First day of school for children

The day started a bit sad. Usually Sundays are just another day, but this particular Sunday was the day my baby started preschool. 

I woke up totally fine, but then when I thought about not being able to take Millie to school on her very first day, I got rather weepy. Stuart came in the bedroom and asked me if I was okay, to which I replied, 'No....', all the while I was crying. 

Shouldn't your first day of school involve a breakfast of a chocolate donut? Oli thought so as well. 

These two were ready for school. 

I pulled it together and waited for Ms Janet to show up. She arrived around 6:15 am. I asked her to just clean the bathrooms and then do some ironing. I literally have 4 blouses I have not worn for about 7 months because I was too lazy to iron them. Apparently I am still too lazy, but I'm going to get to wear them soon. I wasn't fussed about her cleaning the entire apartment on Sunday because the AC man was coming and was going to make a mess, I was sure. However, when I got home, the AC man had been, he had made a mess, Ms Janet had ironed all the clothes I had hanging, and she had cleaned the entire apartment. My big concern was what would I have her do the next 4 days of the week? Oh dear, to have our problems. 

Sunday morning, before Ms Janet started cleaning, Mr Andrew gave me a call. It was about an hour after Millie was supposed to be in school so I was a bit shocked. It appears he went to the Nursery instead of the preschool. He stated Millie's name was not on any of the lists. I assured him it was and gave him directions to the school. I asked him how Millie was and he informed me that he had to take Ms Janet with him in order to keep Millie from crying. It made me sad for sure. He said she was fine after that. He texted me about 10 minutes after he hung up to let me know Millie was safely in her class. He also texted me when he brought her home to let me know she had fallen asleep on the way home, but woke up as he attempted to bring her into the house.  I had told Ms. Janet Millie would probably need a nap each day after school now that she was going to be so active, but Millie would have none of it on Sunday. 

Both Stuart and myself reported to our new schools bright and early on Sunday morning. I basically just shadowed the other English Head of Faculty for the entire day. Being in a school with girls and boys is definitely different. There are girls on one side of the school and boys on the other. Never the two shall meet. They seriously can never be in the same place at the same time. Some schools are changing this, but most are sticking to the tradition of the culture. 

I received a text from Stuart midway through the day. He asked me how it was going. I responded and asked him the same. I also asked how many kids he had. I messaged that we had 1400 registered but only about half had shown up. He responded to me and stated he had 180 boys. I told him he would have such a rough time with that many students (wink, wink ) and he said, 'Oh, in grades 1 though 5 there are only 80 students.' Sucks to be him, eh?

I was so happy to see Jack and Millie when I got home from school. I asked Jack how his day was and he told me it was good. Then I asked him what he learned. He said, 'I don't remember'. Then I took my friend Sue's advice and asked him who made him laugh at school. Of course the conversation started after that. Who cares what he learned, right?

I asked Millie if she had a good day and she told me she had. I asked her if she met some new friends. She said that she did. I then asked what her new friends's names were. She replied, 'I don't remember'. I told her that she had to come back from school on Monday and be able to tell me at least one name of one of her new friends. She seemed to have had a good day, and I am happy to report that Ms. Janet did not have to go with her to school the rest of the week. However, Mr. Andrew reported to me, through laughter, that she didn't speak to him in the car at all. Wait until she warms up. He is going to long for the first week of school and her muteness. 

Sunday evening was the first rugby practice for Jack. He was super excited. Not to brag or anything (but clearly I am bragging), but he is definitely the most athletic kid on the team. Stuart is now coaching Jack's team, which they both enjoy. 

Jack is the boy just in front of Stuart. I had to zoom in on this photo to make sure that was him. That boy looked too grown up to be Jack, but sure enough, it is him. 

We discovered, just before practice, his cleats were definitely too small. We looked for a bigger size while we were back in Arizona but couldn't find any. So we put that on our shopping list and he just wore his tennis shoes. 

A little later in the week we received an email from on of Jack's other coaches. He asked if we had written Jack's birthday down incorrectly. We said we hadn't. It seems that he really should be on the under 6 team instead of the under 7 team. However, he is still a head above any player on his team. It was decided that he could stay on the under 7 team. I guess kids can play up an age group but not down an age group. Whew! That would have messed up the player (Jack) and his coach (Stuart). 

Monday my day got a little more hectic. I actually started helping out with matters around the school. I had met so many people on Sunday, I couldn't remember any names.  The schedule, for the teachers in a school as large as ours, can be a nightmare. I have always prided myself in being able to see life in puzzles and knew, if given the chance, I could help. However, I did not want to come on too strong, as I know I can do. 

