tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-376685492024-03-13T17:42:00.124-07:00a broad and her brood living the life abroadIf you consider a family of four a brood...this is the place...Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.comBlogger266125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-88706968332741325502011-05-02T17:21:00.001-07:002011-05-03T22:41:03.850-07:00This one isn't easyBeing a parent is no fun when you have to explain "adult things" to your children. <br /><br />I remember as a child there was a serial killer in our area. He had murdered several people within an 50 mile radius of where we lived and it was all over the news. One of the young women murdered was a teacher, another was the older sister of a friend, and the attorney that prosecuted the case was a family friend. It was all very close to home.<br /><br />There was also the earthquake in San Francisco in 1989, I was almost 11. My grandparents had large exposed beams in their family room, and ever since I remember making sure that I was always lying between the beams so that if there was an earthquake I wouldn't be trapped beneath the huge pieces of wood. <br /><br />There was also a stabbing, fires and attempted kidnappings that I vividly remember hearing about. All of these memories have made me very aware of keeping the nightly news of doom and gloom at a minimum when the kids are around. As a parent, you want to protect your kids from scary things, from the boogie man, you want them to feel safe and secure but how can you avoid the evil and the natural disasters that happen daily? You simply cannot. <br /><br />In Holden's world, especially in Asia there has been some pretty scary things that we have had to explain. Tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions, more tsunamis and nuclear fallout; and that's just the "natural" disasters!<br /><br />So when this day of reckoning came. When the news broke that Osama Bin Laden had been killed, that justice had been served and he would meet his Maker, we yet again had some explaining to do. "Who was this man, what did he do, why are people so happy he is dead?" <br /><br />I will never forget "that day," really, no one will. I was paralyzed that early morning in Boise when my roommate and I sat on our blue faded sofa and watched things unfold live. I was still an idealistic college student and until that day, all the world seemed safe. American soil seemed safe, we didn't know any other reality. I couldn't go to class that day, or the next, or even the one after that. I had just moved home from Washington DC and it felt too close to home. I am still moved to tears thinking about the images of that day that changed America. Of the plane hitting the second tower, of the people jumping from the flaming windows to their death, of the towers crashing down and the thick cloud of smoke that chased people down as they ran to escape. <br /><br />Explaing something so traumatic that so wholly changed the world to my seven year old child is not easy. So with tears in my eyes I just told him that a few years before he was born there was a very bad man who hurt a lot of people and for all these years (almost 10 now) the US military has been looking for him, and they finally found him so there are a lot of happy people now knowing that he won't be around to hurt anyone else. But in truth, I know there will be more people hurt, I know that this is not the end of terrorism, in fact it may just be the beginning and bad things happen every day. Soon enough he will have his own moment of change when he knows things will never be the same. He will conjure up images of the horrible things that have happened in his lifetime but for now I just want to keep him safe and secure in his blissful bubble of childhood. I wonder, what will be his reality of "lying between the beams?"Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-88401771609835555752011-04-30T01:06:00.000-07:002011-05-03T21:15:45.377-07:00A lot of thingsThere were a lot of things I could have done today.<br /><br />There were a lot of things I wanted to do today and a lot of things I needed to do today. <br /><br />But, all of those "things" took a back seat today for one important thing I did do today...<br /><br /><br />We took these children:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3iVt5OIIPf_tdODVfGe_2TTr9pPYfRqw6szIbtiN-MQTy_enpbme6_vhzcjqZrTIFCn287XD5rtkc9IoROlF0tg2leDVUGZYpl-joci6HQhAZgW68bWPmPdqztqqn0okeCRfWw/s1600/DSC_0484.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3iVt5OIIPf_tdODVfGe_2TTr9pPYfRqw6szIbtiN-MQTy_enpbme6_vhzcjqZrTIFCn287XD5rtkc9IoROlF0tg2leDVUGZYpl-joci6HQhAZgW68bWPmPdqztqqn0okeCRfWw/s320/DSC_0484.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602706968508497378" /></a><br /><br /><br />Who come from this most horrifying depth of poverty: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyGHmwtMNkkTv9xW-WarHJ83HnPMk4E5RO5ADDfIa9KvB1J-3cmZ1CE8akdMMIcTwFJDKRymOA5qsYU1UJRbPY2F_nEWs_8WK9zme09Kd-iIGywm8T2hOBNfVTb90HYDj3KTkTA/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipyGHmwtMNkkTv9xW-WarHJ83HnPMk4E5RO5ADDfIa9KvB1J-3cmZ1CE8akdMMIcTwFJDKRymOA5qsYU1UJRbPY2F_nEWs_8WK9zme09Kd-iIGywm8T2hOBNfVTb90HYDj3KTkTA/s320/DSC_0102.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602706972844575586" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />And hosted a swim party for them:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE51mbT_QHrZ_q2oQ5x5yolA5keTxnPnsCsYTtau1iiOmQPbUZAxUqIAgMGmOF8U2PFUgZEA0TRD8-LbAj5sTSM_T1Cw6LEQxUoTSTLYW14mlOZL-BLtLbqSK1eisCSr514zT-Q/s1600/DSC_0403.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmE51mbT_QHrZ_q2oQ5x5yolA5keTxnPnsCsYTtau1iiOmQPbUZAxUqIAgMGmOF8U2PFUgZEA0TRD8-LbAj5sTSM_T1Cw6LEQxUoTSTLYW14mlOZL-BLtLbqSK1eisCSr514zT-Q/s320/DSC_0403.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602707970208163922" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />And I have NEVER seen such big smiles or so much pure unadulterated joy:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJivJAkPIhfNxbCHEAE90TtItyH1GnhvK0uQSoC-ScdEzfmAarJTmQF2BetzDIxVVDud39xeJDyZdjSH-38iYg_n7ZqUMke_FipK7Uz2MA0kKqewDUr70eAc3lSzGd80EtDlGew/s1600/DSC_0240.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJivJAkPIhfNxbCHEAE90TtItyH1GnhvK0uQSoC-ScdEzfmAarJTmQF2BetzDIxVVDud39xeJDyZdjSH-38iYg_n7ZqUMke_FipK7Uz2MA0kKqewDUr70eAc3lSzGd80EtDlGew/s320/DSC_0240.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602706261509720706" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbIZFw37pLmu7c8WlMgcZ4udJOFBAoAKbwvnEYfmszK0A68DqAplq-V90_GBe7PwnCBPUoAxPnyOX0q79iH1kZ9TIGmEY01z66knLuuQR3jdW64lZDn7T-n1lMhmWplpjABb4UQ/s1600/DSC_0263.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbIZFw37pLmu7c8WlMgcZ4udJOFBAoAKbwvnEYfmszK0A68DqAplq-V90_GBe7PwnCBPUoAxPnyOX0q79iH1kZ9TIGmEY01z66knLuuQR3jdW64lZDn7T-n1lMhmWplpjABb4UQ/s320/DSC_0263.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602706258290883714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LDvauuafpvWbXKOB1ikoxUWiOCPnLTANXAg83Hfe0JfeKQC7sOQjsDz61fHrsyPiqPhnA2KvZKQL6OAZ8_phNW1bTX8rnBLrYeeRux8cBb3P59u9NlkUAEzm2nPiqXH2YZhioQ/s1600/DSC_0261.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2LDvauuafpvWbXKOB1ikoxUWiOCPnLTANXAg83Hfe0JfeKQC7sOQjsDz61fHrsyPiqPhnA2KvZKQL6OAZ8_phNW1bTX8rnBLrYeeRux8cBb3P59u9NlkUAEzm2nPiqXH2YZhioQ/s320/DSC_0261.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602706255794603266" /></a><br /><br />I know these children, I consider them part of me and every week I look forward to seeing their beautiful faces, feeling their love, and giving to them the love, attention and respect that every child should get no matter what their circumstances are. If you want to help visit www.projectpearls.org I promise, the small amount that is takes to give gift of education will not go to waste.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-15622458792118426932011-04-27T07:10:00.000-07:002011-05-04T02:55:55.584-07:00and then they went to Hong Kong...againAh, back to civilzation. That's what Hong Kong feels like. Only a 2 hour flight and I wonder why we don't go more often. Ususally because we are spending too much time at the beach! We had been looking forward to getting back to Hong Kong for a while and it finally worked out over Easter break. <br /><br />In the Philippines (which is about 80% Catholic) they take holy week pretty darn serious. In fact, so serious that in our building they shut the power and the water off. Ok, that has nothing to do with the church but because EVERYTHING is closed they use those days to make major repairs hence the no water, no power. <br /><br />We skedaddled to the local Shangrila and "pre-vacationed" at the pool for a couple of days before we headed North for cooler temperatures, better food and most important fantastic shopping. Oh, we threw in a trip to Disneyland of course and even let the Easter Bunny visit. I must say the funniest part of the trip was when Holden had a melt down in Tiffany's. "MOM! the only things girls want are diamonds and looking at jewelery is NOT fun." "Really Holden, looking at jewelery IS fun and girls want more than just diamonds silly, they also like bags and shoes and pearls." He seriously had a melt down with phrases like "this is suppose to be a FAMILY vacation, we are suppose to do things that the whole family likes, this is stuff you can do in Manila." Honestly, where did I go wrong with this kid? Needless to say, this cut my shopping trip down to size and we headed to do things the WHOLE family likes...you know, like Disneyland. HA!<br /><br />Disneyland was a treat as always. We went on Easter Sunday. Still trying to figure out if that was a good idea! It was crowded but mostly with just adults. The ratio of adults to children had to have been about 6:1. It made me wish there was an express line for people WITH children in tow. <br /><br /><br />I have said it before, and I will say it again: traaveling with kids is hard work. Especially at Finnley's age and with their food preferences, or shall we say pickiness. There was one moment at lunch where Nate looked at me and said, "how do people back home do this alone?" and every night we fell into bed absolutely exhausted. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, we can't move home.<br /><br />For it's size Hong Kong is suprisingly efficient. We made it places in record time and for as many times as we have been now, it just seems easy. But it is crowded and there isn't anyone to lend a helping hand. Yet another reason Manila was calling my name to come home. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwppyz7uEDpOGCbkWRjvGMa_9nDINgYlG4RoWT5SZ1Y2u1HTe45rLPMko4mPR4udno7FCfWjf20GrUC1IfFcaGY33ToVIuXLak3io5Flk17pwAYk1xUwFHU0dh5tlbp5vX_6G9kA/s1600/IMG_4058.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwppyz7uEDpOGCbkWRjvGMa_9nDINgYlG4RoWT5SZ1Y2u1HTe45rLPMko4mPR4udno7FCfWjf20GrUC1IfFcaGY33ToVIuXLak3io5Flk17pwAYk1xUwFHU0dh5tlbp5vX_6G9kA/s320/IMG_4058.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602729200165997442" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzv9cSlKGOw97FkA__pjKT3dnRnS1PwE8SqI-yzdHWqhi_pgEk19Xle-I8U2EEQIQ9c4qQBTrrUHtBBr_Hod2-OT4qj3s-DyTtFsyX4OviyVkKF479aUvgGdzYQjNjoVnDJFBtA/s1600/IMG_4040.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzv9cSlKGOw97FkA__pjKT3dnRnS1PwE8SqI-yzdHWqhi_pgEk19Xle-I8U2EEQIQ9c4qQBTrrUHtBBr_Hod2-OT4qj3s-DyTtFsyX4OviyVkKF479aUvgGdzYQjNjoVnDJFBtA/s320/IMG_4040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602729105772127586" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfWg-hdzTSuXD286hn6KbBST1hlBsZ2id4SpeUXjQfBr2afLoQ_TCB09zDv5zdS9xtCM6wK3uchabczXoGUPJ_imWnUQZ9AfQtIVEcK28ZGP46UAd0o7740P_lW3kVatSbspiEg/s1600/DSC_0324.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUfWg-hdzTSuXD286hn6KbBST1hlBsZ2id4SpeUXjQfBr2afLoQ_TCB09zDv5zdS9xtCM6wK3uchabczXoGUPJ_imWnUQZ9AfQtIVEcK28ZGP46UAd0o7740P_lW3kVatSbspiEg/s320/DSC_0324.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602729100198535618" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCu_HnZCnwTl4mlzbqAltKTKUgDuKz43CQ7wM2Zgg5gSkFT6gxAxIGkEVGCt9eIVUbTMYKnK01-nft8EQ9rQCZB4WALjrqfdGpoLFU5f2iFd7kri8qbSyVGzmJ3-ALQtAaW9X_Q/s1600/DSC_0194.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCu_HnZCnwTl4mlzbqAltKTKUgDuKz43CQ7wM2Zgg5gSkFT6gxAxIGkEVGCt9eIVUbTMYKnK01-nft8EQ9rQCZB4WALjrqfdGpoLFU5f2iFd7kri8qbSyVGzmJ3-ALQtAaW9X_Q/s320/DSC_0194.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602729093655544690" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rXOPh50wDj_HPoDA9PmZF82Xh4pPIVWz2mIg4nmhFS1_amCmf5az42kAzQzZ_63U6BC_h-P6jIZwAiV7lrqYhTQwohHgPTe7HR-gutjolQVzaC4UJnYtpyymnqJOE-XKUr_anQ/s1600/DSC_0084.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rXOPh50wDj_HPoDA9PmZF82Xh4pPIVWz2mIg4nmhFS1_amCmf5az42kAzQzZ_63U6BC_h-P6jIZwAiV7lrqYhTQwohHgPTe7HR-gutjolQVzaC4UJnYtpyymnqJOE-XKUr_anQ/s320/DSC_0084.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602729096852526098" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON-fFgQny4VRgIwAVU6mTcR3t6Fybnnt_lpcyLiCWubqcPt8vLQgGmuKY4_RB-fq8FUE09GCId9Y0zSTBQQ8AUljSii3emYj1V9HCRyS8PmTAEmB4NVF1l0NMpWu5ImZ4zPSBBQ/s1600/DSC_0060.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjON-fFgQny4VRgIwAVU6mTcR3t6Fybnnt_lpcyLiCWubqcPt8vLQgGmuKY4_RB-fq8FUE09GCId9Y0zSTBQQ8AUljSii3emYj1V9HCRyS8PmTAEmB4NVF1l0NMpWu5ImZ4zPSBBQ/s320/DSC_0060.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728701815184066" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexb0xsOm22kdo1a6ru3VR8SvipEJZgmfgIP85VQgAOeppYHzMSkKUznixJVXCIPors-yart_bGP9qie7yED8sXWBS8xpKKTuGQju-l38aK4Ky1ebxw5-z5ZaO8LkFM_SR1FColQ/s1600/DSC_0034.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexb0xsOm22kdo1a6ru3VR8SvipEJZgmfgIP85VQgAOeppYHzMSkKUznixJVXCIPors-yart_bGP9qie7yED8sXWBS8xpKKTuGQju-l38aK4Ky1ebxw5-z5ZaO8LkFM_SR1FColQ/s320/DSC_0034.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728695006779122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZi62GrXn2jIIHIGNMlhaLLgWmkQ9iDMRiNpiowDegQz3_1KMOXf1M5T5AHMuj9AwIuUTjl5vEpQi2fjfTQbjDVhlBLI4aJUQYTKRkZjDhpP0KVYOeJ55MEzqf00IoZUrBqYAWg/s1600/IMG_4062.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZi62GrXn2jIIHIGNMlhaLLgWmkQ9iDMRiNpiowDegQz3_1KMOXf1M5T5AHMuj9AwIuUTjl5vEpQi2fjfTQbjDVhlBLI4aJUQYTKRkZjDhpP0KVYOeJ55MEzqf00IoZUrBqYAWg/s320/IMG_4062.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728692563572850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiSabYqRgT3Jz8g6v4UO3q4c3jdKLXn-U0WRSCJWwpdzCKYINX1TYh5yf5Zn6SHgzZ-fqJYN8RBsRjwpFCCPDDDfdwR9KUyEHf0HbNG_bxFH4qXJxC_94FXOI_OcIUs1Yist6Lg/s1600/IMG_4047.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxiSabYqRgT3Jz8g6v4UO3q4c3jdKLXn-U0WRSCJWwpdzCKYINX1TYh5yf5Zn6SHgzZ-fqJYN8RBsRjwpFCCPDDDfdwR9KUyEHf0HbNG_bxFH4qXJxC_94FXOI_OcIUs1Yist6Lg/s320/IMG_4047.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728681191797394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyypU6DLuNHIcX7tfziZ1Kfp6LRS4TJo5lWwHmv3B66Mcm7t8kT2En7103bmLWCK0GYQ5buF5ymELPoFdGZQJdxt7dACKMxpir3xxql6LYfF4H_PQaUhUL-6TgJvjeSnBLyD6kRQ/s1600/IMG_4029.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyypU6DLuNHIcX7tfziZ1Kfp6LRS4TJo5lWwHmv3B66Mcm7t8kT2En7103bmLWCK0GYQ5buF5ymELPoFdGZQJdxt7dACKMxpir3xxql6LYfF4H_PQaUhUL-6TgJvjeSnBLyD6kRQ/s320/IMG_4029.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728678728570642" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFHbjV_2HYfa2ZAABrjq3EWiFQJWwQmfNEbfu80WkVMclP5ypVyqP6y5ApVdDvJiS1xSo2o-OHkQno3P3rQsZSq6fFrAAqM8IB7Nie8pqPvOOdOvrkz1cGuRsZhY4Ie6_s2hLKA/s1600/DSC_0295.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFHbjV_2HYfa2ZAABrjq3EWiFQJWwQmfNEbfu80WkVMclP5ypVyqP6y5ApVdDvJiS1xSo2o-OHkQno3P3rQsZSq6fFrAAqM8IB7Nie8pqPvOOdOvrkz1cGuRsZhY4Ie6_s2hLKA/s320/DSC_0295.