Branson and banjo playin'

I was up on Sunday morning at about 6:30 am. I brewed the coffee and enjoyed the peace and quiet. My parents didn't have their televisions hooked up and so sitting and drinking coffee was the only thing to do, and of course I finished up last week's blog. 

No one was awake until after 8 am. I can't remember the last time I had the morning to myself. I could get used to this country lifestyle. Once everyone was awake we just chatted and consumed a lot of coffee. Grammie and Pop rolled in from their trek across the states just before noon. 

We opted for a lunch at home and then headed to Dick's 5 and Dime, where all the old time candy and toys are apparently housed. It was crazy. There were drinks and sweets that I drank and ate when I was a child, but since have disappeared off shelves of stores. It was a little like Water and Ice meets Woolworths. It was a bit overwhelming, but we still managed to spend some money. 

On the way to Dick's we had to have a picture with Uncle Mitch. 

We decided to have an early bird dinner at around 4 pm at a place called The Farmhouse. It was a very popular place because we had to wait for 15 minutes. The breakfast was nothing to write home about, but it was a filler. We headed to Walmart again for some more provisions. Walmart might be the local hangout. There were tons of people there. I really do think the original 'People of Walmart' photos had to have been taken in this particular Walmart, but everyone is friendly. 

Jack had been a bit excited in Walmart. I may have had a conversation with him about settling down, which didn't take hold until after we came out in the parking lot and he flung the car door open into someone else's Chrysler 300 and cracked a tail light. Super! Fortunately we left my dad's phone number on the windshield. Apparently the owner of the car was handy, and by the time he called my dad, he had ordered the part and was going to fit it himself. It was only a $50 lesson for Jack (aka 'us'). 

Once we were home the kids jumped in the shower, spent some time playing with the toys we had purchased at Dick's 5 and Dime, had a snack and then headed to bed. Millie was so wound up and tired that by the time we started reading, she was out of control. I finally had to have Stuart come down and sit in our room with her while I finished reading to Jack. Needless to say, it was more difficult because she was so loud next door. 

Once the kids were settled, Stuart and I played pitch with Grammie and Pop. It took us a bit to remember how to play, but once we did it was on like donkey kong. We played until nearly midnight and, sadly, Grammie and Pop beat us. But we knew we would have other nights to reclaim our victory. 

Monday morning I got up and walked around my mom and dad's subdivision. The Ozark mountains around me were spectacular. It was a bit humid, but tollerable because the temperature wasn't ridiculously high. 

I saw several bunnies on my walk, but was only able to catch this one on camera.

There are gigantic hills in their neighborhood that once you walk down them, you must also come back up. Yikes! You can't even see the bottom of this one. I might have been huffing and puffing in this picture. 

Once I returned home I headed to the porch for coffee. We sat on the porch for a couple of hours, while the kids played with their toys. 

Most mornings in Branson are spent on the porch. 

Around 11 am we decided to go out and get the yard work done. A storm had come through a week or so ago and there were little twigs everywhere. We picked those up before we all took a turn at mowing the yard. 

Jack helped also, and Stuart told him this would be his job once we returned to Arizona. 

Millie didn't help with the yard, but she helped Uncle Mitch clean some of the accessories of the house. 

Because we were all a little more than sweaty, we showered, had a bite of lunch, and headed back into town. We went to a flea market where Mitch found this lovely number, a denim apron, just what everyone needs. 

A little bedazzling would be exactly what this apron needs. 

The kids posed with Grammie and Uncle Mitch. 

By the fountain with the family. 

My brother and I look more alike than I ever realized, including the hot pink shirts. 

We shopped at Branson Landing for a bit and naturally I purchased some sweet new clothes. We stopped for some iced coffees and sat and talked for almost an hour.  We headed back to the house, while Grammie and Mitch went to Walmart. Really, it is the highlight of the town. 

Once we were back at the house, the kids watched Toy Story, which was the first television they had watched since we arrived in Branson.  The dish had just been installed that morning and now all was right with the world. 

After Mitch and Grammie returned from Walmart, it was about dinner time. Since the Telford family are not in the country on their birthdays, there is usually a birthday party for all of us when we are together in the summer. So Monday night was the birthday party. We had Chalupa for dinner and then presents. The kids got walkie talkies and had a blast with them. The kids gave me some beautiful Brighton jewelry and of course I got cold hard cash from the folks. 

