Purple head-sock wearers of the world unite

To obsession and beyond!

Disneyland Train

This train ride circumnavigates the theme park and takes about 10 minutes. We saw Tigger, Pooh, Minnie, elephants, zebras, crocodiles, little green men and some scary signs saying 'danger'.

Very Confuzled!

Here we are searching for Heffalumps and Woozles in the Pooh Bear Ride at HK Disneyland.

Jiggered at Disneyland

A little known part of Hong Kong Disneyland, nestled between Tomorrowland, Adventureland and Fantasyland.....is Napland.

East Meets West at HK Disneyland

"No, actually, they're my own ears."

"Really?"

"Yes, that's right. I didn't buy them here, I don't work here, they are not part of a novelty hat, they are my real ears stuck on at birth."

"Amazing. The West must be a mysterious and wonderous place."

Gracie

Grace has been two and a half for several months now. She will be three in August.

Peeking at the Peak

A couple of weeks ago we had dinner at a restaurant at the Peak, overlooking Hong Kong. After dinner we played in the playground there for one more minute....one more minute....one more minute...

Friends

Jane and Vicki are great friends. They enjoy various activities together including reading, playing with toys and going for walks. Vicki is a wonderful friend to all of our family.

Repulse Bay

Here are Grace and Rich enjoying the wonderful sights of Repulse Bay. (Grace and Rich are the small figures on the left.)

Picnic Hide-away

Last week we had a hike and lunch in a secret little place known to only a few million people, called Tai Tam Country Park. Literally meters away from buildings and roads we found this cute little bridge over a gurgling brook running past a secluded picnic area. We ate food, spotted dragonflies and picked up litter. It was lovely. Then we 'hiked' back to the taxi rank.

Taking a Breather

We do a lot of dancing at our place - twirling, hula, shaking one's tail-feather etc. As much as we would like to, we can't dance ALL the time, so the odd breather is required. Here are Laura and Grace taking a break.

Hong Yau Lee at Repulse Bay April '06

Helping Hands

A large number of families from other countries have come to Hong Kong seeking a better life. While they wait for their application for asylum to be processed, they have all sorts of needs but have very little money. A few folks got together on May 1 to pack some care packages for some of these families. Charlie and Laura helped pack the bags and had a great time doing so.

Higher, higher!

Here are Jane (aka 'Sweetie-pie') and Grace (aka 'Role-model') enjoying some swinging together.

Church Administration Building - Hong Kong

This is where we go to Church each week and where Rich works Monday to Friday (except when he takes a day off to go to Disneyland).

There are three chapels with classrooms etc on the first seven floors, serving the needs of six different congregations (two Cantonese, one Mandarin and four English). There is also a basketball court on the first floor where Rich plays one on one with his mates Ryan and Joe on Tuesdays.

The top three floors are where the Church's humanitarian, construction and other programs are administered for the Asia Area. Rich's office is on the 10/F, seven o'clock from the large round window.

Repulse Bay

Nothing repulsive about this bay, thinks Jane. It's quite lovely in fact. What was a little challenging, though, (but definitely not repulsive) was the many, many mainland tourists who crowded around our children (like seagulls do when you open up your fish and chips packet). They wanted to touch their hair, take pictures and generally ooh and aah over them. Many were astounded that we had three children! Laura and I felt like Tom and Nicole at Bondi Beach circa late 90's. The kids didn't mind the attention. I wonder how they will cope being non-celebrities back in Australia?

Sports day Spectators

The winner is - Gracie!

Unfortunately, Grace had to give back her gold medal after her sample was declared uncalled for by the other children sitting next to her in the grandstand.

Her coach (Laura) is appealing.

Her manager (Rich) is revolting.

Sports Day

Charlie really enjoyed participating in his school's sports day in March. Here he is warming down after a big race.

Buzz and Susan

Charlie and Grace love playing together. Their favourite game is 'Buzz and Susan'. They get married, dance, defeat enemies and participate in other fun children's activities.

Buzz Lightyear Pancake

Not many people know that Rich did a TAFE course on pancake art. Education is never wasted.

Going Out

Here we are waiting for a cab to take us to Charlie's tennis lesson. We believe in that old adage that 'a family that prepares for a multi-million dollar career together, stays together'.

Grace and Jane help Charlie practice his "Come on's!" and Rich has just finished reading Do's and Don'ts for the Successful Tennis Dad by Damir Dokic.

It's a family effort.

Kids

A popular pastime in our home is 'bun-catchers'. The rules are that Dad chases the children around the dining room table, up the hall and to the bathroom for bed-time teeth-brushing. Dad extends his wiggling fingers while the kids scream with mock fear. The allure of this game is that buns are never actually caught but there is always the danger that they may be.

Jane enjoys a swing in Victoria Park.

Tooth, line and sinker

A major milestone in our home was reached in February when Charlie lost his first tooth. Don't believe what you might read in the tabloids or on those slanderous blog-sites - that Grace was somehow involved. The tooth came out voluntarily as we were eating our dinner together. Thankfully we were not eating rice that evening as that may have proved somewhat confusing and possibly a little ugly.

