The Hedquist Family

Let's start at the very beginning. . .

2011-11-19T23:35:00.000-08:00

A very good place to start. Yep, the kids are watching "Sound of Music." So, the week after school let out we left Taiwan, and not just for the summer as usual. The apartment was empty, echo-ey and all sterile and boring, and 16 bags were packed and ready to be hauled through the airports. It was a very sad time for our family, but fortunately with our summer plans all implications of moving and the upheaval of our home life were soon forgotten as we played in the sand, sun and even snow for the very first time! And then, when it was all over and we were supposed to head to our next post in Chengdu, China, we came to a screeching halt at the Residence Inn for one month. ONE MONTH. In a hotel room. With 3 children and most of the time, no car. I'll tell you what, I was cursing the government left and right, but it's best left in past. Let's just say we had lots of time to get real close as a family.

And the rest of the time we basically went nuts.

At the end of our month in the hotel, after going through several headaches trying to reschedule our itinerary with little notice, I frankly welcomed China with open arms. Anything, even Chengdu China, would be better, right?

And then we were finally on our way. We flew out of Dulles 1/2 hour before the earthquake hit and shut down the airport and whole D.C. area. Divine intervention for sure, because we couldn't have handled one more delay!

Yea Beijing! Boo Beijing airport procedures, domestic gates and shuttle bus to the plane!

And finally, after one super fun summer, one looooonnnnggg month in a hotel, and 24 hours of air travel, our life began in Chengdu.

Nice suspense, right? Until next time, and let's hope it's not a year!

A Eulogy

2011-11-14T04:39:00.000-08:00

Taiwan Hedquists was a good blog, a strong blog, entertaining and informing it's readers on our family's life in Taiwan until one day last February it died unexpectedly. Will it be reincarnated in Chengdu, China? Only time will tell. For now though, we will wish the Taiwan Hedquists a sad, sad farewell.

The last Taiwanese breakfast, a solemn occasion: danbings and xiaolongbao (egg wraps and pork soup dumplings, oh how I love and miss thee!)

Oh Happy Day

2011-02-01T23:48:00.000-08:00

The day after Christmas the kids inevitably wanted to know "what next?" so I told them it was Sadie's birthday at the end of January. The older siblings immediately filled Sadie in on what "birthday" meant--cake, presents, candles, and party. Her little radar zoomed right in on this "Happy Day" as she called it, and each day, several times a day, I had to regrettably inform Boo that no, it was not yet her "Happy Day." So what a joyous morning Boo finally had when she awoke to find her door decorated with candy (a birthday tradition) and a new bike!

We took the kids down to the church to ride bikes and moseyed over to California Grill to stuff big fat hamburgers into our faces--yum!

Then got crazy in the balloons at the mall and came home for cake.

Yea for Boo's happy day! We love you our already-naughty little 2 year old!

Bridal Brouhaha

2011-02-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

So I mentioned that we were down at the church to ride bikes for Boo's birthday. Oh was I overjoyed to have my camera, because I had to covertly document this that was just so wrong on so many levels. As background, when couples get married they take probably a hundred pictures in different gowns and costumes at different locations. Our LDS temple is a hot spot for wedding pictures among the locals because it is such a beautiful building. Apparently this girl just came from the shotgun saloon for her shoot. I never knew Chinese girls had so much cleavage, and it's a darn good thing she was wearing a "scarf," because it was cold outside!

Wascally Wabbit

2011-01-23T01:15:00.000-08:00

We are quickly approaching the Chinese New Year, which is MY year, the year of the rabbit (and I am wascally, just ask Shaun.) Interesting enough though, quite a few of my qualities match up with the Chinese zodiac. I guess they do know a thing or two over here in chiggity-China. In years past we have done much exploring and celebrating of this exciting red and gold holiday, but it's funny that with each zodiac animal that rolls around, we do less. Maybe it's that we're disenchanted with the crowds, or we've developed a "been there, done that" attitude after 8 years, or we have 3 kids and are too lazy to haul them around. Last year our CNY adventures puttered to a dismal stop with a dumpling lunch, running around the gym at the church, and this:

I am determined to step up my game this year and jump back into the Chinese celebrations. Or at least make Shaun perform the lion dance for my personal enjoyment and our collection of home videos. In renewing our efforts to "live" in and experience Asia, Shaun and I went to a traditional food market in Taipei last week, one of the oldest in the city.

Oh my, were there treasures to behold, best described by a plethora of S's: shriveled seafood, savory sausages, and sweet succulents.

dried everything, take your pick, from squid to sea cucumber

shark fins, and I apologize to all animal rights activists everywhere on behalf of my Chinese brothers and sisters

snausages. . . . I think?

~~Hot dogs~~ (on a closer look, the sign reads "squid sausages"), and don't ask me why they're black. The most important question is: Is that a real hunk of tube-pressed squid-on-a-stick on that man's shoulders?

And. . . peanuts galore

Just in case you're wondering, I got a bag of peanuts and a jar of yogurt-covered raisins. What? After all my comments about taking part in Asian living and rekindling that adventurous spirit, you didn't expect me to go ~~loco~~ local and gnaw on dried squid did you?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

Tonight our little family went Christmas caroling. Boo and Sophie were angels and Dooby was a shepherd and they sang "GLO-oo-ooo-oo-ooo-OOOOORIA" most gloriously. We all had a good time, but by 8:30 the kids were done. On our drive home as I sat trying to rub the ache from my forehead in the midst of back seat melt-downs, I had a childhood flashback.

It was Christmas Eve in Provo, and my family of 7 stuffed into our Chevette (yes, 7 in the Chevette, you didn't read it wrong) to bring Christmas cheer to Dad's friends and co-workers. Dad had promised "just a quick trip!" and Mom had our favorite soup simmering on the stove awaiting our return. But it was not a quick trip, because we got lost. And then there was the fighting, crying, and complaining of 5 children. By the time we got home the soup had burnt, and any Christmas cheer we'd initially experienced had gone down in flames with it.

Now we are the parents, trying to bring that Christmas spirit to our family as we try to teach them the value of giving even as they are tired, whining, and complaining. We are the ones who will go home, put them to bed, and then stay up cleaning the toys, doing the dishes, wrapping the presents, and folding the clothes. But you know what? I'm so glad that it is our turn to experience it all, because somehow joy manages to weave itself through the work and stresses of parenthood.

On Sunday night we were talking about our favorite Christmas memories with the kids and told them about Christmas 2003, the year we surprised Grandma and Papa twice by showing up in Effingham, IL. all the way from China and then telling them we were pregnant! We got out our family videos and let the kids watch those joyous surprises. We explained to Sophie that it was such a surprise because we didn't know if she would ever come to our family, and that we were crying happy tears! What a turning point that was for us. The beginning of the end of our honeymoon existence, which has rapidly gone down in flames. We used to have such a pristine clean home. We slept in every weekend until 10, ate a big breakfast, and then took a nap. We flirted shamelessly. We went on vacations, just the two of us! Now we eat the cold left-over spaghetti out of the kids' bowls for dinner, complain nightly about throwing away all the toys because we're tired of cleaning, go out on a date (if we're lucky) once a month, and bicker over who will get up with Dooby at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning. It's such a different world, but I can't imagine living in the old one. It would seem so empty now.

During this season as I reflect on my memories, I am grateful for my parents who worked so hard for me and taught me that sacrifice and service was more important than burnt soup. I'm grateful for my husband who loved me when I was youthful and flirtatious, and who still loves me when I'm tired, cranky, and flabby. And I'm especially grateful for my 3 precious children, who changed our lives that momentous Christmas season of 2003 and made me smile to myself tonight as they belted out "GLO-oo-ooo-oo-ooo-OOOOORIA" at the top of their little angelic lungs. Merry Christmas!

The Blaring Silence

2010-09-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a L-O-N-G time, I know. You assume I finally achieved that perfect balance of motherhood, which means I ditched the computer and got real with reality. Could be. Or maybe I've been busy firming up my physique and now look like I did 15 years ago. Ummmmm no. Am I immersed in school, homework, schedules, and errands? Possibly. Or, is it that I've traded one electronic vice for another? guilty. I've met The Kindle and I'm addicted. It's that magic little high I get when I select the "Buy Now" button. After being overseas and without a library for years and years and years, I now find myself stuffing books into my face just as fast as I can. What children? What husband? What blog? You get the picture. So, I have come up for air long enough to play catch up on the blog for my mother, who complains that she hasn't seen pictures of the kids in months and only knows what we're doing through her friends on Facebook. Here's 2 months worth, have at it!

Oops! I did it again. . . . .

2010-09-29T06:41:00.000-07:00

THUMBS DOWN!!! Dad wet his pants for Family Night. It was by far our best F.H.E. EVER. Just wanted to preserve the memory while I share it with the world. Notice the strategically-placed towel that just happened to be on the floor. . . . good thing because that's a lot of leakage :)

*Shaun wants me to clarify that a cup of water was involved.

ROAR!

2010-09-29T06:40:00.002-07:00

And speaking of wetting pants, we had a chance to meet T-Rex, up-close and personal.

BBC's production of "Dinosaur Live" came to Taipei and it was amazing!

I Know What You Are

2010-09-29T06:40:00.001-07:00

You rock the peace sign each time you're in front of a camera

You prefer rice and dumplings over a nice roast and potato dinner

You draw only in anime

You wish you had black hair instead of blond

YOU'RE MY DAUGHTER. . . . .
AND YOU'RE CHINESE

He's just not that into you-or-First Day of School!

2010-09-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

Poor Dooby, having to endure those last few weeks of summer dealing with this:

(see his hand and one eyeball peeking out from under the armoire?)

And this:

(OK, the grimaces are a little noticeable. Sophie honey, he's just not that into you :)

Fortunately for him, this day finally came:

Sophie has relieved him of his princely duties as she scouts out the boys in her 1st grade class. Dooby's role as a brother has just been immensely simplified to snacks and story time. Whew! Thanks for being such a good sport buddy!

Down Home Cookin'!

2010-08-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

It's funny that returning to Asia is "coming home" for us. After 8 years now, we are desensitized to most of the weirdness that swirls around us as we bubble ourselves into our little Hedquist home and family life. I've noticed in my postings that I've inadequately described what it is to live in Asia, and it's time to BRING IT! Our blog is entitled "taiwan hedquists", after all.

So, sometimes back in the states I hear the comment "You are so lucky, you get to eat Chinese food all the time!" This is when I smile my little fake smile and politely agree, because why rain on their parade? However, if you'd like to forever alter your perception of Chinese food, read on my friends. Forget sweet and sour chicken, eggrolls, or beef and broccoli. Welcome to your new mysteriously scary reality:

This is our "fast food" down the road. "Ummm, yea. I'd like a duck beak to go please, and why don't we throw in some intestine for good measure."

Oooh, this slime-fest just rings out "DATE NIGHT!" Let's go to the night market babe!!!!!!

I've always wanted to capture the inside of the grocery store, but let's face it, with 3 kids running around I can barely keep their hands out of the meat bin, so I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to peopleofwalmart.com for the following Asian Wal-Mart footage:

OK, so I have to admit that for entertainment's value I threw in the crocs. We haven't come across those bad boys in Taiwan, but I wouldn't put it past Southern China. Am I right Julie?? Everything else has been spotted in the markets here. Pig face, anyone? They're nice and chewy.

Now, just so I don't throw you into total despair, I'll remind you that dumplings are indeed a Chinese staple, and that IS a good thing.

And a favorite Dooby-snack is "wheels", made by the pie-man down the street. Similar to pancake batter with a custard filling. (He avoids the red bean filling at all costs, though, and I don't blame him.)

And for those days when I have atrocious Chinese breath, there's only one place to go to cleanse the palate

COLDSTONE!!

mmmm, dark chocolate mint. YUM!
Now THAT'S what I call good!!!

Summer Vacay

2010-07-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

When you wake up at 2 a.m. with dragon-lady breath strong enough to melt your husband's whiskers clean off his face, you know you're in Asia. Yes, I'm back.

We had a super fun month in the states packed with family visits, lake vacations, airports, rental cars, sand, shakes, birthday parties, fireworks, bbq's, and sun sun sun baby!

A few things learned on vacation:

*It only takes 300 pictures to get a great shot of a family with 7 children and 12 grandchildren

Nice one Dot. . . . .

*Chili-Cheese Fritos, where have you been all of Shaun's life???

(I do not share the same sentiment--
they are not good for Shaun's love life

and are grossly reminiscent of ranch corn nuts)

*It's okay to go to Crown Burger (UT) 3 days in a row when you haven't been for 3 years

*No wonder Bear Lake's raspberry shakes are famous, they are cool tangy heaven in a cup

*Our life would be great if cousins Josey and Sam would just move in

*Utah has the best weather and the brightest blue skies. . . ."I want that"

*I also want a vacation home in St. Joseph, Michigan. Is that so wrong? Cough it up, Shauny baby.

*There is a reason why huge fireworks are illegal on domestic driveways

*And finally. . . .Real Mexican food is the bomb!
No amount of beans is too much for this girl. . .

(unfortunate for Shaun I know, but sweet revenge for those chili-cheese fritos)

One of these days I'll download a summer album. Now though, it's time to go brush my teeth.

What are you lookin' at?

2010-04-29T01:32:00.000-07:00

We usually reserve Sundays for church, family time, and a fine meal any grandma would be proud of. This Sunday was no exception. I went to Costco, scored a plump bird, and couldn't wait to feast on it's marinated juiciness whilst my husband raved on and on about my culinary skillz! That is, until I opened the package and found this:

My precious, impressionable daughter was helping in the kitchen, all innocent in her apron until she saw real-life spread out before her. Hovering between fascination and sheer horror she emphatically proclaimed "I WILL NOT eat it's privates Mom!!" Fair enough. I wouldn't either, although it would be fun to see Shaun have a go at them.

