Feeling Thankful

Let's just pretend this went up on Thursday, mmmkay?

As I sit down to write out a 'thankful' post it almost seems like I don't know where to begin this year.  This time last year, we had just found out that I had gotten this job opportunity in Chengdu and while our close friends and family knew, it was not public knowledge because we were not 100% certain we would move.  As Thanksgiving approaches, I have spent a lot of time thinking about what our life looked like just one year ago.

So much can change in one year.

Right now, I am thankful that we said yes to this opportunity.  That we knew it would be challenging and uncomfortable and lonely and hard and that we said yes, anyways.  I am thankful for all of the quality time that we have been able to spend with the girls over the last year.  I am thankful for the amazing places that we have been able to travel too and that our eyes have been opened to this vast world around us. I am thankful that this experience has brought Wes and I even closer together rather than ripping us apart.  I am thankful for a family that even though they might not fully understand why we wanted to move to a foreign country still supports us and is cheering us on from the states. I am thankful for the two girls who call me mommy everyday, shower me with one million kisses and fight to see who gets to be in my lap first.

And because I am me - I am of course thankful for some less serious things too.

I am thankful...

... that toffee nut syrup that has made it's way to Chengdu, red cups and weekend trips to Starbucks
... for long, hot showers (bonus if no child interrupts me ;))
... for leaves that change colors as the cooler air starts to arrive
... for Colleen and Bobbob who are giving Bailey the best home
... for Saturday morning cinnamon rolls with my two favorite girls
... that the girls have each other - I can't imagine them going solo on this adventure
... for iMessage conversations with Austin (especially when we are catching up on our kiddo's antics ;))
... that I am getting to see the girls learn so much every single day (Emma writing words blows my mind!)
... for online shopping (here in China and in the States :))
... for twirly dresses that make my girls feel like a million bucks
... for my husband who keeps our life so together that I hardly have to think about anything on the home front
... for a rewarding job that I am happy to go to each and every day
... for parks and playgrounds that offer hours of imaginative play (especially our favorite one :))
... for a surprise trip home over the summer where I got to see my parents and sister!
... for Mike's Pizza - so delicious and does not taste like Chengdu ;)
... for a really nice family that is renting our house (I got to meet them!)
... for this little blog - it is a nice outlet for me to share pictures and stories about this time in our life with our girls
... for the moments that our internet is working and Wes and I get to sit down and watch Survivor or Big Bang Theory together
... for my blardigan, because lets be honest - it is the one piece of clothing I wear almost every single day ;)
... for every-other-night(ly) walks that rejuvenate me
... for morning hugs and smooches before I walk out the door (especially when they call me back for extra smooches!)
... for summers in Chengdu, I have a feeling I am going to like summers way better than winters
... for those moments that I say yes to crafting with the girls (I am not great at crafting, nor do I like it, but I know the girls love it when we pull out the paints and let them go to town)
... for belly laughs whether it is me, Wes, Emma or Everly because honestly is there anything better?

On Thanksgiving, we asked Emma and Everly what they were thankful for and this is what they had to say: Nonni, Nonni's ice cream, (Everly's) horse, seashells, the swimming pool, crabs, flowers, mama and dadda, playing at school, this hotel and the slide.

October Little Things | Second Half

So remember when in mid-October, I was so on top of things I actually almost real time blogged about our first half of the month.  Yeah, that was nice.  Then vacation and work and life got in the way and now it is almost the end of November so it feels like we should wrap up October and then move on to Beijing after that.  Sound like a plan? Ok, glad you are on board - here is to hoping I have enough stamina to keep up.

Ok, so back to October.  We try to visit the night markets when they happen and this Friday night was no different - the girls favorite part, the balloons, of course!

She was pretty proud of her purple flower :).

The next Saturday morning, we headed to Starbucks! Most of our Saturday mornings start like that :) and I thought this one looked extra cute in her skinny jeans (the girls like to wear dresses so much they hardly have any long sleeve tops to go with jeans!).  Her purple rabbit she picked up at the market the night before also picked up a new 'dress' at Bux.

