The Battle at Hamster Wheel

You always hear of parents getting all these presents for the their kids and either 1) they like the box and the wrapping paper more than the present or 2) they use the present for two minutes and then derive some "new, improved" way of using their new toy that usually involves danger.

Noah got a blow-up hamster wheel for Christmas which he likes very much and learned how to run around the house in it. It was very cool.

Then Noah decided that his hamster wheel was a better fort than a wheel, so it turned into Noah hiding in the fort and popping out and throwing balls at us.

However, things took a turn for the worst when Noah realized that he was fighting a losing battle. 4 adults against 1 toddler hardly seemed fair, so Noah insisted that Daddy join his side. (I tell Noah that I am always there for him and ready to stand by his side to fight the storms of life with him, but this really wasn't what I had in mind.)

3 adults against Noah and Daddy seemed to work for Noah, but the only problem was that while Noah could duck down and avoid the shrapnel from the enemies' ball grenades, Daddy, no matter how hard he tried, couldn't get his fat head out of the line of fire!


So Noah tried to even the score once again. This time he recruited his H2 to come and fight with us against the Axis of Evil. So now it was: 3 adults vs. 1 Toddler, 1 Daddy, and a Hummer H2.

The Battle at Hamster Wheel raged on and on, neither side giving in. The standstill eeked on until hunger overtook both sides and Daddy's leg fell asleep, so they agreed to make peace, not war, and break bread together.

Merry Late Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas! Christmas here is unlike anything I've really experienced before. Because Eid and Christmas came close together this year we had a semi-holiday experience.

sidenote: Islam celebrates two Eids or Festivals every year (based on the lunar calendar) they put out lights and decorate everything really pretty like we tend to do for Christmas

So we had lights out and all of downtown was light up, it looked like downtown Dallas during Christmas. The only problem was nobody celebrated Christmas. It looked like Christmas, but it wasn't Christmas. On Christmas day everyone went to work. The traffic was normal, not a soul said Merry Christmas. We passed houses under construction and all the construction crew was out there working like it was any other day. I ran to the grocery store to get some drinks for the dinner and it was full of people and not one of them said Merry Christmas. Finally when I checked out there was a little Philipino lady working the register, so I said, "Merry Christmas, how are you?" She light up and replied back. Apparently she hadn't had anyone wish her a Merry Christmas yet. Sad day for them.

But despite the sadness for them we had a great Christmas.

Merry Christmas from the Bullions!

Noah got his first candy cane, which went over really well, it was just hard to convince him he couldn't have anymore!

And Noah really enjoyed the bucket his Mega Blocks came in.

The Boys

The Story of Mo and No

Morgan came all the way from Illinois to see Noah for Thanksgiving, so Noah wanted to take her out on the town and show her the sights in order to "woo" her. Here is their story.

Since Noah couldn't drive yet, there was a mutany on deck until all the non-short people agreed to take the twosome out....

The young couple enjoyed a burger and fries at Chili's.

Then Noah in all his slyness took Morgan up to the tower overlooking the Persian Gulf at sunset. Apparently this picture was taken after he tried to give her a kiss.

They then went out for Mexican food and listened to live music. (note that Noah is wearing his beans.)
Then, because Noah is a nice young man and from good stock, he got Morgan home early and they dressed up in their finest to take pictures with Morgan's mom. Because we all know, you've got to win the mother-in-law as well as the girl.