With the birth of Olivia (and possibly any baby), there came the inevitable comparison to Theresa and me, and to her three older sisters. Who did she look like more? Who did the other girls look like more? And, more than six years after our oldest was born, it was hard to remember what the other girls looked like when they were only a day or two old. Which brings us to this little quiz.


The photos above show the other girls while they were still in the hospital, so they're most definitely all only a day or two old. Can you tell who's who? They're in no particular order. Submit your answers in the comments section below. You have until I sort them out myself.

For the record, Theresa got them all right the first time around. I think that proves that she's their mom.

Posted: 5:49 PM | 2 Comments

UPDATE 1/21/2012: The polls have closed, and the results are being tallied.

The time is near for our fourth child to be welcomed into the world. All the preparations are being made and nesting rituals are almost done. So, we'd love to hear your guesses. If you'd like a little history on the other three girls for you to make your educated guesses, then read on.

Posted: 10:14 PM | 0 Comments

Posted: 1:18 AM | 0 Comments

Of all the short-form, post-anything-from-anywhere blogging services available, the market seems to be dominated by Tumblr and Posterous. I've just stepped onto that field, and I'm still trying to decide which side of this fence I want to be on.

Posted: 9:38 PM | 0 Comments

Well, as was so succinctly pointed out by Miles on my previous blog, I have not kept up with my resolution to regularly and more frequently contribute to this blog. The explanation, of course, is a valid one. At least, I think so.

I was fasting. From the computer.

Three weeks ago, our church, Crosswalk Community Church, called for a churchwide fast for three weeks. There were a lot of things I thought I could do without, but few of them would hurt more than giving up my personal computer time. It just feels like my dedicated personal time and I usually unwind from a long day after the girls are in bed. But that time also usually slips by much too quickly and by the time I get into bed, I would have accomplished little of any value.

So, I decided to give up a few hours of my personal computing time each day with the hopes of using that time more productively. I have many books screaming to be dusted and read, the chief of which is my Bible. So, with great expectations, I set of on this three-week adventure.

Here's what I've learned: There are many more distractions in this house than just my computer. Without trying, I was able to fill the void with TV time instead. It wasn't even one specific show, although being in the middle of the Australian Open gave me one more thing to tune into. When that wasn't on, there were a dozen other shows on two dozen other channels.

Posted: 10:21 PM | 0 Comments

Wow! Where has the time gone?

After more than a year, I have returned to my blog. It seems like a good time, considering the new year and our penchant for resolutions and goals. So, jumping back on track, I'm resolving to becoming a more regular contributor to my own blog if only to chronicle my thoughts and the events of my life.

So, rather than wait until my blog and the rest of my site is completely complete, I'm just going to open it up to you as it currently stands, and invite you to watch as I try to improve it.

I have a few goals for this blog, which may become a playground for some (hopefully) interesting stuff. For one, I'd like to stretch my creative skills and try to add more variety to this site. Taking a page out of Jason Santa Maria's blog, I'm going to try to make each post at least partially unique. Why should print layout have all the fun?

SVA Dot Dot Dot Lectures: Jason Santa Maria from MFA Interaction Design on Vimeo.

More creative muscle-stretching will mean more typefaces and other design elements likely using any number of different technologies, many of which will require the latest browsers. So, if you haven't updated your web browser lately or tried something other than Internet Explorer because it came by default on your computer, you will need to do so to experience this web site to the fullest. You should do it anyway to experience much of the rest of the interwebs to the fullest.

I'm going to try one post a week, and see how that goes. Don't expect anything too profound, though I will try my best not to be utterly trivial. I'll try to make it a merry mix.

So, here goes.

Posted: 9:44 PM | 2 Comments

We've been trying to teach Audrey to read. You know, it's one of those essential skills that she'll need a little later in life. She already loves books, whether it's just looking at the pictures or pretending to read or making up her own words and stories.

