A very good week-end

This is a blog entry that I wrote at the end of March, but I forgot to post.

As I am watching the sun set over the ocean, I was just thinking that this is one of those just good week-ends.  Gareth actually went to school a full week last week.  This is the first full week since school began in January.

He was invited to his first Birthday party down here for Friday.  At first he did not want to go, as the party was for a girl.  After a little nudging he decided he would go as long as I took him.  I do have to say that Brazil parties are definetely different than parties in the US.  To begin with the party was right after schoool, so the family rented vans to take kids from the school to their apartment where the party was held.  I drove Gareth.  When we arrived we were told that the party was a very simple American style party.  They had reneted an inflatable soccer pitch that was filled with soap and water for the kids to slide and play in.  The kids also had a real soccer field and an Olympic size pool to swim in.  They also has hired a vendor style cart to serve hot dogs and crepes on sticks filled with cheese and ham.  There was a bar set up serving all type of soft drinks and juices.  There was a huge tables full of large bowls of all type of candies.  The birthday cake was bigger than my husband's grooms cake and was decorated with all types of sugared fruit and and bite sized chocolates.  There was also a hired DJ and a dance floored layed.  All for 20 ten year old kids.  I planned on dropping thr kids of, but once I met the parents, I decided to stay and socialze also.  As we were leaving Gareth said he was glad he went as he made more new friends.  I was glad I got to go too.

Saturday was Field Day at school.  Just as the party was over the top, Field day was also.  Hired bands, great food for sale including cotten candy and also lots of soft drink as it was very hot.  All during the day there were exhibitions from the policeK9 units, to martial arts, a semi professional soccer team.  Plus our own soccer teamplayed on our soccer field.  John was able to join us, so he got to meet many of the wives I talk about.  Plus he got to meet some of the guys whihc he has not be able to do as of yet.