Halloween 2009

Good times with Daddy in Singapore

Myself, Logan, Andrew and about 20 of our friends and neighbors left saturday Aug 1st at 2pm and took planes, trains, buses, and automobiles and finally arrived in Singapore at 2am on Sunday. Checked into our AWESOME suite at the Hilton Singapore, got some sleep, breakfast, and a swim in the rooftop pool. Then a long nap and daddy arrived at 2pm on Sunday! Andrew and I ran down the hall to greet him with open arms, and when Logan woke from his nap he squealed with delight and also grabbed Marc with open arms. We were all hungry so we hit the streets and had some food on Orchard Rd and our first experience with all of the shopping in Singapore. Our hotel was right in the middle of the shopping district of Singapore...I did buy myself a new pair of cheetah print Birkenstocks:)
We headed back to the hotel for the boys to show Marc their new swimming abilities in the pool. Cocktails by the pool and dinner in the lounge, then a quiet relaxing night with daddy in our room.
Monday morning we took the boys to see their first play "The boy who cried wolf" at Singapore Repertory Theatre in Boat Quay and then made our way over to the Raffles hotel, which is the oldest hotel and most famous spot in Singapore. Logan was carsick (as usual) and puked all over the sidewalk inside the beautiful grounds of the Raffles hotel!! We wanted to have a drink in the famous Long Bar at the Raffles, but they had peanuts on the tables and peanut shells all over the floor...so we figured it would be best for Logan if we sat outside on the porch and admired the view. Next we walked over to the Suntec mall and purchased 3 day passes to ride the Hippo tour bus. It's an open topped double decker bus with a tour guide that travels all over the island of Singapore. We all LOVED the bus tours, you can hop on and hop off at any of the many stops on the tours, so we just used the tour bus as our taxi. And it was so cool to see the city from high atop a bus and to feel the cool breeze. We saw Little India, Chinatown, Arab street and much more. Tons of mosques, temples and churches. Tons of malls and hotels. Outdoor markets and shops everywhere. Singapore is a beautiful, tropical lush island filled with culture and entertainment. It is also very clean and everyone speaks English, tourism is very important to their economy. Chewing gum is illegal, smoking is frowned upon, and eating in the subway stations will get you a hefty fine. All of this we learned from different cab drivers, whom were all very kind and Singapore natives, another mandate by the Singapore government.
Monday night we enjoyed the Night Safari where a bat swooped my hair and then a random indian fellow grabbed my ankle because I screamed...so I screamed again. We all got a good laugh at my expense...and Logan keeps asking me why I'm afraid of everthing.
Tuesday I headed off to Little India by myself while the boys napped and Marc caught up on some work in the hotel. I visited the indian markets, bought a traditional indian outfit, and ducked into a few chinese buddhist temples and an indian mosque. Tuesday evening we met some of Marc's work friends at Hooters in Clarke Quay and then did the Singapore River Cruise. Truly beautiful to see Singapore from the water in the evening. Then we headed to Jumbo seafood and tried the famous "Chili Crab", Singapore's signature dish...it was yummy and very spicy.
Wednesday we headed over to Chinatown for some quick shopping then took the cable car over to Sentosa Island, a big new resort island that is growing very rapidly. We bought our tickets to go down the Luge...and go back up the sky-ride. The luge was awesome but the sky-ride was way too scary for me. The sky-ride was basically a ski lift to take you back up the mountain after you had ridden the luge down. But there was nothing holding you in the seat and we were just dangling HIGH above the ground for a very long ride...I was doing everything I could to keep my cool because Logan was with me. Marc and Andrew were in the seat ahead of us and they were both scared too, Logan was the only brave one...and he kept asking me why I'm scared of everything:) We rode the Luge 4 times, but only took the sky-ride twice...we took a bus and walked back up the other two times, it was too scary!!
We went to the aquarium and saw the pink dolphin show and then headed back to the hotel for some rest before another night out on the town. That evening we got t-shirts at Hard Rock cafe, had some yummy appetizers at a nice Brick-Oven pizza restaurant, then headed over to Esmirada restaurant for a late dinner and dish breaking entertainment! Our friends who used to live in Singapore recommended the restaurant to us. It was delicious greek/mediterranean food and they pass out plates around 9:30pm for everyone to throw on the floor and break. The kids thought it was awesome to break dishes and it was just lots of fun for all of us.
Marc headed out at 6am on Thursday and the kids were so tired they could barely even wake up to say goodbye. We relaxed around the pool until noon, Then headed over to Bugis flea market, where I got a double Buddha for my collection and the boys each got a new toy. I had never seen a double buddha - so I asked the vendor what it meant and he said "double happiness"...I had to have it! The boys and I had another late dinner at California pizza kitchen (yes -I miss american food) and then headed to the airport at 10pm to catch our midnight flight.
We were home by noon on Friday and greeted by our neighbors with a block party that afternoon. That evening we had Logan's pizza party for the end of his soccer season and he got his first TROPHY, he is so proud:) Life is good...