The ice cream man came just after we had birthday cake, but why does that matter. It seemed fitting that Jack got some ice cream from his own company. 

Ice cream from the ice cream truck is the best. Bed for the kids and pitch for the adults was in order for the evening. 

Tuesday morning we got up and Stuart and I went for a walk. The hills are almost unbearable. It's a much better work out than my flat land in Arizona or Al Ain. 

We went into town to the Branson Landing to exchange a ring the kids bought me that was too big. We were going to go to the Farmer's Market, but it ended up being a bust. Instead, the kids and I rode the train. 

Because the Farmer's Market wasn't what we thought it would be, we decided to go to Sam's Club in Springfield, but really it was a trick and we ended up going to Lambert's restuarant for my birthday dinner. 

Jack loved the fact that they threw homemade rolls at anyone who wanted them. It's a country food restuarant and their gimmick is the 'throwed rolls'. It was yummy. 

We went home and the kids played in Grammie's jacuzzi tub, making suds beards and getting water everywhere. 

Once the kids were in bed, our wicked pitch tournament continued. We killed my mom and dad, finally. 

I set my alarm for Wednesday morning so I would get up and walk, but instead I turned it off and didn't walk at all. We spent the morning tidying up and getting ready for my aunts and uncles to arrive. 

Everyone started arriving just after 11. My mom's brother, sister, their spouses, 3 of my cousins and a second cousin that Jack played with all day. It was great to catch up with everyone. I hadn't seen some of my relatives since Jack was a baby. So they had never met Millie. One of my uncles is almost 90 and I'm pretty sure I had the best conversation with him. We must have talked for 45 minutes and not one time did I remember his age, which is unusual. He is still of sound mind and up on current events, not stuck in the 70s. 

Everyone left around 4 pm and we made arrangements to go watch Nate's baseball game the next day. Nate is my cousin Jeff's son and is 10 years old. He and Jack got along swimmingly. 

The evening was filled with bath fun in Grammie's jacuzzi tub again and then bed. We played pitch again on Wednesday night and got killed again. Ugh! 

I ran and walked 4.5 miles on Thursday morning as an incentive to not have to get up early on Friday. Since we were planning to go to Silver Dollar City on Friday I knew we would be walking a lot anyway. The view was different because I went much earlier than normal and there was fog out. 

We went to see Nathan play ball. Jack was so excited. Nate is a pitcher and a pretty good one at that. It was toasty out there, but was cooler in the shade which fortunately was provided for us by the bleachers. 

After the game, which sadly Nate's team lost, we went to eat at the Cracker Barrel. Jeff and Nate were planning to go swimming at the Rec Plex just up the street from my parents' house, which ironically enough was our plan for the day as well. So it ended up that Jack got to play two days in a row with a cousin he just met. Jack never met a boy he didn't like. 

After the pool, Jeff and Nate came to the house so the boys could play Wii. 

Once the cousins left, the kids had another adventure in the jacuzzi. They were then fed and settled down with some Disney channel, under the watch of Pop. Stuart, Mom, Mitch and I headed to, you guessed it, Walmart. 

The night ended with a game of pitch where Stuart and I redeemed ourselves and tied up the series, 2-2. 

We were up and on the porch with coffee at 7 am. The bug guy came at 9 am and we left for our day of adventure at Silver Dollar City as soon as he was finished, and what a day it was. There were a lot of rides closed, unfortunately, but we still managed to stay almost 8 hours and have a load of fun. Millie road her first roller coaster, and although she looked as if she was going to cry at the end, she decided it was a lot of fun. 

The train is almost always a must, and Jack's goofy face is guaranteed. 

The kids loved the kiddie rides and I nearly barfed on this ride because I was riding backwards. 

The kids were nearly perfect all day, not a whine from either of them. Once we left Silver Dollar City we went to eat dinner at a place called the Red Barn. The kids ate like little piggies. After dinner, we were home, showered and in bed shortly after 9 pm. It was a wonderful, but exhausting day. 

Saturday morning we were up and getting ready for the Pennell clan to show up for the day. I was able to catch up with two of my cousins that I have not seen in 30 years. My dad's twin brother, his sister, and his first cousin also came. We had such a great time. We visited and ate lunch and visited some more. 

We were missing 2 older cousins, but we still had a great time. It made me know that family should be first and foremost in your life. Everyone loved Stuart and the kids. Jack met another one of his cousins, Nick. They had a blast together. Jack has had nothing but fun since we got back to the states on July 7. Poor kid is going to be bored when we get back to the UAE. 

