So, we were in China for a month...(Hong Kong edition)

...as you pretty much all know, and yet still no posts about it? Oops. We've been pretty busy since we've come back...should I give a bunch of excuses or just pictures?

Yeah, I'll do pictures.

The view from the plane. As most of you know, this was our first time flying, so it was pretty exciting. After about 8 hours though, the excitement wore off. But it's okay, we only had 10 more hours to go from that point...(longest plane ride. ever.)

Getting a "good night's sleep" at the Hong Kong airport. Which was actually a really cool one to walk around in, which I (foolishly) did instead of sleep.

Double decker buses...cool! I loved riding on the top level and these are all over Hong Kong.

Our first morning there was an adventure to say the least. We leave the airport and on the way to the hotel we get split up; us four (us + the interpreter) had to tote all 8 50lb suitcases and about 9 bags over the bumpy side walks and roads for over a kilometer in church clothes (high heels for some of us!), in the rain, while we rushed so we wouldn't be late for church! And since I hadn't slept at the airport...yeah, I'm embarrassed to say it, but I did fall asleep at church. Keeping my eyes open that morning was the most intense battle I've ever lost.

Lychee! Oh yum. It was in season while we were in China and it was everywhere.

Tooth paste ice cream. I have no comment.

We thought driving in Hong Kong was scary (small lanes, fast turns etc). But then we went to mainland China and learned what scary driving really meant.

This is pretty much how all of Hong Kong was. Tropical jungle with apartments and sky scrapers built anywhere they would fit. A neat contrast to Tucson. They have a saying in Hong Kong, "An inch of land, an inch of gold." It cost so much to live there.

So that was Hong Kong folks. We also went to this really cool street market but it was too crowded for pictures. A couple days after arriving we bused to Shenzhen (SHEN-jen), which does slightly border Hong Kong but is officially mainland China.

Both cities (Hong Kong and Shenzhen) are very modern and new. Shenzhen was a huge university city (pictures in the next post) but had only been an anonymous little fishing village 50 years ago. But I'll get to Shenzhen in my next post. Or one of us will anyway :).

Language Is Conventional

I find language fascinating. It's fun to learn about other languages and the cultures that define them, but it is best to avoid google translator. The literal translation of words from one language to another might not be the litereal translation of the sentence as a whole. Here are some examples of that in real life. =)

Found in a Tokyo car rental shop: "When passenger of foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage then tootle him with vigor."

Majorcan shop: "English well talking. Here speeching American."

Bucharest hotel: "The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable."

Moscow hotel: "You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists, and writers are buried daily except Thursday."

In an East African newspaper: "A new swimming pool is rapidly taking shape since the contractors have thrown in the bulk of their workers."

In a Rhodes tailor shop: "Order your summers suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict rotation."

Outside a Hong Kong tailor shop: "Ladies may have a fit upstairs."

The Coca-Cola® name in China was first read as "Kekoukela," meaning "Bit the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax," depending upon the dialect. Coke® then researched 40,000 characters to find a phonetic equivalent "kokou kole," translating into "happiness in the mouth."

In a Copenhagen airline ticket office: "We take your bags and send them in all directions."

When KFC® entered the Chinese market, they discovered that their slogan "finger lickin' good" was translated as "eat your fingers off."

When Gerber® started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the United States, with the smiling baby on the label. Later, they learned that in Africa, companies put the pictures on the labels of what's inside since many people can't read.

Detour sign in Kyushi, Japan: "Stop: Drive sideways."

"If I had words to make a day for you, I'd give you a morning golden and true."

Happy First Day O' Spring! (posted yesterday, but internet was gone...)

Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it marvelous? Doesn't just knowing that it's the first day of Spring make you smile? Take a deep breathe in. Lovely! Now, let it out slowly . . . The air is sweet! For those of you who did not join me in deep breathing (yeah, you) you are missing out. (Thankfully Spring air is faithful for yet another 3 months, and you have not lost your last chance.)

Spring blossoms are coming through desert earth.

 

To help share our first day of Spring with you, Beautiful People, my best poser came out with me, to take pictures of our freshly picked fleeds.

(Not quite flower + not quite weed = Fleed.)

As I took pictures with Goldilocks, everyone's favorite cat, Oskar, just purred and purred, circling her feet.

 

 

He wanted to be a part of our photo fun, and as soon as we acknowledged him, he was as silent as . . . a silent cat.

 

(I wasn't raised Southern, I'm Southwestern, and I don't have the enviable knack of making clever similes off the top of my head. Unlike Jase of Duck Dynasty.)

 

Below, Goldilocks and Oskar are surrounded by carrot, potato, and radish sprouts from our little garden.

Did you see our first sunflower this year?

Well, my fabulous friends, I leave now, wishing you a spectacular Spring!

