The Stecherbush Abroad

Jill and I set out to do a certain hike and weren't able to get to it so we started to walk along the Mutrah waterfront. We ended up in this interesting bay behind the Sultan's Palace. It was a really interesting place with many old towers and forts , a protected waterway and of course, a different view of the palace. Another hike day we went with Kate to find Sa'al cave that we started out to locate before the summer.  This is the same cave Lauren took Brigham and Samuel to when Brigham learned to repel. I want to bring the girls back here to practice their Abseiling/repelling.  

We loved having the Poulsens over for dinner. Especially since we were able to celebrate Callie's birthday with them. Oman branch sold the Villa we had been meeting in for different events. They had to get rid of some things and store some things. This ping pong table has become a fixture in our house. I wasn't ever interested having something like this in our Living Room but it's grown on me. We've since rearranged it from this look but it gets used often. Elise was invited to celebrate Antonios's birthday. She had so much fun with her friends at this interesting play place. There were small gokarts and this human "claw" machine. There were also cupcakes at school with 2nd grade! Matt built a little planter that has make him very happy. We're still using the wood from the piano crate. Sept. 3, April's birthday. I enjoyed watching this Sunset and also made this cheesecake in her honor. Back to school fun with the Embassy Folk. Still hot over here. ...

Jill and I decided we would come back to Sidab and clean the trash we found. There were still detergent bags from the shipwreck Brigham and I cleaned up from before our Travels in the summer. This is my new friend Julie. She has a boy at BYU and a missionary coming home next month. She's a champ coming just a day or two after arriving in Oman to help clean up the beach! It felt good to see that clean beach but man, hauling all that garbage over the mountain was a job!   We loved that 3 Omani YM stopped and helped clean up and were especially grateful that they were willing to each haul out a bag(their bags aren't in this photo). It was a great day.

Eli left for his study abroad program in Amman Jordan just a few days after TAISM started. He and I had a fun morning touring the National Museum before he I dropped him at the airport. We went for some Kunafa and some Turkish Lunch afterward and then to the airport he went. Matt was able to go with Eli on a boat for Daymaniyat Islands with the Sessions. They loved being able to snorkel and see loads of turtles and some sharks. Elder Lucca is moving right along. We are so proud of him and thankful for all he's doing and all he's learning. And not to forget my BYU Freshman. It's tough to get photos from these boys but he IS one of those bazillion students making up that Y and below(several weeks later) I received this photo of his Ultimate Frisbee Team. He's having a great year.  

Ashley set up a group date and was very kind to include Samuel. He had a great time.   They played Ultimate, learned a dance, and had a picnic. Samuel had a great time. Beautiful family. I think it's going to be a great year!! Mrs. Cabaluna's 5th grade superstars! 2nd grade is the best!!! Jill and I took that day to hike Sidab. It was the perfect way to kick off a school year. We loved exploring the water, being reunited with the fist and also meet these lovely purple jellies.

The boys were really glad to be reunited and for the chance to be out in the wild for adventures together. Matt's list of adventures to take Eli on was waaaaaay too long but they did enjoy going to the Right fork of Snake canyon together-or maybe it was the left. I forget. Either way, he hadn't done it in some time and they had some adventures with rain and falling rocks. I was very glad to have them home safely. I was still verging on  lack of sleep and the worst jet lag I've ever had so I was asleep and wouldn't have known what happened to them. With COVID over, TAISM is moving in the direction of in person activities. This was school registration. The girls were thrilled to be reunited with their friends. The girls were given their teacher assignments. Mrs. Cabaluna for Sennia was a very exciting announcement except that Saniya wouldn't be in her class. Sophia actually is in Elise's class as is Cayetana. It's going to be a good year.