The blog will be on vacation for the next three weeks due to some vacation travels. Will catch you up when we get back!
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Fab 5 Friday...
This week has had its fair share of ups and downs...and now I'm sitting here worrying about Blaine's knee - which is definitely a down. He's been having swelling and pain for the last couple of weeks and this morning he finally went to the doctor. An MRI is scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m. and we're hoping it is just the sutures that have pulled out. (Please say a prayer or think good thoughts or do a little dance or whatever it is you do - that this is the case!) He has a follow-up tomorrow morning with the surgeon to get all the results.
But, truly the ups and downs of this week are not the topic of my Fab 5 today. I really had no idea what I was going to write about today and then I thought about a conversation Blaine had last week with a guy in his company who was considering an ex-pat assignment. He wanted all the lowdown...the scoop. And, that's not always easy to give because location plays a big part on what your ex-pat experience will be like. An ex-pat assignment in Paris is definitely different than one in Kuala Lumpur or Rio de Janeiro.
Kuala Lumpur is our first overseas assignment and all I can say is that this is the best decision we've made for ourselves and for our kids. And here's why:
1. Friends. You make AMAZING friends when you are abroad. And you make them quickly. And, they become extremely important to you. After all, you have a bunch of people who are all in a similar situation - far from home, no family nearby, one spouse working and, most likely, the other spouse not - and you all know what it's like to be the "new person" or the "new family." And they/you welcome you/them into the group with open arms. You have drinks together, share holidays, go on vacations, take care of each other's kids. And you know that when you move on, you will miss these people dearly, but that you/they will have new places to visit around the world.
And, we have made tremendous Malaysian friends. My "local" friends are kind and generous and make me laugh on a daily basis. I cherish their friendship and hope that when we leave one day, they know they are always welcome to come visit me.
2. Travel. This is a no-brainer. You get to T-R-A-V-E-L! And it's fantastic! I'm excited to plan each and every long weekend or school holiday. And the places we've seen...well, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get to these places - at least not at this stage in my life. And the fact that my kids are at an age where they will remember riding quads in Cambodia or visiting Mickey Mouse in Hong Kong or playing on the beach in Thailand...yeah, just no words.
3. Patience. When you live abroad you learn patience. You have to...there's no getting around it. Life here in KL is full of, well, let's just call them annoyances. And, while these "annoyances" still bug me, I'm so much more patient than when I arrived. I now plan to wait for contractors who will never show up at the scheduled time. Waiting in lines at airports...no biggie. Meals that come out at all different times...my kids know that's "just the way it is here." And, we can deal with it.
4. Global Children. I don't know how to exactly describe what being abroad has done for my children, but I call them my little "global" kids. They are independent. They are thoughtful. They are adventurous. They are welcoming. They are patient. They have a funny accent - especially Caleb. I believe they would've developed all of these things (well, not the funny accent) at some point as they grew up, but it seems to be accelerated here. It's not to say they are these perfect little children - far from it. And trust me, they are rarely all of these things at once. But, I see these qualities in my kids - and in other ex-pat kids - and I know that being abroad has, at the very least, enhanced these things.
5. Strong Family Bond. There is nothing like being abroad to know what your marriage/family is made of. For some, living in a different country is a recipe for disaster. Divorce is common. But, for our family...it's been an affirmation that we're in it for the long haul. And, it hasn't all been sunshine and margaritas while we've been here (contrary to my Facebook posts!). We've had a major surgery and recovery to deal with, deaths in the family, days where we absolutely hated living here, job frustrations. But, we rely on each other and talk openly and honestly and things always get better.
I'd be curious to hear what my other ex-pat friends would add to this list! What has living abroad given you and your family? Why did you choose to be an ex-pat? What would you tell someone who was considering an overseas assignment?
But, truly the ups and downs of this week are not the topic of my Fab 5 today. I really had no idea what I was going to write about today and then I thought about a conversation Blaine had last week with a guy in his company who was considering an ex-pat assignment. He wanted all the lowdown...the scoop. And, that's not always easy to give because location plays a big part on what your ex-pat experience will be like. An ex-pat assignment in Paris is definitely different than one in Kuala Lumpur or Rio de Janeiro.
