Last day in Paradise

We spent the last day hanging out at my host dads school.  The kids are sooooo cute it was way better to fill the blog with their pictures!

They are not allowed to wear their shoes in the class room so they put them all out side.  I would totally grab the wrong ones all the time. These are the boys joes.  

I think they thought I was a bit strange!  Oh well, nothing like freaking out a bunch of kids. 

Probably the cutest boy at the school.  I asked if I could adopt him and bring him back home with me. He seemed game, but I don't think the prents would like that.  

After school we went back and packed.  My dad and Weston showing off their awesome shoes.

Just outside my host families house.  It is such a beautiful place.  I think this is the lot for my future house. 

Our sweet scooters. 

More kids saying goodbye! ADORABLE!

The rest of the day was filled with food and goodbyes.  Our final  meal a feast.  Everyone one had at least two dishes!  For a grand total of 10 dollars to feed 8 people.  

Goodbye Thailand see you again soon! 

Gran Fondo

We got home from Thailand just in time to race!!!  I tried on Friday to run and struggled like crazy to finish my 7 miles.  After walking the last .3 I realized I have been slacking and need to get my butt in gear.  (especially if I am ever going to beat my mom again). 

So, when my dad called me on friday night and asked me if I wanted to do the Grand Fondo I was all in.  My mom wanted me to go slow with her, she is still recovering from her motorcycle crash.  The race was the alpine loop.  I have never just done a bike race so I was up for the experience.  

I woke up a bit late, well two min before the start in Orem, so there was no way to get there on time.  I hoped on my bike and met my mom and dad on the course.  It was such a beautiful day!!!  The weather was awesome! The course was challenging but so pretty I hardly noticed me going up hill.  The race dupport was great too.  I would highly recommend this race.  I will do it again next year and will set two alarms.  

I did end up staying with my mom the whole time.  I was pretty proud of myself for not being competitive.  Well, I was just a bit competitive at the end.  I out sprinted my mom in the last quarter of a mile just so I could say I beat her.  

The race was sponsored by Trader Joes!!! That just made this race even better then it already was.  Oh and the medals are huge and awesome!!!  

Beautified

First part of the day was filled with shopping.   It seems like we did a lot of shopping and we did.  But, how can you pass up super cheap stuff like, 3 dollar shirts and 10 dollar helmets! This is just some of our loot for the day.  Yes those red things are tiger crocs.  Weston got the for his shower shoes for his mission.  

Next it was off to the mall to eat lunch.  I use the term mall very loosely, but they have a great food court.

The last part of the dedicated to being beautified.  First on the list was getting my eye lashes done!! For 30 dollars why not?  I look pretty scarey here but they actually turned out surprisingly good. 

After eyes lashes it was a hai treatment, massages, and waxing!  I felt so pretty after!  My dad and Weston did not participate in this, they rented motorcycles and drove to poo ping palace.  Oh yes that is a real place they took pictures to show us.  

The night market was the next thing on our to do list.  My host mom really dint want us to go.  She told us to look, look, look but no buy, buy, buy.  She told us only white people go there and it is expensive.

The last thing on the to do list was get glasses.  My dad thought they might be cheaper there for him.  He has those expensive progressive lens.  Come to find out they are the same price.  However the trip was not waste.  My mom go perscription sunglasses for 20 dollars and I got some sweet new stlyin' glasses.  My host dad even picked up a pair. 

It only took 1 hour to get the glasses made.  (Why in the world oes it take days in America, when in 3rd world countries it can take an hour?  America needs to get better service!). While we were wilting we found a great shamook place!  

My host mom, her daughter in law Tang and me!

My host parent and Tang.  

My stellar glasses!!!  I look pretty sweet in them.  

It was a super fun filled day!!!!

Myanmar Adventure

Today was a day dedicated to shopping.  We rented a van and met up with Margo and Margie, our new airport friends.  It is four hours to the boarder from chiang Mai.  I would describe Mae Sai like a Tijuana on crack.  It is a blast. 

The deal of the day was this

We will see if it actually works in Utah, fingers are crossed!  I guess it will be a really dumb purchase if hey dont.  There was also a lot of purse, shoe, and accessory shopping.  It was a great day for me.

