Singapore!

Today will mark a week since we arrived in Singapore. It’s been rather eventful. I feel as if I haven’t really had a chance yet to get homesick or really comprehend this little adventure we’ve just begun to undertake.

I’m sure it will start to hit in the next few weeks as Troy starts work and Livvy and I are left to figure out new routines and make new friends in our new hometown. But for now, here’s an update on our adventures so far:

After a whirlwind three days of packing up our home and cleaning it up to be rented, we set off on a nearly 24 hour trip by airplane to get here. It was almost comical at times. Between the three of us, we had six suitcases and six carryon items. That doesn’t include Livvy’s massive car seat and stroller. You should have seen us walking in the airport in Salt Lake. We had the bed of my dad’s truck filled. Walking in, my mom carried Livvy (asleep in her carseat) while Troy, my dad and I each had a backpack and two suitcases each. It took a while for the gate agent to get us checked in. Guess it’s not often people book a one-way ticket.

We then got on a short flight to Los Angeles. Then from there, an 18-hour plane ride to Singapore. We booked our flight on Singapore Airlines, so the three of us had a chair wide enough to fit two people. The best part was, it folded into a bed. I actually got about 7 hours of sleep with Livvy trading off between sleeping on top of Troy and I. There were also about 10 flight attendants that waited on us hand-and foot. They were so cute with our little Livvy, bringing her stickers and even a little stuffed animal.

Upon arrival, we had to collect all our bags and then figure a way to push them all to our waiting taxi. We got to our hotel about 5 a.m. This is when my first bout of homesickness hit. I blame the humidity. Our hotel, while nice, just felt wet and dank. And I was tired. And it just hit that this wasn’t another vacation Troy and I were embarking on.

After sleeping a few hours, we toured the main shopping street in Singapore, Orchard Road. We ate at McDonalds. Sad, I know. Then off to our room for more sleep!

On Sunday, we went to church at the local LDS expat ward. It was a wonderful experience. People were so welcoming and helpful and went out of their way to determine if we were new to the ward. We’re excited to be a part of such a wonderful network of people.

Monday and Tuesday this week, Troy went to work, so Livvy and I were left to fend for ourselves. We weren’t so brave on Monday. I blame jetlag and an upset stomach from some curry food the night before (being pregnant isn’t the best when it comes to new foods). But Tuesday, we visited the city’s Botanic Gardens. Gorgeous, although incredibly humid. It reminded me of the rain forests in Peru, with the amount of trees and flowers. Livvy loved the water features there and was also excited to see little turtles in a pond.

The past three days we have spent hunting for our new house. It’s been quite an experience and a little stressful. We saw at least 10 apartments and our choice boiled down to two: The gorgeous and spacious low-rise apartment (on the third floor of a small complex), or the small, but brand new high-rise on the 25^th floor of a large complex with a park and incredible swimming pool.

Craziness. I’ll have to post some pictures as soon as I have a computer where I can download my cards. For now, enjoy our hopelessly long blog post!

The things parents do

We're going to blame Aunt Ginger on these photos. She gave our "princess" some fairy wings and a fluffy flower skirt for Christmas, and we couldn't resist...

A new blog post

Wow. We're pathetic. Over a year has gone by and we haven't posted anything! Here's to a renewed effort.

A blog a month, maybe? We'll see.

For now, here's a little update: We had a baby!

Yup. Baby Ekberg was born this October. She weighed 7.9 pounds and was 21 inches long. Because our blog isn't private, you'll have to e-mail us for all the details on here name, etc.

We updated our blog!

So after four months, we decided it was time to update our blog. Want to know what we did this summer? Here's a quick recap:

1. Hiked Mount Olympus


2. Grew a zucchini baby



3. Went to Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Amazing! Check out this link: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700255823,00.html



4. Finally finished remodeling our master bathroom after a five month break.



5. Traveled to Arches, Jackson Hole and we're planning a trip to both Vegas and San Francisco this month.



6. Endured through Troy's Photo Quest of 2008. He made us get up at 5:30 a.m. to catch the sunrise for a work photo contest.

7. Grew a flower garden then watched it die after we returned home from Scandinavia because our sprinkler system blew a fuse.


8. Enjoyed our second summer of marriage


9. Niki began riding TRAX and met a guy who said he was an alien. Also, she talked with a guy who told her about his shingles. Ick.


10. Took lots of wedding pictures. Too many for Troy's taste.


That's all for now. We'll add more photos later. It took too long to upload them and we got tired.

-- Niki & Troy

Remodeling Can Be Fun

Truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. And so it is with remodeling. Truth is remodeling can be really, really fun. Well, as long as you do it with a NIKI! Remodeling with my wife has turned back breaking work into something seemingly satisfying.

Let me walk you through some of the feats that we've accomplished in the last year.

Feat #1: Installed recessed lighting (actually it was an excuse to wire a surround sytem)


Feat #2: Paint the entire house. I think that includes 7 different paints plus the primer base.

Feat #3: Remove the old flooring in the kitchen and have tile installed.

Feat #4: Remove the dry rot and black mold that had grown in the hall bathroom. Later new tile, vanity and wainscotting was added.

Here is the finished product:

Feat #5: Tile the master bathroom.

Feat #6: Get the city to take away this pile of trash and leave me behind.

Feat #7: Get the floor ready for carpet

Feat #8: Enjoy the new carpet. This really isn't a feat, but it sure is nice to have new carpet.

A look at our remodeled kitchen and family room:

For me remodeling was fun, but it was simply because I had a fun partner to work with.

Tuesday is a special day

Yes. You heard right. Tuesday is unlike the other 6 days of the week. Why you ask? Simple.

1) It isn't Monday, the beginning of the week. By Tuesday you're well into maximum productivity. Things are rolling, ticking, and moving - all cylinders are "go". Productivity is accentuated by peek rest and minimal stress that occurs precisely on Tuesday.

2) That evening is scouting or YW, both very enriching events which develop the soul. Whose soul? The leaders and the children of course, but I'm more concerned about the children. I do it for the children.

3) It is typically the day my wife makes me oatmeal. Unbeknownst to me, outmeal can be very delectable, especially when crafted with love and sprinkled with crazenberries, brown sugar and on special Tuesdays I get strawberries.

4) In the Eastern Orthodox Church Tuesdays are dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. The Octoechos contains hymns on this theme, arranged in an eight-week cycle, that are chanted on Tuesdays throughout the year. I haven't found a Octoechos that is to my liking, but when I do I to will chant.

5) In the Greek world, Tuesday is considered an unlucky day because it was the day of the week of the Fall of Constantinople. The same is true in the Spanish-speaking world. There is the proverb: "En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques", which is to say, "On Tuesday, neither get married nor begin a journey." Since I'm not Greek or of Spanish decent things are looking pretty good for me. Additionally, I was married on a day other than Tuesday.

6) Most home video and audio releases for purchase or for rental occur on Tuesdays. It just might be a Redbox night.