Change

I've missed blogging.  I  feel like the last six months were lost in some black hole.  A maniac took over while we were building the house.  We just got internet a week ago after a month of not having it.  I didn't even know it was humanly possible for me to go a month without internet!  I must be super human.  Basically, they run a racket here in Provo.  And we live in some black hole where our only options were a super-slow speed from one company or pay a $600 install charge for another company that would install high-speed.  We kept trying to find another option but there isn't one.  Bleh.  The monthly fee is the same so I finally talked myself into paying the $600 by reasoning that it's just an extra $5/month for the next 10 years.

Another racket...our area code.  Apparently, they ran out of 801 numbers so ours is 385.  Gross.  I feel, like Elaine, cheated and so annoyed.  I'm from UT.  I lived here before they even had 435 as an area code.  I don't want no stinkin' 385 area code.  When internet and the phone line were installed it was exactly like this Seinfeld episode minus the deaths threats at the end.  But then Elaine perseveres and gets her 212 area code back because an old lady in her building dies.  Would it be wrong to ask any of my elderly neighbors if I can inherit their phone number when they pass away? Because I will have an 801 area code!

I created this blog when we moved to Singapore to keep in touch with family and friends back home.  I found it was actually a nice outlet and great way to journal our family happenings.  When we first moved back I thought, "I'll change the blog name 'awaiting winter' when the first snow falls because our wait for winter would be over."  But I could never think of another name.  Then the cold came but it has still barely snowed.  What is up with rain in January?!  Cold rain is no fun at all.  And I have to admit I TOTALLY get why people don't like winter--it's COLD!!  Cold is a lot more work with coats, socks, (how do you keep track of those?!) scarves and boots.  I don't know why everyone considers setting the thermostat to 72 as turning the heat up.  I'd turn it to 80 if Ben would let me.  Thankfully, January came and we've started skiing regularly, which has reminded me why I like winter.  Skiing makes my soul happy. There are fun things you can't do without the cold.  And freshly fallen snow is so beautiful.

I love change.  I love learning or doing something new.  I've always been more of a nomad than a home body.  But I also struggle with the adjustments major change brings.   Singapore was challenging and a learning experience for us in many ways but it was also equally rewarding.  There were definitely moments when I wished 'the experience' was over, but I tried to appreciate that the challenges were temporary and that they presented wonderful opportunities and adventures. One of the best compliments I received was in a note from a photo client/friend who wrote, "I live in Singapore, but you experienced it."  I've always struggled with fully living in the now.  I start to feel down if I don't have a trip to plan or something on the calendar to look forward to.  And I have definitely felt that way since moving back.  The day we moved into our beautiful new home I was overwhelmed with so many different emotions.  We've been on this path to the professorship job with real benefits and a retirement plan and owning a home for 10 years.  I thought I should feel nothing but joy that "we've arrived at our final destination".  But instead I was thinking, "we really aren't going back to singapore.  This this was our goal...our dream?!  I have to clean this place! I have a real kitchen so I have no excuse but to cook regular healthy meals."  Long before Ben and I started on our path together, seeing the world and photographing it was my dream.  Easily and affordably traveling to new places, experiencing new cultures and the photo opportunities in Singapore were all so amazing and ideal.   But I have to trust and know that the travel and cultural experiences I want will come again in another season.  And we are very lucky to have experienced all that we have.  It's been strange to think of possibly being in one place forever or at least knowing this move isn't temporary because so much in our married life has been.

I decided that I didn't need to change the name of the blog after all from "awaiting winter"-- just the subtitle from "The tropical adventures of a little family who loves winter" to "Our family adventures through every season"(or something similar but maybe not as cheesy sounding....suggestions welcome).  Enjoying the now and every season of life (because there are benefits to them all, except teething) is my goal.   I'm working on finding the right balance of appreciating the past and looking forward to the future but living in the present.  I need to enjoy the simple happy moments of everyday life with my sweet little girls, who will all too soon be grown.

And to those who aren't asleep yet and have asked about the house, pictures really are coming.  My battery charger has been lost since we moved in but I finally found it.

Our new view--I forgot how beautiful the sunsets are here!

