These boots are made for walking...

Morning Time in her favorite boots

Gabby's new interest of the moment are her green, frog boots. She wakes up in the morning and likes to put them on. She LOVES these things and gets tons of compliments. Thanks, Aunt Debbie. :)

Easter

Easter was a bit uneventful... as momma dropped the ball. Oops. There were two Easter parties we were going to have fun at, but I got the dates wrong on the Saturday party. On Sunday, we were looking at houses which took up a lot of time. Poor Gabby didn't get that taste of Americana this year... Thank goodness Guide Mama Beth came to the rescue and sent her some easter eggs (Hello Kitty ones!), candy, and a really cool bunny Pez dispenser that Gabby loves to play with. So no fear! Our little girl will also be exposed to the wonders of Easter- minus the Cadbury eggs and ham, but nonetheless- there will be egg hunting in the future.

Happy Anniversary to us!

This is the best soup I've ever had... I think... creamy pumpkin that is served in an actual pumpkin. LOVE it!

Travis and I have been together for five years... and still going strong. We got foot massages and ate at a yummy Vietnamese restaurant on Ho Hai lake. Our friends from Malaysia and some other good people were there...

Spring Break

I found Gabby feeding her dolly, or "Deedee," which means little brother in Chinese. She put her in the high chair all by herself. It was really cute.

We only had two school days off this year for Spring Break because we started school late due to the Olympics. We planned a trip to Guilin and Yangshao but received some bad news and stayed back... We took Gabby to some fun places, including this sand box place at the mall nearby. She had a blast.

Xi'an was Right On

Terra-cotta Warriors

Having a Laugh...

Gabby used chopsticks for the first time!

On top of the walled city

At the Muslim Mosque and Gabby picking her nose...

 Muslim Mosque

This weekend we flew to the walled city of Xi'an (pronounced Shee-ahn). It's infamous for being the site of the Terra-cotta soldiers and host to a really cool Muslim area. We went with some friends, who were visiting for the weekend, which was great for many reasons- but especially for the good company and the extra set of much needed hands since we come well equipped with baby stuff. I was thoroughly impressed by the Terra-cota warriors. They're brilliant and worth the trip. I was told that it was just "okay," but it's right up there with the Great Wall as an important site to see in China (at least in my opinion). We hired a guide who spoke English so we got to hear the story of how the farmer found them in 1974 and other fun facts that we wouldn't of known from reading it in a book. I was surprised to learn that they were painted but lost the color when they were exposed to the air. The muslim quarter was awesome and we went to a mosque that was still functioning. It was interesting to watch the local muslims pray. The mosque felt authentic and had a certain "untouched" feel which I enjoyed. All in all, a short but fabulous trip.

Come on, Mama!

Gabby is now saying three word sentences and is officially part monkey. No, really. This girl is a climber. Chen, our ayi, says that she plays like a boy- fearless. Here are some pictures of her in the indoor play gym. This will be one of the amenities we'll enjoy once we move to Capital Paradise- whenever we find a decent house.

Lama and Confucius Temple

This me at the Confucius Temple- FREEZING! 

This is also at the Confucius Temple- I really like these trees. They're thousands of years old.

Cool Architecture in the Lama Temple. These are several buildings close together.

The HUGE Buddha. You're not supposed to take pictures, but Travis took this very fast, which is why it is a bit blurry.

It was a VERY cold and windy Thursday in Beijing, but that didn't stop the Tebos from being tour guides to some friends who were visiting. Since we haven't gone yet, we decided to see the Lama Temple, and afterwards, walk to the Confucius Temple. Like UK and Europe, who have the ABC (Another Bloody Church) Syndrome... Asia has the ABT (Another Bloody Temple) Syndrome. Yes, they are beautiful. Yes, they are old and amazing. Yes, they have historical significance. But once you've seen a couple- they kind of lose their magic. I have to say, though, the Lama Temple is pretty cool. My favorite part was the HUGE Buddha carved from sandalwood. It was enormous and magnificent (and really dusty). I enjoy looking at Tibetan art and there was plenty to see- I love the bold colors an intricate designs. Plus, I get a kick out of looking at all the fat, happy Buddhas. There were also several people praying and monks walking around- which I always find fascinating. All in all, I think both the temples are worth the trip, but go on a warmer day and bring the appropriate clothes.