Out With the Old...

The new year is upon us and it's easy for me to get that September-y feeling. You know- a fresh start. The problem with me and new years- school or otherwise, is that my best efforts always seem to be failures. Good thing that I'm not a student anymore, because there is less for me to fail at! Or the stakes are different, or something. I used to start every school year with the intention to get all A's, and study every night. Go to bed early. Stuff like that. At least I made it through school and have diplomas and stuff.

But, new years are a little different, and the goals get different as a mom and homemaker. I'd like to be able to resolve to keep the house clean, to play better with the kids, to communicate better with my spouse. To read the scriptures more and serve people more willingly. To get the dishes done, spend less money, and not mind driving 2 hours there and back to visit my parents more often. I'd like to be more cheerful as I go about my tasks- like 5 costly loads of laundry each week, and running the errands while walking with 2 whiny children in tow (Clark is much less whiny than the 4-year-olds, although he is too young to be bribed with candy). There's more, and I don't want to bore you, so I won't go on with my motherly tasks. I'm sure you have many of the same challenges.

I hereby resolve to be more thankful for what I've got, and to look on the sunny side. I should also resolve not to write this post while in a state of angst, but there's no stopping me now! Resolved: To love my husband better and to happily overlook all of his "faults". Resolved: To teach my children to pick up better and be an example of this. Resolved: To waste time less and spend free time in a more pleasurable manner- learn to enjoy the company of toddlers/babies more. Resolved: To waste less- resources and money. Resolved: To count the many blessings heaped upon me by a loving Father in Heaven.

Resolved: To not feel like a failure. What a blessing to be living here with these great people whom I love.

Wishing you all the best for 2010. Let's make it a good one!

My Boy is Wicked Smart*

The only thing I like about getting U.S. News and World Report is the edition with the highschool rankings. Every year, my Paul's alma mater is ranked #1. I just like that.

*name that movie

Hong Kong Disney (or, This is for Dad)

While in Hong Kong, we went to Hong Kong Disneyland. It's like regular Disneyland, but smaller, not as many rides, and no lines. Or maybe 10 minute lines. It's the perfect Disney park for 4 year olds. Here are some pictures of our trip- backwards, it seems.

In front of the castle at night. We walked out to Main Street after seeing the Lion King show, and it was very weird. It had gotten dark since we went in, and basically EVERYONE in the park was on Main Street enjoying the "snow" and taking pictures of the lights. I have never seen so many people taking pictures at the same time. It was so disorienting at first that I thought that something must have happened. A celebrity sighting? Someone falling off the castle? Nope, just the magic of the Christmas decor.

There is no Tom Sawyer's island- it's Tarzan's tree house on an island. And the Jungle cruise is built in here, and it has fire- much cooler than normal Disney.

It's a Small World

Note: All of the rides here go in the opposite direction of in regular Disneyland. I don't know why. So you can tell from your pictures which park you're in?

View from Dumbo

Of course, the girls' favorite part was meeting Cinderella. And when we didn't meet Belle, they almost had a fit. Happily, they got to see all of the princesses in the parade.

In front of the smaller castle. "Why aren't the princesses inside, ma?"

Main Street. It's so much the same that when I needed to feed the baby, I went to the end of Main Street and said, "if I were in the US and needed to feed the baby, I would go to the baby care center right here..." and there it was. If you've never been in the baby center, you totally should. Curtained nursing rooms, (actually, I've never been in there in the US, so I don't know if it's the same here) a kitchen to heat up baby food, changing areas. It's pretty awesome. The weird thing that happened when I was nursing Clark was that the person in the curtained stall next to me let off the loudest burps I have ever heard in my life. Louder than Barney on the Simpson's. Like a whale. It was startling, to say the least. I wonder if it was a baby, or an adult, or even a human...?

The entrance

Walking to the park from the train

Nearing the entrance

The special Disney line train of the metro

The inside of the train has plush seats and little figurines and memorabilia.

Tea cups

More Cinderella

In front of the Mickey Flowers- red for communist?

We took about 5 trains to get there- it took a long time, so we were happy at the end of the day to take a cab home. Even though it cost more than our metro ride there, it was worth $30 to not have to navigate our way home at the end of a long day. If only it were that easy here!

This isn't at Disneyland, but I accidentally put it on and can't figure out how to move it off. We got to visit with Lisa's sister Grace and her daughter Katina, who live in Hong Kong. Camille became best friends with Katina. It was pretty adorable.

The End

My New Toy

While in Hong Kong we visited pot and pan street (not its real name)- a row of kitchenware shops for restaurants and civilians alike. There are rows of pans of every shape- cookie cutters with Chinese characters, woks bigger than your kitchen table, and cleavers of every size.

Everything was super cheap, and I could have done major damage if there had been room in my luggage.

My favorite new acquisition is this loaf pan- it makes a pullman loaf, which is a square loaf without the rounded dome on top. Since the top is covered, the bread can't rise as high, so it creates a denser loaf which is perfect for sandwiches or canapes. What is a canape? I've never made one, but I'm going to start now. These little perfect square slices delight me to no end.

Hong Kong is all about pullman loaves (as well as selling bread in packs of 6 slices) which is something that I feel that we Americans should all adopt.

And yes, I know I'm a dweeb.

Monday, Monday

I've had two Mondays this week so far.

How about you?

It's the miracle of international travel in this day and age- I left Hong Kong Monday at 1:40 p.m., saw a sunset in Seoul, arrived in L.A. Monday at 1:20 p.m. (back in time) and saw the same sun set in Los Angeles.

Cool, right?

Buyer's Remorse

Usually the term "Buyer's Remorse" means that you regret your purchases- maybe you spent too much or your shoes are too tight or you bought something that just looks wrong.

I'm suffering from another type of buyer's remorse. I haven't bought enough. I think that I will spend the next few months thinking of all the things that I should have bought but didn't. Inexpensive child's leggings and hair things. Inexpensive clothes for me. Glasses- designer frames that somehow cost about a fourth of what they cost in the US. Cool shoes that no one had in my size because my feet are just too too big. Fancy European yogurts that were at the greatest grocery store. Another loaf pan and a cleaver from dish street.

Shopping here is so big that it's hard to turn off the shopping desire. It will probably be a relief, though, to return to the US and not have a shopping mall at every train station and not spend each day wanting to go out and buy more.

The High Life

Today as I lay on my cushy chaise next to the amazing pool where my family was swimming, I listened to Mack the Knife being sung in French, and felt that I was truly living the high life.

We only have 2 days of vacation left, but it has been lovely- I think that I would feel it to be the high life even if we were in our home if I got to spend so much time with my sweet husband and so much time with my friendly kids. I'm so thankful that we've been able to spend so much time together.

And I'm thankful for my consistent and completely wonderful tour guides- Paul's parents. They are amazing.

More to come- lots of pictures and blathering when we return!