Life as we know it

Fun at the Park!

2012-01-21T07:26:00.000+04:00

Fun Pictures!

2012-01-18T04:44:00.003+04:00

Lady Bug being cheeky at Christmas...

Give us a smile?...Not happening...

Fooling around in the bath with Daddy and Mommy.

On a road trip to visit some vineyards...

The cheese and wine tasting bar!

Having fun in the car.

At the Zoo.

Fremantle Market on Daddy's shoulders.

Explosion at Senses...

2012-01-09T10:27:00.001+04:00

A gas explosion hit the Senses resort in Kaslik north of Beirut owned by my sister and her husband, on Saturday morning, the morning of New Year's eve. My mother called me in tears. The whole Senses team went for questioning. Everyone thought it was a terrorist attack. Everyone was screaming and shaking.
Later in the day,after further investigations, the explosion turned out to be the result of a gas pipeline leak, and that the blast was not an attempt to sabotage the resort. The blast caused only material damage, in the main lobby and the restaurant. No one got hurt.

I just want to say to my family and to the team of Senses, thank goodness you are safe, we love you, be brave and we are very sorry to hear about the horrible news but glad that no one got hurt. If there is anything we can do to support you and to help you, please do not hesitate...

Senses official website

Skye's First Camping Trip...Bouncing in the Tent...

2012-01-08T06:15:00.001+04:00

Skye on her new bike:

2012-01-08T05:46:00.000+04:00

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-08T05:13:00.000+04:00

Having a three year old is just an excuse to sleep early on new year's eve. Ok, so we slept at 10:00, but just to enjoy our holiday better rested. We explored South, this time, it was Margaret River for our first camping trip with Skye. Again, surrounded by majestic beaches beyond the eyes to see. We stayed in a tent all three of us and at night when everything was quiet, the kangaroos would sneak up to graze around us. We stayed in a caravan park full of families. There was a bouncy castle, a volley ball and basket ball field, a tennis ball court and they even had an outdoor cinema for the kids under the stars.

Every beach we went to was busy with surfers,windsurfers and kite surfers. We also found an impressive shell museum. It took Michael a lot of convincing to get me out of there. I felt like a kid in a candy shop.

We did not have time for the vineyards and the wineries, unfortunately.

The view outside our tent!!!!

Daddy and Skye snoring in the tent....Zzzzzzzzz

One of many vineyards we came across. The locals call this one "the chick on a stick".

Christmas Video 3:

2012-01-08T04:42:00.000+04:00

Christmas Video 2:

2012-01-08T04:41:00.000+04:00

Christmas Video 1:

2012-01-08T04:40:00.000+04:00

Christmas!!!!!

2012-01-06T18:42:00.000+04:00

What a day! What a morning! Skye was screaming as if the house was on fire!
At 7:00 a.m., she runs into our bedroom screaming: " Mommy! Daddy! Santa was here! Santa was here! He got me a bike and lots of presents! He even ate his Christmas cookie which we left him and drank all his milk! His reindeer ate the carrots which we left, too!" As you can tell, it was a morning made of chocolates and sweets, sparkly wrapping paper and dreams. Wish you were all here to share our joy and happiness. We hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas.
After opening our gifts and having breakfast, we were invited for a Christmas lunch at our friends' house which was lovely, great food and lots of Mojitos.

The following day, we decided to head North for a bit of exploring for a few days. So we drove to Lancelin with its spectacular beaches.

The Storm Last Week!

2011-12-16T15:50:00.000+04:00

We had a storm last week. The power was cut all night and the airport was closed. Just wanted to share a few pictures...Skye slept through it all. So did we, after 10:00 p.m.

Skye off the diving board:

2011-11-29T04:14:00.000+04:00

Just wanted to mention that she is the one who suggests diving off of the diving board every time. It is no one's idea other than Skye's!

Skye swimming:

2011-11-29T04:12:00.000+04:00

Skye started a new swimming class in another club and she is much happier! No arm bands, no screaming and on her second day, she actually wanted to jump off the diving board all by herself!!!!

I believe that this is the first time I see her swimming by herself and smiling during a swimming class!

What a difference!

We made it!!!!

2011-11-26T03:18:00.001+04:00

We are back and we found our way to the city and back on the train! I can't believe how easy it was! The train actually stopped underground and when we got out, it was right in the center of town! We did not even need to walk! We saw all the Christmas decorations and we went to the kids' festival. Between a disco baby, a shadow puppet workshop, an outdoor cinema under the stars and a create your own book workshop, I am shattered! I am glad they don't have festivals everyday! Oh, wait, no, they do!

Anyways, we had a blast and Skye chased her friends inside a maze made by passerbyes with newspapers. It's such a creative and artistic town. We had so much fun that we decided to do it again the following day. This time, we went to the museum, as you can tell with the enormous dinosaur.

The maze made out of newspapers in the city center.

The museum...Obviously.

The art exhibition.

The museum.

In the same week, we went to the Christmas party at the playgroup. There was face painting, wild animal encounters, lots of food and fun and Santa, of course. But, Skye decided to hide. Santa was too loud and too big for our liking...

Daddy and Skye with a wild Dingo.

New Adventure...

2011-11-23T05:17:00.001+04:00

There is a lot happening in the center of town between the festivals and the Christmas decorations. Parking is always a nightmare or too expensive. So I have decided to take the train with Skye today, all by ourselves. We usually go on such adventures with friends so they can navigate and show us the way. I always followed. I never know where I am and how I got there.

Michael reckons it is easy. I cannot go wrong. It is one way after all!
So I am extremely nervous. I got 3 maps of the same area, I should manage to read and understand one of the three at least! Of course, there is always plan B, which is stop people on the street and ask for directions.
I'll stop thinking about it because my hands are getting sweaty.
But will tell you all about it once we get back.

The Huntsman Spider...

2011-11-23T04:55:00.001+04:00

This is one of the most horrific stories ever published on this blog. You have been warned.
While at the playgroup, I happen to stumble on a LARGE shadow in the dark gap between the fridge and the kitchen cupboard. One of the Aussie mothers said that it looked like a Huntsman spider. So we decided to brush him out to the backyard. But he was motionless. So we reckoned he was dead and dried. Still,carefully, we managed to brush him on a dust pan while poking him to see his reaction. Still nothing...

We flipped him on his back in the dust pan and suddenly, my friend and I barely managed to decipher it. But we looked at each other and we knew. We understood. The "Made in China" label was not very impressive actually but more embarrassing! The quality and the details of this spider were impressive! A story that will linger for a while in the air...If you listen carefully, you can still hear Michael, my husband, laughing in the distance.

Shark attacks on our Beaches...

2011-11-14T21:46:00.001+04:00

What has been happening lately... From the ABC North West Australian newspaper...

Perth man survives close encounter with great white shark

If faced with a five metre white pointer in the waters off Western Australia, not many people would swim toward it to get a closer look but that's exactly what Paul Hosie did over the weekend. ...

Shark Attacks

Monday 14 November 2011

ABC Perth

Two monster great white sharks spotted off Perth coast

Two five metre great white sharks have been spotted off the coast of Rottnest Island, 20 kilometres from Perth....

Shark Attacks

Monday 31 October 2011

ABC Perth

Perfect predators

Shark hunts carried out in the wake of three deaths in Western Australia have caused anger among shark experts. They question the motives behind such hunts and ask whether it will have any affect on public safety....

Shark Attacks

Tuesday 25 October 2011

7.30 Report

Chopper to patrol WA beaches for sharks

...

Shark Attacks

Wednesday 26 October 2011

7pm TV News WA

Surfers call for shark kill following deadly attacks

Following three fatal shark attacks in two months, Western Australian fisheries officers have been given permission to catch and kill any shark they suspect of being responsible for the attacks....

I guess people say never believe what the newspapers say. In this case, we are sticking to the river for a while until things calm down...especially that we are new here and we are not familiar with our environment.

Fairies' Festival:

2011-10-12T14:55:00.005+04:00

Last week, Spring was celebrated with a Big Bang. The whole of Australia was invaded by fairies, elfs and all sort of forest creatures...

Our little Skye and her cheeky mummy decided to borrow a dragon outfit from the toy library to chase those fairies away. Hi hi hi...Quite a devilish plan, don't you think?

