Fab 5 Friday...

It's here again! F-R-I-D-A-Y! Yay! Time for another Fab 5 list!

1. Halloween. The kids celebrated Halloween in our neighborhood last night - and had a blast! Just a good time going around the 'hood with their friends. All I can say is that there were a TON of kids doing some serious trick-or-treating and some awesome costumes!

Tonight the kids have the Halloween carnival at their school. It should prove to be a good time! All the hallways get decorated in the elementary school and there are games and a haunted house and all sorts of stuff going on.

2. My Back is Better! I'm thankful that Wednesday evening it just seemed to feel normal again. So I was back Crossfitting yesterday and today - and so far, so good. I will continue to do my stretches and exercises, but let's hope it stays good for a while.

3. Deconstructed Thai Beef Salad. Yeah, I wish I'd grabbed a snapshot of this yesterday - but! I found a photo online from "Eat Drink KL":

Ben's Thai Beef Salad

Super yummy and very satisfying!

4. Cimb Classic. We had a blast at the golf tournament on Sunday - despite the rain.

Phil Mickelson

5. Caleb's Upcoming Birthday. Caleb's 9th birthday is quickly approaching and the birthday celebration is this weekend. We've got a whole basketball theme going on - he's getting basketball high tops as a present and we're taking a couple of his friends to see "Ninetology" on Saturday night. Ninetology is a basketball game that's being played here in KL which has a bunch of former NBA players - Dennis Rodman, Latrell Sprewell, Jason Williams and a few others vs. an Asian All Star Team. This week at school they even had one of the Asian All Stars come on campus for a little visit. Caleb and Grayson had a chance to see all 7'4" of  Jaber Rouzbahani! The dude was a monster! 

Jaber and the kids watching Jaber do his thing!

We've got another fun-filled weekend ahead of us - soccer, baseball, basketball, and maybe even a trip to Johnny Rockets - which just opened here in KL! (Nothing like a little taste of home!) Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Caleb's New Accent and Another Cooking Class...

One of the greatest things about living in Malaysia is the people we have met so far - people from all over the world. My kids have definitely benefited from this experience. They attend a school with an American curriculum, but the school is definitely international. There are over 50 countries represented at their school - and they have made many friends. 

Recently I noticed that Caleb has developed an accent. I can only imagine this is due to the great number of accents he hears on a daily basis at school. I can hear his new found accent when he says words like "class" or "after" or "pass" - it's all about the "a" sound which has now become an "ah" sound. I find it hilarious and rather cute - and I should've expected it. He quickly used to pick up some "Okieisms" when we would go to visit his grandma and grandpa that would stay with him for weeks upon returning to Iowa. Anyways, I hope he can translate this into making himself a better French student...maybe he has a little bit of his mommy's love of foreign languages.

Yesterday, was another cooking class at B.I.G. - "Spices, Rubs, and Marinades" was the title. We did a chicken dish with lemon juice, marjoram and oregano. We did some beef short ribs with a great dry rub on them. The dessert was grilled pineapple with coconut creme and pomegranate seeds and the side was a grilled Caesar salad. I took the meats and pineapple home so we could grill them fresh rather than roasting in the oven. It worked beautifully and we had a yummy dinner!

Full class yesterday!!

Chicken before

Chicken after

Beef short ribs

Pineapple before

Pineapple after

Romaine being pan seared

Finished Caesar salad

Other than that, the kids are getting ready to trick-or-treat this evening. I'm just praying it doesn't rain! We have a ton of candy thanks to my parents and their awesome package from the States! (I'll be putting a couple of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups aside for myself!) And, I've got to say I love Google's Halloween Witch today. Love that the different combinations in her brew create new images! Be sure to check it out!

Frickin' frackin' back!

So this is me today! (Okay...I'm not hunched over!) Once again my back is out...not as severe as last time, but I'm still in pain. I'm beginning to think these damn L4 and L5 discs are just going to cause me trouble forever...or perhaps, I'm just too old to do the workouts I want to do. I'm pissy and frustrated...

But, I'm not giving in!! Doing my exercises, taking my meds, listening to the body and hoping I can get it straightened out in the next 48 hours! Wish me luck!

