Daybook - Sunday, 10 February, 2013

Outside my window...

I was chatting with my friend in the Boston area yesterday, and she told me they were literally snowed in, as in, they couldn’t get their front door open. Sitting here, I close my eyes, imagine that, and then I open them again. Outside my window it is sunny, warm (over 70°F), Sunday calm with not as many cars and happy families strolling along the blue Mediterranean sea. What a contrast.

I am wearing...

My regular pink striped H&M maternity t-shirt and my Motherhood maternity jeans. I've completely given up on finding maternity wear here, and will just rotate the same few outfits that I have until I'm done. It's getting really, terribly boring, but what can I do?

I am thankful for...

...the fact that, under the circumstances, I am physically doing really well. Although I can’t wait for the day it is safe for this baby to come out, I am cherishing these days-weeks of calm, expectation and preparation.

On my mind...

You mean apart from what is going on in my body? My pregnancy brain is on a mission: to prepare our family for the birth. This involves so much more than buying diapers (check!) and washing baby clothes (check!): school work, organization, planning, paperwork (taxes, passports, VISA, tickets, etc.), stocking up… As things to do pop into my head I transfer them to a list in my calendar. Then I try to get something done every day. Although we still have six weeks, technically, I prefer to have everything done sooner rather than later. Partially because you never know, right? But also because I know I will run out of energy, and I would like to spend some time on Lent and everything that it entails.

Towards an education...

We have almost reached the renaissance in our history studies, which is the goal of this semester. The boys just finished their special projects on Hildegard von Bingen, the Black Death, and the crusades, and this week we will study Asia during medieval times. August just finished the Canterbury tales and Ivanhoe this weekend (William is almost done with his abridged version), both boys are reading the stories of Shakespeare, and we’re continuing with Thomas Aquinas, which triggers some very interesting discussions around the dinner table. Despite some difficult days last week, I’m quite happy with the way things are going.

From the kitchen...

Every cabinet is full of food and drinks, the fridge is well stocked, as is the freezer. We went to the store this weekend, and there are well over a dozen meals to choose from. Today we went through an entire water melon, had spinach salad, and then roast chicken with broccoli, potatoes, gravy, and cranberries. Tomorrow we will have something that involves leftover roast chicken and potatoes – probably potato salad – along with more fresh spinach salad (I got two pounds for a dollar).

Around the house...

I’m enjoying our tidy house this evening, which has been cleaned up for a busy week: laundry has been put away, toys, books, electronics – everything is in its place. The kitchen is clean. I even managed to clean out and sort our dumping ground for everything of any importance bookshelf at some point last week so it looks nice and tidy. Don’t worry though – by 11 am tomorrow morning our house will be a mess again.

Some plans for the week...

Apart from all our regular work and activities, we have the three day marathon of Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and Valentine’s Day lined up this week, with the special meals, special activities and events that these days entail. On Friday I am going in for my placenta accreta MRI and then we are celebrating a friend’s birthday. There’s another social event planned for the coming weekend. Maybe I can get some work in too?

Daybook - Friday, 5 October, 2012

Outside my window…

The kids are all playing together outside in the playground, the older ones chasing the younger ones around. The sun is shining on them, but it’s not too hot anymore, just in the high 70’s, which makes playing tag so much more enjoyable. There’s a light breeze from the sea, spreading the salty scents of the Mediterranean through my open balcony doors into our home.

I am wearing...

An Old Navy pink maternity ruched slub-knit scoop tee and a pair of Old Navy low-rise waist maternity jeans. Yeah, I'll get to that. Let's say I'm comfortable.

I am thankful for…

So much right now! The blessings of new life, and the ability to provide, teach and enjoy. There’s basically no money in our bank account for the moment (we’re still in that intermediate lapse that happens to us at the beginning of fall every year: we have spent everything we had on trips and education for the new academic year, but we are still waiting for refunds and allowances to cover those expenses) – but I feel so rich and so, so very blessed.

I am thinking about…

Focusing on the present: the professor has a major book manuscript due in a few days, AND an award ceremony he has to attend (abroad!), PLUS some other issues that have to be taken care of in the next couple of weeks, and his business impacts our entire existence right now. I have to stay on top of housework, laundry, shopping, cooking, the boys’ school work and everything else, or it will all fall apart. To top it off, August is turning 11 next week and has requested a party, with pizza, cake, and games, AND I have some pretty large jobs coming in, which means I will be spending a lot of hours working this week. The next seven days will be a big challenge! (Especially since we can’t afford to order out.)

Towards an education…

Slow and steady.

