Bockman Happenings

Val is at a loss

2012-01-26T21:39:00.001-05:00

Much to Val's joy, she has joined her twin sister in the "missing front teeth" category. For the before picture, I asked Val to give me a mean face; the dangling tooth really brings the look together.

Her true sweetness returns.

Each of the girls has a special "tooth fairy" pillow of which Val said, "Mom, don't forget to put on your fairy wings tonight."

New Scenery

2012-01-24T20:05:00.006-05:00

For the local New Year (by far the biggest holiday of the year in these parts), we went to another city to visit friends and get a change of scenery. Often, the joy of new scenery was in the form of a restaurant. To give some perspective, in our city there are no McDonalds or Starbucks. So getting to a place like Subway was a treat. Our girls and our friend's girls posed for such an occasion.

Among the different eateries we visited included Italian, German, Japanese and Indian. The last one we went to twice. Oh my. So good.

Out on a field trip, the six show their skills for the perfect silly picture. Buddies.

We stayed at a friend's place most of the time, but we went to a hotel for a couple nights to get more into the heart of the city. The hotel was near empty - due to the holiday - and long story short, we got a double-upgrade in accommodation. Bonus. It was like paying for an economy seat and getting bumped up to first-class. (This has never actually happened to me, but I assume the sensation is similar.)

Each day was spent at the pool. Lia is coming along well with her front crawl and backstroke. Val and Meg haven't got the front crawl down but are making progress. Also, Lia just about has her diving down pat. Unfortunately, we didn't get many pictures there; here are just a few.

Lia showing off her water handstand.

We have a normal picture of the below, but I think this goofy one is more interesting. :) From L to R, that's Lia, Dad, Meg and Val. We had a lot of fun in the pool.

We were at the hotel for the lunar new year, and so we got the girls up at 11:30pm (with their approval) to go outside to check out the fireworks. The hotel had a decent spread of fireworks, and I was appropriately jealous of the guys that got to light all these. All up and down the street and in adjacent blocks, fireworks could be seen and heard. At midnight, the frenzy definitely picked up; it was a wild experience being surrounded by flashes of light, whistles and explosions. Happy year of the dragon!

Meg Loses One More

2011-12-26T21:23:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve and Day

2011-12-25T20:06:00.004-05:00

We're all set up and ready for the morning!

Doll clothes. Lots and lots of doll clothes. Do I really need to comment more?

My brothers got me a new football! They're the best brothers in the whole wide world!

For the past three and a half years, the old one has been tossed around our complex, campus, and the mountains. It's ready for retirement. Enter the reinforced super-galactic orange missile.

Mint Chocolate Bark

2011-12-23T21:04:00.001-05:00

My incredible bride made me this! Amazing deliciousness!

More Christmas Cookie Decorating

2011-12-22T20:12:00.003-05:00

European Grapefruit

2011-12-21T20:46:00.002-05:00

This is our family's new favorite fruit which locals and we call 'you zi.' We've seen some that have a sticker on them that says 'European grapefruit.' It's very much like grapefruit as we're used to, but it is significantly sweeter.

We like it so much we had to feature it in its own post.

Kids Christmas Party

2011-12-20T19:30:00.005-05:00

Lia had the idea to invite some of the girls from our apartment complex to our house for a Christmas party. A few days before the party, the girls and I went around our complex inviting friends. Some we didn't know where they lived so we had to ask our little friends, "Do you know where so-and-so lives?" They always knew.

One girl - from a Muslim family - was a little leader. She was very thoughtful about who to invite and confidently led us to the homes of other friends. Another girl - from a Mongolian family - provided the enthusiasm as we went to others' homes. As we went from home to home, the former girl walked deliberately, and the latter girl skipped and twirled. It was fun to see their unique personalities.

The Mongolian girl accompanied us back to our home and said with huge eyes, "I can see your Christmas tree from my house. It's so beautiful! Can I see it now?!" I replied, "No, sorry, you'll have to wait for the party." "Oh, but I don't want to wait!"

We were encouraged by our invitation efforts, but we had no idea how many - if any - girls would show up. So we were delighted when seven little girls came to our door. They were all crazy cute.

They brought snacks, fruit and a stuffed Santa as a gift. They were very clear when they told us these things were from all of them. So kind. A few girls brought ornaments and immediately asked, "Can we hang these on the Christmas tree?!" After saying yes, they ran to the tree with big smiles.

We started with a Christmas tree craft that everyone totally got into. Glue got everywhere so next time we might choose a craft that doesn't require glue. Here are some pictures of the craft action.

Below is our little leader friend.

Below is our little enthusiastic friend.

We then played a game with a gift wrapped multiple times. As the ten of them sat in a circle and music played, they passed the gift until the music stopped. The girl holding the gift was able to unwrap one layer. The laughter and squeals were infectious. As the game progressed, their circle got smaller and smaller so we had to tell them to spread out a bit. Thankfully, the gift was wrapped seven times, and with Lori controlling the music, she was able to have each of our guests unwrap a layer. They had a blast. The final gift was a colorful pencil for each of them.

We also looked at a book together about the Christmas story. They first huddled around the book on the floor.

Some couldn't see well so we then held up the book.

Love this below picture.

It was a tremendously fun evening.

Below are the girls with the stuffed Santa. Note the "Happy Christmas" on his hat. So great.

A couple days later, we printed a bunch of pictures from the party - including the above, and then gave them to our little friends as 'thank yous' for coming. The friends - and their parents - really liked getting the pictures.

Christmas Cookies

2011-12-17T20:02:00.001-05:00

After sampling the dough for awhile, we got down to business.

Meg's Big Loss

2011-12-14T20:25:00.003-05:00

It had been loose for weeks. This morning, much to Meg's delight, it was finally time for Dad to take things into his own hands ... literally.

Pre-yank

Post-yank

Christmas Family Picture

2011-12-10T19:53:00.002-05:00

Getting set up.

Almost there.

Got it!

Basement

2011-11-25T20:17:00.002-05:00

We're continuing our tradition of decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. (No Black Friday on this corner of the globe.)