The event was full of activities and shows; from poney rides to face painting, from crafts to magic shows and fairies were everywhere singing and dancing.

The face painting...The BEFORE and AFTER photos...

Skye's first taste of the dreamy cotton candy! She LOVED it! ( as you can see).

Whale Watching!!!!!

2011-10-11T17:55:00.005+04:00

Yes, we had a brilliant weekend ! It was like a dream. We went whale watching. After being on a boat for less than an hour, we spotted a mother and a calf. Then later on, 2 other humpback whales appeared. They were so playfull, breaching and splashing with their tails and bobbing here and there. They were BIG , the guide said at least 40 tonnes, that is why they can only jump out of the water 3 to 4 times maximum. They get tired too quickly.The whales were so close! One actually swam under the boat! Yes! under the boat!

They migrate every year during this time and we are so lucky to have them pass these waters...

Whales are as big as a moving van and weigh as much as 8 elephants
Whales lived on land 45 million years ago and had 4 legs
They are mammals, not fish. They breathe air, and their tail moves up and down. (Fish breathe water and their tails move side to side)
A whale can eat 4000 pounds of plankton and krill a day, but can go 8 months without eating.
At birth, a baby whale is 12-16 ft long, weighing almost 2 tons.

And Skye in all of this??? She was over the moon! She did not miss anything and saw every detail. She did not complain once and she has her parents' sea legs. The sea was quite rough and choppy and a few people were sea sick, but not Skye!

What a Photo!

2011-10-08T01:09:00.000+04:00

This photo was taken at the entrance to the bay Katlian, down the road from Sitka , Alaska . The whale comes to the surface to swallow some of the "army" of herring. We see the herring on the surface of the water around the kayak! The kayaker is a dentist in Sitka , he was not injured and survived the experience somewhat terrifying. The whale was opposite the ferry terminal, and all that the kayaker could do was to "Paddle as fast as possible!" He is between the two jaws of the whale!

Spring Festival at the Park!

2011-09-12T10:20:00.005+04:00

Flowers are blooming and the sun is shining. Ducklings are everywhere and parrots are chirping. So spring is here and there is a festival every Sunday this month at the park. Hopefully, we will have a picnic every Sunday, so far so good. We made it twice. You can also find great live bands playing, people are barbecuing and everyone is having fun. It is a big outdoor party...Wish you were here...

Becoming a Trilingual:

2011-09-03T12:22:00.002+04:00

I made up my mind! This is it. Skye should learn Arabic. I see it so clearly now. At first, I was very hesitant. Michael only speaks to her in English ( even though he speaks German). The language in the community is English and I speak to her in French since she was born. So her French is quite good now. She understands everything I say to her in French, even though she is stubborn and only replies in English. But now, I think we are ready for Arabic. I think I will introduce it to her slowly. Maybe speak to her on the weekends in Arabic and find some cartoons or read some books to her. She will be exposed to it more once we visit my family in Lebanon and she also hears me speaking to my family in Arabic...Let's see.

If anyone has any idea on how to teach a child 2 languages at the same time through one parent, please let me know.The one-parent-one language- rule does not apply to me. Michael speaks to her in English. I speak to her in French. And Arabic? Weekends...maybe. Not sure. So, any advice would be appreciated. The search on the internet was not very successful.

Funny things kids come up with...

2011-08-27T16:08:00.004+04:00

Last week, Michael stubbed his toe against the table and shouted out loud " Jesus!".

This week, Skye stubbed her toe against the table and shouted out loud " Cheeses!".

At that moment, my knees gave way and I collapsed on my back, on the floor, from laughter!!!

Our Tenant!

2011-08-27T14:13:00.004+04:00

The garden orb weaver spider...It is a stout, reddish-brown or grey spider with triangular abdomen. The Garden Orb Weavers build large, strong, vertical orb webs. The web is usually built in the evenings and taken down again at dawn. The spider rests head-down in the centre of the web during darkness, waiting for prey. During the day, the spider rests under nearby branch or in nearby foliage with its legs drawn under the body.

The bite is usually non-toxic but could cause swelling, sharp pain and numbness. But people usually die of a heart attack because of the fright he causes .

He lives right outside our main entrance door! Skye knows not to touch the bushes. Don't worry, Michael is actually standing right behind him but not touching him, of course.

Big Moment...

2011-07-14T20:03:00.003+04:00

We are in Australia...still...and our shipment has arrived from Dubai after 2 and a half months...Big day tommorrow...We are leaving our temporary flat to live in a nice quiet house outside of town for a while, surrounded by parks...Another move...with a cold and a fever! Sniff...sniff...Aaatchoummm!!
I want my mommy...Can anyone make me a warm soup??? Do they send it via air?
The soup made in the supermarket tastes like burning plastic. Putting the jokes aside, we are very excited about settling in, finally surrounded by our familiar stuff ( I don't want to sound materialistic, but it helps and it makes u feel at home.) Skye is excited about the place and her new room. Need to sleep now, tata for now. Movers will be at the house at 8:00 a.m.
C ya later!
AAatchoummm!

Ruby is Born!!!!

2011-07-14T11:01:00.002+04:00

My sister, Caroline, just gave birth to a little baby girl. She is so cute and so small...Congratulations....Wish we were there!

Australia...Take Two...Action...

2011-07-14T10:51:00.003+04:00

Hello again everyone,

We hope that everyone is in good health and warmer now that summer is here.
We are still in Australia, of course.

Winter is here and it is cold. But, I have to admit, it is not as bad as I have imagined it would be. We can still wear a short sleeve shirt during the sunny days.
We got ourselves a very busy schedule!

We have 2 different sessions of playgroups in town at the playgroup centre which is full of kids, toys and bikes. Skye and I made a lot of new friends!
We have 2 gym sessions a week where Skye bounces on the trampoline and does gymnastics like walking on a high beam and swinging off a rope like Tarzan. This is brilliant because Skye sleeps well after that, even though she does not sleep at lunch time anymore.

We also go to the library twice a week for story time and craft and we are allowed to take 12 books for 3 weeks! Skye and other 30 kids sit on animal-shaped pillows ( she always wants to sit on the big frog) on the floor listening to someone reading a great story out loud with lots of pictures. Then, they all do a craft related to the story. Last time, it was about trains. So they did a collage of trains with puffy smoke made of cotton balls with lots of colours. Skye chooses the books herself from the library to take home and read with Daddy at bedtime. She is so excited about reading these days, it is great.

Skye is missing everyone and is calling her friends’ names, we talk about you all the time, pretend you are here, it is so sad, she wants to get on a plane to see you all.

We finally found the farmer’s market which is not the organic expensive one but the better reasonable one. It is so busy and things are so fresh, better than the supermarket. It is like China town hidden under lots of roofs, full of spices, herbs and colours.

We also found a French bakery. Michael says that it is the best bread he had in his entire life. It is quite special. Skye likes the happy face biscuits. The first time we bought our loafs of bread, they told us that the baker had lost his ring in the dough and that we should be careful when eating our bread in case we bite the ring and break a tooth! The baker is not happy about this because he got married a week before and that was his new wedding ring!...We ate the lovely bread and the baker never found the ring until now...

During our 3rd week, it started to rain. Skye and I looked out of our window to find a very beautiful rainbow...Skye’s first rainbow...She was ecstatic!

We found a toy library! It is what it is: A toy library where you can borrow toys up to 3 weeks. You can have 3 toys and 2 puzzles and pay a membership of 50 dollars for the year! Skye got a Bob the builder set with tractors and diggers, a yellow school bus with kids in it, a pink doll stroller and 2 very large floor puzzles.

The city is still busy and I realized that there is only one crane in the whole town!! A yellow one, remember how it was with Dubai ?? full of construction and millions of cranes.

We still find new parks every time we go out, we stumble upon one here and there. People are extremely friendly and smiley! We found a park once filled with large pink parrots.
Crows or as they are called ravens are really evil still, they gather around us waiting to attack, they will try and sit on the table where you are eating, too. I actually think they are getting bigger. 3 of them tried to attack Skye because she had a biscuit in her hand. I taught her what to do, just scream as loud as you can and stomp your feet, tell them “Choo! This is my biscuit and you are not having any!” So now, she goes around and tells them off.

