Charlotte's First Holy Communion & Pauls Birthday

Well its over a year since I blogged and I am doing this in honour of my kid Sis so that she can see some photos of Charlotte's first holy communion and Paul's birthday.

Charlotte looked gorgeous ( chip off the old block you might say!). She loved all the pics being taken and the posing required. We even got to see Grandad Trevor before church who thankfully was discharged from hospital the day before.

The highlight of the day after the communion was admiring Paul on his birthday at his party, with mop and bucket cleaning up his son's vomit ! Pleased to say that Freddie felt much better after spilling the contents of his stomach all over the dining room floor !

The Bar-B-Q went swimmingly in the heat as did Paul's consumption of alcohol ! He did cook though so I won't complain. The gazebo was dismantled intact unlike Freddies christening. The velux window in the play room took some hammer from the main man however and he had to admit defeat and leave it open all night. Strangely, minus beer goggles he was able to close it straight away Sunday morning !

Mass on Sunday was followed by a party at Yarnbury and I was relieved that I had successfully booked the bouncy castle, much to the delight of the children. They also had great fun playing with barbed wire and breeze blocks, climbing trees - good old fashioned imaginative play

Having baked iced and baked some more I was delighted to go to the Harrisons for a Bar-B-Q. Along with the Dibb family we ate drank and were merry until our beautiful children found the water.........We left hastily before 'The Harrison' could make a claim !

All in all we had a lovely weekend, we are all exhausted, so I am particularly excited about my weekend with the girls this weekend. Ciao for now.

Lisa

Easter 2009

I will apologise before I begin as I am not adding photos to the blog as my darling husband has adjusted my card reader and it will no longer read !
Have just read over my last entry and can't believe it has been 2 months since we were in Sunny Abdabs !
Having just read my little Sis' blog I felt quite emotional as we had the same thoughts about Easter she missed Wilberfoss and the ducks and I have to say we missed the Addis clan !
That said we have had a nice break. Paul had the first week off with Charlotte but he said 'you wouldn't giggle - it's no holiday being a full time dad and student. I confess to being slightly unsupportive about his wesite project..designing for an internet gardening company. All looked fine with the pretty flowers until he added the swiss Alps to the picture. All I was trying to say was that the perspective wasn't quite right.........the daffodils dwarfing the Peaks. Well he obviously took his bat and ball home and now the site looks like a psychadelic adventure............mushrooms man ! I think I am just going to nod and smile from now on, like a doting granny.
Back to Easter. We had a very jolly time at the Good Friday workshop. Freddie loved digging in the garden and was very helpful watering! Charlotte ate everything available and ended up enjoying the whole thing. I even managed to persuade Charlotte to go to the Easter Vigil service forgetting there are lots of readings and it was very late. Having asked to goto the toilet during 'the our father' (slamming the door on the way out) she decided that she could not possibly use the facilities on offer. I managed to negotiate a return to our pew with ththreat that the Eater bunny would not come !!! I decide during the service that I was going to join the choir and I warn you all I intend to do so. Charlotte cheered up with the party in school afterwards. I was delighted we had walked as a rather nice selection of vino collapso was on offer.....result !
Easter Sunday was spent at chez Falky in Yeadon, the cousins get together, a nice spread egg hunt and a little more vino collapso !
On Tuesday we took our offspring on a surprise trip to Durham, staying in a premier Inn. we ahve stayed in one of these places before - very functional and large breakfasts..... no prizes for guessing who booked. This was supposed to be a relaxing treat for all however C & F were still awake at 11pm !!
Wednesday we went to Beamish. What a fantastic day out. I can't believe we haven't been before. I think the hilight was going down the mine or maybe the old fashioned sweetshop or maybe playing in the school room..... so much. The kids loved it and so did the parents. Picnics and food in general seem to bring a smile to the faces of our little family.
Freddie went to nursery toady and I am delighted to say that he is no longer on report. I think the hammers he attacked his little friends with have now been removed ( damage limitation quite literally !). Charlotte and I met the falky branch of cousins at the city museum which I have to say was really impressive ( must take little sis and co in the summer).
I am back to the challenge of work tomorrow while Charlotte continues with her jaunts, playing with the Harrisons . Freddie I hope will get another superstar at nursey and Paul will keep the communication networks alive or default to website design for the mushroon addict !

Charlotte's holiday blog of Abu Dhabi

WE went to the beach club some people were building and it spoilt all the view . but we had fun any way. Me and billy liked splashing around in the pool. We had great fun. Me and Freddie held onto Mum. Freddie was very good at swimming and we all enjoyed having our milk shakes at the swim up bar. Before we went in the pool we went on a bouncy castle and afterwards we had another go but there were lots of children on it already.

Today (Saturday) we went to the Grand Mosque and we had fun dressing up in veils and long black dresses which we had to wear to go inside. Hannah came with us. The Mosque was a very pretty building although it still isn't finished.

After the Mosque we went to the Shangrila hotel for an icecream and a ride on a boat . Then we went home for lunch.

I have had a great fantastic time- I wish I lived here! Miss you lots Daddy, thankyou for painting my walls, they look fantastic, and so do my blinds.

