Hong Kong!

Every year there is an annual INTA meeting where patent and trademark attorneys meet and attend courses.  This year Jeff decided he wanted to go so that he could make contacts with other attorneys throughout the world.  This is a great opportunity since patents are often filed in more than just one country so having good foreign associates is a key Jeff wanted to tap into.  The conference ran over Mother's Day and my birthday so it was really nice that Jeff decided to take me along too ;).  It was good to be away with him, but also great to see the conference, help promote him, as well as remember how much work goes on during a conference. 

I was able to arrange meetings with other attorneys while we were there.  We met people from Africa, Chili, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Oman, and more!  It was great to meet with others who have the same type of common goals!  We met with almost 15 different people during the first 2 days.  Just that part was exhausting in itself.  The last day we attended a breakfast for solo/duo attorneys.  That was great because it was such a nice relaxed atmosphere with other similar attorneys to make contacts with as well!

On our last day, Wednesday, we went out to lunch with an attorney from Australia and his wife.  That was really fun.  Then we rode the ferry across the harbor and went to a local market.  I can't say that we had a great time seeing Hong Kong since we didn't see too much of it.  We did start to get used to the metro system and walking paths.  It is amazing how many people are out on the streets.  Everyone lives so close together too!  Life is different in Hong Kong.  I think my favorite parts while there was the bakery shops and the beautiful skyline pictures!  The parts I really appreciated coming back to America for was the amazing air conditioning, my comfortable bed, US electrical system wattage - my curling iron actually gets hot!

Here are some pictures of our trip!

The Grand Hyatt Hotel.  Right next to the convention center.  We met a guy here one day.  It had awesome wifi :)

Out to dinner for my birthday.  We found a nice Argentine Steak house (long story about dinner).  The food was amazing, even if it was pricey. 

My handsome dinner date!

Our food

We ended up eating at McDonald's a couple of times.  This one was right off the main walking path.

The buildings.  It was so strange to see these old apartment buildings next to these nice new buildings.  Everything is so close together ... it feels so crazy.

View from the ferry

Night view of the sky line.  I love the way the light reflected up onto the clouds.

Looking over the roadway from the walking path.

Hong Kong airport

Hong Kong island.  I loved that boat with the red sails!

Riding the ferry

view from the ferry :)

More night views

Some high end shopping we walked by on the way to temple market

More day views of the skyline

The cool trees along the road

Not sure the next time we will make it to Hong Kong, but it was a neat experience, even if we are still recovering from the 13 hour time change!

Art and Friends!

For the month of April we had the privilege of working with our friends for a small art class.  Sister Cooper came and taught our kids and she was so sweet with them!  The kids learned so much and had a great time.  We also had the chance to participate in an end of year swim party with most of the same friends.  I love the great people we get to work with and that our friends get to play with!

Here is the swim party pictures :)

Sandra and Bree

Lining up to dive

Art final water color pictures!  Grant ;)

Talmage

Sandra

The storm clouds that moved in the last day of art :)

Our art class the last day.  

End of Soccer

Soccer has finally come to a close for the season.  I am worn out, but the boys had a great time :).  The boys last game was today.  Grant was goalie the last two games.  Two weeks ago Talmage scored a goal.  Even though they never won a game they did come close and they were actually playing like a team by the end of the season.  I am very proud of my older boys for how hard they worked and how hard they played during the games!

  

Clark's last soccer day was last week.  The grandparents were in charge of the kids that day so they got to go help out at soccer and see Clark play.  They only did the one day of scrimmage for the little kids, but Clark really just enjoyed learning soccer and doing the drills too.  He is so focused during soccer!  It has been so good for Clark to be out in a group and learning a sport.  I am so proud of him and how much he has learned and accomplished!  

Here are some pictures of Clark the last week we were out with him.  They were out doing drills and had different obstacles to go through before they got to go kick their ball in the net.  

Here he is kicking the ball!

Jumping off the stools!

Good action shot of a goal!

Lorna... wanting to be like Clark!

Stepping in the rings!

Zig zagging through the poles

Yay for soccer!

2 Year Old Baby Bug!

Some how it has been 2 years since our little bug was born!  I can't believe how big she is getting.  We no longer have a little baby in the house.  She is so smart that she doesn't act like a baby.  It's so easy to try to be like all of those older siblings :(.  It's a good thing she still looks young and that she likes to cuddle :).  She really is growing up too fast!  

For her birthday we had family over and opened presents and ate cake. Lorna really got into opening her presents.  After she was done with the last one she said "more?"  It was adorable!  She loved all of her presents!  Here she is opening some of them...

She sat on Daddy :)  Too cute!

Snake

Necklace

Crown

Water shooter

All of her fun goodies!  

I made a strawberry cheesecake poke cake for her birthday.  Here she is blowing out the candles.  Jeff helped a little bit, but she did so good ;)

YUM!

All fancy :)

We love our little bug and are so happy she has blessed our family for 2 years!

Cattle Roping

Our kids recently got jump ropes from an Easter get together.  They have had so much fun with them.  I think the first day they used them as jump ropes, but after that they invented cattle roping!  They use our little tykes car and drag it around the col-de-sac like they have roped a steer.  It has been fun to watch, even if it is really loud!

Here is Sandra with her "catch" :). 

Ready to bring out the cattle!

Grant trying it out with the tricycle!  

Kids are so creative!  I am always so surprised with what they think up!