More Ketchup

No, not that kind of ketchup, I need to catch-up on this blog. I have most of our pics/stories for 2008 already on here, but there are still several I need to add (for example: ALL of our Thailand trip!)

I used to be a scrapbook junkie, now I'm just an occasional dabbler. That's why I started blogging, so I could record our little memories easier and print them out in a Blurb book each year. At the beginning of the year, I learned that Blogger had changed their API, which meant Booksmart could no longer reliably communicate with, and thus slurp, from Blogger. I was crushed! However, Blurb has recently fixed the problem, so we are back in business. I'm going to go through the year and just crank out the posts. After I'm done I'll put them in chronological order so I can start slurping away. I'll also being posting for 2009 simultaneously, so sorry if I cause any confusion!

House Hunt- February

This month I added 49 houses to my spreadsheet, so along with January's houses there are now 81! This month I started to panic too. We will be a family of 6, so we obviously need to get something that we will all fit in. However, we will be a family of 6 on a single income- I don't want to get in over our heads. We contemplated buying a duplex or a town house, but I would prefer a "detached" house (as they call them in England and Ottawa- ha). We were able to talk to a mortgage specialist at our bank, so now we know where we stand in pre-qualifying and I don't have to guess anymore. I feel so relieved because our favorite 3 homes for this month are all in our price range. Again, they may be sold by April, but hopefully we'll still be able to find something we love.

House #1- Huge backyard!

House #2- The most gorgeous kitchen I have ever seen!

House #3- I've always wanted to live in a yellow, cheerful house, and I LOVE this exterior!

Look at all of the snow in each picture! I'm freezing already!

Enchanting Engagements

I have the most beautiful sisters in the world! Here are some engagements of my stunning sister, Mandy and her handsome beau, Coleman. Enjoy!

The Big Belly Baby Bump

I am 28 1/2 weeks pregnant, and SO glad to finally be in the third trimester! I already weigh more than I did when I delivered Gavin and my belly circumference is only an inch smaller- yikes! My doctor is not impressed with me to say the least, but I swear I haven't been pigging out any more than usual- tee hee. I've also been exercising 4 times a week, which is something I never did during my other pregnancies. I blame it on breaking my toe last summer and having to be on bed rest for almost 2 months, I just started out chubbier this time around. Oh well, after he's here safe and sound I'll worry about weight loss again.


My tummy is just so big and heavy! It's fun to feel all the acrobats little boy likes to perform for me each day. He is definitely active!


I still think it's so cool that Leonard and I created this little family!

My sweet little Kaleb is so happy to be a big brother again. He was expecting a girl at first too, but quickly became super excited to have another brother. He thinks it's neat that the boys will out-number the girls 2 to 1. He's a funny guy!

Noe really wanted a sister at first, but she quickly got over it. Of all the kids, she is the one that talks about the baby the most and she is ALWAYS kissing my belly- which I think is so cute.

She still asks if she'll ever have a sister. At this point, who knows? We're so glad we have our little princess though.

Gavin is definitely the "baby" right now, so I know it will take some adjusting when the new baby arrives. He'll pat my belly and say baby, but I'm not sure he really understands. If my belly ever gets exposed while I'm sitting, he gets upset and quickly runs over to cover it up. He is fascinated with my friend's new baby though, so hopefully he'll be just as enthralled with his own.

Our little family of 5, soon to be a family of 6. I guess we're not so little anymore!

Frustration

I just have to vent the vile distaste I have for the ENTIRE airline industry!!!

My sweet sister is marrying her Prince Charming next month, and our whole family was excited to attend the joyous event and spend our spring break with extended family. However, Leonard couldn't take off work the entire time and I will be 7 1/2 months pregnant then, so we worked out a little solution. My brother Kristopher, was going to fly out to Taiwan on March 13th to spend his spring break with us, then he would fly back with the kids and I on the 20th. Len would join us on the 26th, then our little family would fly home on April 3rd. Everything sounded perfect. After Mandy & Coleman set their date, I just wanted to confirm with my Obstetrician that it would still be safe for me to fly at that stage of my pregnancy. I saw her last week and she said everything would be fine and she would write me a letter to give to the airlines.

Now comes the frustrating part, trying to actually book the tickets for everyone to be on the same flights even though it is technically 3 different trips. Len and I have been on the phone and on-line with every travel agent and airline that flies from Taiwan to the US and nobody has been able to help us! The best they say is for us to book it on-line and hope that as we're booking the 3 separate trips that the seats don't get sold out, so Kris can be on the flight with the kids & I going there, and Len can be on the flight with us coming back. Are you kidding me? How can we gamble that much money? Because you know if they are sold out, we can't "cancel" our order- we're just screwed!

Speaking of money, it is so frustrating to see all of the double-standards in business. You can get great deals on flights from the US to Taiwan, but try getting those same deals from Taiwan to the US- no way! The prices are all at least DOUBLE! Trying to coordinate all of us on the same flights for the 3 different trips and some of the prices TRIPLE!!!