Hmm, I know I put the Christmas tree down here ... but where?

Turkey

2011-11-24T20:31:00.001-05:00

We had a ton of people at our place to celebrate Thanksgiving, but for some reason the only pictures we took involved the turkey. And I was equally shocked to see that I was in most of them as I am often the one behind the camera. Mark and I were the carving duo.

Duck

2011-11-10T19:25:00.002-05:00

This duck lives opposite us on the first floor; our girls quickly named him Dan the Duck. Dan's owners often let him wander our apartment complex, but Dan never goes far.

After the above picture was taken by the girls, Meg returned home and drew this picture of Dan from memory. Not bad at all.

Excursion #2

2011-10-23T20:48:00.013-04:00

The second short trip with our family was to a nearby town/city. It's home to a local Muslim minority group who migrated here some years ago from one of the 'Stan countries. We had a great time exploring a new place!

On the way, there was a section of road that cut and weaved its way through the mountains. The scenery was a complete surprise and thoroughly enjoyed. With the camera pointed out the window, a couple hundred photos were snapped. Below are a handful.

Next to the hotel we stayed at was an elementary school. When we arrived, some kids were piling into a small bus to head home. I went over to chat and take some pictures. Very cute.

Skipping rocks in the river near our hotel.

This garden and spring was quiet and pretty. It was located next to a mosque - which is reflected in one of the pictures. The garden would be an excellent place to spend a couple hours with a good book.

But outside this garden was a bit more interesting to me. We wandered the local streets - a labyrinth of narrow roads - and channels of water lined the small streets. We peered into the homes if their door was cracked. Behind large, elaborate doors, most homes had a central courtyard garden surrounded by smaller rooms - really neat to see. We had fun slowly strolling along smiling and waving to the locals. One older man taught me how to say 'hello' in their language so I took any opportunity to practice. And we made a young friend along the way. (He deserves two pictures.)

We sampled some of the local favorite dishes. This was a neat environment but definitely BYOT - bring your own tablecloth.

Meat prep

Sometimes it can be a bit tough to get off. The girls did prevail though. Val and Meg had the best expressions so they're featured on this post.

Remains of the meat and spicy bread - all so good.

Pasta prep

'Ding ding' noodles are ready! Very tasty. All five of us devoured every single 'ding.'

We ventured a bit out of town and did some exploring along the river ... and through A LOT of rocks into it.

Well, okay ... maybe not THAT many.

Excursion #1

2011-10-09T21:00:00.002-04:00

This month, we planned two outings for our family. The first was a weekend to a mountain "lodge." As we've been there over the years, it's been fun to get to know the owners and watch their kids grow. Taking in the fresh air and the fall colors was wonderful. We had a great time!

On the way.

Hanging out in the front courtyard area.

Hiking!

Sweet Accessory

2011-09-27T19:55:00.003-04:00

On the way to pick up dinner, Lia and I spotted this beauty. Check out those eyelashes!

You can't see them in the picture, but inside were two young women waving at us with big grins.

Ice Cream, Lieutenant Dan, Ice Cream!

2011-09-24T21:33:00.003-04:00

Our city has its first - and only - ice cream shop!

Some favorite flavors ...

In the back, the girls watch some ice cream prep.

Cookie & Scuffles

2011-09-10T19:22:00.003-04:00

Much to the infinite joy of Lia, Val and Meg, we recently got them two dwarf hamsters for pets. They're named Cookie and Scuffles. We bought them from an English family who has a daughter who hand-tames them. If they're hand-tamed, they're accustomed to being handled and are much less likely to bite - definitely a good thing.

We keep them separated as they will very likely kill each other to express their dominance. As such, it's not surprising that they're males. We wanted to avoid any reproduction since they have a gestation period of just 18 days. Really. Cookie and Scuffles are a part of their mother's fourth litter ... since April.

For glamorized rodents, they are pretty cute.

Chalk and Neighbors

2011-08-31T20:01:00.001-04:00

It was fun to watch the girls interact with our younger neighbors. We have to get more chalk to encourage more of this!

These pictures were taken from our second floor kitchen window.

I like the little guy looking up at me. That evening, the girls gave him the English name Matt. The girls also gave Matt's older sister a name - Maggie - and his younger brother - Mike. Maggie, Matt and Mike are from one of the local minority groups so they can have more than one child without any fee or penalty.

En route

2011-08-15T21:37:00.000-04:00

While Lori and Valerie are in the restroom, Lia and Megan get comfortable.

SpiderMeg

2011-08-06T20:32:00.000-04:00

Lake House

2011-07-15T19:38:00.006-04:00

We had a few wonderful days at a lake house of a friend - who lives two houses from this one. It was really relaxing and so nice to have fun and make memories with just the five of us.

Lori reading to the girls. We had every meal out at this table overlooking the lake. Loved it.

Dad 'n daughters morning canoe trip.

The lake was deep yet very clean - excellent for swimming. Val and Meg are doing some serious relaxing.

The dock at the end of a typical day.

Our friends had a nice boat perfect for pulling. And they were very generous with giving us opportunities to go with them on it. First step - tubeing. Our girls LOVED it!

First up ... Lia and Silas (our friend's son)

Next ... Val and Meg

Meg at joy's peak.

Lori cuts it up on slalom. (Yeah, she's good.)

Craig gets his fix on the wakeboard.

Val's confidence is growing as we head back to the dock.

Lia, Meg and Val try out the 'ski trainer.'

Heading out on the foot-powered kayak.

The girls enjoyed jumping off the neighbor's platform.

Meg

Lia

Val chose to opt out of this session of platform jumping and tried her hand at fishing. Bread was used to coax fish closer and closer to the net until we ...

Got one! The girl's named him Fred.

Our kids, friend's kids, and a neighbor having a blast in/around/under the boat. It was really fun for the girls to have others to pal around with. (And nice for us.)

Tranquility. Such a blessing. Hope to return!

Father's Day

2011-06-19T20:58:00.003-04:00

Returning from the north, we made it just in time to the stadium of the Kane County Cougars to catch a game and spend some time with family. For Father's Day, they had some special activities. One of them was the chance to go out on the field before the game to play catch.