I got over the trauma of decapitating clucky with my kitchen shears, rubbed him down with seasoning, and plopped him in the oven. An hour and a half later we were good to go, the cluckster was nicely browned and smelling fine, and Sunday dinner was BACK in all it's glory, and quite good I might add.

Then, Shaun went and ruined it for all of us. Upon the final dissection of the bird, he found these tucked neatly inside:

It's. . . THE CLAW!!

After enduring my husband's tirade concerning chickens, scratching claws, and poop, I was quite certain clucky was about to make a reappearance at the porcelain throne. Needless to say, he will not be gracing our Sunday table ever, EVER again. Sorry Grandma. Sweet husband dearest, do you want the left-overs for lunch??

I feel a little DiZzy

2010-04-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

Today a friend posted on Facebook the joys of living the giant merry-go-round life with 4 children. . . . picking up the kitchen floor, living room floor, toy room floor, bathroom floor, then doing it all over again and again. Tonight, as I washed dishes with a cold spaghetti noodle between my toes, I wondered what is that healthy balance that allows me to keep the house clean, spend time with my kids and most-wonderful husband, and have some time to myself? Is wanting to SHOWER so bad? It's some magical combination that completely eludes me. I remember watching Oprah before I had children, thinking those women who had to have a clean house before they could take the kids to the park were crazy! Get out with the kids already, who cares if the house is a mess?!! I went so far as to discuss with Shaun the fact that I wanted our whole house to be a "playroom" for the kids--nothing off-limits, everything fun. I even had the whole science room figured out, complete with little terrariums for bugs and creatures. Fast-forward: HELLO--was I missing a part of my brain? I didn't have a CLUE. I CARE if the house is a mess, because now I have 3 toddlets who perpetually tear it up quicker than I can register the holy mess in my brain to stop them. *And there is NO WAY I'll ever have little boxes filled with dirt and bugs in my house.* Bear in mind the tsunami doesn't end at my bedroom door either. Oh no. It just breaks the door down and rushes right on in. The kids have been known to run around with my "wooba pads" (translation: bras) on their heads to play "bugs" while Boo's most favorite activity is to empty out all of my dresser drawers. Is nothing sacred? Now I realize that order is a NECESSITY to my sanity, but at the same time there is no way I can constantly maintain it without giving up other important things in a day. Who wants to miss out snuggling, imagining, loving, and laughing with their sweet little ones while they are little? And who doesn't need a Jillian Michaels torture session to get that energy up to deal with it all, as well as spiritual upliftment so you don't spank the heck out of those aforementioned "sweet little ones?" I want it all--the clean house, fun times with the kids and dates with the man, sveldt body, spiritual growth, fridge stocked with food, callings magnified, clean car, notes to grandma. . . .you get the picture. But is it important to have it all? Is it REALISTIC to have it all? All you seasoned and wise women, is there a secret to this perfect balance? (Bear in mind I am NOT a 5 a.m. girl, nor am I THIS.) Now, while you ponder my dilemma I am off to vacuum the shredded cheese in the carpet. Then, maybe I'll shower unless I'm too tired. Who cares anyways, S-man is out of town. I'll be back soon looking for good advice!

High on the Mountain Top

2010-04-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we drove up through Yangminshan, the mountain range in our "backyard." We stopped at the highest point, giving us a great view of the entire northeast coast and ocean on one side, and Taipei and surrounding cities on the other.

It was FRIO up there and super windy, so it was a quick stop, then back down to a fun stroller-friendly hike that ended in tadpole-laden ponds. You know Sophie was in heaven as she kneeled in the mud and caught little Kermies, examining them with utter adoration. She is her father's daughter. Lucas was content to poke sticks down in the mud and stuff his face with snacks while Sadie sat snug in her stroller with her kitty's ear up her nose. A good day had by all.

Ancient 5, The Blue Pie

2010-04-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

I love being a fly on the wall when my kids are playing. Now that Lucas' imagination is developing, he has entered Sophie's realm and together they explore the magical places in their heads. Sometimes they are hibernating animals in their "caves," with layers of clothing on to protect them from the cold. Sometimes Sophie is a cheerleader on the sidelines of a most exciting soccer game, where of course Lucas is the star player. Almost always there is a prince and princess who get married. And my favorite, a new development, secret agent spies. Lucas had us baffled the first time he arrived dressed in blue and pronounced himself "Ancient 5, the blue pie." After several minutes of deciphering, we translated that to be "agent 5, the blue spy." He was too elusive for a picture, but we did manage to catch his cohort "Agent 9, makin' it happen!" She looks more like a punked-out superhero, but you have to give her credit for her creativity!

The One Sword That Rules Them All. . . .

2010-03-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we spent the day in Guandu, trekking through the Nature Park and visiting the huge Chinese temple. Although it was a dreary day, we were able to spot some little birdos (Sophie and Dooby),

Find an EXCELLENT time-out spot

Subject ourselves to many a gawker as we interrupted their worship to Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea

And, most importantly, we found the jade sword of destiny, the one sword that rules them all. It called to it's young master from the plethora of cheap plastic toys made in China, and has yet to leave his grip.

jade sword of destiny @ Yahoo! Video

I HAVE THE POWER!!!

Click here to see the photos from the day

Sophie Sentiments

2010-02-21T17:09:00.000-08:00

The other day I was helping Sophie clean off the desk in her room, a "happy place" where she spends most of her free time doing crafts (i.e. taping everything to everything), writing notes to Mommy and Daddy, and coloring. I found these fun little treasures:

A Valentines necklace for Dooby:

"Love is Troo"

A Post-it note stuck to her copy of the Friend:

"I Can Foluw Cmandmis"

And, a picture decorating her craft box:

"I Love God Bee Kus I Go To Chrch"

What a sweet girl! Love our little Soph!

Happy Year of the Tiger!

2010-02-16T00:42:00.001-08:00

Blast from the past: I thought I'd give a quick peek at each Lunar New Year we've experienced since being in Asia. My how our family has changed over the past 6 years!

Year of the Monkey, 2004, Beijing:
Our most auspicious year, pregnant with Sophie!

Year of the Rooster, 2005, Beijing:
Shaun celebrating by himself at the temple fair, eating juicy squid on a stick

Meanwhile, Lori and Sophie celebrate Uncle Scott and Aunt Tiffany's wedding in Sunny Florida!
Year of the Dog, 2006, Beijing:
Another lucky year, with Lucas warming in the oven!
Who can spot Shaun and Sophie?

Year of the Pig, 2007, Beijing:
And here's our little man!

Year of the Rat, 2008, Taipei:

Year of the Ox, 2009, Taipei:
Our CNY Baby Sadie Maureen!And finally. . . .

Year of the Tiger, 2010, Taipei:Look at Sopher's chopstick skills! Catching fly with clicky China sticks. .. Boo loves herself a good "dump-o-ling"Here's wishing your family a GGGRRRRREEEAT year of the Tiger! Now get yourself off the computer and go eat some dumplings!

Baby Boo is 1!

2010-01-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

My sweet baby is one year old today. I simply can't believe it. We have so enjoyed having a baby in the home and I don't want her to grow up! Currently, Boo's favorite pastimes include

1. popping all nasty, fuzzy and hardened "treasures" from the floor into her mouth
2. pulling off outlet covers so she can stick her fingers in the outlets
3. slobbering all over Dooby's favorite toys, which by mandate from the doob-man himself, are completely off limits
4. smiling at anyone and everyone in an effort to engage them in play
5. sucking on her lovie kittie's ear until it smells slightly off and has turned yellow
6. making a beeline for the computer's power button anytime the office door is left open

Sadie has such a sweet disposition. Everyone who meets her just loves her. Click HERE to see how she's grown over the year. We love you little Boo! Happy Birthday!

January in Taiwan

2010-01-26T17:43:00.001-08:00

What did you do in January? Perhaps freeze your little patooties off scraping ice from the car windshield, or maybe go crazy trying to think of ways to entertain the kids who couldn't go out in subzero temps? Throw out your back shoveling the tons of snow in the driveway, or worst of all, have those dreaded flu and cold bugs roar with a vengeance through your household? This is why we love Taiwan:

And just to rub it in, today is another beautiful day-- sunny, a balmy 75. I think I'll get off the computer and go for a walk.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Hedquist style: Eating, playing games, eating, watching movies, snuggling and eating. That's how we rang in the New Year halfway across the world with our little family of 5. First we made pizzas:

Then we watched movies and played games into the wee hours of the night.

Well, 10:30 anyway. That's when Sophie and Lucas finally keeled over from sheer exhaustion and became completely dead to the world. We tried all forms of torture to wake them up at midnight when the fireworks started booming all through the city, but were totally unsuccessful. Too bad, because what a view we have from our apartment! We watched the whole Taipei basin light up in celebration of 2010.

New Years Day was completely beautiful (didn't you hear? Global warming is only on THIS side of the world. . . . .) so we decided to spend the day at a park downtown which had just opened a new playground and was holding a flower festival. BAD IDEA!!! You'd think that after 7 years in Asia we'd learn that when everyone has a holiday, we should avoid public places at all costs.

But, the flowers were beautiful and it was fun to get out with hundreds of our Chinese brothers and sisters.

Sophie was completely oblivious to the "hello! hello! little girl!" and picture taking that surrounded her like a tornado as she played in her little fairy garden.

And now, let's get down to business and discuss the real reason for this post. This multi-faceted gem contains a thousand words. A special thank-you to Shaun for using his skills to covertly capture this image (you may want to click on the picture to view it in it's enormity for full appreciation.)

I have titled it "People watching people watching people."

1. Who is most interesting?
--the super cute foreign devil baby with blond-white hair
--the woman pointing at the baby

--the man who is getting his jollies filming the previously-mentioned woman?

2. Lady, show some dignity. You are a mother, or at least I think you are unless you carry your poodle around in that stroller, as some Taiwanese women are apt to do, in which case your outfit might make more sense. . . . . Anyways, I digress. You do not wear spiky-heeled pleather boots and a white spandex uber-mini to the public park, or ANYWHERE for that matter. It is you who requires the finger-pointing. And no, I am not just saying these things because I'm jealous. Really.

3. What in the world is that man going to do with his video footage? Probably the same thing I am doing. Check youtube with the following tags: new year, taipei, flower festival, and "what is she wearing???"

Worlds Collide

2010-01-08T19:12:00.001-08:00

For those die-hard twi fans:

Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo.

Dear Santa,

2009-12-22T15:36:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year I would love:

Boo--my two front teeth
Sophie--Another Barbie that will eventually end up with ratty hair, naked in the bottom of my doll box
Dooby--A robot (he also wants to be a robot when he grows up. . . .)

I overheard Sophie lecturing Dooby, in his excitement over Santa, that it was "better to give then to get." She proceeded to tell him that Santa was just "kid stuff," and that she was too old for Santa. All of her Asian classmates, who don't celebrate Christmas, have told her that Santa is not real. Those little party-poopers. Sophie's definitely been influenced by this culture as evidenced by her pictures of late, signed with the phrase "Miry Crismus and I wish you luk." The Chinese are all about luck. It's sad to lose the magic so young, but at least when she was in the actual moment with Santa it was all still very real and exciting.

Holiday Baking

2009-12-21T15:47:00.000-08:00

"Don't drink the almond extract"
"Don't pour red food coloring on your brother"

. . . .Pause to sweep the sugar that was dumped on the floor rather than in the bowl. . . .and then do it all over again with the flour

"Don't wipe your nose with your hand and then put it back in the dough"(no worries, the kids ate that batch :)
"Don't eat all the dough!"

Every mother understands the torture of holiday baking with their children, but is it worth it? Yes. It's all about the memories, right? Love those kids, and the candy cane cookies were yummy!

'Tis the Season!

2009-12-16T23:53:00.001-08:00

"It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags! . . . .
Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store.
Maybe Christmas . . . perhaps . . . means a little bit more!"

Every year the members of our church put on a nativity pageant at a local park for the community, and although it is certainly a lot of work, it brings the spirit of Christmas into our hearts and the hearts of others in this land where Christmas is not celebrated:

Click here to see our little shepherd sing

I miss the snow, the beautiful lights, Christmas music around town, family gatherings, the smell of a real tree in the living room, the whole ambiance of the Christmas season. However, being in Taiwan we are able to simply focus on the spirit of Christmas, and for that I am grateful.

Diaper woes

2009-12-15T20:32:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Never feed Boo raisins and spinach on the same day. The combined consequences in her diaper are disastrous, and that's being kind.

She can eat all sorts of things now that she has her new snaggle-tooth! What a big girl.

Turkey Flambe, or "STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!"

2009-11-27T04:27:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for many things, but most especially tonight I'm thankful that I'm no longer standing in the kitchen. Throughout the day on Thursday, I found myself wondering why I wasn't out at the park or watching movies with my family, who I am most thankful for, all for the sole purpose of having my sweet boy tell me everything on his plate was yucky. My children do not like turkey, mashed potatoes, even rolls. They like rice. So, we had to have some other families (i.e. adults) over to enjoy the feast, and enjoy it we did! At least, after the smoke finally cleared. . . . .

So, I was pulling a dish of sweet potatoes out of the oven, broiled to a golden perfection, when I dropped the pan and they sloshed all over the bottom of the oven. Because it was so hot they immediately smoldered and filled the apartment with a thick dense smoke. All I could do was brace myself, because immediately the fire alarm kicked in over every loud speaker in every apartment in our building:

"FIRE! FIRE! 11th floor. Evacuate Immediately. FIRE! FIRE! 11th floor."

