Movin' on Up

So, we made it. Pneumonia is out and ginormous apartment is IN! Very wild couple of weeks there.
We're in our new home (for the next two years) and it's really grand. We are starting to meet people; there's been less walking around outside and more jumping on the beds to Rocknoceros music. It's not city block downtown out here in the burbs but there's a lot of lame (cool if you're 18 months) playgrounds all around the building. I am pretending the second level of our apartment doesn't exist and we're all occupied trying to keep track of eachother in the five bedrooms and rest of the house down here.
I don't have anything against big houses- I know lots of people love them...I just love cozy little places where I can keep an ear on my kids at all times.
There were 3 blogs worth of interesting details all in one night of our first Brownie event. As we arrived at the traditional Turkish rug shop- with GOR-ge-OUS rugs hanging all over the place (i mean, really....jaw dropping....drooling fantastic, musty, hand-woven by hill people rugs) girls started in on the squealing and smiling greetings of friends and Billie (who had been bursting with joy 3 minutes before we arrived) started to cry just a little. You could just feel her crumble at the memory of her old girl scout troop- all the friends, the comfort of the places she knew, being the star of the show, super fun troop leader moms....they were all left behind somewhere far away and this was NOT going to be the meeting she was picturing it to be. We hugged for a bit and then sat down to be served apple tea and turkish cakes (i too, find it hard to cry when there's cake to be had). She took a seat at one of the tables, another girl happened to sit next to her. I sat apart to give her some space and see what would happen (most of the girls flocked to Cort and his six month old in a sling cuteness) so I thought that might give her a chance to talk to someone on her own. I heard her strike up a conversation and soon the girls were whispering all sorts of things and giggling like the apple tea had been spiked.
It turned out there was no alcohol but there WERE hookers at the party. After an art contest in which each girl submits her work of art, with carefully messy lettering and suns with smiley faces; pictures the girls have clearly poured themselves into, lined up in a row so that each girl can place a ticket on the picture she votes best to determine a winner (YIKES!!!!! I'm still cringing at the horror of it!!- There were awards even!!! For first, second and third place!!! Can you imagine?! Being LESS than third place...change subjects before crying...). Then learning about Turkish wedding traditions from the shop owner and staff. We were all lead in a dance! We're tapping our feet and clicking wooden finger spoons and everyone pales in comparison to this tall, hair past her bottom, hourglass woman in high heels. She can shake it. She's a belly dancer- I'm not just saying that she really IS a belly dancer. And from the topless photo on her business card I think she may provide some extra services...but i really have no reason to say that. She was super nice and I would totally hire her for the next baby shower i have to plan.
Billie was in a circle ring with several other girls- all bouncing in glee and having the best night ever.
So far we love Turkey and it is really more interesting than anywhere- I mean how often are there women of the night at girl scout events?!!
The equivalent of this joyful night for myself was a morning at the local farmers market. Talk about beautiful produce. Whooo boy! We didn't even have a meat with dinner last night (and for those of you who know Bill- you know that's saying A LOT about the veggies here!)
Come visit. For real!
pictures- i'll post them one day when we can get them to the computer. our shipment is stuck in america so we'll have no sign of our things for another month...maybe then you can see what i'm talking about.