1 week in Sydney

April 18, 2025

This year for Songkran, we enjoyed a fantastic week in Sydney, Australia! 🐨 🦘 🇦🇺 ☀️. The weather cooperated the whole time, and we basically spent the entire 7 days outside… except when we slept at night! We all enjoyed the fresh air, the cool breeze, the different birds, the funny trees. And (to quote Arlo), people spoke English! Sydney lived up to the hype, and we’d happily go back again!

Here we are! The time has come! (Not so) patiently waiting at the airport for our night flight to Sydney.

These two were really monkeying out in the Thai Lounge. They don't realize how lucky they are that they can get in for free still!

Arlo and his new face.

Wasting no time: plugging in and turning on Moana, before the flight was even finished boarding.

"Are we landing now?" "We haven't even left the gate yet, Lucy."

One down, less than an hour into the flight.

Prepping for beauty rest.

A bit of brekkie before landing.

We made it out, with our bags and everyone. Now for the train!

Checking the map...

... and enjoying the view from the upstairs of the double-decker train.

We made it to our neighborhood, and Arlo is very excited to see the giant ibis birds for the first time.

We're about 90 minutes too early to check into our AirBnB, so we're enjoying the local playground.

We're lucky to be stationed right next to such a nice playground.

Good climbing, Lucy!

May as well eat lunch while we wait: fries and gozleme, a distinctly Australian (Turkish) favorite.

This playground has great swings, in addition to a great slide.

It's a race!

It's 2pm, and we're allowed into our AirBnB!

And then we're off on a leisurely stroll toward the Opera House.

Beautiful, tree-lined streets.

I'd forgotten how very hilly Sydney is!!

Finger Wharf.

These two troopers are still in good spirits (and energy... and airplane clothes).

Cutting through the Art Gallery of NSW.

Encountering these giant pincushion cactuses at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens.

Arlo immediately started spotting, and collecting, all the "funny" things that fall from trees in Australia.

Peeling bark!

And Arlo's first look at cockatoos - the birds he would come to love.

This particular group of cockatoos (and ibises) were very comfortable around people.

Observing from a distance at first.

This one wanted to come get a closer look at Lucy.

Selfie with the cockatoo!

Now he's enjoying himself.

Catching on to how tame they are.

Hello handsome.

Lucy is less sure.

Feeding them grass by this point, I think.

Who needs a zoo when these funny birds are right here in the parks?

Another one on mum; must smell the spilled airplane food!

Wiping hands really well after that adventure.

Ginormous tree (so big and old, it's roped off).

These two were insisting on ice cream, so we stopped at the first gelato place we found. And it was the drippiest cone we've ever seen!

We made it! Try explaining to Arlo why this particular opera house is so famous.

It's end-of-day lighting at this point, but still not a bad sky!

There was a different cruise ship parked at Circular Quay every day.

From behind the Opera House.

Sydney Harbor Bridge! Arlo really wanted to do the bridge climb. You need to be 8 years old!

Heading home the way we came. The cones from the Banksia trees are particularly interesting.

Early evening over the CBD. (As we hike back up that staircase.)

Saturday morning breakfast, after a great sleep for everyone.

Heading by train to Redfern, and then onward to the Carriageworks Farmers Market.

It's a ~10 minute walk; good job walking, Arlo!

Here we are, at the site of a 19th century rail yard.

The Farmers' Market is a classic.

Arlo posing with some Lilies (his classmates!)

Lucy and I bought cherry tomatoes (what she's got in her cheek pouches), a giant bunch of kale, and beet roots. Dinner will be delish!

Stopping to enjoy the tomatoes.

A tiny inch work that crawled out of the kale is quite the source of entertainment!

Cold pressed juices before heading on our way.

Heading by foot to Darling Harbor.

(Real) Birds of Paradise were all over.

Here we are! We've read about a wonderful children's play area here....

... and even the fountains leading up to it were enticing.

This huge water play area did not disappoint!

They had all sorts of mechanisms to control the water flow.

Arlo was really into all the mechanical water devices.

Lucy, on the other hand, preferred to play in the dry area -- which was equally as expansive.

(For its size, this slide was deceptively slow. Wearing shorts probably didn't help.)

There's another water play area -- basically a giant wading fountain. Lucy daintily waded through.

Does she dare walk under the tunnel of water?

(Lucy's favorite pose throughout the trip.)

There she goes!

Yet another playground zone.

She was pretty fearless, climbing up all by herself.

Down the giant slide.

Here's a standing swing!

After lunch, Arlo found the giant wading fountain too, and went all-in!

Lucy's really thinking hard about what her brother is doing.

Still taking pains to stay dry.

Past the point of no return now.

Well, they enjoyed this!

With a new set of warm, dry clothes on, it's time to enjoy some snacks.

Cheese! What an amazing public park!

Popping into the Australia Museum on the way home.

First up are the birds of Australia.

The birds of Sydney -- nicely taxidermied and behind glass.

And an interactive dinosaur exhibit.

Two little paleontologists excavating for dino fossils.

In another interactive zone, checking out eels of Australia...

... and beetles.

Tracing, coloring, and cutting out feathers to attach to the big owl.

Sticking hers on, with the help of a staff member.

Photo with this taxidermied koala, in case we don't see any others this trip!

Their new favorite fruit: raspberries! They consumed one whole box every night!

Saturday movie night -- continues even in Australia.

It's Sunday morning, and so we're off to Bondi Beach!

Here we are! It's as picturesque (and hot!) as ever!

The Sydney surfers are out in full force.

Arlo really wanted to jump the waves; who were we to say no.

But the waves here were much larger and much stronger than Rayong waves! So no going in past the ankles.

So much fun! Could stay all day.

Jump shot!

Meanwhile, Lucy was not into the waves at all.

She preferred to stay back behind the rocks.

Looking for shells (they were sparse). We did find a lovely piece of sea glass.

No water in the Bondi Icebergs pool today; too bad!

Heading off on the coastal walk; Arlo's showing off his sea glass (which, ultimately, got lost again).

So warm!

Last time we were here, we saw dolphins; not so today, but it's still breathtakingly beautiful!

Arlo felt like he was on the moon.

Watching the waves and the surfers.

Stopping for ice cream and some shade at Tamarama Beach.

We made it to Bronte Beach! I think that's as far as we'll get today.

Then we headed to Centennial Park (kind of like the High Park of Sydney)...

...for the The Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden.

It had a different, forest vibe (vs. the play area we'd gone to the day before).

Lucy climbing up through the bamboo, to to the top of a giant slide.

Mum's pants made the slide especially fast!

It's definitely a less refined way to play.

And back at our home stomping ground.

An evening hello to the local ibises.

It's Monday morning, and we're heading west: to Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park, about 45 min west of central Sydney.

This place features only Australian wildlife.

You can get up close with the Wallabies and Kangaroos (if they're up for it).

Lucy really liked this.

A mama and her joey.

I think they were all pretty full though, since everyone was feeding them.

Next up: the koalas!

This guy was alert, awake, and making his way up to a comfier spot in the tree.

Selfie with this sleeping beauty.

Measuring up.

(It's the 14th; this is Arlo's tree photo for the month!)

Saying hi to the local penguins.

And seeing echidnas for the first time.

A tasmanian devil...

... and the dangerous cassowary.

More roos, sleeping on a hot afternoon.

Saying hi to a goose...

... who seems content eating the kangaroo food.

Collecting stamps as we visit the different animals.

This guy's really into snakes these days, too.

Tree kangaroo.

And watching lunchtime for the crocodile.

Hanging out with the wallabies and roos one last time before heading back.

Bye bye, wombat!

Heading back to Sydney...

Arlo wanted to sit on the lower floor this time, to get a better view of the rails and underneath the platform.

... catching up on some sleep as we reach the city.

Late afternoon walk around Circular Quay, after getting back.

Great views from the west side!

Totally blocking his sister.

We were there to see these tiny tug boats pulling this giant cruise ship back out into the harbor.

Walking through The Rocks (which is very quiet on a Monday afternoon!)

Delicious and well-earned ice cream break before heading home.

Dinner time!

Trying a plum. (Verdict: not as good as raspberries.)

He took pen to paper, to draw about what he saw today.

View from our AirBnB on Tuesday morning.

Today's our day for meeting people!

First, we met our former neighbor from Ekkamai, P'Noo and her partner.

Checked out several of the fancy boats docked at the piers.

Look at the tall trees!

And this funny tree, whose branches grow straight up!

Waiting to catch the ferry from Double Bay back to Circular Quay.

Here we go, first time on the ferry!

Arlo decided he didn't like it, because he got splashed.

Classic views though!

Checking out the transit map.

Quick stop at Customs House, to see the cool 3D model of Sydney under the floors.

They got a kick out of this!

Next stop: a quick pop up to the BCG office...

... great views!...

... and a picnic lunch with a collague.

Look how small this tree made us!

Heading into the Art Gallery of NSW on the way home.

It would be a stretch to say that Arlo found it barely interesting.

But we did find Granny!

The saving grace was a fantastic children's library in the basement.

It had a fantastic reading area, and so many kids' books (Australian and International authors). Plus tables to draw.

These two would've happily stayed to read all afternoon.

But we had one more visit to make!

Ice Cream with Captain Ron!

High school classmates who found themselves in Sydney at the same time.

The skies opened up, but that didn't stop these two from playing.

Good thing those raincoats from Granny still "fit"!

It's Wednesday: our second-to-last full day here. And we're off to Watsons Bay.

The "Gap Bluff" is breathtaking!

Posing with the "Wreck of the Dunbar".

The landscapes (rockscapes) up here overlooking the ocean were moon-like.

The hairbrush-like banksia cones.

Having fun exploring the moon.

At the edge of the world!

Looking for teeny tiny treasures.

Arlo's very good at finding them!

See any whales?

Dramatic seascapes -- even more so thanks to the overcast skies.

Now heading north, toward the tip of the peninsula.

Stunning!

But you wouldn't want to be down there caught between the waves and the rocks!

Snack break!

(These salted almonds were a lifesaver!)

Beautiful views back toward downtown Sydney!

Continuing along the walking path.

It's a bit of an uphill scramble as we head toward Horny Lighthouse.

Checking out all the different fish, and the legal catch size.

A local granny out with her two grandsons offered to take photos for us -- and photos did she take!

Dancing on the edge of the world!

Almost at the lighthouse.

This is the light keeper's house!

And here we are! Hornby Lighthouse, with its fresh coat of paint.

Almost feels like the end of the world here.

Of course, the only other tourists at the lighthouse with us were Thai.

Great day for sailing!

Lunch back at Camp Cove Beach: a perfect little beach really.

And a cafe with a view!

The view is great, and the waves not too large or strong.

Lucy's totally comfortable in her undies; this country is made for her.

Playing with the muddy sand, since there really aren't waves to jump here.

Drawing the proverbial line in the sand.

Oh no! Arlo lost his feet!

Checking out this poor fish who washed up on the beach.

Would come back here!

Scenic views from Watsons Bay Beach...

... before hopping on a ferry back to Circular Quay. A surprisingly nice outing!

The wind at the front of the ferry was *intense*!

Even at the side of the ferry, no hair was safe.

But you can't beat the views of Sydney Harbor!

We thought we saw the Opera House seal on the way back in, so we went to check.

Yes! He's there today!

Wonder if it's the same seal from 2017?

Arlo was entertained.

Few more pics with the Opera House -- not sure if we'll be back here tomorrow.

New day, new cruise ship!

And then jumping on the light rail / tram to Chinatown.

Observing the rails as we go.

Souvenirs for Arlo and Lucy: check!

Meet Cockatoo and Koalee (replacement for poor Wawa).

They're happy!

Quick stroll through Chinatown on our way back.

Playing at the playground until sunset.

Dramatic view from our apartment.

Everyone pile in for bedtime stories!

Oh no, it's our last full day here!

Tree Kangaroo, living up to its name.

What's this? A wild turkey?

Getting up close to check it out.

More roos and wallabies here.

Why hello, Emu!

There were several koalas here too, of course.

One of which was awake and on the move.

Didn't realize I had birds on my head!

Piling in for the packed seal show! (I guess that's what you get during the Easter holidays!)

