First Easter in Abu Dhabi

It’s a big Christian holiday and I’m in a big Muslim country……

I wasn’t sure what I was going to find for Easter here.  There were a few cheesy decorations around and even some sponsored Easter Egg Hunts though.  Our Embassy did a nice “Spring Fling” with a visit by the Easter Bunny, Easter Egg Hunt and some snacks.

Back home we would’ve had baskets for the kids, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt and church and then culminating with a big dinner at my mom’s clubhouse with family.  This year it was a little different.

The Saturday before Easter there was the Embassy Spring Fling where we aren’t allowed to take pictures but the kids had a good time so that was nice.

       

I made Bunny Cake Pops and Cake Balls to share at the Easter Potluck.

 

On Sunday, we decided to wake up SUPER early with the kids and take them (Alexander was the only one up for it) to Sunrise service at church.  We joined thousands of people (okay maybe hundreds) for a bright and early mass at church.  We even sat with some friends so that was nice.

We came home and the kids enjoyed their Easter Baskets and then stayed in our room while Brian and I hid Easter Eggs.  We’ve always done different colors for each kid.  This way it is even, the kids get goodies appropriate for their age and we are able to hide eggs appropriately for their age too!  It’s fun to make it tricky for Alexander.

                         

                   

After they did an Easter Egg Hunt we decided to head out for our first brunch.  Brunches are a big thing here and they happen every weekend but we’ve never attended one.  We decided for Easter this year that since it was just the five of us and not our whole extended family that we wanted something different.  The brunch was AMAZING!!!

We headed out to Yas Island to Origins Restaurant at the Viceroy Hotel.  I’ve never seen such an unbelievable spread.  There was a great variety of different cuisines and an amazing dessert table (or three) plus two chocolate fountains.  There was a kids room where you could check the kids in and they could enjoy their own kiddie brunch (nuggets, fries, etc….) and play games and hang out.  We all ate together for awhile and then they went there for a bit and then I went outside with them for a small Easter Egg Hunt and they spent the rest of the time in there while Brian and I finished brunch.  TOTALLY doing it again!

They even had an “Easter Bunny” which was really Bugs Bunny – I suppose it’s the best they could do there.  Ha Ha

                   

The kids hanging out in the Kiddie Room

 

             

Dark Chocolate & White Chocolate Fountains with treats on one table, Chocolatier making truffles at another.

 

         

Lovely Breads with decorations, one of the several other tables of food.

 

 

 

                           

Kids Buffet and the “Easter Bunny”

 

 

           

The racetrack & yachts out the window that Cameron wanted to do after eating!  The kids at the Hunt.

The End of Baseball Season

Alexander has loved playing baseball here.  His coach is FANTASTIC.  The team is super and the families are absolutely wonderful.  We have enjoyed going to Dubai every weekend to play and it’s been great to watch him improve over the season.   The team is very dedicated and they have won all but two of their games – one they lost and one they tied. 

The championship game was against THAT team.   They tied and lost to the same team and this was it.

The kids played a pretty good game but in the end they took 2nd place.   Alexander still enjoyed it even if he was feeling pretty defeated and blaming the rest of the world (the other team, the umpire, etc….).  My child is not what I would call a “Good Loser”.  No idea where that comes from……..

The kids had an End of Year party and it was great to see everyone again.  He presented each player with a little trophy and a game ball along with a little speech about each kid.

We all played a game with kids against adults that was a modified ball game.  We swung with tennis rackets and hit tennis balls that were pitched to us and the other team played regular positions on the baseball field.  It was a blast!