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Permalink 
The birthday bash started with Papa John’s pizza for the six girls.
 Emersyn
 Mimi
 Kate
 Kelly
 Samantha
 Audrianna
 Eleri
The girls with their American Girl dolls.
The girls were giving each other bunny ears, therefore, Eleri ran to get real bunny ears!
Time for cake! That is Mimi covering Eleri’s lips. She has a little brother the same age – so she knows!
After cake, they had a pj fashion show down the hallway. There are no photos as there were no lights, only flash lights! Then, the girls played the American Girl game, 300 wishes.
We settled them down on some air mattress, Thai pillows and the sofa. They watched a movie and fell asleep. The next morning Jim made pancakes for the girls. It was a fun first birthday sleepover!
Tina was in town from Hong Kong. She stopped by to say hello the night after the birthday celebrations. It was fun seeing Tina as we haven’t seen her since we left Hong Kong.
Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 187 user reviews.
Permalink May holiday is Labor Day week in China. The Szatkowski family is moving back to America. Therefore, we organized a three family beach holiday to Phuket. The Szatkowski family (Betty, Jimmer, Samantha & Jack) and the Humes family (Mary, John, Kelly & Erin). We were going back to the JW Marriott to enjoy the pool, the beach and the fun of good friends.
Once we arrived, the girls was ready to hit the pool.
A pool with a slide is all the kids need for a week of fun. They couldn’t wait to hit the pool every day. The parents enjoyed “poorman margaritas” pool side.
 Mary, Elle & Erin
Boys and the beach – Jim and John gave boogie riding “a go” one afternoon.
Kid’s club is free for children 4 and older. The last time we were at the JW Marriott, I had to sit in kid’s club with Eleri. Since Eleri’s birthday is in August and she likes to celebrate with her current classmates, we pick a weekend that is open. This year it was a weekend in April before this holiday. Therefore, when the staff asked Elle how old she was, she would say 4 with a big smile as she had her party. Therefore, she must be 4 and we didn’t tell her any different.
Enjoying a little down time after a long day of fun in the sun.
I only take my camera down to the pool a couple times during the week. I try to get enough pool and slide pictures during my quick photo sessions. A few more slide fun photos.
Cannon ball!!
The swim-up bar is a favorite. The adults would sneak over for some quite fun while the kids where in Kids Club. On this afternoon, we took the kids for ice cream at the swim-up bar. Everyone had a blast.
 Erin, Elle, Kelly, Sam, Emmy & Jack
We went off resort for a beach dinner. We had beautiful weather, excellent food and great friends to share the experience.
The fire lighting ceremony occurs about every other night. We always mange to miss it, but were able to catch the ceremony towards the end of our trip.
Hair is always done on the last day of our holiday. This way the girls have the fun hair to enjoy. The hair and braids can be washed for about a week.
When we beach in Phuket, we like to stop over in Bangkok – one can’t be this close to Bangkok and miss the weekend market. The Humes stopped for the weekend in Bangkok. The Szatkowski went back to Shanghai.
 Mary, Kelly & Emmy
The Lyon family decided to spend an extra day in Bangkok to do a few of the temples. We haven’t done the temples since our first trip to Bangkok in 2003.
Our first stop was the Wat Pho, or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. It is the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok. Wat Pho is the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. Even prior to the temple’s founding, the site was a center of education for traditional Thai medicine and statues were created showing yoga positions.
The most famous Buddha of this temple is the Reclining Buddha, the largest Buddha image in Thailand. The Reclining Buddha is 46 meters long (150ft) and 15 meters high (49ft).
The temple has monk bowls to drop coins for an offering. It is fun to fill each monk bowl with a coin.
We enjoyed walking around the grounds of the temple. The girls had fun taking their photos with the various statues.
We had grand plans to see two temples today, but after this one, the girls were done. We enjoyed some quite time before going to dinner at our favorite place, The Blue Elephant. It is a cooking school with very tasty Thai food.
Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 208 user reviews.
Permalink 
With a summer birthday, we found an open weekend to host Eleri’s birthday party. Since we are leaving the school year early for Jenna’s wedding, April was the only open weekend. The beginning of May was Spring break and we needed to have Emersyn’s birthday party before we left for the summer. April 12 is the same day of the month as August 12 – close enough!