There is a lot to see and do. Australia is celebrating Foundation day this Monday, so it is an official holiday. We are going on Monday morning to look at a kids’ market with toys and clothes. Michael and I think Skye needs a new car seat. I might find some good deals for her Christmas gifts, too, you never know.
We miss you a lot and we always think of you, especially when we see everyone around us surrounded by their grand-parents and their siblings. There are expats here but not as many as there were in Dubai. We meet mostly Australian families.
We kiss you and hug you
We miss you and love you
Take care,
the Mirfields.

Something to Laugh about!

2011-07-14T10:43:00.003+04:00

Skye's Singing Talents...

2011-06-26T16:34:00.002+04:00

Skye's 1st birthday invitation party:

2011-06-25T08:30:00.003+04:00

Last week, Skye was invited to her first birthday party at an Australian friend. We met so many nice people and had a barbecue. They even had a ranger coming in with animals to entertain the kids.
By the way, that is not a dog next to Skye, it is a dingo, a wild dog which is, and that is what the ranger said, a relative to the wolf. They also had a snake, a couple of tree frogs, some blue tongue lizards and a frog mouth which looks like an owl.
Birthday parties are wildly fun in Oz!

We're back...

2011-06-07T23:52:00.004+04:00

We finally have internet...

Hello everyone,

You cannot imagine how much we miss you all. We keep talking about you (only the good stuff, of course). I hope you are well and back in your routine by now.
I just wanted to keep you up to date to how things were going around here...here as in Australia!

Staying with Oliver was hilarious every day, between sharing the baths together and dinners; they had a ball, kissing each other good night every night and waking up first thing in the morning to shout each others’ names.

Moving on...Landed safely, had a very good flight. Skye was delighted with all the kids’ channels, cartoons and movies to watch. It was a good day flight but little one here did not have a nap which was alright. Skye kept saying that she wanted to show Oliver the plane and Australia. I kept nodding...

Where we are staying is quite spacious and very practical with everything in it. They even had a starter package with pasta, tomato sauce, coffee, milk,etc... Our first night, we cuddled all together, hugging each other in one bed in this strange city. The city is busy! You cannot stop on the pavement without causing a traffic jam behind you while walking. People are going to work, to lunch, busy, busy, busy! It still intimidates us especially during the lunch hour rush. Oh, and yes, Skye saw her first town lunatic...a man with his head in the clouds, wearing very wide pink trousers, with large red star shaped glasses and singing loudly off tune in the middle of the town square. “Mummy, mummy, what’s that?” she says. “Oh, it’s just a happy man singing.” Skye is entering the “questioning ever thing” phase. What’s that? Why? How? What for? She is very clever and brilliant! Both, Michael and I, have to make sure our answers are correct all the time, there is no short cut or changing it, she will quiz us again later, she does, believe me, she is a funny, one this one!

It took us a few days to recover from the flight and the different timings, I got rid of my nasty cold and thankfully no one else caught it.
We went to the zoo the second day. Skye loved it! It took us half a day and we even skipped a few areas as well because we were tired. So we have not seen any koalas nor any kangaroos yet. Maybe next time. But we did see the African animals like the elephants, lions, etc...Skye was speechless. It was mother day that Sunday and mothers got in for free and kids under 4 are always free!

Parks are everywhere and free. It is the law for any construction/building to have a space for children to play, which means if you want to build something you have to have some space for the children...Very respectful to humans those Australians.
Food is a bit expensive but we need to find what is in season, it would be cheaper and this Saturday we are going to explore the farmers’ market and the fish market, which is every Saturday in an open area, sounds very nice and fresh! Our first cooked dinner was smoked cod in the oven with sweet potatoes and veggies on the side, delicious!

Skye and I spend the mornings at home, between breakfast, colouring, playing with play dough, etc... anything to keep us entertained then after lunch we go out for a walk so she can sleep in her stroller. We spend every afternoon in the park. People are enjoying the company of their own kids and playing with them in the park and having barbecues, which are everywhere by the way and free, just bring ur own meat and press the switch button for the gas! Some restaurants have signs: BYO which means bring your own alcohol if you want! How civilised!

We have not seen any wild animals yet except for the birds, which are some colourful parrots, beautiful colours and the big crows which are the size of a medium sized dog, they utter a horrible sound like someone strangling a cat!, and guess what there are not afraid of humans. First morning thought it was Skye sobbing in her bed but it turns out it was the horrible crows. We went shopping for bread yesterday before going to the park and they stole half of it even though it was hidden in the bag inside the stroller! They even stole my hot coffee! I left it for 2 min to go to the toilets with Skye. They steal things and fly with containers even! We have to be more careful, at least Teddy is safe and Skye stays close to me.Driving on the beach coast is stunning, trees, grass, parks, slides everywhere. Even in the centre of town, everything is green, we are surrounded by giant trees that sways with the wind and you can hear the autumn leaves ruffling...Not like Dubai and its sand storms.Beautiful in its own other way. It is just very beautiful, very peaceful once you are out of the city. People are cycling, jogging, walking with their kids, family, dogs...It is so alive and natural!

The weather is still warm for autumn but occasionally you need to put on a thin cardigan, but it is not warm enough for us to swim. The leaves of the trees are changing colours like the colour of a flame, it is different here, I am actually enjoying the change of weather and getting exposed to the seasons!
Wish you all well, big kisses and hugs...

Book: Expat Women: Confessions 50 Answers to Your Real-Life Questions about Living Abroad

2011-06-07T23:48:00.003+04:00

Expat Women: Confessions. 50 answers to your real-life questions about living abroad, by Andrea Martins and Victoria Hepworth. Australia: 2011 Expat Women Enterprises Pty Ltd ATF Expat Women Trust, 2011. 267 pp. Reviewed by Sandie Mirfield.
ExpatWomen.com is the creation of two long term expats; Australian Andrea Martins and American Jill Lengré. An established and reputable blog with around 11,000 members, it provides an insight on living away from home in the form of interviews and articles delivering invaluable support for expatriate women, both the new and the experienced. The co-authors of Expat Women: Confessions, Andrea Martins and Victoria Hepworth, have used their own extensive expat experiences together with those found on ExpatWomen.com to create this book.
Being Australian, Andrea has lived in various parts of Australia and further afield in Malaysia and Mexico. As an international guest presenter she has guided thousands of expat women living abroad in Houston, Washington, Mexico City, Amsterdam, The Hague, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Marrakech. With her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland, Australia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Electronic Commerce from La Trobe University, Australia, Andrea has worked in strategic human resources, workplace diversity and project coordination.
Victoria Hepworth, a New Zealander, has lived in Japan, China, Russia, Sweden, India and most recently in the United Arab Emirates, working as a global career consultant. Through Victoria’s experience with supporting expatriates, she was well prepared when establishing Lifeline Shanghai, a non profit telephone helpline. Victoria holds a Bachelors Degree in Business & Human Resources, Master of Arts in Psychology, both from Massey University, New Zealand, and a Diploma in Clinical Nutrition from Stonebridge Associated Colleges in the United Kingdom. Victoria has also been involved in Expatwoman.com.
Expat Women: Confessions is well presented as a collection of questions and answers, collated from the website’s discussions. The book goes beyond expectations with the breadth of issues deliberated, from the day to day issues you will most likely face, through to some issues one might consider out of scope, not being specific to expatriate life, but the Q&A format leaves the reader to choose.
The book lets the new expat skip years of learning the hard way. It holds her hand while showing her that the new world outside her door is actually not as terrifying as it may seem; the language might be totally different, the culture surprising or even shocking, but all around the world people are generally friendly when presented with a smile and, more often than not, don’t actually bite. In showing the newfound world of the expat as a bright colourful place full of new experiences, it turns ‘this isn’t my home’ from a fear into an opportunity.
The timing for me reading the book was perfect. Though I have been an expat woman myself for the last ten years, both in Oman & the United Arab of Emirates, I have just moved to Perth, Australia, two weeks ago with my husband & three year old daughter and so am expatriating all over again. Despite the fact I’ve no sense of direction & can’t even read a map, I have managed to get involved in two local playgroups & a toddler gym, found story time sessions at a local library, found a street farmer’s market downtown, explored the local parks and, most importantly, filled my SIM card with new contacts in this strange new place, all in less than two weeks. I did get lost (as always!), but I laughed it out and when you’re smiling and confident your new world welcomes you. That’s where this book will help you too. Support and knowledge builds confidence & confidence leads to a warm welcome.
This is a unique work, an encyclopaedia into the souls and private lives of all expat women. Andrea and Victoria identified the diversity of expat life, considered the various ups and downs which women might encounter & shared a wealth of information. It de-victimises the expat women & enables us to make the best of our new experiences.
Expatriation seems daunting and terrifying! As humans, we just don’t like being outside of our comfort zones. The easy option is to pack your bags and go home, or even not leave in the first place, but thanks to Andrea and Victoria, you’ll know almost every trick to make this work for you.
My advice for a first time woman expat is: “Forget packing your toothbrush, this is what you need by your side when embarking on the first expatriate journey.” The world is your oyster, you have a clean white canvas, be bold!

