vietnam continued

So from Hanoi we went on a 2 day cruise along Halong Bay. We were on the Pinta Cruiser which was very nice. The food was incredible. We had 12 course meals with squid, prawns, chicken, pork, beef, fish, noodles, rice, and cooked vegetables, clams we tried it all. We didn't love it all be we tried. The scenery was incredible. There are 3000 islands covered with forest and you can hear the monkeys and such coming from the islands. There are caves all over as well. The dark picture is from inside the cave we walked through. It was pretty but also commercialized. But still you've gotta love mother nature. We also got to kayak around some of the islands and through a fishing village. It was neat to see and watch them just go about their daily tasks. We stopped at a school and it just had all these boats tied up to it and kids swarming around. We also swam in the sea, it was warm and the captain picked a clean spot for us. Anywhere near the fishing villages the water is so gross. The whole time we were kayaking Daren and I both were saying just don't fall in, the water was filthy. We also fished for squid at night. It was fun. You bob the hook in and out of the water while shining a light on it. When the squid tug you have to yank it up quick and the squid comes out squiring its junk at you. But that didn't stop us from trying it again and again.

This is arriving at our boat. We were ferried

to it. The guy with the backpack

was our guide. This pictures doesn't give justice to

the view of what you see as you look

out.

these ladies came up to our boat all the

time trying to sell us food. She is standing

in this little crawlspace in the boat. Since

no one was buying she pulls this little

boy out of there around 3 years old.

She just leaves him out for a few minutes

and no one buys so she tried to stuff him

back in. He was crying and screaming

it was sad. Daren commented maybe

I should offer to buy something if

the boy can stay out for the day. fishing village

the cave This is who was with us. You can have up to

17 people on the boat but our was a nice

small group. The first couple were from

Australia, then us, Another Aussie couple

and the last were from France. We had

a fun group. Funny thing Daren left his

"sunnies" in Hanoi after we returned

from the cruise and Ben and Christie (the

first couple on the left)

picked them up from our hotel

and brought them to us in Hoi An

when they arrived. It's a small traveling

world I tell you.

We only met three other Americans (aside from church) and all were there on business. For some reason Americans do not frequent Vietnam. It was mainly Australians I think.

vietnam

So this post has been so daunting that I haven't even dared try to post it. So I am no taking baby steps. I will not cover our whole trip tonight but I will try to cover at least one city. So we started our adventure May 15th. My mom agreed to come to Boise and stay with our kids while we were gone. It took a lot of planning (mostly by Daren) a few stressful moments, and a lot of good friends who helped drive my kids and babysit for my Mom. So we made our will official May 14th at 11:00 pm and we were ready to finally go. I'll just say long long flight, crazy time changes (they are 12 hours ahead of us), and a lot of granola bars and trail mix but we made it. The humidity is very high but honestly I didn't feel it was oppressive I enjoyed it. We had air conditioning in all our hotels so we had recovery time from the heat. We would go inside and I would have to put on my sweat shirt or step out side to warm up. So first city... Hanoi This place was bustling I thought. The streets were organized by what goods they sold. So you had hat street, kitchen tools, kids toys, etc. It was fun to walk around but sooo loud and a little smelly if I must admit. We took a cyclo tour (man pushing you on his bike) around and I felt we covered what we wanted to see that way. We walked down to a famous red bridge ( the sunbeam bridge). This lake had a walking path all the way around (which we walked) and it was fun to watch all the people. Our hotel was incredible and so helpful. They arranged the cyclo for us and the manager told us to wait here (inside) and went out where the cyclo drivers are just waiting for you to walk out so they can try to get you on their bike. He was out there giving this man the business. He told him exactly what route to take, how long it will take him, and how much we will pay him. It was awesome. We went to Hoa Lo prison a.k.a. Hanoi Hilton which is the prison where us POW's were incarcerated and some tortured. I never felt any animosity from the people but in this prison museum (and all the other war areas) the war is called the American War. The pictures posted on the walls are of smiling US inmates decorating a Christmas tree, playing chess, hanging out having a great time. Interesting how the story gets told on the other side. We also got our first 2 massages here and they were both fantastic. We went to a nice place of course and I think we paid 12 dollars for an hour. The last picture is the view from our hotel room. I loved watching what happened on those balconies.

Meg

Our sweet Meg turned 5 this past week. I've said it before and I'll say it again I cannont belive she is 5! She is such a sweet girl.

Meg has always been the best sharer I know. If somebody has what she wants or is upset about something she will almost always give up what she has to make the other person happy.

She loves to tell us jokes and make us laugh

She has fire in her. She likes to compete in racing you everywhere and if no one will race her she will "beat the clock".

She also has a tender heart and if you look at her wrong she crumbles right before you eyes and cries and cries.

She tells me she wants to live with me forever in our house-I love it.