Meg and her Uncle Brad toss the ball to each other.

Ball players in skirts = Very cute

Lia shows some good form.

Family picture!

The girls, their second cousins, and Ozzie.

Lia and Papa

After the game, fans could run the bases. Among our group, there was a bit of trash talking beforehand about who could run them the fastest. Cruising around the bases was an excellent way to end a really memorable time at the ballpark.

Heading North

2011-06-18T20:37:00.004-04:00

During a short trip up to Minneapolis-St. Paul to see some good friends, we made a couple stops to make some family memories.

The first stop was the Wisconsin Dells where we stayed at a hotel with some fun pools and a waterpark. We all had a crazy good time.

As there were very few people there, we could have a pretty intense game of dad attempting to chase down and capture the girls. High-pitched squeals and screams reverberated throughout the waterpark area, and in the end, dad was completely exhausted.

We couldn't pass on the opportunity to check out the Mall of America. We had no idea the amusement area was so large. And the girls loved the Nickelodeon themed rides. Besides the occasional scream of a rider, the park was fairly - and strangely - quiet. And clean. We could have stayed longer.

More U.S. Travels

2011-05-28T14:09:00.001-04:00

A few days were spent in Pennsylvania visiting more family. The girls were especially excited to see their cousins. We're incredibly glad they all get along so well. But we're not so glad from the fact of how tall these five are getting. Slow down!

On our way back to Chicago, we stopped in Muncie to spend an afternoon with some dear friends. These five are definitely buddies! [The four parents are buddies, too.]

To Ohio

2011-05-18T16:54:00.002-04:00

On the way to Lori's hometown, we stopped in Indianapolis for some meetings and to see friends. These friends were special because they had visited us overseas.

One of the first things to do there was to get out the bikes that Grandma and Grandpa had borrowed. After some practice, Val and Meg are now two-wheel bike riders. Going down a significant hill, Lia experienced her first cycling 'rite of passage' as she had a major wipeout. Her abrasions on her arm and leg were well cleaned. (Her dad has some experience with this from his mountain bike days.) Then Lia was soon back riding. 'Atta, girl.

And here's proof that the girls' in-line skates made it to America. [After fitting six skates into our suitcases, I'm fully expecting a "World's Greatest Dad" t-shirt this Father's Day.]

Time to Celebrate

2011-05-07T13:44:00.001-04:00

After many hours in the plane and after many months away from U.S. soil, there were ample reasons to celebrate. To begin our time Stateside, Valerie and Megan turned seven! They loved celebrating in America!

Fun with icing!

Easter Activities

2011-04-25T14:14:00.001-04:00

Last year at our market, the only white eggs that we could find were goose eggs. They were a bit larger than what we're used to but worked well. Apparently, someone got the memo that foreigners like regular white eggs this time of year and so they were very plentiful in the market this year. Eggs-celent!

We colored 59 eggs. We were expecting a crowd for Easter so we went to work.

On Easter, we had a fun egg hunt in our apartment complex.

Some locals participated as well.

And some just watched with curiosity.

Newest Thrill

2011-04-15T20:27:00.001-04:00

In-line skates are the current thing in our home. From our window, we can watch the girls cruise around the complex. They've gotten fairly confident on them. Now they want to bring them back to the States ... they're a bit bulky and heavy, but we'll make it work. I think the grandparents would enjoy watching them.

Repairing Jeans

2011-03-18T17:03:00.001-04:00

Meg and I needed to get some holes in our jeans repaired. Lori would have preferred that mine go in the trash, but I think they definitely have some life in them.

Across the street next to the market, there's a shop with this tailoring dynamic duo. They're really, really kind. Here they are in action.

A millisecond before I took the below picture, they both were smiling. I asked them why they stopped smiling. Their response - because it would not make a good picture.

And here's the final result. Looks pretty good. [Sidenote: My jeans had previously frequented this little shop.]

Burn Baby Burn

2011-03-09T20:31:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! Close your windows and grab your rakes, long poles, and lighters ... it's time to burn the apartment complex grass!

PS - You might want to think twice about trying this is your own yard; the local homeowners association may pay you a not-so-friendly visit.

Shrek Party

2011-03-05T20:15:00.003-05:00

A young kiwi friend invited the girls to his Shrek-themed birthday party - and the invitation requested guests to dress up for the occasion. Lia had only seen part of the movie while Meg and Val were not Shrek-informed. So a quick stroll on the internet was necessary to bring everyone onto the same Shrek-page. But what to dress up as? A green ogre? No. A black-booted cat? Nope. A donkey? Uh, no. Three blind mice? YES!!!

The below costumes were fashioned by the girl's ever so artistic, creative and determined father. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Bugs Bunny Lantern Festival

2011-02-20T21:37:00.005-05:00

Well, the title of this post isn't totally accurate ... but it is the year of the rabbit. Pictures and lanterns of this four-legged, carrot-munching, fluffy-tailed friend can be seen all over our city. The Lantern Festival is 15 days after the lunar new year so the lanterns around the city are in full glow.

These are pictures of our city's center. The buildings aren't lit up for the Lantern Festival ... they're like that 365 days of the year.

My favorite - a dragon has taken up residence in the middle of the street.

Starfish & Coffee

2011-02-16T22:41:00.005-05:00

Our lodging was alongside a very small road that had a bunch of different small restaurants. At dinner, we could simply walk to one within minutes. Our favorite was Starfish & Coffee - a very chic atmosphere overlooking the water with excellent Thai food.

We went here for our final dinner of our vacation. Prior to dinner, we had a short, family photo session.

Butterflies

2011-02-16T22:28:00.004-05:00

During our vacation, this was one of the most pleasant surprises for me. Outside our room, there was a shrub that was blooming which attracted various butterflies that would hang from the small flowers. And other parts of the garden area had a host of different butterflies. I could have spent the whole day just walking around and taking photographs of them. I took a ton of pictures; here are some favorites.

