Halloween done and gone!

So Trevor really wanted to host a "spooky party" for his friends at this time.  I hesitated to do it, but once I saw the little invitations he created and was ready to pass out I figured why not!  I had been pinning a few ideas already. It wouldn't be that hard to put together.  So we went for it --- dived in head first.  So this is what we came up with.....

Orange Juice, pineapple Juice and Sprite with Ice cube Spiders

Cheese sticks with peeps pumpkins / pumpkin cupcakes

Traditional Ghost Lollipops

Candy Corn Fruit Parfait -- Pineapple, Mandarin Oranges, cool whip

Host and his goodies!

So as you can see we had a little of this and that!  I wanted some healthy treats but also some fun!  The Dollar Tree store came in handy with all the trinkets and goodies!  Trevor invited his friends and was so excited to see everyone!  Outside we had a few games : Pumpkin bowling, "skeleton head" hunt, build a skeleton, and monster hand making.

Tin can bowling

Making Monster hands

Kinsleigh made her hand!

I'll have to find some of the other photos I took to show you all of my "pinterest" creations!!!  After everyone ate, played and got sugared up we headed to the neighborhood carnival with an old school friend and his cousins.  Trevor loved sharing this time with Saia. 

Trevor with his pumpkin

some outdoor decor -- the cemetery

Cutest bat ever!

Our tree spider!

I think Trevor had a great time! We hope all of our guests did! It was a lot of fun to create everything -- but it was time consuming and knowing me -- I put way too much into something Trevor wouldn't have minded to be simple!  But that's just me......Just call me party planner!!! lol 

We hope your Halloween was as festive as ours!

PS -- Trick or treating brought some surprises..... we went across the way visiting an old teacher of Trevor's and walking with the Seeley's.  In Trevor fashion he got hurt, but luckily it was nothing too serious (as it truly could have easily been.)  I had told Trevor to stay on driveways an such -- so in the dark he ran down what he thought was a driveway (looked like one to me as well) but it was a covert pipe ditch!!! Down he went and quick! A good 3 ft drop..... he made it out with a scrapped knee and a bit of a scare!  He told me "Momma I flew!"  that he did!!! lol

Part 2 - Hong Kong

Day 6 (half way there!) -- We headed to the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery on a nearby island (Lantau).  We had to ride 2 subways and then a 25 minute cable car (over numerous mountains!) It was a great calm ride and we got to see some men "fishing", the HK airport (which we learned was created by adding dirt to the land -- so it is man made land that it sits on!) and a hiking trail, complete with a few hikers!!!  Trevor always loves to have a map so he helped "direct" us to the Buddha! It is 250 steps to the top and we all made it! Once up there the view was beautiful....one Asian family was so enamored with Trevor they requested a photo with him (and not the Buddha!!!!) Going down the steps were a bit easier (lol) and we headed to the monastery.  As you enter the temples you are to bow 3 times and Trevor quickly abided.  We also got free Buddhism books, so Trevor proceeded to "read" them to us in "Chinese" (well his version of Chinese!!!)  The temples are always beautiful - so ornate and full of tranquility.  I can't remember why incense is burned but many people bought a bundle and lit them to place in front of the temple.  Trevor liked learning how the Buddha is some people's God and the book he had was stories about the Buddha, just as we read stories about God in the Bible. We all went back to the Ladies Market to do more shopping (see I told you we would return!) and got everyone souvenirs and more! Since it was my sister's Birthday this day - we ended the day with Haggen Daz ice cream as we watched the bustling city streets of people shopping and walking.

Day 7 --- Today we headed out to see where my dad grew up and went to school.  Since we were staying on Nathan Road (which is a popular and main road) it was only a few blocks away where Dad had grown up.  The school he attended from Kinder to 6th is still there and allowed us to come in and visit.  Just down the road from there was a "tourist" shopping area.... Everything was in English so you know it's meant for tourists! lol  We spent the rest of the day resting before heading over to Uncle David's again for the Mid-Autumn moon festival.  The boys played a version of mah-jong (which is much like rummy just with  tiles) and Trevor got some goodies from  his cousins.  After we ate the yummiest home cooked meal (I think there were 6 dishes!) we headed out to walk with lanterns (and glow sticks for the boys!)  Tradition is that the ladies carry the lanterns and it used to be a "courting night" for the young adults! ;)  We just walked around the neighborhood then headed back home!  We ate moon cake and enjoyed spending time with family.  Trevor's cousins really looked out for him all night.  I think we'll need to be pen pals to keep up with Andis and Justin!