Fighting Skills

The other day Lizzie and Samara were playing.  Lizzie can get quite rough with her affection.  She'll poke, scratch, grab Samara's hair, etc.  I hear them playing and giggling.  Then I hear, "Oww.  LIZZIE!" voice calms "I wish I didn't teach you so many good fighting skills.  MOM! We need to get Lizzie in a more appropriate class like dance or yoga or something.  No, that would be weird.  Yoga is only for adults."

Fighting skills are pretty useful--something poor Samara definitely did not have when she was Lizzie's age.  Lizzie just turned 18-months old -- the age when kids can start going to nursery at our church.  She went for the first time last Sunday.  She was so happy to have toys and snacks and not have to be confined and quiet in Sunday school.  She came over near me a few times but didn't seem to need me around. Today, I explained to her she'd stay alone and when it was time for me to say goodbye, she gave me a kiss and only fussed, "mama mama" as I walked away but was totally fine when I left.  It sorta...well...really blows my mind.

Lizzie's first day of nursery

excuse the low quality phone pics

Samara's first day in nursery

What a huge contrast to Samara's nursery experience.   Lizzie certainly has been babysat alot more than Samara was.  Ben, almost in tears, the first day Samara went to nursery went with her as a "bodyguard" to fend off any kid in a 2-ft radius.  We were so worried about the nursery thugs hurting her.  Samara started babbling when she was a few weeks old and hasn't stopped talking since.  She would tell a kid if he/she started taking her toy, "my toy. keep." She didn't take toys.  So when they didn't follow the rules, a meltdown would ensue.  We moved from NC when Samara was 19 months old and we were here and there and everywhere the two months before we moved to Singapore so she never ended up going to nursery and certainly not alone.  When we got to Singapore, we stayed with her the first couple weeks and one of the nursery workers really encouraged us to leave her, insisting she'd be fine.  I could tell she was thinking, "what cute overbearing first time parents who think they need to stay with their daughter".  But I knew my daughter.  The next week we left her like the teacher wanted.  About ten minutes later, the teacher came and got me and said, "Well, we normally really try to get kids to stay alone.  They cry and we distract them but your daughter is very specific about what she wants.  When you left she went to the door and started screaming,""Get me out of this place now! I want my mimo!  Let me out!"  I tried not to smile when she said, "You're welcome to just stay with her until she's comfortable."  Samara has always known how to speak her mind!

So many people tell me their first born is difficult and that the second born is easy going.  I know this is not always the case but it often seems to be true.

At first I worried about not being able to give Lizzie full attention like Samara got, but now I think quality time is more important than quantity.  Plus not having the attention on you 100% of the time seems to foster independence.  Poor Samara didn't stand a chance of not being high strung.  We gave her such a phobia of being messy that she still won't eat certain things because they get her hands sticky.  She couldn't spoon feed herself until she was older than I will admit.  Lizzie, on the other hand, often won't eat unless she can use the spoon herself, which means she and the whole kitchen need a bath afterwards.  Once she opened her diaper and played with the poop.  Samara would never have done that.  Samara never drew on walls or got into things but she also never left our side.  At Samara's 9-month wellness check-ups we had to mark "does not do yet" to one of the questions on the "milestones" handouts they give you.  We were so worried she couldn't mark that off that we picked up the one for the 12-month check-up so we could do "homework" and make sure all the questions could be answered "does all the time".  We should just set up the therapy fund now!  I've never even done one of those questionnaires for Lizzie.  The other day I thought she should probably be stacking blocks by now.  So I got the blocks out and tried to show her how to stack them.  She threw them again and again and had a marvelous time doing it.  It is torture for Samara to have to do anything alone.  Eating breakfast alone is practically a life sentence.  Sometimes, I can't even get Lizzie to play with me.  She'd rather explore on her own.

The girls are so different but equally adorable and delightful.  There is nothing in the world better than hearing them laugh and play together.  We love having two spunky girls.

Anyone else have a first and a second child who are so wildly different?  I know kids definitely come with their own personalities, but how big a factor is parenting and birth order? What about your third and  fourth?

House Update

Hello world, I'm building a house.  Soon it will be done and I will be human again.  I will actually listen when people talk to me.  I will think about and do things other than house-related issues.  But I will never be qualified to make another decision again.  I've exhausted my decision making abilities for the year.  I should not make any other pertinent decisions for at least 6 months.  My brain has lost the ability to chose.  I think I will write a 12-step program, "how to resume a normal life and recover your marriage after building". I'm hoping I make at least enough money to put in a yard in the spring.

