Updates anyone?.......November in a nutshell.

Sanxia

Again, I feel the need to apologize. Yes, I am woefully behind with my blog writing. I'm telling you, it's as if after I come back from the states, I'm rendered...speechless? Well, not quite, but my urge to write and to update is severely curtailed, and I can't explain why. However...I will do my best to bring everyone up to speed and continue to do so with more regular postings.
I wrote my last post in November, which as many of you know is the month of ME. Yes. My birthday month. It is also the month that we give thanks (yes, not ALL about me...though I'm sure everyone is giving thanks for me right? I kid, I kid....), so once again this year we held a Thanksgiving celebration where we had turkey, all the fixing's, sushi, decadent desserts and MMMM. Mouth watering goodness. Seriously good stuff. In between? Well, see for yourself.  Let's start at the beginning of November and I'll walk you all through the minutiae that is our lives. Brace yourselves.
Let's start with my leg massage-er. My husband, in his infinite wisdom, gave me incentive as well as the freedom of choice to pick out an item as a way to celebrate my 30 lb weight loss. In addition...it's my Birthday month. (In case you forgot). Although Wyatt was trying out multiple items, I went with the machine not being used in the below picture. This little thing is amazing. I mean, foot, calf rubs/heat- it's incredible. Seriously. I can't even describe how good. I'll stop now before this post starts getting weird/uncomfortable. Come on over an try it for yourself.

Next up? Let's just say this month was full of creativity and activity. Cue: Soap-making/Sanxia tour. Oh yeah. You read that right. The local community center has some cool trips, so I signed myself up for a day of adventure. So fun. (Am I captivating you with my heavy duty descriptive detail? So fun? So pathetic. This is why I need to write RIGHT after I do something. My apologies.)
P.S. No one will be receiving handmade soap as gifts. That I can promise you. 

 

Hand carved post at the temple.

The tools. da da da da duuuuum......

Adding in the scented herbs.

Filling the molds

The finished product.

We of course fit in a date night at Brown Sugar. All jazzy and cool and stuff. Much like us.

 

 WHAT? YOU don't take  Chinese Brush Painting classes? PSHHH.Well that's just ridiculous. I've sooooo been there done that baby. Check it off the bucket list.

My November hike through the Center. I'm telling you, November was awesome!!!

Thanksgiving! We are blessed with friends who are like family- we had a great time of fellowship and eating of course. 

The frazzled mess that I am.

Mini apple pies

Thanksgiving!

Desserts!!!

    

   

Carve it Baby!

Our impromptu overnight getaway to Taoyuan. I'll have to post more pics that Will took from this trip. It was very cool- We took the High Speed Rail down, went to the Anping Fort, traveled the markets, saw this incredible tree house.... It was awesome. I'll find the pics so you can see it for yourself. FOUND THEM!!!

This my friends, was a November to remember. 

Continuing Saga of the Pumpkin Patch

I have some incredible friends- I am MAJORLY blessed. Lord knows it's hard to find close friends, and to find them on the other side of the world..well, it's pretty awesome. That being said, one of these awesome girlfriends who has lived here a while has a knack for where to go, local spots, what have you...or at least knows who to ask to find these cool places. She had received an email regarding this "pumpkin patch" in Yilan, so we decided to call it an adventure Saturday and see what, if anything this place had to offer. Now upon hearing pumpkin patch, I got pretty jacked up. I told you that was one of the things I missed. Apparently sensing my palpable excitement through my text, she basically told me to calm down, 'cause we weren't there yet.- So I settled myself down a bit, while not fully resigning myself to the fact that it was going to be a bust. The outcome? Somewhere in the middle. The place had the potential for coolness, I just think we got there a bit late....I mean in all fairness Halloween is today and we only went Saturday. Either way the kids enjoyed it, we got to go for a drive, get another pumpkin, get some photo ops with hanging guords and um...well, explore another piece of Taiwan that we had not yet disovered. Nothing shabby about that!

 

Pumpkin Picking in Taiwan

With the weather cooling, leaves changing and endless Facebook posts about pumpkin spice lattes, I know that Autumn has arrived. Naturally Halloween soon follows, which requires the annual hunt for a pumpkin. In Virginia we would go to the pumpkin patch, pick some apples, drink hot cider, eat caramel apples and drool over savory hot old fashioned cinnamon donuts. MMMMMMMM.

In Taiwan we do this.

1) Walk to the upscale supermarket that has ridiculously marked-up imported goods. 

2) Deliberate over the endless choices. (See box)

3) Smile at mom so we can check off this annual photo. Consider it checked.

4) Throw it in the cart and go. Total Time: 35 seconds

I am not even exaggerating when I write that it took 35 seconds. That is what occurs when the boys are in charge. I swear I glance at the produce for 2 seconds and there's a pumpkin in the cart. Seriously? I had to make Wyatt pose in front of the box, because I literally missed it. 

Oh well.- There are so many perks about living here I guess I shouldn't quibble. But you ALL know I will anyway.

Date Nights that Rock

Yeah. Not us. 

antique in question

Every girl likes to dress up. Particularly when it's a new dress with a little bit of tulle. It just make you feel... pretty. And I like to feel pretty. This leopard printed dress I wore was (FAABULOUS) for the annual Community Center Auction where there was plenty of Food, Drink more drinks and just Buying/bidding on cool stuff. You know what they say, when in Rome.....(What exactly does that mean?) Anyone?? I guess this is where google comes in handy. Anyway. I attend these functions, and "lightly" pressure my husband to accompany me, his beautiful wife because when we move back, this will not be our reality. THIS..these auctions, dinners and other crazy cool things we go to? THIS is not reality. I want to relish it as long as possible. Plus, refer to above, I like to dress up and I like to buy stuff. I even bought a red lipstick. Again, an instance which google was helpful.
*Rabbit Trail--- I wanted a red lipstick, because I wanted to look A) Different B)  Like Gwen Stefani. I accomplished one of the above, but I will leave 'which' to your imaginations. *Defining Moment of the evening: My ego was a bit crushed when Wyatt said I looked like a clown. Alas, at that point apparently I was disillusioned enough to think I was in the B category. I quickly recovered and happily left him with his beloved sitter.
The Auction was held at the Grand Hyatt. There was good food, entertainment, and fun items to bid on (even girl scout cookies). Naturally the night also entailed me hovering over coveted items  and getting all bent out of shape at the not-so-secret- silent auction. Will and I did score an amazing piece though..and I actually think it's a genuine antique. Really Will- it is....I swear.

The following weekend we headed out again to Oktoberfest. I know what you're thinking. Really?! Oktoberfest in Taiwan? LAME. Contrar my dear friends. Picture this. Large German man flown in from Germany, whose sole purpose is to ' act a fool' and pull as many people into his wicked web of crazy as possible. Mission Accomplished. One doesn't need to be drinking to join in...though a beer or two does help. The guy is a nut job...carrying around his horn, dancing, sweating, drinking, singing......good times. at the end of the night he pulls some hapless girl into his arms swinging her around, dancing, then proceeds to take his shirt off....and well. it's not pretty. Yes. That girl was me. That's all I'm saying about it. What happens at Oktoberfest, stays at Oktoberfest. I am nonetheless slightly scarred from the experience. Did I by chance mention the food? Troughs. Troughs of MMMMM. And pretzels. Some as big as Will's head. And my friends..we all know that's a big pretzel. Love you babe.