Three Weeks in China

After many weeks, a couple of threats, and a kick in the pants the long awaited pics of my business trip to China are here. Above is outside my hotel in Shanghai.

I don't think I could handle working as an electrician in China because of the high wire act that has to be performed. One of the things I have immediately learned about our Chinese brothers and sisters is that they are eager to work and are all about getting the job done.

For those of you who know me well, I got a little week in the knees and had to shed a tear at the sight of the Coke bottle god that stood before me. Too bad it wasn't Diet Coke. HAHA. an interesting thing about soda pop in China... It was hard to find cold ones there. Warm pop was a hard thing to get use to but our friends there made sure we had a awsome supply all the time. thanks again guys.

Some of the older spots of Shanghai were a sight to behold. From the neat buildings to the awsome shopping areas, Shanghai had a lot to take in. Speaking of taking in, I think the dude behind me took in too much bean curd. What the heck is he doing?

Bikes, Bikes, Bikes, everywhere! I have never seen so many bike in my life before. My mind was kept busy by thinking of a million ways to adapt a motor to these bikes. (see Shane's Garage) I was told by one of our many new friends there that there was over 9 million bikes in Beijing alone. ( that's also a song )

Many of the bikes were of a more classic style and were used as daily transportation.

With the up coming Olympics there is a massive rush to freshen up the buildings. It was very common to see bamboo scaffolding used.

This is the entrance to the Paragon Medical facility in Changzhou. Oh yeah, I was there to work too.

I had alot of help with the installation of the cnc lathes. Everyone was eager to learn and excited to get the facility up and running. This transformer was grounded out on the casing due to shipping and when we threw the switch it was Chinese new year all over. We got it adjusted and pressed on.

Birds eye view of the awsome facility from the up stairs offices. As you can see, lots of room to grow.

When our first weekend came we lucked out and got a three day weekend. China has a holiday kinda like Memorial day called Tomb Sweeping Day. Anyhow, Tom, the manufacturing manager arranged it with the director of operations to send me, my boss Jeff and the company's secretary Jane, to Beijing for some sight seeing. We had to take an overnight train ride that lasted about 12 hrs. We sleeped most of the time.

Just outside the front of the forbidden city.

One of the many spots inside Forbidden City.

This granite slab featured 8 dragons. It was so heavy and large, the had to drag it in by waiting until winter and dropping water on the ground and making an ice sheet to slide it on.

This sight was called temple of heaven.

After a great day of touring we ate at the world famous Roast Duck Restaurant. 5 star.

The roasted duck was amazing. Even the feet which was served cold was quite interesting. Yeah, I ate some.

And for desert....

The Great Wall will never be forgotten.

We started out in small gondola.

Oh yeah, we found out after we got to the wall that the return ride was going to pick us up at a sight 10km away.

I called my wife from one of the 7 wonders of the world and she wasn't there.

Many parts of the wall are falling apart.

I KNEW IT!

This clock was counting down until the Olympics begin.

The Nest will be hosting the many of the events.

Our last place to tour in Beijing was the Garden Palace.

A lot of women were posing in front of this beautiful tree and Jane, our friend thought it would be funny for me to pose too. Thanks Jane.

Beautiful bridge in the Garden Palace.

A shopping area in the Garden Palice the was built for the emperor's family so they could shop within the safety of the protected grounds. It was really huge.

One evening we were invited to eat dinner with all folks at one of their apartments. It was a great time and the hospitality awsome. Thanks again Mark , York, and Tom!

During the time we were there 3 of us including myself had a Birthday party thrown for us. The cake was huge and very tasty. It was quite the surprise. Thanks everyone.

I was even prompted to give a small speech at the end. A couple days later it was time to go home. We spent one more night in Shanghai before our 11 hour flight home. All I can say is that my trip truly was a chance of a lifetime and will never be forgotten. All the friends I made there and the hospitality shared will always be cherished.

Need Sleepy

Well it is super early in the morning and I have been up for 2 hours. Lindsay is sleeping, Emma's not calling for me. So, why am I up. Well, Allergies! Cache Valley is supposed to be one of the worst places for pollen right now. Before bed my eyes were so itchy and swollen. Shane lovingly got me a claritan-D. I said it usually doesn't work for me and his reply just try it- as it's been a long time since I have taken anything...due to babies and nursing. So, I wake up between 2 and 3 am tossing and turning with eyes still itching. Body and mind tired but no sleepy. So, I got up and read the medicine box. At first it says over medicating can cause sleepiness. But reading further it says if sleeplessness or nervousness and dizziness occur discontinue use until seeing a doctor. Okie Dokie, definitely sleepless but what do I do for the remainder of the 12 hours. ( 12 hour tablets). By About 10 am I am going to crash! Well, Lesson learned...no Claritan-D for me right before bed. Since I'm up I'll start loading Shane's China trip pictures. So, after Shane's awake I'll have him help me narrate the pics. Be watching for the China post.

The Hair Cut

While Shane was gone Brad was in desparate need of a haircut. We decided to surprise dad and get a new cut from our neighbor who does hair. Bradley has had the same "Moe" Bowl cut all his life and he decided it was time for a change. So take a good look at the before, because when we were done he looked like a different boy, all grown up. So, April 4, 2008 Bradley got his new look.....
Before

After and Spikey!

Parted and done up for Church What a handsome kid we have. We love it and he loves it. When Dad got home from China he hardly recognized him and loves the change.

