Cho

Our trip home

2012-01-24T08:07:00.002-07:00

Our trip to the States was all that we could of hoped for and more!

Family, Friends, cousins, grandmas, grandpas, great weather, mountains, lagoon, dinners, meeting new nephews, playing, road trips, field trips, parks, halloween, carnivals, 1st Birthdays and...

one VERY long trip back home to see this daddy of ours!

Thanks everyone for all the good times! We look forward to these trips home more than you will ever know. They feel us with conversations of memories to last us till the next time.

See you all in the SUMMER!!!!

SingApore

2011-09-15T07:33:00.001-06:00

During our very short 2 week summer vacation I decided to take the kids and Vandy (aka my hero) to visit one of our favorite family's at there new home in Singapore.

It was my first time to the gumless country and hopefully not my last!

In the taxi on our way to the house. The kids loved taking taxis everywhere and Jane still spots them and shouts SingApore!

We managed to get in a little shopping in REAL LIVE MALLS!

It didn't hurt that they had this huge splash park on the top level of the mall so Liz and I could squeeze in a little "grown up" shopping.

Then the kid shopping began and Jane hit the jackpot! Tangled barbie...are you kidding me! The girl was in heaven!

We also managed to find the creepiest part of Singapore

Welcome to the Crocodile Farm

Jack was loving it...I was not!

On to better things MUCH better things

The babes!

Ben and Emma

Already starting their long distance relationship!

Princess Emma! Could she get any cuter...I think not!

These wacky kids were always up to something.

Thomas and Jack are going to be friends forever I LOVE that boy!

Thank goodness for Vandy! What would we have done without her! We managed to get a passport for her just in time to take her along and boy was I glad! She is literally the sweetest person on the planet and has become a part of our family! Not to mention she helps me soooo much!

Liz and Dan knew each other way back when he was living in Cambodia in 1997! They have always stayed in touch and lucky for me because she quickly has become one of my very best friends! She just gets me and our friendship comes so naturally so it really was such a treat to see her and her sweet kids. We miss them so much!

Liz and I did manage to have a girls night out we even got to go to the movie!!!

My everyday

2011-09-14T07:57:00.000-06:00

Some of my favorite random pictures from the past few months.

***Some of these pictures have already been posted via facebook so sorry if you've already seen them!

Fun with friends.

Friends are a VERY important part of our life!

Jack and Olivia are besties! Jack LOVES her and I can see why...those dimples are to die for! Not to mention she is a pro at catching reptiles and climbing trees!

A few pictures of our house. We really love it in our new place. It's really light and airy which is pretty rare in these parts. I will do another post of the whole house another day.

Had these pictures printed here. I call it my travel collage. I love looking at this wall now and remembering our favorite places. I still have prints that haven't been hung and hopefully we will be traveling more so I can add a new place to our wall.

Some of my favorite random pictures most of them taken with instagram...LOVE instagram!

Jack drew this picture of him and Gram standing by a rainbow. He LOVES his gram!

Speaking of Jack...

We were waiting for swim lessons to start today and he was watching a Karate class intently. I thought he was going to tell me he wanted to do it but this is what he said.

"Mom that is a fighting class. I don't like fighting classes I just like hugs."

My sweet boy is a lover not a fighter!

BonVoyage Party

2011-08-11T03:05:00.000-06:00

We had a little going away party for our dear friends Mattie and Thomas. Mattie happens to be obsessed with Airplanes or anything having to do with travelling in general so what better way to say BonVoyage then to through a party all about traveling.

The kids making their passports.

The cake! Isn't it rad! I wish I could take credit but a cute little bakery here makes the most beautiful cakes ever!

The girl of the hour and her cake!

Checking out the passports with there airplane wings on.

Other activities included face painting and loading up there carry-on bag with lots of travel sized goodies!

It was so much fun! The kids all had a blast and were totally into it. The theme was perfect for this group of international travelers!

Of course the sad part was the actual BonVoyage part! We miss these guys so much but hope them the best in their new home in Kenya. Now time to start planning my trip to see them!

Recap

2011-07-25T09:56:00.000-06:00

I have been bad very very bad at posting pictures so here is my attempt to get somewhat caught up.

and here is a perfect way to start...

I love these buns!

The next 2 pictures where taken in the Kuala Lumpur Airport. We had just spent 6 days in Bali and 2 in Kuala Lumpur and were on our way home, but not without one last stop at McDonalds!

(Special note: I have no idea why McDonalds in a foreign country is so appealing when the thought of it in the U.S. makes me sick. Ask anyone who has traveled and they will tell you the same)

Jack must think he is an actor with his dark shades and hat.

I'm in love with this little guy and his cute sausage body!

Easter...

Jane sporting her new tennis shoes.

Jack and Ben were made from the same mold. They look so much a like it is crazy! I love this picture of them both fully engrossed in there new Easter toy.

Jane had an assignment to bring something that represented her home country to school. I totally spaced it until the morning before school and went on a frantic search for a flag or picture to no avail. Then I remembered that Ben had a hand-me-down shirt of Jacks that had Captain America on it and what do you know Jane and Ben are basically the same size...scary!

We have had so many friends move away since coming back to Cambodia which is sad but it is always fun to have parties before they leave.

This was a pajama party especially for Ivan (who is the cute batman pictured below).

Jane and Jack's last day of school. Lucky for us summer session started the next Monday but it was sad to say goodbye to the teachers!

Jack and Teacher Erin. Jack thought she was sooooo cool and to be honest she was! She was so perfect for the group of wild boys that she had! Thank goodness!

Teacher Marsela was the perfect teacher for Jane's first year of school. She was sweet, fun, and patient everything that we could have hoped for and Jane absolutely adored her!

Jane and her bestie Lisa

Jane is really obsessed with Ben. She loves to sing to him and make him laugh. I have a feeling that they are going to be really close.

Ben's first bath with Jack and Jane. For some reason I felt like I was putting him in a germ soup! He loved it and so did the other kids but I was a little nervous about all the dirt and grim on there hands and feet.

Mattie was a fixture in our lives until recently. They moved to Africa last week and we were crushed. She will be sooo missed but we can't wait to visit them in Kenya!

Fathers day brunch

The kiddos after brunch. Isn't it the cutest thing you have ever seen! They really do love each other that much!

We went for another visit to our good ol' friend Sambo! The kids and Dan went for a ride while Ben and I snapped some photos!

