Merry Christmas... Again!

This was all of us last night at a dinner the hotel put on for all its guests. There was singing and even Santa showed up. I will post him later... Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Well, since we are "stuck" in Manado for Christmas, I managed to find a Christmas tree and a few presents for the kids and Chris! Chris really likes his!! ;) Christmas blessings to all of you! We love and miss you lots!

Teddy's...

... 4th or 5th lamb chop and just as many steaks!!! Can we say bottomless pit!!! Merry Christmas Eve!!! :D

A Few Dive Pictures

Here are just a few.... Many more to come! :)

What To Do When Not Diving

We make ear muffs.... :) The kids have learned all sorts of tricks! And you thought we were just lazing around... No, it's an educational vacation! ;)

Kissing Coral

Yes, this is my leg! Boy does it burn! :( My leg hit some coral as I was getting in to the boat after snorkeling today. Ouch!

Ordering Pizza...

It just kills me that you can't order a personal sized pepperoni pizza at Pizza Hut... Sorry Miss we only have pepperoni in medium.... But you can order a cheese pizza with extra pepperoni! How crazy is that??? LOL :)

Lunch With Friends

Yesterday, a guy who works with Chris, came and picked us up from the hotel and drove us all around the Manado area. He took us to a restaurant by a fresh water lake. the food was good, the music was good and fun was had by all! :)

Flying Jesus

There is this huge statue, of what looks like Jesus flying, in the high hills of Manado. I think it actually is suppose to depict Jesus blessing the city of Manado. If anyone is in doubt, Manado has a huge population of Christians!

Time For A Cut

I guess too much vacation makes you hair grow fast! ;)

Teddy's Friend

This little guy was in Teddy's bathroom bag this morning... I think he would have given me a fright if he was in mine!!

Christmas Carols

Last night Teddy and Gabby joined in and sung Christmas carols with the staff at the hotel. The guy just started playing the music and Ted and Gab just started singing. It's actually a weird feeling singing Christmas songs on a tropical island with no snow! :). I don't think they sang "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." :D

Only 5 Bucks...

.... A bottle! I found this in a store in Manado. Maybe I will have to splurge and get one for Chris' Christmas stocking. ;). Shhh, don't tell him!

More Diving

Today we all went out diving. M and T, in their advanced divers course, chose to do photography. So we all got suited up and tried to get a family photo underwater. BUT to my sadness, the currant was way too strong for all of us to stay together. So Chris took this picture of the five of us in the water. (Yes, Mersades is in there... you just have to look for her legs!). We did get some cool underwater pics but they are on another camera. Those will come at a later time. Have a great day! :)

Dinner at the Hotel

Yep, just as the title says.... dinner at the hotel... all six of us! This is for mom... :)

Gavin Passed!!!

Gavin just finished taking his PADI certification test and passed!!! He is now certified to go diving with the rest of the family of divers. Below he is with his scuba instructor, Anwar. Great Job Gavin!!!

Dinner With Gav and Gab

While Chris, Mersades and Teddy were out on a night dive, I took Gavin and Gabs out for dinner. (It only took 3 times to take this picture!) Enjoy, Mom! :)

Breakfast Fruit

Hair Fruit and Manggese.
Hair fruit taste like green grape. Manggese taste like a green apple.

Lights off... Lights on...

This is the second time in as many days that the lights have gone off while we were at the "Mega Mall"! Good thing we were sitting down eating...

Diving in Manado

Here is just a quick update on our vacation in Manado. Mersades and Teddy are getting their "Advanced Divers" certification. Gavin is getting his PADI certification. Chris is taking the class with Gavin and Gabby and I just finished our "Bubbler" program. So now we are all officially "divers". but as is always the case, I did not get any pictures of me in my gear and since gabby was with me, she didn't get any pictures in her diving gear also. Oh well... next time... ;)

Where We Are...

I know, not much to see.... Hopefully more pictures to come... ;)

Only In Indonesia....

..... can a person take over the intercom, on an airplane, and make an announcement about a Christmas service, that will take place, in Manado! :)

Cute!

Last night on our way out of the restaurant, at the Rimba, we saw these three girls. I asked if I could take their picture... When I was done, I showed the girls the photo. I youngest one just started to giggle and giggle! Too cute!

A First For Me...