 It took us eleven tries to get the right color for the exterior but we are really pleased with the color.

We've lost count for the interior colors.  We spent the girls' inheritance or at least Christmas money on paint samples.  They are getting scrap wood from the construction and all the failed paint colors.  Santa gives gifts like that, right?  Samara will get to "craft" to her heart's content.  In fact, she even said she wanted a craft birthday party.  Perfect.  Each kid can take home any color from the Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paint deck.  We probably have a quart of the color they want.  

Thankfully, we knew we wanted the same trim color as the other homes in the development or we may have had to take out a home equity loan trying to find the right white (by white I mean off-white/ivory/ but not yellow or gray tinged.)  I am POSITIVE that many a person has lost their sanity trying to find a true gray.  It doesn't exist.  Grays are either blue, brown, green.  It's so hard to know what a color looks like from a little swatch.  Once you have so many colors up, it's impossible to chose and tell the difference.  We don't even remember what we put where.   Having so many choices cripples you.

 This is our neighbor, Holly Llama.  There are goats and miniature ponies too.  Our human neighbors have already asked us to feed the animal neighbors while they are away for Christmas.  Samara could not be more excited!  We miss the Singapore zoo and our animal feedings there.  Our other neighbor is related to me.  Her mother-in-law is my maternal grandfather's cousin.  Small world here in UT!  We don't go anywhere here without seeing someone we know.

For the record, even though I am complaining/venting, I know we are very fortunate to build a home when interest rates are at a historic low. Everything has not worked out perfectly/exactly how we envisioned it, but we are pleased with how the house is turning out.   It's been a quite process, but will be well worth it.  If all goes well with painting, flooring, cabinets, and countertops we will have a final inspection on the 22nd and, if we pass, we will move in on the 23rd.  Many more pictures to come soon--just to warn you!

Boo! Happy Halloween

Samara wanted us to be the Rapunzel family for Halloween.  When we first put the costume on, I told her she was the cutest Rapunzel.  She replied, "No, the one on the movie is the cutest.  I actually look alot more like the kid Rapunzel from the movie."  Later I saw her tipping her head back trying to make her hair touch the floor, as she muttered, "I just need my hair to go all the way to ground."

Lizzie was pascal.  Poor thing was sicker than sick last week and still isn't feeling that well.  She wants to be held all the time so she wasn't happy about posing for a picture.  But she's so cute even when she is crying.

Lizzie was getting in Samara's stuff.  Samara called out, "Can you please come get this pascal?  The real pascal would NOT get into Rapunzel's stuff. "

We went to a healthy trunk-or-treat this afternoon.  All the treats had to be healthy, i.e., no refined sugars, dyes, GMOs, etc.  There were games and prizes at each trunk.  It was great.

Then it was time to go home.  "Rapuzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" says Mother Gothel.  Samara, however, wanted to go home with her cousin Sariah and I told her, "No, not today."  To which Samara replied, "Uh!!!  You are mean.  If you don't let me go then you are the real Mother Gothel!  Really you are.  I want Cheryl back.  I just have to go home with Sariah."  Ha!  No flair for the dramatics at our house.

 Still not wanting to have a photo taken

"I am not afraid to use this!" 

Lizzie's a little happier now.

Lizzie is also really getting into character.  She loves sticking out her tongue.  One may say it's because she's teething but I know it's really to catch bugs.

My SIL threw a fabulous Halloween party on Saturday.  The theme was Cowboys and Indians and it was held at Sundance Resort.  The food was delicious and it was fun to get out and meet new people.  Giddy up!  Happy Halloween!

Toddler

Baby Lizzie isn't a baby anymore.  She's toddling all around now.  Does anything else compare with the cuteness of a baby learning to walk?  I love the cautious hunched form used to keep balance and the sheer delight and pride when they take those first steps.  Soon we won't be able to keep up with her.

Thailand: Railay and Phi Phi

We were able to fit in one last holiday a couple weeks before we moved.  We really wanted to see Bangkok and the family had never been to my favorite place so we opted for twofer--Bangkok and Krabi.

We stayed two nights on Railay Island.

