tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51448592613633431672024-03-13T09:55:34.860-07:00hale family - party of elevenhale family - party of eleven
Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.comBlogger446125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-53762272721578815632019-12-01T23:23:00.000-08:002019-12-01T23:23:28.855-08:00Thankfulness, daily list for 30 days of November. <br />
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I am grateful for a DVR. I grew up with TV yes, but not
videos or any on demand type of viewing. If you wanted to watch a show that
came on Wednesday evening, you needed to be parked on the couch on Wednesday
evening. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for siblings in such a quantity of ways that I
can’t even list.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for best friends (yes, plural). Couldn’t live
without them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for postage stamps. For the mere cost of 55
cents, I can send an envelope to anyone I know anywhere in our country. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for nearby hiking trails. Today I spent 90
minutes alone in the beautiful desert winter air, listened to 2 podcasts and
thoroughly enjoyed myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for “This American Life” podcast. My favorite.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a super hard working husband who occasionally
can slow down and enjoy a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle all day long. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a very comfortable mattress. I realize how
comfortable our bed is when I get to a hotel with a hard stiff mattress. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for bags of ready made salad in the grocery
store. Prepping vegetables keeps me from eating enough salad. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a fresh Christmas Tree in our living room.
I love the smell of the greenery and I love the collection of family memory
ornaments on it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for old friends. I recently attended a high
school reunion. Winslow Arizona produced some good people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for our church family. I love the feeling of
community when I walk in the doors of our church. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful I can play the organ (although I don’t play
well and I consider myself a ‘fake’ organist). I recently attended church with Rachel
and watched her play the organ. I smiled as I realized that my mother and my
daughter and I have been able to play the organ for our church congregations. I
love that connection. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a flexible work schedule that allows me to
get away on quick road trips. I often sit at my desk doing invoicing at
midnight so I can sometimes play during the day, but it’s worth it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for the accessibility of books - audiobooks,
hardback books, Kindle books. I love being introduced to an enticing new novel
or author in our bookclub that I might never have chosen myself. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a well stocked house. “Hey mom, do you
happen to have a set of index cards that have graphing lines on them?” “Well,
that’s an oddly specific question, but yes, … yes I do!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a good set of markers and colored pencils
and paints. I love a creative project and having colors handy makes a fun
project even more fun. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for our air conditioning and heater. I touch a
button once every season or so and then never think about it again. Our home
just magically stays at a wonderfully comfortable temperature. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for game apps on my phone. What did I ever do
in years gone by to utilize my moments of downtime? <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful we have been able to run our business from our
home. The costs of running an office are lower and our schedules stay more flexible.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for friends who enjoy the same TV shows as me
and we can text each other on Wednesday nights “Oh my gosh! What just happened?
Did you see that coming?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful that our kids and their spouses are good
people, good citizens, good employees, good parents. I love each of them
dearly. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for Pinterest. I find most of my recipes and
creative projects there. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for our very creatively built home (a term a
repairman used recently). I look at old videos of our home when we purchased it
and during all the construction projects we’ve lived through. A majority of our
walls have been moved around over the years. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator,
crockpot, blender, bread machine etc. Food preparation really is easy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for sharp knives in the kitchen. (I just wish
I always had sharp knives in my kitchen) <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for an orange tree in our front yard. It is
heavy with fruit this year and it won’t be long until the fruit is ready to
enjoy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for the wedding invitations that are displayed
on our refrigerator door. I love celebrating life events with loved ones near
and far. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for date nights with Dave. We run opposite
schedules so often so I love having some dedicated time to spend with my handsome
husband. </div>
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I am grateful for Christmas cards. I got our first one in the
mail today. Sending and receiving Christmas cards makes me happy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-70522344053909142242019-06-13T20:56:00.000-07:002019-06-13T21:02:07.398-07:00Overheard on Vacation<br />
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Cynthia: "This valley is so green and pretty, I love how gorgeous this canyon is. </div>
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Oh, wait, my new sunglasses are making everything look doubly green. Dang, everything just looks normal now."</div>
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"You watched all the Star Wars? even every single sequel? ALL the quels?"</div>
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"Let's get together for church early tomorrow morning."</div>
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"Church at 7? It’s going to be a lonely devotional.
Jesus and me will be showing up at 9:30."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave: "Look at that woman's toe nail polish - it's so bright!"</div>
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Cynthia: "And she's so young that all her toes point daintily in the same direction!"</div>
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"Who did this and left it here??" <o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave: "At some point on my mission, I was hungry to roast some hot
dogs."<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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"They have hot dogs in Japan?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Of course! But they're made out of fish."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"You liked them?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Yeah, after you eat a few."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"How many <i><b>few</b></i> do you have to eat before they are good?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Playing Chinese Checkers: </div>
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"Kyle has definitely played this before."</div>
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Kyle: (after first two turns) "I’m
about to win this game."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Melanie: "I’ll have to sacrifice."</div>
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Jonny: "You know, you can’t spell sacrifice without
team."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Harvey, sitting at the breakfast table, hearing someone come down the stairs
in the morning. </div>
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Cynthia: "Who is it, Harvey? Maybe it’s Melanie? Maybe it’s Brady? Let’s see."</div>
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Jonny: "or maybe
it’s Chris, but I 100% guarantee this early in the morning, it’s not Roxanne."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"There’s a difference between micro sweat and macro sweat."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Brady: "Did you ever play Oregon trail?"</div>
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Jonny: "yeah"</div>
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Brady: "Did you ever get to Oregon?"</div>
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Jonny: "Yes. The highlight of my life!"</div>
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Brady: "I always got malaria along the way."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave: "More cilantro, please... and more cowbell!"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Brady: (taking video for Chris who was hopping into a FREEZING COLD river). "I took a picture of the snow in the background for perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I almost dropped your phone in the river, but I definitely got your footage."</div>
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Harvey: "Agua!"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave: "Did you ask for ABBA?"</div>
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Jonny : "<i>NOBODY</i> asks for ABBA"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Melanie: "Wait, has this pan already been washed?"</div>
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Brady: "Just put it in. The Dishwasher will decide what it will
clean!"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Savvy: "MEL!" <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Roxanne: "Melanie, Savvy is calling you. You’re the only aunt she
knows how to pronounce."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave: "No matter how many times you blow your nose, it’s
still full of boogers."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mel: "Sometimes I think I have jaundice. My feet look yellow.
Can adults get jaundice?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris: "Are the whites of your eyes yellow? I really don’t
think you’d want jaundice."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mel: "Why is yellow the color of jaundice? I’d choose violet
as the preferred color."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Melanie: "Did you ever put hand sanitizer on your hands and
light them on fire?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Brady: "OF COURSE!!"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mel: "I’m going to draw Savannah next to your picture to put
the picture in context."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Roxanne: "Make sure you draw her with a mullet."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cynthia: "What's a story you've never told your parents?"</div>
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Jonny: "My mom was usually with me for all my crazy stories."</div>
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Mel: (talking about a nasal spray) "It’s just that it tastes like Vaseline."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jonny: "Petroleum never hurt anyone."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Squishing into a back seat of a RZR off road vehicle. </div>
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Kyle: "This feels like sitting in an
airplane."</div>
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Jonny: "THIS is what an airplane feels like to you? Sorry Dude."<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Love shack <o:p></o:p></div>
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"If the shack is a-rocking, don’t come a-knocking."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"If the shack is rocking, you’ve probably got foundation
problems."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Melanie: "Is this a rich candle?"</div>
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Brady: (smelling it) "Yes, definitely rich. It’s in the $9-$14 range."</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Everyone to Melanie – “You don’t use a microwave????”</div>
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Roxanne – (playing cards) "After this hand I’m going to bed. Oh, wait, ….. it’s only 8:30."</div>
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Jonny – "Who still looks at catalogs? Well, who under 75
years old still looks at catalogs?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cynthia: "Umm,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have an LL
Bean catalog waiting at home on my desk."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Glitter is the STD of crafting. You can never get rid of it. "</div>
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Melanie: (roasting marshmallows for s'mores) "The biggest bummer of a camping trip is when the graham cracker breaks at the 1/4 and 3/4 ratio instead of in half. "</div>
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During a LONG card game<o:p></o:p></div>
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Melanie: "Can I take a break and go to the bathroom?"</div>
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Jonny: "Depends"</div>
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Reasons that one year olds cry: </div>
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I threw the stick over the balcony and I want it back.<br />
Because my cousin has to take a nap but it’s not time for mine yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Because I just ate 17 M&Ms, and I still want more.</div>
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My mom won't let me walk on the gravel barefoot. </div>
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Because I want to go outside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Because I want to go inside.</div>
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<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-79022202444581411002018-11-22T21:51:00.000-08:002018-11-22T22:03:57.967-08:00Gratitude on Thanksgiving Day<br />
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( This week, I found a half written document on my computer from over a year ago. Apparently I was on the beach in Mexico and the time... but I wanted to finish and post this as I am truly grateful for many many things and people today)</div>
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I love social media. I am in another country today and still
talking to my kids easily and getting/receiving photos and comments all day
long.</div>
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I am grateful for beaches. They are beautiful and
fascinating and calming and fun and relaxing. </div>
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I am grateful for all of God’s creations to
enjoy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for friends new and old. I was on a road trip with a
friend of 30 years and a new friend. We got along famously and enjoyed the
company of a girl’s road trip. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for my husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We enjoy times together and enjoy
independent activities too and enjoy sharing those activities when we get back
together. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for Google Translate. International travel is
survivable when I can read signs through a simple translation app. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for hot water. I take it for granted, then
whine when I don’t have it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for parents who taught me so many things
through word, and through example. I had the wonderful opportunity to have
several parents and I love them all dearly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful that when I plug a cord into an electrical
receptacle, electricity automatically (and because I don’t understand it, I
will also say “magically”) courses through the cord and makes my
clock/vacuum/tv/charger/lamp/fan/computer/washer/dryer/shredder/mixer/breadmaker/sewing</div>
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machine/
etc etc work.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for good comfortable shoes to walk and walk
and walk in. I can hike all over the hills and my feet stay protected and
comfortable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for ice. (my friends and family know how much
I want/need ice)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a printer and ink.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for good memories. (our dogs, the kid's trampoline, my red cars, our first apartment)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for kind people in my life. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a well stocked toolbox.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for my camera. I love the collections of memories
my photos provide over the years. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for my bookclub, Books yes, but mostly for my
friends in bookclub.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for my children. It is harder and harder to get them all together in one place at one time. All I want is a family photo, with all 11 of us in the frame, but I know they are all busy getting smart, and doing good in the world. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for good company sitting around a Sunday
evening meal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for sisters in such a quantity of ways that I
can’t even list.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for grandbabies that warm my heart every
single day. (family texts, pictures).<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for the FedEx delivery man who drops cases of
products to my doorstep. Even though I know I recently ordered<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a case of toilet paper and paper towels, it’s
still fun to get a delivery.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a good pedicure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for insurance, peace of mind knowing we are
generally financially protected from disasters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for a winter lawn in Arizona. There is nothing
prettier than that beautiful lush green in our backyard through the winter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for our dishwasher. Although I have a
love/hate relationship with it as I fill and empty it, I find I enjoy the fact
that it is washing my dishes at this very moment, and I’m not in the kitchen to
do it myself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for our piano, which is old, gets horribly out
of tune, is nearly impossible to maintain the integrity of pure musical notes,
but is a wonderful connection to my mother who played it 50 years ago.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for my dining room table as it brings back
memories of our family of 11 sitting around it during my youth and the meals,
the <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>homework, the FHE lessons, all the
activities that happened around that table.. I am so grateful my parents passed
it on to me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am grateful for my son-in-laws who are good and kind men. </div>
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I am grateful for girlfriends in my life who always bring balance and wisdom to my sometimes crazy life. </div>
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!</div>
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<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-38114234552822750212017-04-20T01:06:00.001-07:002017-04-20T01:07:22.504-07:00EasterI've been loving our Easter get togethers these past few years. This year, it was a SUPER busy week and month, but in the end, food was made, table was set, Easter eggs hidden, baskets were prepared so all was well.<br />
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Rachel, Kyle, Roxanne, Jonny, Curtis, Laura, Dave and I were all here. (Jonny reminded me there were actually 10 here with the 2 little bambinos). It was good, we had enough food that EVERYONE could have eaten for two!<br />
<br />
We ate at about 5:00 and had a wonderful meal of Ham baked in chopped apples and raisins, potatoes (made by Curtis) with carrots and onions and I'm not sure what else, but I need to get the recipe , an asparagus tomato parmesan dish, rolls, deviled eggs, green salad with candied nuts and strawberries and poppyseed dressing, Basically a typical Easter meal, but oh so beautiful and oh so delicious. For dessert, Kyle and Rachel made popcicles -- fresh raspberries and guava? One with a citrus juice and cilantro. I'm not sure I remember the combinations, but again... oh so good! <br />
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After dinner, we did some arts and crafts while Dave went out in the backyard to hide the easter eggs. We had way too many eggs and not enough hiding places. So there were handfuls of eggs around in the hiding spots. Four of the eighty or so eggs had prizes. Curtis is on a roll for winning the easter prizes and once again was a winner. I hope it keeps him coming in future years!<br />
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We chose to all bring an Easter Basket and have an exchange. Each person drew a name and that is who received your basket.<br />
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In other family news, Roxanne and Jonny just came home from their anniversary camping trip to Sedona. They have been married 4 years this month. Roxanne has passed her halfway mark in her pregnancy. They are having a girl!<br />
<br />
Kyle announced that he accepted a new job offer in Utah and is leaving next month. Rachel will stay here an extra 3 weeks or so to finish up the school year. Rachel is nearly halfway through her pregnancy too. I can hardly stand the fact that this baby boy will be so far away. But I am happy that their plans are going forward successfully. They have talked about Utah for some time now.<br />
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Melanie is in Utah, enjoying school and everything social. She came home for spring break and Easter weekend is too short to make it home. She finishes up her semester in a couple weeks and life will be more relaxed for her for the summer.<br />
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I forgot to take a group photo, but here's a super cute picture of Dave. Happy Easter!Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-68254351391167577162017-04-11T23:56:00.002-07:002017-04-19T22:42:46.728-07:00We love you Lexi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's a sad day at the Hale's house. Our little Lexi passed a couple days ago. It was somewhat unexpected and I am clearly not ready to have such a quiet house.<br />
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Lexi had some medical issues. We visited the Vet just last Monday. The prognosis was not good, but I thought we were looking at our last year with Lexi, not our last week. Her health took a downturn very quickly last weekend, and she ended up having hard afternoon and passed away in my arms at midnight.<br />
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She was breathing noisily late in the evening, but still wanted to go upstairs to her bed. I sat beside her bed for a while to make sure she was settling into some restful sleep, then I went downstairs. An hour or so later, she stumbled down the stairs obviously in distress. I scooped her up in my arms and she passed away about 10 minutes later. I woke Dave up and we rocked her and had some tears together. It's a heart breaking thing to experience the end of life. I went to get a blanket to wrap her up in, and my sweet husband went outside in the middle of the night and built a little wooden box to rest Lexi in.<br />
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Our wonderful dog Lexi has been with us for 9 years. She absolutely loved our kids.<br />
Weirdly, she was kind of a man-hater. She came to us like that as a teeny tiny puppy. There doesn't seem to be a reason for it, but she doesn't care for Dave, nor any male that comes to our door, in our house, house guests etc ... it doesn't matter, just doesn't like men. So we got her as a puppy while Brady was living in Flagstaff. We already established that she doesn't like men. So a few weeks after we got her, we were out of the house for the evening, and came home to a surprise visit from Brady. And who was curled up on Brady's chest? snuggling into his neck? our man-hater puppy! Go figure. She loved and adored Brady, only him and no other man .<br />
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Lexi also waited 2 years for Brady's return from his mission, and a year and a half for Melanie's return from her mission. She was super excited for both of them to walk in the door after such a long absence. She loved Sunday nights when all the kids would come for Sunday dinners. When the house was empty, when I was home alone working at my desk, she would often spend a lot of time upstairs by herself, or in the backyard. But the minute the kids came in the door, she was all over them.<br />
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We will miss you, little Lexi. you'e been a sweet part of our family.<br />
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(this is our last photo of Lexi)</div>
<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-9907215779863910802017-03-21T22:13:00.001-07:002017-03-21T22:13:15.719-07:00Amazing Middle ChildI promised myself I would write in this forgotten blog more this year. As it ends up, really don't have much time to be writing and journaling, so I am just going back to see what unfinished drafts I have in the archives. Here is one from years ago that I wrote. These few lines are the entirety of the post.<br />
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<b>Roxanne - masters degree age 23! even took one semester off after bachelors.</b><br />
<b>Bachelor's degree 3 1/2 years.</b><br />
<b>Been in school steady and strong 1997 - 2015</b><br />
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I'm not sure why I didn't hit the 'publish' button. Those facts sum up a great accomplishment. This amazing girl not only whizzed through her education, but she is now married, has a wonderful husband, has a solid career, is a homeowner, and is now carrying a teensy tiny baby inside her!<br />
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So since there is not much else to say, I'm just going to throw a few of my favorite pictures of her over the years. . . . in no particular order.<br />
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<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-85282708250126140102017-03-05T22:05:00.000-08:002017-03-21T22:17:29.095-07:00Back in time with Delos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently ran across this unfinished draft. I think I had jotted down a few notes when Delos stayed with us the last time 2 or 3 years ago, he was in his early 90s at the time. He was born in 1922, so his reminiscing is from the depression era up until and through WWII in 1945. We were talking about how different life was when he was young and when he remembered things changing over the years. Some things check out, others might seem like the times are off, but probably because he was living in small town Idaho where some modern conveniences were slower to enter the scene perhaps.<br />
Here is a list of some of the things he told me, as well as some added notes.<br />
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There were no bathrooms in the house.<br />
Shredded wheat was basically the only commercial cereal available, followed later by Wheaties.<br />
Milk was delivered to your door, there was no milk sold in stores.<br />
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Indoor plumbing introduced in 1940. <i>(in their house in Idaho)</i><br />
Car tires needed to be replaced after 5000 miles.<br />
Soles wore out easily and often on shoes.<br />
There were no electric shavers or electric clippers.<br />
Four LDS temples in the world.<br />
<i>There were actually 5 operating temples the year Delos was born, 7 temples by the time he was age five and through his youth when he would have been learning about temples. The 8th temple was dedicated just months prior to Delos and Betty being married, They were sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple during its first operating year. </i><br />
Common mode of long distance travel was trains.<br />
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No passenger planes until WWII.<br />
No TV.<br />
Slower paced life.<br />
Catalog shopping - Sears Roebuck<br />
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No toilet paper.<br />
Bottle of ink, dip in pen.<br />
Pocket pens, age 9 or 10 (leaked in your pocket)<br />
Ball point pens sold during WWII time.<br />
Farm boys deferred from the war at first.<br />
Young age for marriage was common.<br />
Canning your own food from the garden was common and expected.<br />
