The Master Plan

You know how they say..."if you want to make God laugh...tell him your plans", well if that is true God laughs at me all the time.  Do my plans always work out?  NO  Should I think that my plans will work if I organize well? NOT EVERY TIME.  Does that stop me from working really hard to make sure my plans all work out...not in the least.  The realistic part of me knows that there is absolutely no way that I can get my stuff together so that packing and unpacking will be an easy job.  The planner/optimist in me (which is about 90% of me) just knows that I have figured out the perfect way to organize and pack.  I am certain that I have thought through everything so that we don't end up with something we NEED in the sea shipment or so that we don't end up having to take too much on the plane. 
Here it goes...

This sign is on the door of the Master Bedroom...this is the stuff we want to send in our air shipment.

Clothing and gifts...we are also sending our table by air so we won't have much room.  There is more (some dishes and kitchen items) still in use.

This sign is on Zachary's door...the stuff that we would like to send by air if there is room...if not we will send by sea.

Mostly artwork and photos...we are also hoping to fit the Ikea chair.  I can't wait to decorate.

This is on the Guest door and has everything going by sea.

Clothes, some art, golf clubs...etc.  This may look a mess but it is actually organized

Our closets have only the clothes we will need through Friday...Adam's has the most because I figure I will mostly be in yoga pants and I plan on keeping Z in his pj's all day to cut down on laundry...I have washed the last of our clothes.  The only laundry I plan to do is the sheets and towels before they are packed.

I requested that the movers come twice, once for air, once for sea.  It shouldn't take too long each day and they could have done it in one day but this way I can pull things out of the room and organize it by room and then by category to make unpacking super easy.  I told them that I will need to see each box before it's sealed so I can make notes on the outside.  The same people that moved us here last June and moved us from apartment to apartment will be here again and they are very nice but only one guy speaks English and they didn't empty any drawers...this time I have emptied everything and am categorizing everything.  My shipping inventory is organized by room and then separated into categories as well.  I am hoping that my hard work will pay off in September and again in October (I hope October) when our shipments arrive.  We shall see...

End of China Shopping!

I have been looking forward to this the whole time we've been here.  I have a long list of stuff that I was waiting until we were about to leave to pick up. 
I had a set of sheets and a duvet cover made.

The sheets are made in the navy, I had them make the fitted sheet extra deep so that my violent sleeping won't pull it off the bed.  I also got twin sized flat sheets so Adam and I could each have our own...things get pretty ugly when you have two blanket hogs...Adam wraps himself up and I kick blankets off the bed.  I feel in love with the pattern...it was not at all what I went looking for.  I really wanted something plain that I could dress up with fancy pillows and brightly painted walls.  The fabric spoke to me and I became inspired...all of a sudden some of the souvenirs and paintings we picked up will go with this perfectly.  I love that this is a one of a kind bedding set and I can't wait to see it on our bed!

I couldn't leave without picking up another bag...this one is for Tante Lorie.  She requested a Coach bag.  This bag retails for $298...they wanted me to pay $60 and I ended up paying $25.

The best purchases were the paintings and framings...

Zachary's footprints from the hospital...and his name in Chinese

Set of three paintings from Yangshou...photographed by me with my little pink camera...not too bad!

Grandpa Dalland's Christmas gift...this is him at the lake house

Adam's grandmothers Christmas gift...the mountain house

My pet project...a series of B&W's I took since our Honeymoon...there is some from almost everywhere we have been since.

They will become a wall mural in our home...someday

I can't wait to decorate our home.
Next I weekend I need to pick up Adam's Suit and look into...copy Le Cruset cookwear.

Our Last Weekend In HK

I am sad to say...we won't have another chance to spend a weekend in Hong Kong...at least for now.  Adam has been working a lot in preparation for leaving so Zachary and I went on Friday afternoon by ourselves and Adam joined us later that night.  We like to stay in Lan Kuai Fong (the Ex-Pat Bar area) because they have the best restaurants. The downside to staying here is the hills with steps (not very stroller friendly).  Zachary and I went to Mexican for dinner and walked around watching the bars open and the local Ex-Pats begin to gather to celebrate the end of the workday.
Saturday we went to the doctors for Zachary's 4 month appointment.  He showed off his standing and talking skills (not to mention his flirting skills with the nurses).  The doctor gave me some breast milk medication (like I mentioned in my Eping post...every medical intervention to do something so natural) and gave Zachary his immunizations.  Z turned red and got silent before SCREAMING...this lasted about 30 seconds before I stuck a bottle in his mouth and he fell asleep.  I am going to have to remember that even though he may be cranky...it wasn't such a bad idea to bring him to the doctor sleepy.
By the time we got back to the hotel he was finished napping (these 20 min cat naps are not the most convenient) and was back to himself. 

