Homemade Fig Newtons

The squirrels and wasps and other creatures were really enjoying the figs from our tree, but there were enough untouched ones to make something with, so we decided to try to make one of my dad's favorites: fig newtons.

We looked at two recipes; one from food.com and one Healthy Green Kitchen and combined the ideas.

 

They came out delicious! However we decided it only needed a half cup of sugar in the crust and a half cup in the filling instead of the full cup it called for in both to not be too sweet. It's worth trying again!

Why My 1-Year-Old Barks Like a Dog

In the Middle East dogs are haram/unclean to the locals and potential supper to the myriad of laborers from many different countries. Because of this dogs are very rare. I think I saw two the whole time we were there. One was a very furry dog walking on a leash with his owner along the corniche and looking very hot. The other one our friends saw running alongside the road and  stopped to pick it up. If they ever tried to walk it in public they often got comments such as "haram!" Or "in my country we would eat him." 

Coming back to the States, Ezra has loved all of the dogs everywhere! He will stand at the window or fence and bark with his whole body trying to communicate with the dog. Now, he says "dog" very well, but to anything with fur: stuffed animals, cats, squirrels. The other day he was patting his younger cousin on the head and saying "dog!" so we may have some work to do...

Sickness in the States

I had hoped we would get sick less in the States. We came here getting over respiratory issues from the sandstorm that came through Abu Dhabi right before we left. Upon arrival we were greeted with the myriad of different types of pollen we weren't accustomed to in the desert. So our sinus and allergy symptoms were haywire the first few weeks!

Then Ezra got sick wheezing and coughing. When he woke up barely able to get a breath and coughing like a seal barks we took him to the emergency room. There, he was diagnosed with a bad case of croup and given a steroid to open his bronchial tubes. A humidifier helped, and I was thankful to have it when Elias came down with the same thing. 

Talia then came down with fever and cough and flu-like symptoms, that when recovered, Elias caught. 

In the middle of that I had a horrible stomach virus that kept me in bed and my dad, who wasn't feeling good either, saved me so much trouble by watching the kids so I could puke in peace.

Elias, who seems to copy everyone, had a night throwing up with a fever after me. 

Now, aside from a carsick episode, we seem to finally be getting better! 

Since people in the desert have seemed to be suffered the same issues as we are here, I'm thankful to at least be with family. It's easier to cope with sickness when there's people who can help, though I never would have wished it on them. Thanks so much to my parents for showing us love in action.

Rainy Season in the States

I feel like the consistent rain every day is a welcome back to the States from the desert. I still love the sound of it! And how it is helping our plants thrive! And bringing some creatures out to be discovered! 

Like this snapping turtle Talia found in the front yard (that after taking this picture we got a shovel and gently helped over the fence):

Or this frog my fearless girl caught at her uncle's house:

Or this one she found outside of the garden at my parent's:

(Have I mentioned she loves animals? She was careful with them and put them back. And washed her hands.)

The rain has taken what I've planted from this:

To this in just a few weeks!

I love growing things and the rain that nurtures them. I know that soon this rainy season will end and the leaves will lose their spring green and transition to a hardier dark green for deep summer. It's nice to see the seasons up close again!