The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Yee.

I finished this book last night and loved it!! Themes of immigration, motherhood, relationships, class and race. Also, I learned a lot about the microcosm that is Hong Kong.

What is even better is that there is a limited series based on this book so now I can watch that! Although, from my experience, movies or series based on books can be hit or miss. Examples: the Goldfinch (terrible movie, fantastic novel), the House of Sand and Fog (better), The Perfect Couple (Elin Hildebrand book) or Nine Perfect Strangers (needs a major trigger warning for child loss).

My daughter’s cooking adventure continues! She made a loaded miso soup yesterday. Usually, a miso soup is thin with a few pieces of tofu and a few seaweed floating around. Not this recipe! The soup came out looking like a stew: bok choy, edamame, brown rice, tofu, scallions, mushrooms. It was divine!

She wants to make food every day but I’m like honey, we have to finish what you already made first since I don’t want the food to go to waste.

Q4 planning

Next week is my first day back at work- on Thursday. My kids, however, don’t go back till September 8th!

I want Q4 (September-October) to feel balanced. I want to have time to exercise, read books, watch shows, make play-based dishes from my two cookbooks, watch kids do gymnastics and BJJ. I want to see friends.

When back to school hits, I usually feel like there is no grey area: in summer I am off so I have plenty of downtime and space; during the school year I am so busy that I don’t remember my name.

I should do “your ideal week” exercise… I know SHU does it, and maybe Kae, too?

My daughter will be going into third grade (how). My son is at the same school but first grade. This is a new school for both of them.

They both have aftercare at their school.

My son’s extracurricular is Brazilian jiu jitsu. We bring him at least twice a week. On Saturdays he goes to gymnastics with his sister.

My daughter’s extracurricular is gymnastics: three times a week (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday).

They will both have swim lessons on Sunday mornings at the local ymca.

A sample week:

Monday: school + BJJ for son, daughter in aftercare.

Tuesday: school+ both kids in aftercare.

Wednesday: school+ both in aftercare; then gymnastics for daughter, son comes with if husband is traveling.

Thursday: school+BJJ for son, daughter in aftercare.

Friday: school+gymnastics for daughter; son in aftercare.

Saturday: gymnastics for both in the morning

Sunday: swim lessons for both in the morning.

I still go to the Y to exercise so my options are: Tuesdays or/and Wednesdays after work, Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings.

A note on T’s travel: if he is away then I will bring the kids to all of their activities. If he is in NJ then we will share the load.

I’m thinking September will be like:

🧇 try to get these routines down

🧇 get to know the new school and get a feel for homework

🧇 see how the extracurriculars are going then maybe:

🧇 adjust as needed.

An NYC day trip

On Wednesday the kids and I took a train into New York City. We explored Hudson Yards, did the Highline, and visited the Little Island.

This was a bit different from how we usually go: in the morning. This time we left NJ at 1pm and came back home at around 10pm! It was nice to see the City ALL lit up.

After we finished the Highline we went to see the Little Island – a man-made island on the Hudson River that is famous for very unique “vases” of plants and trees right on the water:

This NYC day trip was so great. Each time I visit NYC, I always think that I (we) truly need to get out there more often. It’s only one hour from our home in New Jersey. And so many things to do and explore.

We decided we will get out to NYC every season: summer (check), fall, winter (to see the Christmas lights), and spring.

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Weekend…

We don’t have any major plans. This is the last weekend before I go back to work next week (for one day). I may do some work prep to do future self a favor but I am limiting myself since I will not gift my time to the district. Why? 1.boundaries and 2.we reached an impasse with our contract negotiations so we are now working to the contract meaning no extra services or extra help is being provided : 7:35 to 2:45 here we go.