We remembered the nightmare from our 2 month appointment and trip to the big Buddha...and decided to spend the day out anyway.  I think the main reason he was so happy was the baby carrier...he hates being strapped in...this time we used the stroller and he was perfectly happy.
We went to a Lebanese restaurant for lunch...

walked on Hollywood rd...

and spent the afternoon in Stanley.  The Stanley markets are the most popular markets for tourists to pick up souvenirs. 

This is also a nice beach/boardwalk area.  We had a wonderful dinner outside on the boardwalk smelling the salty air; plus the breeze felt wonderful. 

Sunday morning we took it easy and slept in...all three of us.  Zachary woke up at 6:30 ate and fell back to sleep until 10:00.  I washed bottles and pumped (this isn't so easy in a hotel).  We traveled on the MTR back to the Chinese border and went through Lo Hu immigration for the last time...

I Got My Baby Back...

FINALLY!
It figures that our good camera would break before we went to the most beautiful place in China and when we have such a cute model waiting to be photographed.  Thank goodness we had my little pink camera and the video camera to use while we waited.  My pink camera did a great job but nothing compares to the pictures I can take with the big guy.
Here is a picture that was on the camera from before it broke.  Zachary was not quite 3 months.

I also had to test the camera when I picked it up...the girls at the shop loved watching Zachary smile for the camera.

I am also throwing a couple of after bath time pictures from this past weekend in Hong Kong.

There weren't many pictures without him trying to eat the towel.

The Roll of Bubble Wrap is Getting Smaller!!!!

We officially have nothing hanging on the walls...so sad.

My roll of bubble wrap is slowly disappearing.

And my baby boy is getting so big.

I just had to throw in a picture of Zachary :)

MEANWHILE...
it seams like yesterday that we (a family of two) moved to China with 7 very large pieces of luggage, an no idea what to expect.  Now, 18 months, 8 big trips, many day trips and weekend in Hong Kong and several small trips around China later...we have the sense to not try to carry that much luggage through China, two border crossings and on a train to the airport.  My goal is to send as much as we can in our shipment...it's much easier because when we arrive in NC we will have a place like Target or Old Navy to pick up anything we need.
ahhhhhhhhh...Target...

I am looking forward to being an American who takes things for granted...

however...it will be a while before I take anything for granted!  Of course I am super excited about seeing family and friends...no one did anything without us...right...because nothing was supposed to change while we were gone!  Just kidding...we are fully aware that we missed weddings and babies and holidays and dinners out etc..
To be perfectly honest I have daydreams of grocery shopping and driving my own car.  There are many times Adam catches me staring off into space...he always asks what I am thinking and I usually say I'm not thinking of anything because even I think I'm crazy.  I can't wait to walk down the aisle of cleaners.  I am going to pick cleaning products based on scent and quality...rather than picking based on which product has a picture of what it should be used for.  I can't wait to smell my laundry that was washed in Tide Fresh Scent.  I can't wait to buy milk and not have to pour a little down the sink to make sure it isn't chunky.  I can't wait to have a whole aisle of cereal to choose from.  I am not gonna lie it is going to be really nice to be able to buy diapers that actually work...poor Zachary is on sized L diapers to help control exploding poops. 
More than anything I am going to love being independent again...having a car so I can take myself (and Z) wherever, whenever I want (or at least when Zack will let me).  Not only that but I won't have to wait for the grocery store to open at 10:00.
If you could see me right now I am glowing at the thought of driving myself to the grocery store in my own car (which, even though we will be living in a hotel for a few weeks, will be one of the first things I do...you know just to look).

Bubble Wrapping

Today I prepared the Living Room for packing.  I organized all our DVD's (which took most of the day...it's embarrassing how many DVD's we have accumulated...but you have to understand we haven't watched TV since we moved we only watch DVD's).  I typed up each item we will take home in a spread sheet (I organized them by categories and sub-categories so unpacking should be super easy). 
And thanks to my purchase yesterday:

I bubble wrapped picture frames and other souvenirs.  We will have movers but they only pack with paper and so many things either get scratched or chipped.  I actually really enjoyed the bubble wrapping...it made me feel like I actually accomplished something rather than just moving things from one place to another. 

Is it sad that I really enjoyed bubble wrapping...I enjoyed it so much that I spent the evening wrapping

The top shelf is full of DVD cases...which are full of DVD's...yeah we have a lot!