Why is there no customer service anymore, where we can just say these are the trips we'd like to book, the agent could get us all on the same flight, and the price would be the same for all of us?!? I seriously don't get it. No wonder so many airlines are going bankrupt! I'm ready to throw the towel in as well and start travelling by ship and train. (Or does any scientist out there want to invent teleporting?)

One more thing, Canada and America need to become friends. I'm not saying we have to have a North American version of the Euro, but it would be nice if we could use our Canadian credit cards with American airlines. Remember, we're not going to Canada this trip, but to the States, do they seriously not want our money? A lot of airlines wouldn't let us book directly from their sites, so we have to use expedia.ca. After all the headaches we had last summer after I broke my toe, I never wanted to use them again. Unfortunately, it appears they are the only agent who will work with us! Aren't there supposed to be monopoly laws? I think I just need to start my own travel agency!

So the sad/happy news is that I will be attending my sister's wedding solo. I am thrilled that I'll get to be at their special occasion, but I'm heartbroken too. I have the most supportive husband, I just really want him to be there with me. My kids will be devastated when I tell them the news- they were so looking forward to the trip too. My extended family understands but they are really upset also. Living in Taiwan we get certain financial "perks" but being half-way around the world they don't seem to do us any good. This summer we'll be back in North America, but we won't have the same benefits, so we'll still be stuck. I am so grateful for my husband's job but it just thoroughly stinks that we are so far away from our loved ones!

Hopefully this summer as we move from Taipei back to Ottawa, we'll be able to make a pit stop in the Western US somewhere and get to see all 3 of our families. Life is just NOT fair sometimes and it's hard to stay positive in these situations.

Lovey-Dovey Day

On Saturday morning, Len took the kids to a birthday party at Bouncy Town. While they were out I made a little Valentine cake, and some Valentine cards. I also put on the table the roses Len brought home for me the night before (I had a rough day Friday), and what I thought were the cards Kaleb & Noe made at the Primary Activity last week. Come to find out the card I thought Kaleb made, Noe really made, and Kaleb gave his card to Mary. However, Sophie gave hers to him and that was the card I thought Noe made. I think it's so sweet that they all shared. Our little poems on our valentines are:

Loveable
Expressive
Only Love
Nerdy
Artistic
Righteous
Dreamboat

Joyful
Example
Naughty &
Nice
Imaginative
Fun
Eloquent
Rambler

Kind
Athletic
Learner
Engineer
Beautiful Soul

Natural Beauty
Oh So Sweet
Entertaining

Great Friend
Adorable
Very Talkative
Innocent
Nice

Kaleb liked them so much he made another one:

Righteous
Eternal
Imaginative
Love

I was really impressed!


I am in love with Little People, and the kids loved their new Sweet Valentine set to play with.


That evening I went to our Ward Valentine's Party with all of my Valentine's! My darling husband,


my sweet little boys,


my precious little girl,


and my new little one that I can't wait to meet!
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Taiwanese Holidays

Today is Lantern Festival, the official end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Since we will be leaving our island home soon, I wanted to record some of their national holidays to remember in the future.



In the west we refer to it as Chinese New Year, however many Asian countries celebrate it and it is referred to as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival here. It occurs on the first day of the first lunar month (usually the end of January or beginning of February). It is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Here are some of the things that happen during this time:
Major housecleaning (get rid of last year's bad luck, but be careful not to clean away any remaining good luck)
Get haircuts and wear new clothes
Decorate with red- couplets, lanterns, chinese knots, and papercutting
Have a family reunion dinner- red envelopes are given to the youth, and dumplings, fish, and oranges are popular menu items
Watch dragon and lion dance parades
Watch and hear lots of fireworks (the firecrackers scare bad spirits away)
Everyone grows one year older


The Lantern Festival is the fifteenth day of the new year and the official end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Many candles and lanterns are lit to guide wayword spirits back home. Rice dumpling soup is usually eaten too.


228 Peace Memorial Day is celebrated February 28th. The 228 Incident, also known as the 228 Massacre, was an anti-government, anti-Chinese uprising that began on 2-28-1947 and was violently suppressed by the Kuomintang (KMT) government. Every February 28, Taiwan's President gathers with other officials to ring a commemorative bell in memory of the victims. The President bows to family members of 2-28 victims and gives each one a certificate officially declaring the family innocent of any crime. The above picture is of the 228 Peace Memorial Park in Taipei City.

The Tomb Sweeping Festival (or Qingming) takes place on the fifteenth day after the Spring Equinox (usually April 4th or 5th). It is observed by ancestor worship- the cleaning and sweeping of graves, offering food to the deceased, and burning joss paper (ghost money).

