A week of traveling

After Dewey's marathon of basketball, we headed to Dubai around noon. We picked up monkey, baby, Piglet, and blanket at the roach motel before heading to our lodging for Sunday and Monday nights. It took a while to find the items so we had to rush a bit more than we had hoped. We checked into the Winchester Hotel Apartments (when I booked it I felt it was safe, you know, being an English named place and all), and immediately walked to Spinneys, the place where we were to meet the van to carry us away on our desert safari. We met Cathy, her girls and friends of theirs from the UK. 

We really have not done anything very touristy since arriving in the UAE, but I can no longer say that. We first drove and drove forever. Once we did finally arrive at the dunes we waited for a bit for our turn to go dune bashing. Boy was that worth the wait. 

The kids, my parents, Stuart and I all rode in the same vehicle. I video taped the first 5 minutes and then gave it up. I thought I was going to barf! It was like Disney's Indiana Jones ride on crack. It was so much fun!  Millie was about over it by minute number 9 of the 15 minute ride. When she started to panic a bit, Jack was super helpful by saying,'I think she's going to be sick!' And then Millie started saying,'I'm going to be sick! I'm going to be sick!'  Fortunately we were able to keep things under control, although she broke out in tears just as we finished our ride. 

We got out of the SUV and saw a walled off area with pillows and tables set up around a stage. Outside there were people riding quad bikes and camels. Of course we got in on the camel rides. 

Oh, and we've decided this may be our new wardrobe from now on. Kidding!

After the camel ride we were served some somosas and onion barji (not sure of the spelling, but delish all the same). There was some entertainment (I use that term loosely) and then the main meal was served buffet style. I was escorted to the front of the line because I had a baby, but then felt guilty for 'cutting' and leaving the rest of the family in the back, so I returned to my original place in line. The food was not stellar, but the ambiance was amazing and just what you would expect as a tourist in the Middle East. There was a magician, dancers (belly, fire, and spinners of sort), and a bit of a skit. 

Even the pickiest eater in our group ate something she would eat. 

We returned from the safari the same way we came but with less bashing.  The driver dropped us off where he picked us up. Fortunate for us, it was in front of a McDonalds, so Pop treated us to some ice cream. If anyone knows my dad, they know he is addicted to ice cream. Sadly, ice cream is really expensive here so we don't buy much of it. I can only assume he is having major withdraws. We will need to make sure we visit Baskin Robbins more often while they are here. 

We crashed when we got back to the hotel, knowing we had to be up and out by 7:30 am in order to be at the Burj Khalifa by 8:45 am, our scheduled time to go to the 124th floor lookout platform. 

Stuart's alarm went off at 5:15 am, clearly his school days alarm. In spite of the early start and late night before, we made it to our appointment. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world and took 6 years from the beginning of construction to the opening of the tours. It's something you just have to do if you are ever in Dubai. You could see all around the city. But there was a bit of dust in the air so it was a bit difficult to see the man made island that holds Atlantis. When I booked it on line there were only 2 time slots left. I was glad I chose the early one because by the time we got down from the top there was a huge crowd. 

We walked around the mall and went to the Dubai Aquarium in the middle of the Dubai Mall. We had been there way back in October when we first came to visit the city. Jack and Millie fed the fish this time, which was a fun experience for them. 

This is a bubble the kids can stick their head in. It comes up in the middle of this fish tank. Jack loves this!

We had lunch at an enormous food court and then headed to Garrett's popcorn shop. It's the best popcorn ever, based out of Chicago. So glad I have found it just an hour and a half up the road from my home. Yum!

We were going to hit the Mall of the Emirates, the place with the ski slope, but were all a bit wiped and decided to come back to the hotel, have a swim, and order food in. 

The food we got was nothing like what the pictures looked like so after trying to muddle our way through the disappointing nuriousment, Dad and Stuart headed to Spinneys to get some ice cream. The world seemed normal again. 

We woke up on Tuesday morning and headed to the Big Bus Tour. We decided to do the opposite ride of what Gina and I did the previous week. We first went on the red line, which took us around to the Dhow cruise and then on to the Dubai Old Souq. This was where I bought my pillows the week before. My mom and I bartered for some lovely Pashminas and got a pretty good deal. However, I think the guy who sold them to us was pretty irrated that we were not willing to go any higher than what we did. Oh well, he'll find another sucker around the corner. 

More of the Souq was open this day then when I had gone the week before. We walked around for a while and then the hunger bug hit. Although we were meant to go on the blue line as well as the red line, by the time we got around the red line we were pretty wiped and also very hungry. 

So instead of the blue line, we headed to Burjuman Mall for a burger, bottomless fries and free soda. The service was incredible and we were given complementary ice cream cones. Everyone was pleased. 

We got home around 5 pm, started laundry, fed the kids, and chilled for the rest of the evening. 

On Wednesday we woke up and laundry was on the 'to do' list. I must have done 6 loads of laundry, including all the bed sheets. Again, I am thankful for a tumble dryer. Stuart, Pop, and Jack went golfing in the morning, while Gammie, Millie and I went to refuel with groceries. We had to prepare for our next three day outing to Fujairah, one of the 7 Emirates. 

Millie napped in the afternoon and in the evening we went to the Rugby Club for the pub quiz and a curry buffet. We actually got third place and won a meal for 2 at the club. It was fun but we didn't get home and to bed until almost 11. 

Everyone slept in a bit on Thursday morning so we didn't head to Fujairah until just before noon. We were going to stop at a market just west of Fujairah City, but once we passed by it we decided to just take pictures out the window if the car. We didn't have room for any treasures anyway. 

The road to Fujairah proved to be very different as far as the terrain was concerned. It reminded us of traveling to and from Tucson or even San Diego. We saw camels, date farms, and many mosques. 

