Big Buddha and Tao O (Hong Kong, August 2010 Trip)

So I am determined to finally catch up on the blog...we'll see if that happens. Especially considering the fact that I am still working on some of our wedding and this month will be our 8 month anniversary, but I will do it!! But first lets look at some fun things that I had already started. Here is one of our days from our trip to Hong Kong back in August. We decided to make a trip to see the Big Buddha and then take a bus to see a true fishing village and attempt to see the pink dolphins.

Here we are taking the railcars up to the Big Buddha. This trip alone took about 20 minutes going over the ocian and mountains.

Dustin is excited!! This is a common occurrence however, which is so fun!
The view from the railcar.
more pretty view...
Our first glimpse!! There it is!!
I was nice and didn't put all the photos that I took at this point. I have to admit I was a bit excited about seeing the Buddha. I was excited to see something very cultural that you don't see it America, as opposed to the sky scrapers that are the city.
We're off and heading toward Buddha!
Trying to fit in with the Chinese Tourists....

Just one of the gates you pass by to get to Buddha.


Time for the real journey. I was impressed by all of the elderly who were climbing these stairs.
Ok, to all of Lantao (one of the Islands that make up Hong Kong, this one has the Buddha and the airport on it) had tons of these tress, but man they were so cool!!!
Stopping for a bit of food!! We ate Beef Noodles...not bad!!
The front of the Monastery that is next to Buddha.

Back to Buddha....
Yeah...Buddha and I go way back....



View from the top of Buddha
One of the statues that surround Buddha, they were there the day he was born and everywhere he stepped a Lotus Flower grew.
Cool views from around. I must admit that I was a bit less excited once I found out that Buddha was not old...but was built in 1996. I like OLD things....just once again showing that there if very few things that are old in Hong Kong. But still totally worth the trek.

Looking out towards the bay. It was SO beautiful out there.



Then we hopped on a bus and Headed for Tao O. Here is a picture of some of the things they were trying to sell....and keep in mind that those are REAL flow fish....and it smelled like old fish everywhere we went.
ON the boat to go find the pink dolphins!! I have to admit that this was the thing I was most excited about seeing, even though we know that on these less expensive boat trips they are rarely seen since you don't go very far out or for very long, but hey, it was still exciting! If anything toe boat ride was really neat and to see the fishing village from another perspective.

All of the homes were built on stilts. This was really neat to see how they made their homes aout of anything, and how they know how to preserve and make use out of everything. And it also made me truly grateful for all that we have been blessed with. Like a nice warm home.
More views of the village from the boat.

Out sailing around the island. There were some fish that were like a flying fish or something that keps skipping across the water and every time Dustin got really excited and would yell "Hey look!" Which almost gave me a heart attack because I thought I'd missed the pink dolphins! But the fish were really cool too :)

That was a really neat day. It was the perfect day, just what was exciting. A bit of culture, a bit of the out doors and some quality time with the husband!!

Powder Puff the 2nd

If you remember last year before Dustin and I were dating, I organized the ward Powder Puff game. And those of us who really know the story know that this was the turning point where Dustin really decided that he couldn't live without me, because of my mad football skills.

But apparently the ward enjoyed it so much that they decided to do it again this year. And of course the founder was invited, despite the marital status. And so we had the privilege or waking up early on Saturday in the freezing cold and going and rolling around in the mud. I love football.

Here we are getting instructions from the refs. I have to admit that I was a bit of a stinker this year and might have lost my temper maybe 2-3 times....just maybe.

Here we are during a time out discussing our plays.
Jessica trying to set up the field. I must admit that we rocked the 2nd half, between Jessica and I. I LOVE defense. There is nothing better then pulling those flags, unless you get the flag, but you also grab their belt and so you rip up your hand instead of getting the flag and so they still get 6 yards called on you.... ridiculous flags!!
Getting the next play from coach.....
all ready to go and dominate on some defense!!
So the best thing was we caught up and tied the game at 14-14 with Jessica making an awesome running play and then they got the ball with 6 minutes left and we held them, until the last play where there was some controversy, but according to the call and the Refs, Jessica stopped them at the 1 yard line and the game ended in a tie.

Next year....next year. Here is the team!!

And it was muddy, but not nearly as bad as last year. I think just because the ground was super frozen still...
Sisters!! Yes, we like to think we're hard core :) Sometimes....

Mother Daughter Shopping Extravaganza

If anyone has ever wondered what we do together as mother daughter and how we spend our time....have no fear!! This blog will fulfill every wish and dream.

So mom and I both had a day off last week and we were both in DESPERATE need, and I mean DESPERATE need of groceries. We had gone down to South Carolina for Thanksgiving and so mom and I both had not gone seriously grocery shopping in a long time. It was so bad that Josh, little Josh, said there was nothing in the freezer....and he was right. It literally took me 30 minutes of some serious searching when we were visiting mom and dad's to watch the Ohio State game to find anything to make. So off to the commissary mom and I went. This place is like a grocery shoppers haven, unless you are buying sale items. I can get for a regular price my favorite Tostitos Limes Chips at Giant here for 3.99, but at the commissary it was 2.19. I needed some cumin, which is normally about $4-5 at Giant, but I got the exact same thing for $1.99 instead. So this is where I get mom to take me when I know it is time to restock. And they even come with large grocery carts, like COSTCO size grocery carts. And mom filled hers until things were falling off whenever she turned. And that was with some serious planning by doing the cans and non perishables first so as to fit more. Like I said, this was a serious grocery shopping trip.
It took us 30 minutes to get rung up at the cash register, and that is seriously not an exaggeration. and the best part of all was that we drove mom's Mini Cooper!!! If you ever wanted to know what $600 of groceries looked like in a Mini Cooper we will also fulfill that wish at this moment!!Now you have to also imagine what it is like with my feet on top of groceries and groceries in my lap as well...and the box of Triscuits that continued to attack me throughout the drive to mom's. And then we went back to mom's and switched cars so we could run to COSTCO since it was the first day of coupons and we needed some things from there. It was quite the day.

