Overwhelmed!!!!!

I have been so busy between work and trying to have a personal life at the same time that I hardly have time to do either! I work late most nights, as does Indiana, and by the time we get home we are simply too tired to do anything. On a positive note, our boat is finally in the water! The hubby has been working on it every weekend since we got it in the water. We can't wait for it to get warm so we can start scuba diving again!!! Speaking of scuba diving!!! I have a gift under the tree from my man that might just be pink and used to keep your buoyancy under control while in the depths of the sea........ He might just be getting a device of the sort that has no wires, can be taken on the boat and plays music via Bluetooth.... Hmmmm what could be under the tree this year I wonder? 

My new job is hectic as hell and still unorganized but it's a job. I bought a new cell phone today so I can get a personal line because the line I have currently turned into my company line seeing as they don't provide me with a company phone or sim. I did find out I am entitled to a phone allowance however that I wasn't informed about until today. Luckily my colleague told me she will sort it out and make sure I not only get my allowance every month but will get paid for the past two months as well. Can't argue with that I guess. 

On a Bahrain note, I have found one of my new favorite sushi places here. It's called Frangipani and is located inside Seef mall. The service was a bit slow but the food was worth the wait. The chef who cooks the food in front of you is pretty impressive with his spatulas!!! The menu is good offers the usual variety at most sushi places. 

Also, if you are keen on starting the new year off with some new high fashion brands at a good sale price, you should hit up the Bahrain Retail Fair from January 2nd till the 5th, 2014. There will also be Bahrain's first auto auction! So hit it up and start the year off with a new pair of wheels! 

What else??? The motor show is this weekend and it sounds like it will be tons of fun. Indiana and I are goin to check it out. 

Well for now that is all I got. I have a date with my much loved pillow. Nighty night all!!!!

Xoxo

Sniffle sniff sniff....sneeze

Joy to the world I am sick! :( I have a bad sinus infection that is really getting the best of me. Last night I fell asleep at a friends house while my husband was stuck on the causeway. Poor Indiana was stuck on the causeway coming back from Saudi for about 4 hours because the computer systems went down. This is a prime example of poor management. Always have a backup plan! Some people were stuck on the causeway for 7 hours! If the computers go down, have a back up paper system! No instead, they take that opportunity to have tea and a nice long chat presumably. Anywho so my wonderful husband came and got me and took me home. Now, I am sitting at work having been called in on our public holiday for a reason I am still not sure. To make matters worse! Aunt Flow came for a visit today....joy..... 

So if anyone reads this I would greatly appreciate some hospital or clinic advice for here in Bahrain. I don't really know where any are. 

I need to get better because apparently it is a crime to be sick while at work haha. I should be home resting..... 

Sorry I don't have anything more interesting to tell you guys about!!! 

Cheers! Xoxo sneeze

Working woman again....I guess....

Hello everyone,

So I got a job. I am in marketing again (shocker I know lol) at a media company. They called me in for an interview three weeks ago and put on the charm. The offices looked great and super creative. They bragged about their clientele and all that jazz. They even made the deal sweeter by mentioning on top of my base salary I get commission for every sale and business I bring in. Plus working hours are from 8 to 4:30 which I thought was great because then I have enough time to play with the dogs, cook dinner, clean up the house, read a book and welcome my wonderful hubby home. 

Let's just say everything wasn't necessarily a lie but a very stretched out version of the truth. Within my third day at work I stayed till 9pm. Outside of last Thursday I have never left work at 4:30 actually. I even came in on a flippin public holiday! I am in my third week and already burnt out. Listen I don't mind working late when it is necessary but to be honest the only reason people stay late is because there is zero time management skills, zero project management, zero organization, zero delegation and zero team work! It is every man for himself here kind of thing. Also, people have no issue pointing the finger in order to keep the blame off of them. It's like high school here. Now the big boss has a god complex.

I mean he held a brainstorming session the other day and I tried twice to put in my opinion and he immediately shot them down. He did it to everyone actually. Why the hell would you call in a "brainstorming session" when it was more like a dictatorship where he just wanted to tell us how HE wants things done. Then in today's meeting he is busy trashing talking employees whom he thinks hasn't done a good enough job. Zero professionalism. I pick up a brochure today that has already been sent to printing and there are spelling and grammatical mistakes on every page!!! There is even incorrect information on it! That's when it hit me; we do production and all that but don't have an editor! Not to be mean but we are in a company where everyone's second language is English and their language skills are far from up to par and we don't have an editor????? I don't know how this is going to pan out for me. I want a career but I also don't want to feel like I want to jump out of a window everyday. I also have a life, dogs and my husband; I can't

spend every waking moment at work because people don't understand time management. That is not my problem.

 

Anyways. Enough ranting. My brother in law came in for the weekend and we had a blast. Thursday we took him to a bar and danced all night. I love dancing. On Friday we relaxed majority of the day then when the sun went down a little we filled our inflatable cooler with some ice cold beers and parked ourselfs on our inflatable island in the canal. Our friends came by on their boat and hung out with us. Then we all started to get hungry. So we headed to our friends house for a braai to end the night off. Saturday we spent on the beach. It was lovely. But today I feel a bit under the weather...oops. 

I hope everyone had a great weekend as well. Now we have a long weekend to look forward to this week!!! Woohoo!!!! 

Adios muchachose!!! Xoxo

Where to Start?

Hello all!!!

Sorry for not posting again! We don't have internet yet in the house and I don't like writing a post on my phone. So the question is where do I start?

Let me start with saying Indiana and I love Bahrain. This change has been so good for us and not to mention for the dogs. They laze around outside soaking up the sun and bark at fish. It is the cutest thing watching them. They are so calm here and content. This move was for the best.

We still don't have our personal stuff here yet. Without taking up to much space for ranting, lets just say using this company has turned into our worst nightmare. Not only have a paid a fortune but we still don't have our stuff! On top of it all now the shipper is straying from our original agreement. We asked for door to door service. That means you pick our stuff up from our house in Kuwait and you deliver it to the front door of our house in Bahrain. Simple enough. Well apparently not. We paid him for those services however. We did it that way to make it easier and so we just pay the shippers one time. Now he wants the company here to deliver it to our house and we pay them a separate fee for their services. Um.....HELLO!!!!!! We already paid you for that. Anyways, the point is we will never be using them again and I am sorry for recommending them to you in previous posts.

On a more positive note, I would like to talk about what I have experienced in Bahrain so far. Living on the Amwaj Island, or as we call it, Expat Island, is a dream. People are so friendly and the overall atmosphere is generally calm a quiet. There is The lagoon about a five minute drive from the Floating City, which is where we live, or a 10-15 walk/jog/run. The Lagoon is where I fulfill my Starbucks coffee addiction every morning. The Lagoon is a very beautiful place with a collection of restaurants, coffee shops, a spa, Waitross (the grocery store) and many other things. It is always quiet and during the day filled with mommies and their children having coffee and lunch dates. There are also tons of activities offered on the Island from personal trainers to gyms. This one lady named Kathy offer paddle boarding over the weekends where you can rent paddle boards and she takes you around the floating city. It is a relaxing core workout not to mention fun. She also offers Pilates classes during the week and on Saturdays, Pilates on paddle boards as well. If you are interested check out the Facebook page Stand Up Paddling Bahrain or Pilates by KK.

We rented a car for me so I have also done some off Amwaj exploring. For shopping the City Centre Mall and Al Seef mall are my favorite so far. I also ventured to the Bahrain Mall to visit The Home Store there. That place is very nice and has a unique collection of furniture and decorations for your home at affordable prices. The only issue I have come across is finding a computer desk. Home Center didn't have a very large variety and most of their stuff was in white which does not go with the wood in my house. Then at The Home Store, they were completely out of desks all together. So, I ended up buying a small dining room table that was on sale. It will do just fine paired with a book shelf.

On the topic of car rentals, I rented my car from Adaliya Car Rental. They are great to work with, very accommodating and you can't beat their prices. I am renting a Toyota Yaris, 2013 model, for BD 160 a month. They even dropped it off at my house. Their cars aren't luxurious but do the job for a good price.

