Fujariah!

So husband and I wanted to get away for a couple nights during our week off together. We decided to go to Le Meridian Al Aqah in Fujariah which is in Northern Emirates

After over 2 hours of driving we finally saw the hotel!!! But seeing the shark statue didn't help my nerves after husband had been teasing that he heard there were sharks in the water out here.


This is the lobby that greeted us as we entered. I was instantly relaxed.


And look outside!!! I could hardly wait for husband to get us checked in.



Well we finally made it up to our room... On the 12th floor!!! That pool was just calling to me! and let me tell you that it didn't take more than 15 minutes before we were down there swimming


This is the view to the right. I miss mountains (I know, these hardly qualify but work with me here) so much!


And this is the Rotana to the left, which is just next door to Le Meridian. We went over there for dinner one night and I have to say that while is a beautiful hotel and has a lovely pool slide that looked like a lot of fun, I much prefer Le Meridian.

The atmosphere in Le Meridian Al Aqah is just so much more inviting. Also every room in Le Meridian has a Sea View which isn't the case with the Rotana.

The bulk of our time at Le Meridian was spent in the pool, in the sea or lounging in the sun. It was fantastic. We had dinner while hearing the waves crash on the shore and smoothies while sitting in the water. Husband enjoyed afternoon naps while I enjoyed reading on the balcony. Ooooh Ooooh and breakfast buffet!! The breakfast buffet was amazing. I need to get one of those for my house.

Basically it was a great get-away. We had a blast and got some time away for R&R, while keeping our selves on a budget at the same time.

happy princess

here's a happy princess


but with the weather today that quickly turned into a hot princess

Grownup

This weekend marks a special occasion for me. I have been married for a year. An ENTIER year! This got me to thinking about being a grownup and what it means and what it takes to be one. Because in my mind someone who is married a year is a grownup yet I don't feel like one.

I have had many conversations with my family and with my friends about this subject of being a "grownup" and if they do in fact feel like grownups.

Lately all the people around me seem to be making what I would classify as grownup decisions. One friend is engaged, one is having her first baby, my sister just bought a house and I am no longer a newlywed ( I think that status ends after the first year but hey I could be wrong). These acts all feel so grown up to me but I hardly ever feel like a grownup.

When I was little there were a series of events where I thought once I accomplished them I would finally feel like a grownup and I usually did for like a day and then it just disappeared.

There was the turning the BIG ONE OH. When I was little I thought "hey when I am ten then I am a big girl. I mean that's double digits!" I became ten and realized that there were so many more things I couldn't do yet. But all that would be solved when I could drive!

I got my learner's permit the week after I turned 15 and got my drivers license two weeks after I turned 16. The power to drive where I wanted, when I wanted (as long as my mom approved) what more could I want? Oh right I wanted to get out of high school. That would make me a grownup!

Ahhh graduation day. I already had college picked out and could kiss my high school goodbye! No more homework (yeah i was delusional) no more having to sit in one building all day long (still delusional) and I was going to be living on my own (parents paying of course)! Oh right, that whole parents paying part (and them being parents in the first place) meant they wanted me to get good grades and be accountable for my work. Ok Ok when I graduated college THEN I would be a grownup.

Graduation day the second. What is more exciting than graduating college? Seriously, how much more grownup can you get? I worked hard, I studied hard and I met the strict guidelines and expectations set by the university. But those people with healthcare, living unassisted by their parents and could go shopping and buy what they wanted without getting permission seemed more grown up....

Full time job. Wow! Now this probably made me feel grownup the longest of everything. Going to work 9-6, health insurance, monthly pay check, working all day every day in the same building at the same desk (what was that I thought was over in high school again?) but then I realized I had no idea what I was doing or what I was talking about. I felt all the time like other people knew what was going on and I had no clue. I remember having a conversation with my sis

Me: they want me to do a ppt and presentation. I have no idea what they are talking about
Sis: that's cause they don't know what they are talking about
Me: but i'm going to do this ppt and presentation and then they'll see that I am totally confused and that I am faking it!
Sis: they are all faking it
Me: what?
Sis: just do the presentation and pretend like you know what you are talking about and that it all makes sense and they will pretend they know what you are talking about too. No one wants to be the one who doesn't know what's going on.
Me: so this is all pretend? Everyone fakes that they know what they are talking about?
Sis: pretty much

By this time I figured getting married wouldn't really do it for me either. I still wouldn't feel like a grownup... In fact it took a long time for me to realized I was married. MARRIED! I am legally attached to another human who did not have anything to do with me being born. I still look at him and think "I can't believe we go married. We are married"

Don't get me wrong I have no regrets on getting married. I truly married a wonderful guy who learned I am not a morning person, that I say I don't like things even when I haven't tried them and that I am stubborn as all get out. He as excepted these, what I call quarks (but you might call them something different) and has chosen to love me anyways. He is fabulous.

