As much fun as it is to see family and friends, 2 months of being with loved ones nonstop left us pretty “peopled” out. We got home to the most amazing weather our country has to offer and were dying to unplug and have some time as just us. So, we took a few days to get over jet lag (MUCH harder with a two year old who thinks 2:00am is a perfectly acceptable wake up time) then we packed up and headed to the beach for a three day weekend. It was just what our souls needed; quality time together in a kid friendly and adult fabulous location. Oh, and we were the only ones on our beach. Perfect.
a view of camp from the water:
a view down the beach from the tent:
We also spent one evening watching the tide roll in and the waves crash over the rocks. It was really amazing and loud and beautiful. ivermectin for chickens
While the tide was out the girls played (and played and played) on the moss covered rocks and in the little pools while we watched them from the shade (I know my sisters are so disappointed in me for not bronzing myself in the sun…but I have just given up the fight and accepted that it is too much work for something that isn’t gonna happen)
On our last day we packed up early and drove through a part of the country we haven’t seen before- it was fabulous! We saw little villages and beautiful scenery… ivermectin 200 mcg
And some animals too
We also saw about 10 whales right off of the coast! It was so so cool, but I didn’t get any pictures because they were too far off the coast to show up. But we watched them splash around and blow water out of their spouts for 15-ish minutes. It was truly incredible.
Like I said, perfect time to be together and make fun family memories. over dose ivermectin So thankful for the “winter” weather in Oman and how much there is to explore and enjoy!
]]>Lots of sister time.
The glorious wonderful mountains in the fall.
The 2 hour drive to and from grandpa’s was beautiful and such great family time! موقع bet365
And these two. They are both so full of spunk that watching them try to figure out who is the boss is pretty hilarious. انشاء محفظة بايير
Again, so blessed and thankful for the time we got to spend together. ]]>
Our second day in The Czech Republic we took Georgia’s advice and got out of the city. I am SO glad we did. We took a train to a little town about 30 minutes away. I love trains. As far as travel goes, I am pretty sure trains are my favorite way to get around. You see so much of the landscape and it is just so relaxed (Unless, of course, you accidentally put your luggage in the wrong area and security is sure it is an explosive device and tries to stop the train, confiscate and implode your bag…but that’s a story for another time).
Oh, and I should mention that Drew had the camera most of this day. He is really wanting to learn more about photography so I loosened my death grip on “child #4” Â and let him do most of the shooting for the day. It was fun (and extremely hard) to just take in the sites and not worry about the photos. And it is nice to be in some pictures on a vactaion for once. :)
When we arrived in Karlstejn (Karl-stein) We stopped at a fun little inn for some coffee. Apparently a classic car club decided to stop for coffee too, and it was fun to see all the cars! مصارعة محترفة
And the little town was just adorable.
The road winded up to a castle built by King Charles IV of Bohemia. We hiked up the hill to the castle and even did the tour. I usually don’t like guided tours, but it was the only way to see inside the castle and it was actually really interesting; one of the best I have bee on! Of course, no photography allowed on the tour, but here it is from the outside:
On our way down the hill, we stopped again for a little roadside lunch. Can I just say, I love Czech food. Lots of brats and cheese and rye and kolaches. I definitely felt in touch with my Ludwig roots! تاريخ ارسنال
It is usually rainy in the summer in Prague, but we went during a drought and heatwave so there was no rain in the forecast. Most people see this as a bonus, but I was super bummed. But then, the afternoon clouds rolled in and we got a wonderful little shower and cloud cover. So good for my heart.
Then we hopped the train back to town…
And finished the evening and the trip at the Cafe Louvre (another tip from Georgia). It was the perfect ending to a wonderful birthday celebration. And I am still dreaming about the hot cocoa.
So that’s that. Next up is a summer recap. I have a goal to have the blog *gasp* updated in the next two weeks. :)
]]>Drew found us an amazing deal on a hotel right in old town on the corner of an amazing square. Our room faced the square and check out the view right from the window by the bed.
seriously so amazing.
The first day we just walked (and walked and walked) around town. We stopped in little cafe’s, we sat down and listened to a music festival, we ate amazing food, we took a gazillion pictures, we window shopped…
It was wonderful. and magical. and I want to go back.
