Kiwis and Ferns

My kids are spoiled!  I won't say brats (maybe sometimes), but I am highly doubtful they understand the travel opportunities they have had. We were looking back at our year and all the places we have seen.  Majority are that "trip of a lifetime" that you save forever for. I guess that happens when you have a mother with a bad case of wanderlust.

New Zealand has been on my list for a while.   It's not a close distance to Asia, but it is the closest I can get to it without heading down under.  It just became a question on when that will happen.

When it is winter is in the States, it is summer in Australia and New Zealand.  It is also their high travel season.  This results in needing to plan early and book at least 6 months to a year in advance. Our planning started early last spring with our travel partners Darcy and Orestis (they are super brave to travel with kids when they have none).

The next couple of post are going to be New Zealand related.  I am going to let the pictures say the words, but will say this place is AMAZING.  Coming from WA, I have seen mountains, rivers, oceans, and everything NZ has to offer.  Wade and I kept saying " This reminds me of ---."  But this place is the HD version of WA and everything all put together in close proximity.  The food is also wonderful (natural, lots of meat, and cheese) and people super nice.

My family should be happy it took me so long to go.  If I didn't have a family of my own, I probably would have never come back.  It was so great, Liam cried the day we had to leave because he wanted to stay. 

Happy Holidays!

When the temps are in the high 80s and you are surrounded by palm trees, getting into the Christmas spirit can be a challenge.    Some friends, along with us, were determine to help it find its way to Singapore.

When I was home in November, I may have gone overboard (oops, I did it again) in buying Christmas supplies.   However, I was on a mission to bring Christmas back in my suitcase.  I paid for it, but it worked.  I also didn't need to do any shopping for the month leading to the holiday and beat the crowds.  That's a definite win to me!

Tall Santa

One of our Christmas missions was to find Santa.  I feel bad that my kids won't have the progression of photos sitting on Santa's lap, but hey, he is an old guy with a beard that normally doing that would cause red flags to signal.   Nevertheless, it would be nice to see him and whisper to him our Christmas wishes.  A friend and I scoped out the Santas in the area and found one at Marina Bay Sands (high class Santa).   He was a tall fellow, but did the job.

After the Santa spotting we headed to Gardens by the Bay for more holiday cheer with the rest of Singapore...literally, thousands of people.  Note to self for next year. 

Cecile and the kids. 

Rides at the Bay.

The $8 Helter Skelter (its a British thing)

Another way to get into the spirit is that one of the items that I brought back with me in my suitcase was a gingerbread house kit.  It was perfect by including five little houses, the icing, and candy.  We had a little decorating party and ate the product for dessert with friend.  The kids enjoyed the sugar high while watching The Grinch and the adults liked the "holiday cheer".

My mom and I also found holiday outfits for the kids while shopping in Nov.   Being cheap, I went with untraditional colors so they can be worn year round.  Amelia wore her's all week!

Christmas outfits. 

Towards the end of the week, the kids sang Christmas songs in Chinese and we found a peace loving Santa (only on Asia) at Universal Studios.   We are missing old traditions, but happy to create new ones.

聖誕快樂

Peace Santa

The kids after Universal Studios.

Right before church. 

Lastly, the night before Christmas, I witnessed a Christmas miracle...Wade went to church!  I must have sweet talked to him through the hamballs I made for dinner that night. 

It was a great holiday and everyone got what they wished for and more.  It always sucks not being home for the holidays and away from family, but with my packed Christmas suitcase, it made it a little easier.

Siem Reap

Five days after landing back in Singapore from Seattle, Wade and I took off to Siem Reap (yeah, mom of the year).   We had booked this trip with Bangkok friends a while ago and it was not refundable.   The goal was the Siem Reap 1/2 marathon.  

With the travel before and Singapore haze months before, my training was not the ideal.  I was going to finish the 13.2 miles, but it was not going to be pretty or for time.   Wade was running the 10k.

Siem Reap is one of the Wonders of the World.  It truly is an amazing place and I am so happy that Wade and I were able to see some of the temples and see how wonderful it is.   As we walked through, all I could think about what it was like in its glory day.   It must have been beautiful.

The time not running was spent eating great food, cheap massages and shopping.   Cambodia reminded me a lot Thailand.  There was street food and similarities in what was being sold in the markets.  There was also an area with a good nightlife, but not as crazy as Bangkok.

I miss tuk tuks. 

The race course. 

Day before race we went and looked at the main temples.

The race:

Early morning start to beat the heat.

Cambodian cheerleaders.

My running partner Darcy.

Quick stop for a picture while on the run.

