Catch up

Other things happening at our house:

1. We bought a piano, sideboard, train table, and an armoire.  I think it's easier to find things here at a better price, just because of the population density.

2. I also have been buying coats, boots, and snow pants thanks to Once Upon a Child.  I almost have everyone outfitted now.

3. Leo and I went out to eat last month at Cafe Pita and had Bosnian/Turkish food. We got the

Mix Platter Combination of cevapi, stuffed pljeskavice, and beef and chicken kebab. Served with basmati rice, ajvar, fresh onions, kajmak, and lepinja bread.

It was good!  Some parts were really, really good! I have no idea what any of it is anymore, so don't ask.  Then I wanted to go out for Moroccan food this month because my sister Kayli always raves about it.  Unfortunately, Houston let us down!  There's not one purely Moroccan restaurant.  What the heck??! So we went to Sayad Mediterranean Grill instead, which is Syrian food.  It was good, but Arpi's Phoenicia Deli next door is better I think, probably more Americanized Greek/Middle Eastern food as well, (we were heading there and decided on a whim to try the new restaurant.) Anyway, I got lamb which was overcooked and Leo had a seafood grilled platter, and that was so-so too. The bread and appetizer we got were to die for though.  Yum.  Basically we're trying to hit a bunch of places before we move and our only options are steak, Thai, or Mexican.

4. We also went to the movie The Man from U.N.C.L.E.  We were laughing out loud at parts--but FYI, it's mocking James Bond films and there is a Bond girl type scene.  

5. I love our new piano.  Love it!

6. I went to parent teacher conferences for Isabel and Sebastian. Isabel's teacher said she was quiet (and I was like ????) and really great and she's reading over her level and very neat, etc.  Sebastian's teachers said he was quiet and then they both raved about how artistic he is.  That wasn't a surprise.

7.  Jubal is a walking tornado and you can follow in the wake of his path wherever you go in my house because everything is pulled out, turned over and strewn about.  So crazy!

8. I finished scanning my mom's negatives and am working on my own now. 

9. I've been busy recovering chairs still and teaching lots of sewing lessons, and I made a tutorial for my friend on how to make a $30 running belt for your phone, keys etc, for about $6.  Should I post it on my blog?  My finished product looks awful, because, honestly, I never intend on running, although it could be useful around the house if I was listening to a book off my cell phone.

10.  Elena, Isabel and Sebastian finished their month of tumbling (we used up the rest of Leo's wellness benefit).  Sebastian learned to do a headstand.  Isabel learned to do a cartwheel.  And Elena, well, Elena complains every day about some mysterious illness or another.  

11.  Elena is LOVING and excelling in her singing class though.  A lady in my ward who has a ph.D. in music put together a little singing group of girls 3rd grade to 5th grade, and Elena loves, loves, loves it!  She is really good too.  

12. Ana's taking a bit to get her feet back under her after the start of school, but I think she's getting there now, and she is so excited to move, which is good.

13. My friend took our family photos for us as a going away present and they turned out really well!   Couldn't be happier.

And that's all I've got.  Goodnight.

 The hide before I cut it.  I never really liked hide rugs, but this one actually looked nice and was soft.

 Nicolas fell asleep here one night.  And he LOVES that spiderman costume, I think he wore it for three days straight.