Late in the day on Monday I informed Rania, the Vice Principal, if she wanted me to look at the schedule I would be more than happy to do so. She asked me if I knew how to do it and I told her I did. I knew how many sections of PE, Music, Islamic, Arabic, computers, English, Math and Science each class needed each week. Rania told me she hated doing schedules and always paid people to do it for her at home. She gladly passed it over and I felt I was really contributing. 

I got home on Monday and by 7 pm I was knee deep in scheduling. I ended up staying up all night and getting the schedule worked out the way I felt would work for everyone. Oh, that was until the lady who did the girls's schedule came in on Tuesday morning and started giving me the stipulations of scheduling. Now, although I apprecited her advice, in my head I thought, 'now this piece of information might have been helpful 24 hours ago'. 

Tuesday is a bit of a blur. I do know I was told to stay in the office until the schedule was complete. I ended up being in the office the rest of the week with that silly, disfunctional schedule. Ick!  More staff means more confusion. It was quite difficult to work it out. There were about 40 staff members and 27 different class schedules to figure out. I think it is finally sorted out, or at least I hope it is. Some people will not be pleased, but sadly there were no other choices in some cases. 

Tuesday after school I thought I would go home and crash, but I really didn't. I did go to bed at a reasonable time but not early at all. I did, however, skip Jack's rugby practice. Fortunately, Millie kicked up and lost the privilege of going to the Rugby Club to play while Jack practiced. Truly she was exhausted and needed to hit the hay early. It was best for all of us. 

Wednesday was another busy scheduling day for me. I  may have gotten out of my chair three times to go to the bathroom. Boring! I knew that soon it would be over and I would be supervising the canteen during lunch. I suppose I should take my time with the schedule. 

When we got home from school we decided to go swimming. After all, we hadn't been since Saturday. They might be getting worried about us at the pool. We didn't stay long and I am happy to report, to my mother's liking, my kids were in bed each school night this week at 6:30 pm, and asleep shortly after. We do run them ragged and have vowed to slow down a bit this year. 

Once we were home Cathy and Claire came for a visit. It is strange not seeing Cathy everyday. Moving schools was a must for me, but I was sad about leaving some of my friends. I guess it's inevitable. 

Cathy and Claire helped me color post it notes for my revised, yet for another time, school schedule. I decided to do it old school the third attempt and that one was the final, which I believe is correct, Inshallah:). Stay tuned for the update of the schedule next week. I will let you know if this was the actual final draft. 

Thursday came and went too quickly. Again, I was stuck manipulating the schedule. At the end of the day I had to go to the Souq to finish up the final purchase of material for my old school.  Buying that material was WAY more trouble than I had anticipated. I ordered one final batch of bolts of fabric and the new Head of Faculty will be the one sorting out delivery and payment of it now. 

Because I had to get payment for the material I popped into Ahmed bin Zayed. I say my old teammate, and new Head of Faculty, LuShana.  We hugged and she instantly broke into the scene from Color Purple where Celie and Nettie are playing the hand clap game when they are being separated. If you know the movie you will remember. It's one of my favorite movies and when she started singing the song and clapping my hands I was so flattered. She definitely thinks of me as a friend. Love her dearly!

Here are the words to the rhyme. 

“Me and you, us never part. Makidada. Me and you, us have one heart. Makidada. Ain’t no ocean, ain’t no sea. Makidada. Keep my sister away from me.”

It was great to see the gang, but made me know I was moved to the right school. I really like my new principal. She is very nice and very professional. I love my Vice Principal, Rania, and our Arabic Vice Principal, Wafa, and the other Head of Faculty, Ronel. I have been blessed by being transferred to this school. 

Thursday evening we headed to the Rugby Club for a swim and then had dinner. After swimming, we headed up to eat. Jack had a thirty minute time out while his friends played. You see, Jack had a major meltdown the Friday prior as we were leaving the Rugby Club. Because of this we informed Jack that the following time we were at the Rugby Club he would have to sit out and watch his friends play for 30 minutes. He actually handled it rather well. He sat and waited his 30 minutes. At the end of the evening when it was time to leave, he was all smiles and left without one whiney moment. 

Friday morning we Skyped Grammie and Pop. The kids were their normal wild selves and popped in and out of the Skype like they normally do. 

We headed to the pool mid morning. Cathy and Claire came with us, and then we went to the Golf Club for lunch. They have remodeled the Golf Club and changed things around a bit. 

After lunch we went to Bawadi Mall to book the bowling alley for Jack's 6th birthday. I can't believe he is already 6 years old. He is so excited for everyone to come blowing, and it's really inexpensive, which is a bonus for us for sure. 

