The Life of Phoenix Opazo

Nativity Play

2011-12-23T10:26:00.000-08:00

I was the donkey leader and a shepherd in the Nativity Play this year.

a night of caroling

2011-12-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed hosting a group of carolers to celebrate the Christmas season

just like papa...

2011-12-08T04:46:00.000-08:00

After watching papa play Kuwait "football" with the students I wanted to play too. After the game papa kicked the ball around with me and I was SOOO happy after I made my first goal!

what can be better...

2011-12-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

what can be better than exploring the war torn ghost town of Failaka Island with mama and papa and finding all kind of hidden treasures?

what to do with tangerines

2011-12-08T04:32:00.000-08:00

When one finds a bowl of tangerines what does one do? Eat them you suppose?...Perhaps, but first one would build a fort with them like so...

oh happy day

2011-12-08T04:30:00.000-08:00

Guess what I got to do this weekend?

2011-11-29T03:05:00.001-08:00

a trip to Dubai

2011-11-15T03:49:00.000-08:00

Dubai is magical with it's beautiful buildings and clean city. "Burj Khalifa" is the tallest building in the world and it's something to see...

another day at the beach

2011-11-15T03:43:00.000-08:00

I love spending mornings at the beach! Papa and I love to dig and build!

the pirate family

2011-11-15T03:40:00.000-08:00

We dressed as Pirates for our neighbors Halloween party. This is the one night a year mama lets me eat as much candy as I want!

decorating for fall

2011-10-17T22:13:00.000-07:00

We found some pumpkins that didn't cost $20 and we decorated them (we are going to make them into pumpkin pie later)...we were also surprised to find a giant pumpkin at Dean and Deluca's in the mall! (although I didn't want my picture taken)

funny signs in Kuwait

2011-10-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

The first sign says "Beware of Road Surprises", the second talks about Boats and "Jetsuckys" (do you know what those are?)

mud puddles

2011-10-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

The tide was low one day when we visited the beach so we HAD to play in it (and even lost our shoe to the suction once!) What is it with boys and mud?

building castles

2011-10-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

caught in the act of building castles with mama.

wildlife of Indiana

2011-10-17T22:02:00.000-07:00

Ran into some traffic while playing on the back porch.

airplanes and new countries

2011-10-17T21:59:00.000-07:00

said goodbye to family and the Indy 500 to head back to our home in Kuwait.

Shipshewana, Indiana...AMISH COUNTRY

2011-08-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed a day in Amish Country. Rode in a carriage with mama and ate what could arguably be the best pretzel of my life!

A weekend at Crooked Creek

2011-08-22T18:59:00.001-07:00

Family invited us up to their lakehouse at Crooked Creek and I LOVED it! I asked several times if we could live there. I helped Captain Don drive the boat and I tried homemade ice cream for the first time! What a weekend!

family reunion

2011-08-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

I got to meet my great-grandfather for the first time this summer at my Great Aunt's funeral...here's my grandpa George's family.

Donuts with Grandpa

2011-08-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Nothing like enjoying a donut with Grandpa while helping Aunt Christie move out of her mold infested apartment...

on Chehalem Mountain

2011-08-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

Met up with some friends on Chehalem Mountain in Oregon and enjoyed one of my favorite things...riding a ATV!

Beautiful Bend

2011-07-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

Time at Grandma and Granpa's in Oregon is always fun. Mama and Papa love the "ocean rolls" and excellent coffee, but I just love playing! Grandma Nini made her famous empanadas too!

Rockaway Beach, Oregon

2011-07-31T17:05:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed a weekend at the beach with my friend, Isaac and his family.

Tia Noni's Wedding

2011-07-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

Drove to Willits, California for Tia Noni's wedding. It was beautiful and I LOVED being at the farm and getting play and get dirty...I love the life of a cowboy!

I'm becoming an accomplished photographer

2011-07-31T16:43:00.000-07:00

Mama is telling me what a great photographer I am! I took this photo of Mama and Papa at my birthday party! I'm 4 now...all grown up! I loved the "Cars 2" cars I got as gifts!

