HK ~ this and that

The streets were packed with people rain or shine.  Also lots of free standing signs.   

For scaffolding they used bamboo.  It was strange to see an entire skyscraper covered with bamboo.  They said it is stronger than the metal poles and more flexible.  It is imported from China.

This is an elephants tusk that we saw in a store window.  The detail is amazing!

When Brian and I were on a city bus we noticed this cemetery.  It's pretty amazing to look at all the many different levels.  (Sorry for the glare.) 

 

They used every spot possible. :)

These two pics are of "Ladies Market".  It was lots of fun. They had everything from purses, watches, umbrellas, earbuds, magnets, to silk robes and ties. Part of the fun was talking them down. At least I thought that was fun, I don't think Brian did. I had no problem starting super low. If you decided to walk away they would still continue to sell to you. Sometimes you would be 2 or 3 stores down and they would finally say OK and sell it to you for the price you wanted. :o)

The boys love their silk outfits.  One more thing to add to their dress up.  All of us girls now have a silk robe from Hong Kong.  (I'm not sure who took that picture of Karlee.  It's kind of blurry.)  I tried to get one for Brian with a dragon on the back.  Not a chance. 

We also bought silk ties for Grandpas and Brian.  Plus many other souviners.  I made sure to pack light so I could fit all the souviners in our suitcases.  I did well.  They all fit and everything was snug.  :)  The best way to pack.

skype

We weren't able to attend the family reunion this year.  :(  On Tuesday night we were able to skype with them!  It was our first time.  It was neat.  Adam was soo excited to see Grandma and Grandpa on the computer.  We will have to try it again some time.  :) 

missionaries

Elder McRae

Elder Davis

Of all the missionaries that we've known, these two have made the biggest impact on our  boys.  They are ready to be missionaries.  Elder McRae and Carson have been buddies ever since the first week he arrived, when Carson asked him if Missionaries were Super Heros.  Luckily he replied with a YES!!!    Elder McRae will be going home this week.  I'm sure Carson doesn't really understand.  It's possible that Elder Davies could be transferred this week also.  We hope not.  I hope their families, mostly their moms, know they have raised some amazing men. 

Missionaries are Super Heros!!!

Big 20!!

WOW!! I can't believe McKinzie is 20.  These past couple of months she has had some mom/wife traits (as she calls it) really kick in.  She is doing an amazing job providing for her family and taking on the responsibilities of a single mom.  We are so proud of her.  I try and tell her often how proud I am of her.  I hope she knows.  Do you know Kinz?

Brian and I gave her concert tickets to Katy Perry.  Plus a babysitter.  :)

She's a little bit of a Batman freak.  The boys gave her a new Batman shirt and Brian and I gave her two Batman belts.  She now has 8!!  OK, maybe she is a big Batman freak!!  The girls took her out to lunch yesterday and they all had a great time.

Kinz I'm soo glad you are part of our family.  We are proud of the woman you have become. I hope you've had a happy birthday.  I love you!!!

funny story

Thursday night Bailee and Karlee gave us a laugh. 

I was in the kitchen doing dishes talking with Kinzie and we thought we heard a knock, but Stella never barked.  Then the phone rang and Mason answered, it had to be family for Mason to answer.  It was Bailee.  She was locked in the downstairs bathroom.  She later told us that she thought McKinzie was holding the door.  There was a toy sword in the bathroom so Bailee used it under the door to see if she could hit whoever was holding the door.  She then joked and said, "OK, let go of the door.  It's not funny anymore."  Still nothing.  She knocked a couple of times and no one came.  Luckily she had her cell phone with her and she called the house. 

That same night, Bailee and I went to Aldi.  The boys were watching a movie upstairs, then Kinzie left.  When Bailee and I got home Karlee was locked in the bathroom.  (Obviously the lock is broken.) She said she was in there long enough to learn how to french braid her hair.  So now she braids her hair every 15 minutes.  A few days before she was thinking about cutting her hair, now she wants to keep it long so she can braid it.  :)  I've told her that whenever she complains about her hair I'm going to lock her in the bathroom until she learns to love it.  Crazy kid!

good week

For Mason's birthday we gave him some kid sized tools and a few kits to build.  This past week one kit was finished, his tool box.  Mason was very excited.

