Here's one of the whole fam! Millie found my costume in the child's section at Target... can't believe it fit! :)

Halloween Picts!

Just some Halloween Picts! Jedi, Leah, and a puppy! Millie carved the Tigger pumpkin! GOOD JOB BEAN!!! :)

Crawling Stink Butt

Been meaning to get this out for a while now... so here it is! The lil turkey pumpkin head is crawling now!!! :)

Teh Podcast becomes Live!

The first podacst is now live on the site! It really is just an introduction and some background, but its here. Check it out and get feedback to me asap! We are launching podcast 2 on Tuesday and podcast 3 probably on Friday featuring Glenn BECK! His schedule may change but he has agreed to help us out:-) Stay tuned and go check out the site!

http://www.internetsafetypodcast.com/

Reflections

I am sitting here listening to an old "The Cure" album (from deezer.com) and it has brought back a flood of memories and brought me to contemplation. Life is such an interesting thing. I can not imagine how people go through this life without a sense of understanding or belief of why they are here. Here I am sitting in a highrise in Hong Kong. Working with people from all over the globe. Living where English is not the main language yet it doesn't really matter. I eat foods from other cultures every day. I get around in taxis and buses and subways and can't even remember what it is like to drive a car. I work with huge corporations and lead a large group of people who barely know who I am. I put together proposals for potential clients and determine pricing that we should offer. I watch my children living in a place that most of the people I know have never been and it isn't weird. I think of old friends from high school and college and wonder where they are and what they are doing. Are they living down the street from me here in Hong Kong? Do they have children? What keeps them busy during the day? I read about so many people that live in countries plagued by war and famine and poverty and hunger and yet here I am living in complete comfort while Ferraris and Porsches drive by regularly. I see a new view of the USA as the world looks at it and assumes it is going down the tubes. The economy is suffering and I think countries are ready to stop idolizing America and do their own thing. But can they? Is the US bound to lose its hegemonic status or will it really continue to dominate the global economy? Will our dollar continue to fall?

People spend so much time worrying about things that in the end are so trivial. I had a boss once tell me it didn't matter what changes are happening in the workplace. Even with new bosses, new directions, new strategies - we still know what we are supposed to work on that day. So if we shouldn't worry about these things, what should we worry about? How do we get happy? A recent article discussed how money does not buy happiness (unless you are in poverty). That once you reach the middle class the amount of money you make - be it $50,000 or $5,000,000 - doesn't affect happiness. Of course we all believe this on the outside, but I think most people don't really believe this deep down. So they focus so much on their careers trying to make more money instead of enjoying their job. They spend more time at the office than at home to bring in more money. But if they really want to be happy they'd be at home with their family or friends. The study finds that these things bring happiness. Of course, this is what the gospel also explains. So what do we do? Well, if we want to be happy, let's focus on each other.

Halloween COokies

Thinking of all of you as the wind blows the leaves all over the air and throughout the backyard. Daisy sits on the back porch. I have the radio blasting, a diet coke, and all my colored sprinkles, toothpicks, etc. I miss you all. I wanted to make some of my best cutout cookies for the kids dad home teaches; yes, he still does the Ligaris. and for the women I visit teach, and for the boys next door. they came out yummy and cute. I am remembering all the times we decorated cookies together, and the interesting ones each of you decorated. Bret, I remember you and me making these same exact cookies when you were 2 and 3. I don't really like cookies anymore, but I have to say, I did give in and taste one. I made ghosts, pumpkins, and leaves. the leaves are tiny ones with orange, yellow, and green sparkly sugars on them. so cute! El otonon es mi estacion favorita! Now I will go take Daisy for a walk through the leaves. the trees are at peak, and absolutely gorgeous. Tonight we are home teaching, then taking some cookies over to Brian Angel. I have one of dad's favorite meals in the oven, a perdue oven stuffer. fun day! love to all.

