you only turn five once...

Well, the typhoon is over, and things are back to normal. On the walk to school, we saw lots of debris on the sidewalks, and some really huge branches that had fallen. I'm guessing that by the time we pick Annika up, things will be all cleaned up like it never happened!

I didn't know what we would do for Annika's birthday since we are so new here. I suggested to her that we just celebrate as a family, and she said "but what about the kids?". Somehow I couldn't say no to that, so Mike and I talked about three options. We could invite our fellow expat friends to a little party, but the people we know with kids have children closer in age to Leila than Annie. We also thought of just having a little party with the kids from the building, but it is really hit and miss who we run into in the playroom, so we don't really know people that well. There's one little girl Annie's age who's often there, but she isn't even that nice to her! So our final idea was to invite the girls from Annie's class. This made me really nervous, as planning birthday parties isn't my favorite activity to begin with, but I have never met any of the kids or their families. I didn't know if they would come, and what cultural expectations we may not even know about. Apparently birthday parties are a really big deal here, so I wasn't sure what I was stepping into!

So I bravely sent invitations with Annie to school to the seven girls in her class, with a letter explaining that we are new to Hong Kong and that their daughter and whoever in her family that would like to come was invited to join us in the Function Room of our clubhouse for a very "simple" party of pizza, cake, and games.

Out of the seven invites, five responded favorably, one couldn't make it, and one I never did hear from. It was a bit awkward and I did find it stressful to figure out where to get a cake (I don't even have an oven so I was off the hook for making one!), how and where to order pizza, where to collect all the paper plates, party favors, balloons, and all those details that make up a birthday party. Somehow we managed, and I think it was a success. The girls were sooooo excited to see each other outside of school, and Annika was a very happy little five year old!

This is such a bad picture, but my mom sent her a "Boy Barbie" that you can record your voice and make him talk like a man. It's so funny- we've all had fun with it!
My dear friend Lisa gave me a gift to give to Annika on her birthday back in June at Leila's party. I managed to get it all the way here, and Annie was so surprised to receive something from her friends in Canada. Thank-you!

The cake! I ordered it from a bakery near us. It looked much better than it tasted.

After cake was eaten, we "released" them into the playroom, and I wondered if the whole building could hear us! They were extremely excited to play. These are Annika's friends Hoi Yee, and Belle.

The whole gang... Ajax, Ashley, Olivia, Autumn, Birgitta, Annie, Leila, Belle and Hoi Yee. It was fun, but is it bad if I say I'm relieved we don't have any birthdays coming up for a while? Haha

Typhoon!

Yesterday when we woke up it was sunny and warm with blue skies and no wind. When I got to kindergarten to drop Annika off, the EA at the drop-off door said that there has been a Level 1 Typhoon warning issued, and if it got to level 3, I'd need to pick her up. This was the first I'd heard of such a thing- it didn't look like any storm was about to happen. I had plans to take Leila swimming with our friend Jocelyn and her daughter Rachel, and Jocelyn told me I shouldn't worry- level one is pretty meaningless, and she and her husband had been following the storm (actually they were hoping that a typhoon would hit so there'd be a day off work, and they think they're kind of exciting), and it looked like it would pass us. She said that in the last two years, there haven't been any, but the first couple years in Hong Kong there were lots- some even as high as level 11.

By the time we went to bed, wind had picked up, and I wondered if Annie would have school. And then this morning we found out that it had been upgraded to level 8, and schools across Hong Kong were cancelled! Annika and Mike were both pleasantly surprised to have a day off. The wind was howling, and it was raining on and off. We could see that the streets looked pretty dead- buses weren't running, and shops were closed. It looked like we should just stay put at home. After we had breakfast and were all dressed and ready for the day, I took the girls down to the clubhouse to run around in the playroom. Turns out the clubhouse was closed! So what do you do when you're stuck in a tiny apartment for the day?

Well, we popped some popcorn and I put on Aristocats, which they never want to watch because they say it's too long. Well... today we had all the time in the world! It was also very nice that Annika had lots of new toys from her birthday party that they could play with.

The only action we could see on the streets is that the window of a hair salon had broken, and I noticed police surveying the damage. Also, all the pool chairs had blown around and it looks like there are palm tree branches and one of the pool chairs floating in the pool.

