Middle Eastern Easter

So, it's been a while and I'd like to blame that on the fact that for about 2 weeks we were unable to access our blog or anyone else's blog for that matter. I still don't know why, but no one could access blogger here for those 2 weeks. I thought maybe that the powers that be here were upset with my last post and decided to block blogspot, but who knows.

Anyway, our Easter was much different than usual and low key here as most Christian holidays are in the Middle East. The kids woke up and found their few eggs that Nick, I mean the Easter Bunny, brought back from his last trip to the US. There were no plastic eggs to be found anywhere around here. They each had about 12 to find. That was all the bunny could fit in his carry-on. After that we bid farewell to Nick as he headed off to work, for after all, Sunday is the beginning of the work week. I suppose we could've held our celebrations on Friday, when we go to church, but with early church and baseball games to follow, it just didn't work out. Plus, the kids had already been counting down to the real Easter day and how could I explain that the bunny came early?

So, after Nick went to work, the kids and I loaded up in the car in search of our Easter ham. In case you didn't know, pork products of any kind are forbidden to Muslims. Pigs are unclean to them. Only a handful of stores carry pork products and only in special sections, usually hidden away in the back corner of the store. The store I went to refers to that section as "Pork section - for non-muslims only." We call it "the dirty porky section." The kids and I go back to the forbidden corner and purchase our ham, for a definite premium. Pork products are very expensive. It is always interesting to see what other dirty items there are. Pop Tarts, many varieties of Campell's soup and marshmallows were some of the things we saw that somehow contain pork. Who knew that Pop Tarts have pig in them - so appetizing, I know. The kids don't care though. They ate them up. It is always an adventure at the grocery stores here.

The kids went swimming in the afternoon and we had our ham for dinner when Nick got home from work. Here are a few pictures:

Bret, Drew and Cole

The boys with their loot.

Drew with his sacred blanky that goes everywhere with him.

Cole on the new "Shamu" toy from the Easter bunny.