Q-Tip

So we had some friends that lived here in Jakarta and they ended up having a job transfer sooner than they expected.  They had bought an albino hamster when they first moved here, thinking they would be here a good 3 years, but had it shortened to just one.  They couldn’t take Q-Tip with them and we offered to take him.  Our kids love animals, but I grew up in an “animal-free” household.  I thought that a hamster would be a good start for us (read: me) getting used to having pets around the house.  He is really cute and the kids all love playing with him.  We just had to watch Andrew carefully so that he didn’t try to kick the hamster ball like a soccer ball when Q-Tip was in it, but all in all they are very gentle with him.  I end up cleaning out his cage and making sure he has food and water, but it isn’t too much work so I am okay with it.

Andrew Starts Preschool!

After we dropped Clark off, we hurried home and got Andrew ready for his first day of Preschool!  He is going three days a week just like Clark did his first year.  He has been really excited to go to school “just like Clarkie!”  When I asked Andrew if he wanted to go to school this year or if he wanted to stay home with Mommy, he said immediately…”BOTH!”  I am glad he gets to do both because him and Audrey are pretty good buddies (when he isn’t trying to steal her pacie!) and I wanted to make sure they still get some together time during the days. 

Clark Starts Kindergarten!

Well, it's official! Clark started Kindergarten, and we were all really excited! I have very fond memories of my elementary school years. I was worried that being overseas, it wouldn't quite feel 'the same' as being in the U.S., but after I went and toured the school, I got so excited for him. It was so nostalgic going into the school and seeing the library and the classrooms. Everything felt the same if you don't count the SmartBoards that are in every class (those things are seriously cool). Clark loved getting on the bus the first day. We actually live really close to the school, but since it is a busy street, they send a bus to pick up all the kids in the neighborhood. One of the great things about Clark is that you see ALL of his excitement. He holds little to nothing back, so for big moments like this, it is super fun to experience it with him.

Summer Roundup

So the rest of the summer after we returned from the States was spent swimming and enjoying the relative quiet here in Indonesia as most other expat families were away for the whole summer.  We ended up sponsoring a few new embassy families who arrived this summer.  It is something I enjoy doing but it is a lot of work.  Tanner was getting used to the whole Bishop thing, but that was difficult since not a whole lot of changes could be made or callings issued since most of the ward was gone for the summer as well.  Just before school started in the middle of August, we took a little family getaway to Singapore.  It was a good trip, but it is also difficult to try to relax when you know what you are coming back to.  School starting, new people to welcome, and lots of work to be done in the ward.  Singapore is an interesting place.  The official language is English there and it is quite a melting pot of cultures and people.  It is a very clean and very expensive country.  We stayed in a nice hotel, The Fairmont, in downtown.  It was really great because it was right next to a big mall and we just went downstairs every morning to the food court and got yummy doughnuts for breakfast!

We rode the subway EVERYWHERE, and went out to Sentosa Island a couple of times.  Sentosa is a fun family place to go that has beaches, an aquarium, and even a great luge ride (see below).  Tanner wanted to try the indoor skydiving, but for whatever reason, it didn’t end up happening.  The aquarium was super small but they had a dolphin show that was cool and they had a movable walkway through a tube surrounded by marine life that we all really liked too. 

Everyday after we would get back to the hotel, we would go swimming with the kids. 

They had a great kiddie pool, and when everyone was good and tired, we would go to dinner.  The second night we were there, we decided to try this yummy looking Italian restaurant that was in the hotel.  It was REALLY REALLY good, and it was really busy.  The kids were so tired and started dropping like flies.  First, Audrey fell asleep in her chair, followed by Andrew, who just laid his head down on the table and zonked out.  Clark just kept zoning out, and Tanner and I were loving the peace and quiet!

The next day, we spent the morning at Pasir Ris Park.  It had a few great playgrounds in it, and we rented bikes for the whole family and we biked around the park.  We all loved it!  The next day we went to the beach at Sentosa and also rode the luge ride.  It was a total highlight.  You take a ski lift up to the top where you are given your ‘sled’.  It was super fun.  Tanner went with the boys first and then I got to go with them a second time around. 

Overall, it was a great quick little getaway and a good way to round out our great summer!