Swimming at Sofitel. We got a family membership to use the pool and gym and I wish I could say I have been taking full advantage of the gym but I CAN say we have done so with the pool. We love it!

Ben is such a water baby! He would stay in all day if I let him.

Sophea came to help me out this time because going to the pool with all 3 by myself gets a little hairy!

I had to add this to the mix because I think it is so cute. This is one of Jacks creations. I love this age where they can start using their own imagination to create!

Kid updates:
Jack: He is a bit obsessed with the big questions of life. "why do we die" "who dies" "how do we die" "Does this make me fat or healthy" "Where does thunder come from" "why do we have tongues" "why do we have lips" "why don't I have a tail". The last question is unique because he actually does have a tail in the form of a black shoe lace that is tied to his pants at all times. He wants to be a dragon so bad that it hurts. We have gotten to the point that he is known as "that kid with a tail". He panics if it gets lost or if I don't let him wear it. I have banned the tail from swimming pools and school and it was devastating. The first day he went to school without one was pretty sad. He was constantly looking over his shoulder for his tail and crushed each time he remembered it was left at home. Poor kid...maybe one day!

Jane: She is a HANDFUL! She is busting at the seams with emotion. She is either so happy and cute and funny or the naughtiest little stinker around. She loves to terrorize Jack but also wants to be with him at all times. She sings and dances non stop and loves to entertain the baby. She is getting so big and learning so much. Her new favorite thing to say after doing something naughty is "I was just joking".

Ben: It's official Ben has learned to cry. it was bound to happen one day but it was sure nice while it lasted. Ben is still the sweetest little guy around he only added a little flavor to his life. He is army crawling every where and will sit at the door until someone takes pity on him and takes him out, I hope that this guy doesn't get spoiled by all of the people that dote on him all day long. He has got the good life I will tell you that!

Soon to come pictures of our new house!

The End

Lazy Morning

2011-06-19T07:35:00.000-06:00

These pictures are a bit old but I was skimming through my photos and was struck at how sweet and simple they were.

I love the moments when all my kids are content and even better snuggling on one another.

Just one of those lazy afternoons kicking it in the playroom!

Some new exciting news!!!

We are MOVING!!!

Now, now don't get to excited because it's just to another house here in Phnom Penh but it's really cute and has a lot more space for the kiddos to go wild! Best of all it has a great guest bedroom...

Come one come all!!!!

Jane-a-saurus

2011-05-28T08:40:00.000-06:00

Even pterodactyl's need to eat!

FUNNY GIRL

***Heidi some how your costume made it into our box which then got on a boat and sailed half way around the world. SORRY!

A good lesson to others...don't lend us anything because it will probably end up somewhere very far away!

haircuts & cupcakes

2011-05-18T08:52:00.000-06:00

This month my little BenVan turned 6 months

He also got his first haircut and almost got a taste of his first cupcake

The after pictures

(sadly we forgot to take the before)

So glad to have those curls back!

6 cupcakes to celebrate 6 wonderful months!

The other kids were really pumped about celebrating the 1/2 birthday and getting in on some yummy cupcakes!

I didn't make these beauties...I know shocker! All the credit goes to a wonderful little cake shop called Bloom.

Both cakes and baby look sweet enough to eat!

LOVE this little guy!

Can't wait to see what the next 6 months will bring!

Bali: Final day

2011-05-12T09:37:00.000-06:00

If you are a fan of adorable monkeys and cute kids making silly faces, well then you are going to LOVE this post.

For our last full day in Bali we took a little drive out to a Hindu temple in Uluwatu that is located right on a cliff and it was
breathtaking!

On the way there we made a little pit stop to check out the beach on this side of the island.

For some reason when Jane looks like this I just want to call her Hazel...it just seems so fitting!

Brace yourself for some of the coolest monkeys that you have ever seen.

It was truly amazing. They were so friendly they would take bananas out of you hand and we even saw one monkey jump up on a lady and take her sunglasses. It was pretty awesome.

I was so proud of Jack. He has finally kicked his fear of cute adorable furry creatures. He was feeding them bananas and was not the least bit scared.

Jane was mesmerized

Love this picture of Jack looking back at the monkey and the monkey looking at him.

Dan had to wear this very stylish purple wrap. Doesn't he look cute!? To enter the temple grounds you had to have your knees covered.

Look close she is carrying her baby. I felt a connection because I was holding my baby the same way...weird!

Fat lazy monkeys at every turn, but look at his view it was so amazing.

I wanted to cry it was so beautiful.

Jack was demonstrating what the fire dancers were going to look like.

Budha the driver was such a nice guy. Jane was so attached to him and he saved her when the fire dance got too scary. She still talks about Budha to this day.

I am so glad that I've seen THIS view before I die.

The "Fire Dance" is performed every single night at this temple and it was very cool. It is a traditional dance and the guys in the circle are doing some sort of chanting/slash yelling (it seemed so exhausting) but it was so cool!

The Monkey King! Jack called him the Dragon King which made it that much cooler to him but this is about the time that Jane checked out.

We were sitting on the front row and YES that fire is as hot as it looks...YIKES!

Very impressive! it was a long day but well worth it! Probably the most memorable part of our trip!

Ok so here is the part with the cute kids making silly faces and here is the story behind it. To get to the temple you have to go into the country side which usually means slim pickings for finding safe (diarrhea free) restaurants.

I was starting to get nervous as we drove further and further away from the city because of course as a mother I am always thinking when and what everyone will be eating. Well I have to give Dan complete credit here because he was so confidant that we would find a suitable restaurant that he convinced me to keep going forward and let me tell you I am soooo glad that we did. Right before the temple we found this little gem of a restaurant and it was some of the best food that we had the whole trip. My dish was grilled Mahi Mahi...YUM!

While we were waiting the kids were getting a little wacky so I pulled out the camera and magic was made. LOVE these kiddos!

Quick side note

Jane spotted these sunglasses at a vendor on our way down to the beach. They are pretty groovy and have become a permanent accessory of hers. What can I say she's got class...am I right?!?

Bali: Day Three

2011-05-10T10:25:00.003-06:00

Dan's Birthday!!!!

On day three we had a much needed day of rest out by the pool. The kids were loving the pool and were literally in it every possible moment that they could be. Everyone had fun getting their toes wet and we even had a cake for Dan.

For the record Jack can swim without the floaties but I had a very strict rule of having them on since they were jumping in and out all day long.

Janes rashgaurd in this picture is actually the babies! It is size 6-12 and it fit her almost perfect! A little weird but lucky for us since her shoulders were getting way to much sun!

