Starting Home

Todd worked and I cleaned the air purifiers, changed the sheets on our bed, did all the laundry and put it away, and made sure the apartment was ready for Todd to take charge of it for the next month. Yikes. The ayi will continue to visit though so it will be ok. Todd got home a little after 1. He changed and we headed to Beijing. It rained a little on the way. We made it to the hotel around 4:00. We checked in and then had Mr. Xue take us to the Kro's Nest for an early dinner. As Cameron was eating his pizza he started to choke. I, of ourselves, began to freak out. Cameron finally got the glob of cheese that was stuck spit out. It sounds dramatic but it was a very brief scare. I told Cameron I thought I was going to have to give him the hiney lick. He started to laugh (which took is mind off of choking) and asked me what that was. I told him it was really called the Heimlich Maneuver. At least it lightened the mood and we finished dinner. Back to the hotel and to the lounge. Todd and Cameron took turns playing Free Flow on the iPad while I read a magazine. Free Flow is a great thinking game. We all get frustrated when we can't solve a problem. Then the boys played a game of Chinese checkers. Cameron can't wait to go to Pearl Market so he can buy his own game. They enjoyed playing. Back to the room to go to bed. 3:30am is going to come quickly. A little nervous about flying home alone. I'm sure Cameron and I can handle it though.

Trying to figure out Flow.

Last Day In TEDA

Started the day off with chores around the apartment to get ready to go home...laundry, wash sheets, cut veggies for soup, try out new dishwasher, finished packing.  We ran to the grocery store, veggie market, and beer store.  Manuel came over for awhile to play. At 12:30 we all went out to the open lot out front to play Bocce Ball with Sharla and Will.  The three adults took turns and played against the boys.  We smoked them 21-8.  That was a fun way to burn 30 minutes.

Cameron getting ready to throw as Sharla, Will, and
Manuel look on.

Notice my form not that I didn't shower or do
my hair.

Cameron and Will are really thinking about the next throw.

Cameron and Manuel are adding up points.

We walked to the ATM and Times Grocery Store and then went back to the apartment to wait for Todd to get home from work.  Once he was home we went out to try and fly the new kite again.  They at least got it up in the air a few times today so it was a little bit of a successful flight.  The wind was not cooperating again. 

Back inside to grill out.  After dinner the boys got haircuts, showered, and we watched a movie.  We head to Beijing tomorrow to spend the night and then catch a 6:55 a.m. flight to Detroit and then a flight to Moline.  Excited to get home to see family and friends and eat our favorite foods. 

New Mall

11:00 today we walked over to the new mall just down the street from our apartment with Sharla and Will.  It is a holiday in China so he had the day off.  It is Dragon Boat Festival.  Todd of course had to work. 

The parking lot was packed at the mall.  People were everywhere.  They had parking lot attendants that were dressed cute with funky hats.  We walked inside and it was bright and clean.  You could tell right away that it was an expensive mall.  We walked around the first floor which was all shoes and make up.  The second floor was woman's clothes.  Third floor was men's clothes.  We stopped at Timerland and Sharla found a pair of shoes she wanted.  I looked at a cute little dress but it was too expensive.  Even on sale it was still $171.  NO WAY. 

Going in to the new mall.

We continued walking around and we saw a LEGO sign.  Of course we had to rush right over.  There was a small selection of Lego's but a lot of baby toys.  There was also Nerf toys.  Cameron found a Nerf gun he fell in love with.  It was 400 RMB ($62).  He decided he was going to spend his allowance money on it. 

Checking things out.

Check out these "licensed" toys.

Pretty happy with his purchase.

After the mall Brad and Manuel came over to play all afternoon.  They had a blast. 

Nerf war.

Will and Sharla came over for pre-dinner drinks.  Our new dishwasher was finally delivered around 6:00.  Fredy came up for a drink too. We headed over to the Parrot for the Hog Roast around 6:15.  There we had the patio area reserved.  Megan, John, Hadley, Harper, and Mason were already there.  So were Bob, Robert, and Dave.  Manuel, Cecilia, Manuel, and Melisa came a few minutes later. The food was great.  The company was great.  It was a fun night.  We walked home around 9:00.  Showered and went to bed.

