enjoy the little things

cedar on the move

2011-08-25T19:40:00.003-04:00

There is something just not right about a baby
in Cambodia so interested in a cell phone.

What happened to teddy bears?

Thank goodness for YouTube and Skype!

dancing baby

2011-04-30T17:40:00.005-04:00

I am about out of Cambodia photos so will leave you with a peek at our 3 month old dancing baby.
Those of you that are Amanda's friends on facebook have seen this but for the rest of you . . .

river homes

2011-04-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

Along the Mekong River

mixed up

2011-04-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

A tale of ~~two~~ three cities.

the rich [faces the "stinky canal"]

the not so rich [Amanda's landlord]

the poor [suburbia]

All mixed together in the same neighborhoods.

pastimes

2011-04-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

his

hers

police

2011-04-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

What do you suppose the benches in the back are for?

haircuts for $1

2011-04-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

his

hers

tokyo

2011-04-14T06:00:00.001-04:00

Three days before the devastating earthquake in Japan we were
in the Tokyo Narita International Airport on our way home.
Timing is everything.
How very lucky we are.

elf practice

2011-04-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

laundry

2011-04-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Cedar's nanny also does the laundry
and hangs it all around the balcony to dry.

The kids now have a washer on their little
back porch which makes it much easier.

Before that . . . . clothes were hand washed !

the blue pumpkin

2011-04-11T06:00:00.003-04:00

That first cup of morning joe from
the blue pumpkin
is ever so important as we headed out for another adventure.

g-diapers

2011-04-09T06:00:00.002-04:00

Amanda and Daniel use g-diapers for Cedar.
These have been quite difficult to find so they
ordered them from varied online sources.

Last week I see that Wegman's now carries them.

The most eco-friendly diaper available, gDiapers provides parents with a diapering solution that is good for babies, parents and the planet. You can have the flexibility of a disposable diaper with a 100% biodegradable gRefill, or opt for reusability with super soft and trim-fitting gCloth inserts. gDiapers are plastic-free, elemental chlorine free, latex free, and perfume free.

Use a biodegradable gRefill or re-usable gCloth inside our newborn tiny gPants and our cotton little gPants. All materials are breathable so babies are far less likely to get diaper rash.

Looks like a shower cap to me.

I must admit, they are pretty cute.

Here are the funky little inserts.

foot massage

2011-04-08T06:00:00.003-04:00

Family foot massage
in Siem Reap at the Night Market.
$4 each for 1/2 hour

The only thing that could have made it better is if
Beyonce's Put A Ring On It and
Sean Kingston's Shorty Fire Burning on the Dance Floor
weren't playing loudly at the nearby bar.

bucket brigade

2011-04-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is how they move the dirt
when repairing the moat
around the temple
at Angkor Wat . . .
bucket brigade

Angkor Wat: The Moat Explained [NatGeo TV]
Find out why the gigantic moat surrounding Angkor Wat
was so important in the construction of this ancient
megastructure, which is so big it is visible from space.

crying

2011-04-05T11:26:00.004-04:00

Sometimes you just have to let it all out

celebrity

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

It seems that whenever we were out and about
Cedar drew a crowd of curious folks. I guess a
red headed white baby is quite a novelty in Cambodia

Apsara

2011-04-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

Apsara Dance has been part of Khmer culture for centuries.

This fact is evident from thousands of bas-reliefs found on
the walls of ancient Angkorian and pre-Angkorian temples.

This artform suggests that Apsara dancers were not mere ritual
performers that entertained people during the Angkorian period.

They were also believed to have been the messengers to divinities.

headlights

2011-04-02T06:58:00.001-04:00

It inspires a lot of confidence when you hand your
Bangkok cab driver directions to the Thong Ta Spa Hotel
and he has to stop the cab, get out and read them using his headlights.

In his defense, it was before sunrise.

dishpan

2011-04-01T07:56:00.003-04:00

Cedar still loves his bath but . . .
I think he is getting a little too big for the dishpan.

happy baby

2011-03-31T07:44:00.005-04:00

Saturday morning smiles

under the table

2011-03-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

At this restaurant

we put Cedar under the table

don't be impressed

it lasted for only a few short minutes

ants

2011-03-29T07:20:00.004-04:00

Since [tiny] ants are pretty in common Cambodia
Amanda and Daniel keep food in only two places

The refrigerator

and this cupboard
notice the legs are in little dishes of water
a perfect solution

Jim did have some in his underwear one morning
but I'll spare you that picture

stinky canal

2011-03-28T06:00:00.002-04:00

When building apartments

along the stinky canal

you can try hiding the view with billboards of water photos

volleyball

2011-03-27T06:00:00.002-04:00

three doors down from Amanda's apartment
a daily neighborhood activity

watching

playing

thirsty

2011-03-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

Sugared drinks for the

young
coming home from school

and not so young
guarding motos

noisy tents

2011-03-25T07:22:00.006-04:00

For weddings and funerals Cambodians set up a tent in the street.
They then begin the celebration at the
crack of dawn and it lasts well into the night.
They are very noisy events heard for miles around.

fatherhood

2011-03-24T06:00:00.002-04:00

The best son-in-law you could ask for
is also a wonderful father.

