There's a new baby in our house!

Sunday we didn't have school. It was an Islamic holiday. I took the kids to see Boss Baby. It was a cute movie, but may have had a little more adult humor in it than they understood. 

After the movies we headed to the grocery store. Why is it that I can do all kinds of fun things for the kids, but when I need them to go to the grocery store with me because it's not convenient to drop them by the house first, they fall apart and are unruly. Geez!

Once we were home and their life had been brought back to normal, they watched television and played with the toys the rest of the afternoon. They showered just after 4 pm and we headed to their dentist appointments. Somehow we skipped he 6 month appointment so I knew the potential for cavities was there, especially with my stubborn, adorable little girl. Sure enough, Millie had a huge cavity. It was between two of her bottom teeth. The dentist didn't numb her or anything, she just started drilling, and Millie started crying. However, that child did not move a muscle. She squeezed my hand and tears rolled down her face. I felt so bad for her. She is the child that will always learn the hard way, and this is a prime example of it. She often refuses to brush her teeth as long as I think she should, and a cavity is the unfortunate result. Jack, on the other hand, brushes his teeth as if he's trying to get tar off the pavement. As a result, he had no cavities. Yahoo!

We got home and ate dinner.  Stuart had made burritos while we were at the dentist. It was then time for bed for the kids. I showered and then came back downstairs for some rest and relaxation. The dentist appointment had been quite stressful for me as well. 

I was up and walking Monday morning. It was good to get back into a walking routine. Monday was the first day of our school week and it seemed the longest ever. The boys in our school are on a major decline. Monday evening Stuart was off to rugby while the kids and I made cakes for his birthday. I had invited people over as a bit of a surprise but Millie let the cat out of the bag. She was looking at the juices I had bought for the kids and she said,'Mama, how many kids are coming tomorrow night?' Stuart was right next to me when she asked, so I just put my finger up to my lips as if to tell her to be quiet. So, thinking I didn't hear her she repeated herself, 'Mama, how many kids are coming to the party tomorrow?'  I responded with, 'We aren't having a party, Millie.' To which she blurted out, 'You mean Mr. Brian is not coming over?' Thanks for letting the cat out of the bag!

Once the kids were in bed Monday evening, I took a shower and had a bit to eat. Then I assumed the comfy sofa position and fell asleep. 

When Stuart had come home Monday evening he let me know about two Sri Lankan workers at the equestrian center who had been found face down in the golf course lake. I was telling Lara about it on Tuesday morning when we walked, and we both discussed how we never hear of people dying in the UAE. In fact, besides the woman who was killed the first year we were here, I hadn't heard of any other deaths. We know people die all the time, but it doesn't seem to be spoken about. 

Tuesday I spent most of my time at school chasing, yes chasing, boys back into their classrooms. Some of these students have already given up, and we have at least 4 weeks before Ramadan. It's a little concerning to think what the next few weeks might hold. 

On Tuesday afternoon on Facebook, my friend Jane posted a picture of their new puppy, which of course sparked an idea in mine and Stuart's heads. We talked about it and contacted the lady who was looking for adopted homes for the puppies, and we decided that on my way back from Dubai on Wednesday (gymnastic for Millie), I would go get the dog. We have lost our minds. 

Tuesday, I left work early to collect some science books from another school. This caused me to get home a bit early, which gave me time to start preparing for the party. I sat out some food and had plenty of ice in the freezer, or so I thought. Guests started arriving around 4:30 pm and the last one walked out around 10:15 pm. It's not the best idea to have this kind of gathering on a weeknight. It makes for very tired children the following day, as well as the parents. 

Wednesday morning came way too early, and needless to say Lara and I decided not to walk. I actually got to work late because I went to another school to collect more science books. I ended up having coffee with my friend, Ang, who is the Head of Faculty at the school that gave me the books. I ended up getting to school at 9 am and I left at 11 am. I was to go to a spelling bee meeting, but in the end I met up with Stuart and we went shopping for the puppy. Once we were finished, we headed home to put the purchased items in the house and I headed to Brighton to get Millie. 

When I got there she was going to apologize to one of the teachers for bringing her hand sanitizer outside on the playground. Ugh! She couldn't find the teacher so her teacher said she could apologize on Thursday. We then rushed off and into the truck. We would be 10 minutes early for gymnastics as long as I didn't screw up the directions. Oh, but wouldn't you know, I screwed up the directions. Shocking! Millie slept the entire way to the gym and we ended up arriving about 8 minutes late. Irritating! Why can't I follow directions? Don't know!

Once gymnastics was over, we went through the drive-thru at McDonalds. The truck barely fit around the bends. We both ate on the way home. Once we were in Al Ain, I plugged in the directions to the lady's house who had the puppies. I had told Millie we would be making a stop before going to the club to get Jack, but I didn't tell her it was to get a new puppy. When we got there, they let the puppies out. There were two left, but I had already decided which one we were going to take. Millie couldn't believe we were actually going to get to keep the puppy. She stunk to high heaven, but I guess being with 6 other puppies and their mom in a bedroom for 8 weeks would cause a little stink. 

