Elbow-head

Beti fell and bumped her "elbow-head" a few months ago.  In case you aren't as versed in three-year old slang as I am let me clue you in.  An "elbow-head" is the area of you face directly above your eyebrows.  Some people may  refer to it as a forehead but why settle for the common word when you can dazzle it up a little.

My kids have a thing for anatomy.  Remember Tal's leg-pits?

I got my wish.

Those of you who have known me for a long time know that I have always wanted a "nerdy" son.

Don't get me wrong.  My kids are all cool.  Really cool.

But once in a while, they do little nerdy things that my heart delights in.  Lately, Tal has been channeling his inner-geek with one-liners kike these...

Naomi: (in a squeal only a six-year old girl can produce) ewww, a bug!
Tal: Oh.  Highly evolved.

Tal: (displaying his rock collection for one of my girlfriends to see) These are fascinating rocks.

I wish I could record his commentary because it's SO much better in person. But for now, you'll have to use your imagination.

Buster

Meet the newest member of the Law Family.

Also known as, "the-reminder-why-I-didn't-have-five-children."

Why?  Why did I think this was a good idea?  It's one of the mysteries of the universe. But it's too late - my kids are completely in love...and I can't blame them he's a pretty good guy.

This picture perfectly encapsulates our experience over the past few weeks.  Beti LOVES this puppy...a little too much.

Power Rangers

Calvin and Beti are at that age. The to-be-dreaded can't-get-them-out-of-their-heads Power Ranger stage. However, as much as the PR's annoy me they do provide lots of entertainment. This afternoon Calvin and Beti spent a good chunk of time outside with their improvised power ranger weapons fighting off the bad guy...me.

Poor little guy...

Calvin is sick. Ear infections and pink eye make for a long, sad night.

Oman

At the end of October we took a week and went to Oman.  It was wonderful - we traveled again with our good friends and again it was !  We had lots of adventures on this trip - I got sick, then Andy got sick, we took incredible hikes, celebrated Halloween and enjoyed the beauty of the place.


It's incredible how countries only separated by a few hundred miles can be so different.  But they are.  Until recently, Oman was also a closed country.  But since they have opened their borders to the world so much has happened - some is sad; the waterfalls, wadis and hikes that were once pristine and private are now bustling and showing signs of increased traffic - some is incredible; the beautiful buildings and roads, the kindness of the people, the openness of their culture. Oman. is. beautiful!!  We loved it - the scenery, the people, and the liberation.  We spent a lot of the week discovering and falling in love with the country.  I would go back in a heartbeat and while there I kept thinking of all my friends back home that would love Oman too.

The house this time - not so great (cockroaches.) But the grounds were perfect.  A pool, a playground, and a basketball hoop.  What more could you ask for?  The kids didn't want to leave.

This is about as good as it gets for us.  Getting a good group picture is i-m-p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e.

The guard at the Grand Mosque offered to let Calvin take pictures with him.  Calvin wasn't so sure.

Andy loved the trip - we spent the majority of the week off-road.

Our hike through Snake Canyon.  

Tal and Naomi having a pull-up contest.  What family vacation is complete without one?

Loved this village! Wish we had more time to stay!

Family pictures outside the church building in Oman.  Yes, we are matching.  Yes, I thought I might get a good family picture out of it.  Yes, I was wrong.

Lauren, are you there?  I need help.

A moment.

None of the pictures we took captures the insanity of this hike.  Basically, this is us with our nine children hiking around the rim of Oman's Grand Canyon.  It was crazy.  Amazing no one died.  

But it was worth it because at the end we got to explore these incredible cave dwelllings. Alone. 

See. I can take a good picture of my kids.  One at a time.  If I'm not planning on it.

The day Andy was sick we took this incredible hike. Up a Wadi. To a little river and a canyon. That we had to swim through to get to a hidden waterfall.  I was trying to help Andy.  It was a long hike.

Andy rallied enough to do a stellar backflip off the cliff.  Nice.

Inside the Grand Mosque.  Maybe the most beautiful building I've ever been in.

Last day we took a few hours on a Dhow ship to see the Dolphins.  They were amazing.

We were not so amazing.  One word.  Seasick.

Just Overheard...

Calvin: You wanna piece of me?