To My Bucka Buddy!!

We had lots of fun when Ned and Jen recently visited Shanghai. Ned was able to spend the last week with us and Tyler quickly found a buddy. Tyler loves saying his new word "Bucka" to Ned. We also found a new use for Peter's ottoman. Ned, having just graduated Law School and taken the CA Bar has suggested we trademark "Bucka" for all products, dance moves, and comic book exclamations. Consider it done :)

Check out the video of the Bucka Buddies by clicking on my links or accessing You Tube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0MJhYsyJvo

Let me know how the video turns out on your end and if you'd like to see more.

Thanks for sharing your vacation with us, Ned & Jen!! We had a blast! Ty cried when he watched this video.

Wanted -Your Meal Time Suggestions

Tyler is loving eating table food! While the accomplishment is great, I am scratching my head for what to feed him over here. Many of you have heard my shock at the price of food here..$11 pack of bacon or $9 pack of shredded cheese anyone?? Yes, these are imported from the US and I am thrilled to have them! I am very careful with what Ty eats or should I say the source of his food supply. You've read the headlines. If that stuff makes it way to the US imagine what is in our stuff over here. Okay, maybe let's not imagine.

I have access to a lot of vegetables and organic produce so we try to eat a lot of veggie based items, pasta, quiche, homemade pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, salads, casseroles. Since the food items we have access to is limited as well as varied depending on supply, a wide range of recipes is golden.

I recently received Baby Bistro, a great cookbook with loads of meal ideas and recipes for Toddlers and their parents. We have really enjoyed eating the family friendly meals and I am on the hunt for some more meal ideas for the entire family (ideally somewhat healthy). Since I have experienced many delicious dinners and holidays catered by you, what better source than you!

Please send any ideas or suggestions for snacks, main courses, side dishes to me via comments or my e-mail. You can also photo copy any recipes and mail them to us:

Heather & Peter Klug

12605 W North AVE #134

Brookfield, WI 53005

Greatly appreciate your help!

Tyler and our former SF roomie, Ned, snacking on a yogurt smoothie.

Go PACK!!!!

As many of you know, since we have been out of the US Peter spends hours every week during football season dodging the Internet, tv, and family/friends/co-workers until he can listen to the game online or watch the weekend's Packer game. This year we have been blessed with the technology of Slingbox and very willing family members (thanks Mom & Joel) who have let us wreak havoc with their Directv and broadband services so we can watch US television here. Watching the weekly game is a religious experience for Peter and last year it involved a lot of praying ;)

This setup is great because we have the ability to watch the games, huge improvement over listening. However, since you are 13 hours behind us, it usually takes us a day or two to get to the game. Thank you to those of you who did not tell him who won as Peter loves the surprise. I think we have a new Packer Backer in the works...time to get him on the waiting list for tickets??

Hmmm...looks like Tyler might prefer Baby Einstein still.

Happy Birthday, Tyler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our dear, sweet, baby boy is One!!! How quickly the time goes. Tyler had a banner day today. Normally, Peter sneaks into Tyler's bedroom to kiss him while he is sleeping before heading off to work but today Tyler is waiting for him. Breakfast consisted of blueberry waffles, lunch was grilled cheese and dinner was cheese tortellinis with pesto...oh and do not forget the cake! We are starting a few traditions here with Tyler, eating birthday cake first and taking a picture in Daddy's Favre jersey.

I created a train cake and landscape with a mountain tunnel and lake. I had to make do with the supplies at hand but all in all I think it was a success. It was yummy either way. No complaints from any of the boys.

Tyler loved opening his gifts one by one and was delighted to find the seams in the paper to enable his ripping. He inspected each gift. Thanks to everyone for the great gifts and cards!! Tyler will have many fun days a head with the blocks, Legos, crayons, chalk, and finger paint. I can't wait!!!!! Who knows what the next year has in store....it will be great!

We miss you all and are looking forward to spending future birthdays and special occasions together. Thank you for all the birthday songs and well wishes. We love you!

I have uploaded pictures from the day in my online album. Take a look. I hope to upload the video soon.

Yangshuo China Trip--Pictures added

We recently took at trip to what many consider to be China’s most beautiful province, Guilin. A 2.5 hour plane and 1 hour car ride brought us to Yangshuo. The scenery was striking! Lush green trees and plants covered the sides of the Karst hills. Karst is a type of hill that is very rounded and made of limestone. Almost like an oval rather than the jagged topography we have in many mountain and hill sides in the US and Europe. They are very graceful and plentiful. Supposedly, the flat lands have sunk leaving all the Karst behind. Not sure if I buy that explanation given how flat the land was as well the fact that there was more flat land than hills.

During our long weekend retreat we had the opportunity to visit villages where there was no running water except by hand pump, climb up 1,000 feet to the top of Moon Hill (800 steps each way) in the 95+ degree weather, see water buffalo up close while they were taking a dip in the river, watch a pirated copy of “Transformers” at the poolside restaurant while we ate a late dinner, wander into a tourist trap complete with crepes, fire cooked pizza, and French cuisine.

The natural beauty was something we had both longed for as it is rare in Shanghai. One night, we were fortunate enough to buy tickets to Yangshuo’s famous water and light show. Going into I thought it was going to be a bust, but tickets were hard to come by for the sold out shows. How good could a performance be if they had only 50,000 people to draw from in the town? The evening started off a little rocky when we were swarmed by 20+ people with cameras and video cameras taking pics of Ty. Thank goodness he was in his infant carrier for protection. The 1.5 hour performance was incredible. We were amazed!!!!! If they can put on a performance with singing, water displays, gymnasts, 100+ children in costumes that lit up as they “walked” across the water in a town like this I can only imagine what the opening and closing ceremonies are going to be like for the Olympics in Beijing 2008. I guess you will all find out as the director and choreographers that put on this production have been hired for the Olympics. I would not miss it!!!!!

What we did not long for, nor anticipate, was the greediness of our hired driver who every day refused for over 1.5 hours to drive us to places unless we paid him more money. We were quickly reminded by this guy’s actions that though we have the privilege to visit this beautiful land, we are still outsiders and should be taken advantage of. The tourists that visit this area are predominantly Asian so we stick out pretty easily.

The most important thing I have taken away from this trip was how fortunate we are to have the opportunity to become educated people. There are many farmers and painters that are affected by China’s one child policy and must decide whether it is better to have their 7-13 year old educated or use them in their fields or shops to help provide income for the family. Those that are lucky enough to go to school must pass a test at age 13 to see if they qualify for high school. If they do not pass their families will need to pay a very large sum of money to attend school. A sum, that given their poverty, they cannot afford.

I was very moved by the fact that Tyler has every possible advantage to learn and create a good and happy life for himself simply because he has the freedom to go to school. I hope that in the years to come, we will be reminded of our trip and explain to Tyler the importance of being able to attend school and choose one’s own path in life. It is a honor and gift that should not be taken lightly.

***Check out our pics of Yangshuo in my China album online*** You will find a link to my albums in the upper right hand corner of my blog