I also found the good sports stores. Sun and Sand Sports offers a wide range of athletic gear but is a little pricey on their clothing. I also found Skate Shack which offers our extreme sports gear like kayaks, kite surfs, wakeboards and bikes. They are also pricey but good quality.

My next adventure is to find a good salon/spa that doesn't cost a small fortune. I just want to find a clean place that I can go pamper myself from time to time.

So far that is what I have explored here. I am off to Alosra, another grocery store, now.

Catch you laters!!!! xoxo

It's been a while!

Hello everyone!

So sorry for the long delay in posts. Call me superstitious but I didn't want to post anything during the move and the weeks leading up to the move in order to not jinx myself.

I am glad to announce that we are living in Bahrain! I arrived last Wednesday and the dogs followed on Thursday! They love it here! The atmosphere is just so healthy for them. They sit in the yard for hours even when it is super hot.

We live in the floating city on the Amwaj Island and it is a dream! I can't believe I am still in the Middle East! People are running, kayaking, biking and so much more everyday here. I can wear shorts and my bikini without an issue. Oh and I don't have people barking at my dogs. I don't know why people do that in Kuwait but it really gets on my nerves. The people are great here as well. So friendly. 

I don't have a car yet but Indiana bought me a bicycle and I can bike around Amwaj to the grocery stores and most importantly STARBUCKS!!! Can't live without my coffee. 

Now the last step is to get our stuff in boxes sent over so I can put our personal touch in the house. Luckily the furniture in our place is really nice and not over the top. 

Well I must go clean the kitchen! I will keep you posted on all our new adventures plus reviews on places we go! 

Bye bye for now! Xoxo

I'm Back!!!!!

Hello readers!!

Sorry for my long absence but I have had so much going on. While we were in South Africa I rarely had good enough internet connection for long enough to update you all! I have been back in Kuwait for almost two weeks now while Indiana has started working in Saudi. Of course due to Ramadan, it is taking forever to get his residency. As usual the guy who issues the residency or whatever left a week early for Eid holiday. As is getting over a week off isn't enough, they always have to take more time. Nothing is ever good enough for some people. So now, Indiana and I have to wait till after the Eid holidays for him to get his residency. Once he gets his residency, he can go rent out new home in Bahrain and I can make arrangements for the dogs and I. It is super lonely without him. If you don't already realize, Indiana is my best friend and my husband so naturally being apart is torture. Well all we can do is wait and see.

Our trip to South Africa was great. We saw all of my husbands extended family and saw some beautiful places. The food is fantastic!!! I gained sooo much weight for the two weeks we were there. We had a blast. One of my favorite things we did was when we went to the Lion park and got to drive by huge lions! We also did the lion cub interaction and oh my word that was heaven. They play just like cats only are much larger!! It was so surreal. Even though they were cubs there were bigger than my dog who is not so small.

Indiana and I spent some much needed time together with family and friends. I really love South Africa. It is just a shame how much crime and corruption there is. I could never live behind and electric fence. I know you get used to it but I come from a neighborhood where we don't even have fences in our front yard much less and electric fence. I also don't want to live looking over my shoulder and keeping my handbag so tight around me. I like feeling free and safe. I hope it gets better one day. I want my future children to know where they are from. Who knows, life has a funny way of working itself out.

The boat and jet ski are waiting for us in Bahrain but that turned into a nightmare. Both Kuwait and Bahrain want the original documents for the de registration and so forth of the boat and jet ski. So they got stuck in Bahrain customs and we got fined. It is just ridiculous and the shipping company wasn't of much use either. You would think a company offering a service would know the procedures as well. But I guess common sense is asking to much. I don't think we will be using that company again so please ignore my previous praise. Well they still need to ship our personal items to Bahrain once we get there so I will let you know if they can do that without hiccups. Of course Indiana can't come visit seeing as he doesn't have residency and he happens to be in the most difficult place to get a visa for. I can't even get a visa for Saudi because well it s Saudi and women are property. So Indiana would have to apply for my visa however he cant even do that without a residency. Life can really be cruel sometimes. Oh well, we just have to roll with the punches I guess. Well lets see if anything interesting happens in the next couple days.

 Sleepy lion...so beautiful

 This guy is one of the rare White Lions and the man himself that starred in the movie the White Lion. 

 These two were just so much fun

 The North Face carries us through all of our adventures.

This is the lovely river we walked to from one of the farms and just hung out for a while enjoying the beautiful scenery!!!! 

I will catch you guys later!!!! Hope you enjoyed my update!!! 

See you later! xoxo

South Africa Bound!

Well we wrapped up all we needed to here in Kuwait. Our boat and jet ski are in Bahrain waiting for us. All of our boxes are sitting in a warehouse waiting for the go ahead to ship. Indiana's residency has been canceled. Now in two hours, we will be on our way to South Africa!!! We are going so Indiana can do his medical to get his residency on Saudi because that is actually where he will be working. But we are excited to make the best of it and go see family that we haven't seen in a while. Wifi will be limited but once I am back in Kuwait I will post some pics and share my adventures! 

Bon voyage!! Xoxo

An Empty Space

As I walk through the place we once called home I feel a pinch of sadness rush through my body. Though it is is the midst of summer I feel chills run through my body as I make the last few rounds to make sure we haven't forgotten anything. I look at these empty rooms that are no longer filled with furniture and love. The only evidence that people once lived here are nails in the walls. Nails in which will soon be taken out in preparation for the new tenants. It is hard saying goodbye to a place we spent so much time and effort on. It is hard to say goodbye to a life you once lived. Now we will be leaving this place for the next people to come in and call it home. 

One thing I have learned is that home truly is where your heart is. I know that we will walk into our new place in Bahrain and stare at those plain walls and get started again. It takes love to turn a house into a home. So we will begin our new journey in due time. We will fill our new place with hopes and dreams once again. Further down our timeline of life I know we will too walk through that place doing our last rounds and feel the same tinge of pain. Only the next time we will do this will be because we will have finally reached our end goal. All of the time, love, patience, effort and hard work will be because we will finally be making our move back to the states into a home that is truly ours. It will be in a house that we own. A house that our future children will grow up in. A house that Indiana and I will grow old in. It will be the home that when we are old and grey we will look around and be proud of. We will remember our life in the Middle East and reminisce all the countless moves we made and smile. We will smile because our life will have been filled with color.

This move has been tough but we have kept a positive outlook because it is proof that we are progressing. It is proof that we are one step closer to our ultimate goal. A goal in which we will have earned more than we can even now imagine. 

So I say goodbye to my long stint in Kuwait and hello to a new adventure. I know everything will work out in the end because my true home lays in the heart of the man that stands beside me. This strong man that I have given my whole heart to is where I feel safe. That is the true meaning of home. 

I am lucky and I never take my life for granted as each day passes. 

Take care for now. Xoxo

Ribs and Rumps- A must try!

Goeie Middag! (Good evening in Afrikaans) :)
Tonight Indiana and I went to Ribs and Rumps for our second go at the restaurant. Both times was a big success. Both times I have gotten their Fillet cooked medium. I am a big steak person and must say that this has become my favorite steak place here in Kuwait. Their selection is great and the service is impeccable.
It is a South African restaurant and I am happy to say it is also equipped with South African chefs.
My steak was amazing and so was Indiana's.
We did have one little mishap however. We ordered their white fish cooked in batter appetizer thinking it would be pieces of fish fried and served with a dip of some sort. However, it was tiny local fish with their heads still on fried and served like that. I did try it, not my favorite. It is also not appeasing to the eye to have the heads still on. My only criticism is to include a description of that on the menu. I felt bad wasting the food but I certainly wasn't going to eat it.
If you happen to be a Saffer, they have boerewors and boereworse rolls with the proper red relish. It is delicious. Their mixed grill is also on par.
If I had to give an rating I would give the place a 9 out of 10. The steak is a 10/10 by far. The menu would be a 9/10 (more description needed). The service would be a 10/10. The ambiance would also be a 10/10.

