CokersWest join CokersEast

Waiting, waiting...I see them! I see them!

 
 Poppy and CC had a good trip over the pond and hit the ground running with us. We actually had few to nil adventures planned.
A trip to the market...

 Here I am picking out vegetables, The sellers on the floor usually have fresher veg from their own fields/garden.

 Firework store. Discounted since it was a day after New Year's.

 They chose a big box, that boasted 36 really big, loud, and pretty fireworks. Think what a smalltown, USA firework show would be like, and that is about what our family purchased and did on our own.

Tobin wearing Poppy's hat. For our Homeschool performance for them Tobin had written (said) a very cute little poem/story about Poppy as a pilot.

 The older girls stepped right into restaurant play...

Strolls in the neighborhood..

we ventured across town to the big square to play.

 tree climbing...

 Hide and go seek: (not bad for a 2-year-old)

 
We ran into our old neighbors. This was from ten years ago. I recognized them right away and we had a blast reconnecting.

 We had gone from zero to four kids since we last saw them.

we piled back in the car to find lunch.

A favorite dive. But since it was the holiday, they were out of all the good stuff. 

Poppy and CC always join the craziness and have been here enough to know that when we promise good food, it will be good. Even if there may be cats chasing rats around (not this time, but it happens).

And There Goes Feb (A Round Up): New Year, Visits, Cookie Sale and More

We blinked and Feb was gone (I know 2 more days, they don't count). This month was filled with such goodness (and LOUDNESS): LOTS of play, Amazing visit from Poppy and CC, Another visit from a friend for a few days,  Dog-sitting, a cookie sale and more. I will break it down a bit:

We returned from Thailand, recovered from the stomach bug and got in gear for the grandparents to arrive. Because EVERY place shuts down for Chinese New Year, I had to do some extra-careful menu planning, and freeze stuff before hand!

I will mention my birthday (Feb 5) because David completely surprised me with an amazing and thoughtful gift: Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream Home Made. Yes, the man made it himself.  Coffee ice cream is by far my fave. He made the caramel sauce and then all the ice cream. It was actually the best coffee ice cream I have ever had. A-MAZ-ING. Thanks, babe.

And then lets not forget the ever-impressive Chinese New Year.
Every year I think it won't wow me, that I am over it, and every year I am more amazed. Every year I also think: 'every person needs to experience this at least once in their life'. The fireworks start weeks before, but the eve of, they are non-stop, ground-shaking, breath-taking beauty and noise. And honestly, the beauty wears off fast and the noise rings for days. Our kids still manage to sleep through most of it. And to be sure, we buy our fair share of fireworks, these fireworks would be completely illegal in the U.S. even in the most lenient of states. But we are not breaking any laws don't worry.

 A New Year's Day walk around the 'hood. Lanterns and firework confetti everywhere. A later post will show our 'wow' fireworks with Poppy and CC, who arrived New Year's Day!

We watched the Superbowl for the first time ever as a family (David actually worked in his office and had it on audio, while the kids and I watched on my computer).

I put up these wall stickers the girls picked out in Thailand.

 This was harder than I thought it would be.

Poppy and CC arrived. And since we had only been doing a tad of history and a tad of math, we just put the Homeschool on Pause. This was on my plan, a longer break from core to chill a bit with all our neighbors and enjoy Poppy and CC. It was a super-relaxed visit that was so much fun. I will post enough later to bore you, I am sure. That was Feb. 9-19.

Next, Uncle Justin, a friend who lived here awhile ago, came for a few days. We talked life, running technique, safety, and shoes (he is an ultramarathoner), homemade peanut butter, and just plain caught up.

David went on a three day trip to another part of China.

And the last full week of Feb, we did a bit of school. I introduced some new standards in regards to work and responsibility, I rearranged the Homeschool room (pushed shelves into my living room more to make the HS room bigger), and did some history and math.

We hit the French Revolution, which is hard. I read the Usborne Illustrated Dickens abridged "A tale of two cities" and it was still tragic.

