End of Year Smiles

It would be hard to think that the end-of-year was anything less than happy-go-lucky by looking at the pictures above, but in truth there were the normal antics that go with the daily chores of life. Even our end-of-year trip to Pangkor was filled with difficult moments largely revolving around the fact that most all of us were sick at some point or other during the trip. For the children that meant a good deal of sleeping, or complaining, or whining and the requisite behaviors. For the adults that meant sleeping, short on patience and the requisite behaviors. Not all was difficult, however. As Pangkor showed us a tropical island location isn't such a bad spot to rest and recuperate. By week's end we were all back to normal (more or less) and the days by the beach and in the pool had done their trick to ensuring that we had batteries recharged and were ready to go!  Along the way we got to play a bit, work on handstands in the water, to paddle (even if only a teeny wheeny bit), build castles, bury TTmouz and Amalia in the sand, jump in pools, eat, sleep and watch TV (since we don't have one at home). 

Now back we look to a new year with optimism and verve (I love that word!). Good bye 2013. It was a great year, but time flies and we are already looking ahead, making plans and finding balance in all we do.  Tomorrow dawns a new day. Tomorrow dawns a new year. Let it come with smiles and balance.

Running, Jumping & Throwing

 

 

It's sometimes hard to keep track of what's happening at the school with our girls. Every day they arrive home with things to show mommy and daddy. Often the displays are shared with pride and are rather colorful rainbow effects or smiley faces on a friendly background. Maybe they are writing samples or numerical in nature. And then, every now and again, we get an informational sheet from school. Two weeks ago such a sheet was about the annual Terry Fox run, which daddy completed with his two beautiful girls separately (as the little ones use a different area of the campus to run). All in all the girls covered probably about 1.8 - 2 km, with Amalia completing around 600 meters or so and Irini the rest of it (six times around the field and gym area). 

Then there was Run, Jump and Throw Day. Only the older ones get to do that, so it was daddy off again to watch our older little star doing her thing on the field. Everything, and we mean everything, was done with a smile. From the sprinting 40 meters or so time after time to the potato sack races to short relay races, she was smilin' from ear to ear. And the chicken throw. Well, that's another thing altogether. It seemed rather strange to have a line of little beauties standing there with their respective colored rubber chickens, but when one looked at the pictures afterward there was a projection of a softball pitch in there somewhere and, suddenly, one recognizes what this is aimed for. An underarm toss as far as one can. Oh, wait. There was also the javelin throw, which was actually a nerf-type rocket being thrown across the short field space the students were allocated. 

As you'll see in the pictures, Irini's class was the red group, and they moved from one station to another participating happily. When all five stations were over, the water was consumed, the sweat was dripping from everyone's brow, and then it was time to congregate at the bleachers. Parents were on hand to congratulate the little athletes, to celebrate a day of exercise and to hand out little popsicles to everyone. All in all, a good day.

Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I have a sister.

How does your sleigh fly?

May I have a mermaid tail?

Please don't land on my turtles.

Love,

Irini