We shopped a bit for birthday treats and worked out ordering pizza. Rochelle and Andrew live out by Bawadi Mall so we dropped by on our way home. We ended up staying for a small impromptu party. Days like these, when you drop by just to say 'hello' and it turns into an event, rind me of when I was growing up. We would go 'visit' people all the time. There didn't need to be an invitation or a reason. Yet another thing I love about my expat community. 

Home we headed in the late afternoon. Showers and food were on the agenda for my sand dwellers. I just love seeing the kids have fun with their friends. 

Saturday we got up and took Stuart's car for its 20,000 (12,000 miles) kilometer service. We decided that we need to start taking my car places on the weekend instead of his. My car only has 10,000 kilometers and we bought them at the same time. 

We headed for breakfast and then the pool. In fact, we were at the pool twice on Saturday. Once we were there with Rochelle and company, then we went back in the afternoon with the Turners and Richardsons, because we can!

Between the swimming adventures we headed to Al Ain Mall. We needed to spend some vouchers we received and Stuart wanted to look for a case for his laptop. We accomplished our mission and left just after lunch. 

Saturday evening we got home, kids ate, went to bed, and I went for a much needed pedicure! Ah! 

Just another week on the sand box. 

School begins for our second year.

It is really hard to believe that we are beginning our second year on this adventurous ride. Time has flown by sometimes and other times, the more stressful ones of course, it has crept along. But either way, it has been a fun ride to this point, and we are hopeful for more of the same this coming year.

Sunday, Stuart and I did as we were told. We showed up to our previous schools and did a whole lot of nothing. Actually, I went out and bought fabric for the teachers for their bulletin boards, so that at least that made the teachers happy. 

Sunday after we got home from work, we headed for our appointment to meet with the director of Millie's school. We just wanted to speak with her about how young Millie is and how small she is. We wanted to make sure we were putting her in the right setting. When she told us that Millie's teacher would be Ms Maria, the same one Jack had at the beginning of last year but went on maternity leave halfway through, we were thrilled. 

Monday after school we reported to the Zone and were told since we were changing positions we would have to go through another background check and only when that was completed would our pay increase kick in. However, it would be retroactive. So basically when it does finally get to us it will be a chunk of change. I do so love my job here.

Stuart has been placed at a boys' school about 10 minutes past his old school. I have been placed at a school in a place called Al Yahar. The school is called Reafa'a School. Ironically enough, I already know the Vice Principal. She is friends with Gina and I have had the opportunity to hang out with her at the beach. I'm so super excited, although I will miss my Ahmed bin Zayed friends.

Once we were all home on Monday, we went to the mall to get school supplies for Jack.  We were told we would be receiving a letter from Millie's school and assumed it would be asking for more supplies for her, but in the meantime we decided to get Jack sorted out.  Had we known the list before we left Arizona we could have purchased everything a little cheaper, but we really didn't think about it.  Since we were at the mall anyway, we fed the kids the ever so lovely McDonalds.  Healthy, we know!

Once we got home, we labeled and placed it in a bag.  Jack was set for school.  Jack's extra set of clothes for school were put in a gallon ziplock bag, whereas Millie's fit in a sandwich bag. 

Because work for me was so very stressful this week, full of tea and coffee, I told Cathy I would go with her to collect Kayleigh, early Tuesday morning, from the airport.....at 2:30 am.  So I went to sleep on Monday evening for a few hours, set my alarm and got up to travel to Dubai.  I stayed awake the entire journey.  We got Kayleigh and got home just after 5 am, just in time to get ready for work.  Needless to say, Cathy and I were not at our best on Tuesday.  I had a Head of Faculty meeting that day, as did Stuart.  We actually sat next to each other at the meeting.  At one point he was talking to me and I think I fell asleep.  Oops!

After school on Tuesday I picked up Miss Janet and she came to our place to meet with Rochelle (Louie's mum and who she will live with this year), Jamie (another friend who needs care for her kids in the morning), and myself, so we could discuss her duties this year.  Miss Janet could not sit down and enjoy herself.  I could tell she wanted to clean something.  Finally we had to insist she sit down and have her cup of tea.  When she finished her tea, she got up, went to the sink and started washing the dishes.  I had to stop her.  This is the lady we are dealing with.  She is a dream.  I am so thrilled this arrangement is working out.

We have tried to get the kids back on their regular sleep schedule this week.  Once they were in bed on Tuesday evening and we had eaten, I fell asleep on the sofa.  Once I did get up and go to bed, I didn't move the entire night, which is HIGHLY unusual for me.  I was wiped out from the Dubai trip.