These pictures were taken later that night after Dan and I got home from dinner. I secretly love when Ben is awake at night after the other two kids have gone to sleep. He becomes a different baby. I think he knows that he finally has my undivided attention.

I know I have said this several times but once again...THE BEST BABY EVER!

Dan cutting his cake.

These pictures are really bad because it is so humid at times that when you open up the camera the lens fogs up and takes forever to go clear.

Lucky for us we are quite use to the humid weather by now!

Dan and I got really lucky and managed to get one night out just the two of us. One of the housekeepers took a liking to our kids and the feeling was mutual so sweet Neelou stayed with the kids so we could celebrate Dan's Birthday and go to dinner.

The restaurant was called The Living Room and it was so beautiful. I of course forgot the camera so this is some random photo I found on the internet but it doesn't do it justice. They had an outside seating area as well and it was covered in tea lights and sparkling everywhere!

The food was equally as impressive! We had some of the best oysters that we have ever had!!!

Ok one more day in Bali left and believe me you don't want to miss the next one...it's a doozy!
Monkeys eating out of our hands
Gem of a restaurant nestled in the middle of nowhere
Hindu temples
fire dancers
and best of all Buddha the driver
oh yeah!

Bali: Day Two

2011-05-04T08:58:00.000-06:00

The Zoo

On day two we decided to take the kids to the zoo. We really miss the Salt Lake City Zoo and Jack is obsessed with all things fierce so the Zoo is usually a must do with our kiddos!

We were there all day long with 3 little kids and it was hot (like depths of h*** hot!) but everyone did great and we had a fabulous time.

And the award for best overall child definitely goes to this little guy!
DREAM BABY

Piranhas

They sparkle...who knew?

Moss every where. The landscape was so green and lush.

Cool statues at every turn

This was one of my favorite moments of the whole trip. Some of the girls were teaching Bali tradition dance and Jane was brave and went with them. She was concentrating and trying so hard. She still will show me how they told her to hold her hands...cute!

Jack was seriously digging all of the dragon statues

The Komodo Dragon has made it to Jacks top ten favorite animals.

One of the best features of the zoo was the safari ride. It took you in and air conditioned (PRAISE!) bus through a big reserve filled with all sorts of really cool animals. We liked the big cats and the giant hippo (not pictured)

Still hanging in there...love this baby!

Of course one of Jacks favorite moments was finding these giant dinosaurs.

A long fun filled day and we were all pooped!

Day 3 to come

Some much needed R&R by the pool and Dan's Birthday!

Bali: Day One

2011-05-02T09:02:00.002-06:00

Warning

This post may seem like I am bragging and it's because

I AM!

No but seriously Bali was so much fun and met all of our expectations. The only problem is we need to go back about 100 more times to see and do all it has to offer.

Day one was all about the exploring our villa, swimming in the pool, and eating yummy food by our in house chef!

This is our entry way (picture taken from the entrance of the house).

It was so nice to have a pool. the kids would wake up at 7am and have their swim suits on by 7:15.

Pretty cute tush!

One thing that was really unique about the Villa is it was an open air floor plan. Which means the kitchen and living areas had a ceiling but no walls and that whole area was surrounded by water with fish swimming in it (endless entertainment for the kids).

It was really beautiful and fun for the kids but my big strong husband was almost crippled with fear of mosquito's. (He is OCD about Mosquito's and of course he was the only one who got bit)

A picture of part of the open air living room.

Picture from the kitchen looking out to the pool.

The kids had on floaties 24/7. I didn't want to worry about one of them jumping in when I wasn't looking and although it goes against everything I ever said as a swim teacher it quite agrees with me as the mom.

Oh the food!!! We had an in house chef and it was the BEST thing EVER. The most stressful thing when traveling with kids is "what and when and where are we going to eat?" Problem solved! Not only was it soooo convenient but it was sooooo good as well!

This was a picture of our grilled seafood feast that night. i think it was the only picture of the food that I took which is a shame!

We went to bed tired, sunburned, and stuffed!

Stay tuned for day two...the zoo!

Happy Khmer New Year

2011-05-02T07:51:00.000-06:00

Jack and Jane had a celebration at school for Khmer New Year. Its a BIG deal here and the school did a great job with the party. They had traditional games, songs, and dances. and best of all let the parents come sweat, I mean PLAY with them!

Cute decorations! Each class added something and Jane's bunny face is pictured above...so so cute!

Quick picture of Jack coming back from music class.

Jane is growing up sooo fast since starting school. She talks my ear off now and is really good at playing with all of Jack's "big kid" friends.

She is a swing junky.

Pin the tail on the rabbit. It's the year of the rabbit here whatever that means?

This little boy was so cute, he was so excited for Jane to go.

Sweet Success!

Jacks turn...time for the traditional songs. It was all in Khmer which made it really interesting since Jack has a hard time with songs in English...I am pretty sure he was lip syncing the whole time.

He is getting so old. It is killing me! What do you do when your baby boy is all grown up? I am starting to really treasure the hugs and cuddles because I can feel them slipping away. sob sob!

Such a pouty face! He all of the sudden decided he didn't want to play anymore and went to pout. No clue where that came from but I will say that Dan has a lot of pouty face pictures from his youth.

Jacks rabbit mask. He was so proud of it!

We had fun at the party but we were really excited to go home and finish packing for our trip to Bali and Kuala Lumpur!!!

Best friends

2011-03-31T22:10:00.000-06:00

This post is bitter sweet. Dylan has been Jack's best friend here in Cambodia and he was the one friend that he was so excited to see when we came back. We have had so much fun with them but (and here is the bitter part) he just moved away.

I hope that they stay pen pals and life long friends!

Dylan we will miss you! We will also miss Emma (my best friend here) and Nia (Jane's best friend). We are so sad to see you leave but we hope you have a wonderful time in England and we hope to visit you at your new home in Manila!

Grrrr

2011-03-31T07:05:00.000-06:00

I am slightly frightened at how Jane's eyes fit perfectly in this mask.

Notice Jack the "money guy" in the back. Thats what he calls himself when he is wearing his sunglasses.

S C A R Y

Jumping Bean

2011-03-31T06:28:00.002-06:00

Have I mentioned how much I am in LOVE with this little dream boat! Ben is still the best ever! He has 2 teeth, sleeps all night, smiles all the time, and laughs at his brother and sister.