Once the puppy was loaded up, we headed to the club to pick up Jack. We went onto the pitch and here came Jack and Stuart. Jack could hardly believe his eyes. He couldn't believe we were actually letting him have a dog. We loaded her up again and headed home to bathe her. In the end, the kids decided to name her Molly. Once she was fresh and clean, Cathy, Claire and Kayleigh came to see our little girl. They stayed for a bit and she bobbed around and whined. When Stuart got home, I put the kids in the shower and then to bed. That couldn't be done until someone was there to watch the baby....I mean the puppy, but same difference. 

Thursday we left Molly in the kitchen with a baby gate on the door. She was not happy. We could hear her howling as the kids got into Brian's car. The cats had not been impressed when we brought her home the previous night, and had actually stayed upstairs to avoid her. I suppose they will all learn to get along, or at least I hope they do. 

School was busy on Thursday. I taught three periods because my teacher was in the hospital again. I suspect she will be at least for a week. That's usually how long she is admitted for. Once I left school I headed to Al Ain English Speaking School to finish the kids' enrolment and pay their first instalment. My plan was to then go to the grocery store and collect Jack from his math club. Unfortunately, the school fun took way longer than I anticipated so I picked up Jack, dropped him off at the house, and then headed to the store. 

Once I was home from the store, we headed to the club for the youth rugby awards. Both kids were in their rugby kids and excited to get their medals of participation. Jack also received the Player's Player award, which is voted on by all the team members. He was so happy about it. He was also a bit cocky, as you can see in the picture. 

Coach and son!

We didn't stay long at the club. Stuart had a rugby 10s tournament all day Friday, so he felt the need to get home and to bed at a decent time, plus we couldn't leave our baby at home very long. We were all in bed rather early. 

The first night Molly was with us, she slept until about 4:30 am, I took her out and she peed, and I was hopeful this would be her routine. Sadly, that was not the case the second night. Boo! When I woke up Friday, I spent about 15 minutes with her outside to see if she would do her business, but no luck. She came back inside and within a minute she had peed and pooped on the floor. Really? Fortunately we have tile everywhere so the clean up is not that big of a deal. This was her game all day on Friday. 

We did absolutely nothing while Stuart was playing rugby. I felt it was necessary to stay home and hang out with Molly. I wanted to have a successful toilet training day, but the. I read that dogs are really not ready for toilet training until they are about 12 weeks old. That means we have about 3 more weeks of this fun!

The kids just played and watched movies all day. They were fed and in bed before 8 pm, and I had a bit of time to myself before Stuart got home. He was beat from a 5 game day in the sweltering heat. He took a shower and then we to bed, while I finished the Gilmore Girls. I'm so sad it's over!

Saturday morning I was up at 6:30 am with Molly. Jack was already awake when I got up. Millie woke up shortly after that and I made them pancakes. I sorted out the cats, who had actually started coming downstairs to at least look at Molly. They did scamper straight back upstairs when Molly turned their way, but I see this as progress. 

Once Stuart was awake I was off to Dubai with DeDe. We first stopped for coffee and then headed to the fabric souk. She and Hassah, our Saudi friend, get fabric from these stores in Dubai and then have a tailor in Al Ain make them stove pipe legged pants and jersey shirts. I, of course, had to get in on this. I'm so excited to get my new, one of a kind, outfits. They said the tailor takes about 3 days to complete their requests. We will probably see the tailor sometime next week. I will post pictures once the outfits are finished. 

We spent most of the day just shopping and having lunch and tea and coffee. It was just DeDe and myself, but we had a wonderful time catching up and just having girl time. We got home just after 7 pm and DeDe decided to come into the house to meet Molly. She fell in love, like you do with a puppy. Molly was tuckered out. She had spent the afternoon at Scott and Clare's with their saluki, Biscuit. Jack was disappointed that Millie and Stuart had taken Molly down to their house as he wanted to be the one to introduce them all to Molly. He was at a birthday party all afternoon. I told him he couldn't have it all, unfortunately. 

Millie was in bed when I got home, and Jack was showered and on the sofa. I went to tell Millie good night and then I headed for the shower. After my shower, I sang Jack a song and he was off to bed. Stuart and I watched some television and then he headed upstairs with Molly. I followed shortly after. It was a full week for sure! 

A three day weekend to look forward to.

Easter morning we were up and the kids hunted the Easter eggs the Easter bunny had left for them. Stuart and I had a bit longer that morning because we were going to a training in Abu Dhabi about reading. Once the kids were off to school, we headed to pick up another Head of Faculty and were off for another riveting training, where the first hour was only in Arabic. Sometimes I wonder why it's important for us to attend these trainings. However, a day out of school is nice. 

On our way home from Abu Dhabi, we stopped at the store to get something to bake and take to the potluck at church that evening. I made dump cake while Stuart went to pick up Jack from swim squad. Once the kids were home, backpacks were unpacked, and homework completed, they were off to take showers and get ready for church. 

At church the kids participated in several activities, we ate at the potluck and the service was after the food. The kids sat in the back and colored while I listened to the sermon. Stuart had an emergency committee meeting to handle some club business with the newly elected committee. After the service was over, we came home and both kids were fast asleep when we pulled in the carport. I took them up to bed and got my stuff sorted out. Stuart got home from his committee meeting about that time and went to say goodnight to the kids. I showered and assumed my position on the sofa. It was a nice Easter Sunday. 