My most wonderful husband let me nap in the afternoon and took the girls across the street to McDonald's (which evidently was still open) for some ice cream. Then they went to the arcade upstairs and played arcade games. Mike said the place was hopping. I guess our kids weren't the only ones with cabin fever! When they came back, we somehow ended up watching Sharon, Lois and Bram videos. The girls loved them, and it made Mike and I so nostalgic. We hadn't realized Eric Nagler is so talented... He's the Aaron Parker of the group!

By late afternoon, the typhoon had been moved back to a level 3 (does it just go level 1, 3, 8 or are there levels in between? That's what I've been wondering) so we went back across the street, and went to a Japanese fastfood place called Yoshinoya for some noodles. The clubhouse was then open again, so the girls could run off some steam, and went to bed nice and early.

All in all, it was a good "Typhoon Day" for us. But the wind is still howling and it is still at level 3, so now I am hoping that it will die down tonight and tomorrow will be back to normal. One home day was good... more than that would be a little much!

This one's for Annie...

I am soooo exhausted after a party of hyper 5 year old girls! I will post pictures of Annie's party soon. I just wanted to reflect on our little 5 year old, but I'm too tired, so I won't say much.

Here we are... five years ago! Annika Lily was born at 4:00 a.m. in the hospital, and this picture was taken at home that evening... what a wild day that was! She changed our life forever!

And here are some of my favorite shots from this last year...

'

Annika, you are beautiful, smart, stubborn, perceptive, charming, exasperating, creative, and you always surprise us. We can't imagine life without you, and look forward to seeing how you change and grow this next year.
We love you so much... Happy 5th Birthday! xoxo

where dreams come true...

When we found out that we'd be moving to Hong Kong, we told Annika that for her 5th birthday we'd take her to Disneyland. Let's be honest... we probably would have visited Hong Kong Disneyland regardless, but her birthday fell at a good time- not immediately when we first arrived, and also once the weather had cooled down a bit.

So we've been looking forward to this for a loooooong time. I think the girls have been more excited than they've ever even been for Christmas! On Thursday when Leila woke up, the first thing she said was "is today Disneyland?". It was fun to hype it up and anticipate it when them.

My only experience with Disneyland was going to the one in California with my parents, brother, and grandparents when I was four, but a few months from being five. Pretty much exactly Annika's age. And I actually do have quite a few memories from that day when I stop and think about it. My favorite memory is going on "It's a Small World" three times in a row with my grandma. When I told Annika that I had done that with Oma, her eyes got big and she said "I want to go on it FOUR times!". We ended up going on it three times throughout the day! It's such a good ride. Really, Disneyland didn't disappoint. I didn't have high expectations- I thought it would be crowded and cheesy. But they keep the park so immaculate and there is such attention to all the details. It's run really well. I think every single ride/show was better than we thought it would have been. And we didn't even have to wait that long for rides. Hong Kong Disneyland isn't as big as the others and is aimed at younger children. It was so perfect for Annika. We weren't sure what Leila's problem was- she was tired, grumpy, and easily frightened on the rides. And maybe over-stimulated by all the sights and sounds. We didn't let her ruin the day, but it was too bad she wasn't as enthusiastic as Annika. Hopefully she's not coming down with something. And hopefully she won't have nightmares about the flames we saw on the river boat cruise. Or the loud music during the Lion King show. The only "scary" ride was Space Mountain, and the line-up for single admission was only 5 minutes, so Mike and I each took a turn riding on that by ourselves.

We also enjoyed a short 3D animation that sprayed water, blew air on the crowd, and had smells that matched what was going on. It was pretty crazy!

But the big highlight for Annika was meeting Cinderella! There were really long line-ups to meet the characters- I don't know if it's like that at other Disneylands, but something tells me this is unique to Hong Kong because Asians love to pose and having their picture taken. There were plenty of adults in the lines. But we made a point to go see Cinderella. For some reason, Leila refused, but Annika was thrilled to meet her. Her conversation was hilarious...

"Hi, my name's Annika. And I know who you are!

Cinderella: "you do?"

Annika: "yes! You're Cinderella! We came here for my birthday, but it isn't actually my birthday."
Cinderella: "When is your birthday?"

