I have been so worried that Christmas would not feel like Christmas at all since Thanksgiving, though it was fun, it didn't really feel like Thanksgiving at all. I have made all these decorations (which I will post when I get photos of them) and gotten Christmas scented plug-ins, candles and sprays. Then of course the constant stream of Christmas music. And you know what? It has worked! It feels like Christmas is coming! We had a great experience at the mall yesterday. We walked into this HUGE toy store and was immediately overwhelmed. A genteman greeted us and would not allow us to lift a finger in the almost 2 hours we were there. He demonstrated every item we were interested in and whatever we decided we wanted was sent to the register. Everything was wrapped and delivered a few hours later, which I conveniently coordinated with the delivery of the tree a few hours earlier. Yes, it feels like Christmas! As you will see the boys friend Tiffany is becoming a part of...

John is out of town for a few days. I guess I thought it would be way worse but the kids keep me so busy that the days go by so quickly and I don't have much time to think about it. And then I have been spending time with friends which helps as well. Everything goes well until dinner is cooked and ate, kids are calm, movie time. It gets quiet and calm and that's when I really start missing him.   I get to snuggle with all all the kids, they are such good company. No matter how much I love my kids, and I love them A LOT, it's just not the same as having a partner. I avoid my bedroom because it seems so empty and lonely at night without him. Correction, it IS so lonely without him, and I am in no way a needy person, but it's different when there is someone I really want to spend my time with. Can't imagine myself going to bed alone... so I don't! All the kids pile in with me!   Their company and snuggles help so muc...

Being so far away from my friends and family for the holidays is kinda sad, but it's still easy to come up with many things to be thankful for! Starting with, of course John, Kaiden, Ethan and Amalia. And of course Mummy, Daddy and Binx, my sister. Whose birthday is today by the way, Happy Birthday Binx! I am Thankful for opportunities. For life, love, happiness. I am very happy for warmth, I HATE the cold. Every time I get homesick I remind myself it's cold and then I am over it. Thankful I am doing exactly what I love, taking care of my family.   Thankful that I have my pre-baby body back, thought it would never happen when I had a huge belly. I am thankful for new people and new experiences.  The boring life never was for me. This adventure is right down my alley. Thankful for the people I am meeting and friends that I am making.   Thankful for my "expat family" who we will be spending Thanksgiving with tomorrow. Thankful that my child...

My husband loves Mexican food. So of course being here it was most important that we find a restaurant that is as close as we can get to the ones back home. Baja Fresh- eh, pretty good for mall food. Then we got a tip that we need to go to El Chicos- eh, alright as well.  Actually, not bad at all. A friend told me about a place called Casa Maria. While I was out shopping for Christmas stuff I happened to see it and decided I had to go back with John. It was definitely the closest we have found so far! We had a fun family dinner then strolled around Green Community. It is an area with villas and its so so green. Of course we live in the desert so lots of grass and trees is not that common. There were many water features and it was a bit magical with pretty lights, kinda like a fairy forest. Unfortunately no pics of that though.

A few days ago, on the 11th, Amalia turned 8 months old. I did not forget to blog about it I have just been so busy. Every morning I take her out for a swim, a real swim, as in she is learning to swim. I teach her to swim bit by bit daily and she loves it.  She enjoys jumping in and she goes all the way under and I help her up.   Very brave girl.  She is a water baby for sure. Mostly I have been consumed spending loads of time with John and the kids enjoying everything life is offering us right now and the blog is slowly taking more and more of a back seat. She is climbing up into a standing position and getting stuck.  I think she thinks she can walk. Everyone here thinks I am crazy because I am always holding her.  And when I say always... I mean ALWAYS. Moms here usually aren't with their kids, they have nannies for that, most kids are pushed around in strollers.   I did this with the boys and now I am doing it with her. ...

Yay! My visa came through! The funny part about it is that it says my occupation is "housewife" then goes on to say "Not allowed to work".  Someone told John years ago, "She wants you for your money." And his response was, "If she marries me she will never work again, unless of course she wants to." Ha! So that line on the visa tickles me. It was such a pain in the ass to get, all ex-pats here know how annoying it is trying to get a visa. So happy I am done with that phase and I never have to leave the Palm again! Now that I am used to this place I have found my new comfort zone which consist of pool, beach and beach club. It has everything I want or need so I don't see any reason to ever leave. I am finding friends here now. We get the kids together, meet at the restaurant, go to movie night, go shopping together (the only reason to leave the Palm). Someone asked me, "Don't you feel isolated there?" Ummm, YES!! Won...

John special requested that I make a grid with photos of Amalia. It is pretty cute. Not hard to make photos of her look good, she is the most beautiful little thing! She has the happiest, coolest life. In the mornings I ask her, after your nap would you like to go to the beach, or pool. We usually do both. And then her brothers that love her (and spoil her) so much come home. She always has the biggest smile. Oh, and did I mention she says, "A la la" for I love you? This girl just knows how to melt hearts!!

This is Amalia's 1st Halloween! And our 1st Halloween in Dubai. We really did not know what to expect, but it doesn't even feel like fall much less Halloween. Of course I had the house decorated from halloween, found a pumpkin to carve. Still I felt the kids were missing out on Halloween. I frantically got together Halloween goody bags for all their friends at school, for them and of course for Amalia. To my surprise all the children at their school were completely dressed in their costumes as well and other Moms brought halloween goodies! Back at home the kids were crying because there was no trick or treating, got in their pj's and next thing you know our doorbell is ringing, "TRICK OR TREAT!!" They hurried back into their costumes and ran off trick or treating. Halloween was saved!

Last weekend was a holiday weekend here in Dubai.  Eid. I am not really sure what Eid is, but it seems to be important to them... and fun for us! We went to Abu Dhabi for the first time, my friend Frances lives there and since it was a long weekend, it was perfect timing! On Wednesday, the day before we left, Amalias tooth broke!!! Ahhh! Impossible to get photos of it right now though. And any day now the other one will break, I am sure before the end of the weekend. This last picture is of Kaiden.  He looked SO cute in his race gear, I regret not getting a picture of him but my friend had the camera. =( Racing was so much fun, except that I hate to drive. I haven't driven in months.  These little cars were no joke! And as expected John came first!! My own personal speed racer. =) My arm muscles hurt for days after. Next time we go to Abu Dhabi we will have to do Ferrari world.  That city is all about its racing!