Umm I don't think so

Joe took over 300 pictures of his trip to China and of all of the pictures of the Great Wall, and Tineman Square and the Forbidden City-- this was the one that stood out the most to me. And no your eyes are not deceiving you -- this is a toilet in the floor. Let me repeat-- in the floor...

Now this may not be a surprise to some of you more well traveled folk but when he told me this was in all of the public places and that you have to squat-- I said oh no--- I can't even do that in nature. And something tells me if I can't do it ---then there is a high proportion of the millions and millions of people in China that have similar aim issues. I went back through the pictures and started looking at the backs of the pants of people just to see-- okay that is a joke-- just seeing if you are still reading.....

Oh boy-- this would have my IBS in an uproar

Almost home

Tonight 9:30 pm, the long awaited return of my hubby-- I can't wait- I think I will surprise him with a dinner Thursday night- take out from Li's Chinese restaurant-- think he will like that? -- I bet he will not want to hear the word Chinese for about 6 months.

And I will try not to embarrass him with this little story--but today he told me he was ready to come home after the 3rd or 4th day, and I had to tell him -"it was day 2 that you emailed me and said you were ready to come home", and that is okay with me--because I beat him-- I wanted him home an hour after he left.

I have to say I will miss being spoiled a little bit. I have not had to think of one dinner this entire week -- it has been planned for me, Payten picked up and dinner ready- okay I tell a story--I did make a dinner one time for everyone just because I couldn't officially mooch the whole time, but I know that it was not expected. ----Mindy and Brad-- do you think we can just start including Joe-- but still spoil me -:)

Actually, I really say all of this just to say --thank you for including Pay, Carter and I, in your plans each night just like we were Horners, and insisting that we be there. And a special little thanks to Brad for the Peppers--UMMMMM - I can't get enough of those.

I am really lucky because I had many offers for help from all of my friends and my mom and I really appreciate all the offers and all the calls to check on me, it is nice to feel cared for when the one person you care about the most is 7,000+ miles away. So thank you so much to everyone.

Now all I can say is Jet plane(s) bring him home!!

The Fun of October

When I was growing up I remember always looking forward to the month of October. I love the weather cooling down, the leaves changing colors, home football games, wearing comfy sweatshirts, fall festivals. It is one of my favorite times of year-- I love it about as much as I love summer time.

Now that I am older I still love those same things about fall, but I have also recently added another thing to my list of things I love about October-- people kinda expect you to look funny-- you can get away with wearing just about anything. Last weekend the kids got away with wearing blue hair-- on a random day just for the fun of it. Some lady at Walmart said "oh looks like someone's been to a festival", I just played if off and said-- "yeah...." here are some pics from the rock star style..

Foreign Language Lessons: Taught by Payten Brown

When Payten was in kindegarten she taught me a quick spanish lesson before going to the circus, I was stressing a little because I was assigned to a spanish speaking little girl, and spanish speaking I am not...

Lesson # 1
Me: "Payten what am I going to do with Fernanda I don't know how to speak spanish"

P8n: "You can count to 10 in spanish"

Me: "A lot of good that is going to do me"

P8n: "I know something else in spanish"

Me: "What"

P8n: "Sietaday" (Commentary: no clue how to spell this, just spelling the way she said it)

Me: "What does that mean?"

P8n: "Sit down"

Me: "Great so I can count to 10 and say sit down all day to her"

P8n: "yep"

Tonight we had another opportunity for a lesson, this time in chinese. When I called the front desk of the Hotel to ask for Joe's room, they told me they could not understand me when I asked for room 605-- so I hung up the phone frustrated- then Payten taught me my next lesson--

Lesson #2
P8n: "I want to talk to daddy"

Me: "Me too but they didn't understand me"

P8n: "I have an idea; call them back and say Kaneechee baba, then say I want room six 'o' fy"

Me: "What is Kaneechee baba?"

P8n: "I don't know just call them and say that and then ask for room six 'o' fy, I think that will work"

Remind me to take Payten on my next international trip-- she is a big help :)

So much like my....

Today on they way home from school Payten said to Carter "You are just like your Mommy and I am just like my Daddy" so I was thinking about it and I think she is right see below........

While eating Popcorn
Payten and Daddy eat one piece at a time
Carter and Mommy eat a handful at a time-- while Payten and Daddy GRIPE

In public
Joe and Payten shy away from strangers
Carter points out the majorly hairy guy at swim and says "Look at him", my mom has plenty of similar embarrassing stories from me too

What we eat
Payten and Daddy --boiled eggs, gizzards and veggies
Carter and Mommy-- Meat, potatoes and sweets

Analness (is that a word?)
Joe very-- Payten's teacher told us she is very particular at school (not so much at home always)
Carter and Mommy-- NOT

Our ethics
Joe and Payten-- would rather not talk if it is not the truth
Mommy-- swore to my mom when I was a kid that I didn't carve -- MY NAME in that window sill (Mom I really did) -- Carter swore tonight that the Bed post turned on the fan -- he watched it do it. Okay so at least this is one I have grown out of --we will have to work on Carter

For Stephie--

Just for you Stephie--I have added the song to my playlist-- good reminiscing!! and it would not be the same without a good reminiscing picture.....

7 more hours of flight

Only 7 more hours until the plane lands. It sucks to not be able to talk to Joe ALL NIGHT LONG... so I sit here and blog in my misery :) while he probably rests on his last half of the flight. It was hard to explain to the kids that they can't talk to daddy tonight. And tomorrow can't come soon enough-- and when tomorrow does come only 7 days left.

So Joe I hope you check my blog while you are gone and if so here is a little message for you. 我想念您，仓促家

Have someone there translate it for you --but I can't be held responsible for anything it says- if it is something bad-- I used an online translator-- and you never know with those things