Oh, Christmas Tree...OH! THE CHRISTMAS TREE!!!

Well, every family needs some good holiday memories and we already created one this year. We brought our artificial, prelit Christmas tree from the USA when we moved since we didn't know what kind of Christmas decorations and trees would be available here.

So, Saturday was filled with excitement because we were going to "put up the tree"! After dragging it out of the garage and putting it together, we plugged it in and started getting out the ornament boxes. The bulbs looked much brighter than usual and so remembering the computer that we blew up by plugging it directly into the 240v system when we were in Hong Kong we quickly unplugged the tree and plugged it back in using a transformer. The lights were not near as bright, but at least we wouldn't blow out the tree. The next thirty minutes went something like this:

Dan: Do you smell something?

Sam: No, what does it smell like?

Dan: Like plastic.

Sam: Nope, I don't smell anything?

A little later...

Dan: It smells stronger

Sam: Still don't smell anything.

A little later:

Sam: Yeah, I smell something now.

From the direction of the tree: FZZZZZZ...SHHHHHHHHH...POP!...followed by lots of smoke!!

Evidently the 500 twinkle lights on the tree were pulling too many watts through the transformer and destroyed it. The above picture is the nice black spot it left on the floor.

After, throwing the transformer outside in the rain to cool it off, we decided to plug the tree back in and just see how things went. About three hours later, the lights started burning out section by section on the tree and the girls were devasted because now we had a tree with no lights and could not put the ornaments on.

So, off to the store to find some lights.

We found some great multi-colored, blinking LED lights (much to Samantha's dismay!) She's more of a white lights and no blinking kind of girl.

Things got better. With the lights on the tree, the girls could now decorate!

And we ended the day by watching...of course...The Grinch.

November Daze

Hey Everyone, sorry we have been silent for a few weeks. Everything is going well and here are some pictures to catch you up.

In order to make the timing work, Caroline calls her best friend from home, Audrey Ana, before she goes to school.

We actually found authentic Texas BBQ!!! A guy from Texas started this restaurant a few years back and it is good! It was a nice slice of home to be sitting at a wooden table, eating BBQ and listening to Merle Haggard playing overhead. We almost thought we were back home until we glanced out the window and saw the 3-wheel bicycles and mopeds going by.

Samantha and I were able to get tickets to the ATP Masters Cup (tennis) and had a great time.

Here's a shot of a Chinese concession stand at the stadium...hmmm....radish cake or glutinous rice....decisions, decisions.

Benny has some good days and some bad days. Last Saturday, Sarah Jane must have had enough of him nipping at her toes because we walked into the living room and found this!!

From Pit Stop to Princess

Well, we have run the full range of activites this week. Caroline and I went to an outdoor go-cart track on a daddy-daughter activity with our church on Saturday. I had no idea that China even had such a thing, but it was a great time! You have to love all the safety rules here, we had to sign a waiver and one of the rules was "do not drink alcoholic beverages and smoke while driving"! I guess before and after is okay, just not in the cart!

Caroline did great! At first she was a little timid, but once they propped her up on some cushions and put her helmet on she was ready to go!

Joe, our driver, stayed and watched. I'm pretty sure that up until Saturday he assumed that we did not know how to drive because when we got ready to leave, he smiled at me and handed me the keys to the van. He obviously had been overwhelmed with my keen and cunning go-carting abilities. So...I couldn't refuse an offer and drove for the first time in China.

On the other end of the spectrum, Wednesday was "Parents Observation Day" at Sarah Jane's dance class. She is definitely alot more relaxed than her older sisters when it comes to these things and she kind of dances to her own beat.