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728490705828770" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ9ie4HSSNbF139-s-khsWiIu6vU1Co2-wzBihOHkOwPh5zQgHIxCB16IzLKM9A6MpvrFK5NpYF6oCxFdCESi2yvqEE25empoAhvgbm_rtRxLyhaZ8YT9gRJK63AcKfE0zCwpfQ/s1600/DSC_0164.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ9ie4HSSNbF139-s-khsWiIu6vU1Co2-wzBihOHkOwPh5zQgHIxCB16IzLKM9A6MpvrFK5NpYF6oCxFdCESi2yvqEE25empoAhvgbm_rtRxLyhaZ8YT9gRJK63AcKfE0zCwpfQ/s320/DSC_0164.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728482884143074" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CzSn5xvHT5YYzWVVUoEtZKuW0QLsQ5uFIirCyA3eaODwUqletKF4OWK-Tbalb9xjOrpP0SPPP-Kgzbg6uAf9kORBo6pgtDtgiEFEShii1aFUUjny7YCb80eRFXzvqEudbZ-8SA/s1600/DSC_0076.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CzSn5xvHT5YYzWVVUoEtZKuW0QLsQ5uFIirCyA3eaODwUqletKF4OWK-Tbalb9xjOrpP0SPPP-Kgzbg6uAf9kORBo6pgtDtgiEFEShii1aFUUjny7YCb80eRFXzvqEudbZ-8SA/s320/DSC_0076.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728476971312690" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnCQM5MjN4-UUi24n7nJ1w2ZD4B1_oS7lhzbjxadbB21mjf5y1lDNym7XZfgj-1XT4ASAaRK-z_vv41GtA019bTdv6vNkHuvRljy3gSwX0PbzhmTq7DXD9ytCAa6_mE152frERQ/s1600/DSC_0045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnCQM5MjN4-UUi24n7nJ1w2ZD4B1_oS7lhzbjxadbB21mjf5y1lDNym7XZfgj-1XT4ASAaRK-z_vv41GtA019bTdv6vNkHuvRljy3gSwX0PbzhmTq7DXD9ytCAa6_mE152frERQ/s320/DSC_0045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728466540967058" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn8p3041kL3hw20E2Etd5iI0H8DCiCtalkk2jmmdrCFU5-lUEdiAGCmrKTrdP84tPHMpyekxAlkP77jibE9jLOdOuu_4R6lwku0EiAKGYiiJADIgLSq_4rTeoGoIzXHJy7DKtlw/s1600/DSC_0009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn8p3041kL3hw20E2Etd5iI0H8DCiCtalkk2jmmdrCFU5-lUEdiAGCmrKTrdP84tPHMpyekxAlkP77jibE9jLOdOuu_4R6lwku0EiAKGYiiJADIgLSq_4rTeoGoIzXHJy7DKtlw/s320/DSC_0009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5602728469611526402" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-51261742358560308512011-04-04T07:00:00.000-07:002011-04-05T23:51:38.483-07:00Turkey...Cambodia....BoracayWhat started off as a trip to Turkey then turned into a holiday to Cambodia eventually landed us back in Boracay. And why wouldn't it?<br /><br /><br />Turkey was going to be the Spring Break to remember! The plan was to catch up with Nate's parents in Istanbul but after the timing didn't work out for them we started going through our lists of places to visit. Cambodia has been a top spot for both of us, but due to the lack of direct flights it was a bit of a challenge without a decent chunk of time. The week off of school seemed the perfect fit but after our amazing vacation in Boracay 3 weeks earlier, neither of us could bear the thought of traipsing around the hot city taking the boys to temple after temple when we could just as easily (easier in fact) head back to Bora. Adventurous, no. Smart, yes! <br /><br />Our holidays before Finnley came around were a bit more adventurous. Holden proved to be a laid back and easy travel companion.. But, when I think of all the vacations we have had since Finn blessed us with his red headed spirit the big long haul city trips have been; lets say, a bit challenging. There has been invitations to leave restaurants (Osaka), admittances to hospitals (Bangkok), stripping clothes off in the middle of winter (Paris) and vomit in taxis (Hanoi). Now, I'm not saying Finn isn't a little trooper in his own right, he just clearly prefers laid back beach vacations and right now I am totally okay with that. <br /><br />Now, the problem with going to the same place twice within a 3 week period is that you can't fork out the dough for a villa with a private pool the first time and then stay in a hotel room the second time. Oh no, it doesn't work that way...for any of us. You have already broken the seal, let the genie out of the bottle. This is also why you should never let your kids fly first class. Trying to get them to think coach is all fine and dandy again is NEVER going to happen. <br /><br />Now, I'm not saying my kids make demands, but they certainly do let their opinions known. As we are boarding the tiny thirty seat prop plane Holden says "We are in first class, right?" Um yeah Hold, the entire plane is. Can't you tell? <br />Then, as we are swept from the speed boat into the golf cart and escorted directly past check-in to a hotel room where we can freshen up and wait for the villa to be prepared Holden says, "This is okay, but I really preferred the place we stayed last time." The talk of this life of luxury so accessible to him in the Philippines makes for some very useful conversations about the need for an education so he can continue this all on his own dime!<br /><br />Once again, the week proved to be magical. Books were read, children were water-logged, parents were tanned, sandcastles erected and music was danced to. Turkey and Cambodia will come in good time, but today, we live for Boracay. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b24JubpT-kA2LE_X043OEHAW4krvXg3o7SvXVcd66aD86mrNNv716YE3rYwEhDlPiEnHaktkAOvUYLCeiicvrkV-F9mjdvQ5_A65vcvIVR0p9-8IKu_7SORFCyQCXK7MkN_8QQ/s1600/IMG_0442.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b24JubpT-kA2LE_X043OEHAW4krvXg3o7SvXVcd66aD86mrNNv716YE3rYwEhDlPiEnHaktkAOvUYLCeiicvrkV-F9mjdvQ5_A65vcvIVR0p9-8IKu_7SORFCyQCXK7MkN_8QQ/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591737901644032930" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGN26vTRWM6w5ag5nAi79FOyFZ5EC2uuA_dtVxhBKTIjOWy3wEYwDzIykKUjOyzFPZyWmqVl9-xHYzuSQhzAoXhdb3WRaPJGq9xywtc238Bs3evNTRq7DbQDM9cD30j0ujWvNN0g/s1600/IMG_0513.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGN26vTRWM6w5ag5nAi79FOyFZ5EC2uuA_dtVxhBKTIjOWy3wEYwDzIykKUjOyzFPZyWmqVl9-xHYzuSQhzAoXhdb3WRaPJGq9xywtc238Bs3evNTRq7DbQDM9cD30j0ujWvNN0g/s320/IMG_0513.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591737895338249026" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0D5xQz4S5wU_dvWQj9KenIfz9J2UBLMwnfP_SvUV8zKvfTwslyk4qmRuXU-DsbtWfCQzz4omxcZ5k2GBPHARZMo6wxHIGpli3H5-GlO_FIYUHkW0kGd7Xoot0rdi0L4HpQU-wg/s1600/IMG_0529.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv0D5xQz4S5wU_dvWQj9KenIfz9J2UBLMwnfP_SvUV8zKvfTwslyk4qmRuXU-DsbtWfCQzz4omxcZ5k2GBPHARZMo6wxHIGpli3H5-GlO_FIYUHkW0kGd7Xoot0rdi0L4HpQU-wg/s320/IMG_0529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591737888811961122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XhSE0huvwwIijjVzY_cIsyPAL-T29Dv9gJ9pA5Wb2qO8-iA5hYqL0ZEDMGwTCPGFRXVNWWpN1HA_xdjEdhT195jydsyK0BWU8lyJqwojjDfFnrsctVaHQDXFXt4XYUBEcX2Ehg/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XhSE0huvwwIijjVzY_cIsyPAL-T29Dv9gJ9pA5Wb2qO8-iA5hYqL0ZEDMGwTCPGFRXVNWWpN1HA_xdjEdhT195jydsyK0BWU8lyJqwojjDfFnrsctVaHQDXFXt4XYUBEcX2Ehg/s320/IMG_0435.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591737884867165154" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qmHviLyREehCrz1QO5Lx94EJte9PwKMC63ihFC0cXtZl_CslU8yghIGa0qjjsu2CB0It1Hf1KBCwp3VM05UXJTjNmxxth7WJ_oeRpBwgP2SseSobYeFVa_At01wlgar0Xh6o_w/s1600/IMG_0429.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qmHviLyREehCrz1QO5Lx94EJte9PwKMC63ihFC0cXtZl_CslU8yghIGa0qjjsu2CB0It1Hf1KBCwp3VM05UXJTjNmxxth7WJ_oeRpBwgP2SseSobYeFVa_At01wlgar0Xh6o_w/s320/IMG_0429.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591737874366265618" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-88173994281434585632011-03-16T02:01:00.000-07:002011-04-05T00:26:55.604-07:008 years and countingThe thing about being married eight years is that you really begin to forget how life was before marriage. It's foggy. I can remember parts but they seem so distant and fuzzy. I never could have dreamt a few short years ago that I would be HERE, living this life, with two wavy haired boys and one hunk of a bald man exploring the world together. These boys who make up our lives, literally, have such distinct traits of their parents; their looks and personalities are so us. Sometimes its like looking in a mirror at the mishmash of Nate and I as one. We worry about certain traits, we commiserate about others, we live in joy at how vividly we see each other in our boys. Is there really a greater gift in a marriage?<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGinY-IqvQxa0PsTP4c8CfsAj7QgfmGlqc2NX98rTHDcG0nQ6TD2DW1RaXjYTGiP__wUPspby18MlsAtxLGiFM23eFOXJ3bdMASECojBLcW_5atTomlvdO3U9URFhGh_6WQYAjbA/s1600/IMG_0165blog.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGinY-IqvQxa0PsTP4c8CfsAj7QgfmGlqc2NX98rTHDcG0nQ6TD2DW1RaXjYTGiP__wUPspby18MlsAtxLGiFM23eFOXJ3bdMASECojBLcW_5atTomlvdO3U9URFhGh_6WQYAjbA/s320/IMG_0165blog.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584602564867118722" /></a><br /><br />For our anniversary this year, we revisited one of our favorite locations: Boracay. Just a hop skip and a jump (and a 45 minute flight) from Manila is where the powdery white sand meets the clear blue ocean which blends into the crisp blue sky. It's truly heaven. We spent 5 days in this blissful location with our little family and some help from our friends (Yaya Carol) at an amazing villa at the Shangrila. <br /><br />Happy 8 years to the man who makes my heart beat a little bit faster when he enters the room, the amazing father to our beautiful boys and the one who makes this amazing life that we live possible. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWI1BV6jj1klS6Et9RyWRYjm4OdMy-h_Nbp1_MjMP2eDKEpaWDY3c-ZLI8rcMmwzYCLTexxkQqJQuSBRdzYrfNHiKqv7jQ0YQMu-HlisbsjA_fFIWjq2ZMxJymy4d7agq9wLXXg/s1600/IMG_3697.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWI1BV6jj1klS6Et9RyWRYjm4OdMy-h_Nbp1_MjMP2eDKEpaWDY3c-ZLI8rcMmwzYCLTexxkQqJQuSBRdzYrfNHiKqv7jQ0YQMu-HlisbsjA_fFIWjq2ZMxJymy4d7agq9wLXXg/s320/IMG_3697.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591727411968386482" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81hiD1ymuEP3d0afeNqK5_5ggiOlOO1MCTw3-EKwzXx58WDN0THcGbwl2GytHmPDtCFpSVmi_ABdL27cqwOngWRnJ4GE-B9WMkWswjvFfIN-UQlvxwy2P5UuGVzL021JEjuoZCA/s1600/IMG_3695.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81hiD1ymuEP3d0afeNqK5_5ggiOlOO1MCTw3-EKwzXx58WDN0THcGbwl2GytHmPDtCFpSVmi_ABdL27cqwOngWRnJ4GE-B9WMkWswjvFfIN-UQlvxwy2P5UuGVzL021JEjuoZCA/s320/IMG_3695.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591727402120488498" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdBIheCac3oQKSZhmiiuNBX3wS6UzKSXQRjoGdQbnwNztP-WCONVG14xUoZv85sOk_J9hbCvyUyVcrW3v-os2YOHzlFAs9cu0kb34uwXPLLgqB9rpgqBGVhH4fA2QDygFeKbwlg/s1600/IMG_0332.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdBIheCac3oQKSZhmiiuNBX3wS6UzKSXQRjoGdQbnwNztP-WCONVG14xUoZv85sOk_J9hbCvyUyVcrW3v-os2YOHzlFAs9cu0kb34uwXPLLgqB9rpgqBGVhH4fA2QDygFeKbwlg/s320/IMG_0332.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591727393564359474" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_R2UjQcKJIjtk9uA_uwxkXAZcMD_Pv_IrCG_BWh44KhgmkZzBok_uLAKpWV2uEz_HSgQzCzAQXzyqw07Ie3Zj2U_TCW8Kr4NQ0Dfp5okAGbdXELbf7jmZauFLFhX8GS33Xe_DQ/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_R2UjQcKJIjtk9uA_uwxkXAZcMD_Pv_IrCG_BWh44KhgmkZzBok_uLAKpWV2uEz_HSgQzCzAQXzyqw07Ie3Zj2U_TCW8Kr4NQ0Dfp5okAGbdXELbf7jmZauFLFhX8GS33Xe_DQ/s320/IMG_0107.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591727383947661986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYftwJpcG9VVggVumZNFW1Wulwr8NO5cbiqatJqj9Gni16ez1rzkEkIwd2YTNx7StPQfzgVcFG4pxWAQV7tdvfT856vLuXRwvBz71DSywLGCmTX-5RcHEih7d-ooLAB2U-Eu0qQ/s1600/IMG_3684.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYftwJpcG9VVggVumZNFW1Wulwr8NO5cbiqatJqj9Gni16ez1rzkEkIwd2YTNx7StPQfzgVcFG4pxWAQV7tdvfT856vLuXRwvBz71DSywLGCmTX-5RcHEih7d-ooLAB2U-Eu0qQ/s320/IMG_3684.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591727372460348866" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-37340654247273251352011-02-28T18:27:00.000-08:002011-02-28T19:38:50.572-08:00Grateful: tres<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ahGUG_qveQimllmE93obbqxuFzw1Yoh3ajYpx7rhuKEZoQZtnA-BSmNr1yLZo3ua85Lz8wvKHnI36FpzNSsXUK8TRvxBQkC21EKVG5wU5mn5Ruk7YjUWaPftIaZs3nAuZ9SWJg/s1600/ulingan+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ahGUG_qveQimllmE93obbqxuFzw1Yoh3ajYpx7rhuKEZoQZtnA-BSmNr1yLZo3ua85Lz8wvKHnI36FpzNSsXUK8TRvxBQkC21EKVG5wU5mn5Ruk7YjUWaPftIaZs3nAuZ9SWJg/s320/ulingan+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578943119517464274" /></a><br />You know those moments in life where you experience something, live something, see something that will forever change you? Those times where you know you aren't the same person walking out as walked in? Those moments are kind of scary. Sad-scary, funny-scary, exciting-scary.<br /><br />I remember so many of them. The day I gave up a belief. The second I saw him laying there and started CPR but already knew it was too late. The day I said "yes." The loud beating of my heart after the slam of the phone. The day I walked off that plane. The moment I decided to not feel guilt about my decision. <br /><br />They are branded in your memory. They change you.<br /><br />This weekend I had a changing moment as I spent time with these beautiful children who have nothing. Not "nothing" by our standards, but nothing by any standards. They don't have food on a regular basis or clean clothes or clean water. Most certainly they don't have education which is a fundamental solution to poverty. Not everyone who has a job is rich, but everyone who has an education has the opportunity for a job.<br /><br /><br /><br />But what they do have is heart, and a need to be loved, and cared for and felt as if they matter to someone and to me and many other volunteers who give their time and money and heart and soul, they do matter. <br />Today I am not the same person as I was last week. <br />How could I be? <br />And grateful? <br />How could I not be?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnWLkeNoBJaGX44GmwL_1PBvkhFskqKZincXlXRPm3frwgTkMvBrtYwPne1Il1uK3ZE5YFvOaQWWw8aOwShlLEFZENwZBF9M1hYq5P3qr0jkwRGW350JgSFhadxj1YKMFmgPJLw/s1600/melissa+ulingan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnWLkeNoBJaGX44GmwL_1PBvkhFskqKZincXlXRPm3frwgTkMvBrtYwPne1Il1uK3ZE5YFvOaQWWw8aOwShlLEFZENwZBF9M1hYq5P3qr0jkwRGW350JgSFhadxj1YKMFmgPJLw/s320/melissa+ulingan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578943118982867826" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPDV8WgUjcxeI5Hv8OGwZ90bIMLw-Uimrvb6rYEySfaCNq4lqJhv7s_yoCxSQ_nzV9cciJzPTPe2-pk_-tXRCD5J1Xq1x9gIjYIjVlKMRBmuFmFrE1i1mk8VFJqWd1eW6eBPJ5w/s1600/DSC_0541.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPDV8WgUjcxeI5Hv8OGwZ90bIMLw-Uimrvb6rYEySfaCNq4lqJhv7s_yoCxSQ_nzV9cciJzPTPe2-pk_-tXRCD5J1Xq1x9gIjYIjVlKMRBmuFmFrE1i1mk8VFJqWd1eW6eBPJ5w/s320/DSC_0541.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942760183061282" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw3qBmxMUjmLLwn6E909O1xl_BtsdZEu6_3HXp8cXMR2XL2Mhd1mdwznzgGzkVzL-bXURavvZIr8S1Wyr0FF99pS6D-enwmvIoTzeWmypUgvXrAItdZrq3bK2c44CVkp6SvFk0w/s1600/DSC_0484.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaw3qBmxMUjmLLwn6E909O1xl_BtsdZEu6_3HXp8cXMR2XL2Mhd1mdwznzgGzkVzL-bXURavvZIr8S1Wyr0FF99pS6D-enwmvIoTzeWmypUgvXrAItdZrq3bK2c44CVkp6SvFk0w/s320/DSC_0484.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942754417670306" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZvj8E3fjnPPMrANtwtacAOUl5o7CslY1TVEWiKFw67EOUBe7TUlzhty-s5Gag_oJOrn7OTQpRKpODvnXWIuI_zj42iK0dFxubmXpDmKfJKe31mlvZ3h0q-MSWJHN9wMfYR9fnQ/s1600/DSC_0304.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZvj8E3fjnPPMrANtwtacAOUl5o7CslY1TVEWiKFw67EOUBe7TUlzhty-s5Gag_oJOrn7OTQpRKpODvnXWIuI_zj42iK0dFxubmXpDmKfJKe31mlvZ3h0q-MSWJHN9wMfYR9fnQ/s320/DSC_0304.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942748905307378" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iOQMDuL-I3kw_-_N0IUBI5F3ARfPg7iBM_Q8ImnttrE0yOt8GbH7F6qzioa4SVLKrQPFwDpKDzO5UGfOeMP_ElPel8s0KlKxlMcX9X12gTvafYP7jJZxpE6zpaKofxQTUDUpNA/s1600/DSC_0158.