China Pics

It has taken me too long, but I finally got some pictures organized from out trip to China. Here is a sample:




We took about 700 pictures while there and didn't want anyone to fall over asleep looking at all those pictures. So we have been busy selecting our favorites. The full set is on our Flickr site (Link). As usual, photos just don't do the trip justice. They are mostly just place cards for our memories, but some of them did turn out well. It was such a beautiful place to visit. Hopefully you will at least get a glimpse of the China we enjoyed.

Congrats to us for receiving "The Aunt and Uncle of the Year" Award

It is official. We are the #1 Aunt and Uncle. I mean how could we not win when we return home from China and give all these kiddies outfits like these? On a sidenote - congrats to Oliver for finally making the blog - we have kept his handsomeness in hiding for far too long.

What we learned at the Great Wall

So we are back settling into real life again and our China trip seems like a dream. I was thinking about some of the things I learned about China while visiting:

1) Chinese men LOVE to spit - anywhere and everywhere - it actually is pretty impressive

2) The Chinese do not believe in waiting in lines - first served is the first who pushed to the front

3) Kung Pao chicken is difficult to find

4) They LOVE slippers - you always remove your shoes in the house (I wish Ross would follow this rule at home).

5) They love to haggle and bicker over prices - sometimes this was fun sometimes it just made me too tired to even try and buy something.

6) It can get very, very, very cold at the Great Wall. Dress appropriately (thank goodness for that amazing scarf that I knitted on the plane ride over - Ross and Kiki were very jealous).

7) Don't drink the water.

8) Smoking is cool - after all, everyone is doing it.

9) Rain, snow, sleet, shine - the bicycle is the way to go

10) Traffic lights, crosswalks are merely suggestions - if you feel like it is safe to make a left-hand turn - go for it.

The Christmas Tradition Continues

Before getting married I was always a little jealous of the families that all received matching pajamas for Christmas. I don't know why - I just was. So when I got married I decided that I was going to start that tradition. The trick is - because it is my thing I am in charge of the Christmas pajamas (i.e. Ross has nothing to do with it). This year, because things were so crazy, the night before going to China I started to freak out because I hadn't bought the pajamas and I wanted to make sure there were three sets since we would be celebrating with my brother. Well, crisis averted - you can find pajamas in China. Here is a picture of the three of us in our pajamas looking very, very tired. And no, none of us slept in these ultra fancy "pajamas" that came with shoulder pads. Kudos to Ross and Kiki for humoring me and my tradition.

We're back (fyi - "back" is a play on words)

We made it back from our whirlwind trip to China. It was awesome. Instead of going into details about the trip I think that because it is New Year's it is time for another public service announcement. Here goes:

When you are in China and you don't understand the language (AT ALL) and you don't understand what your masseuse is telling you . . . DON'T (DO NOT) agree to them simply because you think "hey, they are the masseuse they must know what they are doing." If you choose to not follow this advice this will be the result - round bruises all over your back after receiving the Chinese "cup" massage treatment where they suction up all the knots in your back. While receiving this treatment it really felt like crabs were biting my back. Not particularly comfortable and not really something I would pay to experience.

(DISCLAIMER - sorry about the graphic image of myself but sometimes things like this just need to be documented - if you look at me differently now that you know I have freckles on my back - I'll understand).