And so it begins....

the initiation from toddler to big kid.  Mark took the training wheels off of Morgan's bike on Sunday.  We had all been out for a ride in the afternoon and had stopped by a Trek bike shop. Morgan found a bike she really wants.  But there are no training wheels on this new bike.  So we made a deal with her.  We would take the trainers off of her Dora bike.  Once she learns to ride really good with no help, she could get a big kid bike. 

It was a wobbly start, but she did pretty good.  It would be a little easier if she would remember to peddle.  So yeah, Mark did most of the work, but at least she got the hang of it.  Before we know it, she'll be zipping up and down the street all on her own.

 

Dr. Matt...This One's For You!!!

Is there anything sweeter than two little girls, fresh out of the tub getting ready for bed?

Faust Farewell

Chuck & Nancy left today.  As far as we know they took off about 3:30 this afternoon.  We didn't receive any frantic phone calls saying the flight was cancelled, so we assume they are OK.  They finished packing this morning and said goodbye to Morgan before she left for school.  Which, by the way, she did not remember.  When Morgan got home in the afternoon, she asked where they were, and was disappointed to know they were headed home.  Mark worked from home today so he could take his parents to the airport.  Molly was a delight on this final day, but still didn't take any steps for her Nana.  Well, she did take 2 yesterday, but not quite what Nana was hoping for.    

We had a great visit with them and made many happy memories while they were here.  We hope they will return and we would love to have more company soon.  We've got a spare room.       

Fender Bender

Well, we had our first fender bender today.  Or should I say, Mr. Yu had his first with us in the van.  It was really very minor and more of an annoyance than anything, considering we were already running late as it was. 

My friend Sue and I were on our way to an American Women's Club coffee morning when it happened.  We were at the entrance of the tunnel where there are 5 lanes of cars merging into 2 lanes.  The car was barely moving when we bumped the Mazda in front of us.  Mr. Yu got out of the van and checked it out with the driver of the other car.  All seemed OK.  From where I was, I couldn't see any damage.  No broken tail lights, cracked bumpers or even scuffs of paint.  

We made it through the tunnel and Mr. Yu pulled off to the side.  But we weren't at the side of the road.  We were in the middle of a spilt in the road.  So there were cars zooming past us on the right leading to an elevated road, and cars zooming past us on the left to stay on the main level road.  A bit scary.  The Mazda had pulled off behind us, too (see picture).  A police man arrived and took everyone's information.  Mr. Yu did all of the talking though and I never got involved.  

You can see in the picture the Mazda and it passengers, Mr. Yu on the right in the tan coat, and the police man behind Mr. Yu.  Not a terrifying experience, but interesting none the less.    

Beijing Pictures

As promised...here are some of the pictures from Beijing.  We took well over 600 photos, but this is just a sample.  Enjoy!

Great Wall! Great Trip!!!

We made it!  What a great time we all had.  The trip started out a little rough with Molly teething and being very fussy the first day.  But a little Tylenol and some sleep made for a great second and third day.   We could not have asked for better weather.  It was very windy the first day, but still mild.  Wednesday and Thursday were very ideal.  It really was an amazing trip we will never forget.  

The first day we visited the Forbidden City, had a rickshaw tour of the hutongs (ancient courtyard homes), and saw Tian An Men Square.  The second day we saw the Ming Tomb, and Sacred Path and saw the Great Wall.  Finally, on the third day we visited the Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace.  While at the Summer Palace, we took a dragon boat ride across the lake.  Then headed towards the airport.  On our way there we drove by the Olympic buildings.  I will put more pictures and details about each place in a separate post.      

For now, here are some interesting facts about our trip:

*We had a private tour guide named Bruce Lee.  Just a coincidence and no relation to the martial arts star.

*During our tour of the hutongs we met with a woman who answered questions about the homes.  Hanging in her "dining room" was a Detroit Red Wing McCarty jersey.  Apparently it was a gift given to her by another visitor on a recent tour.

*The road we took to get to the Great Wall will be used for the bicycle race for the 2008 Olympics.  It is currently under construction.  We literally followed behind the bulldozer as it tore up the road to be repaved.  It made for a bumpy ride as well as a humorous memory.

*We took a gondola ride to the top of the wall.  Much easier than having to climb hundreds of steps.  Although even when we got to the top, there were plenty of stairs to climb.

*The Great Wall is positioned on top of a HUGE mountain range.  Even with all of those mountains, the Chinese still felt the need to build the massive structure, and even then they were defeated.  

*Chuck called Mark on the cell phone when we were on top of the Great Wall of China....and it went through. 

*Not all Chinese McDonald's are that bad.  Once you've eaten mediocre Chinese food for lunch each day (including fish that was still looking at us) and pizza at night made with sweet and sour sauce, a fish sandwich and some chicken nuggets hit the spot.      

*Beijing is an amazing city.  Ancient structures surrounded by tall modern buildings.  It is wonderful that they have been able to preserve so much of their history while working towards the future.

*The city has done a lot to prepare for the upcoming Olympics.  It is very easy to see where they have cleaned up properly and where they have swept some of the dirt under the rug to deal with at another time...maybe.  

*On our way back from seeing the Great Wall we had to stop on the highway to let a herd of cows pass through.  

*Nancy & Chuck stood on the "Center of the Universe" while visiting the Temple of Heaven.

*Many people were at the Temple of Heaven doing their morning exercises such as Thai Chi, badminton, and more.  Nancy got into the act and joined a group of locals for a few minutes.  We also heard a group of locals singing in Chinese to the tune of "Silent Night".

...stay tuned for more pictures and details of the trip.

  

  

Almost ready

We've been packing today and are anxious for our trip to Beijing tomorrow. Mr. Yu and Sophia are just as excited about our trip as we are. And not just because they will be off of work for 3 days. Sophia has been telling us about the weather. Its cooler up north, we need to pack a sweater. She's told us tales about the Great Wall and the Hutongs.

Mr. Yu is doing all he can to ensure we make it to the airport on time. Today he said "tomorrow airplane leave at 9 o'clock." I said yes. He said, "be at airport 7:30." I said yes. He said, "leave your home 6:30." I said yes. He said that previously for domestic flights you just needed to be at the airport 30 min before your flight. Now you need to be there one and half hours early. He also warned that liquids are not aloud in our carry on luggage.

What would we do without our faithful locals by our side? Actually we are quite appreciative of all they do for us. Sometimes I really don't think we could make it here without them.

We'll be away for a few days, but will be back soon with pictures and stories to share.