My blog is moving to a new site!

Hi All!

I just wanted to advise you all that I have had to move my blog to a new site as this one won't allow me to upload photos anymore. They changed my blogspot account too this beta program and now it is really difficult to use. Plus, what's the point in having a blog if I can't add photos to it.

The new website address is:

http://web.mac.com/sydneysam

Hopefully we will see you over on the new site. I am still trying to work out how to add links and how to get comments, but be patient and it will all work out in the end.

Love to you all and see you all on the Mac site,

Sam. x

Hong Kong Disneyland or Bust!!!

Well we finally made it to HK Disney for Dylan's birthday. It was a great day, so good that the next day I went again. The main thing is that Dylan had a great time. I have now learnt that he will be taking driving lessons with Wayne in his car, not mine.....Only kidding!

Yesterday I went with my friends Elaine and Janet. Talk about 3 ladies doing tea, we sure did just that. It was a great day. We went on a tour of the Disney Hotel and now Janet and I are planning to take the kids there for an overnight slumber party hopefully in the beginning of December.

Congratulations to Ben and Jean on the arrival of Riley Lockhart Sawin. Now I know 3 Riley's in 3 different countries.

The kids are doing well and are preparing for Halloween this coming weekend. Dylan is going to be a T-Bird from the movie Grease and Jackson is going to be Napolean Dynamite. If anybody in Hong Kong knows where and what the grease is called to put in Dylan's hair I would really appreciate the advise. All I can think of is Brylcream, but that's not here that in Australia. If I'd only gotten onto this sooner, I could have called on you Dad to help me out with this one. I also need to find a switch blade style comb.

Next week we are on school holidays. Who knows what or where we will go, just as long as we have fun. I think I will leave it up to the boys to decide. We were trying to go to Tokyo, but we have been having trouble getting a room. Wayne was going to fly over to meet up with us as he is going to be in Kuala Lumpur for the next week and a half, but now as you know we are all just going to hang out at home.....Maybe I can take them to tennis with me.

Boy, how time sure flies when you are doing nothing!

Well I cannot believe it is nearly one month since my last note. So I thought to myself I should sit down and type something to fill the empty space on my blog site. So here goes in a nut shell what we have been up to lately:

Wayne has been traveling to all sorts of exotic places. These being Shanghai, Malaysia, Tampa and Chicago. Chicago is his current port of call. He will be back in Hong Kong from an exhausting trip this Sunday.

Jackson has started tennis lessons and is starting to make progress on getting his homework done on Friday afternoons instead of leaving it till Sunday night. This is an early Christmas miracle for us! He is still doing a great job in his Chinese painting class.

Dylan had his trumpet stolen and is not very happy to be using the old one that the school has lent us. We have to admit that we are a bit peeved that a kid at the school would do this. We have had every teacher in the school looking for it, but as yet we have not had any luck in finding it. Dylan is also improving in his Chinese painting class.

He has also taken up tennis and seems to be really enjoying it.

Me, well I have started having tennis lessons twice to three times per week. I find it very tiring and very challenging. It's definitely a great way to get all your frustrations out of your body. It doesn't hurt with the added health benefits either. So I would have to say I am really enjoying myself at the moment. I'm still doing my Chinese painting, but now I actually have a painting partner. So it's nice to not be the only one in the class for a while.

Anyway, that's all the news I have for you right now. Let's chat later, shall we.

Love ya. x

Natural Disasters!

Can you believe that we now live in a country that has more than one natural disaster. Tonight while I was minding my own business at Curriculum Night at the boys school, we were struck with a 3.5 earthquake. The whole gym shook and rumbled. I had no idea that Hong Kong had earthquakes.....I guess I have learnt something new for today. It was actually a little exciting!

Dylan's 12!

Can you believe Dylan's 12!

Yesterday I tried my hand at cake decorating. If you are not sure what the cake is suppose to be....then let me help you out. It's part of the Solar System. As you can see Pluto didn't get a look in as it has been demoted from being a planet. Just for your info, the planets are Earth, Mars and Saturn.

We were all a little tired as Dylan was so excited about what presents he was going to receive, he had us up since about 2.30am. I can tell you I'm exhausted.

This is what a teenager looks like!

Well everyone, it's finally happened. We now have our very own teenager. Jackson's 13th birthday was yesterday. As long as he isn't as obnoxious as I was, then we will be just fine.

We spent the day at Ocean Park, followed by a trip to the movies to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest. We've finally seen it, and now we can't wait for number 3. It was so hot at Ocean Park yesterday. Also, it had most of the population of Hong Kong visiting there as well. Jackson had a good time and that was the main thing

Next week is the start of the new school year. Monday we find out who the lucky teachers are that will be teaching them. Then the first day of school will be next Tuesday. I'm disappointed as we have had a great summer break this year.

Anyway, there is always next year!

We're back!

Hi all from our little place up here in the clouds. Yes, we have finally arrived back in Hong Kong for an exciting new year. It was really wonderful to see Wayne at the airport waiting for us. I guess you could say the 3 of us really missed him. It was also wonderful to see our 3 cats waiting for us at home. Not to mention...Veronica! She was definitely a sight for sore eyes. I have to admit that Hong Kong has made me a little lazy that way, but to shock you all (especially you Dad) I did not mind doing the household chores while I was over in the States. It made me realize how lucky I have it in Hong Kong.

