First Day of School..

 

And another school year starts in Shanghai. Rilynn will be starting Year 2E at YCIS (1st grade). And Brady is in K4A (preschool). Today was a very bittersweet day... The kids (and mommy!) were very excited for them to start school back up, but it was also the day when Chad would have to leave :(

 

In case you hadn't heard there were several changes that happened to us over the summer. 3M had a new position for Chad starting September 1. We originally came home for the summer expecting to stay in Minnesota. However, they realized it was too sudden, so ok'd it for the kids and I to stay in China while Chad started his new job in Michigan. The plan for the new job is to move the company back to Minnesota, where hopefully we will all unite as a family and move back into our home together in December.

 

It's crazy for me to think that the kids and I will be living in China by ourselves for the next 4 months, but it's really what works best for us. NEVER in a million years would I have thought I'd ever say that!!! But really, we have AMAZING friends here that I know will take care of us and that totally understand our situation here and are always more than willing to invite us over for dinner or to give me a break and take the kids for a bit :)

 

Anyways, now that we're caught up.. Back to school-

 Ok, not the FIRST day, but close :) lol

 

Rilynn with her English teacher Ms. Lor from Cambodia

 

Chinese teacher - Ms. Ma

 

 Actual first day pic :)

 

 Parents Night- So proud of her job :)

 

 

 Brady was so excited to start school. He was also even more thrilled when he saw his buddy Lucas, from Japan, in his class!!

 Brady's English teacher Ms. Torie from Canada. Have to work on a pic of his Chinese teacher Ms. Julia :)

 

The kids have done absolutely perfect with the beginning of a new year. No tears and have already made a bunch of new friends!



Valerie and Jeremy's Wedding

The biggest event while we were home was my baby sister's wedding.. The first weekend back was her bachelorette party and then her wedding was July 14th. Was a beautiful day and a wonderful wedding!!

 

Grandma's first bachelorette party ever!! She stayed out with us until midnight :)

 

Brady and Connor the Ring Security- aka ringbearers

 Rehearsal

Wedding Day!

The 3 flowergirls

 

Sisters!

 

 

 The family

 

Rilynn and Auntie Valerie

Party in the U.S.A!!!

We pulled the kids out a couple days early from school in order to fly back with Chad home to Minnesota on June 23rd. He had been traveling right up until the night before and then had to get up early and make the long flight with us :( However, thankfully he knew that he would be eating his long awaited Zan's when we arrived so that made him feel a little better!

We stayed in a hotel in Woodbury the first week so he could go in to the office. That was a good time for us to hang out with our neighbors, see our house, and do all of our doctor/dentist appointments.

I see our deck 2 down :) So strange to be so close to your own house, but not be able to go in it!!

Had great seats to a Twins game with our neighbors.

 

We stayed at my parent's house pretty much the whole summer, minus a week down in Mankato. With Val's wedding on July 14 we had plenty to do :) After the wedding, Chad had to go back to Shanghai. It's great having a nice long summer back in the US, but Chad doesn't have that much vacation to stay with us the whole time so it's hard when he has to go back. Also means that I fly solo home on the LONG flight back with the kiddos!

 

4th of July party at my parents

 

 

 Long day out in the sun and in the chlorine :)

 

 

Tubing and hanging out at the lake with some friends

 

Had a great time until it was almost time to leave. Brady mistakenly ate a Reese's Pieces cookie instead of the M & M one he had earlier. He has never had any peanuts as he was diagnosed with a peanut allergy from a blood and skin test when he was a baby. Thankfully, we had a EpiPen on us and I had to inject him with it as throat was starting to swell!! Got him to the ER and was monitored and sent home fine. Although, he kept telling everyone there that his mommy shot him :)

 

Rilynn and Brady were able to enjoy a lot of time with their cousins, Connor and Brady. Rilynn really enjoyed taking care of Ryder!

 

Was able to be with my godson, Ryder, as he was baptized.

Tennis with Grandpa

 

 

3rd tooth gone!

 

While down in Mankato visiting Grandma and Grandpa Reed we went to see 2 days of Vikings Training Camp

 

The kids spent a week with Gma and Gpa Reed down in Mankato. They had a lot of fun and mommy did too :)

 

 

We had a great 6 weeks visiting everyone!! 4 more months and then we'll be back home for good :)