The Dragon Boat Festival (or Duanwu) occurs on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, giving rise to the alternative name of Double Fifth (usually occuring the end of May or in June). The focus of the celebrations includes eating zongzi, which are large rice wraps filled with red beans, drinking realgar wine, and racing dragon boats.

The Ghost Festival takes place on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month (usually the middle of August). It is significant because it is the opening of the gates of Hell, permitting all ghosts to receive food and drink. It is similarly observed as the Tomb Sweeping Festival. However, during the Qingming Festival the living descendants pay homage to their ancestors and on Ghost Day, the deceased visit the living.

The Mid-Autumn (or Moon) Festival is the second most important Chinese holiday and is on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month (near the fall equinox in September or October). It is a harvest festival similar to Thanksgiving. Families will gather and enjoy the harvest foods and will also eat mooncakes (which there are many varieties of, but I still haven't had one that I like) and pomeloes (looks like a green pear-shaped grapefruit, and is quite tasty). Hats will be made and worn out of the pomelo rinds, families will admire the moon together, and floating sky lanterns will be sent to the moon.

Confucius' Birthday Celebration is also called Teacher's Day and is celebrated September 28th. The day honors teachers' virtues, pains, and also their contribution not only to their own students but also to the whole society. People often make use of the day to express their gratitude to their teachers, such as paying them a visit or sending them a card. This date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Confucius, believed to be the model master educator in ancient China. The festival celebration occurs in the temples of Confucius around the island, known as the "Grand Ceremony Dedicated to Confucius." The ceremony begins at 6 AM with drum beats. 54 musicians dress in robes with blue belts, 36 dancers dress in yellow with green belts. They are led by Confucius's chief descendant and followed by ceremonial officers. Three animals -- the cow, the goat, and the pig -- are sacrificed. The hairs plucked from these sacrificed animals are called the Hairs of Wisdom. In addition, local education institutes and civil offices award certain teachers for their excellence and positive influence.

Double Ten Day (October 10th) is Taiwan's National Holiday. It celebrates the start of the Wuchang Uprising of October 10, 1911, which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China and the establishment of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912. As a result of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Republic of China government lost control of mainland China and relocated its capital to Taipei, while the Chinese Communist Party established the People's Republic of China in mainland China. The jurisdiction of the Republic of China has since been limited to Taiwan. In Taiwan, the official celebration starts with the raising of the flag in front of the Presidential Building, followed by public singing of the National Anthem. It is then followed by celebrations in front of the Presidential Building, including a military parade. Later in the day, the President addresses the country and fireworks displays are held throughout the major cities of the island.

*It has been fun learning about and experiencing a new culture. I hope we are able to experience life on each continent!

The Flying Cow Rancher

Gavin had a modeling job yesterday from 10:00 in the morning, until 6:00 in the evening. No, he didn't work for that long we rode a bus for almost 2 1/2 hours to this beautiful nature farm, "The Flying Cow Ranch." We had lunch as soon as we got there (cold chicken nuggets and hamburgers, because it was freezing cold outside), then it was time to work. Gavin did not want to cooperate at all for his first outfit. I think he was overwhelmed by all of the people, and the cold misty weather. It really stinks they have to do the summer shoots in the winter and vice versa (I remember Noe wearing 3 layers of wool in the blazing heat for one shoot). Anyway, they changed him into his second outfit and gave him some candy and a singing panda toy to play with and he was all ready to go then. Although, he never wore the hats they wanted him to.


Why and 1/2 is the company he worked for (a very popular Taiwanese Children's Store) and they always do the shoots at amazing locations. Anyway, it seemed like we were in a dream. This beautiful farm, with tons of cows, sheep, geese, and this surreal foggy weather.


There were 7 children working today and a HUGE entourage. The photographer, and all of his lighting, etc crew, each child had their own dresser, the make-up artists, the agents, the people to make the kids smile and laugh for the pictures. Gavin snagged the blush brush from the make-up artist and decided to apply it himself. (Yes, he watches mommy every day.)

There were also lots of cute props. Here is the pink face cow, there were also blue and red ones.

Gavin's friends Lizzy and Leah were at the shoot too, but he only got to pose with the other boys. It's always fun to make new friends though.

These cows were so lovey I had to take their picture. The brown cow kept rubbing her face up and down the black & white cow's back, it was so cute!

The little boys were so cute holding hands and dancing together. They had to to stay warm! Each child had their own warm blanket to snuggle up in between shots though. (What will a mother do to put money in her kids' saving accounts and for free pictures? What can I say, they approached us when we first moved here and I saw it as a once in a lifetime opportunity. We will not be pursuing show-biz when we're back home.)

The girls had another shot to do at the end, so I took some pictures of Gavin exploring the scenery. He's just a little guy!

Where do these stairs go?

His little mischievous smile. These days whenever he does something naughty, and I tell him no, no- he'll flash me one of these babies. How can I get upset at that cute face?