Monday morning I had every intention to walk, but I couldn't drag my butt out of bed. In fact, I slept until 6 am, which is about 40 minutes longer than I should have slept. I was feeling in a funk, but got on with things anyway. The kids were up and going through their routines. They got ready for school and we all headed our own ways. 

I was officially released from my teaching obligations on Monday, and told that I would only need to be in the classroom if the teacher who had been ill became ill again and wasn't at school. Yahoo!

We stayed for parent conferences and only one out of twenty-two parents came to see me. It was nice to speak with that parent, however there still seems to be a disconnect when it comes to the parents in our community. 

I left school around 3 pm and went to meet up with my gal pals for Hassah's birthday celebration. We were doing dinner at PF Changs and then a movie. I did some shopping for the beginning of Stuart's birthday week. I had decided the kids and I would get him a present each day the week before his birthday. I started it on Tuesday, but in actuality it should have started Wednesday. I suppose another day won't hurt anyone. The gals and I went to see Fast and Furious 8. I just love those movies. They are full of action and comedy.....and Duwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Yum! I got home after the kids were in bed and showered, getting myself ready for bed. 

Tuesday I left work early so Stuart and I could go speak with the head master if Brighton College regarding the way the school fees jumped. Although we were able to meet with him and express our appreciation of the school, our plea for lower fees was not granted. We knew it wouldn't be, but we really had to just give it an effort. He said he really hadn't heard from many who were unhappy about the school fees. I just assumed that there weren't very many Americans at the school. The British are too polite to complain. They will just leave the school and no one will ever know why. So our meeting resulted in our decision to take them to a different school next year. It was sad, but the way it has to be. 

We invited the Richardsons over for curry Tuesday evening. Scott needed to go and get his car from the mechanic, so Stuart took him in the Land Rover, which had overheated on the way home from Brighton College. As they were traveling, it happened again and Scott had to walk to the gas station to get some water. Once they picked up Scott's car, they decided to leave ours. So on Wednesday, I had to borrow Clare's car to get to school. 

School on Wednesday was relatively quiet. I completed several walkthroughs, which are not my favorite things to do, but required. Once I was home Wednesday evening, the kids made an apron for one of Stuart's presents. 

They got sorted and were off to bed. Cathy came over for a chat. We mainly talked about my funk and how I wasn't in the mood to do much of anything this past week. I felt better after our chat. 

School on Thursday was just another day. I picked up Jack from ECAs and picked up the Richardsons as well, since I still had Clare's car. We went back to theirs for tea and once Scott was home we all headed to our house for Paella. Stuart was so looking forward to this evening. His mum had bought him a Paella pan for Christmas so he was anxious to try it. 

Henry ended up spending the night and the boys didn't go to bed until almost midnight. They were playing their iPads and were quiet, but still didn't get much sleep. They slept up in the loft, so when the air conditioner on our room blew a fuse at 5:45 am, naturally Stuart woke them up when he climbed over the sofa to fix the fuse. 

Friday I woke up with a stuffy head, and Jack was coughing. Neither of us felt so great. We didn't have any plans, so hanging around the house and drinking coffee was my desire. The kids played around the house, and at one time Jack traded Millie a 50 dirham note for a 100 dirham note. Somewhere in his head he thought he would get away with the trade. He's so clever. Naturally, we made them trade back. 

We lazed around until about 10 and then walked with the kids to Abela for a treat. They rode bikes and a scooter, while we walked. 

We were off to the pool around noon and stayed there until almost 4 pm. When we left the pool, Henry went home with Scott and we headed home for the kids to take showers before heading to Scott and Clare's for pizza. Karen and Wade came for pizza as well. We stayed until almost 8 pm, when we decided it was time for the kids to get some rest. I dropped Stuart at Andrew's so he could have a drink with Andrew and Sean. The kids were both asleep when we got home. They were shattered. 

Saturday morning Jack and Millie were up before 6:45 am, when I got up. We sat around for most of the morning and then I got on the computer to book our accommodations through Airbnb for our two weeks holiday in Italy this July. I had decided it would be cheaper than through booking.com, and I was right. 

We left just before 11 to take Millie to her first gymnastics class in Dubai. We had decided that it was time we gave her a little more attention in the sporting world. We arrived a bit early to the gym and were told we could go in to watch some of the students. Once it was time for Millie to participate, we had to go behind the doors. The owner said we were too distracting. Surprise! 

She finished after and hour and then I went to speak with the coach. She said she was a natural and wanted to know if we were willing to drive to Dubai once a week for just an hour. We decided we could handle it for the rest of the school year and then would make a decision about next fall when we came to that time. 

After we finished at the gym, we then went to the Mall of the Emirates. We ate at Texas de Brazil, a meat fest of fun. It was a place where they bring you carved meet, chicken and shrimp. The food was phenomenal, but too much for me for sure. Stuart was totally loving it, as was Jack. Fortunately for us Millie didn't have to pay because she is 5 years old. Thank goodness, because she didn't eat enough to feed a fish. 

We left the mall around 5:30 pm to see if we could go to Dragon Mart. Dragon Mart is supposed to be the shop where you can get anything you need. 

Well, it being a Saturday evening, once we arrived it was obvious there were no parking places. It was too crowded for all of us. In the end we decided to come home. We got a snack at the gas station when we stopped for gas. Then it was on to the house. Both kids were wide awake when we got home, but did go to bed. 