I love, love, LOVE our new Rod & Staff grammar books! THIS is grammar, I keep thinking to myself when I see it. It’s perfect. Together with the Spelling Workout program, our self-constructed “Word-roots, suffixes and prefixes” course, Writing Strands, and a great reading list, our English program this year is very solid.

Everything else is progressing well too. We’re good. In this region, we’re good.

From the kitchen…

I have no inspiration. At all. Last night I made baked potatoes for dinner. In the microwave. With some veggies on the side, and a lot of fruit for dessert (a generous neighbor brought some fantastic fresh grapes down from their property in the mountains, and apples are in season and really good right now). I’m not sure what you can call it, but it’s not cooking.

I am working on…

I am growing a life. Not metaphorically but literally. And it’s more work than I remember: most literature and advice tell me I “will feel better towards the end of the first trimester,” but really, this has come and gone, and I have yet to see any improvement.

Yes, it turned out my out-of-the-ordinary problems at the end of the summer were much more out-of-the-ordinary than expected. I will share details later. For now though, let’s just say: I know, right!?

And if you know of any energy-improving remedies for women in my condition, let me know. God knows I could use some over the next couple of weeks.

I am reading…

In the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, for our book club. I vaguely remember it from high school, but it’s different this time, since I’ve lived in Africa, and I’m older and more experienced; I’m really enjoying it in a whole new light. It makes me think of other books I should re-read. What books would you choose?

Around the house…

It’s not too bad, actually, considering, but our house is bare; I just manage to keep things tidy and relatively clean (much thanks to our cleaning lady who comes once/week) but I can’t seem to get to the decorating part. I would like to create art with the boys, and make our home warm, cozy and fall-like. Now, our living room and kitchen look like someone put everything away and cleaned up in anticipation of something new arriving. Only, there’s nothing in the making, because by the time I’ve finished with the boys’ most essential work, my own work, and the house every day, I’m too beat to do anything extra or creative. Sigh. Maybe I’ll get a refreshing burst of energy this coming weekend. (My hopeful thought at the beginning of every week for the past few weeks.)

Any ideas for easy, beautiful fall crafts that don’t require a lot of special materials?

Daybook - Saturday, 11 August, 2012

Outside my window…

Sunny, hot and quiet. I imagine most people are at home, getting ready to celebrate Eid El Fitr tonight, which marks the end of Ramadan. After a few days of swimming and sun, I am taking a break from the beach today, trying to get some projects finished inside (where we have the A/C running, full blast).

I am wearing…

My red shorts, which I am so happy to be able to fit into – I bought them before we moved to Cairo, but this is the first summer since then that they actually fit me. I am also wearing my black&white checkered blouse, which is way too big, since I bought it one year ago, when I was at my biggest. The two don’t match, and I wouldn’t leave the house like this, but for today, it’s a good outfit.

I am listening to…

The kids got the Duplos poured out all over the living room floor and are playing all kinds of creative, imaginary games. Hearing the 3-year old alter his voice to act different characters is totally cracking me up!

Towards an education…

I would like to start school back up in two or three weeks, but we won’t have any of our new material. In fact, we will not have our new books until the Husband comes back from the US – on 18 September. Although it may sound like it, it’s not bad planning – there’s nothing we can do about it: I can’t buy our books here, or order our school material to Lebanon, and even if I could, I will not have the money to order anything until the end of this month anyways. So what do we do during this time, as not to waste these precious first weeks of school? This is what I am thinking about right now.

Around the house…

The school room is coming together nicely, although I still have to go in for the final push and organize all the little things, like art supplies, materials, manipulatives, etc. I should probably decorate the walls too, although putting anything up on the walls is always a big challenge here. The bookshelf in the living room is almost done as well – it has over the past weeks slowly gone from a chaotic dumping ground to looking like an actual bookshelf. Even if we don’t have any new books for our school start, at least our house will be set up and ready!

From the kitchen…

Salads! Lots and lots of summer salads. A family favorite lately has been this salad, which is very colorful and popular especially among the younger members of this family.

Friday-ish Daybook (more like Saturday I have to admit), March, 2012

Outside my window…

Beirut is sunny again, with a very blue sky, a large happy sun, a blue and turquoise sea, and campus is light green, with lots of flowers in the colors of the spring. I can open our balcony doors and windows, and let the fresh, crisp, but still warm spring air into my house. My plants are starting to grow, and the orange trees outside my window make everything smell so sweet. Nature is smiling at me, and I smile back.

I am wearing…

My Eddie Bauer jeans, which have been too snug forever. Now they’re too loose around my butt and they slide down. I guess I missed my window here, somehow.