Once we arrived in Fujairah City we stopped at the local mall and had a late lunch. We then continued on to the hotel to check in. This hotel has the Rotana name attached to it which means it is owned by one of the Sheikhs and should be reall nice. It did not disappoint. This is by far the nicest hotel we have stayed in on our journeys so far. 

We regrouped in the hotel rooms and then decided to just jaunt out to the seafront and see what we could see with the small amount of daylight left. We discovered this town is not a beach town except for the resorts who have private beaches. As we were driving along the Indian Ocean we saw fisherman pulling in their nets. 

We drove on and discovered the oil barrels that help to make this country all its money. 

After this little drive we decided to try to find the Al Hayl Palace. We had copied off some 'places to see' from the Internet and this palace was one of them. When we got close to the palace we realized it was just beyond a little village and it didn't look promising. 

We arrived and it looked locked up. However, there was a man who was standing just to the left of the palace waving us vet. We drove around the 'palace' and then turned around, because there was no other choice. We decided to park and when we got out of the car we knew the man who wavedus over would expect a tip for his services. We later found out his name was Abdullah and he was from Bangladesh. And boy what a pleasant surprise he was. I don't normally include so many pictures of one place, but he insisted on taking a lot and they were really great. 

Al Hayl Palace formed a large residential complex that consisted of reception halls, meeting halls, bedrooms, stores, and  kitchens, all surrounded by solid walls that had holes in them to throw small and large weapons through. On the inside the walls would have been decorated beautifully. The palace contained a hall located outside the complex that was less formal and most likely used as a waiting area for visitors to drink coffee while meeting Sheikhs. 

As we were led through these different halls, Abdullah described each one. We had our own personal tour guide. It was amazing and he knew just where to get the best pictures. Needless to say, this was a pleasant surprise and we tipped him well. It was amazing!

The entrance to the old palace. 

We climbed up into the second level of one of the bedrooms. The second level was where they would sleep in the summer because it was cooler. The stairs were terribly varied in height so while climbing down I pulled my thigh muscle. Stop laughing!  This was not a place that would be seen anywhere in the states, or if it was, every area would be roped off and no one would be permitted to enter. As we always say 'welcome to the UAE'. Anything goes. 

Do you know why it looks like there was about a 10 foot drop behind Jack? Because there was! No safety rails here. 

This was a keyhole window that looked outside from the guest bedroom. 

This was at the very top of the palace grounds. 

Here is Abdullah with the kids. He was so nice to them and Millie, especially, took to him immediately. 

On the way back from the hotel we decided to drive by the Fujairah Fort. We had read that it was lit up at night and was quite a sight. I'm not sure if I would have described it that way. 

When we returned to our hotel we went to the pool to see how late they were open. Unfortunately we missed our swim that evening and Jack nearly fell apart. After telling him that I wasn't in charge of when they opened and closed the pool, and promising we would go first thing the following morning when they opened, I think he settled down and was able to cope. 

The kids showered and ate a nutritious meal of Nutella sandwiches, carrots and hummus, yogurt, milk, and Fritos. Then Jack played Old Maid with Grammie and Pop. They brought this game for him and have played it about 100 times in the last two weeks. Jack has been schooled on the strategy of getting rid of the Maid. Sadly, he doesn't execute it well. He sticks the Maid up higher than the rest of the cards and then swears to whoever is picking from him that it is not the Maid. Naturally Grammie and Pop know his trick and sometimes play into it. When either of them pick the Old Maid he falls out laughing and pointing. It is the funniest thing I think he has ever done. Grammie and Pop laugh so hard they often shed tears. He's a funny kid!

Old Maid ended, the kids went to bed, as did Grammie and Pop, and Stuart and I ordered room service. A successful day, all in all. 

The kids slept a little later than normal. They were both on cushions from the sofa in our room and Grammie and Pop's room. Jack was on the sofa and Millie was on cushions on the floor. Just after 6 am Millie started crying so I got up, put her in our bed, and decided since we would not all fit in the bed, I would sleep on her little bed. I am sure it was quite the sight. 

When Jack woke up he told me he dreamed that he had gone to the pool to swim but broke his goggles. He then reminded me I promised him we could go to the pool that morning. We got our suits on, leaving Stuart and Millie in bed, and went to fetch Grammie and Pop for some pool time. I actually swam with Jack, while Grammie and Pop sat on lawn chairs and watched. It was chillier than I like, but I coped for the short time we were there. 

When we returned to the room Stuart and Millie were up and we all got ready to go out for the day.  We initially thought we would eat at the hotel buffet for breakfast, but once we were there we decided against it. We arrived at 10 am and the buffet was finishing at half 10. It looked as if it had already been wiped clean. They had run out of some items and it didn't look worth the money so we decided to leave. As we were walking out I let the hostess know that we were leaving. The manager of the restaurant just apologized all over himself, asking if we wanted him to send breakfast up to our room. We assured him that it was fine and we would come back the following morning. Instead, we ended up going to a different mall and eating in the food court. Sadly, the only place open was KFC. Yahoo! 

We headed toward Dibba, which is a port town shared by two of the seven Emirates, Sharjah and Fujairah, and the country of Oman. There turned out not to be too much to do except take pictures and take in the scenery. Actually that was good enough for us. 

We did stop along a beach so that we could take some pictures and stick our toes in the sand and in the Indian Ocean. The kids played on the swings for a bit and then we were on the road again. 

We drove by some amazing looking resorts but unlike other places we have seen, these resorts did not look welcoming to on-lookers. They were tucked away and looked as if getting in would be more trouble than it was worth. We did see the town of Dibba long enough to get out, go to the bathroom, and assess that it was too hot to be walking along the boardwalk. We headed back to the hotel at that point. 

Once at the hotel we had a bit of down time and then went back to the mall we had visited when we first arrived in Fujairah. We shopped around a bit. Stuart bought some t-shirts and I bought Millie a top for next winter. 

