Merry Christmas!
The girls are so excited that tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Shu Shu is finally at the age where she understands "Santa" is coming and bringing presents. Jie Jie really doesn't understand what's going on yet but follows her big sisters lead. Together, for the past three weeks, they have re-arranged all the lower ornaments on the tree . . . . taken all the candy canes off the tree and either hidden them or ate them . . . . . watched Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas at least 15 times! . . . . . and stuck to their requests from Santa for a "real live fuzzy yellow duck" and "jewelry candy maker" for Shu Shu and "dolly" for Jie Jie. Ken told Shu Shu that Santa doesn't bring "live animals" at Christmas and she told him "He brings whatever you tell him too!" We hope she is so preoccupied with the jewelry candy maker that she forgets the duck wasn't under the tree!

I cannot believe this purple ornament is not broke yet . . . . it has been moved around the tree and hidden everywhere in the house for the past three weeks. It's Shu's favorite for some reason?

The beginning of the month we took the girls to see Santa Claus . . . . Shu Shu would not even say Hi to him . . . . Jie Jie said Hi and let me get a quick picture but her smile was "O.K. Mom take it already and get me off this strangers lap!"

The girls just looking cute!

Today the girls had a great time making Gingerbread houses . . . . well let's just say they had a great time eating frosting and candy while Mom tried to get them to make Gingerbread houses!

The second week in December we celebrated Christmas with some families from Shu Shu's travel group. Unfortunately only three families could make the event this year but we still had a great time visiting with each other and seeing the girls together.

Wuhan girls . . . Shu Shu, Emily & Maddyn

Group photo . . . Emily & Olivia (sisters) . . . Maddyn . . . Shu & Jie

National Adoption Month

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep onself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

November is National Adoption Month and today just happens to be the 6 month anniversary of Jie Jie's "Gotcha-Forever Family Day"! It's so hard to believe it has only been 6 months, it seems as though you have been with us forever!

We did get one nice Sunday afternoon this fall and went to Pickering Farms to get pumpkins. The girls had a great time picking one out, riding on a hay wagon, and finding their way through the corn maze with Daddy!

Shu Shu says Jie Jie's my "Best Friend"!

Getting instructions for the maze . . . . . . .

Here they go . . . . . . . .
Finally . . . . after about 20 minutes they came out! I kept asking people that were coming out (that when in after them) if they had seen my husband and two little girls! Daddy said "That was a tough one!"


Shu Shu's "Happy Pumpkin"!

Jie Jie's "Kitty Cat Pumpkin"!

Little Bo Peep ready for Trick or Treating!

the Lady Bug is ready too!

It's hard to believe October has come and gone. In Ohio our month was filled with cold rainy days with very few days of sunshine and warmth scattered here and there. We hardly did any of our usual fall activities due to the weather and we were so glad we spent the first two weeks in sunny Florida. It was Jie Jie's first trip to Disney World and she absolutely loved it! We had a great time but found that Disney World with two children is a lot more exhausting than with one!

Disney World Vacation

October 2009

Magic Kingdom

Dinner at the castle with Cinderella . . . except for some reason Shu Shu was afraid of all the princesses and would not let us take her picture with them!


Daddy and Snow White!

Daddy and Sleeping Beauty!

Jie showing off her "1st" visit pin!


We stayed at Wilderness Lodge and right next door was the Tri-Circle-D Ranch where all the horses live that work for Disney World! We had fun exploring the stables and got to see the white horses that pull Cinderella's carriage in parades and weddings.




All dressed up for dinner at our favorite restaurant Artist Pointe!
Shu Shu and Rui . . . our friend and favorite server we met right before we went to China in 2006 to bring Shu home. We visit her everytime we go to Disney World.

EPCOT

Epcot is our favorite park, especially the China Pavillion. This year the girls dressed up in their Mulan dresses and everyone wanted to take their pictures!

Three Mulans!

Shu Shu loves playing with the puppets in China!

Jie Jie too!

Mickey hats . . Mickey cover ups . . Mickey crocs! . are these Disney girls or what?

Hollywood Studios

The girls love to get their faces painted whenever they get the opportunity!

Shu Shu . . . .the Kitty!

Jie Jie . . . . the Princess!

Playing in the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground . . . .

Now that's a big bug!

Jie Jie loved all the characters . . . she gave them all hugs and kisses!

Cool glasses!

We went to the Polynesian Resort our last night for Ken's birthday. The girls were so exhausted from the week they fell asleep while eating! We had a great peaceful meal!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Jie Jie loves to shop . . . can you buy me all these bracelets for your birthday?

Bye Bye Disney World . . . . see you next year!