Past Birthdays

Ryan pulled out these old pictures, after being inspired by the old ones of me that Krista posted on her blog. I think Ryan mostly got a kick out of my old glasses (gag - thank goodness for LASIK!)

The first two are from my 30th birthday, Nov. 1988. Krista was 5 1/2 years old - and note the bunny ears I'm giving to my innocent little 4-year old, Erika. Incidentally, I spent the night at the hospital with 7-month old David. He was sick with croup and couldn't breathe. We had him on some breathing machine, where he spent most of the night. It was miserable for him. Poor little guy. I think the picture from my birthday that Krista has on her blog is from my 32nd or 33rd birthday (maybe 34?). We were in Price then - so 1990 or later.

The third one was taken in about 1988 - 29 years old. I'm holding David. I think Ryan chose this one as he was laughing at my glasses and my tie. Hey, that was cool back then (maybe not so much the glasses...)!

Disneyland: Mickey and Me!

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse. He turned 80 the same day I turned 50. So what better way to celebrate? Arvid and I went to Disneyland where I wished Mickey a Happy Birthday. He gave me a big hug. Then when I said it was my birthday too, he proceeded to conduct the singing while I sang to the two of us. He gave me another big hug and kiss. Minnie, too. It was really fun. In the 2nd picture, both Mickey and Minnie are kissing my cheeks with their noses - it's hard to tell.

We then caught the Lion King Show, visited Tarzan's Treehouse and watched fireworks. We got there late, but bought annual passes, so we'll go back and visit other features another time. (We were also there a week ago, so got lots of rides and things in then, too.)

Kelly's 50th!

On November 18, I turned 50 years old! What a great 50 years it's been, too. I woke up to find 50 balloon, all numbered crowding the floors - flying around from the air conditioner blowing them.

All day long I'd go by a balloon, look at the number and remember something that happened when I was that age. It was SOOO fun. That was Ryan's doing and I loved it! In the evening we had a family party, complete with the Famous Lilly Chocolate Cake (what else?). I got "Enchanted" and "Mamma Mia" DVDs and an ipod stereo/radio alarm clock. Fun!

David update

David is serving his mission in Taiwan and is currently in the city of Gangshan. He is doing extremely well. He is a leader of several of the missionaries around him. He is humble, learning to really serve others and is doing so well all around. Attached are 2 pictures with him in them! We haven't gotten many of those. I'm also attaching another of his companion, Elder Shane Tisdale. I include it so you can note his living conditions, which are pretty good. You'll notice the "hole" in the wall, which is where an air conditioner unit could be. They don't have one and the window is open. So it's hot. They have about the same weather we have. When it stays in the upper 80's with about 80% humidity, it's pretty uncomfortable - thus they have shiny faces! But really, they look like they have really good living conditions.

And he has grown and changed - really mature. He says things like:

"We should not be teaching and testifying with our own words and then using the scriptures to back up what we say. It should be the other way around. 'The scriptures bring power and authority to your teaching, even in areas without a Christian background.' (from the missionary handbook, Preach My Gospel) "

We are very happy for him and really pleased with his progress. He finishes his mission in July, so is really making the most of his remaining months.

Fall 2008

I'm not sure the season can really be called "Fall" as we had the warmest (about 90 degrees) October on record (in over 100 years) but, nonetheless, it IS autumn. Here are some photos of our Halloween celebrations. We start by visiting the 9th floor.  This family really went all out. There were screaming witches, shrieking banshees, moving hands, blinking red eyes, etc. It was almost too much. But it was VERY Halloween-y. And very dark. I didn't really know what I was aiming my camera at, but my trusty flash captured it all. 

Then I took pictures of our entryway. Ryan thought our neighbors, who share the floor with us, were "fun" because they decorated, so we joined in. Corey, the woman who lives there, dressed as a witch, as I did. And at one point, 5 little girl witches all came to the doors at once, so we took a picture of all 7 of us witches. Fun! We even had some scary music downloaded and playing on our stereo. 

Ryan dressed in a large green sombrero and a big handlebar mustache. He looked very cool and I didn't get a picture! When he returned from the party he attended, the 'stache was gone. It fell and got stuck on the bottom of a girl's shoes and he refused to wear it after that. Imagine! 

Summer 2008

This summer we went first to Washington DC where we did physicals, etc. for our extension of time in Hong Kong - 2 more years here...

While in DC, we got to spend time with Krista's family. You should check out her blogspot:

tklundell.blogspot.com

We then spent a week on a beach in Florida for the Lilly family reunion (Kelly's family). The 4 Lilly kids, our spouses, all our kids (except for 3 of mine - I'll get to that) and our mom got together for our mom's 75 birthday. It was the first time we sibs and our kids had seen each other in 4 years! We had a fabulous time!!! 

Of my kids, only my oldest, Krista (and her hubby Travis and daughters Kate and Brooklyn) and my youngest, Ryan, were able to go. Erika was due to deliver her first baby, David is on his mission in Taiwan, and Scott had just started summer school at BYU and HAD to attend classes. So they missed out and everyone really missed each of them.