We ate at the food court again. It seemed the best choice since we were in unfamiliar territory and Millie only eats French fries at the moment. To be fair, she has broadened her pallet slightly in the last month or so. She will now eat pasta with butter on it, as well as rice with the same topping, and she will eat a turkey ham and cheese sandwich. 

We came back to the hotel for another round of Old Maid with Jack's hilarity. We played until we could play no more, then hit the hay. It was a successful week full of fun and adventure. 

We slept in on Saturday morning getting home just after noon. We unpacked the car and got laundry started. While Grammie and Pop entertained the kids, Stuart and I went to the grocery store. We stocked up on meal options for the week and also bought plenty of juice. We had to get Grammie prepared for the potty training adventure that would ensue on Sunday morning. 

My mom was so excited about potty training Millie. She might as well have written lesson plans for it. She brought a book about potty training and bought a baby doll for Millie to potty train. The theory is that the child will potty train their baby and then transfer that knowledge to themselves.  We just hope Millie doesn't see Grammie remove the scotch tape from the baby's hole where the pee comes out and then think we are going to tape her up as well. 

My mom made panties for the baby and also dresses exactly alike for the baby and for Millie. I will post pictures once they have the dresses on. 

The rest of the evening was relaxed and uneventful, just how we like it.....sometimes. 

The first week of vacation

We started our Sunday by taking Jack back to the doctor to check his throat. When we walked in the doctor lifted Jack's shirt and said, 'Good, I told you it would go away.  So why are you here today?'  I had to remind him that Jack had strep throat and he had told us to come back in a week to have him retested. Obviously he had mistaken Jack for another boy that must have had a rash of some sort. 

He swabbed Jack's throat again and, again, Jack laughed hysterically. He was so silly and the doctor played right into it. We are pleased that the strep throat is done and we are once again a healthy family.....for now.  

We came back from the doctor and decided to make a run out to the mall for some groceries and a Toys R Us stop. Naturally both kids got something. Grammie bought Jack a scooter. Why not? And she bought Millie a household cleaning set. Millie is fascinated with kitchen gadgets, cleaning tools and baby dolls. She is going to make someone an excellent stay-at-home-mom one day. 

After the mall we headed home and the mattress topper was finally delivered. I don't know that the bed is much better than it was before, but we are most likely stuck with it. Ugh!  

We spent a quiet evening at home and had chicken, mashed potatoes, and peas. Jack kept telling Millie she needed to stay at the table because we were having family time. 

After dinner Millie was put to bed but Jack stayed up for a bit and watched tv. After he did finally go to bed, Stuart discovered how to get the March Madness games on the Internet and run it through our Apple TV. My dad was a happy camper. I decided to stay up with my mom and dad and watch the UConn/Michigan St. game. Naturally right at the end of the game, when it was really close and exciting, Millie screamed for me. Lovely!  Apparently on Suday night when Stuart put her to bed, because we were at a wedding, she did the same thing. 

That little booger stayed awake for over an hour.  I ended up laying in her bunk bed with her because I was exhausted. When she still wasn't asleep I picked her up and we both went to my bed. I put her back in her own bed around 4 am. Certainly not a restful night. 

Jack also woke up around the time Millie did. He was crying and complaining of his legs hurting. He seems to have had a growth spurt recently and we can't feed that boy enough. So leg cramps, here we come again. Poor boy!

Monday morning we went to the grocery store for some fruits and vegetables. We do produce shopping in a store owned by the British called Spinneys. Their things just seem to be nicer, and more expensive of course. After lunch we went to the pool. Grammie, Pop and I worked out at the gym while Stuart, the kids, and the Turner family (Wade and company) played in the pool. It was too cold for the adults to get in, but the kids just shivered and gutted it out. There is a little wadding pool that is perfect for the kids. 

Monday was our anniversary. So Grammie and Pop stayed with the kids while Stuart and I went out for the evening. We went to a Japanese restaurant to have sushi. We had our own private room where, initially, it looked as if we would be sitting on the floor. But it was an illusion. Really you walked up a couple of steps, sat down, and you could still put your legs under the table. We had been told that this place was really expensive but it seemed comparable to sushi places in Arizona. Nothing is very hoppin' on a Monday night so we went to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream and then called it a night. Seven years later and we are more in love now than we were then. I feel very blessed.   

Tuesday was a day out at the Sheikh Zayed Palace Museum. This is where Sheikh Zayed lived while he was the ruler. After his death in 2004, they turned it into a museum. Some trivia that might interest some; he had 19 sons and 11 daughters. His eldest son is the current Sheikh of the UAE. 

After the museum we stopped at a local Lebanese place for a take out. I'm not sure the 'rents liked the local food, but they will never complain, bless their hearts. Also to note, Arabic bread is not that good unless it is straight out of the oven. 

Grammie got delayed jetlag, we think, because she started feeling ill sometime on Tuesday. Both she and Pop took naps around 2 pm, which was my cue to go to the gym we just joined. This made it two days in a row that I worked out. Now if I could just stop eating, all my efforts might just have some physically obvious benefits. The never ending battle of the bulge!

After my workout we went to the pool for a dip. Well, the kids dipped and I sat in the shade by the wading pool. Stuart worked out and then joined us. 

On Wednesday Grammie and I, along with my friend, Cathy, headed to Abu Dhabi for a girls' day out. We picked Gina up and headed to The One for lunch. It's a quaint home goods store with a cafe upstairs. Of course I had to buy a thing or two as well. After lunch we headed to a local indoor Souq. I bought a rug (well, actually, Marinell bought me a rug) and Gina bought a top. Per Marinell's advice, I decided to put it on our dining room table. 

Both items were from Cashmere and quite beautiful.  There were some paintings and pashminas that we all liked, but we didn't buy anything because we knew we would be going to the outdoor Souq in Dubai later in our vacation.  That's where the real deals are. 