It was short and sweet. (The line might have been longer!)

Saying hi to Pak Boong and Taengmo, who hail from Thailand; and are about to be rehomed to another Australian zoo to join a larger herd of Asian Elephants.

Then, the free flight bird show -- with a view!

Watch your heads!

Arlo found it pretty fun!

Trying on the ears of a fennec fox.

And Arlo's perennial fave, the meerkat.

Lunch break! (Arlo & Lucy have sampled all the fries in Sydney by now.)

The snakes don't cease to entertain!

Interactive game of sorts... but it was here that we met one of the other Arlo's!

Why not try my hand(s) (and feet)?

Quokka quokka!

There was a nice playground in the kids' zoo area.

And again, Lucy didn't hesitate to jump right in.

But the main attraction was this water play area.

It started reasonably at first.

But things took a turn when Lucy decided it was better to be naked than get her clothes wet!

Good thing we're in Australia!!

(Does anyone belong to this girl?)

It was a long day, and we're heading back on our last ferry ride of the trip.

Good bye, Sydney Harbor bridge!

Good bye, bridge climbers!

Last ice cream of the trip!

Bye bye, Opera House!

Bye bye, Ibis!

Bye bye, Lorikeets!

It is a very fine Friday for our last morning in Sydney. A tease, really.

Outside our AirBnB for the last time.

A quick pop down to Beare Park.

Which is famous for its drinking fountain -- a historical landmark.

And one last play at the neighborhood playground, before heading to the airport.

Arlo and his new favorite bird.

Good bye, swing!

Seeing the fountain on for the first time! (I guess because we're early enough.)

And back to Sydney Kingsford Smith we go.

Arlo and Dad enjoyed fries and the McD play area...

... while Mum & Lucy enjoyed the lounge.

Posing with the "purple plane". (The only kind she wants to fly!)

Back on our A350, and back on go the headphones.

Get ready for the day flight!

The meals were decent, and they actually ate some.

And finally caught a bit of rest.

Bangkok Week 876

April 10, 2025

We celebrate Songkran at school; and then the kids start their 2-week school holiday. We swim, we bike, we transplant some papayas. And we get ready to head to Sydney on Thursday night!

Happy Songkran! (At school, anyway.)

Arlo has been waiting all year to use this bucket!

The day starts out respectfully enough.

Practicing filling his giant jug. (To help refill the water for the merit-making.)

Paying respect to Dad.

Lucy and her best friend from Arlo's class.

She wanted to bring the old peanut butter container, but then insisted we take it home with us.

Merit-making on Lucy's side.

Time to go home for the holiday break!

Actually, Arlo's dismissal is only an hour after Lucy's today. So we're just waiting on his side.

Running around with another girl from her class who has an older brother on this side, too.

Monkey Lucy is probably luring her friend into things she wouldn't otherwise do.

Backward sliding. Because why not.

Aww. It's only taken two whole terms, but Lucy is finally happy to be friends with Teacher Selly.

Really not sure what's going on here.

One day, Lucy will be sorry when her face gets stuck in this new favorite position.

Arlo's wearing his Moo Deng shirt for the first time.

Saturday (Holiday?) Special: Joke for breakfast.

Biking around the Moo Baan.

A statue at the entrance. I've never noticed it before!

And another statue!

Time to go to swimming!

Working on the never-ending Papaya Project.

Late afternoon bike ride...

... and football practice.

Lucy's taking an interest in ping pong, too.

What it would look like if Lucy were the taller one.

This is a photo by Lucy, of her brother.

Donut cheers!

Someone's dressing herself today.

Bubbles...

... and ice pops.

Two flowers about to bloom; but look closely and see so many more buds!

Dad and Lucy are off to a make-up swim, while Mum & Arlo head to Piano.

The biggest of the papayas is doing well!

Hmm! Here's who's making all the mess at the feeder.

Fast asleep in her nap. But we have fun places to go!

We're going cycling at Benjakitti Forest Park!

There's a beautiful, 2.5km bike loop around the perimeter of the park.

And it's Lucy's first time biking outside the Moo Baan.

Lucy's doing a super job!

Resting for water and shade.

Cruising around in a sun dress and Mum's shades; what a kool kat.

The playground is in much better shape than when we went over the New Years holiday.

The giant blue slide is now open!

And the obstacle course is still fun.

Mister Spider...

... of course, Lucy had to give it a try as well.

She made a very commendable attempt.

Even the swings are back now!

Observing the wildlife before we head home.

What a really very giant lotus leaf!

Bedtime is Peppa Pig time these days!

Excited for his new Uniqlo undies.

At long last, it's the dentist appointment that we should've had months ago.

And then waiting patiently for Arlo's flu vaccine.

Noodles for lunch!

And a swim in the neighborhood pool for the first time in a while.

Enjoying bananas.

Running slow-mo into the fan.

Watching a nature show on Apple TV.

Okay, better to sit down!

The two flowers are blooming!

And Operation Papaya clearly has another mission coming up -- once we return.

The aftermath of Lucy's top-knot.

Dad's being interviewed on live radio!

Testing the new second-hand stroller to make sure Arlo fits in it, before we bring it all the way to Sydney!

Enjoying the beautiful, multi-day blooms before we go.

And doing some light gardening to make sure that the papayas are set up for success while we're away: like transplanting this guy to a bigger pot.

Oh my! Look at all the roots!

Stay safe, stay healthy, papayas! See you in a week!

Bangkok Week 875

April 3, 2025

We begin this week with the biggest of surprises: the strongest earthquake to shake Bangkok in the memory of most (if not all) residents. And so, after keeping a low-key weekend, we roll into another high-energy, high-activity week at school, in the lead-up to the Songkran break.

For better or worse (better, as far as Lucy's concerned) we now have two forward-facing children!

Off to the office, via the new tower at the corner of Ekkamai and Sukhumvit, which is now open!

APAC Tower - glad they feel comfortable using the name!

Friday pickup at 1pm, with Dad only today.

Enjoying her new view.

Fast-forward to 1:25pm; this is no longer a normal Friday at the office!

49 flights of stairs later, meeting all of Bangkok on the sidewalks of Sukhumvit.

To say the city was gridlocked would be an understatement!

Back at home, Lucy and some neighbors busted out the chalk, since they had to be outside anyway.

Everyone's home and accounted for... so why not play some football?

And ride some bike on "solid" ground.

Very proud of her "pedal stand" (not kick stand).

She's getting good at making her "pedal stand" work!

Defiantly eating rich chocolate cookies in her undies for breakfast.

Excited to have broken the code in 3 moves.

Really getting into the foil crafting kit from India.

Showing off his creation.

Oh no! I think we have a problem on our hands. Look at all these new papayas!

No swimming for Lucy (and her runny nose) today, so we head out for ice cream instead. Because why not.

Arlo's favorite flavor - bubble gum.

Sigh. What a tough morning.

This dolphin is enjoying his lesson though. (Fueled by ice cream...)

Repotting the largest of the papayas, into the new pot we just bought from the back of a truck.

This is one way to defend your goal.

Mum might be one of the easiest people in town to score against.

Trying on our Songkran shirts to make sure they'll fit for one more year.

Arlo's got a rather bright red rudolph nose, thanks to a ball that Mum kicked in his face.

Up-close of the poor, crowded papayas.

It was a small piano class this week: only 3 students.

Meanwhile, Dad & Lucy took a tuk tuk to the peacock cafe.

Not a bad way to spend the morning.

And hey, the peacock even felt like showing off.

The cactus with a pink flower is blooming for the first time in almost a year.

Someone's decided to start making a wish list for his birthday.

Trying to capture "flying" before bath time.

A quick code breaker before bed.

Uh oh! It's another special themed week at school this week!

This time, it's "Len Duay Gan", or "Let's Play!"

In celebration of the upcoming Thai New Year, it's traditional games and activities all week!

A high swing for Lucy.

Someone saw flags on the face paint box, and decided she wanted them. Go Brazil!

Practicing both shooting and goal-keeping at once.

I almost thought Lucy had disappeared when I opened the door to her room!

Chickens at school? I wonder which grade they're in.

And traditional shadow puppet show.

And spinning tops.

Meanwhile, on Lucy's side, it was a full-on floating market!

Picking which sweet sugary snack she'd like at 9 o'clock in the morning.

Syrup ice!

And syrup popsicle!

Not a bad way to start the day, especially when the sugar's not my problem!

Afternoon fun: enjoying the leftover ice from the morning.

Water color painting.

Observing the cheeky squirrel, who is the most frequent customer at the bird feeder.

A new (old) collection of Lego for Arlo and Lucy!

Watch your feet!

Another enthusiastic morning.

Hippo hug!

Making floral arrangements.

Traditional Thai band. (Cover your ears.)

Two cute, matching "red heads".

Enthusiastically showing off the house he made with the new legos.

One last morning of pre-Songkran fun. Today, the kites are out.

And the (not so) air hockey.

They've garnered an audience!

And bamboo vehicles.

Arlo is very proud of his creations.

Time to go test them!

And on Lucy's side, we arrive just in time to play Thai duck duck goose.

After school on Thursday, packing up the chickens to send them "back to the farm."

Safe drive, chicken!

We moved several papayas last weekend, but somehow, the original container is still full!

Speaking of hippos, working nicely together on a new hippo activity book.

Good night! See you next week!

Bangkok Week 874

March 27, 2025

Despite renewed poor air quality, it’s another busy week! We visit a fun fair at another school; have Lucy’s closest classmates over for lunch; and learn that we can use Lucy’s new bed as a springboard to take flight!

A sleepy good morning from the new 3-year-old, who is "fast asleep" with her new sleeping bear.

For breakfast today, we have ice cream cake...

... and cupcakes!

Doing our part bringing in our recycling.

Special Friday treat: tuk tuk ride home!

Who's this? I thought I brought home a clean-faced girl!

Special Friday evening visit from Mum's colleague from India.

They brought this neat foil crafting kit, which was a big hit!

A quick stop at the playground.

And some photos of the children.

Two proper ladies.

Come again!

Lucy and her new bestie, sleeping in on Saturday morning.

Starting the day with a few games of Code Breaker...

... which then morphed into "busy fingers".

Rice congee for breakfast!

Off to swimming in style, with her bestie.

Meanwhile, Arlo helped dad do some shopping.

Excited by the frozen dry ice (mixed with water) from the day before.

Time to work on our cactuses.

Even this red guy is full of babies ripe for replanting!

Now it's Arlo's turn to swim.

Teamwork and frog kicks.

Waiting patiently for a tuk-tuk...

... and off we go (for what ended up being a very long, slow ride.)

We're at a fair / open house at a small new international school.

They have a nice playground.

And a good, fast slide.

Hidden monkey bars, for all the monkeys.

Lucy insisted on an ice cream. Too premium for her taste!

Like brother, like Lucy.

Swing with all your body!

More sliding fun!

After watching some other kids, Arlo finally figured out how to flip upside-down.

Taking the school shuttle back to the BTS; Lucy was so thrilled to have her own seat!

Passing a giant eye in EmQuartier, on the way up to the BTS platform.

Arlo was very intrigued!

Heading home: via BTS is much faster than tuk-tuk, we learned.

Swiping out with his very own, new student rabbit card.

And the tinal leg.

Despite the very long evening already, it's never too late for Saturday movie night!

Another lazy morning with bear.

Comparing her new "Lucy" book with her existing one.

Best way to warm up the brain is with a game of memory!

Reading up on the Peacock Mantis Shrimp over breakfast -- this guy packs a punch!

And it's the play date we've been waiting for (fearing) with Lucy's friends.

There were 3 K2s in the house as well, just to add to the excitement.

The air was not great, but it helped to get outside.

Lucy lost the plot a bit.

Meanwhile, upstairs, water play was in full swing.

To say it got wild is an understatement.

The last 4 standing.

And time for ice cream (which is actually cake, but not positioned as such).

And silence descends.

Lucy biked out to say good-bye to her friends.

Lucy got a few birthday gifts, despite it not being a birthday party.

Late afternoon cycle / run, admiring the size of the setting sun down the street.

Using her "pedal stand" again (her words, not ours).

"Orange for a nose, like the Snowman!"