Then we headed to check out the new Metro that opened up much closer to us - the girls got stickers.  They have been OBSESSED with stickers lately.  Santa will definitely be bringing them some of those Melissa and Doug reusable sticker pads for Christmas.

She loves to sticker herself up :).

One of us is too busy to look at mom for a picture.

Holding hands is still my favorite :).

I know that all moms think their kids are cute; but, you guys, sometimes I am blown away by how stunningly beautiful she is!!!  The jewel stickers on her ears to act as earrings have her looking so grown up!

And the new smile made its appearance too ;).

Mike's pizza with a side of teenager for lunch that day!

On Sunday we headed down to our neighborhood playground and this girl decided it was an appropriate time to sticker her hair.

She was a little tired and was not amused when I took them all out ;).

And then on Monday, we picked up the girls a little early from school and left for Shanghai! I forgot to include this in any of my Shanghai posts, but after we held the baby tiger, the girls wanted to feed the goats and even though it was starting to rain, we agreed.

Because just look how happy it makes them!!

You guys, she might be the sweetest human being I have ever met (and I am not just saying that because she is mine).

She was checking to see if he 'was ok and had enough to eat'.

And she just couldn't stop herself from requesting a picture on each of these animals before we headed out.  And who am I to say no to a picture?

Part of my work trip included a boat ride that went by the Bund with the famous Pearl Tower.  This was my third time to Shanghai and this tower never gets old :).

While I was at work, the girls made good use of the hotel swimming pool :).

Then we spent a fun filled three days in Beijing (coming to the blog next) and when we arrived back in Chengdu, we were pleasantly surprised to see the neighborhood decked out for Halloween.

Emma requested this picture to remind me that she wants a Cinderella headband from Santa for Christmas ;).

The weekend before Halloween we walked down to find even more Halloween decorations adorning our neighborhood.

And our favorite clown was actually performing a magic show and Emma totally got it for the first time and clearly, needed a front row seat:).

The leaves change colors here! And it is magical and wonderful and something we don't get much of back in Texas.  It is hard to capture how sparkly golden this tree in the middle of the golf course is, but I have enjoyed gazing at it this fall.

The Saturday before Halloween, we hit up our neighborhood party (more to come on this after the Beijing posts) and on Sunday we hit up our favorite playground!

No small miracle that we convinced this girl to wear pants for part of the time ;).

This playground brings out all of the smiles!

The swing is most definitely her favorite part!

Love this picture of Everly with her daddy - such a big smile!

Our girl was so brave to try out the pulley system (I can still remember way back in May when we visited for the first time and she wouldn't try).

October was always one of my favorite months back in the states and when I look and see all of the fun we had this month - I think it has been one of my favorite months in China too :).

Shanghai | Wolfgang Puck

I know, I know - I promised no more Disney, but this is not really Disney it just happened right after we visited Disney.  There are not many super nice restaurants that we get to visit in Chengdu so when we are on vacation, we typically like to have one splurge meal.  Before we left, we were reading reviews and we heard that the best place to watch the light/animation show was from the patio on Wolfgang Puck's restaurant.  I am a big fan of Wolfgang Puck so we went ahead and made a reservation and crossed our fingers that the girls would be in good enough moods after a full day of romping around Disney (read: no naps ;)).

After the stroller fiasco, we headed on over making it there a little bit before the light show.

We enjoyed the views of the pumpkins/castle/Disney from the outside looking in.

I enjoyed the view of my sweet family taking it all in.

We ordered and then watched the light/animation show.  I took a few pictures and then put my camera away so I could hold onto my girls and watch as their faces lit up seeing Elsa and Anna/Cinderella and Ariel shine brightly on the castle.

And sadly the only picture I got of our meal was the appetizer - it was so delicious (especially the calamari!).  Wes and I shared a hamburger and a steak cooked medium rare and it was cooked to perfection (we were starving!)! There was ample room for the girls to run around and they were pretty pleased with their pizza and hot fudge brownie sundaes.

And after our meal, we took our tired selves to find the taxi line and headed back to the hotel.

The girls fell asleep on the way back which gave Wes and I a chance to chat about just how blessed we are.