thanks Kendra for taking and sending this pic!

So I hit the big Five Oh this week, and I’ve discovered that there is such a thing as too much cake.  Celebrations began the weekend before my big day and will probably end tonight at another wine/tapas event (although we’re going to that for fun not my birthday), but no wait there’s our upcoming Emirates Palace weekend, sooooo I may end up celebrating all the way until my 51st birthday.

I can honestly say I have never, ever had this much birthday cake in my life.  My fabulous co-workers threw a party and gave me the best gifts (my favorite is the jar of 50 my-kind-of jokes).  The weekend prior I celebrated with my girls at a lovely Thai restaurant on Saadiyat Island (and there was some whooping it up the night before that as well).  Jamil, the manager at our favorite Syrian restaurant (Al Taahi in Al Ain), went all out with cake, food, music and even a little dancing from his kids and kitchen staff.  And, all of my classes threw me ‘surprise’ birthday parties — never on the same day.  Soo, for the past week I’ve inhaled more carbs and sugar than my poor 50-year old body should handle.  Dieting really needs to begin ASAP.

I was a little sad about not being able to bring in this milestone year with my loved ones, but my new loved ones made sure I didn’t waste too much time thinking about that.  I am one very lucky girl — oh wait now that I’m 50 does that put me into the adult category?

some of my birthday cakes.  Didn’t get photos of them all.  Hahaha Jamil was upset that we didn’t celebrate Shannan’s birthday with him, so his birthday party was for both of us. Hence the photo of us both.

 um yeah so not hungry now.

Jamil made sure I had fruit and veggies too.

Love Jamil’s family, and his dancing kitchen crew, AND all the food.

 my girls feasting on the grub they brought

my other girls pre Thai grub.  The sunset behind us was beautiful.

There are better pics to post, but for some reason they didn’t upload, and well, I’m too lazy to fight technology today.

I’d like to say I’m laying low until summer vacation plans kick in, but I’ve got something planned each weekend.  It’s a hard life.  And, sometimes, really it is.  If I were home right now today would be the day I’d be picking up my lump-sum check for the summer, and I’d be whooping it up in my pool.  So yay for all my teacher friends back home!  Boo that I’m still on the clock until July, but I’ll catch up with all of you in a few months!