We then headed to the Sofitel Hotel, on the Corniche, for afternoon tea. There were plenty of little sandwiches that were devoured prior to this picture. 

We were also served scones and then little cakes. All was delightful! 

After tea we went to a fruit and vegetable Souq where we also found dates piled high and wide. We bought some dates, only after sampling a ton. Belly ache!

We dropped Gina off and headed back to Al Ain. The kids were in bed and we headed to bed as well, shortly after we got home. 

Thursday morning we got up and I helped Grammie recount the events of the last week so she could write it down. Although she doesn't keep a blog she does keep a journal of her travels. 

Stuart and Pop went golfing in the afternoon while Grammie and I took the kids to Fun City to play. 

We also went to Ace Hardware to get some paint for a side table in our living room. We bought a drawer pull at the unique gift shop in Abu Dhabi, so painting it is the next step. I will post before and after pictures when it's complete. A small grocery run and then it was back home. 

After golf was finished we went to the Rugby Club for dinner. It was relatively quiet because most people are on holiday this week. It was exceptionally hot, but we survived. Grammie and Pop got a taste of our Thursday evenings and I think our letting our kids loose might have panicked them a bit, but the older kids really do take care of the little ones. It is a very safe and comfortable atmosphere, one I have never experienced anywhere else in the world. 

We got up Friday and went to church. This week, when the kids went to the front, for their little message from the pastor, Millie went as well. Normally she just hangs back with Stuart and myself and then is terribly distracting during the sermon. But today she went to the front and then headed off with the other kids when they went to children's church. It was great. 

This was the scene on the side of the road as we were leaving church. I'm not sure I will ever see this as 'normal', more amazing I suppose. 

We ended up having the buffet for lunch at the Golf Club. It might have been the best meal I have had in the last 7 months, except for food Stuart has made :)

We got home and everyone went for a nap except for me, Jack and Millie. Millie had napped to the Golf Club and most of the time we were there so she didn't need a nap. I wanted to nap, but found it difficult with a 5 and 2 year old crawling all over me, and the other three in the house were smart enough to go to their rooms and escape the madness. 

After everyone woke from their slumber, there were Crazy 8 games and the like taking place. Jack and Millie are just so pleased to have Grammie and Pop here to play with them. 

The rest of the evening was chilled. We booked a trip to Fajeriah, one of the 7 Emirates, and will do that toward the end of next week.  It looks to be a fantastic beach town in the Oman Gulf, which feeds into the Indian Ocean. So of course you know when I go I will say I swam in the Indian Ocean. 

Saturday we headed out around 9, because you really should be out of the way of the cleaning lady. I am sure I have mentioned this, but I will have a cleaning lady the rest of my life. It is one luxury I will not give up, no matter where we live. 

We decided to visit a Souq we had never been to. It turns out that it was mainly fruits and vegetables. Because we were leaving for Dubai on Sunday we decided it was not the best decision to buy anything. We do know we will come back for our fresh produce in the future. It was beautiful. 

We then decided to go to the camel market behind Bawadi Mall. It made my mom's day. We were shown around by some of the people who tend to the camels, goats, and sheep. Naturally they expected a tip of some sort, and it was worth the small amount we gave them. We saw some new born camels and Jack was nearly pooped on by a camel as it walked past. 

We continued to the mall, shopped, ate at a new burger place called Shake Shack, let Jack tube down the slide in the top floor of the mall, while Millie played in the indoor playground, and them headed back to our place. 

We stayed in for the rest of the evening. Pop went to bed at 7 pm, as did the kids. Jack and Millie need that much sleep in the night, but Pop did it do he could wake up at 2 am to watch the Final Four games.  He desperately loves basketball as you can tell. 

Week two of vacation starts tomorrow and will include a bit of traveling. Stay tuned!

The countdown!

Sunday after school we went to the mall to by a GPS. Stuart decided that since we were going to be doing quite a bit of driving around in the next month, we should probably not waste our time getting lost. Smart man!  

While we were at the malll, I decided it was time for me to get a hair style. So I snuck off to get my hair cut while Stuart took the kids to Fun City, the play center. It was not as short as I wanted, so I went back after the kids were in bed and had her take off 3 more inches. Hello! One thing I so appreciate about this culture is that the malls stay open until 11 pm.....every night. 

Not the best view of the new do, but I did actually work all day prior to this picture, so you have to take that into consideration. 

A couple of weeks ago, when Jack was sick, i laid with him on our guest bed. At thay point I decided it was too hard. So we decided to buy a pillow topper for it, a new blanket and finally we were ready for Grammie and Pop to arrive. We went to buy that on Monday after school and were hopeful it would be delivered before their arrival. It wasn't delivered and therefore Grammie slept on the sofa the first two nights. 

We also went to the doctor on Tuesday afternoon. Jack woke up with a sore throat again, just two weeks after his last sore throat. When I was in college we knew someone who did not treat strep, developed ruematic fever, and died in a very short period of time. We don't do the doctor thing much, but when it comes to a sore throat the doctor is our first thought. Differently from last time, this visit we saw a pediatrician. Last time it was just the emergency room doctor who didn't even take a throat culture before passing out the antibiotics. That disturbed me because I truly thing meds, when they are not needed, can cause issues later in life. But I digress. The pediatrician was an elderly man, or maybe he was just a heavy smoker who had been in the sun too much....while smoking. At any rate he was fantastic! Prior to him swabbing Jack's throat, i explained to Jack that he might gag a bit. Sometimes Stuart thinks I tell Jack things that might scare him but I think Jack is better off to know what is coming. 

