Our Next Tour!!

Well, the good news is that the kids and Heather will be heading back to ATLANTA for our next tour! The bad news is that Tom will be going on an unaccompanied tour without us for a year. :(

So, it is official. Tom finally got the word and he will be headed out next summer for a year tour after he takes a short home leave back in the states. Tom will be the Regional Security Officer with his own shop which is great! The kids and I will be near our family and friends which will be helpful for all of us to keep our sanity and have loved ones close by while Tom is away.

I am obviously being positive as it will not be the best year of our life; however, with Tom having three breaks back to the US, it will be like three, three month Temporary Duty Assignments. This is so easy!! Ha

Well family and friends, no more quick day trips to the mall for a quick coffee or meeting out for just one beer. The grandparents will not have to worry either because there will be no more quick weekend visits or short day trips. I can actually go out and have two beers (maybe three, ha ha), have an entire meal for breakfast instead of just one coffee and we can actually plan a vacation with the grandparents because get ready...

we will be there ALL YEAR!!! :)

Now, if I could just figure out how to get my housekeeper to come to Atlanta next year.

My life would be so much easier... hmmmm

At least the kids looked cute

We spent our Fourth of July at a small picnic for the Embassy families. Next year someone has got to order some good ol' American Hot Dogs online and it may have to be me!! Those bright pink things they cooked were horrible! What about some cole slaw or even some baked beans? Or I know, maybe some potato chips? It was a poor effort, but a nice day out with the family regardless which makes it all worth while.

Like I said...at least the kids looked cute!

Above: Fourth of July pictures. If you look close enough, you can see Chase's first and only tooth!

Chase sweeping around the house this weekend. This is what the gardeners use for cleaning. Chase spent a good hour cleaning the entire front of the house. He had a blast! Not sure about Chase's adorable sweeping wall pose. I guess it just one of those priceless captured moments. It is good thing Mom always has her camera out! Ha

Monkey Business

Well friends...my day came and I actually captured the moment. A very beautiful and quite large vervet(?) monkey was on our front porch and about to ENTER our house! It was around 5:30 pm and I had just gone to the car after our Fourth of July festivities for my bag. The kids were eating dinner and then I remembered how bad the mosquitoes are at that time and went back to the shut the door. I am sure you can imagine my surprise when a

monkey was right in front of me.

Well, from what my friends have said, they really would not hurt you unless provoked of course.

They can actually eat right from your hand; however, I am not willing to take the risk with a wild animal. All they really want is food. We have a large banana tree in the back of our house, others have avocado trees and even mangoes that the monkeys love. This is all they really want.

This monkey however does not seem scared of any humans. He hung around our compound all weekend and was even here again today!

While I was giving the kids a bath around 6:30 pm Piper started barking wildly out at Hannah's window from her room. At first I thought Dad was home, but then I realized when she was looking right out the window...it must be another monkey! I went to the window and he/she was looking right at us through the window.

I must admit, it is pretty cool. Until they actually come in our house and raid our pantry

(which is what they have been known to do).

Guess we will keep our doors shut for a while!

On Left (or top); picture taken without zoom from front door

On Right (or bottom); close-up from front door

On left (or top); checking for food in our laundry room. (picture taken from back door in kitchen). FYI- Our laundry room is detached from the house.

On right (or bottom); picture taken from kitchen window. The monkey was on our window and then jumped up to the other house above us. Yes, we are that close to the other houses! Ha

Hannah's 3rd Birthday Bash!

We celebrated Hannah's Birthday this past Saturday at our compound playground. We moved things around a good bit and made room for the festivities. When I say festivities, I mean...festivities! She was so excited about her party. However, she was also very excited about the party dress she got to wear (and the matching one her doll got to wear as well).

This was her new Bitty Baby present for her birthday!

Adorable! With matching crown and sweater too!

There was a bouncy castle. As you can see Chase was also enjoying himself! I am not sure if you can see him behind Hannah's crown in the second picture. He is laughing his head off. So funny!

She had a beautiful homemade cake our neighbor and friend made for her. So sweet!

There were clowns and of course a puppet show.

And last but not least, there was face painting for ALL!! Yes, including Daddy!

The party was a hit! Everyone had a blast and so did Hannah!

What I did not show you and probably should not tell you is that we also got a keg for the party. Something I know Hannah will be real proud of later in life when we show her pictures. Ha Ha Nothing like a three year old birthday bash with a keg! We continued to celebrate Hannah's Birthday late into the evening (without Hannah of course). Poor Hannah had no idea that we celebrated her birthday all night long. Someone had to finish the keg, right?

Our neighbors did a fine job of tapping the keg around 3 am. Tom and I made it home that night around 12:30 am. It was a long day for the parents as well as our sweet Hannah. We are just glad she had a good time... of course. :)

Happy 3rd Birthday Hannah!

We love you!