Kuala Lumpur is our first overseas assignment and all I can say is that this is the best decision we've made for ourselves and for our kids. And here's why:
1. Friends. You make AMAZING friends when you are abroad. And you make them quickly. And, they become extremely important to you. After all, you have a bunch of people who are all in a similar situation - far from home, no family nearby, one spouse working and, most likely, the other spouse not - and you all know what it's like to be the "new person" or the "new family." And they/you welcome you/them into the group with open arms. You have drinks together, share holidays, go on vacations, take care of each other's kids. And you know that when you move on, you will miss these people dearly, but that you/they will have new places to visit around the world.
And, we have made tremendous Malaysian friends. My "local" friends are kind and generous and make me laugh on a daily basis. I cherish their friendship and hope that when we leave one day, they know they are always welcome to come visit me.
2. Travel. This is a no-brainer. You get to T-R-A-V-E-L! And it's fantastic! I'm excited to plan each and every long weekend or school holiday. And the places we've seen...well, never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get to these places - at least not at this stage in my life. And the fact that my kids are at an age where they will remember riding quads in Cambodia or visiting Mickey Mouse in Hong Kong or playing on the beach in Thailand...yeah, just no words.
3. Patience. When you live abroad you learn patience. You have to...there's no getting around it. Life here in KL is full of, well, let's just call them annoyances. And, while these "annoyances" still bug me, I'm so much more patient than when I arrived. I now plan to wait for contractors who will never show up at the scheduled time. Waiting in lines at airports...no biggie. Meals that come out at all different times...my kids know that's "just the way it is here." And, we can deal with it.
4. Global Children. I don't know how to exactly describe what being abroad has done for my children, but I call them my little "global" kids. They are independent. They are thoughtful. They are adventurous. They are welcoming. They are patient. They have a funny accent - especially Caleb. I believe they would've developed all of these things (well, not the funny accent) at some point as they grew up, but it seems to be accelerated here. It's not to say they are these perfect little children - far from it. And trust me, they are rarely all of these things at once. But, I see these qualities in my kids - and in other ex-pat kids - and I know that being abroad has, at the very least, enhanced these things.
5. Strong Family Bond. There is nothing like being abroad to know what your marriage/family is made of. For some, living in a different country is a recipe for disaster. Divorce is common. But, for our family...it's been an affirmation that we're in it for the long haul. And, it hasn't all been sunshine and margaritas while we've been here (contrary to my Facebook posts!). We've had a major surgery and recovery to deal with, deaths in the family, days where we absolutely hated living here, job frustrations. But, we rely on each other and talk openly and honestly and things always get better.
I'd be curious to hear what my other ex-pat friends would add to this list! What has living abroad given you and your family? Why did you choose to be an ex-pat? What would you tell someone who was considering an overseas assignment?
Sunday, March 15, 2015
I'm anxious...
It's that time of year when friends are starting to learn if they are staying or going. Some are moving on to another ex-pat assignment. Some are heading home. Others think they'll be here another year.
Then I ask myself: What are we doing? Is our own family staying? Or, is there a new adventure in our future?
I'll say, first and foremost, we have no idea what we are doing. We are assuming that we are staying. Summer trips to the U.S. are booked, along with return tickets to Kuala Lumpur. But, I'm pretty sure that the pieces on the chessboard of Blaine's company are going to be put into motion in the next few weeks - and then you never know what will happen.
And, when a core group of your friends are leaving/have left, I have to admit that the thought of moving becomes more appealing. A new city. An opportunity to make new friends. Travels in a different part of the world. These are all appealing to me.
And yet, there are things here that we have not done, places we have not visited, and new people I'm sure we would love to meet.
Anyways...I'm anxious. But, I love this quote and will live by it - no matter what comes our way:
Then I ask myself: What are we doing? Is our own family staying? Or, is there a new adventure in our future?
I'll say, first and foremost, we have no idea what we are doing. We are assuming that we are staying. Summer trips to the U.S. are booked, along with return tickets to Kuala Lumpur. But, I'm pretty sure that the pieces on the chessboard of Blaine's company are going to be put into motion in the next few weeks - and then you never know what will happen.
And, when a core group of your friends are leaving/have left, I have to admit that the thought of moving becomes more appealing. A new city. An opportunity to make new friends. Travels in a different part of the world. These are all appealing to me.
And yet, there are things here that we have not done, places we have not visited, and new people I'm sure we would love to meet.
