Could I be more Minion?

More decorating this morning. Party is in 2 hours and I'm blogging as I await balloon and snack deliveries. Here's what's on:

Minions ready to be bowled over. They had a makeover last night with authentic silver paint for their goggles. The minion bowling track has been laid down with Minion duct tape - my favourite cheap find! 

Then we will play four corners where everyone dances in the centre till the music stops and a non watching referee calls out a corner and everyone in it is out. A slightly less violent and less cheat able combination version of musical chairs and freeze dance. Also we don't have anywhere near 45 chairs! These are the four corner signs:

And finally the table is getting a makeover. Being blue anyway I'm not covering it up with a table cloth. Glass is easy to clean of grubby fingerprints!

Till after the party, ciao! 

Attention, Minions

Tomorrow Kid is celebrating turning SIX. He turns 6 only in July but since school breaks for the summer in a week he wants to celebrate with his pals before pretty much everyone is away for their vacations. 

So party prep is on in earnest. 45 kids have RSVP'd 'yes'. So an hour in the pool before they come home (yes, home, you heard that right. I had a function room booking FAIL!) with one parent (at least) each. And this is what awaits them:

Then a table whose main motif is:

Followed by 3 games, of which 1 is homemade bowling, recycled cola bottles with rajma to weight them down: 

I've not lost all my marbles much as it may seem so. The balloons are being delivered as are the snacks for the parents. 

Off to buy some pool toys and decorate the cooled cake! See ya, minions! 

3 busy weekends

We have had 3 weekends in a row away but all to places we have been, some more than once, so in my mind they don't count as holidays but trips.

Trip 1 was taking advantage of the long weekend and giving in to the fact that bil, sil and their cutie hadn't been to Kota Kinabalu. They were going anyway and we decided to tag along. A tense wait for a new passport and data transfer in the Singapore system and off we went to the exact same resort in KK, the Shangri-la Rasa Ria. The renovations of last time are complete and except for a few service issues it was even more marvellous than before. Jet skis, swims, beach walks, castle building, long meals and chats, naps, spa treatments - just the perfect getaway for 3 days. 

Trip 2: The next weekend we left on Sunday and took a few days off work/ school to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the in-laws. They have had a rough ride with their health in recent times and despite not being very well made the trip to come see us and then to mark the momentous day. The other bil and family flew in from their vacation in Japan and the Herd spent 3 glorious days in a big beautiful villa. Again it was days of eating, chatting, swimming and a photography sessions to mark the day. Simply wonderful - the best bit easily the long chatty meals - at the one on their anniversary they each told us their 5 favourite things about the other. For 2 people whose marriage was arranged with very little say and so young these were life affirming things and very touching to hear.

Trip 3 was just the 3 of us. Not a holiday for V but instead a mid week jaunt for work to Hong Kong. We hadn't been in ages and now that school is winding down we decided it wouldn't harm Kid to have a few days off. So off we went, and he and I entertained ourselves in the pouring rain with lunch at Din Tai Fung, a visit to dads office, a couple of pre-planned visits, walks in the rain and hot tub baths. Kid and I really relaxed although poor V was working away. We got back in time for a relaxing weekend at home before this weeks madness. 

In between all these trips we had a lunch and carnival day at the Club celebrating their 150 years. And a school art show that was more impressive than I imagined it would be. And an endless stream of houseguest to enjoy chats with. 

This will be the first weekend after 3 when we will stay home. It's a long weekend for us but because I am clearly not satisfied with just relaxing we are hosting a huge birthday party for Kid before school is out and all his friends have left for their summer vacations. So an hour of pool play followed by 3 games and food and a movie in our living room is the plan. Would you believe we have 45 kids and a parent each attending?! Saturday Madness I tell you.