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iOQMDuL-I3kw_-_N0IUBI5F3ARfPg7iBM_Q8ImnttrE0yOt8GbH7F6qzioa4SVLKrQPFwDpKDzO5UGfOeMP_ElPel8s0KlKxlMcX9X12gTvafYP7jJZxpE6zpaKofxQTUDUpNA/s320/DSC_0158.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942470684362978" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M_aLDZY8DFOqYiAY8gCADuvebuXmueKam5lEGJxfy3UGb9J4L-PXwGVuU45Da8oU33Ce5Hhrm1zy1TRNJFTZdbDAG4OX-0Uv64veyyBDV70Co1Ar81DhI9W1EvF36C_6Ya1gCQ/s1600/DSC_0505.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M_aLDZY8DFOqYiAY8gCADuvebuXmueKam5lEGJxfy3UGb9J4L-PXwGVuU45Da8oU33Ce5Hhrm1zy1TRNJFTZdbDAG4OX-0Uv64veyyBDV70Co1Ar81DhI9W1EvF36C_6Ya1gCQ/s320/DSC_0505.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942466064966418" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx-Oc8wL7m8ZOi63Th8oPOlgBr4kqpgQF-W2U2hjCN0YZqV6o-AVq1WCdpK283IiSoyESy4ctlIT6a_UStAD2E8nxM9R-qA5RCHdmHdPsdYgwh5pSBZH-FENPcX71jIao4XfSJA/s1600/DSC_0452.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEx-Oc8wL7m8ZOi63Th8oPOlgBr4kqpgQF-W2U2hjCN0YZqV6o-AVq1WCdpK283IiSoyESy4ctlIT6a_UStAD2E8nxM9R-qA5RCHdmHdPsdYgwh5pSBZH-FENPcX71jIao4XfSJA/s320/DSC_0452.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942469021527650" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sCaI3gv6xHUy07_wQw_b6kzJMlovJka8Lc2yVyp7GZaSz3Il9gs0T3A8FT8rvSA43CgQkzkgKfPbqOXgjPEekCZRcW_veUd5jtwbfAXcTTxPr1Z6NF-N9A4wos7qrxxvHsFIqg/s1600/DSC_0228.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sCaI3gv6xHUy07_wQw_b6kzJMlovJka8Lc2yVyp7GZaSz3Il9gs0T3A8FT8rvSA43CgQkzkgKfPbqOXgjPEekCZRcW_veUd5jtwbfAXcTTxPr1Z6NF-N9A4wos7qrxxvHsFIqg/s320/DSC_0228.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942463790442962" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDFsn49KuccqBWQJZho1cNnY2kcha2WNSlcqr-5b9Pl3gimjn_U1POIgA-krdUjP_N2xRYYenk97QQt8-kj6_Odge7NLiRMfIJWttJjUx-Ky1nODTypiPuTeZEomc61wJQCaF6Q/s1600/DSC_0080.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDFsn49KuccqBWQJZho1cNnY2kcha2WNSlcqr-5b9Pl3gimjn_U1POIgA-krdUjP_N2xRYYenk97QQt8-kj6_Odge7NLiRMfIJWttJjUx-Ky1nODTypiPuTeZEomc61wJQCaF6Q/s320/DSC_0080.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578942460387807474" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-16237465059305219112011-01-24T04:29:00.000-08:002011-01-24T04:53:17.463-08:00Grateful; deuxWhen I watch photos scroll through the apple tv, or across my computer screen I am taken aback by the emotions some of them evoke. Photography has such amazing power over emotions. So, today I am grateful for my eye, for my camera and ability to capture moments that move me and hopefully move others as well. <br /><br />In December I was invited to take photos of the girls at one of the orphanages here in the city as part of their Christmas suprise. The girls were so shy and yet so excited! Some a really hard time getting up the confidence to "work it" for me and my camera. To be able to show them just how gorgeous they are and how beautiful their spirits are was very rewarding for me. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg974arBB7AbR3BU0jswxMM3KkcWLyHZKvhqJrQZu194iMZUN4BlJCY10U1Zt6lw01mr3mjaoXR3e9zgP0cgxJgp8Sj8-8MI3FQiXRPi5pxwTpfti88zW9ESBu9vO29an91ITDmLA/s1600/DSC_0154.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg974arBB7AbR3BU0jswxMM3KkcWLyHZKvhqJrQZu194iMZUN4BlJCY10U1Zt6lw01mr3mjaoXR3e9zgP0cgxJgp8Sj8-8MI3FQiXRPi5pxwTpfti88zW9ESBu9vO29an91ITDmLA/s320/DSC_0154.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565732052086980290" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-4966921629717936292011-01-19T02:47:00.000-08:002011-01-19T03:16:12.859-08:00Its a great year to be grateful; ONEI have decided this year I want to be more aware and take into account of all the things and people and places and moments that I am grateful for. I want to really recognize and give heed to those times where time slows for just a bit and there is a realization of blessed moment. <br /><br />Days go by at lightening speed and I hope as these things come out I will be able to slow down and really live in and savor these moments of gratitude. <br /><br />As I sat with little FinRo this morning watching Dora as we drank our green smoothies I looked down at him sitting in my lap and saw this amazing head of curls. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoNqgBCjRk-DbRoiledwrRLsZiiRBMmTblgnbYgo1JhececFY96oCGFSBNwVeHbM1-cQEOf8nY-Kp9okns7mCseBTmJR9yawGnN2MzXZtulFo9V2XUtAgbYtb0bWH5xKgXjnpgA/s1600/curls.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsoNqgBCjRk-DbRoiledwrRLsZiiRBMmTblgnbYgo1JhececFY96oCGFSBNwVeHbM1-cQEOf8nY-Kp9okns7mCseBTmJR9yawGnN2MzXZtulFo9V2XUtAgbYtb0bWH5xKgXjnpgA/s320/curls.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563853738585120226" /></a><br />A head of curls that always make me smile as the come bouncing my way. Is it bad to covet such lovely locks of hair? I do. They just curl up so perfectly into little spit curls all over his head. My Grandmother would have given her eye teeth to have such curls. It's true, she told me so!Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-51936629041854461542010-12-07T05:43:00.000-08:002010-12-19T06:51:19.756-08:00The chaosWhat is it about the Holiday season that sends a cold chill up my spine? The chaos of it all is palpable. My heart quickens, my palms are sweaty and I feel myself coming down with a fever. Even the task of opening the advent calendar each day give me a sick feeling in my stomach. Always too much to do, so many to greet and what seems like a festivity to attend every night. All on top of the normal, already hectic life. It's suppose to be enjoyable, it used to be enjoyable but this year, not so much. <br /><br />I find myself constantly forgetting and the only thing worse than forgetting is remembering. Remembering things I have forgotten. Aaaack!<br /><br />Even with early preparation; the trees have been up since Halloween, some gifts have been ordered and shipped to the US address months ago and most are on their way now. Even as I write this my mind is buzzing with what else needs to get accomplished. Maybe it's the travel of last month mixed with the travel of this month. This will be our first time traveling "home" over the Holiday. We have become accustomed to the Island Christmas, laid back and at the beach! Clearly that is more my style.<br /><br />The first part of this post was written a few weeks ago and of course, I forgot to post it. Remember; the forgetting. :) Things seem to be a bit more under control now. The final planned party of the year is out of the way, all the gifts have been sorted, the cards printed and ready to be delivered. Santa's letter has been sent and the kids are eager to get back to the loving arms of their grandparents. <br /><br />With only a few things on the agenda, I can now countdown on one hand. Two days of running left, one day of tennis, one more playdate, the last batch of cookies, one more round of golf and a few random things. I am still hoping for SNOW (please don't let us down Utah!) and the warmth of the big fireplace. I love climbing into a a cold bed in the middle of the winter and snuggling down into the layers of blankets. I look forward to getting up in the early morning and feeling the cold floor underfoot. I'm looking forward to the smell of winter and the way that the cold air feels like icicles in your nose and the way Christmas lights glow when they are under a thick layer of snow. Home cooked classics, funny stories and staying up way too late. Christmas carols are starting to bring a tear to my eye because I know what it's like to dream of a white Christmas. So, I suppose the chaos is well worth it. Especially on that "oh so early morning" when the magic lives on in our children.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-4490919303639093242010-12-01T03:43:00.000-08:002010-12-01T04:22:31.321-08:00Luck of the Irish<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqosiaPSdmJCsscdLj9rv3TM40HkBUKzcMo0ffmRS0iu5yhdMAUXB-uIMGhhqgQAOlHLGEZpF3Xibz2zI2W66XraHIPZOCpNlIJ9VZe3BzBjLeUNniYrC0bak7xaxKOUwpWqPGlQ/s1600/IMG_2835.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqosiaPSdmJCsscdLj9rv3TM40HkBUKzcMo0ffmRS0iu5yhdMAUXB-uIMGhhqgQAOlHLGEZpF3Xibz2zI2W66XraHIPZOCpNlIJ9VZe3BzBjLeUNniYrC0bak7xaxKOUwpWqPGlQ/s320/IMG_2835.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545687695631628722" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S6Do5BF6Ife0CJpxaTDED3iYEl0OOiuB1LE8JX6oWLLMp7AfFn6egY7JGoZgB3tkdh8cJLZ753r_pLPPg-qMcD9Rfk4AUI0LpVH0FCWfThaypVy_3_0BZcFEfTEbb1lClsfKNQ/s1600/IMG_2860.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S6Do5BF6Ife0CJpxaTDED3iYEl0OOiuB1LE8JX6oWLLMp7AfFn6egY7JGoZgB3tkdh8cJLZ753r_pLPPg-qMcD9Rfk4AUI0LpVH0FCWfThaypVy_3_0BZcFEfTEbb1lClsfKNQ/s320/IMG_2860.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545687688852595282" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-2f78FyhIQj-zDbpAeDBppkgZnIGbyW5WzoBaTbdVlaqQTxbfb0tdqcI1Ja8FwhS0V_pyy9Zc1k0ceW6bCyE_-u5AK9PYeynUg9pN5IjiMvb63tYS5XHPiEv4alXqT54pNF60A/s1600/IMG_2922.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-2f78FyhIQj-zDbpAeDBppkgZnIGbyW5WzoBaTbdVlaqQTxbfb0tdqcI1Ja8FwhS0V_pyy9Zc1k0ceW6bCyE_-u5AK9PYeynUg9pN5IjiMvb63tYS5XHPiEv4alXqT54pNF60A/s320/IMG_2922.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545686223439728082" /></a><br />Then we clicked our heels three times and found ourselves in Ireland. Any city would fade in comparison to Paris but Dublin is a lovely little city, at least what we saw of it. Truth be told at this point in the vacation we were all exhausted and Nate was working all day and had dinners every night so it was just the three of us left to wander around. It was much colder than in France and taking on yet another map and lonely planet guide was just a bit much for this Mom. Luckily we had a great hotel in the Grafton Street region of Dublin and we managed to stay in that area the entire time. Not a bad area to stay in, I might add; lots of shops full of bits and bobs. Ireland is in a bit of financial crisis right now and the tone couldn't be missed. It was much like our first trip back to the States after the downfall, you can sense the stress and tension in people. That being said, it was a welcome and friendly reprieve from the slight French intimidation and we felt right at home. Couldn't understand the Irish any more than the French though. And that part was in English!<br /><br />We shopped a bit, played at the gorgeous park nearby and basically just bummed around. The hotel manager and I became great friends due to some minor tears at the beginning of our stay and he made us feel at home in a great big suite with warm milk and cookies and bottles of wine. See, already just like home. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqOErfAjDRrAXtfzVbc8d5G-r8o4fVTVwfm2CTGBWYHMjOS3urxuQUEuHtYHxz6skuPyowYUInM9DqQdlSEZ6QLJ2qMs5wb9O8U8akCZWH2lWllBQjHEwJzz2sOxoHbgJaxw7kw/s1600/IMG_2906.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWqOErfAjDRrAXtfzVbc8d5G-r8o4fVTVwfm2CTGBWYHMjOS3urxuQUEuHtYHxz6skuPyowYUInM9DqQdlSEZ6QLJ2qMs5wb9O8U8akCZWH2lWllBQjHEwJzz2sOxoHbgJaxw7kw/s320/IMG_2906.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545686208654317346" /></a><br /><br />We celebrated Thanksgiving in Dublin with not Turkey but sheppards pie and Guinness. It doesn't matter what you eat as long as you are celebrating the things that you are most grateful for. An amazing family, beautiful healthy children, top notch friends, a warm bed and a fabulous vacation. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL98DI9qcZ9TD7yZRyPVYavSHOgu44AevzukziVZOv8KNU3X9Um7ft6UG2Cn3bcW2LknMyB6McbbWareeVdGaWaf0PqfRvz7W0hV5q2GsxexzhZKbU3bX6cB41Y5Nm1ADz-TtcQ/s1600/IMG_2928.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyL98DI9qcZ9TD7yZRyPVYavSHOgu44AevzukziVZOv8KNU3X9Um7ft6UG2Cn3bcW2LknMyB6McbbWareeVdGaWaf0PqfRvz7W0hV5q2GsxexzhZKbU3bX6cB41Y5Nm1ADz-TtcQ/s320/IMG_2928.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545684193874210082" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2AqPGNFj30dCgMmiZUl-sYBbB0pD75RA19_22Z5MVBwWPu90i4q76rDBPO67UAPJa4E0tT98TFPSMvWoOc9CKS_Ivw52yy3NTOHrps-oz1TXukSVlS_iEnCIEI2tVoYOE7KFLw/s1600/IMG_2915.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2AqPGNFj30dCgMmiZUl-sYBbB0pD75RA19_22Z5MVBwWPu90i4q76rDBPO67UAPJa4E0tT98TFPSMvWoOc9CKS_Ivw52yy3NTOHrps-oz1TXukSVlS_iEnCIEI2tVoYOE7KFLw/s320/IMG_2915.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545684189352958850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlFYnyA-6tMJz9FrmT1EBM9HB-AeRMcK70ACLA2H9xGqg4-9ZeoCKB9QBNTcUcS4iTTbAZyFCyTcrtw4WIcRsqn6Q92Q6W62N3woELBKUTU26KvuXUzk0ib7m5ZwUIJ4E4CXQAQ/s1600/IMG_2940.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlFYnyA-6tMJz9FrmT1EBM9HB-AeRMcK70ACLA2H9xGqg4-9ZeoCKB9QBNTcUcS4iTTbAZyFCyTcrtw4WIcRsqn6Q92Q6W62N3woELBKUTU26KvuXUzk0ib7m5ZwUIJ4E4CXQAQ/s320/IMG_2940.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545684179540029538" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV9yrh6Cz9R0ypXTznxouxw05N4ZA8FkgXjI0ZdRtRCkggje3YReo-DkwCxev0G_b8klKhviNNVSBZKhlS8jlpERbI5VuU9r2TUtSVO1j4EdK8qw2UFHfSlrKKNBfPBVerTzrkw/s1600/IMG_2919.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV9yrh6Cz9R0ypXTznxouxw05N4ZA8FkgXjI0ZdRtRCkggje3YReo-DkwCxev0G_b8klKhviNNVSBZKhlS8jlpERbI5VuU9r2TUtSVO1j4EdK8qw2UFHfSlrKKNBfPBVerTzrkw/s320/IMG_2919.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545684176767172978" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-24853467420695631902010-11-29T20:18:00.000-08:002010-11-30T05:04:43.003-08:00Paris continued<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwf3rddxtEOEhuyu4DHCkINpvW4y00Yx79YRR6Ar3Dhf1gdk6nqMUoi8tt4q64AHJFIR9JVkjsewNY7PLMgvbGESS_PtbufUP909mEVvVPboOUjnPzTrXQ17T9V1KMcwJN2eZ5g/s1600/DSC_0933copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidwf3rddxtEOEhuyu4DHCkINpvW4y00Yx79YRR6Ar3Dhf1gdk6nqMUoi8tt4q64AHJFIR9JVkjsewNY7PLMgvbGESS_PtbufUP909mEVvVPboOUjnPzTrXQ17T9V1KMcwJN2eZ5g/s320/DSC_0933copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545300330568333218" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj75o7caHa0Ac-7F3fDLxIIAIzhpwNUePj7Uqhn_nzQUY_AL73f8Rh0z3cDkuI939wO3fmMkI1w1o5ri0BDM5eSZM5SyTrD1IfTKFVq7z157VIlLM17v_eIQzkryaUmtV6ADUmzw/s1600/DSC_0271copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj75o7caHa0Ac-7F3fDLxIIAIzhpwNUePj7Uqhn_nzQUY_AL73f8Rh0z3cDkuI939wO3fmMkI1w1o5ri0BDM5eSZM5SyTrD1IfTKFVq7z157VIlLM17v_eIQzkryaUmtV6ADUmzw/s320/DSC_0271copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545300322114256370" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2PZgiqDbMEJJtCnEgJBdujFFGJhesrRR3dAoPqj270HHP6jYgRhwqONPPicHnbiodFnAlWLbV_8wUzVBbwJxAEhHr1JLD5dMan_FSBbCPkTvxdt2cLltEuHyFeL6fnRGn6OECg/s1600/DSC_0068.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq2PZgiqDbMEJJtCnEgJBdujFFGJhesrRR3dAoPqj270HHP6jYgRhwqONPPicHnbiodFnAlWLbV_8wUzVBbwJxAEhHr1JLD5dMan_FSBbCPkTvxdt2cLltEuHyFeL6fnRGn6OECg/s320/DSC_0068.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545296216289808050" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqAeY77ROk49opXyAuhHwWxkGdCluSeRrJNqd5xJxnqfUmNl_sIJuaGLjgeY0agHY3Y7Y_1DOIybzlSZjpoa2u9RuWcgS8glrEgWFWhrb51-dsmNyqDmYHlqDS9nzg0P-wUZd_g/s1600/DSC_0285copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCqAeY77ROk49opXyAuhHwWxkGdCluSeRrJNqd5xJxnqfUmNl_sIJuaGLjgeY0agHY3Y7Y_1DOIybzlSZjpoa2u9RuWcgS8glrEgWFWhrb51-dsmNyqDmYHlqDS9nzg0P-wUZd_g/s320/DSC_0285copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545293408770994466" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlvrGI3JyByYecI-DSFS07IJTJEylsVq10Oxd3bHbwGlqqlnqzuVo0H7gXdTBznu8K88R4gCCuGS2xfnMBIQmpytXWRv0xy5jlI7X7kTALaYvb0LoaNS1KdR5Qa4qlny0byqhaw/s1600/DSC_0814.