Party at 10th Street!

OK, so I know it has been FOREVER since I have posted but I have been pretty busy. How, do you ask have I been busy where there isn't even a Wal Mart?? Well I'm not too sure but I have been. Since my last post so many things have happened. for Valentines Day we went to the Royal Hotel for dessert because we cooked at home and listened to the band there. They were so good, it sparked an idea for a party and there is more to come on that subject. Dan got me some very pretty Flowers and let me order some new golf shoes for my present. The next week was like Christmas! We got all 19 items we shipped from Birmingham. I still have not unpacked it all, but we were SO excited. There was all kinds of food from Sam's, Wii accessories, books, games, more classroom stuff, house decor, a fry daddy, etc. Tilley was happy because the rest of her toys came and new treats. We also tried Ethiopian food for the first time and it was SO good!That weekend in honor of the new fry daddy, we fried anything we could think of. We started out with cheese sticks, after that we fried some pickles, third for the main course we had fresh fish (we paid WAY too much for it! We paid $3.00 a fish and then were informed by Jones the driver that they sell 2 of the fish for 50 Liberian Dollars which is less than 1 U.S Dollar. Sorry Mr. Fish man you will not get anymore of our business) fresh shrimp, and hush puppies. Dan, Alan and I had a great meal and all ate WAY too much but it was so worth it. The next weekend the Ricks girls came for a visit. Friday night was girls night. Cora, Ann Elizabeth, Holly, Tiffany, and I went to sushi at the Royal (the best in Liberia) and then went to a party where we were joined by Mounia. The next morning came too early and Mounia and I went for our golf lesson. After Mounia and I went for our golf lesson we picked up the Ricks girls, ate lunch with the boys then went to play Guitar Hero at Mounia's house. That night we cooked out and had some yummy hamburgers. During that week I took my class on a field trip to the Coke bottling factory and to the Royal for lunch. It was a very neat trip and all of my kids had a great time. They enjoyed seeing how how their favorite beverages are bottled. Now for the party! We through a huge party for the employees at Dan's company. Being the party planner that I love to be I was SO in my element. We had a band and tons of food and of course ice cream for dessert! We danced all night and even though it was so flippin' hot. It did end up being a party for Dan's company but it did start out as a birthday party for Alan and me and because of this my great husband got up on stage and sang happy birthday to me. He is the best and I love him so much even though he moved me to Africa :) This past Friday since it was the Friday before Spring Break we took the whole school to Kenedja Resort to swim for the day. They all loved it and had a great time playing in the pool. That is all for now will try to blog about Italy when we get back!

Thank You Liberian Armed Forces Day!!

Today has been a great day! It is Thursday and I got up and went to my golf lesson at 8:00 then came home took a shower and met Dan for lunch at Mamba Point Hotel where I had a GREAT Hawaiian pizza. After that I came back home I stated watching Mamma Mia and fell asleep. Why do you ask did I get to do all this on a work day???? Well today is a national holiday, it is Liberian Armed Forces Day and has been very nice. The school I teach at takes all Liberian Holidays but not the U.S. ones so I will be jealous on Monday when all of my friends in the U.S get Presidents Day off.

Since my last post we have had lots of happenings. On the Saturday of my last post we went to the Garden which is a really great Chinese food restaurant, and had dinner for Dan's birthday. We had a great time and after went to the casino. The next day we got up and drove 2 hours to Robertsport. Robertsport is a clean beach where several of the guys that Dan works with love to serf. We stayed pretty much the whole day just relaxing and having a good time with everyone.

One new development is that I have stated taking golf lessons. I have only had 3 but I think I am really going to like golf and my teacher thinks I am going to be pretty good. Dan says that is his job but I have already been asked by another player to play with her so I feel pretty proud of myself. Saturday I have my fourth lesson and really enjoy it so I am looking forward to it.

For those of you wanting a Tilley report she is adjusting well. I think she is even more spoiled here than in the States. She rides everyday to school with me and then her favorite driver Jones brings her home or takes her with him to where ever he has to go that day. She goes CRAZY when he pulls up in the yard and if she is outside when he leaves she tries to jump in the car with him. Aramedia the maid also spoils her during the day and the guards around the compound call her the princess of 10th Street. So have no fear she is doing well and is even more spoiled.

This past weekend we found a new fun hang out place. It is called Golden Beach and so wonderful. It is a restaurant about 8 blocks from our house. It has a regular restaurant and then tables right on the beach. You can sit, order food, walk down to the water, or buy some local trinkets from the vendors right on the beach. It is a very nice escape from the normal pace of Liberia.

My new job is going well. I am already planning a field trip the Coca Cola Bottling plant here and am very excited about it. My kids are great and I think are adjusting to me well. We work hard but also get some play time so it all works out. Tomorrow is our Valentines party and am very excited about all the fun we are going to have. We have made all kinds of Valentine projects and even made heart antennas for them to wear at the party.

Well Sunday is Valentines day and I have no idea what to get Dan. I got him a Tennis racket for his birthday but there are only so many sporting goods you can buy a person. So we will see what in the world I come up with.

My last little tid bit of news is that we have made Spring Break plans. Yesterday Dan bought our plane tickets to Rome Italy. We will stay 3 days in Florance and then 3 days in Rome. I am so excited and can't wait to go!

