All We Need Is Snow

We had a real fire in a real fireplace!

We even roasted our homemade marshies in it.  The best.

Holly Jolly

Christmas!

Stockings.

The kids always have a gift exchange amongst themselves.  G was happy to give BA her gift.

The girls got lots of beanies.  Cold weather is fun!

Opening presents with boxing gloves on.

Art stuff.

Skateboard.

Mads got one too.

Nate fell asleep looking at his new toy.

Don't Shoot Me

Christmas Eve...

For a while, Dare was always on the Ripstik.  Always.  She's slowed down a bit recently, but it is always close by.  Anyway, I liked this picture.

Cheese fondue.  Love Christmas Eve.

And chocolate.  Christmas Eve is the best.

Check out Rhon's face.  Hahah!  I guess she thought the chocolate was getting too far away from her.

I think we finally deserve a fondue pot.  Next year.

What could these be?!!

Matching pjs of course!  My favorite NEW Christmas Eve tradition.

After they got dressed in them, they had a slide fest.  I guess the pants are very slidy.  And our floor is very slippy.

As pretty as a Christmas card. :)

In honor of being in Asia.

After Nate and I got all the presents under the tree, we realized that Hades was behind all of them.

Here's Nate looking exasperated, trying to get him out.

Santa came, but he didn't fix the lights on our tree.  Bummer.

Adult Guardianship Approach

During winter break, the kids and I went shopping.  We went to Decathlon, and B&Q, and Auchan.  Here are some funny signs we saw.  Enjoy!

That says it all.

Almost.

So close!

Laser Pointers

I went to a Christmas market to find some cheap ornaments...

This is what it looked like.  Very sparkly.  Blingy if you will.

Everything (just about!) we can buy in America is made here.  Why can't I find that stuff?  It will be a shopping struggle for me for the next year and a half.

*******

Later that day, I went to Mads' holiday performance.

He is dressed for Kwanzaa.  Each winter holiday was celebrated.  Even Christmas!  They even had a picture of the nativity, and sang a song about baby Jesus.  In fact, they had a religious Christmas song, and a Santa Christmas song.  They covered all grounds.  It makes me so happy being in a international school where no one is offended about any of the holidays anyone celebrates.

Cold Weather

Taking the kids home from the bus stop on the tuk tuk.

This was taken December 6th.

It's unusual that all 5 come home at the same time these days.

This is Hades' favorite time of day.  Even though he still loves me the most.

I hate pajama day.

Fresh vs. Canned

Thanksgiving Day!  Since the kids go to an international school, they don't get American holidays off.  And for some reason, the school likes to plan things on Thanksgiving that the kids have to go to.  Ugh. They do it on purpose.  There was a basketball game and Dare was doing a cheer performance.  We all went.  It was a 2 minute routine, and then we were on our way home again to cook some more.

Dare thought cheer class was fun, but she did not like performing.  I don't think she'll do cheer again.

Watching the basketball game.

We had the S's over.  It was perfect.  And delicious.

Can't wait for next year!

Fresh wins.

Preserves

Since hawberries are everywhere this time of year, we decided to make jam out of them.  We added some kumquats and it was this lovely, unique, Beijingy, marmalade of sorts.

Those things are not easy to seed.  We got helpers.

Perfect Sunday afternoon activity.

Yummy Celery

There was one more birthday in November... Mine!  I wanted to go out to eat with all of us.  And I wanted dumplings.  Nate and I knew a great place.  I wanted to go back there.  Even though it is far.

It took us about an hour to get there.  And when we turned down the street it was on, there were cars everywhere.  This was our first outing as a family on Saturday night.  I had no idea this street was so popular!  We drove around and around looking for somewhere to park.  Just before we were about to call it quits, we found a place.

Beijing nightlife.

Royal Dumplings.

Love that Chinese taste.

I do.

These ladies are super awesome.

The look on Mads' face shows just how delicious those dumplings are.

This trip to Royal Dumplings was exciting!  While we were eating we heard a customer start arguing with the waitress.  It was no big deal at first - we hear Chinese people yelling all the time.  But it didn't stop.  A few more waitresses came out to talk to the lady.  Then the manager.  Then the chefs.  She was so mad.  Then she and a waitress started fighting!  Pushing and throwing punches!  They got separated pretty quickly.  The workers kept asking her and her group to leave, but the wouldn't.  They stayed!  It was pretty funny.

Then we stopped for Tong HuLu.

Best treat ever.

Aren't hawberries a miracle fruit or something?  Can't I justify eating 10 of these a day somehow?

I had a great birthday week.  This day was fun, but my actual birthday was very special.  My family sure tries hard to make it good for me.  It was.  They are the best.

Launch Rocket

G is 6.

He is so awesome too.

He asked for pizza and a strawberry cake with question marks.  Huh?  Well, I could make the pizza.  But he didn't want my pizza, he wanted round pizza.  When I make it, I make it rectangle.  It's easier to roll out!  To him, it tastes better when you have a triangular slice.  So I ordered it.  It was a busy day with volleyball games anyway, so it worked out.  

He got some presents from the girls.

Then, instead of a question mark cake, I was able to talk him into going to Baskin Robbins.  That worked out better for me too.

The Date Is Special

Dare is 10.

She is so awesome.

She wanted cinnamon rolls again.  And bbq chicken again.  She really wanted ribs (again!) but I haven't figured out how to make her those and get her presents without spending too much money.

To keep up with this crazy tradition I started, she got 10 presents.  One for each year of her crazy little life.