Beach Fun

Cameron and I started the day by watching some Olympic events.  At 8:00 we went for a walk/run.  We walked a lap then ran a lap.  We did this twice (4 laps in all).  It was hot.  Actually it was humid, air was thick, and in the back of our apartments no breeze.  We survived and felt good afterwards.

At 9:00 he headed down to see what Alfredo was doing.  They were slow moving.  He needed to eat breakfast, make his bed, and brush his teeth before he could come up.  He arrived about 9:30.  They played until 11:30 when we headed for the beach.

On the way to the beach Mr. Xue sent me a text.  Obviously while he was driving.  It asked if we wanted to go in the free gate.  Free gate?  We didn't know there was a free gate.  Ileana and I discussed the free gate thing so I sent him a text back asking where it was.  He said "The VIP entrance".  Before we could even answer he went down a road we hadn't been on before, through a gate, and dropped us off right at the beach.  Wow!  He gained some brownie points with me.  We unloaded the van and walked a block or so down to where we usually sit.  It was on a nice path so it was no big deal...remember, it was free. 

Jessica sent me a text while we were driving telling me it was crowded.  I thought she was kidding but she wasn't.  The beach was packed with Chinese.  We couldn't believe it since it was Monday and not a holiday.  We found some of the others and set up camp.  Immediately 2 Chinese ladies came over and started "chatting" with us and the little ones.  Jessica was very annoyed and was trying to figure out how to nicely say "beat it" when all of a sudden they just left.  The rest of the day was just our group.  Jessica and her two kids, Erica and her two, Peter and his three, Ileana and her three, Carmen and her two, Astrid and her two, and Me and my one.  The kids had a blast while the adults chatted.

Kids playing, Chinese staring.

Cameron got buried alive.

Gross.

Next he was buried sitting up.

Now it's Alejandro's turn.

Alfredo took a turn and Cameron used him for a chair.

At 3:00 we packed up and headed towards TEDA.  Everyone showered to get the scum off from the beach.  Cameron went out to ride bikes with all the kids.   Around 4:45 Todd got home and all the kids were in our apartment playing.  It was time to make S'mores.  The Carrasco's had no idea what this was.  I had Carrie and Ainsley come up so they could join in the fun too. 

Each kid took a skewer and roasted their marshmallows over the stove.  Not quite the American way but we had to improvise.  Ileana and I had all the Graham Crackers laid out with Hershey's laid on top.  Each kid made their own S'more and then enjoyed it.  Except for Alejandro...he only liked the chocolate. 

The kids are all lined up to cook their marshmallows.

View from the front.

Ileana making her first ever S'more.

Nice face Cameron.

Alejandro and Alfredo trying them...Ale didn't like it.

No Ainsley, you don't have anything on your face.

After S'mores everyone went home except for Alfredo.  He spent the night.  They must have both been tired or something because they had a hard time figuring out what to do part of the time.  They played chess, pop ball game, Headbandz, and watched Muppets in Space.  Then it was off to bed.