GIN852

Global Issues Network

Logan and Krystin participated in the GIN852 Conference.

They were introduced to the opportunity through their school,

and were excited to sign up to attend.

The commitment required them to get up at 5:30am on Saturday and Sunday and be gone until about 9pm each day participating in the activities.   We did kidnap them a little early on Saturday to attend Potted Potter that evening.

What is GIN852?

I borrowed this description from their FB page.

For the past years, the Global Issues Network (GIN) has been an ambitious worldwide event that brings schools around the world together. However, we believe that international solutions should begin locally. 852 is the area code and also a colloquial term for Hong Kong. Hence, GIN 852 both embodies the original international focus of GIN conferences and our unique local context. In an increasingly

environmentally negligent and social issue-plagued Hong Kong, it is crucial for us as part of Hong Kong society to come up with sustainable solutions before we are able to stand proud and qualified in front of the international community. 

They really enjoyed their experience. 

Here are a few pics from their weekend,

which I borrowed from the above FB link.

Krystin and Logan were placed in different groups.

They were bummed, but had fun!

There were great speakers.

Community service.

Skits.

Networking and more.

Hmn, my kids both apparently seem to be deep in thought!

Is the finger to the mouth thing, genetic?

Great Conference!

Bonus:  Every now and again the kids have a 'Free-dress' Day at school.  Well, technically it isn't free (as Krystin pointed out), because to NOT wear your school uniform for a day you have to donate 20 HKDs to charity.  It is really a raise money for charity day.  20HKD = ~2.50USD  

(photo from: Michelle)

Potted Potter!

Potted Potter 

in 

Hong Kong!

We have a special feeling for the Potter Series,

as a family...

As, it is the ONLY Book series 

that we have listened to on CD

from start to finish.

Yes, all 7 books,

we experienced as a family.

We would listen to the books while driving 

between AZ and CA.

They made the trips fly by,

and were sooo much fun to experience together!

We, of course, also saw the movies, all of them...

As a family! (:

So, when Todd and I saw signs a few weeks ago,

of a 'parody' of sorts about the Potter series,

appearing here in HONG KONG (from NY).

We KNEW we had to take the kids.

We took them last night, 

and it was pretty awesome!

Krystin and Logan were downtown

participating in some Global Awareness service project.

(Which they had to be up by 5:30am to get to, on Saturday)

So, we met them downtown.

Sept 22nd is Todd's Mom Anna's Birthday!

To honor her memory,

we usually get her favorite chocolates 

(Godiva, oyster shells, they are amazing)

on her birthday,

remember her, and wish her a happy B-day in Heaven.

Out here, they have Godiva's everywhere,

but they don't the shells... :(

So, we got Godiva chocolate drinks.

They are amazing, if you haven't tried them,

and toasted to Grama Anna.

We love going downtown at night. 

It is beautiful and fun.

We were being silly.

Family photo in a reflection

 The kids were busting up about the

'inappropriate'

Super-sized billboards...
---As an aside,
my first thought, besides that is a BIG bootie,
was, Don't they sell clothes??---

Todd found a car  the perfect size for Hong Kong

 The performance was at the 

Hong Kong Performing Arts Center

My Duff was excited to go!

The stage

Autographs after!

These two guys were awesome, 

and very nice!

no clue why this is sideways, it wasn't before... 

Great night!

One more night pic.

Beautiful!

Kayla's Birthday Cake(s)

We celebrated with Kay twice,

because we wouldn't see her on her actual birthday!

Once, before she went to the US

She picked Mexican for her B-day dinner.

 She doesn't like cake that much,

and we couldn't find frosting,

so I made her an Oreo Pudding Pie 'cake' 

(that I had brought the mix from the US with).

 Oh, and we could NOT find birthday candles!

So we improvised.

A little going away birthday present!

 Yah, no clue?!

The little friends that got to go to the US with Kay.

Yah, Lily was hopeful.

Kayla's FAVORITE cake is Funfetti.

No.  They don't have it out here.

So, she brought some back from the US and frosting,

and I happily made it, 

in the little mini-sit-on-the-counter-oven.

 (which is trickier than it should be!

besides the conversion between Fahrenheit and Celsius).

 In the last week,

the shelves in the stores have been filling up 

with decorations for the upcoming fall festival,

which happen to include CANDLES!!!

I might have bought 6 packages of 24 candles,

which Todd thought was a bit excessive.

I say you can never have too many candles!

 Especially, when your kids are getting OLD.

19 candles is a LOT! HA!

 Kay was not going to take a chance that every candle 

wasn't blown out.

I swear she almost blew me off my seat!

 Yay!  

The funfetti cake was YUM!

Thank goodness, we only had ONE box.

Happy 19th Birthday, Kayla!

Love you.