Day 8 - Disneyland with just Trevor and me.... We just couldn't come to HK and NOT go to Disneyland, plus once Trevor heard they had a Stitch ride (from Lilo and Stitch) we had to go! No one else wanted to tag along so it was just us.  The rest of the family went to some more known markets in the area for more shopping. (if you know me this was nothing I cared about really doing! lol)  We had to ride a total of 3 subways to get there. You can guess by the end of our stay in HK Trevor was pretty savvy at subways and buses!  Anyways.... we immediately hit Tomorrowland and rode the Buzz ride 2 times, watched the parade and then saw Stitch.  It's an interactive video type thing -- but of all the people in the crowd Trevor got picked to be talked to by Stitch.  He kept saying "Trevor from TX."  Trevor was shy but LOVED that Stitch talked to him! I wish I could have filmed it! It was precious :)  We of course rode the small world ride, tea cups and stood in line to see Mickey! They have a Toy Story area and we rode "slinky dog" (a roller coaster!) After watching a few shows and shopping we rode the 3 subways back home to the apartment and then met up with the rest of the family to eat on Temple Street - authentic Chinese street cuisine! Yum!

Day 9 -- LAST full day in HK
We headed to Macau, an island nearby that is deemed the "Vegas" of HK.  The WHOLE family went (MahMah, David and his family, plus the cousins) on a hovercraft boat.  It was huge and you felt like you were in an open airplane the way it was decorated and how the seats were.  But the flying over waves reminded you it was a boat!!! It was about an hour ride there.  Once there we went to the downtown area to eat some yummy dim sum.  This place had fresh seafood in all these tanks right up front.  We got to see fresh crab be delivered and some of the biggest crab and lobster I have ever seen.  On the streets of Macau we saw a lot of dried fish, fresh jerky and homemade almond cookies!  The island was once largely a Portuguese colony so it has a diverse culture.  Since it was October 1, it was also China Independence day -- therefore a LOT of people in and around the area!  At one point I feared I had lost track of Trevor in the crowds but his cousins had him close by the whole time! We got to see a Lion dance as well as traditional Portuguese singing and dancing show.  This cool wall was there from an old church ( built in like 1850) - the place had been destroyed yet only one wall stood and has stood since! AMAZING! The grown ups hit the casino at the Sands while the kiddos went to a mid-way area.  My dad was the big winner in our family (lots of slots there) winning about 200 HK$ and I walked away with 34HK$.  My cousin won big too!  As we were coming back from Macau we got to see the fireworks from the harbor celebrating Independence day... let's just say the Chinese know how to throw a show -- as they should!! lol We walked thru a SEA of people (think NYC NYE crowd!!!) to get to a restaurant to eat and it was a GREAT meal! We finished it off with a visit to see a TMNT statue next door!!!

Day 10/11 -- We met up with David, Yuanita, Mah Mah, Yuen Ming, and Ko Chui for a last dim sum meal at a place my grandmother used to come to eat at when she was younger! It was traditional old dimsum. After that we loaded up the car and we jumped on the airport bus to meet the family at the airport.  Then boarded the plane for our 14+ hour flight to Toronto.  My head cold had really hit me this day and I was feeling horrid, therefore had a miserable plane ride.  Once we got to the hotel in Toronto I stayed in bed all night - even skipping dinner with the family. Plus we had to be up by 5 am to get to the airport on time.

Day 12 - we arrived in Houston around 11 am and went to my mom/dad's house to drop off the girls/luggage and eat lunch.  If you can believe it -- after all that traveling - I drove home to Austin that day as well!!! Needless to say I did not function much that evening - as my feet were swollen, my head was pounding and my ears would not pop!  So I was just a hot mess!  Trevor was feelin fine and already back in full steam at the house!

We had a great trip - some minor things flared up but all in all it was an experience I am so honored to have been given.  I created a journal of all this for Trevor as well -- so that in the future he can look back and recall what a special trip he was given with his family! 

Hong Kong 2012 (part 1)

What a great experience we had! We survived the plane rides, bustling city and each other! lol  Here's how it all went down......