I showered and rested my weary head on the sofa. It was a great week and a very full weekend. We still had one more day of the weekend because the next day was an Islamic holiday. Oh what to do?

Fun with friends!

Sunday I was up and ready for the day. My teacher who had been sick was back so that would mean changes for me. I was asked to teach with her for a few weeks and then she would be on her own again. I think the idea was to show her how Daily 5 worked and make sure she really was going to be well enough to take care of the class. She and I agreed that she would be on her own on Wednesdays and teach science. So the plan started on Sunday. 

After school I went to sort out Jack's cafe account at Brighton as well as pay for Millie's school trip to Bounce. While I was there I discussed what next year's school fees would look like with the accountant. After sitting there and being overwhelmed by the amount each month that would go to the college, I came to the conclusion that the kids would have to go to a different school next year. It made me sad, but I knew in order for us to continue to give them life experiences, which is part of the reason we came here, we could not justify such astronomical fees for schooling. I came home to talk with Stuart about it and together we decided we couldn't keep our family from holidays and life experiences, putting a financial strain on us, in order to leave them at Brighton. It just didn't make any sense. 

I also had a conversation with Jack about his cafe bill. The first of February we received an email from the cafe telling us his account was in the negative by 80 dirhams (about $20), although when their account reaches 0 dirhams they are not supposed to be able to charge any more. At that time we gave him clear instructions that he was not to charge anything else, meaning he would not buy any food from the cafe. Well, he clearly 'forgot' that instruction and continued to charge to the tune of -221 dirhams, which was another 141 dirhams past the amount I was informed of in February. After a few minutes, and me threatening to take him to the cafe to declare he hadn't actually charged after we told him to stop, he fessed up and admitted 'but mama, the French toast is so good'. In the end, I told him his consequence was to pay me the 141 dirhams for his excess bill. He begrudgingly did that, but I'm pretty sure he won't be charging anything else from now on. After Jack left the room, Stuart asked me if I was going to keep the money Jack gave me. Of course I was. These lessons are not fun, but they must be learned now so that we don't deal with them later in life when they might be WAY more expensive. 

I also started to plant the idea in Jack's head that we would most likely have to move them from Brighton College in the fall. I knew he would be the most upset by the change, thus the reason we needed to start the discussion with him now. He needs time to get used to things, where as Millie rolls with the punches a little more. Jack was a bit upset, and Millie just wanted to make sure she was still going to go to Year 1 in the new school. When I told her she would, her response was 'Booya!'  She's easy!

Sunday evening the kids and I stayed home while Stuart went to a meeting at the club. They were in bed by the time he got home. He and I watched television and then called it a night. We had a lot to start sorting out for the kids. 

Monday I was not feeling particularly chipper so I messaged Lara and told her I wouldn't be walking. Besides that, I didn't need to be up as early because Stuart and I had a training that didn't start until 8:30 am. The training was riveting as always, so much so that during the training I was able to put in an application for the kids in one of the two schools we were considering for them for the fall. After the training we headed straight to the school to visit. This school is called Al Ain English Speaking School. We know a lot of teachers there. They teach the same curriculum there as they do at Brighton College and it's half the price. We ended up signing the kids up for an entrance exam just to be prepared and hold a place for them in the event we move them there. 

Once we were finished at AAESS, we went to lunch at 101 cafeteria. I messaged Cathy to join us as she was at the same training with us that morning. Once lunch was over, we were home and I was napping on the sofa. After about an hour nap, I went to meet up with the Monday Meet Up gals. I don't go every week, but I do enjoy the girl time for sure. 

I came home to burnt fish, but kids being fed. Our oven it crap! Stuart was off to a committee meeting to sort out some things before the new committee took over. The annual elections would be Thursday and some things needed to be sorted out before then. The kids and I went to Brian's for a small birthday party Lara put together for him. We got back home around 7. The kids showered and went to bed. 

Stuart messaged me around 10 and said he wouldn't be home for a while. The issues must have been more entailed than originally thought. He finally got home around 11 and filled me in a bit. 

Tuesday morning I canceled walking again because I just couldn't be bothered. Plus, I was up for a bit changing a young man's bed because he had clearly had too much water before going to bed. Oops! And no, it was not Stuart. Ha!

On Tuesday, when I first entered the classroom of the girls I am still teaching, they had cake and snacks, as well as party hats, balloons and poppers to celebrate their other teacher's return. Well, there went period 1. So what I had planned to show the teacher was a bit blown by the fact that the girls took it upon themselves to throw this party. It's would not have been supported if I would have said 'no' to the party, so I just rolled with it. Things never cease to amaze me here. 

We had a senior leadership team meeting Tuesday afternoon which took us up to the end of the day. It happens that my principal and I have our own meeting while the Arabic staff seem to run their own meeting. We always laugh about it. I do love he Arabic staff I work with. They always translate their conversations to my principal and myself, but it really does become two different conversations going on simultaneously. 

Tuesday evening Millie's rugby team celebrated the end of the season by having a get together and some games. The parents were required to participate. I did, until the activities caused me to wet myself. Then I had to quit, as one does. 