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlvrGI3JyByYecI-DSFS07IJTJEylsVq10Oxd3bHbwGlqqlnqzuVo0H7gXdTBznu8K88R4gCCuGS2xfnMBIQmpytXWRv0xy5jlI7X7kTALaYvb0LoaNS1KdR5Qa4qlny0byqhaw/s320/DSC_0814.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545289708592160786" /></a><br /><br />There's not much better than exploring Paris on a crisp winter day with no plan or agenda. That seemed to be the tone of the holiday for us. We had plenty of time and no where to be so that is what we did. Since Finn has been around, we have become early risers but it was so dark in the mornings that we didn't venture outside until at least 9am. We opted for an apartment in the city rather than a hotel so we were lucky to have the extra space and in particular, the kitchen for breakfast. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiSLMrtMtcNrqvt4EXFerPNcEBDTN67qoml_AxakkKtyy0uDX4T4-ybyZxKjZO0EetJObn-hY1wIwuEIyXFjToelJSOBe-ip4YqbS4JsoUTQ4Aln2wYAmsVHPARklP-fKQhl9Sw/s1600/DSC_0403.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiSLMrtMtcNrqvt4EXFerPNcEBDTN67qoml_AxakkKtyy0uDX4T4-ybyZxKjZO0EetJObn-hY1wIwuEIyXFjToelJSOBe-ip4YqbS4JsoUTQ4Aln2wYAmsVHPARklP-fKQhl9Sw/s320/DSC_0403.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545295072777278130" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fbHcVDzduyjrBR0Jh_ewN7ouifcBjM5cG8VTWiuQZgA_WRjhcULuDPdx5KsJaDxzGU4HqOCn-fD-xEo4THEu9IlRA5bh8Hp0L3pgDDGpnibGs9PR40q0wgzVo3Pxo69h9_04zg/s1600/DSC_0576.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fbHcVDzduyjrBR0Jh_ewN7ouifcBjM5cG8VTWiuQZgA_WRjhcULuDPdx5KsJaDxzGU4HqOCn-fD-xEo4THEu9IlRA5bh8Hp0L3pgDDGpnibGs9PR40q0wgzVo3Pxo69h9_04zg/s320/DSC_0576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545295067366760370" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolswpZhMlIWpbVgBSUHvT1eXNTkgoFGQlO4ILcjXW0Bql9jDGImso-8xW03g6tSQNs0_2W1NqIHBxFos6oYoVLxuFh4-g5K3CG5qpMzwamNgHQFKMWcY_Tczj9O2wCmGGaLJdow/s1600/DSC_0300.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolswpZhMlIWpbVgBSUHvT1eXNTkgoFGQlO4ILcjXW0Bql9jDGImso-8xW03g6tSQNs0_2W1NqIHBxFos6oYoVLxuFh4-g5K3CG5qpMzwamNgHQFKMWcY_Tczj9O2wCmGGaLJdow/s320/DSC_0300.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545293416945226930" /></a><br /><br /><br />Holden and Finnley both were enthralled with all things outdoors. The cafes, the parks, the street mimes as well as all the other street performers, the pigeons and Holden in particular the beggars. He has such an empathetic little soul and I am quite sure we spent most money on our trip on the street. Especially if someone was cold or had an animal, his coins went straight into their cup. One night we had walked past someone with a puppy. Holden asked for some coins but we told him if he wanted to use his, it was fine but we were done financing his goodwill for the day. He took his coin out of his coat pocket, looked at it and then followed us down the street. Halfway down the block he yelled out for us to wait and ran back to the man with the puppy and deposited his 2 euros. I never want to forget that moment. A few other things he noticed about Paris included how dirty it was, there was a lot of litter and graffiti and oh the leaves (he thought that was trash as well) and I suppose that along with the old buildings equals dirty in his mind. Once again bringing out his delusional enchantment with the Philippines where he goes from one manicured lawn to the next. He is completely unaware of the poverty where he lives. We also noticed we have a little Marxist on our hands. "One day, when I am President of Paris, I will put cameras everywhere to catch people drawing graffiti and littering and then I will throw them in jail." <br /><br />Paris is truly gorgeous at night. It's alive, and you can feel it. I like that. A lot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZIUzPzZUDu7u64P-vqxjL9xy7t7-K0tcHhe85uz68YR5ND1GHWwtLToNzL6q8szhmwYw-U3yC1hIpnbUci2xW1NamBw0xqGujmfc71tRte0JCrXnHI_r8aUiLD7YRheVNlaOig/s1600/DSC_0372.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZIUzPzZUDu7u64P-vqxjL9xy7t7-K0tcHhe85uz68YR5ND1GHWwtLToNzL6q8szhmwYw-U3yC1hIpnbUci2xW1NamBw0xqGujmfc71tRte0JCrXnHI_r8aUiLD7YRheVNlaOig/s320/DSC_0372.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545293985513216946" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3QtRTyRhHTgIq6rTUokMLI6WTZ4uu1NY-MZ7JXTeMCT3SfhP3f7Wl6wvIhwHv90wbGyhP6IjP3TX7tMN9w6Khz0l8WInmi2WtMMMJZtMNnO_eGBjs1TPTOdDmkbwNinaFq19_Q/s1600/DSC_0386.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3QtRTyRhHTgIq6rTUokMLI6WTZ4uu1NY-MZ7JXTeMCT3SfhP3f7Wl6wvIhwHv90wbGyhP6IjP3TX7tMN9w6Khz0l8WInmi2WtMMMJZtMNnO_eGBjs1TPTOdDmkbwNinaFq19_Q/s320/DSC_0386.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545293987340995522" /></a><br /><br />Nate stayed with us a few days then left us to our own devices as he headed up to Dublin for work. I opted for a few extra days in the City of Lights with the boys. Wow, that was exhausting. Single parenting in a foreign city. I don't remember the last time I was on my own with the kids but I guarantee I won't forget THIS time. Finnley managed to find his way to my bed after Nate left and also managed to tumble out of said bed during the night. Not uncommon, but it was a high bed and the floor, well it was rough red patio tile. I didn't think much of it, I picked him up, cuddled him and he fell back asleep all without any lights on. The next morning as he stumbled out into the living room I noticed he serious road rash upside his face. My first thought was Disneyland or hospital. Anyone, knowing our past travel sagas wouldn't even flinch. I chose Disneyland. No photos you ask? Nope, with the chaos of the morning getting to the station in time, etc I managed to leave all cameras and video cameras behind. Nice going! I had my iPhone for a few shots until the battery died. In a way it was nice though to just enjoy the day without worrying about capturing it. It was a LONG COLD day, but the boys were in heaven and in return, so was I. The happiest place on earth was magical as ever, maybe even more so in French. Have you heard a Disney princess speaking French, it's much more princess-like. Add to that the Christmas feel and voila, there you have it; Magical!<br /><br />Getting to Dublin the next day seemed like an easy enough feat. Except that we didn't leave until that night and the airport that we had to fly out of was an hour and half out of the city and we had to check out of our apartment by noon. I had some options laid out on how to entertain two boys for eight hours outside of a hotel but it turns out I only needed one: Jardin du Luxembourg. Hours upon hours of entertainment and another mom with two boys (Hi Dawn!)it was an epic win for all of us. Sure, I had to catch Finn as he was falling off the kiddie playground but you know, that's par for the course these days.<br /><br />Paris was amazing yes, even more amazing seeing it through the eyes of our children. The Eiffel tower at night, the parks, the pigeons at Notre Dame, the artists at Mont Marte, the chasing of bubbles at the Sacre Coeur, the copious amounts of cheese and wine and baguettes, the art, the architecture. I am not sure why anyone would move away from this place. Paris is more child friendly than most places we have travelled. There is something for everyone here.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPSgqWnDrS-n57B8y2hJ01PU513CZ5NaVIoyBdbXsqGN9q-nxv8HxCvykOvu9rt8_Vhu2qxLgYvXA7WYy2b-HeFMU_TivNy4O83inkDUjgkC_JfMb_ggDE6XiSpWtwHXnT-Nnjw/s1600/DSC_0691.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkPSgqWnDrS-n57B8y2hJ01PU513CZ5NaVIoyBdbXsqGN9q-nxv8HxCvykOvu9rt8_Vhu2qxLgYvXA7WYy2b-HeFMU_TivNy4O83inkDUjgkC_JfMb_ggDE6XiSpWtwHXnT-Nnjw/s320/DSC_0691.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545285037210521154" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0T8nsKqxA8PQTBJgCLDu5gH4lIzj0nif-7uYeWvChyphenhyphenD2Vo6qCfQyIZrFdVblVWYxfbngoEofqoTPV1VbT2aXcF6eyG4C5oTq5D3pw6OPrvBjTGe6K6A7h5_bV5xOk-FZavwi-w/s1600/DSC_0734.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0T8nsKqxA8PQTBJgCLDu5gH4lIzj0nif-7uYeWvChyphenhyphenD2Vo6qCfQyIZrFdVblVWYxfbngoEofqoTPV1VbT2aXcF6eyG4C5oTq5D3pw6OPrvBjTGe6K6A7h5_bV5xOk-FZavwi-w/s320/DSC_0734.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545207797185985906" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuU_YPIWjD3B_ocKNZ42rTmBxMjSZBcqc3y6CH5WWgfcwXh1hx3Fjwnn7MqECprd-hV0T3Mpa8-4MpHOWzysFgQykMF_Y21UHEG9JGRRo5YS-KXvWuA9I4hfCtiVdsPH74JM-Uw/s1600/DSC_0817copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuU_YPIWjD3B_ocKNZ42rTmBxMjSZBcqc3y6CH5WWgfcwXh1hx3Fjwnn7MqECprd-hV0T3Mpa8-4MpHOWzysFgQykMF_Y21UHEG9JGRRo5YS-KXvWuA9I4hfCtiVdsPH74JM-Uw/s320/DSC_0817copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545291016077116194" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE3o8ralqWKFsbNIQgr_3h8fk04qIlMJmakOvuJCMmRlBVwfenuBAjg-MtG_c_p_K_u-0os54YjHGeRkb-tou_HpwnLNoNU3rahAQaoHAfm05NrOw6i2xdFeHWDL-_tjPYbVrVQ/s1600/DSC_0666.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE3o8ralqWKFsbNIQgr_3h8fk04qIlMJmakOvuJCMmRlBVwfenuBAjg-MtG_c_p_K_u-0os54YjHGeRkb-tou_HpwnLNoNU3rahAQaoHAfm05NrOw6i2xdFeHWDL-_tjPYbVrVQ/s320/DSC_0666.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545291012736769778" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONjcwo3CxUbf-c5jD-uQVnM3PF8A7GuX6Rl4Qegn05KNK6r5YX-y7p56ZWf0wa_0g5nVOhtdi93oo5bZ5ZI9CXLVX7ZVzwKMpgvFqbcwikmhbOcMQtQw1xy1bLgkT7-cA4S-0Iw/s1600/DSC_0859copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONjcwo3CxUbf-c5jD-uQVnM3PF8A7GuX6Rl4Qegn05KNK6r5YX-y7p56ZWf0wa_0g5nVOhtdi93oo5bZ5ZI9CXLVX7ZVzwKMpgvFqbcwikmhbOcMQtQw1xy1bLgkT7-cA4S-0Iw/s320/DSC_0859copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545289715511516578" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-28836379204300141502010-11-27T16:30:00.000-08:002010-12-04T06:25:18.646-08:00and the beat keeps coming<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlYZDC_y_TZ3d2D3KIz9NOErfv9WMbsg94aSIt5YCzmMA_258nk7xGRXGTbg4JRoqDtyXUGhgHzkyWXdSi4E4F4pkWVtFkdbul6vafWRJMFTImjHU3jDh0NQs1VoQjzqtPFAhcw/s1600/Finn+4_0339.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlYZDC_y_TZ3d2D3KIz9NOErfv9WMbsg94aSIt5YCzmMA_258nk7xGRXGTbg4JRoqDtyXUGhgHzkyWXdSi4E4F4pkWVtFkdbul6vafWRJMFTImjHU3jDh0NQs1VoQjzqtPFAhcw/s320/Finn+4_0339.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544401702981714146" /></a><br /><br /><br />We have this neat little thing in our family where 7 days after we Nate or I has a birthday one of our children has one as well. It's really easy for everyone to remember. <br /><br />Finnley Roarke is 2 today! Little chubba chub, Finro, FinnBoo, Bunso is two. How can it be that he has only been with us for two years. It feels like he has been a part of our family for so much longer. <br /><br />As we all walk around in this fog of jetlag, we will celebrate this littlest with ice cream (his favorite, he walks around all day saying "Ice, Ice!") cupcakes balloons, gifts and close friends.<br /><br />Finnley, you are such a big part of our lives. I mean big literally, you have a huge personality. Everything you do is with vigor and zest. Even waking up in the mornings is a momentous occasion in your book and you let everyone within earshot know that YOU HAVE AWOKEN. You jump through life, skipping and dancing throughout the day. In between those moments you melt into frequent puddles of tantrums, but then are back to your extreme zeal for life. I love the passion in you. I love you at this age in particular as you start to communicate so fully with words and body language. You adore your brother and your daddy and you tease them fully and completely and they deserve every little bit of it! You are a mamas boy, and oh how I adore that as well. Your passport is almost full. You have travelled to 11 different countries, many of them multiple times and you have rocked every single one of them in some way. Finn, you have changed us, you have "tamed" us for the good. We love you.<br /><br />“To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…” <em>The Little Prince </em> by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry<br /><br /><br /><br />In typical second child fashion I have just realized I didn't post Finnleys 1st birthday photos last year! Really? I must have been in some sort of fog back then as well, here they are:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziYCevA75b-QRLXmiOZWZnY7d6meIwow9hfXvWWcWOx-llyw9fknhyphenhyphenDPmw1vV_JA8kW0EC1q0l5vEzS4wG2xrw-iRqwEiCgQkpQeXVrABNsXd4tGFA3dAkndOPcYQBuou-hl5kg/s1600/DSC_0488+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziYCevA75b-QRLXmiOZWZnY7d6meIwow9hfXvWWcWOx-llyw9fknhyphenhyphenDPmw1vV_JA8kW0EC1q0l5vEzS4wG2xrw-iRqwEiCgQkpQeXVrABNsXd4tGFA3dAkndOPcYQBuou-hl5kg/s320/DSC_0488+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544400365296805298" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd0Z8uBoxlsb114vwjXT0-na9tEF_mUCh2gcXSwC_6SLwvAXrpwlvo12nTO-4ND2X-phEcKYC32hx1bryrrV0fP9q-sla2j1YWOLzg9YpJ_QbHk4qomjHSsx8lJBLzYJu16x-Ig/s1600/DSC_0369+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGd0Z8uBoxlsb114vwjXT0-na9tEF_mUCh2gcXSwC_6SLwvAXrpwlvo12nTO-4ND2X-phEcKYC32hx1bryrrV0fP9q-sla2j1YWOLzg9YpJ_QbHk4qomjHSsx8lJBLzYJu16x-Ig/s320/DSC_0369+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544400385714280834" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePZAf2eqreqmjmvlxBrsuwIVtz2AveprmYji2i1fp6pVEIEbx8x7lBPCGzP81ZZbbyhZez8ZVo1cylE7W3sDc8dpDiguFBGVia2A5qnbKlD8zJjCEstnJNBBakn8vV70AlkTmSw/s1600/DSC_0444+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePZAf2eqreqmjmvlxBrsuwIVtz2AveprmYji2i1fp6pVEIEbx8x7lBPCGzP81ZZbbyhZez8ZVo1cylE7W3sDc8dpDiguFBGVia2A5qnbKlD8zJjCEstnJNBBakn8vV70AlkTmSw/s320/DSC_0444+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544400379487412786" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydBchW_ua9-Sip_n22e_g4Uy3jy15cKN5Io8p8RRuMKpom_9lBiPCCgX8sy0LYchtOd6HSRvVND4FzfUqxEi0h5HIi0JHlTJhtpeftlBrsN_xQx41PeD-qlHQSBPuqHgBJhd_bw/s1600/DSC_0448.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydBchW_ua9-Sip_n22e_g4Uy3jy15cKN5Io8p8RRuMKpom_9lBiPCCgX8sy0LYchtOd6HSRvVND4FzfUqxEi0h5HIi0JHlTJhtpeftlBrsN_xQx41PeD-qlHQSBPuqHgBJhd_bw/s320/DSC_0448.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544400374078378882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRXV3Mu9uEtcEnGiW_OPtTKQHlfNPEv_zoki_lGyESPr4GL12vpaCJoL7JscExjowKt4mLnszp8fIzz-kmFFdLjMAggIrm-rmJpBwPJd1PVLtiDI15ciUDNml7kktUVenziIw0g/s1600/DSC_0505+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRXV3Mu9uEtcEnGiW_OPtTKQHlfNPEv_zoki_lGyESPr4GL12vpaCJoL7JscExjowKt4mLnszp8fIzz-kmFFdLjMAggIrm-rmJpBwPJd1PVLtiDI15ciUDNml7kktUVenziIw0g/s320/DSC_0505+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544400368447858642" /></a><br /><br /><br />And from his birthday this year:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiu8aSf1jb4AnIv8gE-kCI8USkavcVp_66w-yCpEXrF5yGjz64JBChpntNm4RGfl1egLTcLTUpGYW5LNWDjkaWfhZWaMChxGk1zz_z9L6d6kDnv8H8O861kJz3HOabr71UfjPeiA/s1600/DSC_0986.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiu8aSf1jb4AnIv8gE-kCI8USkavcVp_66w-yCpEXrF5yGjz64JBChpntNm4RGfl1egLTcLTUpGYW5LNWDjkaWfhZWaMChxGk1zz_z9L6d6kDnv8H8O861kJz3HOabr71UfjPeiA/s320/DSC_0986.