Vindicaton

Here's an update to the iPhone ordeal that began as soon as I landed in Minnesota in December (ref: "welcome to america and my i phone got jacked").

A Recap:
I landed in Minnesota with Charlie and Liam after 36 hours of travelling on 4 different flights across 3 different countries.   I was so excited to see my baby nephew Judah and couldn't wait to get to the baggage claim.  I lugged Liam in the ergo baby carrier on my back, urine-soaked Charlie in his carseat stroller, and 2 pieces of carry-on luggage down the elevator to meet with Aaron, Maria and baby Judah.  We were a moving ball of chaos as we reunited, hugged, and made our way to the baggage claim.  All in all we had 2 carry-ons, 2 carseats, 1 stroller and 5 pieces of luggage.  Maria took Charlie to the toilet to change him and Aaron grabbed the car so we could start loading babies and our gear.   I had my iPhone at baggage claim.   I didn't have it when we got home.    I've been haunted with the possibilities since that dreadful day.  Did I drop it on the floor when I collapsed the stroller?  Did that group of  rowdy teenagers pluck it from my stroller?  Did I drop it in a deep crevice of our car? 

I started scouring Craigs List ads trying to find my phone. It was somewhat unique in that it was an unlocked iPhone 4 (i.e. 3 times more expensive than through a US phone carrier).   I found a sketchy ad for an iPhone 4 in a red Otter Box case.  I was going to meet the guy and ask for my phone back, but decided that was a little foolish.  I enlisted the support of the airport police in Minneapolis and they met with the guy and it turned out to not be my phone.  I discussed the possibility of analyzing their closed-caption tv (CCTV) near the baggage claim on 1 December, but it just seemed hopeless.   I filed an insurance claim for my phone and bought a new one (it's my camera, e-mail, phone, gps, blog, skype, facetime, etc. etc. - just needed to replace it).

Fast forward to last month when the Minneapolis airport police contacted me and told me they wanted to pursue a warrant from Apple to locate the missing iPhone.  They said they should have an answer in a few weeks.  Well I got the call from my mom this morning.  She said three guesses (ironically - I played the same game with Jason and he and I had the same 3 guesses).

1.) The Minneapolis-St Paul Airport (hidden on the curb somewhere)
2.) In a crevice of the car
3.) In a couch cushion in Circle Pines, MN

Wrong, wrong, and wrong.  Major relief!  The phone was located in Ghana, Africa.   Apparently a worker at the airport found it and sent it to his friend who was working in the Peace Corps in Ghana.  My mom, Jason and I all felt super bad for the Peace Corps worker in Ghana and wanted him to keep the phone, but apparently the police were highly suspicious of the story.  Anyway - I feel like giving money to the Peace Corps mission in Ghana now, but I am also thankful that the mystery was solved.

Lesson learned, don't leave your valuables out and unsecured especially when you are in a state of foggy, sleep-deprived insanity. 

Kiwified

Top 3 Reasons Charlie Looks Like a Kiwi

1.) Bare Feet.  Oops we forgot his shoes when we went to the grocery store - never fear!  We are in New Zealand - land of the barefooted - even in public places such as gas stations, grocery stores and church.  Charlie walked the whole way home without his shoes - toughening up those delicate feet like a good little Kiwi.

2.) Sun hat.  Gotta beat the treacherous ultraviolet rays with a nice 360-degree hat.

3.) Shirt on Backward.  In line with the independent Kiwi spirit - Charlie dressed himself incorrectly but we praised him for the effort (you can't see it here, but his undies are inside out).



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West African Peanut Stew

Okay - so we had 2 half jars of crunchy Trader Joe's peanut butter in the fridge that I wanted to use up.   I found this great recipe for African Chicken Peanut Stew online in my search for peanut butter recipes.   One of my closest new friends in NZ is from Zimbabwe. She had a baby boy in December (see picture below) and we are 2 of the 3 mommies in the church with small children.  Although she said they do lots of stews in Zimbabwe, when I texted her the recipe she said she'd never heard of it before.  I think it might be a West African (Ghanaian?) recipe???    It reminded me of the summer when I worked in the wilderness of Wisconsin at a Lutheran Bible Camp.  In the camp were several villages that were supposed to mirror African villages.  One of the recipes that we cooked entailed greens (spinach?) and peanut butter.    As a 17-year old it was a weird combination, but it really grew on me. 

Tracy and Gambe

RESULTS: The stew turned out really good with the cilantro (coriander in NZ), sweet potatoes and chicken.

6 jars of peanut butter left!   Next recipe Monster Cookies - then we might try make and freeze Puppy Chow. 

First Taste of Sugar

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One year ago...

Charlie and Aldous
(Liam is now BIGGER than Aldous was in this picture - CRAZY!)

I honestly CANNOT believe this picture was 1 year ago.  Okay - honestly it feels like 5 years ago - SO MUCH has happened in these short 12 months.  That being said, how did my baby change from living inside my big belly - to the delightful, curious, and crazy 1-year old he is today?  I promise more tomorrow about Liam and his birthday...

I do realize I have a poor concept of how tired and huge I look when I'm pregnant.  Honestly - I think I felt "smoking hot" in this picture and I sort of felt like maybe people wouldn't notice I was pregnant.  My eyes look so swollen in every picture during the last week leading up to the birth.  The important part was I felt great, right?  I really do love being pregnant...

... but I REALLY love this part!

Bob Barker is in Town

Jason had a little shindig at the Ambassador's residence tonight so I took the boys for a picnic on the waterfront.  Imagine our surprise when we stumbled into none other than Bob Barker!  It sounds like Japanese whaling boats were on their tail until they got into New Zealand waters.  They are docked in Wellington for 4-5 days to restock so they can go out and fight the good fight before Antarctic winter! 

Charlie and Liam in front of the Bob Barker (love the skull flag in front)

H20

Okay - this is a pretty lame Valentines Day post, but I am without my Boo due to a work trip, so I thought I would highlight one of my favourite things things about dining in NZ.  These pictures were from an afternoon lunch with a friend who has a baby a few months younger than Liam.  Charlie was at preschool, so it was fun to go out to eat with only one little guy (who tried to throw food at other diners and barfed on me - but oh well!)

Restaurants and coffee shops offer a "water station" near the condiments.  Basically you can grab a long clear jug that is filled with water, or (this is the best part) there is a little faucet where you can fill the bottles your self.  I love this!  Do we do this in the USA? 

3 Reason Why I Love H20 in Restaurants
1.) Free!
2.) I can be an autonomous H20 drinker  - i don't need to keep bothering the waitress/barista for water (in high school, I would take my friends water glasses because I couldn't wait to be refilled).
3.) Environmentally friendly -- cut out those nasty plastic cups!

A friend gave us a bottle that we keep filled in the fridge.  Why can't this catch on back home?  Maybe it has?