The Unexpected

I was getting ready to type this post when I looked down at my keyboard and saw this tiny little inch worm. It seriously was "inching" across the keyboard! I don't think that I have ever seen anything like it before. I scooped him up on an envelope and told Kenton to take him outside. He just came back in and said, "Don't worry, Mom! I put him where it was safe and dry!" I can't say that I was worried - I just wanted him out of MY house:)

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Speaking of dry it's been raining A LOT this past week. I read online where March is the end of the North East Monsoon season and generally is when the rain picks up again before becoming drier through the "summer" months.

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"North-East Monsoon Season - December to early March

Northeast winds prevail, sometimes reaching 20 km/h. Cloudy conditions in December and January with frequent afternoon showers. Spells of widespread moderate to heavy rain occur lasting from 1 to 3 days at a stretch. Relatively drier in February till early March. Also generally windy with wind speeds sometimes reaching 30 to 40 km/h in the months of January and February." www.app.nea.gov.sg

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I don't mind the rain so much as it's made for cooler days around here - the average high has been low 90's and today the highest temp recorded has been 82 degrees. When I went to pick the twins up from school there was a cool breeze blowing and a smell of cut grass was wafting on the breeze. It reminded me of Spring back home and made me lonesome for my tulips! I know that they are poking up through the ground right now - and the rabbits have probably gotten to them as I doubt our renters would know to put blood meal around them.

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Ryan was in Thailand last week (in Phuket) and this week is in Australia along the "Gold Coast" area. He's been presenting to different groups within the company and has started visiting with customers. His first Six Sigma class starts up the third week of March and that will be here in Singapore.

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Apparently the previous tenant didn't pay all his bills! We keep getting ominous looking envelopes in the mail that we suspect may be from bill collectors that are addressed to the same guy. Ryan said that a few weeks ago a bill collector showed up on our door step looking for him - Yikes! One day in the mail we received mail for THREE different families who must have lived here in the past. I don't know how the mail works here in Singapore - if people don't notify the PO of change of address or if they are not efficient at forwarding mail.

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I had the first of four scrapbooking classes last night with five other women. It was fun and I'm feeling motivated to start turning out pages - too bad my scrapbooking "things" are sitting exactly where I left them by the front door when I arrived home last night!

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Kaitlyn likes to roam around the house listening to "her" music and singing.
Twins doing their homework yesterday on the couch. They usually have reading to do and Kenton has spelling words once a week that he needs to correct.

I've joined the ranks (Mom, don't read this)

Yep. I joined in the insane practice of walking when it's lightening out with an umbrella. Now, mind you, I had no other choice - but that didn't lessen the insaneness of it. I've been casually observing this practice from my window thinking, "NO way!" "Why would anyone with a brain hold onto a metal umbrella out in the open when it's lightening out!" Well, let me tell you I spent about 2 minutes on the phone to Ryan asking him to pray for me and about 15 minutes dashing from shelter to shelter praying hard that God would keep us safe! And I'm here to say that he did. And I hope that I never have to do that again!!

School Update

I'm happy to report that both twins are doing well so far with school. They both slipped into the new routine and school without any trouble and told me ALL about it when they arrived home today! There was a moment of brief panic when I realized that I didn't know exactly where they were to be dropped off and I saw buses flying by EVERYwhere. I learned that is what the helper on the bus is for...she spotted me standing on a corner looking around frantically and brought the twins safely to me:) We made it inside right before a Singapore Soaker hit!! (Complete with lightening and thunder:)

$6/lb???

Today was a crazy busy day so I apologize that I didn't get anyone called! I did try to catch up on a few e-mails while you were all sleeping but only had so much time - sorry if I haven't gotten to yours yet! For those who keep asking about our home phone - I fried our router and we haven't had time to figure out how to get a new one...Sorry!

We started off the day going to the Hong Kong Bank of Singapore to set up our accounts. We were able to take a bus straight there but had trouble getting a bus back. After we walked to the second bus stop and were looking at a map a nice man asked if we needed help and pointed out that we were only about a 5 minute walk back to our apartment! It was a nice walk and the good thing is that Kaitlyn and Ethan were ready for naps when we got back. True to form, since he was 2 years old, Kenton continues to resist naps even when he's falling asleep on his feet!! I was able to get in a short nap before a storm woke up Ethan and sent Kenton running into my room. It rained most of last night and quite a bit during the day today. We experienced our first thunderstorm but it was kind of a dud compared to the Midwestern whoppers! The twins think that it's so much fun to use umbrellas - we'll see if they still feel that way when we leave here:)

Later in the afternoon I made a trip to Cold Storage - the local grocery store that caters (kind of) to expats. I think that they cater more towards Europeans as there are more of them here than us. I was able to find an El Paso taco kit - and paid $6 US a pound for ground beef!! It was from Australia but it still tastes Asian. Thankfully the taco box told me exactly how much meat was needed - 500 Grams - or I wouldn't have had a clue what to tell the lady behind the meat counter what I needed! El Paso tacos here also come from Australia - isn't that a US brand? I noticed that Coca Cola is made in Singapore and Kellogg's cereal is made somewhere in Asia as well. That explains why it tastes different even though it looks the same:) I suppose we'll get used to it and come back to the US and think everything there tastes different. I'm compiling quite the list of things that I'm going to stock up during our next trip home. Or maybe someone who is coming to visit will be kind enough to bring some in their suitcase:)

We ended our day with more apartment shopping. We viewed two that are within walking distance of the Singapore American School - both were quite nice. We also went back through two - one from yesterday and one from Saturday that we also think will work. We're narrowing it down and will hopefully have come to a decision by morning! We are working on a list of pros and cons...

Anyway, I'd better post this before it gets much longer! I'm heading to bed as we've been having early mornings with the kiddos. That won't change as the bus is picking them up next week at 6:45am!!! I think that's crazy early for Kindergartners but there really isn't any other way to get them there - thankfully it's only until February when we can move into our new home.

AHHH!! Cooler weather:)

Finally it's a little cooler outside! It was starting to feel like we'd already moved to Singapore and weren't going to get to enjoy fall this year. We have wonderful temps in the 70's this week which feels nice...time to head to the pumpkin farm with the kids this weekend:) They have been begging to go and pick out a pumpkin to carve with Ryan. Guess this is going to be a short post - Ethan has a little friend here and they are both begging for attention!