Anyways...I'm anxious. But, I love this quote and will live by it - no matter what comes our way:
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Fab 5 Friday...
Hello everyone! How are you this fine day? Me, I'm well...thanks. Happy that it's Friday. Excited to spend the weekend with my family and some friends. Ready to just relax.
The Fab 5 is not very exciting this week...just a few little things that made me happy this week.
1. Baseball. Baseball got a mention earlier in the week when I talked about what I hope/know my children learned from playing ball/sports. But, I just have to say that I love to watch them play...just love it. It's fun to see smiles, determined faces - even a little frustration - when they are on the field.
2. CrossFit Back Open. Vidatha was closed for a few weeks while they moved to a new location in Publika, but they reopened this week and it was good to be back in the 8 a.m. time slot. My quads were hating me for a few days, but they have finally started to recover.
3. Cake. Many of my friends know that I love cake...all kinds. I love celebrating people's birthdays in hopes that cake will be involved. (Yeah, yeah...I like you and happy birthday, but bring on the cake!) Anyways, this week Mabel made me a Brooklyn Blackout Cake for my birthday! (Yes, life is good when you love cake and your dear friend is a pastry chef!) It was so yummy! I'll let you drool over the picture!
4. New Art. We bought an inexpensive piece of art while we were in Siem Reap last time and it was just returned from the framer. Our framer said he could have sold it at least 10 times while it was at his shop...which is funny, as it just wasn't that expensive. It's an image of South Gate and we just liked it - which is what art is all about it. Finding what you like.
5. Coffee/Lunch with friends. And last, but definitely not least, I was able to catch up with several friends for lunch or coffee this week. I truly appreciate one-on-one or small group gatherings with my friends. They seem to facilitate great discussions and while we may not solve all of the world's problems, we manage to straighten out a few things.
This weekend we have more baseball on the agenda...along with some soccer and a promised trip to the mall for good report cards and a writing goal being met by Grayson. Hope you have a good weekend! Smile!
The Fab 5 is not very exciting this week...just a few little things that made me happy this week.
1. Baseball. Baseball got a mention earlier in the week when I talked about what I hope/know my children learned from playing ball/sports. But, I just have to say that I love to watch them play...just love it. It's fun to see smiles, determined faces - even a little frustration - when they are on the field.
2. CrossFit Back Open. Vidatha was closed for a few weeks while they moved to a new location in Publika, but they reopened this week and it was good to be back in the 8 a.m. time slot. My quads were hating me for a few days, but they have finally started to recover.
3. Cake. Many of my friends know that I love cake...all kinds. I love celebrating people's birthdays in hopes that cake will be involved. (Yeah, yeah...I like you and happy birthday, but bring on the cake!) Anyways, this week Mabel made me a Brooklyn Blackout Cake for my birthday! (Yes, life is good when you love cake and your dear friend is a pastry chef!) It was so yummy! I'll let you drool over the picture!
4. New Art. We bought an inexpensive piece of art while we were in Siem Reap last time and it was just returned from the framer. Our framer said he could have sold it at least 10 times while it was at his shop...which is funny, as it just wasn't that expensive. It's an image of South Gate and we just liked it - which is what art is all about it. Finding what you like.
5. Coffee/Lunch with friends. And last, but definitely not least, I was able to catch up with several friends for lunch or coffee this week. I truly appreciate one-on-one or small group gatherings with my friends. They seem to facilitate great discussions and while we may not solve all of the world's problems, we manage to straighten out a few things.
This weekend we have more baseball on the agenda...along with some soccer and a promised trip to the mall for good report cards and a writing goal being met by Grayson. Hope you have a good weekend! Smile!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
My Liebster Award Nomination...
The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. So, what is a Liebster? The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Isn't that sweet? Blogging is about building a community and it's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer bloggers/blogs.
Here are the rules for receiving this award:1. Each person must post 11 things/random facts about themselves. (We did 10!)
2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer. (We did 10!)3. Choose up to 11 people and link them in your post. (I chose 1 - because I don't read a ton of other blogs on a regular basis!)4. Go to their page and tell them. (I sent her a Facebook message - so she knows it's coming!)5. No tag backs!