When the doctor did the throat culture Jack did, in fact, gag audibly. And then he started giggling uncontrollably. This was certainly not what I had expected. Truly, I thought he might even cry at the gagging. Nope, laughed!  The entire doctor visit was what I might describe as 'fun' for Jack. He did have strep throat and the meds were to be taken once a day, 2 hours before food and then he can't eat until 2 hours after the medication. Now if you have ever raised a boy, or any child, you know that 4 hours with no food just does not happen. So as you would guess, we woke him up 2 hours after he went to sleep and then the medication could absorb into his blood stream as it was supposed to. Hopefully this knocked it out. We have to take him back on Sunday to make sure it has cleared up. 

I found the doctor to be very interesting. He asked Jack where he was from. When Jack told him Arizona, the doctor told Jack he was from Texas. What? Trust me, I thought he was having a laugh with us, but he had just received his new passport and sure enough it was a US passport. He went on to tell me that he was originally from Persia and that he had studied in Texas and had become a US citizen years ago. He has been in the UAE for many years now and I would guess he stays because of the relaxed lifestyle we all find here. He was a delight. 

School was interesting this week. As schools attempt to move forward and change some past habits or sort, each school handles it differently. There are schools that during the week of testing, release students as soon as the testing for the day is complete. Sometimes this is only an hour and a half after students begin their day. Then there is my school. My principal has been very adamant about students staying in school for the entire day. I must applaud her efforts for trying to change a culture. It seems it's like a salmon swimming upstream, but as she always tells me 'It is a process' and you have to start somewhere. I do believe we are one of very few (maybe the only) school that has kept kids after their testing this week. From my understanding, what usually happens is parents come after testing and sign their kids out, but that was not been allowed this year. Those of us who are new know no different, but those who have been here for a few years, or even the local teachers, are caught a little off guard. Some were not thrilled about having the students the full day and others just got on with it. As the week progressed more and more parents showed up to get their children, only to be told that if there was no doctor note they would not be allowed to take them, or at least it would reflect negatively on the student's report. 

Wednesday it rained. Guess what? And Thursday? I probably don't have to tell you, because there was no testing at all, no child came to school. Surprise!

Thursday we left our place just after school and headed for Dubai. Gina came with us. Our plan was to do a bus tour on Thursday evening. However, the tickets I bought were 24 hour tickets, but were not good for the night bus tour. So what exactly does 24 hours mean?  Irritating! 

We haven't spent a great deal of time in Dubai so thought we would get a feel for the city and decide what we wanted to do all day on Friday. But instead we had to wait until Friday morning to get on the bus. We ended up walking to a mall and eating at the Noodle House, shopping a bit at the Spinneys across from our hotel and then heading back to get some rest. 

Our hotel was appauling! The pictures don't even do it justice. Because we got back from the mall so late, we just put the kids to bed and then I went to the front desk to complain. I initially spoke to the manager on the phone. This hotel has several complexes so I can only assume he was at a different location. I finally told him that I would appreciate speaking to him in person. When he did finally get to the hotel lobby 45 minutes after I went down to complain, he was not helpful at all. He continued to say he would move us to a new room. I explained to him that we had been out all evening and really didn't inspect the room when we first arrived. I also stated that I wasn't aware that it was my job to make sure the room was suitable. I, politely, told him that I paid a lot of money to stay here and I felt it was his responsibility to be sure the room was not in this state. In the end he did NOTHING for us. So if you are ever in Dubai do not book a room with Golden Sands Hotel Apartments. The Internet pictures are wonderful and it is rated as a 4 star hotel, clearly only to the blind. You be the judge. 

May I present the mattress on the pull out couch. 

The wall on the outside of the master bath. Hmmm, mold?

Cutting my apple on this cutting board was not an option. And these were just a few lovely examples. 

We tried to regroup on Friday morning, getting up and heading to the bus tour. Stuart went to Sharjah to play rugby so it was just the kids, Gina and myself, exploring what Dubai had to offer. We were able to hop on and off the bus as much as we liked until we had to go to the airport to get Grammie and Pop. 

It was a great, but very exhausting day. The kids were real troopers. They had their moments of meltdown, but for the most part they hung in there. 

Millie and me doing a 'selfie' on the top of the bus.

Gina and Jack were bus partners. 

This is the Burj Al Arab and this is probably as close as we will ever come to it. This is where all the celebrities stay when they come to Dubai.

We were able to ride on a boat on the river as a part of our bus ticket, which was great. After we for off the boat we were waiting for the bus. Jack kept sneaking around this pillar and basically not staying close enough to me. The last time I spoke to him about staying close to me for safety reasons, I noticed he had a rusty screw in his hand. I took it and tossed it down back where he told me he had found it. There were no trash cans around and a few minutes later I wished I had just kept it in my hand. Yet again, he had snuck behind the pillar. I turned to look for him and all I saw was his panged face with his foot angled up as if he were afraid to step down. I immediately knew what he had done. I walked over to him, asked him what happened as I was pulling the screw out of his shoe. Thank goodness he had worn his tennis shoes. Here was the conversation:

Me: What happened?

Jack: (through tears) I accidentally stepped on this nail (I suppose we need to do a lesson on household hardware, because clearly it was a screw). 

Me: You're a big fat liar. You stepped on this on purpose, didn't you?

Jack: (now bigger sobs) Yes. 

Me: did you just want to know what would happen?

Jack: Yes. 

Me: Well, now you know. 

All the while there were people looking on as this conversation was taking place. At the same time as the conversation, I was yanking the screw out of his shoe, taking it off and inspecting his foot. It had just barely broken the skin, thank goodness. 

I was brought back to my teenage years when I did something just to see what would happen. We had just bought a new car with electric windows. Woah!  My mom and I had gone to the grocery store and I had stayed in the car. I thought it would be funny if I rolled the window down on the passenger side and rolled it back up with my hair hanging out of the window. Oh but I didn't stop there. I stretched my foot over to turn the ignition off. What was supposed to be a 'couple of items' shopping trip turned into 45 minutes and a very sore head. What an idiot. When I told my mom my initial comparison of Jack's mishap with mine she reminded me that I was a teenager an he is 5. I'm pretty sure she meant my curiosity was dumber than his. 

Once he calmed down and we got on the bus, I could tell there was a couple talking about me. I am sure they were being critical about my parenting. Also they probably had no kids. Who cares? Know my kids, raise them, then you can talk about how crappy I do it. 

We finished our bus tour at the Souq where I bought some hand made pillow covers and Jack bought Grammie and himself a camel statute, but when Grammie and Pop got in the car, he gave each one of them a camel. He had said right before we got to the airport 'When they get in the car I am going to give Grammie her camel and I am going to give Pop my camel because that will make them happy to see me'. Gina told Jack that he didn't need to give them gifts, they would be happy to see him no matter what. It was a really sweet interchange between them. In the end, Pop asked Jack if he would 'hold' his camel safely here and he could just see it when he was visiting.

The bus tour map stated that the last bus pick up at the Souq was at 6 pm. We were there with plenty of time to spare, but the bus never came. I finally called the number on the map we had, told her where we were and that the map stated the last pick up was at 6 pm. Here was what she said to me, 'Oh, you have an old map'.  I told her that this was the map they had given me that morning. I made some 'suggestions' to her on the phone and then we hailed a taxi to take us back to our car so that we could wander around, trying to find the airport. 

We eventually just looked for planes taking off and heading toward them, which worked out well. 

The kids (and me) were so excited to see Grammie and Pop. We had to wait for them out on the sidewalk just outside the airport. There were few places to wait inside, and the loads of people coming into Dubai Friday evening was unreal. 

 

Thank goodness Gina was with us. She saw my parents first and because we were outside, they didn't know to look out there. They were scanning the inside crowd for us, to no avail. When they came past the sliding doors in front of us, Gina got on the gate we were behind and yelled 'Marinell' just as the doors were opening and they were walking past. Perfect!

Out they came and down the walkway Jack and Millie ran. When Millie was finished hugging both of them she ran under the rope and back towards where we were initially standing. I had to run after her and when I called her name she turned and looked at me as if to say 'how did you get there?'  She got a little turned around. 

Of course Grammie had a gift for each of them in her carry-on. Smart Grammie. 

We loaded up the cars and headed back to Al Ain. The kids were asleep within 15 minutes. They had a long day for sure. 

Once we got home we unloaded the cars, put the kids in bed and that's when it hit me. We had left monkey, baby, piglet, and blanket at the hotel. Jack has had this stuffed monkey since he was tiny and blanket, baby and piglet are Millie's special stuffed toys she sleeps with. I was devistated. I cried and cried. I just couldn't imagine how they would both feel when they realized they didn't have them. I called the hotel to see if housekeeping had found them. The lost and found department was closed so I was asked to call Saturday morning. 

When I was growing up I had this little pillow that I called 'pippie'. We left Pippie in a hotel room and they didn't find it. I can truly say the initial loss of these things immediately reminded me of losing  Pippie. It's amazing the memories of childhood can still impact us so greatly as an adult. 

When we woke up Saturday morning, we had Christmas with Grammie and Pop. We had the tree up and everything. They brought so much stuff for the kids, especially clothes, which they both needed. I spent most of the rest of the morning sorting out their old clothes. It was so much fun!

In the afternoon we headed to the mall and ate at Nando's, a chicken place. Grammie and I didn't eat because we were heading to a wedding later. 

After eating we popped into the Baby Shop. Grammie had told Jack and Millie that she would buy them some toys once they got here. Jack had his eye on a certain cowboy accessory so Grammie bought it. Millie picked out a shoppig cart with fake items in it. 

Pop and Jack had their own version of the OK Corral right here in Al Ain. 

Saturday evening my mom and I went to the wedding. The food wasn't as good as it was at the first wedding but we still were intrigued by the whole event. 

My mom was asking questions about the different abayas the ladies wear, earlier while shopping in the mall. She also asked why there were so many formal gown shops. When we got to the wedding she had her question about the formal wear answered. The beads that adorn their dresses are unlike no other. My mom compared it to dresses you would see on the red carpet on Oscar night, and she's right on. It's amazing!  The ladies can dress the way because there are no men around. However, this time at the wedding we stayed long enough to see the groom arrive. The room went from brightly colored, sparkly gowns to black abayas and shallahs (the head covering). It was surreal to say the least. The groom came down to a bride in a lovely white gown with her head covered with a black vail. Once the enterauge of men left the building and only family remained, the bride's dad removed the vail, sort of as a presentation to the groom I would guess.  

I love different cultures and their traditions. It will probably never become 'common' to me. 

What happened to this week?

I got to the end of the week and realized....it was the end of the week! Wow!

I can tell you that this week started off very exciting for us. We actually saw a police chase, just one policeman and one Range Rover, but exciting all the same. There was someone very important in the Range Rover and here is how we knew.

When we first researched the UAE Stuart found a very interesting fact about car number plates. Apparently the more important you are, the lower your number plate on your car. So when Stuart saw the Range Rover literally fly past us he notice the number on the car. It was 10! I think it was a Sheikh for sure. Naturally I started making up a story in my head as to why he would need to drive through town so fast. I'm sure he had a good reason. 

We spent the week at school preparing for national exams we will give next week. Stuart had very low student attendance all week. In fact, on Wednesday and Thursday there were no children in grades 1-6 at school. Well, there were three who showed up on Wednesday but were told to go home. The theory is that students take the week off from school in order to study for their exams. I'm not really sure there is that much studying going on. 

My school, however, had relatively good attendance at the beginning of the week, although I only had about half of my students on Thursday. Mother's Day is celebrated in the UAE on March 21. This really doesn't make sense to me since it is considered haram (sinful) to celebrate anything but Eid. At any rate, we had a Mother's Day activity on Thursday which brought in some of the moms, but since there was going to be that activity many of the students saw that as a reason to stay home because the thought was that we would not be doing anything.  By the end of the day I only had 7 students in my room. 