We ended up having dinner at the club, getting the kids home a little later than normal. Because it's staying light longer, it's hard to convince them it's time to go to bed at their normal bedtime, so a late night here and there is okay, I suppose. The evening ended with a snooze on the sofa for me, as it often does 

Wednesday morning, no walking again. I have got to get my lazy butt back into the groove of walking. I'm clearly not that motivated at the moment. Maybe once Ramadan hits and our work hours are cut to 5 hours a day, I will feel more inclined to get out of bed. Who knows?

I didn't have to teach at all on Wednesday, thank goodness. Stuart had taken the kids to one of their potential schools for some testing. Both kids were excited when I spoke with them on the phone after their exams. Millie really wanted to attend this particular school. I'm sure in due time our decision will be made and the kids will be fine with whatever is decided. 

During the school day, I continued to shoo kids back into their classrooms. It seems the closer we get to Ramadan, the naughtier the kids become and the more difficult it is to keep them under control. 

Wednesday evening we decided to do a sushi night at the golf club. The kids were bathed and dressed in nice clothes so that once we left, ideally they would fall asleep on the way home. Of course that's not how it happened. Sushi was excellent, as usual and the company was wonderful. Cathy and her girls, as well as Mandy, joined us for the meal. 

Thursday morning I accepted the challenge of making pancakes for my kids before school. They weren't bad, according to the kids. 

Thursday I was left on my own at school. I knew there would be times the teacher I was covering for would be out again because of doctor appointments and such. I was hoping I would get a couple of weeks without having to be in the classroom, but I'm not sure that will happen. We most likely only have 6 weeks left with the students so I suppose I can persevere. 

Thursday after school I did some grocery shopping and returned home just before the kids. Once they were home we started in on their homework. Millie had been selected to be Little Red Riding Hood for her play in her classroom. She has 12 lines to memorize by the first week in May. She has the most lines for the play. She was very excited, but I can see we are going to have to work very hard. 

Around 4 pm I took Stuart to the club. When I returned I walked to Lara and Brian's to get the kids. We were all going to the club for the Annual General Meeting for the rugby club committee. This is the night every year that they vote in the new committee. There were only two positions that were challenged, one of them being the club chairman, which is what our friend Sean has done the last two years. 

Sadly, Sean got voted out. We were sad for sure. I think he still had so much to offer the club, but the members have their say and more voted for the other guy than they did for Sean. Stuart is still the treasurer, so he was happy for sure. 

Friday we went to an Easter brunch that also doubled as our friend Fechin's 50th birthday celebration. We spent 4 hours sitting, talking and eating. We decided to take the party back to the O'Reilly's house and were there another 4 hours. It was a full day of friendship. The kids had a blast together and we celebrated Fechin's birthday in style. I dropped Stuart off at the Rouvi's so he could have a chat with Andrew and Sean. Once the kids and I were home, they showered and hit the bed, after a bit of fruit, of course. 

Fechin's birthday celebration!

Saturday morning Stuart was our shopping for the BBQ we were having that evening. He had invited the Rouvis and Sean. 

The kids and I headed to DeDe's for our annual Easter crafting. Jack didn't stay the entire time as he was going to Louie's birthday party at the club pool. In fact, he was a bit miffed at me that I made him stay at all. When we got there and Louie wasn't there he wanted to know why. I told him that Louie was at his party already. Jack lost it. I tried to explain to him that we had made the commitment to DeDe first before we knew about Louie's birthday party and it was the right thing to do. He finally stopped whining once he got involved in the crafts. We had a very fun morning of crafts, food and conversation. 

Twinkie cars with bunny Peeps driving!

Stuart came to get Jack at about half eleven to take him to Louie's birthday party. Once we were finished with our crafts, Millie and I headed home. She watched Paw Patrol while I changed beds. It was a very productive few hours. Once Stuart and Jack were home, the kids continued their viewing of Full House. They are obsessed with this show. They are on season 6 and are excited to watch Fuller House when they finish Full House. 

Stuart started getting food ready for the BBQ at 3 pm. Sean and the Rouvis showed up just after 4 pm. Stuart cooked and the rest of us chatted. Once the food was ready, we fed the kids and sent them outside with their plates. Then the adults sat to eat at the dining room table. Once dinner was over, the party ended and everyone was gone by 7 pm. The kids were showered and in bed just before 8 pm. It was a great weekend, full of fun and friends. 

Professional development week

Sunday I was awaken several times by Millie because the cats were reaking havoc on her room. She wanted to come to sleep with me, and in the end that was exactly what happened.  When she sleeps with us and doesn't have to go to school, it becomes very difficult to get ready for work.  I managed.

We all arrived back at school and were to sort out what our presentations would be for the two other schools we would host on Tuesday. Monday and Wednesday would be the two days we would visit their school. This week of professional development is held for the sake of saying we had professional development. We decided we would make the most of it and prepared for lessons on the Daily 5 as well as the science outcomes for Term 3.  We wanted to make our presentations useful.

We went to the club around 2 pm to swim. Scott and Clare let me know that it was fine for Jack and Millie to come to their house on Tuesday and Wednesday. Kayleigh had stayed with them Sunday and would be with them Monday as well. We decided to eat dinner at the club. The kids played around for a while.  There was way less stress getting them home since they didn't have school the following morning.  Once we were home, the kids showered. They stayed up a bit later and Jack had his usual bowl of fruit before going to bed.

