Jack Serves Himself Some Apple Pie

I've been making the best apple pies lately. Using Grandma Watts' famous recipe. The other night I had a beautiful tasty pie sitting on the counter cooling. I went into the kitchen to check it and found Jack had decided to scoop himself up a spiderman dish full. We was using two large kitchen towels to clean up the part that hit the floor. He did quite well. He chose to just take a lot of crust off the top rather than bother with the bottom crust.

The "Hot" light is ON in Abu Dhabi

OK, so 2008 is getting off to a fabulous start! We decided to head out to the new mall for dinner at the Dairy Queen. Brad was so excited to take in a Blizzard. When we got there, we found the new Krispy Kreme had finally opened. What a way to start the new year. Dinner at Dairy Queen with dessert at Krispy Kreme..Where are we, anyway? L.A.
Krispy Kreme has never tasted so good to me.. I have to say. Brad was disillusioned by Dairy Queen..not a great selection like home. But it was still a great night and we got fabulous family photos to share.

New Year..New Family Photo..Had to Share it!

On our way to the new mall...Yes, another mall in Abu Dhabi..second new one on the island to open in 2007..We stopped at the beach close to our house to see the sunset. I couldn't resist trying to get a cute family photo with that incredible sunset in the background. Of course, I didn't have my new, beautiful camera..just my point and shoot but it did a great job. Sometimes, those impromptu family photos turn out to be the best because everyone isn't all uptight and stressed out.

HAPPY NEW YEAR...AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO OUR BLOG..1 YEAR TODAY!

May you keep "trottin" happily along in the coming year.
Our blog is 1 year old today...Where did the time go?
To anyone who has put off blogging or some other form of journaling..Start this year. As I look back at our old blog posts over the last year I am so happy I went to work a few times a week to upload photos and list thoughts. I was surprised how many things I would have forgotten had I not.
I have several New Year's resolutions...I won't bore you with them but I am committed to continuing the blog but doing more of the other things I love too. Such as, scrapbooking, and photography..They are all intertwined and given where we live...I can't afford not to do any of them. The memories are wonderful and the photo "opps" are abundant.
Have a great 2008! With lots of love and best wishes...The Abu Dhabi Cooks!

SANTA STOPPED HERE!!!

Sam's Christmas

Could this expression make Santa any happier or more satisfied?!

Sam presenting his gift to Brad. A mosque that he made out of paper.

Jack's Christmas

Charlie and Jack were as excited about each other's gifts as they were their own.


Jack loved organizing the cars and trucks that Sargon gave to both him and Charlie.

Charlie's Christmas

Christmas action takes it's toll on Charlie, just like the rest of us!

Cairo's Christmas

She lost a tooth on Christmas Eve so the tooth fairy and Santa ran into each other...Then a mosquito ran into Cairo's eye in the night while she slept so she could only see her presents through one eye! She was thrilled with everything just the same.

The whole family loved getting Guitar Hero for the PlayStation. Grandma and Grandpa Cook gave us money for Christmas and we used it to buy a game the whole family could enjoy.

Poor Cairo woke up on Christmas morning with a mosquito bite on her eyelid! She still had a great day along with the rest of us but her Christmas pictures make it look like she met up with Mike Tyson on Christmas Eve.