Sleep Incentive

My boys are great at a lot of things, but sleeping in their own beds through the night and going to bed easily are not amongst those things.  We set up a reward chart for staying in bed.  They both took to it pretty well although Cole would sometimes negotiate longer stretches to earn a gift if only for the reason that he go the final say in the number of days.

The first night I tried to enforce the go to bed and stay in bed policy with Kenney he was not having it.  Gena encouraged me to tell him I love him and goodnight every time he wandered out, then walk him back into bed.  By the sixth time we did this he was so angry when he came to the door of the room I was in that he threw his stuffed animal at me.  Turned around and walked himself back to bed.  It was pretty funny.

Kenney with the Thomas the Train shirt he earned

He's Packin the Word

I needed to go into Hong Kong one day to handle some business at the Isagenix office and Cole came with me.  I let him pack his backpack with some things to keep himself entertained.  Wouldn't you know I walk into the conference room where he was hanging out and found him reading his scriptures.  Such a good kid!

Tears

The day to say goodbye to as Kenney called her "Aunt Nena" came.

The heavens cried at the end of Gena's journey, and so did sweet Kenney.

School Lunch

In the spirit of continuing sharing China with our friends Gena Young Mabee, I thought I'd post the weekly lunch menu from the boys' school:

Monday-Citronella cream soup, Greek Salad and Perilla braised mushroom linguine

Tuesday - Shredded Pork with Preserved Vegetable Soup, Fried squid with Broccoli, Green Vegetable, Rice

Wednesday - Corn chowder, Shrimp garden salad, colorful macaroni with chicken
Thursday - Seaweed soup, Tomato scrambled egg with shredded meat, chinese vegetables and rice
Friday - Vichyssoise, Sauce braised wide (?) and Caesar salad

They always eat at school and don't complain - expanding their palettes ...

Pod Cast Interview!

In an effort to share my experiences as an expat and hopefully help others evaluate if the experience is for them, I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed for the LimitlessLaowai.com podcast project! It was a blast working with Ally Mona - thanks for inviting me Ally!Check out the interview at www.limitlesslaowai.com/cherieburton.

Luohu Shopping Plaza

This giant mall right by the border crossing to HK is where you go to buy knock offs, fabric, have clothes made and much more.

These guys would disappear up to an attic room
up a tiny ladder to get your goods

Modern Toilet

This is the weirdest place yet. It is a restaurant called Modern Toilet. Notice the mascot outside. Notice the decor, urinals on the wall. The seats? Yeah...one table is over a tub with a doll with snot in his nose. Disgusting. I could possibly sit over the sink table. Get a load of the menu!

I was incredulous and uncomfortable. Did my sister really intend for us to eat here. I couldn't keep my face from scrunching. "Our mother would NOT be pleased with us eating in here," I said. "Oh, we aren't eating here," she said, "I saw this on a tour and had to show it to you." We did an about face and left. I mean they had choc fro yo plated to look like doo doo. 😫😕shudder. - Gena

Hanging Outside

 This little girl had her pet bird in the park

 Who needs a gym when you can one arm raise your 45lb and 40 lb boys?

Peanut Butter and Cupcake

Kenney's favortie book right now is Peanut Butter and Cupcake by Terry Border.

He loves is so much he has Gena read it to him every night - to her delight?...

Update - Gena returned in March and Kenney had a new selection for bed time reading

SeaWorld

SeaWorld is a restaurant/ shopping area near our apartment in Shekou. The area was built around a once operating cruise ship that has been converted into a hotel/restaurant.  We often would come here for dinner or on our bikes.