Deepavali, Halloween and PGA Golf...What a weekend!

Ah, balance has been restored...

Yes, it is Monday. Vacation is over. Workout is done. And...I'm back blogging over at San Francisco Coffee after a week's absence. I'm sure they thought I had returned to the States after not being here all last week, but alas, I am back. I have grabbed my favorite table and plan on being here a bit so I can finish today's blog, catch up on some emails and finish a couple of other projects.

We had a really jam packed weekend after returning from Penang. While Saturday was supposed to be a catch-up/rest day - we were all a little stir crazy by the afternoon. Via the Facebook grapevine we learned that there was a kids Halloween contest and trick-or-treating going on at Publika - we decided we would head over.

When we arrived at Publika there was lots going on. This coming weekend Hindus will celebrate Deepavali or Diwali - The Festival of Lights. I did a little research to learn what this celebration was all about and I like this definition the best:

What the Festival of Lights really stands for today is a reaffirmation of hope, a renewed commitment to friendship and goodwill, and a religiously sanctioned celebration of the simple and some not-so-simple joys of life.

That sounds like a great celebration to me. We've been seeing some great light displays in the local malls and down in Little India - heck, even the hard rock had set up a Deepavali light display. And the lights are fantastic! But, when we arrived at Publika there was some amazing art on display in recognition of the holiday...art all made from grains of rice!!!

A little explanation 

My favorite one! The colors are AMAZING!

All made from colored grains of rice!

It looks like someone stepped on this one (right side) - but it's still awesome!

A definite kid favorite!

So while we were surrounded by this fabulous rice art...we were also surrounded by a bunch of ghosts, goblins, minions, princesses, zombies, and other characters - as Halloween was also being celebrated at Publika. Grayson decided he wanted to be in the contest so he could show off his "shark eating a person" costume. He did a great job as he jumped up on stage and had to strike a pose. (He shook his body back and forth vigorously like he was eating the person. It drew a lot of laughs.) Then both boys took a stroll around Publika to gather up some candy. When we got home, we quickly went through their treats and laughed when Grayson held up one piece and said. "Hey look! I got a Jell-o shot!" (Well, it was a jellied fruit candy in a little plastic container - that did sort of look like a jell-o shot - I can see the confusion. And no, he doesn't really know what a jell-o shot is. Although, at age 16 I'm sure I'll have to worry that he does really know!) The both had a good time pouring over the candy as it was a lot of stuff they had never seen before!

A baseball player and a man-eating shark

Up on stage

Sunday morning had us all up early as we headed to the first PGA tour event here in Malaysia - the Cimb Classic being held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. We grabbed a cab and all of us were out the door by 6:45 a.m. We had a goal to hit the driving range and catch some players there and then head out on the course to watch Phil Mickelson for most of the day. This was the first PGA event for the boys and they were little troopers - as it was incredibly hot and humid! Caleb now has a dream of playing KLGCC (We'll need to discuss the price tag of this dream.) and Grayson believes that with "a couple of lessons" that he could play on the PGA tour. (Yes, this is what he told me as we watched the players on the driving range making these incredibly long drives.)

I took a lot of pictures and we were super close to Phil Mickelson for most of the day. We helped him look for a ball that went out of bounds, we heard him discussing the World Series and telling K.J. Choi's caddy that golf should be fun - just a little eavesdropping on our part. We also followed Boo Weekley's group for a while...and you've got to love that he is always laughing and smiling and cutting up - even when the game is not going perfect. Anyways, the boys loved it! 

At the entrance

Just for you Mom!

Watching warm-up at the driving range

Rickie Fowler - Okie State Proud!

Aaron Baddeley 

I could not help but laugh at the Cimb Facebook posts because a lot of them 

were about the players' attire this week! Very concerned about fashion here in KL!

Other pros practicing (Hideki Matsuyama in the blue shirt)

Bubba Watson 

Phil Mickelson

More Lefty!

Ernie Els taking bunker practice

Phil getting ready to tee off

Enjoying the golf

Sergio Garcia

Aaron Baddeley's group and a little selfie action!