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Times definitely have changed. Although there clearly are changes in my lifetime, I don't think there has ever been a time of more change than the 1900s, from horseback to space travel in one lifetime.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-21947001150283486692017-02-16T00:24:00.000-08:002017-02-16T00:24:07.356-08:00National Geographic's Top 10 list<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">As we prepared for our trip, here was another site we studied. We covered 6 out of 10 items on <a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/things-to-do-in-japan/">National Geographic</a>'s list.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><b>1. Visit Kyoto’s Ancient Sites </b></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">The most iconic remnant of the city’s imperial past is the outrageously gilded Kinkakuji.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yes, we went to Kyoto and found this temple and stood and took pictures of it for an hour. It was beautiful! And yes, this is our actual photo, not the website photo. We couldn't have taken a bad picture if we tried. The temple and the grounds and the water were stunning. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">2. Overnight in a Temple </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nope, not on our to-to list. </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">3. Gallery Hop on "Art Island"</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">Picturesque Naoshima</span><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"> in the Seto Inland Sea is a standout on Japan’s contemporary art scene. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yes, we did this! The 3 pictures above piqued our interest on the website and were inspiring enough to get us to this island. It was (sort of) on our way to Hiroshima. Not really on our way, but in the same general geographical area of Japan. We took a bullet train, a regular train, a ferry, a city bus and a hike. Worth it! Here our own pictures to prove that we were there. And these art installations were so random that it was fascinating. This gourd is huge and it just sits out on a random pier. </i></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">4. Ski Niseko</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">This small ski resort town </span><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">in Hokkaido boasts the finest powder in the country.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">Well, we didn't go skiing. It wasn't on our travel agenda. But we were in the area, and we did see a LOT of snow on the Island of Hokkaido and we watched some skiing demonstrations. Close enough?</i></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">5. Experience Traditional Accommodation</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">The gentle scent of tatami, the understated elegance of the interiors, the meticulous service, the outdoor hot spring baths, the multi-course meal of local seasonal produce, the calming silence—all combine to make a night at a traditional Japanese inn, or ryokan, an unforgettable experience.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><i>Yes, we stayed in a traditional Resort. Except for sleeping on the floor, it was amazing! Every detail was beautiful and the dining hall experience was unforgettable. We were even given traditional Japanese footwear to wear when we were out and about in the resort, as our outdoor shoes were unacceptable once we entered the hotel room. The food was definitely traditional. I wish I had taken pictures of the beauty of the dining options overall, but instead I found myself taking pictures of the quite different than American food options. Different, but delicious. </i></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">6. Soak in a Natural Hot Spring</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">There is something quintessentially Japanese about getting naked for a soak with strangers. In fact, the Japanese have been using communal onsen, or natural hot spring waters, to relax and heal for centuries. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><i>There was a communal hot springs bath in the resort we stayed in. They are definitely beautiful but we opted out. While planning this trip, we read the word 'Onsen' quite often regarding the hotels. We thought it meant resort. The word is often associated with an Inn or Resort near a hot springs, so we kept using the word, thinking we were talking about our hotel. We were actually talking about the communal bathing option AT the resort. So, . . . . no. No thanks. As we walked by the entrance (segregated areas) we did realize they were used by many people and all ages, though they were all seemingly Japanese. The experience didn't seem to freak anyone else out except us (the Americans). </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">7. Explore Tokyo’s Old East Side</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">Sensoji, a Buddhist temple in Asakusa, is about as touristy as it gets in Tokyo.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Yes, we visited. Asakusa. And yes, it was about as touristy as it gets. </i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEgWBeBtuw4/WKVWvE1YRdI/AAAAAAAARsY/ay607Ll0yAY_CmmE6OTodQbNqhUDZPrfwCLcB/s1600/2080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEgWBeBtuw4/WKVWvE1YRdI/AAAAAAAARsY/ay607Ll0yAY_CmmE6OTodQbNqhUDZPrfwCLcB/s320/2080.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">8. Hike the Northern Alps</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><i>No. Would have been cool to do, but we were traveling during the winter. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">9. Tour Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Museum</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">Dedicated to victims of the atomic bombing of August 6, 1945, the Peace Memorial Park and Museum </span><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">are poignant and moving monuments to the horrors of nuclear weapons.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hiroshima was much too far for us to travel on our schedule, but thanks to the bullet train that zipped us across the country so fast, we were able to pull it off. I'm so glad we did. </i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">10. Sample the "B-Grade Gourmet</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;">Japan is known for fine cuisine like sushi, tempura, and kaiseki, but its low-cost culinary underbelly (“B-grade gourmet,” as the Japanese call it) is just as mouth watering. The king of the B, ramen noodles, are ubiquitous, filling, and something of a national obsession</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: 0.17px;"><i>YES!! Our favorite bowl of ramen noodles was at a non-descript cafe on a cold night, right outside the train station in Muroran. Probably our favorite meal our whole trip!! I wish I would have taken a picture. It would still make out mouths water. Obviously it is nothing like American Ramen noodles. </i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-28203766337595762212017-02-09T23:48:00.003-08:002017-02-09T23:50:50.920-08:00Top 10 lists -- JapanI have looked back into this blog and I'm finding there are several draft posts that I started and didn't get back to. Since this is kind of our family history, I'm going to re-visit some of these even though they are terribly out of chronological order. This month I am remembering our trip to Japan 2 years ago because facebook keeps showing me some "memories from 2 years ago". So I'll start with Japan.<br />
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Some of our trip planning came from several articles like "Top things to do in Tokyo", "Must see things in Tokyo" "Off the beaten path places to visit in Japan". Our first week we were visiting some places Dave lived as a missionary 30 plus years earlier on the northern island of Hokkaido, so most things were obvious places we wanted to visit. And we went in February specifically to go to the Famous Sapporo Yuki-matsuri (Snow Festival). There were some events and places he was aware of as a missionary, but a missionary's life or budget doesn't have many options for festivals. It was fun to do some things he knew about and wanted to do when he was there years ago.<br />
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Then we went south to Tokyo and that was where we relied on some research. According to the<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/viator/top-things-to-do-in-japan_b_3519341.html">Huffington Post</a>,</span> we were able to do 8 of their 10 <b>"Top things to do in Japan"</b>.<br />
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(We passed on #3 and #8)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. Sleep on the floor. </span>We didn't mean to, or plan to sleep on the floor. We made reservations at a resort. It did actually have the option of a western style room or a traditional room. Unfortunately the photos on the website showed a western style bed in both options so we opted for a Japanese style room. Joke was on us. Where is the bed, you might ask? It was folded up in the closet. You can see it in the background of the photo. Yes, we actually slept on mats on the floor. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. Eat fish for breakfast. </span>This photo is also from the same resort. It was one of the most visually stunning displays of food offered in the dining hall. However, the options were quite unlike what we normally would expect for breakfast. We tried to be adventurous eaters for dinner, but it didn't quite settle well with me first thing in the morning. The 2nd picture shown here is where we often stopped in for some orange juice and a biscuit in the mornings.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. Take a communal bath. </span>Again, at the same resort we stayed in the first couple days of our trip, the website described hot pools (we had to 'Google translate' to read the websites, not always a reliable translation) (Dave speaks Japanese well, but doesn't read Japanese kanji) and I envisioned this type of a pool shown in the photo below, under the stars with snow drifting down into natural hot springs. Nope! It was just a community bath and shower area. Beautiful pools and saunas, yes, but we just weren't ready to bathe with the community. We opted out. (btw-- they were all segregated)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. Sit on a warm toilet. </span>Oh my heck, the toilets were a treat! We were traveling in winter, and all the toilet seats were warmed, and had all kinds of bells and whistles and buttons with instructions provided.<br />
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However, I did walk into a couple of bathroom stalls to this. A country of contrasts, I tell you!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. Ride a bullet train. </span>Apparently it doesn't take much to entertain me, because I was fascinated to just watch these come and go into the train station. They'd zoom in, open the doors for exactly 60 seconds, and zoom off again. We zipped across the country from Tokyo to Hiroshima at 200 miles an hour! It was very smooth inside, a wonderful ride!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. People watch in the shopping district. </span>People watching was fascinating!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. Shop for toys. </span>There are stores that are 6 and 7 stories tall with different categories of toys on every floor. We had a mission to find some Pokemon cards for a young friend at home, so we enjoyed searching through the toys.<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. Love hotel.</span> ummm, no. We skipped this item on the list.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">9. Gaze upon Tokyo. </span>Although we didn't go to the Park Hyatt Hotel on the suggested list, we did go up into the Metropolitan Government Building, and on another day, we went up to the top of the Tokyo Tower and watched the sunset. We also went up to a viewing area in Sapporo, and in Hakodate. We enjoyed seeing all the cities from high above.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">10. Zen out, visit temples. </span>We definitely visited temples. This gold one was beautiful. You couldn't take a bad picture. All our photos were post card perfect.<br />
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We took a picture of ourselves in front of it. In actuality, that was the challenge of visiting this temple. You can see in the next photo how crazy thick the crowds were.<br />
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And here is another temple. It was HUGE! If you look closely at this picture, you can see Dave standing in front of the doors in a red jacket -- a teeny tiny speck of red in the photo. (I was so glad for that red jacket. I could spot him anywhere!)<br />
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It's fun to visit places you've seen advertised and described when you were sitting at your computer on the other side of the earth. It's also fun to see things on TV or in movies afterwards and recognize them and say "I know where that is!" Season 26 of my favorite show "The Amazing Race" featured Tokyo and the Shinkansen Bullet Train just days after we returned from Tokyo!</div>
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Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-83894190783149912512017-01-25T23:58:00.000-08:002017-01-25T23:58:34.946-08:00Delos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We took a trip to Idaho earlier this month. Dave's father passed away on January 2nd. He was the wonderful age of 94! He has led a great life. He lived in the same area of Idaho his entire life, and lived in the house he built with Betty as a young married couple until he was 90. The last years of his life he lived with Dave's older brother Brent and sister in law Vee as he began to need assistance and progressively needed more over the next four years. What a loving service they did for Delos when they took him into their home. He was a widower for the last 12 years of his life and often talked of longing to be with Betty and wondered why he was left behind for so long. I imagine it was a glorious reunion. </div>
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So off we went to Idaho. The weather in the northwest states was not within normal range of weather patterns. It was CRAZY cold! The weather reports were kind of scary with warnings of lots of snow and that many roads around Idaho have been and might be closed. We checked our antifreeze, checked the treads on our tires, we made Melanie go out and buy snow chains for her tires for her drive up from Utah. We watched the news and the reports made me nervous. As it ended up, there was definitely a lot of snow, and it was plenty cold but the roads were completely clear the whole way up. Yay. Rachel, Kyle and Roxanne flew up from Phoenix to Salt Lake City and Melanie (who lives in Utah now) picked them up and they came up together. Dave and I drove up earlier in the week. </div>
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We got up to our Idaho house, arriving after dark. I was worried we'd have to shovel our way to the door of the house, but the neighbor knew we were coming and kindly shoveled a path for us. Dave immediately got a fire going and started warming up the rooms. It didn't take long until it was toasty and comfortable. We had the fire going day and night for our entire visit. So comfy and warm. </div>
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Although we were in Idaho for a funeral, we also are remodeling and updating the house, so we planned a few projects. We wanted to get the living room in order. The last time Dave was there, he textured and painted the walls in the living room and kitchen. All the furniture and belongings in each room were piled high in the middle and in disarray. We sorted, cleaned, vacuumed and rearranged and got the public rooms of the house back in order. We were also in the middle of upgrading the main bathroom. We hired a local craftsman to put down some flooring. We spent part of a day shopping for flooring, and making decisions about projects for the future (flooring for the rest of the house). Speaking of flooring. . . there had been carpet in that bathroom for years. CARPET. IN A BATHROOM. I can't tell you how happy I was to see that go. It never smelled quite right. That was the first and most urgent project when we bought the house. All the extended family that stopped by and happened to notice said "Hallelujah -- that carpet is gone!" I have no idea how long it was there. I suppose it was a 'thing' at one time, that indoor/outdoor carpet. But in all the years I have been visiting that home, I never once went in there barefooted. The bathtub was in great shape, the cabinetry needed fresh paint, but otherwise was in great shape, the 1960's wallpaper had to go, but overall the bathroom was ok, except for that carpet!! </div>
