Mother's Day Open House 2009

We (the Lion Class) have been practicing a little over a month for our Mother's Day Open House! It has been crrrrrrrrrazy for all of us, but the kids did an emaculate job and we're just all happy it's over. You don't know how many bribes and treats and blah I had to give to get them to keep going...poor things. But the parents want to hear them speak...without help...and so we practiced on and on.

Our Program:

1. Yoga introduction by kids and Chinese Teacher
2. Teachers Welcome the Parents
3. Children Welcome the Parents with the song "I Love the Mountains" with actions
4. Phonics Review and game
5. High Frequency Word Review, Brief discussion about parts of a tree (roots, trunk, branch, leaf, cherry, tree)
6. Group Conversation...Each child uses High Frequency words in sentences connected to the tree discussion
(i.e. Can you see it? What do you see? What is it? It looks big. It looks little. I see the....(tree).
7. Bathroom Break/ Set up for the play
8. Perform "The Three Bears Medley" ....I was inspired to create something that the kids were familiar with and would give each one an equal opportunity to speak! You gotta watch out for those parents.
9. Sing the song "Celebrate love" with actions then perform a memorized speech with actions

"Good morning everybody. Thank you for being here today. My name is ____________. This is my mom and I love her. I think my mom is (smart and beautiful)...so I nominated my mom for the most 'smart and beautiful' mom award. I love you mom. Please come to the front to receive your award!"....Yes, they said that.

10.Traditional red bean soup ceremony. The children feed their moms soup to symbolize their gratitude for nourishing them.

*Celebrate that it's all over!

And now...some pics

Practicing our play, "The Three Bear's Medley"



A mix of "The Three Bears, The Three Pigs, and Little Red Riding Hood"!



Get a dinosaur card for doing a good job! (The kids are totally into these cards right now).




Make some colorful lantern decorations.









Make a sign that you think will totally rock




Create a speech telling everyone what you think of your mom




Give the speech...




with actions




in front of everyone's mom







then invite them to come to the front to receive their award














Ask the parents what they liked most about the MOther's Day PRogram....the Play!




Meanwhile break into your moms award candy while listening to the boring parent comments




...and then partake in a traditional ceremony





The children fed their moms red bean soup as a symbol of giving back to the one who has nourished and cared for them











Act like you're getting your picture taken for a magazine




or simply let your grandma feed you instead




celebrate that it's all over with a little bit of chocolate cake!

Happy Mother's DAy!

OASIS_Live FoRever

Friday April 3, 2009!







Waiting for the band



checking for any technical difficulties with the binoculars



A close up




Wooooooooo!



Noel Gallagher (song writer/brother of lead singer) singing Talk Tonight. Love.



Liam Gallagher singing Champagne Supernova. It's what I came for. The first time I ever heard it was on the highway in Hawaii.



OASIS_Live Forever

OASIS faves: Champagne Supernova, Stop Crying Your Heart Out, Whatever, Don't Look Back in Anger, Don't Go Away, Talk Tonight, Wonderwall, The importance of Being Idle, Stand By Me, Live Forever....

BorNEo Epilogue

We had to drive through palm oil plantations to get to Uncle Tan's.




Heading back was just as muddy as when we came in...only this time there were some obstacles.




A huge rig of palm oil pickins stuck in the mud...luckily we didn't have to wait long...it actually just had to back out.




A flood...that turned out to be...not so deep.





L to R: the Australian matching couple (always wore the same colored t-shirts), the London couple (Gary the softie and Holly one of the cooler girls I have ever met), the Swiss couple (Sonja and Patrick) and the South African (Surita aka my co-worker).


This was the group we ended up with for the last few days. I have to say I really loved the Swiss couple b/c we were always laughing at the same things. We had actually told them about Uncle Tan's and they came with us.




In Sukau, Jonas and Lois from Sweden. They were filming some stuff for American schools. You can check out some of his work: thewildclassroom.com. It's like Bill Nye the Science Guy stuff. Pretty cool.

All this for a pic of a tiny praying mantus.




We were on the NE side of Sabah, Malaysia and were heading South. Ah the taxi ride...I couldn't help but breath in that fresh air...




you know...that air. I was dying and laughing to myself at the same time...all that cig smoke flying in my face...but believe me that was better than the rotten fish smell all 3 hours in our mini bus ride to Semporna.