Wednesday after school we went to the Rugby Club to have a swim.  We didn't stay long because someone was coming to service our air conditioning units.  Each room has a different unit.  They are operated by their own individual electrical panel.  Although the complex maintenance will fix them when they break, they do not clean them, so we have to have someone come to do that for us.  Some husbands here have become handymen and do things such as this.  When we got home from the Rugby Club the guy's business card was stuck in our door.  You see, I scheduled him while we were in Spain.  I put it in my iPhone calendar for the 4:30 pm time slot he told me, but when we got back to the UAE, which is two hours ahead of Spain, my phone calendar automatically set the appointment for 6:30 pm.  That is a definite flaw in the iPhone if you ask me.  I apologized all over myself and rescheduled. 

Both kids had Open Houses at their school on Thursday morning. Jack and Millie had been staying at Karen and Wade's all week with either Claire or Kayleigh babysitting. However, on Thursday morning we made different arrangements. Jack went to Wade and Karen's and then went to the Open House with them. I picked Millie up just before 9:30 am and we went to Jack's school. When I got there Jack was running all over the place like a mad man. He was with Henry (who belongs to Scott and Clare, and Clare is Jack's teacher this year). I asked Jack where his room was and he showed me where Clare's room was last year. The classes moved because of growth. I told him that was not his class and then I proceeded to show him where he would need to take his backpack on Sunday morning. He is such a nut. So glad I went by to check in on him. 

Jack went home with Henry and Millie and I traveled on to her school. I couldn't find it. I decided to go to the Nursery at the college, which is where we had met the director earlier in the week. I spoke with her again and she told me the school was having electricity issues. Millie was able to meet her teacher and teacher's assistant. That made me feel better for sure. We ended up going to her school and what we saw was dirt, dirt, and more dirt. They were still putting furniture together and cleaning up, but I am sure by Sunday things will be ready to go. 

Here Millie is in her element. Can you see the dirt on the floor?  Millie wanted to clean it up. She is a helper for sure. 

Thursday around 2:30 pm, Stuart received his email that stated he was to begin his duties at his new school.  The new Head of Faculty at Ahmed bin Zayed got her email as well, but I still hadn't heard anything.  So, I waited.  Finally at about 4 pm I got it.  So, Sunday, as kids are filing into the new school, I will be like a deer in the headlights, not having a clue as to what I should be doing.  I know that feeling because I had it last year about this time, so nothing new there.

Thursday evening, we were invited to my previous principal's house for a get together.  She told me long ago that she looked forward to me not being a teacher so we could be friends.  I really do like her and know she has helped to get me into an administrative position.  We had a great time and actually knew some of the people at the party.  This is truly a very small town in so many ways.  You have to really be careful what you say to who, or at least I do!

Friday Stuart went golfing at oh dark thirty.  The kids and I went to church and then to the grocery store.  I hate going to the grocery store here.  I am not sure why I dislike it so much, but I do.  After the grocery store we headed home for lunch.  Millie fell asleep on the way so I just put her to bed for a nap.  I do believe once she starts school we will have to reintroduce naps.  Knowing we would be going to the Rugby Club in the evening for the Family Night, a nap was actually a good idea.

I also took a bit of a nap, which is always a bad idea for me.  I am not a person who can nap during the day and be of any use afterward.  We left for the pool at half past three.  Once we were there, a huge dust storm blew up and it started raining.  We really don't experience that type of weather very often, but this summer it seems to be more prevalent.

The weather did clear a bit before the Family Night activities started, but resumed once the evening was underway.  There was popcorn, cotton candy, horse rides, a bounce house, and face painting for the kids.  Our kids, as usual, were running around all over the place.  Jack was kicking a soccer ball into a goal and got smacked on the face.  Just another day at the Rugby Club.

Saturday morning the kids were up earlier than I like. We lazed around until about half past ten. We decided to go to the mall because I needed some pictures printed, one Jack needed for school. We did some other incidental shopping and then, like you do, ate at the food court. 

Once we got home we decided to go to the rugby club to swim. We swam for a little over an hour and then back to the apartment. The kids got ready for bed and then off they went. 

I can hardly believe Millie will be in preschool and Jack will be in year 1 (which is the equivalent to Kindergarten). I think what really makes me sad is that I can't take them on their first day. I have to be at school before 7 am and Millie can't be at school before 8 am. So, Mr. Andrew, who is a wonderful, caring soul, will be taking Millie the first day. I really think she will be fine. When, for about the tenth time, I told her that Mr. Andrew would be taking her to school on Sunday, she said, 'Yeah, Mom, I know!'  Yep, she'll be just fine. 

