Just an average week...

I have been looking back at past posts and reading a few other blogs and realizing that people really blog about anything. I have tried to hit the highlights and the fun activities of this host parent thing.  And here is my "Ah Ha" moment this morning, it isn't always rainbows and sunshine - it is really a mix every day of both memorable excitement and boring....

So I thought I would sum up the week; Monday - hmmm... nothing.

Tuesday we did celebrate Valentine's Day.  On the BIG day we went to dinner with my brother, sis-in-law and one niece, Bella; the other 2 teens had plans.  Also along for the fun at Cafe Med was Mimi/Grandma, Lamiaa, Darby aka Sparkle and Gabriel - oh and me and Seema.  The night was good with a few gifts exchanged - I gave the girls the Snapfish books I made from our Disney trip and Mickey Mouse pendant necklaces.  Earlier in the day Seema delivered her hand-dipped Valentine fortune cookies to friends and teachers at school.  Despite slow service which my brother predicted and wasn't too happy about we had some giggles and yummy food.

Wednesday and Thursday were clearly not very memorable and I could not tell you what if anything we had for dinner. 

Friday was SCARY movie night with pizza.  I love movie night because these kids make me laugh.  I think there was about 10 kids, 5 pizzas, a small salad, carrot cake and ice cream sandwiches.  They watched "The Sixth Sense" and reported it not so scary.  I thought about having them watch "Silence of the Lambs" but that seemed too scary... next time though we are going for it - serious horror!!!

I woke up to 3 teens on Saturday and made "Mountains"  sometimes known as German pancakes. Basically, eggs, flour, milk and butter baked and then served hot with jams or syrup.  I thought I really killed it by making a yummy breakfast with veggie sausage included. 

After Saturday breakfast and some cleaning, I announced it was Laurel time and off I went to craft day and made a bag.  Being totally honest the bag is adorable and all I did was iron on fabric with a wonderful Virgin of Guadalupe icon. 

Now back to Sunday morning where I woke up to snow and went back to bed.  Today is most likely going to miss out on rainbows and sunshine moments and that is okay with me.

Maybe next post will include a photo.

A United Nations Valentine's Dance

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I am going to save the typing fingers and give you the photos from the evening - oh I will highlight the people and the countries.

From left to right: Amrin (Malaysia), Khalid (Saudi Arabia), Samah (born in American, family from Bangledesh), Lamiaa (Morocco), Seema (Pakistan), Cammy (China), Gaaby (Mexico), Gabriel (Palesitine).

And Grandma Mimi enjoying her night with 8 teenagers...really, she said she was having a good time - I believe her!!!

Dinner was at the Rio Grande and dance was held at Highland High.

Enjoy the UN Valentine's Dance photos.

See it is all about being with friends and enjoying the moment of love & peace.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone

with a big puffy heart!!!

We don't celebrate Valentine's Day!

In the car driving from one Super Bowl party to another Seema and Gabriel and I had a conversation that went something like this...
Mia:  Mamala, we don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but I think it would be fun to get all dressed up and go someplace fancy to eat and do something fun.
Me: Hmmm... well, I think that you should go to the Highland High Valentine's Dance as a group, not with dates, but as a group that is going as friends, nothing romantic.  And get all dressed up and have dinner and then go and dance or not dance... and be together and have a good time. 
Mia: But we don't celebrate Valentine's Day.
Me: Yeah - I think you have some kind of misconception on this holiday that is all about romantic love, sex and dating.  It is NOT!  You get to express your love in anyway you choose, you love your mom/dad, sisters/brother, friends etc all in a some way that isn't romantic and heart filled candy love.  It is caring for each other; go as friends and enjoy being together.
Mia: okay, let's do it.
Seema: What do we wear?
Mia: I want to wear American dressy clothes.
Me:  That is a job for Mimi aka Grandma so ask her.
Mia: Seema, call her, right now!
Seema: calls Mimi/Grandma and she is also at a Super Bowl Party and not answering.
Mia: ask when you get home and call me.

Upon arriving at home Seema gets Mimi/Grandma to agree to take them shopping the next day for dresses.... and to sum this up, they shopped for 6 hours.

Brent Jensen at Paul Mitchell the School was wonderful and gave Lamiaa, Seema and Cammy complimentary hair and makeup in a private room in order for Lamiaa to uncover and get her hair done.  It was so much fun to see them do something they have never done and be all kinds of pampered.

Seema getting makeup with her hair done and ready.  The trimmed her hair and a fun front braid that is accented by the heart clip. 

Cammy waiting her turn for makup.  She wanted her hair in "circles" ~ translated, curly!

Lamiaa - her hair is beautiful and you have to take my word for that - they did it in two braided buns tucked at her neck.  She is almost done with makeup here.

Finished products above and the girls with the masters of their beauty below...

Thanks to Brent for being an awesome friend to make this amazing start to a wonderful night happen.

Yeah - that is right, we don't celebrate Valentine's Day!!!!

The fun part of January 2012...

If you read the Fire of January 2012 post, I am sure you are ready to see the fun part of January 2012.. here it goes.  We separated our vermicomposting worms, these little red wrigglers are awesome at composting..

Then we also went to cheer on the Running Utes...

And Seema, Lamiaa and Cammy volunteered at the Sugar House Rotary's Chili Open / Winter Festival... they ate more popcorn than they gave away and they had a bunch of fun!!!

And they got their faces painted and played with the photo booth props...

Look who we found coming out to enjoy the Winter Festival fun.

January is now a wrap... on to some Valentines fun in February.

ENJOY!!!!

The FIRE of January 2012!!!

OKAY OKAY - Keeping up with the Blog in January was not really happening.  The month was crazy busy because of the FIRE!  Yes, another fire.  This one was more serious at Mimi aka Grandma's house.  It started in the laundry room accidentally and filled the house and caused some serious smoke damage.  Mimi is fine and now living with Seema and me for about 5 months.  Here are some fire photos...

We have been making list of lost/damaged items and Mimi is picking out new cupboard, carpet, paint and more. Today (February 10th) the house looks like this...

So that I hope explains the lack of Blog post for January.... We did have fun though, see next post..