32 Things

1. Jesus Christ--The Savior who is always loving, always faithful, always patient, and always leading me closer to Him.

2. Joshua Redin--my amazing husband who serves our family and loves God wholeheartedly

3. Caleb Redin--the most loving, kind-hearted three-year-old I've ever met

4. Annabelle Redin--the silliest, joy-filled, most playful girl on this planet

5. Jonah Redin--for his sweet smiles, snuggles and expressive eyes

6. RHC--our church here in Singapore that passionately loves Christ and teaches Truth

7. Extended Family (if I listed everyone that would take up the rest of the 32 items)--so thankful that nearly everyone in our extended family is a brother/sister/father/mother/grandmother not just in this passing world, but a brother/sister in the shining world to come.

8. Friends--For long-time friends and new ones. For best friends that trek across the world to share our experiences in Singapore, and for neighbor friends who trek down the hall to say hello. For friends that I talk to every day, and for friends who send an email out of the blue every few months.

9. Health--For the last year which has been relatively sick-less. A minor cold here and there but no major battles.

10. Daily bread--For the daily food and water we have in abundance. . . in a time when many around the world are suffering for lack of food and drinkable water.

--Okay, done with the serious stuff. . . from here on out, there is no particular order and no particular depth =)

11. Banana Muffins and a cold glass of milk

12. Packages from home

13. My Canon

14. Photoshop

15. Legos (what else could keep Caleb occupied for hours on end!?)

16. Air conditioning

17. Al Azhar's Indian restaurant

18. Baby carriers that free up my hands

19. Naps

20. Skype

21. Kaya Toast

22. Singapore Zoo

23. The pool

24. Grocery delivery

25. Taxis

26. My iPod and it's player

27. Hair bows for Annabelle

28. Pink nail polish

29. The Mini-mart!

30. 20-cent popsicles

31. Free refills (since most places here DON'T have them, I am really thankful for them when I do get them)

32. Tortillas

February

The upside to the perpetually hot weather here is that we can do THIS. . .

in February!

Conversation Snippet 1: I'm proud of you, Daddy

I'm starting a new category called Conversation Snippets. There have just been too many good ones lately and I don't want to forget them. I hope you get a chuckle or two along the way.

The following occurred between Caleb and me just yesterday:


"Caleb, you went pee pee on the potty all by yourself!! Mommy is so proud of you!"

"I'm proud of Daddy!"

"You are?? Why?"

"I'm proud of Daddy because Daddy goes pee pee on the potty, too!"

Drink Choices

Caleb: Mommy, can I have juice?
Me: No, you already had a cup this morning.
(walking to refrigerator and opening)
You can have water or. . . SHOOT!, we're out of milk. Sorry.
Caleb: Um. . . I want Shoot, please.

A cute picture and a fun game.

My cousin, Jessica, always comes up with best stuff on her blog and when I'm running short on brain-power, it's easiest to either 1) post a picture of one of my darling children, or 2) steal something from Jessica's blog. As soon as I saw this game on her blog, I knew I was going to steal it. But since I love all you readers so much, I'm going to post a picture, too!

First, the picture:
Caleb just got his first bike. I can't believe he's old enough for a bike! I think he is pretty convinced that he is motorcycle racer and we haven't had the heart to brake the news to him yet that he's not.

Second, a fun game my cousin had on her blog. Here is how you play. . . below I have written a single word. One of you (first come, first serve) has to finish the sentence by leaving a comment in the comments section. At the end of your comment, leave another word for the next person. Since I know a few of you have already played, I'm sure the rest of you will catch on as soon as you click into the comments. It's pretty fun and I hope you play along!

The word to get the ball rolling: Nevermind. . . .

Would You Rather (Tag)

My cousin, the Napping Ice-Hockey-Loving Poker Queen, unofficially tagged everyone who reads her blog to post a Would-You-Rather dilemma on their blogs. So, here is mine:

Would you rather. . .
live in a place that's hot all year
or
live in a place that's temperate nine months of the year, but really,really cold for three months?
Weather and weather related activities can be your only consideration (no family/friend considerations)


Your turn! Answer this one and then post one of your own on your blog =)

The Perfect Nap Poll

Annabelle, the Queen of Cat Naps

This poll is in honor of my favorite nap-loving cousin, Jessica, who recently posted an article on her blog about the benefits of taking naps.

