A Month of Thanksgiving

Well, it has been a month and I haven't written in the blog...guess I will set a goal to write once a month. I'm sure I'll forget some things I want to share but it is better then nothing! It has been a good month and we continue to enjoy all things our new home country has to offer. But, we do miss all of our friends and family back in USA!

This Friday we will celebrate Thanksgiving with our American friends here and will host at our place. Looking forward to celebrating one of my favorite holidays of the year. The guys work on Thursday so that is why we'll be celebrating on Friday. The stores are well stocked with all the cooking items (including butterball turkeys:) we'll need so it will be just as easy as cooking at home. The kids and Chip have been off this week to celebrate EID and the kids are off for Thanksgiving this Thursday since they are at an American School. The EID holiday is a Muslim holiday that translated means "blessed festival". Eid is the combination of 3 meaningful words

E – Embrace with open heart
I – Inspire with impressive attitude
D – Distribute pleasure to all

So, that brings me to what we did in November. It was a BUSY month!

One of the things we have been enjoying here are the Friday brunches. It is a big thing here in Dubai and the hotels/restuarants set up HUGE buffets and you basically stay there from 12-5, enjoying company with friends. Seems like a long time to sit and have a meal but it really is fun and the when we bring the kids there are plenty of places that cater to them- I've attached pics of the one at the Westin that had chinese acrobats, face painting, a band, petting zoo and a special kid's area...so fun can be had by all! Definitely something to do if you visit here.

Also this month the boys have started taking Ski lessons at Ski Dubai. It's a huge indoor (of course) ski area - really a fun place! Will has done well with the ski lessons and is moving on to learn to snowboard. Weston did well with his first ski lesson and he will be moving on to another class next week. They really like it and I can watch from the cafe at the base fo the hill where they take lessons so it's fun for me too.

It's funny they can go kayaking in the morning and skiing in the afternoon! Attached are pics of the indoor ski park and the boys getting ready to ski for the very first time in their lives. Big Day!

We also decided to try an overnight desert safari this month. You start with camel rides, sand surfing, dune bashing and a dinner with fire dancers and belly dancers. Fun time - until it was time for the overnight...everyone left except for us and 2 German sisters. They had come out with us with our tour guide and were also supposed to stay and overnight in the desert. Little did we know that the dinner site where 300 people had just dined was also the overnight "camp". It was filthy after the big feast and all the lights were going to be on until midnight until they could get it cleaned up and pitch tents - needless to stay we all decided to head back to our place for the night, including our new German friends:) Wasn't quite what any of us had in mind. The girls had no other arrangements so we brought them back with us and it actually turned out to be a nice time - and now we have some new friends! One lives in Germany and the other sister lives in Bahrain now so we learned some new things about life in those places. We have been told that camping in the desert in Dubai is too commerical so we'll be trying that out when we visit another country sometime- maybe Oman or Jordan. The other parts were fun and I've attached some pics. It's really beautiful out there and now that the weather is cool it is very comfortable and actually quite chilly after dark.

 

And so that ends most of our activities for November...we wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving...tonight we are heading out by the pool for movie night - one of the benefits of the excellent weather here. It never rains and is always warm so very easy to plan outdoor activities.

We are thankful for you all - and thanks for keeping in touch!

Just catching up!

Been a while since a post so I'll try to catch up on what's going on here...of course once school started things have been getting busier, Will has had 2 projects already and we spend most nights doing homework:)

Getting adjusted is going pretty well. We don't have our car yet although we have purchased one...just waiting on the paperwork to get completed. You learn here (anywhere abroad, I think) that things get done much slower then US so you just accept it. Especially here, the saying is "Insha' Allah" which means God Willing. So, things get done if God is Willing:) Sometimes God is willing, sometimes I guess he is not.

Funny thing about our car- we ended up getting a Ford Edge from a guy that lived in Kansas City for 5 years. Small world...I'm a little nervous driving here but guess you just jump right in! One thing I've learned in my short life is that you can't let fear paralyze you:)

Yesterday I went for my Residence Visa so I can keep living here...they take blood to make sure you aren't HIV positive (they will deport you) and that I don't have TB and other diseases. They give you a chest xray and when you walk in the room you are asked if you are married or single; if you are married you get a form to state if you are pregnant or not. The assumption of course is that if you are single you don't need the form - because you could not be pregnant. Not sure the US would ever make that assumption:) So, I guess I can make my big announcement now - we are NOT having a baby!

Everything else is going well..we went to the Dubai Mall last weekend for some Lebanese food (best Hommos - that is how they spell hummus - I have EVER had) I've attached pictures of the dancing water fountain which is really cool and goes off every 30 minutes in the evenings. The Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world) is the backdrop. The boys loved it. It is so funny that every place we go to reminds us of Disney..

I also went to the Souks with some friends the other day. They would be like flea markets (the word souk means "market" in Arabic) in the US and sell everything from textiles and spices to gold. I'll attach some pics of those too. They are in Old Dubai so it isn't as clean but it is real life and very interesting. The boat ride to get there was ONE dirham which is equal to about 25 cents. I think probably because you might not make it across!

Hopefully I'll get better with writing...we have Halloween parties starting tomorrow and Chip and I are going with some friends to our first Brunch experience so I'll write soon about that. Brunch in Dubai is a big thing. Lots of restuarants have brunches on Friday from 12-5 and people just go eat and drink all day since the weekend starts on Thursday night....sounds fun to me.

Off to the pool....:)




If front of Burj Khalifa



The Souks

Funny name for diapers:)

School Starts!

