Cream Pie (and it is South Beach!), a salad for Amal and a Green Bean Casserole!  Yay!

Ali's Cupcakes!

Ali was so inspired and excited to make cupcakes. Bless that boy's heart. He thinks he is a genius! He thinks he is the best baker and is taking all the credit!? What the..? Well, he is great. He is my boy. However, I ain't raisin' no macho man. I come from the loins of a Latino macho man and am married to an Arab. In case he reads.....

I made Ali, or reminded Ali to give his Momma credit for the bits SHE did. Which was a lot! He was so patient but not so patient because I made him clean the kitchen first; then bake, then clean the kitchen again. I had to go behind him, of course and wash some items again like the food processor shoot that we put the chocolate through and all the utensils and bowls with butter on them cuz they were still greasy! The walls too had chocolate all over them! Good thing they are tiled or I would have been all over the walls too!

We had some friends over last night to play Eclipse with us and have pizza (not on South Beach) and Coke 0 and then the cupcakes. Let me tell ya, if my Ali EVER invites you over, you SHOULD come! He was great! Lovely little host he is!

So, here are the cupcakes just out of the oven....

Ali frosted the chocolate cupcakes with Peanut Butter frosting. OMG! Too good! His own little decorations too with the mini chocolate chips and the almond! Awww...

Then he frosted most of them. I asked him why he did not frost ALL of them and he said because his Daddy doesn't like frosting! Awwww....

I can't figure out why the paper cups pull away after a while. Hmmm....???

Then, after he was all done cleaning up the kitchen; he ran into the hallway and sat down and started rubbing his feet! He was really proud of himself!

Thanks for stopping by!