6. List the rules in your blog post.
So now you know as much as I do about the Liebster Award. Anyways, I was nominated by my friend, Brandie - thanks Brandie! She has a blog entitled: The Rambling of a Mind and Family. Be sure to check out her blog!
So I guess the first thing I need to do is tell you 10 things/random facts about myself:
1. I was on the rifle team in high school Yes, I'm aware that this sport probably no longer exists in the U.S. today, but in the 80's several schools in New York State had rifle teams. We practiced in the basement of the high school. We shot .22 rifles at targets. Yes, real guns with live bullets. No one was ever injured. Safety was a priority. And I enjoyed it. I learned gun safety. Made great friends. And...I'm a good shot.
2. I once considered moving to Alaska. Before I met my husband, I considered moving to Alaska. You see, I'm a huge fan of the television show "Northern Exposure" and I was convinced I could move to Alaska, find a teaching job, and meet my soulmate - who would be just like Chris In The Morning. Needless to say, I never went.
3. I collect cookbooks. I love to cook and I love cookbooks...the ones with all the pretty pictures. I hardly ever cook recipes from the cookbooks, but I do love to collect them!
4. My kitchen/dining room in Iowa had a wine theme, but I don't drink wine. Yes, there were wine bottles and grapes and paintings depicting vineyards - but I don't drink wine. I like beer...and champagne, but not wine.
5. I have completed a 1/2 Ironman. I definitely consider this one of my most favorite athletic accomplishments - especially since I don't consider myself to be very athletic. I did Ironman 70.3 Timberman and it was an amazing experience.
6. I prefer to shop online. I would much rather grab my computer and shop at my favorite websites in the comfort of my own home. This is a problem here in Malaysia as most of my favorite places to shop do not ship directly to Kuala Lumpur. (I'm sure my husband thinks this is a blessing!) So, before I head home each summer, I online shop like a crazy woman, sending everything to my parents' house and it is like Christmas when I get home!
7. The chance to travel is one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given. It started in high school with a trip to France my senior year and has continued in various degrees throughout my life. There is just nothing like exploring new places or returning to a favorite one.
8. I'm snarky. Yes, I continue to try and work on this, but I know that I'm snide and highly critical - of myself and others. I do a fairly decent job of keeping my snarkiness to myself, but if you are part of my "inner circle" you've probably helped dish out a little snark. (I tend to attract other snarky people!)
9. I do not like salmon. I like lots of seafood, but salmon...no way. Blech!
10. I'm not a pet person. I grew up without any pets - well, except for those two fish that my mom bought my youngest brother one Christmas - and I really have no desire to have any pets. I'm not crazy about dogs and, cats, well, let's just say I definitely have no love for them. This works out just fine as I have children with pet allergies and therefore, they do not beg to have a puppy. Maybe one day I'll get them some fish just like my mom did! Maybe...
Now...Brandie sent me some questions that I need to answer - so here goes!
1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? I would go back to living in Upstate New York. I love the mountains and the lakes and I miss being close to my family.
2. Where did you see yourself now when you were 18 years old? At 18, I thought that when I was 45, I would be an accountant, working for my dad's firm, and married with a couple of rugrats. But, then you go to college and fail accounting your freshman year and realize you need to come up with a new game plan.
3. If money didn't matter, what would be the one thing you would buy yourself? Hmm...I think it would be a spectacular house with the most pimped out kitchen and an amazing outdoor dining/living space. I love to cook and entertain and often dream of an amazing home.
4. Would you have plastic surgery and, if yes, what would it be? Yes, of course! I don't think there's anything wrong with a little nip and tuck as long as you are doing it for yourself and not because someone else has some expectations of you. I'd love for someone to lipo a few pounds off of me! Maybe fill in a few wrinkles!
5. What is the craziest superstition you believe in? I don't really believe in any superstitions. I mean, I was married on Friday the 13th...you can't really be superstitious if you do that!
6. What is the one bad habit you have that you wish you could stop? Please see #8 above.
7. If time didn't matter, what would be one thing you would do more? I would go back to school. I love to learn. I would just take all sorts of random classes and learn about things that interest me.
8. You knew it was coming....was the dress White/Gold or Blue/Black? It was white and gold. Definitely white and gold.
9. David Beckham or Ryan Reynolds? David Beckham. Love the tattoos.
10. If you were going to be on Ellen, what song would you want to play for your entrance? Oooh! Tough! I think just because it's my favorite song right now...Burn by Ellie Goulding. Yes, I was caught singing this song the other day at home and my oldest just joined in! No embarrassment at all by mom's singing! Love that song and that kiddo!
