Mariska Performs Baby Beluga!

About two months ago Mariska told us that she wanted to participate in this year's talent show. Due to her young age, her occasional moody temperment and her natural tendency to shy away from public attention we assumed she wasn't very serious about it. We figured she would learn her song and then quit sometime leading up to the performance.

So when Lorly initially started working with Mariska we had zero expectations for her but as the date got nearer and nearer our expectations sky rocketed as did our anxiety. Further heightening our nervousness, we learned Mariska was the first of the 56 acts to perform that evening. Needless to say, the night of the talent show both Lorly and I were super nervous. We were so worried she would get in a mood and refuse to cooperate or worse cry on stage etc that before the show we agreed that for the hour leading up to the show we would give her what ever she wanted. Anything as long as she stayed in a good mood!

As it turns out, we had nothing to worry about. Mariska was AWESOME! She confidently strode onto stage and gave a fantastic performance! Both mom and I shed tears of joy!

Our little star up on the BIG STAGE!:



Belting it out for the audience:



A job well done:



After the show, Mariska's friend Ken walked up to Mariska and gave her a bouquet of flowers:



To watch the performance, click PLAY! (Wait a second for it to load)



187. Our Baby Beluga!

EC-2 School Photos!

Today Mariska received her EC-2 school photo. It turned out very nice.

Another nice smile on your face Mariska. We all are happy for you!

Mariska's First Ballet Performance

On October 31, Mariska had her first ballet performance. We went downtown to a building called Taman Ismail Marzuki Jakarta. Lots of kids performed. Each class level had their own theme. Mariska's dance theme was called " My doll and I ". She was so excited this morning that when she woke up, she put on all her make up by herself. How cute! Just need more practice Mariska!


with Katarina and Tansah her cousin

With Tante Lina

Photo with the star

In her blue tutu


She danced so cute on the stage!

Daddy Butch Turns 37

Last Week we went to Planet Hollywood, Jakarta to celebrated Butch's 37th birthday. We had a good time even though 2 of my sisters couldn't make it because they were still at the office.
The birthday boy

Blowing the candle together

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY

Snow Bay Water park

This October break we spent our holiday in Jakarta. But every day we did something with the girls.
One day we decided to try one of the newest water park in Jakarta. it's called Snow Bay. Snow Bay is located in the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah complex, located in east Jakarta. It's only 20 minutes away from our house by toll road.


Snow Bay from above:



Kids posed in front of the water park





Enjoying the wave pond:





Dad and the girls had a great time!

UN DAY at Mariska's school

UN Day at JIS is an event that people are always waiting for every year. Kids and parents dress up in clothes from their national countries and students can taste yummy food from around the world.



So excited before school:



Mariska in her American outfit:



Proudly presenting the American Flag:



Mariska's class picture

JIS Girls Win GOLD!

For the past 30 years or so, I have been playing and/or watching soccer on a regular basis. Although I have witnessed some terrific footballing events, never have I been associated with anything as incredible as what happened this past weekend...

About 8 weeks ago the girls varsity soccer season began. The season did not start well. We learned that three of our best players had moved over the summer and no new talent had arrived. A few weeks later our goalie ended up dislocating her finger and our captain (and arguably best player on the team) sustained a severe knee injury. Let's just say that for a team that came in second to last place at the IASAS tournament last year it did not look good.

Then.....things started looking up.... Two weeks before the end of the season our goalie informed us that she was going to return to training. A week later we learned that our captain would also be returning and then we ended up beating the Women's National under 16 team 2 to 1.

Although we were hopeful of a couple of good results, in all honesty we thought we had a good chance for a third or fourth place and an outside chance making it to the finals. That was until 15 minutes before the start of our first game....

Our first match was a tough one. We were playing ISM (International School of Manila) who had won the tournament the past two years running and were considered favorites once again. Making things even tougher we were playing them on their home ground in front of what was sure to be hundreds of fans.

On the advice from the previous JIS Athletic Director we found a quiet spot to talk to the girls and focus them for their first match of the day. And that's when the transformation began..... Both Owain (the head coach) and I gave those girls the speech of our lives. We got those girls so fired up that we could literally see fire in their eyes. When they went out to the field they were a completely different team. They scored the first five minutes of the game and got another one quickly after that. They ended up hammering ISM 3 to 1 and went on to become the dominate team of the tournament winning the final against ISB (International School of Bangkok) 2 to 1.

What a weekend. I am going to be buzzing for weeks!



186. IASAS