Bryan went on a trip to China at the end of the month. He spent a day giving an 8-hour lecture on statistics as part of a workshop sponsored by the Chinese CDC and another day listening to lectures. The other 3 days he was able to spend as a tourist. He visited the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs, and the Great Wall. He also ate lots of weird Chinese food. It was a great trip – China was pretty spectacular. But thankfully, he has no more out-of-country trips planned for the rest of the year.
Gifts for the kids from China:
We’ve been enjoying the mild Spring weather, until it started raining. Lately it’s felt like we’re back in Seattle. The kids have fun playing hide & seek and freeze tag outside with neighbors and riding bikes and tricyles on the driveway. We can now do short family bike rides with Sienna on her own bike and the other two in the bike trailer, although Ashley screams like she’s dying whenever she’s wearing the helmet. We had a friend from Seattle visit and together hiked the Harpeth River Narrows, a nearby State Recreation area. In April we also went to a Sounds game (local baseball team), visited the zoo, and did an Easter egg hunt in the front yard. Even when it’s raining the kids like to play in puddles and with the umbrella, which is now hanging on to only three spokes. Ashley thinks its great fun to splash in the water under the downspout then lick her fingers. Gross.
The kids are enjoying soccer, although two games and a practice have been canceled due to weather. Coach Bryan hasn’t minded too much. Both Colby and Sienna like to stay on the outskirts of the pack chasing the ball. They also like to practice in the front yard with Dad and the neighbors, using buckets to mark the goals. It’s cute to see them give each other hugs after a goal.
Kristen has been busy planting flowers, and enjoys working in our pretty perennial garden. She spent many hours giving our hedges a much needed haircut, and even got a big haircut herself.
Bryan found a friend who likes working on cars… yippee! A few weeks ago they tried to fix a squealing belt in our car. They didn’t finish the project and it only made it worse, giving an ear-splitting loud squeal enough to wake the neighborhood at 7 am. It turned heads in parking lots and Kristen was embarrassed to drive it. They finally got together again and got it fixed… hooray!
That’s about all! (Here's more pictures from April)
Love, Bryan, Kristen, Sienna, Colby & Ashley
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