4th of July- Independence Day!

2011-07-31T16:37:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed the annual Pet Parade in Bend as well as fireworks (and yes...it is a flying dog!)

Driving to Grandma and Grandpa's house

2011-07-31T16:35:00.000-07:00

Over the mountain and through the woods to Grandma and Grandpa's house we go!

welcomed back to Oregon!

2011-07-31T16:32:00.000-07:00

Met my new cousin, Augustine! He's the son of my papa's sister-in-law and they live in Portland. Hooray for another friend to play trucks with!

Happy 10 Year Anniversary Mama and Papa!

2011-07-31T16:28:00.000-07:00

Mama and Papa celebrated 10 years out at the Portland Grill and Papa even got to drive a Jaguar to dinner! (A gift of loving friends)...

"Back home again in Indiana..."

2011-07-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed a few days in Indiana with Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa George before heading out west to visit Oregon. It's funny how we went to the public park and met an Indian family who'd been to Kuwait...I guess International people find each other. Spent a fun afternoon playing with Mama's childhood friends in the same place where she played 30 years before...

Mannheim, Germany

2011-06-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed a full day in Germany, visiting Heidelberg's castle and enjoying the worlds best pretzels and strawberries, and with Abuela Nini too!!!

Marbella, Spain

2011-06-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

We got to stop on our way to the states for a few days in Spain and Germany. Here are some photos of us enjoying beautiful Marbella, Spain while visiting some old friends of Papa's...

Abuela Nini is here!

2011-06-11T00:18:00.000-07:00

So happy to welcome Abuela Nini to Kuwait! Soon I'll be flying back to the states with her!

A day at the pool

2011-06-11T00:10:00.000-07:00

Now with the temperature floating around 50 celcius it's the perfect time for swimming in the pool with my friends.

trash to treasure

2011-06-10T23:59:00.000-07:00

The abused maids at the S. Army women's shelter take peoples trash and turn them into treasure. Here are images of the things they weave from discarded plastic grocery bags.

out come the costumes

2011-05-29T04:46:00.000-07:00

Ta-da! I'm a superhero!

wanted to make mama laugh

2011-05-29T04:44:00.000-07:00

This was me this morning. I wanted to make mama laugh, so I purposefully put two different shoes on...how clever am I?!

our comings and goings

2011-05-29T04:31:00.000-07:00

we enjoyed a field trip to Krispy Kreme...where I sampled mama's mocha for the first time and really liked it!

my friend Isaac turned 5 so we went to celebrate at a play center and played and played (6 hours total!...four hours in the morning and then two hours after my much needed nap)

beautiful day at the "beach house"

2011-05-06T06:47:00.001-07:00

We were invited to spend a day at a beach house in the deserts of Kuwait (only a few miles from Saudi Arabia. We loved it!...complete with kittens and battery operated quads. The green garden is very unique to Kuwait's desert so we were reminded of green days in Oregon!

Easter 2011

2011-05-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

Caught in the act

2011-05-01T06:12:00.000-07:00

here's me being caught in the act of some normal activities during our days here...

a trip to the date seller

2011-05-01T06:04:00.001-07:00

dates, or as I fondly call them "date palms" are one of our favorite snacks. They go well in bread, or with peanut butter or by themselves. They grow in abundance here and papa and I love them!

spring break with my "Ohana"

2011-04-11T03:57:00.000-07:00

I love having Papa home from school! He's home for a whole week! So far we've started every day with lego time! WAHOO! When mama took this photo I had just found all the pillows in the house and built up a fort for sitting on...

"Splish, Splash, Splosh!"

2011-04-11T03:54:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Thomas the Train video's is about how Thomas plays in puddles and says "Splish, splash, splosh...I'll soon need a wash!". It rained the other day here and Mama and I took a walk on the Corniche (the walk by the gulf). I found ALL the puddles and drove my motorcycle through them while saying "splish, splash, splosh!"...what could be better than that!?