I'm not saying that I have a favorite child but....he is pretty awesome!

A day at the beach

2011-03-03T07:39:00.001-07:00

We decided to take a little trip to the beach. We had a really good time but if I had to be completely honest I will say that the beach that I had been missing and dreaming about for years left me with crying sandy babies at the end of the day. So to the beach...I will see you again either without any kids or when they are all old enough to clean their sandy bums themselves!

The resort had an amazing pool and that is where we spent the most of our time.

I made a real effort to try and make the kids look like bonifide tourists!

The circle bed...Jack thought it was the coolest thing EVER! Ben thought it was pretty cool too!

View of the pool from our deck

Love this picture of Jack looking at the ocean. I am 99.9% sure he is looking for whales and sharks.

Shark Boy

Some pictures taken on our drive along the coast

I was a little nervous that this big guy was going to charge the car.

The beach at dusk...so pretty. Reminded me why I love the beach so much!

At the end of the vacation we were all a little tuckered out...especially this guy!

Stay tuned for our next vacation. We are thinking Bangkok in the next month. By then we will be more then ready for a modern mall, a movie theater, and some really yummy Thai food!

Hello my name is...

2011-02-24T06:56:00.001-07:00

It's always a little nerve wracking when my older children come and meet their new baby for the first time. I never really know how they are going to react, plus because I have been in the hospital for the last few days their normal schedule has been disrupted which always throws my kids for a loop.

Jack was very excited to meet Ben and he has been in love with him ever since. It has been fun having a child old enough to understand what is going on. He loves that he has a baby brother and he is always saying sweet things about him like:

"That baby is just so special"

"Baby Ben you are handsome and cute"

"Baby Ben you were born in this family and we love you so much"

"Mom we are going to have to tell Vandy (our nanny here in Cambodia) to be so gentle with the baby" *this was before we moved back

Here is BenVan all ready to meet his brother and sister

Jack smitten with his baby Ben

Jane wasn't so sure what to think of Ben in the beginning. She has always loved being the center of attention and she quickly realized that the baby was going to take a little of that away from her. She has been really good with him as far as being gentle and nice but she does get jealous on occasion when I have to direct my attention to the baby for a while.

She was uncomfortable to say the least when we had her hold him for the first time.

Oddly enough putting sunglasses on her made her more comfortable. Go figure!

*My sister Leah pointed out that she bears a striking resemblance to Willy Wonka (Johny Depp style)

Once again not really digging it!

Jack is always inches from Ben's face. He can be a tad smothering at times.

So tiny...oh I wish they stayed that small forever.

Transitioning from baby to big sister really took it out of this girl. She could not keep her eyes open and I was trying every trick up my sleeve to keep her awake!

There is just something about having a baby that literally changes your perspective. All the sudden Jane who I was still calling "baby Jane" the day before was so massive to me. Instantly everyone in the family shifts in positions and it's almost like having a group identity crisis. It always takes me a while to figure out all our new roles in this new family and learn to embrace how it has changed us. It wasn't quite so intense this time and I really credit Ben for it. He was such an easy going baby and it allowed me to spend a lot of time and give a lot of attention to Jack and Jane. Now that we are fully adjusted to the transition I am so grateful for this new little family. Having 3 kids is so much fun and I love them so much (but I am REALLY glad I have a nanny again!!!)

As my bro likes to say "Too School for cool"

2011-02-21T21:23:00.001-07:00

I am "Slightly" behind on my post's. So what I have decided to do is mix my post with old and new. That way everyone can keep up with our current life but I can still document our past.

School days

Ah I am so glad to have my kids back at Giving Tree! I just never got into the groove with Jack's school in Utah. I like talking to the teacher, visiting the class, meeting the kids that my kids are playing with, and that is exactly what I get to do here!

Jack has fallen right back into place. Lot's of his old friends are still here and he has loved seeing them again. He is such a social kid and loves school so much! His biggest concern every day is what he can bring in his backpack to show his friends at school.

This kid has got a mega watt smile!

Jane

I was slightly concerned about Jane's entry into school. She just turned 2 but she is very emotional mature for her age so I thought she would do just fine. She loves to color and do crafts so really school is right up her alley! She can be a little dramatic and hard headed at times so I was hoping for the best.

Her first day was great she let me leave without a single tear and I thought "wow that was easy" a little too easy if you know what I mean. Well the next 3 days were full of tears and literally peeling her off of me! It was sad but I also knew she would love it as soon as she calmed down.

Sure enough she's all dancing and giggles when we walk in now and runs to her teacher without looking back. I can't believe I have 2 kids in school now! CRAZY!

This was day #1 when she was still happy about her life!

She gets a lot of attention at school. Maybe a little too much. This girl tends to be on the spoiled side. No one can say no to those big brown eyes! (but me :))

3rd times the charm

2011-02-21T20:39:00.001-07:00

It is no secret that this pregnancy was a bit of a surprise to our family. We were living in Cambodia having a nice quite life when all the sudden BAM our lives were turned upside down! I did NOT want to have the baby over seas and I was determined to get my family back to the U.S. Slowly but surely we all made our way back. My pregnancy was relatively easy I can honestly say that 50% of the time I was having to remind myself that I was pregnant. I had a lot on my plate and my stress level was high until we were all safe and sound together in Utah.

We really had impeccable timing (and when I say impeccable I really mean horrible). We decided to move into a house 2 days before I was due. It wasn't just moving either I was purchasing and organizing EVERYTHING you might need to have a house. We had sold everything before moving to Cambodia and when we came back we didn't have as much as a spoon to our name! I was sooo ready to check into the hospital on the 3rd of November because to me laying in a bed and giving birth was a vacation!

Ben came into this world without much fuss. I was induced on a Wednesday (mainly because Dan was going out of town on the following Monday for work). It was nice to have a little alone time with Dan the hours before he was born. We were really still in denial about this number 3 babe. But when Ben came he melted our hearts right from the start and we have been so in love ever since.

Don't I look thrilled!

Mom and Dad anxiously awaiting Benjamin!

Van Felsing arrived!

It took some serious work to get that head of hair clean

My sweet little guy!

Proud Papa

I know I said it early (and believe me you will get sick of hearing it) but this guy is perfect. He NEVER cries EVER! Its amazing! He sleeps great and eats great and is so chill and laid back! He has not once frazzled me or been hard, and for that I am extremely grateful because lets face it I just could not handle anything else!