Are you a napper? If so, what is your perfect nap? where do you sleep, for how long, etc. . .

My answers: My perfect nap #1 would be a mid-morning nap on a cool, rainy day where you can hear soft thunder in the distance. I would curl up with a fluffy, fresh-from-the-dryer down comforter and a good book. I'd read for a bit and then fall to sleep for at least an hour.

Perfect nap #2 would be getting to snuggle up with a newborn in the hospital after delivery. Not exactly the best sleep in the world, certainly the most contended feeling in the world.

Four Things

I got tagged by my favorite Minnesotan girl to do this little survey:

4 things I was doing 10 years ago:
-Starting my Junior year of college
-Driving a blue Honda Accord
-Reading tons of classical literature
-Swing Dancing on Friday nights

4 things on my to do list for today:
-Do a load of baby laundry
-Clean the bathrooms
-Play blocks with Caleb
-Snuggle with Annabelle

4 things I love about my husband:
-He is exceedingly patient
-He will eat whatever I cook and thinks everything is delicious
-He works really hard but never puts work first
-He really strives to live a life that is pleasing to God, even when no one is looking or would know.

4 jobs I have had:
-Pizza Delivery Girl
-Subway Sandwich Artist
-City Clerker (two different positions)
-Mommy
(as you can see, I keep getting promoted!)

4 movies I have watched more than once:
-The Count of Monte Cristo
-Nacho Libre
-Napoleon Dynamite
-Pride and Prejudice (yes, the LONG one)

4 places I have lived:
-In a dorm room
-In a house
-In a studio apartment
-In a high-rise condo

4 place I have been (this year):
-Malaysia
-Thailand
-Australia
-India

4 places I want to visit (before we leave Singapore):
-China
-Cambodia
-Vietnam
-Japan


4 t.v. shows I watch:
-We used to download "The Office" from iTunes, but that show is over now.

4 things you may not know about me:
-I haven't cut my hair in over a year (not on purpose. . . just haven't gotten around to it)
-I can sing the ABC's backwards
-I love crunchy green apples
-I love brushing my teeth

4 People I'm tagging:
Mom
Kirsten
Christianne
Dustin (this one is a stretch since he's in the Netherlands courtin' a girl!)

Goodbye, Summer Vacation

All good things must come to an end. . . and summer vacation is no exception. Caleb and I got up early this morning to see Josh off to his first day back at work. And, we've spent the last few hours wondering around the house aimlessly, trying to figure out what to do with ourselves. I'm sure it will take a few days to get back into a routine. . . just in time to welcome the new baby!

Here are some pictures from the last few days of vacation.

Little India: Mango Lassi. . . on the go.

Hanging out around the house.

Singapore Zoo: Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

McDonalds: Who can resist a 60-cent ice-cream cone?

East Coast Park: The park is near the airport, which made our airplane-loving boy very happy.

East Coast Park Bike Trail: $6 for a two-hour bike rental and lots of fun.

Bowling: The other bowlers probably thought I was hiding one of the bowling balls in my shirt!

Oatmeal for Breakfast

Almost every morning, Caleb and I eat oatmeal for breakfast. It is cheap, healthy and easy.

This morning, we ate oatmeal, but it was much better than usual. That's because today's oatmeal was in the form of homemade oatmeal cookies that my mom express mailed us. The health factor went way down, but the taste factor went way up, so I think it comes out even.

Thanks, Mom!

(I'd post pictures of the crumbs left on our plate and the smiles on our faces, but Josh isn't home this morning and he has the camera with him.)

