A Whole Summer of Fun

Where to begin? The beginning seems like a great place but so much has happend, I'll try to be brief. Leaving our new home for an extend stay back in North America was a daunting task yet more appealing then saying to have a baby here in Dubai during summer and Ramadan so off we go. A short stay in London to "see the sights" as Emilee called it.

So that was London, loved it. Back on a plane and Calgary bound, love that more. We arrived home with little incident, Grammy and Papa were very happy to pick us up. It took a few days to get over the colds we brought with us and make the final time zone adjustments. We enjoyed Emilee's bouncy castle birthday party and sadly had to say bye to Dad for a few weeks in TX. We made due with a visit from Auntie and cousin B all the way from Nashville, TN. Brexton loved the Calgary Stampede, almost enough for all of us! It was a lot of fun to Stampede with all our cousins from my family, our girls have missed Abbi and meeting here new sister was a lot of fun too.

Dad made it back safe from Texas just in time to take his place as chief loose tooth parent, not for mom so pregnant and the first one made me squemish. Anna took a bite of lunch and complained, we brushed it off until she showed us her tounge nearly pushing the tooth right over. It took a few days but out it came.

My due date was quickly approaching, as was our travel date back to Dubai - just a little stressful. But after much waiting Ethan made his entry into the world. It was wonderful to hold him and see how excited his sisters were, well sister but Emilee quickly learned to be excited.

A great set of circumstances lead to a great set of pictures of our little man in his dads hockey gear, too fun. There is a whole FB album, too many to share here but we have a lot more here.

We loved having little Ethan join our family, although it does seem as though he has always been here. We think he is a perfect mix of his sisters, features similar to Anna and coloring like Emilee. After coming into the world at 8.1lbs and 20" he quickly grew to 8.8lbs and 21.5" at his three week check up. The next few weeks flew by, full of fun and taking care of a new baby.

We enjoyed a special day in the Rocky Mountians just a less than an hour from my parents home. It was a beautiful afternoon, the light was amazing - beautiful children help too ;)

It was a great day of fresh air, roasting hot dogs and time spent together, so beautiful especially as we drove away.

We wanted Anna to have a chance to celebrate her birthday surrounded by her family, something fun was in order. After some great nights spent Wii bowling in Grammy and Papas basement, we thought a bowling party would a perfect fit. 

  

As you can see it went very well. It was a great chance to visit with everyone and unfortunately say our last goodbyes until next summer. We loved spending time with our family, enjoying milestones and the every day things together. We tried to stock up on our favorite things of home before we make the long trip back to Dubai, I can still taste a good alberta steak, BBQ just right- mmmm. We eventually, after a visa setback did make it back to Dubai and just in time for the girls to start school, literally.

There are so many stories and SOOO many photos I have not included but its not a novel just a blog post. Hope you enjoy it, thank you for reading all this way always, big hugs and lots of love ~the Andersons

Three Year Old Birthday Party

Today was a great day. Sunny at times, only a few mosquitos and surrounded by friends and family. Our youngest turned three yesterday, dad turned more than three today and so we had a party!

With a bouncey slide!!

Emilee, her sister and cousin approved as they watched it inflate at 10:30am. It was pretty cute to watch them in the window, jumping on the sofa - practice, I guess.

 Dad was busy with all things birthday and since we were at my Mom and Dad's in the country some extra preparations were needed...

like tying pink and purple balloons to rural electric poles and mail boxes, not that easy in the wind - thanks again birthday dad.

It took a little to get organized, but the girls were very patient, thanks Auntie Teagan for getting the girls ready for the party, mommy is moving a little slower these days.

We had a great tent for some shade and to keep the refreshments in, I even managed a before picture :)

Okay, let the bouncing begin... wait, sorry one last shot of the patient birthday girl.

ok, now bouncing.

Too fun, this is going to be a long day and hopefully an easy bed time :)

Cousins and friends playing together, safe, contained and hours of attention keeping fun, we could be on to something here. I think I like bouncey slides too.

We are so blessed to have a Grammy who loves to paint faces, that was a bit hit too. The hardest part was getting the kids to stand still long enough, birthday girl did a pretty good job - thanks Grammy.

Thanks big sister, getting her to slow down today was a challenage.

Took a break from bouncing for some bubbles, man kids just love chasing, blowing, and generally everything to do with bubbles, such fun.

My sweetie, what a big girl you are, hope you're having fun. Mom and Dad love you, sister and little brother on the way think the world of you. Happy 3rd Birthday.

Alberta, Canada is a beautiful place to live and grow up. I am so thankful for the chance my girls have to feel the grass, smell the smells and enjoy the space that this part of the world has to offer. In freedom and security, surrounded by love and peace, we are truly blessed.

We opened some presents, thank you to everyone. Not only was Emilee spoiled but we should manage to get everything in the suitcases, hopefully. The kids were an amazing group, so well behaved and patient. It was a lovely afternoon watching them play and visiting with eachother.

We ended the afternoon with more bouncing, some DQ ice cream cake and yep more bouncing. We all got a little sun, bad mom thought we don't get burnt in Dubai we should be fine here - wrong :( Thats what aloe gel is for and lesson learned.