One morning, as we were sitting at the table for breakfast:

Audrey: Daddy, I saw you pee.
Me (thinking): What?! When?!
Audrey: I saw U-P. That spells "up."
Me (relieved, no pun intended): That's right, honey. Good job!

I'm going to have to be more careful when I go to the bathroom next time, just in case.

Posted: 7:30 AM | 0 Comments

Has it really been a month since my last blog post? I'd say I'm sorry for not updating you, but I wouldn't be completely truthful. I'm sorry, though, if you've been looking for updates and haven't found it here.

I think it's a mild case of Social Media Fatigue.


You'd think that being such a techie myself, and being in the techie field, that I'd be riding the crest of each crashing wave of the next big thing. But I think the inverse is happening... too much of it is getting to be a little too much for me.

If you really want to keep up with me, follow me on Twitter. Since I can txt my tweets, I do that most often. That also feeds my Facebook status, and you can see it here on my blog too.

For my part, I'll try to keep you updated on some of the things that are going on around here. Maybe if I keep the posts short, I'll get more in. Anyway, stay tuned.

Posted: 9:30 PM | 0 Comments

We knew, when we bought this house last year, that we wanted a vegetable garden in our yard. We're not really doing the green thing. Well, not yet. We're just playing around in this first year. If things go well, we're definitely going to kick this up a notch!


We went to Menard's this evening to check out what they had to offer. We looked at flowers first, but then stumbled upon the vegetable section.

Actually, we saw the apple trees first. Having been to the local orchard for their harvest days, we knew some of the breeds by name. So, getting excited at the prospect of having fresh apples from our own garden, we picked out a Cortland apple tree. It was tempting to get a McIntosh to satisfy the geek in me.

Then we found the vegetables, and we went a little crazy. I thought we'd start with a salsa garden, but the strawberries looked really good. So, we ended up with tomatoes, zuchinni, green peppers, strawberries, and snow peas. That should be enough to keep us busy for a while.

I also got us some hardware for the job: stakes to hold up the tree and some fencing to keep the pests out. So, this week, I'll be working on getting our garden set up and ready to go. Hopefully, I'll be able to put the plants in the ground by this weekend and then let the bounty of the harvest roll on in.

I'll post some pictures and updates. I would also appreciate your input and green tips. I don't want everything to die in there.

Posted: 10:37 PM | 0 Comments

While riding her bicycle in circles in the garage this evening, Audrey suddenly stopped and pointed at Eliza.

Audrey: Daddy, Eliza's special to me, and I'm special to her.
Me: That's right. And you're both special to mommy and daddy.
Audrey: Yeah. Daddy?
Me: Yes, honey?
Audrey: Are you going to marry mommy?
Me: Daddy's thinking about it, baby.

I didn't really say that last part because the humor would be lost on her, and it might skew her view of family values. Of course, I explained that daddy was already married to mommy. But it was funny in my head anyway.

Posted: 8:59 PM | 2 Comments

Has it really been two weeks since I last posted in my blog? You know, there was a time when I thought I'd have something to say, or I'd find something to say, worthy of my blog at least once a day.

And now look where I am. I blame Twitter.

I just wanted to post my last word on Sarah.


We attended her memorial service two weeks ago. It was a good opportunity for us to express our condolences to her family, and to get some closure for ourselves. We didn't get to see her body as the casket was closed, but we were reminded that the spirit and life that we had come to know and love in Sarah was gone. All that remained was a husk. We reveled in the knowledge that she was dancing on heavenly streets of gold.

I pondered, while looking through memorabilia from various times of her life, how many people would show up for a similar service in remembrance of me. I'm sure there were more than a few people who wondered the same thing. But an event like this is bound to make you pause and consider your own mortality.

So, goodbye Sarah. You will always be remembered and missed.

Posted: 9:45 PM | 0 Comments

You know, I'm usually not a very emotional guy. Granted, I haven't experienced a lot of deaths to anyone close in my family and I haven't really had to go through a lot of trauma, so the limit of my emotional endurance may yet be untested.

