Easter Sunday

So I am a bit behind, but wanted to get these posted anyways!

We had a great Easter Sunday! It was a BEAUTIFUL day - actually the first day it really felt like spring here in Beijing! We actually had fast and testimony meeting this day, and General Conference was moved to the following week for us!

We had a great dinner with friends - Cafe Rio chicken burritos, fresh mango salsa made my Chip, delicious desserts and watermelon and other american food that made it feel like we were back home!

The kids had a great time at the Easter egg hunt, as well as the adults since Britton hid 2 eggs for them as well with gift cards to pizza hut and the silk market! So fun to be able to celebrate and share this experience with our great friends!
Happy Easter!

Cash before goin outside!

Right before the start!

Cash gettng his first eggs



Comparing baskets with Nora!

The whole Crew: Jensens, Krommenhoeks, us, and the Roneys!

Superstitions............................and laughter

So I am not sure why it took me so long to recognize this, but this last week I realized something about the elevators here in China. There are no floors here with the number 4 in them, or floor 13. They skip them in each building. So our building does not have a floor 4, 13, 14, 24, or 34.


The number 4 here is associated with death, and 13 is unlucky so they just get rid of them. It kind of mkes me laugh because in my mind if I were on floor 5 I would just be thinking about how really it is floor 4 anyways, so is that unlucky? (i know, weird thoughts of mine) Anyways - thought this was interesting! They are a VERY superstitious people here!

As for laughter - this past Easter Sunday we had a great dinner (cafe rio chicken burritos) with some friends - it felt like we were back in the US eating normal american food and it was SO fun! The food was delicious, the weather beautfiul, and the kids had a great time hunting for eggs, as well as the adults for the 2 with money in them hidden by Britton. It was a blast and the perfect day to celebrate this wonderful holiday here in China!

We had it at our friends, and at the end we decided to walk back the 30 minute walk to our place - and our friends who live in our building decided to come with us. We loaded up the kids into the strollers, got all our pots and pans, crockpot, and other food stuff, and set off.

The boys were pushing the strollers, Cash in one, and Coy and Kees in the other. Preface - 2 tall white dudes pushing kids with Easter baskets and also having bags attached - quite the sight. To make it better, they were walking faster than Rian and I so they were about 100 feet ahead of us. Rian and I had backpacks, pregnant bellies, and she was carrying a big pot and bowl - also quite the sight!

The boys didn't notice, but everyone who passed them would quickly look back at them and start laughing and talking about what a sight they were - and then upon seeing us some of them put it together and laughed even more -at least they ALL had a comment about it!

Once we realized what was going on Rian and I couldn't stop laughing either - it was SO funny to us that these 2 dads were drawing so many funnny looks and comments - and then probably us too! It was great!

Shanghai trip

Chip had a conference this past monday for work, so Cash and I tagged along and we went and saw the city there!

It is a way cool city, and we had a blast! We were there til Wed, but although short we saw a TON of sights! Below are LOTS of the pictures from the trip!

DAY 1:

Cash and Chip in our hotel room on the 71st floor with view of city behind them upon arrival

The view of the City out our hotel - simply amazing that they had no highrishe building 15 years ago - such a modern city now!

We went on a night tour of the city, including a river cruise -- here we are on the boat (we paid a little extra and got to have this nice cabin - it was so fun....and a lot warmer for all of us!)

We went upstairs to the deck to take pictures - Cash loved seeing the water, and we thought the building looked spectacular!

Cash and me with the TV tower in the background - looks like the space needle in Seattle

More buildings - it is like they took ideas from ALL the big cities in the US and put them all into one city!

Chip and Cash with the Bund - famous place with cool buildings - in the background

The cool buildings of the city behind us!

After the cruise we went over to Xin Tian Di - a famous street with lots of cool restaurants and shops - Cash LOVED the water fountain!

DAY 2:
Chip spent a good part of the day at his conference, and so Cash and I played at the hotel, swam in the pool, and just hung out. Chip joined us for a yummy lunch and then we tried to venture out to see some sites; however, it started raining hard at the first place, so we bought some umbrellas, walked around a bit to a few places, and then just settle for some pizza and pasta at a shop we found at Xin Tian Di the night before!

Cash and Chip with their umbrellas - Cash LOVES to play with his now ALL the time!

A beautiful park - with a cool building in back I can't remember what it is!

The Shanghai museum - the back part with the pretty flowers and awesome skyline!

DAY 3:
It ended up being beautiful, although very humid from the rainfall the day before!
We extended our stay a few hours and were able to see a lot of places we wanted to the day before!

First stop: the aquarium - it is the biggest one in Asia and was spectacular - Cash's favorite place we went! OUtside with the water fountains

Cash checking out some fish!

Giraffes too - jk - statues in the aquarium that were pretty cool!

My personal favorite thing here - the jellyfish - So pretty!

You went down an escalator below the water - it was way cool!

Jaws - or a shark like it I would NOT want to encounter! Pretty scary looking!

The big tank of stingrays - thought of crocodile man!

After the aquarium we walked along the Bund - really cool building and statues!

Cash didn't want his picture taken here!

It was great just spending time together after so many long nights without Chip!

People here and in Beijing act like they have never seen a baby before - they go NUTS over Cash every time, always ask for pictures of him - we thought these guys were exceptionally funny - so took their pictures too! Cash LOVES the attention tho and plays along well usually!

There are SO many bikes and scooters in the city - and they all go eery which way, in no orderly fashion - amazing there are not more wrecks!

Chip enjoying the nice day!

We went over to the Yu Garden next and Shanghai Old Street -it was amazing!

I loved the Old Street - so cool, with fun shops and interesting people

Outside the garden - ready to go in!

The Yu Garden is a rock garden with pagodas and way cool rock formations and green landscape and was so pretty!

Cash enjoyed the water and fish that were EVERYWHERE inside here!

Way high up on the rocks!

Found one that makes a great seat!

Having fun!

Cool view of surrounding building from inside the garden!

!
Fun!

Outside in the street they had statues of animals - Cash liked the elephant!

Jade Buddha Temple - these guys performed an interesting ceremony

The Buddha statue was HUGE

Different view of the street!

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt - which is the 2nd tallest building in Shanghai - the tallest one is the World Financial center (on the right)! Both were very tall!

Cash wanted to wear my shades on our last trip to the park across from the hotel!

Closer view of the TV building

Although it wasn't raining - Cash wanted to walk with his umbrella, and threw a fit til we let him!

The park across from our hotel was gorgeous!

Chip between the wrold financial center (left) and our hotel (right)

Last pic before heading to the airport - I love this one because it shows the best part of our trip - Cash got to spend a LOT of time with his daddy (and i did too)! We had such a great time in this city. It feels so modern and nice!