The girls posing for me at Ginastics

But everyone seems to be upside down or is it right side up???
Isabelle right side up but how does she do that with the hair?
Aubrey looking pretty right side down or is it up?

Other places to go when you have a free weekend..

Learning is always fun. There is a really cute country bookstore out in the middle of no where. Just north of here. Don't for get your GPS in these areas of Missouri.
A great place for a picnic next summer.
An old church history cemetery. Lots of good old headstones to look at.

The "old " VS "new"

When we were in Jerusalem we found it so interesting to find the different religions that were with in such close proximity to were Jesus was to have been. The Jews, Muslims, Armenians and of course the Christians.
The "new' offers the similar thing........

Together Again

My step father Carl Anderson died on October 26,2010
He had 5 grandsons and 1 granddaughter. His grandsons carried him from the pickup just like he wanted.
Carl was admit about having a pine box. He had found someone in Red Lodge that built them and 3 years ago when we planned his funeral he handed me this newspaper article with the web sight and said put me in this. So here is the web site for anyone that is interested: www.cowboycoffins.com Before the funeral the boys branded the coffin with his brand. I told them to press lightly please we weren't prepared for a cremation.
Welcome home and we will miss you but I'm Mom is surprised to see you so soon!!

Lauren gets her first ride

Sarah told Lauren to kick and scream if Grandpa tried to make her get in the new airplane. She cried when her ride was done and wanted to go for another one. Well that didn't take much for her Gramps to get her back in the co pilot seat. He said she should be flying by the time she is 10. Poor Sarah.
I drove up on a hill and took pictures from the pickup. I rode with him once and that was enough. He remembered and wasn't interested in getting me in the plane.
Hi Lauren, don't have to much fun with out your mom.

Craig coming home with the new 180

I had to go and clear the runway of the deer. I thought that they were kidding me when we went to do this. But they serious. The runway light are on and we just are waiting for the right sound.
Ha, there he is he turned on his lights just in time to see him. You could hear him about 5 miles from the landing strip.
It was getting dark so quickly and he landed it smoothly and all is well.
He looks a little tired but happy with his trip. He flew over Utah coming back and asked me "what were all the rocks in Utah?" I guess he saw all the national parks.

The Secret Meeting Place

I'm going to be on the ramiumtum overlooking THE TREE...
Don't forget this tree. Directions turn left off of the main road, go for 500 meters and then a right hand corner, go past the first PP and look to your left by the picnic tables.
The great and spaceous place ... Don't get lost out there. Focus people.
Don't forget I'll save you your spot, family.

The girls turn 5

Bubs lost his girly hair and got a real boy hair cut.
Auntie Hannah and Uncle Tj
Aubrey and Auntie Hannah
Sissy carrying her bowling ball at the bowling party.
Thanks for coming everyone and thanks for the presents.

Bubsy gets to ride the horrrrse

He thought he was such a smartie. He saw that no one was holding on to the girls (like i could hold on to three) and didn't want me to hold on to him. He kept leaning to one side and laughing like it was funny. Grandma was tired, ginastics and now horrrrses.
Miss Aubrey
this one should have been Sissy.
Go ahead and eat them I dare you!
Bubsy has never seen a duck before until now. He didn't have a thing to say about it but look at them very carefully. He never said a word just kept on walking.

Uncle Bobbie gets married to Aunt Sarah

Papa dancing with Aubrey I think?
Sissy posing for me.
Oh look at that face. He is trouble from the word go. I have some training to do with him when i get back. Say Grandma and I'll give you an MnM. It worked for kisses.
The happy couple Robbie and Sarah Stone

Grandma goes to Ginastics

Miss Sissy AKA Isabelle.
Miss Aubrey. Grandma didn't get very many pictures because she was outside with Bubba because he was sneaking off all the time as Grandmas was trying to watch us and take pictures. Bubba wanted to do ginastics with us. They went to look at trucks.

Hiking to Dog Lake

The girls had a great time and didn't complain once that I can remember. Now ask your self did I complain? YES! To far and I still don't like to hike.
Papa and Bubba throwing rocks in the lake looking for that dog.
Happy girls..
The four that made it half way and then left due to the fact it was taking to long and Paul, Leah , Jack and Charlie were going to miss their flight back to DC after the wedding.