Dave and Cameron showing their team support.

The kids and technology.

Good times.
Todd, Fredy, Megan, Sharla, Will, Manuel, and Cecilia.

TEDA Water World

Our plan was to meet at the new Jacky's at 11:00 for lunch then we would head over to the Water World.  Carmen, Brad, Ben, Janan and his dad and brother, Cecilia, Manuel, Melisa, Mar and her two boys, Megan, Hadley, Harper, Mason, Suse and her two kids, Sharla, Me and Cameron were all at Jacky's.  After eating we paid our bill which was not an easy task and then walked over to Water World.

The boys table.
Cameron, Brad, Janan, Manuel, and Ben.

You are never to young to belly up to the bar.
Hadley and Mirje.

The people there were excited to see all of us walk in.  Claudia, Owen, Lily, and Lily's friend were waiting for us.  We all paid our 20 RMB a piece, traded our shoes in for pool shoes, and headed to the locker rooms.  Once out on the pool deck we noticed that the round pool was only half full and the kiddie pool had no water in it.  They assured us yesterday it would all be ready for opening day (today).  The kids jumped right in the kidney shaped little pool.  It was freezing.  The little ones weren't digging the water.  Our big kids were having fun.  They then jumped in the round pool and got in trouble for jumping in because it is "forbidden, dangerous".  The big kids decided to go swim a lap in the 50 meter pool.  Cameron got up on the starting block and again they said "forbidden, dangerous".  WHAT?  That is what they are for.  I told Cameron to go ahead.  He was a little hesitant but I told him it was ok.  He finally dove in and swam a lap.  He almost looked like a professional swimmer.  When they came back they said the water was freezing so they got back in the round pool.  Everyone else were trying to figure out what they were going to do.  Carmen and I decided we would stay because our kids were having fun and didn't seem to mind all the flaws of the place.  About 5 minutes later Cameron came limping over.  He showed me the back of his ankle.  It was bleeding and had a layer of skin hanging off the back.  I asked him what happened.  He said there was something on the bottom of the pool that sliced his ankle.  That was enough for me to say we were leaving. 

The boys are easy to please.

This could be a nice pool to play in.

Little kidney shape pool that was freezing.

Kiddie pool with no water.  They also told us the slides
were not assembled correctly.  Hoping to fix them tonight.

Cameron and Ben made it the 50 meters.

This place has potential. 

This was Cameron's ankle when he got out of the water.

It just took off the top layer but it still hurt.

We all went out to the lobby and got our money back. Water World should not have opened. They put a band aid on Cameron's ankle but it didn't help. It was still bleeding out of the band aid. We said our goodbyes and went home. We cleaned up Cameron's ankle, cut the skin off, and put medicine and new band aids on. He was such a trooper. I decided to give him a surprise for not whining or anything and for acting like a big kid. I gave him the Lego Wii remote. He was so excited and happy. He put it together and took off for the Wii room. He said he was going to play Lego Harry Potter. It helped him forget all about his sore ankle. TEDA Water World STUNK!!

Wii remote Baby.

We met Sharla out front at 6:00 to walk over to eat dinner at the 3rd Avenue veggie market restaurant.  I was not overly excited about this because the place is scary looking.  We found a table, Sharla ordered all the food, and we got some semi-cold beer.  Our waiter guy wasn't wearing a shirt which was kind of grossing me out for some reason.  Will and Neil (Gems headmaster but now moving to Kazakhstan) joined us a short time later.  The food came out in shifts.  First green beans, then calamari which was very spicy, broccoli was next, then 2 kinds of Kung Pow chicken (spicy and normal).  Neil finally got them to bring regular rice and then the fried rice came.  Todd and Cameron left at 7:20 because Todd had a call for work.  About 15 minutes later the sweet and sour chicken finally came.  Its crazy how the food comes in China.  The best part was for all the food and 9 double size bottles of beer it was 235 RMB ($36).  Completely cheap and surprisingly good.

This was our waiter.  Isn't he hot?

Sharla and Cameron went to buy onion bread.  Pretty good.