Jack had a Mother's Day stall at his school, which is a gift shop made up of donated items. The school uses it as a fundraiser. Each child brings 10 dirhams and buys something for their mom for Mother's Day. When I picked Jack up from school he immediately got into his backpack and got out a wrapped gift. Here is the lovely necklace Jack bought me. 

He was so pleased with himself. He asked me if I loved it, which I assured him I did. He also asked me if I would wear it to the rugby club that evening. I promised I would, and if you look closely at the next picture you will see I have it on. I must say, he has good taste. 

As you just read, Thursday evening brought another evening at the rugby club but this time we had a purpose; our NCAA tournament bracket. There were 5 of us who filled out a bracket and put in 100 dirhams a piece. We shall see who the victor is. 

As we were leaving the rugby club Jack checked to see if I still had my necklace on. I told him I did and then he asked, 'Mama, are you going to wear it a lot now?' I told him I would wear it every time it matched what I was wearing. He seemed fine with that. 

 

When we were home and ready for bed, just behind our apartment I heard the all too familiar sound of teenagers playing and yelling in the grassy area. Because this happens way too much, tonight was the night I complained. I thought there must be 'quiet' hours so I went to the security guard post and asked. Wouldn't you know, 5 minutes later there wasn't a kid in sight. Who knew complaining would work? 

Friday morning we got up, I put sheets in the washer, we Skyped Grammie and Pop and were ready for church. Because my cousin was at my mom and dad's the conversation lasted longer than expected, so the mall was the next best choice after realizing we were too late to go to church. 

We did some last minute shopping for the weeks to come and now the guest room has a place to hang wet towels. 

We returned home to wait for Jack's friend Louie to collect him for his very first......sleepover! I had stopped by Rochelle's house (Louie's mum) after school on Thursday and she asked if Jack could have a sleepover with Louie. I asked Jack and all he could talk about until they came to get him was the sleepover. He was so excited. Of course we had to buy him a new sleeping bag at the mall. 

Oh, and as you can see Jack has a new rugby ball that was promised to him weeks ago. Much to my displeasure, he loves rugby and is pretty good at it. Ugh!

Since Jack was having a sleepover we took Millie out for her favorite dinner.

Parents of the year, we realize. She was quiet in the back of the car and relatively calm in the grocery store. The dynamics of two is much different for sure. When I put her to bed she said,'I will wait for Jack to go to bed.'  She didn't quite understand the whole concept. Even as Stuart and I were watching tv after the kids' bedtime we both felt a little strange that Jack wasn't there. He had spent the night with my parents before, but never with a friend. We did miss him. I stayed up until 3:30 am watching tv, and possibly thinking about Jack. My mom told me that was the first of many sleepless nights when my kids are out of my house and I don't know what they are doing. 

Saturday morning we took Stuart's car in to be serviced and then headed to Louie's to pick up Jack. We ended up staying to have a cup of coffee and letting the kids play a bit longer. The Rouvis (Louie's family) live on the same street as Miss Janet, Millie's day care lady. I knew Jack had a great time because he had actually stayed the entire night, but I also knew he was super glad to see us because as soon as we drove up he went into the house and brought everything out that he brought to Louie's. He was ready to go home. I think I was probably 8 years old before I spent the night at a friend's house. I wonder if my mom stayed up watching tv until 3:30 am the first night I was at a sleepover? Probably not, mainly because I was the third child and it was probably a relief to be one child down for an evening. 

The rest of the day was spent grocery shopping and just chilling at home. Both kids were wiped out; Jack from his sleepover and Millie from too many late nights in the last week. Both were asleep by 6:15 pm. 

5 more sleeps! I can hardly believe my parents will be here Friday!

Stuck in the Sand

As you may have read from Dana's last post, I got myself stuck in the sand last week! 

In November I bought a new car, which was described as Kia's rugged SUV with "go anywhere" 4WD. Well, as you can see in the picture, it cannot go anywhere and the light sand in the middle of town caused a huge problem.

I car pool with my Head of Faculty, Wade, and he has been trying to get me to cut across the sand on our way home for weeks. As you can see by the picture, I almost made it!

Luckily, one of my colleagues owns a proper 4WD (Jeep Wrangler) and had a tow rope. He was able to pull me out, but not before a crowd of laughing onlookers had gathered.

I did look in the handbook afterwards and it does say that the vehicle is NOT designed for off road driving!

LESSON LEARNED!

Some 'firsts'

Sunday after school Jack asked if he could play with the play dough that Ms. Karen sent home with him. Those of you who know me know that I have no use for any activities that make a mess. But being in a new country, I have tried to turn over a new leaf. So mark this down in the books and save this picture. It is likely to be a one shot deal. 

As I revealed last week, Millie has started potty training herself. But what happened on Sunday evening was truly classic. The kids wanted to call Grammie and Pop, so we did. During the conversation Millie announced she had to pee.  So I took the iPad and followed her to the bathroom. Normally I feel the bathroom is a private place, but since these are her first encounters I feel it's fine to share them with family. Now Millie usually pees a couple of time before she decides she is done. Millie has never pooped, although I have tried to coax her to do so, on the potty. But Sunday night she decided was the night. She headed to the toilet while I was showing Grammie and Pop their bedroom. When she came into the room and announced 'I pooped!' And bent over....clearly she was telling the truth. Sadly, she had not left the evidence in the toilet but had dropped it on the floor in the hallway. I bent over and said, 'Ooo, Millie, it's a turd!'  She just laughed and laughed. Ah the pleasures of potty training.  A few minutes later I was putting her diaper and jammies back on and she said, 'Mama, where's my turtle?'  I said, 'Millie, I didn't say 'turtle' I said 'turd''. Gross story, but totally cracked me up. 