The prices are reasonable. It is more on the expensive side, as steak places are, but worth every fil. We ordered drinks, a fillet, a rib eye, two extra sides and three sauces bringing us to a total of KD 26.500.

If we were staying here this would definitely turn into our date night place of choice. Now that I am properly full, I am going to retire to a blissful slumber.

My delicious fillet cooked medium!

The white fish cooked in batter appetizer (notice the heads...eww)

OH on a side note, Indiana, my mom in law, and I will be on our way to South Africa next week!!! Things are really coming together! I can not wait to eat good food!!!! 

Totsiens!!! xoxo

2 for 1

Hello All!!!!
Our spirits have been lifted seeing as things are finally moving in our favor. We finally got our deregistration papers from the ministry. However, I must say, do not hire a mandoub here to do this process. Usually we use mandoubs for car registrations, visas and even re registering our boat's registration. For this process, there really is no need. You will have to be directed to 700 different rooms before you reach the right one but take it from me, it is faster. Stay polite and keep a smile on your face and people will help. You still will have to wait if the people who need to sign the papers happen to not be at work but alas we got our papers. Now we have given them to the shipping agency and they do the rest of the work. By Sunday or Monday our boat will be on the way to Bahrain! Now Indiana can cancel his residency and hopefully by Thursday we will be on our way to South Africa for his medical and a little R&R. Packing up your life really is overwhelming but finally we can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Now for my second topic of this post!!!!!! Mama Lita's Authentic Mexican Food!!! It is a restaurant in the Mahboula area. It is tiny and easy to miss because it is the size of a bakala. Do not let looks deceive you. I am from Texas, lets just say I like my Mexican food! I have not had a flauta in forever and I tell you, this place hit the spot. It is pretty cheap too. They have a wide range of traditional Mexican food. The best part is, when the ingredients finally make it to Kuwait, they will make TAMALES!!!! Oh how I miss tamales. This place is worth checking out. If you like Mexican food or food with flavor in general then you need to put this on the list.

Adios Amigos!!!!!!! xoxo

Let's Talk Life- Love

Let me start off by saying this past month, though it is not over, has been a very humbling experience. First off, living in a beautiful apartment while sleeping on an air mattress, sitting on lawn chairs, ordering take out because we don't have kitchen appliances, bringing our laundry to my mom-in-law's, and so on so forth has been an experience we won't forget. You really do not know how good you had it till it is all gone. Our trip to South Africa is still on hold pending our boat situation. All in all, though it can be frustrating, this has been an adventure for Indiana and I. It has brought us closer in ways I did not know possible. I am so happy to have him in my life. My partner my best friend and my rock.
My life lesson for today: The true meaning of love. I thought I knew love. I felt it many times before. I do know love, but true love only came when I met Indiana and spent time with him. I always fell in love, went along for the ride and then it ended. I kept thinking. 'what am I doing wrong?' Now, and only now, I realize that I wasn't necessarily doing anything wrong. In fact, I was doing everything right. The problem was always in the love. I thought love was sacrificing more than you should. I thought love was questioning anything and everything. I thought love was saying and hearing the words. I thought love was those butterflies you feel in your tummy that eventually go away and you find yourself at a crossroad saying, 'well I have put so much time and effort into this I might as well stay'; or you find yourself letting go and pursuing new love. In the end the answer ended up being so simple that it is so easy to miss. Love is loving someone completely and then here is the big secret, love is feeling all the love you give, given back to you in return. Everything I sacrifice, Indiana does the same. All the love I give and show him, he gives and shows it back in return. When you finally find someone that truly loves you back, you feel it. You know it in your heart and all the way through your bones. Saying the words is nice but you no longer need it when you find true love. True love is a hard thing to come by. All I can say is that when it comes along, hop on for the adventure, get lost in the moment and stay on that journey, with your special person, for the rest of your days. Be willing to feel the love back. It hits you when you least expect it.
True love has been the best thing that has ever happened to me and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Just some food for thought from my life lessons...xoxo

The things we do for the love of water...

So as everyone knows, Indiana and I are preparing to make our move to Bahrain. Our goal was to leave to South Africa next Tuesday so Indiana can do his medical and we can take a short vacation and see family. Well that trip has been pushed back a bit because of our boat and jet ski. They are coming with us to Bahrain. So here is some advice that I believe I have always known but only now experienced it. Thus now, I only learned the lesson. 

When shipping a boat or jet ski out of Kuwait there is a fairly easy process to be followed. Yes easy. However, if anyone has lived in Kuwait long enough they will know that even the easiest of procedures here can turn into a long process. First get in contact with a shipping agency and give them all the required info and paperwork. Then you will have to go to the ministry and deregister your asset before the shipping company can prepare the paperwork needed in order to clear the asset for shipping. The shipping agency is really easy to work with. It is the ministry that is a bit more tricky. Basically, the ministry just has to sign a bunch of papers. They don't even need to see the asset. However, what can take a day usually does not here due to people not showing up to work. So we initially were supposed to get the boat shipped tomorrow. Now, that has been pushed back a week because the guy that is supposed to sign off our papers is not here this week and we will only be able to get our papers next Tuesday. So basically all of our plans have been pushed back a whole week for a piece of paper that just needs a signature on it.

So a word of advice, do not put a set date on tickets or any of that until your asset has been deregistered and the shipping process has started. This will help you avoid headaches and wasting money. 

The shipping agency we are using is wonderful. They are affordable and very easy to deal with. They help you through the entire process. I would recommend them. Their name is Transcontinental Shipping Services or TCS. 

Over and out my friends! Xoxo

Currently how I feel....

Little Philippines Detour

Sorry I haven't been on in a while. I took a short trip to the Philippines from Sunday till Thursday. It was good fun. I met some really great people from around the world and learned a whole lot from them. I really enjoy learning. I take every opportunity that comes my way just so that I can expand my horizons. Life is just plain dull if you stay in your comfort zone and continue to be stuck in your ways. 

The Philippines was a lot like I expected; beautiful but dirty, full of life but filled with struggle. There are parts of Manila that your heart aches just driving by. Then, there are the grand malls and so forth that make you realize that it is just like the rest of the world. Poor and rich all at the same time. I really loved the people. Such a friendly culture. Everyone, male or female, rich or poor greeted me with a smile. 

I didn't get to see even close to what I wanted to but my hotel was grand! We stayed at the Sofitel Plaza in Manila and it was just out of this world. If you want luxury then that is the place to go. 

It was really hot and humid. Everyone said I should be used to it coming from Kuwait but hell no!!! Kuwait is dry people! We have a very short and mild humid season and that is it. I could not handle the humidity. 

Indiana and I have to go back to go exploring and find a nice place to dive! 

On a life note, I am back home. We don't have hardly any furniture left. Living on lawn chairs in the living room and sleeping on an air mattress in the bed room. We are taking the living out of our suitcase thing to a whole new level. It is fun though I must admit. I would recommend taking away all of your luxuries from time to time and remember that life and love is a gift on its own. All these other things are added bonuses. 

Now we are at my mom in laws place getting ready to eat a pork rib feast!! Yay! My mom, sister and our niece nephew are on their way. Family is good. The best really. 

On that note...I must go! Xoxo

From Boxes to Bargains

So, life has been a bit crazy since I last wrote. Before I begin writing about more of my moving adventures, I would like to take a step back to the weekend and share our wonderful chalet experience.
My mom rented one of those new beautiful beach houses in the lagoon area over by Khairan Resort. We were by the Al Zor chalets which is a newer beautiful area. We had a three story, 5 bedroom, diwaniya, driver room, huge living room, dining room, kitchen, giant yard and a pool chalet. We rented it from Thursday till Saturday for KD 300 and it was worth every penny. There were tons of kids with us because my niece invited tons of her friends. They all had a blast going for walks and hanging out at the beach. My nephew and his little friend spent countless hours in the pool. I was worried he was going to turn into a prune!
The chalet had all the necessities you need. Fully equipped kitchen, pillows, blankets and all that. It was just a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend it.