As always I put a little slide show of Meg together. Don't watch unless you have time, I tried to par down but I love old pictures.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

some catching up

Oh so much to say so little time. I will work backwards a little because Daren may want input as to how I display and explain Vietnam. I will say it was fantastic and we made it back alive (which was really my #1 goal). I was more afraid of dying in a plane crash than of Vietnam. So First bit of good news..... Lizza can ride a bike! After years of missed goals, dead lines, and threats she did it. Daren just took them off and she took off. She is so proud of herself and before school was over she would hurry and get ready and go ride her bike in the morning. 2nd news.... School is out yahooo! I am so happy to be done with school. We can now dictate our own schedule and I think it will be great.

3rd.....

No more gymnastics!

It has been fun and both

Abby and Lizza have enjoyed

it. Lizza will just sit down

and start stretching out

of the blue, trying new

moves and trying to push

Abby. It was good for both

of them but it will be nice to

take a break.

just in case you need to know

So I walk into the girls room to put something

away today and one of Lizza's notebooks is

lying open on the floor showing this...

It says, "what to do to get a puppy.

Do it the first time

hang up your stuff."

Is it working you ask? NO

Our dance teacher just had a litter

of black labs and yesterday we "visited"

them. They are only 4 weeks old but my kids

Were soooo in love with them. But I like

her ideas.

I was in charge of preschool this week and

we talked about safety. Every year I have the

police come out and talk and we get to

see the car and McGruff the crime dog comes.

It was a hit except I had Max (this year we

didn't trade) and he was terrified. He was

shaking and sobbing. I went in the kitchen

with him and accidentally turned around

and he saw the reflection of McGruff

and started freaking out again. Even today

in preschool we were talking about calling

911 and if he heard the word police his face

scrunched up and he started whimpering

and saying no police no police. Megan started

barking and he full on lost it. Needless to say not

a fan.

How could I forget

I had my birthday this month! Yep I am now 30. I cannot believe it. I never ever pretended to be this old when I used to play house growing up. It didn't think I would care and mostly I don't but a couple of days before my birthday I was reading my patriarchal blessing and felt like what the heck have I been doing the last 30 years! Nothing apparently. The good new is I won't be fulfilling my mission here on earth any time soon. The bad news is I'm not getting any younger it's time to kick it into gear. I don't like to draw attention to myself so on my birthday I prefer to lay low. I secretly think I married an accountant for that reason. (just kidding) But my b-days on Apr. 16th the day after taxes. So there's not time to really think about what to do for Julie's birthday. However, Daren doesn't do taxes but if he did..... Anyway this day was full of craziness so I was kind of looking forward to play the we'll get to my birthday later card. Daren had meeting all night and I volunteered in Abby's class to name some of the day's itinerary. Well some friends came and woke me up at 6:00 A.m. and took me to breakfast. It was so fun and they each made sacrifices to be up that early and come celebrate and it meant a lot to me. I really have good friends. Then I had to run to Costco later in the day because we had already gone 1 whole day with no milk or fruit. While I was gone some more friends came over and put balloons and a card with a gift in my house for me. It was so fun to come back to it. It took my a few minutes to figure out what it was and how it got there. But I loved it. Daren left work early brought me home dinner before heading to his meetings. I realized that night as I received 6 texts, opened some cards from the mail, and a answered a few more phone calls that sometimes it feels good to be remembered. I really am blessed to be around so many great people. Thank you to all who love me. If you forgot, thank you because a little to much would push me over the edge and make it uncomfortable for me.

moving on

I am getting bitter about all the candy that goes along with every holiday. I feel like our house has been full of holiday candy non-stop since Halloween! So I didn't want to do any of that this year. Daren felt they needed some so we compromised. They each got to find 5 plastic eggs. Then we gave them some small gifts i.e. a hula hoop, slinky, truck, and blendie pens. Daren did this scavenger hunt for them to find their baskets with their small gifts in it. He used scripture references to Christ and had them find different things or area's in our house. It was fun and I felt a little bit better about how we recognized this holiday. So in the past week or so we were reading D&C 56 which talks about Ezra Thayre and his refusal to go on a mission. We were talking about being rebellious and what that means why it's not such a good idea, etc. Later in the day I asked Meg to do something and she told me no. Then she stopped and said what's that word.....you know that one word......rebellious. I'm being rebellious right mom? Yes I guess you are. Okay now I know what that word really means but I'm not cleaning that room still. Super Lemuel. Daren and I are getting closer and closer to going to Vietnam and I am getting more and more excited. Our kids, however, are getting more and more nervous. They keep asking how long we'll be gone, if we die where will they go, and how will grandma know what to pack in Abby's lunch. I feel really bad that this is so disruptive for them. Every few years we leave for a week or so (Abby was 5 last time) but now they all care where as before it was going to be a "vacation" for them too. I haven't quite figured out how to settle them down. Lizza has already cried about it thrice (which is one of Abby's new favorite words). So now I feel really bad for my mom (I already felt bad for her) she is going to hear a lot of crying I think. Lastly, it's that time again. I need another enrichment idea. I am no good at this stuff! I have spent weeks cultivating a mock Amazing Race idea but the presidency wants this to be a mother daughter one and I just can't work out all the kinks in my head. So I am looking for ideas again.