I got up and walked with Lara. We hadn't done that since my cyst was removed. It was warmer than it had been so far this year, so that wasn't so nice.  We walked later since we didn't have to be at work as early as normal, mainly because there were no kids this week. 

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday my school joined forces with two other schools for professional training. We were to go to one of the schools each day. My school was to host on Tuesday. The first school put on a luncheon which was nice but they ran out of food. I emailed pictures to my senior leadership team and they sorted us out for Tuesday. At the end of the day on Wednesday, my teachers decided that we had been the best hosts. Although we were all a bit disgruntled by having to be in school this week, considering the private schools were still on break, the social aspect of the week was nice. 

We had a schwarma guy at our school. I'm pretty sure this was against some sort of health and safety regulation. 

Monday after school the kids played outside for a while. This week has given me a hint of what it will be like during Ramadan. We will have to start playing games to keep us occupied. Monday evening Jack went with Stuart to rugby training. Apparently there had been a few kids he was playing rugby with, and they were all meeting again at 5:30 to play. I wasn't sure who the people were, but assumed Stuart would find out.  I just lazed around and napped on and off for the evening. I think I was still a bit jet lagged. 

Tuesday I came home a bit early so Scott and Clare could drop Jack and Millie off by 1:30 because May and Henry had appointments at 2 pm. Stuart actually beat me home. Again, the kids played outside with their friends. I decided to clear the freezer of the bananas in it. I made 4 batches of banana bread. Of course, on the last two batches I burned the top because I fell asleep and had set the timer for too long. However, I simply scraped off the top and the kids ate it anyway. They are really not that picky when it comes to banana bread. I put most of it in the freezer, but sent one loaf to Lara's. Ian and Austin were at our house playing, so I just sent it home with them. 

Tuesday evening Stuart and I went out on a date. First we dropped off his new truck for a service. We then went to Trader Vic's, a Polynesian restaurant in the middle of Al Ain.  It has some of the nicest, and most expensive, food.  I had my usual, crispy duck pancakes.  We had a delightful evening and even saw an old friend.  We decided to stop by 101 Cafeteria for a coffee and sheesha.  We had a wonderful date night, celebrating our 10th anniversary. 

Wednesday after school I decided I would go to the club once we had picked up the truck. Since Stuart really didn't know the people Jack was playing rugby with the previous Monday, I felt for safety reasons I should meet them. Jack got all upset because he thought I was going to keep him from playing with them.  I told him that I wasn't comfortable with him being left with people I didn't know and hadn't met.  He finally chilled and I was able to meet the 'coach' that was helping the boys.  It so happened that it was the husband of one of my teachers.  I knew him and told Jack that now that I had seen who was supervising him, it was fine for him to stay.  Millie and I left Jack with Stuart and we went home.

After Millie and I were home she showered and headed to bed. Just about the time she was in bed, Cathy and Mandy came over. We had a lovely chat and then, as they were asking me about one of my teachers, I fell asleep while thinking of my response. Oops! This action may have prompted them to leave. I stopped being good company. I went to sleep on the sofa until Stuart and Jack got home. Jack went for a shower, had some fruit, and went to bed. I settled in on the sofa until almost 2 am, waking with a neck ache. The alarm went off at 5 am and I headed downstairs for my morning walk. Lara ended up messaging me that she had a headache, so I started getting ready for the day, even though I could have had another hour of sleep. Sadly, once I'm awake I can't go back to sleep, at least in the morning. 

The kids ended up going to work with Stuart on Thursday. We hated to inconvenience the Richardsons another day. Stuart's principal said it was fine, so we packed up their toys, lunch and electronics and they were off for the day. I left around the same time, just getting to work a bit early. At school I decided to enroll in an online professional development class that would give me enough clock hours to renew and align both of my education certificates for another 8 years (starting July 2018). This could potentially be the next to last time I have to renew my certificates. Wow!  I will have a lot of work to do, mainly reading, but it will all be finished by July.  Then I won't need to worry about it for another 9 years.

After school I went to the grocery store to buy some fruit for the following week. Stuart and the kids beat me home. Once we were all home, the kids played outside, while I took a walk to DeDe's to deliver the Twinkies I had brought back from Arizona for her kids. 

Millie was totally impressed with the Twinkies. 

Once I was back home Jack and I left for Bounce, a trampoline place, for his friend Ben's birthday party. Millie stayed with Stuart and he fed, bathed, and attempted to put her to bed. Sadly, Jack and I came home about 20 minutes too early and it took her another 45 minutes to fall asleep. She was not a happy camper. 

Jack showered and hung out in the living room for a while. Finally when Millie settled down I went to take a shower. Once I was downstairs I napped a bit and then shooed Jack upstairs to bed. When I came back downstairs Stuart told me Sean was coming over for a bit. I retired to bed at 8:30 because being in the living room with Sean, having taken a shower and being in my jammies, didn't appeal to me. 