Story of my life! ^

 



Now on to moving. Oh my word it is hectic! So we put an ad up on Just Landed for all of our furniture and my phone has not stopped ringing. I like that everything is going fast, I was worried things wouldn't get sold. However, what I can not stand is the disrespect. People are coming into my home that I put my heart and soul into and try to basically rob my husband and I. We are already selling our stuff at ridiculously low prices and people want even more of a discount and things for free! We aren't a charity here! We are a young married couple moving that might need that money just as much as you need that furniture. It is just annoying and disrespectful. Like one guy came last night to look at our PlayStation for his kids and made a big deal about him coming for that and we mustn't sell it before he gets there. So he gets here and tries to haggle. We are including three controllers and their wires, this motion controller with a gun to go with it and the camera all for KD 60. I am sorry that is a bargain. This man was all like aren't you including all your games in the price? Um..no...those are my husbands games. Plus the games don't really lose their value and if he wanted them they are honestly all about KD 300 worth. Then he goes on to say no you must give me a better discount, I can go to a store now and get it for KD 60 new. Well you know what I say to that? THEN GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE AND GO BUY IT ELSEWHERE!!! What the hell is wrong with people?
Any who, my mom bought our couch and my mom in law ended up buying the PlayStation. I just love them so much. They are itching to help us out in any way possible.
We also sold our dryer yesterday so it is air drying our stuff for a while...eww...We also sold our washing machine last night and the guy is coming to pick it up tonight. So it also looks like I will be washing our clothes in the bath tub!!! Haha going totally old school here. I hope someone buys our beloved Samsung Smart TV! We are really selling it for a steal. It is KD 300 but brand spanking new. The 3D glasses are still in the plastic! The original price is close to KD 500. We shall see.

Anyways, note to everyone: Just Landed really works but get ready for very rude and invasive people. They don't respect that this is still your home and not the Friday Market.

Tata for now...xoxo

What is Healthy?

So, my rant yesterday got me thinking about health. I wouldn't say I am healthy or a health nut, but I have made a huge difference in my diet and lifestyle since I got fed up with the image. Then it got me thinking, what is healthy? I don't believe in diets, pills and all that. I have tried them but I get too cranky and get cravings and am in general not happy. So instead, I took the everything in moderation approach. I didn't cut a single thing out of my diet nor did I substitute things. I just watch more carefully at what I ate. I realized I drank coke like a crazy person. So I started paying more attention to water and made sure I got that in while I lessened the amount of coke I drank. It was the little things like that that added up and made all the difference. As I mentioned in my ranting post, I lost a good amount of weight but I would like to to note that weight was not my main concern. I didn't focus on a scale and all that, I just focused on how I felt when I looked at myself. I judged it on how comfortable I was in my own skin. So below is my before and after picture. Now some people wouldn't see me as fat even when I had the extra weight but that isn't the point. I gained more weight than I ever had, I felt like crap about myself, I wasn't sleeping well and I wasn't confident in myself anymore. So below is the picture. Now my next step is to get into a workout habit and tone my tummy so that I can be confident in a bikini again.

The left picture is a more recent one when I started to like how I look again. The right side is one of my low points when you basically had to force me to take a picture. I was forced to take that one because it was Christmas and I needed to be included. :( However, I am feeling great now and when I out those two pics side by side it totally boosted my confidence and made me just feel good.

So on an end note, get out there! No one is going to do it for you. Take charge of your life before it is too late and love yourself.

Peace Out! xoxo

Catch Ya Later

So today has been  a sad day for me and will continue to be one for a couple more hours. Not only is it my last day at work but Indiana and I also sold our beloved Wrangler today. I didn't realize I had such an attachment to that car until I let it go.

Now, I have to wrap up my work and say good bye to all the lovely colleagues and friends I have made here. We have become so close in such a short time. These are the people you see every morning and at the end of every day. It is going to be very hard. But in the end of the day, I am not saying goodbye but catch you later instead. That's the great part of today's day in age; with all the social media we have, everyone can stay in touch.

On the flip side just a bit of info for those who are leaving and don't know the process. When you quit your job they usually will not give you your last months salary or end of service benefits until you are out from under their residency. Also, once you cancel your residency which should take three to four days, you automatically switch to a one month visa. So you don't have to fret over getting out of here too fast. Please note: I am American and this applies to me, I am not certain if it applies to all nationalities.

If you are selling your car, it was super easy for us to sell it right back to the dealer. It was at a bit of a lose but you never get your money back with a car anyways. It literally took us less than 24 hours to do it. We went to the dealer, agreed on a price, left it there overnight for them to check it, met at the traffic department this morning, paid our traffic fines, transferred the name and then got the cash in our hands right then and there. So easy. You pay KD 10 to transfer the registration. So we totally skipped the whole hassle of finding someone and advertising the car and all that stuff.

So far that is one headache of our list of things to do before our big move!!!

Catch ya laters!!! xoxo

Stop Binge Eating!!!

If there is one thing that gets on my nerves the most is people not being able to control themselves and letting their health reap the consequences. I am sitting at Pinkberry in the avenues having a little treat. Now I am in no way fit with a six pack but I am a petite girl, size 2 sometimes 4. I have a tummy that I wish wasn't there. So I did something about it! When I was in university I gained a lot of weight. It made me super self conscious. I was always a size two and I found myself wearing a size six and bigger "boyfriend" shirts. Then one day I was like enough is enough! I'm not sixteen anymore I have to start taking care of myself. I dropped around 8 kgs and I feel great, back to 55kgs. 

So I am sitting here at Pinkberry enjoying my frozen yogurt when three rather large ladies come and order some yogurt. Ok frozen yogurt is the healthier option but not when you get a large size and fill it with chocolate flavored yogurt with all kind of chocolate toppings on it. These women sit next to me and start eating and chatting. About ten minutes later one of the girls gets up me goes and orders another one!!! Same thing, large size with all the yummy sugar filled toppings. I watch her come back to the table and struggle to sit down because she is so large. Why would you do that to yourself??? It's like people just give up and become a prisoner of their own body! It makes me so angry because I know those women can never do anything active! They can't hop on a wakeboard and try it. They can't go running or play a sport. Hell they can't even keep up with their children! So what do they do? Feed their nasty habits to their children so they live the same unhealthy lifestyle. I just don't get it! Sorry for the rant but that just boils my blood. Get out if the damn mall and all the temptation and get your ass in a gym. Your health is not something to ignore. 

Singing out before I work myself up even more...xoxo

Tis the Season to Be Snotty!

So today is my pink sweater day. I believe I am catching the oh so infamous flu bug. I saw my niece was getting sick the other day and thought oh no! I am on my last week of work and really wanted to leave with a bang! You know, make people miss me kind of thing. Leave while you are on top. Well...with the way I feel today...my bang will be more of a snotty sneeze.

I woke up this morning in a funk and was late to work. I put on my usual clothes I wear to work which is pretty casual because I dress in our bands. However, my large, old, pink. Washington DC sweater came with me. The moment I put it on everyone was like are you ok? I am in a huge sweater when it is boiling outside! I think that question is silly. So I have three more days of work and I get to fight off a bug the whole time.

While I am on the topic of the flu and colds, make sure you know which clinic or hospital is the one to go to. If you are like me and hate medicine then I will also share some home remedies I prefer.

First off, below are the clinics I would recommend when needing to get a check up.

• International Clinic- Dr. Richards specifically
• London Hospital if you live down on the Fintas side of town
• Al Salam Hospital if you are on the city side of town

I usually don't stray from International Clinic. I have been going there for as long as I can remember.

Now for my home remedies.