Flip Flops in January

Well I have officially completed week 3 in Liberia! I have not had a melt down yet and I found a clean place where I can get a pedicure so all is good. We spend most of our time at work and then I come home and cook for my 3 husbands but we do get to have some fun. Last Saturday after the morning grocery store trip with Tiffany and Sarah and lunch at the Mamba Point Hotel with the boys which is now our Saturday thing. I really enjoy getting to eat lunch with Dan so it works for me. After lunch Tiffany, Sarah, Elliston, and Cora went to Kendeja which is a resort owned by Bob Johnson who also owns Black Entertainment Television (BET). It was like stepping outside of Liberia and into the U.S.A. It had a great pool and while at the pool you had a lovely view of the ocean. It is like a little piece of Liberian heaven. You can order food and drinks and have them brought to your table which is around the pool and they have lounge chairs also to lay in. After that we had grilled chicken wings at home and Paul had invited some of his workers over to join us. They brought Magic Sing Karaoke which turned out to be SO much fun! All you have to do is plug it in and is has everything you need in the microphone. We sang and had a great time. We also did some Rock Band and were pretty good! On Sunday we had our usual breakfast and are trying to find the perfect sausage seasoning recipe. We tried one but it just wasn't right. We can get ground pork here but have to find the right blend of spices. With our attempt we did have some VERY good homemade biscuits and sausage gravy. Monday started the work week and the beginning of after school activities. I have started teaching a ballroom dancing class to 3rd-9th graders. It is a lot of fun and a little break to have some fun with the kids. On Thursday after school I went with Cora (A girl from Tennessee who teaches Social Studies and is one of my new friends) to get a pedicure and it was wonderful! You can get your toes done with OPI nail polish and order an adult beverage. What a great way to relax after a crazy day at school. That night we went to The Royal Hotel for dinner and had some FABULOUS sushi. Friday was Dan's birthday and I made him a cheesecake. it was pretty good but my pan was so big and I put too much butter in the crust so it was kind of Liberian style because it was a work in progress. We went to eat a Sage which is a great outdoor restaurant and had dinner. I got Dan 2 movies from the little guy in front of the grocery store they are great. You can buy one disc with about 10 to 15 movies on it. I got 2 discs and they had Avitar, Blind Side, The Princess and the Frog, Invictius, Where the Wild Things Are, and Halloween 2. It is a great selection. Tonight we are going to The Garden for Chinese Food which is SO good. I did get him something for tonight which I think he will like, we will have to see. Today we have 2 visitors staying in the compound. They are 2 American teachers who are here doing work at a school. They are teaching here for a year at the Ricks School. One is from Birmingham and the other from Tampa. They have come to stay for the weekend and will join us for dinner. We have spent the day grocery shopping, eating lunch at Mamba Point, and are watching the Proposal. All in all it has been a great week and great day. Tomorrow we are going to Robertsport to the beach and can't wait!

We Made it!

OK, so I know I have not written in a while but I have been pretty busy getting settled and I started my new job, but I will try to update once a week. We arrived on Friday very tired but were glad to see all of our compound mates hanging out and grilling dinner when we arrived. On Saturday Dan and I went to the school and worked on my classroom. Of course I brought cute stuff to decorate and make my room cute and so far it is looking pretty dang cute if I do say so myself. Sunday was spent putting clothes away and relaxing because not only did I have a little jet lag but a sinus infection on top of that so it was nice to just stay around the house. I will say my favorite thing about Sunday is breakfast. Allen, Dan, and Paul cook and it is pretty good for what we find. I did contribute this Sunday by making pigs in a blanket. They were pretty good considering the pigs came out of a can. I just fried them in butter (because butter always makes everything better) and Allen made homemade biscuit dough to wrap around them. We make due with what we have and so far it has been OK but I know we will have some interesting meals :). Monday kicked off my first day at school and I LOVE my kids. They are so great and I really haven't had many behavior problems which by teacher standards is pretty awesome. Every night after work I cook supper for Dan and my 2 other husbands (Allen and Paul) and then we lounge for a little while and go to bed so I don't get much done during the week and most has to be done on Saturday. So today Tiffany and I went to the grocery store and then met the boys for lunch at Mamba Point Hotel which has really really good pizza. I had the Hawaiian which was really good. Sarah, Troy's wife joined us for lunch and we then went to the outdoor market called Waterside Market to get Sarah's presents for tonight's dirty Santa party. I think it is going to be really fun because we have a $10.00 limit and the items HAVE to be purchased here so there is no telling what we will have. I have found a hand made basket and a shelf that hangs on the wall that was hand made out of bamboo. There is no telling what the others will bring but I know a good time will be had by all. I am excited also because one of my new co-workers is coming tonight to join us and it will be fun to include her and get to know her better. I know it is really cold in Alabama and I guess pretty much everywhere in Te U.S. but let me tell you it is HOT here. You sweat a lot and they say I will get use to the heat because it is always hot here but I do have my doubts, I guess we will see. I will give a Tilley update, she is adjusting pretty well and LOVES our driver Jones. He takes here with him when ever he can. Last night when we got into bed we could smell his aftershave on her. I told Dan it smelt like Jones was in bed with us and we both laughed. She is also making friends with the 2 other dogs that Rick and Tiffany have named Milo and Arby. She struts around and even though they are bigger she still bosses them around. Well I better get going and wrap my presents for tonight. Hope all is well with everyone.