Surprise surprise

Well im back in utah... good old snowy cold dry utah. did i say good? because i shouldnt have! I miss hawaii!! I miss the greenery with all the tropical flowers and plants and the sun constantly shining and the rainbows that appear all the time and the ocean and the sound of the waves and so much more. The truth is that i fell more in love with hawaii this time. For some reason i found it to be much more beautiful. It really is a spectacular place. It is the coolest thing to be driving on the highway and have the ocean right next you the whole way. It is so pretty. Also the way the mountains are and the different flowers and textures of plants. I noticed things so much more. It really would be fun to live there for a couple of years, especially because all the people are really like they are in the movies... everyone is so laid back. It is so relaxing compared to say, new york where everyone is in a rush and tense. Hawaii everyone lets everyone go in front of them and will open doors and everyone talks to each other like they are best friends. And the style, there is no rich snobby style. everyone is usually dressed down and just like whatever. So i like that about it a lot too especially since i get stressed easily. It calms me down.

Anyways.... your probably wondering what the title is referring to and that is that me and jimmy decided not to get engaged this Christmas. A couple of weeks ago i started praying about marriage because jimmy and i have gotten to a very serious point, well i immediately felt so happy after even the first day and had such a warm and happy spirit. I began to think that maybe this was my answer but i personally wanted a little stronger confirmation. .. so i still waited and prayed more...hoping to get a better confirmation. well around the same time that i started praying about marriage, i was driving home from work one night when i felt such a strong prompting that i needed to go to Hawaii. Now me and jimmy had this idea in mind but it was no where near definite and we were actually leaning more towards not having me go because i was going to see him soon for christmas and it was a lot of money. But i felt then so strongly that i needed to go so i called jimmy as i was driving home and told him that i needed to go and actually started crying. I had no idea why i was being such a "girl" about it when usually im fine and it really wouldnt be a big deal to wait until December. Anyways being the guy that jimmy is he said he would think about it but not to worry. The next day we decided that i was going.

This week showed why i had to go. It truly was God's way of giving us our answer and i am sad but grateful for this opportunity. After just Monday i felt and saw that jimmy just wasnt "ready" to be engaged not because of anything else other than the fact that he wasnt where i would want my fiance to be with the gospel. He is getting there and even close in many ways but hes not there and he felt this too. So on Tuesday afternoon we had a long talk with many tears but peaceful hearts that now wasnt the time to get engaged which was heartbreaking because i was looking forward to this for a while. I planned on getting engaged for christmas and having this romantic experience blah blah blah. But the Lord has surprised me yet again dealing with marriage. I mean 10 years ago i thought that i was going to go to UCLA, meet some hott rich surfer guy and get married and live in cali. And about 3 years ago i thought i was going to marry the infamous boomer. However, i think this time im more correct in my predictions because i was so happy praying about jimmy to be my husband and felt the spirit so strong... i just think or basically know that this was the Lord's way of telling us... you two can very well get married... its just not the right time. And i know that even though its hard because me and jimmy have to slow down a little that everything is going to be okay.

After that talk me and jimmy had the most romantic week that i have ever had EVER! we danced on the beach at night and played tag, we went horseback riding in the mountains and by the beach coast, we made smores on the beach, we drank hot chocolate on the roof of his car by the beach, we took walks, we went snorkeling, we went kayaking, and we just played and had so much fun. There are things about jimmy that are so unique and special and i just loved and love being around him! He is so stress free and just makes everything fun. Like when we went kayaking he would sing silly songs and try to tip the boat or when we would go out to dinner he would order me a surprise fun drink. I just LOVE him! And he is still coming for christmas so dont worry you'll still get to meet him (for those who havent). =)

Well to sum up I love hawaii and i do think i want to be married there. The way im thinking now is that next fall i will go to BYU hawaii and then maybe who knows, next fall we'll get engaged and maybe around christmas time we'll be married in hawaii. So just keep that in the back of your heads. Until then ill be stuck here in the cold with lots of homework to do... lol JK it will be fun and i look forward to the next year! i still am SO happy and am ready for whats to come!

What is the EDD???