The bus stop to Semporna. There is no set time for the bus to leave.



You know which bus to take by the sign on the bus or in its front window. I don't know how we made it around, but we survived b/w our little known Malay/Chinese and their English. ha ha. The most commonly known word was...Ringgit (their currency)




This is a mini bus (boss meanie) (we say it backwards and without a cool accent). This is so luxury compared to some of the other buses and means of transportation...truly.




and when the bus fills up...then you go. You could be waiting for hours...which we did. The bus even took a few rounds around the town beeping at everyone on the street to see if they wanted to hitch a ride to Semporna.




While waiting for the Semporna bus to fill up we began to feel hungry...so we ate and these lovely Muslim girls were the cooks. They actually asked us to take their picture...not a usual case.




After a good nights rest in Semporna we found the Mabul Cafe to be a great place to eat and figure out where to dive.









Figuring out when and who we were going to dive with. I was the scribe while Surita read off prices and accommodations. We dove with Uncle Chang. And lived on Mabul island for a few days.




A view from Mabul. I dove to see the Hawksbill Turtle and I saw. I could have just watched them forever...magical.




Mabul itself...is not poor in beauty, but poor in the way of life. Poverty and tourists...don't make a good mix. It's not a new thought for me, but seeing what I saw motivates me to be more urgent to do something about it...I'm working on that.




freedom love









Pick a spot to sit down.




Make sure you have some tooth fresheners.




And brush away to the rising tide and sun.




Dive with the locals




...and somehow notice a set of homemade drums in front of the scuba hut.




Watch the clouds at sea...and think of the things you wish everyone could experience with you...It'll happen someday.


When we got to the airport our flight was cancelled so they put us up in a Hyatt (4 star) hotel. A nice way to end the trip after a long stream of...not so clean hostels and random street food that you were unsure of. The next day we arrived at the airport LATE and had to through the airport just in time to hear them announce...it was boarding time! I was laughing inside about how the ENTIRE trip was not without some kind of pure adventure.




Terima Kasih (Tur-ee-muh Kah-see) (roll the r) means Thank you. I love you Borneo. I wouldn't have seen it any other way...you should try it sometime.

A LaNd CaLLed BoRNeO...

It was November and I sat in a local breakfast shop with a friend from work. We were about to drive through the hills to find some local hot springs. While we were waiting for her scooter to get freshened up with some new breaks she told me of her plans to travel to Borneo. My eyes got big and so did my idea...to join her! A few months later we hopped on a plane with NO idea of where we were going to sleep that night.

The next 3 weeks were pure backpacker adventure. Not a day was planned more than a day or two in advance...and getting from point A to point B was never the same. The mix of people and religions make for an incredible way of life. Wish you could have been there. Alas, I'll just... show you some pictures.


The first few nights we stayed in Kota Kinabalu (KK) at the Asia Adventure Lodge hostel. While we were there we planned out a rough idea of what we wanted to do and talked to some other people that had already been there and done that. Amongst the lodgers was...

UNCLE THE PALM READERThis is uncle aka philosopher and my palm reader who read I would either work in a bar, help others, and/or get married and have kids...what the random?



WorLds LarGest FloWer...Native to Malyasia and Indonesia
Blooming time: 5-7 days certain times of the year
THE RAFFLESIA hmmm. I was interested in seeing it...but uh I didn't think I would see it this way...it's a long story. But I'll tell you the short version.



You follow the cute little guy up a little dirt road, hang a left, walk through some bushes, and come to a stream. Then he stops and holds his hand out for you to go ahead...


only then did I look up to see a little fence. I was dying.



Is this really what tourists do? Apparently...it is.


I'd rather just get a picture with the natives and get it over with. These guys were the best part of the whole...Rafflesia experience.


SEPILOK ORANGUTAN REHAB CENTER
I took a really cool film of her which won't post. She was so close and it was special not to see her behind bars, but in her natural habitat. The Center rescues and reintroduces these amazing creatures back into their natural environment.


UNCLE TAN'S RIVER SAFARI
I don't know what this was made of (smelled like vicks) but it was the most amazing repellent I have ever used! Definitely a life saver! Better than anything on the market fo sho.