Summer Break and a You Tube Laugh

You've probably noticed that I've been quiet in blogland lately. Josh is on summer break and we have been busy hanging out and doing nothing =)

One thing we have been doing is watching Extreme Pete. Caleb loves dogs and he loves skateboards so I did a search on YouTube with those two words and Extreme Pete was the result. Caleb loves him and if your boy is anything like mine, yours will love him, too (Truth be told, if you're like me, you'll probably get quite a kick out of this as well)!

Why Apple Laptops are Fun

Six Random Things

Christianne tagged me for a fun meme that calls for me to disclose 6 random things about myself. Here goes:

1. I was 17-years-old when I got chickenpox. All I can say is that it was absolutely miserable. I came down with it right as Christmas break began (my Junior year of HS) and spent the entire vacation ill. . . plus the first 2 weeks of school in January.

2. I have only broken one bone. It was Christmas day my sophomore year of college. My little sister got roller blades for Christmas and wanted me to roller blade with her. She roller bladed while I stood on the driveway, too cold to skate. Somehow or other, I lost my balance (not too hard when you're wearing roller blades and standing on an incline) and fell backward. The end result was several hours in the urgent care center and a hairline fracture to my right arm. Not a very heroic story.

3. I've been skydiving. (with Jessica and her now-husband, Ben) It was cool, but once was enough.

4. I was a pizza delivery girl one summer in college. The tips are great, but my car smelled like stale pizza for the next 6 months.

5. I have most of Dr. Seuess' Green Eggs and Ham memorized. . . in Spanish. I was on a mission to learn Spanish a few years back and reading Huevos Verdes con Jamon aloud (complete with Spanish accented character voices) was one of my favorite ways to practice. "Yo soy Juan. . . yo soy Juan Ramon. Ese Juan Ramon, Ese Juan Ramon. No me gusta nada ese Juan Ramon."

6. I've always been a bit quirky when it comes to time saving and efficiency. For example. . . when I was in elementary school (3rd grade or so), I used to lay in bed awake and wait until my mom checked on me. After I was sure she thought I was asleep (which looking back, she probably knew I wasn't) I would quietly get up, get dressed for school and make my bed. Then I would sleep on top of my made bed in my school clothes, ready for the next day. In my 3rd-grade mind, this was a great way to save time in the morning. Weird, I know. =) Don't worry, I don't do that any more.

Now it's my turn to tag. . . my six random picks are Jessica C., Jessica B., Elizabeth, Yvette, Kay Ann and my Mom.

Cartoon Caleb

If I were in Josh's computer class, I would think his latest assignment, cartoonizing a face, was the coolest thing ever. Here is the sample Josh created for his tutorial. Pretty fun, eh?

Spoiled Rotten

I think I can officially say that I am spoiled rotten. As if a trip to India from Josh wasn't proof enough, my mom and best friend, Yvette, constructed an elaborate surprise birthday party for me. . . via satellite (to read more about this one-of-a-kind birthday party, jump over to my mom's blog)! I was thoroughly surprised (and even a bit emotional, though I'll blame that on the pregnancy) when they turned the web-cam on to a room full of friends and family who had gathered back in California to wish my happy birthday and eat fresh strawberries in my honor.

Thanks, Mom and Yvette, for all your hard work and crazy scheming. Thanks, Josh, for all the work you put in here to keep this a secret, decorate our house and deliver the cake. Thanks Rick, John, Lucy, Grandma, Grandpa, Dan, Jessica, Tom, Kate, Dustin, Sarah, Brenton, Eric, Sharon, Jordan, Luke, Heather, Rebecca, Nathan, Mallory, Paige, Joe, Gabby, Jeremy, Jaedyn, Macy, and Brady (and anyone else I forgot to mention) for making my birthday extra special.

The Big Three-O

The goof in the crazy mask and the "It's my 30th Birthday" shirt is me.
And, yes, that's the real Taj Mahal.

For more pictures and info about how we spent my birthday weekend, visit our Singapore blog

These are a few of my favorite things. . .

In keeping with a tradition I started in college, every year on (or in this case, near) my birthday, I like to jot down a list of things that capture my life at that moment--the number of things corresponding with the number of years. Here is this year's list:

(Disclaimer: the list is random and definitely NOT comprehensive!)