Annika: "it's on September 27".

Cinderella: "Oh... it's on Tuesday! How old will you be?"

Annika: "I'm turning FIVE! My mom says that I am growing up too quickly."

Annika: "I came to Hong Kong from Canada and I am going to be here for TWO years. When I grow up, I'm going to be a princess just like YOU!".

(I'm never going to wash my face again!)

Almost Famous

While we were at Stanley a couple of weeks ago, we were shopping in the market and were approached by a woman. She asked us if we were tourists, and I told her that we had just moved here. She said her name was Elaine, and she was from "Nicolas & Bears", and was interested in Leila as a model. I recognized that name as an upscale children's clothing boutique that I've seen in malls, so it sounded legit. In fact, here's a link to the store. Elaine was wondering if Leila could model their clothing for pictures in an upcoming catalogue and told us the photos would be featured on billboards across Hong Kong and China! I asked if it paid, and she said that actually it didn't, that we would be given store credit or coupons. She then asked if Leila is easy to manage. Hmmmm... has anyone else noticed that I post probably double the pictures of Annika to Leila? I'm not trying to play favorites... it's more a reflection of who is more cooperative! We tried to skirt the issue and showed her Annika and said that she would be a good model (she may be shy, but not in front of the camera!). Elaine then said that at this time they were looking for younger children. So... we exchanged numbers and she took a couple of pictures of Leila with her phone, and amazingly, Leila gave her a big "CHEESE!".

Since then, I hadn't heard anything, so I assumed that nothing would come of this, but then curiosity got the best of me, so the other day I sent her a text wondering if she was still interested in having Leila as a model. She replied back that she was, but shooting won't be happening until January/February, so she'll contact me in December to start fittings.

Interesting... so...

Will she actually contact us?

Is this really worth it? Will there be store credit, or just a 10% off coupon? It might be more hassle than it's worth.

would Leila actually cooperate when push comes to shove?

How exactly would the photos be used?

Your guess is as good as mine- I'll keep you posted!

But it makes a good story, no? Next time you're in China, look for Leila's face on a billboard!

So as it turns out we're total slackers...

~ We don't have portfolios of our kid's work so that they can get into the very best kindergarten schools. Instead we rely on connections (ie. Dad teaches at the school) otherwise, they would not even get in!

~ we wear cute swimsuits and splash and play in the swimming pool, as opposed to wearing wetsuits, swim caps and swim goggles and using the pool to swim laps (yes, even at Leila's age children already swim!)

~ our children speak one language... at best!

~ Yes, Leila is three, and No, she is not in school. I get this question all the time. Two year olds already go to nursery school in adorable little uniforms, and then at age three it's K1, age 4- K2 and Annie just started K3. So Leila *should* be in K1 at this point. We will probably put her in K2 next year, though...

~ Our little kindergartener does not know how to read. We sort of assumed that is something she would learn in kindergarten... or grade one! We still think it's okay that she doesn't... she will learn.

~ our kids did not become potty trained when they were one. And...um... yeah... that was our three year old who peed on the floor of the playroom.

~ I personally think every day/all day kindergarten is enough, and no, I am not putting Annika into the after-school sports program that is offered. She needs some time to play and relax after school!

And as if this isn't enough, it turns out that international schools are viewed as just "fun and games" compared to local schools. People are extremely ambitious here, and it starts YOUNG!

the latest and greatest Janzen catch-phrases

"You know... 'Chinese Style'".

I think all the immediate family members of the Janzen family know we have Joyce to thank for that one!

"It's the year of the rabbit, so you better eat your carrots!"

This one really rolls of the tongue and comes in handy each and every time we eat carrots around here. I don't know what we'll say in 2012 when it turns into the year of the dragon?

"Cheap Thrills... that's what Hong Kong is all about"

I think Mike said this to me one night when we were enjoying an ice cream treat or maybe a cold beer. Again, this saying comes in handy just about every time we "splurge" for a treat.

