Kids Unscripted: Chapter 22

Elias: (putting a car on Ben's head) "Hat!"
(putting a car to Ben's eye) "Car kiss!"
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Talia: “Some things are odd.”

Me: “Like what?”

Talia: “Numbers…” (sneaky grin)

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Natalia: "Papi, is a guess room in your house just called that because you have to guess who's coming?"
Ben: "Ummm......."
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Talia: "Did you cook all of the radishes?"
Me: "Yes, they're in the refrigerator now."
Talia: "Good, because I'd like one fourth of one!"
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Elias: (looking at a book of opposites) "Straight!"
Me: "That slide is straight."
Elias: "Crooked!"
Me: "That slide is crooked."
Elias: (pointing at the straight slide) "Crooked NOT!"
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Talia: "Mommy, would you like a sunflower seed?"
Me: "No, thank you."
Talia: "Take some, the baby will want it..."
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Elias: "Ice-cream, Elias need..." (pointing to his tummy) "TUMMY!"
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 Talia: "Elias, you can't hide your sin... I will tell Mama!"
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 Talia's version of color theory:
"Sometimes when you mix colors you get yucky colors... my favorite yucky color is greenish-gray, but just to study, not to touch. If you add white it's a little bit prettier, but then if you add reddish-brown you need to throw it in the trash can and take it out so you don't have to smell it."
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Elias has been paying attention as I have been teaching Talia to tell time on an analog clock. Now, when he sees the numbers on the dial of the washing machine setting, he points at it and says "O'clock!"
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Elias: (pointing at his mouth) "Loud! Teeth!"

Me: ???

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Talia: (Making up a story about a frog and a dragonfly) "... and all the frog could say was 'hello, lunch!'"
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Seen in Abu Dhabi: 21; Small Striped Melon

I couldn't figure out what this "melon" was. When I bought it, I was looking for gourd-like vegetables to create a vegetable pot pie, but cutting this open made it apparent that it was some type of melon. This website called it a small striped melon. One of my friends from the Philippines said "It is a melon in the Philippines we use to remove the seeds scoop the flesh and put condense milk and ice."
It wasn't sweet, and tasted more like a cucumber to us.

Our third baby is a...

It's a boy!

And he's already making dramatic poses.

Buildings With the Shades on the Outside

 With the hot desert sun always a consideration in Abu Dhabi, combined with the unique architectural competition seen throughout all of the newer buildings and structures, a plausible and creative solution would be a building that could shade itself against the sun when needed and open to the landscape when the sun were not so strong.

I don't know what these buildings are called, but that's exactly what they do! In the top photo you can see that it is evening, and if you look closely, that the shades are opened. In the bottom photo it is morning and the shades are closed.

Burj Khalifa Downtown Dubai New Year's Celebrations 2014

Fireworks start at 1:39 and water show at 8:30. Except that one seems to have been removed by YouTube. Perhaps this one will work (including scenes from the Palm Jumeira): or this one: Happy 2014 to you!