Okay, the Branson we saw this week is not the Branson people knew years ago. Yes, there are still the hillbilly themes and country stereotypes, but this place is an entertainment haven. My parent's house is gorgeous and will be a place we will spend our time once we are back to the states for good. 

A full week left in Arizona and the hits keep coming.

Well, sadly Millie and Jack were wide awake by 5 am, but we knew we were getting closer to normalcy. Once they were awake they decided they wanted to take a bubble bath in our big tub. The strangest things entertain them. 

I was off for another walk and Stuart was in charge of the bath twins. 

Once I was home Stuart went out to get some milk and came back with two cases, one for checking and one as a carry on. It seems we always buy too much while we are home. Yikes! Our biggest concern is that there will be no room in the rental cars for all of our luggage. 

Julie Whitehead, one of my dearest friends, came by to see us because she was heading to California the next day and I wouldn't have been able to see her had she not come over. We had a wonderful time talking about our families. I find that I never have difficulty reconnecting with my closest friends. We always pick up where we left off. It's the evidence of a true, lasting friendship. I have more of those friendships than I ever knew. 

We went to lunch at Uncle Bear's, where Jack enjoys cracking the peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor. He nearly hit someone with one of the shells. I then had to explain that he didn't need to really throw the shell. 

We spent an hour or so at G and P's and then Stuart and I were off to John's house for a karaoke party, which was kindly named 'The Telford 5th Annual Karaoke Party'. There were people from Fulton Elementary and of course, John and Jenni, our hosts and good friends. 

We were the one who stayed until the bitter end, 1 am, and sang a billion songs, mostly by random selection. John has a DJ business and has more songs on karaoke than we could ever know. It was such fun!

John is now a theater teacher in Kyrene, and he has all these props that we pull out on karaoke night. There is never a dull moment. 

Once we were home and showered it was a short night's sleep for me. I was up and out of he house at 6 am to walk with Sue. She came to pick me up because Stuart needed the car to go get his certificate renewed at the state department, and she wanted me to see her new house. 

We walked for about an hour, got a tour of her house, which was beautiful and very homey, then sat and chatted for about an hour. It is always nice to catch up with friends and we have done our best to pack in as much as possible in the 9 days we are in Arizona this summer. 

Once I was back home and showered, someone came over to fix our air conditioner. It seems that when our new unit was put in almost two years ago they didn't put the drip pan in correctly and the drain was on the opposite side of the way the pan sloped, thus possibly creating the leak and damage that occurred almost a year ago. I hate house issues and feeling helpless when it comes to repairs that are done half way. However, thank goodness Sally and Rob Beck know people to call and come help. Rob sent over one of his employees and it was solved. 

Sally came over for about an hour and we caught up from the last year. Even though we knew we were having dinner together I still enjoyed seeing her and so appreciated her coming over for a while. 

Around lunchtime we finally went down to rescue my folks. The kids had a great night's sleep and lunch was ready. We had taco salad and the kids played their electronics for a bit. We then decided to take a trip to Sam's Club, a favorite activity each summer. We bought Stuart some clothes and some fruit. 

We got home and G and P came over. We headed to the Beck's for a swim in their pool and a delicious dinner of chalupa. It is a favorite meal of mine that I remember from when I lived with them almost 20 years ago. The evening was wonderful. Rob and Sally have been friends of mine for 23 years. They love the things we love and we can't wait until we can go camping with them in the future. 

The kids broke out their new swimmers for the Beck's pool. 

I had taken the kids jammies and shower stuff. I asked Sally if she minded if I showered them and then did so. It's always a good idea since Millie falls asleep in any car ride after dark, and Monday night was no exception. 

Tuesday morning was a walk with Liz and then breakfast at the Farmhouse. Breakfast was a bit sad. We were there by ourselves, which was no big deal, but Candy, the waitress who had waited on us for almost 10 years and was a dear woman to me and Julie Whitehead for much longer than that, had passed away earlier in the year. I was hoping to see the other waitress, Keri, but she wasn't there either. It was the end of a season for sure. It made me very sad to not see Candy or Keri. The Farmhouse will never be the same. 

The food was as good as ever. 

We went to Home Depot to buy some things for the house and then headed to Mequite Groves Aquatic Center. We met up with the Daniels, the Meyns, and the Schluds. All of these families have kids who are friends with Jack and we like to go to the pool each summer with them. We were there for 2 hours and had a picnic lunch. Then it was back home. 

