6 Happy

Heidi was tagged and listed 6 uninteresting things that make her happy. I felt like jumping in as well. I think it's the little things, don't you?

sending and receiving letters and cards, especially with photos
cherry coke
burning satsuma from Body Shop
cupcakes
a clean organized house
coneys

I'm so not surprised that half of this list is food!

Isn't this party garland pretty? This is one of the many things I'd like to learn to make/sew when I start learning this fall and it looks easy peasy. I think one would be pretty hanging in Eleanor's room or perhaps even our dining room :)

Lately

I have been loving....
::lots of swimming with girlie and having matching red toes
::indulging in my first real tan in years (which for me means I'm not ghost white)
::taking naps
::Eleanor continuing to tell me happy birthday almost a week later :)
::making lists--from things we still want to do here to things we need to do moving back into our house in Columbus to books to get at the library when we get home (!)
::reading Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos
::getting back into shape
::reading the ohdeedoh blog - wow

Happy Birthday to Me!

I love birthdays. I really really do. It's hard to believe I'm 33 years old today! Years are zipping by quicker and quicker which is kinda scary but I feel really blessed for all I have. We are heading off for a day in Dubai to celebrate. I'm sure I'll treat myself to a couple things to top off the pretty awesome first ever pedicure I got last week :)

How cute is this birthday celebration candle "kid"!! It's my birthday BUT I have really wanted to get one of these for Eleanor when I saw it last year some time and was inspired to order it this week. I love the idea of getting this candle out year after year for her birthday and love the retro nostalgia of it.

I'm going to make sure to call my Mama today too. Since becoming a mother, I almost feel like this is as much her day as mine. Mom, wish we weren't so far apart, but we'll be home in just over 5 weeks from now! yay!

Happy Father's Day

Hope you all had a good Father's Day. We took Michael to dinner and told him we loved him a million more times than we usually do. Other than that is was a pretty cool low key day spent together.

Since I am thousands of miles away from my dad, we sent "Boppy" an e-card layered with photos and "coupons" redeemable for things like funny stories about camels, lots of hugs and kisses, silly faces, a yummy treat and all the other things we can't wait to do when we see him and our family. We also called him and it was sweet to hear him smiling over the phone lines.

And Michael's dad.... We wish Eleanor could have met you. We love and miss you.

photo found here

A is for Arabia

Yesterday we came across and bought my favorite picture book we have seen here. A is for Arabia written by Julia Johnson and illustrated by Emily Styles is a wonderful picture book to introduce children to Arabia and poetry. From the publisher Stacey International: "This is a journey through Arabia from A to Z, accompanied along the way by charming illustrations and witty rhymes."

It's an excellent introduction to new cultural vocabulary for children and a good remembrance for us of words and memories we have had this year...from the obvious C is for camel, F is for fort, M is for mosque, and S is for souq to lesser known words that have meant something to us like D is for dhow (boat), J is for jebel (mountain), U is for umm (mother), and Y is for "yallah" (one of the few arabic words I know and we use with Eleanor meaning "hurry up," often heard at the playground :) I cannot recommend this book more.

Contradictions

I saw this photo over on blue milk. The Fallen Princess series is an interesting one but this is the image that really hit me. As a feminist there is alot of gender hoo-ha that annoys me with the whole Disney princess stuff especially as I see Eleanor become more and more interested. At the same time there is a pure magic and nostalgia that I feel when I watch Sleeping Beauty or Snow White!

Photographer Dina Goldstein decided to re-imagine their outcomes. "I began to imagine Disney's perfect princesses juxtaposed with real issues that were affecting women around me," she says, "such as illness, addiction and self-image issues." Genius and heartbreaking.

What does happen to those princesses after they marry their prince?

Motherhood is so complex--amazing and beautiful, but major complex.

I love a good tag/meme so thought I would jump on one Katie just did. I agree with her that I like the shorter ones best! Please jump into the mix if you like and let me know.

4 Things I'm Looking Forward To
::returning home to the US in August (I could make a whole list on just this)
::having another baby
::starting book group in late August
::getting my first ever pedicure this week!