Mr. Studious.

Oh no! These two finally figured out that the head board of Lucy's bed is a ladder!

And they're using it to flyyyyy!

The avo is doing well! Soon time to give it a chop!

Oh dear, look at Lucy sleeping so soundly.

She's realized that giant brown bear fits comfortably in this new bed.

Night night, giant brown bear!

Playing I Spy with a napkin over breakfast.

The air's been red for days; today it's just orange, so they can stay outside for a few minutes.

Lucy found these interesting "goggles" in the dress-up box at school.

Look! The flower bloomed on this cactus for the first time in a very long time!

More flying.

What's Lucy doing, you ask?

Consult her inspiration.

Two brown bears this morning!

The early birds get the new toys at school!

Biker gang!

Oh no! So many bugs on Mum's arms!

Special treat: home via tuk tuk, after Mum's office visit.

Drawing in his notebook, in this perfectly-sized wedge of space on the bed.

New 104-piece puzzle!

Special visitor trying to make its way into the kitchen.

Bear must sleep like Lucy.

Lucy's new forward-facing car seat in the red car.

She's a big fan!

And visiting the doctor for her 3-year check-up and flu shot.

Looking a little big for that tree now, Lucy!

Happy outdoor camper.

Someone is too into her face paint.

The new football goals that Dad ordered have arrived!

And we're now competing for space in the basketball court.

Doctor's visit meant no nap today; and someone is asleep before lights-out.

Bangkok Week 873

March 20, 2025

This week packs a punch! First and foremost, Happy Birthday to our (not-so) Little Lucy, who turns 3 this week! 🎂🎈🎉. It was a fun day full of balloons and special activities (even thought all she wanted was her cake at home.) Big brother Arlo also turned 5 1/2. And we (at least, Mum and Lucy) enjoyed Crazy Hair Day and Sports Day at school. I think we all need a rest now!

Here we go, it's crazy hair time!

Investing some extra time before getting out the door this morning.

The finished product on Lucy.

And Arlo's finished hair.

It's also "Crazy Science Day".

Lots of takes on the crazy hair.

The boys.

We got one group shot. Better than none!

Then, it's across the street for Sports Day at the nursery.

I'm not sure how compatible crazy hair day and sports day are going to be.

Warming up to represent the white team.

Standing on the shapes as they're called out.

Obstacle course race (obstacles optional, according to Lucy).

Lucy's at home with the parachute.

Parents' turn: piggy back race with the kids...

... and then parents' turn without the kids at all!

Participation medals for everyone. (Remember this medal.)

Well, the clothesline didn't fare so well, but that was to be expected.

Go Buttercups!

Back at home, here is our leading papaya.

It's a chaotic day, but this boy also turns 5 1/2 today!

A brief night out to celebrate the weekend.

Posing with Arlo's favorite "Transformer" at the Pridi 31 intersection.

The avo is growing!

Mister Studious.

Helping Dad with some shopping, while Mum & Lucy are at swimming.

Child labor!

Everyone hide inside your homes!

Reading Lucy's favorite Elephant & Piggie story (about slop).

Swimming time for Arlo.

Meanwhile, Mum found a cute tiger with a bow and medal, roaming the kitchen.

Then, this tiger showed up at swimming to watch Arlo!

Territorial Arlo & Tiger.

The tiger has disappeared, but Arlo & Lucy are still really into movie night.

Fast asleep before Mum even left the room.

Someone is really into taking selfies now. (Hint: it's not Mum, despite what you may think.)

Puzzles and breakfast.

Look at this girl go!

This cool cat waits for no one.

Playing all the games, while Arlo is away at Piano.

Arlo enjoys coloring and drawing while he waits.

Like this elaborate image.

And time for a late-afternoon swim.

Cheers!

Watch out for two monkeys in the pool!

Miss Ice Pack here has found a cool new hat.

Up goes the avo!

Monday morning, everyone's happy to be back at school.

Copying her brother.

Helping clean the sand out of the pond floor.

Somersaulting by herself.

A zooming MuvMi tuk-tuk.

I think this picture speaks for itself. (Note the flying anglerfish.)

Crazy hair day may be over, but that doesn't mean the hair can't be crazy anymore!

Arlo's bringing two papaya plants to the nursery, where they will hopefully thrive in the sun.

Monkey alert!

First time Arlo's allowed inside the gym, and he's having a blast.

Evening biker gang.

Lucy's ideal morning after waking up: a game of memory and "Cattie".

Class cupcakes are ready for tomorrow!

Look at this hippo boss.

Practicing her modeling poses.

After-school climbing.

The papaya is almost as tall as Arlo!

Arlo's wrapping the birthday present he got for Lucy.

Made the tag, and ready to go!

Spying on the garbage truck from the hammock.

Literally watching time pass by.

Trying to take a photo of Lucy. Told her to "stand nicely for the camera".

Beware of this biker gang!

We're all set for the big day tomorrow!

And here's the birthday girl! Happy 3rd birthday, Lucy!

Arlo gives her his present first thing...

... and then she walks down the stairs all by herself "because I older now".

The balloons pass the test!

Happy birthday, Lucy!

Wasting no time opening some gifts, including this cute furry hippo from Granny & Grandpa...

... and what's this from Mum & Dad?

A new watch!

Putting it on right away.

And finally, opening her gift from Arlo. She loves it!

Mum and the (not so) babies!

Lucy loves her newest friends.

And Arlo loves his newest book - a consolation gift on Lucy's birthday.

New favorite book!

Focusing hard on her birthday milk.

Sneaking in a quick tree photo before school.

Walking with the confidence and outfit that only a 3-year-old can have.

Papayas are getting bigger!

And Lucy's classmates are ready for us.

Happy birthday, Lucy!

Lucy did a great job handing out cupcakes to all her friends.

Thank you for celebrating with us!

Bringing home a 3-year-old monkey for the first time.

Look at this girl, who appropriated her brother's watch too, so she can have one on each wrist.

And finally, the moment Lucy's been patiently waiting for all day: her "birthday".

Enjoy your "birthday", Lucy!

And icing on the metaphorical cake: swimming...

... and a bike ride!

And a music box. Hope you enjoyed your special day, Lucy!

Bangkok Week 872

March 13, 2025

At just shy of 3 years old, Lucy graduates from her crib to a (very) big bed! And continues to enjoy biking. Otherwise, it’s a very busy week at school, with special activities each morning on both sides. Enjoy the art, the creations, the little vendors, and the engineer-athletes!

Mum's back from India; another week in the books.

Nail polish as a souvenir for Lucy.

Perfect! (And no time to waste!)

Can you figure out what's going on in this picture?

All that swinging messed up Lucy's cute hair! Time for a re-work.

Staying awake and playing with the kindergarteners.

Careful in those shoes, Arlo!

The cactus that Arlo got for Children's Day, over a year ago, is blooming!

And it's a very unique flower, especially for a prickly cactus.

End of a long school week.

Checking on his cactus flower after getting home.

What a block city.

Someone's trying his hands at balloon art.

Proud of his creation.

Bathtub bath! First time in a while.

Saturday morning - weekend time!

Waking up the neighborhood with a bike ride and a song.

Stopping to inflate Arlo's tires.

Oh look! The avocado seed has finally sprouted!

Lucy is officially graduating into a (very) big bed today!

And big brother Arlo is helping to assemble it while she's out at swimming.

Good job, boys!

Uh oh, Lucy! What's happened to your bed?

I think she likes it!

Operation: bike wash!

Reading with Dad before nap time...

... and then with Arlo, too.

Oh, how cute. If only they were always like this!

It's Day 2, and the flower is still blooming!

An intense swim class for Lucy.

Taking themselves to the pool.

Found this one on my phone...

Movie night! We're well into March, and still watching The Snowman religiously.

Excited to watch the coffee maker (which we were helping sell for K. Noi.)

Funny-face Arlo.

Arlo and Lucy's old crib, waiting to be sold.

Happy to keep these two in the cage, until then.

Another morning, another cycle.

Just waking up the moo baan with her songs as she goes.

A triangle of catch.

Enjoying a slice of chocolate cake while Arlo's at Piano.

Said piano lesson.

Day 3, and still in full bloom!

The house in the living room is still standing.

And the avocado is growing taller.

Carefully putting up barriers in his complex block city.

Comfortably napping in her new bed.

Another late afternoon swim to cool off.

Checking on the cactus flower -- and all the other plants by extension -- on Monday morning.

It's going to be a busy week at school this week!

Every day has a different theme. Today -- Monday -- is "Let's Paint."

After a bit of hesitation, Arlo got into the chalk.

Supervisor Lucy eventually got into it, too.

Arlo's very proud of his elevator system.

Who's this crazy lady in pink hair!?

Musical chairs with paint.

Day 4, and the cactus is still going strong!

Too many papaya seedlings, and not enough room!

Ditto for the cactuses!

Working on his legos.

These two finished their dinner quickly, so there's time for a bike / jog.

Looking cute in pink.

Today's theme is "Let's Build!"

This is right up Arlo's alley.

Lucy can get into it, too.

Okay, Lucy got *too* into it!

(And too bad today is the day Mum is dressed for the office afterward!)

Lucy's washed off, and on her side now...

... where the theme seems to be, "Let's Splash"!

Well, there will be no paint left after all this water!

Meanwhile, back on Arlo's side, he's still building.

Lucy made a medal...

... and she's very proud of it!

More precision in football these days.

Day 5 for the cactus, and it's finally starting to look worse for wear.

A good Cindy Lou look here.

Today is "Let's Count and Measure", and every class has a stand set up in the Annabel's Market.

The Lilies' Lemonade Stand is open and ready for business!

These sellers are ready to make some money!

They were swarmed!

Keep your eyes on this cashier, and check his pockets!

Lucy's giving some business to Teacher Kamila's Granola-Porium.

These guys earned 505 baht in the end!

I think they're going to have a pizza party with their earnings.

We were rather late to the market on Lucy's side, thanks to the bustle on Arlo's side.

But on Lucy's side, everything was free!

New duvet cover for Lucy; she loves it!

"Helping" Ba Wan sweep the leaves outside.

Bedtime with Dad.

And Thursday is "Let's Work Together"! First job is crossing this lava flow upon entering the school.

Arlo set to work right away, building a second (and third) bridge.

The Nursery teachers came over to sneak a peek.

Once you survive the volcano, there's an obstacle course that culminates in some weight lifting.

Lucy's being shown the proper technique by a pro.

This part of the obstacle course is supposed to be a bear walk. Good thing Lucy's got a bear with her.

And hopscotch.

And jumping jacks. (Clearly, Lucy had never seen jumping jacks before.)

And a snake crawl. (Yes, this was supposed to be on the tummy.)

And a "how long can you hang?" challenge.

Wow! The action at the Lava has really picked up!

Friday is "Crazy Hair Day", so I'm testing my prototype before committing.

And we're doing a quick proof of concept for Lucy's hair, too.

We also bought face paint... perhaps that was a mistake.

Look at this monkey!

Arlo saw the little clothing for my crazy hair, and wanted to make some of his own.

This is as crazy as Arlo's hair will get tomorrow.

See you then!

Bangkok Week 871

March 6, 2025

What a busy week! We concluded school portrait week with some family photos; finally celebrated Nancy’s birthday; did lots of swimming. Arlo started his piano lessons; we visited the Peacock Cafe for the first time in a long time; and Arlo went on his long-awaited field trip. But perhaps most importantly… Lucy learned to ride a pedal bike! Go, Lucy! 🚲 🚀

Lucy and friend Mali (from Arlo's class), with their matching Unicats!

Trying to get one decent photo with my children. Hah!

Wardrobe change into something more comfortable, immediately after the photo shoot.

Really into socks (and running shoes) today.

It's Day 3 of the canal excavation project. And this is the finished product, complete with bridges.

Friday afternoon selfie, plus photobomb!

At long last, it's Nancy's 2nd birthday! And Lucy (and Arlo) both had a blast.

The beautiful face painting is by neighbor (and St. Andrews student) Anais.

Arlo saw another kid eating a hotdog in a bun, and asked for just the bun with ketchup.

Cake time!

(Still working on that bun.)

Happy (belated) 2nd birthday, Nancy!

