A Day in the Life

A lot of people ask me what our days are like here.  I like to say that it's a lot like our days back home except with a different backdrop!  It's goes a little like this...school starts at 7:50 (same as back home) but we have to leave by 7:15 to get there on time.  It's only 10 miles from our home, but traffic has picked up quite a bit this year, and supposedly there are 100,000+ more vehicles on the road this year than there were last year!  Once I drop off Mason, I try to get a work out in; either at my TRX class, our gym in the apartment complex or go for a jog around Safa Park, which is a 150 acre urban park located in the center of Dubai!

The Winter Carnival racing has started back up at Meydan Racecourse, so Rod is keeping very busy with the Godolphin horses.  All of these races lead up to the grand finale, the Dubai World Cup, which will be on Saturday, March 29th!

The twins have been enjoying this great weather with average temps in the 70's!  It's perfect for playing at the park, swimming in the heated pool, and we've been trying out various music classes!  School gets out at 3:00, and sometimes we stick around for playtime on the playground and football field, or we hurry home so Mason can attend either baseball practice or his boxing/martial arts class.  These classes are intended for Mason, but the twins have just as much fun going to them and playing along the sidelines!  It won't be long before they'll be throwing a fast ball and having a mean left hook!!  Mason also has baseball practice on Fridays with games on Saturdays (the weekends here), so we stay pretty busy over the weekend!

 Cheese!!

 Cash and Erin are practicing their MMA moves with Mason!

 Playing in the water fountain with Liam after our music class 

 We spent a lot of time with our twin girlfriends, Emily & Erin.  We have already arranged marriages between the four of them!  (Don't you love the coordinated outfits: red and blue!  It's meant to be!)

Jake is showing the girls his favorite games on the "Hi-Pad!"

 The hill inside Safa Park and where I try my best to recreate "Montez Mania" and his W.O.D. (Workout of the Day!)

Safa Park with skyline of the world's tallest hotel, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

 Cash says, "Bring it on!"  Lord help us!!!!

 Mason during MMA practice

 The boys get some practice in on the side

 Mason's left jab...

And a right hook!

One of our favorite pastimes is "Face Timing" with family and friends.  Cash took a picture of us chatting with Uncle Chance and cousin Campbell :)

 We spend a lot of our time at the baseball fields, and here are Mason and Giacomo after practice

 Mason, Cash & Jake

 I only thought they were asleep!

Double Trouble!!

 We spent a lovely day at Bab Al Shams, a resort out in the middle of the dessert

A good time was had by all :)

Merry Everything!

It never quite seems like the holidays here in Dubai, but we always try our best!  We've made it an annual tradition to go with friends to the Madinat Jumeriah.  It is beautifully decorated for Christmas with train rides for kids, bounce houses, snow machines, ice skating, snow ball making and a bungee trampoline!  The boys really enjoyed the train rides, but were none too thrilled with Santa, which explains why we didn't get our picture taken with him this year.  Maybe next year!

This year all of the boys were super excited about opening up one present on the night of Christmas Eve.  The twins received toy guns (because we don't have enough of those around here)!  And Mason got a mini NFL football helmet collection!  Needless to say, everyone was happy!!

 Cash's new "cheese" smile!

The boys are ready to go hog hunting!  Too bad we don't have many of those around here!

Christmas morning was super fun this year!  The twins were really excited and understood that Santa Claus was coming and bringing them presents.  Jake was ok with it as long as he didn't have to actually see Santa himself!   After opening up presents, we had some friends over to our place for Christmas lunch.  Caroline introduced me to a website called Room Service Deliveries, and you can choose from over 50 restaurants in Dubai, and they deliver it right to your door.  You can even choose from multiple restaurants and have everything delivered all at once, which is exactly what we did.  A friend brought the turkey, so we ordered beef tenderloin and all the sides, along with a cheese and fruit basket and a few desserts!  It worked out perfect, and I didn't have to slave all day in our bare minimum hotel kitchen!  I later realized that I was too busy trying to be a good hostess, that I completely forgot to take pictures during our lunch, nor did I take any family photos!  One of these days, I'll get it all together!!

 The boys waking up to all the Christmas goodies!

 Jake got a blue scooter

 Cash got a red one

 Mason was thrilled to get a new baseball helmet

 And Cash was thrilled to wear it into battle

 They were not too sure about the Talking Ben dog

So they decided to shoot him down!

 Brothers Unite!

 Christmas morning is not complete without one of Cash's meltdowns! ha!

 Enjoying their Christmas dinner with Erin and Emily

 Sweet Baby Eva was a trooper and slept through most of it!

 Followed by a game of dodge ball in the hallway!

 I'm sure our neighbors must love us!  Good thing our friends Emily and Erin are one of our neighbors!

Our little Christmas tree!  I sure do miss all of our decorations back home!

New Year's Eve is always a lot of fun here in Dubai, because we have an amazing view of the Burj Khalifa right outside our window.  We had a pre-celebration with the kids, popcorn and juice, followed by a dinner at friends house with bubbly and watching of the fireworks.  It never gets old!

 Cash & Jake with their buddy Liam

 This cheeky monkey was more interested in his own photo shoot!  Lord Help Me!

 These two are thick as thieves! 

 Burj Khalifa fireworks!

Front pages of local newspapers.  No idea what it says, but loved the photos!

We were blessed with beautiful weather on New Year's Day, so we enjoyed the day at the pool!  This really isn't such a bad place to spend part of our year ;)

 Cash loves Mason's Aggie cap

 Emily & Erin

 Baby Eva

 Mason & Cash

Cash & Jake taking a break from swimming