Amanda: This is such a sweet collage. I would like to mention that Daniel is swatting mosquitoes with the tennis racket, not the baby! :)

motherhood

2011-03-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

It is such a joy to see your daughter become a mother
and a wonderful mother she is!

whoo faces

2011-03-22T08:14:00.001-04:00

no stop signs

2011-03-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Two Minutes at a Phnom Penh Intersection

amazingly this "intersection weaving" works

two months old today

2011-03-20T06:00:00.014-04:00

two of Cedar's favorite things . .

making his whoo face

looking at a book [with his soother]

hammock

2011-03-19T06:00:00.002-04:00

Amanda's facebook post:

this is how cedar's cambodian nanny likes him to sleep

[in a hammock, with a pillow on his belly so he'll feel safe, with a washcloth on his head so he won't lose heat, two extra blankets beneath him for good measure, and with tiny gloves on his hands so he won't scratch his face]

what do they do in cambodia?

2011-03-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

Amanda and Daniel live and work in Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. They work for the Mennonite Central Committee. Daniel works as an Advisor with the Returnee Integration Support Center (risccambodia.org), an organization that assists Cambodians who were admitted into the United States as refugees and then later deported back to Cambodia. He also works with Clear Cambodia, an organization that provides household water filters to rural Cambodians. Amanda serves as the Peace and Justice Advisor for MCC Cambodia. She works to network on peace and justice issues and also with Women Peacemakers, an organization that provides training in rural provinces about women's rights, domestic violence, and conflict mediation.

Mennonite Central Committee Office

Amanda and Daniel's Co-Workers

Mennonite Central Committee

Cambodia
MCC began work in Cambodia since 1979 shortly after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, during which an estimated 2 million people perished through starvation, forced labor and killings. While Cambodia has undergone dramatic changes in the decades since then, the country still faces significant challenges of debt and instability. Poverty and illiteracy remain obstacles for many Cambodians, especially in rural areas. MCC works through local partners, focusing on peace work, agriculture, income generation in rural areas and education.

missing Cedar

2011-03-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

We have been home for 10 days now and I can't begin to tell you
how much we miss this little guy [and his mom and dad].

Regent Hotel Bangkok

2011-03-16T06:00:00.000-04:00

Seriously, you must be kidding.

Take a closer look.

So what should I do with the "tissue"?

reading

2011-03-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Since Cedar's grandparents are retired teachers
it is fitting that his love of books is starting early

On two occasions he even turned the pages by himself

water

2011-03-14T06:00:00.003-04:00

This is how you filter your drinking water in Cambodia

tummy time

2011-03-13T06:00:00.001-04:00

bear bum

owl

2011-03-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

Mary made this little owl outfit for Cedar
and he has almost outgrown it already

silk farm

2011-03-11T06:00:00.004-05:00

A visit to the Siem Reap Silk Farm with the MCC staff

Silk farm factory tour

osha

2011-03-10T06:00:00.003-05:00

This is construction viewable from Amanda's balcony.
I am curious what osha would have to say?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) was passed to prevent workers from being killed or seriously harmed at work. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers.

talking [thinking] baby

2011-03-09T06:00:00.005-05:00

I think these photos are calling out
and asking you what their captions should be . . .

You looking at me? (TH)

I don't think so. (TH)
I take my job as a baby very serious :) (AG)

I think I gave grandma and grandpa the wrong directions. (TH)

temples in Siem Reap

2011-03-07T20:11:00.008-05:00

Angkor Wat visit
along with two other smaller temples

Amanda and Daniel are in the echo chamber where if you stand against the wall and beat your chest seven times, it will echo in the room and take away your tiredness.

Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត) is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building.[1] The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. (Wikipedia)

sweating

2011-03-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

I think we will turn these
Krama (sweat rags) into winter scarfs
when we get home.

heading home

2011-03-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday we begin our journey home
and the Talstras will settle into
their new routine as a family of three

Our post will continue however,
as we still have lots to share with you

over heating

2011-03-05T09:12:00.018-05:00

When you're on the way to Siem Reap in a 14 passenger van

and it breaks down

I don't think you can find much help here

or here

light

2011-03-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy . . .

ducks

2011-03-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

If Cedar were a girl he would look like this.

