Happy Birthday Eilis

It's Aunty Eilis' birthday today and yesterday she came over to cut her cake - a Hannah Montana one chosen by Iman!

And for a dose of real life...

Our Ballybunion

We woke up to a dry Ballybunion so we hit the beach first thing in the morning. No surprises on the agenda - not forgetting last year's experience all the kids have been wanting to do is take out their nets and bucket to go shrimping in the rock pools! It was a huge success with each of them catching at least a couple of baby shrimps and it took some negotiation on our part to let them go - they wanted the shrimp for lunch (?!?!). Inevitably someone fell in (Ayden) thus the picture of him in just cardigan and underpants!

A bit of Brunei in North Kerry

We're spending a very wet and cold weekend in Ballybunion, Kerry. Its been too wet to walk the cliffs and the beach and we had also made plans to visit our friends, a Bruneian-Malaysian family living in Ardfert, Co Kerry. We spent a lovely evening catching up - a big thank you to our generous hosts for the home cooked meal of nasi ayam - when we got back to Ballybunion Jack commented that the food was very nice! Not to mention that the veg came from the garden! So much to talk about in one short evening and we hope to try and catch up again cos it's not too often we meet Irish-Bruneians!

Cork Clipper Festival 2010

We've been luck to catch the Cork Clipper Festival which is happening this week on the back of the Clipper Race which made a stop in Kinsale this year. We did plan to make a trip to Kinsale yesterday but the weather changed our plans. And today even though we were down by the quay for almost three hours we never managed to see the boats. But the kids were well entertained by the shows and the rides. Iman and Jack both went up the Helter Skeltar and Jack went on the swings all by himself.

Biggest highlight though was being approached by a tv crew to get the kids into the train for a shot. Just moments before they were begging to go on the train but as soon the there was a free ride with a tv camera they refused and I literally bribed Iman and Jack with another ride to do it. But all turned out well and they appeared on the news clip as promised!

End of Term Art

The end of the school year came to us a week early and apart from the excitement of going on holidays and wishing friends the same is also the joy of getting the end of term art pack. The kids are always so excited to show off their best pieces especially Jack who is at the end of his kindy time and very proud of his work. I was pleasantly surprised that the pack was not as full as what Iman used to bring home when she was at kindy and I am hoping that we already have the masterpieces sent home to us earlier rather than still decorating the classroom and given to us only in August. I am hoping the former, proud as we are to have our kids art work but.... I think mum's who have or are going through this will understand! In August Jack will begin Year 1!!!

So here I am sharing with you all Jack's masterpieces:

And he also made this beautiful book complete with his own descriptions:

Iman has just completed year 2 and will begin year 3 in August - she will be allowed the gate at lunch!!! Iman's big project in IPC this term was to design her ultimate bedroom!

And she made this fairy house recently at lunch club.

KIds Hash - june 2010

It our last kids hash on Sunday before the long summer break and Ayden and Jack had a geat time running about in the sand. We're always weary of the Brunei coastline - especially with the box jellyfish sighting in the same stretch that weekend - but thankfully the boys had a great afternoon on the sand without even having to worry about anything else other than

"PLAY!".

Happy Birthday Grandad McCarthy

Today, Grandad McCarthy is celebrating his birthday - unfortunately we miss the party by 1 week but I'm sure we can have a rerun next weekend when we arrive in Cork !

During a recent visit to the Yacht Club, we (well, Maria and the kids) prepared Grandad's Birthday message !

Jack repairing the damage caused by a rouge wave !

A European Adventure!

My parents left earlier in the week for a long holiday and we now won't see them until we get back from Ireland in mid-August. The picture below was taken at the airport when they left and no words can describe the two big smiles!