DISCOVERY CENTRE SHARJAH, A discovery indeed!!

The summer vacation is getting over for the little one and the busy schedule of school is going to be up soon.. We are enjoying the last bit of every weekend..

There are many places all over UAE specially catering to kids. All the malls have an amusement area. Plenty of beaches and parks were the kids can have endless hours of fun. But with the summer in full swing all the outdoors are out of bounds till 8 pm at least. The amusement area in most of the malls are more or less the same with video games and other consoles.

Finally we discovered a quiet little place on the outskirts of Sharjah. For a change there is no passive recreation here.:)

THE SHARJAH DISCOVERY CENTRE

The little one and her cousin had a great time..

Very educational, with activities for all age group of kids. There is a great driving track with everything including roundabouts and signals, a recording studio where the children watch themselves after the recordings, a mini airport including baggage claim, a cycling skeleton, many workshops on art and much more. Oh and don't forget to build your own fort! Lots of fun and lots to learn.

The place is a very good value for money , and keeps up the interest of the adults too.

Its run by the Sharjah tourism.  Here s the official website http://www.sharjahtourism.ae/en/heritage/museums/sharjah-discovery-centre

A must visit place if you are in UAE and have kids . But expect a tough time to get them out of there at the end of the day :)

Get geared up for some great colorful photos.

The construction area 

Kids driving area

Driving zone with petrol bunk

Cycling skeleton

Huge working robot

Tight rope walk

Climbing wall

Model airport

Check in

Baggage claim

Landmarks from around the world

INDEPENDENCE DAY ABROAD

The 68th independence day for our great nation was up yesterday.

As small kids we remember the history lessons we learnt with patriotism, and the names like Mahatma gandhi, Bhagat singh, Subash chandra bose , Jawahar lal nehru and many more. Every year we have a function at school , with flag hoisting and a speech and of course a beautiful round laddoo as a mark of celebration.. The TV channels played movies like Roja, Mother India, Dil se year after year whetting up the national fervor. The cricket matches too used to whip up the patriotic feeling.

Then life moved on... cricketers playing for clubs, and lesser matches for India. We flew to foreign shores. No more history lessons to remind us of the struggle taken up for this day. Slowly it became just a holiday with an off from work....

Our little girl who started her school this year , recently learnt the national anthem. She was bringing up her class almanac to teach us JANA GANA MANA. She was surprised to know that we also knew of it and it was our national anthem. She knows we are Indian and we look around for Indians, Indian restaurants, Indian supermarkets here in UAE .

But what is India in her mind. So this year we took her to the SHARJAH INDIAN ASSOCIATION for the Independence day celebrations.. With a gathering of a lot of Indians, she got to see the hoisting of the Indian flag, albeit in foreign shores. As we sang our national anthem, we were proud to see our little one standing in attention and singing the full anthem. The national pride was being shared with a new generation. The past was being engraved in their tiny minds. We hope these are the images and feeling of being Indian that she carries forward.

We missed the laddoos, and were sad that our daughter didn't get to associate that simple sweet with our independence day.

JAI HIND.
We miss INDIA.

To our 68 years of independence, for Indians all over the world.

ZAIN & FARZ

A DINOSAUR IN DUBAI

How much more amazing can Dubai get??!!

All the Jurassic park movies we watched as teens got us excited to see this new resident in Dubai!! 

Right in the Grand Atrium of the Dubai mall, you have a 155 million year old dinosaur skeleton of the late Jurassic era. Could'nt have a more deserving location for the unique remains of a dinosaur, than the world's largest mall - the Dubai mall. The DubaiDino is definitely going to increase the visitor count to the mall, which also houses the Dubai Aquarium, Dubai ice rink, the Dubai mall waterfall and many other attractions.

It has been named as DubaiDino (after a winning entry from an open competition for naming the dinosaur). 

The dinosaur was excavated in Dana Quarry, Wyoming, USA in 2008. Its has been air-freighted to Dubai by the EMAAR Group. 

This particular dinosaur is from the family Diplodocus Longus and is long-necked, whip-tailed and vegetarian. About 80 feet in length and 25 feet in height, it was discovered with all its bones intact, except for a few tail bones damaged by trauma either during a fight or bitten off. This particular exhibit with all bones intact is one of a kind in the world.

As tall as around five adult humans and as heavy as five elephants, we can only wonder as how the earth was during a time when these huge dinosaurs roamed. Simply Amazing!

Here the official link to the Dubai mall for more info 
http://www.thedubaimall.com/en/Entertain/Dubai-Dino.aspx 

One more brownie point for Dubai... 
                                                                                                                                                       ZAIN and FARZ

FOUR YEARS OF PARENTHOOD AND THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Well we just completed 4 years of parenthood!! 
We have grown up along the way and learnt to be responsible for someone other than our precious-selves. 

Sharing our secret wisdom, here:

-Early morning is just too early.
-8 hours sleep every night is just a myth, well at times even 6 hours is.  
-You get pushed off the bed no matter which side you sleep in. 
-Still have a appetite for food on the table at dinner in spite of the many wash room breaks the little one has. 
-You can eat tasteless mixed up food with your child. 
-The best outings are to the play areas and parks. 
-A romantic dinner with spouse is watching cartoon network with a kid jumping up and down the couch. 
-You forget wearing heels and roam around in sneakers, (and pajamas). 
-Your house looks like a war zone of all shapes and sizes of toys. 
-You can make weird and funny faces and noises to keep the young one giggling. 
-You are more updated about the best nurseries and schools and parenting practices, than the latest financial news or government policies (it doesn’t impact our lives as much now does it??!!) 
-You read the news paper and fear every possible danger from harming your child. 
-You cry on the first day at work post-maternity break. 
-You are more nervous/ tearful than an eager 4-year-old on her first day of school. 
-You are more worried about missing the school bus, than getting late for work. 
-Realize that you are so emotionally malleable that a 4-year-old can melt you down with a cute face and a blink of tears. 
-The biggest stress buster is happy face of your child. 
-It brings out the creative side of your personality. 

Does this rake in celebrations?? Of course it does... 
There is nothing as exciting, emotional and satisfying role in life than that of being a parent. 

Well here is what we did. A gold-themed-birthday with a mom-made princess frock and d-i-y decor. 

Happy birthday to the gift of our lives!!

                                                                                                         ZAIN & FARZ

THIS POST IS LINKED TO

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Best Blogosphere-Week 9

Soya chunks- Veg biryani

This yummy dish, is just for those lazy days.. when u don't want to get up or are hard-pressed for time ..but the stomach still grumbles:-) 

The soya-chunk veg biriyani is a one-pot dish, with preparation time of 15 min and cooking time of 15 min. Its finger licking good... laden with proteins and all the other goodies the soya and vegetables provide. Soya chunks are also a good meat substitute and may do well for vegetarians if you also skip the chicken stock I added.


Well, my daughter vouches for this, ... "Mommy I love this rice with broccoli. You are an awesome mumma" she says. If I can satisfy her taste buds and her mood and still pack in some nutrients, I consider my day an accomplishment. 

Psst..... Zain just called up from work to tell me the lunch was super-yummy... Double delight!!

                                                                                                                                                        FARZ

This post is linked to 

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party 48

Food-porn Thursdays @Domesticatedmomster 

Inspirations from Despicable Me

The excitement in our child starts peaking up on a Thursday morning. "Mommy, I want to watch despicable me tonight"... And when all she gets is a "hmmm" from her mother... She quips, "Are you a 'despicable me' mumma?"                            

This baby knows how to get herself across... Any way Thursday night, she is jumping up and down on the couch as we put on the movie... 

The movie "DESPICABLE ME" has begun and she giggles, dances ballet with the little girls.

She requests for the umpteenth time to get her a 'fluffy unicorn'.

We are half asleep by now, and we can still here her chanting 'knocked over!!'

This movie is from 2010, but for our little girl, it’s a new discovery every weekend...

There is definitely something new in it for her every time she watches it. Be it the name of the minion, or the puppet book, or the fair.... 

Guess she is inspired by the movie a lot...

She watches the moon more, and realizes that it can't be shrunk. She wants to know where to find a real unicorn. She loves to dance on her toes, and wants to learn ballet. Anytime, mimicking "He's so fluffy, I'm gonna die!!!" and one tight hug melts her tantrums away :-). Well the truth is we enjoy the antics too...It never hurts to ignite the child in you, doesn't it.