Grammie came by and picked Millie up, while Jack walked down to her house all by himself. I think for this reason alone, Jack is ready to come back to Arizona. 

When the kids were gone Stuart and I fell asleep. Ha! It was quiet in the house and we passed out. We were supposed to go to Grammie and Pop's about 30 minutes after the kids left, but it ended up being about an hour and a half after they left. Oops! 

Once we were awake we headed down to their house and just sat around for about an hour, then it was off to the Green's for dinner. 

We arrived just before 5 pm. Maytee was still at work, but Ken and the girls were there. The kids bonded again, instantly. They played for hours and even produced a play for us. 

You may not be able to recognize it, but this was their version of the Wizard of Oz. it was actually very sweet. 

Wednesday morning I decided not to walk and have a bit of a lie in. Once we were all up the kids were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Grace, the babysitter. She spent the entire day with them while I went to have my hair done and Stuart went shopping for a bit. 

After my hair was done Stuart came and joined our friend Bethany and me for lunch at Oreganos. I forgot how fantastic their meatballs are. 

We came home and sent the kids to Grammie and Pop's. It seems in these first few days of our America tour we haven't spent a great deal of time with Jack and Millie. However, we want them to be with G and P as much as possible, so we aren't too worried about our time with them. We went down to G and P's a bit later to just hang out. 

We left at about 4:30 to head to dinner at Mack and Mary's house. Elisa, Sherry and Paul joined us and we had a fantastic night catching up and laughing. And, as always, we had unbelievably tasty food. 

The kids went swimming for a while and then, as I usually do, I brought their jammies so they took a shower and were ready for bed. It enabled us to stay a little longer, which is my main purpose in that activity. The kids played with the cat and dog and Millie cried when we had to leave the animals. It was so sad. 

Look at her eyes. She was bawling. 

Leaving was tearful for me, knowing that I wouldn't see them again for two years. It's hard for even a year, but two years is a bit unbearable. These women are like family to me, so I might have had some tears as well. 

Thursday morning I got up and went for another walk with Sue. This time we went around the water at the Farm Bureau. Again, we had some deep conversations and heartfelt talks. The test of a true friendship is being able to pick up where you left off each year. It seems my friends here are all of that caliber, which I believe is something to be cherished. 

After my walk with Sue, I went to Ryan Elementary and spent 3 hours with Diane Wells. I had stopped by Starbucks for coffee, and we locked ourselves in her office. We talked about everything as if no time had passed. But eventually I couldn't take up any more of her time because she had to work, and I needed to get back to the house for a shower. There was still a lot to be done in the day. 

I was supposed to have lunch with my mom, but in the end she decided we would be best to eat at her house because she had food that needed to be eaten before we all headed to Branson. After we had eaten, and Stuart had hooked up their electronics, Grammie and I headed out for a little shopping. We had a little over 2 hours to ourselves, which is not much, but Branson will provide more quality time, I am sure. 

Thursday evening we left Millie at G and P's for a sleepover while Jack went to Gavin's for a sleepover. Stuart then took me to Connie's for a Bunco Babes gathering, while he headed for sushi and a movie with Ken. 

While at Bunco, we laughed until we cried. I relived moments from the last year and was filled in on the happenings of each of their lives. Gretchen (Connie's daughter), Connie, Marion, Jennifer, Brenda, Susan, and Marty were in attendance. It was almost 6 hours of uninterrupted laughter. These are also women whom I consider family and nothing we ever say to each other is taken too seriously because we have been through life-altering events with one another and our trust in each other in unbelievably strong. 

Love my Bunco Babes!

Stuart came to pick me up and ended up joining the fun for almost an hour. We headed home and were out like a light. 

Friday morning we were up and packing by about 7 am. Stuart Skyped his mum and we enjoyed coffee and conversation without child interruption. We headed to G and P's while Jack was having an adventure with Gavin at a local bounce/skateboard/scooter/BMX facility. They went for lunch and then had continued fun at the Meyn household on their water slide bouncy. He had more adventure in those 18 hours than he had in our entire time in Arizona. Lucky boy!

Here the boys were on Thursday evening with waffle ice cream sandwiches. Yummy!