Dad is off to TX tomorrow for a two week stretch of teaching. My goal is to keep the girls happy and their brother on the inside untill he gets back, fingers crossed. Thanks again to all those who shared our day and those that care for us as a family.

Big Hugs and lots of love.

~the Andersons

Its getting too hot, time to go home

Well we have been in Dubai for nine short and at the same time long months, its now over 40C most days and I am 33 weeks pregnant. Anna is finished school today and our plane tickets are booked for a few days from now, so with everything going on this may be our last blog post in Dubai as a family of four.

On the whole we enjoy Dubai, it is a very foreign place though. So we try to focus on the best parts, some of our favorite things include.

Anna's school and most of all Ms Sandy! Anna has absolutely loved going to school and taking part in all the great activities, a wonderful teacher makes that so easy :)

Our next favorite thing is the comfort and santuary of our house, or villa I suppose. Its bigger than we need but we love the familarity and opportunity to bring all things Canadian and family into it. We have BBQ's and movies, we watch hockey games and play dress up. It is our home.


Our first family photo, Nov 2010

Ater church fJune 17, 2011


Our week is not complete without the two ballet classes, I must answer the who's class is it today question a hundred times each. Emilee's is Monday with Ms Michelle and Anna's Thursday with Ms Helen. Hopefully in September I can get the same day same teacher combo, Ethan and I are going to need it.

We love the beach and the pool and all things swimming. We have enjoyed FHE in the Green Community with friends, and the Palace Beach. Swimming in the Gulf is an amazing experince for us land locked Albertans. I truly hope to never get use to how wonderful it is.

Kite Beach Oct. 2010

JBR Beach March 2011

Palace Beach June 2011

We love to have lunch at the Al Reef Lebanese Bakery, ask Anna how much she loves the cheese bread. All who visit Dubai must have some too, we will make sure.

There are many other things that make Dubai a nice place to live but we are longing for home and family and all things familar, so home we go. A short stop in London first, more pictures to come.

Hatta for Easter Sunday

Anna has been on Spring break for two weeks and things have been up and down, Mom and both girls were quite sick, dad travelled to Texas and all of the other 'normal' stuff that comes with living in Dubai. All in all we survived and where committed to a great last week of her vacation. We were too under the weather to go to Emilee's dance class last week but made it this Thursday.

I wish I could get Emilee to keep her hair clips in, either that or have the courage to have her hair cut, nope still wishing for the hair clips :)

     Thursday was great and Friday proved to be a wonderful day as well. We enjoyed our new dresses, church and returned home to the unforgettable smell of roasting turkey, mmmmm. Dad and I managed to host our first dinner party in Dubai, Easter dinner no less, with great food and friends. 

The bunny even stopped by and we were ready with our baskets.

It was a hot Dubai day so hunting for eggs in the evening was okay with us, it was fun hunting as the sun set. The chocolate bunnies were pretty soft so we had to be careful, it was over 30 C even at 6:30pm. Saturday was a busy day too. Anna's and Emilee's first primary party in Dubai. We met at a community pool and enjoyed some Easter games, snacks, stickers and cooled off with a good long swim. Anna brought her special Calgary Easter bonnet, good thing - it was sunny.

There are so many beautiful and interesting places within the Gulf Coast region, that and a self imposed holiday Sunday equals road trip. The sand and dunes just after we turned on to the road to Hatta were so cool.

We have travelled once before to Fujariah, another emirate but this day we are headed to another country, Oman. Don't forget the passports, I just about did. After some quick internet research and making sure we had all our swimming gear we are off. We drove about and hour and a half, making our way through a few checkpoints into and a through Oman and then back into Dubai, quirky roads and borders. Anna practised her being very quite very well and thankfully Emilee slept though most of it. We arrived at the Hatta Fort Hotel just in time for lunch.

Lunch was good and we bought the maps and directions to our intended destination, the Hatta rock pools, more on them later. After changing into our swimming suits we were just about ready to head out when Shaheen the camel caught our attention. Rides where 20dms for adults and 10 for kids (about $2.60 CND) so after a brief introduction and picture taking it was Cooper's turn. He and Mom did great. Camels are tall, much taller than you think they are when they are all folded up and sitting in front of you. Who knew?

Mom and Ethan opted not to ride the camel, she was beautiful and very calm but it didn't seem like a good idea right now, next time. Dad, Anna and Emilee did a great job and everyone had a fantastic time. I took some video of Shaheen standing up, so cool. 

The video went on facebook right after our trip.

Its hot and we want to find the rock pools in the area to cool off in, back in the car for some off roading in Oman :)

 We love our Explorer, comfy, roomy and tough enough to this in, such fun. We loved the driving and the sceenery, so beautiful. We never did find a pool not crowded or clean enough to get out and go for a dip in, bummer. Maybe next time, when we use the map and instructions better, rookies. We managed to get the kids in the pool before it closed back at the hotel. The day was very fun and we sang songs and had snacks as we drove back to Dubai, watching the sunset as we drove out of the mountains. What a great weekend, poor Anna might be a little sleepy tomorrow at school though.