50th Girls Night

In the middle of our working week, a few of us at work were invited to celebrate our dear friend Termy's 50th birthday, on a plain Thursday night down at Siddharta Lounge in Yas Bay.

The evening was anything but plain. Termy had invited only ladies, and the dress code was black and white, and CHIC. 

Everyone was dressed to the nines, and looked absolutely fab! 
Here are some of my favourite colleagues:

The food was super, the sparkling wine was flowing, the music made us dance and we all had a great evening in great company. 

Thank you Termy, and happy 50th!

Mormor's birthday

I continued my trip by flying across to Sweden to go visit my parents. I landed at Landvetter and they came to pick me up. We then went to Alingsås to pick up Lucas, who had taken the train up from Copenhagen the same morning.

We came just in time for Mormor’s birthday! Hip Hourray!

 

We ended the day with a beautiful double rainbow!

It's great when Lucas comes to visit. Because he is so tall, he can be helpful in so many ways!

 

And, he turned out to be just the perfect height for Elicia, being able to pass clear between his legs, to play peek-a-boo!

Happy Birthday Pia!

I arrived to a sunny and nice Skåne to celebrate the birthday of my good friend Pia. I haven't been able to spend her day with her previously since it falls during term time, but with no more school kids to consider - here I was!

She was working half day for her birthday so I spent the morning by myself having a browse around the shops in central Malmö for a change (we normally go to the big shopping center Emporia when I pass through).

When she had finished work we met up so I could treat her to birthday lunch. We were able to sit outside, and had Swedish meatballs for lunch, om nom nom!

Then it was time for her birthday gift, I had booked us both in for facial treatments. This is right after, feeling very very relaxed.

In the evening we had dinner with the family and it was time for Pia to open the rest of her gifts.

 

And we ended the night with devouring "Malmö's best semla" for dessert, as decided by Tik-Tok. I googled, and these apparently were the winners. They sure were yummy, but the ones from Bageriet in London still came out on top if you ask me..!

The 21st gift

So Nathan and I redeemed ourselves a bit this weekend, as Nathan went up to Copenhagen to hang out with Lucas and Thomas. He took him into town to get him his birthday present from us, and as it was his 21st - it was a big present..!

Lucas has wished for the big Millenium Falcon™ LEGO set forever, and he must have thought it was a completely unattainable wish - he got tears as he got to pick it out from the shop..!
First they just went to look in the shop..:

 

 Then he was told we would get it for him:

A very surprised - and very happy birthday boy! Sad I wasn't there to share this moment with them, but it is what it is.

As the 21st birthday is special for the Kiwis, Nathan himself got a very nice watch from his parents when he turned 21. A watch that he still uses for nice occasions, it's one of his most priced possessions by far. He did initially want to get Lucas a watch as well for his big day, but we finally reckoned he would be - at this time in his life - more happy for this LEGO set, ha ha!
There will come more special birthdays!

Lucas' 21st

In a different continent and time zone, someone else also celebrated his birthday - TWENTY-ONE!
Lucas got woken up as per Danish tradition with singing and flag waving, by his Danish family. They then had breakfast together and he got some gifts, before he was off to Uni for the day.

In the evening the whole clan had gathered for a steak dinner so we only managed to speak with him very briefly when we came back from our dinner. It didn't really suit with the time difference, as he was in the middle of his dinner when we were about to go to bed.

Turning 21 is really only meaningful for him here in the UAE, as you have to be 21 to drink here. Lucas is already looking forward to his next visit, when he will not be our designated driver going to Craft..!

Even if it doesn't mean anything in Scandinavia to turn 21, in Nathan's tradition this is a big one. We admittedly dropped the ball on his gift and didn't get it sorted in time, so he will get it on the weekend when Nathan turns up in Copenhagen. Stretching the celebrations!

Happy Birthday to me!

My first birthday without both the kids... I have to admit, it was a bit weird. But Nathan sure stepped up and went and got tons of balloons (as you know, celebrations demand balloons!), and a card - his gift I will have to go and get myself.

Linnea had left me a card and a gift in preparation though, so I had something to open! It was a round wooden tray that I had liked in passing. She must have been listening!

Nathan also organised pancake breakfast, with eggs and bacon, artisan croissants and - Will and Tash, who also brought me birthday gifts! I'm a lucky girl!

I got my own little pink balloon dog sculpture, and an Andy Warhol puzzle!

We didn't do much for the rest of the day, until evening time when Will and Tash accompanied us for birthday dinner over at Yas Bay.
We had booked a table at Asia Asia, always a safe bet, and sure thing - it was so so good!

Pornstar Martini and Processo, dumplings and sushi, salmon tempura and blackened cod, mmm!

And even a happy birthday wish on a dessert plate for me!

 

In the meantime

While we were away having a good time in Lisbon, my cousin Johan and his family were having a good time in Abu Dhabi!
Because of changes in Nathan's schedule and our trip to Lisbon happening earlier than initially planned, we only ended up overlapping with one day before we left. Ah well, we made the most out of that day!

Then they stayed in our apartment, which meant they had access to the pool and the beach; even some old toys and Swedish books; and could cook their own food some days, which made their holiday easier.

Johan and Beatrice have been to visit us twice before in our old house, but that was many years ago. This time it was with the addition of Ralph, so their choice of activities were slightly different.
They went to the National Aquarium, to the desert to ride camels, and to the Louvre Abu Dhabi to explore the Children's Museum, amongst many other things.

It was also Bea's birthday, which got celebrated on the beach! Happy Birthday!

Next time you come, we promise to be home!

Birthday Queen

Linnea's birthday celebrations had to start at midnight this year, as Nathan was going to NY that same night and the taxi was ordered for 12.30 am... So she got to open one present before going to bed, her big present, some new Apple Airpods Max headphones. She was very happy, they have been on her wishlist for quite some time, but we wanted to wait until the new model was out.

So on her actual birthday morning, it was only me singing to wake her up - but there was balloons and gifts of course, as there should be!
Being a big girl, the gifts are getting fewer. Apart from the new headphones, she also received a Charlotte Tilbury perfume, a calendar to keep in her new room, the newest SIMS-pack just released and some money. Both Auntie Nikki and Mormor and Morfar had also sent her some money, so now she is all set to go on fun adventures in England.

She didn't want pancakes for breakfast but had asked for Cinnabon, so that's what we had! A sweet way to start the day!

We went to her favourite PF Changs for lunch, as she needed to visit the mall one last time, and then home to relax a bit before we went out birthday dinner.

She had chosen the Mexican restaurant Barbossa in Yas Bay.

She invited her best friends Sadie and Mia. Mia is still in school here but Sadie is now in the Netherlands for Uni; luckily she had flown in that very morning for her midterm break. Good timing!

Even though we had informed the restaurant when booking, AND had birthday balloons all round our table, unfortunately they didn't really come through with any candles or anything in the dessert (very disappointing), so we didn't get to sing to her at dinner.

Problem solved - once we were home, we added some candles to the late-night S'mores snack, so she got to blow them out and make her wish; and get a big hip hourrah, and a 'Happy Birthday'-serenade!

Our sweet girl, she just loves her birthday... just like every year, she gave me a big cuddle and whispered "Thank you, this was the best birthday ever"..!
I'm so glad I got to spend it with her!