"Park Day"

2011-04-11T03:47:00.000-07:00

Thursday (which is the last day of the work week) is "Park Day" for the homeschool group. Here we are, enjoying one of the last days in the park (before it got too hot to play outside during the day)...this week we started meeting to swim...which is what we'll do for the rest of the year.

A day with Hannes

2011-03-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

My Greek friend, Hannes invited me over for a play day...full of playing in their garden, feeding their turtle (who lives in their backyard), jumping on the trampoline and lots and lots of toy trucks!

lego's with papa

2011-03-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

our record for playing lego's at one time is now 2 hours...

the joy of a 3 year old

2011-03-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

My mama and I have started visiting women who are at a shelter. Mama loves that my "3 year old boy"ness is therapy for the women!

a family day at Green Island

2011-03-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

What can be better after a massive sandstorm than a family day at Green Island? We rode the train (2 times) played at the beach and enjoyed lots of smiles and relaxing family time...

the morning commute....

2011-03-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

it's rough when your morning commute looks like this...don't you think?

rainy days....

2011-03-16T05:06:00.000-07:00

rainy days are a rare thing here...so we enjoy them by playing lego's and driving cars around under the covering downstairs with my neighbor friends.

Signs!

2011-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am all about signs now. I love to look at signs and tell mama and papa what they mean. When we get gas at the station, I show mama the sign that shows the pictures that mean "no keys in the car, no phones". This is a photo of the signs at a local mall which shows the pictures " no dogs, no smoking, no shopping carts, no roller skating, no scooters, and no bikes".

a day at the open "Friday market"

2011-02-25T00:20:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed my second trip to the open "Friday market", where TONS of things are sold/bartered, etc. It's fun to shop out in the open and see so many people and so many interesting things. I got to buy a bubble "gun"blower, complete with lights and sounds!

haircuts with Isaac

2011-02-25T00:15:00.000-08:00

Survived another haircut...though I cringe at the thought and I tell both mama and papa how much I don't like it. This time my friend Isaac and his family went with us. Isaac likes haircuts and even lets them put gel and hair coloring in it (green and gold). Last time I got my haircut they put blue spray in mine...but I don't like washing my hair so this time we skipped the hair coloring spray.

Phoenix's Concierto

2011-02-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

Grandma Bonnie will be really happy to hear that I am performing small concerts on both the piano and drums!

our days in Dubai

2011-02-12T03:31:00.000-08:00

We were treated to a few days at a beautiful resort in Dubai while enjoying some time with an Oregonian friend! The beach was my favorite part!

a day in the desert with Tiotsia Stacie

2011-02-06T04:41:00.000-08:00

My "Tiotsia" Stacie came to visit us here and our first day we enjoyed in the desert with some friends of ours. It was a beautiful day of quietness, sun and fun! (not to mention kite flying!)

The newest member of our family "Sir Douglas"

2011-02-06T04:38:00.001-08:00

we are so thankful to have "Sir Douglas" as part of our family now. Papa is adding some personal touches to the tires and mama put some stickers from home on him.

a day of rain

2011-02-06T04:34:00.000-08:00

it doesn't rain much in Kuwait...in fact, you could probably count the days of rain a year on your hands and feet. It rained the other day and the road in front of our apartment became a big "puddle" just waiting to be jumped in!

A day with our Greek friends

2011-01-23T03:10:00.000-08:00

Hannes and his mom Erika treated us to a day at their house by the beach. Always fun!

our new home

2011-01-23T03:07:00.001-08:00

This is our new home. Our apartment is on the top of the right hand side. Photos of my room and such will come later.

a project to make papa proud

2011-01-23T02:46:00.000-08:00

mountain climbing and deep sea fishing

2011-01-23T02:23:00.000-08:00

Mama and I went to the beach today. I found a stick and discovered all types of fun ways to play with it. Not to mention it was so fun to climb the rocks!

