School holiday heaven.

We went to Modhesh World where Daisy got to do the bungee thing which she loves.

Spiderman live at Bur Jurman. Summer is great for free shows in the malls. We have also been to Circus Africa at Mirdif Mall.

There were lots of acrobatics and fighting moves.



Bastie was terrified of the dry ice.

We went to Andy's work for lunch one day. Zach and Bastie are looking quite alike of late.

The kids were thrilled to discover that Andy has MTV in the office.

It didn't take long for the kids to start causing mayhem.

We've been going to the pool lots, it's perfect pool weather.

We've also had lots of playdates. The dress ups often come out.

We are in week three of school hols and having a fantastic time. Lots of friends are staying this year so we've had plenty of play dates and been doing so much fun stuff. There is loads to do and we've been making the most of our time. It's so nice having the time to really enjoy things without the constant rush rush rush.

Bx

Lots of lasts.

The dress up dance hip hop routine get underway.

Zach with his medal.

The kids with their dance teacher Heba. She's 6 months pregnant with twins.

Ballerinas.

Bastie enjoys an end of term cupcake by the pool.

Zach showcases his swim fin.

Daisy, Hannah and Charlie do their best to sink the float boat.

Zach with his playgroup teacher Lisa. He's really going to miss her.

A last cuddle from his playgroup helper Emily.

With the end of the school year and summer hols looming we've had lots of 'last days' recently.

Daisy finished her Reception year at Repton and made us very proud with a fantastic final report. She's done so well during her two years in the Early Years department. She has had a great time and made some wonderful friends, she is in top groups for reading and maths and is doing really well in french and arabic. She's making the big jump to year one and the junior school in September. Her class is being split up but luckliy she is with her closest group of friends in her new class.

Zach finished at Lisa's Playgroup where he has had a wonderful time for the past two years. He'll be starting at Repton in September which he is very excited about. He has his new school shoes already which I practically had to wrestle off him. He's passing the torch to Bastie who is starting two mornings a week with Lisa in September, yikes!

Daisy and Zach had their end of year dance show which was a lot of fun. They both do dress up dance which is hip hop style moves. Daisy also does pre-primary ballet. They have practised really hard learning their routines and both did a fantastic job. Daisy won best girl dancer and got a huge trophy for her effort. Go Daisy!

Daisy and Zach both had their last swimming lessons for the school year. Zach has had lessons with Dawn along with his best friend Miles and they have both done so well. They went from being scared of putting their faces in the water to being confident and happy going under and can now even swim short distances by themselves. Well done boys! Daisy has had lessons with Lisa and is very confident in the water, she is brilliant at breast stroke and getting better and better at over arm and back stroke.

We are all REALLY looking forward to the summer break. We have lots of fun activities planned and I'm super looking forward to not having to constantly rush rush rush the kids. I'm sure they are looking forward to me not constantly badgering them either! Bastie really misses Daisy and Zach when they are gone so he is going to be in heaven with them around constantly. Summer is normally a quieter time at Andy's work which will be good for him.

Bx

Nearly there....

Thanks blogger, out of sequence photos AGAIN. To celebrate to end of the concert season, a few of Andy's workmates came over one night. The Jagermeister came out and some air guitar went down.

The night after the Joe Cocker concert, Andy and a few workmates went out with him for a curry at the One and Only. This is Joe with his backing singers, and Thomas.

And back to the night before, it was a great concert. Lovely venue and excellent performance.

Back to earlier in the day, in the right sequence after this one! Setting up for Joe Cocker. Jonno, Debbie, Mohammed (Andy's boss) and Thomas.

Waiting for the concert to start with Kath and Gav

Dolphinarium!

Watching the action.

Jumping dolphins.

Friends for dinner.

The start of our girls night. Lunch at Toscana, the Madinat.

Tequila had a starring role in an excellent night filled with fun and dancing.

I've been trying out the waterproof properties of Andy's new camera by taking it in the sprinklers.

Ta da!

Bastie loves fun in the sprinklers.

Zach and his mate Reubs at Room on the Broom.

Down cried the witch and wooosh, they were gone!

We've got a slip n slide in the garden. It's a big hit.

Kath and Gav's leaving party was Dubai Bling/Arabian Nights. It was a fantastic night.

Andy and Mike kick back in the majalis.

It's been a VERY long school term and Daisy is exhausted but we have only four days of school left before year end, woo!

It's been another action packed month Chez Ellis. A particular highlight for me was my first child free night in nearly four years thanks to a girls night, staying at the Madinat, for Kath's going away. We've also been to the Dolphinarium, seen Room on the Broom at the Madinat theatre, had lots of kid's parties and a few not for kids parties.

I seem to have a glass in my hand in a lot of the photos. In my defence, it's been a long time since I've been neither pregnant nor had a small baby and I'm making the most of it. Rock on.

Bx

Another month flies by.

Another year bites the dust, 41 for Andy.

Strawberry ice cream, yeah!

Bastie flouts the rules and shows scant regard for the golf club's collar policy.

Easter treats all the way from England courtesy of Grandma Madge and Grandad Bob.

Thanks!

Ready set go for The Royal Wedding.

Daisy loved her Union Jack purse.

Lucy, Phoebe and Daisy were great bridesmaids for Kath and I.

A marshmallow tea cup.

Summer fun!

Woo!

Yeah!

Rah!

Daisy and Zach try out my new exercycle for size.

Hurts (the band, not another broken ankle), at Irish Village with Kath and Gav.

On stage action.

I can't believe how fast time is flying by at the moment, the end of the school year is hurtling towards us at warp speed.

In the past month Andy has gotten another year older, we (well, I) swooned over The Royal Wedding and the kids gorged on chocolate over Easter. Summer has arrived with a bang, mornings and evenings are ok but we're creeping in to the mid forties during the day. The hose is getting a lot of use to cool down hot little bodies!

We've had a garden spruce up, the gazebo got revarnished and curtains up, the outdoor sofa set cushions re-covered, the tiles re-grouted, new plants, the back steps boxed in by trellis (complete with gate) and a few new cushions to finish it all off. It was a couple of weeks of workmen spending their afternoons snoozing under the gazebo, using my new food trolley as a work bench, taking three attempts to get the job done properly (ish) and generally being an utter pain in the arse but it is finally looking really good.

We've had a few changes inside as well. Bastie has moved in with Daisy and Zach which he loves so he now goes to bed with a smile rather than broken heartedly sobbing. His room is now a play room which is fantastic, all the kids love it. I love it too, stairgate on and I'm off downstairs for a coffee in peace, woo!

We saw Hurts at Irish Village with Kath and Gav last night. They were great, very theatrical and fab live. Andy has spent all day on the couch as a result. We're going to see Joe Cocker on Sunday night at Al Badia Golf Club, last outdoor concert of the year. It's gonna be hot, my money is on Joe keeling over.

Bx