Sharla gives it a thumbs up.

Waiting for the rest of our food.
Will, Sharla, Cameron, Neil, and Me.  Todd took the photo.

We went to a new bar that Neil found to have one drink.  It is upstairs from the 7-11 on 3rd Avenue.  It is a nice bar.  Nobody was there which was even nicer because that means no smoke.  We walked home around 9:00.  When I walked in the door Cameron said "Yeah, thanks for having your phone with you tonight."  Todd didn't have keys so they couldn't get in.   They couldn't get a hold of me because I didn't have my phone.  They got a hold of Fredy who does have a key to our place but unfortunately he didn't know where it was.  After 45 minutes or so they got a hold of Ileana in Mexico so she could tell them where the key was.  Finally the boys were in the apartment.  Ooopps.  

Another First

After working out with Sharla she said she was going with Stine to get a foot massage.  She asked if Cameron and I wanted to go with.  At first Cameron said no way.  Sharla told him about the boys we had met right when we moved here that moved back to Texas and how they use to get foot massages.  Cameron agreed to give it a try.

At 10:30 we were at the massage place.  We turned one of the beds around so we could look at Cameron.  He was facing the three of us girls.  Sharla started telling him how the massage people are blind.  Cameron couldn't believe it.  Then he started staring at the people.  We had 4 people and only 2 of them were blind.  They brought out the water to put your feet in and it was hot.  Cameron could hardly keep his feet in it.  Then Cameron's person started rubbing on his shoulders.  It was a hurt so bad feels so good type of thing.  Cameron was making funny faces and giggling.  He was so cute to watch.  He couldn't believe how long they rubbed on one foot.  Then they still had the other foot.  He started looking like he was going to fall asleep. 

Cameron is getting ready.

Trying to keep his feet in.  Sharla tried to help.

He was not sure about all of this.

He had this smile on a lot.

Thinking...what on earth are you doing?

He got a little comfy.

At the end we asked him how it was.  He said "It hurt".  I'm not sure if I can get him to go back again.  It was another Chinese first. 

We met Carmen, Brad, and Ben at the bowling alley at 1:00.  Unfortunately, it didn't open until 2:00.  We decided not to wait.  We went and checked out the new TEDA Water World which is next to Decathlon.  It is a 50 meter pool, little slide, round pool, and another little pool.  It opens tomorrow.  We will be there.

I dropped everyone off at Carmen's.  Cameron stayed to play.  I went back to the apartment and cleaned the office, packed some stuff to go home, and watched my ayi clean.

At 5:30 I walked down to the corner by Nick's Mart to get Cameron.  Carmen's family were going to eat at Delights so I told her I would meet her there to get Cameron.  We walked back home and watched Todd grill.  We then ate on the porch, cleaned up, and skyped both sets of parents.

Chilacas and cheese brats...Yum!

Ultimate Compliment

There is nothing better than someone telling you something positive about your child. Megan had a baby three weeks ago so we packed up a goodie basket full of stuff and bought them dinner (since I don't really cook).  I received the following e-mail from her.  It really meant a lot to me.

Hi, Shelly

Just wanted to say thanks for the goodie basket--it's been a hit all afternoon.... I think you hit all of my weaknesses! LOL

Also, I just wanted to let you know what a great guy Cameron is. I know he doesn't know me well, but any time I saw him at school this year and said Hello to him, he always responded and smiled and just had such a pleasant demeanor about him. There are plenty of kids who wouldn't take the time of day to respond (especially with eye contact and a smile) or who would have such an attitude (already) but he's always just so pleasant and polite. Even today, he was just such a nice young man. Most kids have to be prompted or prodded to speak to adults or to say hi & bye, but he seemed willing to converse and I just think that's so nice.

Enjoy your trip back home & the rest of your summer if I don't see you before you leave!!!

 

Megan

Extra Pictures

I found 3 pictures on  my phone that hadn't made the blog.  I couldn't leave them out.

We saw this display at Yashow Market.  Todd said "There is your size."

We thought about having a beer here but decided against it.
It looked fun.

Cameron and I made this crust for the pizza.
It turned out pretty well.