Japan

Wow a long time has passed since I posted. Since I last posted we had the great opportunity to take a trip to Japan as a family! It was a long flight Haha!

The girls were fascinated by the bathrooms and the different style of toilets.

We had a wonderful host, my brother Rob, his son Bobby and Bobby's wife Hanna.  I served my mission in Japan and was excited to share this culture with my family. We ate lots of yummy food! I could go on and on about the food.

We went to Disney Sea, a Disney themed park next to Tokyo Disneyland. 

We visited lots of shrines and temples.  We learned the proper way to wash before entering. 

 We even got to see a wedding procession, which is a unique experience. 

We went on an outside obstacle course that was lots of fun too! 

We ate raw fish and everyone liked it!

I can't tell you how much I LOVE Japanese food!

Tyler even ate a fish eyeball on a dare ugh! I don't love it that much.

We went to a really nice warm springs spa/bath house. It was so nice and relaxing. Very beautiful too.

The girls went to the public bath house too. Way to embrace and experience the fulness of the culture. 

The kids had a blast driving go carts on a race course. They had so much fun racing against the clock and seeing how fast they could go!

MMM Yummy giant sno cone. 

More yummy food!

We even went to a bamboo forest.

All you can eat Shabu Shabu! OH my YUMM!

We even got to see and feed some real wild monkeys.

Such a fun Trip!!!

Warm Buns!

I believe in warm buns. Who doesn't love warm buns? Fresh from the oven warm hot cross buns, warm cinnamon buns. The smell wafting through the house. The smell of warm buns emanating through the house can be nostalgic, bringing back memories of mother's or grandmother's delicious baking. Some people even bake bread when trying to sell a home in the hopes that it will entice buyers. MMMM delicious warm buns. But alas this is not the kind of warm buns to which I am referring. I am a believer in warm buns, the kind I sit on every day, several times a day in fact.

At Christmastime, my husband asked what I wanted for a gift this year. I had commented that winter, on one occasion when I happened to be sitting on my buns, that a heated toilet seat would be nice. Although I don't recall having ever used one, the thought was very appealing especially in cold winter months when toilet sets can be  rather frigid. Well it just so happens that I received a heated toilet seat from dear hubby this year. I have never loved or used a gift so much! We all sit on our buns as mother nature calls, some more frequently than others. (I am of the frequent variety) Every time I use my gift I am pleasantly surprised at the warm and soothing sensation that greets me. It makes me want to linger a little longer and savor the moment. I may have been known to sneak in and sit a time or two when mother nature was nowhere near. I dread the times when mother nature calls and only an "anti-warm buns" seat is available. Upon sitting I am shocked, stunned and chilled. I want to jump up and scream in anguish "What kind of dirty trick is this?! Bring back my warm buns!"

I believe a man invented the non heated toilet seat as he does not need to sit nearly as often as a woman. Women sit 100% of the time on their buns whereas men rarely need to sit at all. I say psssh to the issue of leaving the toilet seat up, there is a much bigger issue at hand. Most women have never had the luxury of a heated toilet seat and do not know what a necessity it is. Once you have tried a warmed seat you will never return to such a barbaric life without one. I think that congress should pass a bill to ban all  non heated toilet seats, except for use as torture devices or perhaps as a ploy to get criminals to confess.

I have grown quite accustomed to my nice inviting heated seat. I will never understand why every john, can, loo, throne, commode,and lavatory do not have warmth. Many cars seats are heated and you have a layer or two of fabric between you and your precious sensitive skin. We use heated baby wipes on our babies! Do we not deserve the same warm buns?! My buns are just as precious as a babies bottom.  Lets take a stand and demand more warm buns! Until then, mother nature calls and unlike you, I have  nice warm throne awaiting my arrival. Wishing you all a good day and warm buns.

The Hairy legged 8th grader

Ken and I had a good laugh this morning. I am still laughing. Teegan came into our room this morning and asked if I was going to the gym this morning. I told her yes but not until 9. She said "oh, well can I still have a ride?" When we told her no, she said in all seriousness, "But its cold outside! and my hair will grow! I just shaved my legs and it is a fact that your hair grows 10% faster when its cold!" hahaha! I've got to hand it to her, that is the most creative reason to ask for a ride to school. She almost convinced us, no not really, but we had a good hard laugh. Thanks Teegan for the laugh. Much to Teegan's dismay we did not give her a ride to school. We must be the meanest parents ever, but we are the meanest parents to a hairy legged 8th grader. I hope no one gives her a hard time about her 10% longer hairy legs today! I love you Teegan, even if your legs are hairy!

Tyler gets asked to Preference

Almost one month to the day Tyler got asked out on his first date. His friend Sabrina (a freind fom Success Academy) told me that her friend wanted to ask Tyler to Preference and asked when a good time would be to come to our house when he wasnt home. He has rugby practice tues-thurs. after school. The next day they came and decorated his room with balloons and soda. I thought he would not appreciate being asked and wouldnt want to go. He is a little shy and reserved in unfamiliar situations sometimes. I even thought he might be mad and wouldn't want to go.    

The poster said Hey I just wanted to "pop" by and ask you to... Preference was spelled out on the balloons. He had to pop each balloon to find out who had asked him. It was Jamie Bonzo. He says he doesnt even really know her, but apparently she wants to get to know him. So FUn! 

He is going to respond with fortune cookies. The poster will say "The answer you are seeking lies within your fortune." He replaced all the fortunes in the cookies and one of them says. "It would be my good fortune to go to Preference with you"

I love having teenagers!

Korean Interns

For the past three years, we have had the privilege of hosting Korean college students. They are University students who come to America and intern at various schools in the community. They live with families for one or two months. This year we got 2 girls. (because Tori is away at SUU). Their names are Jung and Soya. They are sweet and cute girls. Jung has an especially fun loving personality. She is always laughing and game for any adventure. Soya is a little more shy and reserved. And she is afraid of dogs. She backs away from Spice anytime he is near her. ( I mean really, who could possibly be afraid of that old, mellow dog who rarely barks). It is really great to be a host family. It is a fun opportunity for our kids to experience different cultures and people.

jung  Soya

We took them out for frozen yogurt. They especially liked the free samples. They drew this cute picture of them flying from Korea  on the chalkbard by our table. They seem to like most American food. Jung usually goes back for seconds and sometimes thirds. This is not typical of any of the interns we have had before. I love it! haha! One funny thing : They decide to go for a walk the morning after they arrived, just around the neighborhood. When they returned I asked them how their walk was. They said good but everyone was swearing at them. I said "really?!" with a confused look on my face. (this would be very unusual here in St.George where most people are very friendly). A few minutes later they returned from their rooms and said they had made a mistake. They looked up the word swearing and realized their mistake. They had meant to say staring, but got the words mixed up. We had a good laugh about it.  I wonder if we will ever make it to Korea some day.