The best moments are these...

If I could somehow make everything stop in the world and make time stand still, this is where I would stop it. My baby girls and me squished up close - just the way I like it.  We spent almost every second together from the moment Tara stepped off the plane and it still wasn't enough.  Tara I miss you so much that my heart actually squeezes the breath from me.  Thank you for making this such a special Christmas for all of us. I love you to the moons of every planet, the stars of every galaxy and back ~ from my heart to yours, wrapped up in a bazillion pounds of love!

Tara's on her way to the airport for Christmas in Cyprus

And her little sister's are discussing which one gets to hug her first!  We've decided on a group hug :) 

Winter Solstice Celebrations

I really enjoy embracing customs from around the world.  While in Finland I learned of many, but my most favorite was on the Winter Solstice and the celebration of Light.  The above photo (that flame is looking a little heart shaped isn't it??) was taken in our Helsinki backyard to celebrate the coming of brighter days.  I wasn't too thrilled to have night time fall across the sky a little past 2:30 in the afternoon that day, and yet I somehow feel a strange longing for that moment today.  So in honor of the darkest day of the year, and brighter days to follow, I offer you a new ritual I have just come across today.  I especially love the sentiment of not berating ourselves for any misfortunes or unhappiness we may have to "burn" away at this time, but to celebrate the awareness of the what we have experienced and to make room for the wonder we can create for ourselves now as we bid one final adieu to the old patterns we no longer need. 

"Release is powerful medicine, a plumbing of the depths, fertilizing your foundation. This Winter Solstice, write down what you would like to release into the darkness. You can write as many thoughts as you wish, about a situation, energies, a person or a habit. This is a time to revere what has taught you well, not to revoke yourself for the past. Think about what you would like to release, as well as what you would like to replace it with. With your fire or candle lit, cast the written offerings into the fire, and as it burns, affirm this release by declaring what you would like to replace things with. After fully finished, let your fire or candle burn completely to the end, releasing that which is now gone. If there are any remnants of your ritual fire or candle, you can either keep a few ashes or a piece of wax to commemorate your releasing next year, and recall that which you have consciously "let go" of for 2010. Lastly, celebrate your awareness by enjoying pleasure! The long night has just begun, your fire is burning and there is much to treasure."*

*Quoted from Winter Solstice Traditions - Celebrating the Return of Light by Shannon Day

One of my all time favorite Christmas movies!

If this doesn't get you ready for Santa, nothing will!

Merry Christmas to All!

Mikayla Bliss

This one deserves its own space.  I missed all the action on the dunes since we had Arianna with us out there, so I am sooooo glad Mike was able to capture these moments.  The sun is about to set and they are up on top of a huge dune after some awesome dune diving. Just look at the purest joy!

Recent trip

We recently had the opportunity to visit Abu Dhabi while Mike was attending a conference. Mikayla was at the tail end of what we are pretty sure was a nice case of oink oink flu and we missed our flight out on Saturday so by Sunday I was actually ready to throw the towel in on the entire trip. The thought of traveling with a just recovering 7 year old and a 6 month old who was requiring us to have to take an additional suitcase for all the needed essentials had me trying to convince Mike it was just better for him to go this one alone.  I am SO glad he didn't listen!

We ended up flying on Etihad Air who supplied us with a bassinet that snapped in on the bulkhead wall as soon as we were up in the air and actually served us a choice of fantastic food that was served with actual silverware...in economy.  And, having missed the original flight meant that we no longer needed to have a layover. We flew straight through which is a definite bonus with kids.

The above picture is actually a domed-type window in the tunnel that took us from the hotel to the beach side of street adjoining our hotel. At night the glass reflected back at us and I just happened to look up and notice the phenomenal photo op!

The trip was absolutely, hands down the most relaxing trip I have EVER taken. Both girls slept in past noon each and every morning so I found myself dragging them out of bed twice just so we could make it to the best damn breakfast buffet I have known. Aside from the essentials like eggs, waffles and the like, there were fresh carrot juice stations that you could blend your favorite morning cocktail - I stuck with the carrot juice and I don't even like carrot juice usually. If you didn't want veggie juices then the fruit juice section was also available, as was home made breads, jams and honey's. I am definitely a breakfast kind of girl. In fact on the days we ate breakfast we couldn't even find the room for lunch. 