A note for me to remember...

So we are sitting at the dinner table tonight and Logan said the most amazing thing. He always amazes me with his logic. He is 5 and half years old. We were just having a casual conversation over dinner and I asked him like I always do...about what was his favorite part of the day. He explained about how he liked the nice kids. And he recalled a story of one of the kids on our street who had been not so nice that day. Then we had this exact conversation.
Logan: So, I will put the good things in blue and put them on this side of my brain. And then I will make the bad things in red and put them on this side of my brain(pointing to the other side of his head). My brain is a machine you know. And then I will lock them up so that I remember. And I have a key that will make me see everything.
Me: what do you mean the good things are blue?
Logan: You know, the good things that you tell me to do. Everything starts out white (he is pointing and waving his hands right in front of his eyes) and then if it's good I paint it blue and move it over to this side of my brain(moves his hand to the right side of his head) and then it's locked in my brain. And all of the bad things that you tell me not to do are red and I put them on this side(pointing to the left side).
Me: what is something that is blue?
Logan: ummmm, playing with my nice friends.
Me: what is something red?
Logan : Not to play with the kids who are not nice to all the kids all the time.
Me: did someone teach you this about your brain?
Logan: No, I made it up.

I love that kid!!!!!

This is the tree in our side yard that the boys have learned how to climb...and get stuck in. Andrew snuck out the other day and I didn't know it. He got stuck in the tree and just waited until a neighbor across the street drove up. He couldn't remember her name so he called out "Hey You!...Yeah, You! Can you get me out of this tree?" Chrissy couldn't stop laughing and helped him down. I heard him calling her and came out to watch the rescue. That little rascal ALWAYS sneaks out and my neighbors have to send him back in. I can only take a shower while he is at school or asleep, because that is his favorite time for a getaway. Good thing we live in such a safe place. Oh, and by the way, the matching red superhero shirts they have on are courtesy of themselves at the NEX. We went in the other day, and they both pulled the tags off of these shirts, and took of the shirts they were wearing and put on these shirts. Then they came up and said "Mom,can we buy these?" they also did this with a new pair of shoes for each of them...red crocs for Logan and Teva flip flops for Andrew. Now, I can only shopping while they are at school too!! They are sooooo full of mischief and fun!

Andrew on the scooter

Andrew and Logan are both fearless on the scooters, skateboards, and bikes. This is about a month ago.

The Field Trip

We visited the Meiji Shrine Temple and Harajuku for our field trip for the ICR class. We asked James Patterson to join us and we all had a great time. We all LOVED the awesome crepes in Harajuku.

Happy New Year!

Wow! Hello Japan.

Well, today is the end of day 5 in Japan and what an amazing adventure we have already had! We left my parents house at 5 am on Sunday with a wonderful sendoff from Stephanie & Cam who both spent the night before. We were with my parents in 2 cars with 8 gigantic suitcases and 5 carry-ons! Two flights and twenty four hours of travel later, we arrived at Narita airport in Tokyo Japan...and it was 5pm on Monday in Tokyo. The boys were amazing and everything went smoothly...thanks Steph W for the St. Christopher pendant, I know it was protecting us the whole way! I haven't taken it off yet.
We were greeted at the airport by Andy Berner(our sponsor family) with lots of snacks and sandwichs and a big van to drive us home to the base. I was falling asleep with the boys in the backseat, but I did manage to catch a glimpse of Disneyland and lots of HUGE ferris wheels, and LOTS of bright lights and big city! Tokyo is huge and amazing. But I was too tired to notice anything else, except that we were on the wrong side of the road...and the wrong side of the car...and there was NO ENGLISH signs anywhere! Andy delivered us safely to our hotel rooms on base which they had also stocked with lots of food and goodies for us.
We woke up at 3am (jetlag) and spent the next day taking care of paperwork around the base and getting oriented around the base settled into our hotel rooms, and taking a seriously long nap. then we had a nice dinner at the Berner's house that evening. They have been amazing and we are so appreciative for all of their help. They are showing us the ropes of base life and Japan, so that we can pay it forward when we have to sponsor a family who is new to Japan in the future. Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly and helpful!