Mary made this little shirt for him but . . .
being a bit long it appears to be a dress.
I do believe Amanda will pass it on to her friends
Amy and Steve next month if they their new baby ia a girl.

silence

2011-03-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

We went to the Killing Fields Today

I have no photos . . .

I have no words . . .

mingkohm

2011-03-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

When Amanda goes back to work their house helper will be Cedar's child care. She is a very sweet lady and already seems to love "Cedah". Amanda will start back to work on March 7th 1/2 time for 2 months and then full time. Cedar looks so big when Mingkohm holds him as she is so little.

Beginning this week Mingkohm is taking a child care class through an organization called Yejj

Yejj Vision
To Impact and Strengthen The Social Situation In Cambodia Through High Quality Training And Successful Christian Social Enterprise.

Kep

2011-02-28T06:00:00.002-05:00

The seaside resort of Kep-sur-Mer, famed for its spectacular sunsets and splendid seafood, was founded as a colonial retreat for the French elite in 1908. Cambodian high rollers continued the tradition, flocking here to enjoy gambling and water sports, and in the 1960s it was home to Cambodia’s leading zoo.

The Khmer Rouge – radical Maoists who loathed the bourgeoisie – were known to harbour a particular hatred for the town and the destruction they wrought was nearly total. Today, dozens of Kep’s luxurious pre-war villas are still just blackened shells, poignant reminders of the long years of Khmer Rouge rule and civil war. Inhabited by squatters, the mansions – remnants of a once-great (or at least rich and flashy) civilisation that met a sudden and violent end – have a post-apocalyptic feel.

After several false starts, Kep finally seems to be rising from (or among) the ruins. It’s again popular, especially on weekends and holidays, with the wealthy elite of Phnom Penh. Drawn by the languid, Riviera-like atmosphere, they drive down in SUVs to picnic and frolic on the scruffy beaches (even before the war, white sand was shipped in from Sihanoukville to keep up appearances). If you want to see the town before big money transforms it, you’d better hurry.

From the Lonely Planet travel guide.

bouncing baby

2011-02-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

grandpa

2011-02-26T06:00:00.004-05:00

pepper plantation

2011-02-25T06:00:00.004-05:00

Nursing in a Tuk-Tuk with a bovine nearby . . .
An everyday occurrence here.

grandma

2011-02-24T06:00:00.008-05:00

baby in a basket

2011-02-23T20:29:00.005-05:00

click for larger image

hot

2011-02-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Did I mention how hot it is here?

mosquito nets

2011-02-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

protecting Cedar

If you could see Mary's legs you would
wonder why we weren't protecting her as well!

Vanna Bungalows in Kep

2011-02-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is where we will be spending the weekend
(after a four hour bus ride)

We will post our own photos when we return.

neighborhood sights

2011-02-18T06:00:00.003-05:00

an evening stroll around the block
(click on any image for a larger view)

balcony brunch

2011-02-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

a few friends stop by to welcome Cedar home

one hour of heaven

2011-02-16T06:00:00.003-05:00

Amrat Spa

take a tuk-tuk there

a family foot massage for all four of us
($8 for one hour !)

the lighting was dim and the music was soothing
(although you can't tell because of the flash)

I say we go again next Sunday as well

evening routine

2011-02-15T06:00:00.004-05:00

bathtime with dad

just needed a bigger bathtub and now he loves it

phnom penh apartment

2011-02-14T06:00:00.003-05:00

through the front gate

to the front of the house

up the stairs to the apartment

into the kitchen

off to the bedroom with a mosquito net

into the bathroom/shower combo

flush the toilet with the water scoop

through the living room

to the the best room in the house ~ the balcony

sweet dreams

2011-02-13T19:20:00.002-05:00

Sleeping like a baby

balcony sitting

2011-02-12T01:59:00.001-05:00

A little nursing and then . . .

hanging out with Grandpa

while mom rests

pillow talk

2011-02-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

A picture(s) is worth a thousand words.

am important key

2011-02-10T16:20:00.001-05:00

Here is something you need to know if you stay in a hotel in Bangkok . . .
When we were leaving our room to meet the in-laws for breakfast we must have blown a fuse as all the power went out in our room. We were just about to contact the front desk when a fellow guest showed us the "key trick".