Rebecca's Favorite 30
1. Listening to the squeal of excitement and the motorcycle sound effects that Caleb invariably makes when Josh comes through the front door after being gone at work all day.
2. 7:30 PM (Caleb's bedtime)
3. Playing Lost Cities with Josh in the evenings
4. Traveling
5. Ceyenne Pepper
6. Chair Time
7. Little hello kicks from Baby #2
8. Comfortable walking shoes
9. Bloglines
10. Blooies' Mushroom Bacon Burger (the best burger in Singapore)
11. Gmail
12. The mini-mart in our condo
13. Truth for Life podcast
14. Board books
15. Letters or packages from CA =)
16. Cheese (a long-time favorite made even more beloved due to the scarcity here!)
17. Tomato soup and grilled cheese
18. Seeing the bus I need come into sight, just as I arrive to the bus stop.
19. Homemade Pizza Margherita (recipe soon to follow)
20. Saturday adventures with Josh and Caleb around Singapore
21. Listening to Caleb and Josh sing Jesus Loves Me together before bed.
22. Seeing monkeys out our window
23. Deciphering Caleb's toddler talk
24. Finding my toothbrush ready and waiting for me
25. Cards and notes from Josh
26. Clean sheets that smell like Bounce
27. Saturday morning breakfasts
28. Lemonade
29. Friends who come all the way across the world to visit us
30. Skype

Spicy Food Contest

While waiting in the doctor's office for hours on end last week (three appointments in one day: ultrasound appointment with specialist, prenatal appointment with OB, and Caleb's 18-month check-up with pediatrician!) I read an article about "Chili Heads". . . people who travel the world over to chase down the next hottest chili. Josh and I aren't Chili Heads (yet) but we're definitely addicted to spicy food. If I had to give up all other spices (besides salt and garlic because you have to have salt and garlic to even stay alive, right?) and was able to keep only one spice in my cupboard, it would definitely be Ceyenne pepper (Watkins, of course, right Grandma?)

In the next few days (as I have time) I am going to be posting a few of my recent spicy creations, recipes I've invented or tweaked to satisfy our spicy cravings.

Here's where the contest comes in: If you have a blog, I'm calling on you to post your favorite spicy recipe (let me know so I can link them back here and enter you in the contest). If you don't have a blog, but still want to participate, just leave the recipe as a comment on this post. The spicier the better!!

Since it would be totally subjective to choose the *best* recipe, all participants will be entered into a drawing for a sampling of some of the spicy food (soup mixes, etc) found here in Singapore. One winner will be chosen at random by a highly scientific method known only to me and a handful of world-renowned statisticians. Contest ends the 1st of May, so hurry!

Bon appétit épicé!

16 Weeks 4 Days

I was looking through some old photos today and ran across one that was taken when I was 16 weeks, 4 days pregnant with Caleb. Since I happen to be exactly 16 weeks, 4 days today, I thought it would be fun to take picture and put the two side by side.

The new pic is kind of lame (we just got back from a trip to the grocery store, and it is very hot and humid out!) but still it gives you an idea of how the two pregnancies are comparing.

I've always heard you show sooner with the 2nd, but I definitely showed sooner with Caleb. I think the difference can be attributed to two things: 1) Working at the City of Modesto required massive amounts of sitting still and 2) Living in Singapore requires massive amounts of exercise.

My kid's smarter than your kid. . .

I've recently been feeling quite proud of Caleb. After all, he says "bus," "rice," and "cheese," and cheers "go, team, go" every time we pass by a soccer field. He can point out fish and monkeys, elephants and snakes, horses and cows in his animal picture book. And, he signs please and thank-you without needing to be reminded. Pretty good, right?

But, this is not a "my kid is smarter than your kid" post. . . this is more like a "your kid is smarter than my kid" admission. Actually, this is really a "your kid is way stinkin' smarter than all of our future kids combined" admission!

Watch for yourself. . . I think you'll agree.