Chinese New Years Fireworks

The Chinese always shoot off fireworks to scare away the evil from the family. They are totally legal so what do any good Minnesotans do? They buy them. We liked them so much that we went back for more. We blew up a thousand fireworks at a time on the sidewalk outside Kyles's apartment (this was the second batch). This is all for the benefit for Andrew and Brandon, our family pyrotechnics. We decided to get some aerial fireworks like our 4th of July (they come 49 to the box). The second video is some of the shots of the high boomers that shot way up in the sky and exploded into many colors. Remember, the Chinese invented fireworks. Now if you multiply that by 12.5 million people in Tianjin or 1.4 billion in the whole country, it was a very noisy time of year. Nobody minds. The two biggest days was Nov 7 (New Years) and Nov 11 (the 5th day of New Years). It was non stop everyday of the week, and some of them were right outside our window. We just had the small ones. Some people bought the 4 inch mortars. All the cars sold here have alarm systems installed and all of the cars' alarm systems were going off as the fireworks went off. I wonder how many car batteries were drained. This was great fun. Andrew and Brandon, enjoy the videos because you will probably never get to do this.

The Great Wall of China

We made it to China. We left our house at 3:25AM on Feb 2. Our flight to China left Minneapolis at 6:00Am and we were supposed to be at the airport at least 2 hours before for international flights. We arrived at the NWA ticket counters at 3:50Am and they were all closed. Two other families were waiting also. So much for the 24 hour airport. A cleanup person said that someone might show up for work at 4:30. The line started to move then. Our gate was on the NWA end of the terminal. The security gates were also closed except to two on the other end of the building (We were told that they would open up at 5:30). So we hiked down and waited and waited to get through. We got through security just before 5:30 and walked all the way back to F40. When we got there everyone had already boarded the plane. We were the last ones, except the standby people. We left on time for Detroit, then Tokyo to Beijing. It was snowing in Tokyo and we left the gate 15 minutes late. We later found out that Tokyo had several delays and cancelations because of the snow. We got to Beijing about 9:30PM on Feb 3 (we gained a day plus Beijing is 14 hours ahead of Minneapolis). Jack, our driver was waiting for us and we got to the hotel at 10:30PM. We knocked on Kyle and Tiffany's room (two down from ours) to let them know we made it. Monday was a rest day for us. Kyle and I went to Tianamen Square and we all did some shopping. Tuesday was the best. We hired a driver to take us to the Great Wall and spent several hours there (check out Kyle's blog). After purchasing the tickets, we had to make our way through the gauntlet for vendors , trying to sell us everything under the moon. If we had a hat on, they would try to sell us another hat. Everyone had T-shirts. We ignored them and made our way to the wall.This is our first up close look at the wall.

We met some other Americans and invited them to walk on the wall. Actually they were Kyle, Tiffany, Ellie and Didi.
Yep, that's us.

From here the wall looks like it goes on for ever. To the upper right of this picture the wall is in the un-restored condition of ancient ruins. The part of the wall we were on was restored in 1989.
We came across one of the guards at one of the watch towers, who was sleeping. Gosh, Didi missed the whole trip.







This is all of us at the end of our journey.

Thompsons at Cheri's

All the Thompson's in the area got together at Cheri's house to visit and see some new babies. When we walked in, there was a mystery man there and we had to guess who it was. I wasn't going to play that game, so I just waited until the bag came off.

It was Uncle John from Missoula, and the first thing he did was to grab Tiago, Jocelyn and Eduardo's new baby. He hogged him quite a long time, before he would let someone else have a turn.

So then the three brothers and a sister and most of their spouses posed for a group photo with the two new babies, Serena and Tiago.

Three generations.

Family Night at the Kelly Inn

On the last Saturday of last year, all the Larsen's who were still in the USA met at the Kelly Inn in Plymouth for fun. Most everyone enjoyed swimming in the pool, as evident below with Brandon and Joseph in the Deep End (4'). We cannot call this the second annual get-together because we didn't do this last year. So this is just called the second get-together. Gigi really enjoyed swimming but since the water was so cold (not heated one bit) it wore her out, but she is still cute as a button (I don't know why that is a phrase because buttons aren't all that cute but Gigi certainly is).

Joe even tried his luck on the slide, although the "Slowsky's" actually could go down the slide faster than he did. He had to pull himself down.

After the dip in the pool, everyone came to our room for pizza, pop and candy, and the most important thing to exchange and open Christmas gifts.

The chaos of the night - who gets what. Don't loose those small parts.

Logan was too interested on one thing to look at the other stuff he got. If you look closely (head cut off) is a mystery guest that followed us from Cheri's house to the hotel. It is Uncle John from Missoula. He didn't get anything because he didn't tell us he was coming.

Logan is concentrating too hard at the puzzle.

Gigi is thrilled at her new grand piano.

Lorelei is super glad she got some new princesses to play with.

Liam wanted to try an orange but isn't quite sure about it.

The best time of the event was when we "Skyped" Kyle and Tiffany in China. We all took turns talking with them (well all those who got up at 7:00AM Sunday) and showing Ellie and Didi how much their cousins have grown. Be sure to look in the mirror.

Logan was raring to go with his drink.

We had a continental breakfast in the Green Mill and the boys decided to go for a walk with Mom.

Christmas day events

Since this was to be the first Christmas that Judy and I would be alone, Kirstin had pity on us and invited us over to her house again for Christmas morning, so that we could watch the excitement the boys would have opening their presents from Santa. Logan is very excited in this next picture. Liam is passing out the gifts; oh they are their own.

Oh, great. I got the Galactic Heroes. I am greatly excited and pleased with this gift and my expression does not begin to show it. Hey, my brother got one to and he is just as happy.

Hey, Liam, look at this collection of books I have! I like books.

I can read them also. Well, actually, Grandpa read them to me.

Yeah, but look at this. It is a coloring book. I can make these pages beautiful.

These new wooden chairs from Grandma and Grandpa Larsen are nifty. We each have our own. They both look the same so we won't really know which one is ours and we will not have to fight over them.

Then after opening our presents and getting all sweaty, it was time to clean up in the bathtub. We like baths and usually have a lot of fun splashing in the water, despite the looks on our faces.

See, I am sitting in Logan's chair and I left mine for him. And he is not beating me up over it.

Logan is playing with the new collection of Galactic Heroes. They are really cool.

I also like my puzzles.

This is just one of my most unusual, out of the blue, faces. Nobody ever gets the picture they really want. I try to throw them off a bit. It is working.

Liam is laughing at the funny face that Logan just made.

You aren't the only one who likes puzzles. I have my own.

Thanks Kirstin and Jeff for letting us chair Christmas with you. (I have already been to Menards).

Christmas Eve at Smenteks

Judy, myself and the Barnharts, along with Jeff's mom , dad and Jed all showed up at Kirstin and Jeff's house to spend Christmas Eve with some family. We had a good time talking and eating. We had a little orphan girl (Gretchen) show up, as evident below. Logan was there at his Star Wars table

And then his brother Liam. He had kind of a puzzled look on his face. Maybe he wants the chair his brother is is sitting in.

Gretchen and Lorelei really enjoyed their cousin's musical chair.

Joseph was busy playing with the Logan bucket 0' toys.

And just so there isn't any fighting over the new PJ's, their names are neatly engraved on their behinds. This one belongs to Liam.

And this one belongs to Logan.

It is always fun to be at the Smenteks for Christmas Eve. We will be there next year also.