Kate Plays the Cello

It was a toss up for a while-- cello or violin, but the big instrument won out. She looks so darn cute playing it and we think she really enjoys having an instrument of her own. Dr. Homsi is Kate's teacher. She attends lessons on Tuesdays after school at the same time that Anna takes her violin lessons. And of course, we practice daily with minimal whining (ha)!

Breaking the Heat

 . . . with a trip to Dreamland Waterpark in the Emirate, Umm Al Quain with the Trowbridge clan: Michelle, Bruce, Avery, Jacob and Jillian. Kate and Avery have been best buddies since they met a year ago at church. Thanks to Kate and Avery for introducing their parents to each other. If it weren't for them, we would have missed out on a nice friendship! 

Wow it was hot that day (and everyday since), but being in water all day helped. This is where Anna wants to spend her 8th birthday in August. 

Girls Weekend in the Empty Quarter

Maria and her two friends, Michelle and Megan planned a girls night camping in the Empty Quarter for our good friend Allison who is moving back to Australia.  Unfortunately, Allison's entire family ended up with a nasty stomach virus so we had to make the trek without her.

We drove as far south in the UAE as you can get-- about 40 km from the Saudi boarder. Why we chose to camp at the end of May, none of us will ever understand. . . . but it has made for some good stories. It was 113 degrees under burning sun and huge sand dunes- some 300 meters high. Megan braved the dunes and learned to 'dune bash', getting stuck and needing to be dug out only once. (I ended up with a heat blister on my hand from pushing her car out). Our guide made us a yummy BBQ dinner and as we waited for our tents to be staked, we realized our communication error. He thought we were driving back to Dubai (4 hr drive) after sunset! Our only options at that point was to either sleep under the stars or see if we could find a local hotel. We opted for the stars and as we continued to relax and sip our wine, things in the desert came alive. It was the appearance of the (above) camel spider that finally drove us to sleep in the back of our cars. Needless to say, very little sleep was had and we left as soon as the sun rose. Anna and Kate were taken by my stories of the monstrous spiders and are hoping that I could take them for this same camping adventure when we get back in the fall! Regardless of the heat and bugs, the Empty Quarter is still one of the most stunning places I have ever seen. I will definitely go back-- camel spiders and all. 

Girl Scouts Camp and Bridge to Brownies

Our grand finale for the year was a night of camping in the desert. Again, we camped with many troops from Dubai. We played team-work games, made pet rocks, planted a terrarium, had a first aid lesson, cooked over the fire, sang camp songs, made smores,  and got a just a tiny bit of sleep. The kids can't wait to go again next year! 

No longer are these girls 'Daisies'. Since completing all requirements, they have now officially bridge to become 'Brownies'. They will spend the next two years working on the Brownie triads and a new 'journey' that will encourage more personal development and service to others. This group of girls have accomplished a lot and grown tons. Next year, even Kate will be in Girl Scouts and Maria will have two troops to lead!

Dubai Girl Scout World Thinking Day

'Preventing Disease' was the theme of this year's event. Girl Scouts from around the world took the time to research and share their learnings with their local chapters. The Girl Scouts in Dubai met on the sports field at the American School of Dubai to discuss everything from the common cold, to malaria, the importance of vaccinations, and more. It was a fun day of learning and friendship with other troops.

Spring Break in Egypt

We embarked on another Middle Eastern adventure this spring when we traveled to Egypt for 10 days. We certainly covered a lot of ground in those ten days when we traveled from Cairo to Alexandria (on Mediterranean Sea) all the way down to Abu Simbal, which is 40 km from the boarder of Sudan. We spent most of our time exploring ancient Egypt, traveling with an Egyptologist who gave us more information than we could ever remember. Steve’s parents, Jean and Bill Woolley, joined us for the ten days as we explored the Pyramids of Giza (even going inside),  the old Egyptian capital of Memphis, and the amazing Egyptian Museum. Mid-trip, we took an eventful (3^rd world!) train ride south to a city on the Nile called Aswan. After exploring the temple of Philea,  we then boarded a river cruise ship. It was an amazing four days spent onboard and off with highlights being the temples at Luxor, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings where we enter many tombs of Egyptian Kings including Tutankhamen’s tomb. Our research and fascination with Egypt continues now that we are home. The girls just can’t get enough!

 

Steve Turns . . .

Okay, he’s getting closer to the big 40, but he won’t tell you how close. He celebrated as usual with a perfectly planned party by Anna and Kate, complete with a ‘Age of Empires’ cake and presents having to do with Lord of the Rings and Egypt. 

Desert BBQ with the Said's

Off to the desert we went before it got to hot for a beautiful starry night in the desert. We grilled burgers, made a bonfire, and roasted some marshmallows. Deanna and Nael with their three kids (Yezin, Serena, and Malik) plus their dog Biscuit won’t ever have to talk us into this again. It was pure heaven. 

Kate Turns Five

But her favorite number is still #4 (Brett Favre). She felt better about her new age after we told her she didn’t have to change her favorite number, and that she could still say she is four plus one. Kate requested a few friends to join her for lunch at McDonalds, a trip to the movies (Madagascar II), and some after-party fun at the beach. With friends, cake and presents, it was a darn good day!

It's hard to believe how fast time has gone by - it was only a year before that we had 42 people at Kate's fourth birthday party. So many of those wonderful people aren't here anymore. We're learning that is part of living in such a transient place.