{365:70} Cupcake galore

Cupcake galore.
We went over to our neighbors today for a bit of a play this afternoon. The mummys had apfel strudel (mmm!) and the kiddies colourful cupcakes. Linnea got a pink one, of course - and she very suitably even had cupcakes on her t-shirt!

18,9 km

18,9 km, that is how long the school run is for us, one way.
Today (like so many other days when Nathan is not around) I did all three school runs (one to drop them off, the 11.30 to pick Linnea up and the 14.00 to get Lucas), that is almost 114 km, just to get the kids to school and back home again... Lucky fueling the car is cheap around here!

Sure, it gets a bit boring from time to time, especially to drive the same way every day; but luckily most of it is motorway and the traffic is never heavy around here, so at least it's a quick drive.
We are quite a few in the neighborhood who has got kids at the same school, and several of our friends have offered to do shared school runs, but to be honest - I actually don't mind.
The kids are still so young, and I can see how happy they are that I'm there to pick them up at the end of their day. That's the least I can do for them!

{365:69} Channeling Indiana Jones

Channeling Indiana Jones.
Today's picture will actually be two pictures, the only two I took at tonight's hash (since I only had my phone).
Tonight's hash was very special, in fact the most unusual one I have done, I think... We started out from one of the hare's house in Kota Batu, ran to the Yacht Club and - boarded boats!
They sailed us over to the other side of the river, where the trail continued. It was kind of a normal run, but, spiced up with blow-up crocodiles, fake snakes, skeletons and other "Indiana Jones-y" things along the way!
The trail was a brand new one that the hares had got help cutting by the locals. It was pretty much vertical in some places, so they had had to mount ropes for us to use. It was a great run! Really spectacular views as well from the top of the ridge! Ten points, all over!

{365:68} Practising

Practising.
This afternoon it was slightly cooler since it has been raining a fair bit today. So we decided it was time for Lucas to try to bike a bit without the training wheels. He thought it was pretty scary, but for a first attempt, it wasn't too bad. He still needs more practise though. Tomorrow.

{365:67} Boating

Boating.
We took the boat out today, and invited our friends the Dehlis along, since they have visitors and no boat of their own, yet.
After a little initial hitch, we got on our way and anchored around at the Spit, for a swim, play and some beers accompanied by Bob Marley. Really relaxing and we all enjoyed it.
On our way back, the kids and Frederik did a bit of biscuiting, lots of fun!

I'm not a boat person, but I'm ok when it's just a few hours like this, it's actually quite nice. You really feel like you are getting away, even if you can see the coast the whole time.

Some extra summer plans

I'm not sure quite yet if it will be possible, but I'm still hoping I will be able to go home to Sweden and Denmark in June, for the two weddings we are invited to.
It will be just me (and maybe the kids), but we are trying to figure out the logistics at the moment, and the economics...

In that case, it will look like this:
4 June - Departing Brunei
6 June - Wedding in Sweden
13 June - Wedding in Denmark
15 June - Departing Sweden
17 June - Back in Brunei

In between the weddings I will be in Skara of course, but it's really a flying visit.

Summer plans

We have loosely started to plan our summer vacation. Now we would like to know who would like to see us, and what your plans are for the summer?
For now, it looks a bit like this for us:

10 July: School is out
12 July (or somewhere around there): Boel & kids off to Sweden
24 July: Nathan starts his vacation
25-27 July: Nathan spends weekend in UK?
27 July - 8/9/10 August: Denmark & road trip up through Sweden
8/9/10 August - 18 & 25 August: Skara
18 August: Nathan flies back
25 August: Boel & kids go back
31 August: School starts

Please let us know, where you are and when and where you can come and see us! (And if anyone by chance has, or knows someone who has, a spare car to rent us, that would be fantastic!)

The night owl and the sleep-ins

Ever since I was young, I have been a night owl. I always did all my homework in the evenings, seemed to be more efficient and clear in my mind then.
When I was a student I used to be up all night and study, I never got into the books before it was dark, but could stay up until 03 am without any problems. Of course, I used to then sleep all morning instead...

