Maddox is 4!

Hello out there to my blog readers...all 3 of you! :-) Sorry I have been so lousy with updates. We had a very busy, eventful, and quick summer over here. And China has this website permanently blocked so I keep having to find new ways to access it illegally. I'm such a law-breaker!!!

Anywho, Maddox turned 4 a couple weeks ago and we had a "FISH" themed party with good friends to celebrate. This year Michael and I decided to have the party at our apartment's clubhouse. Let me say it was totally worth the cost. Not having to prepare food (other than the cupcakes), pre-clean or post clean was awesome! And all the guests enjoyed the food buffet, the pools for swimming and the "beach." It worked out well with the theme too! Below are some pics.

The boys checking out the gift from Michael and I.

Gabe got some of this train set for Christmas last year and Maddox got the rest for his birthday. The boys love it! And so do I!

Making sand angels.

Before Maddox could blow out the candles the wind did it for him! His reaction was hilarious!!

Now he did it!

Eclipse

I was super excited to be on the side of the world where one could view the longest solar eclipse in the 21st century! Sadly, I was on the tail end of a 24 hours stomach virus but I knew I HAD to suck it up to see the eclipse!! So that morning the boys and I headed outside to watch a little piece of history transpire.

Needless to say it was amazing! And the boys thought it was awesome too! Here are some pictures of the boys watching the eclipse.

Yes, they are in my bathtub! We got outside to watch and within 2 minutes the sky clouded over and it started to rain. :-( So inside we went to watch on TV. But, all of our TV's get an illegal satellite from the Philippines and so there was no coverage. With the exception of my bathroom TV. So there is where we camped out. Maddox was convinced if he looked hard enough he would be able to "see the Sun melt away!"

A crestfallen Maddox finally gave up and decided to watch the it on TV.

This picture was taken at 9:46 am. Looks similar to the night time photo in the previous posts.

It was SO DARK!

Our View

This wonderful country that I live in has blocked several websites, Blogger being one of them. Thankfully, a wonderful friend of mine recently showed me a way around those walls.

There are a lot of things I could say but, it's late and I am tired. So instead I am going to post some pictures of our views from our new apartment. Unfortunately, the pictures do not do the views justice! We LOVE our new place!!!

DAY TIME VIEWS
This is the view from the master bedroom and our living room balcony. It's the Huangpu River. The boys NEVER get tired of watching and listening to the boats go by!

The Nanpu Dachao, or Nanpu Bridge over the river.


A "house boat" in the center of the picture.

"A big 'un!" -Maddox
We see boats of all sizes and shapes.


Rush hour.


A FEW RANDOM SHOTS
The wave pool and beach right outside our back door. Our weekend home away from home!

Gabe, Maddox & the window washer.

The boys in their new room and custom made bed. The ladder was being adjusted by the craftsman during this picture.

Gabe, Samuel & Maddox just chillin'.



NIGHT TIME VIEWS
The view of our side of the river's downtown. Half the downtown anyway. This is what we see out of our dining room window and the boys bedroom.

Huangpu River at night.


The river again. Nanpu Dachao (Nanpu Bridge)