Merry Christmas from the Featherstones

Merry Christmas from the Featherstones.

This is the Christmas card that I should be printing off right now and putting in the mail to send to you (if I weren't knee deep in packing).  So many of you have been so sweet to ask for our addresses to send your cards to us.  Here is our card to you.  And thanks to Courtney for your skillz with creating our card.
WE LOVE YOU ALL, and hope you have a wonderful Christmas (and a shout out to Denise--happy Hannukah to your fam) and a wonderful new year.  Even though we don't talk to you all every day, just know we still think of you all the time,
Love,
Erin and the boys

The Malaysian Feathies: Getting ready to go

Well you will probably not be seeing any posts from the "Malaysian Feathies" (that's what Bumps calls us) for a few weeks. 

That doesn't mean we don't love you all, it just means we will be flying back to the US and I am not bringing my laptop (Mike has to bring his for work so we figure one laptop is enough). 

But we promise we will take lots of pictures of our California Christmas, which will include but is not limited to such traditions as the boys riding the Christmas train at Irvine Park and, of course, surfing on Christmas day.

Here are some pictures of us getting ready to go.  Joseph has a new obsession--LUGGAGE.  He tries to wheel it around the house (which is difficult with our huge REI bags) but this little one is just his size.

Here I am editing our packing lists (four total, one for each person).  That is in addition to writing our to do list (which was two pages long, but once this blog post is done, we will only have eight items left.  Hooray.

Ima our friend from Indonesia came to visit and we took a Christmas picture with the boys before we left.  Andrew is showing you how old he is, and Joseph, well, he just is looking confused.

 

Joseph sitting so quietly in the baby stroller.

And riding his car (that he probably grew out of five months ago).

Playing with his train a few last times before the plane ride.

One last picture with Helen before we go.

Okay everyone, I'm ready to go...

Adventures of a KL Tourist

Brian made it to KL!  He finished his job as a field biologist (first in Venezuela, then in Saipan).  Now he is touring SE Asia and spending a week with us.  Aren't we lucky

These pics are all from Brian's camera since my camera was out of batteries.  He took this one the first night he got here from our guest room.

Following the infamous Time Out KL Restaurant Awards 2011, we headed to Nasi Kandar Pelita for Brian's first taste of Malaysian food.

I have decided we have to do one Asian pose a day.

Gotta love the Malays

Brian dished up his food at the buffet so we really had no clue at this point WHAT he is eating.  I didn't know either since I still don't know all the Malaysian dishes.  I am trying to learn.  I think one of them is fish curry, and the other is lamb rendang.

Brian went with Helen to the market for our weekly shopping trip.  Helen is the one holding the lime polka dot bag (our present to her for Deepavali).

Rambutan!

Brian trying rambutan...this is what the fruit looks like inside

Ingredient packets for Chinese soups

Chinese market snack filled with roasted nuts & butter

Veggies

Durian -- Brian tried it for the first time -- and liked it

The Durian guy cutting Brian's durian

We finally got everything home.  Here is the rambutan in our fruit bowl.

More market fruits lined up to be washed

This is what lunch time looks like at our house.  The guy in the back came to service the air con.

Joseph running wild

Joseph showing off his "bonk head" he received at the playground.

KL BIRD PARK!  The world's largest free flight walk in aviary, in case you missed the sign

Okay really, giant bird trash cans

Peacocks roaming free.  At first we freaked out, "WOW LOOK!  There's a peacock.  Take a picture!"  But then after maybe the 20th peacock we were less enthusiastic, "Oh, there's ANOTHER peacock."

Joseph got to hold a baby chick!  I thought he would be afraid, but he reached right out and said "Hold!"  He probably says "hold" about 20 times a day.  Mostly he wants to hold the blender, the iPod, and any phone he can get his hands on.  Remotes count too as he thinks they are phones.

Seriously you could just reach in the box and pick up a baby chick.  It was kind of a free for all.  There weren't any park employees there watching.  I felt bad for the little guys, but I guess that didn't stop me from reaching in there and picking one up too

Wreathed Hornbill (according to Brian the field biologist bird expert -- seriously -- that is his job)

Milky storks were all over the walking path

This peacock was defending the sign

Parrots trying to get out

After sitting in the stroller for SO LONG (Joseph was such a trooper) when we got back to the car we let him do his favorite thing--"Driiiiy, driiiy!" he says, meaning he wants to drive.

I don't think he could be any happier

One thing that drives me nuts after the boys "drive" is the little finger prints all over my rear view mirror.  But they are so happy that it makes it worth it

On the way home we swung by the neighborhood mosque--just a drive by to take pics, we can't go in

Brian took Andrew on a walk and took these during the walk

Our third night I took Brian to KLCC for Thai food.  He hadn't tried Mango Sticky Rice yet!  Since it is an essential part of being broken in as a SE Asia expert, I couldn't wait to let him try it.  We didn't get any pictures, but he really liked it.

It doesn't get better than this

Brian will be here a few more days then he's headed to Borneo to climb Mt Kinabulu.

Thanks for visiting Brian, we love you and can't wait to see you again when all the Robinsons are reunited in Irvine for Christmas!  In Irvine at our parents house it will be tight quarters with 10 in a 4 bedroom house but that is what we are so excited about.  It is going to be so fun.  Lots of family love. 

Terima kasih and love to all,

E