Week 240 and Week 152.5 - A fine day for a parade

Matt spent a couple of days in Manila this week but it was not so long so not so bad.

We had sort of a typical week - which was great as I am a big proponent of routine.

But the weekend was spectacular!  So busy and great - the sort of weekends you have to sleep in for because they were so fun filled.

It started with a birthday party for Sophia B - so hard to plan these type of things for weather but the B's did brilliantly.  The girls got new Elsa dresses and have worn them nearly threadbare over our fun filled weekend.  Matt from Sophia's class was so cute- calling her 'Sophia Drake' (3 Sophias in a class of 12 - sigh - it is the Matt conundrum of the 2010's).

Next up - Capoiera and then an impromptu playdate with Justin who Charlotte adores.  Charlotte loves her guy friends loads.

The next day a swim lesson (with Mr. Brockbank - the only way we could get Sophia to go) though it was hardly a success as there is a pesky swim cap rule in the public pool (and also a no camera rule which I find completely arbitrary).  Dim sum and finally a parade!  Charlotte got to be in the Fringe parade in San Malo - she was cute as can be and it was fun.  Sophia was kind of in on the action too so maybe she is ready to join come 2015.

I am happy to report after some prodding that Charlotte slept last night with no diaper and no accidents.  She is quite attitudinal about it - which is very funny to me this morning.

Sophia also went into the kitchen on Sunday and announced, "I am going to the kitchen.  Don't follow me."  She emerged with contraband gummy bears that were out of her reach (we thought).  Clever girl...

Get me an iPad and some Elsa makeover videos:

Princess dress daddy climbing:

Sophia B's birthday party!

Food was a massive hit:

Cake by the ever talented Mama Sam:

Birthday girl:

Matts:

Candle blowing:

 Sophia sitting next to her favorite - ketchup:

Great Reuben shot:

Family shots:

Justin!

Sophia!

Fringe Parade!

Leandra and Charlotte!

Sophia follows along:

Not a trivial task to part the Red Sea of people between Senado Square and St. Paul's Ruins:

Check out that bridge:

Laying on the ground - akin to the lion sleeping in the lion dance:

Stunner Fernanda:

Char and Titan:

Watching the Fringe performances:

Awesome drum line:

Charlotte and Khiari spar:

Expo:

Master Eddy won the King of the Parade and Capoiera won a merit award!  We are lucky to have Charlotte enrolled in Capoiera as these guys are fabulous with the kids:

I was too short to take this final photo:

Week 239 and Week 151.5 - Winter is here

Macau is a very seasonal weather place.  Literally one day it is balmy and beautiful and the next it is brutally rainy and cold.  We are in the latter for now. 


Perhaps I am being a bit melodramatic with the cold bit.  Dare I say it is perhaps 60 degrees?  65?  My poor brethren in the Midwest and their perpetual winters - I salute you.  Someday I may join you.  Someday (spoken in a rather hypothetical sense).

The girls are madly in love with Jenny and Jason.  Truly madly deeply in love.  They hang out much of the week and Charlotte always wants to hang out with Jenny.  Poor Jason though - the token boy in a sea of Elsa princess girls.  All he wants to do is jump off slides and other tall surfaces.  I do feel for him.

I bought the girls UNO and Shrinky Dinks while at Toys R Us with Ardyth this week.  Shrinky Dinks were awesome - Matt had never seen them before and they were a great bleary day activity (bonus points for me for finding the Disney princess edition and all the dinks turn into bracelet charms - SCORE).  Char was pretty down on UNO but has grown to really like it.  Sophia has one twice even.  I was super proud when she matched a number and not a color all by herself this week.

Capoiera has moved to a location more central to most people but further away from us.  Although it is my default nature to whinge over such things I cannot control I am embracing this as a new adventure in exploring Taipa (bear in mind Taipa is all of ten minutes from one end to the other via car.  Maybe twelve).  We will have Japanese food once a week as it is near our Capoiera location.  I took a kickboxing class at this location on Friday and it totally kickboxed by butt.

We saw Aya and Oliver on the weekend and went to a Lion Dance competition - which was cool but sort of loud for our kiddies.  We all retired to a long Sunday nap which was delicious in the dreary weather.

We made cupcakes with Jenny and Jason:

Lazy Sunday - pancakes and the iPad:

Sophia running around Ocean Gardens:

The playground:

Charlotte catches up on her reading before dim sum:

As does Sophia and Emi:

Making faces at convex lamp surfaces:

Lion dancing at MGM - no English commentary.  Many Asian entrants:

Week 238 and Week 150.5 - Halloween

Matt was away this Halloween as hockey and Bangkok beckoned.

We celebrated by doing activities at the school and going to Divya's house.  I had heard of trick or treat activities but I was tired and frankly I thought Matt should go too.  So we will leave that for Halloween 2015.

Divya's was great!  The girls had a blast dancing to youtube songs.  Sophia even won this little pin the tail on the donkey - superhero style game.  Thank you Divya for organizing all the area kids and being so lovely with all the squealing.

Dan left on Sunday and I was really sad.  He is a lovely guy and I am lucky to call him my step brother in law.  And now that he has friends all over the world from his recent travels hopefully we an see him around our parts sooner than not.

Charlotte got angry at Yaya this weekend as Yaya was repairing Sophia's very large Barbie princess dress.  Charlotte got very jealous by this and cut Yaya's hair.  I asked Char if she was jealous and she said yes - "She hurt my heart."  It was sweet and endearing in her naked honesty - but I was trying to place if that was a line from Hans from Frozen.

 The video of the girls dancing at Divya's - I am watching this over and over again because it makes me laugh out loud still!

The girls en route to their Grand Coloane Resort party last week in their Indian costumes (as confirmed by Yuba - thank you).  Matt got some mad kudos for taking the girls solo to this event while I was galavanting around Ho Chi Minh City - I told him he got the Father of the Week award:

What a surprise!  Sophia as a bunny rabbit and Char as a butterfly:

I heard the girls LOVED this Elsa!

Mask painting:

Daddy weekend continues at Shrekfast for Ben Ben's birthday.  When did Char turn 14?

The only blurry evidence Sophia was there:

Our pre-school Halloween photo - again with a grumpy Sophia:

Silly en route to the assembly:

Huge kiddie assembly - could not find the kids to save my life.  Here is Mrs. Reid and her amazing singing leading:

Sophia is probably in this photo:

Classroom time:

Girls in class together - fun:

Sophia loved this Play Doh:

 

Jenny and Char:

Princesses!

Picture attempt again:

Group shot at Divya's party: