Are you for real?

Because I know that's what you're going to say when I tell you what we've started doing.

Eden is officially a cloth-diapered baby. I know, you all really look forward to babysitting now, right?

But this isn't your momma's cloth diaper folks. This is the bumGenius! 3.0 version of a cloth diaper...a revolutionary product that is saving the environment and your pocket book all in one awesome and fun product. (ok, commercial over)

Here's Eden sporting her new lime green bootie...

I realize you all think we've gone and built a straw house, bought a Subaru, started exclusively wearing Patagonia, and got all hippie-fied...but before you get all judgy on me let us explain our rationale. (and I do say US because Brandon is stoked about it too) When we broke out our dusty calculator and did the math on how much we'd spend on diapers and wipes over the next few years (here's hoping Eden's potty trained by the time she's two) we figure we're going to save roughly about $800. And that's starting late. If we had started as soon as Eden was born we would've saved a total of approx $1200. sheeeesh! On stuff she just poops and pees on. I felt like I should just start taping a bunch of cash around her bootie to soak up her pee because that's what it felt like I was doing anyways! SO, we made the plunge and Eden now has microfiber fleece strapped around her and it's way more comfy for her and our wallet. We're projecting to break even before we even leave Chiner! Plus they come in way cool colors. We chose to stick with green and blue (although she'd look soooo cute in a pink one!) because we can rationalize putting her in those colors but can't come to grips with possibly putting a future son in pink...because they'll last that long too!
So look out Gramma & BonBon, when Eden comes for a visit your washing machine is going to get a workout! :)

Recap - The Journey Home

Any time we travel to or from Thailand we always stop through Hong Kong. Sometimes it's just a quick layover in the airport...one of our favorite airports ever, so it's always a fun layover! And sometimes we stay a night or two in HK and then travel the rest of the way. But because it's the halfway point of any Thailand trip, Hong Kong has now become labeled as the "just ready to get there" city in our brains. It's an amazing city. Full of awesome restaurants, malls, parks, mountings, harbors, etc... A plethora of things to see. But on our way to Bangkok it's the "just ready to get to Thailand" city. And on our way back to China it's the "just ready to get home" city. And because of this, any time we spend there, regardless of the exciting things we see, we're usually exhausted from travel and ready to complete the rest of our journey.

So this last time there was no different. We decided to take a few days of vacation in HK. But any vacation where all you are doing is thinking about getting home, really doesn't feel like vacation. Hong Kong is unique in the sense that it technically is part of China, yet it has a very "non-chinese" feel to it. It feels completely different to us than mainland China. It feels like a different country. So even though we're in China when we're there...we're still just ready to get back to China...the China we know and call home. Every mall we walked through, every restaurant, every cute little shop, we really enjoyed. But after every outing, we'd just come back to our hotel room and *sigh "I'm just ready to get home."

After our two days of vacation in HK and a couple of weeks in Thailand, we finally flew back to the airport nearest our city. We landed, made it through customs (cuz flying to HK is an international flight...go figure) and I made a quick trip to the bathroom. As soon as I walked into the bathroom I let out a huge laugh.

At this:
I laughed for the obvious reason: it makes no sense. But mostly I laughed because this ridiculous sign has come to mean so much to me. I see it everytime I visit that airport bathroom. And every time I always think to myself that I HAVE to remember to take a picture of it. (yay! finally did!) And when I walked in there this time, it suddenly hit me that this stupid unintelligible sign, has come to represent a sign of me feeling at home here in China. A wave of relief came over me when I saw it because it meant that I was back...back home. I'm at home in a country that doesn't use my native language correctly. weird.

