Motley Fu Takes Oz

We spent a few weeks in Australia, with the first week exploring beautiful Sydney. We met our good friends from Tokyo there, and together we hired (1 per family!) campervans and drove up the Gold Coast up to Brisbane. What an experience!

Our itinerary:
- Days 1-7: Exploring, shopping and wining/dining our way through Sydney
- Days 8-10: Sydney to Hunter Valley; 2 nights in the wine region of Hunter Valley
- Day 11: Hunter Valley to Port Stephens; 1 night
- Day 12-14: Port Macquarie; 2 nights
- Days 15-17: Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour... parked our vans for 3 nights and stayed at the Novotel resort. Bad weather forced us to miss the Big Banana!
- Days 18-20: Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay; 2 nights and the most gorgeous weather ever
- Day 21: Byron Bay to Brisbane - then we headed out! Flew out on Oct 31st, so the girls missed Halloween - but it was WELL worth it.

Trip highlights:
- The food and sights of Sydney - simply amazing dinners out with the Edwards (sans children)
- Sofie learning to play cricket
- Almost nightly campsite grill-outs of huge meals of fresh meat
- The Battle of the Vans: "Van Halen" vs "Motley Fu"
- "Zoe's House" kids' building site at the Powerhouse Museum
- The wildlife!! Koalas, kangaroos, wallabies!
- Hands down: Byron Bay, for the town, the beach, the weather, the vibe

Too many pictures to post, so if you really want the full scoop, click here. Or see below for highlights!

Day 1 in Sydney - headed to a Night Noodle Festival in Hyde Park

The Sydney Opera House


Giraffes at the Toranga Zoo

Playing at the Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour





The "Last Supper" before heading onto the campervan adventure: Tetsuya's and their signature, absolutely mouth-watering dish...


Typical evening at the campsite: kids down, the men grilled dinner, a bottle of red and a bottle of white...


Oh yes - we DID go wine tasting in Hunter Valley as Motley Fu

Sofie feeding a wallaby


Sasha fascinated by the feeding

Petting Clancy, the sleepy koala

Our own little koala


The rock pools of Port MacQuarie Beach


Driving in the campervan...



Porpoise Pool in Coffs Harbour



When you've only been walking for 6 weeks, a few (thousand) tumbles are bound to happen


Beautiful Byron Beach



Daniel reading & singing "The Spiffiest Giant in Town"


Playing cricket!


The Cape Byron Lighthouse

Moon Festival and Tai Tam Coteaux Charity Run

October was another jam packed month

• We all celebrated the Autumn Moon Festival and got a special visit from Yeye

• Su-Ting and Stef ran the Tai Tam Coteaux Charity Run - 11km with 7 wine tasting stops touring the regions of France
  

September Update

Long overdue, so here's a short update from Sofie's side

• "Sleepover" and Princess Treasure Hunt with BF Jasmine

• Reunited with Sof's Willowbrook crew & their siblings - Disney fun, included

• Saw her first theater show: Tweenies Live! (no pix, oops)

• Started a new gymnastic class

Sasha's personality really started to blossom... her walking started improving and she is a ham at 14 months! She has a screech like no other, and she can eat more than her big sister. Some shots of the girls before dim sum at Lei Garden at the IFC:

Fast Cars...

She not only LOOKS like Su-Ting...

Wha...?

This is Sasha's new, endearing "what happened?!@$(%*!#P$(*!!" face... Since many things are new to a 14 month old, we're getting this face a lot!

I Made The Cut

After 27 years since my last short haircut...

How to Smooch (by Sofie)!

A year ago while Aunt Nancy was visiting us in Tokyo, she and Sofie went for smoothies at our local favorite hangout, Smooch Smoothies in Yebisu Garden Place. Some groovy music got Sofie in the mood, and she's now [almost] famous, having made it onto their website to show the world how life is good... click below:

How to smooch (by Sofie)!

We're Golfers, Really.

Us as [tacky] golfers at a costume birthday party

Sasha Thinks She CAN Dance!

Sasha's dancing style has really evolved in the last few months... let's take a dancing trip down memory lane:

1. Headbanging
It all started with the ABCs



2. The Wiggle
A la Sofie style. Looks like it runs in the Fu blood.


3. The Spank
No, we don't spank her; she figured this dance out all on her own

Back to School for Sofie

Sofie at 3 yrs 5 mos

Sofie has been thrilled to be back in Hong Kong, mostly to be reunited with her toys and beloved stuffed things. Oh and yes, her friends. We let her enjoy the last few weeks of summer with no schedule or studies to speak of, and just pure play and, arguably, too much Playhouse Disney. Nonetheless, she transitioned very easily back into school every day, despite new teachers and new friends. She is a serious drama queen these days, and is still very very into Princesses.

We have put a moratorium on buying toys, since we're bursting out of this place as it is, and Santa Claus is one of our favorite friends in this house right now. If she wants something, it either goes straight on the list we have posted on the wall to be mailed to Santa, or we give him (Daddy, at work) a call to give him a heads up when we find something desirable. So far her list
consists of a Hello Kitty Fishing Set, a Mulan costume, a Jasmine costume, and a Hello Kitty Sparkle Princess Jewelry set. Do we see a somewhat scary theme here? What happens if Santa brings her a train set?


Sofie's Progress Report - 3 yrs 5 mos:

• Eating: D => It's pretty bad. Every meal is a battle.
  
• Sleeping A => Would have been an A+ if she didn't fight her naps so fiercely
  
• Pooping A => Aside from pooping in her underwear on the first day of school, all good
  
• Talking A+ => Too funny for words (ha.) Will have to create another post just for that.
  
• Smiling A => Fantastic... if only we could get her to look at the camera...
  
• Sharing A- => Has her moments where she just cannot share, but overall quite generous
  
• Princessing A++ => Who could be better?

Cuddly bears (that get de-dust-mite-ified regularly)

Creative use for leftover pizza stickers

From her Mr. Potatohead Pirate Set

Workin' the trainer chopsticks

Her Sparkle Princess pose

Winding down after lunch with a Bambinoccino

"The doctor said I'm not allergic to dogs anymore!!"