~Mari

"I'm a leprechaun so don't be telling me about rainbows!"

Happy Saint Patty's Day! Céad Míle Fáilte - a Hundred Thousand Welcomes to you!

 

Two posts in a row? One could almost think we were consistent bloggers or something! ;P

Sarah of Sarah, Plain & Average was kind enough to nominate Sam and I for two "blog awards." Thank-you, Sarah! (^_^)

You might remember an eldest sister who once upon a time contributed posts to this blog? That would be me. Because Sam has been doing most (read: all) of the posting, I volunteered to answer the award questions. First set of questions, the Liebster Award:

The Rules:

1. link to the blog that nominated you for the award.

 

2. you must follow the blog that nominated you.

 

3. answer the questions given to you.

 

4. create eleven questions for the bloggers you've nominated to answer.

 

5. choose eleven bloggers to nominate that have less than 200 followers.

6. let the people who you've nominated know when you've done so.

7. you can't nominate the person that has nominated you.

Ahem. We are such a little blog and I am such a little person, I've opted to ignore a few of the rules. Rather than nominating eleven bloggers, I would like to invite any and all readers who would like to participate. Consider yourself officially nominated! We'd love to hear your answers. I will list our questions for you at the end of the post.
　

Sarah's questions for the Liebster Award:

 

what's the story, wishbone?

1. Where were you born?
I was born in the same city that I live in today.
　

2. If you could meet any ONE fictional character, whether from a book or movie, who would it be?
Ooh, that is cruel. It would have to be the Doctor of Doctor Who (who can travel through all of space and time) or Meggie Folchart of Inkheart (who can read herself into stories), that way I could meet fantastic characters to my heart's content. ;) I would say Wishbone, a fellow book aficionado, but I don't think he can actually talk.
　

3. Do you prefer coffee or hot tea?
I like iced tea and coffee drinks, light on the coffee. I have a pronounced sweet tooth when it comes to beverages.
　

4. If you had (or do have) an abundance of money, what is your ideal dream vacation?
If I had an abundance of money I would take my family to Disney Land, though any vacation with my family would be fun!

5. If you could travel to any time period (Medieval era, western 1800s, 1950's, etc), where would you go?
I'm happy living where I am, but for a visit I would travel to Israel when Jesus walked the earth. That would certainly change my life.
　

6. Medieval or Futuristic?
The future sometimes looks bleak but the European Middle Ages definitely were... Probably medieval. Or futuristic. I'm not sure. ;D
　

7. Would you rather travel cross country in a plane or car?
Car. I'm not a big one for sight-seeing, exploring little towns and what-not, but I do like to take it slow and I like the control that comes with driving your own car.
　





rosie cotton, a hobbit woman

8. If you could be either an Elf, Dwarf, or Hobbit, which would you be?
Dwarves are out, I don't like caves or beards! Elves are beautiful, wise and ancient... but I like food. Simple living, cozy home, six meals a day if you can get them... yes, I would definitely be a Hobbit. :)

9. Do you prefer to play a musical instrument or simply listen?
Listen. I can't play but I love to listen.
　

10. Who is your best friend? (This isn't a test, it could be (me!) a sister, Pippin, or a pet--which, if this is the case, you seriously need to get out in the world more.)
My family are my best friends. I thank God for you guys. (You're super duper too, Sarah ;) )　

11. What is your favorite TV show?
Teen Titans (go!) Dad and we three girls watched a lot of superhero cartoons together when we were younger, so while this is not a recommendation, there are a lot of fond memories attached the show for me. :)
　

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And secondly, the Sunflower Award:

 

Rules:

1. share 11 facts about yourself.

2. answer the 11 questions set by the blogger who nominated you.

3. nominate 11 bloggers.

4. set 11 questions for the nominated bloggers.

　

an irish claddagh

11 facts about me:

1. Books, books, books. Enough said.

2. I am overly fond of Doritos, Dr. Pepper and Oreos.

3. I like fantasy and speculative fiction.

4. My family is totally awesome.

5. I'm trying to write a novel. (Emphasis on trying.)

6. I like sad music.

7. I wear an Irish Claddagh given to me by parents as a purity ring and I really, really love it. The hands on the ring represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty, and the heart represents love. The way a claddagh is worn can be used to indicate whether your heart is "captured" or "free." It's very cool. ;)



stitch- also cute and fluffy :)

8. I find fulfillment in creating order, have perfectionist tendencies, and (contrary to my earlier actions which deeply pain me) am rather a stickler for the rules. I'm very much an eldest child.

9. I am introverted and shy, which are not the same thing.

10. I adore the stuffed Stitch my sisters gave me on my 18th birthday.

11. There is a part of me that is always happy when it rains.


　
Here are Sarah's questions. Since this is a combination of two awards, she only asked five more questions.

