Best.Friday.Ever.

Where the heck did November and December go? I blinked and boom!! 7 days till Christmas.
I am not complaining one bit though! Happy Friday, friends! Lt's get to my favorites for this week.


1. Blog, Life, Menu planners from Yellow Bliss Road To be completely honest, I am unsure how I stumbled upon the site. Probably a Pinterest session gone completely right but I do love a good planner. I have tried them all and I just can't seem to find the absolute perfect one. I love these planner for a few reasons. 1. Affordable 2. Digital Download and 3. SUPER cute! I am still deciding on my design. Which one would you choose??

*Image is from Yellow Bliss Road

2.  This cozy angel wrap from Home Shopping Network. I can't even put into words the level of LOVE for this gift. I bought them for my mom and sisters for Thanksmas and my mom happened to buy me one! Granted I cannot use mine year round but these desert nights lately have been the perfect time to get cozy with this. Perfect price point and shipping guaranteed for Christmas. It is a great gift or a nice little to me, from me gift #treatyoself

3. Speaking of being able to cozy up with my Angel wrap, I will vote the weather lately in the Dhabs as a favorite. Mid to high 50's at night time. Yassss!!! 

4.  Since fireplaces are not really a fixture in the homes here. 

5. It is that glorious time of year that all teachers long for.. Winter Break! Or Christmas Break as I call it.  I have big plans since I am not traveling anywhere; I brought work home to do. But in reality..

Have a great last weekend shopping before the big day! Don't forget to link up.

Renewal

It has been a while but it feels good to be back! Do you ever have those times when you want to write and blog? You really have a drive and determination to stay up with it, produce some good content and it is fulfilling in a way? Well I hit a major wall around May and I struggled to get through it I honestly felt like I was writing 'mucho blah blah blah' as my husband says and there was a lack of substance. So I decided to step back and let it be for a while until I was really compelled to write or at least share daily or weekly happenings. It has been a few days and I have wanted to get back at the computer to start up again but I waited. I have been thinking about all of the things that I want to document and share and post about so I decided it was a good time! It has been a busy summer that includes Paris (!!!!!!), a big ol' surprise visit home to see our friends and family, and the arrival of our puppies from the U.S. So now I actually feel like I have some things to share and write about that have some meaning. I am also looking at my last week of vacation before back to work (No!!!!!) but it is okay. I am still searching for someone to give Just Call Me Sparkles a big old make over but I have a few prospects so hopefully one of them will be my knight in shining HTML and I think that will be a big encouragement as well. I just need some new.  So what better way to get back at it than to participate in a little link up :)

1. I am looking forward to getting back to school. Say Whaaa????  I know, I know. It may or may not have something to do with the bag full of new school supplies that I am going to take with me ;-)

2. This ankle. For the love of all that is holy, this ankle. So back in May/June I really hurt it (again) and I finally went to the doctor to see if there was anything that could be done. I prayed for them to say no boot, and no surgery and they said neither of those! Hooray - or so I thought. You see I would rather have that than some BS physio therapy that was a complete joke. I mean it felt better and I thought that I was getting some range of motion back. I was almost able to walk correctly again, mind you that I finished PT in July before we left for Paris. However there is a persistent soreness/ache that just doesn't quit. Today walking I stepped down on it while walking Princeton and bam... we are back at square one. Over it doesn't even fully express the level of WTF that I am feeling. I need to find a new doctor.

3. Netflix. 

I love you Netflix.

We just finished watching the entire series of Sons of Anarchy. Late but whatevs. SO GOOD! I never thought that I would be into the show but I now understand the times I would text friends that were highly into the show and they wouldn't answer. Totally get it now. 

4. I'm going to write it and everyone in the UAE will say duh, but this heat! I mean, I have never, ever felt anything like it. You pray the breeze not to blow because it is so hot. The heat just envelopes you as soon as you leave the comfort of the antarctic that is known as our apartment. At a scorching 115-120 (with the wind and heat index even more!) there really is no reason to go outside unless there is an emergency or... no, there is not reason. I now understand why delivery is everything here. Everything. And worth every penny might I add. 

5. I rekindled my love of make up while back home. I had a major make up obsession that I really tried to get in check when I left the U.S. but who the heck was I kidding? I went a wee bit nuts in Sephora and Ulta back home. We have Sephora don't get me wrong but it is just different back home. They have everything whereas many of the items that you see on Vloggers and Youtube channels are not here yet. #Annoying so I went ahead and stepped back into that obsession and I'll have that in one of my upcoming post.