A glimpse of the jungle. I LOVED IT! You ride in a little fisherman boat at different times of the day and see the wildlife in it's natural habitat. I admit that I wasn't too sure how we were helping their environment with a somewhat noisy boat and smoke choking out the natural air, but uh....the locals run this joint and they are fighting the gov. to keep the jungle area from being replaced with palm oil tree plantations. DON'T BUY PALM OIL PRODUCTS!



We took a small trek in the jungle and looked closely at the insects and other living organisms.


Lan in the front. He has been doing the backpacker safari for 12 years. I wish you could have listened to him speak about the palm oil plantations, the struggle with the government, and the fight to keep what jungle they have left. He would call me "Samoa" after explaining to him why I looked like a local ha ha. It was good to meet another bro out in the world.


sleeping quarters

Our last morning at Uncle Tan's we headed down a different part of the river and came across this little guy. A 2 year old Orangutan eating the fruits of the tree. Obviously my camera wasn't good enough for this moment, but I think we all could have just stayed there for hours watching it. It was actually a humbling experience...and makes me sad to think that the jungle keeps getting smaller and smaller.


He or she looked like this...only way cuter and this one is already way cute.


I loved seeing the jungle this way. It was actually quite sad to leave after only 3 days in it. I have to go back. I just have to. Anyone want to come?


More stories and pics to come.

ChRistMas...

....is my favorite Story


...is Love, Peace, Joy, Noel


...is FaMiLy

...is FrieNds


...is definitely watching my all time favorite church classic


...is seeing the Lights on Temple Square....wondrous.


...is seeing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concerts... An all time favorite each year.


...is Listening to MoTab Christmas Music to bring in the Christmas Spirit. LOOOOOOOOve this album.


...is seeing Sissel perform...I swear I heard an Angel sing.


...is hearing French horns in the music


...is hearing all those classic Christmas songs that never get old



...is Mariah Carey's 1994 Christmas Album that I could listen to over and over during the holidays


...is all about the Holiday Classics that you couldn't wait to see as a kid


...isn't Christmas without Elf. Loooooove.


....and it isn't Christmas without that feel good Last Holiday story. Love.


...isn't about the Grinch, but about the song...(which Mariah Carey helped write mmmmhmmmm)..."WheRe Are YoU ChRiSTmAS"


...is standing at the top of a snow capped mountain with your board and dreaming about the fun ride down...minus the Christmas crowd.


...is snowflakes (paper or real)....falling in the lamp lit street on a quiet evening


...is a tree of lights in your home and sleeping by it each night


...is all those yummy treats you get from everyone!


...is a Christmas card


...or two


...is a feeling

I am loving the Christmas Spirit this year...and all of these things are just another reason why. Love and Miss you All. Merry Christmas!

Sun Bei Bei & Church...

This is Sun Bei Bei. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints almost 70 years ago and is still so passionate about the gospel. He inspires.

My favorite things about Sun Bei Bei
1. His shuffle walk.
2. He knows where Samoa is and has a buddy from there.
3. He always has fiber crackers, chips, chocolate, nuts, or some kind of treat in his black bag for you.
3. He insists you eat it and will say, "Come on, don't be shy".
4. He will be speaking in Chinese during testimony meeting and will suddenly switch over to English and bust out in Song.
5. He will sing the WHOLE SONG...NOT just ONE verse.

Today he sang, "Silent NIght" and his version of "radiant beam from heaven's star"....is a classic.

Amongst other things...Today- I was late to church...shoot sometimes you're late. So I hung out in the library looking for some lesson materials...then Sun Bei Bei walked in with his mini raido with earphones in hand. Then he asked me to open the windows (so his little radio could get some reception), and he gave me the other half of his earphones to listen to...Billy Grahm.

I held the radio close to the sunlit window in one hand and an earphone up to my ear in the other while he sat in his chair and I on the footstool. Sometimes you hang out in the library with your favorite grandpa, next to the sunlit window, listening to Billy Grahm...ahhh the adventures. I love Sun Bei Bei and you would too...wish you could just simply meet him.

Treats in a bag

Going in for the reach...you never know if it will be fiber crackers or chocolate.

Ahhh good. Today it's chocolate.


"Come on, don't be shy ...eat it."

Star Party 2008

"Want to camping?", they asked.
"Sure!"
"It is mmmm... I don't know how say...He Wan SaN...3 tall mountain in Taiwan."
"Cool! Let's go!"
So you take a bus with a bunch of kids, parents, and their teachers just 3 hours north and hit 14.