A Big Thank You...

2011-04-19T09:19:00.003+04:00

2011-04-19T05:20:00.001+04:00

Skye is Threeeeeeeee!!!!

2011-04-18T16:10:00.006+04:00

Waou! What a day! Just brilliant!

All her friends showed up to wish her a very happy birthday and to bid her farewell!

And guess what? Almost all her family was there as well to celebrate with her!

Between the horse rides, the magnificient Barney cake and all the slides, Skye was running everywhere, playing with everyone...Basically, having a ball! And it was a ball!

Her daddy and uncle Fadi set up the tables and the balloons. Her aunt Marie fixed her hair beautifully, she had her party dress on, a bit of glitter on the face and off we went to the park! It was a joined birthday with her best friend Oliver.

I just want to thank everyone who made her day possible, all her friends, her family and her neighbours. Thank you for all the pretty birthday cards and the gifts. I'll let the photos do the talking...

Farewell Dubai Hello Australia!!!!!

2011-04-12T04:22:00.003+04:00

Hooray!!!!

We are moving to Australia, farewell Dubai and thank you for everything...

I will miss you in a way...

This is where...

...I had lots of fun

...I had great times on the sunny beaches

...I met lots of great people

...I met my husband

...I had my child

...I had the most memorable days of my life

...I've spent the last 10 years of my life

Thank you Dubai...

Just cannot say more than this right now, too busy with the family reunion, then with the move and all!

Hey all bloggers out there, I will see you on the other side, from down under...in a couple of months perhaps...

Take care.

Our Family Reunion...

2011-03-18T05:28:00.005+04:00

“Families are like fudge... mostly sweet with a few nuts.”
- Author Unknown

It is almost Skye's Birthday and our parents are coming over for a visit.

Suddenly, his sister calls saying that she had a bargain on a flight for Dubai and can she come over?

Uuh...Duuh! Of course! Great!

Then, Michael gets an idea, you know, where you can actually see the- light bulb right on top of his head- idea...Why not make it a family reunion? Let's tell your brother and sister as well?

So, to cut it short, we are having a family reunion, well almost all the family is coming ...Michael's both parents are coming and his sister, my mother and brother.

My sister won't be able to make it. She is terrified of flying and 5 months pregnant. The doctor advised her otherwise, especially that she already had a miscarriage and that during this pregnancy, she was half the time ill.

Maybe next time sis...Sniff...Sniff...

So now you know why I am blogging since 2:00 A. M. and now it's almost 6:00!!! I am too excited to sleep, haven't had a wink in days.

And to top it all up, I have a kickboxing competition before everyone shows up. I am training, on a strict diet and nervous. I don't sleep when my routine goes topsy turvy!

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.”
- Thomas Jefferson

Washing Machine Trouble...

2011-03-18T05:09:00.004+04:00

I had washing machine trouble this week! It leaked 3 times all over the kitchen floor. Don't know much about technology, but I sure know this isn't right and that something had to be done, especially that it is a less than one year old washing machine.

So I call up the repair men who were quite professional and on time, which was great...enough time for Skye's playdate...

So they both came, inspected the machine inside and out, fiddled here and there, tried a few buttons, then they asked me..."Which washing detergent are you using, Maam'?"

I go to the back of the kitchen where I keep all the detergents and soaps on a high shelf, out of reach from Skye, look the box up and start frowning...

I come back to the guys, I lower my eyes, stare at my toes and fiddle with my fingers. I clear my throat and in a low voice say:"this one...the one that you are supposed to use for older model machines where you load the laundry from the top..." and I cringe.

He says:" Well, you see where your problem is...this is not the right detergent for you. You need to buy the green one for the normal modern machines. You can destroy yours with all that foam coming out."

Duuh! and Double Duuh!

The Things that Skye comes up with...

2011-03-07T15:26:00.004+04:00

"Mum, I have 2 teddies, can I have 2 Olivers, too?"

At 3 o'clock in the morning..."Mum, can you pull my hair away from my ears?"

"Mum, I want to stand and do pipi like Oliver."

"I want to go to a pink shop, not any shop, only a pink shop!"

"No mum, I am not your baby, I am a big girl."

"I am not a girl, I am a boy like Oliver."

Addressing me, she says:" no, this way missy!"

"Mine, mine, mine." (we are still working on sharing...)

"Teddy bumped his head and he needs ice."

At 3 o'clock in the morning..."Mum, can you open my water bottle."

At 3 o'clock in the morning..."I want a cuddle."

Check out this great MSN video: Guy Uses Shark to Surf

2011-02-21T07:33:00.000+04:00

Check out this great MSN video: Guy Uses Shark to Surf

Happy Valentine's Day:

2011-02-14T11:14:00.004+04:00

There is a girl

born just before me

in the desert city of Dubai

I hope she will always be my special girl

my beautiful beautiful Skye

Happy Valentine's Day 2011

Love Olly

Xxxxx

Someone needed a nap today!!!

2011-02-07T17:19:00.003+04:00

I was sitting on the sofa, minding my own business, suddenly, I heard a snoring sound behind me. That was in the afternoon, when she missed her nap and was having a bowl of cereal...ZZzzzzzzzz

New Year Photos...

2011-01-07T09:05:00.006+04:00

We were invited for New year's celebration at our friends' house. Great food and brilliant atmosphere.

The Hosts

Decorating and getting ready for the new year...

Hmm...I hate dressing up for parties....

Happy New Year Everyone.

On the Beach...

2010-12-29T05:06:00.006+04:00

We are spending Christmas holidays on the beach most of the time.

Skye loves the beach, especially when the boys are around. They have so much fun together.

The water is Brrrrrrr, but it is still warm to just sit and relax on the sand...As long as noone comes running with a bucket of cold water at you!!! Other than that,it is relaxing.

Have a warm holiday wherever you are.

My 3rd Christmas with Daddy and Mommy:

2010-12-26T13:12:00.007+04:00

Ooh! Look! What is that???

"Hey! Santa was here!!!" She says. (So cute.)

Ooh! For me??? Really???

Thank you Santa!

Then, later in the afternoon, she checks under the Christmas tree and inside her stockings, asking for more presents!

Christmas Party at our friends' place:

2010-12-26T11:26:00.003+04:00

The lady at the ball.

Ho ho ho!

"Skye not like Santa."She says, but she will take the gifts!

Ooh, look out! Here comes the Polar Express movie. And the room is quiet and still. It is actually so quiet, you could hear them breath.

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

2010-12-26T10:32:00.002+04:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

We love you!!

Hmm...Yummy...

Ice cream cake!

Interesting Art!!!

2010-12-09T13:09:00.000+04:00

Tippi...Incredible...

2010-12-04T06:50:00.007+04:00

This French girl, Tippi, was born in Namibia, in June 1990.
Grew up in the jungles with her parents who are wild life photographers.
They documented her life with the animals. She went back to France @ age 10.

My brother Fadi, the Gigolo...

2010-11-14T15:18:00.003+04:00

I just stumbled upon a fine discovery...A brilliant picture of my handsome brother on his facebook. I never knew you can get polished so well bro... Hahaha.
This picture is brilliant...Miss you.

Husband of The Year Award...