To try to explain the sign... well there's no good explanation...because it doesn't make sense. It's pointing towards a big roll of toilet paper on the wall. The one where you are supposed to go over and get however much you need before entering the stall. (the world's worst idea, if you ask me) And somehow you're supposed to protect the environment with this toiliet paper. And oh yes, save bumf. I have no idea what Bumf is. But I'm doing my best to save it. Using English (supposedly) on products, signs, packaging, etc...is supposed to add credibility. I think they missed the mark with this one. But that's why in China you see people walking around with t-shirts that say Adibas. (that and because bootlegging is rampant)

annnyyywaaayyyyssss

The rest of my bathroom story, though maybe not as funny, is typical for bathrooms here. Though it still has the tendancy to make me feel a little less at home here. As I walked further into the restroom I walked in to an empty stall, only to discover that it wasn't so empty. The woman sitting just beyond the curtain in the First Class section of our flight was doing her business in an open stall. Not caring to give herself (or me for that matter) a little privacy.

So there you have it. I now currently reside, and feel at home in a country with "Enplish" signs and classy non-stall-shutting women.

Recap---A Video

I hope you find this video as amusing as we did...after we got off the plane anyways! You may have to turn up the sound a little bit...

Recap Part 2

On with the story (read previous post to catch up)...

We attended meetings for about 2 weeks with some of our favorite people in the whole world. It was an incredible time of renewal and refocusing for our remaining 3 months in China. (sheeesh! I can't believe it's gone so fast!) Eden was held by all of her adopted Aunts and Uncles and she loved each and every one of them! Before we left China, she showed signs of reluctance to tolerate even being looked at by anyone other than me and Brandon. But thankfully she got over that quickly! It was so neat to see her interact with people there because that's something she's done little of so far in China...it's just been way too cold to get out and we've had few people over since she's been born. But we got to see a whole new side of her personality...and trust me, she's such a people person!

I could post a million photos of her in the arms of people that love her so much...but, I guess I'll refrain for now. :)
Eden got to experience several new things...the swimming pool, the Andaman Ocean, and finally new English books to play with...told you she was brilliant!

We also had to endure ANOTHER shot day while we were there! Since Eden had gotten hers a few days before, she was safe from the doctors on the prowl there at our meetings! But Brandon and I weren't. Brandon got four updates on his immunizations and I got three. And if you know me at all...you might can guess what happened next. Yeah, I passed out. Not fun. Talk about freaking out all the already freaked out kids awaiting their turn at the nurse's station. And for some reason I handled my passing out spell a little worse this time...taking a full day to recover completely. I've been known to play a basketball game right after fainting, drive all the way across town right after fainting, and a number of other things...but this time it really did a number on me. But I'm fine now, just still disappointed that I haven't outgrown my fear of needles...or whatever it is. :)
We also got recognized at a very special baby dedication. It was so neat to take part in it!
Our wonderful friends also threw us a baby shower to celebrate Eden's birth. Thanks again everyone!!
And of course what post of ours would be complete without discussion of food? We ate lot of food. A lot of good food. A lot of American food. Brandon gained 9 pounds. haha! And we've been back in China three days, and he's already lost 6 of it. So you get an idea of how our "Asian Diet" works...splurge & starve. Well, ok just joking. But you get the jist. Could this be a foreshadowing of our impending weight gain upon our arrival in America?!

And that's a quick summary of our (hopefully not last!) trip to Thailand.

Recap

I'm blog overwhelmed with so much to post to catch you up! So our trip to Thailand will be coming to you in installments!
We left our freezing home a few weeks ago to fly south to blazing hot Thailand. Eden handles airports and airplanes really well for a four month old!

and then on to Bangkok...

Eden had a doctor's appointment with her pediatrician and got caught up on immunizations. Then we took a stroll around our favorite hospital in the world to visit the nursery workers that were so wonderful with her at birth.


We took several pictures in the garden at the hospital that overlooks a part of the Bangkok city skyline...something we should have done at her birth (woops)

We made the usual trip to Outback and then got ready to head to south Thailand...
more to come later this week...

