Fiesta!

End October and November were school carnival months for me. I always love to participate in school funfairs because they enabled the Bees to witness another side of their usually academic schools, to see their teachers in another light, and to view their schools from another more holistic perspective. 

Big Bee's School Carnival

I had been helping out as a parent volunteer in Big Bee's school funfair since she was in primary one, and on 29 October this year, I was once again in a sweltering hot stall in the school canteen, selling giant fishballs and fried beehoon to throngs of happy students and perspiring parents! 

This year's primary school carnival was much bigger and better. There was a huge new section with large-scale amusement rides that got all the students really excited. Lots of screams and squeals emanated from thrilling rides like mini pirate ships a la Viking, colossal swift spinning wheels, gigantic slides etc etc. I strolled around the thrill rides with Big Bee and her best friend, and they were truly energised by these rides!

I also got Big Bee to help out at the stall so that she knew the "pleasures" of hawkering food - and she took a whole big tray of fishballs to sell around the school! We managed to sell more fishballs this way :) 

As big girls, Big Bee and her best friends dashed around the school all by themselves, exploring different facets of the carnival, leaving Little Bee, Hubby and I to our own devices. We eventually left the carnival much earlier without her, and picking her up only after the carnival ended its run at 3pm. 

You can read more about the carnival (with more photos!) in Big Bee's blog entry here. 

Little Bee's School Carnival

On 18 November, the Bees and I descended upon the East Coast for Little Bee's school carnival. Contrary to Big Bee's carnival where big kids ambled around with friends, Little Bee's carnival was full of parents accompanying little kids. It was noisy with happening music and a DJ (who is a teacher!). It was really delightful seeing all these little kids enjoying themselves with a huge plethora of activities from beauty stations to bouncy castles to fun fair game stalls, AND the weather was surprisingly cool, thanks to a cloudy, overcast sky. It was truly enjoyable. 

A rainbow on her arm! 

Vain Little Bee getting pink hairspray! 

I met my cousin Fio with little Val, and the Bees scampered around the whole carnival with Val as well as a friend of Big Bee's. Fio and I can just sit and chill - how marvellous! I also bumped into a few friends like LP and Viv, and was happy we could all chat a little. 

Little Bee with her teachers, sister, friends, classmates and cousin! 

Because of the weather, this was one of the rare years that I stayed till the carnival ended, and I brought them for a much desired (by them!) KFC lunch in a nearby restaurant. They were munching on chicken pieces, giggling and chatting away, and behaving so amiably and loving together that I could sit back and observe them with a little secret smile in my heart, rejoicing that they are finally independent - yet regretting the passing of a wonderful baby phase. 

Parenthood is indeed bittersweet...