2010-11-14T08:37:00.002+04:00

The honorable mention goes to :
The United Kingdom

followed closely by...
The United States of America

and then...
Poland

but 3rd Place must go to...
Greece

it was very very close but the runner up prize
was awarded to.....
Serbia

but the winner of the husband/partner of the year is...
Ireland!

Ya gotta love the Irish.
The Irish are true romantics.look, he's even
holding her hand...

Guess what the artist used to make this picture???

2010-11-12T00:37:00.002+04:00

An artist needed 3 605 cups of coffee in order to create this portrait of Mona Lisa at Sydney, Australia.
The 3 605 cups of coffee were filled up with different quantity of milk in order to produce the different shades of colours!

It is a shame the name of the artist was never mentioned...

Halloween 2010...

2010-11-03T17:11:00.007+04:00

A friend of ours invited us to a Halloween party. The kids loved it and played all night riding their bikes around and around the big yard. Luckily, we went to a baby market which sold second hand items the day before the party and I managed to find a green motorcycle for her, like the rest of the boys for 50 dhs!

As a two year old toddler, Skye decided not to wear a costume this year and of course no one can force her. So she went as herself, wearing a dress with a party attitude, insisting on having lots of fun...And we all did!

Skye even went to bed at 9:30 which is a first!

There was also a daughter and father pumpking carving competition which Michael and Skye won. They carved a Jack the Winker pumpking with the help of Martha Stewart's arts and crafts ideas over the internet.

You have to know that these 3 boys and Skye have history together. They have known each other since they were born! We actually meet up at least once a week so they can play, fight and share or Not share toys!

Hope everyone had a good Halloween and if you don't like this holiday or you don't celebrate it...well, it is another excuse to have a party and get surrounded by friends, isn't it?

Our pumpkin. What do you think?

The Bikers! Vrrooommm!!!

More Photos from Ireland...

2010-10-27T12:06:00.005+04:00

On a boat, in the river, somewhere in Enniskillen, Ireland.

Ooh, I am too cold...

It is passed my bedtime...Yipee!!

Family Photo...Stunning view and brilliant company...

Where is my food?????

Going downhill with daddy and Marie...

Hello World, from the Mirfields and friends, from Ireland...

These were the chalets where we were staying. There had a a big bench where we had our barbecues and swans and ducks would share our food.

Happy birthday Granny Violet!

On the Right Track...

2010-08-30T07:51:00.003+04:00

The holidays are over, now back to work! We have already introduced the bed for Skye and that was too easy. Yet, sometimes at lunch time, she decides to wander off and not have a nap but we never experienced a problem at night and it has been more than a week.
Next stop, the terrifying POTTY TRAINING!!! Dadaddadum...
We are removing all the carpets on thursday and ditching the nappies.
It might sound silly but I guess it is every parent's nightmare. I guess I am over reacting, and you know what they say? Every child is different and girls are easier to potty train.
Wish us luck! If you lose us over the week end, you know where to find us...At home, mopping floors!
Tata for now.

Great Summer!!!

2010-08-24T07:28:00.007+04:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their summer or still is enjoying it. We are back after a very long break. To keep you up to date, well, we have sold our one bedroom flat where we used to live and moved into a gorgeous villa with lots of space. No more stepping on each other's feet, no more stubbing our toes with the coffee table!
We sold our flat, moved into a rental villa, packed and off we went on holiday, all in one week. So you can imagine the stress level there!

Off we went, Skye and I to Lebanon where you can breath fresh air again and open your windows without being worried about the heat or the humidity. Lebanon was fantastic, spoilt by my mum, sister and brother, family lunches and dinners, enjoying the pool and the sun, lots of scallops and fish, suncream and salty olympic pools! Hurray!

So 3 weeks of being spoilt, we got back to Dubai to pick up our prince charming: Daddy and of course, our winter clothes and in 2 days, we were headed towards England to see the grand-parents. Again, great outdoors and it did not rain much. It never does when we are around. People complain about the lack of rain when we are there. I guess we carry the Dubai weather with us.
Anyways, life was good, quite heavy on the stomach though, we had feasts to fit a king and drank like an army. Skye managed to sit on the back of a horse.

After a week...We were off again, with everyone this time, to Belfast where we met with all the members of Michael's family on his mother side. They are such a big cheerful family which happened to be on holiday, so you can imagine the mood everyone was in. Between the singing, the drinking and the laughter, I manage to catch everyone's names, well I hope I did. Basically, the purpose of this trip was not only to gather all the family from every corner of the globe, but also to surprise Michael's granny on her birthday. So surprise granny! All your children are sitting at one table under the starry night with their own kids as well.
Each family rented a chalet along the river next to each other and we shared most meals together outside while Skye was feeding ducks and swans.

Belfast was marvelously green, a bit cold in the summer but nevertheless magnificient. We did some sight seeing and we found a few surfing beaches. Never without my thick wetsuit I say, the surfers looked freezing blue. Let's say I had 2 layers and a jacket.

We even drove to Dublin for the day, which was fantastic. It is such an overwhelming feeling to see and old city with lots of history again. Of course, we did have "The" pint of Guiness at the Templar bar with some fresh oysters from the sea side and passed by a market. We did not bump into any leprechauns but everytime Skye does something naughty she does blame them though.

After a week of taking family pictures and singing Molly Malone, we went back to England to unbutton our trousers a bit and relax, did a bit of forest mountain biking and some canoeing.
By the end of the week, I got so used to this atmosphere that I could not imagine life anywhere else. So I was in complete shock when we came back home. Our new house feels empty without the massive crowds and cheerful family. We are getting there, settling in and calling people left and right to arrange play dates for Skye and coffee mornings for me. Michael is back to work. And life goes on...

But thank you, thank you everyone for making this summer a very special one. Thank you for all the love you shared and all the warm meals.

The Before and After Photos...

2010-05-28T06:34:00.004+04:00

Some things just never change...There is more than one year time difference in some of those pictures.

My Day at the Hospital...

2010-05-25T03:46:00.002+04:00

I have been experiencing a lot of digestive problems lately, such as bloating and abdominal cramps. So I switched to soy milk. But it did not end here, I could not even digest a small slice of cheese without problems. So I went to see the specialist who suspected a certain bacteria called 'Helico Bacter', and the only way to confirm her diagnosis was to put me to sleep for an endoscopy.
Before I go any further, just wanted to say that I have never been admitted into a hospital never mind being put to sleep. Of course, Skye was born in a hospital but I was never put down to sleep. So you can imagine how I must have felt: Someone so healthy all their lives, never been sick except for the occasional flu, I was so nervous, I had butterflies in my stomach for days, and of course which made matters worse with all the gastric burning and cramps.
Saturday arrived sooner than I expected. Michael stayed with Skye at home babysitting and I got myself admitted for half a day and decided to take a taxi back home.
Everything went well, I woke up so groggy and feeling like I have been hit by a bus. The doctor confirmed the diagnosis and I started on antibiotics straight away. I am still a lactose-free person, I will gradually start having diary products once I feel ready. And good news, no ulcers, nothing serious, not yet, we caught it right on time. This bacteria could cause serious damage to your stomach, between bleeding ulcers and even cancer if left unattended for a very long time.
So, now I feel much better and I don't have any balloons trying to burst out of my belly. No wonder I could not fit into my trousers!

A Must See!!!

2010-05-17T21:24:00.005+04:00

Ron Mueck, an Australian artist has one of these talents which makes you want to grasp for air. I am sure if I were anywhere near his work, I would want a few moments just to catch my breath and let my brain digest what I am actually experiencing. Simply...Majestic...What is more fascinating is that he captures the feeling, whether it is a vacant look or a bit of discomfort, he has it "spot on".

These are some of his sculptures, one of many hyper realistic works made with silicone, acrylic and fiber glass. His parents were toy makers and he used to make sculptures for movies. Now he lives in Great Britain.

Something to Share with the World...

2010-03-24T21:22:00.003+04:00

Skye and I would like to dedicate this to Jazzical Aficionado who just sent us a great birthday dedication. Have a great day!

Some photos to share...

2010-03-24T13:51:00.003+04:00

A new year, a new hair cut, a new you now that you are two!

