What I did on my summer vacation part 1

Goals for US trip home 2011
#1 eat,eat and eat
My extra 6 lbs proves I have not denied myself much this past month. My first Meijer outing was reverse culture shock. I found myself in a snack aisle where I could choose from, at least 15 different varieties of Tortilla chips! After about 20 minutes of standing there attempting to make a decision, I narrowed it down to only 2 bags. I am sure that all varities were fresh and had not a stale bag in the bunch, which is not always the case in HK. Other treats include: Oreos that taste like Oreos, the cream taste different in Hong Kong. Cherry Coke, available every where and at a reasonable price, BBQ, Mexican food; at home, at Friend's houses, at Taco Bell ( that kind of counts), Chips and dip, and of course Ice cream from the local places. This is a short list, lets just say if has been put in front of me, so far I haven't turned it down.

Goals for return trip to Hong Kong:#1 only drink our filtered Bonaqua mineral water and consider developing a taste for dry seaweed to replace the chips and dip habit.





Aside from eating my other goal was to do as many American/Michigan activities as we could. I already posted about the 4th and Cherry Fest here are a few more.
Miniature Golf (Putt Putt)



Second time around Elliot got bored and Jane's dangerous back swing, made me think we will wait another year before we attempt this again.

A visit to the water
Michigan is the Great Lakes State, you have to swim some time. Thankfully for Michiganders, at least us in the Lower peninsula it gets warm enough in summer to do just that.
We were able to go with our friends the Krohn's a few times.

My good friend Rachel invited us on her raft to go down the Boardman river. It was so relaxing, and peaceful. She is an excellent navigator and the kids got to get out a few times and enjoy a swim with Rachel's son Dylan.


Holland beach with Benjamin and Carissa

Meijer Gardens
We were able to go with our usual Meijer Garden pals, the Joslins. ( Just to clarify the Meijer mentioned above is a grocery store chain, Fredrik Meijer the same person also created a Botanical garden and sculpture park here in Grand Rapids.) Before we left Both of our families have had passes to the gardens, so we could often schedule play dates and have outings there together. It felt like old times being there again with Kim and the twins Emma and Elyse.





Last year I bought Jane this travel diary. It has pre-made pages to journal an entire trip.
There is one page that says " A Poem about My Trip" I was surprised to find that Jane decided to fill this section out on her own and even more surprised to find that my daughter, who so far has not shown a love of writing, wrote a very creative piece. Her first attempt ever that I can recall.
It is about our time spent at the Krohn's in Traverse City.


I went to my BFF's house, just her and me.
We liked playing games on the Wii.
We jumped on the Trampoline just her and me
We read books like Junie B.
We had fun just her and Me
and I will see her in two weeks.

By Jane Autum Sweeney
age 7