Susannah's Birthday Party

Today, Susannah had her birthday party with 12 of her closest friends (and their mums and dads). We celebrated in the back garden where the kids had fun on the trampoline, throwing water balloons, and competing in egg and spoon races. It was then time for a traditional aussie sausage sizzle on the bbq followed by the main event, the birthday cake. She had a great time and is now having an aftenoon nap to recover...

Susannah turns two!

Today, Susannah turned two. A few pictures from the family celebration we had this evening, the big party is on Friday so more pictures then...

Blowing out the candles, she knows the drill.



Happy with the results!



Sizing up the cake



The new playhouse, complete with doorbell, telephone, bbq, stove, mirror, flower pot, sky light, and pink door and window shutters, everything a noughties girl needs...

Another great trip to the Inland Sea

We did another drive through the desert to the Inland Sea today - always a fun day out and good to get away from the city.


Fun in the water with mum (that's Saudi Arabia across the water!)




Our desert kids!

The locals out to play in the afternoon...

Johnathan's Soccer Training

Our days of being a taxi service for the kids on the weekends have begun!  Johnathan is now going to soccer training every Saturday morning.  It's still pretty hot so it is tough work but he really enjoys it and Susannah likes to cheer from the sidelines.

Long Weekend at the Shangri-La - Muscat, Oman

Last night we returned from a fantastic four day stay at the Shangri-La resort near Muscat in Oman. We have to admit that we did not actually leave the resort with the exception of a short sunset cruise one evening. It was a very relaxing place to be, the kids loved it, and Monica enjoyed a massage treatment at the Chi spa. Also while there we celebrated David's birthday with a cake compliments of the hotel. We want to get back to Oman and see more of the country (outside of a resort), everybody tells us it is fantastic.

Below are a few selected photos from our long weekend...

The view from our balcony - it was nice to hear the waves breaking on the beach in the evening... In the foreground is the "lazy river".

The fountain pool which the kids enjoyed the most, Susannah loved running in and out of the fountain and Johnathan enjoyed climbing it. (And Dave and Mon enjoyed relaxing on the sun loungers watching the kids).

Mon, Johnathan and Susannah on the "lazy river". You just walked up, grabbed the raft of your choice and then got gently swept down the river (and back again in a full circuit), a nice way to commute between two of the hotels in the resort.

Dave and Susannah on the sunset cruise.

Some of Oman's spectacular coast line that we saw during our sunset cruise.