My dad paid for all of us kiddos to go visit family and his hometown in Hong Kong.  So my sisters, parents, nephew and son loading up (with I think 17 bags in all) and headed to the Houston airport on 9/22 at 5 am.  24 hours and 3 airplane rides later (we stopped in Calgary and Vancouver) we made it to Hong Kong and our 3 bedroom rental.  The beds were hard and the one bathroom was daunting at first -- but it all worked out.  Trevor did great on the plane -- enjoying the inflight movies and sleeping!  Since we were all whacky on time we just headed to bed!

Day 2 - our first meal was ........ McDonald's breakfast - lol!!! It was conveniently right across the street and seemed easy enough. My uncle David came over to help us around town (get our "octopus card" - public transit card which coincidentally acted like a debit card at most stores too!), show us where bus stops were located and how to get over to his place.  We then journeyed over to St Gabriel's Catholic cemetery to pay respects to my grandfather who had passed 15 years ago.  The pics you'll see of his headstone are what was there for the past 15 years -- while we were in HK it was most likely demolished and his remains were placed in the wall behind it (just like the other family members from the pictures.) Because so many people are in HK the cemeteries get overcrowded so you are only allowed to be buried for 15 years, then you are exhumed and placed in a wall.  The are a handful of plots that are "grandfathered" and can stay buried (hence why a great grandparent is still buried with her headstone.)  I hope that all made sense... so we walked up (and I say UP with great emphasis) to section 62, said a few words to YahYah, bowed 3 times and placed flowers on his grave site.  If you look close at the pic of me you'll see how hard I worked to make it there.... yes I am out of shape, but I was glad I accomplished the hike and was able to share that moment with my dad! Then we visited 3 other family members, paying our respects to them as well.  After that we ran a lot of errands around town and ended the day at Uncle David's house eating a home cooked Chinese meal and visiting with Mah-Mah (Trevor calls her Taipa) - my dad's mom.

 

Day 3 - We did a lot of walking and public transit this day! We were heading to Downtown HK to eat (via the subway) and go to the Peak but didn't quite have a good "game plan" so after roaming a bit we finally settled in to have a traditional HK breakfast (fried egg, ham (lunchmeat), and noodles!)  Let's just say Ramen is a normal thing here!!! Def not something we "Americanized!" We headed over to Victoria Peak - one of the highest points in HK.  The original lookout place was there but we rode a tram up the mountain to the "newer" look out which looked like a bowl!  The view was great but smoggy!  It was neat to see and learn about the history of the tram.  We stopped into The Pearl restaurant to enjoy some seafood appetizers (crab, lobster, escargot, abalone, shrimp, oysters......) yum yum! After that we headed to the ferry to cross back over the bay and walked the "avenue of stars" (their version of Hollywood walk of fame!)  Dinner was at a place in the mall (more ramen!) and then we went to the boardwalk to enjoy the light show of the HK cityscape.  We were all very tired from the walking but unfortunately we had not quite mastered the subway and did a lot of walking to find the right subway station!  Needless to say our "dogs" were pooped and so was poor Trevor!!!

Day 4 -- Being exhausted from all the walking we got a late start, so we ate some Dim Sum brunch.  Trevor wasn't in the best mood so he and my mom went back  to the apartment while the rest of us hit the Ladies Market for some bargain shopping.  Tons of jewelry, knock off purses and more were available for buying! My sisters got a Marc Jacobs purse and Alexander McQueen (knock offs of course! but very cute!) , some Beats by Dr. Dre (again knock offs) and I got a pair of shoes! We were sure to return.... We headed home to rest before going to Mah-Mah's birthday celebration banquet.  At the banquet we met a ton of family - many who came over from China.  Lots of cousins and more! 3 hours later we finally settled in to eat but Trevor passed out! So that's why he is missing in some of the pictures!!! We enjoyed a 10 course meal.  If you ask why are the heads of things still there - it has a few meanings (to prove it is fresh and Chinese leave nothing behind - everything is possibly edible...not that anyone chewed on the pig or chicken head!) We looked goofy taking a picture of each dish but our table companions quickly understood our silliness and would pose the dishes for us!  It was a great night!