The rain in Spain... Doesn't exist!

We drove to Gina's on Monday evening and waited for our cab we had booked. We scheduled it to arrive at 10:30 pm and requested a van. At 10:20 pm Stuart rang them and they said the van should be there shortly. Then Stuart received a text saying the cab had been canceled. So we hopped in a regular cab just outside of Gina's building, even though we were crammed, and drove to the airport. Comfy ride!

We were booked on two different flights so Gina didn't fly with us, which was probably to her relief. The flight from Abu Dhabi to Frankfurt was fine, and the kids slept a bit, and were entertained by movies and games. The second flight was the nightmare, at least with Millie. She was terribly unsettled and there were no games or movies to entertain her. Needless to say we were all finished with traveling by the time we arrived in Madrid.  Sadly, we had to drive 5 hours to get to Oria. The kids slept half of the journey, but were quite restless. 

We arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's around 6 pm. After getting things out of the car and unpacking a bit, we fed the kids and went for a swim. The pool was cold but very refreshing to the weary travelers. 

The kids were bathed and hit the sack at 9 pm. It was believed they would sleep through the night, but our beliefs were incorrect. Around 3:30 am Millie screamed and I jumped out of bed. I brought her in to sleep with me. Around 4 am the bed seemed strangely crowded. I looked over and Jack had crawled into the twin bed with us. I got up and insisted we go back to their trundle beds so at least there would only be two of us in one bed. By this time both kids were wide awake, thirsty and wanted to eat. I went into the kitchen and got them some crackers. They ate crackers and I fought to stay awake and monitor them. Jack wanted to play with his Lego guys or the IPad. Um, no!  I made them lay back down. By half past five they were both asleep again so I returned to my bed. 

I woke up around 9 am and felt relatively refreshed. Jack had been up for about a half an hour by that time and Millie woke up just before 10 am. 

The morning was super lazy. Grandpa and Stuart cleaned the pool while the kids terrorized the pond fish. 

I had coffee on the veranda and enjoyed the fresh breeze of Spain. 

On a Wednesday morning why wouldn't you want to have coffee sitting here?

The day was filled with relaxation and a wading pool for the kids, which proved to be very cold. 

By late afternoon, Auntie Sheila and Uncle Chris (Grandma and Grandpa's best friends) popped over for a visit. We had birthday presents for the kids, which was way over the top, but very much loved and appreciated. 

There were a lot of gifts to keep the kids entertained. 

Millie really loved her Fleminco Dancer outfit. She looks like a true Spainard. 

Jack was given all of the Star Wars films. He couldn't wait to get up to start the series on Thursday morning. The big question was which series should they start first? Oh the challenges of the Star Wars fans. In the end they began at the chronological beginning. 

Wednesday evening we had dinner on the veranda again. We had burgers and salad. The cool breeze was certainly welcomed. Because it is nearly half past nine before it gets completely dark, the late evening sneaks up on you. We ended up going to bed around 11 pm, about an hour after the kids. Sadly, Millie still had jetlag. She woke up at 1:15 am and finally went back to sleep around 4:15 am, continuing to be thirsty, hungry and rolling around trying to get comfortable. What a treat that jetlag is!

Thursday we didn't get up until around 10 am. Because of this we had a late start to our shopping outing. We went to a Mercadona, which I would compare to a Safeway, and we also went to a shop that provided all types of knick knacks. Most shops close at 2 pm for a siesta so we did rush a bit. Jack wanted everything he saw, which has become the norm. 

We had tapas at a local cafe and I was able to try out some of my incredibly rusty Spanish. Stuart thinks I can communicate well because I use a great deal of animation while talking. If we were playing sharads his assessment would be correct, but when trying to figure out why we can't get food at the moment we need it, actually being able to speak the language would be helpful. Thank goodness Grandma understands and speaks a great deal of Spanish. 

We got back to the villa just before 5 pm and decided to go down to Espiranza's, a local bar where tapas and beverages are served for next to nothing. She serves some delightful little dishes. Gina took the kids out to take pictures with her. I think she could tell they were restless and we were tired. She is really an easy traveling companion, and super helpful. 

This is all of us at Espiranza's. We headed home after the bar and got the kids ready for bed. We then had supper. Thursday evening it was so chilly that we really did almost need a 'light sweater'. We had leftovers which were wonderful. Karen has a way of making leftovers not feel like your typical leftovers. She added little bits to the spread and it was delish!

We decided that although it was a bank holiday in all of Spain on Friday, we would still get up early and head to Granada. Granada is about an hour and a half west of Oria and the place Christopher Colombus met Ferdinand and Isabella to get the money to sail to the New World in 1492. There is great history in Granada. 