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546831090234155458" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH59OjPGzlXx-ULTTyoj68oHaKVcRpfVMP3D03AdQSuJuc0xa36mgpbYVf9LGyEpPqSuen5T_0o1E0c6aJLyrtF8x9IsSZ6ni7pkzXYdW7Y05ZLWb3Wn7zmzxdm7nQCI91QC4NA/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH59OjPGzlXx-ULTTyoj68oHaKVcRpfVMP3D03AdQSuJuc0xa36mgpbYVf9LGyEpPqSuen5T_0o1E0c6aJLyrtF8x9IsSZ6ni7pkzXYdW7Y05ZLWb3Wn7zmzxdm7nQCI91QC4NA/s320/DSC_0005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546831069961405794" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPzkSlcnKF5JTFvXh3Sh-8Uf8pZijKuzMp450nng8b36yQi0CCiXkF942A-gZeQkxNWJHI8btIq2SjShacFRs3o2DGllaId27eO_eZgUFmk5saXrm5-pKYwlm3Pl8lyik7L_UYw/s1600/DSC_0066copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPzkSlcnKF5JTFvXh3Sh-8Uf8pZijKuzMp450nng8b36yQi0CCiXkF942A-gZeQkxNWJHI8btIq2SjShacFRs3o2DGllaId27eO_eZgUFmk5saXrm5-pKYwlm3Pl8lyik7L_UYw/s320/DSC_0066copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546831052454273186" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-79807189436305466862010-11-27T00:37:00.000-08:002010-11-27T01:05:31.198-08:001978 + 4<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJRm-QGgTQQLehPxkJPzaNXyI0dzQIPSII3XqZZtbESKS7jOLipSSvSKSjZCR5wvRNd6C74S6Ag0tro_UrAjFiEx5YzWe39izXQcHfWgY8g2cXmTT4q5P3voK6bjjMkpsJL7NTg/s1600/IMG_2826.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJRm-QGgTQQLehPxkJPzaNXyI0dzQIPSII3XqZZtbESKS7jOLipSSvSKSjZCR5wvRNd6C74S6Ag0tro_UrAjFiEx5YzWe39izXQcHfWgY8g2cXmTT4q5P3voK6bjjMkpsJL7NTg/s320/IMG_2826.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544152076147933730" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74H6-nEFwPTu7YbQoJgSwE5g0J4IDQ9jdBM-8BRC58AQs-3eQYZuOpDtb8J3loZlwcvjZ9r5BEfQ1QVJAPbRlifKcMrMousO67YAfo5PsRZdf3GNJLs-4l7S-NAPBBEp9mS-CsA/s1600/DSC_0921.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74H6-nEFwPTu7YbQoJgSwE5g0J4IDQ9jdBM-8BRC58AQs-3eQYZuOpDtb8J3loZlwcvjZ9r5BEfQ1QVJAPbRlifKcMrMousO67YAfo5PsRZdf3GNJLs-4l7S-NAPBBEp9mS-CsA/s320/DSC_0921.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544152088557383410" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBAHTFAPtsuo6r9jgeZgYxKNr_Qg6CNl4oiTdysTA04YTjFLnmFNgyMQ9TTfkwzvjJanehhoGce3XRfWFqU45bYlUwZC5p2vgchYOWzbN5-CVBRFBx6aaqHZa-bgJ2DrUojjHWw/s1600/IMG_2746.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBAHTFAPtsuo6r9jgeZgYxKNr_Qg6CNl4oiTdysTA04YTjFLnmFNgyMQ9TTfkwzvjJanehhoGce3XRfWFqU45bYlUwZC5p2vgchYOWzbN5-CVBRFBx6aaqHZa-bgJ2DrUojjHWw/s320/IMG_2746.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5544152082114099986" /></a><br /><br />I remember one of my Mom's friends Carolanne giving her own mother flowers on her (Carolanne's) birthday just to thank her for bringing her into this world. <br /><br />I owe my own Mom flowers. Thanks Mom, for having me, for keeping me, for letting me grow up so close to amazing grandparents. I know it couldn't have been easy doing it alone and so young. I understand that now as a Mother more than ever. So on my birthday I celebrate YOU!<br /><br />As I celebrate turning 32, as a family we also celebrate a whopping four years since our arrival in the Philippines. Seems like a lifetime really. It's home. Have I said that before? We have just returned from our whirlwind holiday in Paris and Dublin and I can say I missed Manila. I missed the people, the weather, the ease of what I "know." It's home, or at least one of the places we can call home.<br /><br />I have had some phenomenal birthdays. Arriving in Manila on my 28th, celebrating 29 on the Great Wall of China, on the cusp of having our gorgeous Finnley at 30, celebrating with the most amazing girlfriends at 31 and now 32, atop the Eiffel Tower. It makes aging almost bearable!Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-82639500378009211762010-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:002010-11-19T11:00:14.848-08:00For those in on the bet<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuez7oRWiG8f5Lx7O6XuilbKNQ_fC4RnMo9u-EbRIhFDRmyV9vX4SGSGtKj1QRiD7rk35ijy8ZSNgrId_rMMTxf6ZOsT3Scp6p0fJUUuRo1XI2D29Igw1nt_C8P-TVdW-e3UKUMQ/s1600/IMG_2660.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuez7oRWiG8f5Lx7O6XuilbKNQ_fC4RnMo9u-EbRIhFDRmyV9vX4SGSGtKj1QRiD7rk35ijy8ZSNgrId_rMMTxf6ZOsT3Scp6p0fJUUuRo1XI2D29Igw1nt_C8P-TVdW-e3UKUMQ/s320/IMG_2660.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336090746841858" /></a><br />Day 3 in Paris. Finnley refused to wear shoes for most of the day. He also denied us the ability to look like somewhat in control parents as he stripped his socks and coat off while walking down the Champs-Elysees. People would look at our barefooted babe in his stroller then look up at us in shock because guess what, it's cold here, 7 degrees celcius to be exact. What can you do? If he gets cold enough he will wear his darn socks is what we kept telling ourselves but he never did. We finally had to force them on him. You can picture this right? The screaming and gnashing of teeth, the brimstone and fire. It was ripe. So ripe. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgzrTFSmC_Pbg7lez71SBiaPQ73rwslU-CC_9KDZGKvyjSCUaWKmqtoPuqOy19ibulvdEC_InrtLUD5_ns1k2QRqtVUaKuR4D71u8hXjmO17v1Lg4xLysJHBAxvQMbvIMQBujrQ/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgzrTFSmC_Pbg7lez71SBiaPQ73rwslU-CC_9KDZGKvyjSCUaWKmqtoPuqOy19ibulvdEC_InrtLUD5_ns1k2QRqtVUaKuR4D71u8hXjmO17v1Lg4xLysJHBAxvQMbvIMQBujrQ/s320/IMG_2677.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336738336801874" /></a><br /><br />We visited the Musee d'Orsay to see works of little know artists like, Monet, Renoir, Degas. You know, the basics. Haha. Ah, if only the boys could truly appreciate what they saw today. I do pinch myself sometimes Julie!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bz-pAQDlpHrF5LrqN96AlEZisxJRisUV6POn72W-ZligV1eDcA9uTJzgxoO24b6uZvrUylVv0JwcN7mpvExrWqaq5vV-s63Ory0MPQstD7dlYW8U5u4XX30gdRwwhm3TgjlPiQ/s1600/DSC_0523.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bz-pAQDlpHrF5LrqN96AlEZisxJRisUV6POn72W-ZligV1eDcA9uTJzgxoO24b6uZvrUylVv0JwcN7mpvExrWqaq5vV-s63Ory0MPQstD7dlYW8U5u4XX30gdRwwhm3TgjlPiQ/s320/DSC_0523.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336075218679266" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FsdAHhSLppLj2pO1iDxL_8Xby_bFl3RYsd2JJXdv7_qKhwcyM5hyYhQXBeoUtTTmO8bEAaDGtgiEIoMSkTxHqgpZkdKHCpMYg0BX2xoIiBCiU8ibl51vFOqGkv92mPL-ZSra9A/s1600/DSC_0422.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-FsdAHhSLppLj2pO1iDxL_8Xby_bFl3RYsd2JJXdv7_qKhwcyM5hyYhQXBeoUtTTmO8bEAaDGtgiEIoMSkTxHqgpZkdKHCpMYg0BX2xoIiBCiU8ibl51vFOqGkv92mPL-ZSra9A/s320/DSC_0422.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336050162157890" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-HuMl7S8pmEWR4DuZqdVc_-2bdSs4KbAN_WUeb8rpC2kdHFa_w2zt6Dr8c0BrMK4amqWoODioKT80hokJM8yNb8SdjwuqOGyXwgQ9NLo6WieeJhcoyhovWMFZTZrqS7aGweWVg/s1600/DSC_0402.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-HuMl7S8pmEWR4DuZqdVc_-2bdSs4KbAN_WUeb8rpC2kdHFa_w2zt6Dr8c0BrMK4amqWoODioKT80hokJM8yNb8SdjwuqOGyXwgQ9NLo6WieeJhcoyhovWMFZTZrqS7aGweWVg/s320/DSC_0402.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336036064151106" /></a><br /><br />We truly felt like pioneer children as we walked and walked and walked oh and walked some more. From St Germain to Jardin de Tuileries and down the champs-élysées to the Arc de Triomphe and back across to the flame of liberty getting a closer view of the Eiffel tower. Holden is dying to make it there but it's reserved for Sunday. That's the thing about Paris, you could walk for ages and not be any more aware that you have walked more than a block. It's easy, so much to see, so much to explore. The boys are crashed. We fully wear them out every day. Here's to hoping I have a clothed child tomorrow. Maybe he has seen too many naked statues? <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuxtXTkXbhAbE_DGImRtfNliX5jfnUWasGujCyfthtfQpzK45yy0wm7YjgHfoNn44DhnnW7eTB7pMDyn1oy7Z_qy0SHvsarm9dC4SnZJgkO4oosXmIMZLryvNmzBjVAE3YveGxw/s1600/DSC_0566.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNuxtXTkXbhAbE_DGImRtfNliX5jfnUWasGujCyfthtfQpzK45yy0wm7YjgHfoNn44DhnnW7eTB7pMDyn1oy7Z_qy0SHvsarm9dC4SnZJgkO4oosXmIMZLryvNmzBjVAE3YveGxw/s320/DSC_0566.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336778638584418" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6l8C6k1EwKNQWp0rJv1l2EG-N7wpKXf1JI5lDs7jcTl_VITvjKndvFmBdajC5yxRbOA4hP1mmLsiQieAjrrnkiDvBv8nlu3B-CYPMZzvC4Ar05zgXTRTauECJsY9JA1cED0sNg/s1600/IMG_2703.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd6l8C6k1EwKNQWp0rJv1l2EG-N7wpKXf1JI5lDs7jcTl_VITvjKndvFmBdajC5yxRbOA4hP1mmLsiQieAjrrnkiDvBv8nlu3B-CYPMZzvC4Ar05zgXTRTauECJsY9JA1cED0sNg/s320/IMG_2703.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541336728337392962" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-12780216350482344602010-11-18T02:46:00.000-08:002010-11-18T12:12:53.763-08:00ParisWe all knew this was going to be a long trip, all of us but Holden apparently. While looking at the screen on the airplane with the map showing the flight plan, he says, "just so you know we are basically going to the other side of the world." "Yes Holden, Paris is quite far away but this is where you wanted to go, remember." "Mom, you could have talked me out of it." <br /><br />Good news, I'll work that angle next time.<br /><br />With the roundabout way some of us (Nate) had to take getting here, we are off to a slow start. It's ok, it has allowed the kids an extra few hours to slay the jet lag dragon which turns them into monsters. We filled our little kitchen this morning with a trip to the market picking up the most amazing produce, bright red tomatoes and huge juicy berries along with baguettes and Boursin. The kids are in heaven with their pain au chocolat. While eating them this morning, Holden, again dramatically, exclaimed "ah, this is the life.". Little does this boy know, he truly lives a charmed life.<br /><br />Bundling up is so foreign to Finnley, he hates the socks, the hats, the scarves and coat process. It's like wrestling a small elephant to get him out the door. By the time this is over, one of us will be broken, if I were you I would put my money on him winning. Imagine the looks as he runs around jardin du Luxembourg barefoot and coatless in the middle of winter, the only thing more shocking in France would be if I dressed the children in color. <br /><br />We have conquered the Louvre. It's massive and we covered it. Ok, not really but it sure felt as if we did. The up and the down and the up and the down of it forced us to stop waiting for elevators and just start carrying Finn AND the stroller up and down them all. So what if I am skipping the gym this week, we've got the work out covered.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9xVvKd38oC5RTEWLCOA3LCDHC-aSrZF7MjcF08N68tTgmENUmqHorU_twhPMolD_5Ls0Wn3TEv4NeuIIhCPDv_7kjGBXdjFgM27681MUNVzSPpeZp3Id3Gsc6tY1NzM-tX5n3Q/s1600/DSC_0171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9xVvKd38oC5RTEWLCOA3LCDHC-aSrZF7MjcF08N68tTgmENUmqHorU_twhPMolD_5Ls0Wn3TEv4NeuIIhCPDv_7kjGBXdjFgM27681MUNVzSPpeZp3Id3Gsc6tY1NzM-tX5n3Q/s320/DSC_0171.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540983413464194690" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWs1jwYCeKwHCgO3pGa0A8DNzwMy_tTVMzPtlTRQ3LSGtOAZE2-o_upkRteRY7LydXpP8jGfme9_A0HydzfP4uWzoyOGaRsReAlE7OGzh3PmRuNHtxS1gvjROB0aVi2n0r5MRjoA/s1600/DSC_0128.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWs1jwYCeKwHCgO3pGa0A8DNzwMy_tTVMzPtlTRQ3LSGtOAZE2-o_upkRteRY7LydXpP8jGfme9_A0HydzfP4uWzoyOGaRsReAlE7OGzh3PmRuNHtxS1gvjROB0aVi2n0r5MRjoA/s320/DSC_0128.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540983398819789330" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhYoWbKXjbVoEVnj2-wMRHrSxY_WvcqGcMd_1J5xxaZVDu97uiARS2X3NW4_a4f7HcMPyGsMlXJRn8yzel5ShPZoiWdpBU0vFq7AmqUCQaKehMwok_qRGtIBISWteQGZ6K8PBzQ/s1600/DSC_0113.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhYoWbKXjbVoEVnj2-wMRHrSxY_WvcqGcMd_1J5xxaZVDu97uiARS2X3NW4_a4f7HcMPyGsMlXJRn8yzel5ShPZoiWdpBU0vFq7AmqUCQaKehMwok_qRGtIBISWteQGZ6K8PBzQ/s320/DSC_0113.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540983397513045922" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeWUMAJUvEANbng99kRTeF5FGsiQlodUtLgnBKXgojrQZl_Cibm7MO4U-UjIDk505dtBHmwJxfjLxRnm6JYxNKqtnT4ba2BCKJ3xzAgXHR46AYz0UOO9ZsbUBbjrbMqRa_CaU7g/s1600/DSC_0107.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLeWUMAJUvEANbng99kRTeF5FGsiQlodUtLgnBKXgojrQZl_Cibm7MO4U-UjIDk505dtBHmwJxfjLxRnm6JYxNKqtnT4ba2BCKJ3xzAgXHR46AYz0UOO9ZsbUBbjrbMqRa_CaU7g/s320/DSC_0107.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540983376558778690" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOgFZM2_cPhejVXlawNcwvb4DHMW75zlyHBMjmCNOEQu5JzpDb9_tYAq7FguyUjTCY4ZxBcx_w-5z_K8P2RSjhDHhRmR8ECScnMw5WgCChtBr029xpGjxFrRZyGoHe1Eii5qU7A/s1600/DSC_0095.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOgFZM2_cPhejVXlawNcwvb4DHMW75zlyHBMjmCNOEQu5JzpDb9_tYAq7FguyUjTCY4ZxBcx_w-5z_K8P2RSjhDHhRmR8ECScnMw5WgCChtBr029xpGjxFrRZyGoHe1Eii5qU7A/s320/DSC_0095.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540983372577798194" /></a><br /><br /><br />We ask Holden to keep a journal as we travel so that even though he may not "officially" remember the places he has been, he has a personal journal logging his travels complete with drawn pictures and descriptions as well as photographs and souveniers. As he was working in it this evening he said, "I am drawing the Mona Lisa, it is obviously the most famous painting ever, it's guarded so closely." He was constantly asking Nate to take photos of the hieroglyphics from the Egyptians so that he could study them when he got older. I never realized that to a child the Louvre is mostly about death and naked people. "Mom, the art here is kind of strange, they really like naked people, and everyone is dying." Out of the mouths of babes.<br /><br />Both of our children are such troopers, we haul them places WE want to see and they come along with very little complaining. I'm so very grateful for how well they do considering their circumstances. <br /><br />PS. At dinner tonight Finn stripped off his shoes and socks. I'm telling you, by the end of the week he will be running half naked around a cafe.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-48056350460554122552010-11-05T21:52:00.000-07:002010-11-16T05:30:17.612-08:00A catch upWow, there has been a lot going on in the past little while. <br /><br />Holden played soccer for his school (the ISM Bearcats) I was surprised he wanted to play as the last attempt at soccer team a couple of years ago was a bust. After the summer camp this year he caught the soccer bug and made the team. The way sports are arranged here is quite funny (as are most things) and they ended up only having 4tournaments the whole season, two of which we were in the US for. Ah well, he looked pretty cute in his uniform and they made it to the finals where Holden kicked the only goal in overtime, in the rain I might add (I tell you that just so you know how dedicated I was, standing out there without an umbrella, haha!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQ0r05-7gT-ouqqt9GaV3I963lZbKjPfqrmEIXUrQqv6Gu58xKvbwwqhKk2f7FyQs2GQQEgOAKa8o62mUBymQenbVUHUToWBdJSQviHkZ10fEY1SDvLst8ouQwYpmLHOKSYFoJg/s1600/IMG_2559.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQ0r05-7gT-ouqqt9GaV3I963lZbKjPfqrmEIXUrQqv6Gu58xKvbwwqhKk2f7FyQs2GQQEgOAKa8o62mUBymQenbVUHUToWBdJSQviHkZ10fEY1SDvLst8ouQwYpmLHOKSYFoJg/s320/IMG_2559.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540138504841476898" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt1L5rp2EVl5w15ew1H1noQtARRnlaTj6mmfdHvytCzrYtMnRDsCUy93F0exhcXflsyaJDPFVEEUZuxykYuPanDgr2WnAW74zY3l_0VdpRqjg-pfDUDJ2rWFfD-N39DqFjj-8GQ/s1600/IMG_2552.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmt1L5rp2EVl5w15ew1H1noQtARRnlaTj6mmfdHvytCzrYtMnRDsCUy93F0exhcXflsyaJDPFVEEUZuxykYuPanDgr2WnAW74zY3l_0VdpRqjg-pfDUDJ2rWFfD-N39DqFjj-8GQ/s320/IMG_2552.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540138495465583906" /></a><br /><br />At parent teacher conferences we had glowing reviews about Holden. Academically he is doing well, but even more importantly he is socially adept. His teacher told us we should be extremely proud of the son we have raised. Could we really ask for a more? Affirmation of successful parenting is so rewarding.