We hung out at G and P's for a while and then headed home to meet John for lunch. Stuart went to get Chipotle and when he returned I headed to the Metn's to pick up Jack. Of course he was a bit distressed by the fact that I was there and he didn't want to go home. But when I told him we were going to need to go home because we had company coming that evening, he relaxed a bit. Vicki and I chatted for about 20 minutes and then we headed back home. 

John brought the kids little gifts, which was very sweet of him. He stayed for a few hours and just laughed at Millie. She kept doing gymnastic stunts and acting a bit crazy, to be honest. 

Once John left, I finished up a load of laundry and ordered the pizzas. The Neeleys and Greens showed up around 5:30 and Stuart was getting the pizzas. We sat and talked for 3 hours, and once again enjoyed the people who remain lifelong friends. 

This week in Arizona has been one of reflection for me. We have packed so much into so few days. I can tell that the UAE, although fulfilling its purpose for now, will not be our home forever. Stuart and I, for the first time since we left three years ago, started talking about all the things for which we really wanted to sock money away. It made me happy to think about our return, whenever that will be. 

Thanks to all the friends that made our trip so enjoyable. Although this is the shortest time we have been in Arizona in the last three summers, it's quite possible it has been the most enjoyable. 

Saturday morning came way too early. We hustled around to strip the beds, pack our toilet bags, wake the kids up, and load up for the airport. Liz took us to the airport just before 6 am. Once we were checked in, which was in lightning speed (kudos to Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor), we got some breakfast and settled at our gate. We had about an hour before we boarded and the kids were bored just after their chocolate milk and pastry was finished. So we bowed to the electronic god and said they could get out their screens. Millie chose not to do so, but instead sat on the floor in front of me just staring at people. Jack sat quietly and played games on his iPad. What on earth did we do before these luxuries?

Our obligatory 'check in at the airport' photo. We always have to bribe the kids to do a decent photo by promising them we will do a goofy one after the nice one. This goofy photo seems fitting for the blog. 

We boarded the Southwest flight which stopped, briefly, in Albuquerque. On that leg we flew with Millie in the middle seat and me on the aisle, across from Stuart on the aisle and Jack in the middle seat. It was perfect. The flight was only about 45 minutes and everyone was happy. Well, we made the fatal error of putting both kids on the inside of Stuart on the leg to Kansas City. Millie had a slight meltdown about halfway through the flight, requiring me to take her back to the ever so tiny bathroom for a 'come to Jesus' talk. Ugh! I hate those! You know there are people on the flight who can empathize with what you are going through, but you also know there are critics on the flight who wonder why your almost 5 year old can't deal! It took about a minute for her to see the error of her ways and we were back to our seats, all happy. 

We landed in Kansas City and headed to the car rental counter. Because we don't have insurance, we nearly had to give up a kidney to get a car. Pretty sure we could have bought a car and resold it for less money, but we were stuck and at their mercy. It was robbery at its finest. 

Once we had all of our luggage stuffed in the boot and in between the kids, we were off in search of lunch. And, as we were in BBQ country, it seemed only fitting to stop at Smokehouse BBQ. 

Once lunch was paid for we headed to Branson. It was a 3 and a half hour drive from the BBQ joint and Millie slept the entire trip. Excellent!

Our drive was anything but boring, however I did not catch all of the interesting things we saw on film. For instance on the highway we drove past an Amish horse and buggy. I totally forgot Missouri had this population, and of course the kids were asleep when this happened. Then we saw two police chases, both of motorcyclists. The second chase was two police cars following the motorcyclist who had to have been going at least 100 miles per hour. The driver was a big gal with green pants. She kind of stood out. We finally came up on her being cuffed and stuffed about 10 miles after she had initially passed us. It was very exciting but I didn't get an actual picture of her being hauled off. 

Here we were coming up on the arrest. 

So long criminal, it's off to the slammer for you. Naturally Stuart and I wanted to know the background story, so we may have made one up. 

We also saw this warehouse of fireworks. It still amazes me that these places don't explode every year. The people running them, I'm sure, have lost a finger or two at some stage. 

We finally arrived in Branson at 7:30 pm. We went straight to my parents' house and Mith was there to greet us. Their house is amazing and we definitely feel blessed to benefit from their hard work over the years. I will post pictures in next week's blog. 

We decided we had better quickly unload and head to grab a bite to eat, assuming the streets of Branson rolled up at 9 pm. We went to Freddy's burger joint, which was awesome, and then went to get some provisions at Walmart. 

