The Sweet Pea and Sweet Poos' Birthdays! 2016

Brock's birthday was during CNY holiday. The big 9! February 14th.

Brian and Anthony took the kids to see Kung Fu Panda III while we were in Shanghai.

Happy Birthday, Dash! We flew in from Guilin with the cousins and family and friends surprised us with a special cookie cake for the birthday boy! Dash turned 7. March 24th. Mrs. Lorna made the fabulous cookie cake!

Callie turned 12 on March 26th! We had an Easter Party planned at the church so I made a birthday cake for Callie and Gavin and it was a great party! And cousins were still in town too!

Christy and Jimmy, Ronan, Brock, Emily, Finn, Ashton, Olly, Chael, Dash, Gavin, Joy, Cam, Callie, Caleb, Carsten, Maverick and Addie. 

Chael turned 5 on April 14th! We had an ice cream party with loads of toppings. 

Ice Cream Party!

Funny Dude!

Hiking to the Botanical Garden

Caleb Goh, Olly, Addie and Cam Wood, Brock, Dash, Callie, Finn Wood.

These buddies have been working hard and playing hard all year! We finished our first year of homeschooling! Survived! Did it! It was doable because of good friends who were also home schooling. Otherwise I'm not sure how we would have faired! We also had the Padley boys to study Mandarin and science with as well as play together.

I used a virtual online homeschool program for Language Arts and Math. I was a "learning coach". It worked. But we are super excited to be going to a school this next year! Wahaha International School here we come! We are so grateful and feel so blessed to be able to attend this school. Thanks to good friends who helped in making it a possibility. You are miracle workers and an answer to prayer. 

We did a hike that started at the Hangzhou University and went to the Botanical gardens. In Spring it's a special time of year to see Hangzhou and her trees in bloom.

Yangshuo, Guilin in March 2016

West Street, Yangshuo. Trying out the new selfie stick.

Our good friend and Hangzhou neighbor, Lindsey Padley, was our pilot from Hangzhou to Guilin! 

Ashley, Shya, Colton, Sophie, Ali and I rented bikes and rode to some cool areas near by. 

Rocking our flower tiaras that little old ladies sell. We loved them!

We rented scooters and it was so fun! Rode to Fuli town and checked it out.

Happy 16th, Ashley!!! Colton picked out the fabulous pink bridal cake for her. Sweet brother.

I had some awesome runs in this gem of the world.

Longji Rice Terraces, Guilin

Shanghai, the Bund.

The Colton, Shya, Ashley, Sophie, Ali, Steve, Rachelle, Callie, Brian, Sarah

Zoe, Porter, Brock, Chael and Dash.

Family came to China to play! Brian's brother Steve and his wife, Rachelle, and their five children came plus another niece and nephew. We had so much fun! We started out in Shanghai.

We flew to Guilin and drove to the Longji Rice Terraces. It's something I've only done once years ago before I ever met Brian. It's really cool to see the tribal people who make these beautiful mountains their home and livelihood. 

The women have super super long hair and if you pay them they will take it down and show it to you. And you can watch how the twist it and make their updo.

Our tourguide is a local Chinese member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He's a friend of our friends and we are grateful for all he did for us.

Outside our boutique hotel in the mountain tops.

View from our balcony.

Ready! To hike in the misty rain to another village.

It took us about four hours to hike the village we were going to. And with the gorgeous cloudy skies and cloudy weather it made for great pics. I loved the hike. Everyone but Porter, Dash and Chael did it. Tony hung back with the kids because of an injury.