Flight, Food, & Family

 My continuing guest blogger, Hannah (Editor's words)
We headed north of Seattle to the Boeing 787, 777 & 747 Assembly Plant Tour.

Today we left the hotel around 7:30. We woke up early to eat breakfast. Then we drove to the Boeing Factory. We took a tour on the factory. It was really interesting.

We were able to see airplanes under various stages of assembly.  The building has a moving assembly line where it moves a few inches a minute. The planes are all side by side and looks so small in the huge building.

The Boeing building is ginormous! It can fit all of  Disneyland and it's parking put together.

After the tour we went to the research lab and took tests on how the 2 different cabins were. At the end we were supposed to pick someone's seating card and I was chosen to pick and I apparently chose myself. Everyone was laughing. I got a gift card to the Boeing store $15.00.

She got to pick the winner and it was herself!

I learned some new things, like the engines are located on the wings and the wings are filled with fuel.

One plane costs around $350,000,000 and that's without engines and seats.

Engines are an additional $50,000,000

I got some stuff like an airplane wallet, stylist/pen, and some postcards. Next we went out to Z's Burgers. I got a hot dog. It was all cut up and put on to a patty like a burger. It was weird looking.
Then we drove to Vancouver. There was traffic so it took even longer. Once we passed the border there was even more traffic. It took about an 1 hour and 30 min.

Z's Burgers Coke collection

Then we finished and got to 3-Goo-Po's house. We were so happy to finally get here.
I really wanted to come see the twins ever since I heard that Matthew's cousin, Stacy was pregnant. 

Emily and cousin Bryce connected quickly.

Tate (in the back, Bryce's older brother by 2 minutes) took a while to warm up.

Buddy, a doberman pincher, likes all kids.

We unloaded our things and ate dinner with Auntie Stacy, Uncle Sherman, Uncle Terry, Tate, Bryce, 5- Sook Goong, 5 Sum Po, 3-Goo-Po and 3-Goo-Goong. We had delicious food. It was yummy.

Always a feast at the Tang's.

 Both Bryce and Tate LOVE their grandpa (aka 5-Sook Goong).

The twins with their grandpa, 5-Sook-Goong.

 Tate even favors his Goong Goong over everyone, even his parents.

Of course, if your Goong Goong lets you get away with things like using the glass lazy-suzy as a merry go round you'd prefer him too.

Then Dabby, Jj, Uncle Sherman, Auntie Stacy, and I went to the mall to get a SIM card (for my phone). Then we went to the house and went to sleep.

-Mui Mui Blogs

Space, Locks and Chocolate

My continuing guest blogger, Hannah. (Editor's words)

The Space Needle

Today we left the hotel around 10:30. We drove to the Space Needle in downtown Seattle. We took an elevator all the way up to the top. The elevator was so fast! We went up to the Sky City restaurant to eat lunch. I noticed that the floor was moving. The floor was moving because you can take a chance to go around all the windows to see the whole view.

The amazing 360 degree view from the top. The weather was perfect! Clear and bright!

The lady let us sit at the window. The view was amazing. I ordered from the kids menu and I got space noodle pasta with a side of fries. The pasta was shaped like the Space Needle. It was so cool to see that. I saw that kids wrote notes on paper and placed them on the window so other people can respond back to them or read them.

Hannah's space needle pasta.

Emily's Octopus dog mac n cheese.

Picture taken inside...

...and outside of the space needle!

After we finished lunch we went outside to look at the view. Then we went to the gift shop and bought 2 bags of space noodle pasta. Then we left and went to the Ballard Locks. We saw 5 boats/kayakers pass through the locks.

The locks allows vessels to move back and forth from one water elevation to another. The water level of Puget Sound is lower than Salmon Bay.

Vessels enter the lock and the gates close behind the vessels. Through gravity, the lock drains the water.

Freshwater of Salmon Bay meets the saltwater of Puget Sound at the locks. Depending on the tides, there can be a 6 to 26 ft difference between fresh and salt water.

When the water pressure is the same on both sides of the gate, the upstream gates open. Vessels exit. The process is reversed for a downstream lockage from Salmon Bay into Puget Sound.

 They raise and lower water levels in the locks as needed to allow vessels to lock through.

It's like an elevator for boats.

The Locks are also a place for the migrating salmon pass through. Mature salmon returning through the fish ladder are returning to the river, stream or hatchery where their journey began 3-5 years ago.

Smolts go with the flow here, tail first.

 These slides (the tubes) help juvenile salmon, called smolts, migrate into Puget Sound from Lake Washington.

When mature, salmon and steelheads leave the sea and work their way back up their spawning ground. The smell of the water flowing into the ocean from the river or stream helps them to find their way.

a steelhead

After that we went to the Theo Chocolate Factory. We took a tour and had to wear blue hair nets. We learned where chocolate came from and how it was made. We went into the factory place and saw people working. It was so so hot. It was like 100 degrees in there.

In Seattle we decided to check out some other things we didn't do there yet. One of which was a chocolate factory tour. Theo Chocolate Factory is located in Seattle. They are the only Fair for Life chocolate company which means from  farming to distribution, every worker gets fair and comparable wages and benefits.

A cacao tree

 They get their beans from three places: Congo (the earthy flavored chocolate) Dominican Republic (the buttery flavored chocolate) and Peru (fruity flavor).

Cacao pods grow from the stem of the tree since its the strongest point on the tree. Pods can grow to be the size of a football.

It takes a few pods to make just one yummy tasting chocolate bar!

A cool creation..