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House projects done, then preparing for the funeral. Brent and Vee headed up the planning and implementing of the arrangements. They made an outline of the funeral years ago when Delos was able to help with that. They were so kind to take care of all the details. Delos and Betty had pre-purchased their funeral and burial plan, so that was taken care of. Brent and Vee had put together a video of photos and video and audio of Delos and Betty to have running in the foyer during the funeral and luncheon. What a gift, and what a labor of love scanning in all those photos. Brent has been working on scanning in photos and journals for years. What a gift to the family! We decided to add some framed photos to the display also. So I got some favorites framed and ready. I also wanted to put together a notebook of samplings of his journals. I scanned through and read hundreds of pages of Delos's journals from his mission in the 1940's. Delos was a journal writer from the time he was 16 until in his 90s when he could no longer keep up that task. He wrote daily. Literally every single day during those years. He wrote in the margin of each entry what time he woke up and what time he went to bed that night and then overviewed his day. He often talked about what he ate, especially his breakfasts and any treats or desserts he had enjoyed. There was page after page of mundane, then all of a sudden -- a gem! There would suddenly be something insightful, thoughtful, spiritual, or just plain sweet. Anyway, I printed off 30 or so pages of these 'gems' I found and we enjoyed reading snippets to the kids as we were preparing the booklet. </div>
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We also realized that Grandpa kept reading glasses EVERYWHERE! His distance eyesight was amazingly good even as a 90 year old. But he had reading glasses. He was proud of the fact that he'd get a quote for glasses from an optometrist for $100, but he'd find them through a mail order company or at a drugstore for 3/$10 (just magnified reading glasses, not prescriptions). We collected all we could find around the house along with the many many glass cases and displayed them in a basket in the living room. </div>
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The funeral was a good as we could have ever expected. It was well attended and it was sweet. Eric, Dave and Gordon all spoke about different aspects of his life (family/farming, missions, scouting) and they all did such an amazing job. The grandkids and great-grandkids sang a hymn together. Rachel and Aaron took care of the congregational music. The Bishop was so good and so sweet to the whole family. The Relief Society took care of such a good meal for the family afterwards. </div>
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After the service at the church building, we all went out to the cemetery. It was absolutely beautiful in the pictures, but man-oh-man was it cold and icy! Fingers and toes were aching, people were slipping and sliding, toddlers were crying. I'm glad it didn't last too long. The the cold and the snow sure made things look pretty, though. There were military honors, Brent received the American flag, Aaron played the bagpipe, the grandsons were the pall bearers. Delos was laid to rest next to Betty and near their 4 children who died in infancy. Before we walked to our cars, Dave and his nephew Dave led the group spontaneously in singing Delos's signature song "I'm My Own Grandpa". </div>
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After the luncheon, a few people came over to the house to visit. So many of Dave's cousins and nephews and nieces have such fond memories of the house and yard from their childhood. Everyone needed to walk around the property and share stories. Many had to go up in the 'carpet fort' that Eric built when he was young. Everyone commented "It was a lot bigger when we were kids!" </div>
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Overall, it was such a good day/week to remember and honor Delos and spend time with friends and family. Delos was a good, good man. </div>
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Pictures: The beautiful, freezing cold yard, and Dave out in it -- without a coat -- getting firewood. I couldn't even run out to the car without bundling up. It was painfully cold just being outside for a minute or two!</div>
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Grandpa's collection of glasses.</div>
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Jason visiting Eric's "Carpet Fort"</div>
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Display of photos and journals and plaques at the funeral. </div>
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Graveside services and military honors.</div>
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<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-78123032369112496992017-01-24T13:19:00.000-08:002017-01-24T13:19:02.177-08:00I meant to hike, instead I just went for a strollI had good intentions to get up and go on a long invigorating hike yesterday. But there was business paperwork yelling at me from my desk and I stopped to get a head start on that, then phone calls, then e-mails, then well, the day just started. It was overcast all day which is wonderful for hiking. About 2:00 I put on my shoes, filled my water pack, made a grocery list to pick up some items on the way home, then headed out the door. By the time I got to my car, it was sprinkling. I was going to head out anyway, I had a waterproof jacket and hat and sprinkling wasn't going to stop me, I just planned a trail route that wouldn't put me too far from my car in case it started raining in earnest. By the time I had driven 2 blocks, it was raining in earnest! Dang it! So I ran all my errands instead, watching to see if it would let up. Finally about 4:30, it ended and I hopped on a short trail. The desert is beautiful during and after a rain. When things green up in the hills around here, it looks and smells so good. The sky was clearing up, as well as nearing sunset so it was gorgeous. I just strolled on an easy trail for about 40 minutes and headed back to my car before dark. I love having so many hiking trail options within a 10 minute drive from my house. I love the Phoenix Mountain Preserve areas.<br />
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Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-76801352623199783472017-01-18T22:31:00.001-08:002017-01-18T22:31:22.837-08:00Hotshots Memorial State ParkSuzanne planned a day for us and as usual, I just joined in after she did all the planning and work. I love that about her, she likes to plan and I like to show up. So Suzanne, Penny and I took off early on Wednesday morning, December 28th.<br />
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Suzanne planned a hike in a newest State Park in Arizona which just opened earlier in December --The Granite Mountains Hotshot Memorial State Park. The park is up near Yarnell and it doesn't resemble a 'park' in any sense. It is a small parking lot dug out of the mountain beside the edge of Highway 89 with some informational kiosks, a port-a-potty, and a trail that starts right up the mountain. The mountain looks a bit daunting at first, but we found the trail had been designed with wide switchbacks that made the hike do-able. It was moderately hard not because it was overly strenuous, but because it was all uphill to the look-out site. Sometimes it's hard to judge a hike by a written description so we weren't sure if it would be in our range of ability and fitness. But it was enjoyable.<br />
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The hike is 2.85 miles out to the lookout with a 1200 foot elevation gain, then an additional .75 miles down to the actual memorial site where the firefighters passed away. We got to the lookout, but some other hikers told us the trail down that last section was especially muddy and slippery, so we enjoyed the lookout site and took some time to enjoy the view, read the signs and eat our lunch.<br />
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Here's what was heartwarming about the hike. The trail leads to the site where 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots died fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in June 2013, and the trail honors the fallen men. Granite plaques honoring each one are placed every 600 feet along the trail. The plaques show a picture and a written biography of each of the firefighters. The emotion of seeing and reading these memorial plaques along the way made this a very different hike, much different than a simple walk in the hills.<br />
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Suzanne had an especially emotional reaction when the tragedy happened. There's a comment on her facebook page. A friend of her's: "That day was so sad . . . still is." Suzanne: "Agreed. We went to the Fourth of July parade in Prescott less than a week after it happened. They had 19 riderless horses go through with boots backwards in the stirrups and the names of each on the horse. Everyone stood in silence in tribute. It still chokes me up every time I even think about it."<br />
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The area is pretty, the views were spectacular, there was a bit of snow lingering near the top and the weather was perfect. We were plenty warm just wearing a flannel shirt.<br />
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We very much enjoyed our day, tired and a bit sore for the evening, but so glad we went. We drove from Yarnell to Prescott for dinner then back home to the valley.<br />
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We could keep track of our progress by tracking the names on the plaques as we hiked. </div>
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They were mounted along the trail in order of rank.</div>
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A few of the granite plaques along the hiking trail.</div>
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It was a nice clean trail most of the way, but got a bit snowy and muddy near the top.<br />
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It was a little eerie to walk by burned out trees and shrubbery 3 1/2 years after the fire.<br />
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This was the actual site where the hotshots passed away, as seen from the viewing site. It's a 3/4 mile hike down. At the time of the tragedy, a group of firefighters had already created a memorial on the site. When the state bought the land, there were 19 iron crosses on the ground marking where each man's body was found. The design committee decided to leave them there and design a rough circle of gabion baskets and chain to surround the crosses. <br />
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Note: No matter what we do, Penny always looks cool, calm and collected. Suzanne and I look like we've been hiking. Penny's hair is perfectly in place and lipstick still on.<br />
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Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-69195269550353494322017-01-05T00:23:00.002-08:002017-01-05T00:23:41.828-08:00December 2016 Well this sad little blog needs some attention. I haven't written a thing for a year. I have enjoyed making the blog entries into a hard cover book at the year's end in the past, like a family yearbook. So I'm going to start up again. It's early in January, but instead of starting with today, I'm going to jump back and re-cap part of our December. It was a fun month.<br />
Chronologically, here we go.<br />
Dave built another float and was in the Electric Light parade. According to my calculations, he has been in this parade 10 years now.<br />
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My brother Curtis got married. Curtis and Laura are a great match and the wedding was unconventional and fun. Curtis sang to Laura as she entered the venue-- very sweet -- and Dave performed the ceremony (his first as a newly ordained Bishop).<br />
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Our annual Bookclub Christmas party was (and always is) so fun. Suzanne hosted at her house this year. We had a cozy sit down dinner and a fun gift exchange. We all bring 3 book related items or gifts inspired by something we read this year, then draw names and exchange the gifts. These were my awesome gifts I came home with. My initial, cut out of a hard cover book!<br />
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The photo doesn't do these gifts justice. The pages were removed from this book, a zipper added, and it opens up to a silk lined bag/container. Awesome!<br />
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These were made by my friends (members of bookclub)! I always like bookclub. I look forward to it every month.<br />
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We made a short visit to New Orleans. I'll make a separate post about that trip.<br />
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Dave took the youth Christmas caroling on his parade float. It is an annual traditional now.<br />
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Roxanne and Jonny were going to spend Christmas with Jonny's family in California, and Melanie is moving away shortly after Christmas, so we decided to have a faux Christmas Eve a week early. We ate in the living room by candlelight next to the Christmas tree, exchanged presents, enjoyed a pleasant evening. I love family holidays! Brady wasn't with us this year, he was terribly missed.<br />
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The next week, the real Christmas Eve, we decided to go out to eat. We went to "A Different Pointe of View" up at the Pointe Resort. It was beautiful. We had reservations at 5:30 so we were able to see the sun go down and the city lights come on. The food was good, the service was good. Suzanne was the one who suggested that restaurant, and without talking to each other, we both made reservations there at the same time. Us with our family, and her with friends.<br />
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After dinner, we drove through the Moon Valley area looking at amazing Christmas light displays in the residential neighborhoods there.<br />
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Christmas morning was wonderful. Christmas fell on Sunday this year. We decided to relax and sleep in a bit today. We got up and went to church at 9, our ward choir did most of the program, and it was very sweet. It was nice to spend the morning with our ward family. The kids spent the night here and went to church with us.</div>
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After church ended, we came home and enjoyed a day together eating tamales, opening presents, cooking together, playing games and eating all day. Melanie has a new boyfriend who spent part of the day with us too. </div>
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Overall, another wonderful Christmas season. </div>
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On the 28th, Suzanne and Penny and I planned a hike up near Yarnell, I'll write a separate post for that, then on New Year's Eve, we (our YW Presidency) talked the YM presidency into taking on the food service at the New Years eve dance for the youth this year, and we took the night off. In our defense, we did plan, purchase and prep all the food, then handed it over to them to actually attend. Then Dave and I put on our jammies, put in a movie and relaxed all evening. Melanie was not impressed that we planned and looked forward to just that. She was off partying all night. She and Chris had 3 events they were going to pop in to. </div>
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So that's our December 2016. It was a good year overall and we are looking forward to 2017. </div>
Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-38561489101058037822017-01-04T23:34:00.002-08:002017-01-04T23:34:48.499-08:00New Orleans<div class="MsoNormal">
Dave and I made a quick trip to New Orleans. It was a very
nice birthday present from Dave. A few months ago on my actual birthday, it was
an odd and boring day (we planned to celebrate it later in the week as a
family). Then on the day we planned a b-day activity, it didn't quite go all
smooth. I'd give it an 'A' for effort, but 'meh' for actual activity and celebration, I picked a
blah activity and everyone was tired, and there was some moodiness amongst the
group. Then the following Sunday, Dave pulled a surprise gift together for me.
