A Whirlwind Two Weeks - Homecoming!

So I know I just posted about the Outer Banks, but it already feels like worlds away since our return to Hong Kong!  It has been a very nice but very busy couple of weeks since we came back.

The first week was just rolling with the jetlag punches and trying to get the kids back on schedule.  Lola read a ton, the boys had some playdates, the kids went to check out a Hong Kong transit museum out in Sha Tin we usually never have time to go see.  They also went to WaterWorld with friends.  Lola lost her first front tooth!  Over the weekend, we all went to scooter around the Wan Chai promenade, despite the heat, Lola had a ballet audition, and then I took the kids to check out the American Club's revamp of the Eagle's Nest.  We also enjoyed the return to Hong Kong and ate dim sum shaped in funny characters.

I started working out again, having rediscovered my love for hot yoga while in the East Hamptons this summer.  It's kind of weird that I walked away from yoga cold turkey for nearly 5 years, but being back in hot yoga reminded me how good it feels and how much I love it.  At work I also got back into the swing of things in the Asia time zone.  Coming back to reality with school starting next week also meant lots of paperwork, registrations, emails and getting activities in order.

The second week was aerial yoga camp for Lola, soccer for the boys (where they saw auntie Lyn) and haircuts.

That weekend we hung out a lot with Aegis, Lola's cousin who just moved to Hong Kong (!) Which the kids were very excited about.  Michael returned to Hong Kong last weekend on Sunday night.  He wanted to be here to take the boys to orientation and for everyone's first day of school.  We now have 3 kids in SIS at the same time and it is honestly bewildering how much paperwork and emails we get from the school.  

This week has been mostly about getting accustomed to school and new teachers.  Lola lost another front tooth! And finally, a big part of my focus has been getting our apartment tidied up and ready, as we have expanded into the apartment next door. So there is a lot of work and excitement going into that. I was never really a Pinterest user and I now have 5 boards and hundreds of pins.

And there you have it!  Honestly, I don't know where the time went, but I swear I have been non stop busy!

Ohh Oh Oh Outer Banks How We Love You

The title says it all for the long overdue recap of our last and final week in the US!  We were busy and it all passed in a whirlwind.

Picking up where I left off, Michael and I managed to squeeze in a date night in D.C. (walked to a nearby Mexican restaurant) and it was then that I realized to my bewilderment that I likely hadn't been to D.C. in over 10 years. Holy cow!

After a night of good sleep and much needed rest in D.C., we drove through some famous sights as we continued to make our way to the Outer Banks:  The Capitol, museums, the Mall, the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Reagan airport...!

It was a long drive to Avon, N.C. and it didn't help that we were fighting peak holiday traffic the whole way down.  But once we got there it was really epic. All the days ran together in a blur of blue skies, relentless wind, sunshine, surf and sand. Rinse and repeat!  We perfected the combo of beach in the morning (with a packed lunch and full cooler) followed by a refreshing dip in the cold pool, followed by hot tub, followed by showers, dinner and sundowners over the sound.

There was one morning when the kids went to paint ceramics, and another half day when Al and Michael went fishing (they caught a large drum that they had to throw back, and lots of stingrays!) while Rachel, Lola, Teo and I went shopping (SuperWings for the win!).  

I tried my hand at beach paddleball and we took a dip in the sound. We watched epic sunsets, ate a lot of seafood and endless ice cream,  played board games, caught crabs, tried sparklers (to varying success - Lola burned her big toe pretty badly, Teo burned his finger slightly, and Al may be a pyromaniac), and turned shades darker --  by week end it seemed we had sand coming out of our ears!

On our last night we went to a family dinner and also celebrated Wes' birthday early with a big trip to Dairy Queen. I tried my first m&m blizzard and was aghast at how sweet it was.  But nothing could be better than the memories and experiences we started with family on this trip. 

Then all too soon and before we could process it, our amazing vacation was at an end and we had to make our way back home on a multi day journey.  Michael drove us to Norfolk and dropped us off (highlights: a nearly 4 hour drive, a rude airline receptionist who only became nice when she realized my airline status, and a  delayed flight), then we took a quick domestic flight to JFK (I enjoyed this as I sat in first class while Rachel and the kids sat in economy -- it was due to this being a leftover stub ticket from a longer leg of another journey of mine -- but I've always wanted to try that move haha!) followed by interminable delays at JFK due to rain and more delays, followed by a super late night packing and hanging out with my parents a final bit, before a super early morning wake up to get back to JFK for a 10 am flight out (though we all very much enjoyed the lounge).  Which was then followed by a 16.5 hour flight where the kids barely slept 3 hours and I slept not at all (I enjoyed that less), followed by arrival into Hong Kong on a hot afternoon where everything felt slightly off and our reactions to everything seemed just a bit delayed.

After getting everyone situated I showered then went to work for a bit - that is dedication!  But at 7pm that night I was passed out and no one could wake me, including 3 kids who somehow took advantage and snuck into my bed!! I woke up at 2am though to this.  And thus the jetlag saga began...