Settling Down, Finally

I am pleased to report that we are finally settling down. After spending what felt like enormous amounts of money on things like sheets for 4 beds, towels, cleaning supplies, towel hooks, rugs, etc.... we finally feel settled into our new place. Our neighbors to the right are a rather loud Chinese family. We had to bang on their door within our first week here because the music was so loud that we couldn't even talk in our living room. We also had to put a note on their car asking to vacate our parking space. I guess there's really not that much difference in having neighbors, whether it's in China or America. Our neighbors to the left are wonderful. Magdalena and Faulk are from Bulgaria and Germany. They are very easy to talk to and have 2 children, a 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl. Cooper loves to play at their house already.

Ally and Eve love their school. The bus picks them up in the neighborhood at 7 am and drops them off at 3:45 pm each day. They have made friends and are really enjoying their school life. The school is very international, even though it is called Shanghai American School. It is a very big campus ranging from pre-k to 12th grade. The girls take mandarin each day and I am pleased so far with their progress. Our ayi, Ing, is very excited to practice both Chinese and English with them. The school bus is really nice. It is a chartered bus, like a tour bus with padded fabric covered seats and all. Plus, it actually has seat belts, unlike all the taxis. We have stowed Cooper's car seat in the storage closet because we just don't use it here.

I am settling into the school year rather well too. After the girls leave I go to the gym and then walk Lee to meet his shuttle for work. Then Cooper and I hang out for awhile. Tuesdays we have a scripture study group and Wednesdays we have a play group. Then one Thursday a month we have a relief society lunch date at a restaurant to celebrate the birthdays for that month. Also, there is a Family Home Evening group that meets on Fridays to make FHE packets to exchange. Every other Monday there is a lunch at someone's house where everyone brings projects to work on, whether it's cross stitch or quilting or scrapbooking or whatever. So, I can be busy busy busy if I choose. Also, the shopping here could make us go broke if I am not careful!

I think that's all I have time for right now. I will try to get some pictures of the new apartment posted soon. Also, if anyone is interested, I am on Facebook now and have an album from our Hawaii trip posted on that site. Keeping up with people is so easy with modern technology!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Lee and I bought electric scooters this week. We are having a blast scooting all over our side of town. They only go about 25 mph, but are great to take to the grocery store or to friend's houses. We put on kid on the back of mine, and one on the back of Lee's with Cooper standing in front of where Lee is sitting and we can all get where we're going (as long as it's pretty close). I'll get some pictures of that up soon too.