He Huan ShAN


Shan (Mountain). Third tallest Mountain in Taiwan


Unload from the bus and walk to your campsite.


Ummm that's cool. What is that?


Yup it's a greenhouse type dealio. It's also where you'll be sleeping for the night.


Alrighty then...let's set up camp. cha

The Greenhouse in effect...








Camping is good in this hood...


Ms. Chen and her daughter Debby (my neighbors/Landlord). We're tight.


Our camping neighbors.


Star Party 2008


There were so many amazingly huge telescopes&things....people with their laptops and high tech stuff....


But honestly, the best view of the stars could be seen from this homemade telescope....from Lan Tan Elementary School. I lined up at least 3 times to see the stars from this one.


Lan Tan Elementary group


Star Party peeps waiting, hoping, wishing for their lucky number to be called out for an awesome prize....


This was my lucky number (san-jiu-qi). Not.


Ah well this girl was lucky in love...


okay I know the picture should be about the moment...and for me the moment was about...that ring. check out the ring...hilair. Although the night before there was another engagement and the dude set up a slide show showing them at the star party since 2005 and then there were fireworks! What the engagment! It was sweet enough to make one shed a tear or two.


Alas I was lucky to see such beauty...

Tag&Things by EiGht

I've been tagged by the sunshine maker...and so...I write...

8 Tv ShoWs...
1. OPRAH
*the audience is crazy, so are her prizes, and she always says the darndest things.

2. EXTREME MAKEOVER people/homes
*I love before and after things. Although these shows got a little too extreme so...no more



3.PROJECT RUNWAY
* I like to see what people create...sometimes it's amazing....sometimes it's just crazy.

4. THE OFFICE
*Can we just say...awkward, but hilair.

5. TRAVEL CHANNEL W/ IAN Wright
*He is one of the only British dudes I find to be funny.


....and now for some OLd SchooL shows I loved (b/c I ran out of ones for now...I don't really watch tv at the moment)

6. FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR
*hilair family ties

7. THE COSBY SHOW
*that feel good show

8. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE ties with IN LIVING COLOR
*uh...another feel good show.

My friends would make fun of me by making their teeth look like Laura's (a little bucky) and then say, "but pa...". They hated this show...but I didn't care b/c I liked Laura's adventurous character and her will to fight back the bullies mmmmhmmmmmmmm.

On the other hand I couldn't find a decent picture for ILC so LH made the cover.
---------------------------------------------
8 FaVe RetAurants
shoot there are so many great places. These are off the top of my head, but these also hold many fond memories of peeps and the like...but actually the foods pretty divine too.

1. ROYAL INDIA in Sandy
*Love their mango Lassi. Love mango everything. Love the owners (I use to work there ha ha).

2. BOMBAY HOUSE (brother of Royal India)
*many celebrations of great times there.
*a fave: Chicken Tikka Masala medium hot

boneless chicken barbecued in tandoor oven, then cooked with bell pepper, onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, cream and spices

3. LACAI NOODLE HOUSE
*Vermacelli rice noodle with charbroiled pork and egg roll
*or Curry with chicken or shrimp

4. THE KOREA HOUSE
*what can I say...Asia

5. BEITERMAN'S in NH...I think that's how you spell it.
*Freshly baked bread, toasted if you like, and all the best ingredients. I always love a good soup and sandwich. This is not an original... doesn't do justice, but kind of captures the...white deli paper it comes in...

6. THE COMMON MAN in Ashland, NH.
*The best rustic atmosphere and yummy cheese/cracker appetizers

7. A-PU
*Best Hot Pots in Chiayi (J-as in jeep. ia-say it like eye, yi-as in ee). Love hot pots. You can get different soup bases...I usually go for chicken. I've never had this one...but looks inviting.