Now it is my turn to nominate someone for a Liebster Award and I am so happy to nominate my friend, Shannon, and her blog The Stannard Deviation. I read her blog posts and feel like I'm reading my own blog - maybe that's why we became such good friends!
So, Shannon...here are my questions for you:
1. What clique were you in during high school? Nerds? Jocks? Artsy?
2. What is your favorite meal to cook for your family?
3. What motto do you live by?
4. What is the best present you ever received and why?
5. What has blogging taught you?
6. What is your guilty pleasure?
7. What is one thing you would love to learn and why?
8. Celebrity crush - who is it?
9. What do your children tease you about?
10. What is the last book you read and what did you think about it?
All right! I have now fulfilled my Liebster Award requirements! Phew!
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Baseball Is Wrapping Up...
While my friends back in the States are just starting to gear up for baseball season, our season here in Malaysia is coming to an end. Just a few more practices, one more friendly game, then the end-of-the-year get-together and that's all she wrote.
Youth sports when you are abroad do not have the same intensity that they do in the U.S. (I'm not going to give my opinion on whether that is better or worse. In all honesty, I'm able to see both sides. Some days I miss the intensity and others, well, not so much.) Here in Malaysia, my kids don't practice every day...they don't even practice three days per week. Most of the time it's once, maybe twice, per week. And right now, it works. My kids are happy, healthy, and enjoying what they are doing.
They continue to learn from their sports - and God knows, we've done a lot of sports this year. Baseball, soccer, basketball, cross country, track and field - and now they want to take golf lessons. Each sport has offered them lots of learning opportunities - in regards to the individual sports and about themselves as little growing people.
With baseball coming to an end, I reflect upon the lessons that I want my children to learn.
1. Sports are a choice that you (my child) makes. You decide what sports you want to play, not me, not Dad. If you don't want to play soccer next year - no worries. You want to try out for the National Frisbee Golf team?! Yup, we'll support you. But, I'm not going to push you into a sport that you don't want to play. It needs to be your decision.
2. When you commit to a team, you will fulfill your commitment. Once you have chosen the sport you want to play, you have now committed to your team. There will not be any quitting. A team depends on you and you will remain on the team...through the good times and the bad. We struggled last season with this commitment from Grayson. He lost interest in baseball 3/4 of the way through the season, but we continued to make him go to practice and let him know that once we returned for the 2014-15 season that he did not have to play baseball again. (He did choose to play again. His choice. Not ours.)
3. Sportsmanship above all else. I need my kids to know about good sportsmanship. When the ump makes a call that you don't like (or one that you know is wrong - as in Caleb this past weekend being called out at home plate - which the ump later apologized for), you suck it up and move on. There will be no whining. No arguing. You can get in the car later and complain to me and your dad, but on the field, keep it together.
Additionally, you show sportsmanship to your teammates and to those you play against. This was so rewarding to see by my kids and their teammates this past weekend, when they played against a young Malaysian team. They encouraged each other and gave the children on the opposing team high fives and shouts of encouragement as they played in their very first baseball game ever! It was so gratifying to see this in the kids on our team.
4. Learn to be coached. Coaches are teachers and you need to listen to them. They are not perfect. They make mistakes. But, coaches want to help you be better. Learning to listen to coaches will go a long way to help you as an athlete and as a person.
5. Have fun! Sports should be fun. I know when you are losing, it may not seem like that much fun. But, I hope you experienced some sort of fun every time you walk off the field. It doesn't matter if it's just a laugh over tripping on the first base bag or watching a friend snort Gatorade out of his nose or an awesome hit in the 3rd inning. Make sure you're having fun!
As the season ends, I know that my kids have learned these things. And, I know that not everyone may agree with the lessons I want my children to learn. That's okay. Maybe this will help you think about what you want your own children to learn. Youth sports is a lot more than wins and losses. It's about shaping a child for his/her future. What do you want your child to learn? What do you want them to become?
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Fab 5 Friday...