Mid-Autumn Festival

We just finished a very full weekend! Our friend Mae came to visit from Korea, and although Mike had a PD day on Monday (so Annie was home), today (Tuesday) was a public holiday in HK. I am posting tons of pictures of what we all did. It was tempting just to upload them to FB, because that is so much faster than blogspot is, and it's then rewarding to get comments on individual pictures... I can't decide which is better! So don't feel shy to leave a comment, (but I won't take it personally if you don't!) :) Anyway, this top picture is probably the most beautiful view you'll ever have at a McDonald's restaurant! On Saturday, we decided to go to "The Peak" where you take a tram up a mountain and can enjoy a spectacular view of the city. In typical Mike-and-Sarah fashion, we somehow messed up and instead of getting on a bus that took us to the tram, we got on a bus that took us all the way up to the top of the peak. The whole point was taking the tram! Oh well... it was still a scenic drive and eventually we realized where we'd gone wrong. So we had lunch at a mall that's at the top (there are malls everywhere in Hong Kong) and noticed a playground just outside that also had a great view!
















The girls were having fun with some kids and their helpers.



























Then we paid to go to the highest point of the peak. It was really windy, and I'm sure there are days when the view is clearer, but it wasn't tooo bad.

This picture makes me laugh... it was so windy and Annie was trying to look at the camera, but her hair wouldn't cooperate!

We took the tram down the mountain, which was pretty cool because it's such a steep ride, and then we went to another mall to meet up with Mae. We found each other easily which was a relief because she had no cell phone. After we settled her in at home, we

walked to an area close to the school where there there is a good Vietnamese restaurant that we like. On the way home, we discovered a little festival happening, so the girls got their picture taken with a "Chinese princess". It's Mid-Autumn festival right now, so people celebrate with lanterns and parties and eat moon cakes (from what we gathered but I think there's more to it than that!).

On Sunday, Mae spent the day with a friend. We found out we could get home from church by taking the ferry and ended up walking the whole way home... which was a looong walk, but gave us a better sense of our neighborhood.

We noticed a little temple right in between some buildings (up the road from where we live).

I got in trouble after I snapped this picture. There are lantern stands everywhere, but apparently I wasn't supposed to take a picture. I have no idea what that's about... maybe it's linked to superstition, or maybe something was lost in translation!

On Sunday evening, Mae still wasn't back and we thought we'd take the girls down to the play area before bedtime. To our surprise, the playroom was closed because our building was having a lantern festival. We bought tickets for about $2, which gave us popcorn, food, door prize entry, and a "ritual", which apparently we couldn't do because we're not Chinese, but we "could still enjoy the atmosphere". And enjoy the atmosphere we DID!

Mostly it was just kids running around with glow sticks, burned popcorn, and a second supper of the night, but it was fun to interact with neighbours from the building.

And here is a bad picture of the adorable Katelyn with her grandma.

On Monday night, we celebrated Mid-Autumn festival again by heading to South Bay beach. This is Annie with her new friend Sean (the little boy she had hit it off with at church a couple weeks ago).

Friends on the beach.

It was 30 degrees when we arrived (at 6:30) and went down to 29 where it stayed all night. It was the perfect temperature. I was in heaven!

I hadn't wanted to pack swimsuits since we would just be there for the evening, but I should have. The girls would have gone swimming if they could have. Next time!

(beach beauties!)

Annie & Mae

(lovely)

(fun on the beach with glowsticks.)

Sean gave Annie that flower and she acted like a girl in love. She clutched it all night!

After we said our farewell to Mae, we decided to see if we could find the Kowloon Walled City. It was walking distance from where we live, and if you visit us, we'll take you there! It has a really interesting history. This walled area of Kowloon was not under British rule during the time when Britain occupied Hong Kong. A crazy little city established, and basically there was no police or government control. Lots of opium and prostitution and all that other bad stuff took place until it was torn down in the 1980s and turned into a beautiful park, with some old remains of how it used to be. We were fascinated by some of the monuments dedicated to missionaries that ministered to the people living there. Google it if you're interested because I'm not explaining it well. But we thought it was a spectacularly beautiful area to explore and photograph.

(we haven't seen sky this blue for a while- it was a beautiful day!)

(So interesting!)

So far, we are loving Hong Kong and the variety this city offers. In one weekend, we experienced a beautiful beach, Chinese history, big city malls, multiple trips on ferries, great food, and we got to see an old friend and meet some new ones. We miss our family and friends back home, but right now we're doing "pretty alright".