When you remove your key from this slot all the power goes out in your room - no fuses involved. What a great idea don't you think?

It looks like some guests also save energy by drying bath towels on the balcony.
It helps that it is 86 degrees outside.

owl hooting

2011-02-09T18:00:00.000-05:00

Amusing his Oma Hilda and Auntie Nathania

click for video

bright eyed

2011-02-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

Waiting for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive.

bathtime in cambodia

2011-02-06T09:12:00.005-05:00

Such a good dad already

swaddled

2011-02-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

Our little Cedar loves to be swaddled.

This is his new blanket from Oma Hilda

bear bonding

2011-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

Aunt Nathania

halfway house

2011-02-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Here is Cedar leaving the hospital last week.

He looks happy to be going to his temporary Bangkok home.
Auntie Nathania calls it their "halfway house".

floating down the river

2011-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

baby moses

hiccups

2011-01-31T06:00:00.001-05:00

click for video

tiny g-diapers

2011-01-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

breech baby legs makes changing a diaper much easier

burping

2011-01-29T06:00:00.013-05:00

dr. nisarat

2011-01-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Thank goodness for wonderful health care in Bangkok, Thailand.

Who knew?

grandparent cards

2011-01-27T06:00:00.002-05:00

apparently this card is a very popular choice

Tuesday

Wednesday

Cedar with
Oma Hilda and Aunt Nathania

bath time

2011-01-26T06:00:00.005-05:00

I saw this pillow on a pattern I have and wondered how you would use it.
Now I know, propping your baby up after a bath
and also, I'm told - to help hold the baby while nursing

heading home

2011-01-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Cedar and his nurse

blog hopping

2011-01-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

Some lovely congratulations flowers from dear friends

I hate to send you "blog hopping" but Daniel
posted the coolest video on their blog and
I know you will want to see it.

nine months in a minute

It wouldn't play for my in Internet Explorer but worked
just fine in both Mozilla FireFox and Google Chrome.
Go figure!

cedar james

2011-01-22T12:17:00.008-05:00

Cedar James was born 01/20/2011 in
Bangkok, Thailand at 12:59 a.m.(our time)
and we were already Skyping with him at 4:30 a.m.
(you can click on any photo for a larger view)

Cedar and his mom

Cedar and his dad

wedding frolic

2010-12-11T07:36:00.000-05:00

no caption needed (?)

leaving on a jet plane

2010-04-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

Looking forward to this . . .

and this . . .

and this . . .

and this . . .

84th birthday

2010-04-11T10:47:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Dad!

We celebrated my dad's 84th birthday this past weekend with lunch at the Glen Iris Inn in Letchworth State Park. What a joy to still be able to get together with siblings(minus 1) and spouses(her husband joined us). Of course as dad wanted it, he "took us" out to lunch. We are so lucky to have him with us after the life style he once led in Florida for 20 some years. We are truly blessed!

My Boys

2009-10-23T15:09:00.003-04:00

I'm anticipating the weekend. All three boys(and two girlfriends) are coming home. The reason - the wedding of a son of family friends. Gone are those days when we were always together at home. They have grown and "flown the coop." But from time to time we manage to get together. This weekend three of my four children will be here to celebrate the joy of the wedding. I know I''ll treasure every minute with them.
My only regrets for the weekend are its going too quickly and my daughter(and son-in-law) will not make it home(Cambodia is too far away!). I am grateful for my boys and look forward to welcoming each with a big hug.

Fall is Here!

2009-09-24T16:32:00.004-04:00

Now that Fall is officially here it's time for those "get ready for winter" projects. The first was completed(up to a point) over the course of 2 days - closing the pool. It's always done with sadness as it's a smack in the gut that summer has passed and a change is in the air. With the help of my 83 year old father we got the winter cover on and secured one day and the net leaf cover on the next day. What a great invention that leaf cover is. No more scooping wet and smelly leaves from the water on the cover in the springtime! Just pull that net off and all the leaves come with it. The filter still needs to be drained and put away but all in due time.

time marches on

2009-09-08T09:18:00.003-04:00

The end of summer is approaching - the tomatoes are almost all ripened! I have a newly acquired taste of these bright red orbs and growing my own this year has been fun and rewarding. Today was the first day of another school year (and maybe her last)for my wife. After I kissed her goodbye and bid her a good year I had time to think about the summer we spent together. Our days were filled with family, friends and fun. Quiet times were also numerous. Sitting on the porch having that first cup of tea and reading the morning paper - a simple pleasure. The memories are many. As fall approaches the days of summer remain with me. Hopefully, their memories will get me through the changing seasons!

time well spent

2009-08-14T09:15:00.003-04:00

We spent Thursday evening at the Glen Iris Inn at Letchworth State Park. My father enjoys taking his 5 children and their spouses to dinner once a year. What joy to see him surrounded by his children and spouses. He has been such an active part of this family since we brought him back from Florida 11 years ago! What a great move on our part!!