He researched 4 or 5 different cities and had suggestions for activities in
each city. He said "Pick one and let's just go explore for 2 or 3
days!". I picked New Orleans,
partly because I've always wanted to see it, partly because it had moderate
weather in the winter, (we would have wanted to wait for better weather for
some of the other suggested cities), and partly because the time we wanted to visit the city, it was dressed for the holidays and it was off season. We're not
interested in Mardi Gras, so the off season was perfect. We stayed in a
beautiful Astor Crowne Plaza in the French Quarter, took a bus or walked most places we
wanted to go. We went on a dinner cruise on the Mississippi, visited a Katrina museum,
ate fried alligator, looked at Mardi Gras float displays, toured Oak Alley
Plantation, enjoyed street musicians, went on a swamp tour, held an alligator, visited a couple of eateries featured on 'Diners, Drive ins and Dives', walked through a park and enjoyed 'Celebration in the Oaks' with light displays all through the park, saw Lake
Pontchartrain in the dark. shopped, ate beignets at the famous Cafe Du Monde, and walked along the Mississippi. Then on Saturday, we started getting notifications from the
Airlines saying our flight was being postponed, which meant that we'd miss our
connecting flight (there was crazy winter weather all over the northwestern states, which affected air traffic everywhere). We tried to resolve it over the phone, but ended up just
having to go to the airport earlier than we planned and solve it. In the end, we were supposed to get
home at 10:30 in the evening, then we were going to miss our connection and maybe not get home
at all, then we booked got on another flight and we were going to get home at 2:55
a.m., then changed and we'd get home at 1, then the airlines got an empty plane to come
from Atlanta to pick up our group and take us non-stop to Phoenix. We finally got home at 12:30. Crazy
night, but a great trip overall.</div>
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New Orleans at Christmastime</div>
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Mardi Gras Float Displays</div>
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Tour of the steam boat engine room. Dave always likes to know how things work.</div>
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Swamp Tour!</div>
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Beignets at the famous Cafe Du Monde</div>
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Dave had a picture of this on the wall by his desk for years - a picture that </div>
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inspired him (a dream board sounds corny, but it was kind of a dream board). </div>
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Twenty years later, here we are standing in front of it! </div>
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Isn't he cute? </div>
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<o:p></o:p>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-71812998833743539522016-01-16T13:56:00.003-08:002016-01-16T15:15:58.940-08:00Overheard on Christmas -- 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the dinner table, Christmas eve, Jonny interrupts the conversation and says: "Can I talk about an important family matter?" Roxanne looks at him, worried for what he might be bringing up as serious family business during our Christmas Eve celebration. Jonny "What time are we all getting up tomorrow morning? The last time I spent Christmas here, I was too new to the family to have a say in this matter, but I was sorely disappointed at how late this family sleeps on Christmas morning!" (note: we have no children in the family at this particular juncture in time. The youngest person at the table is 23). After a long and heated (and hilarious) debate, with an earlier hour almost decided, Brady says "Wait, why are the early birds calling the shots here?"<br />
(in the end, 7:00 a.m. was agreed on, but 8:15 was the actuality)<br />
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I made the kids practice and sing a new song all together for Christmas Eve. It had a little harmony.<br />
Roxanne: "Were you singing the main melody?" <br />
Kyle: "I have NO idea."<br />
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Kyle (opening gifts of art supplies). <br />
Jonny: "Are you taking up art for real?"<br />
Kyle: "Yes, You should see our kitchen table"<br />
Jonny: "You painted your kitchen table??"<br />
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Referring to one of Brady's gifts, a Mechanical Engineering reference book: "I'll bet it took a Mechanical Engineer to figure out how to bind that thing."<br />
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Still discussing Brady's very large reference book: "What's in it? We could open it to any page and we could discuss. I'll bet we could look up flux capacitors!"<br />
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Numerous uses for napkin rings.</div>
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Handing someone a present: "Hold this upright."<br />
"Why? Is it a lizard or something?"<br />
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Trying to guess what is in a package.<br />
"You know what it is, right? Think hard."<br />
"You don't need to think hard, You can just open it, you know."<br />
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Taking too long to open a package. "Hurry up! Can you just bite through that cellophane, please?"<br />
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Guessing presents:<br />
"I knew it was candy! I squeezed one until it broke."<br />
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To Brady and Stephanie:<br />
"You got a lot of textbooks!"<br />
Brady: "We're kind of lame."<br />
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Dave found a roll of excessively glittered wrapping paper that he used excessively in his wrapping.<br />
"Aaaaahh! There's glitter all over me!"<br />
"Pass this package over to Rachel"<br />
"YOU pass it to Rachel, I don't want that glitter on me!"<br />
"We need Hazmat suits!"<br />
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Gift opened - Viva la Juicy perfume.<br />
"I need some Viva la Manly!"<br />
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Hollering: "Thank You Santa!!!"<br />
"Santa's already in bed. He can't hear you"<br />
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Frustration, having a hard time opening a box.<br />
"There's a mechanical engineer here that can help you out with that."<br />
"There's a garbage can that is about to help me out with this!"<br />
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"I just got a text from your Dad" (Dave is across the room)<br />
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Jonny never writes actual names on the gifts that he gives, this one is from himself to Roxanne:<br />
"To: the new homeowner, From: the guy who inherits the whole house if you die"<br />
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A present to keep someone in? or keep someone out . . . we don't know. </div>
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We had tamales, handmade by Jonny, for breakfast.<br />
"Mexican Tamales!"<br />
"He's only half Mexican you know, he grew up on the beach in southern California, so take that into consideration."<br />
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"I've always had a fear of a break-in on Christmas Eve"<br />
"As long as they don't take the tamales. I'd rather the presents be gone than the tamales!"<br />
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"HOLY CANDY!"<br />
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Looking in stocking: "There's a LOT of candy in here -- Thanks!"<br />
"Honey, it's Christmas morning. SANTA brought that."<br />
"Santa LOVE me!"<br />
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"Model your new coat for us Dave!"<br />
"Heel . . . and toe . . . and turn . . . and pose!"<br />
"It's got glitter all over it!"<br />
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Talking to Melanie (on her mission) on a Skype video call.<br />
Melanie: "There are some things, worldly things, that I need to know. I don't have access to the internet."<br />
"We'll give you any world news you need, Ready - go"<br />
Melanie: "Ok, In the Tarzan movie, what is the name of Tarzan's little friend?"<br />
"What?? . . . Terk?"<br />
Melanie: "Yes! Thank you! Things get into my brain, and I have no way to research!"<br />
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Melanie: "Czechs are hard, until you crack them. When you get past their hard exterior, then they kiss your cheeks and rub your arms."<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dygAJ9eEiCY_Bj3OC4bikprcJFM1FaGV96B05blZ72PcaAVCO6pza5yKZgmHpowYmK7Q2KgUm2Ak6zjfUlOng' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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We had a scheduled 45 minute visit with Melanie in the Czech Republic. We had our computer hooked up to the TV so we all could chat with her on Skype. This is what she opened with. (btw - it's hard to have Christmas with 'almost' everyone home. It was good to see she was happy and healthy. This visit warmed my heart.)Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-31314294664477175052015-11-23T22:23:00.001-08:002015-11-23T22:23:56.080-08:00Conversation with my European daughter in the middle of the night.Funny conversation with Melanie today - it went in so many directions, I could hardly keep up. She usually gets to a computer to e-mail mid afternoon on Mondays (7a.m. our time) and she has limited computer time each week, but today she was on earlier in the day and my phone started beeping with her e-mails coming in at 1 a.m. our time. I was in bed, but I picked up my phone to watch her messages and pictures come in. I usually don't chat with her, but I read this:<br />
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<b>1:03 a.m. Melanie:</b> "MOM! I need you ...</div>
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I need recipes Can you help?"</div>
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<b>1:05 a.m. Me:</b> "Good Morning! What recipes? I'll get them right now before I go back to sleep."</div>
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<b>1:07 a.m. Melanie:</b> "Here are the pictures you asked for, will any of these work?" (sending picture attachments to me as we chat, I asked for a good picture for our family Christmas card this year)</div>
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<b>1:09 a.m. Me:</b> "<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Roxanne and I were just talking about using green for our photos. How did you know? Perfect selection. Thank you! You are beautiful in every one of them! So. . . what recipes?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:11 a.m. Melanie:</b> "You're so great. </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">We are doing a huge Thanksgiving with our little branch. It is the second time ever doing it and sorry this is last second but the Czechs are sort of last second people .... so......that's fine. </span></div>
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We will need:</div>
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Dad's cinnamon rolls</div>
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How to make Gravy</div>
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Peanut butter</div>
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And tips for baking a turkey. In an oven. (I don't know why I signed us up for this. <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">once again we are being prepared for the future here out on the mission!)"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Note - Melanie is competent in the kitchen, but doesn't have a large skill set with proteins and for sure has never roasted a turkey! As a missionary, she has limited time to shop, research, gather supplies, and cook.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:12 a.m. Me:</b> "Are you getting back on line later today? Dad is sound asleep but he will be getting up in about 5 hours. I don't know what cinnamon roll recipe he uses but he can get it to you when he wakes up. </span><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">And. . . Making peanut butter? What? Can't you buy that?"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:15 a.m. Melanie:</b> "oh! sorry. I meant PB cookies. </span><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
And yes, we will be back on briefly at 4 or <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_448698835" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">4:30 today</span></span> so that is fine."</div>
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So I get up and start searching recipes from the internet for her. The only way I have cooked a turkey is in a Turkey Oven Bag, Since she will not have access to what I use, I start googling, copying, pasting, and sending: "Baking a Turkey, easy method" and "How to make gravy, easy method" and "Basic Peanut butter cookies". </div>
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<b>1:19 a.m.</b> send recipe for cookies</div>
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<b>1.20 a.m. Melanie:</b> "Here are some more pictures, do you like the ones with or without the hat?"</div>
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<b>1:22 a.m.</b> send instructions for baking a turkey</div>
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<b>1:24 a.m.</b> send instructions for making gravy</div>
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<b>1:24 a.m. Me:</b> I'll have to wait til we take our family picture and see which one looks best with one of yours so they match on our card.</div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">1:25 a.m. Me:</b><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> For the gravy, make this Giblet stock if you have time, otherwise buy chicken stock or chicken broth or bouillon.</span></span></span><div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
You'll need to pull out the neck and giblets from the turkey (usually packed inside in wax paper)</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">INGREDIENTS </span></div>
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1 turkey neck</div>
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Turkey giblets</div>
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5 cups water</div>
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INSTRUCTIONS . . .(etc)</div>
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<b>1:28 a.m. Melanie:</b> "please define giblets. Thank you !!"</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:29 a.m. Melanie:</b> "Mom, I can't remember the dropbox password"</span></div>
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<b>1:33 a.m.</b> <b>Me:</b> (internet definition search) "Giblets refers to the little bundle of parts sometimes found inside the cavity of a bird, such as chicken or turkey. Usually the giblets includes the neck the gizzard (a muscle that grinds up food before it enters the digestive system - think of it as a second stomach), the heart, and the liver."</div>