<br /><br />We are coming up on 4 years in the Philippines, and while funny and unbelievable things happen to us here almost on a daily basis, it's so common anymore that I don't think to write them down. I noticed a few things watching Saturday morning cartoons with Holden. There are shows here on the Disney channel that I am almost positive are NOT on your tv back home. For instance, I bet you don't get the show Sally Bollywood or Pucca the cartoon about a ninja who makes noodles and plays ping pong and I'm going out on a limb here but I bet you don't get informational bits between cartoons about Diwali and Ramadan. We do! It's kind of fun, but at the same time, very strange yet again this is the first time I have really noticed enough to think "huh, I bet they don't have this back home."<br /><br />Speaking of cultural differences, Holden's school recently celebrated Filipiniana. It is a celebration of the Philippine culture and the school embraces it with a full day of activities ranging from cooking and dancing to language class and jeepney rides. The kids are encouraged to dress in native Filipino clothing. Holden and Finnley dressed in the traditional farm clothes. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CeXwDgvcf0lmMWTG7beIFK7OMsOalE5jnebOJAd6Bdukw6c-aVRQPn-0HhsSEs5L9pDRP6WcQqmv8ST4V2OMh5TqgJKG3IsBttFyEJkA5i_QH-Aovr-rGQpso6P01o-6_Fs3jQ/s1600/DSC_0986.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CeXwDgvcf0lmMWTG7beIFK7OMsOalE5jnebOJAd6Bdukw6c-aVRQPn-0HhsSEs5L9pDRP6WcQqmv8ST4V2OMh5TqgJKG3IsBttFyEJkA5i_QH-Aovr-rGQpso6P01o-6_Fs3jQ/s320/DSC_0986.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540135808129222338" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFd6-ON-qRwdLpbU3be-kptoFFBbtF5pNyQ9BCn9JEFhlrSUpZG-5Bnalt8KlYQ-MTnMeESksC6-21GytTZdR0R70FAtAXuqJvNxfgLKzBZHSGOP-j6aWdeO_PE9lRmFebgjJpw/s1600/DSC_0082.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFd6-ON-qRwdLpbU3be-kptoFFBbtF5pNyQ9BCn9JEFhlrSUpZG-5Bnalt8KlYQ-MTnMeESksC6-21GytTZdR0R70FAtAXuqJvNxfgLKzBZHSGOP-j6aWdeO_PE9lRmFebgjJpw/s320/DSC_0082.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540135802800344930" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXTwSUD-37BA2iB3NFyJaQENumyK0X9H4E9y5dzRC2KOytnPI3TaqgP8kx81arScysxQhcSmIrVXBBLyuqCip7_q2GTCMtS8MkLym2ea834SLt0SwkgBUpYinBNHqlGZ2IziAVA/s1600/DSC_0050.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXTwSUD-37BA2iB3NFyJaQENumyK0X9H4E9y5dzRC2KOytnPI3TaqgP8kx81arScysxQhcSmIrVXBBLyuqCip7_q2GTCMtS8MkLym2ea834SLt0SwkgBUpYinBNHqlGZ2IziAVA/s320/DSC_0050.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540135794558129842" /></a><br /><br /><br />Finnley is our littlest budding flower. Every day is a new word a new skill or jig of some sort. He adores books right now. Seriously, a concern I had as he wouldn't sit still from the moment he was born to read a book. He now fully embraces books and comes into our room every morning with two or three tucked under his chubby little arm. Sippy cup and baby in the other. They each have names. "Ruff Ruff" or "LALALALALALA" is Sandra Boyntons "Moo, Baa, LaLaLa." "Ice" is Carles'"The Hungry Caterpillar." "Niynight" is "Goodnight Moon." The list goes on. He literally jabbertalks from sun up till sun down. MomMom, DaDad, Ate, Tita, Nanay(Carol the nanny), Tatay(Ed, Carols husband) Purse(percy the dog), bastos(naughty-this is actually his favorite word!) pasta, nice, cheeeeeeese, ice cream, mustoes(muscles)juice, drace(Grace, the other nanny) and my personal favorite pease(please). I forgot how much I love this age, and also how challenging this it is. Then again, most of Finnley's "ages" have been challenging! Every day I look at Nate and ask how he can NOT want 5 more Finnleys. I just adore him so much. His is fully and completely a mamas boy right now. No one else can carry him, or read to him or do anything else for him other than mom and Carol. Thank heavens he has Carol 6 days a week too!<br /><br />Halloween in the city is interesting. When we were kids we wore costumes and the winter parkas over the costumes because it was so cold. Here it is hot. Costumes are usually made for the US so this year I finally wised-up and had them made. Little Indian Braves. Does any costume call for less covering than a loin cloth? haha I actually had pants made and they turned out really cute. At the Halloween party, Finnley won best costume. Holden's reaction was "WHAT? We are dressed the same!!!" Tough luck big brother. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxejUOuib2YcUermUdtibCtaTSDLpwD_Myn52z6jLIHpAG0ugJhyphenhyphenMafFtdzUrMQJCs_xkJ1XfTekzy62RV0-6eTle85ZDwLXeaFZ2G7mnBH6n8okQfG6oWvKM7NsSmmGLyrXNCw/s1600/DSC_0144.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxejUOuib2YcUermUdtibCtaTSDLpwD_Myn52z6jLIHpAG0ugJhyphenhyphenMafFtdzUrMQJCs_xkJ1XfTekzy62RV0-6eTle85ZDwLXeaFZ2G7mnBH6n8okQfG6oWvKM7NsSmmGLyrXNCw/s320/DSC_0144.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540137597160482898" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXLlbW-__8On1tXe7lATfOurLuvX3Km6hvYU6CTC78PK8M2HtEljUP6Sn3ZZNtHW9Lr0jI-OoT4FEuQB27Gke6n3FDwsys94tXrA13KZzFTWSSpp_pQplLRSC9_f4r7wAt2zRtg/s1600/DSC_0135.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMXLlbW-__8On1tXe7lATfOurLuvX3Km6hvYU6CTC78PK8M2HtEljUP6Sn3ZZNtHW9Lr0jI-OoT4FEuQB27Gke6n3FDwsys94tXrA13KZzFTWSSpp_pQplLRSC9_f4r7wAt2zRtg/s320/DSC_0135.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540137588244057570" /></a><br /><br /><br />With both of the boys at every stage I think, this is my favorite age. Clearly, they are all my favorite age, or maybe they are just my favorite boys. Either way, we are absolutely loving life with them. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31NgSHtCw05VtdfguHRL02h4Hgw0KIxLQJAPmuCjeUQbhK0XDoXkYN74mVS4ntrWJzBoLlYBFiZJVlggg0gefZxChkzHJ3JCKwdEn0mSa2jIsLK_bL64VjPcvhw66aQaeBa841Q/s1600/Holden+and+Finn+1_0408.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh31NgSHtCw05VtdfguHRL02h4Hgw0KIxLQJAPmuCjeUQbhK0XDoXkYN74mVS4ntrWJzBoLlYBFiZJVlggg0gefZxChkzHJ3JCKwdEn0mSa2jIsLK_bL64VjPcvhw66aQaeBa841Q/s320/Holden+and+Finn+1_0408.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540139091776612146" /></a><br /><br /><br />Nate and I have both been playing tennis together for some time here. For the last little while we have been taking lessons with different couples. Me with the ladies and him with the guys. The couples are fantastic and it's been super fun. We are hooked for life I believe. Every chance we get, we head over to one of the clubs to play. I ran a 5k last month as well and it looks as if I caught the "runners high" as I have been at it ever since. I hate, no that word is not strong enough, I abhor it for the first 20 minutes and then after that I feel like I could run forever. It's sick really, but secretly I love it. The friends, the great husbands and the pancakes afterwards don't hurt either. <br /><br />I have been busy reading up and booking our flights and hotels for Europe. This year, I celebrate my birthday in Paris and then head to Dublin. Lucky girl, to be surrounded by all three of my boys for yet another journey.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-41821698390128548742010-10-10T07:28:00.000-07:002010-10-10T07:32:06.273-07:00junior mints<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4sOXkm3M6Tt_NbP86gB0sGeooIoso8Z5y7um0ulp0AHWg0cO9iCvA4S7qlRJekgOgk5S6TUuArF08xyhosicNfWAiI2rlKGlZs5t85Kfmv5JhdgnNvZhMvAEtpP6-nma2GoFFg/s1600/IMG_2572.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4sOXkm3M6Tt_NbP86gB0sGeooIoso8Z5y7um0ulp0AHWg0cO9iCvA4S7qlRJekgOgk5S6TUuArF08xyhosicNfWAiI2rlKGlZs5t85Kfmv5JhdgnNvZhMvAEtpP6-nma2GoFFg/s320/IMG_2572.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526424699472671362" /></a><br />I can't get enough of these junior mint eyes.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-49923364894574105302010-09-27T06:49:00.001-07:002010-09-27T07:11:08.160-07:00Holden turns 7<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixpCjw-aSuyuAJHudbJr7ghXlocvoHP7BIEt8Xdxw7MTGtwLiWrLmcwT1oct5QYrdqmuAUuW3BBRopH-x9dqSTottptQa1IMbN2cEpuLnSDQOIAiaBo4c7A7XzMKleRukHo6qrg/s1600/IMG_2520.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixpCjw-aSuyuAJHudbJr7ghXlocvoHP7BIEt8Xdxw7MTGtwLiWrLmcwT1oct5QYrdqmuAUuW3BBRopH-x9dqSTottptQa1IMbN2cEpuLnSDQOIAiaBo4c7A7XzMKleRukHo6qrg/s320/IMG_2520.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521595546484732914" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNVrHpahlNbmBgAwz_AVtHmjvipnyo6P4Zw8OTVO4B4uBZQJPpmqh8tw3sNv3flXPnFYoQ-F2lmxAfk_mLfUeKNVx2YNPFjGuTyD1Pthz7Fe2xlOQa-VSWOXalemSzbRO9_Sd-w/s1600/IMG_2434.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNVrHpahlNbmBgAwz_AVtHmjvipnyo6P4Zw8OTVO4B4uBZQJPpmqh8tw3sNv3flXPnFYoQ-F2lmxAfk_mLfUeKNVx2YNPFjGuTyD1Pthz7Fe2xlOQa-VSWOXalemSzbRO9_Sd-w/s320/IMG_2434.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521595545021570322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgqvvDdCHsMNiQyZ97cfSjr8iQcjLXFb7f_8CB_-tlKVdIZiUEMV4sioJQlIQtaTZRadu5pyzNDyNMj8iKJRcLQSL2mGoOw15GmyNvrHKNzV-Do6dm1MsoCU1ehNCqG0RFyT3_w/s1600/IMG_2548.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGgqvvDdCHsMNiQyZ97cfSjr8iQcjLXFb7f_8CB_-tlKVdIZiUEMV4sioJQlIQtaTZRadu5pyzNDyNMj8iKJRcLQSL2mGoOw15GmyNvrHKNzV-Do6dm1MsoCU1ehNCqG0RFyT3_w/s320/IMG_2548.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521595534571375922" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQJzcmoJ15dYgRc_pCiA0pTlSzboRux28eIS5wXMASjkBMJI14wtyMOhz80Y_6Rrv9UNOD4xH-sLyH36apwoO43iCrcyfCZ27IjQ509RV-kbMDzVNpXnb-q4J4HzVAuCFI5WRsA/s1600/IMG_2453.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQJzcmoJ15dYgRc_pCiA0pTlSzboRux28eIS5wXMASjkBMJI14wtyMOhz80Y_6Rrv9UNOD4xH-sLyH36apwoO43iCrcyfCZ27IjQ509RV-kbMDzVNpXnb-q4J4HzVAuCFI5WRsA/s320/IMG_2453.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521595533055454738" /></a><br />Just days after we arrived home we celebrated Master Holden's 7th birthday. Really? SEVEN? How did that happen? Lucky for me, I planned his party before our trip and everything was set when we got back. I even purchased balloons and candles and party supplies stateside so I wouldn't have to wander around Manila in a sleep deprived fog trying to remember everything! <br /><br />Ah, Holden, my sunshine. You are such a gorgeous boy, inside and out. You make us laugh with your humor and your quick wit. I love that about you. I love that you are loud. You don't have any sense of volume control and we can ALWAYS find you. I am amazed at how mature you are at times and wish you would slow down and stay a child a bit longer. You are becoming self-aware. It's a sign of your growing and while I admire it, it makes me sad at the same time. Your vocabulary is immense. I sometimes even wonder if you know what some of the words you use mean, but you use in them in the right context so I don't ever doubt it. Every time and I mean EVERY TIME I look at you I am proud. Proud to be your mom. Proud that you chose us to lead you through life. Son, you are admired, and not just by your parents and that is a great power. It is something that I hope you will hold dear and use for good in this world. I tell you often that you have the ability to be anything you wish. Stay young for now Peter Pan, there is plenty of time to grow-up.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-82525950285435573482010-09-27T05:47:00.000-07:002010-09-27T06:48:58.628-07:00We are back in Manilaand time and life has sped up to its usual high pace. It makes coming back a bit easier when your days are a whirl of activities and friends. The latter half of our vacation we spent heading to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and were lucky to be joined by both sides of the family at a great condo. It was as beautiful as it always is we had a great time white water rafting in the frigid Snake River, heading out in a covered wagon for a dutch oven cookout and exploring the great outdoors! We also spent a week in Idaho seeing family and experiencing the fair. We celebrated Nate's big 35 with a drive back to Utah, oh and an Ipad and a trip to see the University of Utah beat the pants off of UNLV. We all had an amazing vacation but were, as always, ready to get back home to real life and warm weather! Traveling that far puts me in a tailspin. Jet lag seems to be worse on the home end and I feel like I am just now getting a grip almost two weeks later. Since, no one chooses to come visit us here, we are very lucky to be able to go back to the "homestead" as often as we do and see our families and friends but I must say, twenty-five hours door to door with a toddler has me wondering why I signed us up to do it again in a matter of months! <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uYJfXm3uE37fG_BdYZ-RYBi_h7IwgUp4uGM_kX149BWGbAiNJUDy-VxQjCRsF1VVBn3gxZHbRZ7tuAGNF0erHrcbRFsQBmEYSjxOW_4js68PCLx3dX5Rco5UydVOb38crrn4Eg/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3uYJfXm3uE37fG_BdYZ-RYBi_h7IwgUp4uGM_kX149BWGbAiNJUDy-VxQjCRsF1VVBn3gxZHbRZ7tuAGNF0erHrcbRFsQBmEYSjxOW_4js68PCLx3dX5Rco5UydVOb38crrn4Eg/s320/IMG_2136.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521587482106260002" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNt5bTRVuT5Y8UlMuNqcKoyh7miGvK520Sp5dhXi42-Lv2fSEdNGS28XaNimeBBhH-1PDmG0VRwHAYFfF3IfkWPvVa3Q1cw84lSRGyTve-sjFGLb-2kHrrsM2fVyrGMRkrIKu9Dw/s1600/IMG_2152.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNt5bTRVuT5Y8UlMuNqcKoyh7miGvK520Sp5dhXi42-Lv2fSEdNGS28XaNimeBBhH-1PDmG0VRwHAYFfF3IfkWPvVa3Q1cw84lSRGyTve-sjFGLb-2kHrrsM2fVyrGMRkrIKu9Dw/s320/IMG_2152.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521587478251857106" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0PITgBObt55I70J8YuQI3dsonobLGrhhTcpz2OOedumcdeaEpS8IkVl-yCzogzZFqfI685pO7OFQunIL8UxWA-uZpT-pnyRTntXWzbkO0cjjI0vwAz2edBkM2xjB0RFQfmr0wg/s1600/IMG_2199.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0PITgBObt55I70J8YuQI3dsonobLGrhhTcpz2OOedumcdeaEpS8IkVl-yCzogzZFqfI685pO7OFQunIL8UxWA-uZpT-pnyRTntXWzbkO0cjjI0vwAz2edBkM2xjB0RFQfmr0wg/s320/IMG_2199.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521587472264471698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Aj7T6DXopjX3Dt-GpEtVol2zZco42JGD2OE9oBUc4mKOiQr_OZxd7BRGQsTAE6eayoCDRwUeUWUTNoKl3sG1aRvmNjuxRB9vHofFy7BCKzZlObTzt5h5lgI2t8yieAWE0lWxOA/s1600/IMG_2383.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Aj7T6DXopjX3Dt-GpEtVol2zZco42JGD2OE9oBUc4mKOiQr_OZxd7BRGQsTAE6eayoCDRwUeUWUTNoKl3sG1aRvmNjuxRB9vHofFy7BCKzZlObTzt5h5lgI2t8yieAWE0lWxOA/s320/IMG_2383.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521587468611635698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SwvWPnO41el5qRs_CalDeawAELYwopV2RLCHHSzsMfz27uSnx8PIRzJUqmQIoldPH6MZPqlv1H0LfU5R_armZA1zf_yOgsAqfO5QIJSeHdE1ophImq1_aETxVLQzxvmUJwqORg/s1600/IMG_2371.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SwvWPnO41el5qRs_CalDeawAELYwopV2RLCHHSzsMfz27uSnx8PIRzJUqmQIoldPH6MZPqlv1H0LfU5R_armZA1zf_yOgsAqfO5QIJSeHdE1ophImq1_aETxVLQzxvmUJwqORg/s320/IMG_2371.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521587459735860706" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3oRBVazCZz4kVPJ4_nJmU8COu557zqYU_jQYGfJxPldG7r3oM4kK0V3sK_sPTRX0whBizUcCHtHEUMzSAvyrH-CXjy9h9Mf01kIoN7hcZ7vLMQULKGJYoMyto_XoI6caKYNOqQ/s1600/IMG_2360.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3oRBVazCZz4kVPJ4_nJmU8COu557zqYU_jQYGfJxPldG7r3oM4kK0V3sK_sPTRX0whBizUcCHtHEUMzSAvyrH-CXjy9h9Mf01kIoN7hcZ7vLMQULKGJYoMyto_XoI6caKYNOqQ/s320/IMG_2360.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521584958039104322" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSG0b7ynaTC9DL5RJ3c5GU2DO-s7MVnHdOOPSzkZASI1QeztWg4AcuHlAZvZ9jGfIiUnIgv-yrWeNYgZ3oWkHCQIF6VhrXXo3p-uF65Zv-MNHynXTvYJjmyF1zq1qHbNu673YNg/s1600/IMG_2332.