Happy Birthday Skye, now that you are TWO!

2010-03-24T13:27:00.005+04:00

We decided to have a birthday-picnic at the park which was a great success. The kids loved it with all the slides, the swings and all that space to run around. There was also a big event going on which meant music, bouncy castles and even competitions.
And yes, we cut her hair. She looks like her aunty marie so much. Thank you for everyone's cards and gifts. Thank you for your help and wishes.

March...The Month of Birthdays in our Family...

2010-03-24T13:19:00.002+04:00

We decided to have a BBQ for my birthday on the terrace next to the pool area. So we invited a few friends with their kids. We had lots of fun and my God! ate a lot of food. The chef, Michael was his name, kept grilling more sausages and burgers...he must have been hungry! But they were delicious. Thank you Michael for your hard work.

Baking the Birthday Cake...

2010-03-24T13:16:00.001+04:00

Brilliant Photography...

2010-03-12T20:23:00.004+04:00

Only In Lebanon...

2010-03-03T04:38:00.005+04:00

Kids and Watching Television:

2010-02-27T06:43:00.007+04:00

You know television could be educational and could be harmfull if abused. But I guess in our case, maybe Skye is too young and not ready for it. No, I know she is definitely too young for it.
I have seen it with my own eyes. According to me Tv is a very harmfull tool, Skye has been watching it for a while, then it started to get worse, mind you, she is not even two yet and she keeps asking to watch Barney shows over and over again.

First of all, she loses focus and becomes like a vegetable in front of you. Secondly she does not interact anymore, when her friends visit, she stops playing with them just to watch TV.

Thirdly, she is not imaginative and creative anymore like she used to be, she stopped playing by herself, then at last she gets tired and cranky quite easily, not to mention the constant night wakings.
Lately, TV has been a noise in the background...
Well I have to say... Not anymore, Michael and I have made a decision: banning the tube for a while until she grows up a bit and even then she can watch but with moderation.
Guess what, it has been more than a week now and she is brilliant, happy, more interactive, more playful, she always finds something to do and play with, we spend more time together. I have to admit we are a happier family without the screen switching on to shut us down from each other.
Another proof is I have seen it with one of the children as well. Now I am not sure if some are more sensible than other to Tv or not but I know a 5 year old who is very drawn back on himself, never plays with other kids, is never outdoors and watches more than 5 hours a day. Is it related to watching too much TV? I wonder.
Then again, I know another 5 year old who barely watches a couple of hours a week and is so interactive, happy and hyper.
A coincidence, you tell me...
I mean I tried to watch a few times while Skye was around, comedy series to be on the safe side, no violence or bad language but then Boom! Suddenly out of nowhere, you get a commercial right in the middle of the day and right in the middle of the show about a horror movie or a gruesome violent movie full of blood, what am I supposed to do? Except try and make a giant leap to the remote control to switch it off or change the channel or anything but those images. Watching the news is not better, have you seen the news lately? You know what I mean, so there you are, we will stop watching for while until further notice...

Did you know that children and adolescents spend 22 to 28 hours per week viewing television, more than any other activity except sleeping. By the age of 70 they will have spent 7 to 10 years of their lives watching TV.

It's no secret that sedentary behavior contributes to obesity and chronically poor health. But sedentary behavior, and more specifically television-viewing, is related to blood pressure.
Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TVare more likely to be overweight.
Kids who view violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behavior but also fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them.
You might think we are exaggerating but I don't think so, for now this is what is best for us, until then, we will see, we will cross the bridge when we get to it.

Check out the News!!

2010-02-25T19:51:00.003+04:00

"Part of the vast Dubai Mall has been evacuated after its giant aquarium developed a leak, a police official said today.
The aquarium, one of the largest tanks in the world at 167ft by 66ft, has hundreds of living animals including Sand Tiger sharks and rays.
It is thought to have developed a crack and a witness said people in part of the mall were evacuated."
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1253700/Dubai-Mall-evacuated-cracks-appear-giant-aquarium.html#ixzz0gYzagSxb

A few friends, Skye and I were actually there at the time watching a puppet show. We had no clue what was going on and we did not sense anything unusual until a neighbour of mine called and advised us to leave before people start to panic, just to avoid any stampede in case it happens. And we did.

This Year on my Birthday...

2010-02-19T13:57:00.003+04:00

This year on my birthday, I am rich.

I am rich because I am surrounded by loved ones who genuinely care for me no matter what.

I am rich because I have a roof on top of my head and I am warm.

I am rich because I have food on my table and I am never hungry.

I am rich because I am healthy and strong.

I am rich because I am in love, in love with my husband who adores me.

I am rich because we have an adorable daughter.

I am rich because I have done everything I wanted to do on my list, the 100 things I want to do before I die list.

I am rich because I am just satisfied and grateful with the simple things that I have in this material world of ours.

Dubai Jazz Festival:

2010-02-19T13:47:00.003+04:00

If you happen to be in town...Well, don't just stand there! Just go to the Jazz Festival!!!! Now!

It was brilliant!

Michael and I went on Wednesday with a couple of friends and we partied all night on the best tunes in town. James Taylor and the New Heavies were playing.

Last time I remember having so much fun and dancing all night, was when we first started dating and we would come back home at dawn.

This time, we came home and guess who opened the door along with the babysitter...Yes, Skye was awake. Did she sleep after that? No. She was too worried that we would leave her again with the baby sitter once she fell asleep, so she decided to play it safe and stay awake all night. It took us 2 days to recover, ahh, my head...

The inauguration of Burj Khalifa

2010-01-19T06:24:00.005+04:00

You can find these pictures and many more on the Gulf News website.
The 827-metre Burj Khalifa tower is open to the public. Most of these pictures were taken during the opening night which included fireworks obviously, music , dancers, parachutes, fountain shows and an air balloon.
The firework display which was one of the biggest in the world, declared the opening of Burj Dubai, now renamed as Burj Khalifa. And yes it was night time, I can assure you, but the fireworks were so overwhelming that you would think it was daylight.
The observatory is also open to the public.

2010-01-18T08:24:00.001+04:00

Christmas and New Year...

2010-01-15T22:28:00.005+04:00

It is never too late to wish everyone jolly holidays and filled-up stockings!

Well, anyways, hope you all had great holidays.

Skye was lucky this year, she had all her grandparents for Christmas this year...Michael's parents and my mother.

So we did what every tourist would do on a sunny holiday...Hit the pool and get a wicked sun tan. Even though the holidays got shorter for Michael's parents because of the flight delays and all the snow storms in Europe, they were a few days late but they managed to make it for Christmas!

We have spent the holidays baking, eating then going out to eat then coming back home to eat again! Sounds familiar? Not to mention all the drinking...

Santa showed up on time as usual and brought Skye her first red trike which was the highlight of the season, plus other toys as well. I must admit Skye was spoiled this year by everyone, by all our family members and friends. We thank you so much.

So we decided to go to the beach, see the fountains, the aquarium, go out for a meal a few times, we even found a traditional merry-go-round which Skye loved so much.

Wassim and Caroline Zogheib's Wedding...

2010-01-15T21:52:00.004+04:00

Skye and I got invited to Wassim and Caroline's wedding... my sister's wedding. I must say it was very emotional, quite stunning and we had lots of fun, good company and the mood was very romantic! (Oh yes, and lots of seafood too!)

The fact that Christmas was in the same week made the wedding even more special.
It was a simple wedding between family and friends of around 60 people. The wedding was very enchanting and romantic. Orchids and candles brightened the chapel and the wedding hall.
Caroline had an off white short very modern dress. She looked stunning! Wassim was very handsome in his tieless modern suit.
Wassim and Caroline decided to get married in an old small chapel with a low ceiling and lots of stone arches...I understand why they chose that chapel, it had a lot of character. You can feel the saints breathing down your neck while you were in there. Two adults could not pass through the corridor at the same time. It was tiny and very historic. I believe they have built the town around the chapel and not the other way around.
The romantic couple had only eyes for each other all night, it warmed my heart when they performed their first dance as a married couple. I really wished Michael was with us. He could not come over because of work.
The wedding was a great memory, a great day to remember. I will cherish this memory a lot and I wish all the best to the happily married couple.