4 Things I did Yesterday
::Eleanor and I went swimming - great we've been able to swim 9 months out of the year here
::worked out
::wrote a couple letter home
::hosted friends and their kiddos for dinner

4 Things I wish I Could Do
::win the lottery
::see family that will be visiting in Ohio before we return home
::sew (going to start learning when we get home!)
::get into a good yoga routine

4 TV Shows I Watch
::LOST
::Grey's Anatomy
::Ugly Betty
::What Not to Wear

4 Places I'd Like to Travel
::Italy
::Hawaii
::British Columbia
::NYC (how I have never been there before I have no idea)

4 Places I've Lived
::Cincinnati, Ohio
::London, England (if a summer counts)
::Columbus, Ohio
::Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

And a Quiet Old Lady Who was Whispering "Hush"

Isn't this pretty? I just got it from the amazing etsy shop of Aunty Cookie whose site I have been eyeing for awhile now. I think I will put it up on our finished third floor--a quiet space that is adults-only (not in the sexy way, but in the way of quiet and hush ;) where I'd like to write letters, read, chill on the computer, learn to sew (quilting would be so sweet) and overall chill after a busy full day with kiddos.

Camels!

Today was a real treat. We not only had fun playing over at a friend's but they literally had about a dozen or so camels camped out right in front of their villa! Apparently their landlord is hosting a wedding this week and holding them there for the time being. I got some nice beauty shots of one particular fellow who was friendly and I know Eleanor and her best kiddo friends had fun seeing them.

Here's me being totally naive. When Marisa told me that the camels were there for a wedding I thought, "hmmmm. That's nice...." thinking of them as part of the festivities. Well, sure....but it's the eating part of the festivities! duh. Camels have been used historically and currently as transportation, racing, milking and yes, for their meat. While I have tried camel milk, I'll pass on the camel meat.


We are going to miss Marisa and her family. They are our only American friends (from PA) here and are heading off for the US for the summer in a just few weeks--a month before we head home. I hope we'll be able to join up our families state-side at some point in the next couple years.


I need to post some photos that show Eleanor "smiling" when I ask if she will. It's funny sometimes to see the expressions she makes :)

Book Babble and Singing

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is when Eleanor goes off on her own and starts to read to herself. It's funny listening to her book babble--a pre-literacy skill too didn't you know. I had to grab the camera this morning, as well as take some videos. Her songs also been a favorite thing to record. I don't want to forget how she sings now in that cute toddler voice while it's here.


Her favorite song now is May There Always Be Sunshine by Jim Gill, which we have to sing before we go to bed every night. It's taken from a Russian folk song and after you get the basic chorus you just have kids keep adding the things you'd like there to always be. The first chorus is:

May there always be sunshine; may there always be blue skies; may there always be Mama, may there always be me.

We like to often add books, all kinds of animals, naps, hugs, Dada, family, Grandma, friends.....


Favorite books of girlie right now include: It's My Birthday by Helen Oxenbury (who doesn't love a book where a kiddo and his animal friends bring together incredients to make a cake! I do.), Hamish the Highland Cow by Natalie Russell (gifted to us by our Scottish friends before they left, including a stuffed Hamish himself!) and The Very Quiet Click Beetle by Eric Carle. The book pictured here is What Shall We Do With the Boo Hoo Baby? by Cressida Cowell.

The Towers of Jahli Fort

Just some shots I snapped yesterday when we went for a quick visit to Jahli Fort. It is just around the corner from us situated on the edge of our favorite Jahli Park. I think it's the best fort in town. It was about 110 yesterday though so we only stayed for about half an hour. There is a great information center there though to take a break in the air conditioning.

This fort has several towers and at least one you can go up inside and climb several stories. Eleanor kept calling it a castle and was pretty adament it was a castle and not a fort. Thank you very much.

The Glorious Date

After visiting the Oasis yesterday and marveling with Eleanor over the dates growing in the trees (you also see them on every tree around town, lining all the streets), I wanted to learn a little more about dates and confirm some of what I've heard from people here about them. They are a pretty amazing fruit when you think that they grow as a food in desert oases when almost nothing else does.

1. Dates are of high nutritional value. They are full of calcium, folic acid, potassium, protein, fiber, vitamin b6 and many other vitamins, as well as sugar which makes they taste like candy to me.

2. Dates are incredibly filling. It's amazing how one or two small dates can satiate your hunger. They are apparently used abundantly in the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk especially to open their fast with a date. They are seen to ward off obesity as they are greatly filling and ward off hunger, HOWEVER, these little dates have huge caloric content so they could have the opposite affect if one is not careful ;).

3. Dates are known for great health benefits to include: prevent cancer (Bedouin Arabs show an extremely low incidence rate of cancer), lower obesity, great calcium contributes to strong bones, cures constipation, etc.