I am creating…

All the light and fresh air in the house is making me want to create a happy space around us in the house. We spend so much time here studying, working and being together, I feel it’s important that our space is neat and bright. I was thinking about spring cleaning our book shelves. They’re a total disaster. Overflowing with books that are badly stacked, and a dump station for everything and nothing. I even had this crazy idea of painting the inside of the shelves. Courtney would probably kill me if I even mentioned that though, so I won’t let me imagination take over. A thorough organization will probably make it look nice too.

Towards an education…

After my intense working session last week, I am back, helping the boys advance. I spent three solid one-on-one hours with William today, helping him with his spelling and grammar. Both Courtney and I agree that he is slightly dyslexic. Courtney was too when he was young. I’m not too worried. We’re right here, working with him every day, and I can see improvements. August has no trouble with anything, except motivation. He’ll always just do the very minimum. Is it his age? Although I guess he has been quite excited about his piano lessons and a few other projects he has going. This is one of the advantages of homeschooling I guess; there's a lot of room for extracurricular activities when the school work seems less exciting from time to time.

From the kitchen…

I’ve cleaned the kitchen twice, but it still smells like fried fish from last night. We got a couple of bags of those colorful tropical fish that they sell in the frozen section for almost nothing, and fried them up in oil, restaurant style. They were good, but the fishy oil coats everything. I guess I need to bake bread or Swedish cinnamon rolls or something to restore a more pleasant scent in our house.

I am looking forward to…

Nothing in particular. I am enjoying this weekend, every moment of it. Tea and my Kindle. Leafing through a cookbook to find inspiration for dinner. Running the washer, and looking at a beautifully made bed, with all the clothes put away. Watering the plants on the balcony. Pushing Abe on the swing. Discussing ideas, texts, events and plans with Courtney. Running around the track without having to rush home. I am seizing the day.

When I have a moment…

I will get to that bookshelf. But first let me enjoy a lazy day!

Friday Daybook, March 16, 2012

Outside my window…

It’s pouring rain! Dark clouds and loud thunders. Everything is soaking wet. This morning when I woke up, the wind from the sea was so strong I thought the palm trees outside our window would break off. The rain was coming down sideways. People are saying this is one of the last storms before spring and summer. After our rain-less years in Cairo, I didn’t think I could get sick of the weather here, but I have to admit that I’m starting to look forward to those sunny, hot, Mediterranean summer days very much.

I am wearing…

My sports outfit; blue sweats, long sleeved black t-shirt, sports bra, since I’m hoping to get my exercise in before lunch. Although it certainly doesn’t look like I’ll be running around the track today. Treadmill at the gym or Mel B Wii? I don’t know if I could make it to the gym without getting soaked.

I am reading…

I wish! Since I have 20,000 words left to translate of this book on project management, and only four days left to do it, I have time only for the bare necessities; housework, exercise, kids. A little sleep.

I am listening to…

I’m sitting in the living room chair with the balcony behind me, and I can hear the rain hitting the trees outside. August is whispering numbers to himself as he goes through his math lesson at the dinner table. William is reading a story to Abraham about frogs, taking a break from Laura’s star, which is requested by our obsessed three year old at least twenty times a day. Abraham repeats every word William reads. Courtney is reading quietly, chuckling now and then when he picks something up that Abraham says. These are all my favorite sounds.

Towards an education…

Prof. Husband has taken over science, which means the boys are sitting through a lot of lectures that are way above their levels, doing assignments I have no idea how they get through, and are following some kind of MIT correspondence course. Prof. Husband says, “it’s not THAT much more advanced!” I’m sitting back to see where this is going. Since these boys’ father interpreted Nietzsche at the age of twelve and solved advanced mathematical university graduate degree problems at sixteen, it might not be a disaster. We’ll see.

From the kitchen…

As this is a busy, busy work week, we went shopping and are prepared for the week that is the week of familiar, easy meals that we could make in our sleep. Taco salad (so easy!), Spaghetti Bolognese (easy and cheap), baked fish with veggies & mashed potatoes (because that’s what we had once/week when I was little), Lasagna (because I already made the sauce for the Spaghetti Bolognese – duh!), cauliflower soup (easy and popular), chicken curry with naan (easy and popular, the boys would eat this every day), borsht (easy and cheap), chicken wings (too cheap! I am the only one in the family who doesn’t like it), Bouillabaisse (our comfort food), sandwiches and Ramen noodles for lunch (easy + the boys can make it themselves)…

What are your “easy meals?” The meals that you end up having a lot, for whatever reason. And why do you? Is it because they’re easy, because they’re popular, cheap, or what…?

I am looking forward to…

When I have a moment…

Just put those last two together!

