Happy Birthday To Me

So I'm pretty sure I just had the best birthday ever - except of course, those many surprise parties my dad worked so hard to coordinate when I was young. Roses, dark (90%) and the most gorgeous silver bracelet from my dearest hubby. Jojo made me a gorgeous sticky rice cake (which the girls decorated with red and green sprinkles). A dear friend dropped over the most incredible cupcakes and a gorgeous orchid.

And I took the girls to the bookstore and told them to pick out a book for me. Chase picked out a cupcake book, which she read for the rest of the day - soaking in each and every design one can do with a cupcake. Mads picked out a Charlie & Lola 5 -story-collection. And she looked through it and I read it to her several times for the rest of the afternoon. Really lovely!

It's A Jungle Out There

This week Chase wanted to take a closer look at jungles.

So we decided to go to Kam Shan Country Park, which was established in 1977. Interestingly, there is a rock in the park that dates back to the early Jurassic period (formed 130 million and 160 million ago). And no, we didn't see it, at least I don't think we did. If we did do, we certainly aren't qualified to identify it.

So we set off to see the park - but first, we drove past the jungle in our backyard...














And when we finally arrived at the park, there was a monkey to greet us. As it turns out there are approximately 2,000 monkeys wild in the park. The monkeys are supposedly the decedents of pets set free in the 1920s.


















We drove in, Hubs rolled down his window (briefly) before deciding to roll it back up again. The monkeys came uncomfortably close to the car.













And then the car broke down. The radiator broke. And it was hot. And we had to get out, of our cool, safe, air-conditioned car - and actually protect ourselves and children from the monkeys until HK Auto Assoc. sent a car, a tow truck and a taxi.

And yes, there were monkeys everywhere. And did I mention how hot it was? And Chase wanted to go home (I did too). And Mads just wanted to swing in the trees with the monkeys. And so we watched, and waited...












And Hubs tried to convince HKAA that we were surrounded by monkeys. That we needed help. Soon. VERY, very soon.














And then, after a monkey almost peed on me twice, we realized how important it was to keep our eyes on the trees above...













So we moved the girls to the road ...












The monkeys followed us, and watched...

















And waited ...

























Until someone more interesting came along...

















And when we were finally safe at home, we made a jungle diorama ...


























It wasn't long before the Barbies move in...













We also talked about rainforests. About deforestation (which made Chase sad and she will probably use less than the entire roll of toilet paper next time she's on the potty). We checked-out a book from the library on rain forests, and a Charlie & Lola book about recycling. For those who have seen it, we will have a recycling tree in place tomorrow.

Next week, Chase wants to take a closer look at houses.

Good Night, Moon

Chase read "Good Night, Moon," to Madoc tonight.

I wasn't surprised she could read it. She can read pretty well at this point. But for some reason, listening to her little voice really struck me. Perhaps because I read it to her every night when she was little. It was my way of trying to keep something consistent in her ever-changing world.

And for a moment I thought maybe, just maybe, she will read the same book to her child/ren. And maybe (a mom can hope) she will remember reading this book to Madoc, as her mother once read it to her.

A Word About Blogging

So I am back to blogging. Because I haven't for a while. Because Hubs just informed me that, get this, we could have just lost ALL OUR PICTURES from the last 12 years. Except the ones I have been saving twice on our little laptop. And the only thing that's keeping me from screaming hysterically is the fact that I have managed to write in this blog - almost every day (with the exception of the past year or so) - since Chase was born. And so I am back at it. To stay sane. To keep a record. So that my children and grand children can have a keepsake.

Dragon Boat Races

We decided to spend this morning down in Sai Kung watching the dragon boat races. It was hot and crowded. But Mads LOVED it. Chase was ready to go after one race. Mads threw a tantrum when Brian finally pulled her away (four races later).


















Mads cheering on the dragon boats...

















So hot and crowded...













But what a glorious day...


















Chase wanting to leave...













Madoc wanting to stay...

























































And so Chase and I went to get a strawberry smoothie, while Mads stayed back with Hubs to watch a couple more races...

Oceans

This week we took a closer look at Oceans. First, we tried to find them on the globe.













Then we did a craft with salt. Watercolor does an interesting thing when you add salt. It makes "snowflakes" appear. Madoc's had a stronger snowflake effect (she used more salt).














Then we did a fish craft and named each part of the fish. Madoc practiced writing her name.


















We named and located the five largest oceans in the world.
Good lower case writing practice for Chase.



















It was also a good opportunity for Madoc to work on her "writing."


















We went down to the local Chinese medicine shop and took a closer look at a dried seahorse, which the Chinese believe give you "special energy," when consumed. The lady next to us told us there are bigger horses, called "Sea Dragons." Unfortunately this shop didn't have any. After taking a close look, we gave it back to the lady behind the counter.



















We made something, which I can only describe as sweet and extremely weird. Originally I set off to buy candy fish, but could only find marshmallow eggs, which Chase dubbed "tadpoles." So it was meant to be an edible ocean, but instead it was more like a little pond with strange, marshmallow eggs in it.



















We made soap fish. The girls can't wait to take a bath with their new friends. Chase actually made a soap Whale.

































Checked out a relevant book from the library.















Went down to the waterfront to take a closer look at what lives in the ocean.





























We also tasted some seafood (at home). We made a delish tuna dish from Annabelle Karmel. The kids have never had tuna before and Chase LOVED it. Mads, who has always been the adventurous eater, has somehow changed her ways and now wants to consume only pasta and yogurt.

I am trying to muster up the energy to take the kids to the beach tomorrow morning before it gets too hot.

Next week we will take a closer look at jungles!

I love age 2!

Madoc is doing the sweetest thing at the moment. She will say "sorry, Mama" or "excuse me, Mama," when she wants to talk. She will actually wait if I need her to wait. If I say "Madoc, eat your vegetables," she says, "okay Mama," and she does it. So it all sounds like peaches and roses, but she also has her moments.

Today she was climbing on our chair, which she is "sort of" allowed to do. If she does it a certain way. She isn't allowed to stand on the arm of the chair (for obvious reasons), but she is allowed to jump from the seat to the ground. Because she likes to jump. And because we don't have a trampoline.

So I told her "no, baby danger." As she stepped onto the arm of the chair with both feet, arms spread wide for balance. And she said "watch Mama." And did it again with a big smile. Both times with me saying no, and then I had to go over and show her how to do it properly. And then she did it the wrong way again and said, "see Mama, I told you so."

Seriously.

Flowers

This week we decided to take a closer look at flowers.
First stop - the library.
This one was the best book we found:














I copied some of the pages so we could laminate them and keep them around.















Also picked-up little flower window stickers...

































Next we talked about the anatomy of flowers, and did a flower craft.
The top flower is Chase's, the bottom is Madoc's.




















Then we talked about seeds a little... about poisonous plants and about edible plants. Chase kindly arranged a tasting platter...














Tasted sunflower seeds (Chase liked them, Mads didn't)



















Tried poppy seeds (Again, Chase liked them, Mads didn't) ...







































And Mads didn't like the pumpkin seed either...

I bought some Chinese chrysanthemums and made tea for the girls.















Chase made a flower journal...















Made poppy seed cake (thanks Brigitte!)




















Visited the flower shop to pick up some pots to paint and seeds to plant.
Also on the agenda for today is pressing flowers.














Next week we are going to take a closer look at the ocean.