Eating with a fervor reserved uniquely for cakes!

Trying on her new bathing suit... but caught red-handed with Mum's phone!

The evidence.

On our way to swimming, fully dressed!

Entertaining herself with the coveted hoop, before class.

Meanwhile, Dad & Arlo upgraded several plants.

Getting lots done while Lucy is at swimming!

A Barbie-pink electric beetle parked at swimming! Woah, whose car is this?

A really nice drawing by Arlo, of an asphalt milling machine.

Arlo's turn to swim!

Practicing his spelling.

Just hanging out.

Heading to the pool for a late-afternoon dip.

Take what you can carry!

Happy swimmers!

And Saturday movie night is still going strong.

Hooray for Sunday donuts!

(Eating just the green dip...)

This is going to end well!

Lucy and Dad are off to a (make-up) swimming lesson...

... while Mum & Arlo head to piano.

Arlo is very, very interested in the grand piano in the lobby.

And a special Sunday afternoon visit to the Peacock Cafe.

The peacocks seem to be stuck in a caged-in area, since they kept running away.

There are several new skywalks that have been built since we were last here.

They had a fun, 8-layer stamp collection activity, throughout their property.

There's a new gallery and shop space, too.

Arlo's completed stamp!

They even had free drawing for kids.

That tired out someone!

Going for a late-afternoon scoot...

... which turned into a cycle...

... and culminated in Lucy learning to ride her pedal bike!!!

Way to go, Lucy!!

Huge accomplishment for a 2-year-old!

So very proud of herself.

Monday morning, let's get this week on.

But where's Arlo?

Poor boy is sick at home with a fever.

When feeling better, he helped Dad clean out the fish bowl.

So many fish! (And that's not all.)

The big day is here! Time for the K2/Y1 field trip!

All aboard!

There was tie-dye.

Natural dyes, of course.

And clay sculpting.

And hand-washing!

And the crowning glory...

... very, very muddy rice planting!

Well kudos to everyone for going in!

Enjoying the nature.

(Rather long) power nap on the way home.

Arlo's elephant.

Meanwhile, on the nursery side, they had lots of fun with shaving cream!

Somehow, Arlo and classmates still had energy for football!

And some flying time.

Emptying our recycling stash.

And on the look-out for bad guys.

Morning book club is back.

Lucy is really into socks, these days. Which takes some time.

Arlo made a transformer out of Legos. All by himself!

The biker gang is augmented by one, today.

Lucy, that helmet looks too big for you.

Goofy bedtime with Dad!

Enjoying the empty garden in the morning.

Hah! Of course this happened. And we'd been keeping our eye on the odometer for hundreds of kilometers leading up to this!

Flopping out of Thursday. See you next week!

Bangkok Week 870

February 27, 2025

The avocado 🥑 is thriving; the papayas 🥭 are sprouting up in force. The weekend was full of playdates, activities, and games. And we even snuck in a date night. What more could we ask for?

Friday morning tug-of-war chaos.

But the air was orange, so we couldn't stay outside for long.

Hello, weekend!

Look at the papaya trees!

And Arlo is really excited to see his avocado's progress!

Almost as tall as he is!

Dinner time nail polish for Lucy.

And we received this by email: a super cute pineapple that Arlo made Teacher Selly as a gift.

Tossing himself into the weekend.

It's a very colorful Saturday.

Uncle Simon came over for a visit, and Arlo immediately roped him into card & board games.

And then swimming for Arlo.

Teacher Big jumped out of the pool to grab his phone and record a video of Arlo (to show him how his form is not right).

Dad playing Ticket to Ride for the first time.

And it's a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity for Mum & Dad: Saturday date night!

We found a very nice vegan restaurant in Thong Lor, with very good outdoor seating.

Sunday morning, at Yamaha for a taster music class with Arlo.

Meanwhile, Lucy & Dad play all the games at home.

Did I mention, *all the games*?

Then we enjoyed lunch and a playdate with Arlo & Lucy's friends.

Quick dip: their pool is cooler than ours!

Saturday movie night on Sunday night!

Watching Dad head out for work for the day, as a VIP. Door-to-door service!

Bring on the week!

Sibling teamwork.

That evening, Arlo won Code Breaker for the first time.

It's school photo day for Lucy! We couldn't manage a dress, but went for the hair instead.

Hey, somehow the clothes made it through the whole day.

Maybe I spoke too soon!

Arlo still enjoys Tuesday Football.

Dad's on point for dinner & bedtime tonight.

Lots of wacky zaniness to help lighten the mood.

Rub-a-dub-dub.

For the rest of the week, the photographers are on Arlo's side of campus. And they're great with kids. Here, leading morning exercises!

Got the folding bike I've been eyeing for ages. And for 1500 off, no less!

Inspired by the photographers at school, who use balloons on sticks to entertain.

Arlo and Nimo apparently spent a good part of the day working on this elaborate canal network.

(Stay tuned for further developments.)

What's this!?

A giant cocoon?

Someone has been very sleepy. No rousing her for school in the morning!

Climbing into Thursday.

Lucy kindly helped push Arlo's classmate, Eve, on the swing.

Twins!

Further expansion of Arlo & Nimo's canal network this morning.

And in slightly sadder news, walked past the old nursery campus for the first time.

It's gone. Everything is gone. Gonzo. No sign that the nursery was ever there!

But anyway, back at the new nursery, they have shopping carts (and grass that is extremely warm on the feet).

Now a part of her daily routine: checking for Arlo before getting into the car. (He's often there; if not, she shouts at all his classmates, by name.)

Checking out an espresso machine that we're helping K. Noi sell.

Bangkok Week 869

February 20, 2025

It’s been a long mid-term break, but we’re finally back to school this week! But first, some fun weekend outings by tuk-tuk and train; a play date; and two tree photos!

It's wacky Friday!

Like daughter, like father.

Showing off her yoga moves.

Someone turns 5 years old and 5 months today!

And someone else wants to have a tree photo taken, too.

Lucy asked Arlo to reach the "number 5" (for 5 feet).

Sneaking in another make-up lesson before the end of the school break.

Someone is very fatigued after her lesson, it seems!

Lucy thoughtfully brought a popsicle back from swimming for Arlo.

(Or was it just a ploy to get one for herself?)

Lucy, what happened to your shirt!?

Photo by Lucy!

Pretending to sleep together?!

Saturday morning pancakes!

Arlo took the lead on mixing the batter.

Chocolate chips and maple syrup - there's no better way to enjoy pancakes?

Yum yum!

And then, it's time for a bang trim for Lucy.

Finishing the hedgehog video that Lucy got to watch during her trim.

Enjoying popsicles and cars.

Helping dad back the red car into a parking spot.

What's this? A new toy for Arlo and Lucy!?

A brand new set of legos!

Lucy's latest person drawing.

Look at the fighter jet that Arlo built.

And the many-eyed snail truck.

Swimming time for Arlo.

How are the new goggles, Arlo?

What's this? Late afternoon excursion!

Destination: Emporium, where a giant Chinese NY Dragon is still on display!

And lots of pandas, lining the walkway between the BTS and EmSphere.

Here's our real destination!

(Lucy spotted the child's place setting at the table, and insisted on sitting there.)

Trying out potential mattresses for the Ekkamai house.

No trip to IKEA is complete without an 8-baht robot ice cream.

Enjoying it in their "house".

And may as well get dinner while we're here! Fried "chicken" and "meat balls". Yum yum!

Tired... but with new friends in hand.

Heading home.

Opportunistic chance for Arlo to get a Student Card.

It's a very late Saturday night... but it's still movie night!

Arlo made this highlighter out of his new lego kit.

And then Lucy had a playdate with her classmate, Matteo.

Something cracked him up!

Off on another short tuk-tuk adventure...

... to the Nathan Rhodes furniture store.

Arlo and Lucy liked this mini Eames set.

Arlo had been hankering for a smoothie all day...

... so we stopped at a smoothie bar in a climbing gym before heading home.

A quick dip after dinner.

The water is a good temperature again!

A circus act, by Arlo's cars.

Back at school, at long last!

And wasting no time getting back to the important things.

Then picking up our order from the chair store...

... and taking it to the Ekkamai house.

2 years have passed; got my new phone!

The house is ever-expanding. Now it has a collapsable awning.

Arlo's working on a boat...

... and Lucy on her own, too.

Making a map with tape and a tea towel.

Teamwork!

Here's the (floor model) sofa we bought for the Ekkamai house.

Assembled by the pros in no time.

The first photo with my new phone. Test test!

The football boys.

Bedtime shenanigans.

Can you guess what day it is?

Fire truck day!

But first, these bikes need adjusting...

Tattoos by Lucy.

The fire truck that came this year is a mini one! Good for the narrow Bangkok sois, I guess.

Arlo got to be the demonstration dummy for the firemen!

Thrilled to be driving the (mini) fire truck.

And trying the zip line this year for the first time!

Arlo's new bee, from IKEA. He loves it very much.

Helping Ba Wan clean the walls.

Arlo figured out how to clean his dirty feet without using the shower.

Lucy saw, in a library book about potty training, that you can read while on the toilet.

Banana bonanza!

The pink biker girls.

And Thursday morning reading club!

Now, Lucy, it really is your turn for a tree photo.

Arlo's finally showing how to play the game he made in his board games ECA a month ago.

Bangkok Week 868

February 13, 2025

It’s a long-awaited visit to Trat, to kick off the mid-term school holiday! It’s a fun-filled couple of days there, and then lots of swimming and playing at home while Mum & Dad still work.

It's the last day of school before the mid-term break... and we're fortunate to have good air!

Everyone's making the most of it.

Lucy and Taiga, the cutest biker gang.

Lucy! What happened to your face?

Looks like this one won't be coming off easily!

Equipped to make a balloon animal!

Building a tall tower, and "standing on a stool like James in "The Snowman"."

What concentration.

Little Miss Diaper Head.

Bonk! A victim of her own bright idea.

Beautiful skies, and we're off to Trat.

Early comfort break... and a broken bench!

This group of big bikes was taking a rest as well.

We found a cute little cafe (with giant croissants!)...

With cute decor, too.

Delicious mint chocolate drink...

... and a very pink drink for Lucy.

We're here! And everyone is happy!

Reconnecting with fun toys...

... and other things.

We picked up Aa Nan along the way, so she's here now too.

Inflating the bike tires with Aa Top.

And taking the Tuk Tuk for a drive. Hmm, these two look like underage drivers.

No really, time for a drive!

Who knew this Tuk Tuk is really a 4-seater!

Arlo's practicing to be a motorcycle taxi.

Hang on, Lucy!

Selling the balls for 20 baht (despite the "%").

Lucy hanging with Bella.

Learning from her brother, these stones are great to dig around in.

Tong, just chilling big-time.

Picking flowers...

... and checking out what fruits are growing.

The lotuses are past their peaks.

Cute little Arlo-sized papaya tree.

Buddies Arlo and Tong.

Visiting the Saturday evening walking street.

Somehow we parked right at the ice cream truck.

Yummy ice cream!

Stopping to check out lottery numbers.

Someone was hungry, and wanted to try every snack we passed.

Group shot!

Tired and needing to rest her legs.

Everyone's favorite time of the day: hair brushing time.

Night night!

Mobile breakfast with Puu the next morning.

Sunbathing Bella.

Enjoying plucking the seeds out of a lotus flower.

Aa Nan kindly helped pick a few more flowers out of the pond.

So many seeds!

Lucy practicing her wildlife photography.

And time for a drawing class.

Great person, Lucy!!!

Hard at work on a multi-page landscape (or should I say, carscape).

Showing Puu the picture she drew of him.

Lunch time!

And then a trip to the pier, where we saw some fishing boats!

Look at all the lightbulbs!

Watching the fishermen clean their boats.

Great sea breeze, with Koh Chang in the background.

Group shot.

And then swinging by Yuttanavi Memorial Monument, which commemorates a naval battle between France & Siam.

Very interested in the missles.

Lighting fire crackers to make merit.

And no outing would be complete without ice cream!

And feeding the fish.

Saying hi to the old tortoises, too.

Arlo took an interest in these "Ngob" hats.

He actually wanted to buy one. Maybe next time!