But since the news of Sarah's accident, I find myself deeper in thought than usual. It's surprised even me that I've been dwelling on it.


This photo was taken at Sonshine 2004, one of the many times that Sarah joined the Fresh Fire Youth for the weekend. I don't exactly remember when the Bullers started coming to Holy Life or when they stopped, but when you make a solid connection with kindred spirits, it doesn't really matter where they go to church. You still keep in touch and contact with them. For a lot of the teenagers that pass through the doors of our youth room, it "Once a Fresh Fire youth, always a Fresh Fire youth."

Today would've been Sarah's 19th birthday, when she should be celebrating the beginning of the rest of her life. If you're her friend on Facebook, you'll know that her wall has been inundated with innumerable well wishes, a testimony to the life that she led and the legacy she leaves.

It's not often that a student inspires a teacher, but lately I've caught myself wondering about my own life. Now, I don't think my life is insignificant in any way, but I have been questioning how well I've been living my life and how wisely I've been spending the days I've been given on this earth.

I also don't think that it would increase in value if I devoted every waking minute helping starving children in Africa. There is, of course, nothing wrong with doing that, but if we all flocked there, who would evangelize our own country? There's as much a call for businessplace evangelism as there is for global evangelism. It all boils down to balance.

The question that I've been asking myself always comes back to this: What am I doing with my life? What more can I do? What have I been doing with my life thus far? I know that's more than one question, but I have been asking myself those questions a lot.

I don't expect to have any answers right now, but maybe those questions will help direct my choices and my life. Maybe if I find myself here again, I might be able to have more positive answers. Maybe the questions alone are enough for now.

I think Seth Barnes said it best in his blog. "[S]ometimes God loves us so much, he asks for our best. And in receiving Sarah into his loving arms, he got the best we had."

Happy birthday, Sarah. You will be missed.

Posted: 11:04 PM | 0 Comments

You know how they say you shouldn't get emotionally attached to your subjects or clients? Well, that's probably sound advice for working in certain vocations. For example, if you were an IRS auditor or counselor, it's probably a good thing that a little professional distance is kept between you and your subjects.

But when you're a youth pastor ministering to teenagers, total transparency and complete honesty are required for your ministry to be effective. Otherwise, they'll see right through your facade.


We just learned that a girl, actually now a young lady, who used to attend the youth group when we were youth leaders in Brookings, was killed today in an auto accident while on a mission trip to South Africa.

Needless to say, we are both shocked by the news and deeply saddened by it. Hers was a life cut short long before her time. She was one of those students who inspires her teachers. Looking back on her life, she has accomplished and overcome a great deal.

I don't know her well enough to presume anything, so I won't say that she would've wanted it this way. I mean, who really does? But I will say this: I should be so blessed to be caught doing the work of the Lord when my number is finally called.

We love you, Sarah. You will be missed.

Posted: 10:04 PM | 0 Comments

So, it's time again for me to add to my bucket list. So far, I have annual hiking trip, visit the US Open (tennis, not golf), and write a novel.

0-3 and I'm going to add more to the list.


I'd really like to add the Tour de Kota to the list. Now, before the diatribe gets unleashed, gimme a chance. It's just one of those things... you know, like wanting to climb Mount Everest. Now, I'll admit. There's a certain amount of machismo involved here, but I also think this would be a great summer activity.

If you're not familiar or from South Dakota, the Tour de Kota is our very local version of the other tour. It's 425 miles of biking through seven stops in South Dakota. Most of those miles should be over plains, but I'm sure there will be a few slopes as well.

So, I'm not going to underestimate this undertaking. I'll probably start hitting the gym, treadmills, and bikes hard soon, so maybe that'll help me get started training for this. I know actually riding time on the roads, etc will be crucial, so I might have to get creative with my routes. Maybe I'll ride to Brookings on the weekends.

