Baby, it's cold outside!

We had a real winter in Hong Kong this year. Temperatures dropped down to 6 degrees Celsius! I know, I have no idea what that means either. Google tells me it's about 43 degrees Fahrenheit. Brrrrr!

Fortunately those extreme temperatures were short-lived. I say "fortunately" because the homes in Hong Kong don't have any insulation, being made of pure concrete and all. So when it's cold outside, it's even colder in the apartment. Our Canadian friends really have a hard time with this. They say that in Canada, even though it's cold outside it's warm in the house. They are wusses. Where I grew up in the Sunset District of San Francisco, our old and draughty flat with thin windows and no insulation strips was always cold. Even in July! I spent numerous summer days sitting by the heater bundled up in a coat. In fact, one day my friend Joanne said that all she remembered of our childhood in SF was being very cold.

So this is nothing. And it's back in the 60's again, thus putting an end to the Canadian Complain Show. But we did have an opportunity to dress Mads in the cutest winter clothes!

She never wanted to wear socks in the house,
but she loved wearing her rain boots!

Great things are happening to the Kirchners lately. Firstly, the fourth Kirchner brother, Peyton, led the Broncos to a Superbowl victory! Second, the unit that I co-wrote for LearnZillion last summer was selected as an "Exemplar" unit by the EQuiP panel of www.achieve.org. Check it out here! And last, Madeline's supermodel career is taking off. Let me explain...

Madeline will be starting at a playgroup called Fairchild Junior Academy next week. This playgroup / preschool was started by our former head of school, Dave McMaster, and former Vice Principal Kathy Nutting. When they were starting up the school they invited some families to take some professional photos for potential use in their marketing materials. Well, guess who is the new poster child of FJA?

Ha ha! Mads is on their brochures and website, and she's even a full page in a few of the expat magazines all over Hong Kong. I feel so good, mostly because all those hours of watching America's Next Top Model while pregnant were not in vain.

Full disclosure: I don't care if Madeline ever becomes a supermodel. I am most impressed by her outstanding efforts in more important aspects of her life. (Here's to you and the Growth Mindset, Ryan!) They include:

1) Learning to feed herself.

With utensils...

....most of the time.

2) Enjoying and participating fully in her Kindermusik class. She sings along, knows all the routines, and she can bounce and sway like no other. 

She absolutely loves her teacher, Krisel.

3) Learning to ride her scooter. 

4) Getting along well with her friends.