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<b>1:34 a.m.</b> Send password</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:35 a.m. Melanie:</b> "good glory mother! Thank you for that definition!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:35 a.m. Me:</b> "You boil them, it gets all the flavor into the water, then discard the solids and you have a wonderful liquid to make gravy with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">If you are buying a turkey, find out how they are sold. If you buy a frozen turkey (that's about the only way to buy them here) it takes DAYS to thaw out in a fridge. Buy it TODAY!. "</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:36 a.m. Melanie:</b> "Here's one more picture </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">of me - but I don't like this one. It makes me look funny."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:36 a.m. Melanie:</b> I'm afraid dropbox hates me. Its not working at all. Does it work for you? sorry you're doing this in the middle of the night. I love you! (</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">All during this conversation, she was also trying to download her camera memory card onto my dropbox account)</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:41 a.m. Melanie:</b> "as far as we know, we will get the turkey (assuming it is thawed) </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_448698837" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Thursday</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> afternoon and we are to cook it all </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_448698838" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> night for the party </span><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_448698839" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; font-size: 12.8px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">on Friday</span></span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> evening. Pray for us !!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:45 a.m. Melanie:</b> "Mom, I had to reset the password, can you confirm it on your end?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:46 a.m. Melanie:</b> </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">"Mom, WHY DOES DROPBOX HATE ME ?"</span></div>
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<b>1:48 a.m. Me:</b> (another quick internet search) <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">How to Safely Thaw the Turkey:</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> be sure to let your turkey completely thaw before cooking. If it was frozen through when you bought it, the turkey will thaw within a few days in the fridge, approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of turkey. For quicker thawing, place the turkey in a cold water bath and change the water every 30 minutes until it's thawed.</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12.8px;">1:50 a.m. Me:</b><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> "Ahh, maybe because I am signed in? my computer stays signed in. I just logged off, try it now."</span></div>
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<b style="font-size: 12.8px;">1:52 a.m. Melanie:</b><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> "Dropbox works now. Enjoy the pictures I'm sending you."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:56 Melanie:</b> "</span><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">YOU ARE A MIRACLE WOMAN!!!</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Thank you mother dearest. We have all instructions needed to successfully celebrate Thanksgiving. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">You are the best, now go to bed :) I love you dearly. Sweet dreams."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>1:59 a.m. Melanie:</b> "P.S. I will be using personal funds for the thanksgiving recipes but the branch will reimburse me meaning the reimbursement will go in my pocket since I have no way to transfer funds back to you. It shouldn't be a lot. just expect that on the credit card. You will be blessed for your sponsorship."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>2:02 a.m. Me:</b> "Good night Mel. I'm turning off my phone so I don't hear the 'ding' every time a picture downloads, so I hope you don't have any more questions. I love you and we WILL pray for your Thanksgiving feast to be a success." </span></div>
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<i>I was not quite expecting to be sitting at my computer in the middle of the night frantically searching for written instructions on "baking a turkey" , but now I'm very anxious for next Monday's e-mail letter for the results of <u>"The Great Czech Republic American Thanksgiving Feast of 2015" </u></i></div>
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Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-75960766888474540022015-02-28T14:25:00.000-08:002015-02-28T20:59:26.394-08:00yuki matsuri<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We came to Japan for many reasons, but the reason we came in bitter cold February is for the "Yuki Matsuri" Snow Festival. The festival started in the 1950's when some high school students built some over the top snow statues, then later the local military groups joined forces and started building massive snow sculptures. It has become a yearly event with up to 400 snow and ice sculptures and brings in well over a million visitors each year. Even years when accumulated snowfall is low, snow is brought in from outside Sapporo and the festival goes on.</span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">There is a live snow statue competition built by teams from other countries. There is a design or drawing in front of the workspace so you can see what the eventual sculpture will be and it is fun to see the ongoing carving. Sapporo's sister cities are often involved including Munich Germany and Portland Oregon. There were 10 countries competing this year. Apparently Hawaii isn't considered part of the US because there was a Hawaii team and a US team.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The festival is held in Odori Park - a big park one block wide by maybe 10 or 12 blocks long right in the middle of the enormous city of Sapporo. There were sculptures, stages, performances, ski and snow board demonstrations, kiosks for souvenirs and trinkets, food vendors, commercial booths etc etc. Another part of town hosted the ice sculptures and carvings. They are much like you would see at a fancy wedding or bar mitzvah, or on a cruise ship buffet, but larger than life. Many were commercially sponsored and had a product themed design. The third area of the festival was a playground for families and kids. Slides built of snow, mazes for the kids to go through, zip lines, games and again food, food, food. </span></span><br />
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These are built larger than life out of compressed snow. Amazing to see during the day, then light shows transform them at night.<br />
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Here's what's weird. The population of this entire country wears dark and conservative colors and clothing styles. Everywhere we went, every single day. Then we came to this park geared for families and all their toddlers wore adorable prints and fantastic colors! At what age do they put these away and vow to wear only black and tan for the rest of their lives?</div>
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<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-53143810962895606212015-02-28T12:39:00.000-08:002015-02-28T21:04:14.441-08:00oh . . . the toilets!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This very ultra modern country of Japan had some surprises in store. It is a country of opposites. It is extremely clean - no litter to be seen anywhere. Yet, there are no trash cans anywhere. You would see people picking up litter - other people's litter - and putting it in their pocket. I suppose everyone took home their garbage to dispose of at the end of the day. Also on the spectrum of opposites, many many people wore face masks. White surgical face masks. Germaphobes? maybe, but do you know what is missing in their whole entire country? soap at the sinks in their public bathrooms! Like 1 out of 10 bathrooms have soap dispensers. Weird. I ended up carrying my own. </div>
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Also another extreme. Most bathrooms had all kinds of electronics and gadgets on the toilets - heated seats, bidets with several water and pressure settings, a button to turn on water sounds to mask out any human sounds I suppose. Then you'd go into another bathroom and be met with this! </div>
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What??? The first one I encountered was in the Tokyo International Airport and I had a sudden worry that I wouldn't be able to use the bathroom for the next 2 1/2 weeks. I backed out of the bathroom and looked at Dave with a panic "I . don't. even. know . . . . . ". Luckily, it was in an older section of the airport and we looked for another bathroom and then I discovered that some stalls have these (again, don't even know what they are called - squatters?) and some stalls have modern western style toilets.</div>
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Almost all the bathrooms come with instruction manuals posted on the walls. There are so many options, bells and whistles. And although there is most often no soap offered at the sinks, there is quite often a soap and towel systems that you can use for wiping the toilet seat before you use it. So the toilets you can clean, your hands you can't. </div>
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And of course it's always good to get a tutorial for basic toilet usage in general.<br />
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This one cracked me up. My take away from these signs are: If you have wide shoulders, use the blue bathroom. If you are fat or pregnant, use the red bathroom.<br />
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This one had no other instructions except "Push this Button". And there were TWO choices! I was worried it was a panic button "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up"<br />
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And this little gem was in the ELEVATOR! It was a sign over a box installed in the corner of the elevator. Apparently you can sit and "have a little break" while you ride the elevator OR in the event of an emergency you can use the box for a toilet! And inside this little toilet you can also find drinking water, emergency light, toilet paper and deodorant! <br />
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How many times have women gone into a bathroom and there is nowhere for baby while you do you business? All the stalls have baby seats. Dave was just disturbed that it faced the toilet. Who needs someone watching you?<br />
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I think this was one of my favorites though. Actually I'm not sure what this did, but I liked the illustration. I think this one just had music in case you wanted to sit on the toilet fully clothed and read a book.</div>
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Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-3177227001140260242015-02-28T11:08:00.000-08:002015-02-28T22:46:20.000-08:00trains planes and automobiles (and subways)Suzanne said she heard from a friend that had visited Japan that the public transportation was one of the trickier aspects of the country so she suggested watching youtube videos and tutorials. That was an excellent idea. We also purchased an all-access train pass. The trains covered all our travel between cities and a lot of our travel within the major cities. But we also had to learn the subway systems and the city bus systems. We found that we had about a 24 hours learning curve and we were in each city for about 48 hours so we'd learn the system, enjoy our vast knowledge for a day, then move on to the next city and repeat.<br />
Before we even got to try out the subways and trains, we flew into Tokyo late in the evening and had an early flight out the next morning to fly to the northern island of Hokkaido. We booked a hotel room near the airport and got in a cab. We asked him to take us to the Royal Inn Hotel Haneda (Haneda is the name of the Airport too). He took a minute to figure out where this hotel was. We figured if he was driving at the airport, he would know the hotels in the neighborhood, right? Surely this wasn't more than 5 minutes away. He asked if it was a new hotel? Then he laughed and said "this is IN the airport!" Then he started driving while laughing. Then we thought, wait, if this is IN the airport, where is he driving us? He is just going to drive us to the other end of the terminal, to the door of the hotel. He wasn't really familiar with it, but knew it was at the end of the terminal. He drove us down to the end, no entrance. He drove us the other side, no entrance to the hotel. He drove us around the airport terminal for 5 minutes or so then drove us back to the EXACT SAME CURB where we got in and finally figured out that if we walk back into the terminal, go up the escalator, turn left and walk 100 yards or so we would be there. Then he charged us $13 for our ride. Yes, a ride to the exact same pickup location. I asked Dave later why didn't he argue the fare. He was literally so exhausted and didn't even have the words in Japanese to argue - easier to just pay and get to the hotel on foot!<br />
Transportation on the first day in Hokkaido was a bit traumatic. The first resort we stayed in the first day in Sapporo assured us they had a shuttle - which somehow did not pan out for us so we took a city bus way out of town. The trains and subways had a lot of instructions and helps, but the city buses did not. We hopped on the bus hoping it was the correct one, could not understand the announcements, weren't sure what time we would expect to arrive at our stop, weren't sure we could hear the announcement for our stop, the bus was SUPER crowded, and we had a little bit of a panic attack and we realized if we missed our stop (which was supposedly a 2 minute walk from our hotel) and the sun was going down, and it was getting colder and colder and we were farther and farther from the city center (access to taxis) and we were hauling our luggage, we weren't sure what our Plan B was, and if we went past our stop we weren't sure how to get back. As it ended up, (all while we were in a panic) more and more people were getting off the bus, it was getting emptier and emptier (thus enforcing the idea that we probably missed our stop) then the bus came to a stop right in the parking lot of our resort, the end of the line for the bus driver for the day! Yay. It also made it easier to get back on the next morning knowing we'd be the first ones on and were assured an actual seat.<br />