So, anyway, that's my next bullet point on the bucket list.

Posted: 1:41 PM | 0 Comments

Well, I told you I'd try to pick this up again. I just didn't think it'd be that long in between posts. So, here I am trying to help your next Malaysian adventure.


First of all, there's the food. My, my, the food. When I was growing up, I took the bounty of the land for granted. We would eat out at almost every occasion, and we wouldn't think twice about the variety that was available at any number of eating places or food courts.

When you go, be adventurous with your diet, if possible. I know if you have severe allergies, especially peanut, then you might want to be a little bit more careful. Some places are still cooking with peanut oil, and there will be plenty of peanuts to go around. But if you just ask, there are more and more places using palm oil.

Try as much as you can. The beautiful and delicious thing about Malaysia cuisine is that it's not just Malay, Chinese, or Indian. It's Malaysian, which means that each has a little bit of everything else. The Chinese food has a little bit of Malay and Indian in it as well, and vice versa. So, be adventurous.

Not just with the food. There will be a lot of things that you will get to do. Even as a Malaysian, there were a lot of things that I had never done before and things that I had taken for granted. Like visiting beaches or climbing hills, go and do all the tourist-y things. Like parasailing and shopping. Go to the museums and parks.

In short, if it looks like fun, do it :)

Posted: 11:08 PM | 0 Comments

Or, this could also be called, "Tips for travel to Malaysia." There were a few things that we learned along the way and hopefully we'll be able to do this a little better next time.


For one, bring cash instead of travellers cheques. Banks have a hard time converting those things into cash, and you can probably get a better exchange rate from someone who's in a position to negotiate. That means private money changers.

Also, bring large bills, nothing smaller than $50 bills. Twenties may be common here, but fifties and hundreds are actually preferred by the money changers. I don't think you'll get a better rate for turning in two fifties versus five twenties, but you might have an easier time changing one fifty versus one twenty. And some money changers will not take any bills smaller than a fifty. Besides, it's easier to carry a few $100 bills than a wad of twenties. Who are you trying to impress anyway?

And, make sure your bills are nice and crisp. Well, at least not worn and tattered. I had a fifty given back to me because it was too worn out. They're probably a little suspicious of counterfeit bills. Something else to think about.

Secondly, travel light. This is even true if you're traveling with kids. We did it with two little girls, and most of the time on the planes, they were content to draw on paper or watch the movie on their own screens. They don't need their own rolling carry-on luggage, which only adds to what you'll have to end up carrying for them. You'll have less to keep your eye on and less to worry about, and you'll be able to move a little faster in the airplanes and the airports.

Travel light especially if you're going to another country with a great exchange rate compared to the US dollar, like Malaysia. At RM3.65 to the dollar, we were able to shop at most stores and get great clothes for great prices. Of course, there are those stores where the clientele are a little bit more elite, but for the most part, we got really good deals. Everyday low prices, as my dad would say.

So, you can easily shop for almost anything you might need on a daily basis. Even if you needed extra luggage, like we did the first time we went home, you can find them at great prices that are sometimes negotiable.

Hmm... that's it for now. Let's call this Part I. We'll pick this up later.

Posted: 10:50 PM | 1 Comments

Well, we're all finally settled back into the former routine, here at Casa Goon in Sioux Falls.

Well, settling in.


The girls are finally adjusting back to Central Time. They're taking their naps and going to bed at the right times, and waking up at almost the right times. It might take a few more days to get reacquainted with the schedule, but I think we're doing okay.

We're happy to be home and into the familiar swing of things again. I have my friends at work, and Theresa has her friends at the mom's group. We have our friends at church, and that just feels right.

Of course, for me, going back to Alor Setar was another rush of old and familiar sentiments as well. All the main roads were familiar, and I could even drive myself around town. For your information, we drive on the correct side of the road, on the other side of the car. And we have roundabouts.

