Wouldn't ya know

So, my brother-in-law, Scott, was checking out Jericho Road, an LDS man band (they are hardly boys), on their site and he stumbled on a little music video and spotted Nancy and I in it.... A few years back my cousin recruited us when they were filming... I hadn't even seen it and figured it just didn't get anywhere. Turns out I was wrong and we made the cut. haha check it out if you have a minute, we are just in the first few seconds.

Carolina Christmas

Our Christmas in North Carolina was complete with our 

CHRISTMAS TREE

COTTON

& KITTIES (Boots and Smoky)

But we missed Gordon :( Scott and Nancy made it down from Pennsylvania to my mom and Randy's house on Christmas eve and we have had a cozy little time, playing Quiddler card game, watching movies and make-over shows and making tasty food! 

                     Some of the houses in the area aren't really welcoming visitors,, or residents for that matter! Neat for pictures though! 

We went around Engelhard and saw a variety of bird life down town along the Pamlico Sound (Pelicans, Egrets etc.) and even more at Lake Mattamuskeet (Swans and even Beavers and turtles)... Scott says we saw more than we did at Yellowstone.. we are hoping to see a bear!  

Giving Thanks

First we had Thanksgiving....

These are the tiny troops trying to find a seat in Frost and Marie's PACKED basement :)

Grandma's successful call to silence, a plug for us to read our family history books, and assigning of the opening prayer (Gale Davis, asked the blessing on the food and gave thanks)

Todd and I had slaved over these dinner rolls, and they were super tasty! We just quadrupled the recipe. If you want the recipe click here.

          Delicious desserts! And happy family!

And then we really had Thanksgiving...

POMEGRANATES

   for making pomegranate salad :)

Thanks family! Thanks Todd!

For more pictures, please visit : thanksgiving pics

Proposition 8

There is so much at stake with Proposition 8! We must raise our voices and and let the courts know that judicial activism is on dangerous ground in over throwing the will of the people. A redefinition of marriage other than that between a man and a woman is not in our nations best interest. This would add to further confusion and heartache in our families and within our society. As prophets have forewarned calamities upon societies who fail to support the principles outlined in The Family: A Proclamation to the World, we must do our part as a people to support marriage as divine institution between a man and a woman. Voting to support propositions such as Proposition 8 in California is crucial! Vote Yes!

Back in the Saddle

And loving it! Look at my wonderful roommates! I'm loving being back in classes and in fresh mountain air!

Also, a Delicious Gift Idea

Chocolate World- HERSHEY

                               Indonesia is one of the regions

We took this photo of drying Cacao nuts in Bali
                                 

And here is the fruit itself! The out side (that is good to suck on) is slimy and sweet and sour, like a candy, and the bean inside is no good.

Italian Night at the Branch.. the bulletin board

"Bali Hai My Special Island"

OH How we loved exploring the ocean at low tide!!!! Amazing little creatures!

       The beach along the resorts..
A fisherman casting his net.
Suhaila picked up this crab house with a crab who came out to save his home
Heading out to snorkel!

More in Kuala Lumpur

Suhaila, Aaron, Mark, and me with the sunset and our seafood dinner

China town in KL some good shopping and fun bartering mates... 
We first came across the nauseatingly distinct scent of durians in Thailand, I tried a durian flavored popsicle back in Macau and tossed it out real quick... they aren't welcome in the Royale Bintang Hotel either
The butterfly park in KL "Where they stick to you like badges"
At the Batu caves entrance... a Hindu place of worship

Kuala Lumpur

Suhaila and I fed the monkeys on monkey mountain... and they climbed all over us :)
We enjoyed a seafood dinner along a mangrove lined river...surprisingly delicious
The KL towers

Thailand Continued

Snorkeling gear around the Phi Phi Islands

                                              Maya Bay (the most beautiful soft sand beach yet :) 

one of these days I will post a short video for how 

we got there)
Ko Phi Phi
Our Elephant ride on a T-shirt that Suhaila bought

Adventures from THAILAND - May 2008 Vacation

                             

At the Temple

                                             
The Grand Palace (part of it :) in Bangkok
  Mangosteens at the weekend market... Fabulous little fruits!
    Railay Bay, Krabi

Queeny and Heather's trip to the beach

Hac Sá Beach

"This beach with fine black sand is located on the east coast of Coloane. There are barbecue pits, surfboards for hire, and one of Macau's most famous restaurants, Fernando's, available here. The Hac Sá Sports & Recreation Complex contains an Olympic-sized pool, tennis and basketball courts, and a children's playground."

My friend Queeny and I went to this beach for a few hours this morning. Queeny is a friend of mine from mainland China. She works at the front reception. This was her first visit to the beach ever!! She said "I'm like a country girl." We played frisbee, also a first for Queeny, ate pbj sandwiches (another first). It was a lot of fun! Queeny was concerned sometimes when I would run toward the waves, but for the most part she seemed quite content and pleased with her newly encountered surroundings! She said that she will go there when she feels down from now on :) and she could, it is only a 10 minute bus ride for less than $1.00!

Happy Birthday RS with an international flare

We had a Relief Society 166th birthday celebration in the Branch tonight (Saturday April 5) We put on a short program with a script and some hymns, the theme was "A Song of the Heart", I arranged the musical selections, and they almost made me sing it all, but I worked it so that I only sang solo for one hymn, It was all very pleasant. Then we had a dinner where all the sisters brought different dishes from their various cultures and countries: Thailand, Indonesia, Macau (portuguese), America. We then had some entertainment from all the different countries. I sang our national anthem, some did dances like a sweet woman from Africa. My friend Kim who works with me at the Venetian joined us and she sang a christmas carol that is unique to Canada to add to the variety show! Dana, another friend from work joined us too and we had a lovely evening. The food was pretty scrumptious as well!