But the best part was me getting home and carrying all the groceries up the stairs...and then trying to figure out where to put all the groceries on our little apartment and even smaller kitchen with only one cupboard. So just imagine a very very packed freezer...I had to take everything out and rearrange it multiple times to get it all to fit, and then pack the fridge, and then I had to come to the cupboard....cue visual aid.

And there you have it. That is multiple layers of food, and food stacked on top and food in our bellies :)

THE Beard Pictures!!!

So awhile back the husband went on a long trip and so while he was gone he thought he'd take a break from shaving. If I wasn't there complaining about the scruffiness and he already had the wife hooked, why not just see what it looks like?? Right??

So of course for your viewing enjoyment and pleasure I am providing you with the beard progression pictures. Besides Dustin is at work and I finally have a day off, and he told me to do what I wanted!! I love him!!

Here is the beginnings of the beard....

Here he is again, as you can see it is beginning to take a bit of shape now. You can tell what he's going for at least. Ok, so pictures from the same day, but I can't help it, dolphins!! And pretty trees!! So both included also for your viewing pleasure.See what you get from reading our blog?? Awesome beard pictures, AND beautiful scenery!! What else could one ever ask for? And not to mention my hilarious whit. Here he is sporting even more of the scruffiness. Oh my husband where have you gone??

One more picture of the growth before I met him at the airport.

So after walking off the airport and seeing this

man I hardly recognized and even though I love and missed him a lot, the beard didn't last long, at all. It came off that night. But the best part is he let me shave it off in stages.

So now you can all take a vote on what type of beard best suits him and your favorite as you see the progression to the clean shaven man we all know so well.....

The shot right before the creativity began....

My attempt at a curly cue...or a "J" as it turned out....
More fun designs. Can you see how excited he is about all of this?
Ah....much better. I actually think this isn't so bad...if it wasn't so frustrating to kiss though. It hurts!! Or I'm just a wimp.And another shot....
Half way there...My personal favorite, the handlebar. I told Dustin he needed to spice up the pictures a bit more...he is so good at helping me out!
And there is that smile!!
Does he look more intelligent?
And....There he is!! Yeah!! And thanks for putting up with my currently silly mood!! He's so great!!

Family Photo Shoot

So a few weeks ago Jessica wanted to have a family photo shoot and so we had to coordinate for the 30 min that one of us doesn't have church on Sundays, but it all worked out. And you will see the results below in typical Shepherd/Hinton Fashion.

Yes below is the incredibly handsome Hintons. The funny thing was I cut Dustin's hair the next day or the day after we took these pictures. I accidentally slipped and very lovingly called him "Wolf Man"....But man he's cute!

Of course the girls...trying to be all creative and balance on the fence, Sarah didn't like it much.
The "girls" as we always refer to them as. Sometimes that made me wonder what that made me??
And "The boys" in like fashion. Same thing.....what does that make Nate and Matt?? Men?? Nah!!!
They were insistant on taking a picture with the "unwedded children"
Grandma, our photographer jumping in for a few!!
Who then got attacked!
ALL the Girls! Or Ladies??
Mom and the daughters.....
I was trying to smile and be sexy but dad said I looked silly....he should have known that the serious pictures were over by giving that comment.....And yet Sarah doesn't seem to want to join in the fun! So you have to impel her to make a weird face!

All the men!!! We were sort of proud that our wedding provided the tie color for the pictures, until we learned that the green tie from the wedding is the only tie Josh owns, well two of the same kind. He somehow inherited Nate's....

And all together now!!

These pictures make me miss the beautiful fall weather we were so blessed with!! Now it is just cold!!! And not even snowy!!

Chillin in DC

Dustin had Thursday off last week and so we decided to have a bit of fun and get out. So we put our bikes on the back of our car, packed a picnic and headed downtown. We biked around the Mall, the weather couldn't have been more perfect!! Went through the American History Museum and just enjoyed going to the monuments. We seriously recommend that this is the best way to see DC, on bikes. There are tons of paths and sidewalks so you are never lacking in places to ride, and you get to everything super fast and can take it at a leisurely pace and see everything much faster.

Here we are on the banks of the Potomac eating our dinner, then we played "Rook" which I kept trying to beat Dustin, but kept getting trashed. And Dustin always brags about me always winning.....this trip totally disproves that hypothesis!!
We also brought the football and threw it around for a bit, just enjoying the great weather!
Here we are biking down the middle of the Mall. I also took this shot for Melanie for her Humanities Architecture lecture. Don't worry Melanie, I got more, and have began collecting tons for you!
This was an old 1950s Chicago CTA railcar that was in the American History Museum.
And Dustin made a friend. He is so good that way. :)
The more Dustin and I spend time together the more we realize just how much we are meant for each other. We even like to see Museums the same way.....attack with precision. We can only handle about 1-2 hours at a museum, so see what you want to see and get out.