Boy Have We Missed Our Dad

Boy have Brad, Emma, and Lindsay (Mom TOO) missed Dad while he was gone in China for 3 weeks. We are so glad to have him back home, but also glad that his time there will be cherished for a lifetime. He had such a good experience with the people there. This is a picture of the kids monkeying around while dad was gone (Before Emma and Lindsay got sick). Lindsay had Chocolate cookie on her face and loved it -what a goof. More pictures to come from China as soon as we can get them from his work computer to our home computer.

EASTER AND MORE...

Well, it has been a long time since my last post again...My only excuse is that Shane has been in CHINA, yes, China for almost 3 weeks now for work. They have him and his boss setting up the machines for a new plant there. It has been long, what with more sickness...(yes it seems to never end here) and just everyday life without dad. We miss him tons but we are at the tail end and he will be home Wednesday of this week. When he gets home we will post pics from China.

EASTER 2008
Well, the Easter Bunny came. Fun Stuff. Emma got Bell Barbie and horse set. Lindsay got a Ballerina Barbie of her own- less fighting over Emma's now. Bradley got a new electronic bank that requires a pin # and you set all the settings. Boy the Easter bunny has gone all out this year.
Empty Baskets ready for the hunt.

Lindsay loves her dad and boy has she missed him these last 3 weeks.

"You mean to tell me that there is CANDY in each of these 'balls'?"

Emma in her springy yellow dress. What a sweet smile.

Our handsome boy is growing up. Bradley with his cutest grin, he might need a haircut though. Hee, Hee.

The three cuties in their Easter best, but woo, woo Emma's slip is showing. Lindsay can't believe that her eggs are filled with candy. She might already be working on a sugar buzz.

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LAST TRIP OF THE SEASON

March 22,2008

Shane, Bradley, Emma, Uncle Mark and I all went Snow riding for the last time this season as Shane would leave for China the next week and we would miss the Closing day at Beaver. What a beautiful day it was, the sun shining bright. A perfect end to such a great season. Shane, Emma and I sitting on the lift headed up to Gentle Ben. Emma's skis are so little.

I have found my skiing buddy! Actually Emma is sometimes faster than me. Ha, ha. I like to take my time and it is so peaceful when I do. Emma, good "pizza" stop!

Uncle Mark and Bradley on the lift ahead of us. They teamed up all day. Bradley had a blast!

Emma is just doing so great and we look forward to next season. Uncle Mark, Miles, Ryan, Shane, Bradley and Emma all have season passes for next year to Beaver Mountain, so it should be another fun season.

Everybody Poops!

Okay, so this post might make some laugh and on the other hand just plain gross others out, but any mother who has had little ones will empathize with my plight on Monday, Mar. 3rd. So, Bradley had the day off of school and we were taking the day rather relaxed. About mid day the girls and I were getting ready to have a shower downstairs (it is a big shower with two shower heads, one of which is a movable sprayer, and it has a bench seat for Lindsay to sit on.) Meanwhile, Brad was playing video games on the downstairs TV oblivious to what would lie ahead. I got the girls stripped down (including Lindsay's diaper) and placed them in the dry shower while I got ready to join. The phone rang and it was Shane. I had a 2 minute conversation with him on the phone in the room next to the bathroom in my robe. The girls were waiting in the shower for me to start up the water. Next thing I knew as I was hanging up the phone Emma came out and said, "hey, mom, I got poop on my feet." "WHAT! Where did it come from?"........Emma then said "I think Lindsay Pooped in the shower." "I THINK LINDSAY POOPED IN THE SHOWER" ....UNDERSTATEMENT!!!!!! So I entered upon the crisis to find Lindsay had discovered that poop was squishy. There on the floor of the shower was the culprit and LINDSAY had it all over her hands, had stepped in it, had stepped out of the shower onto the rug and towels, had put her hands on the walls and door.... and all in a matter of 2 MINUTES! So at this point Lindsay didn't have a clue what she'd done and I was screaming to Bradley "get the wipes FAST, no, not just the wipes get the CLOROX WIPES...GET BOTH!" So as I was trying to first get the poop out of the shower (so that I could then rinse down Lindsay) she realized that something was not right and began to cry and try to hang on to me...Mind you the poop on her hands, now on my robe. So I flushed the poop from the shower down the toilet and was screaming "Ahhhhhhhhh!" So now Lindsay was really crying and I was wiping her with baby wipes to get the bulk off so as not to spread more poop in the shower. I wiped her down and then start in on the surfaces with the Clorox wipes to clean what she had touched, because just as Midas turned everything he touched to gold, Lindsay turned everything she touched to poop! So, the rug , towels and my robe got thrown in the wash (for several cycles) and I rinsed down the shower and the girls before we even began our regular shower. What a mess, a stinky, icky mess. But with a little elbow grease and a lot of cleaners we got the place spic and span clean again, along with my girls. Poor Bradley's friend kept calling in the midst of all this to see if he could play and all I could say to Brad was "not now we are having a crisis!" (Brad eventually got to go play at his friend's house so all was well in the world again.) What a joy motherhood can be....just not in the midst of this mess. Actually that is not true, even in the middle of all of this as Lindsay was crying she was still trying to give me kisses. Thank goodness she didn't touch her face!

First Tracks

Ok, maybe not first tracks....but we were the first ones on the Face Lift.

In this picture Mark and I were both thinking...... Gosh, I wish I was working today. Yeah...

The whole mountain was groomed this trip and it made some nice smooth rides.

These pics of Mark and myself were taken on the Ted's Rock run. Beaver Mountain added the Marge's Triple lift a couple years ago and made all this pretty terrain possible.

Mark on Ted's Rock run.

Mark scored some sweet bindings the night before this trip. It was a real nail biting experience as the UPS truck didn't show up until 7:00pm .

One last pic before we left for the day. Now on to Fredrico's for ham salads, garlic bread, and calzones.