The other crazy transportation situation was a day we tried to do maybe too much. We were staying in Kyoto and decided to do two out of town things in the same day. We left our hotel at 6 am and took the "Shinkansen" bullet train to Hiroshima. We spent about a half day there and then wanted to also visit an island called Naoshima. To get to Naoshima from the bullet train required us to transfer to a local train, hop on a ferry, then take a local city bus across 20 minutes or so across the island to where we wanted to go. In order to do this all in one day, we had to make sure we were on the last ferry off the island so we could be on all the connections to get back to the last bullet train of the day. If we missed the bullet train, we would be on a local train and would turn a 90 minute trip into a 3 1/2 hour trip back to our hotel. We were also expecting a call from Melanie as she was leaving the MTC that morning (our night, her morning) and needed to be back at our hotel to get her call. Naoshima was one of our favorite places so we were glad we made the effort to go, but we were worried about making all the right connections to get back to Kyoto by the end of the day. We were on the far side of the island with quite a walk to the bus station. At one of the museums, there was a chartered shuttle bus for the local resort peoples. It was heading the in the direction we needed to go so Dave and I jumped on and we just sat down and took a ride back to the resort, hoping no one would ask for a ticket or verification that we were staying at the resort. We made it to the bus stop, made it on the ferry, ate dinner at the 7-11 as we were walking to the train station (they sell egg salad sandwiches everywhere), made it to the local train connection, then when we were running for the connection to the bullet train, Dave heard it coming in (and they only stop and open the doors for exactly 60 seconds - I timed it - and close the doors and take off). We were running for it and rounded the last corner and looked up at THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS! Oh my heck we did a lot of stairs in and out of the subways this week! We made it to the top as the buzzers were going off for the doors to close. We dived in the closest door and they shut. I was asking Dave if we were actually on the right train. "I think so". But since we jumped in the closest door, we had to hike through 12 cars on the train to get to our assigned seats. Then we anxiously waited for the digital board to show the next stop to verify that we were actually on the correct train barreling down the tracks at 150 miles an hour.<br />
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I don't think it felt any different to ride the bullet train than it felt to ride the other trains, but another day, we watched a couple of the fast trains go by before we boarded our. The speed was impressive! Or maybe I'm just easily amused.<br />
All in all we utilized - planes, trains, automobiles, monorails, taxis, trams, buses, subways, cable cars, escalators, elevators, and our poor tired feet. I think we used everything but bicycles and a rickshaw.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-30572415428835671332015-02-28T10:19:00.001-08:002015-02-28T22:50:53.607-08:00lost in translationI loved our experience in Japan. I went knowing that Dave was going to be our translator and I would have nothing to worry about whatsoever. Although he says he is rusty, when I hear him speak Japanese he sounds very fluid and very fluent, As the days went by, Dave found himself quickly remembering and re-learning the language and becoming more and more comfortable with what he used to know so well. He was even complimented on his Japanese. However, even as fluent as a missionary is, there are certain topics and certain words they never used. Their days were filled with talking about gospel topics. Fortunately for us on this trip, missionaries also become very good at finding addresses and navigating around public transportation. However, Dave's Japanese skills were all verbal. Missionaries, of course, never learned to read kanji. We ran into problem when we were asking direction to a place we wanted to visit. We were doing pretty well navigating our traveling, but this particular museum seemed to be on the outskirts of town so we wanted to verify because we had limited time that day. So we asked the hotel clerk for some directions. She jotted down some directions and this is what we got.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">"Ok, thanks, We will spend the rest of the day at the train station looking for a sign that </span></div>
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There was a vending machine in the hallway of the hotel. It looked like soap for the laundry, but it wasn't near the washer/dryers. It was closer to the snack vending machines. I put in money and wasn't sure if I was buying soap or cigarettes. And if I was getting soap, I was hoping it was packaged and not just a spout that we had to catch the detergent in a cup, or in our case we were ready with the palm of our hands. I have definitely taken reading English for granted.</div>
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We also wanted to drop a letter in the post office. We searched for somewhere to buy some postage stamps for quite a while. People kept telling us the post office was right around the corner or right down the walkway. We couldn't find it so we'd try again the next afternoon, carrying this letter around with us for 3 days. If you are not familiar with the logo of the post office (an orange T) it is hard to find. I was subconsciously looking for a red white and blue eagle logo. When we finally found some postage stamps, the clerk sent Dave outside to the sidewalk to drop it in the mailbox. He walked down the sidewalk several minutes before coming back. The clerk walked out with him and pointed out the very obvious "snowman?" postal drop box.<br />
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There was quite a few businesses that were familiar, of course - McDonalds, Gap etc, and many billboards. Johnny Depps movie posters were everywhere.<br />
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I absolutely loved the English translations on many signs. It was clear they used Google translate and trusted it to be accurate. "Please stop the act to feed a fish and a bird"<br />
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and "It is off-limits of the graveyard this ahead excluding parties concerned"</div>
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There were many signs that had helpful English translations thankfully, but still had to be interpreted to an extent. "Please go backward"<br />
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And then surprisingly, after being frustrated all day trying to figure out products and packaging, there are the products in full English labels. How are their Japanese customers at the hotel going to figure out which one is shampoo?<br />
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We were stumped at the laundry mat. It was a little neighborhood laundry mat with lots of washers and dryers, but there were 4 styles of machines so we weren't sure which were washers and which were dryers, but by the process of elimination we decided on a machine we would try. It clearly had a water sealed door and a locking latch, but the sign taped on the front for an English translation said: "Instructions for using a Dryer" and in other labels at the bottom it said "Please don't put detergent absolutely". So we were questioning if it was just a dryer. But the cost was about $9 so it didn't seem like it would be the right price for just drying. Actually there were several cost options, $9, $7, $6 or $1 Very confusing. (Read the photo below "How to use a Dryer" . See of you can figure it out!) And no one else was there doing laundry so we were on our own. </div>
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Finally, someone else came in and Dave asked for some instruction and help. The machine will wash AND dry in the same machine, and you don't put detergent in because the detergent is automatically added. The choices were heavy wash, light wash, dry only, or a quick dry. Simple!</div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">I have to say though, the funniest conversation I heard him work through was a situation regarding the jacuzzi at our resort. We were staying in a Japanese style Onsen. I thought this word meant village or resort, but I later learned it means hot springs, and sometimes used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. This would have been important information to know because Dave and I brought our swimming suits because the Japanese website (translated into English) said the resort had an outdoor heated pool and jacuzzi. How awesome would it be to sit under the snowy trees in a hot jacuzzi? I was picturing something like this:</span></div>
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When we arrived and realized how Japanese traditional styled it was, Dave decided he'd better verbally investigate the "pool" because there were also signs for the bath house - a very different concept than what we were going for. He asked a someone at dinner and the conversation went something like this (to the waiter who spoke broken/limited English):<br />
Dave: Is there a pool here in this hotel?<br />
Waiter: . . . ? . . .<br />
Dave: A pool, for swimming?<br />
Waiter: . . . ? . . .<br />
Dave: Is there a bath house in the hotel?<br />
Waiter: there is a bath in your room and there is a bath on the second floor.<br />
Dave: The bath house on the 2nd floor, is it a swimming pool where you can wear a swim suit in the water?<br />
Waiter: A suit? in water?<br />
Dave: No, In the public bath rooms, downstairs, do people wear swim trunks?<br />
Waiter: . . . trunks? . . . ? . . .<br />
It went on and on like this, as Dave realized there are no translations in his vocabulary for swim trunks, co-ed, segregated, family friendly, jacuzzi, nude, swimming pool etc etc. Hilarious.<br />
Sadly, there was no jacuzzi under the stars for Dave and I to enjoy. There was a beautiful sauna and hot tub and steam room - segregated for men and women - but if you are an American and planned to wear a swimsuit, you would not be welcome there.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Then one last thing -- this little boy was sitting next to us eating lunch at the festival. Dave and I were just talking and this little boy kept staring. Finally Dave turned to him and said something friendly to him in Japanese. I don't know what he said, but we clearly look American. The little boy's eyes got real big and he turned to his mom and said (in Japanese) "I CAN UNDERSTAND ENGLISH!!" </span></div>
Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-18187551428991994032015-02-28T10:13:00.001-08:002015-02-28T10:13:39.202-08:00japanWe have been thinking of going to Japan for many years. Dave has been thinking of it a lot this past year and sprung the idea on me after Christmas. How about we plan a trip for this year? We could go right away and go to the snow festival, or we could go later in the spring when the weather would be better. I couldn't quite get my head around it that quick. It is kind of fun to plan and anticipate such a big trip for a while. But after going through calendar obligations, we decided that February would be the easiest month to clear our schedules, so we RUSHED to plan our trip to Japan!<br />
We are planning to go to the famous "Yuki Matsuri"(snow festival) in Sapporo. There is an expected 1 million visitors over the 10 or so days of the festival. When you wait until 3 weeks before the event to book a hotel room, there are none available. NONE. We ended up with a reservation at a resort 20 miles away.<br />
However, before we did that, we found a last minute hotel deal. We found it so suddenly that we figured it was a cancellation that we came across right at the right moment. We were becoming familiar with the yen to dollar conversion and figured we should look for a hotel that was not over 17,000 yen ($140). So we found a room online for 17,000 and grabbed it right away. It was a perfect location, a half block from the festival, a large hotel, lots of amenities. Then it started looking too good. WAY too good. We then realized we had just reserved a Presidential Suite for $17,000 American dollars for the week! Luckily we saw that now, not after our credit card was run (as if they could run that amount on our card).<br />
As it ended up we couldn't stay in Sapporo, we stayed at Jozenkai Onsen outside of town for the first 3 days. The only room they had was a Japanese style room. I don't know what that means, but I looked at every single photo on their website and yes, it was decorated very traditional Japanese, but the amenities all looked very normal and the beds looked comfy. When we walked into our room, there was an entryway to take off our shoes and then a traditional sliding door that opened into our room. I looked around and immediately asked - "hey, where is the bed?" Then we found it FOLDED UP IN THE CLOSET!<br />
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Yes, that is right - we booked a very expensive resort hotel room and had to sit on the floor to use our table, and slept on tatami mats on the ground! The resort itself was very beautiful and provided a huge (and interesting) buffet both morning and night but the sleeping accommodations were more like summer camp sleeping bag.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-57989764214212188852015-01-08T00:32:00.003-08:002015-01-13T11:03:27.950-08:00Cleaning out my phoneSometimes I just like to remember funny conversations I have over text and facebook.<br />
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<b>Melanie:</b> "Look what I found in the garden today. It's a big ol' caterpillar. I looked it up, it's a Carolina Sphinx."<br />
<b>Me:</b> "I can't believe you picked that up!"<br />
<b>Melanie:</b> "It was kind of squishy. I will probably become one ugly moth. I made a home for it in the back yard by the yellow bush. I've named it Horace."<br />
(When I got home, she wanted to show me. Unfortunately, it had escaped the beautiful home Melanie prepared)<br />
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<b>Melanie</b> at the bank - "Those suckers on the counter are not even good, so don't be tempted by them. I just ate one last time to be nice. It tasted like medicine. A cough drop on a stick."<br />
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(telling me about being asked out on date)<br />
<b>Melanie:</b> "How old are you?"<br />
<b>Random man she recently met:</b> "30, is that too old for you?"<br />
<b>Melanie:</b> "I don't know, do you wear dentures?"<br />
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Some funny things from facebook:<br />
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<b>Me:</b><br />
How many days does it take for raw meat in the oven (forgotten meatloaf) to manifest itself?<br />
Day 1-4 nothing.<br />
Day 5 "did someone forget to take out the trash?"<br />
