Her first day of K-2

Ladies and Gentleman!!!!! 

Princess Cinderella Macarena Berengena's first day of school Photo shoot!!!!!!

(that is the way Victoria would have introduced her)

 " That's why... I couldn't be happier, No, I couldn't be happier

 Though it is, I admit,  the tiniest bit, Unlike I anticipated...

 But I couldn't be happier, simple couldn't be happier.... Well, not "simply",

 'cause getting your dreams, it's strange but it seems, a little well, complicated..."

That is kind of how I felt that day. I know she wants to go, it makes her happy, I know she was getting too bored at home with out her other friends, but I miss my little girl that keeps growing up!

As you can see she was MORE than happy to be going to school. She has a new teacher that she really likes and the story after she came home was like this....


B: So, how was it?!
E: Fun, I did the show and Tell. I took the picture of our family and showed it to everyone and told them that, you are a great cook! that my daddy tries really hard to be nice to his girls (poor guy!) and that Victoria is really good at being happy.
B: How did you get pick to be the one to do show and tell?
E: Oh, I didn't, I told her I wanted to do Show and tell, and she said ok :-)

That my friends is my little girl!! :-)

Here was a little water fun after school, we have to enjoy the sprinklers in our back yard while it's still hot outside!
wait... it doesn't get cold here :-(........

There are things only Mom can say...

 Usually when the girls get hurt, if the "boo boo" is not bad at all, I take a good look at it and tell them "you don't want to know!" which makes them really curious and stop crying. I then tell them "there are aliens coming out of it!!" and the laugh. It works like a charm and then they play aliens for a while.

 No long after we returned to KAUST Elena got hurt and David gave it a try, took a look at it and told her that there were aliens coming out of it!! and then she started BAWLING!!

I guess I have the magic touch ;-)

Unselfish Thoughts

Today, after a lot of whining, complaining, and generally self-centered comments, Elena said to me (in her whiniest voice):

"Daddy, I don't have a fork!"

I sat her down and explained to her that in our family we each think about others and their feelings and needs before our own, and told her that I wanted her to try to do so. Without hesitation, she responded:

"But daddy, I'm thinking about how bad Victoria must feel knowing that I don't have a fork!"

True beauty

 A few weeks ago while attending my sister in-law's home ward ( we are LDS) we were discussing "Modesty"

In our church we believe that woman should dress "modestly", and by that we mean no cleavage, long skirts and dresses, sleeves, no back showing, no belly button showing and so forth. It might seem a little strict for some but we believe that our beauty comes from our inner self, from our good actions and love for others, for our love to obey our Father commandments and service.
That doesn't mean we can't dress in a modern way or look pretty, actually I believe Mormon girls love to dress up and pretty up as much as any other girl, we just do it in a way that is not offensive or provocative to others.

I actually have always been attracted to this aspect of the church, I am a convert which means, I was not born and raise in the church. I was taught by a few kind and diligent missionaries and then was baptized at the age of 17. I never liked dressing in a provocative way so the church standards really suited me.

 Now I live in Saudi Arabia were dressing provocative for everyone is not the case. Woman wear Abayas and Hijabs. They cover their entire body with a shapeless black dress and wrap their heads and sometimes even their face with a black scarf. The must cover every time they go outside were man can see them.

Why?, because they believe that woman's beauty can be too provocative and that it can lead to bad encounters. I do believe that they do go a little over board, I think that the way the look at it makes it so the man have no responsibility for his actions and I know that man can control themselves.

Is it true? Is our beauty so powerful? Are we THAT beautiful?

I was reading a book about a Saudi Doctor that was wondering if she was "wasting" her beauty by not covering her head.
 I met a lady when we moved here last year, she covered her head all the time and even though you could tell she was pretty, it wasn't until that day at a party that I saw her without Abaya and without scarf that I could see the fine shape of her body, the weight of her bouncy waist length curly black hair that I could truly admire her physical beauty. No other man besides her husband or immediate family could see that.

How much does she treasures her beauty? How much do I treasure mine? I don't believe I am a bomb shell but I do believe that sometimes we (woman) get carried away with the fashion world and we let ourselves get lost and we "waste" our beauty with some that will not appreciate it the way it should be.

What is my worth? is it really that bad to show some skin? are shoulders that decadent?

I might after all start covering my hair, we don't want all the man over here to go crazy about it! ;-)

Jensen Family Reunion

I'm back!!!!

I have a whole month to blog about and this single video took longer than desired so........
let's get one with the SHOW!!!!

 ****disclaimer: the following posts will be in no order at all. I know, no news to you*******

AnyWHO!

While in Utah we were able to attend the Jensen family Reunion (mom's parent's descendants) It was a total BLAST! of course, it was organized by no other than.......KAREN!!!!! you are missing out tons if you don't know her. Anyway, it was a Luau, with amazing food (mmm PORK), people ( I got to see Afton!) and MUSIC!!

Here is proof of how much fun we have when we get together :-) Watch it, laugh and pick a winner out of the 4 couples.


Without more delays....welcome!!!! the TAHITIAN DANCE OFF!!!!

From right to left; David and Belky, Megan (David's little sister) and Weston, Ryan (David's older brother) and Melanie and Kevin (David's cousin) and Shanna.

p.s. sorry about the quality of the video, had to make it small for blogger.