Day 5 - Ocean Park Adventures..... This is the local theme park.  Think zoo + Seaworld+ Six flags!  Complete with cable car over a mountain!  Trevor loved this place! We got to see aquatic animals, polar animals and panda bears!!!!! Plus ride a few rides! It was a busy day !

Read part 2 to hear about the rest of our adventures!!! Check out my Picasa album via your email link to see more pictures!!! If you didn't get the link comment me (email me) and I'll send it to you!

Letters to my Son #2

Prelude --- I think I will most likely always connect my letter to a song! I just love how songs give you the words it is sometimes hard to say or know how to say!  I just love songs with a hidden meaning (or blatant meaning!!!)

 To my little man,

The other day you felt discouraged, defeated and unsuccessful.  You cried and yelled about not being able to do it.  We talked about practice and patience.  As you described your feelings I saw so much of me in you. That desire to be perfect, to please your father.  I saw the look of failure in your eyes and the sorrow of defeat.  I wanted to lift you up and stroke your ego, but I let you go through the emotions you felt.  I let you cry it out, lay there and think.  Eventually you came out of your room, ready to try again.  I knew that you knew I loved you - no matter what you accomplished; and I always will but one thing I desperately hope for you is to continue to take that chance, to seek something better, to continue to be free in your thoughts and imagination!  It makes me think of one of my favorite songs "I hope you dance."

It shows a mother and her girls, but the message resonates with any mother.  We all hope that our children will go out into the world and "dance."

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens
Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Always keep that curiosity of yours - why are things the way they are.......
Keep God in your heart and your mind......
Continue to stand near the ocean and look at it with amazement and wonder.....
But when you get the chance to do something you may not otherwise get the chance to - DO IT!

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

Don't ever give up - not on your faith, hope, life or yourself - you are stronger than you think!
Follow your mind and follow your heart.... mistakes are about learning; without them we can never better ourselves.
Don't let someone define you or your life; don't let them bring you down or defeat your soul.
Look up every once and awhile and think about those who love you in heaven - God, Jesus, Gigi, Susie....... they are always looking out for you!

Again -- take those chances; have faith in yourself - cuz you can do anything you set your mind to, with patience and persistence the world is yours for the taking!  Sometimes a momma has to let you figure that out on your own, but I hope you always know that I am always here to listen, to advise and to cheer you on.

Love, Momma

Photo Book

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Kindergarten here I come.....

Guess who started Kindergarten!?!??! That's right...... he's that big! I know, I know - I can't believe how fast the time has flown either. 

So over the summer we talked a lot about how he would be going to Kinder now and how exciting it would be.  We are actually zoned for another school, but since Trevor has attended BCE since 6 months of age we figured this would be the best choice for him.  But as we passed VVE he told us that "That's where D_ is going to grow up." referring to his little friend from CDC.  I love that he looks at it that way -- where he will grow up. 

His teacher is Ms. Isom (the Teacher of the Year for 2011) and he even has a few friends from last year in his class.  When asked how he likes Kinder he replies with the usual "good" or "Yes" (to if he likes it) but I love that he told me on day 3 "Do I have to go to Kindergarten today?"  I said "Yes, I thought you liked it."  He said "I do but it's sooo long.  There is no rest for me."  lol  of all things he misses nap!??!?! 

 

Teacher gift for the first day

We filled up a drink cup with Chocolate covered Almonds and a Starbucks gift card.  The note states 'I am "brewing" with excitement to be in your Kindergarten class.'  We hope the teacher enjoyed it!

First day of school

I really thought that I would cry like a baby as I watched my son achieve this monumental milestone and I will admit that the car ride to school that morning brought a few tears to my eyes and a couple deep breathes.  As I composed myself to leave my son with a whole "new" program I walked away happy.... it truly was a bittersweet moment.

So you may be wondering how the first 2 weeks have gone.... he says great! Mom says "good with a few hiccups!"  He tattles on himself telling me all the "trouble" he gets in to.  He has needed a few "hard reminders" about some behavior but overall he is doing well! We have our first homework "assignment" and can't wait to bring home a Library book! He is so excited about that!

Some other things going on: Tball has started!! We are with OHYSA this year; team Aeros!  We have been reading the Children's Bible and he is soaking up all the stories about God.  He asked me today "Can we learn more about God?"  He is gearing up for our trip to Hong Kong and is already planning his Christmas List!