Laura Joy

It's kind of funny that we've never done this before. Look at those cutiesRight at the end of what I think was the busiest Christmas of my entire life, the kids had their first orchestra concert. They had been practicing for months in their orchestra class and together at home

It has been really strange being here for Christmas, because on the one hand, they don't celebrate it, but on the other hand they kind of do! And that made it completely insane. We found liege waffles at the European Christmas market!I just. I just was not prepared for

I'm not sure why it's not called a Christmas Carnival. Enjoying a break to eat a dessert sold by the fifth graders. It was grass jelly if you're curious.One of the challenges we've faced here is that because we speak the language, people assume we know what's going on.

After quite a bit of airline drama, my parents made it here to spend Christmas with us! Picking up the kids from schoolNow that my sister works for an airline, my parents can fly standby! Unfortunately, that perk doesn't apply to us. But at any rate, it's pretty nice that

How does it happen so fast?! K with his fan clubKids are so funny on their second birthdays. I mean, it's not like we didn't have a big first birthday party. But because the awareness is there, it's like they're experiencing it all for the first time. And wow is

This is the age of facial expressions! He's nailed the close-your-eyes-to-pray move. He even says "Amen!" at the end.I don't have much to say in this post, but I needed to share some of the pictures we've gotten over the last few months of K in all his glory.

I got a new sewing machine for my birthday! At a fabric shop. They don't waste space over here!After three years of being separated from my own machine and one year of not having a machine at all, I am happy to report that H's parents got me one

We bought two tickets to see Joshua Bell the weekend of my birthday! H told me a few months ago that Joshua Bell was coming to do a performance here! It seemed obvious to me that we should go, but H didn't seem that excited about it. I think the

After a whirlwind week, we had a bunch of friends over the day after Thanksgiving to celebrate! Can you see E is coming down with the stomach bug we had all had in Japan?Well, after getting back from Japan, we were super excited to get to see some of

G needed a visa run, and since the quarantine restrictions are so light now, we all went! The kids liked this ramen restaurant so much that we went twice.We've been in the middle of this long and complex process about G's visa, and it'll all work out eventually, but

Only the girls got to have two field trips this semester. E's trip to an insect museum. All of the art on the wall behind her is made ENTIRELY of butterfly wings.Both girls got to go on a second field trip this semester! M went with her class to

I don't have a ton to say about my own kids' involvement in this, but it was just so cool that I have to tell you about it anyway. E with her breakfast one dayApparently the kids' school has a tradition where the sixth graders spend two weeks making and

Well, we were very surprised to find that Halloween is a thing here! Mulan and Mushu!I was planning to get costumes for the kids anyway since I figured with all the foreigners here, there would be somewhere we could go and do something or other for Halloween. But wow,

Double digits! I had to include this picture because I'm so proud of this cake.Well, to say that M was excited about getting to have her first "friend party" in three years is to grossly understate the situation. She was beside herself. I thought she might be

One of E's summer homework assignments was to learn something from an adult in the family, and then they had a day where they all taught their skill to their classmates. E with her salad.Summer homework. I guess that's a thing here, even in elementary school. But I suppose

I think it's something special about our school, because every time I mention all these field trips to other moms, they're surprised. Lots of pictures in this post! Each of the three big kids has now had one field trip. I was able to participate in M's and G's, but

We're starting to get good at this. Our mooncake dinner!Well, after two years of celebrating mid-autumn festival in the US, I have to say that it's a lot easier to get the typical foods when you're in Asia! I had a great time getting all the things we had

They take it seriously here. E's not messing around.Well, one day I got a text in the group chat that M's class was having tug of war the next morning, so if the parents wanted to come cheer them on, everyone was welcome. That sounded pretty painless, so I

By some miracle, everything logistical got worked out, and the three big kids are all in one school! Ready for the first day of school!I still can hardly believe it happened. After going to various immigration offices and visa offices every single week over the summer, somebody finally came

Although I'm pretty sure if you asked the five of us that can talk, you'd get five different opinions. This is what I woke up to one morning!It was a very, very tiring summer. I just--all my planning did not make it less tiring. Did it make it more

This marks the beginning of our birthday marathon. Those sunburned cheeks and that sweet smile!In keeping with our pre-COVID habits, we celebrated E's birthday while we were on vacation. It wasn't a new country or anything, but it was the beach at least! And she was excited to have

All I have to say is, Whoa. Just whoa. Best aquarium ever.We had heard that the aquarium on the southern coast was good, but I don't think we really understood what people meant. Now that I've been there, I think it must be one of the best in the

Apparently there are other types of coast. I mean I knew that. But I never really thought about it until we lived here in this place with SO MUCH coast. Those rocks were really cool. FULL of little sea creature fossils.After spending one day scorching ourselves at the beach,

While our friends were here, we went all together down south to enjoy the beaches on that side! Such clear water!Okay, all I have to say is WOW! I'm pretty sure I've been on tropical beaches before. I spent a summer in Costa Rica when I was in college.

Now that COVID restrictions in Asia are getting much more lax, we're getting visitors! First order of business: read to the guests.We were really excited to get our first friend visitors about halfway through the kids' summer break. They still had to do a modified quarantine in a hotel,