1. What color are your eyes?
My eyes are brown to match my hair. :)　

2. Would you rather read a book or watch a movie?
I like movies but if I had to choose, the book would win.

3. Who is your favorite Disney princess?
Belle of Beauty and the Beast was always my favorite growing up. She's smart, brave and loves books.
　

4. If given the choice, would you rather write a letter or talk on the phone? One or the other, texting is not a choice in this question. :]
Pen and paper letter writing stresses me to no end but if that letter can be an email I would rather write than talk.
　

5. If you could do something drastically awesome, and wouldn't have to worry about being judged by others, what would it be? (i.e. get a haircut you normally wouldn't choose, buy an expensive something you've wanted all your life, etc.)
Drastically awesome... hmm. I would most worry about what I would think, nervous worry-wart that I am, but I would either learn krav maga, dye some of my hair red, or buy a motorcycle. :) Or maybe just publish a novel.
　

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If you would like to participate in either of these awards, the Liebster Award or the Sunflower Award, below are eleven questions for you to answer:

1. If you were a superhero, what would your super power be (based on your personality, skills or interests) and what would you call yourself?

2. Which Winnie-the-Pooh character do you most resemble or relate to?

3. What is your favorite possession?

4. What is the first book you can remember reading on your own?

5. Do you like to cook? If so, what is your favorite dish to prepare?

6. What new thing are you learning now?

7. What is a vice that you struggle with?

8. What virtue do you most aspire to?

9. Have you ever shared the Gospel with a friend or stranger?

10. If you had the opportunity to sit down with the writer of any book or publication, who would you talk to and what would you talk about?

11. What was the last Bible verse or passage that you read? Why were you reading it?



Remember not to ignore the rules. Ignoring rules is not acceptable.
 
The Rules:
1. (Liebster Award) Answer the eleven questions given to you.
(Sunflower Award) Share eleven facts about yourself and answer the eleven questions given to you.
3. Create eleven questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer.
2. Nominate eleven bloggers and let them know that you've done so.
　

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Whew. I hope I didn't bore your socks off with this post. Please let us know in the comments section if you choose to participate in either of the awards! :)


Risa

"The fires of luuhhhve"

{Just so you know, the following was written last Sunday...and then I forgot to post it.}


We've had a pretty full couple of weeks, the highlights being the weekends, so I thought I'd post a little update.

Three Saturdays ago: We got a new dog.

Meet Chewbacca. Or Chupacabra. "Chewy" for short.

That's not the best picture of him, but he'll be getting his own post soon (in theory).

Two Saturdays ago: We had this big party at our house with some of our friends and friends' friends. For those of you who don't know, it was meant to be a bonfire/outdoorsy gig, but it ended up raining all day. It was still a lot of fun though. To those who couldn't make it, you were missed! But look on the bright side. Because it was an indoor party, and our house being more on the cozy side than the comfortable side, you probably wouldn't have fit. Our house is perfect for just the eight of us (did I say "just" "eight"? I've been homeschooled too long...) but when you cram 40 other people inside...well, let's just say people get to know each other really fast. But we praise God that it was a big success and everyone had a lot of fun--it ended up going from 4:00 until 11:30. Oh, and Chewy was a huge hit. ;)

This is the only picture we got. About...1/2 of the group I think. Everyone else was in the kitchen. :)

This past Saturday: Mari had her birthday on Friday (she's so old!), but she also had to go to Mexico to get some cavities filled and wisdom teeth looked at. So we did most of the celebrating on Saturday. We went to see a movie at the cheap seats, gave her gifts, had a bonfire (the one we were supposed to have last Saturday), and received "hobbit gifts" from her.
She is such a generous person. Selfish is a word that simply could not describe her. She loves and welcomes anyone, no matter what. Anytime someone is mean to her, or something bad happens, she is the first to blame herself, even when the blame doesn't belong to her. She's such a great older sister.

Okay, enough sentimentality. Here are some pictures from the bonfire.

It's Elsa! Haha, couldn't help myself.

"Avengers assemble!"

We all ("all" meaning mom, dad, and we three girls) took a bunch of Avengers personality quizzes and found this one to be the most accurate. Our results, in no particular order, were: Hulk, Hawkeye, 2 Thors, and Capt. America. Can you guess who was who?
Take it yourself if you like, and if you do, comment with your results.
Which Avenger Are You?
Oh yeah, one question has an offensive word in it, just a warning for you. Otherwise, it's a great quiz.

You are most like the Hulk. On the outside, you are a reserved, soft spoken person who is a bit withdrawn and prefers solitary to socialization. But underneath you harbor some angry feelings that are prone to explode at any moment. Though struggling with self-control and self-confidence, you have a sharp mind and strong moral compass that usually leads you to doing the right thing.