The morning began with frosting the chocolate cakes for the party. My little helpers were busy cleaning the beaters – always their job.
After finishing the preparation of all the party food of cakes, fairy breads, hot dogs and other finger foods, Eleri opened her birthday presents. She really doesn’t understand that it isn’t officially her birthday for another four months.
An American Doll for Eleri. She loves Emersyn’s American Girl, Niki. Now, Eleri has the doll of 2008, Mia. Emersyn got Niki for her birthday when she turned seven. Being the younger sister, Eleri got her doll turning four. The way of life as the little sister.
Eleri was thrilled that the doll was HER Doll!
We booked the bbq pit over the sand playground. It is perfect for a kid’s party with the children playing on the equipment and in the sand. Since she doesn’t have certain friends she plays with, we invited the class of 20 children. In addition, she invited a few extra playmates – Caspar, Bonnie and James. Good thing it is an outdoor party with room to run and play. At this age, the party included two parents – 20 kids = 40 parents. We are glad to have the red wagon to drag all the food, beers and drinks over to the sand playground.
The children started off with party food.
Then, they were down playing in the sand. I had buckets and shovels for each child. It was part of their party bag to take home.
Eleri was excited about her cake. I think she was more excited to blow out the candles.
It was a fun first friends birthday party for Eleri. Now that she goes to school, she has friends to join her in the celebration of her birthday.
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 202 user reviews.
Permalink This week has been book week at Dulwich International School for Eleri. On Friday, a book character parade is held in the front entrance/play ground area. Eleri wanted to wear the dog costume I had purchased for Halloween. She is a very cute puppy!
Eleri is all smiles as she gets ready to go to school as a puppy.
At school, Eleri was enjoying the large picture books in the library.
Eleri’s classmate, Oscar, was dressed as a dalmatian puppy, also.
It was a beautiful afternoon for the parade. The kids had fun parading around the courtyard at school.
Eleri with her teacher, Ms Allison.
Eleri had a fun day at school with her first book character parade.
Average Rating: 4.9 out of 5 based on 286 user reviews.
Permalink The theme this year was Winter Wonderland. The girls wore their Christmas dresses. I knew there was some reason I threw it in the suitcase from America at the last minute!!
My friend, Betty, and I took our girls to the local salon for a wash and blow dry. Betty’s daughter, Samantha, has curlier hair than Emmy. They got their nails beautified, their hair washed and the curls straighten. The girls looked beautiful and were ready for night of dancing with Daddy.
We heard someone described Chinese communities as “fang bianâ€. Fang Bian means convenient which is a true description of Chinese areas. Behind our complex is our street of “fang bian†convenient. The strip of buildings has our wet market we buy all our fruit and vegetables. Next to it would be the all-important local hair salon and the bakery with the “sugar breadâ€, a doughnut.
Jim and Emmy went to the dance with Samantha and her Dad, Jimmer. The Szatkowski Family lives in our complex, which makes everything “fang bianâ€. Emmy and Daddy looking beautiful for their big night out.
 Emmy all beautified
Betty and I decided to take Eleri and Jack, Betty’s son age 5, to the Blue Frog for dinner. The Blue Frog is a local chain with the best hamburgers (or hamgabas in Elle terms) in town…along with happy hour everyday from 4pm to 8pm. At dinner, Jack taught Elle how to burp. Not a little girl burp, but on demand big boy burp. Elle to this day is the best burper of anyone (boy or girl) her age. We always think of Jack when she begins her “fun burp†sessions.
Average Rating: 4.8 out of 5 based on 186 user reviews.
Permalink 
We decided to stay in Shanghai for Chinese New Year (CNY) and pass on the beach holiday as many of our friends were off to the sun. We just return from Christmas in California and it is hard budget-wise to set off on another holiday. Flights, hotels and everything are double the price because it is CNY.
Chinese New Year always begins with a celebration at the schools. At Concordia, the parents are invited to see the performance.
 Mimi, Kate & Emmy watching the performance
 Concordia Dragon Dance
 Elle wore her Chinese dress to school
We watched the fireworks over the river this year since we moved across the hall into an new apartment with a different view.