It was hard for me to leave my family again. It was so great to see them and interact with them again. We got to spend a lot of time together while we were there, I think partly because the girls were with us. My parents have not seen much of Audrey and Eliza, so they took advantage of every moment to get to know their grandchildren a little more.

It was also a treat to see the girls warming up to my parents too. They stayed at a distance at first, but towards the middle of the trip and more so at the end, Audrey and Eliza had warmed up to my mom and dad, and even my aunts and grandma.

So, next trip? We're definitely planning on going back. It's just a question of when. If we keep to our traditional four year lapse, Audrey will be in 2nd Grade and Eliza will not be far behind. We'll have to make it a summer trip next time around, just to accommodate the school schedule.

We'd also get the opportunity to visit the beaches on the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula, which is allegedly supremely pristine. Going back in the summer months will also have the added bonus of putting us right in the middle of the Malaysian fruit season. Mmmm... durian.

And we might also have one or two more in tow. Just saying.

So, we're already planning. If you'd like to come with us, you would be more than welcome. The weather is great. The food is delicious. The shopping is endless. And the experience will be unforgettable.

Posted: 9:28 PM | 0 Comments

Thank goodness for free internet access. Honestly, people! Why isn't this done more often? Especially at airports. You'd think it's be as commonplace as restrooms and Starbucks.


Well, we're stuck here at Changi International Airport in Singapore. Of course, I use the word "stuck" affectionately, because this really is a nice airport. The customer service is quite amazing, and they have free internet here.

Anyway, I just wanted to update you all on what was going on. I know I owe you a post on what we did in Alor Setar the last few days, but that might have to wait for a while. I don't have photos to show you, and it's quite late. I think we're going to try to pull and all-nighter to try to get our bodies back on South Dakota time.

So, I'll fill you in later. The next time you hear from me, I'll probably be back home.

See you on the flip side.

Posted: 10:26 AM | 0 Comments

After coming down from Genting Highlands, we checked into our apartment in the heart of the shopping area in Kuala Lumpur. I'm sure it can be disputed whether or not Bukit Bintang is the heart of shopping in KL, but if it isn't, it's gotta be pretty dang close. Half a dozen malls almost the size of the Mall of America, and all within walking distance from our apartment.

Let the drooling begin.



We only had a few short days to cover as much ground as we could. But it had already been a long day and the heat was getting the best of us. So the first order of business was to take a dip at the pool downstairs.





Audrey and Eliza took to the water easily, and had fun splashing in it. Audrey was even tall enough to be in the shallow end of the adult pool. She thought it was the coolest thing to be able to tiptoe to and fro.



Of course, there was a certain amount of lazing and playing around, in between shopping sprees. I'm so glad Grandma Jenni came along to help with the girls.



And in between all that shopping and lazing, we even managed to fit in a little but of eating. I've definitely been trying to eat a little bit of everything while I'm here. That's my uncle with me there, who made a detour from their Thai vacation to visit us in KL.



They brought books for the girls, and Audrey loves reading. She loves being read to even more, and she loves her aunt Fay Cheng. So having Aunt Fay Cheng read a new book to her was just bliss.



Here's the family on the sixteenth floor of the KL Plaza Suites. You can see the Petronas Twin Towers in the background. It's quite a sight at night from our balcony.



More importantly, you can also see The Pavilion, one of KL's newest malls. The shopping is decent there, although there are a lot of high-end stores with prices that are comparable to US prices. So, not exactly a mad rush of a shopping spree.



The food court on the lower level is quite amazing, though. You could eat something different every meal everyday for weeks. My aunt and uncle from Australia, along with my little sister and I enjoyed Teppan Yaki for our last meal in KL.

Besides eating and shopping, there are other things you can see and do. Really! I promise.



Instead of just admiring the Twin Towers from afar, you can also visit it. Besides having a shopping mall at the base of the towers, you can also take a short tour half way up the towers to the skyway bridge. It's 41 storeys above the street, and offers quite a view of KL.