Bath time for Bella!

And the best hair combing.

Monday morning already? Aww, time to take good-bye photos.

See you next time!

Hugs for Bella, too, of course.

Stopping at our favorite rest stop.

Arlo was very excited to step inside a phone booth! How novel!

Hippo hippo hippo hippo hippo!

And slideeee!

Back at home and wasting no time. Let the school holidays begin!

Taking stock of all the small plastic bead thingies he's made at school.

Arlo's self-proclaimed "busy fingers" exercise: unscrewing the remote control.

Board games!

Delicious strawberries from Dad.

Wednesday is a public holiday!

So Aya and her family came over for lunch...

... and the kids all made sticky rice "dumplings".

Lucy was a ball-rolling pro!

A snowman!

Showing off what she rolled (quickly).

And boiling until they float.

Delicious!

No play date these days is complete without a board game or two.

And a make-up swimming lesson for Lucy.

They each got a new pair of goggles!

How very cool!

Expending energy through a late-afternoon run.

So pooped from the day (and no nap) that she fell asleep like this.

The mid-term break is still on, but Mum & Dad are back to work today.

Playing with magnets.

And sticker art.

Arlo was able to sneak in a make-up lesson.

Look at the beautiful sky!

See you next time!

Bangkok Week 867

February 6, 2025

It’s a very fun, very busy weekend packed with visits and playdates! But then another week of poor air quality. On the plus side, the papayas are doing really well all of a sudden!

Back to Bangkok, but welcomed by more poor air! Another indoor day at school!

Lucy is enjoying Arlo's new spelling boardgame.

Check out the papayas! They've really taken off!

Air is good enough for a quick playground in the afternoon.

Uh oh! Where is Lucy?

There she is!

A very elaborate streetscape that Arlo drew in "Drawing Club" at school.

Reading to herself to start the weekend.

According to the family timekeeper, January is officially over!

Enjoying a big glass of milk for brekkie.

Waiting for our tuk tuk...

... to go to swimming!

Playing Rhino Hero with Uncles Andrew & Ray.

Who enjoyed it more? Hard to tell!

13 stories before it collapsed!

Meanwhile, at Arlo's swimming, it's all about breaststroke these days.

Learning proper technique.

Lucy is slow to get out of bed after her nap.

Even though she knows that her buddy Taiga is coming over.

Very cute, fun playdate with Taiga & fam.

And then Saturday movie night to wind down.

Then it's straight into another busy day, with a playdate with Fuku and Yoshi and family.

First a quick snack time.

And then 3 hours of board games and puzzles!

I think Arlo & Fuku played at least 8 different games.

Yoshi and Lucy going fishing.

Rhino Hero...

... and snakes & ladders...

... and the new shopping game...

... and uno...

... and even Monza!

Here's the Junior board game club.

Relaxing and quiet time with his work book.

Filling up the gas!

Lucy was so pooped, she napped for over 3 hours!

The air cleared up enough to do some very late-afternoon biking & scooting.

But alas, by Monday, it was another indoor day again.

Changing it up, and playing on Lucy's side first.

Tandem sliding.

And emptying our recycling at the school collection bins.

Free to run outside at last (even though the air is still not great).

Her favorite home away from home.

Trying to start a bonfire, Lucy?

It's all the little twigs she collected from the playground.

Roasting marshmallows.

We figured out where the "reflex spot" on Arlo's knee is.

Highly entertaining!

Lucky us! A good air morning!

Can't decide between painting and biking? Well then just do both!

Lilies having too much fun winding up Aynur in the swing.

I'm impressed by her stomach.

Lucy saying hi to Arlo and friends before we head home.

Football Tuesday!

And the newest addition to Arlo's bedroom.

He likes it!

Cooling down with afternoon water play.

Another indoor morning.

Oh! Flat Stanley hasn't made an appearance in a while!

Watching the tennis lesson.

Some of these papayas will be ready for their own pots soon.

It's another good air morning, and Arlo and Fuku are hhard at work.

Making Som Tum...

... and sifting sand.

Meanwhile, Lucy is doing the K1 art project.

A one-person Shinkansen.

Reading with Matteo's mum.

Hello, Arlo & Friends. See you after nap!

Playing with the doll house before bed.

The only reason why Lucy washes her hair!

See you next time!

Bangkok Week 866

January 30, 2025

We bid farewell to Granny and Grandpa after a lovely 6-week visit. And we get ready to welcome the Year of the Snake by … visiting some snakes! Mum’s away for the week, too, but as a consolation, the air is finally good!

Friday morning mark-making over breakfast. Great way to start the day!

Portrait of Granny, by Lucy.

Look who blends right in with Lilies K2.

Turtle-spotting at Nursery pick-up.

An early Happy Birthday to Dad!

What a delicious home-made cake by Granny!

What gift could be better than these two monkeys and dark chocolate?

Just lounging around together.

Getting in some last board games with Grandpa.

Poor Nancy was unable to have her birthday party because of the air, but Lucy got some balloons anyway.

Friday night, everyone just doing their thing.

Lucy the artist.

Arlo is determined to work on his homework assignment, if it kills him!

Lucy and her favorite party trick.

Oh no. Is it finally time to take farewell photos?

Lucy doesn't want to play along. Say it ain't so!

This was the best we could do!

A Saturday field trip to the airport, to see them off personally.

Photo op with the Yag while Granny & Grandpa check in.

Bye bye! Thanks for the long visit! Come again!

Heading back to the car, empty-handed this time.

Wasting no time, and finding a new dress-up dress.

Lucy skipped swimming because of a cold, but Arlo was well enough for his lesson.

And they're working on breast stroke technique.

Looking at Arlo's old learning journeys together.

Lucy's ready to follow right behind Granny & Grandpa.

Saturday movie night!

After at least 15 years, we return to the Snake Farm, run by the Red Cross.

After a few minutes warming up...

... the kids loved it.

To quote Lucy, "aww! A cute little one!"

Snack break.

Hi, snake!

Check out the skeleton!

Feeling snake skin.

And now it's the moment everyone's been waiting for...

... the show!

It was a very informative bilingual presentation, showcasing 7 or 8 different snakes.

But I'm glad we had top-row, back-row seats!

Family photo op afterward. (😬)

Saying bye to their favorite fellow.

A quick visit to the playground in the afternoon.

And again at sunset (pretending to watch a movie).

Here, Arlo is reading his school reader to Lucy before bed.

Taking stock of all his large-scale cars. Too many, if you ask me.

Making the most of some good air mornings.

And getting ready for CNY.

(Being a snake.)

Another beautiful morning.

P'Noi is at school, since Mum is away.

Things are in full swing for tomorrow's CNY celebration!

Three monkeys.

Always a fun time at football.

Celebrating Dad's birthday on the actual day! Happy birthday, Dad!

Never do they smile wider than when taking a selfie by themselves.

It's go time! Happy Lunar New Year!

Everyone's in their best red.

Looking cute, but oh-so-serious.

Hard to pick out who's who.

Making dumplings.

And showing off the dragon paintings that his class did.

Dumplings for Lucy, too.

Ride those horses!

Happy Lunar New Year!

The celebrations are in full swing on Lucy's side, too.

New hair at the end of the day.

Principal Mimi tested the height of the door lock with Arlo.

No Grandpa here to play boardgames anymore, so Arlo's trained a replacement.

My, that's an elaborate railroad network!

These two behaving so well for Dad at bedtime.

Mum's finally on the way home! (Via the good old Picadilly Line again!)

Taking another batch of recycling to school.

Only a brief outdoor play today, because the air is not actually that good.

Wheelie.

Here comes Mum, getting closer to home!

And speaking of home, there they are! We're following that same (winter) flight path we often observe from the balcony.

Here comes Mum!

Not two feet in the door, and they've got my suitcase open to look for souvenirs.

This monkey found a dark chocolate in my bag, and did an immediate number on it.

So good to be home! See you next time!

Bangkok Week 865

January 23, 2025

It’s Granny & Grandpa’s last full week in Bangkok… and unfortunately, the air is still not cooperating. We did have a lovely lunch at INN TRAIN, and one nice day of air. It’s shaping up to be a classic Bangkok January!

We start this week with a nice chewy slice of sourdough!

And we're inaugurating the school's recycling bins with our UHT collection from the past week.

Arlo's very excited to be bringing his contributions.

In we go, into the UHT recycling bin!

It's another lovely air morning, and the garden is abuzz with children. Like these monkeys, riding down the slide on a sled.

Lucy is doing chalk...

... and then getting a sleigh ride herself from Arlo & Mali.

And here we have the world's slowest, shortest Shinkansen.

On Lucy's side, the garden is abuzz and everyone is dancing. (Here, the sleepy dance.)

These two excited readers are sitting next to each other, reading the special books they get to bring home for the weekend.

Selfie by Arlo.

Uh oh! Lucy in a box!

Special Friday-night treat: Japanese gelato. But probably over-hyped.

Arlo's latest jigsaw masterpiece.

And Lucy's.

Arlo got a giant drawing book from a generous classmate...

... and wasted no time getting into it.

Here's his passenger plane, complete with stairs for boardin.

Granny bought Lucy a special treat after her swim.

Coming home to draw with chalk.

Posing with her sun.

Playing Uno with Grandpa: one of the many, many games they've played this visit.

Lunch time chat.

We got dry ice for the first time in a long time... and it's as thrilling as ever to Arlo.

Running around pretending to be a steam engine.

In the sun, the smoke patterns are very visible!

Getting a good whiff of the smoke.

Heading to Arlo's swimming lesson for the last time this visit :(

Look at this monkey, biking around the balcony with her koala...

... and her giant cat.

Ta-daa!

Lucy, the well-endowed hula dancer!

And here they are, driving their camper van.

The air still isn't stellar, but after days and days indoors, we're having lunch at INN TRAIN.

We've not been here since Lucy was born.

It's been restored nicely.

Last time we were here, Arlo wouldn't even go on the trampoline.

The tree house has been improved...

... and they both enjoyed walking along the elevated walkway.

Wave to Dad & Granny!

Hello down there!

(I hope this wood is strong!)

Trying the giant trampoline for the first time.

Whee! A fast slide!

Even the cargo pulley line was restored and working today.

Lucy's trying her hand at it, too.

Lunch is here!

Lucy approves of the smoothie.

And Arlo is enthusiastic about the fries.

Trampolining together.

And saying hi to the many, many, many bunnies.

Figuring out how to drive this scooter thing on the sidewalk surface...

... and then chauferring his sister around.

Look at all those bunnies!

Bye bye, INN Train. You've been fun!

Back home, continuing his large-scale drawings...

Pizza night!

And Arlo's getting the hang of blowing up a balloon!

(And of letting the air out slowly so that it wails in pain.)

Look at these twins.

Monday morning energy at school!

And goofing around at pick-up.

Right on queue, Lucy turns two years and 10 months old. Not many months of 2 left!

Arlo's figured out how to use the new cake pan that Granny bought...

And the Academy Award for best acting in a drama goes to...

Lucy, helpfully serving rice to the adults at dinner.

Is that where the diaper goes, Lucy?

Trying on her Lunar New Year dress from Sally...

... it finally fits!

Lounging around together on the stairs before school.

It was another indoor morning, but thankfully, cleared up by football.

Breaking news: we spotted the third turtle!! He's easily missed due to his dark, muddy shell.

Yet another bad air morning...

Lucy found these ginormous overnight diapers that Arlo wore while in Toronto almost 2 years ago... and loves them. She calls them, "the big diapers".

Bedtime with Dad!

Delicious green cream bun - yum yum!

Lucy tries it, too.

New plan: Arlo plays on Lucy's side when the air is bad. (Yoshi is wondering why...)

Look at this cutie and all her hairstyles.

Grandpa with one Monkey...

... and Granny with the other.

Ending this week with some games and fun. See you next time!

Bangkok Week 864

January 16, 2025

It was a busy week, but unfortunately, the air quality has NOT been great… despite the lovely, cool temperatures. At least we had a nice weekend!

We start this week with hippos in pajamas.

And Lucy is getting first-class breakfast service this morning.

Holding her place in the swing queue while bouncing on the peanut ball.