National Day Parade:

2009-12-02T21:36:00.010+04:00

Thousands of people waved the national flag and cheered along as giant balloons with pictures of the late Shaikh Zayed, founder of the UAE federation, flew in the sky at the National Day parade at Burj Boulevard in Dubai on Tuesday.

The parade was attended by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and officials from various government departments.

It began with the Dubai Police band playing the national anthem around 4pm. A poem of prominent UAE poet Arif Al Sheikh was recited as nationals performed traditional Yolla dance and mounted police made their way.

People filled the sidewalk and many officials representing the UAE marched down the boulevard.

Officials from Red Crescent, Dubai Civil Defence and universities marched as spectators cheered them along.

Young nationals sang traditional songs and waved the flag in celebration of the nation’s long-lasting unity.

-The Khaleej Times-

Basically, I made some popcorn for Skye and off we went in the stroller to watch the parade. The music was great, all those drums and bag pipes fascinated Skye and me. The boulevard was buzzing with music and people. There were explosions of confettis and fire works.

Skye's New Slippers!!!

2009-12-02T21:26:00.005+04:00

HEY! We are having fun at home being cosy and wearing our slippers...Our new slippers...What do you think?

2009-12-01T08:34:00.001+04:00

International Day at School...

2009-11-27T21:44:00.004+04:00

Skye and I have spent an impressive day at school celebrating International day. The school has arranged a double decker bus outside the school which specialises in entertainment and parties. Next to it was parked an ice cream truck but for some reason Skye does not like ice cream...not yet! There was a pony, a camel and a falcon. The big hall was full of stands filled with food, crafts and bric a bracs of so many countries. We visited the Irish stand and enjoyed their Christmas pudding. I enjoyed the Sushi on the Japanese stand and of course we visited the Lebanese stand to taste their pastries and pies.
All the children were dressed in their country's traditional costume. Skye was wearing a T-shirt that said "Born in UAE" with the UAE flag then at the bottom it said "From" with both flags the Irish and the Lebanese. Michael and I had the idea of painting flags on a white shirt for her the week before and it turned out brilliant.
My favourite part was the Dubai Drums who pushed everyone to play and participate in making music. The place was buzzing with loud drums and music.
So we filled up our bellies and bought a cake, took a few pictures and got offered a big red balloon. In other words, Skye was so over excited she could not settle for her lunch nap but who cares we both had a brilliant time!

Insomnia...

2009-11-23T03:52:00.002+04:00

Can't sleep! This happens to me every time there is something exciting happening! Well December is coming soon and that is enough! Between Christmas and New year celebrations, parents coming in for a visit and my sister's wedding, that is enough to wake a hibernating bear!
Oh, forgot to update you on the latest events. You see, my sister is getting married and that is so exciting. The wedding will take place in Lebanon on the 17th of December and Skye and I are going of course. We will be back on the 21st with my mother on the same flight to spend Christmas with Michael and his parents in Dubai. Other than that, there is Christmas shopping, Christmas cooking and decorating which keeps me awake all night. The solution: it is just writing them down, I make lists for lists, I scribble down all these ideas and empty my head just to sleep a bit before Skye wakes me up at dawn usually. And I thought I was a morning person...I do mornings but I don't do before dawn!

Unusual Day for Cycling.

2009-11-15T19:55:00.004+04:00

Michael is still on holiday so we decided to mountain bike and take a new different route. We took an off road route which led us to a rough terrain, we were getting somewhere or so we thought until we hit soft sand dunes and started to walk instead of cycling. Suddenly, a desert deer hops out, like lightning, it passed just in front of us. Later on, we saw a massive bird of prey, probable a 2 meters falcon we reckon just hovering above us in the sizzling sun, probably waiting for us to drop dead with thirst or something...

Still walking, we spotted a few houses in the distance and we decided it would definitely have a certain road leading us back to civilisation. By the time we reached those houses I managed to ride in a thorn bush hence the flat tire which we needed to fix and we ran out of water as well. This is when the locals stepped in...We asked for water, they gave us coffee and tea, a big sofa and lots of air condition. We told them we had a flat tire, they suggested to send the tire to Satwa to be fixed. But Michael already had taken care of it. We thanked them and off we went finding our way back. On the way back, the sky was filled with king fishers and exotic birds. We saw a snake curling up on the tarmac after being hit by a car....next thing we know we were too close to the Sheikh's palace, I can't believe I suggested to hop over the fence with our bikes to find a road in order to go back, luckily we did not or else the cops would have bounced on us like crazy and helicopters would have swooshed on top of our heads. Finally, we found our way back so we decided to cycle a bit after making only a 5 km progress, including the walk in the desert. So we finally managed to get some exercise and move our butts a bit....

New Pictures...

2009-11-13T22:19:00.005+04:00

Having fun in the park with mum and dad.

Trying some hats on at the store...

AUGUST RUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-11-13T21:58:00.003+04:00

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT YET, IT IS NOT TOO LATE. Just get to your nearest video store and find it! I believe it is the BEST movie I have seen in a long time! It leaves a lump in your throat so watch it now and please pass the tissue box, will you?

The music is just elevating, it lifts you up in the air between the clouds and you never want to come back down again. Some of the pieces are performed by the Guitar God Kaki King. IT IS A MUST SEE.

Sand Twister in Dubai!

2009-11-13T21:43:00.004+04:00

You will not believe it but while driving on the highway, Michael and I spotted a sand twister on a clear still day. We actually stopped the car on the side of the road just to enjoy it. It reminds me of the time I ran away from work or let's just say skipped work to enjoy a lightning storm on the beach with Michael when we first met. That was a storm and a half! Large garbage bins were swooshing across the road, parked cars were sliding off sideways. I found out the next day that the chef where I worked has lost his air condition which flew up in the air and ended up a few blocks away! Now that was a storm, I guess it was probably 2003.

Michael's on Holiday!!!

2009-11-13T21:31:00.003+04:00

Michael decided to take a 2 weeks holiday just to spend it with his family. We are having a great time. We are actually in our own house in Dubai and yet it feels like we are on an extreme surfing cycling holiday!

We actually start our day by dropping Skye at her nursery then we get on our bikes and off we go. We are trying to explore Dubai on our bikes and we found out that it is not the same at all: all the roads have changed and there is a lot of construction sites and yet we ended up finding an extraordinary place with endless stretches of roads and covered with trees everywhere...yes in Dubai.

Then we pick Skye up and end up on the beach with our kitesurf/windsurf gear. We spend all afternoon curling in the waves with Skye and covering each other with sand castles.

Later on, we race home to get ready before the babysitter arrives.

So we end a great day with a romantic date.

A Few New Photos to Share with Everyone...

2009-10-11T16:17:00.005+04:00

Daddy...Daddy is flying!!!

Christmas Photos or maybe Halloween!!!

2009-10-11T16:07:00.003+04:00

Our first try of taking Christmas photos this year was a bit disastrous. Daddy did not blink this time and mummy was looking the right way and yet...Skye kept frowning and frowning and frowning, more like the Grinch stopping Christmas.

We will try again later.

Skye has a cold...

2009-10-11T15:57:00.005+04:00

So, what's new? Well, Skye has a cold and we are trapped indoors doing lots of colouring, playing indoor games and, and, and...watching BARNEY!! Oh, did I say that loud? It is too much to handle, all that singing and dancing and the same episodes over and over again. I mean Barney is fantastic, very educational, don't get me wrong but after 2 weeks of being trapped indoors, your eye starts to blink and you talk in rhymes!

Anyways, Skye is on a new antibiotic, hopefully that will chase her demonic germs away!

Aquathon:

2009-10-05T06:09:00.003+04:00

I decided to participate in the Aquathon race which was a lot of fun. Because it was my first time and I was not sure what to expect, I went for the half Aquathon, but next time I am definitely doing the full one. I ended up 5th in my category.

The Dubai Tri Club organised the first of a series of three Aquathons (swimming and running) at Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa on October 3. The second and third rounds of this event will be held on November 21 and May 1.

A lot of interested runners and swimmers from across the UAE were invited to participate in this unique series of races which are open to all juniors and adults, novices and professionals.