One of my best friends' mom died suddenly, and so we were asked to dog-sit their brand new (to them) poodle. It is an easy dog to 'dog -sit' and we basically put Sophia in charge. I did give it a bath, but it happened to be the one cloudy day of the week, so I cuddled him up and brought him to blow dry his hair. Seriously.

Next, Sophia decided she wanted to make and sell cookies at the market. She thought I would say 'no', but I said go for it. She instigated and planned it all, I helped her in the kitchen some, and then on Thursday we hauled our stuff near the market and for an hour and a half sold sugar cookies.

 Bella helped a lot and made commission.

 They were touted as 'American Flavor Cookies'. I reminded people they were home-made.
The price may have been steep for some: 1 RMB for a small one and 2 for a bigger cookie. But people bought them. They had a tester tray for samples. Some of these were mercy buys from people that knew us, but others were not. At first I started selling and trying to manage, but Sophia gently reminded me that this was her gig, so I left them alone. I went shopping a bit and sat behind them.

 Oh Look! Other foreigners! Wait, we know you. Thanks for the business.

Crowds would gather some. The girls did excellent. In the end they brought in 150 rmb, and we charged Sophia 20 for supplies used (this was gracious, our butter is expensive), and I gave my labor free. She paid Tobin a teeny amount, and Bella 40, so Sophia profited 90 rmb. Not bad. This was a GREAT time for learning about business. Afterward we told her also to consider not just the money but the time it took to do it all, to consider whether it is worth the endeavor. For her stage of life right now it is completely worth it to spend an afternoon making cookies and a morning selling them, but later in life it may not be. We were so pleased with the outcome! Good job girls!

And this just in....Gabrielle is in a 'big girl bed' if you can call it that. This deserves its own post and will get one soon! 

And an hour ago we got a text: school meeting tomorrow (Sunday) at 8:30, bring your money! School is starting. The rat race begins. 

Not to mention....

....We changed piano teachers

....I just spent all Friday planning, planning, planning. 

...Tobin will start The Phonics Road in earnest and Right Start Math!

...another text said that elementary school starts Monday afternoon!!! Clean-up and sign-up in the morning

...thankfully, last night I prayed: 'Lord, I made all these 'good' plans, if they all fail (some already have), I know your plans will never fail! 

Ice Skating!!!

Gabrielle's virus was quick, and she recovered. Everyone else was still fairing well, so on our last full day in Bangkok we took the boat taxi to Central World and went ice skating. The first time ever for the Coker kiddos.

 This ritzy mall was having a huge Motorcycle display/advertisement of some very nice bikes.

So much fun. Gabrielle hated the ice, or actually the socks and skates. No one else was there, just our fam, which was fabulous. We took G off the ice and sat her down to watch. We had no qualms about letting the staff there entertain her while we all skated.

Tobin was quite shy at first but got the hang of it.

 Bella too...

okay, a phone always helps calm a child.

 I sat on a seal and David pushed me around. We reminisced about one of our first group dates ice-skating. David was skating so fast (back on our date moons ago), he nearly took out a kid and instead picked the kid up quick, moved him out of the way and promptly bit the dust.

Back to present day, Sophia and Mama.

 Bella getting her bearings.

Oh look, she now has her hair done, and is probably buying a new app.

 Don't worry she was never neglected. This was another worker, who could REALLY skate. He took G for quite a ride.

They almost all cried when our hour was up, but we planned to return the next day before our afternoon flight. Except that in the night each child, in turn, succumbed to the throw-ups and stomach virus. Sophia from 9-10 pm. Tobin  in the middle of the night and  Bella by 5 am. All stomachs were uck, but it was quick, and the next morning they just had to rest before our journey back to China.

Though this trip had quite a few unexpected things happen, we were so thankful to God for how he provided and blessed. We still were able to do all the fun things we wanted to do. And amazingly no one threw up on our airplane rides back.

Before all of that and after ice skating we had a little photo opp on some nice bikes. 'Don't scratch them or you won't go to college!'