Wade and I finished.  Not my best time, but I did finish.  2:19.

Caroline once again beat us all. 

Banyan tree temples:  These temples were left untouched for years.   Banyan trees grew in and around them.  Loved this place.

Seattle Thanksgiving

I made a last minute, unplanned trip to Seattle for family stuff.   Even though it was not great reasons to come, the timing was perfect and I was able to enjoy family traditions that I have not been able to take part in for years.   It was a fast, busy, seven days of family and some friend time.

I landed early in the morning and got to see the sun rise with Mt. Rainer. 

During the week I was able to shop for Xmas gifts and had to bring back an extra unplanned bag full of goodies.  I considered it Xmas in a suitcase.   I loved the cool and crisp Northwest air and really feeling the holiday spirit.  It made me miss home even more.

For Thanksgiving, I got to enjoy Kyle's famous fried turkey. 

Merica!

My godmother gave me and Derek their Apple Cup tickets.  I don't even know how long it has been since I was last at a Coug game.  Not the best to witness, but happy to have gone.

Great view on a great day for football. 

Halloween 2015

This was the year of the "boat driver" and witch...then boat driver turned superman.   We kept the celebrating as simple as we could with school celebrations, pre-trick-or-treating a couple days before, and passing out candy at a friends house on the night of the 31st.   We also dug into the costume bucket and managed to get Cecile dressed up!

It is so nice to have a touch of Americana here in Singapore.

Trick-or-treating round 1.

This year I ordered costumes online and shopped them to the States when we were there in the summer.

Very Martha.  The food table in Liam's classroom. 

Liam making  popcorn hand at a craft table. 

I love working at the same school as the kids.  It makes it so simple to come to events.  

The kids with neighbors on the 31st.   Our neighborhood get CRAZY with thousands of people.  We went early to beat the crowds.

A little rain didn't stop us.   Cecile in her outfit.

The start of the crowds. 

Passing out candy at a friends house. 

Some of the costumes people were wearing out.  All I can think was how HOT they must be.  

Blanche from the Ranch

Blanche Sweet Carpenter

July 24, 1920 ~ October 26, 2015

Blanche Sweet Carpenter ("Blanche from the Ranch") passed away October 26th at the age of 95. She was born July 24th, 1920. Her parents were Shelby and ReBecca Sweet of Butte, Montana. Blanche spent her childhood summers at the family home, Flying Cloud Ranch, in Wise River, Montana. She attended two years at Roosevelt High School in Seattle, two years at Stephens College in Columbia Mo., and graduated from the University of Washington in 1942 where she was an Alpha Phi.

Blanche met her husband, Ted, at the University of Washington. They were married 64 years before Ted passed away in 2006. They raised their three children in Bellevue and enjoyed their hobbies of golf, bridge, and travel. Ted and Blanche belonged to the Brae Burn Golf Club for over 20 years. Blanche was very active in P.E.O. and the Women's University Club. Blanche and Ted moved to Silver Glen Retirement home in 2001. They attended every Husky game possible, and always enjoyed tailgating in the UW parking lot.

Blanche is survived by her children, Shelby and Steve Brough of La Quinta, CA, Ted Jr. and Barbara Carpenter of Port Angeles, WA, Helen and Fred White of Kirkland, WA, her sister and brother-in-law, Jackie and Hugh Minor of Everett, WA, her sister-in-law, Billie Carpenter of Everett, WA, and many nieces and nephews. Also surviving Blanche are her grandchildren, Zack and Emily Brough (Alice) of Petaluma, CA, Josh and Harini Brough (Jaya) of San Francisco, CA, ReBecca and Kyle Looney (Shelby, Macie, Campbell) of Kenmore, WA, Karli and Wade Koning ( Amelia, Liam) presently in Singapore, Derek and Kaitlin White (Hadley, Adalyn) of Bothell, WA. 

The family would like to thank Sheila and Edison Navaluna and all the wonderful caregivers at Peace of Mind Adult Family Home. There will be a reception in her honor at The Big Fish Restaurant in Bellevue from 2:00-3:30 pm Saturday, November 21st .

Garden by the Bay

I have been to Gardens by the Bay a number of times, but never in the gardens.   Gardens and fun never really went together for me.  I was wrong.   They were amazing.  The kids also loved them.  They consist of a splash-park (we have been there before) and two domes.   One dome has a huge tower to show the rainforest ecosystem.  We all learned a lot and had to face a fear of heights walking around the tower.   

Gardens by the Bay is definitely a place I will be bringing guest back too.  

The picture doesn't show it well, but I am taking it through a waterfall.

The kids playing in the splash park.

The Children's Garden.