The Half Aquathon was a 400 metres swim followed by a 2.5 kilometres run while the Aquathon proper was an 800 metres swim followed by a five kilometres run.
Both categories also allow for a relay event where one athlete does the swimming leg and another the running.

Spectators and families were welcome to come and cheer but at getting at 5:00 in the morning, Michael and Skye had to cheer for me from their beds.

Fall is Here...

2009-09-22T17:59:00.002+04:00

This is the first day of cooler weather. We actually managed to sit on the balcony for once and not only that, we managed to go to the beach. We thought it would be too hot to meet our friends so we were not dressed for the beach but Skye does not seem to agree because she ran straight in the waves and leaped in the water with her clothes on. The waves were up to her neck! I have no pictures to entertain you though I have been a bit lazy with the camera to be honest. It has been such a lovely windy day and the visibility was stunning. I bet if you could look closer you can actually see Oman. Well, it seemed like that to me, anyways.

1st Day at School...

2009-09-11T06:44:00.006+04:00

To be honest, I actually dreaded Skye's first day at school because I remember how I dropped my sister's to school for her first day...Let's say it was quite dramatic for both of us. She screamed the skies down and I will never forget it, it crushed my heart and shattered it into a million pieces.

When it came to Skye though, she was actually not bad the whole week, astonishingly, except for the last day of the week when it dawned at her and she realised that mommy actually leaves the classroom.

You see, Skye was too preoccupied with all the new toys and the kids around her that she did not even notice me leaving but I guess after a few days she caught up and cried a bit not dramatically but it still made me feel sad.

Skye's school is phenomenal, so organised and well maintained. Teachers have quite an interesting and busy curriculum and they keep you posted as well. It is a very colourful nursery, full of activities and toys. Every time you walk in, you can hear music, you can see painting and kids' smiles on their face.

The first week, Skye went for 2 hours only everyday so she can get used to it. Meanwhile, I escaped to the gym. Once she 's settled she will be going 3 days a week for approximately 4 and a half hours.

The teacher was quite impressed with her appetite and laughed at her 'oh la la' expressions.

Have you been on the Metro?

2009-09-11T06:21:00.005+04:00

Yes, Dubai skies lit up last night for the launch of a futuristic metro on the 9-9-2009.

They say it is one of the cheapest metros yet and the longest automated system in the world with Wi-Fi, air conditioning and fancy compartments.

I personally have not tried it yet but I have seen it. It has over 29 stations.

I am not sure if a lot of people will ride it especially when the stations are so far from each other, when the price of a tank is around 25 cents and when most people have cars if not fancy ones. I know if I were rich I would not park my Maserati and ride it everyday. But I know some of my friends are going for a ride this week end just to see it and try it. It sounds a bit daft though...

'What are you doing this week-end?'

'Oh, not much, just thought I will go for a metro ride.'

Hmm...

We Are Back!

2009-08-21T13:45:00.016+04:00

At last, we are back! What a summer!

I am not sure where to start! Hope you all had a great summer too.

Well, let's see, we started off by visiting family in the U.K.

Then Michael left for a kitesurfing holiday with his friend to Egypt while I continued to Lebanon with Skye to visit my own family. We were supposed to stay there for 2 months, but we could not stay apart for that long. So, we decided to book an earlier flight to come home.

Once back home, we came straight into a new place because obviously our flat has been completed, therefore we moved into it straight away. There were times when I got up in the middle of the night wondering where I was. We were worried about Skye adapting to all this change, travelling and moving around, but guess what? She is just fine and I would even go as much to say that it was even good for her. Skye has learned so many things this summer, it is unbelievable.

Summertime in the U.K. is just gorgeous, we really enjoyed our time, between walking the dog in open fields and checking out the horses. It is just so different from where we are living. And as always, we get spoiled by good food and great company from the Mirfields. Skye enjoyed walking with her grandad who was proud showing her off to his mates in the village. Granny was just very caring and confident with Skye... as if she has done this before... Anyways, she makes it all look so easy which gives you your confidence back and that we are actually doing a not so bad job. Granny Violet who showered Skye with hugs and toys was so thrilled to meet her, actually, for the first time and Marie, who popped down all the way from Scotland for a visit and with whom we had lots of fun with her great new man. Paddy, on the other hand, was also pleased to share his rug with Skye but drew the line at his fake bone.

Once in Lebanon, it is the other side of the family, again spoiling Skye with kisses and hugs. Here, there are no open fields where we live but lots of ocean and swimming pools which is a great balance between both holidays. The weather was just magnificient, quite windy, fresh and crispy. Skye learned to imitate her Teta by saying 'Oh la la'. Fadi taught her how to bark and shake hands and Caroline taught her how to squeeze so hard when hugging. All in all, it was a great experience.

Once back in Dubai, we walked in into a new flat full of mountains of boxes...

Maintenance work is done at this point that is why I am able to take care of my blog a bit after neglecting it for so long, but the internet connection took a while as well.

So here we are back in Dubai, all settled in , no more boxes lying around the house, and Michael has done a great job painting the walls with very beautiful crispy colours, orange, blue and yellow.

Skye's room is very pretty and child friendly, she always has a smile when we return home from somewhere. It is full of butterflies and flowers.

We were all sick last week with a cold, nothing major and the time before that we had a few sleepless nights with Skye teething, her molars are coming out and they say that is the most painful part of teething!

Anyways back to normal now and hopefully once Skye is 100% better we will start going to the pool. We did not have any neighbours for a whole month, so we were playing ball outside the corridor, now people are moving in and we have to be a bit quieter.

We met new neighbours with kids' Skye's age. New friends for mommy, daddy and Skye...

Skye will start nursery soon, 3 times a week, it is good for her to be around kids her age and I am sure it is good for me as well . Our baby sitter/maid left the country for good so we are searching for someone to baby sit every 2 to 3 weeks so Michael and I can be able to go out for the night.

Skye is feeding herself now, the place looks like a bomb site but it is cute and she is learning....Sometimes I wish a had a garden with a dog who would lick all the food and I don't have to clean after her! Well we are happy and missing everyone, we still have the holiday blues once in a while.

Skye is asleep now but she 's about to get up so I should get ready with her majesty's milk.

Completion of our Flat!

2009-05-16T18:27:00.004+04:00

Hallelujah! Our flat is ready! We will move in July, looking forward to it, to be back in Dubai and see all the old places where we used to hang out, looking forward to seeing our old friends.

Our flat is in central town with a fantastic view. It has large windows everywhere instead of walls and a great pool, not to mention the squash courts and the few gyms. Looking foward to it.

But first we are going on a summer holiday to visit family, here and there, so take care and have a great summer!

Photographs by Clark Little...

2009-05-10T00:55:00.004+04:00

At the Beach on a Stormy Day....

2009-05-07T01:50:00.002+04:00

Happy Easter Everyone!

2009-04-13T08:35:00.006+04:00

Happy Easter Everyone!!

We celebrated Easter with a few friends, some great people put a lot of work organising lots of activities for the kids;

from a cookie decorating and frosting area...

to a crafting and decorating your own egg basket area...

not to forget the final egg hunt at the end which got all the kids running around laughing!

Just Having Fun...A Lot of Fun...

2009-03-29T13:11:00.003+04:00

Look Who is One!

2009-03-21T09:17:00.014+04:00

In just one year, our love for you grew, to one for all time, that none could undo. From Dad

Joyeux Anniversaire joli papillon. De Maman

She is one today. What a day! The excitement started 10 minutes before the party...She actually decided to make her first step! Michael and I both looked at each other with a massive grin on our face!

Daddy...Our hero.

Hmm, yummy, her first taste of chocolate cake.

A rainbow cake for a colourful little butterfly.

One, two, three...Blow...

Skye received so many wonderful gifts, thank you all, from pretty dresses to home made cookies and hand knitted clothes, to books, toys and a hilarious funny red stuffed toy camel dressed in a devil. Then, you can imagine the rest: a room full of balloons and cakes, oh, and yes, I almost forgot to mention the screaming children hooked on sugar and sweets. Everyone had fun. Wish you were here.

Sleep Walk...

2009-03-18T19:35:00.002+04:00

Bad Day at Work:

2009-03-10T04:44:00.004+04:00

If you think you've had a bad day...Think again!