We were out the door just before 9 am. This was a great feat since we have not even been out of bed since we arrived before 9 am. After we realized how much day we actually had by getting up that early, we vowed to get up earlier for the rest of the holiday, mainly because we know how difficult it will be to get up in a little over a week when we go back to work. Also a benefit is we get to enjoy our time more. 

We got to the Alhambra just before 11 am. The tickets were sold out, which we knew would most likely be the case, so we hopped on the City Sightseeing bus, my favorite way to see a city, and off we went.  The tour took us all around the city and had an audio description of the sights we were seeing. Go figure!

Stuart and I did a selfie on the bus. We're so hip!

We got off the bus at the Cathedral and walked into the center of town, where we visited almost every stall with everything from castenettes to Route 66 signs- not lying. I ended up buying this little hand-knitted coin purse. It was adorable and very practical. 

We had lunch in the town center and then shopped a bit more. After walking around and looking in most every touristy shop, and eating ice cream on the square, we headed back to the bus stop. There really were no other places to get off of the bus so we headed back to the Alhambra. There were a few shops by the Alhambra that sold some little plates and saucers, so naturally we had to purchase something.    

Our thought was to stop and have a bite to eat at one of the hotels along the motorway on the road back to Oria. However, because of the bank holiday no place was open. So instead we went back to Casa Las Estancias (Grandma and Grandpa's house), picked up Grandma because Grandpa was napping, and went to Espiranza's for a drink and tapas. I could probably get used to the Spanish life style. 

We ended the evening with some tapas at the house and then hit the sack.  

On Saturday we had a very lazy day. It was overcast most of the day and quite a bit cooler. Stuart helped his mum tie up some plants in the garden while the kids and Gina cracked open almonds from Grandma and Grandpa's almond trees. We went swimming later in the afternoon, even though it was quite cold. Once you were in the water it was fine, but the wind was blowing so it became freezing as you got out to dry. 

We had a game of 'let's throw the ball at each other's heads', which was delightful. Jack and Millie seemed to, as always, have fun. 

While the kids were bathing Stuart fixed their dinner. Our goal was to get them into bed before 9 pm. Once they ate, we headed to Espiranza's for drinks and tapas. It actually got too cold out on the patio and we had to move indoors. Once we were finished at Espiranza's we came back to the house and put the kids to bed. 

Our dinner consisted of paella, a traditional rice dish in Spain. As you can see it was full of seafood. It took a great deal of prep, in which I did not participate. It was delicious. But boy did it stink once it cooled. Seafood shelf life is pretty short. 

Stuart cooked it on a special burner meant just for paella. He was totally in his element. 

Sunday we got up and went to a market in Fines. There were fruits and vegetables, as well as sun dresses and shoes. Of course Gina and I had to buy a couple of dresses. We also purchased some produce and candy. There was a man making churros in a huge vat of oil. It was quite a sight. Naturally we had to partake. 

After the market we came back to the villa and had a swim. The water was the same temperature as the days before.....cold. Millie stayed in for around 15 minutes and the rest of us didn't last much longer. 

Grandma made a roast dinner with pork, chicken and every vegetable known to man. It was delisious. 

The kids went to bed around 6 pm because they were wiped and needed an early evening. But by 9:30 pm Millie was wide awake saying, 'I want someping to eat'. So after apples and peanut butter and an hour and a half of laying with her, she finally went back to sleep for the rest of the evening. 

We got up on Monday morning and headed to Baza Lake. At the lake we had a little rubber boat that everyone played with. We rented some paddle boats and paddled around the lake. It was hard work. Our paddle boat had a slide on it. The kids went down it a few times and then Grandpa swam over to our boat and went down it as well. 

We had lunch at the restaurant by the lake. About the time lunch came was about the time I think I was hit with a stomach bug. Fun! 

We went back down to the lake for a little over an hour, but then it was so brutally hot we couldn't cope. We headed back to the villa and cleaned up for tapas and beverages at Espiranza's. 

I was not well at all and felt super nauseous. I just sat and listened to conversation. Jack and Millie played with Teddy, Shelia and Chris's dog. Yes, they brought their dog to the bar. 

When we got home the kids had already been bathed and so they went to bed. I went shortly after they did. 

Our struggle here with the kids has been the time the sun actually goes down, but they will get back into their routine once we get back to the UAE. Plus, we think Millie has been having bad dreams because a few mornings she has gotten up and talked about the monsters in her room at night. 

