Fukuoka Temple Trip

 Saturday March 26 we had a Branch Temple trip.  Dan drove a van-full up to the Temple.  He took Joshua and Marian.  I stayed behind and babysat for another family so they could go.  It was a good day.  Dan even took some photos!

Happy Easter

 This year we went to the Base Easter Egg Roll.  It was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.  They had it fairly well organized, and the kids there were very good about waiting their turn and not totally cheating.  We were there for 3 hours, since they ran it by age group and broke it down a lot.  That was good, because there were manageable amounts of children grabbing eggs, but it made for a very long afternoon.

Fortunately there were other things to keep them entertained and the kids ran and played all over the big field and were happy till the very end, and then they were ready to go home.  Funnily enough, it looks like Rylee is about the only kid I got pictures of!

Hanging out with the giant inflatable bunny.

Enjoying the bounce house and even happier that she found her new BFF, Quinn to play with. 

Rylee's haul from the egg "hunt". 

Just HAD to pose at the giant anchor. 

And she was happy to take a picture with the slightly scary looking bunny. 

FYI, this is how the hunting went-  They put cones out to separate a space for eggs, then dumped a ton of eggs.  At the starting time, all the kids for that age group dashed out to grab as many eggs as they could.  It lasted less than a minute. 

We were watching 3 extra kids that day and Callie was invaluable in keeping track of them!  And in keeping them happy and entertained.

I got a boo-boo

 So I was sewing, because I like sewing.  In the process, I managed to maim myself with the seam ripper.  Yeah, I know.  It takes real talent.  And I was talented enough I needed a quick trip to Urgent Care, where I left with 3 little stitches.

What it looked like before I went in. I know, not very impressive.

What it looked like when I left. 

What it looked like 3 days later when I finally peeled off the bandage. (The other white mark is a scar from when I was 9 and.... you guessed it, I stabbed myself with a box cutter.)  The bruising was pretty amazing and is finally fading, 10 days post-stabbing.

This is 2 weeks after I maimed myself and the day after the sterry-strips came off.

I have another official teen-ager!

 Marian turned 13!  Oh my!  She had some specific things she wanted.  She wanted Chicken Enchiladas for dinner, and Strawberry Pizza Pie instead of cake.  I was happy to provide both.

Mmmmm.... Looks so yummy!

She's delighted with the food, less thrilled with the photo. 

Someone is unhappy with the pizza pie.  She (gasp!) doesn't like it! 

Pandering to the camera. 

Happy with her loot stash. 

And now she joins this kid as the ruling class of teenagers.  

FYI, we are currently in a minor skirmish over this hair.  I can live with it, Dan can't, and Joshua wants to keep his "Coiffed and crispy locks" till the weather warms up.

Happy Pi Day!

Last Monday was March 14, or 3.14, which is Pi Day!  As a pie girl, I take this day very seriously.

How seriously?

So seriously that I don't actually have any photos of the event.  But it happened!  Oh yes, it happened! I did pre-make a lot of the pies, and they were in the freezer.  I love that most of my pies freeze really well.  And while I was away in Hong Kong, Callie tried out a new pie!  She made a Butterfingers pie.  She discovered there is a learning curve, and we were able to perfect the next one for our guests.

We had an open house from 4-6pm and all were invited.  We had a full house. I even made a couple dinner pies for those who wanted to be virtuous and have a healthier option before delving into the sweets.  I started with 20 pies, and had not much left when it was over.  When we condensed the pies, it was barely a single pies worth left.  Here is what we had:

3 Toll House pies that were delivered (Dan's office, the post office, and the commissary)
2 Toll House pies (consumed by our guests)
2 Lemon Chess Pies
1 Chocolate Chess Pie
1 Chocolate Truffle Pie
1 Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffle
1 Pinkie Pie
1 Butterfinger Pie
2 Oreo Caramel Pies
2 S'mores Pies
1 Irish Meat Pie
2 Chicken Pot Pies
1 Cream Cheese Pecan
And our friends brought a Rhubarb Berry Pie to share (and it was delicious!)

This documents Callie's first ever Pie.  She made it all by herself while I was gone.  I'm so proud!!

The S'mores Pie.  This picture was taken to post on Facebook to invite our friends to stop by for pie.  And they did!

Hong Kong Trip: Saturday

Saturday morning we checked out of the hotel and went to the chapel.  I hauled my suitcase out with me, because I had to leave early.  The sessions were so wonderful, I loved them!  I had to run away at 10 and was so sad to miss the end of the speaker's presentation.  I was pleased to feel so confident as I marched to the train station and transferred trains and got on the Airport Express back to the airport. So much less anxiety when it is more familiar!

