December 2016 and January 2017 Update!

Back row: Christy Moore, Julie Steimle, Callie, Susan Poon, Becca, Ky and Bryan Mortensen, Nancy Stice, Stephanie Wood, Brian, Joey Chao, Stella, Fai Poon, Anthony Wood

Frong row: Eme and Mali Poon, Joy Moore, Olly Wood, Chael, Dash, Brock, Cam and Addie Wood and Noe Poon

On Christmas Eve, the children gave stuffed animals to the local Chinese children who'd underwent major surgery at the Children's Hospital in Hangzhou. We gathered and sang Christmas songs on each floor before going to the next. It's been a tradition of ours and has always been a fun way for our family to give. Everyone came over afterwards for a very Tex Mex Christmas Eve meal! And the children acted out the nativity. Our friends here in Hangzhou are our family and a huge blessing.

On Christmas day which was Sunday we had all of the YSA's and singles over for dinner, plus the Wood family. Steph made the ham. It was a really wonderful Christmas weekend! The kids opened presents that morning. We kept it simple and it was lovely.

Xiao Li, Xiao Sun, Vicky, Brian, Sophie, Jessica, Lao Liu

Brian had a company work party before CNY. We made them these awesome gift baskets!! They had some fantastic things inside that they would be able to share with their family over the holidays. Brian took us to the Blue Frog, a nice Western restaurant with great burgers, and we ordered plenty and ate it Chinese style. I love Brian's team! They are so great and we are so grateful for them. They really are an awesome team!!!

Happy Chinese New Year at Wahaha Schools!

Brock was one of the emcees at the end of year performance.

Cam and Dash before they go on stage.

Chael gets to go to join the kindergarten class twice a week and his teacher is from Australia. So they sang a song about Santa Claus wearing shorts. Really cute!

We had a Christmas miracle. Brock came home from school singing Blizten Boogie. Brian called me down stairs to hear him because it was that miraculous. He could carry a tune!! He use to be monotone. Every note was the same! Somehow it just clicked and he can sing! He had a lot of fun being the drummer for the Blitzen Boogie song. He's happy to have dance solos. He should not quit his day job, however! 

Teacher gifts!

Stephanie and I made these really fun teacher gifts. With all of the specialized teaching at WIS for all 7 of our children combined, we made 21 of them! "Warmest wishes this holiday season" tags. We filled these large mugs with hot chocolate, cool socks, gloves and homemade cookies! I think they would have been fine with just the cookies... but I sure have a good time doing my little gift projects!

Happy Birthday, Brian! January 23rd. He's my favorite person in the whole world. 

Family Pics 2016

A big thank you to our good friend, Lorna Padley, who endured our craziness to snap a few shots of us for our Christmas card! Thank you, Lorna!!! 

There's a cool little park called "White Pagoda Park" that is a little hidden gem. And it had this really cool wall. It reminds me of  the famous Japanese painting called, "The Great Wave."

It's a miracle these kids can just all look at the camera at the same time and smile. And hold still! They are so playful and are really good friends. 

Dash is so cool. When we asked him about a cute girl in his class that he likes, he just owned it. He's so cool! His poor siblings were trying to embarrass him with no luck. I love that he just knows who is is and is grounded like that. He does his own thing and is totally cool with it. He's read every Diary of a Minecraft book we can find on his Kindle. Playing Minecraft on the weekends is one of his favourite things to do. He's also super into legos and is a great builder!

He had quite a few other poses. Including the two guns shooting at you. He's quite the comedian and is always making us laugh. (Especially his dad!) He is loving the Julius Ceasar play they are doing at school. He memorized his parts in two days and has loved practicing for it at school. He finished all of the Percy Jackson series and thinks they are awesome. He loves playing in soccer tournaments with his friends. Lego creations have taken over his room. 

Chael just started taking Taikwando classes once a week and he loves it. He does a lot of cool kicks that look pretty good to us. We have no idea what good form is but he is a strong boy and loves Taikwando! He does well keeping up with his big brothers and sisters and pretty much enjoys doing whatever everyone else is doing. If he could eat a cheese burger everyday he would. He thinks they are the best food group ever. His mother makes him eat his vegetables though... the poor thing! I think he asks me for a cookie or chocolate or candy almost everyday. Not sure where he came from! He still wins us over and the rest of China with his charm and smile. 