Well, this week (on Sunday) the boys started school...Will is in 4th grade and Weston in Kindergarten. They are attending the American School of Dubai (ASD). Right now the school is about 20 minutes away from us but after the holidays they are opening up a brand new state of the art school just 5 minutes away from our new place. So far, they really like it. Will is getting adjusted to homework (so are we) last night we spent about 2 hours doing a project, math homework (they do on the internet) and PE homework. YES..PE homework!!!! I think once he gets adjusted to the workload he will be fine. He started soccer this week too so that is good - keeping him active...

The transportation to and from school is crazy. I have a taxi driver from Pakistan that has taken me under his wing and I call him when I need a ride and he comes. He has a family, including a five year old son, that he doesn't see back home. He works here and sends money. I've heard him talking on the phone to his wife and little boy and it is so sad. He kisses the phone and I think enjoys driving Weston around because it reminds him of his son. Pakistan is a four hour plane trip and it is very hard for them to save money to get back home.

He picks us up at 7:45am at the hotel, drives us to school. I run in and drop off boys and he waits..then drives me back to hotel or to the store. Then, he picks me up again in the afternoon and then drives me to school to get the boys and back again. It's an expensive day but we don't have a car yet. Hopefully we will have a car soon! Chip needs to write a letter that says he "allows" me to drive. Too funny, I'm sure he will frame that one!! I have also met a couple of friends here that have given me a lift here and there - and we have another Cerner family we will start carpooling with once we move to the Palm (fingers crossed- tomorrow!)

I've attached the boys in their school uniforms on the first day of school - just khacki shorts and polo type shirts. So easy, LOVE having uniforms.

Miss everyone in the states but things are good here. It is very exciting and everyone here I've met (Americans) love it and say it is a great place to raise a family. I feel very safe here and they adore kids. Oh, and they pump your gas at the station! You don't even get out of your car!!! Love it:)

Thanks to everyone for keeping in touch. By the way, thanks to all who took our poll on the price of a hot wheels car...they are about $7 here! (Yes, the same ones that are $1 at home) and LEGOS are really expensive...so we know what to pick up when we get home:)

Our "Staycation" to Atlantis Dubai

We've been in Dubai a week today and it feels like it has been much longer! We have been couped up in a hotel with no car and the kids aren't in school yet so we needed a break:) Off we went, about 2 miles up the road, to Atlantis Dubai. It was a last minute decision and I just called them and booked a room so we could go to the waterpark and get out of this hotel for a bit. It was a GREAT hotel! The kids had a ball..they had a kid's play place, waterpark, and of course a great beach. Any visitors that come we will certainly take you there. It is such a nice resort and only about 5 minutes from where our place will be on the Palm.

I've added some pics. Interesting thing about the water park..and pool..in one blink you would see a bikini clad European showing it all off and in the next blink a woman dressed in the water from head to toe. The great thing is that everyone can co-exist and it all seems very normal. Very "Disney" like - so clean, so nice, the people so friendly. I was at a mall the other day and as soon as I left the bathroom stall someone was behind me cleaning it up. Amazing- in a public mall restroom:)

Not that everyone is friendly...the cabs are absolutely nuts (and the drivers) but overall the people here are very helpful. I did just read in a book that I should not sit in the front of the cab as it would be considered an invitation. Hmmm....will definitely remember that one!

Will is going to play for a soccer team tomorrow morning so we will see how he likes the team, and on Sunday they start the first day of school. Weston was observed in his classroom last week and really liked it. The teacher was so nice, I think he will love it. Will had to take a 2 hour test and he passed so he'll be starting 4th grade for the second time this year! They both seem very excited about the school.

We are just ready to get settled in our place but had to get a bank account first so they could get paid. Logistics....

The boys were excited to find a living starfish!

From one of the many beautiful pools!

From our balcony looking out at Palm

We've Arrived!

The pool/bar area



Our beach!

 After some delay in writing I'm finally able to log on and write! LOTS has happened since my last post- we are settled in the hotel and have found a place to live. I have posted some pics here of the place- it is on The Palm (will add a link with info on blog) and we have a partial sea view...it's only about 1500 sq feet but has a great outdoor area with a pool, bar, restuarant and of course, the beach!  It was very appealing because it is fully furnished and has everything we need in it. I've attached some pics. The prices here have gone down considerably over the past 3 years ( just like the US) but they are still much higher than KC!

We are hoping to move in this weekend. The week in Dubai runs from Sunday-Thursday so that is when Chip works and the kids are in school. All the days are running together right now anyway as we try to get a bank account, a car, a place to live and all the other things that need to be done. The kids are going to their school tomorrow just for observation..so we'll see how that goes!

The view from our balcony - you can see the Burj Al Arab which is the only seven star hotel in the whole world

Leaving on a jet plane

Don't know when I'll be back again:)
We have made it to JFK after a long day...and about 14 more hours to go. The boys are being great and our bags are now on the plane. So far everyone has been so nice ( who wouldn't feel bad for a family of four with 12 bags???)
Next time I write hopefully we will be safe and sound on a beach in a desert.....

We're off to Dubai (we hope:)

Well..here is my first attempt at a blog post. I'm hoping to keep in touch with everyone this way and hopefully feel like we are still connected to the US! I'm also hoping the kids can look back on this and have some kind of journal of the journey....

Last night our flight to JFK was canceled due to weather so we are waiting on a delayed flight to LaGuardia and then will be taking our 12 bags on a van to get to JFK for our 11pm flight to Dubai. It's not the ideal situation but who said any of this would be easy?!?!

We are only taking clothes to Dubai. After going through an international move already we decided we did not want to move a bunch of stuff over there, it takes too long! It is quite a change not to have a baby this time (Weston was only 7 months old when we moved to London) so I am very happy not to be carrying a diaper bag, toys, stroller, etc.

Well, looks like we are off to NY. Chip was lucky enough to get an upgrade us to first class for this leg. HOORAY!