2008 in review - Part 4

Here is the last installment of the Year in Review:

October:

In the beginning of October we celebrated Hari Raya (end of Ramadan). The kids got dressed up and celebrated in school and I went to the Istana (the Sultan's palace) to shake the Queens hand:







Lucas lost his first tooth, a very big deal:



We had our long awaited first big party, our Housewarming. Some people were more eager than others to get on the blog - so here you are:



We celebrated Linnea's 3rd birthday. She brought cupcakes to school and got celebrated there, got presents in bed (Swedish tradition) and had a big party at home with more cupcakes, a bouncy castle/wet slide and all her friends:







Our friend Dave turned 40th and held a Playboy-themed birthday party at the Yacht Club, really good fun:





At the end of October, my parents arrived and we did so many exciting things. Here is a mention of but a few: visiting the Brunei Museum and Regalia Building, visiting two of the biggest mosques, going to the plant market and Bandar market, going to Malaysia and walking to the Niah Caves, going on a river cruise to spot monkeys and crocodiles, playing in Jerudong Park etc. etc:









November:

We went to Singapore for a few days, with Mormor and Morfar, before they went back home:



When we got back, we had International Day at school. A fab day, Linnea was Pippi Långstrump and Lucas was a fierce viking:



One day, we went on a Teddy Bear Picnic at school:



In November, it's also time for the yearly Founder's Day at the Hash. This year's theme was "Hashing in the year 2100". Here is Anna & Tina:



We spent a Saturday afternoon on the beach, together with a whole bunch of other families, celebrating Whanau Day with the NZ Association. It was a great day, with battered hot dogs, games and play and even a visit from Santa:



Lucas (and Nathan) went on a school excursion to a fire station:



We went to the Yacht Club Christmas party, and what do you know, Santa was there too! With presents!





December:

On the first of December we started the countdown to Christmas, when the Advent Calendars appeared and the kids got to open the first present, with huge excitement:



Anna and I and the kids had a big afternoon of Julbak (=Christmas baking), a great success!





School went out with festivities in both classes; there was singing, crafting and partying going on - and Santas, of course:





And then we were off to NZ. We celebrated Lucia there, both at Grandma and Granddad's house, and at a new-found Swedish friends house:





And then, the normal stuff, boating, biking, shopping etc:







I wont show you any pictures of Christmas - you have just seen them in the previous posts here on the blog.
I will conclude by saying that YES - 2008 was too a very exciting year for us! Looking back to what I wished for at the end of last year, I got at least one of the two things: the new house.
It seems like the "a lot of visitors" was not for 2008 ... we only had two (good ones though!) - but maybe that wish will come through now in the new year instead!
I also wish that we will all keep our health, and keep being happy with our life in Brunei! Bring on 2009!

2008 in review - Part 3

Here comes part 3 of our year in review.

July:

The kids went horseback riding for the first time in Brunei, at the Royal stables at Jerudong Park. It was a hit:



Lucas finished school in the beginning of July with a big Kindy party:



We finally moved out of Rimba (after 11 1/2 months!) and into our new house, where we are very happy:



And then we were off on holiday, a long one - first we went to the UK, to see our good friends there, Jason, Maki & Wataru; Anna, David & Cameron; Chris, Michelle, Griffin & Hugo and Andrew, James & Thomas:





And then we were off to Denmark, to see both Danish and Swedish friends (too many to mention, sorry). We did so many nice things, went to Tivoli, Nyhavn, Legoland, Ströget, the beach, had bbqs etc:















We also went a few days to Jylland, and saw our friends the Petersens there in their new house; and also my friend Kamilla who had recently moved over there too:





August:

In August we left Denmark for Sweden, and had a nice time with Mormor and Morfar. Had crayfish party with the family, and went to Skara Sommarland. First time for Nathan and Linnea:





When Nathan left, I went to Stockholm to hang out with my girlfriends for a weekend:



Then Mormor and Morfar took the kids and me to Karlstad, to surprise visit my friend Linda and see her new baby:



And then we went from there to Astrid Lindgrens Värld in Småland - a superb day the kids still talk about!



Back home it was time for the boat to go on it's "maiden" voyage:



And back in Brunei again, both kids started school, Lucas in Reception and Linnea in Nursery:



September:

In September we celebrated the Chinese Moon Cake Festival at school:



Lucas started doing an after-school-activity, Bugs & Microscopes:



We were all out on the boat for the first time:



We celebrated Nathan's 35th birthday:



Anna and I did a presentation at a Montessori school, about Sweden:

My Christmas present

Nathan and I are not very romantic when it comes to presents to each other. Mostly we take the opportunity to buy something special we have wanted for a while, and then that will be our Christmas present.
For Christmas this year, Nathan got a bike pump and a bike stand (both that he bought himself and the kids and I wrapped it), because he needed these things urgently for his new hobby.
We also bought a punch bowl and glasses, and that was kind of a present for both of us.

Me, I got something I have been eying up for a while, a Pandora bracelet. But that was no surprise either, I had marked all my favourite charms in the little Pandora book, and stuck that in Nathan's hands for when he went for some Christmas shopping! (Pandora is a Danish brand that is sold globally. It has been around for some 25 years and this popular built-it-yourself-charm-bracelet was launched in 1999. New charms are added each year.)

Here is the result:



The first charm from the left, the flower, was chosen by Lucas. The next one is from Bruce & Yvonne; the purple one with the butterflies was Linnea's choice and the last one with the hearts is from Nathan.
And, I know there are more coming for my birthday, which isn't very far away, yay!