During a mid-morning snack, this little one came for a bite. I guess it likes pineapple, too.

Inside & Outside

2011-02-16T22:20:00.005-05:00

While on vacation, Lia was constantly reading. She loves books. We had gotten an electronic book for our family (but mostly for her). Glad we did - without it we would've had to pack a whole suitcase just for her books.

One day, we rented a car to explore the area. We found some nice lookout points and a waterfall.

The girl's first watercraft experience. They liked it ... a lot! (Note to grandparents - the bay was really calm and I didn't go too fast for them. Not to worry.)

Garden

2011-02-16T22:07:00.004-05:00

The place we stayed had some really nice garden areas. Seeing all the green was immensely refreshing. I know of at least one family member who will appreciate these pictures. (Here you go, Mom. :)

This is the path back to our room.

This is one of the more open grass/garden areas.

I like the little ant in this picture. See it?

I'm glad this grasshopper stayed put for the picture.

I'll have to ask my friend, Phil, in Muncie what kind of bird this is.

Animal Camp

2011-02-16T21:59:00.005-05:00

We caught a sunny morning as we went to an animal camp. We all had a great time riding elephants.

We fed some younger elephants, too.

Another major highlight for the girls was when they held a baby leopard. The baby bottle makes it perfectly safe. (!)

We also saw a few shows. I hope this guy gets paid well. I can't help but notice his nervous grin.

Beach

2011-02-16T21:54:00.003-05:00

We enjoyed the beach - swimming and collecting shells. Here are some scenes ...

Breakfast

2011-02-16T21:50:00.002-05:00

Where we had breakfast each morning looked over the beach and water.

Thailand - poolside

2011-02-16T08:10:00.007-05:00

Our time in Thailand was wonderful - so very relaxing. It was quite the contrast to the brown tundra we currently live in. The fresh, warm air was really therapeutic.

We made a ton of great memories and are so tremendously thankful for the family time we had together. On more than one occasion we had to pinch ourselves to confirm we were really there.

I think I'll divide up our vacation into different themed posts. One huge post seems overwhelming ... especially since we had over 1,200 pictures to go through.

There was quite a bit more rain than we expected, but we had enough sunny days to have a lot of fun. Lori and the girls were sick for a day or so, but I avoided that bug somehow and played nurse. Soon everyone was up and running ... usually toward the pool.

So I suppose that's where we should start. All the girls made progress in their swimming, and it was a joy to watch them enjoy the water.

Here the girls are eating their favorite snack - Cheetos - which was a daily occurrence. We can't get these in our city AND its vacation ... so eat up girls!

Oh my pajamas!

2011-01-10T21:06:00.002-05:00

All six of them love their new pajamas. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

Christmas Morning

2010-12-25T21:18:00.001-05:00

The girls received the below gift from a local friend. He made it himself, and the red bag is filled with chocolates. Super creative and impressive.

Meg made me this card. I like it a lot.

Ready on Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T22:11:00.000-05:00

Since all five of us were cleaned up, we had to take a family picture. It made us late going to a friend's place to celebrate Christmas Eve, but I think it was worth it.

And here's the setup the girls are planning to attack the following morning.

Christmas Eve Preparations

2010-12-24T01:46:00.001-05:00

Lia and Meg volunteered to help Val get ready for tonight's special time with friends. I think she's ready. (!)

Our First Gingerbread House

2010-12-24T01:27:00.001-05:00

On this Christmas Eve morning, we set off on a new family adventure - the making of a gingerbread house. We had little idea of what we were doing, but we're pleased with the end result. The girls contributed a bunch with helping hands and fun ideas. There was a minimum amount of bickering from the girls about decorating it so perhaps we'll make this an annual Christmas Eve tradition. :)

Christmas Eve Dusting of Snow

2010-12-24T01:23:00.002-05:00

It's Christmas Eve, and we woke up to a very slight dusting of snow. But it was enough that Lia and Meg wanted to go outside with pajamas still on and play. I wasn't so anxious to go out into the cold so I snapped these from our window.

Sisters, a Kitchen Counter, and Cookies

2010-12-18T20:44:00.001-05:00

Meg and Val sit atop our kitchen counter as they joyfully work on spreading icing onto Christmas cookies and immediately eat them. Isn't this what the Saturday morning before Christmas is really for? We think so, too.

Here's one of their finished products.

Radiator

2010-12-07T20:59:00.003-05:00

This morning, Val and Meg huddle next to the radiator to keep warm. That's definitely the best spot in our apartment. It's getting really cold here!

Chilly Trip to the Zoo

2010-12-01T21:48:00.004-05:00

Lori took the girls to one of our favorites places in the city. On this day, there were probably 10 other people in the whole zoo. In part of the zoo, some animals are wandering about the grounds and paths so that visitors can get up close and personal. The girls loved it. "So cute!" was very often said.

This guy is definitely looking for a hand-out.

A highlight was a bus ride through the big cat exhibit. Unlike last time we were here, the cats got really close to the bus. With a lot of space in the bus, the girls made there way around in it yelling, "There's another one over here! There's another one over here!"

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-26T20:32:00.002-05:00

As the day began, we had the busy work of prepping two birds for a big crowd. In October, we had ordered them from our local import store. (We're so thankful for that store!) A few days prior to Thanksgiving they arrived, with just enough time to defrost them. The girls immediately named them Bob and Larry - after the kid's television show. Below, Lia takes mental notes as I prep Bob.

My friend, Mark, and I are ready to carve. With two birds, it was definitely a two-man job. And Lia is most certainly impressed with our pose.

Note my professional stance and technique in carving a bird - my body weight is clearly above the bird to assist in carving as well as keeping fingers well away from the knife. :) The night before, I watched three different videos on-line about how to carve a turkey. Very helpful.

Part of the spread. Tip - chopsticks are a great way to serve turkey without mangling the meat.

Lori and I post-meal.

Weekend in the Mountains

2010-10-18T21:25:00.002-04:00

This place is about two and a half hours from our city, and we love it. We were there for two nights - the second night was a lot warmer than the first since I learned how to use our room's coal burning stove. Here are some pictures from our hike.

