Us and the Kiddos: February 2018

Friday, February 23, 2018

Guess what....

Yours truly has finally decided to get up and get a J-O-B. I wanted something fun, with some perks, and just part time .... So where did I end up you ask....the Gap in the Village!!

It's perfect- part time, mostly days- because I'm one of the OLDEST ones there! Yup, the majority of the crew are in high school still, or maybe a few in college. The managers are all older than me, except one, so there's always that.....but it totally works out to my benefit, since they can only really work evenings and weekends- it leaves the day shift open. 4-6 hours a shift, 3-4 shifts a week.

Awesome. :)

The pay isn't great, but it's above minimum wage, and that's ok, it's a little extra jingle in our pockets, hopefully we can save some, but with a new house and pinterest at my fingertips, I'm not sure how well THAT will go! :)

Mostly it's something to get me out of the house. I probably shouldn't ever have quit working in a total capacity.....I have way too much energy to sit at home all day. It's never somewhere I would have ever imagined I'd be working, not because I don't like Gap, it just literally was never a thought I ever had in my head. I'm happy it worked out like it did though because Gap Inc is a great company and does some great things. Plus, the employee discount is awesome and works at Old Navy, Athleta, PiperLime, Banana Republic, Weddington Way and Gap of course, which is pretty much worth working there for that alone! :)

Anyhow, I've had two whole shifts at this point but am actually really liking it and am quite excited about it! :)

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Syria Date Night

Syria was the first country we visited in our house! While it probably wasn't the most 'fun' country we've ever done- the food wasn't bad and the fact that we got to do it in our new house made it that much better! :)

As a result of the ongoing Syrian civil war, there are currently two governments claiming to be the de jure government of Syria, using different flags to represent the state.

Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. Wikipedia

Capital: Damascus

President: Bashar al-Assad

Capital and largest city: Damascus; 33°30′N 36°18′E /33.500°N 36.300°E

Population: 18.43 million (2016) World Bank

Official languages: Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic

Cool Facts about Syria:

The two stars in the Syrian Flag represent the previous union between Syria and Egypt.
Syria is a founding member of the United Nations.
Damascus (commonly known in Syria as ash-Sham), the capital city of Syria,is called the “Jasmine City.” It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
The Assyrian New Year falls on April 1st. Celebrated with the arrival of spring, Kha b-Nisan literally means the first of the month of Nisan.
The Shouting Valley is the meeting point of four countries: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. It is an “echo point,” and people often use it to communicate with their relatives on the other side.
The city of Damascus gets its name from Damask, a variety of cotton fabric rich in exquisite patterns.
The only Pope to ever visit a mosque was John Paul II. He visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus in 2001.
Present day Syria is a battleground of the whole world, with troops from nearly 34 countries fighting a complex web of wars. Their main enemy is the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Levant.
In December, 2015, the U.S. completed a record 9000 airstrikes in Syria.Two months later, Russia joined in with a 400+ strikes in just 6 days.
ISIS and the Syrian Government are fighting a water war to drain out water from each other’s territory.
The Syrian refugee crisis is the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II. It deeply affected 14 million residents who were forced to flee or face persecution from religious fanatics. According to the U.N., it will take $7.7 billion to meet the urgent needs of the most vulnerable Syrians in 2016.
Syria has been drinking beer to chill out since times immemorial. A historical reference to beer is found in the Ebla tablets, which date back to 2500 BC.
In Syria, it’s the government’s job to get you drunk! There are two varieties of beer, Al-Shark Beer and Barada Beer, both produced by the state
The Aleppo Codex, an ancient Jewish manuscript, remained in Syria for five hundred years. It was lost during a riot in 1947, but was later smuggled into Israel by a Syrian national. The sad news: only half the pages remained.
The city of Aleppo in Syria was named the Islamic Capital of Culture in 2006.
The Al-Madina Souq, a link in the ancient silk route, is the perfect example of a tinsel town. Oblivious to the modern era, it maintains the rare charm of a medieval marketplace, filled with exotic goods and stunning architecture.
Qudud Halabiya and Muwashshah are the two forms of Arab music and poetry uniquely developed in Syria.
The internet hacktivist group Anonymous has declared war on The Syrian Electronic Army because of its censorship laws.
Syria has close ties with the country of Iran. The latter is believed to have spent $15 billion annually in Syria during the Syrian Civil War.
Palmyra, a city dripping with history and culture, was deliberately destroyed by the Islamic State of Levant due to its polytheistic statues. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a rare gem of the ancient world.
The fourth holiest place in Islam is the Umayyad Mosque, located in Damascus. It also is home to the mausoleum containing the tomb of King Saladin, as well as the Shrine of John the Baptist.
The Aleppo Citadel in Syria is the mother of all citadels. Built in the year 3, BCE, it is one of the oldest and largest castles in the world, standing strong even today.
Syria was once a tourist hotspot for its religious and historical wonders, but the war caused a 75% decline in the tourism industry.
Russian company Megapolis Ltd. has organized war tourism trips to the frontlines of the Syrian conflict. The other popular choice is Ukraine.
The capital of Syria is known for its steel. The Damascus Steel swords were feared and revered by the crusaders for their extremely sharp edges.
The Kurdish People form a distinctive community, which is believed to have originated from the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh.