So much to do and so little time

I want time to just stop for a little bit. It is really going to fast here. Before you know it I will be on the plane back. I got to see Marilyn yesterday and her meet her husband Andrew. It was so fun to see her. She is happy that Andrew has finally come and is trying to find a job for him. He has about 5 weeks left to secure a job. With the two working they should be able to bring their two boys over from the Philippines and to finally be a family again. It is so hard being separated from family. I kind of know a little about that unfortunately. It was 37C yesterday and 97% humidity. Just a little sticky. The two things that I saw that were the biggest difference was the parking situation which makes it so much easier to get around and the price of taxis. You know I could get used to having a taxi. You don't have to worry about gas , insurance, car payments. Just pay the driver. The price has gone up but it makes it so much nicer since there are lest cars on the island. You can actually get a taxi now with in a minute or two and the smell wasn't to bad. Of course if you need your sinus cleaned out or you want to see how long you can hold your breath you can still get in a gold taxi and have a death defying trip around town. The city is preparing for the F-1 races in a couple of weeks along with the Ferrari World opening up also. Just missing so fun times coming up. Oh well next time I'll stay longer. I can't seem to get the photo to download so I will try later today on a different network.

KC Fishmarket

I would have rather had a bowl of Special K....

Stanley loves Me....

I know that heaven will be warm, so I won't have to wear shoes and a coat. It just seems logical to me. Blue sky and sunshine that is the way it should be.

The AD office must have know I would be at the beach already so they decided to have the big yearly dinner at the beach. How thoughtful of them to think of me. One less dress to pack , YES!! I can wear my usual attire, t-shirt, short pants of some kind and my shoe of choice. I am so pasty white though. Geezzzzz. Maybe by the party I can get a little color. I'll take lots of pictures so I hope everyone will be waiting with baited breath for them.

6 days to the sand pit....

This was taken the night before I left AD at our going away party last year. I was in tears and a pretty difficult time but I knew I would get back there some day.

I was moved out of our villa, so the night before i left we stayed at the Shangri la Hotel across the water way from the mosque. It was really pretty at night and the early morning when I was taking pictures. I got some really good pictures and I liked this one the best.

Got word that Mr Sam's company finds that it is important to send me with him on his trip this week.(lights went on) I am going to to company yearly dinners at these different cities. Well this may put my job search off a few days. Do you think some one would hire me when I'm in town and let me go when I needed to do a trip? I honestly get a little antsy when I am here for very long. I get to go to a new place. Kuwait City Kuwait. I have not been there so I hope to be able to get some pictures of it and go to the beach. We will also go to Doha, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, UAE later in the week and to the beach. Sam will go to Saudi and I will stay in AD. You have to have a good reason to go there and I don't really want to have any reason to go there and I don't have a visa so that makes that easy but I will go to the beach. I am going to try and take lots of pictures while i am there and go to the beach. I will return about the 25-6-7 , not sure. Does anyone want me to bring anything back to the US? I'm taking two bags full of things for friends there now. I feel kind of like Santa Claus who is going to the beach. So fun!!!

My new resolution

September 8 is a couple of things that are recorded as important days in my life. 1st it is my oldest brothers birthday and he would be 56 years old and 2nd is the one year mark that we have been back in the US after an over seas stint with Mr Sam's company. It has been 28 years since Mike was killed on August 13, 1982 and time has been on my side. Seems like yesterday that is still fresh in my memory or what I was doing that day I got the call. The last year has been a tough year for me. I have had lots of adjustments to deal with. I hope that I can get it together enough to get my life back full guns soon. I know I would feel lots better i I did. Mr Sam has been gone for about 150 days in the last year on over seas business trips. I have put about 20,000 miles on in my car and on my second set of tires. I have taken care of lots of kids along with my kiddos. Loved every minute of it. I have had lots of alone time which isn't fun at all. Still struggling with that one. I guess this post is to all women who might be in my stage of life: Remember what you used to like to do and do it. Find a purpose in your life with out your family. Love every moment you have when you are with them. It stinks still being 2 days away from them but I have to keep going when I'm here. I've been thinking about getting a job to entertain me a little. I figure something odd might be interesting and a challenge to do. Here are some of my thoughts on where I should try to be employed by: Walmart night shift stocking shelves(I want to learn some Spanish), be a gas station junk food cashier( I don't know what the proper name would be), laundry attendant at a nursing home, work at farm and fleet country store, the car wash place. I figure these are probably fairly non stress jobs. But the gas station one might be a little intense if someone wants to rob the place. humm didn't think of that till now. I may have to think about that. My main criteria is I don't want to buy any new clothes for the new job. I'm not a clothes horse. I'd rather spend it on a fun trip. So any ideas on jobs for me to search out here in good ole Muscatine, just drop me a line and let me know. xoxoxo S

Zurich, Switzerland