Attention: VERY Important Announcement

2011-02-21T08:12:00.001-07:00

The BEST baby in the World was born!

and lucky me I am his mom!!!

Benjamin Van Felsing

Born Novemeber 3rd, 2010

(picture taken in hospital on his 2nd day of life)

I know this announcement is a little late in coming but non the less true. Ben is so good and so sweet and pretty much perfect! Lot's of picture to come of this guy!

A Dreary Halloween

2011-02-21T07:59:00.001-07:00

Let me count the reasons why Halloween is quickly becoming my least favorite Holiday...

It rained the WHOLE night
it was freezing cold
I was days away from having a baby
Kids + Sugar + night = cranky, crazy kids and even crankier moms
Jack got scared at the first house because of a pink gorilla mask (scary I know!) and was pretty much hanging on to me for dear life the rest of the night

I am sure there are other reasons I have blocked out but one thing I do like about Halloween is how dang cute my kids looked!

Jack in his "loafy" dragon costume...since when do dragons have love handles?

He was sooo excited this year to get dressed up and talked about it non-stop for about 3 weeks prior. To bad it ended with Dan and myself explaining that everything was pretend and Jack saying he just didn't want t talk about it any more!

Perfect costume for my little busy bee! Thanks Melissa for helping me out in a pinch!

We did have a pretty sweet Jack-o-lantern this year

Courtesy of Dan the Man

1st and 2nd runner up for costumes this year. It was a close race but the loafy Dragon won in the end!

One thing that Jack really liked doing before Halloween was talk about what he thought everyone's costumes were going to be.

Me: A mean Witch

Dad: Wearing a T-Rex T-Shirt (he knows his dad would never dress up)

Jane: A Ballerina

Gram: A cute witch

Peeps: A Monkey

Auntie Leah: A Snapping Croc

Chloe and Ellie: Butterflies

Auntie Kristina: A cute cat

Heidi: An Iguana

Brody and Xander: Batman and Super Man

Snowbird

2011-02-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

When Dan got back from Cambodia we decided to take a mini vacation and live up at Snowbird Resort for a month. I fought Dan on this in the beginning (it may of had something to do with the 4 flights of stairs while being 9 months pregnant or the threat of avalanches) but I am sooo glad that he talked me into it.

We had the BEST view of 3 of the seasons and lots of family time. It was a such a good way to spend those last few weeks as a family of four.

The craziest rainbow ever.

lots of cozy mornings

Hello my German friends...fun at Snowbird

Surely the next fashion icon!

I'm the king of the world! Jack hiked a mountain with his dad and he was so proud!

More Snowbird

We missed Fall last year in Cambodia but we got our fill of the beauty this year. It was seriously amazing!!!

(taken on a sunday drive up past Alta)

Winter. I have a love-hate relationship with snow. Love to look at how pretty and white it makes everything HATE to be cold in it, drive in it, walk in it, or worry about being stuck in labor because of it!

One morning it snowed so much that after the plows came we had 4 ft. blocking the garage door! The only thing I could think was "Thank goodness I didn't go into labor!!!" Dan could NOT handle a home birth!

(This postcard beauty was taken right from our living room window...I was not kidding about having the best veiw EVER!)

Snowbird we will miss you!

I highly recommend staying there off season. It is reasonably priced and sooo sooo pretty any time of year.

***On a side note I am glad we got out of there before ski season! I would have been a widow to the mountain!

Farmington is fun!

2010-08-14T00:53:00.002-06:00

Here are some very random pictures of the kiddos.

Jane is doing something weird in just about every picture she's in, which by the way isn't the least bit surprising...she is a nut!

We have had so much fun in Farmington. Thanks Gram and Peeps for letting us live with you!

Jane decided that a bucket is way more fun then a pool. She sat in it for about 30 minutes.

Summer days

2010-07-21T00:34:00.003-06:00

Here you go honey these are for you!

Some pictures taken by Paul of the kids hanging out in Grams backyard...our nightly ritual.

Jack 1st year of Preschool

2010-06-06T08:22:00.002-06:00

My big boy

Jack is growing up so fast I can hardly stand it. He has officially completed his

first year of school

and he couldn't have loved it more! We feel so lucky that he likes school so much and practically begs to go every day! Lucky for us there is no break between school and summer school...thank goodness! We are going to miss his teacher Miss Marj soooo much she was great and Jack talks about her non stop!

Jack and Miss Marj

Jack updates

Jack is absolutely the SWEETEST boy in the whole wide world and is very generous with his kisses!
He tells me I'm his best friend and I LOVE it!
He loves to count and sing his ABC's
He is still obsessed with dinosuars
He has the BEST imagination and is in character 99% of the time
Jack loves church and gives the best prayers
He loves to play with his little sister and is very excited to have a baby brother!
Basically he is the coolest 3 year old around!!!

Jack's class picture

2010-06-05T08:43:00.007-06:00

Jack's class photo

Don't ask me what he is looking at!

Oh Boy Oh Boy

2010-05-26T08:58:00.000-06:00

Everyone is pretty excited about adding another boy to the family but no one as much as Jane.

She hasn't stopped smiling since hearing the news

she knows it sealed the deal for her to stay the most spoiled one in the family!

other funny pictures...Dan takes random pictures in the morning while I'm still trying to catch a few more minutes of beauty rest. Here is our little goof ball!

rub a dub

she likes to party...

2010-05-17T09:53:00.000-06:00

Every time my mom asks me how Jane is, I always reply...

"wacky"

Monkeying around

2010-05-14T18:55:00.001-06:00

The other day we took the kids to Wat Phnom, a park in the city, that has

Sambo the Elephant.

You can feed Sambo bananas for just one dollar and if you ask me it's the best deal around...I mean who doesn't want to feed an elephant young or old, right? In the park there are also monkeys cruising around and on this particular day they were every where! The monkeys are known to be a little naughty so you try to keep your distance but at one point we had a monkey so close that even I got a little nervous and I've never seen Jack climb up my shoulders so fast!

The only downer...it was HOT. I mean hot like I've never been hot before! 110 degrees with 80% humidity, we were all dripping with sweat! In the end it was worth it, Jack hasn't stopped talking about it and it helps remind me of all the cool things there are here!

Crazy kiddos

2010-05-04T09:01:00.000-06:00

Can't get enough of these two...they are just so much fun!

