09.13.11

Today was pretty laid back, and I have to admit, those are usually my favorite days. The days when we have nothing planned at all.  I was woken up a little early by a phone call from one of the mothers who attended our playgroup on Sunday.  She called to tell me thank you for a nice time.  I thought it was a little strange to call me two days later, and at 7:30 am, but to each his own.  I was happy she had a nice time.

Today Mads played with her birthday presents.  We painted, played with jewelry, re-glued the eyes, mouth, and nose on her pet rock (that miraculously just keep falling off when she picks at them), and of course, JUMP-O-LENE time.

 We did late tubby's in the afternoon because of our paint fun, and spent way to much time in the tub getting pruney and making wash cloths talk to each other and rescue each other. 

 The girls had some good conversations and some really adorable laughing moments.  Madeline makes Abigail laugh a lot, and I love every second of it. 

And then Abigail just crawled like crazy! She is officially a crawler.  She went across the entire carpet today just to get her paws on my camera lens cap.  Normally, I wouldn't let her, but after all that work I HAD to let her gnaw on it a bit.  She is SO ROCKIN'!

This evening the girls and I picked Paul up from work and we headed out to the Corniche in Khobar to try out the new Outback Steakhouse.  The Outback Steakhouse used to be our favorite restaurant.  Paul and I would go there for every special occassion.  So it was fun to find out they were building one.  Our sites were not set too high because we had tried the Outback in Dubai and it was not that great, so we expected about the same here.  But I was really pleasantly surprised! 

We were the first and only guests there so we got five -star treatment. The girls got balloons.  I had some really good peach flavored iced tea. We ordered a bloomin' onion - it was awesome.  Then I got "No Rules Pasta" with grilled chicken and some steamed vegetables to share with Abigail.  It tasted JUST LIKE the Outback in the States.  Paul ordered his usual - lettuce and cucumbers only with mustard vinegarette and a nine ounce filet with garlic mashed potatoes.  He said it was "okay" but it didn't melt in his mouth like he would have liked it to (how it does in the States).  Mads happily had chicken fingers and fries and she really enjoyed the traditional brown buttered bread.  Abigail, for the first time ever, was noticeably upset when an Asian man came up to her and tried to say hi.  It was adorable.  She is SO adorable. even when she cries. 

We ended with a Chocolate Thunder from Down Under... it was SO good.  I am looking forward to my left overs for lunch tomorrow! 

AFter dinner we stopped at the GM dealership to check out, and ask questions about, a Yukon XL.  Paul and I feel like it makes sense to have a bigger vehicle while living here in Saudi.  After being here a year and a half and seeing how useful the big vehicles are - safety-wise and room-wise - we have been on the lookout for something for us.  We're currently in dealings with a man who posted an ad in the classifieds for Aramco and may get a really nice used one, but we are also seeing our options with the new ones.  They are SO NICE.  The girls and I had fun playing in all the models of cars and trucks while Paul did some business talk with one of the salesman.  We got some questions answered and then headed home.  So we will see... we may have a new Yukon some time soon!