Abu Dhabi Hockey Tournament

So proud of Teddy who was awarded MVP of his third game today after scoring three goals! The kids play at least one more game tomorrow!

Burj Al Arab

At the DAA Christmas party, we won a dinner for two at the Burj Al Arab, the iconic "sail building" on the water in Dubai. Normally, we wouldn't have enough money to have dinner at this world- renowned 7 star hotel so it was a thrill of a lifetime to be able to have dinner there.

You can't even walk up to the hotel without a reservation so we were feeling quite fancy!

When we walked inside the hotel it was really hard to describe - very posh but a little like Masonic Temple (because the lobby is the center of the building so there aren't windows) meets Las Vegas hotel celebrating Chinese New Year (there was A LOT of red and gold everywhere).  That might not sound like the most flattering description, but that is really the best way to describe it.  You really have to see it to believe it!

If you stand in the lobby and look up toward the middle of the building, the above picture is what you see.  Each of the hotel rooms are suites with windows looking out over Dubai and balconies looking into the hotel lobby.

There is a lot of water, from fountains and giant fish tanks.  This was the jumping water fountain on the first floor of the lobby right outside of the restaurant where we had dinner.

We got to enjoy the buffet dinner which was a whopping $250 per person!  Thankfully, we didn't have to pay.  It was very seafood heavy with a lot of Arabic flair.

Our dinner included a bottle of wine which was produced specifically for the Burj Al Arab!

This was the view into the restaurant from our table.  Very spectacular!

Michael and I enjoying our very special evening thanks to DAA and their Christmas party!

Photo from Day Care

Ripley's nanny, Wilma, took this super cute photo of Ripley at school yesterday. I love that he is so happy, is being goofy, and that she added hearts to show how much she loves him. It's hard to leave my child with someone while I'm at work, but this makes me feel a little better.

Spring Break: Week 2

After Lynn and Pete left, we crossed a few things off of our Dubai bucket list. We had fun doing the following things:

1. The Cat Cafe - a cafe with live cats running around.  Very fun but the smell would have killed anyone.

2. Biking along the boardwalk at the beach.

3. To the zoo outside Abu Dhabi to see the camels and the monkeys (and a ton of other animals but these were the most fun).

4. Through the car wash (Ripley's choice).

5. To lunch by the Burj Khalifa at Claw (Mommy's choice).

Here are a few pictures of our adventures!  I miss my camera!

Dubai Brunch

My first brunch in Dubai with people from my office - Jan Evans, Sondra McDonald, and Justin Kurrass!

The whole crew!

Jan with fairy floss!

Ripley's First Dentist Visit

Hockey Tournament

We are attending the Qatar Raiders Cup in Doha, Qatar. Teddy is playing with the Dubai Sandstorms B team. Unfortunately, his team is overmatched and it's been a blow out both games. We have two more games with this team, but at least we will be able to work on a few skills and playing like a team. 

Hockey Tournament

Taking this little dude to his first international hockey tourney! 

Spring Break - The Whole Shebang!

Important note - The camera I love and have had since I studied in Northern Ireland was lost on this trip.  I put it on the roof of our car when I saw packing the stroller and the kids into the car, and we drove off with it on the roof.  We heard that it made it quite a while down the highway on the roof before flying off and smashing into a million pieces.  I usually take more pictures, but all have been lost.

Lynn and Pete came to visit us in Dubai during the first week of Spring Break this year.  They wanted to see the UAE and Oman.  Our first overnight trip was to Musandam in northern Oman.

We took a half day Dhow boat cruise around the fiords in Musandam.  We saw some beautiful mountains, tropical fish, and dolphins.

Ripley loved being on the boat all day!

Teddy?  Not so much!

We then went back to Dubai for the night.  Michael took his parents out for dinner at a fun Thai restaurant called Pai Thai with a beautiful view of the Burj Al Arab.

And not such a bad view of the most fancy hotel in Dubai, the Jumeriah Al Qasr. 

 We then drove from Dubai, through Al Ain, into Oman.  Our first stop was Hatta.

We went to the main Hatta Fort for a tour.

A beautiful view over the city of Hatta.

A fun panorama inside the fort with a moving Teddy.

We then traveled to a historical home outside of the city.

A grave inside the home of the original owner.

Inside the reading room.  Can we have one of these rooms in our home?

On the roof.

What a beautiful view of the mountains!

This is the last picture of my camera in existence.  So sad!

Lynn enjoying the quiet and the coolness of one of the inner courtyards.

A view from the inner courtyard up into the house.

 Michael and Pete had a little adventure into the mountains of Hatta.  They ended up in a date farm and a wadi, not really sure how to get out!

 We then drove into Muscat, the capital of Oman.

Lynn and Pete at the Sultan's palace.

Looking into where the Sultan lives.

We think the Sultan loves grass and flowers!

We enjoyed splashing in the ocean.  

Exploring more forts outside the city.

 We spent a lot of time in the car together and it was great that all six of us fit into our little Ford Explorer.  Here is a picture of all of us!

We finally made it back to Dubai and enjoyed some amazing Persian food on the water as a family.  It was a wonderful way to spend our last day together.