I got to the airport, but had forgotten how long it takes to get to the boarding gates, and I squandered too much time having a leisurely lunch.  I had to hustle after that.  I would have had plenty of time, but I didn't realize my plane required me to be bussed out the aircraft, so bording began 30 minutes earlier than I expected.  oops!

I got on the plane and thanked myself for getting the non-stop flight and got in to Fukuoka at 5pm. Customs and everything was easy-peasy and I took a taxi to the Shin.  Dan had thoughtfully texted me the times and platforms so I was able to catch the 5:57 bullet train home, and I was home by 8pm. Joy abounded!  Really, I was just super excited to sleep in my very own, soft bed.

Me, waiting for my Shin, and happy to be nearly home!

Hong Kong Trip: Friday

 Friday was 9am -5pm of Conference sessions.  It was wonderful!  But not conducive to taking pictures.  I heard some amazing speakers and really had a marvelous experience.  The ladies were all so friendly and kind.  Since I was there all by my lonesome, I didn't have a ready-made group to sit with, but I never felt left out of snubbed.  At lunch I got my (incredibly delicious!) food and went and sat down and suddenly had a bunch of new friends.  I found it fascinating to see how many people were living as Expats for a variety of reasons.  I have to say I'm not sure I would choose to live on the economy!  I need my commissary and Amazon.

From 3-5pm we worked on our service project.  It was impressive to see 200 women all working together for it.  There were more hands than work sometimes and I wandered around for a bit before I could find a station that needed some help.

Our service project was for www.daysforgirls.org and the founder of the organization, Celeste Mergens, was our keynote speaker.  She is amazing! Her organization is called Days for Girls because it gives girls back the days they would have missed. There are girls in other countries who have no supplies for when they menstruate, so they lose those days because they have to sit and stay away from school or life.  The project was to make hygiene kits with reusable sanitary pads that they can use, and reclaim those days.

I was surprised how time and work intensive the kits are.  They do last for 2-4 years, but wow!  They are a lot of work!  We were split into 5 or so stations and assembly-styled the jobs.  It was awesome! At 5, a lot of ladies headed off to the Temple.  Celeste Mergens put on a training session for women interested in learning hoe to be ambassadors for the organization.  I would have liked to do that, but I wanted more to go shop for loot for the kids.

My awesome roomie told me how to get to a little market that was a few blocks away, so I headed off to that.  I met with success and spent all my money on souvenirs.  We went back to the chapel and picked up my roommate and a gal from my stake and we went in search of dinner.  We had a really late dinner at a really tasty restaurant.  Then went to the hotel and to bed.

The Tracing station.  You lay the templates out and trace them, trying to use all the fabric. 

 Then the fabric goes to the cutting station where they cut out all the patterns.

A shot of the ladies working hard in various stages of cutting and pinning. 

Matching the 3 layers, and making them ready to sew. 

The room full of sewing machines all working at top speed. 

A nearly finished product! 

The Hong Kong chapel here is 7 or 9 stories tall! And most of the floors can be used as stand alone chapels themselves.

The view from the chapel's 4th floor.

The city at night. 

Nope.  No photo of dinner before we consumed it!  We shared all 3 dishes and they were delicious!

Hong Kong Trip: Thursday

 Thursday morning I was up nice and early, thanks to my new friends sharing my room.  I had time to pack up and be ready in plenty of time.  I went to the temple when they opened at 9 and did Initiatory.  I probably should have just done a session, but I was thinking one more might be too much.  Ah, well.

I checked out and since it was raining, decided I wanted to get a cab across to the area where the Women's Conference was being held.  However, the taxis would stop and then say no.  Apparently they did not want a fare that far in yucky traffic.  Sigh.  I went in and chatted with the lovely ladies in the Mission Office and they helped me feel more confident about taking the train out there.  I shlepped my suitcase the 1/2 mile to the train station and then another forever through the tunnels to the right train.  I was rather proud of myself as I made it through the train change and got where I wanted to go.

It was a delightful tender mercy from the Lord, as I needed to change trains and had planned to ride the first line to the end before transferring.  At the stop just before the one I intended tog get off at, I felt strongly that I should get of now.  So I did.  Thank goodness!  If I'd gone to the end of the line, I would not have been able to change to the other line, I'd have had to ride the train back to the station I felt prompted to get off at. Not the end of the world if it had happened, but it was just a little plug that let me know the Lord was helping me.  I didn't think I could find the hotel on my own, so I got a cab, and that worked out well.  I was at the hotel shortly after noon and they let me check my bag.