4. Dates are attributed to easing child birth (!) as the ripe fruit contains a substance that urges uterine spasms and increases contractions especially in the time of delivery. The article I read talked about the benefits to eat during pregnancy but I've heard from local women that one should not eat them during pregnancy. They are also ideal for breast-feeding mothers.

I will miss eating fresh dates here but I know when we get home I will be able to find dates to buy and this makes me happy. I also think I'll bring a bunch with us home with us as well. All Eleanor has been saying the last couple days is "dates go in my belly" as she points them out to us. :)

information via this website

Three is the Magic Number

I am stealing this post title from a friend's recent post as I have had this song in my head the last several days since she posted. Have you listened to Elizabeth Mitchell? If you have kiddos under 5 and haven't you must must go to the library, get it from Amazon--whatever, it's just too good. I think I would listen to her even if I didn't have a kiddo. Anyway, this song has been in my head and has been a thought of mine lately as I continue to enjoy this year abroad with lots of family time with Michael, girlie and I.

Today we spent part of the late afternoon at Al Ain Oasis. I've blogged about this beautiful place many times but I can't help it. I love to go there. Today was magic for many reasons.

1. The oasis is a cooler place to go during the hotter summer months here. You feel the cool underneath the canopy of date palms and that alone is a reason to visit.

2. The dates have been growing this last month or so and you can see them high up in the trees in all their glory. When we came in September it was the end of the season, so it's neat to see them up there growing away. I never had a date before this year and I have to say I will miss eating fresh dates terribly. They are so good!

Eleanor was fascinated looking up at the dates. She is always asking to eat them.

3. Eleanor digs this place. She must feel like she's in a jungle with trees to climb, brush to bust through, funny curved sticks that become trumpets....

The slanted based palms are the easiest to climb but note to self - flip flops are not the best things to wear when doing so! Watch out! Eleanor thought this was quite funny while I was happy I regained balance and didn't slap our faces down the trunk! yikes!

4. The oasis has an ancient falaj irrigation system. During our very first trip to the oasis in September when we arrived we had a great time splashing and cooling off in the water that was flowing through it. I captured this treasured photo below from that first visit....

...but then ever since this first visit many many months ago, we've barely seen a lick of water, just empty irrigation or occassional water under areas we can't access. Today I heard the water rushing and was so excited to come upon water gushing through an area of the oasis! It was so cooling and wonderful I can't even begin to describe how awesome it was.

5. After almost a year of having my fancy DSLR camera I am STILL learning to use it. It can be downright frustrating some days when I can't get the settings right. Plus toddlers have to be the most challenging subjects to shoot! I could use automatic more but it's not the same quality and I hate flash!

Anyway, today was one of those days when the natural lighting was premo and my camera settings worked out pretty much and there was magic I captured.

So induldge me in this post with many many photos. I can see several of these framed up in our house when we get home (we fly 8 weeks exactly from today!). I love that Eleanor has these photos of this time here in the UAE to look back on when she was a wee one.

The Book of the Week

I wanted to share a great picture book we checked out today at the library-- The Swirling Hijaab by Na'imh bint Robert and Nilesh Mistry. It's a wonderful depiction of a little arab girl playing in many different ways with her mother's hijaab. With a swirl of her hand she uses the hijaab as tent, a ship's sail, tea party, warrior queen's cloak (like this depiction of girl power!), blanket, nomad's baggage, etc. It's a wonderful multicultural book that has been published in 20 dual languages (English always present). This image is the Urdu edition rather than the Arabic edition I have just ordered for home. This will be another great add to our collection for Eleanor to have representing her time here in the Middle East.

The Swirling Hijaab reminds me of a another picture book I love - My Mother's Sari by Sandhya Rao. This is a stunning book as well that is a personal favorite that I highly recommend. From School Libary Journal: "A simple text celebrates a childs connection with her mothers sari, a stretch of cloth that is long like a train and that fills the air with color when I dance and sing. A blue sari is a river; a patterned one is a place to hide with her friends. Best of all, the youngster wraps herself in the vivid cloth because she loves how it makes her dream. The endpapers demonstrate how to wrap the garment. Full-spread illustrations capture the colors and textures of the fabrics and the little girls wide-eyed playfulness and love of her mothers attire."