Working as an air hostess I had all sorts of strange working hours, but I never seemed to have any trouble to sleep. I often slept well into the day (when I could) and I remember being so upset if the phone went off before 10.30 - who would call this early?!?
My very long sleep-ins was even made a joke of in one of the speeches at our wedding...

The sleep-ins disappeared when Lucas was born as you would imagine, and now they are just a distant memory.
Well, to be honest, even in the UK we would take turns to get up with the kids, but as they make noise and carry on as soon as they are awake - you didn't really sleep even if you got to stay in bed.
Here, I usually actually get one decent sleep-in a week, because the house is so solid you can't hear the kids when they get up, and on Saturdays the amah looks after them in the morning. Bliss.

Well, sleep-in... Today that means anytime after 08.00... (which is better than the normal 06.15 when it's school). If I get up after 09.00 it feels like the whole day has gone already!
You definitely change when you get kids, and when you get older! (I still enjoy staying up late though, that's when my scrapping gets done, that's when I'm mostly creative - I just feel the lack of sleep more now...)

"Rabbits like to let the others be the leaders"

This was Lucas' line in today's Assembly: "Rabbits like to let the others be the leaders".



In the Junior School Assembly on Fridays, the different year groups take turns in "hosting" it, and today it was Reception's turn for the first time this year; and all the parents were invited to come and watch of course. All the children had got lines prepared and had practised a lot for this occasion.



They were so incredibly cute! I am such a softie though, I get all teary-eyed and so, so proud at these kind of events.
The teachers had let us know that some kids were very nervous beforehand, but you couldn't notice that at all, they were all so good!



They told us about the things they had been learning this year; about the Chinese New Year, about wild animals, dinosaurs and mini beasts; and they sang a few songs and jiggyed a bit too!

{365:65} After Arts Week

After Arts Week.
This is how your t-shirt looks, after Arts Week... (Well, after just the day of today of the Arts week please note! *Sigh*)

Junior School Arts Week

This week at school has been dedicated to the Arts. Everything they have done this week in all the classes in Junior School, has been arty.
The overall theme was "Self Portraits" and all the students have done self portraits, of one kind or another - and they are all displayed in a big "Arts Week Exhibition". I passed by today to have a look, and here are my kids art work:

Lucas and his class mates did hand prints:



Lucas:



Linnea and her friends did themselves in clay:



Some photos of them exploring themselves were displayed too:



Here is Linnea and her best mates Daniel and Adam (Ben is in NZ at the moment):

{365:63} Trio in pink

Trio in pink.
I have had some dresses made. It ended up being a pink trio. The silky one was made with the HongKong wedding coming up in mind; and the other one was meant to be an everyday-one - but it's actually so nice, I might wear that for the wedding! I haven't decided yet.
Linnea got one as well, because there was so much material left - so now she is sorted for the wedding too!

Total cost (including the material, the dress-making and some alterations): $107 (=637SEK/410DKK/£49)

{365:62} Night night

Night night.
When I came home from the hash tonight, both kids were fast asleep after having brushed their teeth and had a bath. Linnea had even tucked her teddies in just beside her, she is being very caring at the moment, little sweetie!

Back on track?

It's no secret, that I lost this after the mountain climb and even more after the summer holidays last year. I did try to get back into the exercise groove in September, but failed miserably.
To tell the truth, I have been without energy, passion and mojo for a very long time now. I have had no drive to exercise, stopped with the tennis and the swimming, no mojo to scrap even! I haven't done anything of all that I used to do...

But, today - I went back to the gym! Yes! I did a Body Pump class, and even if it was really hard, it felt really good!
I thought, maybe if I write about it here, I will feel the pressure to keep it up! Maybe...

{365:60} Concentration

Concentration.
Linnea has a few games as well for the Wii, but she rarely shows an interest in them, it's mostly just Lucas playing his. But today they took out the "Go, Diego go"-game and played - together! It was really nice to see!

