Bikers

Dad would be so proud, That's what I think about while I'm maneuvering the traffic with grocery bags in my lap and in between my legs, or just before I shout back to the girls to hold onto my waste tightly, or put my foot down to the ground sliding to do a tight turn on my motorbike. Yep Rich and I have become bikers, well not in the sense that we ride around on Harley Hogs with Leather gear and the whole getup. But to and from everywhere here in Hanoi on our Mo ped (Yamaha Nauvoos). Its the most exhilarating thing and best of all very very common here, its really the ideal way to get around. I've spent the last two weeks renting bike after bike to find the right one, not sure if I have yet but it's fine for now. I have yet to go find a baby seat for Rexy to sit more comfortably. Yes I said Comfortably not safely. You'd think my main priority of getting a seat would be safety not comfort right? Well unfortunately that's not really an option here in Vietnam, see what I mean?

When travelling with precious cargo though, I use precaution and go no more than about 20-25 mph. I pray every time I go out with the kids that we don't have an accident. And so far so good.
I really have to admit something about traffic here, though its chaotic and very congested I am amazed to see how well people get around and safely too. Click here to see what I mean

Crazy traffic in Hanoi

The key we have found is to be predictable and move moderately slowly. This video is very accurate and when I see it I can't imagine myself in it, but out there on the road its really easy as pie.

Lack of Fourth

Well I'd like to say that we spent our fourth of July in front of a big blue sky full of amazing Asian fireworks, I mean Hey isn't that where we buy them from anyways? I'd like to brag about our fourth picinicking at the Lake before touring Ho Chi Minh Museum or the Pagodas in the Old City. Heck I'd even settle for the excuse of catching a movie or something basic, but we didn't. Actually it was about 8:30 pm before we even remembered that it was our American Independence day, no radio commercials every five minutes in the car to remind me about the latest Holiday. Heck if it wasn't for the commercials in between all my errand running right before the move I'd have missed Fathers day.
And even this being our first time forgetting an American Holiday while abroad my sweet girls didn't even fuss, no begging for us to take them out, or whining poor me I missed the Fourth of July. Our life has been full of shopping, unpacking, and moving furniture. Although a little time eating out a bit and even going to the community pool (yes there is one, actually two that I've found.) I guess you could say we're not tourists yet. Just trying to get used to everything in our new residence. So unromantic!!!! Oh well, maybe my kids feel like we made up for it yesterday with some American friends coming over for our burrito bar, such a nice and refreshing night (entertaining ourselves with card games and great conversation.)

We're getting there.

Harder than it looks

Well after a week and a half of eating out at amazing restaurants and gobbling up delicious street food I felt so inspired to try my own hand at Vietnamese cooking. Started with diced carrots sateyed in garlic and onions, then bokchoy, little weird mushrooms, of course sprouts, fresh squeezed lime juice and fish sauce. Then rolled in rice paper. You'd think i hit the nail on the head!!! Umm no. So yucky that I actually took the initiative to throw everyone's away before they could even have an opinion about it. Ha h , needless to say cooking lessons are desperately needed.

Arrival in Hanoi Vietnam

We've been here in Vietnam now for a couple days but still excused for our actions as "jet lag" is still in full force around our house. A couple of times a day we really let the beast out but for the most part we are still quite civil to each other. I could not stay awake past 7:00 pm last night so me and rexy and pyper were wide awake this morning at 2:30 am, we decided to unpack and then play with toys. Rory and city enjoy having the freedom to stay up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning hanging out so they can get a full nights sleep. Everyone loves the new house, although it's stressful carting groceries and goods down our ally ( not big enough for cars, and we don't have motorbikes yet) to our house, I have to admit that it's quaint and even kinda romantic walking down the path with each house right up close to each other, everyone in each other's living space. It feels a little like some parts of Europe, we've never lived this way before and it's really quite refreshing. I love the view on one side of the house where you look out and see many other houses (my neighbors) each terrace crowded with laundry and music echoing through the ally ways. Although last nights wasn't so cute when I woke up from the dog barking. Such a different life to get used to.  Rich's favorite view is the other side of the house facing the lotus pond, although you really have to go up another level to enjoy it to the fullest. Rory and city have been officially claiming their rooms on the third floor, with the babies down on the second floor with me and Rich. The Mosquitos have also staked their claim but I bought some raid, the battle is on! Maybe it's time to start the malaria mess.

Ricky Bobby's coming soon

Well the time is getting closer at hand, baby is due in three weeks. I'm guessing he'll really come about a week later, but we'll see. Rich is still activly job hunting, with a few really great ones in the hat he is feeling very good. Our options could take us to Mumbai, London, Ethiopia, Jo Berg, or Qatar. I'm most excited about the Mumbai option, or London. Two really great areas that we have not really explored yet.
We moved into the Phipps home about a month ago and today moved out onto our own. It's like we are newly weds or something, finally getting a place of our own. Ha Ha.  Well we are close enough to having the baby that we thought it best to just settle in for a couple months even if he does get a job sooner.  We just didn't want to wear out our stay with them. We like our new place, its a hotel apartment near the girl's school, and a couple restaurants and mini market next door to us. Our experience today was quite similar to how it is whenever we visit a new country, its been really fun. Seems like living here in Saudi has not had that fun new and exciting adventure taste because we came and lived on a compound right away etc.  Where as now we are rambling and unstable just like when we go on trips. Last weel was Eid and so the girls had time off from school too, so each day we went out and did something fun and different. Me being so close to my due date has kept us from being able to take a trip :(  but thats ok we made up for it.

