The Weekend

Good morning! We had a three day weekend this week. Wednesday we went to Schwarma night.They set up tables and tables of yummy traditional foods. Cheese breads, stir frys, schwarma is flat bread with chicken and a garlic spread. Its yummy. It reminds me of a Gyro. There is a game room and playground that the kids have fun at. The community kinda comes together on this night, and I don't have to cook!



Thursday we went and found the Aramco beach.  It is about 15 minutes from the camp.  It was beautiful and will be fun to enjoy. Its called half moon bay. The kids found lots of starfish, shells, and crab.

 The place looks deserted, I know.  I just tried to be respectful and not photograph the Arabic. We were the only white Americans on the beach. 

 Is it alive? 

 Then we came upon a road side bazaar I guess. It was bizarre! It was like shopping at walmart from your car with Arabian children flying around you on four wheelers, men running on horses, camel rides, pony rides. It was very interesting... I bought a rug that I thought was pretty... not so pretty when I got it home.

 Friday we went to church and enjoyed our branch and time to worship and reflect.  I am so overcome with gratitude and amazement for the blessings of a restored gospel. Our district president spoke as well as another visiting authority.  Elder Ketchner I believe.  Did you know that they are going to be dedicating the first chapel in the Middle East in a few weeks. It is in Abu Dhabi. This area is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. I found this so interesting.  I realize that some of you reading my blabber do not share my same faith.  I hope you don't mind me sharing my truest feelings when I write. I am considering this blogging venture to be my families journal.  I am going to print it out and have it bound in a book.

 Chips and salsa.. yummy. Tortilla chips are hard to find in the Kingdom and so we were told to go to Chilis and they would bag them up for you.. Sure enough, we came home with chips.

 Cheese burger on its way=Mason is very happy!

 Us after Pizza Hut, Sydney was annoyed because she is trying to eat healthy and we took her to Pizza Hut. How RUDE!!

 Someone asked why we wear the abaya... Well, this is what I know. The women here are all covered and if you don't want to stand out more than you already do then you should wear the abaya..It is their culture, and their belief. We don't want to offend or seem like we are better. We want to appear modest and doing our best to respect their cultures and traditions.  Besides if you eat to much pizza you don't have to worry as much :)

The ladies in the Branch tell me you can count on gaining the "freshmen fifteen" when you first arrive here. I think that I am beginning to believe them.  We are finding lots of comfort in the good old American Fare.  We visited Chili's and Pizza hut over the weekend. Besides the beef pepperoni and beef bacon it was good. :) At the Commissary on camp they have an in house flat bread oven. I am quite enjoying that!

I heard this song for the first time the other day and couldn't help but think about my sister in law Elise... I miss her in my life very much and think of her everyday. I know she would think I have lost it here in the Middle East but she would tell me to be brave, I know it!!

(copy and paste the URL)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYWyVUljrQ8#