...there's no place like home!!!!!

We are back in the good ole' US of A for the Christmas holidays and enjoying every minute that we are able to spend with family.  Singapore is where God has us for this season in our lives but there's still no place like home.  Target, Target and more Target...Sonic Dr. Pepper's...Red Lobster...Quik Trip Dr. Pepper's...Los Cabos Mexican food...driving on the "right" side of the road...cooler weather...Ron's Hamburger's...Payless Shoes...are just a few of the things we've enjoyed so far!!!!!  The kids have had fun playing with cousins and loving on grandparents.  Our time will end  Jan. 7th when we head back to the tropical island of Singapore but until then we'll savor every moment we get to spend here.

Slumber Party

Lisette (from New Jersey been in Singapore 2years moving to Paris in June), Sabrina ( born in Singapore to Colombian parents who became US citizens while living in the States), Sarah ( Texas, been in Singapore 6 years), Hannah ( Arkansas, been in Singapore 2 years- her dad is music minister at our church), Gabby ( born in Singapore but grown up in Shanghai-mom is American and dad is American/Chinese) and my sweet Carington (Oklahoma- been in Singapore 1 year )....a multi-cultural group of friends!!

...make a wish

For Carington's 9th birthday we had a slumber party with some of her close friends...the girls ate pizza, giggled, decorated pillow cases, made bracelets, giggled some more, watched movies and stayed up til midnight-big stuff for 9 years olds. The next morning after awaking at 6am, we fed them a breakfast of pancakes and bacon and hit the pool for a couple of hours until it was time for their parents to pick them up.

More China Pictures

The kids were "celebrities" in Beijing... the Chinese people wanted to have their picture made with the kids! With their blue eyes, blond and redish hair they turned eyes EVERYWHERE we went!! Carington ate it up...she LOVED all the attention...I told her now she knows what it feels like to be Hannah Montana-ha!!

Forbidden City

Wafujing Street is a popular shopping district in Beijing. I was amazed at how much cheaper things were there compared to Singapore. I bought a pair of gloves for $5 US dollars!

The father of this sweet little girl brought her over to take her picture with Brady. Isn't she a cutie!!

Hard Cafe Beijing...the traffic in Beijing is sooo horrendous that it took us 1 1/2 hours to get there from our hotel (approx. 20 miles away). The have driving restrictions in place based on your license plate number you can only drive your car on certain days. Beijing is a city of around 14 million people.

Even the ladies in the Chinese tea shop were gazing over the kiddos.

Brady was soooo tired he fell asleep in his stroller.

My roomate Christie Belmear was traveling through Beijing to another part of China and we were able to spend some time together!

BUSTED...caught on the Crackberry again!!

Notice all the bicycles parked...a popular form of transportation in Beijing!

Robert and Carington in front of the Bird's Nest at Olympic Park.

Piano Recital- December 6th

Carington preformed in her first piano recital and did a magnificent job!! She has been taking lessons since May and enjoys it very much. The students got to play on a white grand piano (which they were all very excited about)...the recital was held in a very classy piano bar. Each student had to write a short speech telling about themselves and their chosen pieces.

Loves to drive his "ca's" over anything he can!

"Issy" as she is affectionately called by our whole family now thanks to her brother!!!...working on comprehension questions for her reading journal!!

"We Ain't In Bixby Anymore"

As the title of Carie Underwood's song," We Ain't in Checotah Anymore", goes..."WE Ain't IN BIXBY ANYMORE"... I was reminded of that at dinner tonight! We were eating stir-fried beef with noodles and we were ALL using CHOPSTICKS!! Carington has been asking me to put the song on her ipod so it's been on the forefront of my mind and that thought occurred to me as we were eating dinner. We all got a good laugh out of that one!! I didn't even know how to use chopsticks one year ago!!

GREAT WALL OF CHINA- November 14, 2008

Vendors lined up outside the Great Wall. The one piece of advice you always hear is to not even make eye contact with them on the way up to the wall...they are persistent to say the least and all are trying to earn a living a very hard way. After you have spent your time on the Great Wall and you want to look for some souvenirs, the next piece of advice you hear is to NEVER pay full price...you bargain with them, walk off and THEN you get the REAL price!! This is their mantra..."Lady, Lady, Lady...$2 dollar, $2 dollar...you buy souvenir"... "Diet Coke, Diet Coke, Diet Coke...you thirsty"...over and over all the way down...I bet we passed hundreds of these booths and all selling practically the same thing.

Isn't this a beautiful picture!!! The 3 people I love most in the world hand in hand on the Great Wall of China!! Wow!!

I captured this picture of Carington just moments after we stepped onto the Wall and she got her first glimpse!

Not sure if you can make them out or not but these are cable cars that take you to the top of the Wall. Notice the fall colors! Something we don't see in Singapore...everything is tropical and green.

The watch towers along the wall were used by the army as a warning system. A warning system during the time period consisted of smoke signals and fire depending on the time of day.

Facts about the Great Wall of China-

*** considered one of the 7 Wonders of the World

***built over 2000 years ago around 221 B.C.

***built to protect China from attack or invasion from the north

*** in some places the Great Wall is 25 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide

We had a beautiful day for climbing the Wall!!

Brady's new game

" I dgit (get) you"!!! This is Brady's new game he wants to play with you. When you hear the words that's your cue that you are supposed to chase him. He runs through the house screaming at the top of his lungs and when you get close, he stops, holds up his arms to you and says your name and then the game begins ALL over again!!! Precious, Precious times I will treasure...in 26 short days he will be two.