Teacher's Christmas Presents

Pottery Barn Score

I went with a friend to Pottery Barn Kids last week - because she heard they were having a sale. It was a GREAT sale for the items they had on sale...I spent 7.500KD TOTAL($27.45USD)!


I purchased a set of twin Star Wars sheets that I've been drooling over for 4+ years for Jack. They are $69USD right now on the Pottery Barn Kids website - I paid 4.750KD ($17.38USD) for them! NEW!!! Flat, fitted and pillowcase! So great! Kylie said that if Jack didn't want them, she would :)


I purchased 3 Sabrina Medium size medium tone baskets for 0.750KD each ($2.75USD each)! The kids needed something to hold their books on their bedside table :)


I purchased 2 sets of these Dollhouse Foam World sets for 0.250KD each ($0.91USD each)! We might keep one and give away one!

We purchased what we could, but told friends about it so they could go get what they needed (awesome crib sheets for 1KD or ($3.66USD)! So fun!

New Year's

We had a great New Year's Eve! Our plan was to hang out with the kiddos - enjoy the day - and maybe go out to dinner. I went out the night before to pick up ingredients for Queso and a bottle of sparkling cider. Can I just tell you that I hadn't made Queso in 4 years? It was too expensive to not be doable in Thailand - wanna know how much it cost me here??? To make a crockpot of Queso with 2 lbs ground beef (normally you would do 1 ground beef and 1 lb pork, but we can't get pork here), 1 can of Rotel, 1 jar of salsa, 2 lbs of Velveeta, 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and 2 bags of tortilla chips??? $42USD Seriously, that's insane. BUT, Dan had been wanting nachos (not sure if they were the same as what he was thinking), but it was so yummy and all the kids loved it! It was a great treat to make here after not having it for 4 years!

We headed out to take the kiddos out to dinner at PF Chang's :) We weren't sure if they would like it, but it was a hit - and their kids menu was great (around $5USD for each kids meal, which included a drink)! We loved the dinner there and had a great time - then came home, played some sleeping queens, had ice cream, headed up to our roof to toast the New Year (at 8pm) and put the kids to bed! It was a great way to ring in the New Year :) Happy New Year 2012!!!

Jack

Kylie

Megan

Me and my Tweeter

The Gentlemen

The Ladies

Fried Rice for Kylie and Lo Mein for Megan and Jack!
We couldn't believe how tender their chicken is compared to most chicken you find at a Thai restaurant!

Jack and Daddy with yummy friend green beans...sooooo good!

Our Family in front of PF Chang's

Ice Cream

On the roof!

All the essential items - Cider, glasses, a cigar and lighter...

Toasting the kiddos

Our family on the roof!

Daddy and Kylie being fancy with their sparkling apple cider!

Megan and Jack being fancy

Kiddos and Dan overlooking Gulf Road

Our Hokie family on New Year's Day!!!

My Tweeter enjoying a cigar and a cup of coffee New Year's Day at the park :)

Kylie's Birthday Party

Kylie's Birthday Invitation

Kylie had a Very Merry Birthday Celebration this year! We decided to go with a "Christmas" themed party - and did lots of fun holiday things: the kids colored Christmas pictures and bookmarks, played Pin the Star on the Christmas Tree, Pass the Parcel, made Christmas ornaments, decorated Christmas cookies and played Holiday Musical Chairs (with Christmas music playing)! We invited 7 kids, but knew that lots of families travel over Christmas break. Kylie's best buddy here, Jordyn, came (we figured if only Jordyn could come, it would still be a GREAT party!) and her favorite boy in her class James and another little girl Hanya also came! The kids had a great time and Kylie had a blast! She's such a riot, because she doesn't like cake - so we always have to come up with another idea for her! For her 4th birthday we did brownies, for her 5th we did ice cream sundaes and this year we just decorated the biggest cutout cookie with a "6" on it and sang her Happy Birthday :)

Front Door Sign

Our column decorated for Kylie's party (she wanted red and green streamers)!

Our Family with the Birthday Girl

Kylie and James

Kylie and James making silly faces...James' face was "Mr. Bean" that he had been practicing for a while :)

Jordyn and Kylie

Kylie and Hanya

Coloring while waiting for everyone to get here

Presents!!!

Dan's work of art! He was so proud of himself that he said he might have it laminated :)

Kylie placing her Star :)

The final "Pin the Star on the Christmas Tree" Tree!

Playing Pass the Parcel :) James won - gummy worms and light up pinchers to pick them up!

The boys goofing around :)

Decorating Christmas Ornaments

Kylie, Jordyn and Hanya

Holiday Musical Chairs

Waiting to blow her candles out while being sung to!

Kylie's Birthday Cookie

Icing and decorating Christmas cookies

Dan, Megan
Hanya, Kylie, Jordyn, James and Jack

My big 6 year old!

Jordyn gave Kylie a "best friend" bracelet - Jordyn has one that says "Friend" on it and Kylie's says "Best" :) Too cute!