I woke up at 2:45 am and couldn't go back to sleep. I caught up on Facebook and then fell back to sleep around 3:30 am, only to be awaken at 4:45 am by the cat opening our door. I then discovered that Jack was awake, dressed and downstairs watching television. That boy's sleep patterns sometimes baffle me.  I know he was excited about the championship rugby match Stuart and his team would play in that day, but he could have slept a little longer.  I headed back upstairs after berating him for being up so early, but I couldn't go back to sleep. I finally resigned myself to being awake at 5:30 am. I went downstairs and made coffee. 

Once Millie was awake, she demanded breakfast.  I had bought pancake mix at the store and decided to make them.  Both kids loved them, eating 5 between them.  They weren't small either.  Jack said they were almost as good as Grammie's.  He was also amazed I knew how to make pancakes.  

I clearly don't act domestic enough to prove to my children I know how to cook.  After breakfast was over and both kids were dressed, they went to Keith and Austin's to play for a while.  Stuart had already left for the team breakfast and then was catching the bus to Dubai for the match.  We got in the car around noon and went to pick up Cathy and Mandy.  We headed to Dubai to support the team.  The match started around 3 pm.  They were doing so well and were ahead most of the game.  Stuart didn't play as much as I would have liked for him to, but when he did play he was on fire.  He had a really good run down by the try line, but then got hammered by one of Al Ain's former players who now played on the opposing team.  They ended up having to play an overtime.  The first team to score a try would be the winning team.  The Al Ain Amblers fell short, sadly.  It was heart breaking and a lot of the players were really upset.  The positive was that we had a ton of supporters who either rode the fan bus to the game or drove themselves.  It was a good day, in spite of the loss. 

We headed back to Al Ain and I dropped Mandy off to get her car.  I stopped at our house to sort out the crap we had taken with us, mainly a cooler of food for the kids and some of their electronics.  I knew the vehicle I took to the club that evening would most likely stay, so I wanted to switch out the truck for the Land Rover.  Stuart would have to take the truck, Saturday morning, to get the breaks replaced, so it would be easier to leave the Land Rover at the club.  Once that was all sorted out we left for the club.  We were there before any of the players or fans.  The buses drive extremely slow, so we knew they wouldn't arrive for a while.  Stuart and some of his buddies rode back with Scott.  Once they were at the club we sat outside and had a few drinks, along with food.  We ended up getting home just after 10 pm, showering the kids, putting them to bed and then going to bed ourselves.

Saturday morning when Stuart got up the kids were still asleep.  So as not to disturb their much needed sleep, he decided to drive to Ford to deliver the car and then catch a cab back.  Kayleigh had ended up having her boyfriend drive her car home so she could bring us back in the Land Rover on Friday night, so both of our cars were at the house.  Stuart got home just before I left to go to Dubai again.  This time Cathy, her girls, Mandy and I were going to see "Grease, The Musical".  We decided to go a bit early and eat lunch.  Grease was playing at the Dubai World Trade Center.  Since we were unfamiliar with the area we decided to first go to Dubai Mall for a look around and lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.  It's always a 'go to' when you are in Dubai.  

Once we had made a few purchases and our bellies were full, we headed to Dubai World Trade Center.  We parked, after a drive around the block a few times trying to find parking, and went into the venue.  The concessions were ridiculously priced, so we decided against anything to snack on.  We sat in the tiniest chairs, that were hard plastic and not so comfortable.  However, the musical was phenomenal.  It didn't follow the story exactly, and the songs were switched around, but I kind of liked it being a bit different than the film.  There were some additional songs that were hilarious and overall it was quite entertaining. 

When we came out of the theater we contemplated going to Karama, which is the shopping district where you can buy fake designer bags.  In the end we decided we needed to make that trip on a Friday when it didn't matter what time we got home.  Karama doesn't open until 4 pm everyday, so we would need to come either on a Thursday or Friday evening.  So we opted to drive straight home.  Stuart and the kids had spent the day food shopping and then going to the Richardsons for dinner.  It seems everyone had a productive day.

When I got home Stuart and the kids were still at Scott and Clare's.  They arrived after I had sorted out the laundry and done some other little chores.  They had already showered and were ready for bed.  They had some fruit and then went upstairs for bed.  Millie was a bit difficult to get settled down, as she always is if she goes to bed anytime after 7 pm.  Both kids were in deep sleeps by 8 pm, and Stuart and I watched Top Gear for a bit before he went upstairs and I fell asleep.  Once I finally got upstairs, he was still awake, but playing his iPad.  By 11 pm not a noise could be heard in our house, except for maybe those cats we have.  We are another week closer to summer holidays, and have had another great week in the UAE.

The flash of a week!

Sunday I was up at 6:30 am to go walking with Liz. We walked around Discovery Park and then decided to walk over the freeway to Starbucks. We had a great chat and just caught up on what had been going on in our lives the last few months. She seemed pleased with her house purchase and we made a plan for me to go by and see her new house later in the week. 

I got back to our house just after 8 am. I was waiting on the cable guy who never came. It seems they had written the address incorrectly. So in the end he was rescheduled for Monday.  

Mitch and I went to find a storage unit. He is the king of spacial awareness, so I needed him to tell me how big of a space I needed. Once we were back at the house, we packed more stuff. After I discovered the cable guy wasn't coming, around midday, Mitch, Mom and I went to run some errands. We went to buy some dining room chairs, a bed skirt and a few other bits. We also ate at Oregano's. 