And not to be outdone by the urgent woman's voice professing imminent danger, there is a horribly loud siren which goes off until the woman comes on again announcing which idiot dropped their dish into the oven and set off the fire alarm. This went on for several minutes. Luckily, I am notorious for setting off the fire alarm in my building, and all my neighbors probably knew enough to ignore it once they heard "11th floor." But blaring during their Thanksgiving celebrations? I am humiliated! The manager came up in a frenzied state with his walkie-talkies while Sophie maniacally ran through the place yelling "STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!" which she had conveniently learned in school the previous week. Eventually, though, the alarm was shut off, the smoke was sucked out the windows, and peace was restored as we finally dove into our Thanksgiving feast.

I think we'll go on vacation next Thanksgiving holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Saturdays

2009-11-27T04:15:00.000-08:00

Why does my house get trashed on the weekends? I have always been mystified, until I came home last Saturday after returning from the grocery store. This is what I discovered:

#1. Dad attempting to nap while he is in charge. This inevitably paves the path to destruction.

#2. Dad failing in his attempt to nap. What, are you kidding? Do you really think the kids are going to let you snooze on the couch?

#3. Dad retaliating as he riles up the kids and they ransack the place.

#4. Poor Boo left to fend for herself in corners and under furniture, scavenging for long-forgotten bits of snacks grown fuzzy and moldy in the shag rug.

Nostalgia

2009-11-20T05:59:00.001-08:00

Who is tired of looking at that stinkin' cockroach? I find myself perusing some of my friends' blogs, wondering when in the world they are going to add a new post, when all the while I am a glaring offender. For shame!! In my defense, we did enjoy a good 6 weeks being everywhere but the computer--my mom's kitchen, around the fire pit, at the park, in the leaves, on trails, at Disney World, trick-or-treating with cousins, catching up on a few movies. Yes, our annual mecca to the states was wonderful. I came back to Taiwan fully satiated and a good 5 pounds heavier. At least I am proud to say I steered clear of those fried bologna biscuits advertised at Hardee's (what is the U.S. coming to??) Everything else was fair game. After missing so many fall seasons living in Asia, it was wonderful to savor every moment of it with my family! Some of my favorite memories: (click on the pictures to view full-size)

FORMICATION part II

2009-08-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Our sanctuary has been penetrated by the vilest of perpetrators. I may have a fascination with insects, but I absolutely draw the line at this. FOUL! I will never use this swimming towel again, at least not until it is washed in hot bleach water 5 times. My only consolation was that the cockroach must have been dying when we discovered it, because it did not try to flee as Shaun cut off it's head with a paper cup (it was too big to fit completely inside the cup) and flushed it down the toilet. . . .

Road Trip!

2009-08-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

Last month we took a road trip down to the middle of the island to visit the National History and Science Museum. The draw of the robotic dinosaurs was pulsing like a drum through Sophie's entire being so we finally gave in and decided to just drive on down. Sounded easy enough. The museum was great fun!

We saw dinosaurs in their natural environments,

found the missing link in the evolutionary chain,

fulfilled our little "ancient Egypt expert's" dream of meeting a real mummy (by the way, she has abandoned all desire to be involved with mummies, wonder why?)

and went on an African safari

It was a success! Not hard at all with 3, even with baby love! I kept thinking, "why don't we get out more often?" but then. . . . .

Sure, go ahead and laugh, revel in our misery, but I'm not even going to crack a smile for at least a year. . . .oh the trauma! I think we'll stick to our own little neighborhood from now on.

Go back to bed, Baby Bird!!!!!

2009-08-09T06:32:00.001-07:00

I am tired. Entertaining the kids all summer is one thing, but when the day starts at 4:30 or 5 a.m. that's a whole new dimension of tired. We have our own personal little bird who likes to sing to the rising sun in celebration of a new day. The problem is, no one else is ready to celebrate yet. I have to remove Boo from her crib so she doesn't wake up Sophie and banish her to the office:

She gets her pipes from Grandma Liz!

Did I mention I am tired?

Formication

2009-07-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

That's an "m" people, not an "n"

Formication: "An abnormal skin sensation similar to that of insects crawling over or within the skin."

You learn all sorts of things studying bugs in college. So why in the world am I discussing formication? Just look, I guarantee you'll feel "formicated!"

Shaun rescued a ginormous stag beetle as it was
fighting for it's life in the pool. Sophie stashed it in her
bug jar so it couldn't escape our little pool party.
It kept us entertained for hours!

The "Purrrr"fect Man

2009-07-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

He loves kitties, has spectacular hair, and is sensitive to all your needs. What more can a girl ask for? (unless you already have your perfect man--hallelujah for that!)

To Bathe or Not to Bathe, That is the Question:

2009-07-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

Precious Moments. . . .

2009-07-06T04:42:00.000-07:00

"Mommy?"
"What love?"
"Can you come wipe me, I just did a
big diarrhea in the shape of a fish!"

Sorry for the harsh visuals in this post. Just thought I'd tap into the reality of motherhood today.

*btw: Shaun sometimes refers to me as "mom," and just so there's no confusion he wanted me to state clearly that this was NOT him.

HOT Times, Summer in the City

2009-07-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

You know it's hot when I'm wandering around outside at 11 p.m. and I'm sweating! Man! We long for those cold Michigan winters right about now. Our venue of choice each weekend is the AIT pool up on the mountain. We are usually the only ones there and we have our own little routine which involves snacks from 7-11, lots of drinks, insect nets, and a gallon of suncreen. Shaun throws the kids around the pool for a while, then we snack, catch bugs and lizards with our insect nets, study tropical flowers, swim some more, and wait for Boo to tell us it's time to go home. We can't go on vacation like every other family has in our building, but atleast we can do something to pass away the summer. . . .

view of our "neighborhood" from the mountain top

tropical baby love

the summer of shaun

goin' for a ride

like mother like daughter. . . .

getting all cheesy and messy

Foreign Cooking

2009-07-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

The first time we came to Taiwan in the year 2000 it was very foreign to me. My memory of our first visit to the grocery store upon arrival is still very vivid. Blue chicken? Fish gutted over a drain in the floor? Aisles of sauces, oil, and noodles all with Chinese print? Dried squid snacks? I was overwhelmed. We left with a package of Ramen, some bananas, and a bag of Doritos. Even the Ramen was different--it had a nasty oil meat packet, the spice packet, and some scary-looking dried vegetables. I remember thinking that I was doomed. Now, 6 years later, I have adapted our menu and can shop in the markets with the best of them. One family breakfast favorite is danbing. It's like a Chinese version of the egg burrito, but instead of cheese it's soy sauce and green onion, and replacing the flour tortilla is a thin wrapper referred to as a "pancake." The packaged product description:

"Refining a first-class materials. It is natural and nutritious food. Pancake is ideal for be mixed with a variety of materials will create delicious enhance the appetite."

The instructions are even better:

"Adding a little oil, when the hot oil changed after add to pancake and golden double small and medium-sized cooking fire. Pancake will be paved in the fried egg. When it is cooked, the pancake will to roll up fried egg. It is the delicious pancake."

You know I'm not creative enough to make this up. Look for yourselves.

Luckily for me, I don't need to refer to these instructions because I've seen the street vendors make these. Now we can eat danbings at home for our very own delicious pancake experience!

And we don't even have to worry about how long the raw egg mix has been sitting unrefrigerated in the bowl on the street curb, or which insect decided to visit that bowl to do all manner of business from laying eggs to relieving itself.

So, if you think I've learned how to do my Chinese cooking by following some magical Chinese instructions on the labels of my groceries, think again! Martha Stewart on Yahoo food has taught me far more about Asian cooking. I just have an easier time finding the ingredients here in Taiwan. And, if all else fails, we go to Costco!

He's our Dad!

2009-07-01T04:39:00.000-07:00

I am going to depart from the teasing husband remarks for today and say that my man is the man of my dreams in every way! I knew I loved him, but had no idea what an outstanding spouse and father he would be. I love watching Shaun as our little energetic nuggets climb on him, give him wet-willies, stick stuff up his nose, etc, etc until he's finally reduced to a pile on the floor. The kids absolutely adore Dad and love him to pieces as soon as he walks in the door at night, and from there Shaun doesn't stop working until the kids are in bed, the house is clean, and the chores are done. He works hard for us, and I'll say this very briefly and quietly--I guess he does deserve (some of) that lazy lounging on the weekends . . . .

Happy Father's Day!

Daddy's girls hold all power over him

Muscle Men!
(and a salute from Boo)

Duct Tape Use #317

2009-06-25T17:06:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd quickly share a little gem with you all, courtesy of my Auntie Norma who faithfully sends me cringe-worthy spam mail:

Proof that duct tape really is a quick-fix for any situation!

I might as well keep on going since I do not hear screaming children, loud crashes, the fire alarm, etc. I can personally attest to the fact that the internet is a complete waste of time (case in point, you are reading my duct-tape post.) A few weeks ago Shaun was out of town and I had big plans to muck out kitchen cupboards, bathroom closets, drawers, etc. Instead, I spent one whole night pouring over photos from fashion week on Yahoo. Now, I'm no fashionista, but if this is fashion I'm a flying pig. Can we just call it "art" and agree to disagree?

Really? Plastic crab and all?

An "eco-friendly" outfit that's so
extreme Al Gore would love it!
Come on people, do you really want to recycle
your old shower hose and use it as a skirt?

I'm sorry, but if I saw a man skipping
down the street in this plume,
there would be only one explanation: GAY

I don't even think ultimate star wars fans would go this far. . . .

Imagine getting on the metro in this bad boy:

Come on lady, put some clothes on.
You are not a beetle.

I have no words. . . .

And finally, this one takes the cake.
Where do I start?
Hair? Collar? Goldfish woobies (as Sophie would say)?

I think I'll stick with Target and Old Navy. This designer stuff is way too "out there" for me.

I am hearing cupboards repeatedly slam shut. This is my cue to stop wasting my time online and go monitor my children. OK BYE!

Quick update: my children were using my prized bath and body handsoaps, shipped from the states, to "wash" toys, bedding, walls, and furniture. It pays to get off the computer and spend time with your children--anything to halt their little creative ideas that are big NO NO's!

She's all smiles!

2009-05-31T16:55:00.000-07:00

We finally figured out exactly who Boo looks like:

It's all in the gummy smile!

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

We always love the days Shaun is home from work--I look at it as an opportunity to have a break, the kids are excited to have a playmate for the day, and Shaun is all about sleeping in, playing guitar, checking out all his fave conservative guys online, and sleeping some more on the couch. Obviously there must be compromise, so we decided to go up the mountain and enjoy the day as a family.

We found this fun park and let the kids explore the flora and fauna with their magnifying glasses. They were engrossed looking at flowers, lizards, and insects until Shaun demonstrated how to burn objects with the glass, and from there on out my sweet explorers were like Sid from "Toy Story," trying to fry anything that moved. Naughties! Afterwards we went to the AIT pool, a private pool in a beautiful mountain setting, and had fun playing "chicken"--girls against boys. We were the only ones there and were loving it until Sadie decided enough was enough and it was time to head home. We look forward to spending as much time as possible up there this summer to escape the sweaty heat of the city--and I'm sure millions of our Chinese brothers and sisters have the same idea. . . .

Prima Ballerina

2009-05-25T06:41:00.001-07:00

We had the chance to attend Sophie's dance dress rehearsal on Saturday (missed the actual recital Sunday, but it was just as good!) This performance showed off the culmination of Sophie's ballet efforts for a year--holding hands and turning in a circle, alternately waving her arms up and down, leaping from side to side, then getting distracted and trying to catch a floating feather that had come loose from a tutu. Good job Soph! We were very proud of our prima ballerina. The only thing that distracted from our joy was her outfit--is it for a ballerina or belly dancer? I was upset with the halter top. Anywho, Sophie had a ball--we always love watching her ham it up on stage! Look at that form!

Shreddin' Buddies

2009-05-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

I've become an avid fan of "The Biggest Loser" and decided to get shredded with Jillian--it's time for the baby fat to GET LOST! I don't want to wait all year. I have my very own workout crew, as you can see. Every morning the kids and I "exercise." This involves Sophie dressing up to the nines in her '80's "hooked on aerobics" outfit, Dooby finding the perfect Richard Simmons headband, and fights between the two over over jump ropes, headbands, weights, etc. I usually end up sending them to time-out and take those few minutes of peace and quiet to get my G-A-M-E on! Sadie is happy cheering me on from her chair. So I've finished 10 days of Level 1 and just did Level 2 today. Was it rough? Let's just say I was blowing drops of sweat across the room every time I exhaled. Sophie told me that my face looked like a shiny cherry when I was done. It's not pretty, but I'm stronger than my husband and he can't stand it! He decided to try and shred the other day and cried like a baby for 2 days afterward. I think that was enough to light his fire. He'll be joining me regularly. . . . . . as soon as he can move again.

Summer "Break?" Ha!