Then the horn blew - Lightning. Play was suspended. We decided we'd head to the clubhouse and wait it out. (And maybe grab a cold beverage.)

Heading towards 18

Waiting out the rain

After waiting about 90 minutes, we decided we would grab a cab and head home. We were sorry to not see the final holes played out, but it was a good decision. Play continued for a few short minutes after we got home and then was called again due to darkness and additional lightning. It finally finished this morning with a playoff between Ryan Moore and Gary Woodland...with Ryan Moore being this year's Cimb Classic Champion. We really hope the tournament is back at KLGCC next year. We had a great time covering the course and seeing some great golf!

All right, San Francisco Coffee would like their table back! Can't wait to see pics of everyone's kids in their Halloween costumes this week! Smile!

Fab 5 Friday...

We are back from vacation! Bags are unpacked, groceries have been purchased and a quick load of laundry is started! All the things you need to do when you return from vacation!

We had a great time and I'm already trying to figure out when we can tagalong on Blaine's next trip up that direction!

So let's get started with Fab 5 Friday - the best things about the past week!

1. The kids. The boys were AMAZING this week! They were well-behaved, very little fighting, played well with others, were extremely polite, did minimal whining...what more could I ask for?!?!? And this even continued on the car ride home today...Caleb read most of the way and Grayson, well, he was so tired he fell asleep!

Caleb on the way home

Grayson catching a few zzzzzzz's

2. The tailor and my new skirts. We picked up the last two skirts this morning...and they are wonderful! I will get lots of wear out of them! Blaine was thrilled with his new shirts, too! I wish we could find a tailor here in K.L. who did more than just men's suits! I'm already thinking about what else I can have the tailor make next time we're in Penang.

Yeah...mainly black and shades of black, 

but couldn't help but throw in the pink print! 

3. Massage at the Hard Rock Spa. So the hotel spa had a little promo this week that Blaine and I took advantage of it...a 1 hour massage. Blaine went first and I watched the kiddos and then we switched. Now, the massage was great...masseuse was fabulous. She was always asking about the pressure and was it too gentle or did I desire more. And I loved the scent of the oil. But, the BEST part of the massage was the setting. The massage took place outside in a 3-sided cabana which was facing the ocean. You could hear the waves and the birds and the gentle falling of rain. (Yes, it was showering.) And there was a cool breeze...I could've stayed there all day.

The spa cabana at The Hard Rock Penang

4. My mortar and pestle/Tropical Spice Gardens. We went to the Tropical Spice Gardens this morning and walked around . It was fun walking along the trails and checking out all the different plants. It was gorgeous...huge palms, small waterfalls, all sorts of exotic plants (or at least exotic to me!), even the kids were interested in all they were seeing. They of course had a gift shop - where I could not help, but make a few purchases. One of them was a mortar and pestle. I've always wanted one for doing spice and Blaine would use it for homemade guacamole...so we bought one today. I think it's so fabulous that I've left it sitting out on my sofa table!

My new mortar and pestle

Checking out the plants 

Can't resist a hammock!

Water in the gardens

Some of the many plants we saw!

A piece of driftwood acting as a memorial for the 2004 tsunami

5. Penang Hill. And last, but not least, we took the funicular up Penang Hill today. But, not before we got a little lost getting there...of course, the little detour did allow us to see monkeys. (We're still fascinated by monkeys!)

Yup! There they are!

Anyways, we found our way over to Penang Hill so we could ride the funicular to the top. The boys were pretty excited about this. (I neglected to mention to them that it broke down last week on the way up/down and passengers were stranded for about 2 hours while they figured out the problem. Shhh! No need to share that small detail!) By the time we got to the top, clouds were quickly rolling in on us - literally. But, we took a quick walk around, snapped a few photos and then headed towards the bottom - where a downpour brokeout!

The views

Ahhh, New York! Only a gazillion kilometers away!

Ready to go back down!

Looking up as we head down!

Selfy in the rain while Blaine gets the car.

All I can say is that it was an incredible week. I feel relaxed, rested and ready to go! Bring on the PGA CIMB Classic on Sunday! We're excited to see some good golf! (And Mom, I'll grab a couple of pics of Phil for you!!)