Everyone slept just fine on Monday night, which was nice. Tuesday brought about another day of rest and relaxation, pool side fun, tapas and Sangria. We did attempt to go to the basilica in the village center but it wasn't open so we went across the street to the local pub for a cerveza. 

Basilica= closed

Pub= open!

When we returned from the basilica/pub we had a game of snakes and ladders. Grandma always has something to entertain the kids. This was a large plastic game board and each player acts as their own marker. It was really fun. Millie just liked rolling the dice, but Jack, Gina and I really wanted to win. 

After our game we hit the pool for our daily swim. We also revisited our ball game that involved the girls throwing balls at the boys and vice versa. After the pool the kids took a bath, and for the first time in our trip the water pressure took a dive, so getting the soap out of Millie's hair was a bit of a challenge. 

For supper we had pork ribs and burgers, like you do. Every night but one we have eaten outside, which has been lovely. We couldn't have asked for better temperatures in the evenings. And really during the day it has not been terribly unbearable. All in all we have had a very relaxing stay. 

Millie found a good book to read during our stay. Funny that she already needs reading glasses. 

Tuesday night I was awake for about two hours, stressing about a situation that came to my attention by our friend Rochelle. Andrew, her husband, was the person we were hiring to take Jack and Millie to school this coming year. Through some turn of events (car engine dying, them moving very far out, and him having. To cut his school run by a few kids), that was no longer going to be possible. We also found out that Ms. Janet, Millie's nanny from last year still didn't have a place to work for this school year. After stressing for the two hours in the middle of the night, I messaged Rochelle to see if Andrew could just take the kids to school. Because we have to leave so very early we would then have to find someone to stay at our house with the kids until Andrew could pick them up. Here was the solution.... Ms. Janet is going to live with Rochelle and Andrew, be dropped off at our house at 6:15 am every school day and then picked up at 3:30 pm when Andrew is done with his school runs. We split her pay and we get a full time house keeper. Hello!

Wednesday was our last day at Grandma and Grandpa's, which is always a bit sad. We packed, watched some more of the Star Wars series, swam, showered, ate dinner, and then it was time to load up the car and drive through the night to Madrid. 

Leaving is always so difficult. Grandma was sad, I was crying, and when Gina, the kids and myself were sitting in the car, Stuart hugged his mum one last time. Gina turned and said,'Okay, I can't watch. That makes me sad.' I agreed, and continued crying. 

Our drive was a long one and we were all a little weary by the time we arrived. Jack slept the entire way, and Millie slept most of the way. Millie, however, kept screaming, kicking, hitting, and crying, during her sleep. It was so strange. While we were in Spain, Millie would come out to the veranda most mornings as Gina and I were relaxing. She would look at the large terra cotta lizard on the wall and proceed to tell us about the monsters in her room. I really think she has been having bad dreams at night. So I can only assume she was having bad dreams on the way to Madrid. She opened her eyes only once in the many times she screamed out. I felt so helpless. 

Once we got to the airport and checked in, everything was pretty uneventful. Our flights were good. All of us slept during out first flight to Germany.  In fact, Millie slept the 2.5 hour flight and the 3.5 hour layover. She really needed it. She is our '12 hour of sleep' kid for sure. 

The second flight Stuart slept, but no one else did. It really wasn't a bad flight, and the fact that the kids didn't sleep and we arrived back to Gina's around 11 pm, meant they would sleep all the way home and through the night. They did exactly that!

I got up at 8 am and decided since I was awake I would go grocery shopping to get it out of the way. The kids and Stuart were still asleep so I snuck out. I was gone for 2 hours, got all groceries needed, spent more money than I wanted too, brought McDonalds for everyone and headed home. I texted Stuart before I left the grocery store and apparently woke him up. Ha!

The rest of the day was spent sorting out our apartment. I found out I have way too many clothes here. In fact, all of us do. I'm not really sure how that happened. 

In the evening Cathy and Claire came over for dinner. We ended up playing Trivial Pursuit until 1 am. So much for getting the much needed rest. Oops!

Saturday morning we lazed around until around 11:30 am. We decided we should probably get out of the house and be a little productive. We headed to the mall for a bite to eat. 

I had left my car at Karen and Wade's house while we were gone. So after lunch we headed to pick up the car. We ended up staying for a while and talking, mainly because my keys were in Scott and Claire's house and they weren't home. 

Once we had the car we headed to renew our Rugby Club membership. Yahoo! We decided to swim for a while. The swim was cut short when Rochelle texted to say they were on their way to our apartment. We hopped out of the pool and headed home. Jack was so excited to see Louie I thought he was going to squeeze him in half. 

So basically the day was spent catching up with friends. It was great. 