Laura's Birthday

Laura celebrated her 33rd birthday with family and friends, including Grace (right) and Pink Pony (left).

Laura's Birthday 2006

The children and their dad prepared breakfast in bed for their mum. Jane thought it was a strange custom and was not that supportive.

100th Day of the School Year

To celebrate the 100th day of the school year, children were invited to dress up as either:
1. A one hundred year-old person; or
2. A person from 100 years ago; or
3. A person from 100 years in the future.

Laura and Charlie put their heads together and came up with this unique 'look'. I believe Charlie is a one hundred year-old man living one hundred years in the future, who also happens to be a retro-type who likes dressing in the style of 1906. Something like that.

What ever the interpretation, Charlie turned some heads in the classroom, got some tongues wagging at the drinking fountain and set some major new fashion trends among Hong Kong's 'guppy community' (ie young yuppies).

Grace's New Glasses

Grace is adjusting really well to having glasses. Perhaps, though, we should not have let her choose the frames.

Driving Misses

Flowers

A couple of mates enjoy the gorgeous flowers.

Swarthy Mates

Piracy is a very attractive lifestyle, it seems. We were hoping that the children would be drawn to medicine, law, engineering or some other law-abiding and constructive field....but no, it appears that they have salt-water in their veins and have become entranced by the siren call of get-rich-quick schemes upon the high-seas. Even poor Jane was swept up in the excitement. She was promised a chance to see the world and all the treasure she could put in her mouth.....yet all she ended up with was a hanky with the initial 'R' on her head and a plastic sword.

Hike

One of the Chinese New Year activities we participated in was a hike. Here you see Grace and Jane working up a sweat.

Sweet Baby Jane

Our girl is a delight. She now enthusiastically eats pumpkin, sweet potato and apple. She moves backwards very efficiently - always backing herself into nooks and crannies, and under the piano or couch. She is dying to start going forwards. Won't be long now.....

Hong Kong Academy CNY Celebrations

Charlie had a wonderful time performing in his class presentation for Chinese New Year. Here he is in the audience, performing (seated on left) and with Gracie at home.

Chinese New Year

Kung Hei Fat Choy!!!
Hong Kong is buzzing with year of the dog talk and we're eating lots of year of the dog food. Woof!

Hong Kong Disneyland!

Disneyland was fun! We went on the Buzz Lightyear ride about 27 times!

ahoy there!

Official Family Portrait - Christmas 2005

It's quite an effort to get all dressed and made up and to go into a studio for an official family portrait, but after such an interesting and wonderful year, we felt it was worth the effort.

The look we asked our professional photographer, Claudio, to help us create was 'homey, relaxed and a bit wind-swept'. I think you'll agree that his skill and the time we all put into the shot really shone through.

By the way, it took three industrial fans to get Jane's hair to do that.

Laura and Rich in Tassie - Christmas 2005

Rich is smiling in this picture because he has not yet discovered that:

2 weeks in Australia
+
many family parties
+
many cherry ripes
=
5 kilograms

Never mind, now we are back in Hong Kong it is back to the South China Beach Diet (ie lots of rice).

Grace and Hinckley

Christmas 2005.

Dog Training - Christmas 2005

Here are Jack Russell, Aunty Woo and Baby Jane. Jane is looking away because she is annoyed that Jack uses more haircare products than she does.

After some initial disagreements, Charlie, Grace and Jack became best of friends.

Jane enjoyed her holiday to Australia

Jane is developing a very positive and sunny personality. How many people respond with smiles like this one when greeted with comments like: "she's huge!" or "what a whopper!"?

She also reached the 'double roll-over' milestone on Aunty Woo and Uncle John's floor. Even though conditions were in her favour (ie low humidity, dry floor, gentle breeze), all credit to Jane for a well-executed bi-roll.

Grassie Girl

Having lived in Hong Kong since she was 5 months old, Grace finds walking on grass a little daunting. Big brother Charlie helped out when we were staying at Aunty Woo and Uncle John's home by telling Grace that their grass was the juiciest he had ever seen. So, after a couple of days of park-going, she took her first steps and discovered that parks and grass are fun.

City Park Launceston

Peter (the guy who drove the Thomas the Tank Engine ride at City Park, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia) said that the park was the second oldest in Australia and that some of the trees were older than Melbourne. Charlie and Grace were flabbergasted by these facts, as pictured.

Who's sitting on my air-sick bag?

Here we are training for our eight and a half hour flight to Australia for Christmas holidays. Practice makes perfect especially for those bulkhead seats.

Grace: Do I have to watch the Wiggles again?

Jane: Wah?-wah?-wah?

(Translation: Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?)

Let's ride to Tasmania!

Laura wanted to ride from Brisbane to Launceston on our recent Christmas holiday - something about getting into the spirit of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - but the rest of the family talked her out of it. Jane was especially boisterous in her disapproval.....at least that's what we think she was boisterous about.