Our Thanksgiving

Happy Sunday! We have had a busy few days here with Thanksgiving and both me and Kael being sick. Sadly I think that Husband J is coming down with a little something now. In my house growing up it wouldn't be Thanksgiving if someone wasn't sick. Just that time of year when the germs are all over the place. Luckily we were both well enough to make it out for Thanksgiving dinner. I was going to be really ambitious and attempt to make our dinner here at home but after scanning ALL the ( imported ) ingredients I would need for each dish I quickly decided it would be much more economical to find a great place that was offering a Thanksgiving meal. We settled on place downtown and all got gussied up and headed out for Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious and we all left happy and full. We had a cold snap going thru Shanghai which I kind of loved because it made it really feel like Thanksgiving me being from the Northeast and never really having too warm of a Thanksgiving. Last year really felt like we were majorly out of element on Thanksgiving and SO far from home. This year we felt at home just missing our families if that makes any sense at all.

After coming home from dinner the kids Elf " Eli " was waiting for them with Christmas PJs a new Christmas book and a note from Santa. To say the kids were thrilled is a understatement. On Saturday we woke up and headed to the Flower Market here. This happens to be one of my favorite places in Shanghai and Im ESPECIALLY in love with it during Christmas time. It is STUFFED to the brim with Christmas decorations, wrapping paper, ornament and real fresh Christmas Trees and wreath that make the whole place smell like Christmas wrapped in a bow. We picked out some wreaths to hang from the living room windows and got a couple more sets of lights for our tree. We spent the rest of the day decking the house out while listening to all of our favorite Christmas carols. The house is pretty much finished aside for a small tree we are going to let the kids decorate all by themselves. Saturday evening me and Husband J headed out to a friendsgiving hosted by some of our good American friends here. It was a fun night but I sure did miss consuming too much wine. Today Kael had his best little buddies Birthday party and me and Pippa have been super lazy laying around the house reading books and trolling on Pinterest. Overall it has been a excellent start to the Holiday season! Below are some pictures from our weekend! Hope you all have great week!

All dressed up for Thanksgiving dinner 

Finding Eli the Elf in Pippa's room. 

Pippa and Husband Jay enjoying the Flower market

Our tree! Going to add a couple more white ornaments and then it will be done! 

About to leave for our Friendsgiving

Kael likes for me to leave him a lipstick kiss before I go out so he can look in the mirror at it if he misses me. 

Kael super excited to be headed to a Birthday party

Hong Kong

This past weekend me and the kids headed to Hong Kong to meet up with Jay who was there all week for work meetings. I have flown in the US with the kids alone but I have never embarked on a international flight before. It is very intimidating to me - so many lines, so much paper work, keeping track of the passports, customs all while making sure the kids stay happy and meltdowns are avoided. I knew the time would come when I would have to travel with them internationally alone at some point so I thought a short trip to Hong Kong would be the perfect way to rip off the band -aid. While it wasnt the easiest adventure or the most fun we got thru it ( I only cried once just kidding not sure if teary eyed counts as full on crying ) and ended up having a great weekend with Dad exploring Hong Kong. We were supposed to visit Disneyland on this trip but poor Pippa came down with a bacterial infection in her throat so we didn't want to push her too hard. Happily the kids got to see it this past  spring so it wasn't too much of blow to the trip. 

Off they go old pros

Hong Kongs Skyline is one of the prettiest I have seen. There is something about a huge city being tucked into the mountain side right along the water that takes my breath away.

