Have Husband, Shall Travel. . . . .To Hong Kong!

Deric's job involves travel.  ALOT of travel.

He has had some amazing experiences.

How often can one say they were in a Saudi newspaper?

YEP, THAT'S OUR DAD!  

(NOW IF ONLY WE KNEW WHAT IT SAID)

I always want to keep the blog real.  It's not all trips and parties!  A traveling husband is hard.

VERY, VERY HARD.  Hard on me and hard on Deric.  Dinnertime, homework time and bedtime are all VERY, VERY hard when you are flying solo.  There are 4 small people pelting me with SO MANY needs nightly.   At the end of the day I look like someone has used me for target practice.

Thanks goodness for Skype and Delia and red wine.

It is what it is.  It is part of his job and part of this experience.
This AMAZING experience.  An experience we would never be having if it wasn't for Deric.
We have a system.  We have a regimented routine.  We make it work.  We SKYPE!

Deric can provide an excellent-kid-smack-down via skype when I need him to.    "Don't make me skype your Dad!" He can also chat with the kids about their day, provide encouragement to whomever needs it (often that's me) and just stay in touch.  THANK GOD for Skype!!!!!!

The travel is just part of the equation.  It does push me over the edge sometimes but I am finding ways to combat my stress!  I am running and learning to play tennis! I am volunteering...I am making friends. Friends make it all better.  All you need is a friend.

My friend Sarah lives in Singapore now!

She lived in Dubai the first year we were there, 

moved back to Houston, and is now in Singapore!

Lucky me.

Back to the travel...

When we have all had enough and believe me that happens...we just JOIN HIM! This is where Hong Kong comes in.

Deric had some work to do in China...

Where they served him up this for his dinner....

CRISPY PIGEON ANYONE?

So we took this opportunity to meet up with him for a 4 day weekend in HONG KONG!  

Why Hong Kong?  To explore more Asian culture? To drag 4 kids on subway rides around a crazy, overpopulated, non-stroller friendly, busy, dirty city?  To shop at more street markets?  To eat more dumplings?  NO

2 words.  Mickey Mouse.  Hong Kong Disneyland.

And okay yes.  We did and enjoyed all the other stuff as well!  

DISNEYLAND HERE WE COME....

THE FIRST OF MANY TIMES WHEN STRANGERS 

WOULD TAKE PHOTOS OF LILLY...CUTE YET STRANGE

 I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TRAIN?

 SO FUN!

WE MADE IT!  I THINK DELIA WAS 

MORE EXCITED THAN US ALL!

 MICKEY SURFED UP AND DOWN 

ON THE WHALE'S BLOWHOLE! SO FUN!

 THE PARK WAS GETTING READY FOR HALLOWEEN!

 FIRST STOP..JUNGLE CRUISE!

TARZAN'S HOUSE!

TIME FOR THE GRIZZLY GULCH ROLLER COASTER!

 

 TOY STORY LAND!  SO FUN!

 THIS IS EUNICE.  SHE WAS OUR PERSONAL TOUR GUIDE FOR THE DAY.  

EUNICE ESCORTED US TO THE FRONT OF ALL LINES.

WE LOVED EUNICE.  

(PERSONAL TOUR GUIDE FOR THE DAY...BEST MONEY SPENT ALL DAY)

 SLINKY!

 ARMY GUY PARACHUTE RIDE.  

 RC RACER!  CAN YOU SPOT US?

THIS GUY THOUGHT HE WOULD SNEAK UP ON LILLY...

SHE WAS NOT COOL WITH THIS

"I DO NOT LIKE GREEN PEOPLE"

LIKE I SAID...DELIA LOVED THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE!

HE LIVES IN MY TOY BASKET...

BYE WOODY...ON TO MORE FUN!

IT'S A CLASSIC! DUMBO RIDE!

WINNIE THE POOH

VRRRROOOOOOMMM

TEA CUPS!

WELL HELLO TINKERBELL!

LILLY IS FILLING HER IN ON HOW SHE TOO WILL BE
TINKERBELL FOR HALLOWEEN...WITH LIGHT UP WINGS

 PARADE TIME!

 WHY YES WE WILL PERFORM WITH YOU IN THE PARADE!