 

You are most like Captain America. You have a strong "good guy" ethic, and hate injustice of any kind. Understanding what it's like to be pushed around helps you fight for the little guy. You are not one to give up too easily, and often get yourself into tricky situations just to prove your worth. Your high ideals and old fashioned manners set you apart from most of your peers.

You are most like Thor. You are strong, good looking, and ambitious. Though slightly immature at times, especially when you don't get what you want, you are loyal to the bone and will always stand for what's right. You are a family-centered person. You tend to take some things for granted, which leaves you hurt and confused when they're taken away. You have a high capacity for forgiveness.

You are most like Hawkeye. You are independent and "street-smart". You prefer to stay out of the spotlight and look at the big picture of things. Though you tend to follow others and are very trusting, you are also not intimidated by those who might be stronger or smarter. You are precise and methodical, and once you have something in your sites, there isn't a thing that will stop you from hitting your mark.

Eatmeal cookies

Hi everyone.
After another long silence, a new blog post has been written. I couldn't think of a movie/tv quote for the title, so I decided to quote SquiRe, who used to say "eatmeal" instead of "oatmeal".

These oatmeal cookies are so delicious, if you're fan of oatmeal, which I whole-heartedly am. Plus, they're gluten free, so that makes them healthy, right? Right.

Recipe: Alton Brown

16 oz (approx. 2 cups) rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
10 oz (approx. 1 1/4 cup) soft butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Optional: Chocolate chips/raisins

Spread oats out on a sheet pan and toast in a 375* oven for 20 minutes. Let them cool a couple of minutes, then grind half of them (1 cup) in a food processor until flour consistency. Mix in baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then set aside.

Combine butter and sugar in a stand mixer for about 3 minutes, then add egg and vanilla at low speed. Slowly add the dry mix until just combined, then stir in the remaining oats and chocolate chips.

Scoop the dough in rounded tablespoons onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they start to brown on the edges. You may need to rotate the pan.
When these first came out, they seemed pretty fragile, soft, and fell apart easily. But once they cooled, they were the perfect consistency. So good!

Now for some pictures, something we haven't posted in a while. These are slightly dated, from December.


Wow, such convincing smiles...



Fiona had her first piano recital last month and did very well.



Poor Oskar. Cleopatra chased him up a tree about three times last month, twice he wouldn't come down without help.



And we went to yet another We Make History event! It was so cold and wet...and fun.



Now sure who this guy is, but I like his style, haha



SquiRe decided he wants to be a black smith when he grows up, thanks to these guys.



The World War 1 booth! My personal favorite.



Vietnam...



And WW2. These three were all very interesting.



This lady was great. She went around hitting people over the head with that Bible, as part of her Salvation Army role.



A Native American. I didn't go to his booth, so that's just an educated guess.



Those southerners sure do like to dance.



Lately Mario Kart Wii has been the big thing at our house, and SquiRe was trying to teach Joe how to play.



Playing Kings.



And finally, we went to a Marty Goetz concert and came back with a DVD, so we watched that the following night. The kids enjoyed pretending to be the orchestra.

In other news, I may or may not have been tagged again for the Leibster award by Ava, so I'll answer those questions here. (Mine being such a common name, I'm never entirely sure when people are referring to me on the Internet, haha)
Anyone who hasn't already been tagged by me and would like to answer some questions can consider themselves tagged and answer these.

1.If you could decorate your room two colors what would they be? Our old room was yellow and forest green, I liked that. But I would let someone else choose the colors, because I'm hopeless when it comes to color coordination.
2.What's one word you would use to describe your style? Non-existant. Haha, or probably: comfortable.
3.What's your favorite bible character(s)? That's a really hard one. Hm...well...I don't know that they're my favorite, but I've always really liked Ehud and Jael.
4.If you were an animal what would you be? I've been told by my family either a sloth, a fox or a snake. I'm so flattered.
5.If you could go to France, Germany or England where would you go for vacation? France, but I'm not picky. I'd go anywhere.
6.What's a song that makes you want to dance? David Danced (Salvador), Daring Daylight Escape (Caedmon's Call) and a lot of MercyMe songs. Oh, and Chattanooga Choo Choo. Go Glen Miller!
7.What is your dream job? (besides being a stay-at-home mom) Exotic mammal verternarian or freelance artist. Both would be cool, but I doubt either will happen ;).
8. What are the three main quality's you want in your husband? IF I get married, I'd like a man who is devoted to God, loyal, and responsible.
9. If you could change your name what would it be? Socorro. That was actually an option for me before I was born, but my parents decided that no one would be able to pronounce or spell it right. But that would be half the fun ;).
10.What bible verse is seemed to be written for you? Another hard one! There are so many verses and chapters that never fail to encourage me....for just one, I guess I'd have to say Joshua 1:9.

If you made it this far, congratulations! That was a long one. Should hold everyone over for another month or so, right? Comment if you think Mari or Risa should post next! ;)