We spent the week enjoying family time and sleepovers. Mimi came over for one of those 24-hour play date/sleepover. The girls always have so much fun together.
 Bath time
 Bubbles everywhere
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 based on 287 user reviews.
Permalink The favorite Christmas tradition for the girls is gingerbread house creations with Aunt Nancy. The girls look forward to it every year.
 Getting Started
As Emersyn gets older, her creations get more exciting. Emersyn likes to create patterns with the candies to give her house details.
Eleri doesn’t know about patterns, yet!
Emersyn ready to “give a go” to the frosting squeeze.
 Decorating & Eating
Both girls are all smiles as they finish their masterpiece gingerbread house creations.
The gingerbread houses are ready to decorate the table for Christmas center pieces.
Average Rating: 4.4 out of 5 based on 170 user reviews.
Permalink Our friends, Betty & Jimmer Szatkowski, hosted Thanksgiving this year. Betty had a large crowd, as always at the Szatkowski’s home. Betty lives in the tower 9/10 next to our tower 11/12. Ovens are not standard in Chinese homes. When Betty moved into her apartment on the 12th floor, part of the negotiations was an oven. Needless, to say, only small ovens are available in China – no room for a turkey larger than the size of a pigeon. Therefore, the standard Thanksgiving meal includes a turkey ordered from a hotel restaurant. All the guests bring side dishes to enjoy with the turkey. It was a very nice gathering of friends.
Thanksgiving photos of the girls having fun together.
The kids had fun playing while the parents drank too much wine, as always.
 The gang of kids
Average Rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 233 user reviews.
Permalink Eleri began school this year. She is attending the British School, Dulwich College. She is at the campus for preschool through Year 2 (US 1st grade) called DUCKS. The name of her school-aged program is Nursery. She has a lovely class of children; her teacher is Mrs. Allison and the class is called the Pelicans. School at the age of 3 is ALL day in Shanghai. I looked into other half-day programs, but none were available. In addition, Eleri was only on the wait list for 18 months!! I chose Dulwich over Concordia based on the reading programs. Elle is the youngest in her class as she just turned 3.
Elle takes a nap each day at school (all the kids are required) so she has her nap mat from Pottery Barn. Elle doesn’t do well with the nap because she is an “Asian kid”. She has had the benefit of Imelda which means she grew up taking a nap in her cot in the dark…not on the road like Emmy while I ran errands.
 New Backpack
 I can’t even see my lunch
I drove Eleri to and from school for the first month. My friend, Jenny, has a daughter, Bonnie, in another Nursery class. Jenny and family live at Yanlord in the same tower. She needs to get Bonnie on the bus because her baby is due soon. So we put them on the bus together. It was harder for me to put my 3 year old on the bus than it was for Elle. All of Elle’s life she has seen Emersyn go to school on a bus. I think for Elle it is part of going to school. The Dulwich School has a little red school bus. Elle’s little head barely peaks over the window.
Eleri’s school begins at 8:30am to 3:00pm. She gets on the bus at 7:25am. She is more of a sleeper than Emmy – getting up is a bit more of a challenge for Elle. Elle returns from her day of school at 3:30pm.
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 288 user reviews.
Permalink We extended out time in California to the very last day. Therefore, we missed orientation for Emersyn. Usually this would not be a problem as this is Emmy’s second year at Concordia, an American school. However, the new elementary building was completed over the summer. We had no idea where her classroom was located or who would be her teacher. I drove her to school for the first day. What a mess! The students were to meet in the motor skills room (gym) to find their teacher. I was glad I was there to help her. Since I knew she was in the same class with her two best buddies, Kate and Mimi, I just looked for them. After I found them, I found her teacher. Her teacher this year was Mrs. Forrester. She was new to Shanghai, also. Mrs. Forrester is the fun, cheerful teacher…it looks like another good year for Emersyn.
 Emersyn & her American doll, Niki
Emersyn school begins at 8:00am to 3:20pm. Emmy gets on the bus at 7:10am. Not a problem for our early bird. She is up most days on her own at 6:00am. Emmy’s bus returns to Yanlord at 4:00pm.
Average Rating: 5 out of 5 based on 268 user reviews.
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