Lucy blends right in with Arlo's classmates.

Rehearsal of the drama club.

Finally got a replacement pig & wolf game.

Coming home by tuk-tuk after coding & robotics.

Spirograph! The one we've been talking about.

Oh, it's harder than I remember.

Future crossword puzzler in the making.

It's a lovely, chilly Saturday morning. What a great time to read outside.

Wearing matching "sweaters" and reading with Grandpa.

Smiley eggs for breakfast.

Happy Saturday!

Photography by Lucy.

Someone's attempting to carry too many things to the basketball court.

A great morning to be up here.

Waiting patiently for the tuk-tuk (and Lucy left space for Mum to sit, too).

All ready!

After-swim snacks are serious business.

Playing the new game with Grandpa.

And looking things up in Picturepedia.

Here's the fashionista.

More of Lucy's photography.

Mr. Chatty and Teacher Big.

Floating around in a boat he made for himself.

It's Children's Day, so Teacher Big has a small snack for each of his students.

Trying the infinitiles.

Another absolutely lovely "winter" morning!

The balcony tiles are too cold to stand on!

Making sure the fish are okay in this chilly weather.

No better way to spend a cool morning (with clean air, I might add!) than at the park!

"Sweater" weather for Lucy.

It's even cool enough to play on the playground that's always in the sun!

Practicing her ball skillz with Granny.

It's a race!

And our traditional lunch at Mother May I.

Where the Christmas season is still alive!

Dad built Arlo and Lucy an impressive house!

Comfortably sleeps two.

Here's the salesman, showing off all the features.

Arlo decorated the exterior really nicely.

Redoing his coding assignment.

Focusing hard on their mark-making before bed.

We're now 3-for-3 for beautiful winter days... except that the air is poor again today!

Lucy just wants to snuggle in bed with bear.

Lovely temperatures, but another indoor morning at school because of the air.

Everyone's eager to run around outside after being cooped up inside all day.

Newest feature of the house: a car ramp!

Posing with her breakfast banana.

Breakfast video? Who did a poop to deserve this?

Another indoor morning...

... and afternoon collapse.

Thankfully, the air is good enough by 2:30 to play football outside.

These days, Arlo rushes home from school to play cards with Grandpa.

And he completed all 3 of these puzzles, too.

A tall 5 year and 4 month old boy. Almost 120!

Practicing his reading with Granny...

... and bedtime antics with Dad.

Lucy insisted on having breakfast with Bear.

Yet another indoor morning.

Thursday is here, but Lucy's having none of it.

Finally! An outdoor morning!

Someone else is a budding puzzle master as well.

Learning from the greatest.

Doing a detailed study of the Honda N-Box.

Similar?

And a Zepplin, from memory.

Good bye, and see you next week!

Bangkok Week 863

January 9, 2025

We enjoy one last holiday weekend, and then return to reality! Back to work! Back to school! (It’s just a shame that the air quality isn’t a little better…)

Welcome back! It's the last Friday of the holiday!

Arlo's excited by this giant pomelo from K. Noi. It's bigger than his head for sure!

Wasting no time opening it.

Pomelo hat!

Excited by his one little papaya sprout. Good luck, little buddy!

Moo Deng menu spotted -- is this not a little creepy?

Meanwhile, this little lady has a bout of enthusiasm for hair clips.

Looking good, Lucy! You should do this more often.

Sneaking in a quick trip to IKEA to try out their couches.

I'll just have a nap here on this shelf, and see you in a few hours.

Back at home, Grandpa is the (board) game king.

Lucy's lining up all her people...

... while Arlo tucks in.

Lucy wants to spend Saturday morning with friends.

(With a little help to egg her on.)

Bye bye, red couch! Off to a new home!

A quick trip to swimming...

... followed by hair cuts for the boys.

Looking spiffy!

Not missing a beat, checking out his big wheels while there at the rink.

Meanwhile, back at home...

Arlo's turn to go to swimming; and this week, he had the brilliant idea to change at home!

And guess who asked to go for a late afternoon swim in the chilly pool?

Answer in exhibit above.

New 'doo allows him to do fun new things with his hair.

Everyone's ready for movie night!

Enraptured. Enthralled. Zombies.

Special Sunday morning activity: checking out the new playground at Benjakitti Forest Park.

This slide was here last time, but the rest is new.

Some fun and less-conventional play equipment.

Navigating the logs.

Lucy impressed us: she was tall enough for the ropes.

Digging for fossils.

Giant chimes.

And a little climbing gym, too.

Enjoying the leg press equipment together...

... and getting their "steps" in.

Couldn't resist trying some of the giant climbing ropes.

Arlo made his way all the way up this one...

... as did Lucy.

Uh oh! Fly stuck in the spider's web!

Water and snack break to reenergize.

Cheese!

And special Sunday stop, at everyone's favorite ice cream shop!

Arlo and Lucy got the kids' sundaes this time.

Someone's happy with his bubble gum.

Chowing down on the cone.

Enjoying the nice, spacious playroom sans couch.

Coloring in his dinosaur magnets.

Uh oh, Lucy! Arm!

Great bulldozer by Arlo.

And a special delivery from Sally & Douglass!

What a brilliant pirate ship.

Aww, Dad's off to Hong Kong. (Honk honk, as Lucy would say.)

But here's the delivery that Mum's been waiting for!

These two played cards and Lucy napped...

... while Mum & Granny tackled the special order.

The finished product, in not much more than an hour!

The new living room! What do you think?

I think Arlo likes it.

And Lucy awoke from her nap to a big surprise.

Playing really nicely together with their new pirate ship, before bedtime.

Uh oh! Lucy amused herself by getting dressed before getting undressed.

Looking for Honk Honk (I mean, Hong Kong) on the globe.

And this group is off to Harborland!

New year, new hair cut for the last of us.

And it was a very unceremonious return to school, with poor air and no garden time in the morning.

So here we are after school, enjoying being back.

It was as if Arlo had never been away.

By Wednesday morning, Dad was back, and he brought some cool souvenirs for Arlo & Lucy!

Happy to be back at school, an with Dad too.

Look! Three turtles now!

Little Miss Relaxed.

Enjoying the games, before Arlo comes home.

Shh, don't tell Arlo about Monza.

Having an utter blast raising and dropping the laundry hanger.

Uh oh, Granny. Wasn't your bed recently made?

Lucy likes bath time with dad, because dad does this!

Excited for school, and to show off her hippo shirt.

Morning exercises.

Mum, too!

Finally biting the bullet and hanging the weaving from Granny Aki.

Collecting leaves...

... and collecting Granny & Grandpa after their massage.

Arlo's new reading spot.

And we close this week in memory of these four friends...

... whose friends stood by their side until the bitter end.

Bangkok Week 862

January 2, 2025

Happy 2025! It was another very busy week, as we wind down our year-end holidays. Arlo finished his Lego masterpiece; we had play-dates and get-togethers with 5 families; went to the park, Happy & Healthy Bike Lane; and celebrated the new year with glow sticks and sparklers. Bring it on, 2025!

Welcome back, from our little narwhal.

Lucy's showing how she can get dressed all by herself. And she's very proud!

Arlo's steadily working away at his Lego fire station!

He built this huge, colorful castle while we were out.

Arlo and Lucy got sweet Christmas cards in the mail from their teachers! How lovely.

It's coming together!

Come hell or high waters, he will finish this fire station today!

Done! What an impressive feat by Arlo!

The finished project!

Taking a break for some physical activity.

Evening hugs (tackles) for Granny & Grandpa.

Lucy wanted to try on her (new) outfit for tomorrow the night before. Dressed herself, of course.

Getting a head-start on the Learning Journeys, having learned the hard way in past years.

Lucy the monkey, was very proud of herself. "Like a swing!"

Enjoying the winter air at the playground.

Lucy was massaging Arlo's face.

And drawing with chalk, while waiting for Nimo to arrive.

Great stomp rocket action shot.

Here's Nimo, for a long-overdue playdate.

Lots of board games!

And of course, some stomp rocket fun.

Arlo was eager to sort through the seashells we brought back from Rayong.

And then he turned (a small subset of) them into Shell People.

Proudly showing his art to Dad.

The two cat ladies.

Enjoying a "Mexican" dinner for a change.

It's Saturday! That means it's movie night!

Arlo wanted Joke for breakfast, so Joke he got!

Time for another exciting playdate: with P'It, P'Ut, and P'Kate.

They like to play (board) games, too.

And trying the stomp rocket, of course.

Hungry appetites after all that playing.

Hanging around at the playground.

All the children together - how many monkeys can you fit into one photo?

I think it's been 5 years since this group was last together!

Arlo is impressed by P'It's Rubik's Cube skillz.

And trying our newest game, Cat Taco Goat Cheese Pizza.

And Pigs in Pants.

Winding down the busy day with a visit to Makro.

Thank you for the delicious dinner, Granny!

Tumbling backward into Monday.

Lucy's really into puzzles to start her day.

New outfit. "Like P'Kate!"

Uh oh! Aphids galore!

Expert breakfast-eater.

Everyone enjoying watermelon.

Concentrating on peeling his orange.

Trying the "water blast treatment" to get rid of the aphids from the avocado.

And how timely; here's a lady bug to help.

And observing how the water pools on the leaf.

Dad, Granny, and Arlo went to Dasa Book, and came home with quite the haul!

Enjoying the last of the cookies from Nimo and his mum.

Someone getting ready for the New Years' Eve bonanza.

Inspired by Christmas gift-giving (maybe?) Arlo wrapped this toy all by himself, and labeled it for Mum & Dad.

Happy New Years' Eve! Last morning of the year!

Soon Lucy, you'll have outgrown that step.

No better way to spend the last morning (with lovely weather, no less) than at the park.

No free ride for Granny!

Look at this monkey.

Lucy needs a turn, too!

Sliding together, "like at the waterslide" in Rayong.

Another monkey...

... who's surprisingly strong!

Perched on top of the tunnel, of course.

And saying good-bye to 2024 with a healthy dose of ice cream!

Yum, Swensens!

This boy loves his bubble gum!

Bottoms-up, Lucy!

Hard at work on a very detailed truck drawing.

It's actually a two-page compilation. Beep, Boom!

Playing his newest board game with Grandpa.

Grandpa approves, even though Arlo wins!

And closing down the year with a neighborhood party.

The Last Supper :)

This crazy driver monopolized Thomas & Nancy's car.

The sun sets on 2024.

Disco at Clementine's house.

And sparklers! Wow!

Lucy doesn't know what to think!

Arlo tried writing with his. So cool!

Winding down before bed; bye bye 2024!

Here it is: 2025! And we're off to a rolling start!

More cards with Grandpa...

... and this one is keeping busy, too.

Off altogether via tuk tuk...

... to brunch at Holey Mothership.

Another detailed truck drawing for Arlo while he waits for lunch to come.

Bon appetit!

Neutral (?) about Turkish Eggs.

Peace to the new year!

Heading home...

... and waiting to see the garbage men (whom we just saw at Holey, too).

Since the Legos weren't challenging enough, starting the micro bricks.

And helping dad with the car tires.

Arlo took full responsibility for the tires, and they turned out great!

And we're celebrating 2025 with a trip to our favorite...

... Happy & Healthy Bike Lane!

Arlo wanted to only use the balance bike again.

And Lucy is getting quite advanced with her balance bike skills, holding her feet in the air for extended periods now. (Or resting them on the bike frame, and saying she's "pedaling".)

Although Lucy took comfort in knowing where Arlo was...

... she was often on her own, as Arlo zoomed ahead and lapped her!

Lining up together to take off downhill, before the track is too crowded.

Using the two-foot tandem technique.

Holding her own.

"Pedaling."

Two speedsters.

Trying out the "Adventure Park".

This one is taking a break with Granny...

... while this one enjoys his offroader.

Somehow, the track is still empty!

Here she comes!

Heading off into the sunset.

This guy is showing off his advanced skillz!

Refueling with fries and smoothies (everyone enjoying Granny's) before heading home.

Look at this toilet-trained warrior!

Beautiful first sunset of 2025.

Dad on Lucy wake-up duty this morning, and she suckered him into reading a book.

Taking matters into her own hands, since Mum & Dad keep forgetting to pump the tires.