2009-05-21T15:42:00.001-07:00

Last night I was so tired I took Gas-X instead of my b.c. pill. Probably worked out for the best anyways since I had tofu and sprouts in my dinner. I went to sink down into bed and found Boo Goo on my pillow. That's the nice term I use for Sadie's runny yellow poop that slides over every surface like an alien with tentacles. Don't ask me how it got on my pillow--all I know is that her sweet outfit went immediately into the wash with a prayer and half a bottle of shout. It has officially been one week of summer break for us, although for the life of me I don't understand why it's called a break or a vacation. It's more like a Summer Labor camp run by Mao's little red guards (my children.) It's hot and steamy in Taiwan--the kind of hot that makes you want to strip off all your wet clothes after being outside for more than 20 minutes. It's going to be a L-O-N-G summer trying to keep the kids entertained! I just got out of bed and they're already asking what we're going to do today. I don't think they appreciated my suggestion of quiet time for the entire day.

The Early Bird Gets the Spank

2009-05-11T16:07:00.000-07:00

5:30 a.m.

The vehicle of naughtiness

Direct quote from Dooby: "I really love making messes Mom!" I'm about ready to trash the stool and put a childproof lock on his bedroom door. Shaun and I have determined that in times of crisis management, we must take drastic measures. We have considered taking a page out of Mao's little red book--developing propaganda slogans to be broadcast continually over loud speaker in the home. Our favorites include:

You can't have fun 'til the work is done
It's never too late to participate
Thanks or Spanks
Be Productive, Not Destructive
Don't Play, Just Obey
Don't Fight, Do What's Right
I'm onto you like stink on poo
Don't ask why or you're gonna cry
Do your duty or I'll spank your booty

It's now 7 a.m. and Dooby is ready to hit McDonalds. I'm ready to go back to bed. Atleast, much to Shaun's chagrin, I have sweet revenge as I capture precious moments such as this:

And mark my words, it will re-surface during his teenage years. Mwa ha ha ha haaaaaa!!!!

*Just a little aside-- we don't spank our children, it's just wishful thinking. We love them dearly.

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

Shauny-baby had his creative juices flowing this weekend and composed a special poem for me on Mother's Day!

Dear Mom,

We make you cry

You feel like you might die

Yet you still make us apple pie

We make you weep

You don’t get much sleep

Yet you clean up Doobie’s peep

Messes on the ground

Loud noises all around

Yet you always can be found

We’ve driven you to your wits end

You cook, bake, patch and mend

Yet you are our bestest friend

Nothing seems to get done

The kids have you on the run

Yet you still find ways to make it fun

Dirty clothing in a pile

‘Wooba’ flowing like the Nile

Yet you do it all in style

With cracking feet

You walk a well-worn beat

Yet you never admit self defeat

In college I had no plan

I became your “China man”

Yet you’re my greatest fan

With no time to blink

Sophie’s clothed in five shades of pink

Yet you are the strongest link

Shooting pains and aching head

You’d like to paint Luke’s back-porch red

Yet you somehow see that he is fed

I speak for little Sadie-Boo

And children one and two

When I say that we love you

Happy Mother's Day 2009!

With all our love

Dad, Sophie, Lucas and Sadie

After the toaster incident Shaun goes and does something like this. . . .and TOTALLY REDEEMS HIMSELF! I was treated to a yummy breakfast with fresh fruit, eggs and ham, and mmmm--a chocolate-filled croissant. Sophie made me some fun flowers and a card that I will save for always, and I got a delicious-smelling Crabtree and Evelyn gift basket with all sorts of goodies inside, including a massage gift certificate. Yea! Shaun scored big points for the day.

The kids were all dressed super cute for church. Look at my little Boo, don't you just want to eat her???

It was fun to see Sophie waving at me from the stand in church as the primary sang a special musical number :)

I am blessed to be a mother! I love days like this. . . .

Baby Boo-Da

2009-05-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

For the Grandmas: Boo's first laugh at 2 1/2 months!

Love at Home. . . .

2009-05-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

Today Dooby had a colossal tantrum right during "crunch time"--the time where we frantically pack the diaper bag, shove shoes on feet, slick down hair, and run out the door for church 10 minutes later than we should have. He wanted to wear his inflatable crab pool floaty over his slacks, but obviously that was not going to happen so he cried, screamed, threatened that he didn't love us, and screamed some more. This continued down the elevator and in the garage as we were trying to load all 3 kids into the 3 carseats stuffed in the back of our Honda Civic. Before Shaun lost it and painted Dooby's back porch red, he offered up a quick prayer. . . ."Heavenly Father, please don't let me turn into the guy from The Shining." It worked! We laughed all the way to church.

Heeerrree's SHAUNY!

The Sneakiest Bandits of the East

2009-05-01T18:21:00.000-07:00

Sure, they may look like the sweetest siblings ever, but in the silence of the day while mommy and daddy are away, they are the naughtiest of bandits. This morning Shaun was caught up in sharing his latest discoveries on swine flu (or should I say "new flu"?) Since I tune in and out of these political rantings anyways, I noticed that it was awfully silent in the house. Hmmmmm. Then I heard Dooby gagging and immediately went to find him leaving Shaun in mid-sentence explaining some Obama analogy of a horse and the barn door. . . . And what, you may ask, did I find? A Dooby dribbling in chocolate, gagging because he had overloaded his mouth with forbidden goodness, and sweet Sophie surrounded by pieces of tinfoil demurely licking the evidence from her fingers. Apparently Dooby used his stool exploration skills to locate the case of Toblerones Shaun purchased for the women in our ward for Mothers Day. EUREKA!!! He then enlisted the help of his sister and her deft scissor skills to procure the treasure from it's "childproof" confinement, and the rest is history.

Shaun interrogated them afterwards, asking why they hadn't asked first if they could eat the chocolate, and Sophie stated emphatically, "I did, I asked Casper the Friendly Ghost and he said we could!!" Dooby has walked around all morning singing a little diddy from his "Backyardigans" show ---"We know. . .what . . .we . .. want. . .. We know. . . what . . . .we . . . .don't. . . .want, so give us. .. .what we want!"

Sadie is 3 months now, time is flying! She is our little spittle bug, slurping in a sea of froth. Her latest achievements include blowing spit bubbles, giggling, fake-crying, and reaching for objects. She is at the stage where we think "aaahh yes, THIS is why we had another baby!" She's the sweetest thing ever!

Life in the Fast Lane

2009-04-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was quite eventful. I put up a link titled "April 2009" for pictures of the following:

We hosted our annual Easter Egg Hunt/party on Saturday and had over 30 kids participate. This year we held it at a church building, which was wise because there's NO WAY we could have accommodated all the families in our apartment. Sophie and Lucas had a great time with their friends doing crafts, eating candy (forget about all the yummy food everyone brought--candy and doritos for them), and playing games. Our little flirt Sophie was introduced to the joys of kissing tag and took to it like a fish to water. As we were driving home that evening I asked the kids what their favorite part of the party was. I expected them to say something about the egg hunt, however Sophie exclaimed without hesitation "Evan!" Evan is a cute little red-headed 6 yr old in our ward. She then confided that she was trying to kiss him, which led to a talk from Mom and Dad about only kissing your husband when you get married in the temple. She countered with "how about I'll start kissing when I'm a teenager?" to which Shaun emphatically answered "NO!" She has him worried already. . . .

Sunday we blessed Sadie in church. It was nice to reflect on our 3 major blessings from the Lord since moving to Asia--our little nuggets which require lots of love and care, but are totally worth it. I saw an article describing a study that "proved" marital happiness decreases when children are introduced into the family. Sure, you can barely say 2 sentences to your spouse at the end of the day because you're so exhausted, and you get stressed out with the major mess that spreads like wildfire in a hot wind, and you don't have that tanned gym body anymore, and you eat cold macaroni off the kids' plates instead of going out for a romantic dinner, but there's a whole new dimension of joy that comes from raising children. I remind myself that we pleaded and begged for this for several years, and now we are in the thick of it.

So, I turned 34 a few days ago. I'm grateful for friends who helped me celebrate during playgroup with beautiful flowers, Thai take-out and cake-- Shaun was admittedly nervous when he heard what they'd done because he knew they had one-upped him! That evening for my birthday dinner we ate separately, whenever we could grab a bite. Shaun threw the 2 older kids in bed and we held Sadie for hours until she finally stopped crying and passed out. And then, in the quiet late hours of the night, we celebrated with candle-laced ding-dongs that Mom sent. She knew there would be no time for cake! Shaun gave me a . . . .wait for it. . . . .toaster from the grocery store. I debated whether or not to send Shaun to the doghouse for giving a lame husband gift.

In his defense, he said he just thought I might like to "toast something" since we needed a toaster, and meant it as a joke (ha ha.) He's taking me out on Saturday for lunch and shopping at the Jade market (with Sadie strapped to me, of course, but I am still looking forward to it!)

All in all, life is good. Yes, we are tired, we are out of shape, the house is dirty, and the kids reign over us, but we wouldn't trade it for anything--snuggling a tiny 9 pound baby, laughing at the antics of our overly-imaginative 4 year old, taking advantage of the photo-ops our toddler presents to us as he potty-trains. Every day is meaningful!

Vomit and Cupcakes

2009-03-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a song for you Barbra Streisand: "Vomit, pressed between the sensors in my nose, all that multi-colored vomit, on the rug, couch, and my clothes. . . ."

Last week was quite the week. Shaun characterized it as the most trying time of our married life. I don't know if I would go that far, but the stench of vomit can overpower all reason. Sophie came down with the stomach flu late one night--it's funny how vomit appears like the destroying angel in the night, when the kids are asleep and too incoherent to do anything but just spew where they lay. 24 hours and several loads of wash later, Sophie recovered and Dooby started throwing up every 1/2 hour for about 8 hours--on the shag rug, in his bed, etc. After cleaning it up the first 2 times, Shaun joked "that's it, I'm out!" (by the way, his shirt appropriately says "I'd rather be waterboarding.")

Little did Shaun know he would be curled up on the end of Dooby's little bed all night so that at any hint of movement he could force Dooby's head down into a pan. Anything to do some damage control. Dooby had it pretty rough, and I couldn't help because I was unfortunate enough to develop sympathy for his plight first-hand. Talk about memories pressed between the pages of my mind-- kneeling before the porcelain throne brought back all those "happy" memories of my 3 pregnancies. The good news is that sweet Sadie and Shaun (surprisingly enough, considering he was the clean-up crew) were spared this nasty bug. The bad news is Dooby kept throwing up off and on for a whole week. We went through a big Costco-sized container of bleach. We finally took him to the Dr, where he got some powder to help his stomach digest food, and he's been great ever since.

This leads into my next topic: Cupcakes. Dooby for a whole week lived on a diet of toast and crackers, something that is extremely difficult for a little boy who loves his food. He threw fits trying to get some mac and cheese, but we would not budge. After keeping down his food for the entire weekend, I decided to let up on the food ban and make some cupcakes for family night. Dooby was in heaven! The next morning, I awoke to Dooby's sweet voice saying "Mommy, I love u0000." "I love you too Dooby!" Then I opened my eyes and saw the pink frosting smeared all over his angelic face. He knew he was in trouble, and was trying to soften the blow. After further investigation, we found the stool in kitchen, lid off the cupcake tupperware, crumbs and a cupcake wrapper on the couch, and pink frosting smeared all over the window. Apparently Dooby had decided to have a morning snack while he welcomed the day, eating his cupcake in peace and quiet on the back of the couch while he watched the sun rise over the valley of Taipei. No wonder it was so quiet! No wonder we didn't have him trying to pull us out of bed at 6 a.m.! The saga continues. This morning I was feeding Sadie at 5 a.m. I hear Dooby's door open, and here he comes trudging to the kitchen with stool in hand. He didn't know I was up, and I quietly watched as he placed the stool next to the counter and deftly opened the tupperware of cupcakes. Just as he had his hot little hands on the treasure, I startled him "Dooby! What are you doing??" "I'm doing nothing Mom." I have tried to explain that we don't eat cake for breakfast, and all morning he has continued to ask me for a cupcake. I explain that he can have one after lunch, and so each time he eats (the kid has the appetite of a sumo wrestler--it's 8:30 and he's had a banana, ham and eggs, cereal, and toast) he asks for the cupcake. He is not going to let up. It's a battle of wills.

Sadie is almost 2 months old now! We love her more every day. She smiles and coos, and is starting to sleep for longer stretches at night. As her face gets rounder, we are starting to see signs of both Sophie and Dooby in her features. I still think she looks like a Shaun-baby.

Addendum: After finishing this post, I went to see what Dooby was up to. He had finally procured his beloved cupcake while his mother was distracted at the computer. Dooby has the last laugh.

And Then There Were 5. . . .

2009-02-19T17:29:00.000-08:00

Our little love is here! Sadie Maureen Hedquist was born January 28 at 7:30 p.m. She is a tiny little bird at 6 lbs and as sweet as can be. What a joy! Click the links on the side of our blog to see pictures and video.

Strong Like Bull!

2009-01-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Year of the Ox! No baby news yet. . . .I have to say that although I wanted to deliver earlier, I am relieved that our baby will NOT be a rat-baby. I'm sure rats have some good qualities, but aesthetically it just wasn't working for me. Who wants their sweet baby girl to be labeled as a rat? I'd rather have her be "strong like bull!" According to Sophie's school lessons, the ox is patient, a good listener, and inspires others with calm assuredness. Doesn't this sound more like the qualities little Suzy Q is going to inherit from her parents?

This 3rd pregnancy has really kicked my butt in the end. In fact, when prompted to clean her room or take off her shoes, Sophie has taken to saying "I can't, I have a tummy ache and can't bend over." Hmmm, where did she learn that from?? I am one round mound of rebound, and pretty uncomfortable at this point. Shaun laughs at me as I try to get up and move after being down for a while. Last night after watching an episode of the office, I rolled off the couch and started to walk when suddenly there was a small earthquake. Shaun joked that it was me causing all that trembling and shaking--nice, so I'm an elephant (he got in minor trouble for that remark.)