• When you feel that bug coming on, boil some water and pour it in a cup. Then, put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, some honey and cinnamon on top. This helps kill the harmful bacteria building up in your throat.
• If you already have a sore throat and are coughing up a storm here is something to ease the pain. (My mom-n-law taught me this one) It is the same concept as the one above however change the vinegar to lemon. Its not the best tasting drink ever for both but they really work.
• I also, boil water and put fresh ground ginger into the pot. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes then drink it. This is a long term remedy that has numerous health benefits. I would get in the habit of this one.
• I am a firm believer in those heat water pads. When you are feeling icky get one of those and park it on the couch with one of those and relax.
• If your stomach is uneasy you will be surprised what a simple hot/warm glass of water will do. Nothing in it, just hot/warm water.
• I am also a firm believer in soaking in a bath when feeling groggy.
• If you are a lady, I would invest in a lot of cranberry juice when living in Kuwait. I buy the organic cranberry pills you can get at any pharmacy. It is completely natural.
• Sleeping problems? Warm up some of your preferred milk, pour it in a glass and out some honey in it. It works like a charm when your head hits the pillow.

If you have any good home remedies I would love to learn more! Any who, let me go attempt to work.

Good bye for now as I wipe my sore nose.... xoxo

Fun in the Sun!!!!!

So even though we are leaving Kuwait I would like to just make it known that I have had a blast living here. So many people come here with a  bad attitude thinking this country sucks because there is no alcohol, the party scene is dead, there is nothing to do here. BLAH BLAH BLAH!!! Everywhere is boring if you just sit on your butt all day and complain. It is what you as an individual make of it that matters. Ok so Kuwait doesn't have alcohol, so what? If you can't live without it then you may have a problem. Yes, I enjoy a nice glass of wine every now and then or a beer. But, I don't need it. If you think about it, Kuwait is a way to detox and live a healthier life. Not to mention save a bit of money!

Anyways, for those of you that are reading and may think this place is a drag, here is a little insight from a person who has made the most of her time here. For example, if you see the above picture, that is me having fun on the beach. Life isn't fun if you cant do cartwheels on the beach. Indiana and I invited some people to the beach and we brought our jet ski along. It was a blast we all put down our beach towels and soaked up the sun. The jet ski is always fun and a great way to spend time with friends. It was just an all round good weekend. We didn't pay the entrance fee for the Hilton or what have you, we just parked it at a nice beach spot behind Spoons in Mahboula. That part of the beach is usually quiet and you can just relax.

Other days we go on our boat to the Islands. That is a blast. We both scuba dive so sometimes we bring our gear and go explore.  Other days we snorkel or spear fish. Some days we just chill on the boat with good music.

During the winter we grab the 4X4x and hit the ridge to go camping. We don't do the fancy camping some people do with the trailer houses and all that. We just grab a tent, chair, a BBQ, food and lots of wood. It is really a blast. Sometimes we have a group of 30 or so people and we always meet new friends on these outings. If you are in the market for good camping gear, go check out Explorers Base in Shuwaikh located in the Tilal Center. They have everything. Our favorite buy so far has got to be the Coleman Insta Tent. You can literally put it up in less than a minute and take it down in the same amount of time. It also fits back into its original bag! No more fishing rods through the sleeves and all that jazz. It really transformed camping for us. Explorers Base is a must see. Below is the link to their website where you can also order your stuff online.

http://www.explorersbase.com/

That is the tent we got. This is the 4 person tent for KD 55. It is amazing we can fit our queen size blow up mattress in it with room to spare. They also sell all the accessories you need there like the mattresses and sleeping bags. There are 6 person and 8 person tents as well.

Sometimes we tone it down and go to the mall for dinner and a movie. That is also fun because we don't do it every weekend. There are tons of things to do here, you just have to try and get out there.

We will miss Kuwait dearly.

Checking out for now. xoxo

Bahrain Bound :)

Well remember the post I put up about making big decisions? Well that was because Indiana and I were doing just that. My husband got an amazing job offer in Saudi Arabia but the company will house us in Bahrain. He will be able to come home every night because he works close to the border. It will be a 45 minute to a one hour drive. So basically what we spend in traffic here in Kuwait most days!
So we thought about this long as hard and decided that we would take it! Indiana was very thoughtful and wanted me to make this decision with him 100%. He was worried about my job that I just started because I like it and am making my way in the company. So he even presented the option of me staying in Kuwait and we visit on weekends. Um....thank you luvie but no way in hell! I am young and only just graduated a little over a year ago. I have time to explore in my career and try out new things. Yes, I love my job but I also love the idea of exploring more in the business world.

So all in all, this is exciting and terrifying all at the same time. We have soooo much to do in the mean time. Sell my beloved Jeep :(. Get rid of all our furniture. Pack all our belongings. Get our dogs ready to be moved over with us. So much to do. But we have some time so it is ok.

We also get to go to South Africa!!!! YAY! I have been dying to go back. Indiana has to go to sort out his medical and all that jazz to get his visa for Saudi. So we thought, what a great time to take a nice vacation before we start a whole new chapter in our lives!

It is funny, I have lived in Kuwait for the majority of my life and probably spent the majority of that time wishing I could get out of here. Well now I am and to be honest it is a bit overwhelming. In the end of the day, this is my home. Kuwait is what I know. Although I go mad here sometimes, at the same time I love it. So this is going to be a lot harder than I first imagined it would be. Thankfully we will only be on the other side of the pond so we can come visit all the time. Although, I believe friends and family would much rather come and visit us! They can soak up the sun in a more relaxed environment and not to mention be able to unwind with a nice cold beer or glass of wine!

The place I believe we will be living is like a dream. It will be a villa in the floating city and our back yard will be the water! Talk about a dream come true! So of course Daisy Duke, our boat, will be making the journey with us. Oh, I almost forgot the Jet Ski, that will be along for the ride as well! I am so excited for Nikki and Max they finally get to be in a house with a yard!

The more I write about this the more excited I get. If anyone has any tips or tricks to make this transition easier please post on my blog. I would appreciate all the help I can get!

Masalama! xoxo 

Weekend Getaway to Bahrain

So over the weekend Indiana and I went to Bahrain to visit a good friend and have some fun. Have some fun is what we did!

It is amazing how different Bahrain is to Kuwait. We just felt like we could breath. It is so easy going and beautiful. We stayed in the Movenpik which was very nice. On the weekends they have a brunch you go to that is out of this world and so are the drinks. We must have sat four close to five hours with our friends just having a good time.

We also ventured out into the city a bit and went to a bar called Diggers. An interesting place that is. It is a hot spot for men, especially western men. Let just say you get more than just drinks and music at this place. I believe I was the only female that was not of Asian orient. However, Indiana and I had a blast cause the live band was out of this world! We spent pretty much the whole night by the stage and I even got to sing!!! Very cool. We made some new friends and it was just all a good laugh.

That is what I like about my hubby and I, we are adaptable. This bar isn't really our scene but we made the best of it and had a blast. We just go with what ever life throws at us with a smile. We are a team and that is how we make it work. It is the two of us or neither of us. Doesn't work for every couple but that is how we role. There is no need for girls night out or guys night out cause we just sit and wish we were together. When I say we are best friends, I mean it. There isn't an interest of mine that he doesn't share. If he doesn't in the beginning he will always give it a go and visa versa. Maybe that's why 5 years down the line we are still obsessed with each other. It is always fun and a challenge. The Bahrain trip was just another adventure in our book of many.

I would highly recommend those short trips to Bahrain. I prefer it to Dubai actually. Less crowded and so much more affordable. Did I mention how pretty it is? Hehe. Any who, just wanted to share.

Hasta Luego! xoxo

Oh a Woman's Mind

So today I am in my Jeep Wrangler, AKA the second love of my life, and I reach in the back to grab something only to realize it is burning hot in my back seat. So I started thinking wow I would hate to be a passenger back there, it is just too hot. Now the Wrangler caters to a special kind of person, ME! I just love the functions and capabilities of the car. It does everything I could ever want. Speed isn't it's strongest point but grunt is! I can get over anything I want and the Jeep never fails me. Plus being able to take the whole top off and the doors is just amazing. Yes, I have done that many of times. Every winter we go camping in Mutla'a ridge and the first order of business is stripping the Jeep down to have some fun on the dunes. So all in all, I am a huge Wrangler fan. However, this lack of AC in the back really got me thinking today. We live in Kuwait, IT IS HOT! Then there is the ever lingering thought in the back of my head of starting a family. So naturally being a woman, I start to think that this isn't the most infant friendly car. I can't have a newborn burning up in the back my car. I also can't be selfish and ignore that fact. So what is the solution?

