Globe Trottin'

Last Friday morning we pulled out our passports, grabbed our bags, and hopped a plane to Abu Dhabi...

Considering the first time our kids ever boarded an airplane was when we moved to Kuwait last year, I'm incredibly impressed with how quickly they've learned to role with the whole process. 

We've got a good little groove now each time we travel...

We ran into some of Dave's coworkers at the airport, and took the opportunity to have them snap a family pic... 

...or two =)...

We had some airport breakfast, hung out for a bit, and then boarded our plane. The flight to Abu Dhabi from Kuwait is only about an hour and a half, so before we knew it, we were at our destination!

We were one excited family...not just because of such a short flight, but because we were  headed to spend five nights with some of our favorite people.

When you're living overseas, being able to spend Christmas with great friends is such a gift. We had the BEST time.

I mean, just look at this jolly bunch...

I have approximately 5,782 pictures to post from our trip, but we came back Wednesday afternoon, unpacked, crashed, and then yesterday the kids and I left the house at 1:30pm for a playdate, and then after that went to a school friend's birthday party that went until 11:15pm.

ELEVEN FIFTEEN PM.

And then this morning we did our little family Christmas here at home.

And now I look like this:

I'm done. D-U-N. Done. 

Lately...

 Sister and I were running errands the other day, and she asked for a picture by all the snowflake decorations =)...

We saw this cool 3D art drawing on the floor in the middle of the mall...

It's been around 14 degrees Celsius/ 57 Fahrenheit most afternoons around these parts, which is a little chilly, but still makes for a lovely time at a local park...

 This is one of the newest and nicest parks around our area. It's full of walking/jogging paths, multiple play areas, coffee shops, a lake, and plenty of green grass...which allows for a little old fashioned hill-rolling...

We came across this little play area, and the twins wanted to explore for a bit...

...which allowed Dave and I to sit and chat for a bit. Brother took this pic of us...

After playing for a bit, we decided to explore some more...

Can you spot the two cuties on this bridge???

Ya don't find many green spaces like this around Kuwait, and we made a promise to ourselves we'd visit here more often before the weather gets too hot. 

The other week when I had pinkeye, I missed two days of work. 

The first day I took the kids to school, and then came back home, then went back out to pick them up later. After spending 2+hours in the car that day, that evening I was trying to convince the kids to skip school the following day and just stay home.

"BUT WE WANNA GO TO SCHOOL!!!" They protested. 

"BUT I DON'T WANNA GET UP AT 5:30AM AND SPEND SO MANY HOURS FIGHTING TRAFFIC!" I whined back.

Eventually, I won.

But it may or may not have involved bribing them with a trip to Trampo instead. 

Bribing my kids to stay home from school with a trip to the trampoline park...should I accept my Mother Of The Year award in silver? or gold?

Whatever, we got to sleep in.

AND we had the entire trampoline park all to ourselves! That's one of the things I miss most about homeschooling, having free time during the day to go to activities that are empty because all the other kids are in school. 

First the kids and I walked to a little eatery and had a nice brunch together...

These pictures make me smile, because both kids are eating eggs Arab-style =). 

We ordered scrambled eggs, and they came with flat bread. 

When we came here months ago, the kids both asked me to dish some eggs onto their plates, and they ate them with forks.

On this morning, they tore pieces of flat bread, and used it to scoop of egg directly from the serving pan...just like people over here do...

Then it was time to jump off our food!

It was such a fun day!

I know school is important, and I'm thrilled out kids love it so much (and are thriving there!) , but I also think education comes in many forms, and sometimes we just need to let them be little, ya know?

Our days lately have also included many more shenanigans out in the hallway with some neighbor kids...

This glow-in-the-dark solar system puzzle is something we brought from home, and I continue to be so glad we did! David is great at teaching the kids and I about the planets...

This Dynamic Duo begged to clean the shower the other day... I was like "um, yeah, ok. That'd be fine..." 

Dave snapped this pic of the kids joining me in some evening yoga...

 ...love my cute little yogis!! 

And speaking of exercise, these two found using some Twin Teamwork is the best way to get the elliptical machine going....

Brother loves playing with friends in the hallway...

Some evening air hockey has been on the itinerary as well...

Sister has been doing some painting...

David made us his famous hot chocolate the other night to accompany our popcorn as we introduced the kids to Elf. 

...which they loved! 

And lastly, the kids and I walked in the door from school on Thursday to find David waiting for us, tickets purchased and present for me in hand.

Happy Thursday to us!

I opened my present (an R2-D2 shirt, since I was the only family member lacking in Star Wars apparel - save for my Darth Vader socks, naturally), we all changed into proper attire, and off we went to see Rogue One!

Two excited kiddos...I love Sister's fierce Padme face here... =)

This Star Wars family gave the movie two thumbs up!!!

And now we're in the official countdown to Christmas! As of this afternoon, the kids and I are on break until early January, and we're getting ready for some super fun Christmas plans! Every time I think about them my face looks like this:

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Our apartment door needed some holiday cheer, so I had our kids and the neighbor kids decorate some random Christmasy things I could whip up...

Candy canes, trees, presents...that's about all I could draw, even poorly. 

But add in their beautiful coloring job, and our door is officially festive =).

Costa Coffee was hosting a handful of Christmas activities around Kuwait, so I signed the kids up for some "gingerbread cookie decorating" one evening last week.

Turns out it included the cookies and frosting...

It was a little bit lacking in decorating supplies, and festive cheer...but, it was something fun and semi-Christmasy for us to do. 

L&A got a little creative and added some sugar that was supposed to be for coffee...

"See?! I decorated. Now hurry up with the pic Momma so I can eat them already..."

Both kids declared their creations "delicious!"

Costa Coffee gave us little hot chocolate samples as well...

Sister finished off the frosting...a girl after my own heart =)

All in all, it was pretty fun - and tasty - and I'm glad we went =).

So. Christmas in Kuwait is expensive...

1.990 KD = $6.51

Six dollars and 51 cents for 18 candy canes. 

You know, the kind you can get at The Dollar Tree.

...and $6.51 for 40 mini candy canes.

Stocking stuffers are going to need to be creative this year in order to stay within budget.

A friend gave us some cake molds awhile back, and tonight the kids and I made brownies in them and then decorated the brownies...

...and by decorating, I mean smothering in whip cream and burying in candy. 

David won this little Christmas Tree at his work's Christmas party, it dances, lights up and sings Christmas songs...AKA, a 6 year olds dream come true...

...and I offer up Thanks for Excedrin migraine. 

And lastly...we're still doing a little more home decorating as well...

...playdoh Christmas trees for the win!