A Dubai New Years Eve!

So if you would have told me last New Year's Eve that I would be ringing in 2011 at a black-tie party on a man-made island in the shape of a palm tree in Dubai I would have laughed!! HA!  I mean last year we rang in 2010 with The Eagles (yes, all of them!) at my great friend Coco's New Year's party!  How can you top that?!  We came close this year!  We rang in 2011 at The Atlantis on The Palm with our peeps.... the Sassos! Thanks to them we got to sit at a very important table with some very important people!  There were people waiting on us hand and foot and the champagne never stopped flowing.  This presented problems for me the next day but who needs to hear those details!!   We had an amazing night dancing and celebrating in true Dubai-style.  There was an amazing firework show at midnight that even our kids could see!!  They stayed at the Sasso's home on The Palm and had their own little party!  As you look at these pictures you will be amazed to see that it was all set up on the beach! 

 4,000 people were in attendance!  Oh and did I mention at midnight it snowed?  

Well, actually it "soaped" but hey!  It's Dubai!

As we walked in....

Our table.....

The Atlantis is in the background...Once again it was all set up
on the beach!

They passed out wraps to we ladies for the chilly desert air!

Great band and lots of Dubai dancing!

New Year's Eve is Augusto's birthday!!  As a surprise to him
 the band sang to him and this cake was delivered to our table!

About to ring in 2011!  

It was downhill from here....hahahaha!

In honor of Augusto's birthday Deric asked for a shot of
some rare whiskey?scotch? not sure..They brought him the whole bottle!

So here's to a New Year in Dubai and many more new adventures!
 It's hard to believe that a year ago Deric moved over here and started this journey!
  To all our friends old and new we wish you all the best in 2011! And as for last year....It so deserves a SixintheSand shout-out!!!  It rocked!!!!  Love you Moores and can't wait to ring
 in many more years with you!

Bestest Friends!!! Sara? Mueller? Where are you?

That would be Glen Frey behind us!

Don Henley!

Hell Froze Over!

Six in the States PART2

Here are some photos from our first days back home.  We stayed at the Berkenmeiers, our family and beloved next door neighbors!  I tried not to pay much attention to our beautiful house next door.  It is being well cared for by a nice family and that is what is important.  What I did pay attention to were all the sweet neighbor kids and cousins playing together!  Our kids were in heaven!  We started our Christmas celebrating with the annual Bryant ornament exchange party which my kids love!  The hot ornament this year was a hedgehog that I almost had but was robbed by my nephew!!

 "Pssssst....have you noticed my Dad keeps changing his clothes and holding you alot?"

The girls brought abayas for all their buddies

Sister-n-Laws and sweet Winnie Kate!

Lilly LOVED the dogs!

This is what jet-lag looks like

Aunt Debbie getting all the ornaments ready for the game!

Mama D and Pappa Terry crashed the Bryant Ornament Party and we were so glad!!

The hedgehog ornament was so cute!!

Luke got this pink flamingo and was glad to have it stolen from him!

I stole this "B" ornament only to be robbed by thieving Uncle Wayne!

THIEF

Robbed again!!!

Olivia was thrilled with her little ballerina ornament.

Yummmm!  Peppermint ice cream!

All a little jet-lagged but so glad to be home!

New Campus

So if you follow the blog you know that we have been waiting for the new school to open to the elementary kids.  Well, that day has come!  School started January 5th with an orientation-like day meant for the kids to see their classrooms and tour the new school.  The school is MASSIVE.  In true Dubai-fashion it is an amazing facility like none I have ever seen.  I have to say though that the massiveness can be a little daunting.  It has really made me miss the cozy little halls of Westwood Elementary.  Yes everything is state of the art and very modern.  The classrooms are bright and huge and the cafeteria has little booths in it for the kids to eat!  Each teacher has a new huge red leather cozy chair to sit in!  The school has amazing playgrounds with swings!  Outside Blake's classroom is a fountain!  While all this is great it just feels more like a college campus than an elementary school.  The 3 kids classrooms are very spread out and the first few days I left the school feeling stressed from trying to get them all to their classrooms on time.  Each day is getting easier though. I think that by the end of the month we will have a routine and they will be able to find their way around without me.  As with everything in Dubai we will all have to adjust.