Presents

Thank you to all of you who sent us packages! It has been such a treat!

Thank you Grandpa and Grandma! The boots are great!

Thank you Uncle Jon-Jon and Aunt Dora!

Cali's favorite was her new 'lipstick' (chapstick).

Party!

This was Christmas party #2! We had a blast playing 'Scum' (or "slave" in Mongolian) with our friends as well as enjoying a potluck.

The kids had a great time being silly and running up and down the halls with their friends.

We had the traditional foods of bodz, hoshor, tsoivan, as well as some western things. Very tasty!

Playing Scum.

Cali and her friend were pretending to be wild animals! Pretty scary, if you ask me!

Ginger bread party

Katlin was feeling festive!

Put boys together and out come the knives and guns!

We had a party at some friends house and while there the kids got to make Ginger Bread houses. It was a lot of fun and very special!

Even Cali got to help (or was it eat?).

Aiden liked the icing!

Ayrik worked hard to stick on as much candy as possible!

Here's the finished product! (yes that is a lollypop glued to the roof!)

Here are some more pictures from our trip! We spent some time in Tienanmen Square. The kids loved running around.

Aiden was the only one who enjoyed getting his picture taken by all the Chinese tourists. Some random people wanted us to pose with them so here we are. They also wanted us to make the peace sign.

Cali and CJ insisted on holding hands while we pushed them in the strollers.

Young love.

Aiden and Ayrik making scary faces at the Beijing Aquarium.

The great wall. (duh)

Like the boys hats?

Train trip to Beijing

We recently took a trip to Beijing for meetings and relaxation. It was so nice to be together as a team and we came away very encouraged. Here are some pictures of our train trip down.

This is my very good friend. She came with us along with 2 other ladies to babysit while we were in meetings.

Aiden enjoyed standing in the train's halls and looking out the window. (Running up and down was great too!)

Daddy's baby girl

Girl time!

Aiden, Ayrik and thier buddies playing on the top bunk in our coupe.

Dinner with friends. (No sharing please!)

Aiden and Ayrik watching the train wheels being changed. Aiden had stayed awake for this as they do it in the middle of the night. He had missed it both of the other times that we had seen it and was very disapointed. They have to lift up the whole trian car!

Introducing Katlin!

Recently, Katlin O'Dell came to join us! We are very excited to have her here. So far she has done a lot with the kids and has been available to help in any way she can! She's amazing!

Story time with the kids.

Winter is coming!

Daddy's baby girl!

We took the kids to a 'fall festival' where they got to beat each other with foam sticks! They loved it!

Cali was throwing snow balls!

"Make one for me please, Mommy!"

Aiden has quite the arm!

More outside play time.

Ayrik was having a rough day.

Our first snow fall. Brr! (This is a view from our back yard.)

Chilly sand box!

New hair do!

Cali, all alone in the sand box.

Random Stuff

We found a desk for Aiden's school work. Needless to say, there were not very many to choose from! He loves it though, so that's all that matters.

Ben and "Daddy's Baby Girl" as she often refers to herself as.

Cali received a package from Grandpa and Grandma for her birthday. We were beginning to think the package was lost as it was in the mail for 2 months!

I can cook! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma!