Indonesia Archives - Letterbox on the Lane

Jeep Retirement Party

Framed Jeep themed printable with the words "Happy Retirement Mike" — Happy Retirement!

A colleague of mine was retiring, and he purchased himself a Jeep Rubicon to celebrate. He envisions himself doing a lot of off-roading in his retirement.

It was the perfect opportunity to plan a Jeep retirement party for the office!

I don’t have many Jeep items at home to reuse – I used a little metal Jeep leftover from our Wild Kratt’s party and a Jeep blanket that I’ve had for years…it came with my circa 2008 Jeep.

We had a large room with 3 long rectangle tables, and 8 round ‘high top’ tables – each with white tablecloths. I created a few printables and a digital sign to build some ambience. The printables were used in wooden picture frames and placed on each table. The digital sign was displayed on the computer monitors in the conference room.

A local balloon merchant came in and created two balloon stands, and I packed up my wagon with a few decorative items from home.

I designed stickers, and had a local printer print them up for me. They were stuck to short brown paper bags filled with popcorn and placed on each table.

We had a potluck lunch, so for my food contributions I provided chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, “Jeep” style sugar cookies, popcorn – flavored with Trader Joe’s Elote seasoning, and fresh squeezed lemonade. Other colleagues brought pizza and KFC. We also had a local dish called Tumpeng. It is a mountain-shaped cone of cooked rice accompanied by side dishes. It was so delicious!

We had loads of fun celebrating our colleague and sending him off in style.

Tumpeng - Indonesian Rice Mountain — Tumpeng – Indonesian Rice Mountain

CELEBRATE

Independence Day Celebration – 2024

We celebrated Independence Day on June 11this year with a Hawaiian theme.

My job was to organize party favors and pass them out at the end of the event.

Typically, U.S. companies donate merchandise that we pass out as our guests are leaving. Unfortunately, this year, we did not have many items to give away. I had some food coupons, highlighters, and cookies.

I recommended items such as macadamia nuts (that would not melt in the heat), post cards, silk leis, Kona Coffee pods, and foldable, reusable shopping bags.

Due to budget constraints, we purchased only the bags – hoping for additional donations. I ordered the bags from a local company, and I designed the artwork for the front of the bag. It had to be simplified to meet our budget constraints, but I’m proud of my work! I even incorporated the event slogan – Spirit of Aloha.

I organized a team of twenty summer hire students, and taking shifts, we managed to give out over 1000 ‘thank you for coming’ gifts!

It was so hot, and so humid. I’m glad it is over…and we don’t have to do it again until next year!!

CELEBRATE, Cub Scouts, LIFE

Cub Scouts – End of Year Awards and Blue and Gold Breakfast 2024

The end of the Scout year has arrived.

As Webelos assistant den leader, I planned the activities and kept a record of attendance throughout the year. I ensured that all scouts received credit for the adventures that they had completed. I went back through WhatsApp messages to make sure I credited those scouts who sent photos of the work they completed at home, and I worked with parents to help scouts wrap up adventures that were still outstanding.

Then, as awards coordinator, I followed up with the other den leaders to ensure an accurate accounting of the adventures their scouts had earned. Honestly, that was the biggest challenge.

Once I made sure my tallies were correct, I organized the belt loops, pins, badges, and awards by den. I attached all the “bling” to card stock and paperclipped the cards to an envelope. The envelope listed all the adventures earned, so the Cubmaster could read off the envelope during the awards ceremony, and afterwards, the scouts had a safe place to store all of their “bling”!

Once the cards and envelopes were organized, I created a PowerPoint presentation – complete with a photo of each scout engaged in a scouting activity from this past year. Next to each photo, I listed the adventures that were earned. Having the presentation organized by den allowed the cubmaster and assistant to easily follow the program and hand out the awards in order. The scouts got to see their pictures up on the big screen along with their list of accomplishments, which helped keep them entertained while waiting for their turn to be called up for recognition.

Once all the kids received their recognition, we thanked the parent volunteers with certificates of appreciation and parent pins. We said farewell to our cubmaster of three years. Gifted him with an Indonesian Batik map, a Yeti coffee mug, and a multi-tool pocket knife. Then we welcomed our new Cubmaster.