Jacks groovy new homemade glasses

Janes new "CHEESE" smile for the camera

Jacks best friend aka Vandy our nanny {my best friend too...wink wink}

Wacky Baby

2010-05-02T21:05:00.001-06:00

Jane Taylor

My Wacky Wild Funny baby

Ever since posting the pictures of her in her pigtails everyone has mentioned how big she is and it dawned on me that she is getting big and has changed so much and I have done a horrible job of documenting it...SO here are some JANE updates.

Jane is FUNNY! She loves to do silly things to make us laugh and if we aren't laughing at what she is doing then she is laughing at herself

Jane knows lots of animal noises but her favorite is a dinosaur...ROAR!

She talks all day long and although we don't understand much she knows exactly what she is saying

Jane loves school, she takes off running everyday we drop Jack off and cries when we leave

Jane is a total nightmare at church and makes my life really difficult on Sundays

Jane loves to color and will sit and color longer then Jack will

Jane dances to anything that resembles music

Jane loves showing her daddy how cute she looks and will even do a little spin to show him the whole pictures

Jane wants to wear her swimsuit all day everyday and I have to hide it or she whines until it's on

Jane is still our baby for at least a couple more months and I am loving this stage right now. I would freeze time if I could!

Her new "oh my...don't I look cute!" face

Life in Phnom Penh

2010-04-30T02:55:00.000-06:00

More Phnom Penh Photos

2010-04-30T01:34:00.000-06:00

Phnom Penh Cambodia

2010-04-30T01:32:00.000-06:00

Holiday

2010-04-18T09:03:00.001-06:00

2010-04-18T08:52:00.000-06:00

2010-04-18T08:01:00.000-06:00

Cambodian New Year

2010-04-14T09:50:00.001-06:00

2010-04-14T09:43:00.000-06:00

2010-04-14T09:37:00.000-06:00

Koh Kong / Thailand Trip

2010-04-13T21:38:00.002-06:00

Hello everyone this is Dan. I have high-jacked Rachael's blog to post some forgotten pictures that Rachael never posted. This was a trip to the Cambodia/Thailand border we took to renew their visas.

2010-04-13T21:32:00.000-06:00

2010-04-13T21:26:00.000-06:00

2010-04-13T21:21:00.000-06:00

2010-04-13T21:11:00.000-06:00

I {HEART} YOU

2010-02-14T08:22:00.001-07:00

Meet my Valentines

Aren't they cute!

Jack's 3!

2010-01-31T07:37:00.005-07:00

Jack the 3 year old

He can't get enough of his dinosaur obsession
he is VERY popular with all the teachers at school
he will play with anyone who will play with him
he is NICEST big brother ever
he is full of energy but crashes each night for a solid 12 hours
he is still the pickiest eater ever
he gives the best hugs
he loves to swim and does almost everyday
he will read books all day long
he was born to travel
he is my best little buddy

He is a BIG BOY and we are so in LOVE with him!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK

We had so much fun on Jacks Birthday. We went to the mall, played on the slides, went swimming (I''ll post pictures soon), had pizza, and blew out candles.
The day before Jack brought cupcakes to his class and was thrilled to death when his friends sung happy birthday to HIM!

{Here are a few Birthday cake pictures from the babies birthday last week}

Jane Taylor is ONE

2010-01-22T18:09:00.003-07:00

Sweet Jane
Today you are ONE

you are crawling everywhere
you smile at everyone
you love every man that comes your way
you're playing with your big brother
you're learning how to walk
you only eating foods that have LOTS of flavor
you're keeping me up all night :)
you're saying momma, dada, Jack, whats that, and lots of cute jibber jabber
you are still the cutest thing we have ever seen
you turn heads everywhere we go
you just want to party and have fun

You are our Jane
and have been melting our hearts now for 365 days

{thank you Kristina for the beautiful pictures}

Christmas Day

2009-12-30T17:28:00.005-07:00

ah...the blessed moment of finally getting to see the loot!

It was so fun to see Jack's face when he saw all of the din-O-suars that Santa brought.

talk about heaven for this kid

all the goods that jolly old saint nic brought

The baby liked all her toys and everyone else's toys but most of all she liked this apple.

Classic "can you believe it" face from Chloe

Ellie and her new best friend Mr. Ipod

Christmas was so much fun! I love living vicariously through the little ones as they experience all the fun of the holiday's.

A little note for Santa: All I want for Christmas next year is my handsome hubby by my side!

Jingle Bells

2009-12-29T23:31:00.005-07:00

I can't even begin to explain how great it has been to be home for Christmas! Having Dan here would have made it perfect...we are missing him terribly! Luckily I have the most unselfish husband in the world. He knew how important it would be for us to be home and for the kids to have a real Christmas filled with all the magic and fun we both had growing up!

Christmas Eve we had the age old tradition of opening PJ's.

Jane is loving the carpet and has become a crazy lady. She is absolutely LOVING all the attention from the girls, her Auntie Leah, and her Gram and Peeps!

Nora came over and we got all the little kiddos together for a picture. So cute!

Two peas in a pod

So cute in their new jammies!

SNOW

2009-12-29T23:18:00.005-07:00

Well we made it after a VERY long trip and we are so glad! One of the things we were excited to see was SNOW and we weren't disappointed. Jack was so excited to get out and play he didn't even care about his pretty pink pants. They had fun but like most snow days it was short lived. Jack was back inside in about 15 minutes because his hands were cold. I now remember that that I never really liked the snow :)

Haircut from H E double hockey sticks

2009-12-06T00:24:00.002-07:00

I have been on a blogging hiatus of late, mainly because my camera has decided to not turn on. I have also been accused of not really talking a whole lot about my new home. {Actually its kind of funny if you didn't know me or my situation you could read my blog and completely miss the fact that I live on the other end of the world} so here you go people a post with a Cambodian story to boot!

It all started the other day when I mentioned to my driver that Jack really needed a haircut. My driver is a branch president here and also my nannies father and he cheerfully told me about this great little place right by the house where a man of over 20 years of experience and has cut many of the missionaries hair. He also told me it was only $1 and since Jack's last haircut was a whooping $2 I thought...DEAL! So the next day we headed over after picking Jack up from school. I was a little distracted putting Jacks shoes on that I didn't see the place when he park but when I got out of the car I just about died right there.

