General mooching

There's been a lot of lounging on the couch in a generally dishevelled state. Zach reigns supreme at this activity.

We had a witches and wizards afternoon, the kids loved making a spell for a bubbling cauldron.

The garden is also a good spot for lounging.

Daisy is holding a heart shaped plastic bead melt with the iron type thing that she made. It was her favourite thing EVER (for about five minutes).

Daisy turns photographer.

Birds eye views of Bastie...

...Zach...

...and Daisy.

Fishcakes!

Amped for some indoor football. Bastie loves shouting goaaaaaaal!

The kids have really enjoyed having time to spend at home mooching about these holidays. They are all really good at entertaining themselves and making their own fun which is very nice for me. There has been lots of puzzles, drawing, dancing, making huts, indoor football and hide and seek. They also love running, scooting or triking around and around and around the house, preferably as loudly as possible and getting out enough toys to cover the entire floor. Mud pies in the sandpit is normally a winner too. Having a maid makes it very easy for me not to care about the mess, rock on.

Bx

Ski Dubai Snow Park

Daisy and Zach are blissfully unaware of the ice dragon about to pounce behind them.

The tow up to the big toboggan.

Kicking back.

The kids zoom down the small toboggan.

No wonder you never see fat sled dogs, hauling the kids around on this was top exercise.

Is that Zach, or a tomato?

Daisy, Zach and I had a fun trip to the snow park at Ski Dubai in mid July. I was worried about them being cold and miserable so went a bit overboard with the layers, poor Zach ended up looking like an over ripe tomato. We had lots of fun though and they really surprised me by going on the big toboggan.

Bx

Emirates Palace

The entrance of Emirates Palace.

The adult's room - calm and peaceful.

The kid's room. Neither calm nor peaceful.

On one side if the hotel were the family pools. Daisy got nailed on the orange slide in the background.

Daisy and Andy have a competition to see who has the longest legs. I wisely kept out of it.

Bastie loves his Barbie armbands.

I marched them up to the top of the hill!

The hotel from the beach. It's huge.

Andy powers to shore.

Daisy was thrilled she was over 5 and allowed on the kayaks.

The girls heading out for a paddle.

The boys make the most of not being allowed to go for a paddle.

Daisy and Zach ready to go up...

...up...

...up and away.

From camel to golf cart, how very UAE.

Bastie gets his first marshmallow.

Stoked!

Not Zach's first marshmallow but he's still stoked.

The bread basket was a hit too.

The breakfast terrace.

Inside, and here starts the King Midas photos...

The central atrium. Gold.

A vending machine selling...

...gold.

A lift. Gold.

The corridor outside our room. Gold.

Water hammocks in one of the relaxation pools. Not gold and not relaxing once we arrived.

Some more of the relaxation pools.

Pool rugby.

Bastie risks a red card for hitting another player with a cone.

Almost time for home, a great night away.

A week in to July we decided to take advantage of one of the great cheap summer deals around and headed off to Abu Dhabi for a night at Emirates Palace. We drove there through all the new developments on Yas Island which was quite interesting.

Emirates Palace was jaw droppingly, mind boggingly, ginormous. A huge marble and gold creation on the beach right by town. It's facade raised even a smile from Daisy who is infuriatingly blase about luxury hotels.

After arriving, we spent the afternoon in the family pool, Daisy bravely went on the hydroslide and managed not to cry after coming off it upside down and back to front with a mouthful of water. Zach wouldn't go near it. There was a lazy river which is always a hit. We also had a lovely walk over grassy hills, a great time taking out some kayaks, Daisy and Zach really enjoyed a camel ride down the beach and all the kids enjoyed riding on the golf carts.

We had a lazy start to the following day - I think cartoons in bed are the kid's favourite part of staying in hotels - then spent some time in the relaxation (ha!) pool area before heading back home.

All in all a fab night away. I liked Emirates Palace although Andy found it too big and museum like. It was definately over the top (think gold fittings in the bathrooms etc) but actually managed to pull it off without veering in to tacky. I'm partial to a bit of bling though.

Bx