After the official ceremony, we played live action game of CLUEDO (based on the board game Clue) – where the scouts were given cards with another scout’s name, the name of one of the six essentials, and the name of a location in the party room – in the doorway, sitting in a chair. They had to tag the scout named on their card, with the item listed, in the location listed. Once tagged, they were out. The scouts had a blast playing this game while the parents chatted over coffee, samosas, and donuts.

We are all ready for a good rest over the summer, but also excited about the adventures awaiting us in the fall.

LIFE

Cub Scouts – Raingutter Regatta

This was our first Raingutter Regatta!

The idea is to race boats in a raingutter, using air/wind to move the boats. We were to use recycled materials and had size limitations imposed.

Our pack is fancy, and we have an inflatable ‘raingutter’.

I had picked up a sailboat kit from the scout shop last summer, and this was our first opportunity to use it, so Jackson made two boats. One from the kit and the other with materials from around the house.

We researched how to make the best boat and learned about aerodynamics and hydrodynamics also about the importance of weight when creating a racing sailboat at MichaelSpitler.com. Jackson was very excited about his creations, and when he tested them they floated in the sink and the bathtub. Unfortunately, we did not test how well they moved through the water.

Jackson created the cone shaped sails as described, but they were too small. He could not get his air into the cones and his boats did not move as fast as the others with wide sails. Although disappointed that neither of his boats won for speed, he did win special honors for best design. It was a good albeit hard lesson in being a good sport.

The race was over early, and the kids still had some time to play before the meeting was over. They went out front and played Red Light, Green Light. Jackson kicked off his flip flops and was running in the grass in his bare feet. He ran into the Scoutmaster’s foot/shoe and hurt his toe. It was hurting for a few days and was really starting to bruise, so I took him to the local clinic. They took an x-ray and it turns out, he had a hairline fracture! Not much to be done, so they put a tiny little splint on him and taped it up nice and tight.

Cub Scouts, LIFE

Cub Scout Camping – May 2024 – Desa Laguna

Our outgoing Cubmaster wanted to have THREE camping trips this year instead of the typical two. Although Jackson and I agreed that we would not be going on another camping trip, there were lots of Cub Scout adventures to be earned on this trip – we couldn’t miss out! So, after Portibi Farms and Caldera – we set off again for the eco resort called Desa Laguna in the Thousand Islands chain about an hour and a half speed boat ride outside of Jakarta. (Click here to read about last year’s trip.)

The trip to Ancol marina was an adventure in itself! We left home at 6:00am. There was no traffic, so we made really good time. That was in our favor, as the taxi driver drove in circles before finally getting to our destination. We arrived at pier 16 and boarded our speed boat to the Thousand Islands at 7:00am.

The boat ride to Desa Laguna this year was a bit less choppy than last year, and we received a warm welcome upon arrival.

There was a bungalow available this year, right on the water, and it had our name on it! The views were amazing. Waking up to the sound of the ocean waves, and then rolling out of bed and walking a few steps to wade in the surf was heaven. I do have to mention the trash that was everywhere…floating on the water. It was such a shame. The island worked hard to pick up the trash that came ashore, but the trash was everywhere in the water. Flip flops, water bottles…

The kids had a blast taking over the island. Running wild and free. They barely noticed that they were learning and earning Cub Scout adventures! The Webelos planted corals and mangroves, worked on Earth Rocks, Building a Better World, and Into the Wild. We made s’mores around the campfire, went fishing, and the kids spent hours taking turns pushing around a wheelbarrow!

Jackson was exhausted at bedtime, but after his run-in with the hermit crabs in the shower, he was ready to go home. I talked him into putting his shower shoes on, and he managed to survive the outdoor shower.

It was a great overnight camping trip, but so hot and humid. I’m not sure who squealed loudest when we boarded the boat with air conditioning – the kids or the parents!!

Making more memories – we look forward to going again next year!

CELEBRATE

Farewell Dinner for Colleagues – Jakarta 2024

We have a few colleagues departing this summer, and I hosted them for a Bon Voyage dinner.

Jackson went to a friend’s house just as the party was starting, so it was just the adults.

