This weekend I'm in Dubai with Gem and BAAAAAARB-ARA.

#girlsweekend
#girlsweekendwithoutthegirls
#what!!!!

It's been fun.  Not a single panic attack has been had.  At least none that appear on the outside and therefore require admission ;)  Here are some pictures of our trip:

At the airport and no child attached.  I felt totally useless.  HA!

Phil surprised me with a magazine for the plane.  I haven't read a magazine in WHO KNOWS HOW LONG.  We played a lot of "who wore it better" on the plane...

We also did a science experiment aboard the aircraft.  Three cheers for SCIENCE!

Spending some time by the tallest building in the world.  I wish Nory was there to see it!  I can hear her sweet little "ohhhh!!!!" just thinking about it :)

We like to conceal our nationality.  NOTTTTTTT!!!!

I love the bookstore at the Dubai Mall.  It was the one thing I REALLY, REALLY wanted to do this weekend.  I found this purse-sized colouring book AND some new books for the girls!!!!

I was also on the hunt for this nail polish.  It makes the white parts whiter and the pink parts pinker.  Kuwait has yet to receive a shipment and Dubai was three bottles away from being SOLD OUT!  HIP, HIP!

The Dubai Fountains never get old.  Can you spot the Burj Khalifa's reflection?!

This just in.  I MIGHT have pulled a muscle after seeing the breaking news story on People.com.  KATE IS IN LABOUR, you guys!  THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY!!!!!!!!!

The weekend has been SO RELAXING!  We've been hanging out at the hotel all morning (#starwoodpreferredguests) and I'm about to hop in the shower before packing up to head home.  As fun as it has been, I can't wait to see my three favourites back in Kuwait!!! 

There's nothing like a PANCAKE TUESDAY to bring you back to the blogging world....

Almost four delicious blueberry pancakes later and I am here!  It seems to me that a spontaneous breakfast-dinner at the IHOP is just what the writer's block doctor ordered ;)

So many options!

But wait!  I'm lying to you.  I haven't so much had writer's block, actually.  It's more-so been a giant desire to spend every single moment with Phil and Nory.  I missed them while I was gone and there's only so many missed bath-times and sing-along's a girl can take....

Anyways, HELLO to you all.  The rest of my time in Dubai was fantastic.  I spent Friday doing everything I don't so much do anymore.  I stayed in bed until the word "pathetic" came to mind.  I googled "best celebrity instagram accounts" to follow.  I finished several HOT CUPS OF TEA (HOT ONES, PEOPLE!).  I sat down for the duration of every meal.  I went for a beautiful walk through Germany (on the treadmill, but still!).  I took a shower without that mommy-paranoia that my baby was crying her eyes out.  I never ONCE switched to Disney Junior on the tv (I cannot make the same claim regarding the Disney Channel itself).  I blogged without interruption.  I started a book and finished it that same day.  I went dancing in the evening and even had some of the cold stuff!  I really embraced the Mama-On-Vacation thing.  It was good for the soul. 

My sister and I had a fun time together.  Saying goodbye was tough, but I have a feeling that saying goodbye will be much easier for me next year.  You know, when she goes back to her apartment that's only 20 minutes away from mine..... 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!  She is MOVING TO KUWAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

A Thanksgiving turkey has already been promised.  As have hours of free babysitting, right Auntie Dana?!  Haha.  (I'm only serious about the turkey.  I promise you it was a legitimate promise.  From her!)

Well, it's hump day here and we couldn't be happier.  The first week back after a holiday is always a bit challenging.  The good news is that we will be on ANOTHER holiday one month from today.  YIPPEE!

Sending warm hugs to those freezing in Canada!  (Likely ALL of you!)
XOXO

LENNOX @ ATLANTIS!

So - I have a fear of anything that moves unpredictably.  A prime example would be birds, but things of the sea are also included in this "sporadic action" category.  Fish.  Crabs.  Water snakes.  And dolphins.  Yes, dolphins.

I have always thought that dolphins are darling from afar, but to actually be IN THE WATER with them?  NO THANK YOU.  What if they touch me?  Want to play with me?  Bite me?  Or eat me?  Gah......I'd rather be sentenced to a lifetime of adult cat sitting (the un-cute kind of cat sitting).

Anyways, when we booked our trip to Dubai I thought it was time to face this dolphin fear of mine.  People always tell me that dolphins are "the puppy dog of the ocean" and I thought it was time to trust their word and book a playdate.  And so we did.  At Atlantis.  Somewhere almost as magical is Disney.

Here are some pictures from the nerve-racking, fear-fighting morning of ours:   

TA-DA! Our destination!  My stomach was full of nerves as soon as we pulled up!

On the ceiling inside Atlantis.  SO CAPTIVATING!  I could have stared at this all day long (and I swear some people did!).  Check it out - it is unpredictable creations in freeze frame! 

Phil getting romantic with Lennox.  This was one long SMOOCH I tell ya!

Playing sports with Lennox.  You can see that once I saw other people interact with him (and survive), I loosened up and LOVED HIM!

GO MOVEMENT STUDIES!

Group hug!  HOORAY to a successful DAY of fear-fighting!

But wait!  Phil hadn't faced a fear yet!  We had to stop at the most scary water slide ever:  THE LEAP OF FAITH!

Good Times Friday.

Although our trip to Dubai was reduced to four people (instead of five!), we managed to get over our heartache and enjoy ourselves for the weekend.

Here are some stand-out thoughts and moments from day one:

*  Starbucks is now open in the Kuwait airport - in the gate area!  (A big deal if you experienced things pre-Starbucks).

*  Getting a visa upon arrival was SUPER EASY and QUICK!  The staff at the Dubai airport were wonderful :)

*  Ramada Downtown gets two thumbs up for amenities and location.  Our room was set up like an apartment and we had a spectacular view of the Dubai fountains!  We were also within walking distance to the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar.

*  Back to the Burj Khalifa.  It is the TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD.  And MAYBE I will admit to NOT SEEING IT from our hotel window.........

*  The Dubai Mall is MASSIVE.  Besides having lots of stores, there is so much to see and do!  Not far from it is the Souk Al Bahar, where the shopping and eating can continue.

The Ice Rink

The Aquarium (and Guinness World Record's Largest Piece of Acrylic Panel in the World)!

*  TIM HORTON'S.  WE FOUND ONE.  IN DUBAI.  BLISS!!!!!!

*  Sipping on tea and watching water dance up and down is quite relaxing.  Especially when there are three others there to "ohhhh" and "ahhhhh" with you!

*  Brace yourselves - Phil and I stayed up until 11 p.m. this evening, all for the sake of a night time ride "to the top".  That's right - we were strolling around on floor 124 of the Burj Khalifa about two hours after bedtime!  Sarge too!  GO US!

A memorable day one, yes?  Wait until you hear about what we did on Saturday!!!! Let's just say some fears were FACED!