Kidzania with Mom this time

Two and a half years ago, while in Bangkok having baby Gabrielle, David took the kids to Kidzania. This is an amazing mini-city that teaches kids all kinds of things and how to function in the world of money, a skill, jobs, etc. This time they had added so much stuff that the allotted four hours turned into almost 7. We opened and closed the place. Gabrielle had spent the previous night with a stomach virus that soon engulfed the fam. But this day these three olders were in great shape to play all day.

Kidzania is in a ritzy mall in BKK and Tobin liked what he saw for sale there: He is wearing my fleece because he was cold.

Once in Kidzania they have to go to the bank and get 'kidzos' the money they need. At some shops they get paid for their skills and at others they pay to learn skills. Here they learned how to change a tire.

 Tobin learned how to make ketchup, and got his own bottle.

 while the girls paid to learn some music on the drums. And because Sophia helped out Bella, they paid her.

 The vet shop

they learned how to farm and tell when tomatoes were ripe

then deliver them to the ketchup making and bottling shop

certain ages could do certain things. Sophia was given a canon camera to go around and take pics.

 they learned how to make real sushi and it was their lunch.

Sophia went to dance, Bella and Tobin fought a fire, all three were police officers and had to really go collect evidence, find the bad guy, and finger print him. They learned the process for making coke and milk. Bella decorated a cookie. Bella and Sophia learned to act in a real play rendition of 'The Little Mermaid'.

This place is amazing and at every shop they are first taught about the job they are about to do.
But really all of these shops are sponsored by each product or service. It really was a 'Canon' shop and a 'Coke' shop and a CIMB bank, and so much more. It is eternal advertising really. What a great idea. I have never seen anything like this in America with such a real set-up just for kids. There was a mock airplane, home decorating, a 'hospital' and so much more that we did not even get to but the kids were satisfied and exhausted. We headed downstairs to take home dinner and dessert: YakiSoba and Krispy Kreme.

Chilly Bangkok?

One day we ventured on a tuk tuk, sky train, and bus to the mall with Ikea.
As my friend put it: 'The Cokers and M family took on Ikea and Ikea won'. That is about right.

The most amazing thing about the Ikea trip was running into a dear friend who used to live in our city. She had helped start up so much for us there. She now has two kids and is doing well. We literally stood in the rug aisle and caught up for 30 minutes. This was such a blessing.

 How many can you fit in a tuk tuk? Safe? Not so much.

The following day, which could have been perhaps the coldest day ever in Bangkok, we went to a water park. Seriously. The Accu weather forecast, which we renamed INaccu weather or accu-ish, called for mid 80s and sun on and off. It was about 70 (or below), windy and rainy. But the kids ventured in anyway and all had lots of fun. Bella, by this time was starting her ear/throat infection and G was just plain cold, so we got out (honestly I was never quite 'in' the water) and cuddled in towels while David took Tobin down the lazy river a dozen times and Sophia kept on the bigger slides.

Travels to and fro

On the airport floor while David and I fill out exit forms (it takes awhile).

excited to be on a trip!

We had some great meetings with lots of friends in one city. As we left to go to Bangkok for doctor's appointments and a few days vacation with another family, our stroller broke. Again. We left that thing right in the garbage can at the airport! It was quite liberating and Gabrielle did great everywhere we went without it, including the journey back in all the airports!

In BKK with friends.

 A tree house/fort for creative play in our backyard at the guesthouse.

We packed doctor's appts in a few days. I went to a much needed visit to see the pulmonologist. After a chest and sinus x-ray I received great news that my lungs were clear! But I had a bad sinus infection and got some meds. Some of us got some shots. While David was at one of his appointments two nurses and I had to hold one of our children down to get two shots. HE recovered well and received two stickers for his antics.

Mid-Jan Fun

Saturday family outing to a nearby school. We played soccer on their field and then went to the courts to practice more soccer skills.

Little G just played with the gate and finally plopped down in cute grumbliness (or not)

A 'Sofia the 1st' birthday party for sweet friend Annabelle, who turned six.

The older girls took their Chinese 2nd and 1st grade tests and then got out of school for a long break!

Then off we went to Thailand for what we thought would be warmer weather....