So last week we went out to the desert with the Mortensens, and Galis to have a BBQ. We searched for four wheelers everywhere but couldn't find them, they are usually all over. But it seems like the stands were all replaced with large camping areas that everyone was renting for Eid. So finally we just gave up looking for them and found a nice BBQ spot to set up camp. Then after a few minutes of hanging out and setting up we noticed a couple of local guys parked near by on the four wheelers watching us. Being a bit nervous about it I asked Rich to go shew them off but they offered to rent their bikes to us and then a bunch more guys came over too give rent their bikes. It was really cool to have finally found what we were wanting. I guess we stuck out like a sore thumb. About an hour of riding was all we could get in before we noticed the wall of Sand heading strait for us. One we noticed it, we literally had about 7 minutes to grab all our stuff and get into the cars. Wow I had never really seen the wall of sand like that before. Last year there was a bad storm but I didn't see it coming at us. This one didn't get as dark as the one last year but it was still really hard to see as we drove slowly towards the city. Rory and City loved every minute of it. We ended at the Mortensens for dinner and just hung out the rest of the evening.
The next day we went o Salam park (our favorite friday afternoon destination) with the Turno family.
Then later that week we met the Pooleys, Turnos, and a few others to go out to the Wadi Hanifa (a national park type place) its a dry river bed where eveyone goes to picninc. We found a nice spot to hang out and cook our chicken over coals. The kids had fun playing and making up skits. I'm so glad the girls have really gotten a lot of playing with friends in this week. Their main source of social time is just school and friday friends now days. I am surprised that they don't really seem to miss the compound life though, although it was ten times more social. (I'm glad) I am ok with being out of the compound life too.  Our girls seem to be a lot more productive and they get a long with each other better too.
Being exausted a lot lately I'm happy with the amount of my involvment last week, but now my life is about staying mellow and getting ready for our little newcommer. I am a little annoyed that my body hasn't been as active this last part of my pregnancy. Oh well, can't always get what you want right?

Hotel shmotel

Settling back into Riyadh life now, well I guess that all depends on how you define settled. Trying to, and doing quiet well if you ask me, although City might disagree. She had a little break down the other night about being sick of living in a hotel. I can't say I blame her, but really there are those who are worse off. I guess what I mean by "settling in" is that we are falling into a nice routine. We have mastered the art of rooming together, our meals are a mix of long life shelf food and eating out with friends. We all share a bathroom nicely and the girls see lots of Daddy (who can complain?) Well hopefully we can make some more decisions soon about where we will live and who Rich will work for etc. I just think its so cool that we get to stay for free, using up Rich's reward points. Today was my first day working at the Art and Skills institute, my students come next week and I'm just doing curriculem development and meeting other teachers this week. I have enjoyed thinking through what I want to do with them. Its hard to get use to the Saudi work pace, I really have to lower it down a notch or two or else I will go crazy. Rory and City are going to the Multinational school again this year and love seeing their old friends. They had their first horse riding lesson this weekend and loved it. I was surprised they liked it, English style with a strict instructor. He made them stand and sit over and over the whole half hour. But in the end City got to wash and brush her horse. Rory was sore today. Rich just got called in as the second councelor in the Branch Presidency, he's pretty stunned still. Im excited for him, he has such a natural touch with people and everyone adores him. I think he will be over primary so we will work together a lot. He kept checking in on us yesterday during the meeting, it was so cool to have him around. We will start to get ready for the program presentation soon, hopefully it can be done before the baby comes in November. I am a little nervous to deliver my baby here, but I have an amazing partner who will be with me every step of the way. Little Ricky Bobby activates every time he hears daddy's voice. He's so sctive and I just can't wait till he joins us. Rory and City love to snuggle me at night and feel him and talk to him. Pyper is super cute and happy all the time, we are so lucky to have such a great two year old. She loves to learn, and talks like crazy. She is becoming more and more interested in books just like her sisters and really likes to sing. Daddy taught her his and my names so she regularly calls us Rich and Heather. She knows how old she is (two) and still likes to dance on the table and bounce into the splits for entertainment.

Shedding

Well as of yesterday our villa is almost completely empty and all furniture stored away for the summer. We will detach for the summer and go home to ohio and then re-engage this fall. We are so excited about going home we can't see strait. Rich has left already and me and the girls go Thursday night late. This summer We plan to get some camping in and lots of library time. We are registered for a week long camping outing where we will learn how to do natural building. Rich wants to build some kind of cool building on our property some day, so now he can learn. I love to take the girls to The metro parks where we can go feed ducks and ride bikes and even take fun classes on nature subjects. I miss nature sooo much, well green nature anyway.  The desert is beautiful, but we never ever get out to it. Occasionally we go to a big beautiful park, but it's so restrictive to be in an abaya all the time. Oh yeah! Well I have already shed my abaya (its packed away) summer here I come!