Well, there is the obvious, sell it and get a more child friendly vehicle, the Grand Cherokee. Or tent my back windows to lessen the sun coming into the back thus making it cooler. That wont be enough of course, I will also have to go start my car ten to fifteen minutes before my baby and I even go somewhere. That seems like a lot of work and we all know after having a baby, memory isn't a woman's best friend. So what to do what to do? I will tell you. For now I will enjoy every moment of my beloved Wrangler and worry about the child friendly aspects when the time comes. hehe

Oh how a woman's mind can run in a thirty minute drive to work. So of course the first thing I did when I got to work was research the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is very nice. Indiana, my sweet husband, tried to convince me when we were at the dealership to buy me a car to get the Grand Cherokee but alas I saw the four door, 70th Edition, Jeep Wrangler and it stole my heart. Apparently the Grand Cherokee is the most awarded SUV ever. Interesting.... Maybe one day I will upgrade or downgrade whatever my mind decides it will be to that car one day...Who knows..

While we are on the vehicle subject, I would just like to note that if money wasn't an option I would buy the Skyline GTR in a heartbeat! That car just takes sexy to a whole new level. I would have to have an SUV as well of obviously. My lifestyle does not suit a sedan or sports car. But what I would do to get behind the wheel of that GTR and just rip up the pavement. Ah....daydreaming....

Now let me get to work! Tata for now xoxo

So how do you make big decisions?

So my hubby and I have been faced with one of those life changing decisions that only come along every so often. How exactly do you make those kind of choices? All I can say is I am the luckiest girl alive to have married Indiana. He is my partner and my best friend so naturally discussing this was a piece of cake. We don't hold anything back from each other and we openly discuss our concerns.

But how do you make a big choice? Well its simple really. The most important part is to not be afraid to take a RISK!!! People who play it safe let life just pass them by. They might be happy and content but somewhere down the road they are going to wonder, " Where would I be now if I had just taken more risks?" So take risks people. Failing is only failing if you let it get the best of you. Otherwise it is just a speed bump along the way. You get back up, dust yourself off, and carry on. So, we weighed the pros and cons. We also took time to ourselves to really think about this in depth then we put everything on the table. The pros outweigh the cons. So it ended up being that simple.

The key is to be a good team. TRUST and LOVE go a long way. I guess we are just part of a very small hand full of relationships that can accomplish this without it breaking us. I have seen it happen to often. I usually have a rule for new couples who come and live in the Middle East. If you make it 2 years your solid. However, nine times out of ten, people don't make it. Why is that? I really don't know. But for some reason the Middle East puts on a huge challenge for couples. Especially western couples. Maybe its because the culture and lifestyle is just too different and one person caves under the pressure. I don't know. All I know is Indiana and I survived five years here together so I feel like we can take on the world!

I bet you are really wondering what this decision is aren't you? Well I'm not telling just yet so stay tuned! hehehe xoxo

Oh!!! I almost forgot!!!

P.S. Met a police man at the gas station who has been in te force for over 15 years and he said all this hype about the new traffic laws are B/S. Phew.....

Stricter Traffic Laws and Fines....

So the big hype in Kuwait right now is these new stricter traffic violations. Here is the catch, it is targeted towards expats. If you see the image above that is the new traffic fines.

I am all for improving the roads and enforcing laws. I have been hoping they would shape up the driving in Kuwait. However, targeting expats and threatening them with getting deported for running a red light, that is a bit extreme.

Whats the real reason if you ask me? It is all part of the grand scheme of reducing the number of expats in the country. Do I find this logical? The concept yes. Kuwait is over populated, the roads are enough proof of that. I am also all for making Kuwaitis more self sustaining. After all, it is their country. But departing people for crossing a red light, that is a bit over kill don't you think?

It is a known fact Kuwait will implode if all the expats were to leave. Yes Kuwait is rich and the youth are more hard working and motivated. However, the work ethic is much lower. Why? Because of the way of life in Kuwait. People have gotten used to the culture of expats working from 8 to 5 and Kuwaitis working from 8 to 1 or 2. Kuwaitis also get the government allowance. There are so many benefits given to the locals for less responsibilities. Can one blame them? Not at all. But to kick out all the expats will be detrimental to Kuwait's economy.

Back to the road business. What about the Kuwaiti drivers? Yeah sure they say the fines and jail time apply to them as well but would they put a Kuwaiti girl in jail? I think not. Would they put someone from a higher up family in jail? I think not. And who are the most reckless drivers in the country? Kuwaitis by far. Plus though the expat community is larger than the local one. One must put this into perspective. The largest expat group in Kuwait is the Indians and Pakistanis. What occupation take up the majority of this group? Blue color laborers. In other words, lower class workers. Do they drive? Not all of them. In fact not even a large portion of them drive. They are provided with transportation given by their company.

My main concern is the extreme punishments for the expats and the leniency on the locals. Lead by example people!!!!

On a brighter note, I am really happy to see that fines for children in the front seat have been noted. Personally, I think that fine should be higher! Nothing pisses me off more than to see a baby in the front seat on someones lap! Even the drivers lap sometimes! Car seats are made for a reason! It is to protect your child. Then there are the older kids that don't have to wear seal belts and roam through the vehicle and even poke their whole bodies out of the car. Hello, one accident and your child goes through the window!

This is all so concerning. I love my life here in Kuwait (most days). The last thing I need is the fear of getting deported for the way I drive. I am a responsible part of the community. I drive not just my car but I calculate other drivers next move. I keep a whole car distance between me and the vehicle in front of me. So, if i accidentally run a red light that might have changed red while I was going through the yellow light, I can get deported. This is very unfair. But hey hoe, as the locals always say, "I know nothing and I must remember I am a guest in their country." All I can say to that before I close off is, when you invite someone into your home you treat them with respect don't you? You serve them food and drink, take their coats, give them a nice meal, clean your house before they come. So isn't that the same concept on a larger scale?

Oh well, I love Kuwait. I have been here pretty much my whole life and I like my life here I share with my husband and family. So I will follow these rules and pay even more attention on the road so that I do not cause my own deportation.

Tata for now. xoxo 

Beauty is Pain

So I have started the process of gaining that Hollywood smile. Ill tell ya...it's painful. So like I mentioned before, I had my teeth cleaned the other day which was less than delightful. Well tonight I got that gum lift thing. Which is basically identical to when you get a manicure and they scrap off the dead cuticles and them push them back. Ya...

So they run this nasty tasting numbing cream that had to sit for five minutes. When the dentist comes in he sticks the biggest needle I have ever seen in my like into my gums. It was more numbing stuff. Scary ass needle I tell ya. If Indiana had been there, I am pretty sure he would have fainted lol. He doesn't like needles and that thing was the size of the Titanic! Anyways then he did the whole gum lifting thing. Lets just say my mouth really hurts but I can already see a difference in my smile. Hey nothing in life comes easy, or for free. Definitely not for free lol.

I am currently at the airport waiting for my darling husband to return. He had to shoot off for a business meeting today. I will be so happy to fall into bed and have his arms wrapped around me where I feel safe. Yes he has only been gone for a couple hours but give a girl a break, I'm in pain.

It's funny he was only gone a day I dropped him off at the airport this morning. But just the fact that I know I couldn't see him even if I wanted to makes me miss him. Hell some days I miss him while I am at work. Yes, he is just that amazing.


I will be happy to finally hit the hay after being awake since 4 am. What a day....