It was a noisy time with everyone chatting and enjoying wine and beer before dinner. Of course, the dinner food itself was delicious. But most important was the time spent together. As someone once said: "There's no present like time and no time like the present." Enjoy those times!!!

Funeral/Maynard's Memorial Picnic

2009-07-19T22:37:00.003-04:00

One of the sad parts of life is losing a parent. This week one of my brother-in-laws experienced the death of his father. With his mother and his 6 siblings they faced that long final process of saying goodbye. There were tears as well as laughter over several days ( and I'm sure more to come). Our hearts are sad for him and his family. What can we do? Our support was to attend the funeral and offer our condolences.

My sister-in-law lost her father several months ago. This past weekend she and her 9 siblings hosted a memorial picnic for Maynard. There were over 140 family members there! He always had a chicken BBQ every summer when he returned to the area, so that was the menu for the picnic. Again, what could we do? Our support this time was to man the kitchen and help with setup, the serving of the food and the cleanup. Family is so dear and just being there for each other is at times is the best we can do.

Rest in peace Big Ed and Maynard.

the final touch

2009-06-15T11:26:00.003-04:00

After much work on the flower gardens, the final touch is the mulch. A friend has a truck and a helping hand so this is the first year of buying bulk mulch at a local garden center - something called nutrabrew. My friend Doug says it assimilates easily into the soil. I definitely like the look of the gardens with that mulch. Now with the gardens done I can refine their looks and enjoy them!

spring gardens

2009-05-16T11:10:00.003-04:00

Would you like to visit my spring gardens?

syrup

2009-03-24T14:21:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend we went to a sugar house in Holley. Maple Grove Farms taps over 1000 trees to make the syrup. It has been a family business for several generations. It's hard to believe that it takes 43 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup - no wonder it is expensive! At the tasting the owner showed us a great way to use the maple cream - put a dap of it on a cracker and cheddar cheese. What a delicious treat!

spring

2009-03-17T10:39:00.001-04:00

It's St. Patrick's Day and I'm off to work outside - raking the lawn and flower beds. How unusual to be able to work in great weather and to be able to work outside during the day on a weekday. Just another perk to the retirement life!

Reality Strikes

2009-03-04T11:10:00.007-05:00

After spending 2 weeks in sunny Florida, I came back to the frigid cold of late February/early March weather of western New York. Though I long for those days sitting at the pool, reading and soaking up the sun I now am facing reality - the tan is fading and the skin is drying!

Cloudy with Snow, High 31° ? Not in Fla

2009-02-18T09:31:00.005-05:00

Winter sushine - how different it is here in sunny Florida. I'm taking a 2 week trip to visit my sister-in-law in Venice. Mary is here for a week, during the school break-one of the perks of being retired - I don't have to fly during the peak times! The sun has shone everyday. A couple of hours a day at the pool sitting and reading in the sun does wonders for those mid-winter blas!

2009-02-10T10:00:00.003-05:00

One of the joys of retirement is doing things that didn't fit into a "working man's" schedule. Last Friday I went with a few men from church to a soup kitchen in downtown Rochester. Our church works it the first Friday of every month. St. Peter's Kitchen serves lunch 5 days a week.

We prepared lunch under the direction of 2 paid workers and the coordinator. We stopped at 11:30 and ate, then served lunch to about 80 people. THe makeup was mostly men, several women and one young mother and infant. They were all grateful for the hot lunch and most thanked us as they went through the serving line. Most of the food is donated. There was free bread to take with them - all donated by Wegmans. It was time well spent and I look forward to volunteering again, hopefully every month.

Time Well Spent

2009-01-28T14:49:00.004-05:00

Spending a few days with 82 year old Dad in the dead of winter. We're pretty much homebodies but for the occasional venture outdoors when it's not snowing. It's interesting to hear his perspective on the state of the nation/world. He, having served in congress in the late 60's and early 70's, brings different thoughts to topics. We went through an old photo album of his marked "JFH trip to Southeast Asia - 1969". There were many shots of him and his congressional party in Vietnam - talking with soldiers, in bunkers, being greeted by a 4 star general, being briefed. They even had battle fatigues on in some of the photos. He had many stories! There were also official prints of him with Presidents Nixon & Ford. What a wealth of life experiences he has had.