The kids are having fun celebrating CNY--Sophie made a dragon and other fun crafts for her party at school, and Lucas got to don one scary mask at Kindermusik! We took the kids to see Madagascar 2 yesterday, and then afterwards went to a park to get them running around and tired for bed. Lucas found a discarded firework stick on the ground and was thrilled with his discovery. He lugged it all the way from the park to a pizza joint, where I made him put it outside the door under the guise that he couldn't take it in. True to my hopes, he forgot about it. . . .until we were home and then he had a FIT! He woke up this morning whining over and over again that he wanted to go to the pizza store to get his firework. My goodness. He must be getting older--his memory is way too good. To save my sanity I assured him that Shaun would take him to the firework store today to get a new one. Now he is torturing Shaun in bed. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

I will be induced Wed. or Thurs. at this point--it's coming quickly. I can't wait to meet our newborn daughter! We will take lots of pictures and send along news soon!

. . .And a Hairy New Year??!!

2009-01-11T03:26:00.002-08:00

On New Years day we went to the National Palace Museum, a treasure-trove of Chinese artifacts so old it boggles the mind. Unfortunately, thousands of our Chinese brothers and sisters had the same idea that very day and what added to the frenzy--free admission! Sophie was bent on seeing a Chinese mummy, (as some of you know she is an "ancient expert," dealing mainly in mummies and dinosaurs) however after trying to maneuver our way through the crowds with two toddlets in tow, we were unsuccessful in finding any preserved bodies (or at least an ancient jade burial suit) so instead took the kids quickly through the children's museum exhibit. Poor Sophie, she was extremely disappointed and tried to console herself with the idea that we would take a family trip to Egypt instead to visit the mummies.

Afterwards, Dooby requested "dump-o-lings" so we swung by a neighborhood noodle restaurant for lunch. They have their chefs on display in the doorway using knives to shave noodles from freshly-made dough into a beef and tomato broth. Good stuff. It was delicious, so I was surprised at Shaun's apparent distaste. After downing our meal and getting ready to leave, I noticed a scary-looking clump of long wet black hair, reminiscent of "The Ring," surrounded by a napkin on one of our plates. What??? Apparently Shauny baby had discovered more than he bargained for when digging through the noodles with his chopsticks. After promptly removing the sodden clump of hair, he looked on as I obliviously fed our sweet children the noodles which had mingled and danced with hair in the broth. Shaun pointed out that we've probably unknowingly consumed worse things in our food during our 6 years in China. I'm sure he's right. I'm doubtful, however, that I'll ever want to go back to this particular eating establishment. It was a hairy experience, but I'm happy to report we survived.

Little girl-baby is considered to be full-term at this point (37 weeks) but is staying put for the time being. Everyone is always asking Shaun if he will give her a Chinese name, so today he thought of a great one--it even goes along with the letter "S." Sze Ling Hedquist.

. . . .and a Happy New Year!

2008-12-29T21:27:00.000-08:00

Alright, I've missed the Christmas card deadline. And yes, I know, it's been quite a while since I've posted. Is visiting the U.S., dealing with 13 hour time changes, being 9 months pregnant, and preparing for Christmas a good excuse? I hope so, because that's all I've got! Everything else just amounts to good old laziness. That, and the fact that Shaun received the computer game "warcraft" for Christmas and I didn't have access to the computer for a good 5 days. That might've been a mistake on my part. . . . but no worries, baby will be here soon and warcraft will be as good as gone!

This year it sure didn't feel like Christmas in Taipei, with temperatures in the mid-70's and no signs of the holiday around town. I did hear that bus drivers were dressing like Santa, but somehow that didn't cut it for me. I wanted the music, the lights, the decorations, the snow, the shopping mayhem! We were able to participate in a community Nativity pageant with members of our church, which helped us to feel the Christmas spirit. Shaun was a wise man and Sophie did a great job singing in the choir! I'll post a video link of her performance--Sophie is the one on the front row that takes control of the microphone, the one you hear above all others :) The nativity is held yearly in the amphitheater of a local park, and several hundred Chinese attend. Quite a bit of work, but everyone enjoys putting it on for the locals here to show them what Christmas is really about.

We were able to spend both Christmas Eve and Christmas night with friends. It was nice to have company and enjoy friendship in the absence of family. We had a fun drawn-out Christmas morning. Each present had to be opened, put together, and played with for a good length of time before moving on to the next present. This was the first time Sophie actually remembered it was Christmas when she woke up in the morning, and boy oh boy did she make sure we got out of bed to see what Santa brought! She never gave Santa a good indication of what she wanted this year--her desires ranged from a jack-in-the-box, to an ice-cream maker, to a Strawberry Shortcake doll with long hair for styling and a head that opened up to study the brain and eyes. Santa decided to bring her roller skates instead, and later we overheard Sophie telling her friends "I didn't even tell Santa what I wanted, but he knew exactly! It was magic! Isn't that cool?" Of course she had to put on the skates and associated gear right away, and after she had cruised through the apartment a few times, she exclaimed "This is the happiest day of my life!!!"

Lucas had just one request for Santa--a "footballie", and that's exactly what he got. He's been lugging it around ever since. That boy loves his pigskin. It's a hoot to watch Shaun relive his boyhood as he plays slow-motion football with Doobie.

Shaun successfully stayed out of the doghouse this year by ordering from my wishlist at Amazon.com. We debated this though--should a husband be placed in the doghouse if he doesn't think of the gifts himself and has to get ideas from his wife???

Shaun and I got sick the day after Christmas and spent our remaining vacation lying around the house while the kids tore it apart. You'll see from the pictures what happens when children aren't monitored at our house. Yesterday we kept finding clumps of Sophie's hair on her shirt, the floor, in her food, washing her hair in the shower, and for the life of us we just couldn't figure out what was going on. Shaun started to freak out and did a major online search for hair loss in children. He gave me a long talk about malnourishment and the importance of vitamins, and recommitted himself to monitoring Sophie's food intake. Later that evening, we found scissors on the floor of Sophie's room, next to a nicely sliced lock of hair. Upon further inspection, we noticed that Sophie had several short "tweety-bird" hairs sticking up at the crown of her head. Oh. So now the scissors are banished.

You may view pictures of all of the mentioned activities by clicking on the link under "see us live--pics Dec 2008" I hope this counts as our Christmas card, 'cause this is what you're getting!!! We love you all and miss you! Have a wonderful New Year and you'll hear from us soon regarding little Sister Sue!!!

Who do you look like?

2008-10-10T06:17:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while we get something good in our spam mail. This one made us a laugh--some of the look-a-likes are right on! Shaun's favorite is Eddie Van Halen/Crazy Cat Lady, and mine is a tie between Clay Aiken/Chucky and Donatella Versace/Janice the muppet!

What to do during a typhoon

2008-09-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

What does your family do when you are caged up like animals for 3 full days? We just spent Saturday, Sunday, and Monday holed up in our apartment as a typhoon passed over the island. This is the second one this season and we are already nearing our wits end trying to figure out how to keep entertained. For Shaun, that's a no-brainer: sleep. Sophie's bed is his favorite locale.

For the kids, it's a little more complicated. They've assimilated the term "I'm bored" into their vocabulary. Sophie taught it to Doobie. There's only so many things you can do:

Play dress-up:

Have "cooking class", a flavorite Sophie past-time:

Get snuggly and watch movies:

And last but not least, get crafty!

Needless to say we were relieved to get back to our routines today, although Sophie wished for another typhoon day once she saw Shaun had gone to work :( Oh well, there's always the next typhoon, forecast for this coming weekend. . . . .

Sophie-isms

2008-09-21T00:49:00.000-07:00

Sophie came home from primary today with a list of her talents. Apparently, she's super talented at being a princess! At church the primary chorister made a comment to me about the random sayings that come out of Soph's mouth and how fun they are. As Shaun and I sat having a conversation with Sophie during quiet time this afternoon, we noted several "Sophie-isms" that needed to be jotted down:

1. "Daddy, you have rat-breath...., but I still love you!"
2. "I am going to have a girl named princess-ribbon-diamond, and a boy named John Jr."
3. "When I grow up, I want to be a butterfly, not a moth, because butterflies live in the summer and are beautifuller."
4. "'Yeddie' is Spanish for a kid that lives in an igloo." Maybe random, maybe true. We'll have to consult Dora on that one.

Our enlightenment period with Sophie came to an end this afternoon as Shaun slipped into a lazy slumber on her bed. All of us can identify the signs of "Dad nap," where Dads pretend like they're playing with the kids when in actuality the kids are climbing all over them while they sleep. (I have a picture from my youth of my Dad taking the classic "Dad nap", passed out belly down on the floor, with all manner of hair clips adorning his head--maybe spit-glued because I don't think he had much hair-- and a tail of ribbons streaming down his legs.) Getting back to present day, these moments of comatose-husband bring me great pleasure and this afternoon I took the opportunity to train my young padowan learner in the ways of Daddy torture. Sophie's favorite technique involved her toy snake's forked tongue and Shaun's nostrils. She is a fast learner, and will one day surpass me in the methods of man-torture.

Sophie sure loves her Daddy and looks forward to the weekends with him. When Shaun got home from Beijing they were inseparable. Sophie would not let me near him and used her "magic" to turn me into a frog, never to kiss the prince again. She has marked her territory! Atleast she was gracious enough to tell me I could have Doobie. . . . .the diplomacy of a true princess.

Boy or Girl??

2008-08-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, the moment has arrived. The poll has closed and I know you have all been waiting with baited breath. I see that the votes for girl pulled ahead of boy by a narrow margin, although there were a few stray "monkeys" and "chinese aliens"--entirely plausible guesses as 1) I swear Shaun is part monkey, and also, as my friend pointed out, our house will feel like it's full of monkeys with 3 kids, and 2) After 6 years in Asia we have slowly morphed into Chinese aliens, atleast in Shaun's case smelling (garlic breath--yikes!) and sounding like them.

And now, drum roll please. . . . . . . Sophie and Lucas are excited to announce

Sophie is beyond ecstactic and has dubbed the fetus "Suzie." Our little Suzie Q is still causing quite the upset with my system, but everything should settle down very soon!

The Bald Biting Man

2008-08-02T17:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was talking to Shaun when he divulged that he has a spa in his hotel. Taking full advantage of this little perk, he had gotten a foot massage the first day he was there. This triggered the memory of a recent dream I'd had:

Sophie and I were wandering down the alleyways of some strange foreign land looking for Shaun. We came to a hotel and knew Shaun was inside, but couldn't find him as we ran down the hallways. There was imminent danger behind us, an urgency that we find Shaun in time so he could save me from the Bald Biting Man. I finally spotted Shaun behind a glass door, wrapped in a white robe and getting a massage. I called to him, screaming that I was about to be attacked, but he didn't respond. He just laid there groaning and moaning as the masseuse worked his back. At last the Bald Biting Man was upon me, gnawing up and down my arm with fury. I finally managed to fend him off and get inside the room with Shaun. I was angry and asked him why he didn't come to my rescue. He replied that his body was jello and he was just too comfortable and zoned out to move.

You don't have to be Freud to figure out this dream, given our family's current situation. Shaun is out of town for a month, enjoying his travels, and I am here alone in Taiwan with the kids. Shaun replied that he totally understood the dream, all but one thing: who was the Bald Biting Man??? Without hesitation, I replied "Dooby."

Lil' Shrimpie

2008-08-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it's been over a month since my last post. You figure loafer-itis has set in again at the Hedquist household. I suppose it has, but it's a symptom of something far greater than just laziness. Any guesses? I've dropped clues. . . .recipe of the week that rears it's ugly head at the porcelain throne, huge aversion to anything stinky (Shaun's breath), dr's appt. . . . that's right, I have a lil' shrimpie in my belly! I'm 14 weeks at this point, and even found out yesterday during the sonogram that we are having a little. . . .

. . . . no, I think I'll keep that a secret for a little while longer. What torture for my mom! Take the poll and later I'll reveal whether or not you're right! We're doing just great, other than that nasty thing called morning sickness which usually visits on and off during the day, and Shaun being gone for a month. We're super excited most days for another snuggly nugget, although sometimes we wonder whether we can really handle it. In fact, when I went in to grab prenatal vitamins at the pharmacy, Lucas was screaming as he tried to escape the cart, and Sophie was running around grabbing all the toys to throw them into the cart, and the pharmacist just looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe we are. Crazy in love with our kids. It's a happy time!

Our Dear Dad

2008-06-26T22:27:00.001-07:00

With all of the silly things I say about Shaun on my blog, I thought I should take a minute to pay him homage post-fathers day. We're so glad that he's our Dad!

We had a nice celebration for Shaun on father's day. The absolute best thing was that both kids fell asleep on the way home from church and stayed asleep when we put them in their beds. This rare Sunday nap opportunity was like pure gold. As Shaun drew the curtains and climbed under the covers (as he does on many Sundays until the kids climb on him and he is dragged from bed) he stated that there could be no better present. We both drifted away into a luxurious mid-afternoon sleep, until suddenly "I DID IT!" and again, "I DID IT!" "I DID IT!" This statement penetrated our dreams and forced us from our sleep as we realized it was Sophie, on the toilet, yelling for us. This is her version of Shaun's childhood phrase "COME WIPE ME!" And just to prove what a good Dad Shaun is, he was the one who got up to help Sophie. He's such a good dolly and I don't think there's any other dad who plays with his kids more than Shaun. I went out this morning for a dr's appointment and when I came home the house was a complete mess, Sophie was wearing her wet swimsuit from yesterday with angel wings and had not yet had breakfast. I commented that if Shaun was a teenage girl babysitting our kids, he would get the minimal pay for his work. He replied that he is free, so I guess I have no complaints with that. He's a power player! We love our Dad!