This has truly been an enjoyable week...from beginning to end. I don't know what else to say...it was fantastic. Yeah, yeah...it was my birthday this week...and birthdays are fun! But, it was just a good week. I've completed week #1 of Couch to 5K (And my back is handling it so far! Fingers crossed!) The kids have been well-behaved - for the most part. (I'm going to choose to ignore Grayson's mid-week grounding.) I was able to see lots of friends this week and share lots of laughs. Good. Just good.
But, it's Friday and Friday means only one thing! Fab 5! So here we go...
1. Lion Dance. I had the chance to catch a lion dance last Friday at Gardens Mall while I was having lunch with Blaine. I have seen lion dances in the past, but have never had the chance to see one on stilts. WOW! Just WOW! The skill it takes to coordinate two people on tiny little platforms...UNBELIEVABLE.
But, it's Friday and Friday means only one thing! Fab 5! So here we go...
1. Lion Dance. I had the chance to catch a lion dance last Friday at Gardens Mall while I was having lunch with Blaine. I have seen lion dances in the past, but have never had the chance to see one on stilts. WOW! Just WOW! The skill it takes to coordinate two people on tiny little platforms...UNBELIEVABLE.
2. Porkapalooza. Last Saturday evening was Porkapalooza/Blaine's 40th Birthday. It was such a fun night with friends and the most amazing food! We have friends who sure do know how to cook! Every dish that evening had to contain pork...appetizers, main courses, side dishes and desserts. Thank God everyone had to cast a vote in order to award the evening's winners - because the competition was tough! And celebrating Blaine's 40th just added to the event! Can't wait for next year!
The big winners!
3. Vacation Plans Finalized. We spent last week putting the final touches on Australia. I booked two tours out of Sydney with a small boutique tour company and we booked our hotel in Sydney Harbor. And, we gave the kids a chance to plan a long weekend in May. They have opted to go back to Phuket. I'm not complaining. Phuket was easy...4 days is perfect...and we found out our neighbors are going that weekend, too! So even more fun to be had!
4. My birthday. Oh, yes...I turned 45 on Wednesday. And my birthday was great! Blaine gave me a new tripod and clutch from Coach. I golfed 9 holes at KLGCC with some awesome women. (This was probably the birthday highlight! 9 holes on the LPGA course at an INCREDIBLE course...and it was FUN!) Then, it was out to dinner at the Social with my family. And, my birthday continued on Thursday as I golfed another 9 holes with my friend, Susan, at Saujana. Yup, 45 is good.
5. Golf. Yes, I mentioned golf as part of my birthday, but I was able to play two rounds of 9 holes this week. And, as frustrating as it was at times, it was also so incredibly fun. So it deserves a solo mention in the Fab 5. I tried golfing about 20 years ago...and I wasn't my thing. And, I'm not sure why now it has become something I enjoy, but as long as I continue to enjoy it...I will continue to play.
KLGCC
Saujana
Enjoy the weekend, peeps!! The kids have a baseball game on Saturday and other than that...we're just relaxing!!!
Monday, March 2, 2015
March #MyReality...
I occasionally read a blog entitled: 4 Kids, 20 Suitcases, and a Beagle. It's written by an ex-pat named Kirsty, who formerly lived in Malaysia, and currently lives in Doha. She's a real natural writer and, currently, I can whole-heartedly relate to (and learn from) many of the topics she writes about. (You can read her blog by clicking here.)
Each month she sets up a photo challenge entitled My Reality. I haven't done one of these yet, but I read this month's and figured I'd give it a go. This is what we're photographing this month:
Now, I laughed when I read the list initially. I could probably take 10 of my photos this month at San Francisco Coffee! (I'll try and vary it up, but be prepared for San Francisco Coffee to appear in many pics. I guess I'll just have to work on my creativity - which is almost non-existent - to make my photos different.)
I will post my pics to Instagram and Facebook, but I think I'll continue to add them to this blog post every day. Maybe adding a little description...maybe not! Anyways...no need to be an ex-pat to participate in the March #myreality photo challenge! Feel free to join!
March 4 - Where do you fill a vehicle with fuel? No chance to get to the Shell station today, so here's a pic of the fuel tank of my hot rod, the Myvi.
March 5 - Where do you take a break? Today I took at break at Saujana Golf and Country Club with my friend, Susan. We played 9 holes (and I probably lost 8 balls), but it was still a fun morning!