Hi Cari, did you get and estimated day of delivery for your little munchkin? We are all wanting to know when to expect the newest member. Also, how did your appointment go? Do tell!!!!!

desert trip and spring 2008

Yes, I know, I am the only one crazy enough to be already thinking of this. It is just cheaper when we buy our tickets way in advance, and lately there have been some good prices to slc.
so: here's the thing.
Easter is really early this coming year, March 23rd
that would make it a pretty cold desert trip weekend.
Then, dad and I thought we would stick around and go to General conference, but, alas, it is not the next weekend, it is April 5 & 6.
Then, BYU graduation is April 24 & 25, so if Jacob wants us to come down for graduation, we probably wouldn't come down in March and April, so we would have to pick.
and of course, I will want to see our newest member of the Wall clan, which may be in May, but I wouldn't want to impose right away, but maybe in June? or July? or should I wait until August and go to BYU education week? which I have always wanted to go to, and Olivia and I are going for sure together, maybe....
or I could just stay in Utah from March 18th to August, but dad wouldn't like that very much.
If we come out for graduation, we could help someone drive the car back here, if we want to do that. It may be smarter to leave the car there for the summer and cheaper to fly Kathy home, or she might just stay for spring semester.
The last day of BYU school is April 16, and exams until April 23.
Tom has a free ticket to use to come home one-way up until May 14th on American.
Who knows when Bret will get back from Hong Kong,
and if dad will still be working here...
As you can see, planning this spring will be incredible crazy!
the good news is that dad and I have 2 frequent flyer tickets, which, if we book soon, we can always change for free or $25., I forget which.
right now, all of March and April flights are open.

do you think anyone will want to do the desert trip later, since very few people have little kids in school anyways? usually they pick Easter weekend because the kids are out on the Friday before.
Tevs, what days will your kids be off?
I will also eventually ask around dad's family for input, but they will think I am nuts to ask now.
:)
I guess they already know that.
and will Cari be up to going on the desert trip being 7 months along?
so many questions....
love to all

Bugatti

There are so many fun parts of living in Hong Kong. Today we went to Mongkok market as a family and got to get some of the cheap stuff you hear about in China. It was a lot of fun. I could spend a whole day there looking at things and buying little things. But one of the fun things this week was when I woke up on Friday morning to go the bus stop. I had looked out the window from our room and saw two sports cars in covers sitting in the parking lot. I made it a point to go by them. At this point I am not too fascinated to see hot cars like Ferraris or Lamborghinis since I see them so often now. Also, I'm not a big car freak, so it's not like I see these cars and say "ooh, let me take a picture." So as I walked down the stairs and past the two cars I peaked to see what cars they were. I was expecting a Ferrari. When I saw the grill and it said "Bugatti" I was shocked. For the first time in my life I got giddy over a car. Well, actually, two cars since there were two. They were both Bugatti Veyrons. For those of you who don't know much about high end sports cars (which I really don't know much) these are the fastest and most expensive high end, street legal sports car you can buy. Each one costs USD $1.3 Million. Yes, MILLION. They have 1,001 HP. I was so excited I wanted to tell some of my friends back in the states. Instead I called Tevia and told her to go see them at some point during the day. She didn't.

On the way back from work I was walking up the stairs and a security guard stopped me and said to wait. "A car is coming" he said. I looked and can you believe it? Both cars drove down the lane a few feet in front of me over to some press release. I was so shocked I forgot my Blackberry has a camera. As I walked up to my apartment I once again felt this need to go back down and just look at the cars. From our apartment I could see them showcasing the cars to rich Hong Kong residents and taking pictures at the event. I talked Tevia into going down to get something from the coffee shop (not coffee!) and to glance at the cars. But they were far away and Tevia didn't want to take a picture. So after our yummy Coolatta-like drinks, we headed back up. Then I looked down and they were moving back to where they were parked in the morning. I grabbed the camera and ran down. There they both were, again just feet in front of me. The driver told me (with a very French accent) that they were there for a press opening as they are opening the Asian market here in Hong Kong. He looked at me and said not many people would ever be able to see two Bugattis at the same time in the same place. One was yellow and black and the other was black and gray. They really were gorgeous cars. I was able to take a few pics and have posted a couple here. I'm not sure why I was so "starstruck" by a couple of cars. I'm really not a big car guy. I guess it was more knowing that each car was a million bucks sitting there within my reach. Why anyone would pay so much for a car is beyond me, but I guess if you want the best, you pay for it. I thought it was an interesting feeling to feel, this boyish desire to be close and see them. I guess somewhere inside there still is that little boy inside of me. ;-)