On the way home we stopped by the white temple in Chiang Rai.  It is totally different from all the others, there is no gold!

Who knows what weston is doing in this picture but we thought the cones were pretty fun.  

Here is the temple.

My dad looking all pretty 

To finish off the day we ate some great home cooked food from my host mom!

Sunday Fun Day

So I might be a couple of days behind, so here we go with Sunday

We started off the day with wonderful church.  I was able to see a couple friends there.  The ward is translated into English by the missionaries.  They it in the back with a microphone and everyone who needs English has headphones.  It is great! 

After church we went shopping at the best maker, wararot.  It is where the thai people shop, so no white people in site.  That means really good prices.  We walked around for a couple hours.  I might be coming home sooner then planned ith they way I am shopping. 

Next it was an adventure to go buy some Silver for my grandma.  I bought some for her last time I was here, and she wanted more.  They only problem is I couldn't find the shop.  After driving around the same dang four books for 30 min we finally found it.  Just our luck it was closed!  I guess we just have to come back. 

Lunch was next.  It had been a whole ten min since we ate last so of course we needed to eat.  Here was the sign outside where we ate.  Anyone need a home expert?

We ate delicious food.  I don't think there is such thing as bad food here. Me and Weston living life!

After lunch we went to a really cool place.  It was a umbrella factory.  They not only make them here they paint them.  They are all hand painted and they are amazing.  

My mom having a jolly good time. 

Here is one of the artists.  Not only do they paint umbrellas they will paint on anything you want.  I had them paint me and Ladd a shirt.  This man is painting ladds tiger.  

Here is the finished products.   All done in about 15 min.  

After the factory it was off to my host brothers in laws house (I hope that makes sense).  His father in law is an artist.  But we also met the grandfather,  he might be the cutet old man ever.  He is making a broom. 

To finh off the day we went to a traditionl thai show.  The show includes tradition northern Thai food (which FYI is way better than my other food in thailand) and dancing.  You sit on the floor and eat all ou want. 

Those stellar things you see in the picture are fresh fried bananas.  

The show showed traditional hill tribes.  These outfits are their traditional dress.  When I first taught here I had students from every single one of these tribes.

My new best friend Margo.  Long story short we met at the airport in Portland and have spent many a hours together.  She seeks Thai!!!!

My mom attempting to dance.  Notice the hands of the Thais and my moms hands.  One is more graceful then the other!  

Me and Weston cheezing it up.

These are hand made out of paper.

Time for a killer workout. 

This is what we look like after a really long day.  

Do What I am Told

This morning we went for a great run though the country.   Again the sweating thing is crazy.  I could collect buckets from my four mile run!!!

The picture is huge and I don't know how to fix it.  

Then it was off to the market to look for a suit coat for Weston.  We didn't find just the right one so it was off to the tailor.  I got a dress my mom got the same dress as me, of course!  And my dad got a baby blue suit and Weston got a blue and purple plaid jacket.  We will see how it all turns out.  Picture to come!

Then this happened....

Went got to hang out with tigers.  First we had to wear the super cool tiger hats.  It would not be a complete trip to Thailand without some weird hat.  

We got to go in the cage with the tigers and take some pretty awesome pictures.  We were able to pet them and lay in them.  Here comes a billion pictures. 

And fancy that I wore just the right shirt for the occasion 

My tiger shirt.  I knew I bought that shirt for a reason. 

Next it was off to food.  My host mom keeps saying that Weston is big size so he is always hungry.  We are constantly being fed food.  

One of my favorites. 

Then another highlight of the day was this...

The elephants painted pictures, played soccer nd basketball, danced and much more.  

Here they are playing harmonica and dancing.  

After the show we were off to ride.  

After the elephants it was time to eat again.  Us big size people can't go more than an hour without eating.  This is one of my favorite markets.  I use to go here with Anchan, Annie, when I lived here.  It was near her house nd they have the best drink stand in all Thailand.  

This is the drink place.  I costs about 30 cents for one.  You bet I got two!!!!

In Thai the drink is called chamook.  I will gain about 20 pounds drinking this stuff and I will love every min!!!!

After a eventful day we went to one more market to eat again of course nd then home.  Can't wait for tomorrow.