Dear Tooth Fairy:

my daughter means business. girlfriend lost a tooth. literally. and wants to get paid.

she had a loose tooth for weeks. and waited. and waited. and when it finally fell out during khale day (aka spend the day with your wonderful aunt), it went missing. so here is the letter she started to write today before she left for camp. it's hilarious. i hope you enjoy... see translation below. :)

translation: thank you for all the money (thus far). my tooth just fell out (on sunday). i am sorry i lost my tooth. i would really appreciate...to be continued.

p.s. i'm just happy she didn't flunk kindergarten. :)

I Get It Now

i thought i'd spruce things up a bit and change the layout. honestly, the pink was kinda getting to me. let me know if the new template gives you a headache.

a couple of years ago, when the iphone first came out, my husband proclaimed, "today is the best day of my life." i was offended, insulted, and unamused. you mean to tell me the best day of your life was not our wedding day? it wasn't january 6th when we had our first born? or june 26th? the birth of our second born?! but you see, my husband is an apple fanatic. not a lot of families own an apple desktop, mac book pro, 2 ipads, and the latest iphones. we do. he loves apple, the way i love movies. and i found myself proclaiming, "this is the best weekend of my life," more than once this past weekend. i went to the afi silverdocs documentary film festival and saw movie after movie after movie. i waited in standby lines outside with the 95 degree sun pounding on me and barely noticed. i saw 5 films on saturday and 3 on sunday. i would have seen more on sunday, but my dad flew back from iran and it would have been utterly rude if i wasn't there to welcome him home. (believe me, i thought about it. but with one grandparent out of the country, i wasn't going to risk getting on the bad side of one of my saviors for the summer.)

so yeah - i was in heaven. i was alone for the most part and really don't feel like a loser going to a movie by myself. i always manage to get a fantastic seat right in the middle. my sister came to two movies with me and took my kids swimming on sunday to allow me another festival day. bless her heart. these films were extraordinary. the directors were also there for Q and A sessions after each movie, which was a real treat. an added bonus was the live presence of some of the subjects of these films.

my favorite films include:

budrus = a film about the power of a palestinian village to peaceably fight, in an unarmed movement, when it is threatened with destruction by Israel's separation barrier. Ayed Murrar, a family-man turned activist in the film, came onto the stage after the film ended and i was so caught off guard and overwhelmed by his presence, that my eyes started welling with tears.

monica and david = an intimate look into the first year of marriage of two people in love...who have down syndrome.

circo = a glimpse into the life and struggles of a family involved in a traveling circus in rural mexico.

the movies are so riveting and poignant. they show the every day struggles of people in the world and make you feel like a chump for thinking *you've* got problems. movies are like an escape for me - my refuge for a short while. i can't wait to go back next year!

Aloha!

amazing views...look at the water!

deep thoughts by taraneh

the 2nd hike my body could not go on

one of the best burgers i've ever had

highlights from a much needed vacation with the hubby, sans kids:

but first - i'd like to thank my mom, in-laws, sister, mary-ann, zan amu and elham for making this trip possible. i am deeply indebted and incredibly lucky to be blessed with the love and support of the above-mentioned people who not only took care of my kids but as a result took care of me, my well-being, and sanity.

kauai is a magical place...i feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and relaxed. hello tan lines. i needed this trip. i needed to be alone with my husband. i needed to eat in peace. i needed to sleep in peace, without changing the soiled bed sheets of my 2 year old night after night. i needed to go to bed on my time and on my terms without having to read the 6 year old 849 books before bed. i needed to just lay on a beach or by the pool and read to my heart's content without worrying about kids drowning, kids peeing in the water, kids wanting a snack, kids taking a nap, kids getting bathed and dressed...you get the picture.

now to some of the highlights:

- did a grueling 12 mile hike up a mountain to see the most incredible views

- got to try lychee and sugar cane at the fabulous farmers' markets

- got 2 tennis lessons and i'm now i'm really hooked and want to get lessons here too

- stayed in the most amazing hotel - best i've been in so far - the grand hyatt in poipu

- saw jake the bachelor and vienna by the pool. apparently jennifer anniston, nicole kidman and george clooney (drool) were also on the island, but i didn't see them.

- read an amazing book - little bee

- watched seasons 1 and 2 of curb your enthusiasm

- back and forth discussions of having a 3rd. i don't know if it was the heat or what - but alex really wants to go for #3. he pulled the 'imagine life without mohsen card' and it's tempting. i know i'll have regrets in 5-10 years if we don't. but right now, today, i can't. i'm close to reaching personal goals with career and weight. and i really love sleep (and my boobs). on the trip, i kept looking for signs to help me decide. at the hotel, i saw this young, good-looking couple with 2 cute daughters and i said to myself - that's my sign - this content, family of 4...and 10 seconds later this little boy comes out of nowhere and screams, "mommy! daddy! can we go swimming? pleeeeassse!" and i proceeded to mutter "oh, shit!" under my breath. did i mention i have until friday to decide. alex is funny. :)

the summer is upon us...and it's going to be a busy one. 3 weddings, relatives from iran, mom is going to iran, summer camps, birthdays, beach vacation with the kids, and classes start for me mid-august. i'm ready.