Lately...

So I've been sick. 

Again.

I know it's partially due to the recent sandstorms (because we've discussed before how any ailment here is the fault of The Weather) but mainly due to the amount of times I am sneezed and coughed upon during my hours at work. 

Germ theory is not really understood around these parts.

Think I'm exaggerating? 

I present to you Exhibit A: the twins' teacher gave me a heads up awhile back that one of their classmates was home with a confirmed case of the chicken pox. 

No worries, our kids have been vaccinated.

The next week, her twin brother was out with - wait for it - the chicken pox! Turns out he got it too! What do you know!

And then - you'll never believe this - it proceeded to spread around the two classrooms those kids are in!!

Can you even believe it?!?

So.

The preschoolers I work with are constantly, and I mean constantly, coming to school with hacking coughs, noses running like faucets, and even fevers. 

I guess that's why I wasn't surprised when I started feeling crummy last weekend.

But this stupid cold has lasted and lasted. It's been so bad that I completely lost my voice on Tuesday night and it was still gone on Wednesday.

I only made it about two hours into my work day yesterday before I declared I needed to go home. 

I left the school and drove about three blocks before our car decided it was a good time to just die. 

I mean the engine just shut off. No warning. Just quit. 

In the middle of traffic. 

Thankfully, this did not cause an accident and the drivers behind me did not crash into me.

They did however let me know their irritation by honking at me incessantly.

I just sat there for a good minute, stunned and confused, and unsure of what to do. 

It's not like I could call anyone because I literally had no voice.

Cars were going around me at this point and expressing their frustration at me in various ways, which was just plain annoying because CLEARLY I was having car trouble and had not merely decided to park in the middle of the road and then sit there behind the wheel with a dumbfounded look on my face.

I finally got out of the car, and walked over to a nearby bus stop and hoarse-whispered to some guys "could you please help me push my car to the side of the road?"

They didn't seem to understand me, either because of the lack of volume or a language barrier, but to their credit when I croaked out "help, please" they followed me. 

Back at the car, they graciously pushed it as I steered it towards the curb.

I sent David a text telling him what had happened, and he called our previous taxi driver to come pick me up. 

Hussein tried to call me to get specific directions, but, I couldn't speak. So we communicated via text and eventually he located me.

I had him swing back by the school to pick up the twins because I was DONE with the day (and it was only 10am - but I surrendered. Kuwait had won.) and didn't want to mess with getting a taxi to come back to get them later in the afternoon.

We finally made it home and I put my children in front of the TV like a good mom and proceeded to take a long nap, because I was feeling so sick and I was SO INCREDIBLY CRANKY.

I went to the doctor and got a whole new slew of meds including another freaking antibiotic (I swear I've needed more in our 20 months here in Kuwait than in the last five years in Oregon!) and am *hopefully* finally going to kick this nasty cold. 

And the car is at the mechanic.

I digress.

LATELY, other than that, we've been up to some fun...

The twins attended a sweet friend's birthday party. 

Clearly, they had a miserable time...

I am so grateful they've made such good friends at school this year...

This party had face/body painting...

...and pizza (hooray for not having to cook dinner!!)...

We had some neighbor friends over to play...

The kids and I took a trip out to Ikea...

...where we found gigantic, plush toothbrushes, naturally...

...and gigantic, plush pencils...

...and we ate lunch, and Brother made french fry fangs and pretended to chomp on his twin, naturally...

The kids had "Sports Day" at school, where they rented out a giant field and played games all day.  Dave and I both had to work, but a friend's parent took a few pics of our kids and sent them to me.

Brother looking entirely too grown up...

...Sister doing the sack race...

Our kids had an absolute blast this day...and both crashed into bed early that night ;)...

We had some friends come home from school with us one day to play...

The kids had "International Week" at school where each class took on a certain country and learned all about it, and then each student was given a passport and throughout the week they visited other "countries" and learned about them.

The twins' class had Australia, and one of the things we had to bring in was "traditional Australian headdress"  - which was a pain in the ass interesting to make - for the boys,

...and flowery headdress for the girls...

We went out to eat (and play) at Buffalos...

The preschoolers and kindergartners had their Sports Day, and this sweet student brought  each of his teachers a rose...

...that was a fun day at work for me, and I crashed in my bed early that night =). 

Safety First for Sister and her lovies...

More hallway shenanigans with the neighbors...

A bonus of living in the desert is you get to swim outdoors in March =)

The kids are *almost* too big for David to flip simultaneously...

The twins made some monsters one afternoon...

And there was an epic battle between Darth Vader and Hiccup...

Kuwaiti Mother's Day was this week, and the twins surprised me with these beautiful heart canvases they made in Art Class at school...

...aren't they sweet??? I love them and hung them up that very day. 




Yesterday evening I was sitting on the couch watching "Sing" with Sister, and I looked over to see Brother reading one of David's books...

Me: "what 'cha reading there, buddy?"

Him: "one of Daddy's books."

Me: "um, ok...but wouldn't you rather maybe read one of your books, like a Star Wars book or your book on Snakes or something?"

Him: "No. This is about history, Momma. I want to learn about history."

Oh he is so his father's son. 



And lastly, today we had the twins' school party for their birthday. 
We will be traveling next week, and then school is on break for the first two weeks of April, so today was our last day to squeeze it in.
Check out these adorable cupcakes...

One thing that's fabulous about Kuwait is just about everything delivers. I ordered these cupcakes about 3:00pm yesterday afternoon, and they were delivered to our door at 7:00pm. 
Awesome.


They had fun celebrating with their class, and I felt lucky that I work on campus and was able to join in for the little party...

And that's life lately around here =)