Walmart in any town is quite the experience, but I'm pretty sure 'the people of Walmart' pictures I have seen on the Internet originated at this particular Walmart. Naturally I was brave enough to take one picture. 

This baby had on a swim diaper and a fleece jacket. Interesting? This wasn't even close to some of the other frightful things I witnessed, but as you can guess, it was the only picture I could justify taking and play it off as taking a picture of Stuart and Millie (as they walk away). 

Once the scarring had been done from the Walmart run, we headed back to the house to settle in for the night. Stuart and Mitch unloaded the groceries while I showered the kids. We all sat in the living room for an hour or so and the kids had their headphones on, watching their electronic devices, while Mitch, Stuart and I caught up. 

Because we were in a different time zone, when the kids went to bed at 11:30 pm, it seemed like 8:30 pm. I'm sure that will catch up with me at some stage. 

Clearly Millie's three and a half hour nap had no effect on her in regards to her ability to drop off again just 4 hours later. Poor kids. They actually were troopers in the travel world. 

The three adults hit the hay just before midnight, hoping for a good night's rest. On to the next adventure. 

High Tea at Emirates Palace? Don't mind if I do!

So I got a message from my friend's son, Gavin, on Friday morning telling me he had a layover in Abu Dhabi on Sunday for 13 hours. He said his mother, Connie, suggested he contact me and see if I would like to have lunch with him. Naturally, I was esstatic and started planning for our time together. Connie and I have known each other for a number of years and have figured out that we really are connected by many different groups of friends across our lives. It's the craziest connection. So I was more than excited to have Gavin here to entertain for the day. 

I got up early for my 4 mile walk and then took a shower to get ready for the day. Most of the morning I just sat around, super anxious for the day ahead. I was so excited. Stuart's plans were to take the kids to the pool in the afternoon and then to a house warming party at one of our new neighbor's house. 

I headed to Abu Dhabi just after 11 am to pick up Gavin. On the way I checked the flight status, which I should have done before leaving my house. It showed that he was going to be over three hours late, meaning he would arrive after I had booked our Royal High Tea at Emirates Palace. So I quickly got on the phone and changed our time. Fortunately during Ramadan, high tea is not as popular so changing our booking was no big deal. 

I decided I would go to Yas Mall to pass the time. I then got an update that flight was landing about an hour and forty minutes late instead of three hours late. So I decided to head towards the airport. I am pleased to report that I was in the mall long enough to buy myself a new swimsuit, however. 

When I arrived at the airport there was no one in the waiting area. This is the same waiting area we have waited in for my parents when it was wall to wall people. I went to the bathroom and when I came out I saw Gavin walking toward me. We headed to the Grand Mosque.  We had some time to kill since I had rebooked our high tea for 5 pm. 

Although the Grand Mosque was not open for a tour, we did stop and take a couple of selfies. It was a little like the scene in Vacation where Chevy Chase stands in front of the Grand Canyon and bounces up and down, then gets in the car and leaves. It was so stinking hot that we really couldn't stand there for long. 

Marina Mall was our next stop just to look at pretty things. Gavin also needed some toothpaste and a specific shampoo. We didn't find the shampoo, to which Gavin said 'the universe must not want me to have it'. 

We then headed to the palace to just look around before endulging in a splurge. We took pictures and attempted to see the swimming pools at the palace, but apparently unless you are a guest staying at the palace, you are not allowed to see the pools. One day Stuart and I will book a night at the palace, for sure. 

The high tea was glorious. We started by being able to select our tea from a box full of tea leaves. I chose the local date tea and Gavin chose the fruit tea, then switched to the Chai tea. 

Our food was prepared and brought to us on a tiered plate stand. My food was gluten free, but wasn't sugar free. However I made an exception on this day and decided to indulge in the sugar treats. It turns out my doctor's warnings about sugar should have been listened to. I haven't had sugar since my surgery and now I know why. I wasn't quite right after the two tiny pieces of dark chocolate I ate. Lesson learned for sure. 

The plates behind us were beautiful. 

Gold dust was sprinkled all over the food. 

Our last stop of the day was the World Trade Center of Abu Dhabi. Here we roamed around the souq for a while. I bought myself a wooden camel, as well as one for DeDe and then bought Gavin a pashmina that he wrapped around himself in the picture below. We had another drink and talked some more. Then Gavin was getting weary, so I took him back to the airport. 

