27 September 2012

Project 365: 253 - 259

Day 253

Our neighbors invited us to a birthday party...with a horse! I think that there are not many things funnier than seeing a horse trotting up and down the street in an urban neighborhood. Well, maybe it was funnier when one of the old ladies came and got the horse and took him to her house so he could eat her grass and save some time in her garden.

Day 254

They say that children will copy what they see modeled by their parents. Evidently we've taught Asher quite a bit about iPhone photography.

Day 255

Science! Actually, it's just salad dressing that I was making, but if Asher were older and homeschooled I would definitely call this science class.

Day 256

I have many issues with the McCracken County Clerk's Office (living overseas there is just absolutely no way I can renew a driver's license?!?), but I will hand it to them this time. We requested an absentee ballot and it was at our house in Bangkok in four days.

Day 257

Our neighbor has some creepy yard art.

Day 258

Asher got a hold of my old glasses and made himself cross-eyed trying to wear them.

Day 259

Asher wanted a chocolate birthday cake. I wanted something a bit more exciting. Guess who won?

26 September 2012

Project 365: 246 - 252

Day 246

Sweet Baby Jack, he really embraces his role as the baby. He can be quite sensitive, especially after a nap. Also, he has a really big head.

Day 247

In case you were wondering what I see all day long:  it mostly involves little boys running at me and throwing things.

Day 248

For some reason we ended up at 7/11 and Asher ended up with an ice cream. The ice cream, of course, ended up on Asher's face.

Day 249

Little buddy was looking like a beach bum. A beach bum stuck in the city that doesn't like the way sand feels on his little toes.

Day 250

We had a cold snap in Bangkok. It rained for about 24 hours straight and got down to 77 degrees. I decided that called for Cauliflower Soup courtesy of The Pioneer Woman's recipe.

Day 251

Jack attached himself to a stuffed dog for several hours. He carried it with him everywhere, even when we went to get some rice for lunch. Then, just as quickly as he had become attached to it, he forgot all about it and went about his day.

Day 252

After living in the house for 9 months we finally have pictures hanging up downstairs. Hanging them up was not as straight-forward as it sounds. First, Roger got a nail and tried to put it in the wall. Concrete wouldn't give. On to Plan B after a brief 5 month pause. Roger got out his drill and masonry bits, didn't have one small enough. On to Plan C after a brief 2 month pause and trip to the hardware store. Roger bought some new masonry bits and we drilled four evenly spaced holes in the wall. Then we hung up picture frames, but didn't have any pictures. Then on Saturday night we had friends over for dinner and finally got it together enough to print out some pictures and make it look like we actually live here.

05 September 2012

Project 365: 239 - 245

Day 239

Our buddy Num came over Sunday afternoon and didn't know what he was getting into. I believe at the moment we took this picture Jack was hanging off of one arm and Asher was beating him with his plastic hammer.

Day 240

A notice went up on our street that those living illegally on the property have 45 days to move.  Houses like this are being dismantled and the working poor are being sent off to find another piece of land to live on. On one hand, it's sad and seems unfair that those that have so little have to go. On the other hand, after living in Indonesia, I'm just impressed that they got some notice and didn't just get bulldozed one random morning. These houses, by the way, don't have running water or solid walls, but almost all have electricity and cable tv.

Day 241

Jack's first time in flip-flops. He thought he was such a big kid and he loves that he can wear flip-flops just like Asher.

Day 242

Asher made a bracelet at school. I asked him about all of the pink and girly colors and he proudly said that he got to pick all the colors by himself and he wanted pretty colors. A week later and he still wears that bracelet except when he is bathing. 

Day 243

Aunt Meleah spent an evening with us. Asher held her hand while they watched Calliou and all was right in the world.

Day 244

Jack drinks the same little milk every time he goes to Asher school. It's actually called sour milk and it sounds gross, but he seems to love it. I haven't been brave enough to try it.

Day 245

We met up with some friends at the park on Saturday morning. Jack and Asher ran around until they were exhausted and had a blast.

03 September 2012

An End of Summer Update

Here's what has been going on with the Hamptons recently.

Roger is teaching a few nights a week at an English center and also teaching one afternoon a week at a local university. The class at the local university is part of a small church and Roger is able to be a part of their outreach each week after class. He has spent a lot of time over the past few months traveling, mostly in Northeast Thailand, in order to build stronger relationships with his friends. Last week he had the opportunity to speak at a local church and he did an amazing job speaking for about 10 minutes all in Thai. Between all of these things and all of the other little opportunities that seem to pop up he has been going non-stop since last January. He's actually admitted to looking forward to our time in the States next spring if for no other reason than to have a break from spending lots of time stuck in traffic.

Jack is 20 months old and just getting into that precocious almost 2 year old stage. He is definitely the most out-going member of our family. He is willing to go almost anywhere with anyone. A few weeks ago the air conditioning on our car went out. Jack and I were driving to Asher's school and had all the windows open so that we wouldn't completely melt. After the first stop light I had to put Jack's window up to keep random people from reaching in through the open window to touch his face. He loved every minute of it. Jack is talking, at least about things that matter to him. His favorite words: seat (when he wants to get in his seat to eat), see-see (when he sees anything at all), shoes, truck, let's go, bye bye and khaap khun khap (Thai for thank you).

Asher is almost through the first half of Kindergarten 1. In school they are through the letter L in the English alphabet and they have covered a good bit of the Thai alphabet. His Thai is getting really good, he is learning all of those random "lah" and "si" and "nuh" sounds that Thai people say at the end of a phrase. I have no idea what he's saying, but it sure sounds good. At school his favorite things are Chinese and music class. Possibly he can say a few things in Chinese now, but he very well could just be making noise. His new favorite show is Calliou (thanks to a DVD from Mimi) and his favorite activity continues to be driving his cars and bugging his brother. Now that Jack is older he does like to play with him, but he gets pretty annoyed when Jack messes up his perfectly lined up cars and trucks.

I am still staying busy at home washing dishes, washing clothes and trying to contain Asher and Jack. I have been able to teach a few marketing classes at a local non-profit that works with Thai Ladyboys. So far we have covered the basics of marketing and advertising, I am waiting for them to finish creating their first advertisement. Each week Jack and I spend a morning with friends at a local playgroup and a morning at an International church for a women's program. I have finally learned how to drive and I feel like I have a pretty easy life now that I can drive to the grocery store and not have to cross 7 lanes of traffic with a stroller in order to buy food. I'm looking forward to a new opportunity this fall to spend time on a university campus each week.

We are pretty excited about the next 6 months here in Bangkok and looking forward to spending 4 months in Kentucky starting in March.