The US Standards of making chocolate are lower than Theo's. US standards for milk chocolate is only 10% of cacao. For dark, it needs only 34%. At Theo, they make their milk chocolate with a minimum of 40% and their dark has 70% cacao. We saw all the machines and the processes that the beans goes through to turn cacao into chocolate. We were able to sample their truffles and caramels and other specialty chocolates.

flying chocolate

After that we went to the gift shop and bought all different kinds of chocolates. Then we drove to a place called Samurai Ramen place. We all got tonkotsu ramen. It was so so yummy.

This was one of the smallest noodle places we ever ate at. It fit around 24 persons max and I sat on a wooden step stool.

 We faced the kitchen and could watch them cook!

No one working here was Japanese either!

The ramen was good!

Then I wanted dessert so we went to the Uwajimaya Market. I got a sugar donut and we also went to the book store. I saw a lot of Rilakkuma stuff there so I got some stuff there. Then we drove to the hotel and went to sleep.

-Mui Mui Blogs

Introducing...

.. a new guest blogger! Hannah hasn't blogged very much but apparently she's got the blogger's itch and has been writing her own posts when on vacation on her Kindle and emails them to us . So I thought why not have her post her thoughts and I'll just add in where needed! I'm sure she'll love your comments too!

We headed to Vancouver to visit some of Matthew's relatives. But instead of flying straight to Vancouver we flew into Seattle and drove the 2.5 hrs across the border. Saves some money on plane tickets. (Editor's Words)

Today we left the house around 10:45. Then we drove to Goong-Goong Po Po's house. Goong-Goong drove us to SF airport. We checked in our big luggage and went through security. We also went to Hudson News to get motion sickness chewable (for kids) medicine. Then we boarded the small Delta plane.

The plane was in line ready to depart. We could see through the plane windows that 5 planes were in line after us. Then this huge plane caught my eye, it was a China Airlines Cargo plane. We were about to take off. The wheels were rolling as fast as a race car. Then we took off. The view was amazing. The flight was about 2 hours. I got ginger ale and pretzels for my snack on the plane.

Then we landed in Seattle,WA. We went to #5 baggage claim to pick up our luggage. Then we took a rental car shuttle to the rental cars. We used the company Alamo. We chose a midsize car which is the color green. It was very clean and fancy. Then we drove to the hotel called Embassy Suites. We checked in to our room which is room #301. We unpacked and got ready to go to the Bellevue shopping center. When we left I got some popcorn and diet coke from the hotel refreshments.

First we went to the restaurant Din Tai Fung. The food was so so good! Then we went shopping at the Bellevue Shopping Mall.We went to all different kinds of shops like Bath and Body Works, camera store, Disney store, Baskin31Robbins, and Made in Washington. Then we drove back to the hotel and went to sleep.

-Mui Mui Blogs

The New Rage

I have not been to a wedding in a very long time. It's probably because most of my friends are married already. So it's a very pleasant surprise when we do get an invitation.

Of course, the down side is that we are now considered the 'old' ones at the weddings. Not invited by the bride nor groom but the parents of the groom. The groom is our church friend's son.

The happy couple, Dave and Mel

Yes, that is what I call.. us stepping into a new generation of weddings. Our friends' kids are getting married! Sigh... And weddings have sure changed since I got married! This one was a gorgeous one at a winery. All the decor matched outdoors and indoors. It was quite beautiful. But very short and sweet. None of those one hour ceremonies that we used to attend.

This dinner was family style and American food... a FIRST for me!

Thankfully there were a few other 'older' couples that we kept company with.

Me and my BFF Helen (yes us old folk can have BFFs)

My hubby and me (our 19th year of marriage this year.. next year is the big 2-0!)

Helen with her hubby Scott (celebrating 21 years of marriage!)

The Parks, Lisa and Jay (celebrating 26 years of marriage!)

The Yees, Michael and Angela (who celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year)

And my boss, Stephanie and my optometrist,  Gary Louie (celebrating 33 years of marriage!)

Now as entertainment, they had a professional photo booth! Photo Booths are the rage!
They had a photographer there to take your picture and a huge table filled with props and a hat rack filled with hats etc..

After they take the picture, they immediately print a 4x6 of it for you to take home!

It was great fun! One of the most memorable! Congratulations to Mel & Dave!

Celebrating with the mother-of-the-groom our dear friend Harriet (in the middle in baby blue)

We aren't that 'old' are we?

Another One Off to HS

My nephew, Joshua, graduated from 8th grade from King's Academy. He will continue at King's for high school.

Joshua with my family and my parents.

He is extremely smart. I found out he took Geometry in 8th grade and will be taking Algebra 2 Honors as a freshman. (In comparison, I took regular Algebra as a freshman and Geometry as  a sophomore). At the rate he's going he'll take Calculus as a junior.

Joshua is the 'quiet' one out of the three boys. Daniel is the loudest (and biggest) and of course Zachary is a mix of his two brothers.

I took Calculus as a freshman in college and failed miserably! Math was not my forte'.

Time is moving so quickly. Joshua is only 2 months older than Emily. Emily will be graduating 8th grade next June. (She is taking Algebra in 8th grade and Geometry in 9th.)

Joshua graduating from my Homeschool Preschool.

I taught him and Emily when they were 3 before they entered Kindergarten.

Emily and Joshua at 4 years old. Emily is currently taller than Joshua.

On a completely different subject, at my sister's house there are always lots of visitors. She always has 2-3 birds that nest around her house and hatch their eggs annually.

My bird expert says its a black phoebe.

This one had 4 eggs.

They hatched a few weeks later.

This one stayed in it's nest probably because it isn't ready to fly yet. It wasn't very pretty but what newborn baby is right?