Trip to Taiwan - Day #2

Day 2: Setup day for Computex -- I offered to help with set up but most of what I could help with was already done so I helped where I could and made sight-seeing plans while Scott worked. We did go out to an electronics market to buy parts, and that market (Kuanghua) was actually on one of the top ten lists of things to do, so I guess I got some sightseeing in after all. :-)

Kuanghua Market has *all* kinds of electronics but instead of a large superstore like Fry's, it's a collection of hundreds of small little shops (there were at least 6 floors!). Every shop carried different items which made it a little tricky finding someone who sold the specific parts we needed. We also got some yummy ice cream in a croissant cone and some interesting breads with funny names (they didn't translate so well).

Setup usually goes SUPER late but security kicked us out around 9:30 pm. After getting kicked out, everyone went to dinner at a Japanese place. It was fun & the food was pretty good. (You never know exactly what you'll get when you're just pointing at items on the menu.)

It was midnight before we got to bed again. Oh, update on the bed -- Scott talked to the front desk and they gave us a free room upgrade where the beds have a top mattress instead of a top boxspring. Much better sleep last night. :-)

Here's a few pictures ... see my facebook page for more (they're much easier to upload there).

Outside of Kuanghua Electronic Market

This bread was titled "Matrimony vine of miscellaneous foods"

Night view of Taipei 101 - the tallest building in the world
(although Scott thinks there's one taller now)

Trip to Taiwan - Day #1

Day 1: LONG plane ride -- watched 4 movies, read 1 book, and
pseudo-slept for several hours.

Most memorable moment: getting rice porridge with shrimp & tuna on top and a green egg for breakfast on the plane. I do regret not taking a picture for my squeamish daughter to see though.

Biggest adventure: The ride to the hotel -- I have to say our driver seemed quite cautious compared to most people on the road; we only had 2-3 near misses. People seem to view the lines between the lanes as mere guidelines, if that. There were often 5 cars across on a 4-lane road. They just weave around wherever there's the *tiniest* space, as if they were walking through a crowd instead of barreling down the road at incredible speeds!

Thankfully we survived the journey intact and made it safely to our hotel, where we promptly fell into a nice, firm bed. Or was it a concrete slab with a sheet over the top? Not sure, but we were so tired it didn't really matter ... until morning when everything hurt. First item of business today: find something a little softer for our weary old bones.

Nate's Baptism

I never posted pictures from Nathan's baptism on the blog. I was going to do that now since I actually have some free time with little else to do. (I said I would help with setup for the tradeshow today, but most of the work I can help with is done now. I might leave and go shopping but enjoying some free time to play on the computer.) Anyway, I posted 30 pictures on my facebook page and decided I don't want to put 30 pictures up on here. Here's a few from the actual baptism itself. Otherwise, you can see all the pictures from the weekend on my facebook album.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=2044174&id=1026468782

Latest Happenings

I'm realizing it's been a really long time since I updated the blog. No way I have time to do it all tonight, but I'll post a couple pix...

Nathan earned his orange belt in January. I have videos of his first tournament, which was that weekend, but I haven't had time
to figure out how to convert/post HD videos yet.

Working on FINALLY getting poor Nathan's quilt tied -
it's not anything fancy, but he wanted a warmer blanket, so Jenna, Kaylee, and I made this for him LAST Christmas (as in 2008!). (The exercise ball worked great as an easily portable seat.)

Jenna & Talia on the newly finished quilt - I should have a picture of Nathan with it, but he was off skiing with Scott & Kaylee.

Scott's birthday - Wow, was it ever difficult getting
40 candles on that poor cake!

Cute pix of Lisette

Kaylee's diorama for "Where the Red Fern Grows". Grandma Lani helped her come up with the idea & wanted to see how it turned out. It's mostly made from different types of moss we pulled off trees and the ground. (Moss is ever abundant here in Oregon!) She made the animals with pipe cleaners and the kid with a clothespin.

Kaylee won first place in bars at her last meet, second on floor, third on vault, and third all-around for her age group! It was her very best score yet, unfortunately it was also the first meet we've been to that didn't give medals for individual events. She was pretty bummed about that, but she did get a gold medal for her all-around score.
No more meets until September now.

New Year Greetings

Make a Smilebox photobook

Halloween Photos

All ready to go trick-or-treating


Jenna & her friend Jordan


Handing out candy


Enjoying the "haul"

Back to School Pictures

Kindergarten Open House


Waiting for the Bus (Talia actually tried
to get on while I was taking pictures!)


Talia's first day of Preschool too!




New haircut - long bangs and layers