20 at 5

I had completely forgot, but at Lucas' birthday I did a little interview with him. It's 20 questions that I'm planning to ask him every year, to be able later to compare the answers. Here is Lucas' answers at 5:



1. What's your name? Lucas... (getting prompted "what else?") Watson
2. Where do you live? Brunei (getting prompted again) Jalan Muara
3. How old are you? Five
4. Really? YES!
5. Why is it good to be five? Because I can have a party, and I can play Lego
6. What do you like to do? Play Wii
7. What do don't like? When someone is kicking and fighting
8. Why do you have to sleep at night? Because it's bedtime
9. What are you going to be when you grow up? A grown-up! (Prompted "what else?") A daddy... and a police
10. What does a police man do? He puts the bad guys in the cage
11. Where does babies come from? Mummy's tummy
12. Have I been a baby? Mhm
13. Which are your favourite clothes? (Thinks hard) My Spiderman-tshirt
14. What would you like Santa to bring? (We do agree Christmas is far away, but anyway) More Spiderman toys
15. Where does Santa live? North Pole
16. Who is your best friends? Daniel, Shafiq, Ruey and Malthe
17. Which is the most beautiful word you know? Toy
18. What are you good at? Play
19. When does mummy and daddy get angry with you? When Linnea and I fight
20. What are you going to do now? Play with Linnea

{365:59} Matching

Matching.
Nathan had found Lucas a pair of board shorts same as his last time he went to Perth. Of course he had to get them for him. Good call though - Lucas got super excited! Now they are "just the same"!

{365:58} Woe is me

Woe is me.
Time for a bath today, for the puppies. They get washed nearly twice a week at the moment, because Mocha had a skin infection when we got them so we are treating that with a special shampoo, and also washing them with "tick-shampoo".

Mocha doesn't mind too much, he actually sits nicely in the tub to get hosed down, lathered in and rinsed off.
Jay (in the photo) is not impressed at all. He doesn't like the hose nor the water. He is getting so big and strong, and today he put up such a fight that both Nathan and I were soaked before he calmed down and accepted defeat.

A good nights sleep

Getting a good nights sleep is really something I can hardly remember how it feels...

It was actually a lot easier done a few years ago than it is now, even though we hardly have any babies in the house anymore! A few years back, both kids slept so well.
At the moment, we have at least one child in our bed every night. Mostly it's Linnea who comes in straight away if she wakes up, or has had a wee (even if it's in her diaper, it seems to wake her). Sometimes I take her right back, but mostly I'm too tired so I let her cuddle a bit. Sometimes she crawls up by herself and just nestles in without us even realizing.

Every now and then Lucas comes in too, he doesn't say anything either, just cuddles in. He is rather insisting too, even if we take him back, he tend to return again after a while... if it's one of those nights.

Even if the kids don't come in, I rarely sleep well. I'm used to the AC yes, but I still heavily dislike it, the strange temperature it creates, the "wind" and the never ending sound it makes.
Plus, we haven't really made the bedroom very cosy yet. I'm actually a bit stuck about what to do, but we need to get something up on the walls and make it a bit softer, comfyer and nicer. One of the many projects on my to-do-list...

All this is funny, because when I was a kid, I always slept all night. I never got up, for water or toilet - I can't even remember ever waking up at all during the nights. I remember my parents always said they had been (and still are) awake several times and I couldn't understand, I slept so well!

I wonder now if I ever will again..?

I wish

Since my last post with this guy, my friend V in Hong Kong has been hooked too. She tried to convince me to come up there on Monday for his concert - but my economic conscience (read: my husband) said no unfortunately.
I really wish I could...

I have to share another clip I found with him, where he not only sings one of my favourites, but he does it accompanied only by his guitar; while walking about in the most beautiful city in the world, Paris. (It's the lively area of Beaubourg, where I myself used to spend many afternoons while living there many moons ago...). Enjoy!



I found a CD yesterday with remixes of his songs, mostly a cappella or in very subtle arrangements. We played it during the school run this morning, and get this - the kids were quiet and just listened, ALL the way to school!! Fantastic!