Ready for Winter

2010-10-15T21:14:00.002-04:00

A couple weeks ago, Lori took the girls across the street to the market where there's a shop that will make puffy/down coats to order. The girls were super excited to pick out the colors and style.

On the day they were picked up, Meg couldn't wait to try it out along with her new hat, scarf, mittens and boots - as seen below. Meg really got into trying out her winter outdoor wear. What you can't see - under her corduroy pants - are three pairs of long underwear. Yes, three pairs. I believe she's ready for winter.

Subtle Message

2010-10-13T21:23:00.001-04:00

Found this on my computer's keyboard.

Outdoor card making

2010-10-12T17:44:00.001-04:00

The girls love to make cards and notes for friends - especially for birthdays. So they took their efforts outdoors on this nice day. A number of late summer days of rain has made the grass especially green - so nice. The blanket they're using was bought as a wedding gift for some friends ... but we decided to keep it for ourselves. I'm sure they don't mind. :)

Grandma & Grandpa!

2010-09-30T16:26:00.005-04:00

Here are some pictures from their visit. It was really fun to have them and introduce them to our world.
Outside an aquarium, this guy takes his kite flying seriously.

Painters

2010-08-31T21:44:00.003-04:00

The girls helped with the painting of their room, and they had a blast getting paint everywhere. The final color was a bright yellow.

Grammy!

2010-08-27T19:49:00.013-04:00

Grammy came for a visit! It was so nice to have her and introduce her to our 'world' here. Our girls loved spending time with her and making memories.

A trip was taken to a park where they found a local artist. He let the girls practice their writing.
This girl is too cute. I'm assuming she's a girl based on the pink fringe and strawberry on the front. I could be wrong though.
At another park, the girls thoroughly enjoyed the giant floating hamster wheel. I got nauseous just watching them.
Our mother and son lunch date - a sweet time to chat, laugh, and catch up.
This was a very common scene at home.
Up on South Mountain Park with the view of our city in the background.
And then we had a rather exhilarating ride on the way down on a couple of these three-wheeled beauties.
Okay, these have nothing to do with Grammy except for I was with her when I gazed upon this wonderment in seamstressety. I was really tempted. Man those are good-lookin' pants.
Observing the above garment, I suppose this is a proper transition to another locale we visited. At our city zoo, this is my favorite picture of the afternoon.

An Early Start

2010-08-07T20:37:00.003-04:00

Meg wins the prize for beginning to prepare for Christmas the earliest. When Meg revealed her creation to me, she made sure I noticed that two of the camels are very hairy.

To the Countryside

2010-07-18T20:56:00.010-04:00

We rented a bus and driver to take us on a day trip out of town to see some of the local sights. Unfortunately, it rained until the very end of our day. Here are some shots of the countryside.
Buddhist prayer flags covered the hillside.
The opportunity couldn't be passed to ride these beasts. Lia is riding her first yak by herself - at age 8 - we're so proud. This particular yak looks thrilled to have a big red bow on its head.
I'm not too familiar with the peculiarities of the yak, but I'm willing to bet that this protruding tongue indicates a yak 'goofy face.'
Apparently no one got a shot of Val and I on our yak. I'm not bitter at all for missing out on preserving this very significant lifetime event. Not at all.

An Evening Out

2010-07-05T20:24:00.002-04:00

In another part of town, we went out for a nice dinner with friends. The restaurant was close to a fancy apartment complex with a bunch of water features. The girls loved running around exploring. I had to interrupt their adventures with a few photos.

Much Needed Vacation

2010-06-20T21:49:00.002-04:00

We boarded a plane and headed south, thus beginning a much welcomed vacation. While some friends were in the States, we stayed at their place. (Thanks A&K!) It was close to some great restaurants and had a pool in the complex. However, the week began with some rain so we found an indoor play place.
No pictures of Meg here - I think she's buried in the ball pit.

Most mornings were spent reading. So relaxing. This was their favorite reading spot.

Meg displays my favorite reading spot.

And sometimes Val would come visit me. Always glad to have her.

One morning, Meg and Val ventured outside to explore in the rain. They had fun catching rain in their mouths ... until someone parked their car in their spot.
The driver is definitely getting 'the look.'

Vacation is all about eating highly nutritious cereals.

And about having healthy snacks.

And about hanging out and being silly.

And about getting our fill of western food. Here's their mode of delivery. Nice.
Lia enjoys their hot, lemon water. Never mind the fact that it's 80+ degrees outside.

With all this healthy eating, a trip to the dentist doesn't seem necessary, but we went anyways.
Do dental hygienists in the States wear high heels?

The weather cleared, and we were off to the massive pool.

Meg giving it her best effort in the kiddie pool.

Val pauses for a sweet smile.

Smiles (clean ones at that) due to a very fun vacation.

New Park

2010-05-29T21:37:00.001-04:00

We traveled to a nearby city where we explored a park that was a part of a university. Many graduates were around, and our girls were the star additions to everyone's graduation photo.

Happy faces.

Angry faces. Some more angry than others.
You may be catching on to who adds the spice to our family.

Twins Turn Six

2010-05-13T20:49:00.002-04:00

As the cakes demonstrate, it was a jungle themed birthday party. (Yes, their parents were up late the night before finishing the cake toppings.) And the crowd favorite was 'pin the tail on the monkey.'

Val and Meg show off their new scooters.

The birthday girls - Val & Meg.

A Good Read

2010-04-24T20:33:00.002-04:00

Lia brought a chair outside our apartment to read to a good book for a bit.

Egg Hunt

2010-04-04T21:07:00.003-04:00

After talking through the Resurrection Eggs and eating a large brunch of pancakes, cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon, and fruit salad, we rolled ourselves outside to hunt for Easter eggs. Although it was dry and dusty, it was in the 60s and sunny. So pleasant. Here are some shots of the action.

Getting warmer ...

Found it!

Val's taking a break from the action.