I even got Grandma Jenni to go. Tickets are limited each day, though, so you'll have to be there early to get your tickets.



Another fun activity is the fish spa, or fish pedicure. Those seem to be on every corner and in every mall, so you can't miss them. It's all the rage around here.



They supposedly nibble at your feet and eat the dead skin, leaving smooth and healthy skin. It's fun to try at least once, even if you don't believe in its virtues.

So, after five days of shopping and eating and shopping and eating, we managed to pack all our new clothes into our bags and make the long drive home to Alor Setar. What a whirlwind of a week. We're exhausted, but it was so much fun.

It was especially nice to see my aunt and uncle from Australia. They've been there about twenty years, so it was certainly a treat to see them in person and hang out for a while. We even got our first fish spa moment together. How cool is that?!

But sadly, we had to leave them and Fay Cheng, who had to go back to work. The girls really took to her and were always excited to have her around. So, we'll just have to make it a point for them to see her more, one way or another.



Even Theresa was sad to leave her coffee buddy behind. Here they are at the Coffee Bean, sharing their last cup of caffeine together before Fay Cheng left for work. You could always count on them to tell you where the closest Starbucks or Coffee Bean was.

Off to Alor Setar to wrap up the trip. That's another entry.

Posted: 10:44 AM | 1 Comments

What a week it has been. I know I haven't blogged, but it's been quite busy the last few days. You'd think I'd be able to add a few lines when the day was over and I was just winding down. You'd be wrong.

I slept.

We started out the week going up to Genting Highlands for some entertainment. That area is popular for its casinos and theme parks, attracting regulars from as far away as my hometown in Alor Setar. Put those schoolbuses to work at night.

It's a long and windy road, though, with several speed bumps along the way. But once at the top, the view is quite amazing, if the mist doesn't turn the scene to white.



We stayed at the First World Hotel, where the facilities and amenities leave little to be desired.



We took the first night for surveillance, and planned our second day there. Since it would be our only full day, we wanted to make sure we made the most of it. Here's the lobby area of the hotel.

So, the next morning, after our free breakfast (the french toast line is slow and not worth it), we got a few all-day pass wristbands for us and Audrey for the theme park. Here, Audrey would get on her first rides.

We started with the indoor rides and then moved outdoors. We rode on elephants, rockets, cars, horses, balloons, and trains. Here are some of her favorites (They all seem to be):



The first ride Audrey got on was conveniently located next to the ticketing counter.



When outdoors, it's important to consult a map to ensure efficient use of time and energy to maximize riding time.





Mom and grandma on the elepants with the girls. They're certainly turning out to be thrill-seekers.



Theresa and I with the girls leaving on a jet plane. There's no fear of heights or vertigo in these girls.



Case in point. Audrey rode on that ride several times in a row on multiple occassions. Since there wasn't ever anyone in line, the ride operator would just let them ride consecutive turns.



We took a break from all that motion to take a family photo.



And also feed the fish. Those little guys are not lacking anything.



Back to more spinning in a teacup. Actually, Ribena is grape juice.





The double-decker carousel can be quite a lot of fun. Being the low time in the middle of the week, the girls were able to ride different animals on consecutive rides.

Audrey definitely got her money's worth out of her wristband. We had to assure her that we'd ride some more after lunch and nap to get her to lay still in bed.

While the girls were sleeping and Grandma Jenni was watching them, Theresa and I went out to the theme park to get on a few rides ourselves. It's been a while since we last went on a roller-coaster, so the sensation of our stomachs in our throats was almost foreign. We quit after we were tossed, tumbled, and turned on all the adult rides.

Well, all but the one where we had to be weighed before getting on to ensure that we didn't exceed the maximum limit of 70 kilograms (that's a little over 150 lbs). We didn't even try, but we did weigh ourselves separately later just to be sure, and we were right. We would've endangered ourselves on that ride.

After the girls had napped, we went on more rides with them... indoor rides, as it was raining outside and the rides were closed.



Our little social butterfly of a daughter wasted no time in making friends with the little passenger on her train. It was quite adorable to see Audrey explaining the intricacies of the ride to this little girl.



Here they are on the carousel, one of the many rides we enjoyed while it rained outside. We rode the merry-go-round, the carousel, the gondola, the reindeer express, and topped off the night watching daring feats of lion dancing.



It's quite an impressive show, even for a sometime-local like me. By now, Audrey and Eliza were over her initial fears of the dancers and beating of the drums.



Audrey watched intently and enjoyed it very much. She would later ask to see more lion dances while we were out shopping.

It took a little convincing to get them to bed that night, but they finally went to sleep and we were able to squeeze in a few more minutes of shopping before calling it a night.

That night wasn't much of a night. Audrey woke up in the middle of the night crying, possibly from a bad dream, while Eliza was too wound up to go to sleep at all. The nerves in our room were frayed, but both kids and all three adults finally got a few hours of sleep.

We checked out the next morning and then checked into an apartment in KL. More shopping and sight-seeing. Next entry.

Posted: 11:35 AM | 0 Comments

Here's the album that I've started for our trip. I know it's probably duplicating the ones that Theresa is putting up on Facebook, but this way, you get a few extra photos and my take on things.

Check back for more photos.

Posted: 1:25 AM | 0 Comments

It's been a few days now that we've been in Alor Setar, my home town. The pace of life has always been a little slower here, it seems. Maybe it's because I'm usually here only on vacation, and things are more leisurely.



Here are Audrey and Eliza examining the gate. It helps to keep the dogs in and the riff-raff out.



We had to run errands one of those days, including stopping at my mom's office at the church. So Theresa watched the girls while they played in the kindergarten playground... the same playground where I used to play as a child.



Speaking of playgrounds I used to frequent, here's another one not far from home. We used to come here in the evenings to vent our energy. This is a large concrete mound with a smooth side for sliding. It's more fun that the little slides.





Then, yesterday, we made the short trip to visit the Lye Huat Gardens in Changlun. It's actually quite a fascinating place. We got to feed the fish, and look at all kinds of animals. They even had a little display of old bicycles. It's quite an interesting collection of artifacts.



This morning, we had dim sum for breakfast and Audrey took her first shot at using chopsticks. I think she's doing okay with her cereal bar.



Then after breakfast, we made it out to the Rice Museum to learn a little bit more about this amazing grain. It's actually quite a nice place. I especially enjoyed the revolving floor and the mural there. It's worth the trip if you're in the area.



Here we are as rice farmers. That would be our alternate vocation.





Spending all that time together has really helped the girls take a liking to Grandpa Sonny and Grandma Linda. Eliza, who is so shy, has even taking a liking to my dad. She especially like sitting with him at watching the dogs. Before the end of the trip, we'll get her to give him a hug and a kiss.

Posted: 11:37 PM | 0 Comments

Well, here I am sitting in the kitchen where I ate most of my meals growing up in Alor Setar. What an amazing feeling of familiarity sitting in this house where I grew up. There's no place like home.

To jump straight to the photos, read Theresa's blog and then check out the album on Facebook. I'll post a few of my own as soon as I've had the chance to go through them a little more.

Well, the last few days have been spent crossing things off my "must eat" list. There were even a few things that were not on my list that had to be added and then crossed off. I've been treated to all things new and familiar, and not many that can be found within a decent driving distance from Sioux Falls. I won't list them all, but suffice it to say, if you were Malaysian, it would make your mouth water. And it's only been a week.

On the third day of the Chinese New Year, the whole family packed up and we left for the Stella Maris Apartments in Tanjung Bungah in Penang. For about USD$70 a night, we got an apartment right on the beach with three rooms, with two to three beds in each room, a kitchen with dining area, two bathrooms, and a living room with a balcony that looked right over the ocean. That is an amazing steal.