Callie is at least 5'8 now! No one thinks she's only 12! My baby! She loves her teachers and her classmates and fortunately loves learning. I love that about her! Thanks to some wonderful mentors in her life. She's the only American student in her middle school and speaks mostly English at school but quite a bit of Mandarin too. Her Mandarin is really fluent. She's amazing and we are super proud of her. She's really a wonderful tutor to her little brothers and others. So special. She's missing sport opportunities this year but hopefully next year there will be some great options for her. Sports and books. That's her thing.

!!!Merry Christmas, Happy Diwali, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!!!

#LIGHTtheWORLD 2016

25 Ways. Over 25 Days. Everyday leading up to Christmas was a chance to look at things Jesus Christ did and resolve to do the same. We were provided with a calendar of daily suggestions, encouragement and inspiration on how we can follow the example of Jesus Christ. #LIGHTtheWORLD!

For our kick-off service activity we decided we would go to the famous West Lake and happily let the Chinese tourists and locals take our pictures. The kids were awesome. 

We'd set them up and start to take their pictures...

and then a crowd would start to gather and also take their pictures. They love being photographed with them and have their children with them as well. It was a simple but wonderful thing for our children to do. It made so many people happy. And that's what we're all about!

Chael put his arm around this little boy. Awesome sweater and split pants. He's precious.

Got the two thumbs up!

We introduced the 25 ways in 25 days at our Thanksgiving Potluck. We started a wechat group with friends from all over the world and shared some of the things we were doing and our experiences. It was the best December ever. We'd plan what things we wanted to do during family night for the week. It was really special and so inspiring and helped us all draw closer to our Savior as we tried to serve by doing things that he would do.

I know that service helps us draw closer to our Savior. 

Happy Halloween!! 2016

Happy Halloween! 

Halloween in our international community is all weekend long! The parties just keep going. We didn't  buy anything for costumes this year except for Callie's Catniss bow! She rocked it. 

Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable.

Chael and I were super excited to be a duo unstoppable team! Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable! I thought we nailed it. But! To my surprise, most people don't know who the famous Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable are! 

Catniss.

Everyone knew who Callie was! Nailed it!

Skeleton and Skull Bandit.

Ron Stoppable with Rufus!

I was really proud of this Rufus I made out of some felt we had and a glue gun! At least Chael appreciated him! No one else knew who he was! haha

The branch Halloween Party!

On the morning of our Halloween parties, October 29th, I was asked to represent More Than Aware, a breast cancer charity group based in Shanghai that empowers women to be proactive in preventing and recovering from breast cancer. Crossfit in Hangzhou raised money for this wonderful organization started by an amazing woman and friend, Suzanne Calton.

Alex, Steph and I were a team and won the scaled competition!

Me giving a speech....

What's your green? 

And last but not least! Another epic party at Karl and Yanti's house! And they know how to do scary!

Funniest costume by our fellow Americans, Kristin and Ted Arditi as Yanti and Karl.

Love this pic of Dash. Halloween day at school....

Chael and I learned our lesson and went with the scarier option for Brock and Dash's Halloween party/carnival at school. I helped with face painting!

My Family Came!!! October 2016

Brian, Paul, Kathe, Riz and Michelle at the Fa Xi Temple

Look who traveled all the way to come play in China with us?! My sisters, Kathe and Michelle and their husbands, Riz and Paul. Woot!!! We had a blast!

Women making paper treasure to burn in offerings at the temple.              

 This is one of my favorite temples. It's beautiful, quaint with very few tourists and very photogenic.

                 

The Bamboo Forrest.

The Famous West Lake in Hangzhou. It is said that Hangzhou is where heaven meets the earth. It's really a beautiful city. 

Our favourite Muslim restaurant that serves great breads and Mediterranean food near the off of He Fang Jie.

The several-hundred-year-old medicine shop near He Fang Street. 

                                                                                   Chael found his twin brother.

 We went to Wu Zhen, a photogenic and quaint water town a of couple hours away. We spent the day there and enjoyed the old-style authentic town that still thrives and now relies on tourism.