Meg 'n Treats

2010-04-02T20:00:00.003-04:00

This post is dedicated to Megan who occassionally asks to get her picture taken with her newest sugary treat. This first picture shows Megan's teeth with a tint of blue (compare with picture #2), the result of an eaten cookie.

March Snow

2010-03-29T20:58:00.000-04:00

As the Friday afternoon soccer practice ended, small snowflakes began to drop. Ten minutes later, as we walked to get a taxi, it became a full blown blizzard - huge flakes, big winds, limited visibility. As our family waited for a ride home, we didn't know whether to laugh with delight at the snow or grumble with frustration at the lack of taxis. We walked further on down the street and after jumping into the street and waving my arms frantically, an empty taxi pulled over. Phew.

Back at home, we were able to more fully enjoy the beauty of the snow.

What better way to add to the mood than homemade pizza. Yeah, it's good.

The next morning, Megan emphatically asked me to go outside and take some pictures. Being the good Dad that I am, I happily obliged. That afternoon, the girls got ridiculously dirty making a snow fort in front of our apartment. So fun.

Power Trip

2010-03-25T20:51:00.003-04:00

From Tuesday to Thursday of this week, our apartment complex was without power. No electricity means no heat and no hot water. Hmph. I was prepared though. The last time this happened, I went out to buy a couple battery-powered lanterns. So I got out the new, never-before used lanterns only to find that both of them don't work. Yet again, the bars on our windows prevented me from hurling them out the window.

So we got out a bunch of candles. And the girls weren't pleased to have to go to sleep without their night light and their noise machine. It was a bit rough, but they ended up pulling through.

The culprit for this power outage is pictured below. Here is our neighbor showing her true feelings for the broken item.

And here are our new best friends just after installing a new one. It works! Hooray!

Cakes

2010-03-02T17:37:00.001-05:00

As a surprise for our girls, a local friend brought these over for them. Very kind and very cute. They were overjoyed to receive these fun cakes and have them for dessert. They wanted multiple pictures taken in various poses with their tasty treats. Below are just three of them.

As they dug in, they quickly realized that cakes here are a bit different than ones in the States. They didn't finish them, but their steadfast new love would not let them part with them as yet. So they sat in the cupboard ... for more than three weeks. Finally, they gave the nod to send them to the trash.

This episode is more evidence of the sentimental nature they've inherited from their Grammy.

Lanterns!

2010-02-28T21:25:00.000-05:00

Fifteen days after the lunar new year, the Lantern Festival kicked into gear. Last year at this time, we observed the lanterns while being herded down the closed off streets shoulder to shoulder with way too many people. It was a nice experience ... for one time. This year, we chose to check out some lantern displays at a city square near the center of town. Observing the lanterns was taken at a much slower and relaxed pace. We enjoyed it.

We arrived before dark set in. I like these vases, but of special note is the high-rise construction happening in the background. This is occurring all over the city.
Lantern displays ...
I would have liked to have displayed these guys on our front lawn in Muncie. I'm sure our neighbors would have liked them as much as I do.
Each of the girls "had to have" one of these light-up flowers on a big spring. Smiles all around. Lia's here showing off hers.The below panda and banana were particularly interesting to the girls. I can understand the former but the latter?

Days of New Year Celebrating

2010-02-20T20:52:00.002-05:00

In these parts, the lunar new year is the biggest holiday of the year. Most people return to their home towns to see family and friends. As a result, the city kind of shuts down for awhile. Shops and stores will close for a few days up to 2+ weeks. Prior to this holiday, we stocked up on food. This was a good move.

The week consisted of firecrackers and fireworks going off at all hours of the day. And I'm guessing/hoping there's a special reason for firecrackers to be lit at 7am. Nice. On new year's night, being the fireworkly-inclined man that I am, I had to add to the noise and celebration with our own. We felt we did our part. Afterwards, the girls cried out in unison - more, more, more! I felt the same way. At midnight, the sound was thunderous. Only the twins didn't awake. Lucky.

The following morning, this was the mess outside our window. Yep, being on the first floor does have some disadvantages. It was loud.

Well, this week of celebrating and playing for the locals is about over. Being the biggest holiday, I had to post something about it. Going out today, I could see more stores' doors open. And next year, I definitely want to light off more firecrackers.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T21:46:00.001-05:00

This is a special shout of thanks to family who sent Valentine's Day gifts and goodies. The girls loved them!

Somebody's Eight

2010-02-13T20:29:00.005-05:00

On the 11th, Lia turned eight years old. Crazy. That morning, she opened some gifts. She loves to read so the books were particular winners.
The following day, we invited some of her friends over for a dog themed party. The craft, games, snacks, and cake were all canine inspired. Everyone had a woofing good time.
This is a race to lap up their water.As Val and Lia demonstrate, all the puppies enjoyed the cake in their dog dishes. [Days earlier, I did get a strange look from the vendor at the pet supply market when I asked to buy seven dog dishes. But then again, strange looks are common place.]

Bed Lights

2010-02-05T21:24:00.002-05:00

While on vacation, we bought some lights that we could put on the girls' beds. Immediately after getting them installed, they closed their curtains to try them out with some books.

More Vacation Spots

2010-01-27T21:15:00.008-05:00

We went to a pedestrian culture street filled with old architecture, streams, bridges, small shops, vendors, a silk-making shop ... and of course, a Starbucks and Dairy Queen. Mmm, white chocolate raspberry. These aren't found in our city so all enjoyed DQ.
On another day, while Lori was shopping at a fabric market, the girls were overjoyed to find a park with a few rides.
In a mall, we went to an indoor kids' playground. The girls had a blast running around. Their favorite was this spinning tree thing. They'd grab a vine, start running around to spin it, and then hop on the ball at the end for a ride. So fun. We want one.
While looking for shoes for the girls at a huge outdoor mall, we came across this wonderful sight.
We proceeded to have three sundaes and french fries for lunch. Ahh, vacation.
Near the end of our vacation, we stayed at a hotel with a really nice pool. Thankfully it was heated! During our time there, it was neat to see the girls progress in their swimming.
Lia's giving a little lesson on using a kickboard. With all the swimming, at the end of each day, they were thoroughly exhausted. Lori and I, too.

