One month left in the US

In exactly 1 month we go back to Lebanon. I can't believe how fast our year here in the US has flown by.

While trying to get as much time with family in as possible, we are starting to prepare by collecting things we want to bring back with us; mainly books and some clothes. All the boys need new clothes, having grown one or two sizes, or in the baby's case, seven sizes, since we got to the US, and since clothes are a lot cheaper here than in Lebanon, we make sure we're covered.

We need books for the boys' homeschooling programs, and we are making sure that any electronics that needs to be replaced is purchased, since this too, is cheaper here.

If you like shopping, this might sound like Christmas to you. (Oh yeah, we're also getting a couple of Christmas presents that will be hidden away when we get to Lebanon.) If you're like me, and detest shopping, you feel my pain! But it has to be done. Because there are things we cannot get in Lebanon, and there are things that make financially more sense to buy here.

I'm also having an insane amount of bacon, trying to eat the equivalent of a two year quota, since that too is hard to come by in Beirut (although not impossible; it's expensive but available at Spinney's, usually).

Other things that we spend the summer doing in Indiana...

It's not all fun & games - I've spend quite a bit of time this summer working, and the boys are taking the Khan Academy Geometry course. Intense learning. In between jobs however, we go out and explore a bit; playgrounds, lakes, sites. Most recently we went to Mishawaka/South Bend, where we spent some time at the batting cages and then the boys all went on go-karts. They loved it!

The last picture is taken at Meijer (with my very awful Virgin Mobile Kyocera phone), where a horsie ride by the check-out costs 1 cent. Great times to be had here!

Freedom to run and jump and play!

Batting cages just north of South Bend (they are actually in Michigan and not Indiana, if you're keeping score)

Go-karts!

@ Meijer in Warsaw

Fireworks of July!

Fireworks over Winona Lake in Warsaw on 4 July, and fireworks on Lake Wawasee with our friend on his uncle's boat on 5 July. In between, we shot off a bunch of fireworks around the house that we bought at Crazy Joe's Fireworks out on 30, past Atwood.

Safe at sea!

Happy Fireworks Day!

When friends visit

The last couple of days of June and the first few days of July brought a very special surprise this year: our very good friends in Boston that we visited on our way from Lebanon to Indiana/Atlanta last summer, decided to drive the 16 hours to come see us before we return to the Middle East in August. We spent the week chatting, hanging out with the kids, eating, drinking tea and exploring some of the local sites: we went to the children's zoo one day, and Kreager Park in Fort Wayne another, which is free and has an excellent playground and a very fun splash pad. We had Mexican food, and spent a day by the lake here in Warsaw. The week rushed by so quickly, and I feel like it was over even before it started, but it was nice to get a few more moments with our good friends, especially since we don't know when we'll be back in the US/see each other again.