Gobble Gobble!!!

It is that wonderful time of the year.  Where we really flex our culinary skills.  We have been packed with different events.  The main event of this week was Thanksgiving dinner, then our annual Thanksgiving pie party.  Thanksgiving dinner is a family thing that we do with Ryvers.  They hosted this year and made a juicy turkey with all the trimmings. 

 

After the Thanksgiving dinner we returned to the house and prepared for the pie party.  This year we created 17 different pies.  We did a lot of new pies this year which was a little challenging. 

 

 

We have been smoking turkeys for several years.  Something that we started in Bahrain when Stacy came to visit us.  April is not a fan of turkey, but likes it smoked.  This year I purchased a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker.  It is still new and I am trying to still get the hang of it.  It is really, really fun.  This turkey got a great taste into it.  I smoked it with apple and cherry wood. 

So here are the pies.  All 17 pies are here, with the pictures.  I will let the pictures do the talking.  They were great. 

 Black bottom Pumpkin Pie

 Toffee Marshmallow Pie (Ha-Na Made this one)

 

 Chocolate Cream Pie

 

 Salted Carmel Pecan Pie

 

 Pumpkin Pie

 

 Coconut Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

 

 Lemon Meringue Pie (MJ made this with Feddie and Mom)

 

 Chocolate Coconut Pie with Macadamia Nut Crust

 

 Strawberry Nutella Pie (lil Carl made this one and it was a hit at the party0

 

 Apple Pie

 

 Butterscotch Meringue Pie

 

 Coconut Cream Pie

 Peach Pie

 

 Cherry Pie

 

 Eggnog Pie with Gingersnaps

 

 Black Bottom Peanut Butter Mouse Pie (another favorite at the party)

 Cream Brule Berry Tart (this one went really fast)

 

 Here is the tablescape.  We struggled to get all 17 types onto the table. 

 

 Madison ate her weight in pie.  She especially loves Lemon meringue pie.

Ha-Na loves the pies.  They are so excited to be able to eat pies for breakfast the next couple of days. 

Beauty and the Beast

We were excited that Beauty and the Beast was coming to Abu Dhabi.  

It is so much fun to get glammed up for a show. 

Ha-Na even let me do her hair. 

She is such a goof.

MJ loves getting dressed up and hair done.






She was patient, but really this only took about 15 minutes and that is because it was my first time trying this one.

 They did not know where we were taking them.
They were very excited...and curious.  

Love this girl, She makes me smile.

The handsome guys.  

The kids were actually disappointed when they found out what we were seeing.  We tried to reassure them that they would love it.  

 They were good sports about posing in front of all the signs.

We had a long wait since we were told to be there at 7:30 but the actual show did not start until 8:30

As we were going through the check in one toddler started throwing up, then at the refreshment counter another threw up all over and they only put napkins over it.  It was comical but we felt so bad for the child.  Then the dad got the kid some popcorn and 7up to make them feel better.  I am really glad we were not sitting by them.  

Our seats in front of the stage.

MJ and dad being goofy.

During intermission the kids (and dad) were having fun being silly.

The show was really great, given the constraints of the Middle East, since the stage was really small but the actors were really impressive. The kids really enjoyed it in the end, we even had to stop Carl from singing along!  It was great to have a cultural experience such as this here.  Hopefully more will come in the future since this seemed to be a success, I know it was a success for our family!

Super Hero Halloween Fun

The youth at our church (and their leaders) put together a really fun Halloween party for the kids. 

Lissy loved the cake walk  She was so excited to walk from one to the other.  I think she was a little slow for the other kids waiting behind her.

Ha-Na loves being with the little ones and she looked great helping in her Wasp costume.

MJ was Mary Jane Watson from Spiderman.  That hair color was a mess!

Ha-Na is always happy to carry and help with Elisabetha.  Lissy shows her appreciation with kisses.

Carl as Doctor Octopus.  He took it off for a while as there were so many people he kept hitting them with his arms as he tried to get around.

She did not get the whole "eat the doughnut off the string." She has hands and wanted to use them. 

The 2 doctors.  Dr. Octopus and Dr. Who.

On Halloween we went with our friends trick or treating.  I think the kids got more candy here than they ever did in the states.  It was over 100, it did cool down a little for us to go out and gather candy.  

Our crew

She is so polite waiting for all the other kids to finish at the door.

This as the first house and when she realized what the procedure was she became a pro at this trick or treating thing.

I told Carl he was too old to ask for candy but he wanted to come along with us in costume.  He wouldn't have fit through the gate openings with his costume.  Later in the eveing all the older kids came out and I felt bad I had told him he couldn't do it.  By that time he wasn't interested in going out.  Maybe next year.

This is the way to do it.  Getting a ride and hopping out at the participating Villas.

We got this dress for her in Spain.  She wore it to church because it is a "pretty dress"  We gave her the option of wearing her kitty costume but she wanted to keep this dress on.

Carl stayed with his sisters and only charged 10% of their candy.

The faster they leave the villa the quicker they can get to the next one and more loot.

Wasp, she was really happy that she was taller than mom with the boots.  She ditched them halfway through the night, taking my sandals to finish in.  Walking back to the villa barefoot...the things moms do for their kids.

She ditched the stroller and enjoyed walking to the villas like the big kids.

So fun that many of the villas decorated and really got into the spirit of Halloween.  Lissy kept saying "Halloween Scary," all month but she had fun with it and enjoyed being a little scared.  She even gave Frankenstein a high five.

She did not think we should give out the good candy.  She is keeping it safe in her lap.

What do we do the day after Halloween?  Wear our towel poncho with our tennies, and eat candy necklaces while taking down decorations.  She sees no need for food today.