I had taken a picture of this sign when we first moved here... almost two years ago.... Yesterday, was the first time I saw why there is a need for this sign! Good thing I had my camera with me!!! :D

Oh Christmas Tree...

Our little beauty. Done decorating in ten minutes. You can't beat that! :)

Look What I Made!

I whipped these babies up this morning for my card playing friends! Aren't you impressed... mom and dad? ;) Mmm Mmm Good!!!

Peak-a-Boo, I See You!

This morning, the guys broke through the wall to where our new door will be! Progress... ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to share with you a bread basket that was made for our Thanksgiving dinner at the Lupe. We had dinner with a few of our dear friends in Tembag. The night was lots of fun. If you are reading this, I want to know we are thankful for each and everyone of you!! God's greatest blessings to all of you!

Missing a Door??

Obviously there are no extra doors in Tembag.... We had to steal one from another house for our closet.... :D

Halloween Photos

Just a quick post of some Halloween pictures... There is a big adult party the Friday before Halloween, and then one for the kids on Saturday. We all had a good time... epically my oxymoron.... my "Angel" :D "Daisy Duke" won a prize for her costume... mostly because of the hair! ;) I still have the touch from 20 years ago! :)

House Update!!!!!

STOP!!!  If you haven't read the post below, DO SO NOW before you read any further!



So the morning after I posted my last house update, life carried on as normal as it can here.  I got the kids to school, did my bahasa homework then went to bahasa class.  A friend of mine across town wanted a video, that we had, so I took it to her.  We had lunch and then I stayed at her house until I had to get the kids from school.

Around 2 o'clock, I made the comment that she had a great view of my "dual" colored roof!  We both just laughed and rolled our eyes!  So at 2:30 I left to go get the kids from school.  The Roof was still a "dual" color roof!

On Thursday's, I teach the kids volleyball after school.  When that was finished, we went to the Coffee Shop to have an early dinner.  Momma didn't have anything ready to do for dinner! 

After dinner, we took the 5 o'clock bus home.  When I got off the bus, much to my surprise, I now see a ONE color roof!!!  I was totally shocked!! On two issues.... 1.  The roof is all one color!! and 2.  The time it took to do it!  Remember I left my friends house at 2:30 and it was still a "dual" colored roof!!!  It was all finished in 2 1/2 hours!!!  I am going to make a wild guess that that was the fastest anything was or will be done on the house!!!

I guess the "Love Shack" title will have to wait....

But wait......... As I walk around the back of the house......  IT'S STILL A "DUAL" COLORED ROOF!!

Those boys sure didn't let me down! ;)  I have the "Love Shack" in the BACK!!

Hmmm, Now I wonder what the natives will think when they walk the trail behind the house??? :D

Still singing... "Love Shack, Baby Love Shack!",
Robin

Our "Love Shack"!

Sorry Q & R (my bro and his wife), you can no longer have dibs on the title of "Love Shack" for your house!  One, because you are moving into your new house.... And two, because our "Love Shack" is way more shacky than yours!!!

Check it out!! We have a "dual" colored roof!!!  What the heck??? 

Actually we knew we were going to have two colors on our roof because of issues..... BUT  they told us it was all going to be red in the front and green in the back!  I guess they didn't want to open another can of worms by taking the back red metal sheets off the back of the house!  Who knows what they would have found??? ;)

But now, to top off the "dual"colored roof.... Look what else they are putting on the house!!!

Yup, a DARK green for the gutters.... added with the LIGHT green that is already on the house.... (check them out in the picture above) Topped off with BROWNISH RED down spouts!!  I am going to take a wild guess and say they are going to paint the down spouts but I really don't want to make that BIG of an assumption!! :D

Here is what our roof looks like from the top of the street.....  Enjoy!!

Now if anyone wants to complain about their house, BRING IT ON!!! :D

As in Chris' favorite saying, "You just can't make this $h!t up"!!!  And my new motto is "You just have to laugh!  If not, you will go crazy!!" 

Love Shack, Baby Love Shack!!  That's where it's AT!!!
Robin

Slowly but ... (Update)

Well the house is coming along... I have been told it should be done.... BY CHRISTMAS! With this speed, I am glad I an not building a mansion! ;) Oh well... it will happen when it happens.... I am going to guess my cousins house (4000+ square feet) will be totally finished by the time this one room will be done! And I started before she did!!! Anyone feel my pain.... ;). JK (that's Just Kidding... mom! :D)

House Update

I know, moving right along... ;)

Look What Teddy Got!

