Fun Old Fashioned Malt Shop

Walking along one day we came upon this really cute restaurant and had to stop and eat. It was fun to seat inside a car to eat. It was a tiny bit cramped inside the car but still fun. The food was soups and sandwiches and shakes and malts. It was just OK food so it will be a one time thing. I thought the pictures were great so I had to share.

Taiwan Ward Party

Some of the kids in the pool.



Jim and friends eating!





Bishop Chiles



The view of the yard from the Bishop's roof.



The wonderful view of the city from the roof.

We started the Bar B Q at 4:00PM and had a wonderful time. The kids were swimming and playing games, some adults went swimming also. We choose to visit with everyone. We had hamburgers and hot dogs with tons of salads. Then we had a choice of several desserts including home made banana cream pie. Jim was in heaven. (his favorite ) We finally ended up taking a taxi home around 8:00 PM. The Chiles have a beautiful home with a wonderful yard. The view was amazing and and they were great to invite everyone to their home for a great party. Thanks to alot of hard work from alot of people the party was a success.

We made the news!

Job search takes Eagle Mountain couple to Taiwan

Job search takes Eagle Mountain couple to Taiwan

Jennifer Collard - Correspondent Daily Herald | Posted: Thursday, May 12, 2011 12:16 am | No Comments Posted

. Jim and Vickie Hoover moved to Taiwan when he was laid off from his construction-related work in Salt Lake City. They hope to return in 2012 to their Cedar Valley home and shorten their work commute. Photo courtesy Hoover family

When Jim Hoover lost his job in March 2010 at Woodbury Corporation, a large commercial development company based in Salt Lake City, he worried he wouldn't find another job.
"Honestly, I felt betrayed," Hoover said. "I had committed to Woodbury to stay there until I retired. I had even turned down other higher paying job offers to stay with them."
He turned to a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Employment Resource Service Center for assistance.
"They gave me some of the best advice: 'Treat your job search as if it was your job,' and I did just that," he said.
Hoover would wake every morning at 5 a.m. and spend eight to 12 hours a day searching for work. "It gave me purpose and kept me busy," he said.
Over 50 years old, with two handicaps -- hearing loss and double vision -- he said he worried nobody would hire him.
"Several people told me I needed to set my sights on lower-paying jobs," Hoover said. "I started to grow frustrated and even depressed."
His diligence paid off, though, and he was hired by Parsons Brinckerhoff, a firm that provides consulting, planning, engineering and program and construction management services.
Living in Cedar Valley, a lengthy work commute is the standard, but Hoover's commute was about to grow enormously. PB's main office is in New York, but they have offices all over the world. He and his crew were assigned to work on a surveillance radar project in central Taiwan.
Hoover left his family, was released from his church positions, and in the fall of 2010 went to live in Taiwan for the duration of his job.
Vickie Hoover, Jim Hoover's wife, quit her job of 13 years in February to move to Taiwan with her husband.
"It was really hard to quit, but our kids are grown and I knew my place was with my husband," Vickie Hoover said. "If I was going to support him, Taiwan was where I needed to be."
He came home for a couple of weeks to help her get everything in order for the move. They left their home in the care of family friends and returned to Taiwan.
The Taiwan surveillance radar project is scheduled for completion by December.
"I plan on being home by the end of this year, but life never gives us guarantees on anything, we just go along for the ride," Vickie Hoover said and smiled. "Taiwan is just beautiful with its greenery and flowers, but it's also full of great people."
Before her move to Taiwan she went to visit her husband for six weeks.
"I had to give it a trial visit to see if I could really live here," she said. "While visiting, the people reached out to me; they were awesome. It helped in my decision to come back."
Growing tired of white rice and craving Mexican food, the Hoovers sought out western hemisphere food.
"We found a little store called Wellmans, who carries American food but it's really expensive," Vickie Hoover said. "Our favorite dinners we once enjoyed are now hard to come by."
Delighted to see a Costco, Jim Hoover went to buy food for dinner one night and purchased a rotisserie chicken.
"I love rotisserie chicken and was really looking forward to a good meal," he said. "But when I got home, I opened the package and the chicken's head flopped out from under the wing and the feet were still attached. I cut the head and feet off and tried to eat the rest of the chicken but couldn't. Maybe it was the thought of the feet and head, but I ended up not eating it and throwing it away."
His employment with PB is long term. When the job in Taiwan is complete, they will reassign him to a new project. PB serves as the global professional services division of Balfour Beatty plc, based out of London. Balfour Beatty is the company constructing the data center at Camp Williams.
"I hope to get on there," Jim Hoover said. "That way I can move back home, but if needed I will take another out-of-country assignment. I'll go anywhere, as long as my greatest supporter, Vickie, goes with me."

