Our first week in Singapore...

First thing I need to say is I'm still figuring all this blogging out so I loaded these pictures in an order different than I wanted so this isn't going to flow well but I am getting it done so I feel like I am still getting something accomplished.

So after looking at different housing options including tiny units in high rises with really nice facilities (pools, workout facilites etc.) and something to simular to town houses with no facilities I think we found a home. We weren't expecting to find and secure a place on this visit but I think we may haveas long as the paper work etc goes through OK. We will be paying some money out of our pocket (we get an allowance that is to cover both housing and transportation but it isn't enough). This is frustrating to us but it is worth it. The plot of land is 2000 sft but the house is actually over 3500sft because it is 3 stories. The apartments we were looking at were 1100-1900 sft there are larger but they weren't availible. If we get this house we will be able to take almost everything with us which will make my life so much easier. This house is walking distance to the American school and close to an open feild that is goverment land so the boys can just go play there. There are many other things we liked including the fact it had a washer/dryer and dishwasher. Most units didn't have dryers (many peolpe just hang there clothes to dry) and no others had a dishwasher.

We ate at a place around the corner from our house(I will be refering to it as our house in hopes it all turns out fine) and here I am drinking coconut juice. They have fresh juice everywhere. One of my favorite juices has been lime juice, it is a lot like fresh sqeezed lemonade, not like the minute maid stuff you usually get at resturaunts in the US.
Here I am eating pineapple rice. It was good, it was actually one of the first times I had "foreign" type of foods since we had arrived (this was Tues night and we arrived early sunday morning). Those who know me well might be suprised but with pregnancy and jet lag I wanted something more familar and bland. Knowing this wouldn't be my last chance to experience all these foods made me feel better about not branching out earlier. Where we were in this picture they had Thai, indian and other ethnic foods including "western food"(something like american foods) there.
We went to Hard Rock with a co-worker of Tysons. His wife collects their shirts. It is neat because this co-worker Wayne was actually my boss when I worked temporarily at Schlumberger when we first moved to Houston while I was pregnant with Hayden. Wayne was actually one of the people that interviewed Tyson when was still in school and has been a good resource ever since. Wayne has opened facilities many times so he is here to help Tyson out and advise the people here in Singapore.


After 32 hours of traveling, this is the first thing we saw at the airport. We left our house Friday about 4:30 am and arrived at the hotel about 2:30 a.m Sunday morning here in Singapore (They're 13 hours ahead over here). They have a lot of american fast food resturuants here including subway (this may be my homesick food depending on the meat, some of their meats are different here).
We did get a couple of hours of sleep in before church at 9:00. We met some people and Tyson introduced me to some people he had met when he was here last. We also met with the bishop who has been very informative. He also talked to us about prevous callings so I think we might have callings when we get here or soon after. It is an Expat ward so 2-5 years is a very common stay time so it seems like they have a fast system down. These pictures are of Easter eggs we saw while taking a wlk after church to stay awake. It was in a garden area of a near by hotel and shopping center.
I liked the eggs hidding in such a tropical atmosphere. After our walk we went to dinner at a families house here in the ward. It was very nice and again very informative. I feel like a sponge trying to absorb as much as possible. I want to figure out and take care of as much as possible without the kids here.
Here I am in China town in front of a Chinese temple. I have gained a lot of weight and recently got a great farmers tan but I let Tyson take this picture because I have very few pics with pregnancy(this is by choice). Even though I am heavy I feel like I am still really big for a pregnant women I still have 2.5 months left.
With Tysons great skills he got a pic of both of us in front of the temple.







Our Medical Experience....

So Wednesday before breakfast we noticed that Tysons eyes were really red. They had been a little red since we arrived but I just figured it was from lack of sleep and other things. Then when he said they were really bothering him and had been a little crusty we made the conection that he probably had pink eye. Ashton had pink eye while Tyson was in Alaska and had recovered before he got back. Neither Hayden or I had gotten it so I don't know how Tys got it. Also we have been washing our hands like crazy while traveling and during our stay here. Anyway here we are in a foreign country with pink eye, what do we do? They have medial clinic in a lot of there malls so we found our answer. We weren't worried about the cost because we would just expense it. We walked in made an appt and 45 minutes later we were done. While we waited we were able to go get a drink in the mall. And the bill which include 3 perscriptions (a cream for night time application, drops for infection, drops for redness and pain) we were given there in the office came to a grand total of $55 (about $42 US). I was completely shocked, I paid more than that for Ashton Dr. apt and his 1 perscription I picked up at wal-mart. So if you come and visit and you have a medical problem come up, no worries it is cheap here.