Catching Up

I haven't been snapping any pictures lately. I went into my folders to see when was the last time and gasped to realize it's been over a month and a half! eeek. How did that happen? So I snapped some of girlie today and thought I would share a few - I'm sure my Mom will appreciate this. Girlie was sick for a few days, so it's extra great to see her eating, smiling, and being silly again.


On a sad note, we said goodbye to a few great friends this past week. This is the time of year many expats start to take off for summer holidays back to their home countries or wherever they fancy to see family and escape the heat. Most friends are leaving end of June, but sadly our little friend Maddy (and baby sis Ailsa) and her mom, Lorraine, took off for Scotland. We will miss them. I promised Lorraine that sometime in the next 10 years (being realistic!) we'll come visit them in Scotland. This is one of the hard things about expat living - saying goodbye on many fronts....


We'll miss you! xx

Hey

So, how are you guys? It's been another blog break over here.....and I realized I haven't even pick up my camera in over a month! Terrible. It has been hot hot here though with temps usually around 105-110 degrees and honestly not alot of outdoor time (and picture snapping) save late afternoons at the pool and the park in the evening. I can't even imagine what the heat is going to be like in a few more weeks.

This weekend, starting today, we are....

--celebrating Michael's birthday
--heading to the beach in Ajman tomorrow morning
--lounging and reading while sunbathing
--eating at our favorite Indian Restaurant, Marsala Craft, on the Al Quasba Canal
--going to the Central Souq in Sharjah
--returning to Al Ain and going for a stroll in the Al Ain Oasis and take some beauty shots of the date palms as the dates are starting to grow plentifully. I'm already thinking how much I am going to miss eating the delicious fresh dates here.

I'm reading a really good book right now - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. The book contains thirteen connected stories -- I loved short stories. What are you reading now? Do you have any short story collections to recommend?

Have a great weekend! xx

Happy Mother's Day!

Of course I am thinking of our Moms today on Mother's Day. This is one of my favorite photos of my Mama with Eleanor taken last August right before we left. I know she is pretty anxious to see girlie again. I love that their hair is the same color here and forgot how much girlie used to squeeze up her whole sweet face when she gave kisses :)

My mom was right there with me and Michael when Eleanor came into the world. It was pretty special having her there. Love you, Mom.

Books! Books! The Book(s) of the Week

Tomorrow we are off for some more beach! But this morning I was doing one of my other favorite things - buying children's books! We go to this great playgroup every week (at the Hilton for those of you researching Al Ain) and I was charged with purchasing a bunch of new books. Yay me! This is an example of when my children's librarian background works in my favor.

Our group is mostly toddlers, although there are plenty of babies and some preschoolers. Here is some of the loot we picked up at our little bookstore that I highly recommend and are the books of the week (early):

For the babies and toddlers:
That's Not My Lion...by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells - for fun, touch, and vocabulary. I love this whole series.



Diggers by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells

For toddlers and up:
How Do Dinosaurs Play With Their Friends by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague - seriously great for toddlers to learn how to share and play well with others :)


Ten in the Meadow by John Butler - a wonderful rhyming hide-and-seek romp!



Star Baby by Ian Whybrow and Jason Cockcroft - very sweet, rhyming, animal sounds...



More pants by Giles Andreae and Nick Sharratt - I don't know if I like this one quite as much as I like the original, but it is pretty fun!

And preschoolers:


Star of the Week by Barney Saltzberg



The Best Chip by Kate Leake - I've never seen this book before. It's very cheeky :)


And the book that Eleanor was most excited about in the pile and I have to agree...


We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury--so fun, great action, and repetition. I think it's fun to see Michael Rosen read it here. It cracks us up. And I think Helen Oxenbury is the bee's knees. Truly.

I've Got Nothin

Man, I felt like a was posting up a frenzy for awhile and lately, not so much. Things have been pretty slow and easy the last few weeks and I admit to taking a nice amount of naps lately which I know I am going to miss once we come home! Ah, naps.

Time is flying. We only have about 12 weeks left. I am trying hard to live in the present - which I am not sure I have actually ever succeeded at save when I was a kid. I am one of those who get all geeked out with planning so I have shot ahead in my mind thinking about the return home, so many things to do, people to see, unpack the house, and several unknowns floating around....

So how are you?

Letter Writers Alliance

I'm surprised that I haven't come across the Letter Writers Alliance or some such group before today. I have a great love of writing and receiving letters and mail, so joining this group is right up my alley. I'm excited and can't wait to get involved, write more letters and even get a pen pal. ha! I haven't had a pen pal since high school french class.