Message for Auntie Tracey - miss you aswell, hope you like all our pictures.

Message for Daddy - I miss you and I love you xxxxxxx!

Dubai

I'm glad I've been but not sure I would go again. Things that are finished are bigger than anything else in the world, but there is no history or soul, I think I would describe it as Disney without Mickey. Went to Atlantis hotel today and to the aquarium. Then onto the Dubai Mall for lunch, Saw the tallest buildingh in the world, consequently pics may seem a little dull.

I think the way to see the fronds would be by helicopter and while Dawn's driving has greatly improved she hasn't learnt to levitate (thank God!).

I was reminded today of my sister's passionate side when she accosted some poor unsuspecting guide in the Atlantis aquarium demanding to know when the baby whale shark was going to be set free..........exit stage left Lisa ! The poor guy didn't know what to do.

This was a long day for all of us, and I think all the kids were running on empty on the way back. Charlotte and Billy in the boot giggly & silly, Archie flaked and Freddie, well he just talked some more and more and louder and more and louder and more. Drugs and alcohol were consumed on our return home to combat the headache !

Picnic in the desert

Just as we might go to Brimham rocks for a picnic, the destination for a picnic in AbDabs is the desert. Once Freddie had adjusted to the threat of sand getting into his crocs he loved the dunes. We were lucky to see a camel train and Charlotte is excited about taking the pics to school. It was lovely to escape the construction noise and smells to peace and a 'real' environment.

Abu Dhabi is a real place of contrast and culture clash. In parts it is 'soul less' and in some ways fascinating. It is a wonderful place to 'crane spot' though, but nothing is finished. The Emirates have not escaped the'credit crunch' and the threat of redundancy is tangible in this ex-pat community. Being so far away from family makes friendships all the more important and watching my little sis say farewell to some of her 'significant others' has been very emotional. Her obsessions with facebook, internet scrabble and blogging appear to be necessary to keep the chin up ! I know its difficult for the Addis's at the minute but the Falkies are thoroughly enjoying their time in the greenest of the Emirates.

A-maze-ing parks

One of the greatest things in AbDabs are the parks which are incredible, loads of equipment, lots of irrigation, flowers and fountains. They really must have the most efficient irrigation system in the world. Sis reckons that whenever her garden is being watered she cant use the dishwasher or the internet, (so if I disappear the water is on....or Sis has started to do the washing up - it was the maids last day today. I did offer to pay for an extra week, but was declined, looks like I will have to do my own ironing now.........Paul !)

The four cousins are still getting on famously and I am sure there will be a few tears shed on Tuesday when we leave. However there have been the odd disagreements, currently between Freddie and Archie and generally connected to a weapon of mass distruction, namely a wooden sword. I had to walk Freddie to the shops to calm him down tonight ! All the children are loving their freedom, the older two playing out until 8pm, I am assured the guards on the gates will keep out undesirables......the kids at 6.30 in the morning might be helpful..........will have a quiet word.

Oh what a night ! The Emirate's Palace

Well you are probably wondering where I have been for the last few days, and the honest truth is........recovering !

The beach was fanastic and as it was a public beach,there were only a handful of people on it. The posh people were at their beach club. We had a picnic ,built sandcastles ,paddled in the sea and the kids found a star fish all very exciting. All the while John and I were frying alive ! (Trace you will be relieved to know that it wasn't me who needed the oranges.) It is fair to say that if we were in the UK we would have been able to turn off the central heating.

As always little sis had to outdo me and she decided to have her hair cut for our evening out. She came back from the hairdessers looking very funky and 'less mumsy'. She then offered to strighten my hair....I shoud have known sabotage immediately. Anyway when I had rectified my sisters interference we set off for the Oryx bar. I was quite frankly terrified and a little concerned about Dawn's new found hobby of 'underpass spotting'. There were no lights and I can assure you that in the UK there would have been no way I would have gone down there

. She has since pointed out several underpasses that are 'quite lovely'. (I think this must be another activity that the ladies who lunch participate in to fill in the warm humid hours)

Having spent 5 didums on the taxi ride (£1 approx) we arrived at the hotel with the roof top Oryx bar. Sis was obviously very familiar with the place as the staff (very easy on the eye young man) were with her. It was a beautiful view...........across the city. Not wanting to miss an opportunity Sis persuaded me to partake in the hubbly bubbly pipe. Having downed several long island iced teas and a top up of the pipe we headed to the Emirate's Palace.

What an amazing place. Apparently, according to the oracle little Sis all the decor is 22 carrat gold. It really is jaw dropping. We managed to navigate ourselves into a restricted area and were asked to leave, but not before we had taken some very fuzzy pictures. Dawn was then overcome with excitement as we made our way into etoile the palace night club. The booths had their own waiters so we sat on a table without so that we could keep our momento spoons..don't ask !

By this time I was feeling a little tired as you can imagine so we had a little wonder through the gardens enjoying the warm evening air. A taxi ride home in which Dawn was overwhelmed by the classy audi was followed by a viewing of Mama Mia. I have to say that I think Sis skipped a few scenes, a little bit like most of the next day !!!!!!! Ouch, the water has made us feel a little gurgly if you know what I mean ?!