Note to self.....

...remember the funny moment with Drey this morning.

Troy had just finished brushing the boy's teeth while getting ready for church.
After, Drey says as he's looking in the mirror and pointing to the gap between his two front teeth:

"Mom, look at my teeth...I need another tooth!"

I love this boy!

Lovin' their Auntie Moo...

Drey and Enzo are loving their Auntie Moo.

scary green-faced Auntie Moo chasing them around....

playful Auntie Moo at the pool....

Chillin' with Auntie Moo....

Having Auntie Moo rub your feet with essential oils....

"it tickles me"

worn out Auntie Moo....and daddy also...taking a snooze before dinner.

I really like have a back-up mom around to help with the boys :)

Sink or Swim!

As any older brother would to his younger sister, Troy has pushed Monika off into the deep end of Vietnam.....and she is a SWIMMER! I think that is one of the many things I love about Moni, she just goes with the flow without complaint and is a true free spirit. It's a good thing that she came to Vietnam without any expectations because today would have stopped her from visiting. She actually has a little anxiety about being here now :)

Getting Moni's new ride ready. 

It would be way too easy to have Moni's first scooter experience in the middle of the calm day....let's get her started during rush hour traffic in Vietnam!

This free spirit can't wear her helmet just like everyone else...oh no,  she rocks the faux baseball cap helmet backwards.

At last! Enzo is comfortable wearing a mask without feeling suffocated. His lungs may now be spared.

Getting a feel for it on the sidewalk.

And she's off....this picture seriously says it all.  

Making her first left hand turn....behind the ghost lady.

Cruising along like a champ

We stopped for dinner at Pho24 and Moni had her first true Vietnam Pho....yummy.

This is my go-to Vietnam meal, Bun Cha Gio....vermacelli noodles, cucumber, carrots, sprouts, fried spring rolls, fish sauce....yummy.

Going out to celebrate Moni's successful scooter ride :)

A breath of fresh air......

....has just blown into Vietnam. Monika, Troy's younger sister, arrived today and I could not be happier. I needed this. A familiar face that I love and have missed and that will give me that extra boost to keep enduring. It helps that Monika, aka Auntie Moo, is so easy to be with. These next 3 weeks will be a delight (maybe just for me...we'll see what she says May 15th).

One excited boy to see his Auntie Moo. Drey climbed through the bars and took off when he saw her walk through the doors.

sweet reunion

 I was so excited to see Monika also that I forgot about my second son and somehow left him behind. The security guards found him (I'm talking like 30 seconds here...not hours) and Auntie Moo rescued the lost child. My brain is a little cloudy these days.

Drey would not look at the camera for his picture...this is the magic moment I captured of these two.

And then came the gifts....

Making the traditional lunch of ham sandwiches and chips.

these two have become fast friends...she won him over with the dog :)

Nothing like a nice massage to get the kinks out from a  24 hour flight. 

It was right to work for the Holzer duo... no time to waste. Good luck staying awake in the meeting :)

Doing a little upkeep...

It has been a maintenance kind of week for us:

When going out to dinner last Friday night, we parked in front of an eyeglass shop. I had heard of how inexpensive it is to get your eyes checked here and it was on my "to do " list.  So we just walked in....

eye exam: $2.50 ($5.00 for non-Vietnamese)

prescription glass: $15.00
new glasses: $10.00 

Troy realizing he married a nerd: PRICELESS

We also did our bi-yearly dental appointments. Troy is religious about going to the dentist every 6 months. I was a little leery about going to the dentist in Vietnam, but also don't want to go home and find out I have 20 cavities. This was our second dental experience. Our doctor graduated from NYU in America so I feel very safe with her dental technique. She does an exam of your teeth first and then tells you how much your cleaning will cost. The cost is based on how dirty your teeth are :) This visit was $10 for my cleaning. I also had 3 fillings done, not due to cavities but gum recession, which cost me $15 each. Not too bad....

So diligent...and happy.