Back to the routine

It has been over a week and we are getting back to the routine.  Sleep is happening at a more normal time frame, although Kasen has not been taking regular naps since we got back, she is at least no longer getting up in the middle of the night.  We have had a bunch of work done on Kasen's room lately and that has not helped the getting back to "normal" (more on that in a future post).

This weekend was pretty packed with soccer, visiting the local firehouse for an open house, the zoo, the farmers market, and a couple dinners out just to name the highlight.  Here are some pictures and video from the adventures.

This video is of Jake (first) and Kasen showing off their big soccer kicks.  Kasen is great at the dribbling part, or little kicks as coach calls them, but the big kicks....well you'll see

Photo day at soccer, Kasen is making sure it's OK to touch the ball with Coach.
Her friend Jake is the other one in the grey Sounders jersey

Kasen sitting in the drivers seat

Kasen on the back of the fire truck,
looking up at the ladders

Hope everyone is doing great, we'll post more as we can. 

"One Night in Bangkok" - Not Enough!

Hello, my name is Debra and I LOVE Bangkok.  Sometimes there have been places that I love almost in spite of themselves.  When finally declaring my love for these cities, it makes me feel like I am admitting some deep truth (especially when other people don't see the place as I do).  Mexico City was one of these places.  No matter how many people told me it was awful, I couldn't help myself.  I loved the architecture, I loved the rich cultural life, I loved the food and I loved the juxtaposition of new/old, traditional/modern.  Bangkok now belongs to this list of places. 

I will admit Bangkok gave an awful first impression.  She was hot, she was loud and whoa, was she dirty.  Still, as we began to get over our jet lag and experience the city, I began to recognize it's beauty and charm.

Spirit house (this one at our last hotel)

A Hidden Oasis

Morning in Bangkok

Walking Everywhere

Now, don't get me wrong.  There were parts that were less than beautiful, but maybe that's what I loved about it.  The beauty was more beautiful when intermixed with normality (like smog, garabage, rats, etc.) 

Here a few pictures near our last hotel (Urbana Langsuan - great location).  One side of the street had a completely abandoned building.  No obvious new work, just a beautiful building beginning to crumble with trash in the front.  On each side of it and across the street, cared for and NICE businesses, hotels, restaurants. 

Totally empty building

Directly across the street

A few buildings down

So while Bangkok startled me at first with some of the realities of a large, foreign city:

Street wiring was a rat's nest (sometimes literally)

Traffic was RIDICULOUS!

I am already tempted to go back.  After all, I never got to finish my fabric shopping...