I was home just before midnight and was hardly tired at all. It was such an exhilarating and uplifting day. I simply relived every moment on the drive home. When I did arrive home, Stuart was awake. He was getting up to greet the women's rugby team who were coming back from their tour in Budapest. 

I didn't sleep a great deal Sunday night, but still got up and walked. I made a deal  with myself that if I would not back out of walking on Monday, then I could have a break on Tuesday and Wednesday and not have to walk. I was glad in the end that I didn't stay in bed, but boy was it hot. When it gets humid in Al Ain it is beyond unbearable. 

We ended up going to the pool at 10 am with Leanne and Xavier. It was so blasted hot. That even being in the water was a bit miserable. Still yet we managed to stay In the pool for two hours. Once we were out and dressed we went into the club and had lunch. 

Once we were home I went to see my friend Suzaan who, 2 weeks ago, had the same surgery I had. I hadn't seen her since so was interested in catching up with her. We talked for a couple of hours and shared stories about our new eating habits. 

When I got home we all put on our 4th of July clothes, except for me because I have nothing patriotic, and we went to dinner at the golf club. We had invited 5 other families to join us. So it was an American holiday that came together nicely, except there were no fireworks, which was a shame. We got home around 9 pm and went to bed. 

I woke up Tuesday morning and we started the final packing and closing up of the house. I left just before 10 for morning coffee at Risti's new house, a fellow Arizonan. Jack went off to the Hilton for a day of swimming fun with Xavier, and Millie and Stuart stayed at the house and maneuvered around Asela as he cleaned. 

When I returned from coffee, Millie and I went for a mani/pedi. She loves to be pampered, but usual ends up picking off the polish in less than a day after the application. 

Once our manis and pedis were finished we headed home to the boys. jack wasn't home yet, but arrived shortly after we got home. He was beat by the sun and worn out from all the fun he had with Xavier. 

Jack brought home the burger he didn't eat for lunch, Millie had pasta from the previous night, and I had salmon as well. The only one who didn't have food was Stuart. So, since we were trying not to fill the fridge with unnecessary things, we decided to eat our leftovers and Stuart ordered take out.  We had a relatively early evening for the kids, which hadn't been the case for almost a week. Since we would be traveling on Wednesday and that was sure to be a late and confusing day, the early night was a must. Although Millie wouldn't go to bed and insisted on laying in my bed until I was finished with my shower. This is what I found when I came out of the shower. 

She was a tired little girl. 

Tuesday was the last day of Ramadan so on Wednesday we had lunch out. We invited Cathy, Kayleigh and Mandy. We met at Chilis, which only made sense. Why not have lunch at an American chain right before you fly to America?

Once we were back at the house we finished 5 loads of laundry and watched some movies. The kids were so excited that they nearly drove us crazy. Our cab finally picked us up at 6:30 pm. 

When we arrived at the airport we got through passport control rather quickly considering we had been told today would be the busiest day of the year at the airport. Because it is Eid al Fitr, the holiday following Ramadan, it was thought the airport would be rammed. I will have to say, it wasn't. 

We ate some dinner and then headed to our gate. 

We were supposed to board the plane at 10:45 pm, but an announcement came on at 11 pm telling us that our flight was having random maintenance and would delay our flight. We would be taking off at 'midnight thirty' instead of 11:30 pm. Super! 

The kids were troupers. They even actually had a good flight. Millie slept for about 8 hours of the flight, while Jack only slept about 5. Once we were in Toronto it was obvious that they would both need to nap on the flight to Phoenix. Otherwise they would be crank monsters all afternoon on Thursday. 

The food on Air Canada was crap, so we had a bite to eat in a cafe once we were close to our gate for our departure to Phoenix. We sat at the gate for a little over an hour. The kids started to get slap happy and irritating. We ended up boarding the plane just before 10 and taking off at half past ten. We were on our last leg. 

We got home and were greeted at the airport by Gammie and Pop who had balloons and gifts for the kids. We headed towards our house with Stuart and me in one car and the kids with Grammie and Pop in the other car. We dropped off the bags at our house and then went to see Grammie and Pop's new house, which is 12 houses down from ours. 

Then our 'operation acclimation back into Arizona life' was underway. We stopped at Chipotle to have some lunch and then headed to T-Mobile to buy our one month SIM card and data plan. Our next stop was Target where we stocked up on necessities. We then came back to our house to unpack while G and P played with the kids. 