Picture this: 4x4 wood shack, never been cleaned in all the 20 years of experience {I am sure of it}, a chair with a wood plank set over the handle bars for Jack's seat, and a cape with who knows what on it...i am hyperventilating by now and wondering how the h I can get out of this! Well they don't give me the chance because they pick Jack up and shoe me out of the shack! I couldn't believe it I mean I am the mom who literally has repositioned the haircutters hand just to make sure she gets it right!!!! And they are telling me to get out! FAT CHANCE! I walk back in {too late} and watch on in HORROR as the barber hacks at Jacks hair. I try to have him make a few changes to make it look half way decent and think that it is all over until he picks up the nastiest looking brush and before I can say NOOOOOO!!!!!! brushes Jacks hair. I don't even want to think about who has had their hair brushed with that brush...I still shiver every time just thinking about. I quickly paid my buck and hightailed it out of there praying that Jack would not have lice.

I got home, threw jack in a HOT bath, scrubbed until he was red and have been checking his scalp ever since. No creepy crawlies which has only increased my faith in prayer! The cut is a little scary but nothing a little pomade can't fix. The only real damage are my emotional scars! Next time I think I'll pay the additional dollar!

Updates

2009-11-13T18:41:00.004-07:00

This picture is not related to the post but I love it!

I love how Jack looks right before he leaves to school. For a brief moment he is clean, smells yummy, and is so happy!

Kid Updates

Jack is stilling loving school and I am sure he has a little crush on his teacher! He loves to sing and dance and still talks about Dinosaurs all day long. His favorite place is the mall {I think it has something to do with the cheap toys we buy him every time we go} and he loves when we pick him up in a tuk tuk {I post a picture of one later}. He loves going to church and nursery and calls the little girl in his class Coco. Jacks favorite food is rice...thank goodness for that, but he would still rather live on a liquid diet. He has decided to call me Rachael 80% of the time and he is the nicest big brother a sister could ask for!

Jane is so dang funny! She makes us laugh all day long. She is finally crawling but would much rather cruise in her walker. She knows exactly what she wants and is very determined to get it. Boy this girl has got a temper she shakes she gets so mad. She loves playing patty cake, saying no {shaking her head}, waving, Elmo, her blankie, and her big brother. She is getting her 9th and 10th tooth {her first molars} and lets just say...not fun! She is saying moma, dada, and I pretty sure a few Cambodian words!?! She is such a good eater and will eat anything I am eating but if she is finished watch out because she loves to spit it right back at you. Her smile can brighten up any room and lucky for us she smiles all the time!

Pool Time

2009-11-13T18:14:00.005-07:00

Ahh the pool...
The is something very satisfying about taking a dip in our pool while others are shoveling there driveways!!! ;)
{Just one of the perks of our tropical weather.}

This girl is a hoot she goes crazy in the water

The kids absolutely LOVE the water and would go swimming all day everyday if they could.

{Our little frog friend join us for a swim.}

Smile

2009-11-08T06:33:00.006-07:00

These two kiddos make me laugh all day long!

Dinos & Kittens

2009-11-01T06:58:00.005-07:00

Halloween is less then popular here in Cambodia so it was up to me to be creative and keep this fun little holiday alive.

We substituted a creepy and cold fall night moon with a creepy and hot day sun.Jack was a Dinosaur {of course} and I used eye shadow and eye liner to make the look.
He really loved his sharp teeth!

Jack liked the green effect I put on this picture. He thought he REALLY looked like a Dino!

So funny

I LOVE this picture Dan got of Jack looking at himself.
He thinks he looks pretty scary!

Doing his best Dino pose!

My cute little Kitty!

Got to love those cheeks!

I just LOVE this little girl!

She looks pretty stinkin cute with eye liner all over her cheeks!

It was a challenge to try and find a proper Halloween menu but I think in the end it all came together. I made a Potatoe soup, fruit salad, a ghost PB and Honey sandwich, rolls, and a plate full of Halloween cookies, chocolate, and gummy bears.

Jack was having a hard time concentrating on his food with this plate of yummies! I figured we could splurge a little since back in the states he would have eaten a pound of candy.

Our little homemade Halloween was actually a lot of fun! I do miss this time of year back in the states but we are having fun creating new and interesting traditions!
Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Water Festival

2009-11-01T06:17:00.006-07:00

Jack's school had a party that celebrated WATER FESTIVAL a big celebration here were people from all over the country {they say over a million} come to the city to watch and participate in boat races.
The party was really fun and Jack had a blast playing with all the water games they had set up for the kids. Now we have a week off for the holiday and I think Jack is going to go through some serious withdrawls...he LOVES school!

{Pure bliss}

Having fun spraying Dad with the water bottle.

One of the teachers showing him how to play a game.

He quickly got the hang of it and was off to win the race!

can't get too much happier then this...

Gosh he really loves water bottles! Talk about cheap entertainment!

I LOVE my Jack!

Jane and Easton

2009-10-21T07:18:00.004-06:00

I totally forgot about this picture taken just days before we left for Cambodia. Jill, Easton and Merideth stayed with me for one night on their way to Farmington and it was really fun to see them.

Jane and Easton were a hoot! In their jammies, sleepy eyed, and eating crackers.
Glad I stumbled upon it today!

Uhh...WHAT???

2009-10-21T07:02:00.004-06:00

Phnom Penh Post Headline Reads:

Govt warns vendors of poisoned dog meat

The article in a nutshell: Dogs are getting poisoned when thieves break into homes so they won't bark. The dog owners then sell the poisoned meat to the local markets instead of reporting it to the police. Then a shopper buys the dog meat and gets sick from eating it.

HMMM...does this disturb anyone else?

Miss Fancy Pants

2009-10-15T06:44:00.006-06:00

Love these pictures of my little {JANE TAYLOR}
I think she looks smashing in red

Bye Bye

All Dressed Up

2009-10-09T09:10:00.004-06:00

I {HEART}
my cute kiddos and handsome hubby all dressed up for church

Life is a Highway

2009-10-09T03:52:00.003-06:00

I have been looking at a lot of this lately

But luckily I can turn around and look at THIS whenever I get frustrated!

I have been driving a LOT lately! It is crazy and traffic can be a little overwhelming but don't worry I have only been hit twice, once while I was STOPPED at a red light and another when I was turning into a gas station. I have also been pulled over once for turning RIGHT on a red light!?! $10 later {which is WAY more then I should have paid} I was off driving again.

Kunthea

2009-10-08T21:12:00.004-06:00

Also known as {KUNIE} at our house!
Disclaimer...YES I do know that I am spoiled. I have a nanny and no job or other responsibilities, but lets remember folks I DID move to a 3rd world country so give me a little credit! ;)

We found Kunthea through LDS workforce services and she has been such a blessing! The kids adore her and so do I. She is loving, patient, honest, smart, and beautiful {don't you think}. We hit the JACKPOT of nannies! I hope that we can help her as much as she is helping us!

