Xmas Day 2009

OK So here as promised is the Kennett Xmas Day snaps - and just snaps not video as it would have blown the file size. More to come from our wee trip to Thailand so watch this space. So this is a montage of the day and our various stopovers and snorkel experiences.

The last photo is where we had lunch - the funny thing was we ate, sweet and sour chicken/fried rice/tom yan ghuan soup/onion rings etc. bit strange I agree for Xmas lunch - but hey surrounded by buddhists not celebrating Xmas what do you expect.

Got to a point where we ordered some beers and it took a while for me to stop the meal and ask "stop eating and can we just chink glasses and say Happy Christmas to each other". Was a bit of a double take and realisation that actually this was Christmas Day. So we all wished each other a very merry Christmas, and went back to the amazing view and onion rings, ha ha!

Just a superb day. Ollie became snorkel guru, he was like a torpedo with his flippers on, and I (assisted by JT) found out how to dive down to the bottom of the sea floor and play with the fish in their environment (thanks JT).

Just a wonderful day.

Ended with us all getting home and passing out basically. Ollie went for Korean bbq with JT/Liz/Ele, Coleman and Ryan went back to theirs for R+R and I went to the bar alone to reminisce and watch the ocean and have a few beers - needed and nice! Thanks Mary for baby sitting and allowing that to happen!

So thanks to my dear friends that accompanied us on this trip - you made this a very special Xmas for me and the kids, an event that could have had really bad memories, but now only good ones. Love you guys and thank you so so much!

I LOVE milk and yoghurt Dad, it's true I do!!!

OK so not really anything to do with Xmas, this being a post 25th posting - BUT, these were taken whilst we were away in Thailand - some very cute ones wearing the tiara that was a present from JT/Liz and Ele - and some great shots of an ecstatic face whilst enjoying her milk and yoghurt - topped off with, I am chatting and turn around and hey presto another camera moment as she finds Ollie's sunglasses.

So keep watching all there is much more to come over the next few days or so as I up load more photos and videos of the kids and I having our 1st Xmas alone in Thailand, alone but with great friends - thanks to Coleman, Ryan, JT, Liz and Ele - we had such fun thank you.

Xmas Party

What a great Xmas Party Ollie and Amy had - thanks to Linda and Uncle Richard (whoops sorry Santa - ha ha!), and the Assistant to Santa Miss Atima, it was a wonderful afternoon that, as you can see, the kids absolutely loved. Just brilliant! More please!!!!!!

Very Very good friend of mine just sent me this - have a good read and reflect!

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that
person..

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with
guidance and support,

To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,

this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an
end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.

Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire
fulfilled, their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has
come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.


LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons,

things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional
foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson,

love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other
relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Here she is again - she just LOVES dancing this girl.

To explain for non-Japanese friends and family, she just loves dancing to these Japanese baby DVD's - sort of Teletubbies/Hi 5/Wiggles all wrapped in to one, but usually crazy things like singing toilets, bananas etc. but she LOVES it as you can see from this very short clip, which could have actually gone on for a very very long time.

In fact the only reason I stopped was because she saw I was recording and started to get shy - notice when she lays on the floor the second time near to the camera and she does a very sly little look from the corner of her eye - oh yes darling Daddy is filming! Ha Ha!

I'll try to do more of these as for each song she'll have a different dance, maybe this is her career???

Enjoy!!!

Clearly not enough photos taken of the wonderful trip to Indonesia we had with our lovely friends (well family) from Melbourne. So two pictures actually from the return ferry and one of just Ollie on the bouncy thing. Can't believe not one group photos at the wonderful villas we stayed at, but memories were fantastic for me and the kids and hope Craig, Kath, the kids, Rob and Jen visiting and Dani, Simon and the boys. A right giggle was had by all!

Lazy Singapore Days

I just wanted to share with you some random photos of the kids enjoying their Singaporean lifestyle, so not linked to any specific dates/times purely random - but I'll give a little explanation to them all one by one.