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We stayed at the Shangrila which was lovely the best part was their amazing crushed ice. All of my pregnancies I have craved ice and theirs was a perfect combination of soft but crunch ( I know weird preggo stuff )

Took the kids to the natural history museum

All of the malls had huge Christmas Trees which the kids loved

I shopped at the most darling baby store got me really excited for February

I also got to stop at my favorite bath store Lush which we don't have in Shanghai. Nothing makes me happier than a good book and warm bath at the end of the day

Kael living it up on the ferry

We tried out one of Gordon Ramsays restaurants called Bread Street Kitchen I had the macaroni and cheese and quinoa salad both of them were delicious

November Book Club

Happy Hump Day! Was a little rough getting started today after the Halloween festivities this weekend but we are off and running with another week here in Shanghai. One of my favorite things to do in my free time is dive into a really great book. I find it especially soothing when I am going thru a stressful or sad time. To me it is like a tiny escape from reality. I thought it would be fun if we did a little monthly book club where I pick and book and then review it at the start of each month. It is perfect timing since we are right at the start of November. I recently just finished After You the sequel to Me Before You ( one of my favorite books EVER ) and was so so so disappointed in the sequel. I almost wish they had just left good enough alone and not written one it was that bad in my opinion. Im not even going to review the book because honestly the plot lacked so much I can even go back into it again ( Im not bitter at all ) So here is hoping that the next book on my bedside table is much more pleasing. I am going to give The Luckiest Girl Alive a go because I have heard many many rave reviews.

In other news I have started preparing the babies nursery! It is SO much harder here to create the nursery I am envisioning well basically because I am in China and all of their import and export rules are super strict and getting stuff in has to go through clearance process and I usually have to show my passport and visa so each item. A major process and headache but it doesn't have me discouraged just have to plan further out and take many many patience pills. I am currently waiting on a rug I have been eyeing for a while should be here within the next week, can't wait to share it with you guys! 

Happy Halloween!!

Hellllooooooooo... its been well a very long time. So much has gone on since the last time I have updated this blog. I was sitting looking thru pictures the other day and thinking about how wild of a ride this move to Shanghai had been and felt total regret that I have not been documenting this fleeting time at all aside from my instagram posts which dont really go into much detail about the ins and outs of our days. So first things first I am expecting another baby a little girl to be exact. I am due at the end of February and we are all very excited for her to arrive and complete our family. We are working on a name and I am creating my last nursery all while living in good ole China. Last night was Halloween and it was hands down the best Halloween we have had with the kids ( and maybe not with the kids ) I kept hearing all year about a huge Halloween party that my friend Emma puts on for our whole neighborhood on her front lawn and wow was all the hype true. It was filled with halloween lights hanging from all the trees  strobe lights, pumpkins, tomb stones, skeletons hanging from trees a projector streaming the Monsters movie on the garage door and tons and tons of food and desserts. All the kids ran around playing while the adult drank and ate and at the end we gathered the kids and we all ran door to door trick or treating. It was honestly like out of a movie me and Husband J kept looking at each other with such surprise and happiness. Kael and Pippa had a blast and they fell asleep as soon as their littles heads hit the pillow. It was a night to remember and will have us even MORE excited for Halloween next year when we will have 3 little pumpkins in tow.

Z

Phuket Thailand 2015

Hi guys. Im awful at keeping up with this blog. It kills me I am sorry. Here are some pictures from our most recent trip to Thailand. I knew that moving to China was going to come with a bunch of lows and also some pretty incredible highs. This trip for sure was one of the highs. I have never been one to lust after traveling but I think this winter along with multiple common colds, a persistent cough, a fever and the stomach bug I have also caught the " travel bug" . Thailand was the most beautiful place that I have ever seen on top of that the people and the food were amazing. If you are in the market to visit Thailand which I highly suggest we stayed at the JW Marriott and I don't have enough time to list all the amazing things about this resort it was comfort and happiness from top to bottom. Here are a couple of the many many pictures I took during our time there. Hope you guys enjoy!

This was our little seating area outside of our room, at night me and Jay would sit and listen to the ocean have a drink and marvel over the fact that we were in Thailand

This was our view from breakfast every morning and perfect way to start the day 

Went and spent some time with the elephants

Above their heads were a ton of monkeys

Took turns during nap time relaxing by the pool 

Went on a couple of bike rides 

Pippas hair got so gold and her skinned was so tan

Amazing covered bridge 

Delicious soup I had a bad cough the whole trip so this was just what the doctor ordered 

Got dunked under water 

Gorgeous Sunsets

Pippas first TUTU moment

Bye Bye Thailand until next time!!