8. L&L Hawiian BBQ
*gotta have that Polynesian style cookin
___________________________________________________
8 Things That HappeneD yesterday

1. I enjoyed the morning sun through my window
2. I ate breakfast with a friend
3. I rode in the hils with my scooter to catch the sun
4. There was a nice cool breeze
5. A nice old man helped us order lunch under the open hut atmosphere
6. Went to Jongpu Hot Springs...an amazingly good time
7. Had a water pressure massage
8. Sat in a steam bath/sauna dealio and I could have stayed there forever b/c it
felt like all the pollution was being cleansed from my lungs!
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8 things you Look ForWaRd To

1. Hugging my nieces and nephews and catching up when I return home



2. Hugging and catching up with the Socwell sistahs when I return home
Charie (L) was my trainer on the mish. We are bonded for life. She just moved back west and I can't wait to hang out with her awesome fam. Heather (R) the one who tagged me and whom I am also bonded for life!
3. Reuniting with old friends one on one or one huge partay
4. Going back to school for MSW
5. E-mails from friends...as I am a world away
6. Laughing!
7. More unity and love with bros and sistahs around the way
8. More understanding and confidence in the Lord and Father's Plan for me and for all
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8 things on your WisH list

I wish I could krump dance...it's called krumping. It's an evolution from break dancing and it'll leave you without words...but on that note...I would like

1. To travel the world and see its many beautiful people and places

2. To understand Mandarin and sit in sacrament without an interpreter
3. To be an extra in a movie...hee hee...just to be in the background walking around or something...I have practiced this in many of my photos...I think I'll be pretty good at it by the time my chance comes around. Here is an example....
notice anything behind Wesley?


look again....
4. To love more constantly
5. To meet historical men and women who have inspired me through teachers, books I've read, and things I've seen.
6. To attend every important event in my loved ones lives
7. To meet all those whom I could call friend in this life
8. To be a neighbor with all of my friends! I would love it.
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TAG...it's your Eight. Don't feel obligated. Just do it. I mean...tell all or not....no worries...you do not have to add pics or adlib..most people just make a list...I just did it kk style.

1.Brad
2.Brittney M.
3.Sherri S.
4.Rachel M.
5.Betty
6.Pidge
7.Trish
8.Wendy

HappY HaLLoWeeN!

When I first got to schooL the kids couldn't wait to show me their bags full of costumes for Trick-or-Treating! They could not wait to go...they could hardly wait for their naps to be over...most of them couldn't sleep!Tina and Alex Before...



...and AFTER ha ha...love the face. She gets a little shy.



With Alex there is no holding back! Spiderman is the shiz.



Bryan loves "Harry Potter" and will write "HP" BRYAN on all of his papers...



...therefore he is "HP".


Jason and his little sister (mei mei) joined us in their devil and mini mouse wardrobe. Love.



Evan was so proud of his Pirate hat, Steven the beetle, and Michael aka Spiderman...yeah boyeeeeeee!



Fairy face Sophia...so cute.



ummmm Leah the lost Angel? with her upside down wings. She's a babe.



Mommy pics before we hit the road for some Trick-or-Treating! Yahooo!



We had a long walk around the neighborhood and are about to hit our last two spots. A church and a restaurant! Cha! The kids were getting tired, but so happy to be outside (it's always nice to be outside) and getting candy for FREE.99!



kids in their costumes and moms at hand made for a nice Trick-or-Treating adventure.



A little tuckered, but still happy to be out.



Singing "The Witches Brew" while waiting for our candy givers to come out and...give!



A little tribute to BoBo...the kid runnin excitedly to who knows where.



BoBo eyes Leah and...



...goes for it. Until I say, "Ahh BoBo No". Meanwhile Leah's calm nothing remains the same. She was so excited, but the pictures just don't capture her true expression moments before.




OH. okay.




Uhhhh one of the few pics of me...and the kids. I am dressed as an Angel! (Thanks Cindy)

I Drew a Line

Today I had that day dream feeling...when you're ready to sleep only you're outside in a huge open field minus the snakes and other harmful things...and you're stretched out comfortably as you look at the stars feeling happy to just BE...there. And if I were in a video and the background music was Coldplay's Yellow the camera would zoom away from my face as it's turning slowly in circles and then it opens up to me being this tiny speck in a moonlit sky and its light reflects off of everything it touches. Somehow it's as if I have become part of the stars.

Okay, but the funny part is when he sings, "I drew a line, I drew a line for you...." I thought he said, "A truer lie, a truer lie for you..." or something like that. And I thought how could there be a true lie, better yet a truer lie? Ah the things you make up for the lyrics you don't know, but think you know. I could still be off on the right lines. Nevertheless it was always fun to belt out using those exact words. Ahhhh to dream.