Sleeping Beauty and her bestest Beast!

Is there anything sweeter than this?  They were both "tuckered" out and took a big ole nap together!  MY LITTLE LOVES!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Beijing Style

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we got together with our "Beijing family" for a proper Thanksgiving feast.  We split the menu and did a progressive dinner that started with cocktails, appetizers and a few rounds of Just Dance on the Wii at one of my friends house. ( I totally crushed my friend Hilary at dancing to Chris Cross' "Jump Jump".....just sayin!)
From there we moved on to another friends home for the main meal.  It was an amazing meal complete with a huge turkey (that one of the guys smuggled back in his luggage from the US) and all of the fix in's.  Desserts were at yet another house in our neighborhood. Thank goodness we got to walk a little between meals to different homes so that we could burn off a few of the calories that we consumed.
We had such an incredibly fun night of drinking, eating and laughing with our friends.  It can be tough here around the holiday's because everyone is missing their families back home, but I couldn't have been more lucky than to find some of the most amazing friends and get to celebrate with them.  We really are a family here for each other, thrown into this crazy experience.  For this I am truly thankful!

Ella and Jane

My friend Catherine made this.  Amazing!

Turkey fruit tray.

Catherine and her Ayi's that helped.

Some of the men carving the bird. (George and Gene)

Chad Biggs and his sweet little Janie!

Some of us ladies making sure things get done right!

Sam holding the trophy for the "Who knows the most about Thanksgiving" game......We did not win!




Me and Michelle

The guys carving the beast and drinking beer.  (Couple of photo bombers in the back)

Little kids table.



Big kids table.



Biggest kids table.

Ella, Sophia and Jane

We finished off the night with a "who can hold a headstand longest after several drinks".  I won! LOL

ISB's Middle School production of "A Mid Summers Night Dream or The Night They Missed the Forest for the Trees

On Thanksgiving night (which was just a regular day here) Julia performed in her first ever theater production.  It was an adaptation of Shakespeare's, A Mid Summers Night Dream, put into a "teenage" format that drew inspiration and mashed up characters from Glee, The Big Bang Theory, Wicked and Clueless. (Don't feel bad if that doesn't make sense. I'm still trying to explain the whole thing to Kelly too.)  It was really well put together and everyone was amazed at how it turned out.  ISB has a lot of resources so there were beautiful sets and cool costumes. I was even recruited to help with hair and makeup (which was right up my ally).
Julia played the parts of a "cheerleader" and a "fairy".  It was a non speaking role but involved a lot of dancing (which is right up her ally).  We were shocked that she even signed up to do this because the stage is not her comfort zone.  She is more at ease on a pitch (soccer field) or court.
The play ran Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  It was a nice distraction from the fact we were missing dinner with our family.  Bravo Julia!  We are so proud of you!

Julia in fairy attire.....far right with blue hair.

At dress rehearsal getting last minute suggestions from the Director, Mrs. Northcott.



The fairies (Julia is top row far right with the blue wig.)

The Cheerios..............

All of the cast wore different color Converse tennis.

Julia making me cringe with her flexibility.

Ella Claire's Club Football team "the Pumas"

The girls continue to play on the China Club Football boys teams.  Ella played for the Puma's again and Julia with the Corinthians.  I think that this year they are more at ease and accepting of being the only females on the team.  They have even started having (dare I say) fun.  Largely in part because of the really nice boys that make them feel every bit a part of the team, and a great coach.
We really miss our Moline United teams, friends and families but we are still enjoying the beautiful game!

The Puma's
(Ella is in bottom row, last one (by coach Rob)

Ella Claire

U19 Peking Strollers vs. local Chinese team

Julia had her first match with the Peking Strollers U19 soccer team.  It was a very crisp and windy day, but thankfully that means good clean air here.  They played a local Chinese team that goes to school and focuses only academics and soccer. (Julia's dream school if only they spoke more English!)
The team played really well and ended up winning 7-0.  After the game the girls from the other team were so excited to meet and talk to our girls and pose for pictures (FYI...if you hadn't noticed Chinese people love photos).  It was a very cool experience all the way around.