A Day at the Zoo

2011-01-04T04:06:00.001-08:00

Think of a clean farm with exotic animals and you've got the Kuwait Zoo! For only $1 a person you can walk around the well kept park and enjoy the animals. Many people have fed them (despite the signs all over) so many of them are very friendly and looking for handouts!

Happy New Year-2011!!!!

2011-01-04T03:46:00.000-08:00

A Christmas party with the teachers

2010-12-25T05:09:00.001-08:00

We live in a building full of teachers...and with this being their very first Christmas away from family we thought there's nothing better than hosting a party with food and gifts and fun! Some of them even played my new game "Hungry Hippo" with me!

Christmas Morning

2010-12-25T05:00:00.001-08:00

I woke up to a wonderful day of gifts and food and family time! Papa and I got fun toys in our stockings! There's no better way to start the day than to play with papa!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-25T04:52:00.001-08:00

Our close friends came over to celebrate Christmas Eve with us. This was their first time to enjoy the traditions and they even brought me a remote control car!...WOW!

The Wise Man

2010-12-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas cookies

2010-12-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

Who knew that if you took the egg yoke and added food coloring you could paint things...and it's sugar free! My mama LOVES that! and so do I (the painting part atleast)

homeschooling...

2010-12-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

I'm really into mazes and cutting these days...here's a photo of me working hard at our old apartment. Photo's of me in my new house are to come!

speaking "phoenix-ese"

2010-11-07T09:37:00.001-08:00

here are several words that I currently say that make me stand out from the rest...
"tracticture"=motorcycle
"bonk-bonk"=anything hurt. ex. crashed car, a building falling apart, a hurt on my body...
"buntons"=buttons
"kala"= convenience store (called bakala in Arabic)
"salama"=goodbye in Arabic

(to be continued...as soon as mama remembers some more)...

helping in the kitchen

2010-11-07T09:32:00.001-08:00

tonight was the first night that I thought I should help mama in the kitchen (mama's behind the camera-otherwise she wouldn't have left her post making the scones). I was really proud of being able to roll out the dough and make the circles!

learning to push

2010-11-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

this is one of the first photos of me learning how to push my tricycle with the pedals instead of with my feet...mama's really impressed because it takes a lot of strength to push pedals instead of just scooting with my feet.

the aspiring photographer

2010-09-14T04:22:00.001-07:00

these are some of my first photos. Mama is teaching me the tricks of the trade...and I'm loving taking photos!

our new apartment

2010-09-14T04:16:00.001-07:00

We moved apartments this year. Same building, just a slightly bigger apartment. The selling feature was the wall of windows that brings in so much light and a beautiful view! I was napping when mama posted these so a photo of our bedroom will come later.

playtime in Q8

2010-09-14T04:01:00.000-07:00

I love to be like papa. I wear his hats and I cut wood just like him (I'm even safe and wear glasses just like him!). I also enjoyed playing with my neighbor Adam today while mama was hosting tea time with the ladies.

a visit to the coast

2010-08-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

2010-08-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

summer in Bend

2010-08-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

our summer in Portland

2010-08-19T14:58:00.001-07:00

Mama was soaking in all the sweet fellowship of friends while we were in town.

summer in Indy

2010-08-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Mama and Papa celebrated 9 years of marriage by hiking Turkey Run and spending their first night on their own. Mama took pictures for my Aunt Mia's wedding and I enjoyed playing with my cousin Ephraim.

friends in Kuwait

2010-08-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

some of mama and papa's friends came to welcome us to Kuwait and to see us off as we left for the summer.

Favorite foods

2010-06-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

a visit to papa's school

2010-06-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

in the last few weeks of school...

2010-05-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

With only a week and a few days left we start to say goodbye to our time in Kuwait for this year. This photo is taken on the top of our apartment building. I'll be 3 years old in July.

Boats, Bikes, Buses, Camels and Horses...OH MY!

2010-05-06T07:53:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed a grand day at Failaka Island. What can be better than riding a boat, a bus, a bike, a camel and a horse all is one day! It's heaven for us 2 year old boys!

