Happy 4th Birthday Nathan!

Today, Nathan turns 4 years old. I don't know if he has ever celebrated his birthday before but we are going to have a small gathering at home with just us and Grandma. While sister and Dada went to church on Wednesday night, Nathan and I went to the store and he chose a chocolate cake with lots of sprinkles on it. He was very surprise and happy that I took him alone, just the two of us. He loves to push the grocery cart and pretend to put things in it. So curious and checking everything out. He is a big helper and loaded the groceries to the cashier.

He blew 4 big candles off the cake and we are so proud of this little guy. He has had many adjustments in the last month and just going with the flow. Some days are thougher than others but at the end, he is doing remarkable well for a little guy his age.

Happy Birthday and we thank God that he allows us to celebrate together!

Not even 24 hours home when we get slammed by SNOW!

Recap of March 19th

Snow, snow and more snow!

This is what we did the morning after we got home. They predicted 12 or more inches in the area but we only got about 6 and it was melting fast! I had to wake them up (it was close to noon) so we can take advantage of it before it was gone! Nathan has seen snow before, although probable not as white and clean as this. It was very white all around and his eyes couldn't get use to it. Nether less, we had fun sledding from the masters, the sister!

Easter service and candie galore

We went to Church for the first time after returning from China. There was no Sunday school class so we took the kids with us to church service. I prepared myself with plenty of snacks, coloring books, and small toys to entertain the kiddos so we can listen enjoyed the Easter service. I can say that they both did great. Nathan was very curious about the singing, the greeting and passing of the offertory baskets. He sat still on Dada's lap coloring, snaking breakfast cereal and just went 2 times to potty! That's an accomplishment for 1 hour and 10 minutes that the service lasted. Next week, we plan to bring him to our Sunday school class a few times before he can join his sister and her class without us been there.

Returning home, we prepared brunch just for the 4 of us. Later on, we met grandma and hunted for eggs and open up what my sisters had sent to the kids (more candie, of course!). This year, I did not put out any of my Easter decorations, just because of our China trip. I figure next year will be better and Nathan will enjoy more when he understands more English and the story of Jesus resurrection.

We have been home for over 2 weeks now. Many doctor appointments, lab test (it was not fun), the ophthalmologist (it was very painful to watch and I'll write more about it on another post). Vaccinations will be next week and the dermatologist to treat the scalp on his head. He is doing a lot better than I thought. The guy is though and very strong. He is learning each day, very curious about EVERYTHING he sees, repeats after you and very brave at trying new foods. Finally drinking some milk and still doesn't like any cheese. He is my healthy eater, will devour any fruit you put in front of him, eggs, and cherry tomatoes. No, no watermelon yet! Will have to wait till summer. I tried to give him something new then reward him with something he really likes if he tries the new food. He loves to make me happy so he tries very hard. Not much whining these days and more acceptance of all of us. He is definitely happy right now and we are blessed to have him in our family.

Visiting Stanley Market

Recap of March 17, 2010

Yes, I am still getting caught up on our last days of vacation.

Stanley Market and its surroundings are where the wealthier people live in HK. Wealthier in a sense of living space. Around here, there are single houses and condos with 1500sq and above. Of course, it also cost an eye to live here. I saw some rental properties for about $88,000 HKD per month, that's about $11,000 USD. And that's only about 2500 sq of space. OUCH!

We got here late afternoon after some miss communication from my part. We enjoyed some snacks by the beach and as you can see from the photos, Nathan was stripped down so he can splash in the warm waters. Sister was not so brave, though.

We strolled through the market and found all sorts of souvenirs. Ada said that it's not like a few years ago and that the place caters to mostly tourist with very few local traditions.

Today it's our last day in HK and tomorrow we go back home. After 25 days of vacation, 4 hotels, 4 different cities, extreme weather from 35 degrees and snow then 86 degrees and rain on the same day, I can say that I am glad we are going home.

Epiphanie Give Away!

EPIPHANIE IS GIVING AWAY YOUR CHOICE OF

A BRAND NEW CANON 5D MARK II!

OR

A $2500 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO SOUTHWEST AIRLINES!!!

Just need to head over there! Good Luck!

Riding on a cable car to meet Tian Tan Buddha

Recap of March 15, 2010

Today, we are going to ride on a very vertical cable car all the way up the mountains to meet Tian Tan Buddha, also known as Big Buddha.

Big Buddha was completed in 1993 and is located at the Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, near Po Lin Monastery.

The scenery was spectacular and you can see Hong Kong in the background.
After the cable car ride, we arrived to our destination, not knowing that there are still 260+ steps up to see Big Buddha. It was a hot and humid day and my family was sweating buckets. Nathan of course was hiding from this paparazzi mama and her camera. But my girl was all smiles for this mama.

The statue is made of bronze and it's one of the major attractions in China that symbolizes the Buddhism in Hong Kong. It is 112 ft tall and weights 280 tons.

Emily: mommy, I can push you down in this cable car, want to ride it?

I caught my little emperor off guard!

After an entire day visiting Big Buddha, we had hot pot dinner with my friends Ada and Doris. It consists of a open stove with a hot pot of water in the center of the table. Then, you order all types of meats such beef, lamb, pork or chicken strips cut very lean, seafood such fish balls, shrimp, oysters, clams and cut fish, then fried tofu and all types of vegetables and you cook all these things in the hot pot. Then, on a separate table, you have about 12 to 15 different types of sauces that you can make your own concoction to dip your cooked meats and vegetables in it. It was very delicious and healthy because everything is just boiled in the hot pot, then dip with all these delicious sauces. Everything was so good and I ate so much! and it was so good to see my friends from my days when I was living in Toronto.

Greetings from Hong Kong

Recap of March 13, 2010

After breakfast at the China Hotel in GZ and saying good bye to Susan and Fei, our guides thru this adoption, GZ guide Ann took us to the East train station so we can board our train that will take us to Hong Kong. It was a very pleasant ride, very smooth, and the kids entertained themselves with a movie and snack on VIP seats. We arrived 15 minutes earlier and headed straight to McDonald's for lunch. My friend Ada arrived shortly after and we took a cab to her apartment. It is located in Kowloon peninsula, which is another of China's special administration district. Kowloon and Hong Kong are separated by a tunnel. Between Kowloon and Hong Kong, there are about 6 million people. Ada's apartment is located on the 17th floor. It is very small and I mean very very small. Real Estate in HK is very expensive and a larger place is very difficult to find. Her apartment is about 180 square feet only. Yes, about the size of Emily's room. However it is cozy, decorated in Japanese style and charming. She lives by herself so it's perfect for her. For us, a family of four, it was on the small size but manageable.

We prepared ourselves for a few days of fun touring HK on a boat, visiting the adjacent islands, riding the cable car to meet Big Buddha, eating a vegetarian lunch, and so much more.