The U19 Peking Strollers (uniforms to come soon)
 Julia is front row first on the left.

Both teams together

Fall Photoshoot with my loves

I have always loved photography, but have just started to really learn "how" to use my camera.  I still have a lot to learn but I have a very talented friend here that has been giving me some pointers.  This was from my last assignment that she gave me.  It was fun because I got to use my favorite subjects in the world......my 3 kids. (Yes, I said 3......2 girls and my fur baby boy)   Here are some of my favorites!

Julia, Tucker and Ella

Julia 13

My favorite of my big girl.

Ella Claire 10

My favorite of Ella Bell

But.......this ones is sooooo her!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  The streets of our neighborhood were hopping with little ghouls and goblins.  I do believe we handed out at least 400 pieces of candy.....no kidding!  Julia didn't dress up this year  so it was just Ella hitting the streets in search of some decent candy (preferably American candy).  Ella wanted to dress up as a bag of jelly beans, so I did the best I could and we came up with this little number.........................................

A visit from Horace Grantn

The girl's school is always having interesting, talented and sometimes famous people come talk to them.  This time it was none other than one of the Chicago Bulls, 4 time NBA championship player, Horace Grant!
He gave a fantastic talk about team work and understanding your role on a team.  He knew going into the Bulls team that there was only room for 1 Michael Jordan, but he, Pippen and Rodman all knew what their role was on the team and without every one's contribution there wouldn't be a championships and no MVP (Michael Jordan).  He used this to help explain that this is how life and jobs/ companies work.  Without everyone doing their part the CEO would fail and if the CEO failed the company would fail.  It's all relative and every one's role is important for success.
After his talk, he stayed around for pictures and autograph signing.  One of my dearest friends here has a hubby that works for the NBA.  They get to meet some of the coolest NBA stars ever!  Her husband was the one that brought Mr. Grant to the school.  He was holding Horace's championship rings in his pocket and let me and Ella try them on.  I seriously couldn't believe #1 how crazy cool it was to have those on my hand and #2 how huge that mans fingers are!
Ella got to hang out with him in the office for a while with my friend's kids.  She had him sign some pictures and asked him questions.  The best part is, that he asked her just as many questions.  He was such a kind and incredibly nice man.  It was truly an honor!

Horace and the kids.

Hilary, me, Horace and Kasey

Ella with 2 of the championship rings on her hand!

ISAC 7th grade soccer tournament!

Way to go ISB girls taking the 1st place trophy in the ISAC soccer tournament!  They played great and have really grown and improved as a team!

Cheerleading clinic with some of the New England Patriots cheerleaders!

When ISB does something they go big.  They held a cheerleading clinic for the kids at school and had none other than some of the New England Patriots cheerleaders teaching it.  They brought the cheer coach and 4 beautiful young ladies to work with the kids on dancing, cheering and stunting. 
These ladies were so incredibly nice to all of the kids.  The elementary went first, followed up with the middle school and high school cheerleaders, so Julia and Ella both got their chance to work with them and they had a blast.
I got to sit and watch the whole thing....which was kind of hard to hear my kids cheering for the Pats.  I am a Bears fan and Kelly likes the Stealers, which my kids informed them of! Besides that there is nothing more humbling than watching some pretty, young, enthusiastic ladies shake their thing. Yikes!
They stayed around later and talked to the girls and posed for pictures.  Super cool experience for my daughters!


Ella and Camille



Jane, Leah Marie and Ella



Andrew (the smartest boy ever) Alexandria, Jane and Ella

Learning a dance

Learning a Pats cheer....yikes



Ella and Brittany



Ella's favorite Camille

Ella and Leah Marie

Julia and Camille



Julia and her cheerleading squad with the Pats cheer coach