Friday, April 25, 2014

April Flowers, Easter Eggs and Spring Concerts!

The weather is warming up a bit finally and this year we were better prepared for Easter.   It has become normal thinking about what to pack for the holidays during the year during our summer home visit.   


So yes, with much effort, the Easter bunny does finds us in China too! 



Happy to see the sun/flowers and warm weather after the long a dreary Shanghai winter....  it doesn’t take much to get these two giggling. 



Ayden has always had the knack of putting fancy into just about everything...   This is her making fancy out of a pair of pajamas one weekend morning heading to the wet market for a quick produce pick up... 



Ayden’s spring concert....    She was very serious about her instrument....  SAS (Shanghai American School) knows how to put on a great show!!!  The kids did great!!!


Life IS good!!!

Friday, March 28, 2014

Spring Break in Borneo, Malaysia

I am not going to lie...  Geography has never been my strongest suit.   So when Chris suggested we try a country we have never been to, it didn’t really bother me that I didn’t know where I was going... Until... 2 weeks before this trip flight 370 went missing.   We became obsessed with this missing plane... knowing that we were traveling to the country where the flight originated.    Needless to say, Chris somehow got all of us on the flight and had me convinced that given the circumstances, it was actually the safest time to fly.    So when our plane was approaching our destination imagine the shear panic I had when I thought we were going to Malysia and the pilot announces over the intercom ..  “Welcome to Borneo.”   “Borneo”, I said, “I thought we were going to Malaysia”  who knew Borneo was an island that was part Malaysia and part Indonesia.  Remember Geography is not my strong suit!.      So safe on the ground... and sand between our toes.  All became perfect again...  at least for the week, until I have to board that flight on the SAME airlines, and flying to the SAME country of such missing plane.



Not that the kids were happy to be there or anything...


The resort housed an Orangutang sanctuary and the kids signed on to be a Ranger for the day....   it was wild to see how these animals live in their natural habitat.  It raised the bar significantly for us getting a dog when we get home...



The resort housed an Orangutang sanctuary and the kids signed on to be a Ranger for the day....   it was wild to see how these animals live in their natural habitat.  It raised the bar significantly for us getting a dog when we get home... 



Traveling with these three is so much fun!!!   They do absolutely everything together... and make up half of our family beach football team.   Typically, being the girls vs. the guys, but the girls team is heavily weighted with “leaders!”





We decided to charter a boat for a day to explore the coral reefs and islands just outside of downtown Kota Kinabalu!  What a great day we had with our own boat and our own Captain and Crew.  All of the kids loved the snorkeling.   Even our most timid Carey Kid, Ayden.   Not a fan of seaweed and was a bit challenging to get her in the water at first....  no surprise she was the last one out...  












Jordan of course managed to meet another Expat family that lived in Japan and had some teenaged boys.  The boys played a touch football game each afternoon and Jordan managed to get herself picked on one of their teams.


We finished each day having a few cocktails and dinner...   and with every adventure we have been on since moving to China... we always catch ourselves saying that when we see these kind of sunsets, we could be anywhere....  and feel the most at home. 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Happy Valentines Day... Ayden's Creations!


Ayden absolutely LOVES Valentines Day...  and this year she crafted her own sweet treat Valentines.




Garrett and Ayden are very tight... and while walking Jordan to catch her bus for baseball, I stopped to see Ayden tying Garrett’s shoe.  This is how they are together...  most of the time.  Inseparable and the best of friends.


Ayden opened a full service salon in our house.  The services include but are not limited to, nail painting, back massage and/or reflexology.  The staff is kind and caring and even will supply you with a complimentary cup of tea.  



Another one of the special talents we all have acquired here and love is the art of making dumplings.  There are several different ways you can put them together but we all think that the way our Ayi Fang wraps them is the best!  




This is our Ayi Fang!!!  She has taught us many things while living here...  She is definitely a part of our family.