Here is some of what we crammed into the 24 hours:
Little cafes with delicious food were a top priority. (Please tell me you also plan vacations around meal times and trying new foods…)
Thousands of people breaking the Ramadan fast at the Hippodrome in front of the Blue Mosque was quite the sight. And so tasty.
The Grand Bazaar:
And lots of walking the streets, taking in the sights and sounds and smells:
Beautiful, right? I loved every minute (and actually turned 30 there!) and was so thankful for the extra bonus of getting to spend a day in this city! Now don’t you want to go back with me?
]]>I think the kids all enjoyed themselves. Here are some things to do with 5 kids that will be appreciated everytime:
1. Go to the beach:
It was seriously hot while the Gentry’s were here so we had to wait for sunset to brave the sand, but the kids loved every minute!
2. Maybe not the most cultural experience, but this little kids play area in the mall was quite the hit!
3. They also loved being in malls for three days straight. Ok, not really…but Dubai is really only one giant mall (especially in the summer). Luckily for us, there are all sorts of fun things for kids to do in the malls:
Like watching ice skating:
And cool fountains:
and Aquariums (Burke was keeping the girls safe from the sharks):
Really though, the days we sat at home and did nothing were the most special for the kids. They were so relaxed and just enjoyed each other. I miss piper toddling into the living room with the baby stroller, and hearing the big kids giggling and playing together. ivermectina hepatite fulminante
Yes, it was diffferent, so so different, but it was also a lot of fun!
Oh and one last tip- If the kids aren’t in the mood- don’t ask for a cousin picture:
wait until they are all happy and then snap a picture:
Much better results (although I am sure we will all giggle at the first one in years to come)!
We went with friends and they are camping experts and have tons of gear.  They have quite the setup with a table, shades, a multi-room tent, they even have a camping porta-potty. We looked like such rookies! We had two tents (we borrowed one from Chase and Britt). Keadryn and Sayla shared a tent and me, Evie and Drew shared the other one. It worked out pretty good.  I was a bit nervous about how Evie would do in a tent, but she did great! She did wake up right at first light (which was about 5:30…) but she also went to sleep right at dark (about 7:15). The waves worked as perfect white noise.
Evie was also covered in sand the entire weekend…and I mean covered. It was in her hair, on her face, in her diaper, in every tiny fold of skin and all over her face. Covered. It made re-applying sunscreen a challenge, but my choices were to strap her into her car seat and let her scream, or let her be covered in sand. :) I chose sand.
The older girls also had a blast. They are such water babies and turning into beach bums. :) I think Keadryn was in the water 90% of the time. Sayla had a run-in with a big wave and was a bit leery of the ocean for a bit, but by the end of the trip she was right there with Keadryn again loving every minute in the water.
Drew got to steal away and go snorkeling for a bit and said it was beautiful. We just ordered an underwater camera, so hopefully next time there will be some pics of that!
Speaking of cameras, I was super stressed out about getting sand in my camera, so I only took it out of the car a few times. Â There aren’t many “action shots” of the weekend…but I did have a very relaxing photo walk one evening.
I loved all the moss on the rocks at low tide…there were also a ton of crabs peaking out from the moss, but they were pretty skittish and I didn’t get a decent picture.
All in all it was a great (free!) getaway and we will definitely be doing it again!
We had a fantastic visit by two friends, Katie and Corie, from Lubbock at the end of December. ivermectina para que sirve en humanos They came for two weeks and stayed with us at our house. I love getting to show people around our beloved little country. It is a blessing to experience things with a fresh set of eyes, ears, tastebuds, nostrils (ok, maybe I could do without nostrils in several situations… ivermectin causes neutropenia ) and fall deeper in love with this people and land.
Another great thing on this trip was that both the girls love photography so I had two extra people to insist on photo drives, and do weird things like sit down in the middle of a crowded market to get the perfect shot. I loved every minute. That being said, are you ready for the picture overload? This is in no way completely comprehensive of all we did, but here are some hightlights:
Around the old fort in our town:
A trip down the coast:
At the big souq in the capital:
A climb up the dunes:
And a fabulous trip to Global Village in Dubai.
Fun right? Now you should come visit too!
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the wilks
By the way- if you are sending out Christmas cards, we’d love to see one- or you could just e-mail the picture…that would be great. Happy December!
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