We moved to Vizcaya on Friday, December 6. We love our new home: the floor plan is more open, the kitchen is bigger and there is a 4th floor loft for Eliza and Tessa’s toys. James and Emma love that they can ride their bikes to school. The downside is that it only has three bedrooms, so James is in a room in the basement.
Moving is never easy. We were exhausted when it was over and John and I had bad colds the next week. We moved on the worst pollution day. The air quality index got to 600 (over 200 you shouldn’t play outside, over 400 they cancel school). The Monday after we moved, school was canceled because the pollution was so bad. The kids were happy because they had time to organize their rooms. I ordered another air purifier but it is on back order until after the Chinese New Year. The bad air pollution is the worst part of living in Shanghai!
Saturday, Dec 7 was our branch Christmas party. The YM presidency were in charge of the program and the YW did the food. John had Emma sing Silent Night accompanied by Michael Nicol on the guitar. He also showed a nativity video and Santa came.
The last few weeks before Christmas are always so busy at school. We had so many school Christmas choir concerts that I lost count. I helped with Eliza’s homeroom Christmas party, the kids had final exams and Emma performed a dance and choir number in their all-school Christmas Chapel.
We celebrated Christmas Eve on December 18th with the Johnsons coming over for dessert and to act out the nativity. The next day we packed and got ready for our trip to visit my parents on their mission. We opened up our Christmas presents the morning of Dec 21st and flew out that afternoon. Emma got clothes, a curling wand and a Clarisonic face cleaning brush. James, Eliza and Tessa all got beanbags. James got xbox video games. Eliza and Tessa got fun things for American girl dolls (like Julie’s bed) and bracelet loom making kits.