Boys just having fun...

They were just building stuff with Legos. Sometimes they actually play good together, although it seems like they fight a lot more often than palying well together.
When Tys come back from Singapore in February he brought back a couple of powere rangers magazines that were in some language that were asian characters (I don't know which). Once we opened it they discovered all kinds of neat things. Tys and the boys spent almost 2 hours putting these costumes together that they had torn out off the magazines. They included a mask , gun and chest sheild. I got a lot of laundry done up in my room, it was awesome.
The boys enjoying a game of twister. They really enjoy playing games. I just need to be better about playing them with them. Sometimes I don't have the patience or I'm trying to get stuff done. It is hard to think about it now but someday I will regreat doing dishes instead of playing Candyland or Memory with the boys.
Here Ashton is showing how "boy" he is. I think it has been a while since he has gotten this dirty. We have had a few really nice days outside so we really took advantage of it. He has been creating his own Ben10 shirt with a plain white shirt and his markers. The funny thing is his markers are washable so it washes out everytime. It is a little anoying because if he gets wet from washing his hands or something it makes the ink run and can make a big mess sometimes. I need to take the time to paint a couple white shirts for him.

St. Patrics Day

St. Patrics Day was a big day at our house. Hayden had been talking about it all week long. Hayden made sure to layout his green clothes the night before. The boys helped me make some green pancakes which I didn't try but I don't usually eat pancakes anywayand how often do moms get to sit down and eat.

A pondering moment, we are moving.

So I was thinking yesturday how my upcomming trip has been so low key on my mind. I am flying out to Singapore in less than 2 weeks and I haven't really given it as much thought as I usually do when Tyson and I have gone on our little trips together. Don't get me wrong I have thought about it but when we have done other trips (vermont, florida, etc.) I have researched all the different things we could do. I also had a couple months of excitement and anticipation of having a nice get away from the kids and time alone as a couple (Thanks mom for always sacrificing your spring break). I think this trip is going to be busy and I hope to get a lot done but I just recently came to the realization this is going to be one of our last kid free trips for a while and we should probably actually enjoy it as a get away at the same time. I have been so busy trying to sew curtains for my kitchen (it has a window over the sink along with windows that are are in the breakfast area which are very tall so I did cafe curtains along with a top curtain = a lot of sewing), which I have been meaning to do since we moved in (over 3 years ago) along with curtains for the guest bedroom which I decorated only a few months after we moved in. I am also working on trying to get stuff sewn for the nursery. My sewing machine won't be coming with us so I am in morning and maybe trying to use it before I can't any more, I'll probably just buy a cheap one once we get there. I have also been trying to clean out my house. Our house in Houston was just under 1500 sft and this house is 3000. Our house size has doubled and we have filled it to the rim. I am a pack rat and regretting it right now. All my junk seems to have value to me, I need to have someone come over and tell me to toss, toss, toss. I need to be on one of those tv shows but I would be to embarrased. Both Tyson and I have really been pondering why we are moving. Because we are moving we have come to realize how much we love our lives here in so many ways. We like our house, our yard, our little town, our stuff we have been accumulating since we have been married (all those little things, tools, my kitchen stuff etc.). But we keep reminding our selves this is going to be a neat experience for us and the kids and it is good opportunity for Tyson's career. Over all we are excited but it has really hit and it is a lot to digest and turning out to be a lot of work. This post has just been a time for me to ponder so I hope it hasn't been to painful if you actually took the time to read it. Tyson took the camera with him on his trip to Alaska (he comes home and we will turn around less than a week later to go to Singapore) so no pictures with this post, so extra boring I know.