The way I organize everything is I have piles for our air shipment, piles for if there is more room in the air shipment and piles of stuff for sea shipment.  Each pile is organized so when I unpack the boxes everything will be easy to put away...and I can put off opening boxes and open the ones I need first rather than search for our forks like I did when we moved over here (they ended up being under our jackets).  

As in any job it is much more fun to work while you laugh and chat with someone...

I can't think of anyone else I would rather spend the day laughing with...even if he does make me less productive.

Zachary was a sport playing and entertaining himself so I could get some things done.

I am hoping to tackle one room a day...tomorrow the kitchen!
26 DAYS!!!!

Da Fen

Officially my favorite place to go in China.  I am so glad I am using this blog now so that I can add pictures.  The first time I visited I was amazed at...well...everything.  I am not all that great with words so I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Da Fen is full of paintings and coffee shops.

My two favorite boys standing near a pile of canvas and wooden frames

Instead of laundry they hang paintings out to dry

even the buildings are colorful

paintings in the alley

tons of shops like this will hundreds of framing selections

The village kindergarten (kindergarten in China is like preschool)...wouldn't you love for your child to go to a school that looked like this????

Paintings EVERYWHERE!

We came to get a few photographs from our trip to YangShou made into paintings and I got a ton of black and white photographs from our trips framed...I will post pictures once I pick them up...oh darn I have to go back one more time to pick up my pictures :)

Our Weekend in Shenzhen

I used to go to Shenzhen quite often...now taking a day trip is a little more difficult.  We did a small shop at LoHu (a small shop is all anyone can take on a Sat...let alone my husband and son any day of the week).  We went to my tailor and ordered a suit and a few dress shirts for Adam and a Dress and a couple shirts for me. 
We spent Sat. night at our favorite Mexican place in China...

we were so excited when we found it for the first time.  We went there because it was one of the 10 places to see in Shenzhen and it was called "Sea World"...no it isn't actually sea world...we were pleasantly surprised to find a square with tons of foreign restaurants...and a Dunkin Donuts.  We came to this area only a few times for dinner...it was always worth the 2+hour drive to and from.

On Sunday we took it easy in the morning...spent some time at the pool.

I had to add this close up because it was too cute to keep to myself

After he napped a little he gave the pool a second chance...

We mixed something he loves...standing up...with something he doesn't quite love so much. 

Yes, only his feet got wet...but it counts...baby steps.

Before heading home we stopped off at the painting village.  A place that deserves it's own blog entry.

A lot can happen in a year!

This Saturday we went to Guangzhou (yes after being up until 3 am) to meet a family from our old lifegroup back in NC.  They were here to pick up their newest family member, a little boy they adopted from China.  Last February we met them as they picked up number 3…and had no idea we would get to meet in China again with two new additions. 
Their oldest is going to make a great babysitter for little Z someday.  The middle two were as fun and cute as ever and the newest is a hoot.  Kristi and Ian are amazing parents and their kids are awesome!  I really missed listening to kids conversations.  This was just the dose of America that I needed.
To be honest I was excited and nervous about this trip.  I planned for a week the cute outfit Z would wear because Kristi’s kids always look so cute and I wanted Z to hold his own in pictures.  I waited until 10 min before we left to dress him just in case, but 5 min before we left he spit up all over himself.  Anyone that knows K and I know that they are the least judgmental people EVER, but for me this was a trial for going home and seeing everyone and having them meet Z.  They will have to get to know Adam and I as parents and Z is going to have to suck it up and smile, talk, laugh and do his tricks for everyone.  Right now the only thing people know about Z is what I write in facebook or the blog.  I don’t doubt that everyone is going to love him…but I hope he does all the cute things he does for us.

The Most Diverse 4th of July Party EVER!

It’s fitting that a 4^th of July party that included people from Italy, Canada, China, Japan and Venezuela would take place on July 1^st.  I love entertaining!  I feel so proud of myself when people have a good time.  This party has to be one of my proudest moments.  My cleaner is out of town for an undefined amount of time so I cleaned the house, unpacked and did laundry from a vacation, cooked and baked all while taking care of a baby who has gone back to 20 min. naps.  Z was a good sport. I put him in the bouncy seat a few times and would come talk to him between chopping vegetables or doing dishes.  I made oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies, brownies, hummus, chicken tenders, meatballs (well Ikea made the meatballs), and pizza bread.  I also served chips and salsa that I didn’t have to smuggle from Hong Kong…I just picked them up at the new grocery store.
Everyone brought snacks and we had a wonderful time…the last people left at 3 am.  I really needed the adult conversations and I liked having some fun couple time with Adam and the other couples that came.  Z didn’t let the party keep him from his routine (sounds like my Grandpa Dalland).  He fell asleep and didn’t let the noise keep him from getting a good night sleep.