Panda-monium

2010-01-26T20:54:00.004-05:00

Our semester had recently ended so we all headed out of town for a week's vacation during the break. It was great to get a change of scenery. One of the major stops was a panda breeding center; we were all excited to get there. The center was huge with over 80 pandas of various ages. They were so fun to watch as they were fairly active the morning we arrived.

Many pandas could be seen sitting on their platforms munching on bamboo. They'd simply sit back and start chowin'.
This one looks like he's smiling. Mmmm ... bamboo.
Too cute.
I swear this is a guy dressed up in a panda suit. And he's getting a good back scratch.
A couple adolescent pandas were playing "king of the tree stump." They went back and forth up and down the stump for over 30 minutes. Hilarious. Here's one round ...
Victory! At least for this round.
Here's Lia at the one-year old pen.

New Year's Ride

2010-01-01T20:25:00.004-05:00

On Christmas morning, not only did my computer not turn on [major bummer] but Lia's new bike was not rideable, ie broken. So the next day, I took it back to the outdoor mega-market where I purchased it; after all, they said I could bring it back for free repairs.

After one of the repairman looked at it, he said that it would cost the equivalent of $3 to fix. That obviously is not much at all ... but ... a) Lia hadn't ridden it yet and b) they said I could bring it back for free repairs. I started to explain this and got no where fast. Then I started to explain all this again - yet this time I began to raise my voice. I was not angry, but I was simply explaining the situation with a bit of decibally-enhanced vigor.

This type of behavior is very common here, and I could actually sense that I felt more like a local. Kinda strange. But kinda good. As these thoughts struck my mind, a crowd began to form, and I could see it on their faces - hey, what's this foreigner with mediocre language skills getting all riled up about?! The shop owner then cut the fee in half. After some hesitancy and after being a bit uncomfortable with all the attention, I agreed. Then, as a feeble attempt to express my self-worth, I then added in English, "I'll give you that amount because I ... I am a good person." So there.

The two repairman and I then proceeded to have a very nice chat about life in this city and various other things. I learned they were all family from another city. And I told them about my family. We even joked and laughed together. In the end, the older repairman (the father) refused to take my money. Didn't expect that. Based on the quality of the bikes, I'm sure to see them again ... and I'll be glad to.

Christmas Day

2009-12-25T21:15:00.001-05:00

It was a morning filled with bikes, dolls, and every imaginable doll accessory. We all had a very nice morning, and it was capped off with the girls chatting with all four of their grandparents.
A local friend had made and given the girls this house. Small toys and candy filled the inside. So incredibly kind.
The aftermath ...

Early Celebration

2009-12-22T21:51:00.004-05:00

We had some friends come over to celebrate Christmas a little early. They brought a bunch of presents for the girls ... which served to confirm the thought that one of the best ways to love a parent is to love their child. We were so encouraged.
Megan's love language is clearly and most definitely gifts.
Sweet backpacks. And they can use those big, inflatable hands to smack each other without leaving bruises.

Show Time

2009-12-19T23:36:00.003-05:00

Since October, the international school has been preparing for tonight's Christmas performance. This year, all three girls are involved, and they've been spending quite a bit of time getting ready. The girls were excited and ready to hit the stage.

Before we left, we took the opportunity to get some shots of the girls.
Lia waits to play the bells with her classmates. Under this placid look, she is totally excited. Really.
Then she spots me.
Meg and Val are appropriately dressed as angels.
Some of the audience seated in the balcony. There were many local school children in attendance. It was great to have them.

Christmas Tree

2009-12-04T15:48:00.001-05:00

We battled an adundant amount of dust, but we finally got our Christmas tree out from under the guest bed. Doesn't everybody keep their tree there?

I don't remember if I wrote about it last year, but when we bought our tree, it came in three sections - two middle sections and one top section. It was missing the bottom section. Oh well. For the price we paid, I'm not surprised. But we think our little, two-sectioned tree looks just fine.

Lia enjoys reading by the light of the tree.
This year, we decorated it with all porcelain ornaments; they're colorful and bright. Here are some close-ups of the different varieties.

Soccer

2009-11-27T20:24:00.004-05:00

Today was the last soccer practice of the season. At least a few of us in our family got in some extensive exercise the day after feasting. There was lots of action happening; everyone had a great time.
Now, I'm not an expert on the intricacies of soccer, but I would venture a guess that jacket-pulling is a definite no-no.
Here's a grin of a goal well done.
She's spent. Unfortunately, we didn't have any Capri-sun or orange wedges to help power her back up.
Cool down. Good idea.

Turkeys Time

2009-11-26T20:22:00.006-05:00

We were expecting a decent crowd at our place so last month Lori ordered a couple turkeys from a local import store. When I asked Lori how much they cost, she responded with her own question, "You really want to know?" Translation - very expensive. So, "No, I don't." Based on the high value of these birds, we didn't want to mess them up with poor cooking. We chronicled the process with pictures.

We had two 13+ pound turkeys that were bred, raised, and neatly packaged in the good 'ole US of A. Before beginning our prep, we stared at the turkeys for a few minutes soaking in the reality that they came from the States. [Oh-oh, say, can you see ... ]
Adding herbed butter under the skin. Mmmm, say it slowly with me .... herbed butter.
Ready for the oven.
Bird #1.
Bird #2. I know what you're thinking - wow, their ovens are huge! Not quite. [Yes, it is an oven and not a performance-enhanced toaster oven.] The birds barely fit in there. The below oven is the largest we could find. The above oven belongs to our neighbors; they're in the States so I'm sure they don't mind. Just a wild guess but they're likely enjoying a somewhat larger oven. And yes, that's aluminum foil we put over the glass doors to help keep in the heat. These ovens aren't exactly air tight.
4+ hours later and a bird is done.
Thanks to a few videos online, I discovered how to properly carve a turkey. I asked Lori for some thyme to add to the plate, but we can't get that here. Bummer. My mom taught me about the importance of presentation. [Love you.]