Monday Stuart went to rugby training while I dreamed of the kids having an early evening. It seems that every time I have something to do and Stuart is in charge, the kids rash super early. However, this is not the case with me. That little Millie was dozing on the sofa when I got home from school. I woke her up with M&Ms because she does not got to bed before 9 pm on days she has a nap. I thought I caught her in time to prevent the late bedtime. Turns out that was not the case. I think it is something I do to encourage Jack and Millie to stay up and not want to go to sleep. At any rate, finally at 8 pm both kids were asleep and I sat down at the computer to book some fun activities to do with my parents. We now have a safari booked and a trip to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. 

Tuesday we woke up and Stuart had the flu so he stayed home from school. I had a headache but thought it would subside. Over here, not going to school is more trouble than it is worth sometimes. In order to not get docked you have to have a doctor's note. So every time you are out you have to go to the doctor. Because I thought I just had a headache I went to school. As the day progressed my headache turned into a migraine and I ended up leaving during my prep, which happens to be the last period of the day on Tuesdays. On my way out of school I get a call from Stuart and he tells me Jack's school has called and Jack is in the nurse's office complaining of a headache. Seems we were all feeling poorly. I went to collect Jack and then Millie. As we were driving home Jack asked me if I had to go back to school. I told him I didn't and that because we were all sick we were going to just go home and rest. Millie head 'we are all sick' and asked,'Am I sick too?'  Seriously? She doesn't seem to miss any conversation. 

Once we were home, all received medicine and here was what Stuart and the kids did for a bit (Millie didn't last there long considering she wasn't really sick). 

Jack perked up a little but then he reverted back to fever and head ache around bedtime, which might I say was 6 pm and by 6:18 pm both kids were asleep. Obviously they both were ready for slumber. As long as no one barfs, I can handle illness. 

Happily, no one barfed in the night. However, Millie was yelling 'Mama' at 1:40 am and I found her at the door of the living room. I tried to put her back to bed but ended up just putting her in our bed until my alarm went off at 5 am. I have Jack another dose of Motrin when Millie had her episode. His fever never did really subside. When I woke him up Wednesday morning he insisted he was fine to go to school. 

I kept hearing him talk and it sounded as if his throat was closing up. I continued to probe and finally asked him to open his mouth. He did and here is what I saw. Ick!  When it all finally came out, he admitted he did have a sore throat but wanted to go to school so he didn't miss gymnastics. Oh my!

Stuart got to school, signed in and left. I had to drive kids to school so just loaded Jack in the car, and after dropping off everyone, got to my school to deliver Jack to Stuart, who was waiting to take him to the doctor. This balancing act is when I miss family support the most, obviously. 

Stuart said the doctor told him Jack had tonsillitis and that if he got it chronically over the next few months then they might consider taking them out. We were told that his tonsils were exceptionally large. However, I think tonsils are something you grow into, right?  Who knows. Hopefully this is our only fight with his tonsils. 

By Wednesday evening he was back to his normal self, agrivating his sister and joking around, sometimes disrespectfully. Not sure how I feel about him feeling better:)

Thursday Stuart was dared to 'off road' by his school and he got stuck in the sand. Well done!  One of the students at his school, I'm assuming an older one, helped him navigate out. Oh, as well as one of his fellow teachers, a Jeep and a tow rope. Maybe the 4 wheel drive Kia is not the best 'off roading' vehicle after all. 

My second class on Thursday only had 10 students in it. I'm not sure what virus hit that group, but those 10 students were more noisy than the 23 that are normally there. We played games and spent some time on the playground. We have two more weeks and then a break. We will see how the numbers start to dwindle. We have the big state testing the last week before break so we are pretty sure students will all be in attendance that week, but this next week? Who knows?

Thursday evening we went to the Rugby Club for a birthday party and then we stayed for Jack's end of the season rugby celebration. The kids were back to normal, whatever that may look like. The only difference at the Rugby Club was that it rained. Rain here is like snow in southern Texas, it just doesn't happen very often so people get excited about it. 

Friday morning we got up and went to church. We have had so many Friday activities with rugby lately that we haven't been to church for a while. Millie was in rare form and during the singing part she wandered up close to the minister. I'm surprised he didn't just pick her up while she was there. There may be a total of 50 people in the whole congregation so if he would have done that no one would have thought anything about it. 

We had lunch at the mall and then headed to Dubai. There is a place called Global Village just outside of Dubai that is set up for about four months out of the year. Countries from all over the world are represented and sell their wares. There are rides for the kids and food vendors from many countries as well. Weather wise, it was a great day to go. Although there were some sprinkles here and there, it wasn't hot and thus a nice day. 

Prior to our visit to the Global Village we went to a Park and Shop. This is a market that has brands of food you can get in the United States but not always find in the grocery stores in Al Ain. In fact, I may have already said this is a post way back but when we first arrived here people told us if we saw something at a grocery store that we wanted, we should buy it because it may not be there the next time. This is certainly not an exaggeration. I found applesauce pots, the little individual ones, when we first arrived here. Bought them once, haven't seen them again. The same is true for my beloved creamer, you know the Nestles flavored? One shopping trip the hazelnut will be there, the next time there will be nothing. Frustrating! And it makes me laugh that this is my biggest stresser in life right now. 

We ended up being so excited that we spent silly money and are not exactly sure what we bought. It was a fun one-time experience. We discussed that there is really not anything that we miss and can't live without, besides good Mexican food. 

We got back late, and fortunately I remembered to put the kids' jammies in the car because then we could just put them in bed once we got back. 

Saturday morning we were going to go to the grocery store. But being unmotivated, we decided to stay at home. We also thought about going to have a BBQ at Zakher Lake, but it was windy and Zakher Lake is surrounded by sand dunes, so we decided against that as well. In the end we invited Cathy and her girls over for dinner and had a lovely evening. 

Two more weeks of school and then a break. We can hardly wait!