 EVEN CINDERELLA HANGS OUT AT HONG KONG DISNEY

 AFTER THE PARADE SOMEONE GOT A NEW DRESS...
(RAPUNZEL...HER FAVORITE RIGHT NOW)

 SHE SOON BECAME A CELEBRITY..
CAUSED QUITE A COMMOTION!

 WE COULDN'T GET FAR WITHOUT SOMEONE STOPPING TO 
TAKE A PHOTO..THERE WAS THIS LADY

 AND THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE

 AND THEM

 THESE PEOPLE AND A BABY

 AND THEN LUCK SHOULD HAVE IT THAT RAPUNZEL 
RAN INTO SNOW WHITE!  PRICELESS!

 OH THE CHAT THEY HAD!  JUST PRICELESS!
(I KNOW I KEEP SAYING THAT)

 NOONE WAS MISSING OUT ON A SNOW WHITE PHOTO OP!

SAYING GOOD-BYE IS NO FUN!
TIME FOR A CHARACTER DINNER THOUGH! 

DISNEY COMA

 I KNOW!  SHE IS MISSING OUT!

 A GREAT DINNER TO END A "MAGICAL" DAY!

DISNEY DELIRIUM ON TRAIN RIDE HOME..(HELP)

After our Disney trip we spent the rest of the weekend exploring Hong Kong. 

WE RODE A TRAM TO THE HIGHEST 
POINT IN HONG KONG, VICTORIA'S PEAK.

IT HAD AMAZING VIEWS OF THE CITY

NO MATTER WHERE IN THE WORLD WE ARE, 

LILLY HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT IT

WE HAD A DUMPLING LUNCH AT THE FAMOUS MAXIM'S PALACE..

 WAITING ON OUR TABLE...ONCE AGAIN LILLY SLEPT THRU A MEAL

 THE DUMPLINGS CAME AROUND ON LITTLE CARTS..I WILL JUST SAY THEY
WERE NOT THE DUMPLINGS WE ARE USED TO IN SINGAPORE...

 HMMMMM...KIDS DID OKAY TRYING THE DIFFERENT DUMPLINGS...
(THANK GOODNESS FOR RICE)

We had a great time taking the kids to the Night Market!  

It was walking distance from our hotel.  

Deric gave the kids each some money to spend and bargain with!

WE BOUGHT THE PAINTING THE MAN IS LOOKING AT!

RAIN CAME BUT DID NOT STOP OUR FUN!

BLAKE IS DOING SOME HARD CORE NEGOTIATING ON THIS
VERY AUTHENTIC MARC JACOBS PURSE..."WHAT IS YOUR
BEST PRICE?" I HEARD HER SAY...(DERIC JR) 

DERIC FOUND A BUDDHA FOR HIS DESK...
ONE COULD SAY IT SHOWS SOME OF THE EMOTIONS
 HE MAY FEEL THROUGHOUT THE WORK DAY

MISSING SINGAPORE ABOUT NOW...NO TAXI'S!

GRITTY WALK HOME AHEAD OF US

KIDS WERE IN AWE OF THIS GINORMOUS ELEVATOR IN OUR HOTEL!

OUR DAYS STARTED HERE..TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO 
BUY A TICKET TO THE MTR...

THE TRAINS WERE SO CRAZY CROWDED!  
MY CLAUSTROPHOBIA KICKED IN DAILY.
PEOPLE JUST KEPT SQUEEZING IN....

OUR LAST DAY WE TOOK A 
CABLE CAR RIDE TO SEE THE BIG BUDDHA!

AGGIES IN HONG KONG...IT WAS GAME DAY!

ALMOST THERE! BIG BUDDHA STRAIGHT AHEAD

ABOUT TO MAKE THE TREK UP

AGGIES AT THE BIG BUDDHA

THE BIG BUDDHA WAS BIG...AND HIGH UP, 
AND CLOSE TO THE SUN(PANT, PANT)

FUN AT THE GIFT SHOP

WHOOPS

LUNCH AT A SMALL ROAD SIDE STAND..

SHE'S A PRO

AFTER LUNCH AND THE BIG BUDDHA WE TOURED A 
SMALL FISHING VILLAGE!

CAN YOU SMELL IT NOW?

SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED TODAY?

TRAVELING HUSBAND IS HARD...

BUT JOINING HIM OCCASIONALLY IS GOOD!!

CHEERS FROM SINGAPORE AND GO AGGIES!!