In the back of our minds we were thinking about school. Since both of us have new positions this year as Heads of Faculty, that means we will be in new schools. The catch is we can't be placed until someone shows up to take our teaching positions. So we are to report to our old schools on Sunday and Monday, then report to the Zone Monday at 3 pm to learn our fate. Stay tuned!

How has 30 days come and gone in Arizona?

It is so crazy when I sit back and reflect over the past 30 days. It's a bit of a blur and often times I am a bit sad that I didn't blog all the while, but I will attempt to recap as best as I can. 

Our first week back we did a lot of things that would be considered 'business'. We had to get my principal certificate renewed, get our taxes signed and sent in, and make sure we stocked up on many of our favorite things to schlep back with us to the UAE. Seems we did fine in the shopping department. With birthday gifts, belated Christmas presents, and A Sam's Club run, we ended up having to buy a new bag for the return trip. Oops! Next year we will be better, hopefully!

We also were able to spend some time with my nieces. They have grown up so much in the last year. I am so proud of them both. They really enjoyed being with Millie and Jack. 

We swam, went to the movies, and swam some more. Everyday was different and more fun than the last. We so appreciate the time and energy Morgan and Emily put into having fun with Jack and Millie. 

The second week of our stay we hit the beach and Legoland in Carlsbad, California. Our friends, the Greens, have a time share there and invited us to join them again this summer. We had a wonderful time. It was great to relax and enjoy the ocean. 

Jack loved Legoland and Millie loved the sand, although each beach day she would state, 'I hate sand'. Clearly from the pictures she doesn't hate it that much. 

The weather was perfect. 

Jack knew this guys name was Emmett. I have no idea who this was and didn't care. Legos are now the staple toy in our home. 

We returned to Arizona and had an open house. We saw a number of people and there were a lot of laughs. There was not enough time to sufficiently speak with everyone there, which made me sad. We did our best to see everyone and some people made sacrifices in their normal routine to fit us in, which was always nice. 

My entire family came into town over the last two weeks we were in Arizona. The heat kept us from some outdoor activities, but it didn't keep us from the pool. We played like little kids and made memories for Jack and Millie. 

The 30 days flew by, but in that time we had multiple breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with friends and family, movies, a trip to Basha Pool, time at the beach, Legoland, Makutu's Island, a visit to the state department, tax return signing, Stuart golfed a couple of times, the kids had play dates and sleepovers, Millie and my birthdays were celebrated, both kids got hair cuts (not by me, might I add), sushi, a cook it yourself anniversary celebration, Jack's kindergarten readiness test, and Bunco. Whew! We filled every moment and were tired for sure. 

 

Our stay ended on Saturday, August 9. We flew back to the UAE. Our flight to LA was uneventful and quick. The second leg of the flight was almost 16 hours straight to Abu Dhabi. It was relatively uneventful, but seemed to be the flight that would never end. 

There was a bit of turbulence on a few occasions, which caused the dreaded seatbelt sign to come on. When you have placed your littlest child on the floor in front of your seats, the seat belt sign coming on causes a bit of an issue, unless of course the flight attendant doesn't pay that much attention as she is coming down the aisle. Once she didn't pay attention while Millie was down there and the other time she didn't see Jack on the floor, which was fine with me. They actually got some good rest. I wish I could say the same for Stuart and myself. 

The time difference is 11 hours ahead of Arizona. We landed just before 8pm, Sunday evening. We shared a cab with Gina, who had landed just before us and had let us keep our car at her apartment for the month we were away. 

By the time we got back to Al Ain it was nearly midnight. The unpacking started and the repacking for Spain also commenced. The kids were asleep by the time we got back to Al Ain and it looked as if they would sleep through the night. 

However, at about 1:30 am Jack woke up and shortly after that Millie was awake. I took a shower and got into bed, thinking they would crawl in and go back to sleep. I am really silly I suppose. 

Finally, after Jack and Millie had failed miserably at falling asleep, it was 4:20 am, so the kids and I got out of bed. Both kids were starving so Jack ate canned spaghetti (I really know how to treat a kid) and Millie had oatmeal. We had no other food in the house. Since we were only going to be there one day before heading to Spain, and considering there were no stores open when we got back to town, they got what was in the cupboards. 

At about 5 am we turned on Dispicable Me 2 and settled in for the day. By 9:40 am both kids were asleep, in bed, and so I retired as well. Stuart woke up around 3 pm, I woke up around 5 pm and the kids were up at 6 pm. Oh my, what will happen in Spain. We headed for the airport around 8:15 pm. 

I will write next week. Consider the end of this post as the cliff hanger!