March 7 - Where do you see animals of any kind? This is my baking cupboard. There is usually a lizard living in here who likes to scare the crap out of me! (He's not here today! Probably on vacation!)
March 8 - Where do you look at a monument? This was our view from breakfast Sunday morning. You can see Petronas Towers, Menara Tower, and the Royal Palace.
March 9 - Where do you carry a bag? This is my "gym" bag which I carry everyday when I head across the street to CrossFit Vidatha.
March 10 - Where do you listen to a podcast/radio? This is my view from San Francisco Coffee. Today I listened to a podcast by Tim Ferriss as he interviewed Kelly Starrett.
March 11 - Where do you see a movie? We took our kiddos and a friend to see the new SpongeBob movie. (90 minutes of my life I'll never get back! But, we're moving on!) There are different "classes" of movie theaters here in KL. We went to "premiere" class, which is a level below "gold" class. Premiere class has fab seats, it's not overcrowded and costs the same as a regular, ol' movie in the States. Plus, popcorn and snacks are cheap here! Gold class - which is a splurge - has leather recliners, blanket and pillows and they deliver your snacks directly to your seats. We definitely love going to the movies here in Malaysia.
March 12 - Where do you cook? Here in Malaysia we have a dry kitchen - where you can do kitchen prep work and where your oven is located. We also have a wet kitchen, where your stove top is located. Why two? Well, because lots of Asian cuisine involves stir fry and the smells of onion, garlic and oils. You can shut the door to the wet kitchen to try and contain the smells to the back of the house. We also have a bar in our kitchen area - which indirectly assists me with my cooking!
March 13 - Where do you walk? Everyday...sometimes several times per day, I walk to Publika. This is where I workout, buy groceries, have coffee, meet friends for lunch...you name it.
March 14 - Where do you look up? This is the view if you look up as you walk out of my house. Not bad, huh?
March 15 - Where do you wish you were? No where else, but here. My two boys are playing baseball at UPM and it's so fun to watch them play.
March 16 - Where do you take off your shoes? This is the shoe rack at the main entrance to our house. I'm not a stickler for taking off your shoes when you come in the door, but the kids are pretty good about it...
March 17 - Where do you buy groceries? Here in KL, I find that I cruise around to several grocery stores in order to find everything on my list. This is B.I.G., located in Publika. Because of it's convenient location - across the street - they do get quite a bit of my business.
March 18 - Where do you find some peace? This is my bedroom. And it's quiet and relaxing...and a great place to read a book.
March 19 - Where do you meet a friend? At CrossFit Vidatha! Lots of friends at my local box! Get a good sweat and share a few laughs!
March 20 - Where do you look after yourself? This might seem strange, but when I take time for coffee and to write...that's when I know I'm doing something good for me.
March 21 - Where do you see something new? The Easter display at BIG!
March 22 - Where do you smile? We took the boys to Bestari for the FIRST time! And prata tisu had everyone smiling!
March 23 - Where do you put your keys? In my big, messy handbag!
March 24 - Where do you read a book? I read a LOT and you can often find me on this big, red comfy couch! Full of pillows and blankets! Just a great spot to read!
March 25 - Where do you see something old?
March 26 - Where do you find something new?
March 27 - Where do you look for clothes?
March 28 - Where do you eat your favourite dish?
March 29 - Where do you talk on the phone?
March 30 - Where do you hang your washing?
March 31 - Where do you spend way too long?
Each month she sets up a photo challenge entitled My Reality. I haven't done one of these yet, but I read this month's and figured I'd give it a go. This is what we're photographing this month:
Now, I laughed when I read the list initially. I could probably take 10 of my photos this month at San Francisco Coffee! (I'll try and vary it up, but be prepared for San Francisco Coffee to appear in many pics. I guess I'll just have to work on my creativity - which is almost non-existent - to make my photos different.)
I will post my pics to Instagram and Facebook, but I think I'll continue to add them to this blog post every day. Maybe adding a little description...maybe not! Anyways...no need to be an ex-pat to participate in the March #myreality photo challenge! Feel free to join!
