SMITHS IN SHANGHAI: Swing Set, Rolla & Boonville

SWING SET:
While we were in Alabama visiting my family I convinced my parents that they needed to let me put a swing set in their yard. Every kid wants a swing set of their own to play on anytime they want. And since that is not an option here in Shanghai, Poppie's yard became the place. It might sound a little bit silly. I mean, putting a swing set in a place they don't live. Not even in the same country! But, I knew we would be there for several weeks this past visit and we will be there for an extended visit again soon. So once I played the "You will be the greatest grandparents in the world for doing this" card, it was just a matter of finding the swing set. **As a side note, I did have to agree to help mow around the set as long as I am in town.** Anywho, I didn't want to spend much $ on a set that wasn't going to get a lot of action for months at a time. Nor did I want to buy a plastic one, I wanted a wood one. After doing extensive in store and online research and seeing almost nothing wood for less than $1000, I found one I wanted that was $100 more than I had budgeted. Not wanting to spend the extra $ but for lack of finding anything better I decided just to go for it and buy the thing. I showed my Dad the one I was going to get, which came in like 400 pieces and according to the package took 2 whole days to assemble, and he just forced smile and said "Anything for my grandkids." But alas, after calling all of the stores in like a 40 mile radius, none of them had the set I wanted in stock. So it was back to square one, finding an inexpensive set. Then my mom had a great idea to check a weekly catalog that people can post all kinds of items in for sale/lease/trade/etc. There was an advertisement for a FREE swing set/clubhouse! Could we be that lucky? After a few phone calls to the owner who wanted to get rid of the set ASAP and another lucky break because the person who had called before us could not pick it up for a few days, the set was ours!!! So within 12 hours of the first phone call we had a set in my parents yard.

Initially when I saw the set in the yard of the previous owner I was apprehensive. Free is great! But when the thing is leaning at a 20 degree angle almost and seems to shudder and be on the verge of collapse with every breeze, I had to remind myself that you get what you pay for. We relocated the set and began work on it right away.

Here is a picture taken as we finished setting it up. The boys would not wait to swing! Though, we watched cautiously as it still needed some extra supports at the time this picture was taken. (The set is 9 years old.)

Within a few days my Dad and I added additional supports, removed the shredded climbing rope, cleaned (de-molded) the canopy, stained and weather treated the wood, added one slide, one disk swing, a telescope, and two steering wheels. Here is the after picture. That is my nephew Jordan with the boys.

I have to say I was really pleased with the finished product! Overall the cost was about $200 for all of the additions and updates. Which was way less than I thought I would have to spend to get something nice. And the boys couldn't have been happier! Well actually, they could have. The temp while we were there never went below 95 during the day. So they didn't get as much play time as they would have liked. The good news...it will be there waiting for them when we go back in a few months!

ROLLA:
After Michael returned to the States at the end of June we made a trip to Missouri to see family. (Michael mentioned this in the blog entry below.) First up on our itinerary was a trip to Rolla, the city of my birth. My Mom's sister, her two daughters, their husbands, and their children all live there. In the past we have always gone to Rolla for Easter. This past Easter was kinda sad for us (especially Gabe) not being there. So Gabe was really looking forward to seeing his cousins again! We were only there for a day and a half or so but we had a great time! My cousins, Michelle (her husband is Sherman) and Gina (her husband is Larry) all have boys. Michelle has Nathan. Or as Gabe & Maddox call him, "Cousin Nate." Gina has two boys, Carter and Cole. This visit Gabe had the huge honor of being taken to a movie in the theater with all of the "big boy cousins." It was a big moment for him to be invited. My Mom's sister Carol (Carter, Cole & Nate call her Nana) took them all as a treat. He talks about that time with the big boys often. So thank you Nana!

Here are all the cousins. No girls in this side of the family! Left to right...Cole, Nathan, Carter, Gabe & Maddox.

Here is Gabe with Aunt Gina.

And Maddox with Uncle Sherm.

While in Rolla we made our usual trip to Denny Ford, Lincoln, Mercury. Michael's Mom, Susan, is engaged to Denny, the owner of the car dealership. The boys love going there. They are in automobile heaven!!! Denny always lets them wander around checking stuff out, even into the repair shop. Where there they get into all the workers way I am sure. They pepper Mr. Denny with millions of questions of, "Mr. Denny, how does that work?" "What does that do?" "Mr. Denny, what kind of tool is that?" "Can I push that button?" It is a hoot to watch them there! This visit Denny gave the boys a promotional video that Ford uses to compare their truck line to the competitors. It shows the inside of the engine, frame, etc. I have to say that the video is kind of cheesy...but the boys LOVE watching it! We live in the land of DVD's here in China. The boys have access to every kid friendly movie out there and since we have come back from our trip to Rolla, the most requested DVD by far is the "Ford Truck Video!" No kidding!

Gabe & Maddox "driving" a Ford Shelby Cobra Mustang. Apparently that is a unique automobile. I know nothing of these things.

Here is a picture of Grandma Susan, Mr. Denny and the boys.

Michael, his Mom, and the boys.

BOONVILLE:
Following our fun and adventures in Rolla, we went to the city of Michael's birth, Boonville. There Michael's grandfather, Charlie, resides. The boys love Great Grandpa Charlie's house. He has a basement full of toys! All of Michael and his brother Kevin's childhood toys are there. And for Gabe and Maddox it's like Christmas! Obviously Charlie, being a great-grandfather has a few years on him. But, you would never know it! He's as sharp as he was the day I met him years ago! We all enjoy our time with him so much and it is always hard to pull out of his driveway after a great visit. Our time with him is very special!

Gabe and Great Grandpa Charlie.