Do you like to write and receive letters?

Thanks, Sarah, for tweeting about this!

Playing Tag

I was tagged this week by the wonderful Amy of the b-line and since I haven't done one for awhile was especially excited to jump into the mix. Thanks, Amy!

What's your current obsession?
This American Life. Have you listened to any episodes before on public radio? A few nights a week Michael and I will turn off all the lights, sit on the couch and just listen. There is something very cool about a good radio program that gets the mind going.

What's your weirdest obsession?
Probably Twitter....but it's been a great way to keep up with people

What are you wearing today?
khakis and tshirt


What makes today special?
jeesh, no pressure! But easily I would say spending time with Eleanor. We spent the morning in the park, had an afternoon of reading and finger painting and just got home from a picnic in the park with the sun setting.

What would you like to learn to do?
I am dying to learn to sew. I would love to be able to make quilts, baby clothes, aprons, etc. I worry that I am not patient enough though and think I'll start again with crochet when I get home.

What's for dinner today?
We had a pizza picnic in the park. One of the nice things we've enjoyed here is so many families enjoy the park in the evening once it starts to get hot (it was 106 today!). It's a really relaxing way to end the day together.


What the last thing you bought?
We were just on holiday in Fujairah (northeaster coast of UAE) and I bought a few souvenirs for friends and family including a hand carved wooden camel, a couple jewelry boxes hand-painted and made out of camel bone (!), and some cute stuffed camels. Are you catching a theme?

What are you listening to right now?
Music-wise I've been listening to David Bowie, Radiohead, Gillian Welch, Feist....nothing new at the moment though. Looking forward to that when we get home as I haven't really been up on new music here.

What's your favorite weather?
I love temperate weather. Fall weather 60s and 70s, partly sunny, crisp.

What's your most challenging goal right now?
Living in the present.

What do you think of the person who tagged you?
Amy is one of my favorite imaginary friends. She has a wonderful blog and I really love how she is involved in the 365 flickr project. I think it's a great way to commit to becoming a better photographer.

If you had a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Paris immediately comes to mind, as I love that city so much, but I think that I'm going to say somewhere beachy. Somewhere maybe in the Caribbean. I have fallen in love with the beach here and would love to be able to spend a few weeks every year at the ocean.


Favorite vacation spot?
Paris. I've been three times and hope to go several times more. It's just so beautiful, romantic...I love all the museums, the cafes, the Seine, and am a sucker for the Eiffel Tower....

What would you like to have in your hands right now?
A book.

What would you like to get rid of?
Student loans! Seriously, they seem to never get any lower. It's annoying. Kids who have their parents pay for their educations generally have no idea how hard it is starting out your young life with that kind of debt. It's definitely a step ahead. Do I sound bitter? :)

What language do you want to learn?
I have studied French although I might say Arabic.

What super power would you like to possess?
I'd love to be able to teleport places (even better to do as a family!) or pause time--you know sleep in later, sneak in a nap....

What's your favorite piece of clothing in your closet?
My dark denim trousers. You can dress them up or down and they are very comfortable. I do need a new pair though.

What's your dream job?
I've had it before when I worked at Columbus Metropolitan Library as a Youth Services Team Leader. I love doing children's librarian work as well as heading up a team. The only thing I would change would be finding one of these gigs that works no evenings or weekends!

If you had $150 now what would you spend it on?
I would like to find a traditional arab teapot and some other items to take home from here.

Do you admire anyone's style?
I admire many people's style, so why no one is coming to mind at the moment is beyond me.

Describe your personal style
I like to dress simply and be comfortable. I wear lots of black. I like a wide leg trouser and fitted top. Classic look. In summer months I love skirts and flip flops though. I definitely have become more of a conservative dresser here for sure.


What are you most proud of?
I'm really proud of having gotten my Master's degree in Library Science. My parents didn't go to college and I think it proves the importance of education and learning in my life. I am also proud of being a librarian and of having done so well in my career at a young age, even though I am away from it at the moment.

And of course, I am proud to be a mother.


What is one of your favorite photographs you've taken?
I love this photo of Eleanor at the Al Ain Palace Museum when we first arrived here.