Lunch with Alba, Ines, and their family! What a treat to see them while they're visiting from Spain.

Lucy & Ines got on well, even though they don't remember each other.

It was impossible to get a single good shot of all 4 together. But we did get *LOTS* of funny outtakes. Enjoy.

Enjoying quiet time with some concentration.

And closing off a busy day with a play date & car wash with Thomas and Nancy.

These two boys independently "cleaned" Chris's car really well.

Meanwhile, the ladies looked at the cats...

... and played with the dolls.

Lucy came over to help the boys, ultimately.

Done! Time to clean up shop, and see you next week!

Bangkok week 861

December 26, 2024

This week had it all! We spent 3.5 fun days in Rayong, and then came back to Bangkok in time to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Merry Christmas, everyone! 🎄🎅🎁

Welcome back, from goofball Lucy...

... who also turns 2 years and 9 months old today!

Here's another goofball, trying on this orange net for size.

Enjoying the last slices of Grandpa's birthday cake together.

And we're off to Rayong! Lucy is happy at this rest stop.

And Arlo is inspecting the bugs in this bromeliad.

Here we are at everyone's favorite hotel! Welcome drinks for all.

The hotel is all decked out for Christmas. Check out this gingerbread house in the lobby.

"Why this fish is sad?" Lucy asked.

And here's the fish. Indeed, it looks like he's having a sad day.

A visit to the Kids Club while waiting for the sun to pass its peak.

Lucy's workin the kitchen today.

Food's up!

Lucy, have some decency!

Arlo's reuniting with his friends, the rabbits.

And here's Lucy's favorite activity...

... swinging!

And they tried this old-fashioned see-saw for the first time this visit.

Grandpa helped make it fun!

And a really nice treat from Grandpa: Guss Damn Good ice cream for all!

Arlo discovered that there's an even larger gingerbread house in the main restaurant! Wowza!

Strong Granny braved the pool with Arlo & Lucy.

Brr! Purple lips upon entry.

Granny also took Arlo & Lucy down the waterslide for the innaugural slide.

One time for Grandpa, too.

Thank you, Granny, for taking the plunge...

... so that Mum & Dad can stay nice and dry on the shore.

Here come the Arlo+Grandpa duo, riding the slide like a luge track.

Onto the beach for a beautiful sunset.

This became Lucy's swing for the weekend.

Playing in the sand; Lucy's clearly gotten lots of practice at school since last visit!

Arlo really enjoyed playing in the waves and the sea.

Beautiful sunset!

Arlo enjoyed collecting seaweed this trip, too.

Group shot!

Sunset shot, take one.

Trying to get one good shot with my children...

... we'll have to settle with this one for now.

Knocked over by the wave!

They really enjoyed playing in the ocean this time.

Family shot.

Look at this cute burrito with purple lips.

Watching the sunset and her brother, from her favorite place: a swing.

Sun down on our first day in Rayong.

Dinner in the bar tonight...

... means it's a great opportunity for Lucy & Arlo to learn foosball.

What a tiring day. Ready to crash.

Up bright and early for brekkie the next morning, after a rough night in bed. (Everyone in the same bed, to be clear.)

Pancakes, whipping cream, and sprinkles: breakfast of champions.

Someone learned from her brother yesterday, and wanted to walk along the stones in the lobby.

Tried to get a Christmas photo in front of the tree. Here's where we landed.

Playing on the obstacle course in the garden.

They had a fun new scoreboard at the football field. And look: the score is Arlo!

An early-morning beachside swing for Lucy, while it's still shaded.

She's not sure if riding on Grandpa is an improvement or not.

King of the morning seaside.

Checking out all the newly-exposed seashells.

The seashell search team.

Lucy enjoyed the ocean, too.

Arlo, wandering off on his own, looking at shells and the waves.

Checking out the crab holes, and tiny crab balls.

Inadvertent yoga move while running from the waves.

Children of the sea.

And of course, someone required a ride back to the hotel building.

Our destination for the morning: Rayong Botanical Garden.

It was even cooler and dryer than when we went in late-May.

Arlo was a great sport, and did the whole 3.5-km walk. Also, despite not feeling 100% that day.

Wefie with the lotuses.

Walking through tall, thick (but slightly manicured) jungle.

Arlo remembered well that this path was flooded when we were here in May.

Made it to the "Rak Samet" bridge.

Arlo enjoyed this bridge again, and was excited to see the kayaks pass underneath.

A sign board about mushrooms! There must be mushrooms around here somewhere.

Walking to an area we'd not visited on the previous trip: the paperbark trees.

It was really very picturesque!

Lucy tried her hardest, too, and did do a bit of walking.

But much of the walk for Lucy looked like this, if not strapped to Mum.

What we walked all this way to see.

And here they are! Carnivorous pitcher plants!

Another kind, growing along the ground.

To the extent that he still had attention to give, Arlo was very interested.

Arlo the mushroom-spotter also found several mushrooms.

Back at the start, and enjoying a well-earned ice cream from a passing Walls cart.

And chillaxing back at the hotel with the Helpsters.

Mid-afternoon dip with Dad and Grandpa -- the brave ones today.

And a few more rounds on the water slide for Arlo (and his luge sled).

Dad, Lucy, and Granny checked out the kids pool area for an oh-so-fleeting moment.

But, rather sensibly, she'd rather sit in the shade and eat cookies.

After trekking half way around the hotel in the hot sun, a few promised runs on the slide to cool off.

And no trip to Rayong Marriott is complete without a swim "with" the fish.

It's almost sunset again; that means it's time for Lucy's beachside swing.

Lucy means business. (Construction business.)

This was *her* swing as far as she was concerned.

Beautiful sunset for Lucy and the grandparents.

Truly an infinity pool here! (With a yacht!)

Dad thought Lucy & Mum were matching. Yes?

This morning, the score is in Lucy's favor!

Another early-morning visit to the beach.

Taking in the calming ocean vibes.

Still at home.

Playing football on the sand with Dad.

Lucy's happy place!

Express trip back.

Checking out and sorting the haul for the morning.

We're heading out for a morning trip, and Lucy's still the score!

At Thung Prong Thong mangrove forest, taking a boat tour of the mangroves.

This is apparently the largest mangrove forest in Rayong.

Great view out the front of the boat.

And we've made it to the open waters.

These birds perched peacefully atop the sticks that break the waves.

These two enjoyed being out in the ocean.

Our resident comic, asked to give a smile. This is Option 1.

And Option 2.

Nice peaceful mangroves...

... with huge communities of sleeping bats!

There were many of them; and they were huge!

Getting out of the boat to walk along the boardwalk for a while.

Look at the roots, and how tall the plants are!

Posing for his Learning Journey.

And a photo for Lucy, too, who was very particular about when she wanted to walk or not.

Heading up to the top of the observation tower.

Beautiful views.

But the railing was dangerously open for Lucy. (And oddly short for anyone taller than Arlo.)

Checking out the "Shinkansen fish with a light at the end of the nose".

Here are said needlefish.

And how the mangroves replicate.

Some Instagrammable photos on our way out.

Mangroves!

And riding in the side car of a motorcycle back to the parking lot. Definitely the highlight of Arlo's day.

Lunch at one of our two "go-to" places in Klaeng.

The head of the table, and she knows it.

They both ordered pink milk. Yummy yum!

"Oh! Ducks!"

Enjoy the feast!

Splurging on a bag of fish food after we finished our meal. (Time to fatten up the fish.)

Look at that momma catfish!

Back at the hotel, poor Granny was trying to rest.

Another afternoon of swings. Lucy's fave!

Perhaps she'll become a trapeze artist.

And having a good time on the traditional see-saw.

"Why I so high?"

An ambitious endeavour: teaching Arlo (and Lucy) how to play pool.

One last dip in the pool, and the requisite hotel shot.

And here's Arlo with purple lips...

... and Lucy with purple lips.

Smile, Lucy!

The cold burrito enjoying himself.

Time for one last splash in the ocean at sunset.

Beautiful colors, Arlo.

Poor Dad, there's no letting go now.

Searching for the tiny little crabs again.

One last sunset shot: better luck than the first evening!

Our last beach sunset for 2024.

Here's our little comic, entertaining over breakfast again.

(That's more like it, Lucy.)

Last hotel brekkie!

Arlo wanted to take a photo with the giant Santa set up outside the lobby.

Lucy and Granny headed to the giant swings for one last go-round...

...while we headed to the beach.

Arlo can't help himself; he needs to head into the water, swimsuit or not.

Arlo, that's awfully deep for normal clothes!

Our winning sibling shot for the trip!

And our winning family photo.

Happily skipping along the beach.

Checking out our shell haul for the morning...

... the unicorn horns were the focus.

Arlo was making a mushroom out of shells, but later decided it was actually an umbrella.

Surprise treat on our way out: Arlo's new car!

Back to Bangkok in time for Christmas Eve dinner: Indian food, that is.

And it looks like Santa has come, so we're all set for tomorrow morning!

Merry Christmas! Arlo is up early, and the first one downstairs.

Oh my! Santa brought the Tesla Cyber Truck that he asked for!

Genuinely happy! (Bonus that all the doors, the trunk, and the hood can open!)

And what did Santa bring for Lucy?

The airplane she asked for!

Looks like it's a Thai Airways 777-300, the same plane Lucy flew to and from Tokyo.

Arlo can't help but "help" Lucy open her gifts.

It's a beading kit!

Everyone, let's get beading!

Lucy has enlisted Granny's help to open this one.

Teamwork!

Giant Tokyo metro puzzle for Grandpa! (Only 1000 pieces; a breeze.)

And a new 2025 wall calendar for G&G.

Wasting no time playing Lucy's new board game.

Hey, Granny got the thermos she was looking for!

Merry Christmas, P'Noi!

(Now, come bead with us!)

Uh oh! Arlo's decided to start working on the 843-piece Lego fire station from Granny & Grandpa.

Learning how to read the instruction booklet...

... and he's off!

Oh! There's one more unopened gift.

A stomp rocket!

It's an instant hit!

Mum couldn't resist trying... for the first, and last time.

Lucy modeling her new Moo Deng shirt. Stylish!

And trying Arlo's new board game -- Ticket to Ride.

Arlo's already completed his Lego fire truck, so he's using it to rescue people from the burning house.

Going for a late-afternoon Christmas walk/bike.

Lucy is getting very confident on the monkey bars now.

"I don't need help!" she makes clear. And can get herself down.

Merry Christmas from this duo.

The peanut gallery.

The completed fire engine, plus a veterinarian offering cookies... as they do.

Christmas feast of sushi for all.

Pulling the Christmas crackers with all his might. It's the first time to have the loud ones.

The three Christmas queens.

And here's Lucy, showing off her new penguin pajamas. She loves 'em!

This guy's up early to play with the fire engine that he built yesterday.

And completing three large puzzles. Cause why not?

Arlo got his first, very own bank book!

And a boxing day dip. Brrr!

Little Miss Blue Lips didn't last very long.

The shivering duo.

Wrapping up this busy week with our evening dance. See you next time!

Bangkok Week 860

December 19, 2024

The day has arrived. The moment has come. It’s the annual Christmas Show at school! And what a show it was! We also had our last swimming lessons of the year; a nice cycle around Rot Fai park; Grandpa’s birthday; and lots of Christmas cookies.

It's the day we've all been waiting for -- the Christmas show!

Everyone is up early to head to school early and ensure we get a parking spot.

One small problem: it's pouring rain!

After a short rain delay... the show must go on!

The famed grandparents' seats: Granny & Grandpa got the best seats in the house!

Meanwhile, back stage...

... the kids are waiting patiently, and getting into their holiday best!

The nursery kids especially were great sports.

Waiting patiently for the show of their lives.

Arlo's class was the second performance: a ballet "March March March".

Hey, that looks somewhat coordinated.

After waiting patiently, Lucy & class performed "The Winter Hokey Pokey".

And here's Lucy's (now infamous) performance stance.

What's that I see? A little smile?

And a jump! Someone turned Lucy on for the final seconds of the dance.

Bravo to the Buttercups, Teacher Preeti, and P'Kattie.

And the dance we've all been waiting for: I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas!