How is everyone?

I know you all are very busy with life, school, work and play, but it would be nice to know how you all are doing. By you all, I mean Jacob,Cari,Kathy and Tommy. (I recently got to chat with Webb, Millie*but you still have to email me Millie* mom and dad on line, so they are off the hook)

How is school going Jacob? Are you going to graduate in April? Mom said something about you walking in April then finishing up then. Have you started applying for jobs or are you going to start you own business? How are classes? Are you being nice to Cari? :)

Cari, how are you feeling? What things make you sick to your stomach? What things do you crave? When about are you due roughly? Is Jacob being nice to you or do I have to kick his butt at Christmas time? How is work going for you? What do you want me to bring you back from Hong Kong?

Kathy, how is school going for you? I loved when you blogged about your job. I am glad that you will be able to be a good influence in that family. Are you still liking the job even though it is a long drive? We are very excited to meet Jimmy at Christmas. Would you mind telling me what things he likes to eat and I will cook up a good meal! And what do you want me to bring you back from Hong Kong?

Tommy. Oh Thomasina! How are you enjoying BYU? Are your classed easy or hard? Do you like your schedule? Are you finding a bunch of hot chicks to date? Where do you think you will get called to for your Mission? I bet you go foreign. That is just my guess. :) Are you being nice to Cari? :)

Anyhow, I would love to hear from all of you. Also, it would be helpful if everyone (this includes Jacob and Millie, Mom and Dad and Bret) would please start thinking of meals they would like while you are all visiting in Phoenix. That way I can start thinking about the things I will need to shop for. And also, Christmas lists would be nice. Just give me a few ideas of what you would like for christmas, or else you will all just get cell phone charms from Stanley Market; and some of you , okay only a few of you don't even have a cell phone!

We miss you all and can't wait to see you in a few months.

A Mormon President

This great article was referenced on LDS.org this week. A very good read from a non-Mormon perspective. It is a little long, so set some time apart.

http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=3594

hard monday

everybody has a hard day once and awhile. they can't all be happy and perfect. (Kathy had a flat, Tom had a low test grade and had to help Kathy, and Jake had a hard day at school).
I have had so many good days in a row it makes me nervous to think that something bad is coming! :)
last night we went to the church to do some genealogy for FHE. Dad is working on his calling. I always find a new name when I put the time in! wow! I now have the genealogy bug! I stayed up till midnight, and even then, I couldn't sleep, I was just so excited finding new stuff on Google.
When I first started putting the name Pylick in, there were 10 or so hits. now there are 60,000!
so cool! Jake, if you ever have a spare minute and want to help me, call me about looking this one guy up on google.
fyi- last year we found out that 2 Pylicks had patents. they are both on google. now I found out that 2 of my dad's aunts were also famous. one was a teacher and she wrote a book. one has 15 pieces of art in the Cleveland museum of art.
you guys come from a good blood line!
smart and motivated!
advice to boys in UT: get more sleep. it helps your brain. really. truly.
Kathy- good luck on your test!