Nothing can beat watching Mr. Gru and his minions, the adorable girls Margo, Edith and Agnes, and of course Vector. Even as the bad guy Mr. Gru is an attractive personality.  The movie has some hilarious inventions like the minions, the fart-gun, the shrink-ray and the cookie monster. Our favorite is Agnes and her fluffy Unicorn, the girl is just too cute. Be it the annoying noise that she makes, or the way she clings to Mr. Gru’s legs. And how the love from the little girls actually wins over the aspiring "world's greatest villain", who in the end looks super-duper cute in his pink space suit.

The world has many "Despicable Me" fans. Here are some inspirations drawn from people who have been inspired by the movie.

Look at these inspirations for parents with kids who dream about the movie all time.

1. "Despicable Me" pages to color, for a quiet-time activity.

www.pagestocolor.net

                                     
                           

www.thekidscoloringpages.com

2. "Despicable me" learning activities for the vacations.

www.1plus1plus1equals1.net

4. "Despicable Me" Themed parties. They are wow!!

www.karaspartyideas.com

obsessivelystitching.blogspot.ae

5. A "Despicable Me" cake to set you baking.

jembakes.blogspot.ae

6. A special something to make for you child if you can crochet

www.allaboutami.com

7. Some paper craft toys to create

www.uhu-bts.com

www.paper-replika.com

8. A despicable me school-lunch.

www.lunchboxdad.com

If you thought this post is all for kids, you are wrong... for the adults who want to let loose the inner child, here you go!!

1. A dedicated "Despicable Me" page

fuckyeahdespicableme.tumblr.com

                

2. A guide to identifying the minions, for the obsessive ones.

blog.collectib.ly

                  

3. Free  "Despicable Me" icons for your online use.

www.iconarchive.com

                   

4. For any fashionista, who is a fan, Here you go...

nailcake.blogspot.ae

                                                               

5. And finally endless hours of gaming with the minion rush!!

play.google.com/store

                      

Oh well!!  We are waiting for the weekend to watch it again...and see our daughters eyes light up and her sweet laughter fill our home and hearts...She melts our hearts faster than Agnes... 

Knocked over ???!!!       

  Zain & Farz  

HIGHWAY: destination "Khorfakkan"

Day: One sunny afternoon on a boring Friday.

A sudden idea: To explore the idyllic town of Khorfakkan (part of Sharjah), bordering on the blue waters of Gulf of Oman on the east coast. 

Flop no 1: On the road only by 4 pm.

Travel route and time: Took the Dhaid road, almost two hours with stops for rest.

Agenda: Khorfakkan beach before sunset, the Al Bidiyah mosque, the Friday market at Masafi.

Travel alert no 1: Be ready for a humid climate and do wear cool summer cottons, the moment you get out of the car, the heaviness of the air welcomes you.

Travel alert no 2: If you have a bored and hungry four-year-old, strapped in the child-seat of your car, do have an unlimited stock of snack, water and playthings.

Vehicle: Preferably 4x4 esp if you want to visit wadi wuraiyah, or any other unpaved locations.

Success no 1: A relaxing and rejuvenating drive on the near empty roads,compared to the daily stress filled commute to work.

Success no 2: A breathtaking view of the Hajjar mountains on all sides, in the late afternoon sun, transporting us to a different world.

Flop no 2: Reached Khorfakkan corniche beach at sunset 6 30. Did not have much time to get into the water in a ferry or jet ski .Loads of private operators providing the service at reasonable rates.

Success no 3: Enjoyed the waves of the ocean, the colors of the water, and the Hajjar mountains on either side.

Flop no 3: Reached Al Bidiyah mosque after darkness set in.

Success no 4: The mosque still looked awe-inspiring, reminding us of the times long long ago in the history of the region. Prayers are still held, so many generations have prayed here and we continue to do so.

A final victory no 5: Every information online said that the Masafi market is open only till 10 pm.. and we thought we had missed it. But much to our delight most of the shops were still open on our way back ... and we even haggled a good bargain for some carpets:-)

And now the pictures do the talking.

The Hajjar mountains

The Khorfakkan beach

Al Bidiyah Mosque under the Govt of Fujairah

The Friday Market at Masafi (open on all days though!!)- we had a glimpse of it en route to khorfakkan and decided to stop there on the way back.

A drive on the Highway always makes memories... and please do remember to drive safe.

                                                                                                                                              ZAIN & FARZ