After Florida, we flew back to the DC area and stayed at Krista's house in Maryland for a few days. I had such a fun time playing Grandmother, that I REALLY didn't want to leave. I had no idea it would be so fun. Kate and Brooklyn are so fun and so cute!!! Then we flew to Colorado. Ryan and I stayed a week there with my mom and Arvid spent only a day. He then flew up to North Dakota to spend time with his family.  He got to see almost all of his brothers and sisters and their families - and there are a LOT of them! I would have loved to go with him, but had such a limited amount of time to spend one-on-one with my mom, so...   I just love being with Arvid's family.

Ryan and I flew to Utah on July 14 to spend a week with Erika and Sterling before she delivered. Luckily we got there that night. After spending July 15 with her, that night she went into labor. Cami Lilly Fenwick was born in the early morning of July 16, 2008. She is a little doll. Included is a picture I took of her in her car seat coming home from the hospital at 1 day old. She is so  beautiful! 

I was lucky enough to be able to be with them for Cami's first 5 weeks - starting at day 1!!!  The next milestone will be for Krista and Erika to see each other and meet each other's new babies. 

Please feel free to check out Erika's blogspot occasionally for newer pictures of Cami:

sefenwick.blogspot.com

The remainder of the summer we spent in Utah.  The guys all stayed pretty busy and I held Cami. That's about it. Scott is enjoying BYU so far, but is finding Physics tough! Several of his friends from Hong Kong are there with him, so he's having fun. Scott works at the Cougareat at BYU - a popular food court. He's at Teryaki Stix.

My mom came to Utah in August to see us one more time and to meet Cami. One of the pictures is a 4-generation with Erika, Cami, Peggy and Kelly.

Ryan started 11th grade in August. The picture of him with his backpack represents his first day of school - a traditional picture I take every year. However, I was still in Utah on his first day, so this is about a week later. 

More to come!!!

Summer at the beach

Here are a few pictures from the beach in Florida! What a fabulous vacation we had with my family. My siblings all have younger children than mine. The oldest four cousins (girls) are very close to Ryan's age - all teens. So he had a bevy of beauties surrounding him (see the 6th picture).

We four siblings are Karen, Kelly, Karla and Kevin. The first picture is us 4 plus our mom. Next is our mom and our spouses.

Then we've got the entire group together. After that is a picture of the giant sandcastle we built. We had a professional sandcastle builder hired to show us the intricacies of building. We all had a hand in it. This was to celebrate the youngest cousin, Morgan Lilly's 8th birthday.

The pyramid features all the cousins (all except for my 3 middle children).

I'm including the family pictures of us four siblings: the Teeter's family (Karen), Carlson's (Kelly), Pavich's (Karla), and Lilly's (Kevin).

Reminder of names: Karen & Dan - Blaire, Barrett and Brendan

Kelly & Arvid - Krista (Travis, Kate, Brooklyn) and Ryan. Missing are Erika (Sterling, Cami), David and Scott

Karla & Todd - Sara and Samantha

Kevin & Demetra - Alex, Stephanie and Morgan

 

Kelly's new look

So I went into an upscale hair salon in downtown Hong Kong to get a trim. Only a trim. But this Italian woman got so excited about the long mess I had and wanted to shape it up a little. She suggested a little fringe (bangs) and a tiny bit of layering around my face. I said okay. What she described and what she did were vastly different to me.

The first week, all I could do was gel it and "mess it up". I got LOTS of positive comments about that 'do, but it felt a little too young and funky for me. Now I've been trying to tame it a bit and this is what I get - sans gel. I have yet to decide if I keep it or grow it out. Arvid likes it more tame, but most of my friends like the young, cool, hip, gelled version. I'm in between.

By the way, I'm having trouble uploading the picture, so you'll have to use your imagination until I succeed.

Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

We moved into a new apartment as our old one, US government owned, will soon be undergoing some major renovations. We are "officially" on the 11th floor (more like 15th as we're above all the parking floors and entry floors) so we have a great view. There are lots of amenities. 

I have included 3 pictures of our view - looking straight out, to the left and to the right. It's fabulous!  I also included the living room (tiny and crowded with our stuff, but nice) and the spacious, if not long and skinny, kitchen.

If you want to see our floor plan and examples of the apartments, go to: www.therepulsebay.com/apartments/rbaa_floorplan.html

Hong Kong sites

The Church Administration Building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 118 Gloucester Road in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. This is where we go to church!


On the top of Victoria Peak overlooking the HK skyline. It's not the greatest picture, but you get the general idea. Here, we're with the Galke's. This was during Arvid's medical conference held here in October.



At 10,000 Buddha Monument. There are actually around 12,000 or so. Here are at least 8 of them - including a female one!






Grandma Peggy in Bird Market Heaven!


















Now she sits in our kitchen perusing the guidebooks to see if there is anything she missed. (I don't think so!)







Peggy and Kelly shop on Fa Yeun Street. Maybe you'll get a sneak peek at your Christmas presents for next year...






This is a view out our living room window. What you don't see if the view to the left - of the South China Sea and the amusement park, Ocean Park - and to the right - Victoria Peak.








Kelly and Peggy pose in front of the IFC2 - the tallest building in Hong Kong (for a little while longer...)










Arvid and Peggy in Hong Kong Park. They're on a path that leads them directly under a waterfall. It's beautiful there!









Hiking on one of the hundreds of trails in the area. This one is in the New Territories. Now don't you want to come visit???