From the mouths of 2 witnesses. . . . .

2008-06-15T19:12:00.001-07:00

A few days ago Shaun went to a middle-eastern restaurant for lunch with some co-workers. When he got home, I established the rule that he had to stand atleast 3 ft away from me. The dragon breath wafting from his mouth was unbearable. He didn't believe it was that bad, so he blew in Sophie's face and asked her what his breath smelled like. Without any hesitation, she answered "garbage" (keep in mind that our garbage contains poopy diapers that sit in a hot steamy room for a couple days before going out.) The pure innocent truth, with no prompting from me. After that, he understood that he'd better just crawl into a hole and be by himself for about a day. Poor Shauny baby, banished from his own family. At times, that boy's breath can compete with the best of them (taxi drivers with garlic halitosis that fills the cab and makes you dry heave when you get in.) In Shaun's defense, it's the food here--the garlic that has lodged itself deep down in his body. I need someone to send us some strong altoids!

Hot Steamy Goodness

2008-06-08T00:43:00.001-07:00

After bordering on shop-a-holic in Beijing, I have drastically cut back in Taiwan--mostly because things are more expensive and they don't have the fabulous knock-off markets here. However, the other day I found a treasure that I just couldn't pass up:

We've adopted the theme "Hot Steamy Goodness" as our family motto. It describes almost any situation in our home: tuna casserole for dinner 3 nights in a row, Doobie's stanky diaper, a hot dog (Sophie's definition), Shaun in the shower, the list just goes on and on. We will bestow this shirt on one lucky little boy--we're thinking that it's appropriate for Carson Jones, as he is a sweet little spongeboy and Spongebob is a beloved family member already. It's perfect. We're just disappointed it didn't also come in adult sizes for Matt Lyon.

I love to hear little snippets of Sophie's life in primary. Her teacher told me today that they were discussing temples during the lesson. Sophie announced that when she grows up she is going to be a princess, and marry her prince in the temple where they'll share love's true kiss. Atleast her comment was somewhat related to the lesson! I was relieved to hear that she didn't mention a) that Daddy is her prince and they have already shared love's true kiss, or b) her alternative to Daddy is marrying Prince Eric in the ocean ("The Little Mermaid" for those out of the Disney movie loop.)

In other news, I got my hair cut! Finally. It's short, but Shaun has made some nice comments so I think it's okay. With the heat zapping all my energy these days, I figured I either need to lose the kids or my hair. The kids are still here. Alrighty, Shaun is pleading for help. He believes he gets to take a nap this Sunday afternoon and has drawn the dark curtains in our room and disappeared under the covers. Sophie is singing "Straw-buh-buh-buh-buh-berry Shortcake" at the top of her lungs and demanding he get out of bed. I'm having fun listening to her torture. I don't think I'll intervene.

Movin' and Shakin'

2008-06-02T22:41:00.001-07:00

Last night we awoke to our bed repeatedly bumping up against the wall. . . . no, not that you naughties, an earthquake! Because our building is so tall and narrow, this 6.0 earthquake really shook us. It was noisy too as the ground rumbled and the windows rattled. With the Sichuan China earthquake on our minds, we were instantly in the kids rooms, gathering them up while they slept to take them to a safer area. The earthquake was over quickly and we only experienced one casualty, discovered the next day: Sophie's fish was thrown from it's tank and died a slow torturous death on the carpet that night. It's stiff rigor mortis body received a proper funeral in the toilet while Sophie watched it slowly swish around the tank as it was carried off to a better place.

The sweet little terrible 2 yr old

2008-06-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Dooby has been acting like a 2 yr-old for some time and last week we finally made it official! He had a little party with his playgroup friends on Wednesday and received lots of fun little treasures. He had the biggest smile on his face when his candle-lit icecream sandwich was presented to him while everyone sung happy birthday! I discovered right at that moment that the camera was out of batteries, but like a good mom I got video so I'll post that on our yahoo videos. On Friday the 30th, his actual b-day, he awoke to find a treat poster on his door. Yea! Sophie graciously helped herself as well. It was all gone 15 minutes later. . . .

B-day morning was not fun for the doob-man, although he was very patient and supportive at Sophie's little modeling job ("jie jie, smile!"):

When Shaun got home from work we all went out to Dooby's favorite eating establishment--McDonalds! Yea!

Dooby ate a few bites of his burger, played with some little Chinese friends, and threw a fit. We headed home for cake and presents from the family. Thanks Grandmas and Grandpas! He loves everything! Dooby thoroughly enjoyed all of the attention he got (although it made Sophie quite jealous) and now knows what it is to have a birthday! Sophie cannot wait for hers :)

Swimsuit vs. Swimcap

2008-06-01T21:37:00.000-07:00

Over the memorial day weekend we took a high-speed train down to Kenting, on the southern tip of the island, to play. It was absolute craziness on Saturday and Sunday. There was a McDonalds convention in our hotel, a live karaoke band playing each night right outside our room, and Asians in speedos swarming the beach (Shaun was absolutely disgusted with the french cut on a man.) Need I say more?? Sunday, in keeping with the kids' schedule, we got up super early, ate a quick breakfast, and took the kids to a great aquarium where we toured a sunken ship, visited penguins, and watched beluga whales. The aquarium had several outdoor water play areas for the kids, so we spent the majority of the day there. Just to make sure the kids were super tired and ready for bed, we took them to the hotel's arcade for an hour before bed. That did the trick for all of us, and we slept through the loud karaoke music like babies that night.

By Monday, the crowds had cleared and we were able to enjoy the pools and beach in relative peace. So which item is more important to you in the pool--swimsuit or swim cap? Americans would probably answer swimsuit. Apparently, for the Chinese it's the swim cap. At the pool, little kids were swimming naked, but they had swim caps on (hallelujah!) We got in trouble for not donning swim caps, so we went down to the hotel store and bought the most obnoxious colors we could find. Shaun flaunted his bright orange swim cap for all to see at the pool (classic example of his passive-aggressive way of dealing with conflict.) People were bursting out in spontaneous laughter as he passed by, so I guess he made his point that swim caps look stupid. btw: if you want a close-up of Shauny-baby in his swimsuit, just click on the picture!

Dooby had a great time getting as muddy as he could on the beach while Sophie flitted around burying us in the sand. Shaun found several hermit crabs on the beach, and of course, he brought them back and dumped them all out on the hotel bed to examine them with the kids. I eventually made him throw them out the window. Trying to avoid the Chinese dinner buffet, we found a great Tex-Mex restaurant called Smokey Joe's right next to the hotel. Yum! Shaun was in heaven with his bbq chicken and rib platter. It's true that meat is a man's pleasure food! We haven't had good restaurant food from home for a long time, so it was a real treat. We ate there twice for dinner. The trip home was uneventful, other than trying to keep Dooby from throwing things over the seat or Sophie from constantly putting the tray up and down on the seat in front of her. The kids (and Shaun) had melt-downs, but we can all laugh about it now. We realize that these are get-aways more than vacations and we definitely had fun!

Loafer of the Century

2008-05-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

Back in the days of our blossoming love, Shaun wooed me in the springtime on the grass. It was a forbidden pleasure--forbidden because we chose grass over class. We'd lounge on the fresh grass, letting the sun shine down on us while we flirted, listened to music, and pretended we didn't have a care in the world. We had a special term for this type of behavior--LOAFING. We borrowed it from President Hinckley, who had encouraged the student body in a devotional not to loaf, but to work hard with a purpose. We were BYU rebels--we lounged on the grass (Cougars don't cut corners!!!) and we loafed.

I haven't been in touch with family or friends for 3 months--I am still a LOAFER. I guess some things never change. In those precious quiet moments at the end of the day, there's nothing I would rather do than read a book, watch an episode of American Idol or the Office on the computer, or flip through the TV. What is wrong with me? Of course, there are many things I should be doing--exercising, scripture study, meaningful conversation with my spouse, projects, cleaning, etc, but still the desire to loaf cripples my motivation to do anything meaningful. Are all parents of young children challenged by this, or is loafing in my very make-up? Shaun and I hold loafer's anonymous meetings at midnight, as we discuss all of the things that we should do and need to do but don't do. Last night Shaun threatened to throw all of his guitars and amps into storage. They are his loafing lovers. (I have to admit that I wanted to encourage that idea, but upon further reflection I realized that he would just wander around the house bored, bugging me as I tried to read :) So, I apologize for this mental lapse of judgement and will make a renewed effort to rise above the loaf-- atleast for today.

I will now give the quarterly report for the Hedquist family:

March

*Went by myself to Hong Kong for a Women's Conference. It was so refreshing to actually listen uninterrupted to speakers, go to the temple, and play with my girlfriends. Shaun was left at home with the kids, where they reportedly wiped the floor with him. A little glimpse: Sophie peed in her chair at McDonalds while Dooby threw a fit because his diaper was used to mop it up. Who would've loved to be a fly on the wall then??? Shaun did a great job though--the children were clean and dressed, the house was clean, and dinner was on the table when I got home. Yea for Shaun! Now I know he can handle babysitting more often:)

*Hosted a fun Easter Egg hunt/dinner for our kids friends and their families. It was a blast, but a bit tight with 30+ people crammed into our apartment. Everyone brought yummy food and the kids had fun playing together. Every toy we owned needed to be put away afterwards :) I think we'll tone it down next year, but the kids sure had fun!

April

*My Mom came to visit! I had someone mothering me for a change! It was 10 days of bliss. We took the kids to the zoo, amusement park, "Horton hears a Who," Taipei 101, toy store, parks, restaurants, all the toddlet-friendly hot-spots. On my birthday (33!) I slept in, read for a while in a steaming bath, had yummy meals prepared for me, and didn't even have to make my own cake! Thanks Mom! Of course, we always go through depression when family leaves, and it was very hard to say goodbye. These are the times when I accuse Shaun of removing me from my family, and he reminds me of the scripture where it talks about cleaving to your spouse.

*Sophie's preschool did a musical performance at the International School's spring fair. Sophie did a great job singing and dancing, and of course, we got it on tape. Our favorite part is her bum-bumping rendition of thunder. Check it out on our videos!

I don't remember anything else about April. It went by in a blur.

May

*Mother's Day festivities started on Friday at Sophie's school. They sang some sweet songs, recited the "roses are red" rhyme, and made us a pancake breakfast. Sophie made a sweet little card and flower craft which she proudly presented to me. It was a lot of fun!

On Sunday Shaun and the kids gave me a wonderful Mother's Day. Shaun made breakfast (chocolatey pastries from the bakery chosen by little Sopher with some fruit thrown in for good measure.) They gave me a beautiful pendant with the Chinese characters for "Mother," and Shaun made a yummy Italian dinner and cake for us. Wow Shaun! Didn't know you were so domesticated. I'll be taking advantage of this more in the future. I didn't even have to do the dishes.

Sophie is done with preschool for the summer. They had a great graduation/spring recital program for the parents. Sophie was turkey-lurkey in the play and did an excellent job hopping and strutting around the stage.

She's a big girl and loves to practice writing her letters, draw bugs, dance, and play dress-up. She has been using her princess status with Daddy to try and manipulate him into buying her a kitty. He got her some fish. After spending a week trying to keep the kids' fingers out of the fish tank, the excitement dwindled and her yearning for a real pet kitty has returned full-force. It will be interesting to see whether or not she can wear down Shaun's resolve never to keep a pooping animal in the house.

Sophie likes to remind me that she is "a big girl in life--she growed up to be 4!!" It amazes us how fast time flies. With the approaching 4th birthday, Sophie has perfected the art of ignoring our calls and dawdling when it's time to pick up toys, so the "fire ant" (a nice little sting on the rear end!) has been introduced as an incentive to keep her hoppin'. Who ever thought I'd re-enact my Dad's discipline measures--especially such torturous things as the fire ant?? I have to say though, it really works! Just the mention of it sends her scurrying into action. Shaun promised Sophie that we would do a family trip to Hong Kong Disney in July for her birthday. She is so excited, especially after seeing pictures of cousins Julia and Kyndal enjoying themselves there! She reminds us every day that we are going on July 25th. Sophie just got her hair cut short for the summer. I actually want to chop mine off, so I thought I'd try it out first on Sophie :) Shaun was not too thrilled. . . although he hasn't said it outright, I think his comments of having 2 boys, Sophie with her "doggy ears", etc. are packed with meaning.

Lucas. . .what to say? He is at present the very epitome of naughtiness. He screams "NO!" at everything, pushes little kids at the playground, gets into everything off-limits, and throws fits at the hint of not getting his way. I guess this is our reality of a 2 yr-old son. Of course he still has his moments of sweetness. He loves to snuggle mommy, totes his blankie around, and gallantly acts as Sophie's prince when Daddy is away.

His obsessions have drifted from foilet to “ball-ie, phone-ie, and money.” Notice in his picture that he is clutching a little bouncy ball and a coin as he eats his meal?? I think the ball obsession must be in his very make-up after hearing a description of Matt Hedquist as a child. It’s in the genes. At the playground he has to be on the basketball court with his “ball-ie”—not the swings, slides, or tunnels. No way, that stuff’s for babies. At home it’s constantly about tossing the ball to each other, or just chasing after it if no one is available to play. He points out balls in books and movies. He also has to have Shaun’s cell phone at all times. It’s a wonder that we haven’t lost it when we’re out and about. That thing is in his clutch at all times—mostly used to call Grandma.

