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We were sad to have the week end. We ate breakfast, took one last dip in the pool, and came home. I took one picture of the war memorial in Belgrade on the way. I had intended to take a picture of the world’s largest ball of twine too – but everyone fell asleep about 10 miles out of Darwin!

Aine is already asking me when we’re going back to our cabin in Fair Hills.

Friday morning was the last official walk. There were huge caramel rolls on the boat back to the resort and everyone got a Fair Hills Walking Club T-shirt.

Did I mention that we had perfect weather after Monday? Friday the kids enjoyed the kids fair. Patrick and I played more tennis. Friday lunch was served on the deck with the marching band. It was hot, but nice.

Friday afternoon we swam. Kate is a diver!!! She worked really hard on it but now she has it. Lily is getting closer to being a diver, but she wasn’t working on it as much. Aine has NO FEAR of the water. She’s happy to jump in anywhere. She’s even happier if everyone is the pool area is watching her.

Friday night was the big dance. There are a few contests, a few songs like the Macarena, and a full moon. It was a nice ending.

Thursday morning the big girls had swimming/diving lessons. Aine did the little kid activity. Patrick and I got some work done. Thursday afternoon was Kids in the Kitchen. So the girls got to go and make treats, something they loved from last year. I got to help post a cabin rental on VRBO. I know, not fun to everyone, but fun to me as I hadn’t posted anything there before.

Early Thursday afternoon the kids all did scavenger hunts. Aine did the little kid scavenger hunt – the big girls competed in the big kid hunt. They had to find a dead fish, get a signature form a Turkish and Russian worker, and find horse manure. They all enjoyed it. Patrick and I played tennis. I was winning until the girls showed up and started asking me lots of questions. Late Thursday afternoon we went on the family Pelican Cruise. It was fun to be out on the boat. We talked to some of the other parents a bit. Mostly it was just very relaxing.

Thursday night was the big Talent Show. I have videos of the big performances. Aine did not do a solo and she was very mad at herself when it ended and she didn’t have her time in the limelight.

After the Talent Show we had a mini campfire. Larry got everyone to sing songs – especially the too infectious “Baby Shark” song. We’ve been singing it ever since. The night ended with s’mores.

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OK I should have been better about writing up our vacation during our vacation. A week has gone by and the details elude me.

Wednesday morning Aine had a swimming lesson and the other girls and I worked at being the super vacationers. What is a super vacationer? Well, Fair Hills has a list of about 60 activities around the resort. The super vacationers are the ones who do the most activities – and not to kill the suspense but in the end the girls were ranked number 2 for their age group.

Wednesday afternoon the kids went on the Pelican Cruise – where you take a big boat out for the afternoon with the rest of the kids and have a picnic lunch on a sand bar. The ship was attacked by pirates! Luckily they didn’t get much. While the kids were boating the parents enjoyed a cocktail hour on the deck and a dinner without kids. It was nice and quiet!

I think we took it easy on Wednesday night, which was nice.

Tuesday night is the night of the big show at Fair Hills. The staff put on a really fun show. The kids love it. In fact the dining room and show are open to non-resort guests as well. We did well by scoring front row seats.

Some of the songs everyone knows, some you learn in your first year here, and some are new. My favorite this year was the First Year Spanish Spanish Love Song. Aine loved the song where the boys wore dresses, which was also really good!

I have posted one video here but you can see more (like the boys in dresses) on the Fair Hills blog. (I picked this video because the star (Emma) is the kindest swim instructor in the world. She was booked out but managed to fit in swim lessons for Kate and Lily during her free time. With her help we will be diving by Saturday!)

Before breakfast, lunch, dinner and any activities at Fair Hills there is a bell. By day two we’re all walking around like Pavlov’s dogs. But one fun thing is that kids can sign up to ring the bell. I have 2 videos (below) of Kate and Lily ringing the bell.

Tuesday morning we swam and we swam and we swam. Lily has got down her flip turn, though it could use some finesse. Kate is working on her dive. Mostly it’s a jump right now but by the end of the week, I’m sure she’ll be a diver.

Tuesday afternoon we went on the water slide. I have some video of that too. The resort sets up a huge sheet of plastic on the golf course and aims the hoses on it. It is one of the muddiest things I have ever done. You slide down but generally o 15 feet or more beyond the tarp on the grass – the muddy wet grass. The mud shoots right up your swim suit. I will be plucking grass from my belly button for days! (I thought about making a rhyme there but decided not to do it.)

It rained. We did get our 3 mile walk in at 7 am – but the sprinkles started just as we pulled into dock. Then it rained until later in the evening when it poured.

But you know what you can do when it rains – go swimming. So we spent some time in the pool before lunch. Monday afternoon we played family games. Larry and the crew set up a bunch of fun events; they got moved indoors but they happened. The highlight was the minnow race – which you can see from the picture with the troughs. The kids put minnows into the troughs to see who wins.

There are a lot of little kids up this week. So there are plenty of playmates for Aine, who has no trouble walking up to meet people. There aren’t as many kids for the big girls but that’s OK. There’s plenty to do regardless.

Monday night was international night – something they only do once a year here. All of the international students working at the resort give a presentation on their home countries and cook traditional food to share. It’s really interesting. There were presentations from Poland, Ecuador, Moldova, Turkey, Italy, and Switzerland. I have a couple a videos from their presentations.

I think I’ve mentioned that we eat like pigs here. We get breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining room. Each family has one server for the whole week. Our server is Agata, from Poland. She is very thoughtful. Of course we especially enjoyed hearing her presentation – also after living in Dublin with such a huge Polish population it was fun to learn more.

Also in the video are Italian gestures and belly dancing from Zehra, from Turkey. I had a chance to talk to Zehra too as she cleans our cabin. She was also so friendly and nice. I have her email address in case he ever get to Cypress, where she now lives. (Who knows, naybe we will go next time we’re staying in Dublin.)