April wrap

Between the visit from Grandpa and Grandma and the trip to Moganshan, April is gone in a blink of an eye.  We did a bit more sitting around in between trips, but still got out and about for a few treats.  The girls loved "Hotcake" which is more dessert than breakfast.  They went to a Kung Fu class one day and had more laughs than the teachers might have expected.  A few friends from last year also were in town for a quick visit.  Nina is really enjoying playing badminton in her after-school CCA. 

 

Night jogs      ------      Chinglish signs are amazing

Moganshan

We had heard good things about Moganshan for a while and have had it on our list of weekend trips and we finally got to experience the "Hamptons of China" this Easter weekend.  We headed out on a bus with 8 of our best friends and rented a large cabin in the bamboo forest.  It was a wonderful time full of games, food, drinks, walks, and laughs. 

The girls like being with the crew and we're very grateful for our friends being so kind, patient, and welcoming of our whole family.  Deb even thought to put together little Easter treats to surprise the girls on Sunday. 

All in all the weekend went far too quickly and we would have liked at least one more day away from the hustle and bustle.  The only bright side is that we will be away from the loud, nonstop rooster and back to the comforting sounds of urban construction.

Grandma and Grandpa come to town

What a wonderful week -- lots of laughs, good weather, yummy food and some sites.  Because it was their second trip, it allowed us to go at a bit slower pace and try to see new places at non-peak times.  Our first day we had a lovely walk through People's Square as we toured the Shanghai Museum and then wandered the Bund.  

Our second day we visited the outskirts of Shanghai when we toured the relics park and also the ancient watertown of Qibao.  

April 1st brought a prank, some soup, and some cards.  We started to master ordering various mochi and zongzi from the delivery guys so Grandpa could try all sorts of treats without leaving the apartment.

Another fun day had us visiting the chocolate factory and we tried outrageous amounts of chocolate in all forms.  Grandma could handle the 90% chocolate while the girls veered closer to the sweet 50% mix.  We're sure most the calories didn't count since we were learning a lot and you can't gain weight doing something educational.  Just in case, we went for a long walk along the river afterward.

Not Minnesota        ----        "Caution fall in water"

Highlights of the rest of the trip include supporting Team Bastyr in honor of Cheryl's fight against cancer, playing with the toy airplane & playing cards, attending a symphony orchestra concert, swimming at the hotel, and some intense foosball.  Thank you for such a fun visit, Grandma & Grandpa!