Callings

Well, today while we were at church one of the branch presidency counselors came up to us and asked if he could meet with us for a few minutes during priesthood/RS time. We said sure. I was late to the meeting because I was down in the mothers lounge chatting with the other mother that was feeding her baby (I was getting Enok to take a nap) and lost track of the time. Anyhoo, Bret was looking for me and then we headed up to the third floor to meet with brother Collins. (He and his wife are from Scotland and are so nice)

He started out somewhat nervously that the presidency wanted to talk to both of us together in order to extend a calling. My first thought was that one of us was going to get a big time- consuming calling since it is generally the practice to ask for the support of the other spouse before they actually extend the calling. He said that they had been trying to fill this calling and our names kept coming up, but they kept thinking that it wouldn't be a good idea because we had small children. But our names still kept coming up so they figured that they would chance asking us. Well this really got my brain going. Maybe they were going to be calling both of us to big callings.

So he was very nervous as he told us that there were a lot of good youth in the ward and that they needed a teacher for them. He then asked how we felt about team teaching the course 13 (12 and 13 year olds) sunday school class. I laughed inside and was very happy about it. Outwardly we both agreed that this would be absolutely wonderful for us to do. We told him that we had taught sunday school together before and that it shouldn't be a problem. He seemed genuinely relieved and was thrilled that we would take a calling like that. I was amazed that he felt like it might be a problem. Maybe Bret can expound upon these thoughts as he has more insight as to why bro. Collins would be so relieved that we would do this calling.

I think I could even pawn Enok off during sunday school because there are so many women here (as well as the youth) that love to take him from me. Even at the ward social I didn't see Enok much the whole time. All the young women kind of just passed him around. It was great.

Anyhow, we are excited for this calling and look forward to getting to know the youth here.

Ice Cream Social in Hong Kong

Tonight we went to our ward's opening social, which was an ice cream social. Like most things in Hong Kong, it started late and ended late. I think we ended up getting home around 10 PM. It was an interesting social. I did get to meet quite a few people. But 20 minutes of the night we watched a slideshow of people in the ward set to music by Inside Out. But the ice cream was good and it was good to get to know some more people in our ward. One of the things we did was write letters to missionaries, so as I was saying hi to missionaries I don't know I heard the woman next to me saying something to her son in Spanish. I asked her where she was from in English and she told me she didn't really understand. So I asked her in Spanish and she is from Peru. She has been here like 8 years or so. It must be really tough for her not knowing English that well or Cantonese. Afterwards we took the double decker bus 260 back to our home. The boys and I sat in the front seat on the top deck to see all the brilliant lights in Central. We met a girl who has travelled most of her life and lived in Peru, Saudi Arabia, Khazikstan, the USA and now Hong Kong.

Today I had a talk with my boss about my role here. She had asked me to make an appointment after I sent her a note telling her the days I would be in the US for Christmas. I assumed it would be about my assignment here so I had spoken with Tevia and was prepared to be straightforward. She asked what my thoughts were and I was open and said that if for a long term plan they wanted me to go local that I was absolutely not interested. So we decided that we will keep this a short term assignment and will end in February - with perhaps a couple months tacked on if necessary (though I would probably have Tevia go back in February). So we will be back in the States in 2008 - which means more basketball, perhaps a desert trip, and more time with y'all back there. I am so happy for the time I have had (will have) here. It will be a great time in my life. Now we'll see what they have me do when I get back to Phoenix. :-)
In the interim we can't wait to have our parents come out. Mom, we'll work on your tickets this weekend.

Some random things about Hong Kong that I find interesting:

- McDonald's has a Shogun burger that is pork with teriyaki sauce on it. It rocks! Limited time!
- People tend to walk the way the streets are set up. Since the streets drive on the left here, people also tend to walk to the left. It is the opposite in the states.
- I think many of these sayings are true to the UK as well, but if you want food "to go" you say "take away." An "exit" is often "way out." A bathroom is a toilet. Water to drink is "still" water, which is "flat" water when I was in Europe. Otherwise they will bring you bubbly water.

trappers

I guess I would have been a great pioneer after all: I have now successfully trapped a skunk, a ground hog, and an opossum. I looked opossum up in wiki, and found out that people actually used to trap them to eat them, and used their fur for brushes. this one trapped himself twice. dad went out last evening and opened the trap so it would leave. at 11pm, he was still curled up and playing dead. in the morning, he was re-trapped. dad said he must not have clipped up the door hatch well enough. so dad had to kind of shake him out of the cage this morning to get him to leave. opossums are much uglier than ground hogs.

