Traveling Light

When you have had a number of international travels under your belt, you soon realize that the most important thing about travel is TRAVEL LIGHT.  On our most recent trip to Bora Bora, we saw everyone with at least one carry on and one humungous checked luggage, EACH.  Our entire family of 5 had a total of 4 backpacks and 1 purse.  When we landed in Tahiti,

Travel agency lady {mortified}: What happened to your luggage?  Did [the airline] lose it?

We {proudly}: This is it.

Bystander {chiming in}: All you need is your bathing suit.

Exactly!  When you go to the beach, all you really need is your bathing suit!  You don’t need 5 cans of hairspray, 10 cocktail dresses, or 6 pairs of shoes for different occasions.  You’re on vacation!  Plus, quite honestly, no one really cares what you look like.  You can look like a bugged out, disheveled drunk, and no one would really care.  Sure, you’ll get a few glances your way, but hey, you traveled light!  Think about all the expenses spared (i.e., checked luggage fee, overweight fees), and the mobility you’ve gained (i.e., faster check in, first to that taxi line).  You ever see contestants on Amazing Race with anything more than their backpacks?  No!  Life is too short to be inefficient (that, by the way, is my new motto), and to be bogged down by your luggage.  So people, don’t pack your kitchen sink on your next trip!

Dog On Prozac

With Truff’s behavioral problems and aggression, we finally broke down and put him on Prozac.  It was either him or me.  Hopefully, there will be less barking, fear biting & peeing on his part, and overall decrease in ‘psychotic’ episodes on mine.

60mg of happiness…

Cherish Moments

How many of us take our lives for granted?  Too many.  We forget to cherish those around us, and some of us certainly neglect our own lives; hence the smoking, drinking, poor diets, and lack of exercise.  We assume that our family members will always be there when we beckon, that our friends will just be a phone call away, or that we’ll be around.

“I’m not going to fly all the way there just for a few days…I just saw them last year.”

However, that ended up being the last time you’d see each other.

Michael, You. Will. Be. Missed.

Cherished moment #1 – Kayaking with dad.

Bora Bora

Upon arrival in Bora Bora

Boat ride from airport to hotel.

Mom and dad’s main entertainment, looking at fish through the glass table in the room.

Looking at dad through the glass table.

Off To Bora Bora

With the whole family, minus J .  Dad had wanted to experience staying in an over-water bungalow, and had entertained the idea of vacationing somewhere in Indonesia/Malaysia, where the water leaves much to be desired.  I suggested for the best experience, we would bring them to Bora Bora.  So here we are, the entire family is off to tropical paradise.  Since J’s already been to Tahiti 5 years ago he opted out, as his ideal vacation involves great food and wine, not sitting in a bungalow staring at gorgeous crystal blue water.  To each his own.

Happy Mother’s Day

The last time I made cards for mom and dad was back in high school.  After moving out of the house, there was never an opportunity to make cards for either one of them.  Since they’re here with us this Mother’s day, I thought I’d make a card for mom.

A two-toned Mother’s Day card.

Origami flower with a pearl push pin in the center.

A button sewed on to keep the cardboard card closed, as it tended to open up.

Signed by dad, the kids, and ‘grandkids’.

Inside joke…

Vegetable Garden

J wanted to grow his own vegetables but didn’t have the time.  Since mom and dad were staying with us for a few weeks he suspected that dad would be willing to take over the project.  So for the last 6 weeks, dad reliably transformed a patch of dirt in the backyard into a small vegetable garden.

Dad proudly showing off his hard work.

After a week of battling snails, dad was able to preserve one bok choy (in the back). The snails were obviously not interested in the scallions.

The bamboos cut from the side yard are used as support for the green beans.