(check our shutterfly link for more pics!)

ahhhh The Concrete Slab

Bangkok is a huge slab of concrete. But it's my favorite slab of concrete in the world. This city will forever have a special place in my heart.
We arrived here yesterday evening exhausted after a long day of travel with a 4 month old. But Eden did great on the flights and was a huge hit with most of the passengers due to her laid back personality.
As soon as we stepped out of the airport, the heat wave of Bangkok hit us straight in the face. We suddenly became aware of our long sleeves, jeans, and socks and shoes. Working up a sweat just waiting in line for a taxi, our minds wandered back to the freezing weather we left back home. As we drove from our home to the airport that morning, we crossed a bridge over a frozen lake with several men ice fishing. And now suddenly we were sweating.
As we pulled up to our hotel last night, the same hotel we stayed in for 2 months just 4 months ago, we remembered why we love this city so much. Thai people are amazingly friendly. Their "wai" and "Sawatdeekaaaaaa!" greeting will make even The Grinch smile. Thai women have an obsession with babies too, so every girl we pass does the, "ahhhh little baby!" coo and makes weird faces at Eden. After so many Chinese faces and so many Thai faces flirting with her all day, I wonder if she even knows that people with other hair colors exist.
And of course, Bangkok is the home to our most favorite hospital in the world, Eden's birthplace, Bumrungrad International Hospital. Which in essence, is the real reason this city holds such a special place in my heart.
Other factors include:
Fresh flowers and fountains on every street corner.
3 Amazing malls within walking distance of our hotel.
An Outback, Tony Roma's, Starbucks, Au Bon Pain, & our newest additions: AkBar (indian food) and Beirut (Lebanese food. duh) right around the corner.
Cars that look and feel like what I imagine the Indy 500 feels like.

I could go on and on. But in order to make this blog shorter...I won't.
We're here for a few weeks, which means our blog may go to the wayside for awhile. Hope you'll stick around as we hope to update again once we're back home.

Crispety Crunchety Peanut-Buttery

We've been to a lot of places.
We've handled a lot of money.
The Euro.
Hong Kong Dollar.
Canadian Dollar.
Australian Dollar.
Thai Baht.
Chinese Yuan.
Korean Won.
Indian Rupee.

But this past week a new currency was born in the Chancler household.

It all began one Monday morning when the post office ladies informed us that we had a package awaiting our eager little hands. Soon after we opened it, our eyes gleamed with excitement. My mom sent us four of the much coveted Butterfinger candy bars. Brandon immediately decided he was going to use at least one for making his own version of a "blizzard." I thought about eating one the way my sister eats them...first by licking all of the chocolate off and then chomping down on the crispety crunchety part. But we decided to wait a little while before indulging.

That evening was also another much anticipated event. Rachel C's Masterpiece Quesadillas. (I know, we talk about food a lot) It was going to be my first attempt at the cheesy folded goodness. And I worked hard...because I had a lot to live up to. First came the homemade tortillas, then the slicing of onions and bell peppers, then frying up in precious olive oil. I did it just as I'd been so carefully taught. I even whipped up some homemade guacamole with our frozen stash of avocados. I went all out.
And they turned out amazing...even if I do say so myself. There's no way they were better than the Mastermind herself :) but they were really good.


So on with the story.
Brandon eyed them carefully, his palate remembering back to the day we first tasted the Masterpiece Quesadilla. I could see on his face that he was questioning whether they'd really be Masterpiece quality or not. He slathered on some guacamole and two bites in he mumbled through a full bite, "Oh my gosh. Holy crap. I have a new favorite. And just for this, I'm paying you half of one of my Butterfingers."

And so the Chancler Butterfinger was born. And our economy thrived for several days as we went on a spending spree of Butterfingers. But it's as they say...All good things must come to an end. We spent our remaining Butterfinger last night after Brandon brought home two cups of McDonald's ice cream. We chopped up the last one (something I don't recommend doing to the currency you are currently using) and sprinkled it ever so carefully over the vanilla ice cream.


So we're butterfinger-broke now, but it was our favorite currency we've ever owned. The most fun kind. The edible kind.