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisSG0b7ynaTC9DL5RJ3c5GU2DO-s7MVnHdOOPSzkZASI1QeztWg4AcuHlAZvZ9jGfIiUnIgv-yrWeNYgZ3oWkHCQIF6VhrXXo3p-uF65Zv-MNHynXTvYJjmyF1zq1qHbNu673YNg/s320/IMG_2332.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521584953248337122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0M7Fl4Cr9LIkRmeVP4A-KN3yOLW3eXwOxC3XyqMdreJecd8poIb7Ul30u_sPq9OCzdrJzI7MJ59VWB2DV4b2Kve7-idU6yZ9IDOPxtGlUOkJN-FNV828n1Dna7qCGkA4x6vv9Q/s1600/IMG_2317.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0M7Fl4Cr9LIkRmeVP4A-KN3yOLW3eXwOxC3XyqMdreJecd8poIb7Ul30u_sPq9OCzdrJzI7MJ59VWB2DV4b2Kve7-idU6yZ9IDOPxtGlUOkJN-FNV828n1Dna7qCGkA4x6vv9Q/s320/IMG_2317.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521584949085954034" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbsZ6qXosynkECFbZWC2ni2dc5FouuYuspSdddLHDEULc3L_wv279D3lqC903_vEqOk7OAj_LgQ5KzKhHre8nNzAeQhu4ru8l4DQWQ9EpfcRDn4W5GW4vMblwYeDXzUwKTYfx3Q/s1600/IMG_2290.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbsZ6qXosynkECFbZWC2ni2dc5FouuYuspSdddLHDEULc3L_wv279D3lqC903_vEqOk7OAj_LgQ5KzKhHre8nNzAeQhu4ru8l4DQWQ9EpfcRDn4W5GW4vMblwYeDXzUwKTYfx3Q/s320/IMG_2290.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521584933856333074" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0S9JnuhomPnz5V_6NthVoztZxCg_MzwDtQgKeLn7oIVBrrvUPBT38Cp4CIL4ZVMnO-L2OAMwXKzhlx_cknpeV309joo2IGPKVMJgSlbBmjvBtKVOqEx7H2X8oaYDbrcZZHTYZA/s1600/IMG_2222.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0S9JnuhomPnz5V_6NthVoztZxCg_MzwDtQgKeLn7oIVBrrvUPBT38Cp4CIL4ZVMnO-L2OAMwXKzhlx_cknpeV309joo2IGPKVMJgSlbBmjvBtKVOqEx7H2X8oaYDbrcZZHTYZA/s320/IMG_2222.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521584932799871858" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnz4BTwBi3ZWG1_-93uW_Ltgnyo-BVzlhsT8MdUNX_s5SLHQMiGAwvssJGN9Q4E81Hc_rqFn2OZnCUx57wmo489ByhA3c9IBFLTTc4yyV2w4Wg-oLUFj5V6UP3903eHlSKThqWJg/s1600/IMG_2164.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnz4BTwBi3ZWG1_-93uW_Ltgnyo-BVzlhsT8MdUNX_s5SLHQMiGAwvssJGN9Q4E81Hc_rqFn2OZnCUx57wmo489ByhA3c9IBFLTTc4yyV2w4Wg-oLUFj5V6UP3903eHlSKThqWJg/s320/IMG_2164.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521582166110185266" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz4Yod8jwYobeMP_yTEbLcvpDW3SqfGC1WpCinWTs1jox1E6dky1l8qbLm5FyRMfI94ypWd_sav7qCWaYDW95nMOZnlARtYFYWued33hOOp2XcP4FuCNNUIq70oRlxV7ZiiYarQ/s1600/IMG_2080.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz4Yod8jwYobeMP_yTEbLcvpDW3SqfGC1WpCinWTs1jox1E6dky1l8qbLm5FyRMfI94ypWd_sav7qCWaYDW95nMOZnlARtYFYWued33hOOp2XcP4FuCNNUIq70oRlxV7ZiiYarQ/s320/IMG_2080.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521582159729396194" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLrxcJo_VvKlzEwyFE8otKXqjBHWaZG_rgyAnJAb0GjAWnMGGh1_ogqB_A2urGOfRmhvDCo3P-eNcMZY6IDsKPOXqSSUUzj590P-zLw9l_VrHSBf9YkVo0X1S7krXDNz1PWCvlQ/s1600/CIMG1950.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLrxcJo_VvKlzEwyFE8otKXqjBHWaZG_rgyAnJAb0GjAWnMGGh1_ogqB_A2urGOfRmhvDCo3P-eNcMZY6IDsKPOXqSSUUzj590P-zLw9l_VrHSBf9YkVo0X1S7krXDNz1PWCvlQ/s320/CIMG1950.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521582153884516178" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_qymaKN2FdzfKKVI-f3k_zQK60UmgxOxZUMWuTQsVtLUoOA7CFWL5kbmvFXCamTZBY0okzM5WHYeTMZO3XlOB-qBiuZDIX476ZOA22RD4Dha5VCoD9KA9YY-95zjYHHjvxc_EA/s1600/CIMG1889.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_qymaKN2FdzfKKVI-f3k_zQK60UmgxOxZUMWuTQsVtLUoOA7CFWL5kbmvFXCamTZBY0okzM5WHYeTMZO3XlOB-qBiuZDIX476ZOA22RD4Dha5VCoD9KA9YY-95zjYHHjvxc_EA/s320/CIMG1889.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521582146925181394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ8bIYLODStIjvu9c7r_YFuJZppblP5NGAn9rp1Shlq0eCqtMW9CvT5xgQGZPj4yx60WV206l3E6tMWTPFgKDz3LTWT4mYm7iY4NCvvmKEF8DSGTX6s2QU17q3kRjAm-GrgLeOQ/s1600/P9120863.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ8bIYLODStIjvu9c7r_YFuJZppblP5NGAn9rp1Shlq0eCqtMW9CvT5xgQGZPj4yx60WV206l3E6tMWTPFgKDz3LTWT4mYm7iY4NCvvmKEF8DSGTX6s2QU17q3kRjAm-GrgLeOQ/s320/P9120863.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521582142140836754" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-82919763780448263182010-09-08T22:19:00.000-07:002010-09-08T22:59:34.560-07:00And here we have Idaho, winning her way to fame<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXX9gZ033um2WKQ-MMoM0olA5nSap-xRTuUkN9x0Aa8BEAEx1PR3Hz4kfiSfdgwBzCoCLtW5vbWZ4PsOciAAraXetTphMQwNSmB6BXbEUoggZdLIbIAO9SNBNw4yMpRrsHx6JSIQ/s1600/IMG_2345-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 306px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXX9gZ033um2WKQ-MMoM0olA5nSap-xRTuUkN9x0Aa8BEAEx1PR3Hz4kfiSfdgwBzCoCLtW5vbWZ4PsOciAAraXetTphMQwNSmB6BXbEUoggZdLIbIAO9SNBNw4yMpRrsHx6JSIQ/s320/IMG_2345-1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514783738099163858" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-24665074122834119532010-09-01T21:39:00.000-07:002010-09-01T22:31:29.213-07:00almost one week in<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VJeWVGLeTPIBNqRxWfQCNwigYzdSa2oQzeErtW0cp4qEWYciMZHfjFNDNBiB0DA3JD15j1aODF-o70JxV6_hOphrirhyphenhyphen5vwrgbXcSFuHX_BYs02dAOTa0nUPMYOlqOaGXbv-dw/s1600/IMG_1786.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VJeWVGLeTPIBNqRxWfQCNwigYzdSa2oQzeErtW0cp4qEWYciMZHfjFNDNBiB0DA3JD15j1aODF-o70JxV6_hOphrirhyphenhyphen5vwrgbXcSFuHX_BYs02dAOTa0nUPMYOlqOaGXbv-dw/s320/IMG_1786.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512179784894757490" /></a><br /><br />We have been Stateside for six days and WHEW, it's exhausting! I'm not sure we can move back unless Nate works from home and only part time so he is here all day to help! I didn't manage to even get a shower until the boys were in bed tonight, but here are some things that I DID manage to accomplish in the past few days, in addition to the laundry, vacuuming, dishes and child care and the constant picking up, I forgot that kids just leave a little trail of mess wherever they go! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1SZg6kP97vh3Dbdactg6JS5UOVedibIMtYCHWsV7WNEq_IqsMOXkwq3Fz6nFg2KjjgiheZzGsMKTihJAeiNdnHn-yBHi3foYO2LtOyOAQlqCkEM8dGadBWrTFTT6wEjZdSC2fw/s1600/IMG_1840.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1SZg6kP97vh3Dbdactg6JS5UOVedibIMtYCHWsV7WNEq_IqsMOXkwq3Fz6nFg2KjjgiheZzGsMKTihJAeiNdnHn-yBHi3foYO2LtOyOAQlqCkEM8dGadBWrTFTT6wEjZdSC2fw/s320/IMG_1840.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512179837181124818" /></a><br />We washed "Grandma Grandmas" (the boys Great Grandma) windows. Holden washed the screens in his ever helpful way and, as you can imagine, Finnley was super helpful playing in the bucket of vinegar and water. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0NNy6Y5WQ_On3TRkUxkwZEDiahYiL1QPuT_se-TLcmHMBvPwq__9zY8o5Fbd8ctaFisomKAePk0GcujxZWAI4lY0trcO7bAVaqJ5AqV50v7HPS0a04O9r1auaGbLV0vJ5MZmQQ/s1600/IMG_1833.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0NNy6Y5WQ_On3TRkUxkwZEDiahYiL1QPuT_se-TLcmHMBvPwq__9zY8o5Fbd8ctaFisomKAePk0GcujxZWAI4lY0trcO7bAVaqJ5AqV50v7HPS0a04O9r1auaGbLV0vJ5MZmQQ/s320/IMG_1833.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512179819353292386" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVlDxxpoMsz9MlrYSfZjlEffFYZmFfNP4cNUM2YFsFf5r64fpsZJKoaLLr2i7wKM2rhFyw_7JWNZT_PmTM_g_AxN29hGgbIgdT9fsb5hkaPNVcBBRglZLARijbh7KmDCELEXqdA/s1600/IMG_1820.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVlDxxpoMsz9MlrYSfZjlEffFYZmFfNP4cNUM2YFsFf5r64fpsZJKoaLLr2i7wKM2rhFyw_7JWNZT_PmTM_g_AxN29hGgbIgdT9fsb5hkaPNVcBBRglZLARijbh7KmDCELEXqdA/s320/IMG_1820.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512179797375769218" /></a><br /><br />The boys fed the horses carrots and managed to keep all 20 fingers intact. Holden and his lifelong friend(literally) Riley Jane harvested all the carrots from the garden, so there was plenty to go around to the live stock. Lastnight they were playing Mom and Dad and Riley's little sister Sarah was their daughter. Foreshadowing of the future? Ann and I can only hope! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PAVGRT2gN9BOCFQr3pSqV41LFBECTSiqsrvLRzbKkVJ7HW8OVOl0ZDKPoa6TOZe-_NfgiV-qSOBd279iQ2VONbqKVHqCkayYDk103_R-aq246GZ1j6WJROvkVnIDFvQy_jigFw/s1600/IMG_1782.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PAVGRT2gN9BOCFQr3pSqV41LFBECTSiqsrvLRzbKkVJ7HW8OVOl0ZDKPoa6TOZe-_NfgiV-qSOBd279iQ2VONbqKVHqCkayYDk103_R-aq246GZ1j6WJROvkVnIDFvQy_jigFw/s320/IMG_1782.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512179774326830194" /></a><br /><br />Hitting the grocery store is truly a treat. The options leave me without words. Unless you live in Manila, or maybe somewhere similar it's hard to relate but trust me, YOUR choices here are truly endless. Better yet, things like grapes and berries don't cost a small fortune. All four of us run the aisles in endless glee.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbQttMFMmhoUlL0l5Su1I2361iguUlPlVUD6jFGJdnau6rI8fVmZdL5Mu1SUYIZRUEIxbbID0gw-EgkbRAF_EgtWFnpcNtxudVGTcbgdpeGO-L1l1qxUyC36bCWVRcTeju0WJlw/s1600/IMG_1888.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijbQttMFMmhoUlL0l5Su1I2361iguUlPlVUD6jFGJdnau6rI8fVmZdL5Mu1SUYIZRUEIxbbID0gw-EgkbRAF_EgtWFnpcNtxudVGTcbgdpeGO-L1l1qxUyC36bCWVRcTeju0WJlw/s320/IMG_1888.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512182086179749618" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQYNRqjMMu8lY7Nveerl1tOMs1S_D2HfTINhVfUMyLTghr_i9TcSW2II8_a0iLF5Sk9BWnrBy01rGqv8T2_xJ7MCqidbI_QJwngZX8GJgSMRhyKkyDpZS2dECdEO0muCqFZhp3g/s1600/IMG_1881.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQYNRqjMMu8lY7Nveerl1tOMs1S_D2HfTINhVfUMyLTghr_i9TcSW2II8_a0iLF5Sk9BWnrBy01rGqv8T2_xJ7MCqidbI_QJwngZX8GJgSMRhyKkyDpZS2dECdEO0muCqFZhp3g/s320/IMG_1881.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512182077430894194" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZlk4nGc7o1JJyJQ1ZDrzXFHJtJXS9p7nY36Q-gAUmWhVVQRJ5qdpeXbVdkjoIjhjDV1TVdEVYWBmPF8gZb8sDsbJeT0bdzwiuPDoqTONH5iTXP9A06vuCkNdz_zpStfjqgBU-w/s1600/IMG_1851.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZlk4nGc7o1JJyJQ1ZDrzXFHJtJXS9p7nY36Q-gAUmWhVVQRJ5qdpeXbVdkjoIjhjDV1TVdEVYWBmPF8gZb8sDsbJeT0bdzwiuPDoqTONH5iTXP9A06vuCkNdz_zpStfjqgBU-w/s320/IMG_1851.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512182066413265906" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyymKBTXH6iz5CZuCeL1FUWAzCb-2DWjhqNnVKDQHQT1p3pnAalZlOYmWMRGC0n-wfvmZF2aWME2hF5Rc23X_sggcoKHPDI8xsth2WFXB5XSHPvpsMg3eF5QtpMhyphenhyphenXyMiYRr80A/s1600/IMG_1847.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyymKBTXH6iz5CZuCeL1FUWAzCb-2DWjhqNnVKDQHQT1p3pnAalZlOYmWMRGC0n-wfvmZF2aWME2hF5Rc23X_sggcoKHPDI8xsth2WFXB5XSHPvpsMg3eF5QtpMhyphenhyphenXyMiYRr80A/s320/IMG_1847.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512182056148244290" /></a><br /><br />This afternoon we headed up to Adams Canyon to hike up to the waterfall. The weather was perfect and the boys were troopers. Especially Holden, he was a champ until the end. Finnley didn't have much to complain about being hoisted up the mountain on Nate's back. Double the work out for Nate hauling that additional 30 lbs of curly haired lovin. Let me tell you, coming from four years of elevation near sea level to 4600 feet and then hiking up an additional 2000 that the air is thin! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmuCUn9k38HObO764liuObDFE2oYiSPwnjGX9JQ1EeDegDP09wtQlbfWjae9DBfhiTNz7YSpPov8apvX7JluLeRVFloCxtIVlZwx7BdjdjgDlAgT1l5WAMMooqKmCq9038QjMVg/s1600/IMG_1912.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmuCUn9k38HObO764liuObDFE2oYiSPwnjGX9JQ1EeDegDP09wtQlbfWjae9DBfhiTNz7YSpPov8apvX7JluLeRVFloCxtIVlZwx7BdjdjgDlAgT1l5WAMMooqKmCq9038QjMVg/s320/IMG_1912.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512182095171249794" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-72809250865681981072010-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:002010-08-29T20:37:13.657-07:00Late Summer in AmericaThe things one does out West in the late Summer. It's a beautiful thing.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWq1jW2deKnC0Au9ah7zYESgxoIeQ691vO0n30pVUzL0tOtKqntUpW3mTvlmFdwMK8TaoVqfYf5h3XYPqr__p7nyTBxaScOj8lgMzP0sHHpqJWQIyabZsixLERAoXvNX16NPy7g/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWq1jW2deKnC0Au9ah7zYESgxoIeQ691vO0n30pVUzL0tOtKqntUpW3mTvlmFdwMK8TaoVqfYf5h3XYPqr__p7nyTBxaScOj8lgMzP0sHHpqJWQIyabZsixLERAoXvNX16NPy7g/s320/IMG_1724.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511041101802580130" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_PGQzs2yGt3aQOkk_bPjwx9Dw3RBLVjyvaVBVzQD2xQ4ThspqSBDUYMkGajZcV1skja36TGuNYWo8MPbo_XRIc0uEdf0d2Hea8v4oQzdUKM5zS3USZDS48qukebd7Sn-5gVY_w/s1600/IMG_1776.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_PGQzs2yGt3aQOkk_bPjwx9Dw3RBLVjyvaVBVzQD2xQ4ThspqSBDUYMkGajZcV1skja36TGuNYWo8MPbo_XRIc0uEdf0d2Hea8v4oQzdUKM5zS3USZDS48qukebd7Sn-5gVY_w/s320/IMG_1776.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511040020910432658" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJ5vHsMJDXyHvX0GpDgA8fxmz4kkBeiu3hJPk0Y_6hyG3736igXzBzmkKWAHpIr0hrsTh2IWtg63JQWc0ZfY0lh-9zLmK24kSU9bWwTYq0KJlDCR-Xdl2tb6Lp-SvC1wWL17_rw/s1600/IMG_1775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJ5vHsMJDXyHvX0GpDgA8fxmz4kkBeiu3hJPk0Y_6hyG3736igXzBzmkKWAHpIr0hrsTh2IWtg63JQWc0ZfY0lh-9zLmK24kSU9bWwTYq0KJlDCR-Xdl2tb6Lp-SvC1wWL17_rw/s320/IMG_1775.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511040013286215122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEi6sVKX9n3C_1qSBZ-yeDi9EsZ8An_ux13zBiCx07jZ8r5RwY99sCDh9beP2BdOVK8yarqIsASiM4sF3dnyJUqpeS_aDwp2gx-3LhqTdAIFDxjhyphenhyphenzml-K5cowev2t9DMIRQxRg/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEi6sVKX9n3C_1qSBZ-yeDi9EsZ8An_ux13zBiCx07jZ8r5RwY99sCDh9beP2BdOVK8yarqIsASiM4sF3dnyJUqpeS_aDwp2gx-3LhqTdAIFDxjhyphenhyphenzml-K5cowev2t9DMIRQxRg/s320/IMG_1768.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511039998402666738" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HMzmZslTR82FaNLo1c91r0OUSiVcc6ytQdBAhtIF3EQ1B-HhpLBNnZZlUqZfS2UYJk4gwUAf7R4Wn11FWFYppAunjR46iV7hQEZj5CQHLTwICKA4QX3Gp-IjN4ViXQwHPTwgeg/s1600/IMG_1750.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9HMzmZslTR82FaNLo1c91r0OUSiVcc6ytQdBAhtIF3EQ1B-HhpLBNnZZlUqZfS2UYJk4gwUAf7R4Wn11FWFYppAunjR46iV7hQEZj5CQHLTwICKA4QX3Gp-IjN4ViXQwHPTwgeg/s320/IMG_1750.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511039988119085330" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5vyKpcgdxtqse9UOxKypjdE2l6pwz9dPyG4Eh9p8Kyan74693HDIWdU-8cfbxqCFB5gMAJYfGXSrJMqsZPIBUVm4Vrwcu3dbn86OcE4DeBm33NAiEgBi1o0vZHkHZEx4JhcQmg/s1600/IMG_1687.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs5vyKpcgdxtqse9UOxKypjdE2l6pwz9dPyG4Eh9p8Kyan74693HDIWdU-8cfbxqCFB5gMAJYfGXSrJMqsZPIBUVm4Vrwcu3dbn86OcE4DeBm33NAiEgBi1o0vZHkHZEx4JhcQmg/s320/IMG_1687.