Night night xoxo

Be the Change You Wish to See in the World

The title of my post seems like such an easy concept right? If so, then why is there so much evil and hate in the world. Everyone I talk to wishes for world peace yet it is the farthest thing away from our reach. What does the quote mean. I mean down to the core what does it mean?

I will tell you my interpretation. It means to lead my example. Don't be afraid to be that person standing above the crowd. While everyone else is being sheep and mindlessly following other be the person to walk with your head held high. Everyone says they want to end world hunger yet hardly anyone will stop for a moment and actually buy a poor person a meal. Everyone wants to stop world violence but when someone pisses you off, revenge is on your mind. It is the little things one person does that eventually catches on. Be that change. It seems to be too hard. Let us take a very small example; the stray dog problem here in Kuwait.

I live in an area where there is a lot of stray dogs. Not once have they attached me or my two dogs. They do however bark to warn you off. Why is this? Because it is their home! People don't understand that concept. They thinks the dogs are evil and must be put down, hence the poison the ministry cruelly leave out. Instead no one realizes that will all the apartments going up left right and center, their home is getting smaller and smaller. We all fight for what we have. If someone comes into your home uninvited you would be on the defense too wouldn't you? How about instead of killing them, show them some kindness? See if some of them are people friendly and give them a home. Call Ks Path and have them come and collect them. Why do they need to die and be beaten when they are only defending what is rightfully theirs? Those areas are their home and they are only trying to protect what is theirs.

Let's go now to a larger scale. The United States of America; my home country. What does it stand for? Freedom right? What is the American dream? The American dream is to live somewhere where you are judged, questioned or harassed based on your way of life. It was the place people once migrated to in order to be able to be themselves. Now look what it has become! Look at just Facebook and Twitter. You see all these hateful rants about politics and religion. Obama is the devil. Abortion is an abomination. Muslims are terrorists. Strict gun laws. No gay marriage. The list goes on and on. I am not stating my religious or political favor here. That is besides the point. I am speaking as an American who believes in what American stands for.

If someone wants to be gay and get married how in any way shape or form does that affect me? Some people say it is an insult to straight marriages and ruins the sanctity of marriage. That just sounds childish to me. That there sounds like a keeping up with the Jone's situation. My marriage is my marriage. The sanctity of my marriage is based on how my husband and a treat it and nourish it. Our marriage has nothing to do with anyone else. I am not offended if Gay people can get married. How does that have anything to do with me? But apparently it ruins other people's marriages. You know what I say to that? Grow up! Stop comparing yourself to others and get your noses out of other peoples business. It is these people that are filled with so much hate that is demolishing America. It is supposed to be the land of the FREE!!! Not the land of chains and shackles. We moved on from that didn't we? Apparently not.

If a woman wants to get an abortion for any reason, also how is that any of my damn business? How is that any one's damn business? People make their own choices for a reason and as an American and a human being a respect that. Am I pro choice or pro life? What the hell does it matter. I choose to be who I am and it is not my place to impose my beliefs on anyone else. It is how I choose to live my life. Again get your noses out of other people's business. If it against your religion, then you follow it. Don't make other people conform to you. That is what America is supposed to stand for. Everyone has a right to choose their path.

Strict gun laws? Now that is just silly. Guns don't kill people. People kill people. Taking guns away from responsible law abiding citizens just puts them in harms way. If you think that for a second stricter gun laws will make America safer then you are an idiot. You think a criminal is going to go oh guns are illegal so I wont get one. They are criminals!! HELLO!!! So instead of making the proper policy's and procedures for people to legally obtain a weapon we put innocent peoples lives in danger because you can be bothered to do a little extra work. We have a word for that in my household, LAZY. Isn't that what we have a constitution? No instead once again, people feel their opinion is what truly matters. The same people who are up in congress fighting for no guns have body guards. Yeah.....OK. That's not hypocritical at all. Look what all of this is doing to America? Ruining it. Land of the free no more.

I will not write a lot on this next point because I feel only one sentence needs to be said. Arabs and Muslims are not all terrorists!!! End of story. Moving on.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. So easy to say right? Not so easy to execute is it? How about you try this. Next time you are about to rant and rave on Facebook, Twitter or whatever your desired social media outlet is, you count to ten and think; "Is this really necessary?" All you do is piss people off. I guess that is why some people do it though. How about everyone just try to live their life based on their morals and values and let other people do the same?

Just saying...

Checking out for now... xoxo

 

Asnan Clinic for Dental Work is a MUST

Hello again!

Yes I am posting twice today. I wanted to make a separate post on Asnan Tower. They are a dental clinic here in Kuwait located in Salmiya. It is right across the Rays One restaurant on the gulf road if you are familiar with that side of town.

I am very picky about teeth. I wore braces for five years and they did their job. However, though my teeth are straight, like the braces are meant to make them, I have gaps between my K9 teeth. Dentists have told me I can't close the gap with braces because the teeth are simply too small. So a couple years ago I went to International Clinic, my private clinic of choice, and saw the dentist. It was just a consultation and he told me they would crown my top four teeth to give the look I had hoped braces would give me. That would cost around KD 600. So, now that I am working I thought now is the perfect time to fix my teeth. So, I called IC yesterday only to find out my dentist is no longer with them. This saddened me because I only trusted him! Remember, very picky about my teeth. You don't just hand your baby over to any babysitter, you hand it over to the babysitter you trust. The same concept applys here.

So i felt stuck. I asked around the office for recommendations and got a few. But then! I remembered a friend of mine, with beautiful teeth, posted a pic on her instagram of her at the dentist and named the place. I also know this girl is like me and when we do something, we do it right! So I went instagram stalking and found that picture. Asnan Clinic! Aha! So I called them to book an appointment.

This is where the story really begins. Even from the phone call they were super nice and very professional. I also liked that everyone can speak understandable English. Not like IC where I got put on hold twice for long periods of time because no one could speak English, Like hello!!! Why have the option to press 2 for English if I am just going to get someone who doesn't speak English. Come on guys it isn't rocket science. Anyways, needless to say the people at Asnan Tower speak wonderful English. So I booked an appointment for myself and Indiana. Have I ever mentioned he hates the dentist?? This is why I love my husband so much. He hates the dentist but agreed to go with me.

When we got there we opened our files, 30 KD each. They have a deal right now that you pay the KD 30 and every consultation after that is free. The Xray is also free for the first consultation. They were very busy but didn't keep us waiting long, which is very nice. Then came my turn. So, I thought KD 600 was a lot of money to dish out for my teeth. Boy was I wrong! He told me that the crowning of my four teeth is an outdated procedure and instead he suggested putting veneers on my top ten teeth. He explained that it is a better option because it will be less altering of my real teeth, lasts longer (about 15 years) and the color doesn't fade. Not to mention if I did the crowning it would make my teeth very sensitive because they will be shaving my top for teeth into creepy vampire looking teeth. He also told me that when I smile my gums show and apparently they aren't supposed to. I love learning new things! He recommended before I do the veneers to get this procedure where they lift my gums. It is similar to when you go get a manicure and they clean around your cuticles. So I was convinced!! LETS DO IT!!!

Until I heard the price...So for the gum procedure it will cost me KD 300. OK that's reasonable. However, each veneer will also cost me KD 300! And I have to do TEN TEETH!!! What does that amount to you may ask??? KD 3300!!!! I think a little piece of me died inside when I heard that. Where the hell am I going to get that kinds of money?? Then the clinic got even better. They are flexible with payments and I can put a down payment first and pay monthly installments. AMAZING! IC never offered that to me!

Indiana and I went to get our teeth cleaned. What a difference simple cleaning can make! Indiana has brown stains on the back of his teeth from his Turkish coffee he drinks and it is all gone!!! We also found out he has substantially less plaque on his teeth which is why they are sensitive. He was told to stop using his hard toothbrush immediately and switch to a soft one. Everyone should use soft ones to prevent scratching on your teeth. He also, is not allowed acidic. My poor hubby loves his OJ and lemons!!! The price you pay to have good teeth right?