March 3 - Where do you go nearly every day? Where do you get your coffee from? (I'm catching up! So this covers 2 days!) Well, I go to San Francisco Coffee. This is where I blog, send emails, waste time, drink coffee, listen to podcasts, screw around on Facebook, write my grocery list, people watch, and eavesdrop on some of the funniest conversations. There are a bazillion coffee shops located across the street from my house, most serving better coffee than this one, but I come here. I've been coming here since the first week we moved to Malaysia. The people are friendly and I can spend hours here with just a cup of coffee (or some froo-froo blended coffee drink) and no one bugs me. Yup, nearly every day.
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March 5 - Where do you take a break? Today I took at break at Saujana Golf and Country Club with my friend, Susan. We played 9 holes (and I probably lost 8 balls), but it was still a fun morning!
March 6 - Where do you sit outside? This is a spot on our patio. I like to sit out here and read when it's not too hot outside (which doesn't seem to happen often). I like being able to sit amongst the plants (which you can't really see here) and watch the HUGE snails crawl up the wall. Additionally, we have some gorgeous orchids out here when they are in bloom.
March 7 - Where do you see animals of any kind? This is my baking cupboard. There is usually a lizard living in here who likes to scare the crap out of me! (He's not here today! Probably on vacation!)
March 8 - Where do you look at a monument? This was our view from breakfast Sunday morning. You can see Petronas Towers, Menara Tower, and the Royal Palace.
March 9 - Where do you carry a bag? This is my "gym" bag which I carry everyday when I head across the street to CrossFit Vidatha.
March 10 - Where do you listen to a podcast/radio? This is my view from San Francisco Coffee. Today I listened to a podcast by Tim Ferriss as he interviewed Kelly Starrett.
March 11 - Where do you see a movie? We took our kiddos and a friend to see the new SpongeBob movie. (90 minutes of my life I'll never get back! But, we're moving on!) There are different "classes" of movie theaters here in KL. We went to "premiere" class, which is a level below "gold" class. Premiere class has fab seats, it's not overcrowded and costs the same as a regular, ol' movie in the States. Plus, popcorn and snacks are cheap here! Gold class - which is a splurge - has leather recliners, blanket and pillows and they deliver your snacks directly to your seats. We definitely love going to the movies here in Malaysia.
March 12 - Where do you cook? Here in Malaysia we have a dry kitchen - where you can do kitchen prep work and where your oven is located. We also have a wet kitchen, where your stove top is located. Why two? Well, because lots of Asian cuisine involves stir fry and the smells of onion, garlic and oils. You can shut the door to the wet kitchen to try and contain the smells to the back of the house. We also have a bar in our kitchen area - which indirectly assists me with my cooking!
March 13 - Where do you walk? Everyday...sometimes several times per day, I walk to Publika. This is where I workout, buy groceries, have coffee, meet friends for lunch...you name it.
March 14 - Where do you look up? This is the view if you look up as you walk out of my house. Not bad, huh?
March 15 - Where do you wish you were? No where else, but here. My two boys are playing baseball at UPM and it's so fun to watch them play.
March 16 - Where do you take off your shoes? This is the shoe rack at the main entrance to our house. I'm not a stickler for taking off your shoes when you come in the door, but the kids are pretty good about it...
March 17 - Where do you buy groceries? Here in KL, I find that I cruise around to several grocery stores in order to find everything on my list. This is B.I.G., located in Publika. Because of it's convenient location - across the street - they do get quite a bit of my business.
March 18 - Where do you find some peace? This is my bedroom. And it's quiet and relaxing...and a great place to read a book.
March 19 - Where do you meet a friend? At CrossFit Vidatha! Lots of friends at my local box! Get a good sweat and share a few laughs!
March 20 - Where do you look after yourself? This might seem strange, but when I take time for coffee and to write...that's when I know I'm doing something good for me.
March 21 - Where do you see something new? The Easter display at BIG!
March 22 - Where do you smile? We took the boys to Bestari for the FIRST time! And prata tisu had everyone smiling!
March 23 - Where do you put your keys? In my big, messy handbag!
March 24 - Where do you read a book? I read a LOT and you can often find me on this big, red comfy couch! Full of pillows and blankets! Just a great spot to read!
March 25 - Where do you see something old?
March 26 - Where do you find something new?
March 27 - Where do you look for clothes?
March 28 - Where do you eat your favourite dish?
March 29 - Where do you talk on the phone?
March 30 - Where do you hang your washing?
March 31 - Where do you spend way too long?
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