6. SnapChat. I really feel like Snapchat has stepped up the game of so many bloggers & vloggers. I, for one, love that I can go on and keep up with my favorite bloggers on the day to day in a real way that isn't just a picture. I follow tons of people from Instagram and I have to say it is quickly becoming my #2 for social media. I mean I could NEVER betray my beloved Instagram which is holding steady at #1 but Facebook for me is slipping into that 3rd rank because all the political propaganda and experts on everything has me like ...

Make sure you go link up.

I'm out.

This week

Happy Friday friends!

This week proved to be a long week since we were doing testing in schools but it was also pretty nice because unlike back home the kids get on the bus when they are finished testing and head home. It definitely gives some chill time to be able to do all the little task (or huge ones) and not have to worry about supervision, the lunch lines, or dealing with all the things that adolescent girls bring. Granted here the big issues are girls wearing or having make up, but you know what I mean.

I was able to meet with some of the teachers one on one which was really nice because I miss that part of my job. I think that I am growing into my new position and I am being given a bit more freedom to work. Coming here is not always just jumping in like back home - you really have to earn your spot and your respect. That has been a complete paradigm shift for me but one that I welcome since I came here to have a totally different experience. That has never disappointed.

I decided to do a link up this week since I have completely been out of the link up game. I am linking up with Amanda from Meet at the Barre, Karli from September Farm and with Paula from Sincerely, Paula.  Make sure to checkout there blogs and link back to your blog as well.

So this week I finally downloaded my Rosetta Stone so I can try and pick up some Arabic. It seems like it is going to be quite the challenge but I at least need to learn the basics. I have yes, no, enough, and the word exponent. I observed a lot of math this week ;) The ladies I work with are starting to try and teach me bits and pieces as we go but I have to see it written, at least phonetically, to get a grasp on it. Pronunciation.. let not even talk about that for now. 

We went over to the local Daiso store this week on the hunt for a tape runner with designed on it that I saw on my Instagram feed from another planner lover. Daiso is a Japanese store with all sorts of things. I call it the dollar store because everything is 7 dirhams. Technically that is $1.91 in U.S. currency but no one wants to say the $1.91 store. Think of the store as the best amazon buys that come from overseas for like 99 cents but only in store form. I love it. While I did not find my decorative tape runner (sad face!!) I did score this amazing mug which made me think of my sister, Lindsay: 

Such a cute piece. I promised I would go back and look for another one since she really liked it as well!  I also picked up a little journal to get my traveling plans in one place. 

That little floral book.. never something that I would normally pick up but I thought it looked unique and I think it will serve as a nice journal type notebook for when I go back home.  Again, the bargain price of AED 7. 

 My favorite meal of the week was definitely our anniversary dinner at Stratos. It is a revolving restaurant on top of Lé Royal Meridan hotel by the Corniche. It was really beautiful and the views were fantastic. We were able to get a complete 360 degree view of Abu Dhabi, the ocean and the skyline. The food was pretty amazing as well. I highly recommend the lobster mac & cheese!

We also visited the Sheik Zayed Mosque yesterday and it was breathtaking. There are no pictures that will ever do the structure any justice. I watched several documentaries and read several pieces about the planning and building of the structure but I never imagined how huge it would really be. I drive by it all the time, but it is definitely not the same as taking a trip inside. Every single detail is perfect. A definite must see for all those who can travel to Abu Dhabi. If you follow me on Instagram, I posted several more pictures there as well. I haven't even gotten to my professional camera pictures. These are from my trusty iPhone.  

I just can't get enough of the beauty.

One of the amazing chandeliers. They weigh tons and sparkle like crazy. 

This would have been a fantastic picture but that security guard was relentless in staying in the background of it ;) 

All individual pieces of marble to make the floors and the intricate designs. 

I cannot wait to go back. It is very serene and they are still working on the outside of it for the lawns and different areas. I look forward to seeing it completed before we leave. 

So whats on tap for this weekend? I have no idea. I do know that I am getting my hair done and I am pumped about that. The struggle is very real with the root situation so I will be glad that is remedied. 

Cheers to the weekend!

Friday Favorites: Christmas Picture Edition

Happy Friday!