So here is #1 Son down the beach, in fact there's a few here from yesterday, 15th November. Here he is stood out on a groin with the just about coming on ship lights as it gets darker. Now the V-signs is a very mummy thing as all Ni's photos when she was a kid were like this - he's showing his Japanese side here, bless!

Goodness me, who made this girl so cute! She had her first real haircut recently (probably needed to correct Dad's attempts at being Toni & Guy). But we still kept it long so we can do things like pig-tails (so cute) - although the hair band things last in her about 5 minutes before she realizes they are there and then they're out. Very cute Amy Boo!

Man down, man down. Poor little thing. This again is yesterday, and is the afternoon after the night that he had been being sick 3 times. Poor little lad. So I wanted to get him out in fresh air, not sit indoors, so off to the beach with friends. We found a comfortable spot to sit and relax and have the babies on the beach playing. For Ollie we found a nice comfy sofa to sit, lay, sleep on and hey presto he was gone. It was the best for him though as he had a lovely sleep in the sea air with a beautiful breeze blowing over him. Rest well big man!

So here he is and believe it or not he is actually doing his homework here. Nice work if you can get it. It's all about metaphors and he was given the letter I to create a metaphor regards to something in Singapore. So Daddy being a lover of food we thought of the following "Indulgence in Little India" - hence the I. So Ollie, Amy, Mary and I went to Banana Leaf restaurant and pigged out as you'll see from the amount of food - well it does say indulgence so why not hey!!! More homework please Ollie!

Life is tough sometimes for an 8 year old is it not. Hmmmm Mr Kennett seen here enjoying the beach life and just chilling on a beautiful Singaporean evening. Mate enjoy this while you can Sir, you look so very comfortable - move over you bugger Daddy wants a go!

Ogichan and Ollie at his birthday party. Can't remember if I actually posted this one on his birthday blog posting, but hey if it is a duplicate it is a duplicate - but it's a great photo or grandson and grandad - I have many like this with Joe which I treasure so here's one for Ollie and Yuko to treasure too!

Girls on the Beach = all different ages but all great friends. Left to right we have; my dear friend Kirsty, her girl Maia, then Amy of course, then Anna (Kirsty's eldest) and then Mary. All playing happily on the sand without a care in the world - well the kids that is, sorry adults!!!

And the final one - great friends Maia and Amy poolside. They stood here for so long just splashing, screaming, jumping - oh yes and then splashing, screaming and jumping and then finally splashing, screaming and jumping - ha ha! They got absolutely SOAKED, good job we'd packed about 3 lot's of spare clothes.

I don't know where she gets this from - hmmmmm!!!

This is an absolute beauty of my wonderful daughter.

As you can see she'll make quite a good actress one day.

Life for her this day was seemingly so hard, look at the trauma she is clearly going through until, that is, she realizes that Daddy is actually videoing her - watch the change in seconds, ha ha ha ha, just a classic moment from Amy. Love it!

Amy, you're a drama queen, and I love you for that. You make us all laugh so much, thanks gorgeous!

All my love Daddy

Halloween Rap

Wow - look at him go. And this is the 8 year old who says he is shy. Miss Atima strikes again with another wonderful assembly performance from the kids. Amazing thing is they have remembered all the lyrics to heart, amazing. Good effort Year 3 Iguanas. So so good isn't it.

Hope you enjoy this one - I certainly did when I was there - well done Ollie!!! Excellent matey!!!

Love Bri

A massive thank you from me and my kids to our very good Filipino friends for a wonderful day a week ago, and also an extended Happy Birthday wish to Isoc.

We had such fun. I think the video shows that with Amy dancing away.

Mary, special thanks to you for introducing us to these lovely people, and for the continued invites to your friends and family special occasions. Such fun for all us.

All our love Bri, Amy and Ollie