Weds was our next day...which was also new years eve. We were too tired and jetlagged(which Marc says is all in my head although he is feeling it too, but calls it being sick :) )to do much. Medical, housing, and preschool check-in paperwork and then a commissary run, because the base shuts down for NY day. Japan celebrates New Years as one of the biggest holidays of the year. Thanks so much to the Wards for the commissary run. The "Reward" family as Logan and Andrew call them have also been amazing. Marc went to flight school with Ken Ward in Jacksonville in 2002. They have 4 great kids which our kids adore AND this is their 2nd tour in Japan (built in natives, although they were on a different base, SASEBO before, near OKINAWA). We also went to Disney in Orlando with them in October. We will be mentioning LOTS about the "Reward" family.
We were asleep by 9 on NY eve and of course awake by 4 on Thursday, NY day. We relaxed all morning and then got a call at 1pm from Ken..."Let's go to Kamakura today and see The Great Buddha" Ummm, "YES! YES! YES!" We piled 6 kids and 4 adults into 2 cars and then headed for the train station. We followed Ken and Tammy as they navigated us thru 4 train stations, lots of ticket booths, narrow sidewalks, and using yen for the first time. What an adventure, we had a blast and truly this was the best New Years day of my life! I bought a big shiny gold buddha for my collection at The Great Buddha and was thrilled to spend my afternoon soaking up Japan and just being in awe. This place is undescribable. People, people and more people. Buildings, buildings, and more buildings. Silence, silence and more silence. It is so quiet here.
Friday morning we woke up at 3 again (jetlag still) and took care of more medical and childcare paperwork. Logan got a Hep A shot and we got the kids signed up for basketball, creative dance, preschool from 2-5, and parents night out at the CDC...all before 930am. Wow, this is so much more than we are used to! Lee B, our amazing sponsor, called and invited to take us to the 100 yen store off base (like the dollar store, but Japanese goodies) and then to a great red slide park for the kids. We said yes and were very excited! We stopped by the "Reward family's" house to say hello and they invited us to go to see the Emporer's Palace in Tokyo today. The Imperial palace is only open TWO days of the year, Dec 23rd and Jan 2nd. So of course, count us in! We invited Lee, Andy, Zack and Abby to join us...but Andy had to work, so it was just us and the Wards. And off we go on another adventure. Truly an amazing day, Tokyo is unbelievable. Again, tons and tons of people...yet so quiet. Everything is so clean and pretty. We even let the kids sit on the floor of the subway train...that's how clean it is. High rise buildings everywhere! And still no English signs! I'm definitely going to learn to read japanese, even if I can't speak it. We have been able to deal with Logan's egg and peanut allergy by pointing to the phrase "I'm allergic" and then the word "egg" and "peanut" in our little Japan book. (THanks CAm! awesome book, we will call it our new bible)
Then after our awesome trip to the Imperial Palace, which I carried Andrew and Marc carried Logan as they slept...jetlag...we headed back to the train/subway. We decided to have lunch in Tokyo station which is underground train station. It has a dining court and was so much fun! We ate lots of fun foods and couldn't figure out anything...need to learn some Japanese! Then we head on to Yokahama station, another train station underground on our way home and walk thru the most sheik and fancy mall....underground, in a subway. With the crazy loud techno music playing! Oakley, the Wards 3 yr old and youngest daughter was startled by an old snaggle- tooth Japanese man who was giving her candy. Apparenty the Japanese love kids and give them things all the time. Oakley was also given a box of chocolates as a gift from a random lady at the Imperial Palace.
We returned from our adventure and got baths and into bed quickly by 8pm. Then we recieved a call from the Keithley's inviting us to a small cookout tomorrow night with 2 other family's we haven't met yet. We are buying the Keithley's cars from them because they are leaving and moving back to the states next week...$2500 total for both cars...a Honda Odyssey van and a honda integra car, both with less than 50,000 miles. Welcome to base life! This is an instant family and community. Everything is within walking distance, and everyone is taking care of everyone else. I am so overjoyed and excited for these next few years! Wow! oh, and i really do miss all of you at home. I want to pick up my phone constantly to call you and tell you about all of this, but I don't have a phone yet :) so you'll have to deal with a long winded blog instead. Pictures will come tomorrow, I wanted to get down everything I could, while I can remember...still VERY jetlagged.