I spent the next 2 hours roaming the local area and checking things out.  It was a very expensive area!  Yikes! I got some lunch from a bakery and roamed back to the hotel.  I was able to check into my room and took a little nap.  I was grateful to be able to meet up with ladies from the stake who knew how to get to the Conference.

I attended the Associated Sisters in Asia Women's Conference.  It was for all the English speaking women in Asia, and beyond.  The Thursday session began at 5.  We registered and worked on the service project till 7, when we had the opening session, which  was wonderful.

I had a roommate to share the hotel cost but I had only met her through the internet.  I was able to meet up with her and she turned out to be awesome!  I felt incredibly blessed. We went to a late dinner and had a great time and then went to the hotel and to bed.

It is impossible to convey through photos the sheer size and business of the city!

The giant mall next to the hotel was called "Times Square". 

The view from our 11th story hotel room. 

Delicious dinner!  I love that the rice is heart shaped.

Hong Kong Trip: Wednesday

 After a night of little sleep, I was up early... because my roommates got up at 6:30.  I roamed the area for a bit, getting my bearings.  I found the closest subway train and the mall next to it.   I checked out the mall and had breakfast.  It was an impressive mall!  The prices were also quite impressive, and not in a good way.

I was back at the room in time to change and get to the 9am Temple session.  I had a meet up with a lady I didn't know.  She's in my stake, and had come out for the conference and wanted to get together for lunch.  I was feeling tired and cranky and sorry for myself and didn't want to meet up with her, since I didn't know her. And it was raining. Thankfully she was willing to come out to the Temple to meet me and I'm so glad she did!

She came up to me and introduced herself and said, "I'm staying with my rich friend and she has a car and driver and she let me borrow them for the day!"  So we went off on an adventure and didn't even have to navigate the trains to do it.  The driver dropped us off a few blocks from the Ladies Market and we spent a few hours roaming the market and streets.  We had lunch at a hole in the wall local place and had a really good time.  She was a lot of fun to be with and I enjoyed the afternoon.

She dropped me off with enough time to go out to find dinner and then make the 7:15pm temple session.  It was a really good day.  Not such a good night, as my friends sharing the room swelled to 6 and they did not go to bed till after midnight and someone's alarm went off at 0430!  What the heck?! Who gets up at 0430?  I was a little cranky and SO glad that was my last night there.

Look what I found at the mall!  Sadly, it was freakishly expensive. $30 for half a pound.

There was an ice rink in the mall.  How fun is that?! 

I guess the batman/Superman movie is coming out.  They had some fun stuff there. 

Totally took a selfie with Superman! 

 The driver dropped us on Goldfish Row.  Yep, an entire street selling fish for pets (as opposed to dinner), and aquarium stuff.

The Ladies Market, in the rain.  Much more fun to be there for reals! 

Lunch. Spicy Sour Soup and Dumplings.  Tasty! 

Another Temple picture on my way to session.

Hong Kong Trip: Tuesday

 Tuesday March 8, I took pictures with the kids and sent them to school.  Then Dan drove me to the Shin and I rode the bullet train to Fukuoka, and took a taxi to the airport.  I had a direct flight into Hong Kong.  Once I arrived, I was super brave and managed to exchange money and buy a train ticket.  Then I found the Airport Express train and took it to Kowloon.  I debated trying to take the train to Kowloon Tong, but that involved 2 train changes and I didn't know how to get to my destination once I reached Kowloon Tong.  So I took a taxi, which dropped me off directly at the Temple.

I found the Temple Patron Housing, which is across the street from the Temple, but requires you to go into the Temple to get checked in to it.  And then you have to use your card to access about 5 different doors to get to your room.  It was a little complicated, so thank goodness for really nice folks in the Mission Office downstairs from the housing!

I got to the housing, and may have had a little emotional breakdown from the stress of traveling.  Then I went over and did the 7:15pm Endowment session at the Temple.  I had grand plans to go to bed right after that, but the Temple Housing stuffs up to 8 in a room and I was sharing with 4 others that night and they didn't go to bed till midnightish.  That was kind of stinky.  And the bed was incredibly firm.  Like so firm I wasn't even sure there was a mattress there.

I'm all excited to be riding the Shin!  It takes a 3 hour drive and gets you there in under 90 minutes. Sweet!

I found McDonalds at the airport and here I am, enjoying my fries in the Temple garden. 

Heading to the Temple to check in. 

Yep, this is the super tiny and uncomfortable room I shared.  And the bathroom was right there and quite noisy.

Heading to the Temple for my session!