But still getting married did not make me feel like a grownup. My sister bought a house and my friend got pregnant and all I could think was "gosh they are such 'grownups'". I'm convinced I am not grown up enough for such steps in my life. But really does anyone really ever feel like a grownup? Do you ever feel old enough or experienced enough for the next step, whatever that is? I don't think so. I think people just jump in with both feet and adjust.

Handknits for Me!

I don't know how it happened to me today. Really I don't. One minute I'm rushing to the Dubai Mall to get some stuff and the next minute I am walking out of Kinokuniya Book Store with this!



I just don't know. I can't explain it. I went to the mall with a list hoping it would keep me from deviating and buying unecessary things and then this! I swear, I just went into the store for a minute. I don't even know why I went into the huge book store in the first place. I guess I just needed to see what they had and see if there were any new books out (not that I need any) and then I innocently wondered over to the knitting books section, you know, just too look. And then it happened. I saw Handknits for Kids by Lucinda Guy. I look at this book and also "And So To Bed..." by Lucinda Guy every time I go in. I flip through all the patterns imagining which colors I would knit them.

Today, however, they didn't have the second one. It was gone! They only had Handknit for Kids and maybe that's why I snapped! Maybe I panicked that I was loosing my chance to get these gorgeous books that had knits for kids older than 2! Does that sound believable?

Anyhow I am very excited to finally own this book because there are so many patterns in here that I wanna knit! Especially the birdie and the wildflower sweater. Basically I love all of the patterns in this book.



I always wondered how Princess got such even color on her tummy

Susan Boyle from Britians Got Talent

Seriously if you haven't seen this clip of Susan Boyle from Britians Got Talent then you really need to watch it now.

Unbelievable



sorry wasn't able to embed it right into the post.

FLS: Sleeves!

That's right! I separated the sleeves on my February Lady Sweater! Woot woot!

Just to make sure that I don't encounter the same problem as last time I have tried the FLS on like 300 time. I'm just so worried it will be small again, but so far so good. I think this time around the sweater just might fit!

So now that it seems to still fit I'm knitting away on the lace part of the body. I have noticed that the whole process is going a lot faster the second time around which is really encouraging and the faster pace is keeping me form getting too board.


Princess says: it's getting hot out.

FO: Noro Striped Scarf II

Finally I have another FO. Seriously I was having a hard time even remembering what it was like to finish a project as I haven't finished anything since FEBRUARY when I finished the first Noro Striped Scarf that my husband hijacked.

So this project taught me a few things.

1. It taught me that I should never knit two of the same thing in a row as it makes it seem like one huge, endless project.
2. I love the colors in Rowan Tapestry. They make me happy.
3. Knitting down my stash feels great! I actually enjoy seeing my drawers emptying out.

So here you go. Here is my latest stash busting project.


The specs:
Project: Noro Striped Scarf
Yarn: Rowan Tapestry in Lakeland and Rainbow
Amnt: A little over one ball of each color.
Mods: None. If it ain't broke....


I love the colors in this scarf and I have enough left over that I think I'll make a pair of matching fetchings. I definitely need a matching gloves and scarf set for all those chilly days in the desert ; )

Knitting and Etoiles

Friday I met with the girls in Dubai for a knitting day! We met at our usual Caribou Coffee only this time at Dubai Festival City. We got great news from Charmaine the other day so it was great fun to see her and chat with her about all the excitement. We all sat for hours chatting, knitting and drinking coffee and honestly it's one of my favorite ways to spend a day.

After that I hurried home to get ready for a big night out in Abu Dhabi. My husband and I went out to Al Wahda Mall to have dinner and to check this out....

It's the Red Bull Air Race Village!!


This year (yes, I go every year) they added a red carpet with pictures from all the different races last year. The pictures were fantastic and I felt like a SUPERSTAR walking down the red carpet.


And look! An entire air plane sitting in the mall!

The Red Bull Air Race Village is a lot of fun. They have games where you can fly planes through the same track that pilots must navigate in order to win the race. Also if you get there at just the right time the sampling girls might be handing out Red Bulls.

After the Village we headed over to Etoiles Club at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi where the race day countdown party was in full swing.

I thought the entrance to the club was great.


They had a game inside where you actually sit and pilot the Red Bull Plane. SO MUCH FUN!
(Sorry the pic is so dark but ya'know clubs are dark)
We had such a great time that we ended up staying out WAY LATER than we had planned so...

On Saturday I spent the entire day sleeping and lounging around the house. Bliss. Pure bliss.

Economy slowdown?

What economy slowdown?

Seriously.