This weeks Friday Favs are going to be a little bit different for me. I must admit that the last day and half has been pretty shitty because I knew that school was ending for break which normally is one of my most favorite days of the year. However, this year with being so far from home and all alone and big holidays rushing their way to us - I am absolutely dreading it.

I just can't really wrap my head around not being with my husband and family for Christmas. It seems so foreign to me. I am trying to be strong and I know that next year will be different but I just didn't think it was going to be this hard. This complete separation from the holiday season has definitely made me reflect and think about how much I do take the family time for granted. So I challenge each of my readers while you are wrapping gifts, shopping, looking at Christmas lights, or just prepping for the big day remember to be thankful for spending time with loved ones and cherish the memories that are going to be made. Also take lots of pictures! I am really glad that I do, especially this year, when that is all that I have...well that and the 3 chipmunks Christmas CD that the restaurant plays on repeat.

Here are my favorite pictures from past Christmas celebrations.

This was my moms Christmas Present one year - she is so lucky!

At Christmas lane with Karissa, Eric and my husband

Lindsay @ my parents house after opening gifts

 My hubs and Grandma on her last Christmas with us

WFB tried out for a reindeer position, but he was given the elf spot instead.

 Mom, the master of ceremonies

My husband and I at Disney's Hollywood Studios

 The big guy on Christmas Morning

I am ashamed at what i would do for some of these cookies or fudge right now... seriously. 

This was taken at one of my cookie exchanges.

 With my mom @ Cookie Exchange

Black Friday Shopping with my sisters to kick off the Christmas season!

I miss home... but this too, shall pass. 

Friday Favorites :)

Hooray for Friday, which is really Saturday, but that is a whole other confusing story. So I am linking up today for my Friday fav's so let's do this, shall we?

My new little car - isn't she darling? I am stoked to have a way around this emirate now! Most of all - I am thankful for no more cabs!

*name to be announced when I figure one out

This is my niece Bella. She is the funniest and most expressive doggie ever. She likes her mommy to send me snapchats..often.  They always make me smile. She is currently spending a lot of time with her cousins before they come to Abu Dhabi.

My baby boy Princeton. He is such a smoochy face! I miss him so much & I cannot wait until he gets a stamp on his doggie passport and gets here!

Some of my favorite sights of the week

Aldar HQ building. The first circular Skyscraper. It is huge & really pretty. I can also see it from my new prospective apartment in Al Raha Gardens.

My School! 

Who knew they even still had these? 

The roof in the Aloft hotel.

Myself and a former teacher at my school back home who got here in August. I will tell you that Brunches here in Abu Dhabi are unbelievable. Food & drinks for hours!

Abu Dhabi sunsets can't be beat. 

Things that made me laugh this week

Yep. All day. 

Go find this list on Spotify - I died. 

Hope you wrap up the week, enjoy some Christmas shopping or whatever festivities you might be partaking in and have a great weekend :) 

Go and visit some other great blogs in this weeks link ups!

Fashionably Late

As many times as I wrote this post in my head yesterday, it just never made to the keyboard. You know you love me <3

// Can we talk about the fact that almost everyone in my group got their plane ticket on Thursday.... except me and a few other ladies. I have really tried to be positive, upbeat, but that was like getting kicked. I am happy for my groupies that have their ticket {maybe a little sideeye going on here} but I wanna travel with them. So here is to hoping that I get my ticket on Sunday or Monday or Tuesday. I am flexible like that. I will say that this happening has mde me extremely anxious and everytime I hear my mail chime on my iPhone I practically jump out of my skin. Lucky for me, I set a special tone to that email so now no more running to the phone. Who am I kidding, I am carrying my phone around with me like a newborn...

//Did I mention that the leave date on those gorgeous tickets is Thanksgiving Day?! God has a funny way of keeping me from all that glorious food that I really shouldn't consume in mass quantities. He is a real jokester, he is.

//All I can do is dream about emails.

//All I can do is dream that I get emails that say the plane is full and I have to wait longer.

//At least I am {restlessly} sleeping, right?

My brain sounds like an awesome place to be right now, doesn't it? I am kind of disappointed with myself because I have no been a spazz this entire process and now I am entering looney bin world. I pride myself on not being an anxious person and being pretty chill but yesterday was horrible. I felt anxious, sick, depressed, tired, and just blah. I know this process is like this and I felt pretty well prepared to take it on so maybe I am just being too hard on myself for one bad day. I am determined to not do any repeats of that...because honestly, that just sucked.