So all in all, I highly recommend this place. It may be a bit pricey but in the end of the day it is worth it.

Here is the link to their website where you can get more info and contact details:

http://asnan.com/en/asnan-tower.php?id=255

Laters!!! xoxo

Why Hello There

Hello people,

It has been a while since i got on here. Let's just say like got hectic. New job is crazy busy so when I get home the last thing I wanna do is sit in front of a screen. However, I made a commitment by making this blog and thus I must maintain it.

Summer is fast approaching and I must say, I love the weather. Yes, I also love the heat. Kuwait's heat doesn't bother me at all. I guess I am just used to it after living here for so long. I actually prefer it. I hate the cold. Can't stand it!!! My hubby can account to that. So summer is where I belong.

Our boat is finally fixed and tomorrow will be our first full day on the water after our first attempt last weekend failed. Shooting off to an island for some fun in the sun! We will be going out for our neighbors birthday celebration. She is super excited. Then again, I don't know when she isn't. She is a wonderful woman. The kind that makes everything in like full of color. She is so warm and kind hearted. However, I tend to be more earthly toned in my way of like. So sometimes, the level of enthusiasm can be a bit much for me. Indiana and I like our quiet time. The alone time after a long day of work. Our home is our sanctuary, the place we can unwind and leave work behind. In other words, sit on the couch in our birthday suits watching TV. :) Our neighbor will come to our house more than I would prefer. Her new thing is to just open the door and come on in. I understand that her way of life is super open but ours isn't. I'm just not sure what to do about this situation because I really like her and don't want to hurt her feelings but a married couple needs their space!

Anyways, enough venting. Work has been great. I do much more than my job title but I love the responsibility. I do something different every day. I am not just stuck behind the desk for eight hours a day like a zombie. I like having a bit of freedom in my job. So all in all, life is good.

Back to summer approaching, DON'T FORGET SUNSCREEN! especially if you are new here in Kuwait, don't be brave or stubborn. Just put it on. It never killed anyone. If you want  tan still wear something for protection. My favorite brand is Coppertone. Get the tanning cream, SPF 4, that is made with Cocoa Butter. It doesn't leave that icky feeling on your hands and actually smells really nice. Not to mention you get a lovely tan at the end of the day. Due to my Irish and Scottish roots, I am destined to be more pale skinned. Yes, I also have the curly hair to go with the stereotype. I enjoy a good tan. Though it takes me a really long time and a ton of Coppertone to achieve it. Indiana is just lucky he tans beautifully after one simple day in the sun. I hope when we have kids they take after him more when it comes to their skin.

Moving on, GET OUTSIDE AND GET SOME VITAMIN D!!!!!! It's good for you I promise. :)

Adios Amigos!!! xoxo

moving along

So, I haven't posted anything in a while. Truth is I have not had much time. Since my last post life has gone into over drive. Valentines Day was wonderful. Indiana and I spent it at home. I surprised him with the house lit with a crap ton of candles and pizza! I even had candles in the bathroom with a bubble bath ready. It was a very memorable one. It just comes to show that you don't need those extravagant surprises because love doesn't have a price. Needless to say he loved it and I think it was one if his favorites so far. I know if was one of mine! I surprised him with a little photo album with photos of me. I know that sounds very narcissistic. But, I have lost allot of weight in the past couple months and have been feeling really good about myself so my sis dolled me up with makeup and different outfits to take pretty photos to give to the hubby. He loved it!! Yay me!
His gift to me was amazing and a total surprise. He got me a beautiful diamond necklace. But he has been so busy with work he totally surprised me with it. I thought he really just wouldn't have time. But like always he makes me speechless.
I have also started my new job this week. I don't have much work yet but this place is amazing. Everyone is so unbelievably nice and welcoming. It is a breath of fresh air! I work in the marketing department so the atmosphere is very creative and fun! I couldn't have asked for better or nicer co workers. And the best part is!!!! One of my long time childhood friends works with me!! In the same department! How awesome is that?
We have a holiday next week which is awesome! 5 days off! Indiana and I are thinking to maybe sneak away to Thailand or Bahrain or something. But in the end I would be perfectly happy spending it at home with him. Maybe we can go camping or get out boat running! Summer is in fact almost here and I am ready to get my tan on!!! (as much as my white ass can tan)
Well now that I have gotten my writing fix, I hope everyone has a great week and awesome long weekend!!!
Lots of love! xox

The Key to a Good Nights Sleep

So what have  I learned about sleep? Well I have learned that without my husband it is impossible! It is funny the hard thing to do was getting used to sleeping with someone and then once that is accomplished...I CAN NOT SLEEP ALONE ANYMORE. So, needless to say, I am super happy my hubby is home and I am sleeping like a baby. Well...almost like a baby.
Point number two about the key to sleeping well. Your mattress! Without a good mattress you do not sleep well. If you really think about it, your mattress is the most important item to have in your house. A good nights sleep effects everything. Needless to say, a bad night sleep has just as much effect on your day.
We have had the mattress from hell episode. Our mattress is too small for our queen sized bed. I would say it is a double sized mattress on a queen sized bed. I often get my hand stuck between the boards. Or, I fall off! We have needed a bigger mattress for almost three years!!! We just could never justify the prices Ikea's mattresses are. So, we have held off for a while, a long while. The other problem is Ikea mattresses are not standard size!!! So it is really hard to find a mattress anywhere else but IKEA!!! Go figure. However, today I drove into Farwaniya (the area Sears is in) and found a mattress place! What is even better!!!! They had my size!!! and......It was only KD 77!!!! I would prefer the super soft mattress but they will have to order it and I will have to wait. I don't like to wait. So I settled for the harder mattress which my hubby will be pleased with. End of my story, my new mattress will be delivered tomorrow morning! Delivery is for free as well!!!
I am one happy girl!!!!!!!!! Peace out people! xox

I found my PINK CUP!

So we all know that socks will always disappear into the washing machine and you are doomed to mismatch your socks at some point. I have also found that dishes also disappear into the great abyss. I no longer have a full set of glasses. Now I understand glasses break but what has really baffled my mind lately is who I have lost a plastic pink cup. I couple months ago a bought a set of colored plastic cups to avoid the breaking glasses. However, my pink cup decided to run away. It has really annoyed me because I know it didn't break! I am very OCD by the by and this has been driving me nuts!
So, tonight my sister invited me over to have dinner with my her kids and my mom. All of the sudden I notice my sister was drinking out of a PINK plastic cup! So being so OCD , I took the cup and feel complete that my set is whole again!
You know some people don't know how bad OCD can actually be. It can take over your life. I believe I have gotten mine under control. But my downfalls are odd numbers, crooked picture frames and things out of place. I cant eat skittles without dividing them into their color groups first, I need to eat the skin off of grapes before I eat the grape and my spring cleaning is more frequent then most peoples. But OCD has its pros. For one I am a very organized person and my house is usually spotless. I have a great memory so I hardly forget events. I do carry a calendar and have one on my wall at home so there is no room for forgetting. MY husband is very supportive of it. He makes fun of me from time to time but doesn't try to "fix" me. He doesn't make me feel broken which I believe have helped me grow and loss some of my crazy hehe. I am so lucky to have a supportive family. I wouldn't be able to function without them. I am one lucky girl.
Checking out for the night. xox

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well I just got home after dropping the hubby off at the airport. He is off again on one of his business trips. For some couples we know, it looks so easy for them. Some couples even look forward to when one of them have to fly off somewhere. They look at it as a break or something. That concept is very foreign to me. Indiana is not just my husband but he is my best friend. We hate being away from each other. It is miserable. IT DOES NOT GET EASIER!!! Every time he goes away it get worse and worse. So for the next week I will be one lonely lil missy.
I try my hardest to find a silver lining. So this time, my silver lining is; I will take this time to myself to fully sort out the wreck room. That way when he comes home there is a surprise waiting for him!!! There you go! Silver lining.
Not a long post today but if I carry on, with my mood, I will put Gone with the Wind to shame.
Good Night my friends....