We came back to the house to work some more. Mitch and I decided to go to the casino and lose our shirts, but we had a great time together. I'm so glad I don't live very close to gaming. It's a dangerous place for anyone with obsessive compulsive behaviors. 

Monday, I was up at 5 am because I just couldn't sleep. I had coffee with my mom for a few hours and then we were back at the house to do some more work. The cable was set up, stuff was delivered to storage, and the beds were delivered. It was all coming together. I can't even explain to you how hard my mom has worked to make this happen for us. If my brother, Mitch, hadn't been there, the Tetris game that was disguised as a storage unit would have kicked my butt. 

We took a break and went to lunch. We also bought a few more items on the 'list'. We went back to work for a bit and get the upstairs cleaned up so the carpet cleaners could start up there when they arrived the following afternoon. 

I was on holiday, after all!

Of course, once the work was finished, Mitch and I hit the casino again. This time my dad went with us. We spent a few hours there and then decided to call it a night. 

Tuesday was another day of working, lunch and some shopping for the house.  The carpet cleaners came at 1 pm and we left shortly after. I left a check for them and was not aware until the following morning that they didn't clean the carpets in the guest room. My mother was none too happy and called the following morning to get them out immediately. 

It was Mitch's birthday Tuesday, so around 5, Mitch and I met Connie and her son Gavin for happy hour before going to another place to meet up with the Bunco Babes. What a fantastic night we had. Jennifer, Marion, Marty, and Brenda joined for the fun. We celebrated both Mitch and Gavin's birthday. There was a lot of laughter. 

We decided to hit the casino one last time. I was beyond tired, but the fun bus came by so I had to get on. Sadly, I fell asleep at one of the slot machines. Luckily I didn't fall off the chair, just had a bit of a body jerk. We didn't get home until 2 am and I was up at 5 am to meet Julie and Mary for breakfast. 

After a lovely catch up and breakfast with Mary and Julie, I headed to Walmart one last time, or so I thought. I bought another set of sheets for one of the day beds. It was useless because my mom had actually gone to Walmart on Tuesday evening and purchased the second set. So, in the end, I had to return he sheets. I discovered this when I got back to the house. The guy who serviced the reverse osmosis system was waiting to be paid and the internet guy showed up and did his work. We continued to put the finishing touches on the house. We were virtually finished by the time my dad picked up my brother Russ from the airport. He was coming in town for the Final Four, seeing me was a bonus. 

When we finished for the day, we headed to Oreganos again and had a wonderful time. The five of us haven't been together like we were in a very long time. We laughed and enjoyed each other's company. We went shopping for a bit and finished packing my bags, keeping fingers crossed that they would not be overweight. We relaxed at home and then decided to head to Starbucks for a nightcap. We rode in the convertible Russ had rented. We sat outside and I wore the new Central Arkansas sweatshirt Russ brought me, knowing that I wouldn't be wearing it again for a while. The weather was cool and enjoyable. I was falling asleep at the table. 

We headed back and celebrated Mitch's birthday with dump cake. Again, I was asleep on the sofa, but woke up long enough to sing 'Happy Birthday'. 

I got to bed just after 11 pm. When my alarm went off at 6, I just wanted to throw my phone against the wall. The house was all but finished. The mopping of the tile floor was all that needed to happen. The delivery truck informed us they would be there between 7 and 11 to deliver the new washer and dryer, which was a relief. 

We headed to the house just before 8 am and the truck showed up with the washer/dryer just after 8 am. They removed and replaced the units in about 20 minutes. By 9:30 we were finished and out of the house. It was a bit bittersweet. This venture is hopefully a means to an end. 

Russ took me to Liz's to see her house and deliver some mail for her. I had finally finished the gigantic 'to do' list for the week. What a whirlwind of a trip I had! 

We decided to hit the outlet mall on Thursday, and for a late lunch we went to a new Chinese restaurant in Gilbert.  We then came home and played Mexican train (dominoes) until it was time for me to go to the airport. My bags were very heavy, but once at the airport they weighed in at exactly 50 pounds a piece. Whew! 

The flight was relatively uneventful. I was fortunate enough to be in a row by myself from Philly to Doha, again. Thank goodness for travelers being few this spring break. I was very anxious to get home to Stuart and the kids. They had a full week of entertainment from Janie and Digby, friends of Grandma and Grandpa's from the U.K., and then Grandma and Grandpa. The pictures below depict their fun. 

I arrived on Saturday at about 10 am and went through customs rather quickly. Then I saw my babies and they were so happy to see me. I was almost teary. Millie kept telling me how much she missed me. Of course they both wanted to know what I brought them. I got out a couple of things for them and they were thrilled. We got a coffee at Costa and headed home. I filled Stuart in on the happenings of the week in Arizona. We traded stories all the way home. 

Once we were home I unpacked and gave the kids more presents. Of course I hid some things as well. Once all the items were away and I was showered, I headed to the sofa. The kids played and I had a bit of a nap. Stuart woke me around 6 pm so that I would still be able to sleep through the night. The kids got ready for bed and once they had finished dinner they were off. 

Stuart ordered Chinese for us. I barely had my last bite around 8 pm and then drifted off to sleep. At 10 pm I went to bed. It was a very busy week for sure, but also very productive. Hopefully I will be back to normal soon.