Around 6 pm my mom went to get Chick-fil-A for the kids. The kids showered while she was gone, and went to bed after they ate. I sorted out clothes in my closet and waited for the dreadful jet lag to set in. Stuart was sensible and went to bed when the kids did, but I had stuff to do, or so I thought. 

Jack was sleep walking around 11 pm and walked into the closet in our room. I was convinced he had to pee and just might do so in the closet if I didn't intervene. After I got him sorted and back in bed I decided it was time for me to go to bed as well. Unfortunately my sleep was interrupted by Jack when he was awake at 3 am and wanted to go downstairs to play. By 3:30, Millie was awake as well so I told them they could play in Jack's room as long as they were quiet. By 4 am we were all awake and hungry. At 5:30 am we finally went downstairs. The kids had breakfast and Liz and I went for a walk. 

As if jet lag is not bad enough, let's throw in a well-visit to the doctor where your 4 year old has to have some shots. The kids were wild at the doctor's office. They were excited to be home and knew they were heading to Gavin and Maddax's house to play on the water slide after the shots. We had told Millie about the shots and Jack was all too pleased that he didn't have to have any. We anticipated Millie's tears and pain from the injections, but we never expected the reaction we got from Jack. He instantly started crying when she did. I asked him later why he was crying and he said because it scared him that she was hurting. Again, a moment that tells you something is working in regards to your efforts of teaching human kindness. 

After the doctor we headed to Vicki and Ryan's for a bit of a play date with Gavin and Maddax. The kids loved the slide and we enjoyed Bosa donuts and coffee, and of course the conversation. 

On a hot Arozona summer day, this is the only activity that is possible outside. 

We went to The Taco Shack for lunch. It's a quaint little house just on the corner of or subdivision. It's something we would walk to in cooler months, for sure. 

The kids spent the afternoon at G and P's and had a fashion show of all the new clothes Grammie had bought them. Once the clothes were washed and home, Stuart announced we would need another bag to go back to the UAE. Oops! 

Stuart and I went out shopping and purchased a few unneeded items, as you do. When we got back to my mom's just after 4 pm, the little princess was asleep. Apparently she had just fallen asleep and had been fighting it all afternoon. We had plans for the evening, but couldn't wake her up. So we just dragged her from place to place. 

We started at the Reynolds' house and were joined by the Daniels and the Tharalsons. We had appetizers and drinks and then moved the party to our house just before 7 pm. I headed off to pick up pizza and returned to a joyful house of laughter and kids playing hide and seek. Millie, all the while, sleeping through the madness. 

We had a great time catching up and I actually got to talk to everyone. We decided not to have an open house this year because we never got to properly catch up with everyone and it always ended up that we had mounds of food left. This type of gathering was much more enjoyable. 

Everyone left around 10 pm, and as speculated, Millie woke up around 3:30 am. She was wide awake and hungry. I made her stay in bed until 5 am and then gave in, knowing that I was going for a walk anyway and Stuart had been up since before 4 am and had, himself, ventured out for his run. So, jet lag was still in the Telford household. 

After my walk I showered and the kids gathered their things for their walk down to Grammie and Pop's house. Jack was so excited. We have two stop signs between our houses, so the plan was for us to walk them down to the first stop sign, teach them how to walk across the street on their own, and then G and P would collect them at the second stop sign and do the same. 

They might have taken a few too many items with them on their trip, but I'm sure they will know better for next time. They thought they were so grown up. 

Stuart and I went down and had coffee at my parents' house and Jack answered the door. He was all puffed with pride for being able to walk to G and P's house.  

After a bit of coffee, Stuart and I were off to shop for the day while Millie and Jack hung out with Grammie and Pop. Stuart went on his own and I went with Liz for the day. We shopped until we dropped. 

Once we finished shopping and had purchased some adorable things, we met our friends Sue, Anna and Debi at Rudy's BBQ for lunch. We sat there talking for over 2 hours. It was another wonderful day of catching up with friends. 

While we were shopping, the kids were playing Old Maid and drinking hot chocolate, a favorite for a long time. 

We returned to mom and dad's for dinner. We bathed the kids at G and P's so that once we were home they could go directly to bed. I'm so glad we did bathe them because Millie fell asleep just after we ate. I had great hope that she would sleep through the night and that the jet lag bug had left our house. Time will tell. 

Once we were home it was bed for everyone. Our first few days back in Arizona were a success. We wish we were staying longer, but we have done our best to fill our time with visiting friends. Stay tuned for the next week of fun and excitement!