Mixing and matching my champagne glasses with my mom’s I started with welcome glasses of bubbly. We also had crackers, cheese, fruit, olives, and nuts to nibble on. I’m glad we had these set out, as all but one guest arrived 30 minutes early. The last guest arrived 40 minutes late! We know she got stuck at the office and then stuck in traffic, so we waited for her before we started dinner. We had a nice time chatting and gathering information on the best carpenter, tailor, etc. while sipping and nibbling.

For dinner, I had set the table using my mom’s china. We found the pattern while poking around at her Home Goods store one day. There was only one plate on the shelf, but she loved it. I tracked down the pattern – Tonquin Blue by Royal Staffordshire – and started her collection. It was bittersweet to use her china. It is a beautiful pattern and it makes me think of her. But I would much rather that she be here to use it herself. I practiced my calligraphy by creating place cards for everyone – using blue ink on white cards.

On the menu we had Beef Tenderloin with horseradish sauce, miniature roasted potatoes, garlicky green beans, and an apple, walnut, feta, craisins salad with homemade raspberry dressing. We had miniature raspberry trifles for dessert, with homemade pound cake. We also had homemade gingersnaps and shortbread to nibble on with our tea and coffee.

We talked and laughed and had a great time. And then Jackson came home from his adventures. It was time to get him to bed, so the dinner party concluded, and we agreed to get together again soon.

This is a terrible picture of us, but I’m including it for posterity. These are really great colleagues! (and the hydrangeas on the table were gorgeous!!)

CELEBRATE, PARTY

Administrative Professionals Day 2024 – It’s a Jungle in Here!

Our Administrative Professionals Day celebration was such a success last year that we had to do it again this year!

Our theme was “It’s a Jungle in Here”. I used up leftover party decorations from Jackson’s Wild Kratt’s birthday party and created a Pittsburgh style cookie table.

I designed the invitation, the table signs, and poster. I even made a PowerPoint presentation-creating the slides in Adobe Illustrator.

I planted wheat grass seeds in glass jelly jars a week in advance and used them as centerpieces, with jungle ribbon and an animal native to Indonesia (like this Komodo dragon and this orangutan) in each one. They were so cute!

For the cookies, we had:

Pizzelles
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Miniature cheesecakes
Oatmeal craisin with white chocolate chips
Philly K Cookies
Nut horns
M&M cookies
Macadamia white chocolate chip
Italian Knots
Brownies
Peanut Butter Kiss cookies

The event was another huge success. We are already tossing around ideas for next year!

LIFE

School Musical – Aladdin

We are very fortunate to have a fabulous arts program at our school. Every year the kids put on a musical. Jackson was not so sure about joining the production, but many of his friends had signed up, so he took the plunge. It was a huge undertaking, and we both had to sign an agreement that Jackson would participate in all of the rehearsals…three times per week, including many Saturdays from January to the end of April. This year’s production was especially difficult as the school is undergoing construction, and the theater had been torn down!

After months of learning songs and dances, the kids were ready to perform. A stage was built in the gym. Tickets were sold. Snacks for the performers were organized: I mixed together some American snack foods: Goldfish Crackers, Teddy Grahams, pretzels, and M&Ms. Flowers and balloon bouquets were purchased.

The shows were amazing. (They had three performances in one weekend!) I’m so proud of everyone involved. From putting on a production in a gym instead of the usual theater. Designing costumes, teaching the kids the songs and dances, learning the songs and dances. And I’m so proud of Jackson for surviving the long rehearsals – he was even asked to be an understudy! He kept all of his singing and dancing a secret from me, so I only saw it at the performances. He was so brave getting up on that stage and stepping out of his comfort zone. It was truly amazing, and I am so very proud of him!

TRAVEL

Our first trip to Bali!

Our first trip to Bali!

The stars aligned and Jackson and I both had some time to travel. There is a holiday in Indonesia called Idul Fitri. This is equivalent to our Christmas. Lots of celebrations with family throughout the month of Ramadan, culminating in a week or two of workers traveling out of the city to their villages to visit family. Even schools and offices close up for a few days to allow everyone time to celebrate.

We flew from Jakarta to Denpasar. The flight was about 1.5 hours. Since we were staying in Indonesia, we did not have to clear customs and my cell phone worked! We spent three nights in a jungle city called Ubud and then three nights in ocean front Nusa Dua.