My other blog -The Hope Chest

http://hopechest.blogspot.com/

Well, even though its just for a silly class, if you get bored and want to read my ramblings about current events and church related to technology, feel free to head over to my other blog sometime and peruse its offerings.

P.S. My new Internet Saftey Podcast lauches next week! Stay tuned!

News from Nicole

Here's a copy of Nicole's blog, for everyone's information:

"December 15
Mount Timpanogos, Utah"

"I don't want to hear any complaints about not being clear enough. That's about as explicit as I can be."

So they've finally got a date and happily enough, it doesn't interfere with Christmas in AZ. I'm excited!

poor daisy

ok, this should get some responses. Daisy is really missing Tom. and I am working and gone a lot now. and she is lonely. and we like our new freedom, so every time we go away for even one night, we have to pay Logan Mongelli $10. a day. we just paid him 50. in august, 35. last weekend, we will have to pay him 70. for thanksgiving if we go to HK or cleveland, and another 70. or 80. at Christmas time. then, 50. more for the desert trip. Now, I know that we can't measure everything in money value, and I love Daisy.... but, on days when my back is sore, or my leg is numb, the thought of going all the way down all the stairs is really bugging me. So we are seriously thinking of giving her away. I would put an ad in the paper that would say, Beagle free to a good home. I would not give her to the pound ever. If any of you seriously object to this, please let me know.

Goodbye Singapore

Today is National Day in China - so all of our offices were closed - even Hong Kong. But I am a diligent worker and went into the office one last time here. My trip to Singapore was productive and I think well worth the time and money. The people in the office here are just yearning for a leader. I wish I could be it for them. I will give them what I can, but I know that is not my job - at least not right now.

Singapore itself has been heavenly. What a beautiful country. In contrast to Hong Kong it is very sunny and slower paced. Many people have been moving from Hong Kong to Singapore and even a lot of companies have been making the switch - many of them citing the pollution problem as the reason. The drawbacks to Singapore are that it is an island - and the only way to really get off is on a plane. So I can see that people might feel trapped here. But until that time what a great place to live.

My favorite things we did this week were our trip to the zoo and to the island of Sentosa. The zoo was just the right size and similar to other parks outside the USA they aren't too worried about lawsuits so you actually get to be closer and more interactive with the animals. And the animals were active! It was a great few hours spent with the family and looking at animals. Tevia already posted a bit about the zoo.

Sentosa was great as well. Tevia had already gone with the boys, so when I went we made the trek back over on the subway and then on the monorail. I think this was my first time on a monorail. The island is just south of Singapore and connected by a causeway. The first thing that stood out was the breeze. There isn't much of a breeze in Singapore, but there was here. It also had such manicured lawns and bushes. Just sitting down on the lawn and listening to the soothing music being played was worth the trip. We went up to the butterfly park and, similar to the zoo, you have much more opportunity to interact with the butterflies. So you could touch them and the caretakers would put them on you for photos. It was great. I saw so many and a few that were outright huge and gorgeous. I loved the time there and could have spent quite a bit more time there. But the family was ready to move on and so I obliged. Jarek was not a big fan of this part as he does not like bugs.

We then went on a small nature hike on the "dragon trail" where we found dragon bones and read legends about dragons. It was quite fun. We then headed back to the city and left the beautiful island of Sentosa to the rest of the tourists.

I am very happy to have been able to come here. Tomorrow we head back to Hong Kong where life speeds up a bit, pollution is a little more obvious, and the sun doesn't shine quite so bright. But the Chinese spirit is bright there! Tonight they are doing thousands of fireworks over the harbour which we are missing! I am ready to get out of our one room hotel and back to our larger apartment with the wonderful view. But if I ever get the chance to come back down here - I'll take it!