The Pyramids of Giza

2010-04-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

big words and 'lost in translation"

2010-04-07T05:08:00.000-07:00

So all of a sudden I surprised my parents with a new big word..."dangerous". They aren't really sure where I learned it; but I'm using it in the right context and now that I know mama and papa laugh everytime I use it I like to say it alot.

Mama laughed the other day when we were driving home in a taxi and she asked me what I wanted for lunch. I said "hot dog and french fries". She responded in spanish "perrito caliente y papas fritas" and I said, "no, I don't want to go to papa's school...I want french fries".

Qatar and birthday suits.

2010-04-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

Yes that's right. My birthday suit. We found a secluded beach that's a little piece of heaven in busy, crowded Kuwait...and I just happen to feel my best when I'm not wearing much.
While visiting our friends in Qatar we walked through the old souk area and posed for a photo op.

This is Mark and Marianne's Qatari garden. We enjoyed several meals outside in their garden in the cool of the day...it was very refreshing!

People like to take my photo and touch my hair

2010-03-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

This man and his child didn't know me...they just wanted to take a photo with the blond haired blued eyed boy. I guess I'm pretty popular just because my hair and eye color is different from everyone else here... Mom brought me to the zoo the first time and we had ice cream...so of course every time we come we have to have ice cream! (my Oregonian friends would be shocked at how much "bad food" we eat here!)

Krispy Kreme in Kuwait!

2010-03-17T03:38:00.000-07:00

One of our beach traditions is to stop for a donut every time. (My parents aren't thrilled...but I remembered from the first time Papa introduced me to them!)

dust storms

2010-03-17T03:36:00.001-07:00

I woke up to another day of dust storms when this photo was taken. We had about 2 weeks of weather like this. It's not good to outside...so we just camped out inside and watched alot of Thomas!

National day and new wheels

2010-02-28T03:29:00.000-08:00

We celebrated National Day this weekend as well as Independence day and the Prophet Mohammed's birthday. We went to my favorite place...THE BEACH! I'm really into riding bikes now...although I don't know how to use the pedals. I just scoot along pushing on the ground!

our dusty town

2010-02-24T03:31:00.000-08:00

we've been "holding down the fort" and staying inside for 2 days now as we've had an intense dust storm. Even with all of our windows shut and the curtains closed you can taste the dust in the air.

a party in the desert

2010-02-13T04:26:00.000-08:00

We have been invited to a desert party at a family farm 10 minutes from the Iraqi border. Phoenix enjoyed the animals...but his favorites where the tractors!

bath time wars

2010-02-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

it's always fun to watch the weekly rituals become times of laughter and fun.

a trip to the science center

2010-02-01T04:27:00.000-08:00

Papa has 2 weeks off so we are seeing all the sights. Yesterday we went to the "Science Center". I saw alot of local animals and fish. I was a bit shy of all the walls that had fishies in them and I told Mama I was "scared". I got to see the "Dou" boats that they built before in Kuwait. Mama got inspired with the night scenery and took photos of the Kuwait shoreline at night.

playmates in Kuwait

2010-02-01T04:22:00.000-08:00

I've had a great couple of days out and about with some of my new friends. Isaac is a 3 year old from the homeschool group that I'll get to play with every Thursday. The girls are kids of fellow teachers that Papa works with and that Mama knows. The little dog is "Jeff". Many people here think dogs are dirty and so when we were walking with him they ran away like he was a rat or something...

Our first trip to Failaka!

2010-01-25T03:22:00.000-08:00

Mama was in a dream-like state when we boarded the boat to take us to Failaka. She says that's her favorite place in the world. She was so excited about being there she forgot to take photos after we boarded the boat. Papa and I pet the camels as she was riding horses. We all had a great time and we'll be going back really soon! We walked through a car show on the way to the docks and Papa and I enjoyed all the cars we passed...including one that papa said is worth millions of dollars.