The day after we arrived home our friends from the UK arrived for a short stopover on their way to Australia. It's been 2 years since the boys and I were lucky enough to spend time with the Robertson's. You know when you meet people and you think that you will definitely be connected to them for the rest of your life.....Well that is how I feel about the Robertson family.

Speaking of other family members that I had missed.....It was wonderful to see Tony last night. He was able to come and have dinner with us all at the Chinese restaurant here at Parkview. A good night was had by all. He looked fantastic. This is another person I truly missed while I was hanging out in the old USA.

Well guess where in the world Wayne is right now.....He's over conquering Japan! He will be back next Monday and then he will be having a week off with us. We can't wait! I don't have much of a 'Honey-Do-List' at the moment, so I will have to start thinking of some projects that need looking at. Maybe we can just go and hang out at Shek-O for a day and do some sightseeing with the boys.

Also, coming up this week...I will be the proud parent of a teenager! Yes, Jackson will be turning 13 on the 17th of August. I can't believe it. He really is the most wonderful kid in the world. I just love him to pieces. I'm not saying that we haven't had our moments, because we have had some big bust-ups, but all in all he's just wonderful. We are all going to go and see Pirates of the Caribbean together. We waited to go and see it with Wayne when we got home. It was hard as Taylor (Anna's daughter) went and saw the movie 9 times while we were staying with them at their house.

Dylan is doing really well....Another wonderful kid if I do say so myself! I think he is getting himself ready for another year of school. You can never tell with him, he is just your cool kid, doesn't get too bothered with anything really. I wish I had his personality.

Anyway, I am working on getting another camera. I am hoping the airline will compensate me for my lost. Everybody keep your fingers crossed for me.

Lots of love to you all,

We missed and miss you all.

XXX.

60 days and counting!

Hi all,

sorry for my absence but we have just been having a crazy and fun time here in the Mid-West.

We arrived into Chicago a couple of weeks ago to then leave and go on our Wisconsin trip. Lake Geneva was excellent. I would recommend a holiday to the Timber Ridge Lodge to anyone that has a passion for indoor water parks. The Timber Ridge is part of the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa and just a little bit of trivia....The Grand Geneva is the old Playboy Club. Yes there is still a bunny picture in the hallway.

While in Lake Geneva we went to see Keith Urban at Country Thunder. Let me tell you that was surely an eye opening event. On the same night Carrie Underwood and Leeanne Rimes performed as well as Keith. Let me tell you Keith was awesome. I can't wait to see him again. Unfortunately it started to pour down with rain so we had to leave Keith earlier than we wanted too.

Back here in Chicago has felt like I have come home. You know I am very fortunate to have two places over here in the US where I feel so comfortable. Algonquin IL is no different. We have been blessed to be able to stay with our wonderful friends Anna, her husband George and their two daughters Taylor and Emma. They always show us wonderful hospitality and for that I am truly grateful.

While in Algonquin, we have been made honorary members of St. Johns School and Church. This gave us the opportunity to help represent them in the Founder's Day parade. We were on float number 65 and there were so many more floats after us I couldn't count them all. The only problem on the day was the blazing temperature of 104 degrees. It was fun to see the shocked faces of people that I knew who were not intending to see us in the parade.

From the parade we went to the Founder's Day after party. This was held in the big park in Algonquin. Because it was so hot, many beers were had by all. Then it was home to sit in the pool in freezing cold water to cool down.

This week is all about trying to catch up with old friends before we head back to Hong Kong next Saturday. I am hoping to see Michael and Joan, Jen (again) and Marianne and lantz (if we can ever catch each other on the phone). Tomorrow night we will be having a meal with Tom, Maripat, Molly and Jenna. I am really looking forward to that.

Also, this week is all about packing!!!! We came and conquered. We arrived 60 days ago with 3 bags, now we will be leaving with 6 large bags. I am not really sure how we will get them and us all into our car, but I am sure Wayne will find a way. If not, some of the luggage will be accompanying me on the airport express and then a cab back to Parkview.

I know this will come as a shock to everyone, but I am really ready to come back to Hong Kong for my 2nd term. We have been away for so long now that I am really ready too see what this year has in store for all of us. Hopefully, it will be better than the last. I know I am coming home with a very positive attitude about living away from my friends and from the slower paced lifestyle that I love here in the US.

Thinking about this year we have a lot in store for us. This would be possible trips back to the US for different events. First off my friend Amy will be 35 in September. She is having a big blowout party for that.....Just waiting for the invite Amy.....Then in October my friend Joe is getting married in the Mid-West. It also happens to be on Anna's birthday, so I would get to celebrate both events at the same time. Then at Christmas we will be off to see family and friends in Australia. It is hard for me to believe that I have not been home to Australia since 2002. Gosh, time sure does get away with you. Since then we have moved from London back to Chicago, then moved to Tampa, then moved onto Hong Kong. I guess you could say we have kept ourselves very busy with all these new adventures that we have undertaken.

Anyway, lots of love to you all and I will write again once we are back in Hong Kong.

P.S. Thanks again to all our friends who have looked after us so well here in Chicago and of course in Florida.

X.