Dani's Swim Meet

We didn't get to go to Dani's meet, party because it was in Abu Dhabi and party because I was at the breast cancer walk and Elle was home with a cut foot. None the less Dani did a great job!

Breast Cancer Walk

We were planned on walking as a family, but it turned out that Dani had a swim meet and Elle cut her foot last night so I went alone - well not alone cuz we took 7 buses from DAA. We have 249 participants from our school - awesome!


This is me, Ingrid, Parisa and Mia

Halloween

Halloween! I volunteered all day long, it was exhausting, but a blast all the same. Started out at the elementary parade, then teaching origami to 6 fourth grade classes, then over to the middle school, then back to the elementary for the pumpkin patch.


Elle, me and Dani before we left for school. Dani and some of her friends.


Elle's class and their origami bats


Elle's class

Parent Teacher Student Swim Meet

Dani is on the middle school swim team this year. Go Dani! Each year they do a fun swim meet with the parents, teachers and students. Teams are made of a mix of each and compete in regular swim races as well as silly races. Larry and Dani both participated. Their team came in 3rd. The middle school principal and Dani's math teacher were also on their team. After the meet we had a great potluck lunch. Fun was had by all!

Awe... a nice father and daughter shot. :)

Larry racing the last lap of a relay using flippers - I think he cheated! hahaha

Dani swimming a relay where racers had to wear a T-shirt, take it off and the next racer had to put it on before entering the water.

Dani and Larry's behind as they jump into the water for their last event - a synchronized cannon ball jump.

Do they ever shut up on your planet?

I am sitting in the living room, watching TV, catching up on facebook and I can hear Dani in the kitchen talking to herself in an Indian accent - of course because speaking American English would be too boring. She is saying out loud everything that she is doing... I get bowl, I put down bowl, I get cereal... blah, blah, blah. I swear the child never shuts up from the time that she wakes up until she goes to bed. A few years ago Larry bought Dani a sticker for her ski helmet that say "Do they ever shut up on your planet?" So appropriate for Dani! Ya know I love ya honey...

Paper Mache in Elle's Class

Today I helped in Elle's class with a paper mache project. The kids got very messy, but it was a ton of fun. The kids were making globes for a social studies project. I'll keep you posted on the final product.

Decorating for Halloween

This is what I have been working on this week... fun stuff!

Decorations at the elementary


Elle's classroom door (yes, I did that too)

The middle school hallway

The pumpkin patch in the elementary

Dani's trip to the store

A new grocery store opened up about 4 blocks from our villa. It's small, but great for getting those quick things. Dani had to work a science project for school and needed corn starch. So I asked her if she wanted to go to the store and get some. She decided to take her scooter so that it would be faster. She walked into the store with scotter in hand and a store attendant told her "No scooter allowed." Dani explained that if she left it outside it might get stolen (probably wouldn't happen in Dubai, but still). So the guy said, "Ok, bring here, I watch it." Now of course think of Dani telling me this store in her very best Indian accent. She proceeds to walk in the store and the guy leaves the scooter. Dani says, "I thought you were going to watch it." "Ok, ok, I watch it."

Then little miss assertive asks another grocery store worker, "Where can I find corn starch." "Corn?" "No, corn starch." "Corn flour?" "No, corn starch." "We not sell." Then Dani remembers that I told her she could find it in the baking section. "Is there a baking section?" "Yes." "Where?" Pointing - "There." "Where there, can you show me." "Ok, I show you." "Ah, yes, corn starch we sell!"

So Dani takes the box up to the register. I have her 2 ten dirham bills. The cost was 2.25. She hands the man a 10. He says, "You now want 3 dirham?" Dani says, "Yes, I want my change." "You no want 3 dirham." "Dude, I want my change." "Ok, you buy something else?" "No give me my change."

I so cracked up when Dani told me this story. Just so that you know, coins are not rare here, but they are not used a lot. Giving you 1 dirham as change back is ok, but more than 2 they don't like to do. At a big store, not an issue, but at small stores, it's often a problem.

Vienna

If you haven't been to Vienna, we'd highly recommend it! They have an incredibly efficient public transportation system that is so easy to use. Plus so much is within walking distance.

We stayed at the Hotel Konig von Ungarn, which is the oldest hotel in Vienna. It was really nice! Our "apartment" was 2 stories with the girls room being upstairs. Their beds were built into the wall with curtains on the outside - awesome forts! We saved the best hotel for last. It was less than a block away from St. Stephen's Cathedral.

The first night we walked around St. Stephen's and ate at a local pizza place. We ended up eating a lot of pizza on this trip.

The next day we visited the crypt of St. Stephen's - cuz I dig that kinda stuff. Then we met up with Ronnie and Giuseppe to take in a few sites. The first was Hofburg Palace where we learned about Sissi, Elizabeth of Bavaria and the Habsburg family. Next was the Imperial crypt where over 600 years of Habsburgs are buried. Their bodies are in the Church of St. Mary of Angels, their hearts at another church and intestines at St. Stephens. Later we took in the Belevedere art museum to see The Kiss. Oh and of course we had beer on the street! Love that!!

The next day we went to Shonbrunn palace and gardens where we spent the whole day! We started at the children's park that had a maze, laybrinth and AWESOME play ground. The play ground had this bird that you could sort fly, interesting water devices, all kinds of ingenious play things. We also went to the zoo. It was one of our best days yet, relaxing and outside.

Our last day in Vienna we visited the Albertini art museum and the Spanish riding school to see the Lipizzaner stallions.

The trip was so much fun. Next time we'd all like to see more of Austria. Especially since we watched the Sound of Music before going... gotta see Saltzburg some time.


The stoic, beautiful windmills of Austria... love 'em!

Hotel Konig von Ungarn

We had a different decor, but Dani and Elle's beds looked like this. They loved 'em!

Belvedere art museum and "The Kiss" that is housed there.

Albertina art museum

Hofburg Museum

Spanish riding school