If nothing else, the costumes win for best dressed.

Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian!

Way to go, Lilies! The cutest hippos in Thailand (no offense, Moo Deng).

Waiting for the full-school grand finale.

A decent rendition of "Silent Night".

And here's the famous Annabel's snow! Falls every year, without fail!

And every year without fail, Arlo doesn't like it!

Lucky Lilies though: they're the only ones who got the snow this year.

Lucy and her nursery classmates were very intrigued.

Trins and Arlo, trying to run away.

And a quick pic with Santa, before the patience runs out.

Merry Christmas!

No sign of rain by the time the show was over.

Time for lunch!

Lucy's doing really well for her first Christmas show.

Showing her nursery classmates around the big campus.

Christmas photo with Arlo's favorite Teacher Selly.

Cooling off after a busy, intense morning.

And rounding off the first term of the school year with a healthy serving of Christmas cookies.

These two will sleep well tonight!

Saturday morning monster truck rally.

Oh! Lucky Lucy is being roused by Granny this morning.

Grandpa's getting rid of a stash of old coins. (And true to form, Arlo's trying to hoard them all.)

Lucy has an audience for her last swimming lesson of the year.

Teaching Grandpa new games.

Someone turns 5 years and 3 months old today!

And so someone else needs to take a tree photo, too!

Back to Baby Pool for Arlo's lesson this time.

Closing out the year with Teacher JA, instead of Teacher Big.

Waiting patiently for the Tuk Tuk home.

Granny enjoying her afternoon "quiet time".

Saturday evening "movie night" with Granny & Grandpa. Look at them, staying awake for it!

Special Sunday morning excursion to celebrate the start of the holidays: biking at Rot Fai park!

We haven't been here since the peak of the summer heat.

Lucy still enjoys riding in the back.

First stop: the playground and exercise equipment.

So many different pieces of exercise equipment to try!

And then a few rounds on the slide.

Next stop: the butterfly garden! Arlo thinks he's found Shin Shin.

There were lots of beautiful butterflies and moths out and about this time.

And detective Arlo brought his magnifying glass to look at them all.

This one even landed on Mum's head. (Look at all the grey, it said.)

Group shot in the butterfly house.

Lucy liked the different flowers.

This blue beauty was hanging around *outside* the house.

And continuing along.

Next stop: Cycle City (which was under repair last time we were here.)

And Lucy insisted on swinging at the playground just next door.

Arlo's just tall enough to use this balance beam.

Back at home, Arlo covertly took this photo of his sister.

Naptime story time with Granny.

More Genius Square with Grandpa...

... and then teaching his grandparents how to play Rhino Hero.

That's a tall one!

Pizza dinner!

Up early for the first Monday of their holiday break.

Arlo kindly let Lucy play in his room.

Not only is it Monday... but it's also Grandpa's birthday.

So here's Arlo, making a Shinkansen card for him.

The finished card (it's double-sided).

Lucy brought Granny to the pool, to watch Mum do her laps.

Grandpa's festive birthday cake.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Deeply concerned by the candles, but Lucy stayed in her seat this time.

What a color!

Lucy, too!

Grandpa and his colorful grandchildren.

Celebrating Grandpa's birthday with an afternoon swim.

All was suspiciously quiet upstairs while the adults dined: this was the scene.

Working on "The Christmas Pig."

Oh, good thing Arlo found his reading glasses.

Saying hi to the koi in the mall next to the US Embassy, before renewing Arlo's passport.

My impulse buy at the Tops there: Moo Deng elephant pants!

Lucy's learning to charm (a story in 4 parts).

And then a holiday visit from Baa Rat.

Enjoying the leftover birthday cake.

It may be days old, but it still stains as well as on Day 1.

Bangkok Week 859

December 12, 2024

The week is spent in anticipation of Granny & Grandpa’s arrival. But first, a lovely Christmas lunch with Arlo’s closest school friends at Martin’s house. And lots of colorful Christmas cookies, for the staff & teachers at school.

Lucy is happy to have the entire garden to herself, since we're there so early.

Crazy swing!

Enjoying the entire bag of seaweed on the way home.

Someone was so tired that he fell asleep in the tuk-tuk on the way home.

The mischief duo, sharing a chair at dinner.

Saturday morning swimming: Lucy is planing her own lesson.

Somehow, she's very speedy on her back.

Now it's time to make our Christmas cookies. Look at all the helpers!

"Measuring" the flour...

... and ensuring that there's no question that these are holiday cookies!

My little helper, putting the sprinkles on top.

And checking on the oven.

Looking good in there!

Christmas cookies for all!

And checking out a neighborhood baking goods store, to pick up packaging for the cookies.

Watching our "new" TV.

Inaugural Saturday movie night!

A Christmas classic!

Getting into the Christmas spirit.

Huh. Playing board games together.

The party Arlo's been waiting for: Christmas lunch at Martin's house.

Leg massage for Dad.

Checking out some of Martin's many car collections.

Their dog, Aubrey, was enjoying the party too.

Pileup of the boy's gang.

Height check-in. Actually Martin and Trins are quite tall, too.

Martin has a lovely playroom on the 4th floor of his house, too.

Practicing fine motor skills...

... and gross motor skills needed for every good monkey.

Lunch time.

Trying the impossible: a photo of all 6 kids.

Time for some arts & crafts.

And then time for the raffle gift exchange: Arlo volunteered to draw first, since he's the oldest.

He won a very cool book from Trins.

And Lucy picked...

... the gift from P'Boss.

Lucy showing off her piano skills.

Most successful group shot! (Minus one person, who really didn't want to be in the photo.)

Everyone! Thanks for having us!

Back at home and exhausted after a very stimulating morning & afternoon.

So tired, in fact, that she didn't even make it to her bed.

Embracing the holiday spirit, and off to school with her antlers.

Breaking news! Stop the presses! Shin shin came out of his cocoon over the weekend!

Here he is, homely little guy. His glory days are definitely behind him.

Making more ornaments at the start of the day.

Checking out the stage for the Christmas show, which went up over the weekend.

Zoom zoom!

Lots going on here! A bike race, and a basketball game.

Trying to hula hoop.

Reindeer and her horse.

Someone had fun doing water play after school.

Arlo, Trins, Fuku, and Seoyun made a volcano together, and made sure it wouldn't get taken down overnight.

Very keen on practicing his writing.

And drawing a picture for Teacher Selly, to include with her holiday cookies.

This kool kat is ready for another day.

Whoops, that volcano didn't last long!

Road trip!

Saying hi to Flip & Flop before heading home.

Special day! Going back via tuk-tuk.

(Many angles of) purple lips after swimming in the chilly pool!

Going on a morning drive.

Painting while riding a bike.

It was a surprisingly precise painting though!

Another critter at school.

Lucy hanging up the special ornament she made at school this year. Her first contribution to the tree!

Checking in on Granny & Grandpa's flight before bedtime.

The (tall) boys of Annabel's.

Working on their Christmas tree.

Enjoying the nice winter weather!

Here they are!! Our VIP guests!

But... someone is shy!

Not sure how to react.

Better to run around with Patton instead.

Showing Granny her learning journey. What are we going to add this holiday break?

And time to pick up monkey #2.

Shy and excited at the same time! (And eager to show off the beautiful calendar that he & his classmates made together.)

Arlo putting his own special ornament on the tree.

Welcome dinner.

And slowly warming up... to be continued!

Bangkok Week 858

December 5, 2024

A very special week, with a visit from Puu; a Christmas fair; Lucy’s first cycle at Nong Bon park; and the Father’s Day holiday on Thursday. On, and we got a “new” TV!

Welcome back! It's Funny Face Friday!

Thank you for sharing your chair, Lucy. Very kind of you.

There goes Lucy with her best friend.

Long-awaited visit from Puu, who's here for his annual eye check-up.

Lucy and Arlo were thrilled.

Nice smile!

Wasting no time on Saturday morning.

Enjoying their traditional congee breakfast with Puu.

And showing Puu all the plants in the back yard.

Farewell photos.

(Lucy wanted to do it her way, not sit on Puu's knee.)

And a hasty good-bye at the bus terminal, since we were very tight on time.

Bye bye, Puu.

Safe drive!

Enjoying some pick-me-up ice cream at 9:30am.

Back at home, trying on his Halloween eyeball for size.

It's finally time! Time to ring in the holiday season and put up the decorations!

Arlo is now a pro at decorating the tree.

And he finally understands that you need to look high and low, not just left and right.

Happy Holidays!

This little monkey had a tiny yellow bruise on her forehead -- which clearly called for a bandaid!

Wakey-wakey sleepy head! Time to get going!

We're off to the Bangkok Prep Christmas fair!

We arrived just in time to see Aya's sister, Doreen, perform.

So many children! Such a big school!

The crazy bull had Arlo entertained.

But this one was more their speed.

Driving the little train, first two cars of course.

It went around many times; they got their money's worth.

Popcorn break.

(Lucy's serious about her popcorn: no eating and walking, let's sit and enjoy it.)

Arlo saw a friend from school doing the wipe out, so he wanted to try too.

We ran into neighbor Yuri, so Arlo and Yuri went in together.

And ice cream cones to celebrate surviving their wipeout.

Time to relax; it was very overwhelming!

Lucy really enjoyed all the giant bubbles.

And so did neighbor Artem.

Back at home after a long afternoon, enjoying our Christmas lights.

Good job, team! It's a nice tree.

Bedtime story on the floor.

Heading to Nong Bon park for a bike ride on Sunday morning.

It's Lucy's first time biking by herself here.

There was lots of stopping-and-starting along the the journey.

And lots of beautiful birds out enjoying the nice weather too.

There goes Arlo on his off-roader (zooming).

And here come Lucy & Dad.

Lucy spotted one of Granny's friends high up in a tree. "Squirrel! Squirrel!"

Arlo pointing out that we made it all the way to the end of the Isthmus (or is it a peninsula?)

Sitting and waiting for Lucy & Dad...

... who were actually sitting and waiting for us to come back!

Stopping for snacks before heading back.

This bird has a particularly long neck!

The helmet gang, walking back. Lucy didn't quite have the energy (or rather, attention span) to bike the whole way back.

A giant friend of Granny's hiding in this tree.

It's also December 1st, and this marks the start of the advent calendars (from London).

A chocolate gingerbread man!

The doors on this year's calendar are tough to open (since Mum bought the cheapest one) so Lucy needs a hand.

Putting up some solar-powered lights on what is now a Christmas tree.

All set for the holidays... even the Toyota!

Beautiful sunset.

Monday morning: hair done up like Koala ears.

Arlo, in his matching shirt, got to hang out (indoors) on Lucy's side while Mum & Dad met with Teacher Preeti.

The monkey who is too excited to go home.

Looking for the turtles.

Almost ready to get her license.

Peek-a-boo! Arlo's special Christmas tree ornament. How clever!

Hmm! Turns out the wreath is a great package delivery spot as well.

Someone has rediscovered her Halloween candy stash.

Procrastinating again; the turtles, the turtles!

Lucy is upping her driving game today.

Now she can see far!

Watch out for the "crazy woman driver!"

Last football of the year!

So fast, he's a blur.

The only fun way to slide down the slide these days.

Very carefully taking stock of her Halloween candy.

It was only a matter of time until they decided to wear the stockings.

Looking good!

And now, we have a fireplace in our living room!

Happy Holiday Thursday! It's Father's Day!

Special bagel breakfast for Dad!

And following the bagels with a round of ice cream.

What a special day!

Lucy's not wasting a drop of her ice cream.

Time for some holiday chalk!

This stenographer is very carefully crafting his message.

And there you have it: Merry Christmas!

A bird, a bear, or Santa?

This is a Cyber Truck, in case you couldn't tell.

Meanwhile, Lucy is keen to start riding the pedal bike.

She's not pedaling yet, but it fits her now; so that's a start.

Time for a make-up swim!

Waiting patiently for class to start.

Meanwhile, this guy is practicing his lettering.

The culprit, who knocked over the cactuses on the balcony.

Special afternoon activity: enjoying the "new" TV.

Enraptured!

Chomp-chomp-chomping away on her halloween gummy candy.

And closing the holiday evening with some puzzles. See you next week!