Christmas 2020

 We started our Christmas morning by waking the girls so that we could video call grandparents back in the States. We are so thankful for the technology that allows us to stay connected to them and for their willingness to stay up late and be the first to wish us a Merry Christmas! 

Believe it or not (and most people fall in the latter), this is the first year that Jason and I have gotten pajamas to match the girls. They requested it multiple times last year and and I love a good matching family photo clearly so we made it happen. 😏 And of course it then had to be documented with a fun photo shoot 😂

                              

Some of this year's decor 🎄❤️

and Christmas cookie decorating!

Everyone was so good about waiting to open presents until we were done talking to family. Each girl got a fun Lego set (including me!), a stocking of small goodies, a large beanie boo (IYKYK) and a couple group gifts from us. 

After a relaxing morning we headed to a friend's house to cook our Christmas meal together and let the kids exchange presents. The meal was divine and the company was great - we are so grateful for friends like family to do life with in Doha!

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas from the entire Stingerie family (see the cats?! 😂)!!

Read more...

National Day Camping Trip in Zekreet

 There were lots of fun activities to do last year for National Day, but with covid-19 and things just starting to open up here in Doha there wasn't a lot happening. That made our decision to go camping over the long weekend an easy one and a great way to celebrate this country that we feel fortunate to call home right now. 

The girls celebrated National Day during the week at school and wore these fun outfits that I bought last minute 🤭

We headed out after school closed towards the Zekreet area. We hoped the nature reserve would have opened back up, but no such luck so we grabbed a spot we'd camped at previously.

After we got setup we took some group and family photos. I have been experimenting with my vinyl cutter more regularly and decided to make shirts for all of us that said Camping Crew. I love how they turned out and everyone was excited to wear them (even the guys 😆). 

We also let the kids have some fun posing for pics and jumping for them as well. 😉

We camped for two nights and spent our days playing in the water, mud, and then exploring the rock formations semi-close to our campsite. The kids have a ton of fun together being outdoors and we are thankful they entertain themselves and create imaginative games to play. 

Happy National Day Qatar! 🇶🇦

Read more...

Christmas Card 2020

 I absolutely love designing and mailing Christmas cards (and also receiving them!). However, being overseas it's been one of the challenges we've faced in logistics. Thankfully I found a postcard mailing service that will allow me to upload my own design, along with a spreadsheet of addresses, and take care of mailing them on our behalf. This has been the most cost-effective and seamless way of sending them and we've done it for the past few years without any issues. (I will also print a handful of cards in-country to give to people we see regularly face-to-face and send some electronically to friends in other countries). 

Here's our Christmas Card for 2020!

If you're curious to see previous years' cards here's the line-up: 2018 2017  2016  2015  2014  20132012 (A moving postcard in lieu of a Christmas card) and  2011 (along with pictures of the pre-blog cards from 2008 - 2010)

Read more...