I hate unpacking...

but I like finding these in my luggage.....

what's new pussycat?

• Packing for the beach and realizing that travel by car is made so much nicer by the whole no weight limit on your bag (or 6)
• Loving the Tet season and how everyone takes the time to wish each other a happy NEW year
• Amelia is beyond obsessed with cars....and trucks.....and things that go
• Allison came home from school today with a Tet card that she had written "Mom + Dad" in - cue the tears
• February 1 marks our two month countdown to departure from SGN - I am 50% depressed about leaving our "home" and 50% thrilled with the thought of DC and our new adventures in Central America
• I do not miss presidential primary campaign commercials in SC - not one bit
• I do however miss RiteAid or any other large chain pharmacy - very much so
• The best part of moving is the purging of goods, right? best feeling ever
• Also the best feeling ever - chatting with girlfriends
• Why do I have a dozen 1/2 used bottles of sunblock? how does that happen?
• I am going to miss my job
• This post is as scattered as I feel in life right now - eek!
• Living with Allison is like living on a game show - she is obsessed with letters and learning to read, so she ends almost every one of her questions with "Is that correct, Mom?"
• Amelia's favorite answer to ANY question is "pink", but only when she doesn't know the answer, which is not often - we had to teach her that holding up two fingers means she will be two on her birthday - for a while if you asked her how old she was going to be, she answered "Gaga" (my mom) or "Bapa" (my dad)
• oy
• Amelia is going to be 2 soon
• She lovingly refers to herself as Mimi, but sounds out each letter in her sister's name - A L L I S O N
• must finish packing
• who am I kidding?
• off to play words with friends

xo

Tet 2012

The year of the cat is coming to an end, and the year of the dragon is rapidly approaching. The annual Consulate Tet party was last night, so it was time to dust off our ao dais and get all dolled up. To add a touch more excitment to the evening, Erik and a group of his colleagues were presented with an award - woot woot!! Both Alli and her bestie, Sebastian, had on red, which was not planned, but makes a for a lovely Tet engagement photo, yes?

Check out these funny faces!

My favorite time of the day

Matching PJ's...Freshly bathed girls...Obsessive readers...Lots of snuggling...

Sharing the days secrets...Twinkle lights...

Does it get better than this? Not that I know of...

Not your mama's Ikea

My husband is a social butterfly, and during one of his evenings on the town, met a man who put us in touch with a Vietnamese man who makes and sells furniture to international distributors. The best part of the story is that he also will sell to private individuals for COST - hello lovah! Erik and I took a trip out to his home/workshop/personal Disneyland in October, and I went back today to place our order. He lives with his family out in the country in a compound he designed and built - it is nothing short of magnificent - it was designed to entertain buyers while they stay and learn about his line of goods. Today, it also greatly entertained one toddler and one four-year-old while their mother spent their inheritance on furniture - I AM KIDDING. Between the dedicated play room, and free-roaming horse, the girls were well looked after.

The showroom/building he constructed looks nothing like an IKEA or a Crate and Barrel - it is a cross between a church (where the furniture obsessed can worship) and a medieval castle. Impressive doesn't even cover it.

If Erik and I ever renew our vows AND we are living in Vietnam again, we have totally found our location.

Blog readers? Meet my new dining room table...

In the immortal words of Stevie Wonder, isn't she lovely? She is square and made of acacia and will be joining us on this worldwide adventure.

And this is her second cousin, our new bed -

Erik and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary in November and the traditional gift is wood, so this new bed (and tables, and chairs and a sideboard) was our gift to one another.

Here's to our next anniversary and our gift to each other - Ramen Noodles!!!

Watch out Cesar Milan!

Untitled
Originally uploaded by meredith w page

Amelia L.O.V.E.S. dogs. No, seriously. LOVES them. When she sees a dog, she says, "Pet dog?". Then once that is accomplished, she says, "Kiss doggie!".
These two cuties belong to our sweet downstairs neighbor, and Amelia spends a great deal of time with them just watching the world go by.
Super cute? Me thinks yes.

Our new year

Our journey (three countries in one year) is going to be a tough one.....

but I will do everything in my power to make sure its a fun one....

for these two sweet girls.

New Year's Eve - Saigon Style

Glow stick baths.....

Bonfire sacrifices...

Adults in crazy hats....

and Sweet dogs in ties...