All the recipes were out of a Syrian cookbook called Our Syria, Recipes from Home, by two Syrian refugees- you can find it at Barnes and Noble- check it out!

fresh fruits, variety of nuts, rose water, sumac and zaatar- all part of the unique Syrian cuisine

The rose water was for the cookies. The sumac for the chicken and the zaatar for the bread.

a butter cookie

we had a damascan fruit salad with ricotta, honey and almonds on top. I thought it was delicious, but Louis wasn't crazy about the ricotta on top.

a syrian chicken with sumac and caramelized onion and batata harra

muhammara, a roasted red pepper and walnut dip with syrian flatbread with zaatar

dessert- fruit and butter cookies

Saturday, February 17, 2018

The Girls are OK

So for those of you who don't know- the girls are down in Oaxaca Mexico right now- that means that they went through the 7.2 mag earthquake that hit Oaxaca yesterday. They were in their condo, which just so happened to be on the top floor when the earthquake hit. Other than being really shook up- no pun intended, they're doing fine. Their dad texted me immediately after it happened, letting me and my mom know they were safe, and then kept us updated throughout the evening. Apparently some after shocks shook the area and they had a tsunami alert, but no real concern of a tsunami. All is well and thank God, not a single death has been reported. They come home on Tuesday and after all of this, it can NOT come any sooner. It breaks my heart to not have been there knowing they were scared, but they were with their dad and stepmom and well taken care of. :)

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Libya Date Night

Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a sovereign state in the Maghreb region of North Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.

Capital: Tripoli

Capital and largest city: Tripoli; 32°52′N 13°11′E /32.867°N 13.183°E

Population: 6.293 million (2016) World Bank

Continent: Africa

Official language: Arabic

Cool Facts about Libya:

Tripoli, the capital of Libya, was in a position to help protect American ships from attack by Barbary pirates in the 19th century (since, after all, some of them were based there!) By paying protection to the Sultan, the U.S. ships sailed the Mediterranean unmolested. When the price went up, the two countries went to war, twice, in what came to be known as the Barbary Wars.
In Libya’s entire history, it only had one King. King Idris reigned from 1951 until he was overthrown by Colonel Gaddafi (also spelled Qadhafi) in 1969.
Although an Islamic nation today, Libya was an early Christian center historically.
Currently at least two political groups have set up governments for Libya, but only one of them is recognized as legitimate by the rest of the world. The fighting and instability in the country/region was responsible for the deaths of almost 1,800 migrants fleeing several countries in North Africa. They died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in the summer of 2015.
Libya’s 1,770 kilometers (1099 miles) of Mediterranean Sea coast is the longest of any North African country.
The area of the Mediterranean Sea north of Libya is frequently called the Libyan Sea.
Much of the central and eastern area of the country is covered by the Libyan Desert. The Libyan Desert is one of the most sun-baked and arid places on earth. There is no average rainfall — the land may go for decades with no rain and the highlands for five to ten years without it.
North of the mountains of Jebel Uweinat the Libyan plain is dotted with eroded volcanic features. This area also contains the Arkenu structures, thought at one time to be two meteorite impact craters.
When oil was discovered in the 1950s, an enormous aquifer underneathmuch of Libya was also found. This aquifer’s water pre-dates the last ice ages.
Libya’s poor soils and climatic conditions severely limit how much food can be grown within the country, so it imports about 75 percent of its population’s food.
The Libyan dinar is the national currency.
Libya is home to the largest proven oil reserves on the African continent. It makes a major contribution to the world’s supply of sweet, light crude.
Tripoli is the capital and largest city of Libya, as well as the Port of Tripoli.
Tripoli is a Greek word that means “three cities”. The Arabic name for it is Tarabulus. It is located on the edge of the desert on a point of rocky land that projects out into the Mediterranean, forming a small bay.
Tripoli is also known as the Mermaid of the Mediterranean for its turquoise waters and whitewashed buildings.
The majority of the Libyan population lives in its coastal area cities. Traditional tribal society life is the norm in the Berber villages of western Libya. In the south, you will find the Bedouins, including the Tuaregs.
Libyan people traditionally lived in extended families. Today many young couples get their own place instead of living with the husband’s family. The couples even choose their own mates, particularly those who live in the cities. In rural areas, traditional arranged marriages still occur.
The Berbers identify themselves with their village or tribe before their country.
All the desert tribes collectively are known as the Bedouins. They lead nomadic lives, moving with their livestock or settling in farming villages in oases. The Tuaregs were the original desert traders who transported goods by camels across the desert. With robes dyed with indigo, they are sometimes called the Blue People.
Libyans are warm and welcoming people. When greeting another, they shake hands and maintain the handshake as long as the verbal greeting is on-going. Men shake with men, but wait for women to initiate a handshake from woman to man.
Libyans greet one another with “Salaam aleikum: (Peace be with you.) or “Sabbahakum Allah bi’l-khair” (May Allah give you a good morning.). They also ask a set of formal ritual questions about their families and health.
Libya is an Islamic country so women still wear the Hijab to cover their head according to Islamic law. Many women, though, especially in the cities, no longer wear public veils and dress in western style dresses and clothing. So do men. Traditional men and women still wear their traditional robes.
Popular sports are soccer, chariot races, and camel racing.
Saving face is important to Libyans, who are non-confrontational. They avoid disagreeing or saying no.
The biggest meal of the day for Libyan families is lunch and it is of great symbolic importance. Businesses, shops, and schools close for several hours so families may gather together to eat
The people drink green tea after they eat to aid digestion. Tea and coffee are favorite beverages. Libyan tea is thick and like black syrup.
The cuisine of Libya is a mixture of Mediterranean, African and Italian influences. Common ingredients include dates, olives, fruits, lamb, chicken, milk, and grains, particularly couscous. Stuffed sweet peppers appear in many meals. The proper use of spices is important to achieve the right mix of popular flavors.
All meats eaten by Libyans must be halal. This means the animal was killed humanely and prayed over ritually according to Muslim customs.
Food is eaten with three fingers on the right hand. The left is considered unclean. Good manners dictate you leave a little food on your plate to indicate that your host is a gracious and generous provider.