Check out Naptime Creations

My good friend Emily is A- MA-ZING!! If you don't believe me just visit her blog, Naptime Creations She cooks, sews, knits, and does any other crafty thing you can imagine. She infuses a lot of creativity into her projects and she does them fast. I have no idea how she does it all- with her 2 and 4 year old! Her blog is a fun source of inspiration for me.

You might want to check it out now because she is hosting a $75 give away from Shabby Apple which has some adorable dresses.  Of course if "all" of you enter that would decrease my odds of winning. . . but check it out anyways (:

To drive or not to drive, that is the question

For 6 years in Hong Kong we have never owned a car. At first we loved the convenience and cost savings of using the wonderful public transportation system. Then Josiah was born and I learned how to fold up a stroller with one had, carry it and a baby up onto a mini bus, beep my octopus card and get a seat all in 7 seconds. Then I became pregnant with Annette and learned that I could carry a 21 month old in a stroller up 3 flights up stairs out of a station while 8 months pregnant. Needless to say, the transportation challenges expanded with our growing family. Now facing the soon reality of 3 kids under 4 I am contemplating days of pushing a stroller while wearing a baby and motivating a preschooler to walk to school while juggling an umbrella on rainy days through our muddy village etc. Sooo. . . we are thinking of buying a car. Here are the pros and cons as I see it. . . 

Pros

1. Time Saving- I could get to Josiah’s school in 10 minutes instead of 30, saving 80 minutes a day
2. Out of the elements- would not have to battle the heat, rain, and mosquitos on our slow walks
3. Church- Our 1 hr 15 min commute to church could be cut down to 25 minutes each way
4. Four Fares- Once Annette turns 3 we will have to start paying for her on the public transportation as well. Which is still cheaper than a car, but adding up nonetheless
5. Village Parking- is much cheaper, and more convenient, than the parking if you live in a high-rise estate
6. Stuff- obviously the easier option when moving around stuff, such as groceries
7. Purchase- you can buy nice used cars here at a really reasonable price

Cons

1. Expensive- Gas is $8 a gallon, there is no such thing as free parking anywhere, registration is high and there are fees for tunnels which abound
2. Less exercise- currently if I just take Josiah back and forth to school I walk 2.5 miles alone. Usually I end up going more than this. The exercise of course is great for the kids and I.
3. Repairs, maintenance, insurance- all the unfun upkeep of taking care of a car
4. Left Side- It is not unlikely that I will have a blonde moment and drive on the right side of the road (:

What do you think? Should we do it? 

October 31st

Our Mom's Group had a little costume party on Tuesday. Oh, kids in costumes are so cute. The little guy on the right is a sushi roll- don't you love it? Can you find the firefighter and ladybug (the non- Chinese one?)

 We played a few games then the kids walked around the room to the moms and collected goodies in their bags. It was much easier than going door- to door! Here are Jack and Josiah comparing their "loot"

A grocery store near our house did sell mid- sized pumpkins this year.  But they were over $20 usd each so I decided to let the kids paint a pumpkin on my belly instead tonight. They LOVED it! I did not anticipate how much it would tickle, ha, ha! Then as the paint started to dry it was very itchy. We also made popcorn balls and figured the kids had had enough sugar and fun to call it a Halloween.

We are pretty used to celebrating holidays untraditionally. And trust me, painting a pumpkin on my belly will not be a repeated tradition (: 

4 Months

Whew, made it to 4 months!! 16 weeks is the magical number in my pregnancies that concludes
essentially 10 weeks of the stomach flu. I feel like having a party and giving a speech thanking all the people who stood with me along the way.  Jason is happy that I am enjoying cooking once again and says that everything tastes better. Poor guy, I set the bar pretty low. I definitely look pregnant now and strangers are giving me their seats on the train, which is so kind.

Apparently our baby can hear now, and I was reading that even in the womb it is getting used to noises in the environment. That is a very good thing, since it is coming into a little house with a lot of noise.  So, even now the baby is learning to not be startled at Annette's frequent high pitched screams, Josiah's hammering and my yelling (I never do that) to get out the door.

Because all our friends live in small places too,  everyone is eager to off load their baby stuff. Yesterday we got this chair for baby. In case you are curious "what" we are having, the color provides a little clue. For now, Annette has some fun doll toys.

Because some moments in life are too fun to keep to yourself

Kids at Play

Josiah loves to build. Legos and blocks don’t do it for him, but he loves his hammer, nails, tape, glue, paint, scissors, a good box and lots more tape. I wish we had a rooftop, balcony or garage where he could have a little work bench because I think he would be there all day. Instead he works at the table in his room where I let him hammer (sorry neighbors), glue, paint, glitter etc. He makes some good messes, but also interesting creations. 

Today while Jason was sleeping and I was working on the computer he created this ark completely on his own, the only thing I did was get down the paint for him. Most of his projects he wants to mail to his cousins in Wisconsin, but I end up throwing them away while he sleeps to make room for the next day’s creations. (: 

Did I get paint on my face?

And here is Annette. She likes to be Mommy’s helper and will drag the stool into the kitchen whenever I’m cooking. She has a smile here because she helped herself to a “sample” of sugar while “helping” me make pumpkin bread today.

If she is not being my shadow she is serving us food from her kitchen or pushing he “babies” around the house. She also spends a lot of time packing and unpacking her purse and loosing and looking for her prized three cell phones. She is very protective of her babies so if you touch them or the stroller- watch out!  

Fall Festival

Every October ICS hosts a Walkathon and Fall Festival fundraiser.  The school is turned into a giant homespun carnival with games, food, sales, music and fun school traditions.  This is our first year wearing a “parent” hat at ICS and it was fun to experience the festival through Josiah’s eager eyes. For me a highlight is always seeing past students and parents that I love. My “kindergarteners” are now in 5th and 6th grade!! I love that they still come up for hugs and to say hi.  

One thing is for sure, after a two mile walk, tons of stimulation, sugar and games, every child (and parent) leaves the festival ready for a nap! Which is another good thing (: