BANFF

We are currently in Banff, Canada. It snowed today and we have just had a lazy day, unfortunately. We were going to go on a helicopter ride.

We have skiied 8 days so far and have 1 to go (tomorrow). In Whistler the temp got down to -40 degrees celcius at the top of the mountain. It is now nice and warm -12. Well, comparatively. It did snow today, so it's warm enough for snow.

Having a lot of fun. Kids are sleeping 12 hours a night, so we must be doing plenty of activity (Parents sleeping 10).

Today is Sunday, leaving on Thursday. Not looking forward to it. But, guess these things have to end.

C Girl Word

Hi,
I am C girl and this is C girls word. I will be writing on this website a least once a week. I am looking forward to 2 special celebrations, 1 is my birthday and the other is christmas/x-mas. Right now I am in Canada, I have been skiing for the last week . Yesterday I went skiing with one of my friends from my school in jakarta. He is an amazing skier and so is the rest of his family. If you have a question to ask me, remember I am only 9. Anyway goodbye.

from c girl

Christmas in Canada

Guess what?

Today, we are heading off to Canada for christmas. I will be picking the kids up 1/2 hour before school is finished (that half hour makes 1 hour difference (traffic getting out of school).

We fly out of Jakarta at 5pm. On a reliable airline, so it will be on time - Yippee........

We will spend the night in Singapore in my favorite spot (little India). I am having proper indian for dinner tonight. We will even lash out and buy one dish each - even though we won't eat it all.....just so I can have my chillies/curries for the last time in 3 weeks.........I won't spice down my eating experience just for my heat challenged partner.

3 flights each way, 3 weeks in canada, 3 ski resorts, 1 overnight train adventure, 1 flight cross country, Sheraton in Vancouver...........sounds relaxing.

Last year it was 3 weeks, 4 countries, 22 trains (with full luggage and one connection being 3 minutes).

It is funny though, the pressure is on for our youngest, and yes, I hate that.

Although she is only 5 1/2 now, she has never acted her age. She always acts as old as her brother (who is now 7). But when she skis for 7 hours a day, 4 days in a row. Something changes in her. She starts to whine. We usually have a mid week break. But then we say, we will just ski the morning - then we think, well while we are here, let's keep going. But we really will have a break. We have already stated we are only skiing 5 days of the 7 full days we will be in Whistler. We aren't skiing in Jasper - just sight seeing and in Banff we will ski every day (only 6 days), but we will have a break one afternoon (you have to make the most of the opportunities while you have them.

My husband says - it will be a great holiday - if Munchkin doesn't whine. Baby - she is 5, we need to let her be 5, not 7 or 9 (who want to keep skiing every day until the lifts are shut).

So we have decided. She can have every 2nd afternoon off from skiing if she wants to. We will have to find her some sort of daycare or something she can do. We can't not ski (because with 2 other kids, it is easier if there are 2 parents). But we will cut her some slack. She is our baby after all. They will all still have classes for a few hours in the morning (only way to improve).

Hopefully, this will reduce the whining. Other than that - I cannot wait to be skiing down some freezing cold slopes on Monday - heck, I can't wait to be cold.

Harsh, yes. Unfair, maybe. But we have made the decision to not be the kind of parent that brings the nanny. If that means our children act their age for a little bit and we have to change something we are doing because of it. Fine - we knew that going into parenthood didn't we?

Notice, we aren't in any way worried about the 20 hours of flying each way......funny that. Even with a 1 1/2 leg without dvd. Got to love DS and ipods right? But seriously. I have done 21 international flights by myself with my kids (and about 20 domestic ones). They are great kids, especially on planes. And when it's both parents, it's actually a fun adventure (to go to new places).

We are even adding Korea to our list of countries today - bugger we won't be getting a stamp (only have an hour). But if there are delays - you better bet we will be getting that stamp in the passport.

We have great kids, I can't wait to spend 3 weeks with them.

I might keep you updated - don't hold your breath (but I am estatic that I have that Borneo crap out of the way).

This was Langkawi (Malaysia) at the start of November.

Confessions of a Mum

Hi,
It is time to confess. Once upon a time, there was a Mum who had a husband who went away all the time. There came a point in time during those 7 years, when she may have muttered the words "great, wish I could go away once in a while". Well, stupid woman. She ended up having to go away once in a while for work.

And she HATES it.

She hates it when she knows 1 month in advance (when we arrange the next monthly meeting on site). She HATES knowing that the weekend before will be her last days with her kids and she will miss them for a whole week (and count down the hours until she gets home). She hates knowing that the day/night she gets back she will be completely wiped because she had been in a moving car dodging cars, trucks and motorbikes up until 4am the morning she has come home (and got on a plane at 6). She HATES that she cannot rationalise WHY she HATES it so much.

Anyway - that said - don't expect Part 2 until I have been back to Borneo (mid Jan I think (but hope not).