So, while the shopping was good, and we did our fair share of that, there were times when we just wanted to laze in the room and go to sleep to the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach and the breeze of the ocean blowing through our wide-open balcony doors. It was certainly a time of rest and relaxation.

With the family being so close to us all the time, it was certainly nice to get to talk to them a little bit more. My aunt from Australia made sure she took time off at the same time so that she could spend time with us while we were in the country. My littlest sister Fay Cheng took some time off to be with us as well, so it was great to have her here. She's become the new best friend to Audrey and Eliza. In fact, the girls have grown quite attached to her.

They've also warmed up to my mom and dad, as well as my aunts and grandma. I think seeing them everyday makes them more familiar more quickly. It's nice to see them interact with each other, and how they behave around these new relatives.

Shopping has been good. We spent some time at the Queensbay Mall when we first touched down in Penang on the eve of the Chinese New Year. We've also spent some time at the Gurney Plaza doing our shopping and mall-ing. I'm sure we'll be doing more of that here in Alor Setar as well as in Kuala Lumpur when we're there.

Posted: 9:34 AM | 0 Comments

Here we are at 5:30AM (that's, in the morning) and we're all awake. We'll all definitely need a nap some time this afternoon to make it through to dinner.


Audrey has been up since 3:30AM, and consequently, so has Grandma Jenni since she wanted to sleep in grandma's bed last night. Eliza has also been up since 5:15AM from all the barking that my mom & dad's dog has been doing. He's still only three months old, so they couldn't leave him behind. And I've been up since 5:15AM or so with a growling stomach, so I had to raid the fridge.

So, we're all going to need naps this afternoon to recuperate and recharge.

Chinese New Year was really good yesterday. We spent our first night at my grandma's house in Sungai Petani so that we could be close to the festivities first thing in the morning. We were exchanging ang pows and greetings right away.

There's was a flurry of activity in the kitchen since we arrived, with all the women cooking up a storm. Besides, I am only home once every four years, so they're helping me cross things off my list, and even a few things that were not on my list. One of the things I really miss about Malaysia has been the food.

We got to visit with some aunts and uncles and cousins yesterday when they all showed up at the house. It was nice to see them again for so many years of being away. Now I'm even the uncle now giving away red packets. Such is the order of things.

We also got to take the girls out to the park for them to run around and expend some energy in the hopes that they would sleep better tonight.

Obviously, that didn't work.

Posted: 3:32 PM | 0 Comments

Here we are Changi International Airport in Singaport right before our last flight to Penang, our final destination. The trip has certainly been interesting and tiring.

It all started out when our first short hop from Sioux Falls to Minneapolis got delayed for almost 30 minutes. With our layovers already minimal as it was, any delays would certainly be cutting things a little close. When we finally landed at MSP, we were greeted with anxious airline agents with carts to zoom us through the terminals to our next gate. That was actually really fun. We would not have made our connection otherwise.

The flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo was more than 12 hours long. The girls did really well, with any outbursts kept to a bare minimum. We had to get creative with keeping them entertained. We had to get creative keeping ourselves entertained. There were a couple of movies shown, but only on one shared screen so you weren't really watching it for the complex plot.

We didn't have much time when we touched down in Narita, either. We boarded the plane as soon as we could find the terminal, and then it was another nine hours or so before we touched down in Singapore. That's when we finally got a little respite from our globetrotting adventures... that is, once we figured out what we needed to do to make sure our bags would make it to Penang the same time as we did.

We found a transit hotel, got a room, and hit the mattresses as soon as we were assigned one. A few hours of shuteye will hopefully help us get a headstart on the jetlag. I mean, who would want to be asleep during Chinese New Year, anyway? I even got in a very hot and refreshing shower, and wow! was it nice.

They're calling our flight now, so I'll update you all more later.

Posted: 5:15 PM | 0 Comments