Yup, Teddy is a Yellow Belt! He passed his test a couple of weeks ago. Good job Teddy! Way to stick with it! And just a little FYI... This class is all taught in Bahasa Indonesia!

Prize Winning Cake

There was a cake competition in town a couple of weeks ago...  I wasn't going to participate, because I thought a "professional" couldn't compete.... Also, would it be fair????  Well, everyone was begging for a "Bugaboo Cake", so I entered! .....And WON! ;)
I also have discovered I have an "Assistant" in training....Miss Mersades!  :)

Mersades and I both had a great time making the cake.  There are quite a few challenges to making a cake like this here in Tembag, but we conquered most of them!  We won Best Decorated, and Best Chocolate!!  I was very surprised at the best chocolate, but I really think it's the icing that everyone Loves!! :)  Oh well, what ever works... ;)
Enjoy,
Robin

Card Game In The Sky

Thought we would get a quick game of cards in before we landed in Cairns..... No, I did not win!! :(

Gabby's 8th Birthday

Well, let's see... What to do with another birthday??  House is too small to have kids over after school for a party... Too rainy in the afternoon... Another one at the covered park...  What to do, what to do???  I am really out of ideas and ambition to do another party! 

I know.....  Let's take the girls to the salon to get their nails and hair done, and then dress up for a "fancy" dinner at the Lupa Lelah!  Perfect!  Not too much work for mom, and the girls will love it!!  Now just to sell it to Gabby!

Well the idea was sold, BUT, we had to invite the boys from her class... No, not to the salon, but to the dinner.  Well how hard could that be??? (sigh)  I know boys, I actually have two!  But what the heck?  It's for the children.... or Gabby... :)

First off.... To the salon...

Gatot and Gabby... Gatot is one of my favorites to go to for a massage....  He even does hair! 
Hmmm, Does Gabby look happy???

 Two beauties done with hair.  Now waiting on nails...

Ok, at this point, I really should have caught on.... Gatot can do LONG hair, so he doesn't have a clue what to do with Gabby.  At least he went to find help!  I also should have recognized that Gabby was not having a good time!  How could I forget she HATES having her hair done!!!  When she cries every morning from brushing her OWN hair, how could she enjoy this???  Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part....

Ten minutes after I took this picture, one of the hair gals came and got me...  Gabby was CRYING!!!

Ok, STOP the tape!  Just forget Gabby's hair and get the rest of the girls done......

So now we are all dressed up and ready to meet the boys....  WOW, don't they look fantistic!!

Sitting down to eat...





Happy Birthday Gabby or Selamat Ulang Tahun!!

After all the tears were dried, the night turned out to be lots of fun for Gabby!  And, I think all the other kids had fun dressing up and dining with their friends!!

And after all of that, only ONE wine glass was broken!!  I would say that was a successful night!! :D

Until the next birthday,

Robin



70's Party

I have never played dress-up as an adult so much as we do here in Tembag!  The elevation must be getting to our heads, or just a bit of boredom... Who knows???  Oh well, this one was for a good cause!  The Paupan Education Foundation held a 70's party to help raise funds for... well you guessed it.... Paupan Education!  Thanks goodness my parents had these costumes laying around the lodge this summer... 
So I packed them up, and waited for this night to happen!  I totally couldn't contain my excitement on having to put these "Oh so comfortable polyester clothes" on!  I must say Chris was a good sport, and played the role to a tee! Scary!!!  And my bestie... Michelle My Belle... joined in on the fun!  So without waiting any longer...  Here are the....

GLENHAM EAGLES of the 1970's!









Wow, we are a great looking team!! ;)

Here Chris is with a few friends...  I am telling you, Chris got into this role WAY TOO MUCH!

Michelle and me with Estelle.... Estelle is the hottest babe in Tembag! :D

"Ellie Mae" with Michelle and me.  She is a HOOT!

"Is it real??? Is it real????"  That was the second most common statement of the night for Chris. 

The #1 most common statement was, "That is just WRONG!" And no, they were not talking about his face....  I am sure it had to do with how SHORT his SHORTS were!!

YIKES!!!

Go Team Glemham!!

Over all, we had a very fun night.  There were some great outfits, and male facial hair!  I still remember when my dad cut off his sideburns....

Have a great day everyone!

Robin