The rules of the tag--
1. Respond and rework: answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your own invention.
2. Tag 7 other people you would love to learn more about. I chose some personal friends of mine. And they are: Dianna of Thingy Thing, Amanda of Made in a Treehouse, Jessi of Everyday Baby Studios, Cathy of Caterwauling, Katie of The Dundee Writer, and Beth of Getting Monkey Ready to Read.

paris photo credit

Sunday is Library Day! The Book of the Week

I was so happy to be find a favorite book at the library that I had no seen up to this point - Come Along, Daisy by Jane Simmons. I love the Daisy books and highly recommend them as baby and toddler reads. I was glad Eleanor wanted me to read this one over and over.

Proud to be a Librarian

I wanted to share a blog with my librarian friends and those lovers of books and libraries out there, if you aren't already reading it - take a look at A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette. Very funny. I think I can get an even better laugh right now since I am not working in libraries at the moment and it's not my day-to-day reality.

I love returning to this quote by film maker Michael Moore -
"I also really didn't realize the librarians were, you know, such a dangerous group. ... You think they're just sitting at the desk, all quiet and everything. They're like plotting the revolution, man. I wouldn't mess with them."

And this too -
"I'm a librarian, don't make me shush your ass." - unknown

Other librarian/library/bookish blogs I enjoy reading, to name a few -
Love the Liberry/ Shelf Check/ What Adrienne Thinks About That/ Your Neighborhood Librarian/ Librarian.net/ Book Nut/ The Wonderful Pen

Do you have any recommendations??

I couldn't help but add this photo to reinforce the whole sexy librarian thing. It always cracks me up, well, for the most part.

Do Not Disturb

I am reading a mystery novel/ I am collecting my thoughts/ I am contemplating my future/ I am remembering things past/ I am so happy to be in my room/ I am trying to concentrate/ I am enjoying a pastry/ I am being inspired by a book/ I am listening to my music/ I am planning my evening out/ I am watching a great film/ I am thinking about a career change/ I am meditating/ I am reflecting on my decisions/ I am sitting in the lotus position/ I am tasting a glass of wine/ I am enjoying coffee/ I am stimulating my curiosity/ I am writing a love letter/ I am dreaming of a bright tomorrow.

This is what the Do Not Disturb sign had written on it (in english and arabic) from our wonderful stay at Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort in Fujairah over the weekend. I have to admit I liked it so much I snagged it. I don't think they'll mind since we cannot recommend this hotel enough to friends here and those visiting the UAE. Amazing location on a gorgeous private beach on the Indian Ocean with the Hajar Mountains as backdrop. Great staff. Wonderful rooms all with a balcony overlooking the ocean. Gorgeous bathrooms with a bathtub you could swim in. Delicious food. Very nice. Now thinking about what beach we'll visit next weekend...

I got a few good pictures this weekend, but not many. The beach is not a major camera friendly setting. Plus I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't pick up the camera much. Maybe I'll pick up a water proof disposable one I can throw around. Of course my favorite pictures this getaway were nakey ones I took of Eleanor running around on our balcony! Don't think I'll share those on here though :)

One of the nice things about this getaway was the drive. While most of the UAE is desert desert desert, there were some beautiful rugged mountainous areas going through Fujairah with the best part being the drive from Korfakhan up to Dibba.

Beach Love and Books

We are heading off to the northeast coast of the UAE for the weekend. While most of the UAE that we have seen so far has been desert, Fujairah is supposed to be mostly mountainous and driving up the coast is supposed to be beautiful. We are staying at a supposed swanky hotel on a private beach on the Indian Ocean with the Hajar Mountains surrounding us too. Nice!

I never grew up going to the beach and when I say never, I didn't actually go to the beach until I was in Scotland when I was 20. My parents weren't into going to the beach and while I got plenty out of seeing Yellowstone, the Badlands, Jamestown, Crazy Horse and like every of state park while stuck in the station wagon with my two younger brothers (oh yeah), I longed to have a beach vacation as a kid.

I honestly never did any ocean swimming until we came here to the UAE. These weekend and day trips we are taking have been a real treat, so you'll have to indulge me in all my beachy photos so far and coming up. I'm in love. I giggled many times last week in Ajman. I just couldn't help it. I told Michael that I we have to commit to a beach vacation at least once every other year (although a year sounds better) and even that sounds sucko knowing we are going every weekend right now.

All this beach love is seen in Eleanor's reading too. She loves any books that have the ocean or ocean animals in them - especially I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry. And she's really into scuba divers since we saw one at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo last month.

Have a good weekend!