That little cave, in right of the photo, is a fertility cave with some pretty interesting carvings.  I'm pretty sure visiting the cave, when I went climbing, helped Lizzie get here.  :)

Unfortunately, it rained most of the time we were there.  Fortunately, Samara loved playing at the beach in the rain and even in the rain Krabi is lovely.

On our first trip to Thailand, with my Sister-in-law, we learned about Phi-phi islands but didn't make it out to see them.   This time, we took a snorkeling-island tour on our one full-day there.  The boat ride was crazy bumpy and made me nervous with the kids.  Because of the weather we couldn't stop at Maya Bay, which was the place I wanted to see most.  

One of our stops was a beautiful lagoon.  The local boys who were working on the boats started climbing up a ~12-foot rope and hopping off a branch.  This is the kind of thing that Ben takes as a challenge.  So, he hopped out of the boat and joined the young local boys, showing them that (really) white guys can do it, too.  And he had to do it twice, because I didn't have my camera ready the first time.  See white guys really can do it, two. Ha ha!

Long boats really are so fabulous.  Someday I hope to make one my main mode of transportation. :)

 This is as funny as it looks.  We spotted this fellow wearing white-pink slinky speedo.  Yes--he is trying very hard to strike a sexy pose.  And you can see the camera in the other guy's right hand.  I got some great ideas for photographing Ben in his these.  Just scored a pair at Target for his upcoming birthday.  Smokin'!

Oh Lizzie Bean--We love you!!  But when will you understand the sand is not for eating?!

We took advantage of the sunny moments.

We finished our trip to Railay with a floating or spirit lantern.  Samara had been dreaming of sending up a glowing lantern after she saw "Tangled."  Thailand is so beautiful.  When days are tough, I start singing (to the tune of James Taylor), "In my mind I'm going to Krabi, Thailand..."  Can it be my second home, please?

Thailand: Bangkok

I had a girls' trip scheduled for Thailand last year but we had to cancel it because of the protesting and political unrest.  I did not want to leave SE Asia without seeing Bangkok.

The Grand Palace is definitely worth a visit.

Wat Phra Kaew inside the palace.

The Grand Palace is huge and intricate but not too goody.  I normally don't like a lot of gold but the palace is so nicely done.  I thought the palace is fascinating and beautiful.  

 
The traffic is worse than everyone says!

Tuk-tuks make me happy.  I wonder if they are allowed here.

The taxis and buses were all so colorful.

Sweet little girl all tuckered out.  Hope no one took her toys while she slept. :)

Street vendors/food everywhere.  Some things look appetizing and

other stuff wasn't so appealing.

There are so many temples in Bangkok.  You'd need several days, with no kids in tow,  to see them all.
We went to Wat Pho and past a couple others.

Our favorite was Wat Saket

There are 318 steps to the top of the golden mount.  Samara had fun climbing the steps, which is probably why it was our favorite.

And with bells and gongs to play with along the way who wouldn't like it?!  This bell caught her by surprise.

 
Wat Arun

ABC Bicycle Tour:
I went on a bicycle tour one morning.  We rode through back streets and past businesses opening shop for the day.

We went through a make-shift neighborhood.

Offerings and a place to meditate

Million + people come to Bangkok temporarily to work and go back and forth from their towns and this is where they live.  It may not look like much (because it wasn't) but they had some pretty sweet TVs and motorbikes.   

 
We rode through plantations and stopped at the village temple.  This are the graveyard/ the boxes that hold the ashes of the deceased.  Paying homage to their ancestors is very important.

Serendipity smiled on me and I got to see a new monk's initiation ceremony.

I was so thrilled to witness this special  and sacred ceremony.

That evening I let Ben take my two-hour Thai massage.  It only cost $10 and I thought I'd be nice since he'd stayed home with the girls so I could do the bike tour.  He came home and said, "NEVER make me go get a massage again. EVER.  That was the most excruciating two hours of my life.  I had no idea someone who weighs 90 pounds could inflict so much pain."  

Sorry, honey!

Hotel:

We stayed at Sil-Q and loved it.  Great hotel in nice location with fantastic service.

Our driver was named Tiger and he was honest and helpful.  His number is 081-951-9953.  Samara loved riding in a pink taxi.  Excuse the humidity in the lens.

Farewell, Thailand!  We'll be back someday.