Doll Picnic

2009-11-22T21:01:00.002-05:00

The title pretty much says it all. The girls really, really like their dolls, and they have such a good time playing with them. As a man, dolls aren't quite my thing. Christmas will be bringing more of these lovable toys so I'm beginning to prepare myself.

Scooterific

2009-11-21T20:43:00.005-05:00

Now that the snow has all melted, the girls outdoor entertainment returns to their scooters. We voyaged over to the east campus to scope out some new terrain that's scooter-worthy. Here are some shots of the action.
An onlooker took a lot of interest in the foreign kids or she just really wanted a scooter of her own.
We found the soccer field, but the doors to get in had no handles. Hmmm. A few knocks on the door brought a man that let us in. And even if I didn't know any of the local language, he made it clear that the scooters were definitely not allowed on the field. So the girls ran around on the field. Meg is clearly feeling woozy here. But a game of tag perked her right up.
We shared the field with a class of what appears to be the next generation of kung fu masters. We kept our distance.

First Snow

2009-11-13T20:44:00.001-05:00

A couple inches arrived, and our girls were ecstatic. They needed little encouragement to get dressed and brush teeth this morning. They wanted to get outside asap.
Making snowmen and making tracks were a part of fun.
Then Lori tried to peg me with a snowball. Can you spot the projectile in mid-air? Didn't even come close. However, snowball #2, which didn't get photographed as I turned to walk away, came within inches of my melon. Nice correction, hon.

Inside a Local Mosque

2009-11-11T21:45:00.004-05:00

Many mosques like this one are being built around the city. Currently under construction is one that is maybe three times as big as this. Huge. Its center dome is painted gold and shines brightly in the sun. I want to get some pictures of it when it's completed.

I arrived as one of five formal times of daily prayer was about to begin.
Many people conversed with me, and the locals encouraged me to take pictures. They didn't mind, and some really enjoyed having their picture taken - especially the last two men below - they were quite the chatter boxes with me!
This is a classroom. [Fairly obvious.]

Chattahoochie

2009-11-09T20:33:00.003-05:00

Last month at a 'barn bash' with some friends, a bit of line dancing was happening. Our girls were there and tried to join in. Back at home a few weeks later, they still remember the steps. Meg and Val were saying, "Heel, heel, toe, toe, scuff jump, tap, tap, scuff jump, tap, tap ..." I need to get it on video. Pictures will have to do for now.

Chilly ... To Be or Not To Be

2009-11-02T20:55:00.001-05:00

Meg is clearly sending the message that we need to turn up the heat.
But then why in the world are her sisters wearing their 4th of July dresses? How females regulate their body temperature just got even more mysterious.

Four-wheeled Bike

2009-10-27T21:07:00.001-04:00

It's been gorgeous here - tons of days with blue skies and temps around the mid to upper 50s. So pleasant. We took an afternoon and ventured to our favorite local park. While there, we rented the below bike [those that frequent boardwalks can probably tell me its specific name] and had a blast cruising around the park. The cries of "Faster, Daddy!" still echo in my mind.
Despite the faces, we did have a good day. [I like the contrast.]

Barn Bash

2009-10-22T21:38:00.001-04:00

We joined some friends for a festive fall evening. Activities included a game of "duck, duck, pumpkin", a bit of old school line-dancing, bobbing for apples, and a pie eating contest. All participated in the latter event so unfortunately we don't have any pictures, but it was a riot. Here's some of the apple-bobbing action.

OJ

2009-10-20T20:33:00.002-04:00

I'm a big fan of orange juice. I'm not sure why but perhaps it goes back to the days of wearing the blue and orange of the Illini or back to my first mountain bike which was orange in color. It's anyone's guess.

The girls are also fans of the juice variety - particularly apple and grape. Our city does carry this juice, but only at certain locations around the city. I was getting a little tired of my "juice runs" to the stores further into the city since they're a bit heavy for Lori to carry. [Oh, man, do we miss our minivan. *sigh* ]

Well, sixty seconds from our door is a small convenience-type store. I spoke with the owner about stocking this brand of juice. And now he does! And it's cheaper! Hooray! This is yet another small step of learning to live - and hopefuly thrive - here. [And when I buy it in these big cases, it's cheaper still. Excellent.]

Forest

2009-10-14T20:25:00.002-04:00

We went to a forest preserve for a day of hiking and picnicing. My personal favorite moment of the day was taking in the sunshine while lying on the picnic blanket after lunch. My least favorite moment - in that position, being suddenly jumped upon by a child.
Some friends recommended bringing some boots for the kids so they could play in the stream. Good call. Everyone had wet socks, but Lori wisely packed extra. Geez, she's smart.
We climbed a large hill. Excellent exercise. Thankfully thick bush prevented us from going further up.
Lia at the top.

ie, Keep Off The Grass

2009-09-27T21:46:00.002-04:00

Jiao Zi

2009-09-18T21:32:00.006-04:00

A local friend helped us make "jiao zi" - kind of like dumplings. Inside each jiao zi was a mixture of meat, carrots, onions, and a few other spices and secret ingredients. The girls had a great time making them ... and eating them.

Kitchen Theater

2009-09-10T20:20:00.004-04:00

Often our kitchen is a stage for the most recent performance by our girls. This time on the handbill - The Nutcracker. Their favorite scene to recreate is the fight between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King - very suspenseful ... and humorous. What they lack in costumes is filled by passion. Perhaps the pictures can give you a taste.
Now, I've seen the Nutcracker on stage, but I just can't seem to remember the scene where the Nutcracker is grocery shopping or mowing the lawn.
A final picture of a performance well done.

Family Pix at a Garden

2009-09-05T21:05:00.002-04:00

We got out for a family photo shoot at a local "botanical garden." It was somewhat botanical and garden-esqe with various ponds, rocks, and pavilion-like structures. Here are some favorite shots.

Tall Flowers

2009-08-26T20:57:00.001-04:00

These are in our apartment complex. Crazy tall. But really nice.
These almost look fake. [Which I checked, and they are indeed real. But I wouldn't have been all that surprised if they were fake.]