So, September?

So, I made it through September.
It's actually rather remarkable how different my mood is now, compared to just a few weeks ago. It's all for the better, luckily.

September was rather quiet with not much going on. I did try to keep busy, but it was slow, yes.
One of the good things that happened was getting contacted through the blog by a lady who is about to move to Abu Dhabi and was coming over for a bit of a rekkie. She wondered if she could invite me for lunch, in exchange for picking my brain about a few things regarding the move and life here in the sandpit. But of course!
I did warn her though, that I'm not exactly my most upbeat self in September, and probably wouldn't sell it all too well right now, ha ha! But we had a lovely lunch, and even met up one more time during her stay to go to the beach together, she was super nice, maybe a new friend in the making!

Apart from that we not much else happened during September. I voted, we celebrated Nathan's birthday and hosted a Margarita party, and I met some of the Swedish girls for some fika. Linnea went to a birthday party, and Lucas had his friend Edy from Melbourne over for a sleepover. Edy and his mum Cath were here on holiday for a week, it was great catching up again.

But that was September, and now we are looking forward, to nicer temperatures, to getting to work, to extra-curricular activities starting up and to lots of visitors! Wii-hoo!

Hip hourray!

Yesterday it was Nathans birthday but unfortunately he didn't get his morning celebration as per tradition. Reason being Lucas has started the school rugby practice this week, and it's two days a week BEFORE school (..!), so Lucas and I got up at 05.40... That was a bit early to wake Daddy!

Nathan and I celebrated on our own while the kids were at school, with a yummy café visit:

So celebrations got a bit delayed, we sang for Daddy and gave him his presents once the kids got home from school instead. Just two small gifts, as there is also a new bike arriving...

Linnea made a yummy cake which we enjoyed after dinner - Happy Birthday!!

Margarita Night

We had a Margarita Night planned with our neighbours before the summer, but it had to be canceled last minute due to roster changes. We rescheduled it for after the holidays and by the time it finally came around last night, the party had grown and we were about 20 people enjoying some delicious margaritas.

It took some serious preparations, Nathan did all the peeling..:

I set up my Margarita station by my magic machine, the Thermomix sure was the star of the night. We had stepped up our Margarita game, by getting a glass rimmer!

Nathan and I had done some serious research and boiled all the different drinks down to five kinds of Margaritas: Classic Lemon Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, Spicy Orange Margarita, Mango-Jalapeno Margarita and Carribean Margarita.

It was a great night with Margaritas and some snacks, also done in the Thermomix of course; like some salsa, guacamole, roasted pepper dip, date dip and much more.

The best parties are always ending up in the kitchen..:

Cheers!

Teenage alert

It's still really hot and humid here in the sandpit, and September feels dreary and long. It's a perfect time of the year for indoor projects, so last week I started another one.
We've lived in this same house 4 1/2 years, and even though we did rather well furnishing it spot on back when we moved in, it's been a while and the kids have certainly grown up. We have moved around a few things in their rooms already, replaced their smaller desks etc, but now it was time for Linnea to get another upgrade - to a more "teenagy" room.

Inspired by her friends in Bunkeflo, she wanted a vanity similar to theirs in her room. Not really a necessity, as all bedrooms in our villa have their own bathrooms, but then again, the rooms are super spacious. I had a plan to sort out and get rid of some of her toys and make her room a bit more grown-up anyway, so why not.

It took three trips to IKEA and ACE (first I got the wrong mirror, then we also needed screws and plugs as they are not included in the packages here in the UAE), before we were done, and quite some effort from Nathan - but it turned out really well in the end. Have a look:

Linnea got really happy with the result, and it didn't take long before it was all kitted out with all her little things. The room sure feels ready for the next teenager in the house now!

Starting up the year with SWEA

I've joined two coffee mornings this week, with the ladies from SWEA, both in Dubai and here in Abu Dhabi. SWEA is a global network with about 7500 members in over 30 countries. Here in the Middle East we are about 130 members, most living in Dubai.

Actually there was about 50 of us having breakfast together at the lush Hamptons Café the other day. Super surroundings, and the most yummy breakfast. It was really nice, and I talked to quite a few of the newly arrived/joined SWEA girls.

Here in Abu Dhabi there are not so many of us, but an unusually large group met for coffee this morning, in a kitchy café in the city. Felt a bit like sitting in a dolls house!

Now I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of fun activities will be organised for us all this year, and hoping I'll be able to take part a bit more.

Bring it on 2018-2019

I realized today I should probably have been IN these photos with the kids all these years, or at least have taken the photos next to the same door or something else constant, so you could see how they change and grow.

It's hard to tell, but they have both really shot up this summer. Especially Lucas, he has grown about a centimeter every other week the last few months! He's gaining on me, but he's not quite there - yet!

Off they went, kitted in fresh uniforms and both with new haircuts. Linnea decided for quite a change and cut about 15 cm off the other day! Time for Grade 9 and Grade 7. And as at every school start, I left them at school with a lump in my throat - slipping through my fingers all the time...