SEPTEMBER 1-7, 2014 -- DAILY LIFE

A DOSE OF DAILY LIFE AT THE RICHARDSON HOME

September 1-7, 2014

We work to have a Monday night Family Activity.  Tonight we played "Duck, Duck, Goose."  It was a new game for Richard but he quickly caught on and he is fast!  Watch out if you are "it" because Richard can fly around that table!

Mason is a great dinner helper and dishwasher!  Amy is a good teacher!

The kids got their school ties!

School uniforms and coming together!  Love those ties!

Beautiful Bethany

A rock formation at the entrance of our housing complex.  Mason loves it!

Riding the e-bike home from school each day is fun!

Mason loves "bracos" and this chain is from Taiwan!

Our amazing Dad -- he is quite handsome, too, don't you think?

Daniel practicing his talk for Sacrament Meeting

AUGUST 31, 2014 -- FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

RICHARDSON KIDS FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 

2014-15 @ ABBY DLD

August 31, 2014

We had the opportunity for our kids to go to an international school this year so we moved from SIP to Wuzhong.  Our Richardson kids are the only foreigners in the school and they are going to have an incredible experience!  They will wear uniforms and they are excited -- but the uniforms aren't quite ready so we have a plan B until they are available!  We also have a new member of our family!  Richard is going to live with us and be one of our kiddos!

Time for a breakfast for champions!

Bethany -- should be in 8th grade is starting 10th grade!

David -- 5th grade

Rebecca 8th grade

Richard 12th grade

Mason -- 1st grade

Rachel 8th grade

Daniel 7th grade 

Ben 10th grade

We start sending 8 children to school each morning on e-bikes!

Their orientation assembly

AUGUST 25, 2014 -- OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY

VERNON AND CONNIE'S  25TH ANNIVERSARY

August 25, 2014

It really is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since we were married.  Only old people are married for 25 years!!!  Dad surprised me by setting up plans with Amy for he and I to go away for the weekend.  We went to dinner and then stayed in SND at a Holiday Inn Express -- Dad's favorite.  The funny/not so funny part is that we didn't even think to bring our passports, and as foreigners we have to have our passports to check into a hotel.  After lots of help from Amy, we got pictures of our passports and they let us stay!  As Grandma Beach says, you always need something to help it be memorable!  It has been 25 years with an eternity to go!

This morning after Dad left for work, I found an envelope with my name on it.  I opened it and inside was a letter from Dad and he had replicated the first letter I had sent him when we were dating when I asked him to by my “Pen Pal.”  It was cute.  He had made a list of questions for us to reminisce on and said he was inviting me on another “18 Hour Date” like we had done long ago when we were dating.  He said he would be home at 5:30 for us to go for the weekend.  I was so surprised and tickled that he had worked to arrange this with Amy! 

They had very interesting things in their vending machine. Hmm. 

 The kids at home went to Subway for dinner since I had promised them that reward if they completed the entire 7 weeks of camp.  Dad and I took off and went to a Thai Restaurant that we like.  We ordered the Mango & Beef, Broccoli with cheese sauce, and Sweet and Sour Pork.  It was yummy!!!  We then wandered through a bookstore and I was excited to find a book of bedtime stories that was written in Pinyin as well as characters AND it has a CD with it!  I’m excited!  We then went to Dad’s favorite hotel – Holiday Inn Express.  It was really nice.  We had a “snaffoozle” as we forgot our passports.  We were just going across town, why do we need them????  Well, we are foreigners checking into a hotel – you need passports.  Luckily, Amy was good enough to get them and send photos of them so we were OK. 

Saturday, we got to sleep in and then went to the breakfast buffet.  Dad was hoping for the Cinnamon Rolls, but no luck.  It was all Chinese food but they did have bread to make toast.  We then relaxed a bit and then took a taxi to the Blue Tassel School.  We went early met with the principal again with a few more questions and then waited for the kids to come on the bus transport from the university.  Amy brought them and we all met up for the closing ceremonies for the camp.  It was great.  

A paragraph from my weekly letter:

Tomorrow is the 25^th Anniversary of our family on the 25^th of August.  A special day.  I love your Dad so much.  We have had our own trials individually, as a couple and have had many trials with each other.  But our trials have made us stronger and have caused our love to grow as we work to progress together.  Mortal life is hard.  Together we can make it but we have to persist and not give up.  I look forward to the next 25 years with your Dad and also to eternity.  Thank you to all of you for the love and joy you bring to our lives.  

AUGUST 25, 2014 -- SETTING UP THE BAPTISMAL FONT

SETTING UP THE BAPTISMAL FONT IN CHINA

AUGUST 25, 2014

Our branch got its first baptismal font!!!  Of course it is not for local Chinese folks, but for foreigners who join the church.  Our family volunteered to come help set it up on a trial run so that it could be done for a coming baptism without glitches.  It was a cool experience!

 

 Rachel attaching the drain valve

 Amy became the "step stool" under the font so that Rachel could actually get out!!!

 Watching it fill to make sure there are not any leaks around the drain valve.

 Success!  Now let's drain it!  Go Ben!

 The set up crew!  Richardsons, Webers, and Chase!