So, highlights from moi to thee, should you ever find a reason to visit:

Cultural Heritage Center

A walk on the Corniche (their version of a boardwalk)

Any of the malls - we liked the newest - The Marina Mall

A bike/trike ride with all the locals on the Corniche

Dinner at the "Lebanese Flower" for authentic yet simple delights

The Big Bus Tour - a hop on/off tour of the city

Mandoo's - A great one stop shop for all your Abu treasures (across from Abu Dhabi Mall)

The Grand Mosque - Exquisite!!!

Desert Safari - Belly dancing, sheesha pipes, henna tattoos, camel rides and for the extreme sports guy/girl in all of us - Dune Peshing (sp?) the craziest ride you will ever take in a 4WD vehicle!

We happened to be there for their 38th National Day which culminated on Dec. 2 and the largest fireworks show in the world (they hoped to make the Guinness World Record with 100,000 devices going off that night).  You could literally feel the electricity in the air all day as the excitement grew.

They were also hosting the F1 H20 water races in the Gulf across from our hotel on Dec. 3.  These boats look like space ships on the water and we were just meters from all the action.  Not sure who actually ended up winning but the French guy in our hotel had my vote!

Since we were traveling with kids I do not have any night life recommendations this time around, but, it is a non-alcohol consuming country, so keep that in mind when traveling there. We are glad we picked up a couple of nice bottles of vino in the airport on the way over. And of course, all the big hotels have fully stocked bars.

Viva la Abu Dhabi!

Made in Finland, Born in Cyprus

First plane ride was to Abu Dhabi last week where she got her first tooth on the First of December!

Congratulations Mike!

It's official...Mike has been selected for promotion to Master Sergeant...wooo hoooo!

Giving Thanks!

I try to remember to wake every morning with gratitude. My Nonna lived with us for many years and every morning (and every night) she would go on and on about how thankful she was for what seemed like everything - the good drivers, the beautiful leaves on the trees, the wonderful candy she ate that day. I would love it as a little girl and sadly, started to belittle it in my mind as I grew. "Oh, what a boring life she must have to think of all the small things she has to come up with to give thanks for."  NOW I get it.  So, although the official third Thursday in November Thanksgiving has come and gone, I would like to celebrate today and every day with an unofficial Day of Thanks!  THANKS NONNA, I'M STILL LEARNING FROM YOU! I LOVE YOU ENDLESSLY XOXOXO
Watercolor artwork done by the very talented Mikayla Reanne

Time travel

I never gave the concept of time much thought but with our recent travels it dawned on me that I was actually a time traveler – how flippin’ cool is that! No, I’m not going get all sci-fi on you, but seriously, did you ever just stop and think about this whole time thing? I read a very thought provoking book a couple of months ago called “The Power of Now” and I walked away with a fresh look on now and what that means to me. It was actually pretty amazing to realize how much time I wasted in the future when really it is always only now that we live in. Luckily, I’ve never really been much of a dweller of the past, so all I had to keep reminding myself was to stay focused on the here, the moment right now. Of course, as soon as something that I considered could affect my future showed up, as it always seems to do, I was right back to the future in my thoughts but catching myself gets a little bit easier every time I try to stay focused on it, and soon enough I now realize that until that part of what I think the future holds catches up with me, there really is no point in projecting my hopes or unfounded fears. “Right now, everything is cool,” I say to the future worrier me, and then I tell that bitch to get lost – I don’t need her around any more, just the now me can stay.
Anyway, as I flew away from Cyprus time, further into my future last week (you still need time as a reference I guess) it dawned on me that I was going to be another two hours ahead of my latest time frame, which then made me realize I kept cheating myself out of a little more time which was bringing me that much closer, that much quicker to my next birthday. Hah, not something everyone can embrace, but again, it sat on my mind and my mind said, no biggie, but this time travel thing here sure is pretty damn wild. Starting out my life in NY “way back when” I began cheating time by gaining about six hours when we moved to Hawaii. Then I lost those six and gained another six when we got to Finland, stayed the same in the move to Cyprus. and gained another two in Abu Dhabi, but you know what, nothing really changed except the numbers on the clock. Which brings me back to that book, that now seems to ring more truth than I even realized at the “time” I was reading it. You can’t control it, you can’t own it and you can’t undo it but you can live it and live it fully and live it totally with abandon of the happiness or whatever-ness of your choice. The choice is always yours, its that simple!