Friday Day Book, 9 March, 2012

Outside my window…

It’s sunny, and I am the boys are taking a well needed extra half day off. Not only have we worked hard and need a breather, but the two schools here, ACS and IC, have the day off, and a lot of the boys’ friends have come to spend the day at the playground - right outside our window. Hours of fun play for the boys, extra time for me to work on my current translation project.

I am wearing…

Sweats, a t-shirt, my sports brah, and sports socks; all to make sure that I get my three miles of running in today! (For my incentives, keep reading…)

I am reading…

Interpreter of maladies by Lahiri, Jhumpa. Just started, but it looks good. It’s part of my book club readings. Also, as I’m translating a university text book on Project Management I’m also reading it. Does that count?

I am listening to…

My children having a blast outside with their friends. It’s a loud, and oh so comforting noise!

Towards an education…

Science review all week; my kids read about life sciences, take tests about life sciences, write papers about life sciences, watch videos about life sciences, and integrate life sciences into everything they do. This is one of the things I like about homeschooling; once you get into something, you can just go all the way…!

From the kitchen…

After a week of smaller portions of uninspiring foods, I’m making a dinner tonight that is a little less healthy: The anchovy scalloped potatoes are already in the oven, and they’ll be accompanied by a small piece of steak (for the others in the family), garlic butter, and various veggie sides (red beet, walnut and feta salad, among others). For dessert, I am making pecan pie – because I can. (If you’ve ever lived in the Middle East, you’ll know the luxurious feeling bag of pecans in your cabinet brings.) If I run long enough this afternoon, I might still be able to keep within my calorie budget.

I am looking forward to…

Swimming with Abraham tomorrow. Since AUB let up on the rule not to let under 6 year olds in the pool, we’ve started going every Saturday, while the boys have their swimming lesson. Last time, which was the first time, he spent the entire hour shrieking with joy, “I Wooove SWIMMING! Swimming is just SO FUN!! I Wooooove the POOL!” It’s like being sprinkled with happy dust for an hour. I just float around with Abraham, holding him up and making sure he doesn’t drown, and bask in his joy; so heartwarming.

When I have a moment…

Tonight! Tonight I am going to sit down on the couch with a cup of decaf tea and watch a show. Just that. I’ve hear Downton Abbey is good, so I’m going to try season 1, episode 1 of that. Oh, don’t get too excited. I’ll probably fall asleep half way through it.

Friday Daybook, 2 March, 2012

Outside my window…

We’ve had several days of stormy weather; thunder, lightning, strong winds, pouring rain, and loud, roaring waves beating against the shore across the street. Today the sun came out during the morning, shining on everything green, and it made me happy.

I am wearing…

My favorite Lindex black & white checkered blouse, a worn out, black H&M cardigan that I have mended more times than I can remember, soft, stretchy black jeans from Kohl’s, thick, black Hanes sports socks, and a pair of Birkenstock that are barely staying together. It’s a comfortable kind of day.

I am reading…

Diane Keaton’s Then Again. I should be reading many other things, like the books for my book club, but Diane Keaton just makes me feel so good and happy inside, I can’t help it.

I am listening to…

The boys reenacting the Dumpling Warrior scene from Kung FuPanda II, using cherry tomatoes. I see a big mess in my near future.

Towards an education…

I’ve been doing assessments over these past couple of days, reviewing the fall semester’s work, while teaching the boys to study and take tests. They are not very good at it. They ask for help when they are not certain about something, yell out for spelling advice, or get themselves a snack in the middle of everything. When they are finished and we go over their answers, they want to correct any mistake on the spot and look up the rule as not to make the same error again. Then when we’re done and I take off points for the mistakes they made, and they only get 94% instead of 100%, they cry bitterly for several minutes with their head in a pillow over their ‘failure’. I tell them that the important thing is that they learned, and that they won’t make the same mistakes again. Besides, 94% isn’t the end of the world. “But I worked SO HARD, mama, and unless I get all correct, it’s doesn’t really count, does it?” I shall call this homeschooling syndrome “Grade Innocence.”

From the kitchen…

Dinner: chicken wings, beans, cucumber sticks, and carrots/potato tartine. We are way overdue our shopping day, and are scraping by on whatever we can find here and there; frozen meats, canned foods… The good news is that I can’t randomly eat food that is around the house, available within a nibble’s reach; the bad news is that every meal takes effort and time, generates a lot of dishes, and might not always contain something from every food group. Tomorrow we’ll go to the store.

I am looking forward to…

Tonight I am going out with my friends to the Hard Rock Café here in Beirut for Karaoke. This is very exciting as 1/I usually never go out, like *ever*, and 2/although I love singing, I have never done Karaoke before. I am very excited!

When I have a moment…

Ha! That will be the day!