In Ubud, we stayed at the Padma Resort. I knew it was a big holiday and there would be crowds, so I arranged in advance for the hotel to collect us from the airport. What is normally a two-hour drive, took us 4 hours. It was a long and slow commute from the airport to the hotel due to the heavy traffic, but in the end, it was worth it!

The Padma is amazing! It is quite a distance from Ubud city, but we never felt the need to leave the resort. We swam, drank tropical drinks, I got a pedicure, we visited the little farm with bunnies and deer. Jackson fished in the fishing pond, and then fed the fish he caught to the pair of rescued otters! We fed the fish in the Koi ponds. On our last day, we hired a driver to pick us up, give us a tour, and then drop us off on the other side of the island.

In Nusa Dua, we stayed at the Westin. The Westin is completely different from the Padma, but it was amazing in its own way. We walked right out of our room to the swimming pools. Lots of kids and families, a slide into the pool. Poolside ice cream and tropical drinks were on hand. The hotel is right on the beach.

We met up with friends at Waterbom Bali waterpark and spent the day having so much fun. The moms got massages while the kids ran around riding the waterslides!! The next day, we met up with other friends and the kids had a two-hour surfing lesson on the beach. The parents chilled on beanbag chairs under an umbrella – in view of the kids. After the lesson, the kids played in the sand and surf. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Jackson decided that he is a surfer and can’t wait to go back! I picked up a long sleeved rash guard from the hotel, and when we came home, I ordered him these chafe-free swim shorts to wear under his swim trunks. He is all set!

We didn’t get to do everything we wanted in Bali, so we’ll just have to return!

CELEBRATE, LIFE, PARTY

iFly Jakarta

Jackson was invited to a birthday party at the iFly in Trans Studio Mall, Jakarta.

I think this was the longest birthday party that I have ever been a part of!!

The mall was an hour away from home – we left around 11am. Our taxi made a few wrong turns, so it ended up taking us 1.5 hours to get there.

We had a surprise when we showed up and found that the birthday boy was not there! He was sick (contagious) and the venue would not agree to reschedule the party. Instead of cancelling, the family decided to host the children without the birthday boy. He joined for a few minutes by video chat. We sang Happy Birthday to him, and then we went off to celebrate his birthday without him.

We started at lunchtime. There was fancy catering set up, but of course Jackson was so excited that he only ate two bites. The iFly was divided into two sessions. While one group of kids did the iFly, the other group ran around and enjoyed the other rides in the mall. There were go carts, roller coasters, and a snow zone. It really was an amazing day, and so unfortunate that the birthday boy could not be there.

Jackson loved the iFly. He loved playing in the snow. He loved driving the go-carts. By the time I dragged him away, it was dinner time. He was getting hangry (remember, he had virtually no lunch) and wanted sushi. I was irritable and wanted to go home. A few other families were still around as well, and we agreed to grab dinner together once we coralled the kids. In the meantime, I tried to grab a snack for Jackson, but there was no food available as it was during Ramadan. There were few prepacked snack options, but they were on hold/reserved for those breaking fast. We went to the food court and found that everyone had put their names on waiting lists – to eat once fasting time was over. We were 10^th in line at Genki Sushi, so we continued to try and find a place to eat in the mall, but there were no openings. It was now around 7pm. We did stop at a frozen yogurt shop called Sour Sally. They were out of ‘regular’ froyo but had ‘black’ froyo. We gave it a go, and everyone loved it!! We will definitely be back.

We wound our way back to the sushi restaurant, and there were only a few names ahead of us. The kids were starving, the parents were starving. We finally got seated and ordered. This was a lot of fun – it was almost worth the wait! We used an app while seated at the table to order what we wanted and they brought our orders out to us. We could keep adding to our order – and they would keep bringing the food out, and when we were done, we closed out the order and paid. Everyone left full and happy. The parents got a good laugh looking at our American kids gobbling up sushi and dumplings!

You would think that we could head home now, but one of the mom’s reminded us that the kids needed black t-shirts for the musical rehearsal in the morning (for their head shot photos), so off we went to a shop called uniqlo for black t-shirts for the kids.

We got lost going home. We made it home at around 10pm…11 hours after we left the house.