Day 6 "oh my heck - did something die in our house?" (I think tomorrow the fumes might have killed us in our sleep).<br />
<b>Deb Holli:</b> LOL. Did a similar one. Bought ribs and they made it to the basement, but not the freezer. Eeewww!<br />
<b>Helle Brand:</b> Mine got left in the car--and your count of days is just about right!<br />
<b>Myrenda Ramirez:</b> My mom left leftover Red Lobster in her trunk. That stink is a beast.<br />
<b>Me:</b> Myrenda, our car is a year and a half old. Occasionally I can still smell that "new car" smell. I know the day that we leave Red Lobster leftovers in it, or spill some milk . . . that will be the beginning of the end. I'm dreading the day.<br />
<b>Chris Opel:</b> We did the same things with steaks, we purchased for our anniversary dinner. Left them in the back seat of our mini van.<br />
<b>Nancy Adams:</b> My mom once forgot that she cooked two turkeys for Thanksgiving. Left one in a turned-off oven to serve later. The oven was out in her Arizona room. I think the discovery was in February.<br />
<b>Roxanne:</b> Why was there raw meat in an oven that was off mom?<br />
<b>Me:</b> Because after we ate those meatballs for Sunday dinner, I put the rest of the meat into a pan to cook after dinner. Then I had to run off to a meeting and I remember thinking - I hope someone smells the meat while I'm gone and takes it out before I get home. Well apparently no one smelled it because the oven didn't get turned on.<br />
<b>Roxanne:</b> Ahhh that makes sense!<br />
<b>Kelly Currier:</b> I once left a mini cooler- the kind that fits a six-pack or a couple packages of hot dogs in my trunk . . . with a couple packages of hot dogs in it after 4th of July. Can't remember how long it took to make the discovery, but my car smelled like there was a body in the trunk by the time we found it. The car was about 1 1/2 years old and never smelled like new car again after that.<br />
<b>Marianne Evensen:</b> We forgot a potato salad in my old VW. The whole bowl slid under the passenger seat and I didn't find it for a couple of weeks. That was not a pleasant smell either.<br />
<br />
Dave and I walked to the movie theater tonight. It was all well and good until the movie was over and Dave was trying to remember where we parked the car. He was a bit disappointed to realize we had to walk home too.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Wish I had my camera at the mall today. I saw a fully costumed Elvis, circa 1973, waiting in line to get a pretzel. Then on my way to my car, there was a 40ish year old man, chubby, balding, frumpy grey t-shirt and jeans wearing the most amazing pair of silver studded 4" stilettos.<br />
What is the correct protocol for snapping pics of strangers? I walked by a few minutes later and Elvis was sitting all by himself at the food court. I so wanted to take a picture but it was kind of sad too. I think if you plan on a full out Elvis costume, you should find some friends to tag along as groupies.<br />
<br />
Mexico. Day One. Port One. Minute Two. Got stopped by the drug sniffing dogs. (Apparently the pear I had in my hand from breakfast is illegal contraband to bring into the country)<br />
<br />
<b>Me:</b> My 91 year old father-in-law is a sign reader. That may sound benign, until you realize HOW MANY billboards and signs are in Phoenix!!<br />
<b>Becky Cook:</b> I miss spending time around that man! You guys are lucky!<br />
<b>Me:</b> Yes, Becky, we are lucky. And, on the upside of the sign reading . . . I'm actually aware of some businesses he has pointed out around town that I was unaware of.<br />
<b>Geri Chase:</b> I have a friend like that. She reads Every. Single. Sign. from North Phoenix all the way to the airport.<br />
<b>Me:</b> Yes, Geri . . . EVERY SINGLE SIGN. Billboards, stores, ads on trucks, street signs, stop signs, yield signs, license plates.<br />
<b>Lynn Wagner:</b> LOLOLOL Apparently, I am a sign reader too. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. I guess I drove Mark crazy driving across the country. It did take a couple days until I realized he was no longer responding to my comments. I just could not believe he was NOT noticing what the signs say. HAHA I have taken steps to deal with my problem now.<br />
<br />
<b>Me:</b> I opened the front door of the car and called for my dog to hop in and go for a ride. She made a flying leap faceplant into the closed back door of the car. She missed the open door by about 8 inches. What the heck Lexi!??<br />
<b>Melanie:</b> Hahahahahaha sucker. She needs her smart mother back home to guide her into proper leaping techniques.<br />
<b>Madeline:</b> Perhaps it is time for that eye exam!<br />
<br />
<b>From Madeline:</b><br />
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line-height: 12.2880001068115px;"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".u9.1:3:1:$comment795507813793091_795579887119217:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".u9.1:3:1:$comment795507813793091_795579887119217:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-90553982779012761382014-12-26T12:59:00.001-08:002014-12-26T21:40:31.937-08:00overheard during the holidays<b>While playing a game:</b><br />
(trying to guess the word LEGOS)<br />
"Building blocks for boys"<br />
"Hey, girls can like them too!"<br />
"Either way it hurts when you step on them."<br />
<br />
(trying to guess JOHN WAYNE) <br />
"That's a terrible name for a cowboy"<br />
"Really? you use a Jackie Chan quote to guess John Wayne?" <br />
"That's all I know!"<br />
<br />
<b>While decorating gingerbread houses:</b><br />
"That looks more like a swastika than a star."<br />
<br />
Marshmallow snowman with the gingerbread house.<br />
"What should we name him?"<br />
Melanie: "Stanley. Stanley the Snowman. I will call him Stanford for short."<br />
<br />
"We need more snow on the bottom, there's a gravitational pull."<br />
<br />
"This is all one roof -- you can't sub-divide it!"<br />
<br />
"That is the ugliest snowman I've ever seen."<br />
"Hey! He's got potential"<br />
<br />
"Look at this one squiggly - the bottom half of it looks good."<br />
<br />
"I'd hate to be an Oompa Loompa."<br />
<br />
Jonny (building the gingerbread house with 2 girls):<br />
"You are the one who hired me. I'll lay the red brick wherever you want."<br />
<br />
"If this were real, it would be hard to keep your workers honest - they'd want to eat everything."<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oIjvBSCNNY/VJ5GBt_k6wI/AAAAAAAAJUg/ADqG6muBuqs/s1600/10696322_10152567196675765_7884495937507556616_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oIjvBSCNNY/VJ5GBt_k6wI/AAAAAAAAJUg/ADqG6muBuqs/s1600/10696322_10152567196675765_7884495937507556616_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>While opening gifts:</b><br />
A HUGE box of chocolates: "Oh Mylanta! Oh Diabetes! and Dont touch it!"<br />
<br />
Brady with a big unopened box on his lap, everyone guessing<br />
"It's a pogo stick" <br />
"It's a razor scooter"<br />
Brady: "Don't you dare get my hopes up!"<br />
<br />
Brady, with a big bluetooth speaker system: "Now I can listen to all my math tutorials through this bad boy"<br />
<br />
Godiva chocolates: "Let's have a moment of silence . . . I'm going to melt it and bathe in it."<br />
<br />
Dave's new soft sided tool box with a handle:<br />
"It's a 'Murse', a man purse."<br />
"I think the standard purse for a man IS a tool box."<br />
<br />
Gift of Hot sauces named:<br />
Yule Regret It<br />
12 Days of Fire and Ice<br />
Fa La La Jalapeno,<br />
Elf Elixer<br />
<br />
Dave's chocolate orange, 10 minutes after getting it out of his stocking.<br />
Rachel: "Are you going to share your orange?"<br />
Dave: "um. . . no. . . There is no more."<br />
<br />
Rachel received a gift card to Hobby Lobby<br />
Kyle: "Yay! we can get a snow globe!"<br />
Rachel snatching it back: "NOOO it's for our lamp!"<br />
<br />
Dave receiving a blue plaid flannel shirt much like the one he was wearing:<br />
"But it's a blue-er shirt."<br />
"There is no such thing as blue-er."<br />
<br />
"Hmmmm . . . Fireworks!"<br />
<br />
"Now THAT'S got to be a big ol box of chocolates!"<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IOsiiHB4CZs/VJ2P6LIfiAI/AAAAAAAAJTo/jZ3hPPuZ--k/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IOsiiHB4CZs/VJ2P6LIfiAI/AAAAAAAAJTo/jZ3hPPuZ--k/s1600/019.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
Brady, opening a gag gift, a horrendous silk printed shirt:<br />
"I can see you wearing that out to dinner."<br />
Brady "Yeah, me. . . and me alone."<br />
<br />
"I don't see any more presents for dad."<br />
Rachel: "Oh! I forgot to wrap one, it's in my car. pause please."<br />
<br />
Kyle, receiving a brain teaser puzzle of metal pieces.<br />
"You have to take the metal pieces apart"<br />
"They are already apart in the packaging"<br />
"It's like someone opened it, solved it, and put it back on the store shelf"<br />
"There are no instructions inside"<br />
"That's the brain teaser, you have to figure out what it's for"<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q2nQ3JgjHoE/VJ2P6OMD8mI/AAAAAAAAJTs/_9Ef6524nRY/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q2nQ3JgjHoE/VJ2P6OMD8mI/AAAAAAAAJTs/_9Ef6524nRY/s1600/018.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Random:</b><br />
(to Melanie, referring to a necklace she is wearing) "Is that Mom's necklace?"<br />
"She either lent it to me or I took it. I don't remember, I've had it a long time."<br />
<b><br /></b>
At the dinner table "Lefties have it hard"<br />
<br />
Melanie (on the phone from the MTC): I can't really dance here. I have to sneak in small dance moves like when I'm opening a door or something.<br />
<br />
Talking about the Vernon's salsa treat to us each year:<br />
"We should have a specialty that WE take to everyone. We could make a specialty pie or something." "We could call it <b>Hale Merry</b>."Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-36914902428853676252014-12-26T09:05:00.002-08:002014-12-26T09:05:33.697-08:00overheard on a road trip<i>I think someone had a little crush on Brady:</i><br />
Aleah: "Somebody looked at me."<br />
Chelsea: "Who?"<br />
Aleah: "That boy."<br />
Chelsea: "Brady?"<br />
<br />
Aleah: "I'm threeeee."<br />
"Brady is Twenty Six."<br />
Aleah: "Then I'm Twenty threeeeee!"<br />
<br />
We just got back to the house, Aleah didn't want to lay down for a nap. She wanted to go back to the kitchen to get a drink. "That boy didn't look at me. He has his ear phones on" (she didn't want a drink, she wanted to see Brady)<br />
<br />
Melanie, shopping for shoes in a Utah mall: "I don't know what size these shoes are. Size 39?? Do they use the metric system in Utah?"<br />
Salesman: "It's European."<br />
Melanie: "I think they just want girls to feel fat."<br />
<br />
Apparently someone has built teeter totters in the streets of Utah. Drive with caution.<br />
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"This is weird, I've seen 2 different people vomiting on the side of the road in one hour"<br />
<br />
Who is selling my car seat covers?<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azR9NDk7dqQ/VJ2TdEP3ykI/AAAAAAAAJT8/Ql9tvcYdlAo/s1600/065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-azR9NDk7dqQ/VJ2TdEP3ykI/AAAAAAAAJT8/Ql9tvcYdlAo/s1600/065.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
The highlight of our trip was hanging out with this family:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IyFEX7hjAU/VJ2UpDpeirI/AAAAAAAAJUM/P0MI-RH_i6U/s1600/October%2B4%2B2014%2B164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0IyFEX7hjAU/VJ2UpDpeirI/AAAAAAAAJUM/P0MI-RH_i6U/s1600/October%2B4%2B2014%2B164.JPG" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5144859261363343167.post-2351550728963690562014-11-27T22:17:00.001-08:002014-11-27T22:31:44.587-08:00family photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanksgiving Day, 2014. We decided it would be a good day to take some family photos for our Christmas card this year. It is hard to get 8 busy adults together. Even though we all live here in the valley, we are spread out over 20 miles and 2 colleges, and 8 jobs, and 4 wards. So we begged a friend to come take some pictures, (thank you Jordan). I knew we'd be short on time from a late Thanksgiving dinner, to clean up, to getting ready for photos, to late in the day lighting issues. So we opted for an office complex a few blocks from our house. It is the 3rd time over the years we have used this location. </div>
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Here are the 4 of these kids today, and again on the same rock 7 years ago. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbSVZY1fodg/VHgOAg_CFYI/AAAAAAAAJMI/u9kmt90atxE/s1600/4%2Bkids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbSVZY1fodg/VHgOAg_CFYI/AAAAAAAAJMI/u9kmt90atxE/s1600/4%2Bkids.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m942fBT7RG4/VHgJvVdws8I/AAAAAAAAJLY/c-1PwuIqf84/s1600/from%2Bold%2Bcomputer%2B4946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m942fBT7RG4/VHgJvVdws8I/AAAAAAAAJLY/c-1PwuIqf84/s1600/from%2Bold%2Bcomputer%2B4946.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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Dave and I on a similar bridge in the complex, now and a few years back.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mny3N83M2ZM/VHgVFU_zxjI/AAAAAAAAJM8/aGPCPEjBYrw/s1600/dave%2Band%2Bcindy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mny3N83M2ZM/VHgVFU_zxjI/AAAAAAAAJM8/aGPCPEjBYrw/s1600/dave%2Band%2Bcindy.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0wyNBicu7g/VHgVI0pZETI/AAAAAAAAJNE/j_v_LdQNoro/s1600/from%2Bold%2Bcomputer%2B4956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0wyNBicu7g/VHgVI0pZETI/AAAAAAAAJNE/j_v_LdQNoro/s1600/from%2Bold%2Bcomputer%2B4956.JPG" height="260" width="320" /></a></div>
One thing I've noticed at this complex is that they have moved to more low maintenance desert landscaping around their fountains. You can see the difference in the vegetation just between the two pictures of the kids. But like I said, we have used this same place 3 times. Here is what it looked like 5 years earlier in 2002. The photo below is just on the backside of the fountain of the photo above. Nevertheless, the fountains are still pretty, the koi fish seem to be happy and it is close by in the neighborhood. (And I realized Jordan's mother, Lezlee, took this picture for us so many years ago.)<br />
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As we snapped the picture of our four kids, I immediately realized it didn't feel right. We don't have 4 kids anymore. We have 6 kids. This picture is much better! Love these guys. It is fun being parents of adult children. We had such a great Thanksgiving day as they all brought their talents and efforts and cooking skills to the table today to prepare an amazing and delicious Thanksgiving meal. </div>
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It will be fun to continue our family photos as our family grows and grows from here on out.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05486974603188226044noreply@blogger.com2