Not-so-little Dooby keeps us busy as he’s discovered the stool and it’s many uses. Sometimes we’ll find him drenched with water at his bathroom sink. Sometimes I’ll find him trying on a new shade of lipstick in my bathroom. Sometimes I’m thwarting his efforts to grab knives, diced onion, and eggs off the countertop as I try to cook in the kitchen. Shaun is reminded of his childhood stool which had words painted in it that went something like “I use it every day in almost every way.”

Life is zooming by on fast-forward with our little nuggets of love. Sometimes I can go for weeks just trying to care for our family without realizing that we are living in a foreign land. Brief moments in time remind me that I am NOT in Kansas anymore, such as having the Coldstone ice-cream staff warn me that the triple chocolate delight is too sweet, or wondering why a proclaimed “Chicago-style” pizzeria has pizzas with squid, shrimp, sea cucumber, corn, and potatoes. I’m sweating profusely in April as the temperatures soar into the 90’s, and saw my children’s faces in a clothing catalog. Yes, we are still living in Taiwan.

Should Barney be Banished???

2008-02-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

The most frequently-stated words in Dooby's little vocabulary are "I want Barney." I'm sick of Barney, so this morning I banished him. I've been wondering lately--how much TV is too much for little toddlets? Obviously from the picture my children morph into complete TV zombies when it's on. All parents face the "TV babysitter" dilemma when they need to get things done. Today I decided enough is enough, and felt really good about my decision until I watched chaos explode before my eyes. If I had let the TV babysit Dooby this morning while I was trying to get ready to head out the door, he wouldn't have pulled down all the towels in our bathroom, pulled feet of "foilet" paper off the roll, played with the off-limits plunger, put little decorative rocks in the toilet, thrown clothes from my drawer all over the floor, or gotten soaked in the shower when he turned the spray on himself full-blast. I'm thinking Barney is not so bad after all.

Sample Mania

2008-02-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

I stated earlier that the lack of crowds was very refreshing in Taiwan. I lied-- about the lack of crowds that is. You can find them every weekend at Costco around the sample counters. If you think people go mad for samples in the states, you should see what mass chaos surrounds a free sausage on a toothpick in Asia. Saturday, with sick kids at home wanting juice, I braved a trip to Costco to replenish our supplies of juice and food. Because Shaun stayed at home with the kids, I figured that my child-less shopping experience would be a good one. The plan was to listen to my iPOD--the music serving a dual purpose of drowning out all noise and energizing me to breeze through the store--and get out of the store ASAP. My plan crumbled as I cruised through the main level parking, B1, B2, and even B3 without finding a spot. It took a nose dive as soon as I entered Costco and my iPOD died. It crashed and burned at the sample counters. Being boxed in by carts and people frantic for sausage is not a pleasant experience. All shopping efforts just go to pot at the mention of free food. Needless to say, I did not breeze through the store. It took me 2 hours to push through the crowds, muttering all the while about the silliness of it all. I'll get off my soapbox now, but before I do I'll say this: DOWN WITH SAMPLES!

Happy Festivus of Lights!

2008-02-24T15:06:00.001-08:00

On the Lunar calendar, the 15th day after the Chinese New Year marks the lantern festival. We didn't experience this holiday in Beijing, but it was beautiful here in Taiwan. We went to a lantern display Friday night at the Sun Yat-sen memorial hall and were dazzled by the lights. The kids actually woke up with nasty coughs that morning, but like naughty parents we hauled them out for a night on the town anyways. They loved it and were tucked in their sweet little beds by 8:30, so it was worth it. Let me just say that the Chinese people have skills with wire and paper! The displays were done by different schools around Taipei, elementary through high school. Most were rats, signaling the year of the rat. The large main lantern shown above had hundreds of rats crawling all over it and a fantastic light show. I've been feeling a little homesick lately (mommy, are you REALLY coming in April???!!!) but Shaun pointed out that even Effingham doesn't have a Taipei 101. I had to concede on that point. We definitely have unique experiences overseas. The lantern show was "the good." Samples at Costco are "the bad" and "the ugly."

A Day at the Zoo

2008-02-20T03:37:00.000-08:00

We've spent the past 3 weeks holed up in the apartment due to incessant rain, so when Shaun got Monday off for President's Day and the drizzle died down, we high-tailed it to the zoo. It was overcast and wet, but we were grateful just to be out! We didn't do much--took a small train ride, visited the elephants--because Dooby knows how to say elephant and asked for it over and over and over. . . , watched monkeys pick on each other (reminiscent of Shaun's family), and went through the insect zoo. Sophie is completely fascinated with insects and was in heaven when Shaun bought her some plastic bugs to take home. Like father (and mother!), like daughter. Dooby stayed happy trying to touch butterflies in the aviary, and later had a blast eating lunch and feeding the birds. Check out the video!

Foilet Boy

2008-02-20T03:25:00.001-08:00

Dooby's obsessions have shifted from the garbage to the toilet, specifically the flushing of "foilet" paper, as he calls it. Thank heavens his little mind hasn't figured out that just about any small object could actually fit down the toilet! He loves to carry shreds of foilet around the house in his sweaty little fist until he finds a suitable toilet to send it off to it's watery grave. Sometimes he actually forgets he has foilet in his hand and will carry it around for hours. Case in point: A few days ago, he had a muffin in one hand, and his foilet in the other. He got distracted by Daddy and popped the foilet in his mouth, and because he's a boy he actually chewed and swallowed it. MMmmm good! I'm hoping that this latest interest will lead to some actual potty time for Dooby, but I won't hold my breath.

Pu Pu Platter

2008-02-06T23:14:00.000-08:00

Many of you claim to envy our access to Chinese food. Mmmmm boy! If you only knew. . . .We wish to enlighten you. The following menu items are from a REAL restaurant here:

Wood flower picks sea cucumber hoof
Slippery meat in king’s vegetables pillar
Szechwan fragrant celery type fries cow silk
Benumbed hot huang fries belly silk
Fresh bulb lily celery west fruit in eyes
Fragrant spring onion sauce explodescow son
Fragrant bone in garlic in strange flavor
Big bowl flavor vegetables pig livings bowel
Salty egg vegetable sponge liver pig soup
Chicken ear an ear jade liquid geng
Strange Flavour of inside Freasure

And for a “dilicious snack”: Cowboy leg beautiful pole

You know I didn't make these up, because the extent of my creativity with a Chinese food item is "pu pu platter." I have to admit we've never had the preasure of dining on freasure, but we've seen the menu and know it exists! Now the goal is to find out what in the world it is.

Yesterday we tried to visit several different Chinese restaurants in the hopes of ringing in the New Year with an authentic Chinese feast (or atleast as authentic as dumplings.) We were thwarted at every turn--everything was closed so people could spend time at home with family members. Everything, that is, but the good ol' standby: MY-DON-LAUS! What better way to celebrate than by feasting on a cheesa-hambaw and flies! Dericious food, plus a cheap plastic toy (which frustrates the heck out of us because we can't understand the drawn instructions on how to play with it) fully satisfied the kids. It left the adults in the family lacking (Lori), but somehow, someway I WILL ring in the Chinese New Year with that yummy--or atleast as yummy as I can hope for-- Chinese feast.

It's been pouring rain for the past week which means we've been stuck at home. We are all going a little stir-crazy, especially because Shaun has the whole week off and we should be playing! Sophie and I have devised a new game called "Torture Daddy!" and Shaun has resigned himself to "Smackdown" and "Pac-man" on PS2. It better stop raining soon.

Sophie's preschool had a Chinese New Year family day and we had a lot of fun listening to stories about the zodiac rat, making dumplings, and watching the kids do a dragon dance. That may be our excitement for the holiday, but stay tuned and I'll post any new developments! Maybe we'll go to a temple and watch the locals bow before their idols for money and good luck in the new year. Gong xi fa cai! May prosperity be yours this new year.

Deep Thoughts. . . .

2007-12-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

"Brains are the specialest things to hunt with."

--Sophie Elizabeth Hedquist

Ratatouille's Comin' to Town

2007-12-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

I had to take the kids downtown for shots yesterday, so afterwards we decided to grab dinner at a dumpling restaurant. Sophie calls the dumplings "witch noses" and she loves to spear them with a chopstick and then nibble them while the juicy insides drip down her shirt. MMMM good! The food was yummy and we were all enjoying our dinner when Sophie exclaimed "Hey, where's that grey Ratatouille running to?" "What?" "Ratatouille's going to the kitchen to make our dinner!" "What? Sophie, did you really see a mouse?" "Yea! That little grey mousie's cute, he's a little Ratatouille." So that pretty much curbed our appetites and ended the witch nose feast. This, combined with the previous cockroach highchair experience and a Dooby who can't grasp restaurant etiquette keeps us home most nights for dinner.

We've been gearing up for Christmas and finally put up the tree and decorations last week. It's a pity to do all that work and then only enjoy it for a couple weeks, but there just wasn't time before. Our ward has been doing a Nativity pageant for the community for the past 7 years, and each year it grows and becomes more of a production, with thousands of Chinese attending. This year I was incharge of putting together 100 costumes for the pageant. It consumed my time (although somehow I was able to read "Twilight" and "New Moon" before having to remove myself totally from my book addiction to focus.) Shaun was signed up to build/take down the set and be a wiseman, but unfortunately hurt his back and wasn't able to move at all. Somehow our little family survived this crazy time, even dealing with sickness and injury, and we were able to finally breathe again last week.

We attended Shaun's work party last week, where the kids got to see Santa and eat all the chicken nuggets they could fit into their small bellies. The highlight of our holiday festivities thus far has been Sophie's school Christmas program. I don't think they could have done this in the states, but because we don't have to deal with so much "politically correct" garbage here, we were able to enjoy a little Christmas concert by 3 yr-olds singing all the traditional carols, even "Silent Night." I was surprised that the Indian and Chinese kids participated, but I guess their parents didn't mind Christian-based songs because they want to integrate them into American language and culture. Like all good parents, we got the whole thing on tape! Sophie was dressed like a little Christmas elf with jingle bell wrists and did such a good job singing and dancing! She was thrilled when Santa showed up with a Christmas present just for her.

Just a week left to go until Christmas! We miss our family and friends and wish we could spend this special time with you. Enjoy snow, fires in the fireplace, holiday goodies, and Christmas lights for us!

Thanksgiving weekend. . . .belated updated

2007-12-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

This is a few weeks late--our little family has had fun times with illness, injury, and responsibilities up the wazoo. We are finally taking some time out to relax, put up the Christmas tree, and look forward to the holidays.

For all of my complaining before, I'd like to say that we had a fantastic Thanksgiving trip. No cooking or cleaning, just a really fun time at an Ocean Park down the coast. We took the train, which was enjoyable for Shaun--no driving, and in 3 hours time we arrived in Hualien. The hotel was in a beautiful spot on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and even though all the naked cupids were a bit hokey, the room was really nice. We spent a full day at the park watching sea lion, dolphin, and mermaid shows, taking a tram ride up the cliff through the park, and enjoying the amusement rides. Sophie in particular loved the seashell ride, a fast-spinning throw-your-guts-up type of ride which I couldn't stand. She rode each ride several times and was exhausted by the days end.

I am finding out that there are several nice things about Taiwan. The best has to be the lack of crowds that we fought through in China. It has been so relaxing to go to scenic spots or tourist destinations and not have to shoulder our way through throngs of people all trying to take pictures of the kids. Of course, the weather has been fantastic this fall (typhoons aside) after braving the horribly hot summer. Today, Dec. 12, it's sunny and 80 degrees. And you know what, even though we live on a crowded street, we get to walk everywhere to run our errands which beats driving (there's no parking) and is convenient because most places are right down the street. So, all in all life is turning out good here in Taiwan.

The Difference Between Boys and Girls

2007-11-18T23:13:00.000-08:00

Every day we see evidences that there are not just physical, but behavioral differences that distinguish boys from girls. For example, last week when Sophie threw up, she immediately backed away from it and would not go near it. The sight and smell of it offended her. Last week when Lucas threw up, he searched through it for his cookie pieces, gathered them up, slime and all, and popped them back in his mouth. Lucas also has an uncanny ability to sense when food is near. Whenever I head into the kitchen to start preparing a meal, he runs in to stand on my feet, trying to wedge himself between me and the counter, and whines for food. Not a wimpy little whine, but a demanding screechy whine that doesn't stop until there's a morsel in his mouth. Lucas also has an obsession with the garbage can. I don't know if it's the flip-up lid, or the actual garbage, but he loves it so. We had to remove it to another room off the kitchen and lock the door so he can't get in it. So my train of thought leads me to believe that boys are not like girls at all, they're like dogs. Or, if that's too vast a generalization, I'll specify by saying Lucas is just like my Grandma Pulsipher's dogs: he eats his own vomit, follows his "owner" around whining constantly for food, and raids the garbage can at any opportunity.

Lessons Learned in Asia:

2007-11-18T21:49:00.000-08:00

It's funny how things never quite turn out as expected in a foreign country, particularly an ASIAN country. Shaun had last Monday off for Veterans Day, so we kept Sophie out of preschool and decided to go for a little day trip and explore outside the city. Keeping with Jones tradition, we were totally indecisive about where we were going or what we were doing as we loaded the kids up into the car and started driving down the street. Debating back and forth, we finally took a last minute turn and ended up doing a big round-about which wasted about 1/2 hour of driving time. Lesson #1: Always know where you are going BEFORE you get in the car!

