Family Saturday

We have spent very little time at the beach this season, the odd walk here and there but not many full days.  This is largely down to the fact that Lola has been unwell these past few months.  But she was finally taken off her million pills last week and seems to have bounced back pretty amazingly.  She was the happiest of all to be spending the day at the beach yesterday.  It was such a super beautiful day, the water was so lovely and very very warm.  I am well aware that we only have a few more weeks of this, before the tides turn and the rain begins so now that Lola is well I intend to take full advantage of the beach.

We had such a lovely day, I can't tell you how pleased I am to see Lola's smiling face again.  

New Club

I am definitely not keen to turn this blog into a 'pregnancy' and then a 'baby' blog.  I am super excited and can't wait to meet the newest member of the family but I recognise that it isn't overly exciting to others (or even if it is to some, it certainly won't be if I go on about it).  Also, I am fully aware that having a child is not for everyone and/or is not easy or possible for everyone.  That being said, I imagine the odd prego blog will creep in and as this is my second one in five months I am not doing too badly.

I just find this new bit of the pregnancy so funny.  Since I have really started showing I seem to have entered a 'new club'.  People I have never spoken to, for no reason other than it is a big school, before have stopped me in the hall and discussed the joys of pregnancy and babies at length.  Morning sickness, scans to big feet, they have covered it all.  It must have happened three times to day, and at least half a dozen this week.

I must ask the next person if there is some sort of membership card I sign up for!

Surprise! Surprise!

I do love a surprise, well I love being involved in surprises but actually am not keen on people surprising me.  So it was great to plan Kim and Iwisyi's '70th' last week and also to be included in the planning of Iwisyi's bigger birthday surprise on Sunday (well my role was picking up balloons, but they were key for the kiddos).  Rob did a great job at organising a lunch for the celebration with all their boat and teacher friends.  What I found even better is that due to elections Thailand was dry on Sunday.  As I have discovered over the past few months I am not very fun around people with wine.

It was so nice to see how excited and surprised Iwisyi was, and so happy she had another lovely 40th celebration.

Games Night

I love games, I am not a big fan of losing them but I do enjoy the playing.  Last night Iwisyi and Rob had  us over for a a small games gathering and some dinner.  We brought a long one of our favourites, Dixit, and it seemed to be a hit with all.  It is such an interesting game as just shows how perception and interpretation can be so totally different between people.  For instance, one of the words that we had to match pictures too was Greece (or Grease, however you heard it).  I thought immediately of Grease lightning (the song), Luis and Iwisyi of hair grease and the others of Greece, which makes this game far more entertaining. 

 This beauty also made a fabulous lasagna, delicious. 

A really 

The Bump

I have been very nervous the last five months, I have been terrified to make any 'announcements'. in fact I have barely breathed the words out loud.  I have avoided any decisions that need to be made and really found it hard to even talk about it.  But then this Monday, everything shifted.  All of a sudden everyone could see it, it seemed to happen over night, my bump had appeared.  And the kids reaction at school was beyond amazing, I could not believe how excited they were and how special this made me feel.  The Year 13's jumped over tables to hug me and ask questions, the Year 8 girls hunted me down and broke into giant hugs and cheers when I confirmed it.   I finally have gone from extremely nervous to now finally excited.

 So at five months pregnant, here is my first bump photo!

70th Birthday Celebrations

Last night I hosted a 70th birthday celebration (basically a 30th plus a 40th).  It was so nice to host an event again, as haven not done it in ages and it is my favourite thing to do.  I love trying to personalise it to the guests of honour and just making people feel special.  Both these ladies are very special to me so it made this particular dinner very easy.

  

 The table, day and night (before I put the fans on and the candles would not stay lit).

 The ladies

 One of the birthday girls, who has become pretty special to me in a short space of time.

 Jacqui and her amazing cake

 Birthday ladies!

Kim, also celebrating a biggie this week.  I will certainly miss this one next year when she heads to Japan for some new adventures (cannot wait to visit!).  Altogether a lovely evening with some pretty fabulous people!

Jodi Time

After another long day it was great to spend the evening with Jodi and the kids. Even better to learn it was Jodi's birthday and she chose to spend it with me!  I am now in the last half of the day of the final conference day and I am super tired.  Been a huge information over load and I think very positive changes to the IB Maths, but a lot to take in.

 Lovely Isla, only saw her a few months ago and she has grown so much!

 River was trying to run from the camera but I managed to capture him.  I can't believe how much he is growing up.  How does time go by so fast?!

 Birthday veggie dinner.  It was so nice to catch up with Jodi, we spent 7 hours just blabbing and catching up.  

 Today has been tiring, during lunch I decided to go on a walk just trying to wake myself up.  Singapore is just so different then most other Asian cities (countries), I just love all the green, trees, walking paths and bike paths.  It does have a very nice feel to it.

What a lovely school! The Canadian school of Singapore, they did a great job this week.  But really no surprise the clue was in the name of the school!

Henderson's Wave Bridge

A lady on my course living in Singapore suggested we take a short walk to this special bridge, called Henderson Wave.  So after dinner, I dragged poor Richard to this bridge, that turned out to be over an hour walk.  But we made it and it was quite nice and it was good to be out doing something.

 A recommended food hall, zero veggie food but I got a quick yummy veggie Indian across the road.

 The waves bridge

 Lovely views of the city.

It was great to stretch my legs for a bit, and it was actually a cool bridge, what is not so cool is my million blisters on my feet. 

Singapore IBO Conference

Arrived in Singapore last night to start my first Maths conference in quite a few years.   It is going to be a long weekend with the introduction of the new Maths IB course.  I am not sure that initially it will be a popular decision and the changes may face some kick back (but changes normally do).  Either way it is nice to be in Singapore, meet some new people, have a little city time and catch up with some of the Ecua family.  

 Good morning Singapore!

 Nice hotel, chosen by me, actually super close to a lot of things.  So some exploring tonight.

 Some Maths activities, always nice to get ideas from other teachers.

Funnily, I have made loads of connections already. The lady on the right of me (and this picture) is from Yeovil, very near to Bruton (where I use to live, and one of my favourite places).  It will be very long weekend, finishing 4pm on Sunday before racing to the airport to return back to Phuket and school on Monday but I am hoping worth it.

March Vegan Night

I love these nights.  I love the company.  I love the food.  I love it all really.  Last night was no exception as Chris and Kadi hosted and what a feast they put on.  By the time we had all brought food, we had enough to feed the entire neighbourhood (but we didn't, instead we all got yummy lunch for Sunday).

 I had a bout 20 of these Indonesian corn fritters (and I don't even like sweet corn).

 I can't believe they are leaving next year!  Trying to soak up the time now.

Wrapping a dish here was pretty comical.  Started with Chris trying, and failing. Luis jumped into help with little more success. It was only with the three of them that some head way was made.  Another lovely evening and now I am just looking forward to the next one.