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511039972795816114" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-38476883106785217302010-08-09T02:04:00.000-07:002010-08-09T03:03:03.686-07:0018 days and countingWe are heading home for our bi-annual break from the tropics. CAN NOT wait. Once I have the itineraries in my hot hands I am a mess of waiting and wishing and willing it to come sooner. It starts slow, a few months before, when I just have a vague idea of when we will be heading home is when the online shopping starts. Packages start arriving at either parents home. Just here and theres. <br /><br />Then, once the dates are spoken and the travel agent is called full force planning goes into effect. Lists are made on sticky notes, iphones, computers; "things to buy in States" is what they are titled. Online sites are perused, Target iphone app is downloaded and the real shipping starts. Boys "coolER" weather clothes are found around the local malls (because lets face it EVERYWHERE is cooler than here), bazaar shopping takes on a whole new meaning; mom wants this bag, don't forget the mangoes and tanduay, where is the stuff we bought for everyone from the 6 countries we have traveled to since we were last home. <br /><br />Then the countdown comes fast; get the household staff scheduled for when we are gone, who comes in on what day, for how long, everything fair! Driver needs to work this day to take the dog to the vet, deliver Holden's birthday invitations; oh wait, don't forget to make Holden's birthday invitations! Make sure someone delivers the staff their pay every week. Aaahhh! It's easier to stay home! <br /><br />In addition, is the mad rush of planning what to do while home. Which state do we go to first, for how long, what day can we see this friend and that one. Lists are made of places that must be feasted at, they are mostly MEXICAN because seriously the shortage here is near unbearable. Stores that must be visited and sizes of things that must be purchased. (Someone remind me to buy that extra long shower curtain I have forgotten three trips in a row!) This time activities consist of the Eastern Idaho State Fair, the rodeo, Bear World, white water rafting on the Snake River and a trip to Jackson Hole. Day tripping it to Park City to the Alpine slide, and possibly lagoon. There must be roasting marshmallows and tennis and trips to the park. <br />It's all worth it (even the coach tickets which we will be "enjoying" on the way there) for these little people<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkbE29oNUWnSKCo2wFRpHt6OiwnyTilbqClYuu0hHmrQGaj7CadS85OhKPcJv0BlJbWhx7WXbzxWr0SWsa1VUWGWxlOUpG2Dy-_9J5zeCo52ZC8fj5yvNAnAJEQfb5pe_f7g49g/s1600/IMG_2364.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkbE29oNUWnSKCo2wFRpHt6OiwnyTilbqClYuu0hHmrQGaj7CadS85OhKPcJv0BlJbWhx7WXbzxWr0SWsa1VUWGWxlOUpG2Dy-_9J5zeCo52ZC8fj5yvNAnAJEQfb5pe_f7g49g/s320/IMG_2364.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503347655989728578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU6oJVMVcwiQmkyV7_zOOZbmsKKzg-h6Yh3nBDl5knwHR8Q8vBGKYsZNpYnCLKumYdfLkJoMTH3__OaovPzZE5Wt9tAKkkLtWEZQ366XrpWywJ569v66hDpWHVBKdqsjszrAChQ/s1600/IMG_2357.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZU6oJVMVcwiQmkyV7_zOOZbmsKKzg-h6Yh3nBDl5knwHR8Q8vBGKYsZNpYnCLKumYdfLkJoMTH3__OaovPzZE5Wt9tAKkkLtWEZQ366XrpWywJ569v66hDpWHVBKdqsjszrAChQ/s320/IMG_2357.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503347645035697234" /></a><br /><br /><br /> to have a relationship with these very special folks and many more <br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO4kxeLHlRC6oqjaVeJwJOCN2AEuoCbglpQ-XyCG-HNnE10AB4wFr2TMl3VSKMAyPFS56p2wg_Fa4Ukl8auLCiBKcLNg9mZAhUr5jV7q9Q71hRs6z2weYImELFKpONaXdXC1oWA/s1600/DSC_0205-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoO4kxeLHlRC6oqjaVeJwJOCN2AEuoCbglpQ-XyCG-HNnE10AB4wFr2TMl3VSKMAyPFS56p2wg_Fa4Ukl8auLCiBKcLNg9mZAhUr5jV7q9Q71hRs6z2weYImELFKpONaXdXC1oWA/s320/DSC_0205-1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503346957430369410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63BBEniMLWhncmaOArb2E8aAdX2yrk9edj65RLU-RpB_LMPIuSbG1K-t1Uup6IaU3vXz25fEYEIjHW54e4tDqT7GP7fIurP0HjkvDXEnvMTb3vLO7Zb1dQqdC_fPs6h-RmBRZFg/s1600/IMG_0073-1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63BBEniMLWhncmaOArb2E8aAdX2yrk9edj65RLU-RpB_LMPIuSbG1K-t1Uup6IaU3vXz25fEYEIjHW54e4tDqT7GP7fIurP0HjkvDXEnvMTb3vLO7Zb1dQqdC_fPs6h-RmBRZFg/s320/IMG_0073-1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503346943369905394" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZMzkejnC-3U84y8Zb5m8FgfIDCuGIkLkMl7pKBwSdtxlsdetC-NALVdTch8hEzmgYEEP6DyN-BTuCLSts3OFJqxpOJyhSp1POFjZDzQkJE_JjIYUEHDf2lOxTdFXa2XEVVmy-A/s1600/P1290424.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZMzkejnC-3U84y8Zb5m8FgfIDCuGIkLkMl7pKBwSdtxlsdetC-NALVdTch8hEzmgYEEP6DyN-BTuCLSts3OFJqxpOJyhSp1POFjZDzQkJE_JjIYUEHDf2lOxTdFXa2XEVVmy-A/s320/P1290424.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503346934948633858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIU6k1OseoNWY1V0ip15gPo2v9s5_9HvMlFWkibC6Qe_a99LLB_bKgWGtDOLcLAAl4sbTMOpnAqAXwoEWWnVM7na8mP-eIL-1YazkQqjYaNxDAwrHpnXP1edvTQpQLhildCpm3A/s1600/DSC_0084.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIU6k1OseoNWY1V0ip15gPo2v9s5_9HvMlFWkibC6Qe_a99LLB_bKgWGtDOLcLAAl4sbTMOpnAqAXwoEWWnVM7na8mP-eIL-1YazkQqjYaNxDAwrHpnXP1edvTQpQLhildCpm3A/s320/DSC_0084.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503346930157042562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFTrBXyTi9l4aN4hcrakNQ8MC09s1OZHxgE4RcIqNaNF-SY_6sQSE4tWvJ0OOaPTAMa1JmyRVhIGtG_DX0xI5L9vMTZAD0i6jwY2y-70NWIGNxOZeT6OpNgmEk1ZA19Tzfn1zDg/s1600/DSC_0453.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFTrBXyTi9l4aN4hcrakNQ8MC09s1OZHxgE4RcIqNaNF-SY_6sQSE4tWvJ0OOaPTAMa1JmyRVhIGtG_DX0xI5L9vMTZAD0i6jwY2y-70NWIGNxOZeT6OpNgmEk1ZA19Tzfn1zDg/s320/DSC_0453.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5503346915443970738" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-14662643715518071362010-07-31T22:54:00.000-07:002010-08-01T00:25:42.634-07:00Living<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYXn70cIITaLcR_goqaHgBdcJ9o3rw9IRrTKQ5oOjxs-uHLoWeBcZNk9Aqqe4u9wXTXZ1Ds1IiJ_tp-uR0Y_9oq3FA_xcQNNOFQVWsCpjU2rAdCz5G8YTZ0CozOqQ9Y6-OCDFjw/s1600/DSC_0958.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYXn70cIITaLcR_goqaHgBdcJ9o3rw9IRrTKQ5oOjxs-uHLoWeBcZNk9Aqqe4u9wXTXZ1Ds1IiJ_tp-uR0Y_9oq3FA_xcQNNOFQVWsCpjU2rAdCz5G8YTZ0CozOqQ9Y6-OCDFjw/s320/DSC_0958.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500337683047276562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLudN5glbM2E2wN3_8wmnIy66biqeA451CKNc1FEN-G1mc1lgHxeyB06IeV0hBigp2s7ZKEVyxetr4LwV9UXQdAY1h3WDgS9PmLbbsoFbf4BOFSyIYxQMKbNw8FBM0D3RnVIxMg/s1600/DSC_0551.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLudN5glbM2E2wN3_8wmnIy66biqeA451CKNc1FEN-G1mc1lgHxeyB06IeV0hBigp2s7ZKEVyxetr4LwV9UXQdAY1h3WDgS9PmLbbsoFbf4BOFSyIYxQMKbNw8FBM0D3RnVIxMg/s320/DSC_0551.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500336877395403810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuljoY7r3PFRgLKZ_IZyc7m0TgDIC0S3RZ3qH7RSR8Y96gMu7aXaY7RzYpxWPvNDpA2L1agVVoo7ao3MOGTBseGrCVC1tNBRA__m07odpwjyAG0yUeYJyLpiphCjOBmKepnRirNg/s1600/2x2+one.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuljoY7r3PFRgLKZ_IZyc7m0TgDIC0S3RZ3qH7RSR8Y96gMu7aXaY7RzYpxWPvNDpA2L1agVVoo7ao3MOGTBseGrCVC1tNBRA__m07odpwjyAG0yUeYJyLpiphCjOBmKepnRirNg/s320/2x2+one.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500336874017771346" /></a><br />Living away from my home country isn't easy, but it's not hard either. When I think of how long we have "survived" and thrived as a family I am a little surprised myself. So much of our daily challenges are made bearable by our friends who live here. No one has family here, so we make our own. Friends who are single, friends without kids, friends who are our parents age, even our house help become a little part of what makes our village and raises our children (thanks Hilary, don't hate me Grandma). To me, the friends we make here make our existence joyous. They "get it," they can commiserate and what's best they can make it all better with a shoulder to lean on or an offer to help and more importantly an ear to listen!<br /><br />I appreciate America more than ever and oh how I appreciate Utah. I miss the conveniences and the cleanliness and the beauty. I miss not being surrounded by poverty. I miss our families. I miss our friends back home. I miss the massive amount of CHOICE that America offers and the ability to tailor my life. I miss picking tomatoes out of the garden and Nate misses mowing the lawn. I miss painting my walls and watering the grass and tending to my home. Dare I say I even miss laundry. I never get to smell the fresh warm clothes as they come out of the dryer fluffy and soft (but I don't miss folding them! Not. One. Bit.) I miss Mexican food. I miss laying down in thick green grass. I miss the late setting sun. I miss chatting with the neighbors in the cul-de-sac. I miss cooking and baking. I miss shopping. I miss the sno cone shack. I miss days corn and Utah peaches and rupes root beer ice cream. I miss the mountains of Utah and the potato fields of Idaho. I miss the genuine simplicity of everyday life and the community of America. <br /><br />To be honest, I miss almost everything and there are days that I would be happy to pack up and move home and give up the phenomenal private school, the amazing inexpensive spa services and maids and nannies and driver and cook and cheap nights out at amazing 5 star restaurants. I would quickly hop on a plane and forget about ever seeing the Great Wall of China or the cities in Japan and Vietnam or the beaches of Thailand and Bali or the warmth and hospitality of the Philippines. But those days are just that: days. Bad days, where I have clearly spent more time trying to make this place fit into my view of what it should be as opposed to just going with the flow of what it is. It's usually after I have had a dozen shop girls following me around trying to "help" or hearing the words "out of stock" one too many times in a day or sitting in traffic for 45 minutes to just go 6 miles or after a load of over-bleached laundry. But guess what, those things happen every day! I have heard that living abroad will either make you or break you. It breaks a lot of people. I hope it will make me. I hope it will make my boys and make my family. I think, so far, that it has. <br /><br />I am happy here. I actually love it here! I am involved here and I am invested in my own happiness here. I can make a difference and I am grateful for being able to leave a footprint here. As an expat we live among so many cultures not just Filipinos. It's a beautiful thing where our children don't have a negative racial cultural divide and I don't think we could give them a better gift. I love our ability to travel and albeit the experiences are sometimes a bit comical, I still wouldn't trade it. I love that our children have ridden elephants and been to major historical sights. I love the relationship I have built with my husband here. It's been forged with steel by overcoming the challenges of every day life. Life isn't perfect here, it's not perfect anywhere. But it's pretty darn good. To be honest, when the time comes to venture "home" wherever that may be, I will be scared because to us, this IS home. It may not be the country of our birth (well, 3 out of 4 of us) or where our citizenship is but for now, this is IT! So I vow to try to "Keep calm and carry on," to make a consorted effort every day to appreciate what I have here to remember how lucky I am to come from where I do. After all this life doesn't happen to everyone.Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37668549.post-38800107998943822792010-07-16T07:08:00.001-07:002010-07-16T07:41:12.342-07:00loving these boys<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDj7EjReEieIyL_AuL8Mccjxs08qI50vuZkVPzgI8lezCV83-ZZWibnWynYqWg2KH6a2i6zi9irSbZWr1BZ5EdExy-5zM8JhdUYz5Dw1_A5KKTgExRW757WEY3WhNprZw4McAYg/s1600/IMG_2323.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDj7EjReEieIyL_AuL8Mccjxs08qI50vuZkVPzgI8lezCV83-ZZWibnWynYqWg2KH6a2i6zi9irSbZWr1BZ5EdExy-5zM8JhdUYz5Dw1_A5KKTgExRW757WEY3WhNprZw4McAYg/s320/IMG_2323.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494508663872612098" /></a><br /><br /><br />A few updates around the May household:<br /><br /><br />Every month our boys just get more fun. They interact more positively (Finnley beats up on Holden less-yes you read that right) and are a joy to be around. I finally feel like life in manageable again. Yes, it took THAT long to get it together and yes, I even have help. Maybe that was why there was such a learning curve, I wasn't thrown into the fire like most new mothers.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizta1EpUhec9mcg19KL-HPr98uczZ29fK8cpWIW1F5TM-dDHJlf57qJ5wE2nKxbU5Lk2XEFLS8OZCdHQX5chg6zwpA50jvbCLi0F4EwKJJRME32l03JFPww9I1fudbhJBtvE_XPQ/s1600/IMG_2344.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizta1EpUhec9mcg19KL-HPr98uczZ29fK8cpWIW1F5TM-dDHJlf57qJ5wE2nKxbU5Lk2XEFLS8OZCdHQX5chg6zwpA50jvbCLi0F4EwKJJRME32l03JFPww9I1fudbhJBtvE_XPQ/s320/IMG_2344.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494508655693393666" /></a><br /><br />Finnley is constantly wanting to come along wherever we go and I'm sad to say we are usually running from place to place and the convenience of leaving him at home regularly wins out. So when he does come in the car or out to the store he is thrilled. He is always bringing us his shoes and pulling us out the door. He has just started with a very long drawn out "no noooooo" and when he shakes his head no, his entire body gets into the action from his shoulders to his hips. Although no also means yes so confirming what he actually means is a chore. He uses both Tagalog and English words so once again that can prove confusing for us all. One moment it's a dog and the next it's an aso. Tonight while reading a book he said "thas not ah duck." It WAS a duck so again...not sure if he means it IS or IS NOT. He calls me "Mama" but when he wants someone to come here is said like an Italian "MA!" with his palm facing down waving his fingers towards himself like we do to shoo something away in the States, that is "come here" in the Philippines. Never does Da (Daddy) come out in a normal volume, it is shouted from the rooftops, "DA!!!!" He says "shower," and calls Holden "Kuya"(older brother) but it comes out more like "Oooohyah." Carol our nanny is called "Roll" and Ed our driver he calls "Lolo" (Grandpa) and I think he actually likes being called that!<br />He loves to wear my tennis arm band, he also is a gem at clearing the table. Who knew you could teach tricks at such a young age!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3rROXeP12P6r3EEVUXnyje6IInr4UVm-9qvQZO6oyjZjuVdwFBZh9YQujuia2T45BQKoxJPZup8CXlOJCUyMwzu0MM86mma3AHR6D8JsCXIGN_1OpRgp8wPfv9fBmETrs5xDnA/s1600/IMG_2338.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3rROXeP12P6r3EEVUXnyje6IInr4UVm-9qvQZO6oyjZjuVdwFBZh9YQujuia2T45BQKoxJPZup8CXlOJCUyMwzu0MM86mma3AHR6D8JsCXIGN_1OpRgp8wPfv9fBmETrs5xDnA/s320/IMG_2338.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494508666215823026" /></a><br /><br />SOMEONE is missing a couple of teeth. Holden had one upper incisor just hanging there but he refused to pull it out. So the other day I asked to take a look at it and flicked it out with my finger. That left the other one just hanging all on it's own and looked to be at about the same level of stability. He moaned and weeped and carried on about us taking it out but I was a little afraid he might swallow it in the night so we persisted. After a flick and a tearing sound (ICK!) it was out too. He looks so different and I might add cute. His little toothless lisp makes us beg him to say things like kisses or toothbrushes and one I came up with the other day; aesthetic. It's adorable but we have to make sure he doesn't catch us giggling because he was quite sensitive about how he looked for a few days. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DjTWxijoHNTpFPH6XTuxzEGwU5A2FPbtFyrnPghSHtDCMPoUJVOqKNWNZQ3FLYlAyo8SMW1_ysZwsO6rGK8UhdIuBFy8-fLyFGsO4hhzL_2rPEgQiCp5KsoKXioeHzyduGOTJg/s1600/IMG_2346.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DjTWxijoHNTpFPH6XTuxzEGwU5A2FPbtFyrnPghSHtDCMPoUJVOqKNWNZQ3FLYlAyo8SMW1_ysZwsO6rGK8UhdIuBFy8-fLyFGsO4hhzL_2rPEgQiCp5KsoKXioeHzyduGOTJg/s320/IMG_2346.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494508645599375010" /></a>Nate and Melissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14072705904830964408noreply@blogger.com1