We then headed up the mountain, as the decision had been made to go over the mountains to the coast. Going 10 miles an hour, curve after curve after curve, I began to feel nauseous and Shaun's little hints about how horrible the drive was, how his butt hurt in the seat and his arms hurt from turning the wheel (you know how men exaggerate) did not sit well! What he was implying, but didn't have the guts to say, was that my decision was not the best decision. When did it become my decision to go up the mountain--was he not the one driving??? We finally arrived in Yehliu after a couple hours, and none too soon as the kids were getting antsy and mommy and daddy were slightly irritated :)

Seeing the ocean and breathing the fresh crisp air refreshed us and we all held hands and talked excitedly about what we were going to do as we walked into the big aquarium. Before leaving, we knew we only had $20 in the wallet, but figured we could use a credit card. We were a few dollars short of the admission price so Shaun approached the window and asked if they accepted credit cards. Yes--their credit card. Well dang, we didn't have an aquarium credit card and weren't going to get one, so we asked if there was an ATM. "Yes", the lady said, "that way" and pointed toward the door. I don't mean to stereotype, but Asians are the worst at giving directions. So we ask someone else once we get to the door and she tells us there's an ATM at the 7-11 across the street. Hopeful once again, we haul the kids across the parking lot reeking of fish products as we tell one solicitor after another that no, we do not want to eat in their seafood restaurant, and p.s. stop touching our kids with your fishy hands! The ATM has the visa logo, so we go ahead and put in the card, punch in the amount, and after some time, get our card back--rejected. GREAT! Lesson #2: NEVER assume that anything will work normally in an Asian country and always bring plenty of cash.

At this point we are hungry so we go back through the parking lot, past the stinky fish vendors, past the restaurant solicitors (thanks for asking us AGAIN, but no, I still don't want to eat in your seafood restaurant, especially now after seeing tanks on the street filled with alien-tentacled sea creatures) to the car to grab our packed lunch. We saw some tables inside the aquarium, so we head back inside with our lunch, sit down at the tables, and start feeding the kids. Because it's a Monday, there are no patrons at all and the place is empty which is good, we can eat in peace--or so we think. Posted on every wall is a sign in characters that says you can't bring in outside food. So we're faced with a dilemma--do we play the ignorant foreigner or obey the rules? We decide since there's no one around we'll just sit down and eat. Right away, however, we're approached by the salesperson behind the counter and told to leave. So we gather up the food and the kids, and take them back outside to eat in the car.

Inevitably, after settling in the car and getting out all the food, Sophie has to go potty, so we trudge back through the parking lot to the aquarium to the restrooms. Sophie, ever since peeing all over her clothes and her mommy after our first attempt to use a squatter, has been petrified of them and refuses to use them. Lesson #3: NEVER believe you're going to have normal toilet facilities. All this restroom has is squatters, so I take 5 minutes to calm Sophie down and assure her that everything will be okay, then we tentatively try to use a squatter (this time I hold her from behind.) She did it! What an accomplishment.

We head back through the parking lot to the car, finish our lunch, and then decide to wander through the park filled with unusual rock formations. It's a place where you have to hold on to your kids because there are cliffs and sharp rocks, so after 10 minutes of Lucas squirming to get out of my arms we give up and head down to a sandy area. Shaun finds a syringe needle in the sand. NICE! Lesson #4: Don't let your kids play on the beach in a country where medical waste is thrown in the ocean. After taking a few pictures and begging Lucas to stop putting the stick from the sand in his mouth, we decide it's time to go. Shaun then proceeds to step full-on into a nice fresh dog-poo patty, leaving us all with a lovely reminder of Yehliu.

Because the kids didn't get to see the dolphin show or the fish, we take them through the little market to choose a toy. Sophie immediately chooses 2 little plastic masks--Spiderman and Batman--her favorites whom she prays for every night. Lucas chooses a pink hello kitty phone. Funny, the gender toy preferences are mixed up with our kids. Once we're all settled in the car and Shaun has made it clear that he's not driving back up through the mountains, we head back towards Taipei. From the back, mile after mile, all we can hear is Lucas' phone which consists of a high-pitched chirping bird, a dog that barks "mary had a little lamb," and a squeaky little Chinese women who says "wei, ni hao, xiao deng" (hello, please hold.) The fun just doesn't stop! Lesson #5: Don't buy your kids Chinese toys--they are loud, annoying, and break almost instantly. Finally, after a merciless hour of nonstop hello kitty Lucas is drained and his enthusiasm for the phone wanes. He falls asleep, quickly followed by Sophie. This is the best part of the trip :)

So, we're going to attempt an aquarium trip again this coming week over the Thanksgiving holiday. If you keep trying, eventually you'll have a good time, right? We've decided to forego cooking a boat-load of food for children who won't eat it (or a mommy who will eat it all) and take a train to Hualien--the "Hawaii" of Taiwan. Of course, we're too smart to really believe that. We're staying in a hotel on a cliff overlooking the ocean, right next to ocean park. The hotel package gives us free entrance to the park, so we know we'll get in this time :) Sophie will see her dolphin show and Lucas will get to go on his little amusement park rides, so hopefully a good time will be had by all, although you never know. We'll keep you posted! In the meantime, I've put up a few new pictures of the kids to enjoy--just click on the link "recent Taiwan pics." There's also a halloween video clip. Unfortunately, we were always rushed for the Halloween festivities so we just got a brief clip of the kids at the ward party. No pictures this year :( I was almost tempted to dress them up again just to take pictures.

OUR FALL HARVEST

2007-10-31T04:48:00.000-07:00

Shaun recommended the title in jest with his best sensitive-man voice, so there it is. It's Halloween night and we're all treated out--seriously, we just binged on candy and I'm sick! Sophie and Lucas attended 3 Halloween parties over the past week, so tonight instead of braving traffic, rain, and scary masks (Sophie's deathly afraid of them) to trick-or-treat, we put the kids to bed with spanks and ate a good amount of their candy :)

We're not all bad. The kids had an afternoon filled with halloween crafts, dancing to spooky music, and a pizza party in front of a Winnie-the-Pooh Halloween special. Eating their candy was more of an intervention on our part to prevent sugar highs followed by melt-downs. Besides, we must retaliate in some way when Sophie wakes us up at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning demanding hot dogs and hot chocolate, or when Lucas repeatedly flushes the toilet while I'm trying to shower.

As we enjoy our hot sunny weather here in Taipei, we've been reminiscing about the crisp fall air back home, smelling of old leaves and bonfires. We wish we could carve pumpkins and take the kids through neighborhoods at dusk to trick-or-treat. It's a nostalgic time for us and it makes us appreciate all there is to enjoy in the states. However, we are starting to enjoy our surroundings here. Lucas charms the locals and Sophie is finally starting to speak Chinese again (mainly to talk back to Shaun.) Sophie had her first debut as a singer last weekend when her preschool class sang at the American School's fall fair. We just loved watching her up on stage singing, she did such a good job! We got the whole thing on video, even the little Chinese boy next to her who took his opportunity at the microphone to shout "pee pee poo poo."

Sophie's performance and our ward's Halloween party coincided with Shaun's birthday, the big 36!, so we spent the weekend off and on trying to pay homage to Shaun although it was very busy. Dooby loved walking around the apartment hugging balloons and singing "happy, happy, happy." (That's the only word of the song he can say.) Sophie loved frosting the cake. Shaun loved watching the excitement of the kids during the celebration.

One last little juicy tidbit--We were amused a few weeks ago when we saw a Chinese man in drag. We NEVER saw anything like this in Beijing. His big body was squeezed into a little form-fitting number and he was looking through dresses in a nice department store, trying his best to look pretty and feminine. Good luck buddy.

So, that's the news from Taiwan. Obviously our daily schedules have taken over as it's been so long in writing an update. We hope to hear from all our loved ones and will enjoy seeing Halloween pictures of all our cute little neices and nephews!

Update on Typhoon Krosa

2007-10-07T00:51:00.000-07:00

We are all fine. This morning after it was all over, I went out to see what happened in the neighborhood. Branches and downed trees were everywhere. Lots of debris and damage to other buildings. Luckily we didn't experience any broken windows, but the big, glass main-entrance doors to the ground level lobby shattered and blew out. We're glad that our car was parked in the basement garage, and there was no problems with flooding. In past years, there have been times when parking garages flooded. Most of the structures in Taipei are reinforced concrete buildings. I think that most homes in the US wouldn't withstand the winds we experienced. It really was something. I'll try to post some video later. As long as we stayed inside the apartment, I don't think there was much danger for us. We had plenty of food, water, candles, flashlights, etc.., but fortunately we didn't really need to go into emergency mode. Lots of people were without power, but we have a large power generator for the whole building, which gave us uninterrupted power.

Shaun

Riding out ANOTHER storm

2007-10-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

Typhoon Krosa is heading straight for us, expected to be fully over Taipei tomorrow (Saturday.) Packing winds of 138 mph, it's labeled a "super typhoon," estimated to be the worst of the season. The wind is already pounding at the windows and it started raining yesterday. They figure we'll get about 50 inches of water. Hope our car doesn't drown in the parking garage! Shaun's off to buy matches and water before the storm gets any worse.

http://www.typhoon2000.ph/activeflash/stormloop.htm

Creepy Crawlies

2007-10-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

Tonight Lucas entertained himself through dinner by throwing most of his food on the floor. Being accustomed to this, we just ignored it knowing that we'd tackle it later after the kids were in bed. An hour later we found more than we bargained for. Right there in the blazing light, not caring about the noise of approaching humans or even the looming broom over it's body, was a nasty cockroach the size of our pinky finger, feasting on meatloaf and carrots. His impending death was evidently worth the last few sucks of succulent meat. Like a true man, Shaun handled the situation smoothly with pure brute force. We have been shocked into reality. For the past month we've believed that our home was a safe haven from such creepy crawlies, seeing them on sidewalks, in bakeries, and even on a restaurant highchair, but never ever in the home. That security is shattered, especially as we know that where there is one, there are many. So now we wonder, where are the many? Do they come out at night to feast on the tender organic material of our babies' eyelashes and eyebrows? (true, we saw it on the Discovery channel.) Do they scurry over the food in our cupboards, leaving droppings and disease in their wake? It's almost too much to handle. There's only one word to describe it: FORMICATION. Look it up!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formication

Little witch comes out to play

2007-10-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

You all know that Halloween is Sophie's absolute favorite holiday. She talks about Mr. Bones and Casper the Friendly Ghost all year round. Tonight we had our opening ceremony for the Halloween season. After setting the mood with haunted music, candles and scary shadows, we did a ghostly processional through the house to the Halloween box. Sophie joyously reunited with her fuzzy tarantula (which she insists will snuggle her tonight), her glow-in-the-dark bones man, and "Wendy the witch." She is now in her tent with her Halloween flashlight, casting shadows of jack-o-lanterns, witches, and skulls on the walls. Of course Shaun is right there with her. I don't see those two settling down any time soon. Tonight in our family prayer Sophie thanked Heavenly Father for pumpkins, witches, and Halloween and asked him to bless the bones in our bodies. Autumn, our favorite season, is upon us! (Even though it's still in the 90's here.) Let the scary festivities begin!

Settling in. . . .

2007-09-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

We've been here in Taipei for one month now--anyone miss us yet? Shaun made a comment yesterday that the apartment finally feels like our home. We are slowly starting to shape our lives here. Starting over in a new country has always been an adventure in the past, but with the addition of two toddlers it has made things a bit more difficult. We worry about dangerous traffic, killing the cockroach running around on the restaurant highchair, finding friends for playdates, and where to buy Kraft mac and cheese! Yesterday our bishop made a comment in his lesson that resonated with me. He said that many members upon moving to this foreign land are removed from their comfort zone, humbled, and forced to think about their dedication to the gospel and relationship with Christ. In this way, these trials of starting over have been a blessing as we've reconnected with Heavenly Father through sincere prayer and grown closer as a family.

Shaun has developed great skills at skirting around people quietly to avoid confrontation. That, plus his brown-nosing and plain hard work have landed him the grudging respect of his boss, enough that he is basically left along during the day. Shaun says that even though they sit close enough to reach out and touch each other, they just send emails back and forth and sometimes won't exchange a word all day. That's fine with him!

Sophie is now a full-fledged big girl--she goes to school each day on a bus! It's a shuttle bus, so Shaun likes to comment that she rides the short bus (meaning "special needs" bus.) She's enjoying her little preschool and although she doesn't really remark on what she learns, she'll surprise us each day with a little tidbit of information. . . "this is the sign for rocket ship", or "I am a racoon and I live on the forest floor." It was hard to let her go at first, but she needed some interaction with other children her age and some time away from the apartment during the day.

Lucas is now toddling around the apartment with his big toothy grin. He has an obsession with shoes, which probably helped the walking along. Each morning, his first item of business is to get his shoes on. This must be followed by food. Dooby is the happiest, snuggliest little boy. I am sometimes surprised by how lovey he is, being a boy, but he absolutely thrives on snuggles. He loves to say hi and wave to every person he passes in the stroller, and always has his big smile on. He has become the goodwill ambassador to Taiwan. People are drawn to him because of his glasses and his smile. He's quite the spiffy little fellow!

There's not much to comment at this point on my life, as it feels I am just trying to get everyone else's life up and running here. Someone asked me the other day what my hobbies were, and I was embarrassed because I couldn't think of one. Cleaning, reading for a minute, and sleeping are what I do in my free time. This will hopefully change and expand as I become better accustomed to running a household in a foreign country. What I have enjoyed most in this new city are the blue skies and sunsets. Simple, but something we didn't experience for 4 years in Beijing.

We miss you all and are grateful for the time we had together this past summer. Happy birthday to Megan!!!!!!!