Magic Jack, Web Cam

 The most wonderful thing besides the Internet that I have here is my Web Cam so I can see my kids. I it so wonderful to have modern technology to be able to see and talk to your kids thousands of miles away.  Besides that the little ones don't like to talk on the phone much but they love to see themselves on the screen so they perform for you and show you things. Some times as I am talking to the parents they are just there in the back ground just being kids. I love it. One time I was talking to Olivia and Averie and Olivia started spinning Averie in the chair around and around until I thought Averie would throw up. Like I said just being themselves. Then Olivia said. Grandpa you need to come home and live a normal life. It is not normal to live in Taiwan. ( I think we are missed) Jim and Shelby play hide and seek over the web cam. They take turns hiding and finding each other. It is the best game ever to watch. I just laugh and Shelby and Grandpa play long distance.  My mother doesn't have the Internet so we bought a Magic Jack phone connector at Walmart before we came here. I can call her anytime I want and talk as long as I want and it only costs us 20.00 a year. So worth that tiny amount. She can call me too and that gives her peace of mind. Modern Technology is Awesome! I couldn't make it without it!

Jim's New Adventure

A couple of nights ago I got a call from Jim telling me that he had been in an accident. He and everyone involved were fine. The guy coming up the mountain was going way too fast and couldn't stop or go around because of the winding road. They had 2 options run in to each other or go over a cliff. Jim took the let him hit me approach. We have been having fun since we have been here. Luggage items stolen, Kidney stones and Hospitals, Several Earthquakes and a Tsunami's, a Tornado, a Typhoon, Watching a friend get hit in a cross walk by a scooter, and now a Head on Accident. Truly life has been an adventure.  The thing is we are OK and happy other than missing everyone. Love You All!!

Do You Like My Hat?

In Taiwan all the women want to hide from the sun all the time so they have these really cool visors that cover your whole face. I almost bought one a long time ago but it was too expensive and Jim pulled the please don't wear that thing around me face, so I didn't buy one. Then one day I went for a walk and I saw another place that had them for sale really cheap, so since Jim wasn't around I bought one. I promised him I wouldn't wear it around him OR I could buy him one too and no one would recognise either one of us. He chose the never wear it around me option. Really is it that bad??? 

Brandon and Jenny's visit to Taiwan



We rented scooters and rode along the south coast in Kenting. It was a lot easier on our feet and we got to go a lot further. I was a little scared so Jim has bruises from me hanging on so tight and probably a little less skin too! We just about ran out of gas but that was fun too! The people here are so nice and helpful.



Chilling on the beach in Kenting! Much needed relaxing time.



Brandon needs sunscreen lessons. This is what he looked like after snorkeling in Kenting.(of course we made fun of him)



Jenny found a twin while shopping one day.



We all went for a ride along the north coast on bicycles. Brandon's bike had to be fixed a few times along the way. It was a good thing we had Jim (McGyever )with us.  He always has tools on his belt.



We hit every site seeing spot we could think of in a very short time. Brandon didn't fly 7000 miles to set in the apartment. We left every morning at 9 or 10 and didn't get home until about 10 or 11 every night. We were always dead tired at night especially our feet. Brandon and Jenny (and George) had no trouble getting up in the morning though they were still on Utah time!



Jenny and I found a couple of shops that made custom shoes and of course we had to have some.



Brandon and Jenny bought me my shoe's for Mothers Day. (Do they know me or what?) Thank You kids!  Love Them!!!



Maokong Gondola Ride.  This was a long beautiful ride through the mountains of Taiwan.



This shot gives a whole new meaning to the words Made in Taiwan! (and monkey wrench)



Brandon and Jenny at the Zoo!




 We just had the best visit ever with our kids. Sadly Jim and I had a little  pity party when they drove away this morning at 7:30 AM.  We are just not meant to live this far away from our kids.  We have lived close to them for so many years that we didn't realize until now just how blessed we really were. We decided that we are both a couple of cry babies too. We just love being with our kids and miss them very much. We had a great time and cant wait to have more visitors. Thanks for a great visit kids! We Love You!