We LOVE you Kuni!

Yummy

2009-09-30T03:50:00.000-06:00

{Sweet Enough to Eat}

Things I have learned...

2009-09-30T03:45:00.006-06:00

After a lovely chat with my mom the other night I got to thinking...what have a I learned through this experience so far?
All was quite {everyone was sleeping} and it was a perfect time to be alone with my thoughts. I decided to get a notebook and write what I was thinking so I would not forget.
I think I will start doing this from time to time to remind myself that 1) I am always learning and growing and 2) I am lucky to learn about a new culture and way of life.
So here it is my list of "Things I have learned"
{so far}

You actually CAN drive into on coming traffic {and not die}
It's not wise to fight with your husband...especially when he is your ONLY friend
My kids LOVE attention
I really like having help
Apartments aren't as bad as I thought they would be
You don't need an oven to cook dinner
Jack has an immune system of a horse {he puts everything in his mouth and still hasn't gotten sick}
I miss cookies a LOT
It is pointless to get upset {especially here because no one cares}
White people and rich people are usually rude
Ants are very sneaky and so are mosquito's
I still have to talk to my mom every day
I actually like change
I don't care what my car looks like as long as it drives and has air conditioning
Cambodians smile even when they are telling you bad news
We {as in Americans} are VERY spoiled. Even the poor are not poor compared to here.

I truly hope that seeing people live with so little will always keep me grounded. I never want to forget that I am incredibly lucky to have what I have and it just as easily could have been me working for $50 a month if I had been born here.

Really the only thing that makes one different from the other are one's circumstances. We can either choose to let that separate us or we can choose to look past it and see what we have in common.

I am grateful for this experience I hope that I can continue to learn and grow while I am here. I also hope that my children grow up with a better understanding of the world and the people who live in it.

Potty Party

2009-09-27T02:02:00.004-06:00

Jack surprised us all and finally used his potty!!!!
Of course he decided to start with #2...WEIRD!

Focus + Determination

Paint

2009-09-26T20:58:00.008-06:00

Before Jack started school I was really struggling to find things to keep him entertained so one day we decided to do a little painting. In the end we got more paint on his body then we did on the paper. I think he was in shock that I let him get so messy. He was laughing hysterically each time he got paint on himself and looking at me like "am I going to get in trouble for this?"

It was fun while it lasted but being messy is just not my thing so I immediately threw him and the baby in the bath to clean up.

{ALL CLEAN}

Dinner

2009-09-23T09:30:00.004-06:00

Our menu tonight was....

Pork and Beans
a slice of deli ham cut up and added to the Pork and Beans
One apple sliced and shared
a couple slices of bread {for dipping of course}
A PB and Honey Sandwich {Jack+Me}
A PB and Jelly Sandwich {Dan}
One can of Diet Coke {Shared by Dan+Me}
One Juice box {Jack}
Oh and Fruitloops and Mentos for dessert

I could really go for a Subway {as in sandwich} about now. Weird I know, but it has always been my "go-to" fast food joint when there is nothing to eat for dinner.

6" Turkey Sandwich on wheat, spinach, pickles, ranch, Salt+Pepper and don't forget the chocolate chip cookie. HEAVEN!

School is cool

2009-09-23T00:43:00.005-06:00

Jack has entered the very prestigious world of PRESCHOOL...

I am completely thrilled that Jack is in school and LOVES it! He walked right in and said "bye bye momma" and then when I came to pick him up he said "bye bye momma" {so much for separation anxiety} I had imagined this day going down with lots of tears on both sides and biting my nails until the moment came to go pick him up, but turns out we both really enjoyed a little time apart...HA!

Here is my little school boy on the steps outside the apartment. He was so excited to finally use his dinosaur backpack!

Burning off a little of that excitement while we waited for the car. This is his new bike and it is pretty hilarious to watch him tow Jane around.

After his first day he was hot, sweaty, and smiling from ear to ear. Nothings better then a little boy that is happy and worn out.

{I'm thinking he was a tiger for part of the day}

Here are a few pictures of the school. It is called The Giving Tree and we fell in love with it from the first day we visited. At first they had told us that there were no openings and I was so sad but lucky for us they called back and we could not be happier! On top of a regular preschool curriculum they also teach swimming, yoga, gardening, and french.

The pool

Music Room

Library

Classroom

They also have a great outdoor playground.

So there you have it our Jack is growing up fast and becoming such a good boy. He has a heart of gold and has done so well with his transition here. We are so proud of him and think he is the coolest 2 year old around!

Scooter Muffin II

2009-09-21T00:23:00.004-06:00

{scoot \ˈsküt\: to slide especially while seated.}

I am passing down my childhood nickname to my daughter.

Jane will now be known as...

SCOOTER MUFFIN

This girl has mastered the walker and is all over the apartment now. She loves to be part of the action and could not be happier when she is chasing Jack around.

This face just screams SCOOTER MUFFIN!

We have tile floors everywhere in our apartment which makes it difficult to learn to crawl. But I say who needs to crawl when you can scoot!

Dan's quote of the day

2009-09-16T21:25:00.005-06:00

"Jack you are cute and handsome, you could be really endearing if you weren't so naughty."

{This girl was thinking Jack was really cute, handsome, AND endearing. I guess he wasn't being naughty! By the way is this not the CUTEST girl you have ever seen!}

Brown eyed girls

2009-09-13T21:40:00.003-06:00

Heaven on Earth

2009-09-13T21:24:00.002-06:00

We finally went to a park...

and it was GOOD!

This girl is...

2009-09-13T21:19:00.003-06:00

BanAnaS

Dino Love

2009-09-13T21:07:00.005-06:00

Jack's obsession with Dinosaurs is rubbing off on the baby. She loves sitting on the couch with her own dino and watching Elmo Dinosaur with her brother (and for those of you that knew about my endless search for that DVD, YES I found it here!)

View

2009-09-13T19:22:00.005-06:00

Our {view}

Most of the homes around our apartment are these beautiful villas owned mostly by generals in the military here. They are huge and some are a little ridiculous and others are gorgeous!

There are also homes like this where at least 20 people live in it. I sometimes stand out on the deck and watch in total awe at how these people live. They are very resourceful and they are tough!

And there is also the construction. It is a little annoying but really only during the day so not too bad.

Cho