 He did a great job.  He went to take it out to the garage to put away and I told Brian that he might need to make room on the same shelf so Mason could put his tool box by his.  Mason walked in the door just seconds after I finished and said, "Darn, there's no room next to Dad's tool box."  We all laughed and Brian went out and made room for Mason.  :)

This past week we also:

• went to the library
• went to a baptism
• chaperoned a dance
• watched Adam
• grocery shopping
•  laughed at Bailee trying to park...she forgets to focus sometimes
• fed the missionaries
• had cub scouts
• practiced doing hair for a wedding
• went to a movie with Adam, we won't do that again any time soon
• surprised the kids with breakfast at IHOP and went school clothes shopping
• finished school clothes shopping  WAHOO!!
• went to a baby shower
• did more hair
• girls had babysitting jobs
• swam with friends
• swam without friends
• baked in the sun
• have a date...tonight

 This is Colton (next door neighbor), Mathew (friends since a baby), and Carson.

 Becca and Karlee did their own thing.  They're growing up way too fast.

This is Dawn, a friend for 7 years now.  She use to live three doors down.  She now lives 25 minutes away.  We miss her and her family.  Luckily I still do their hair and her kids go to a private school just up the road so we do get to see them occasionally.  They hung out with us on Friday.  It was fun to catch up and laugh, and vent a little.

toilets

I'm not sure where to begin with this post.  This was our (my sister and I) greatest fear while in Asia. We first saw one in the Japan airport, our layover to Hong Kong.

This sign is on a bathroom stall door, this stall has a pit.  It's basically a hole in the floor so you can...squat. 

The entire time my sister and I rationed our fluid intake (in China).  No joke!!!  When we were in China it was the worst.  There were times we saw women coming out of a stall wiping off their legs.  It was nasty.  Every time we went to a restroom we would cross our fingers, hoping for a sign that read "western style".  A few times we decided to wait.  Luckily we never had to experience one of these pits.   

This one was at Big Buddha.  In China rarely was there toilet paper.  We would pack some from the hotel. Since visiting China I have a new outlook on our public restrooms.  I have no problem using an airplane restroom anymore.  :)

Hong Kong members

Since our purpose of going to Hong Kong was to pick up a missionary, we were able to meet a few members.  This is one of the families that Jake taught. She invited us over for dessert.  She doesn't speak English, although her kids do.  The daughter, Polly, is 15 and will graduate from High School in two years.  I asked her if she wanted a pen pal from America.  Bailee loves pen pals and is great at keeping in touch through letters.  She gave me her address.  They both are excited!

She lives in a very modest apartment building, but I think she has a great view.

Jake, Vincent and Polly.  I don't remember the moms name.  :(

On a different night a family from Jake's favorite ward, Sha Tin Ward, invited us to dinner and they "chang us out".  Which means they paid for dinner.  That is Brother and Sister Yeem in the middle.  The current missionaries also joined us.

We had such a good time getting know these people and seeing their love for Jake and the other missionaries.  Getting to know some locals was definitely a bonus for our trip. 

Hong Kong China Temple

We went to the temple one morning and I was excited to use my new camera. 

 I couldn't use it.  It completely fogged up from the A/C in the building and the over the top humidity outside.  It actually was pouring when we came out.  :)

 Brian and I went back a few days later.  Can you see Angel Moroni over the other buildings?

Another beautiful temple. 

Hong Kong ~ transportation

We experienced all kinds of different transportation while in Hong Kong.  We had a ride on one of these boats.  I don't remember the name.

Here is our driver, but he didn't speak English. 

We were surprised to find out that people live on these boats.

This is probably my favorite picture of us on our trip.  :D  Those are ALL apartments buildings in the background.

On the MTR, subway, we used what was called an Octopus card.  We loaded money on the card then we could travel all over Hong Kong, use it at 7-11, and many other places.  The picture above was a rare day.  Usually the MTR was extremely crowded.  I took this picture because I thought it looked cool to see the red bars go on and on.  The subways in London  and New York have doors on each car so you could never get such a great shot. 

These trolleys are called Ding Dings.  We never did take a ride on these.  They were cute and super narrow.

This is the tram that brought us down from Victoria Peak.  We took a taxi up to the Peak because the lines were intense.

We also took a ferry across Victoria Harbour.  We had previously taken a bus and the subway, through a tunnel, across. That was before Jake was with us. He obviously learned a few tricks while living in Hong Kong.  It was faster. 

Brian is sitting at the back at the bus on our way down from Big Buddha.  He looks like he's on a throne.  :)

These little buses, with the green tops, are called mini buses.  We never would have ridden one of these without Jake.  You have to speak the language to holler out when you want to get off.  Something we never could of done without him. 

You have to be 18 to drive in Hong Kong and it's very expensive to have a private car.  The subway system is super easy to get around and there are taxi's and buses everywhere.  There really isn't a need to have your own car.  We found it to be one of the easiest places to get around that we've visited.