then just Sara. Sara said she had so much fun there. Maybe some day Sara will go back as a counselor with the camp.
We chose to bring the new year in quietly. Ruth spent the night with a friend of hers, and Sara was not feeling well, so we were up with her until midnight.
including my sister who has to leave for home tomorrow morning, we are celebrating Sara's birthday today. First off to Sam's for what Sara calls a "proper" birthday cake, aka lots of color and icing. Then she picks out two rotisserie chickens for her birthday dinner-she and Ruth love the legs. We have family over for cake at lunch so that we can include another one of my sisters, Chris, and her family. Sara loved all of her gifts, and the cake and ice cream. 
her eyes got huge and she was so excited. This is the first year for having Christmas for two, double the gifts. First we gave them the super cool chair, which they sat in for the rest of the morning (Garden Ridge)
Then 2 1/2 hours later we were off for our LONG drive south, where the rest of the family gathered first for a feast, then the opening of gifts. My mother once again outdid herself with a wonderful meal.
out the new video games Santa brought the girls...we approve.
This morning the girls were just being silly. I got them up early so they would go to bed early so Santa can come and then get to bed. They have been in the study with me making crafts, and using our new furniture as a slide. It is hard to believe they were not sisters 6 weeks ago!
store open and bought the girls, and us of course, some chocolate. Sara got a chocolate Christmas Moose sucker (reindeer) and Ruth some dark chocolate. The girls were sleeping by the time we got home.
Today we went to see our friend Tami and her daughter Lauren. We went to the Gaylord hotel to see the ice sculpture display made by men from Chins who work on the Harbin Winter Festival. It is a constant 9 degrees in the display and luckily they give you large parkas to wear over your coat. I brought gloves and hats too. The girls had fun together and at the end, there is an ice slide that they went down a few times....then out because it was getting very cold.
Then we were not starving and wanted to save some money, so when they paged us, we told them thanks, but we needed to go. As I waited with the now crying Sara, Tami took the girls to the garage to get the car, and we waited, and we waited.....finally we met up and the car had died. It was in for maintenance the day before, and now a dead battery...coincidence, we think not. SO, back to the restaurant, a sports bar, and they seated us immediately, brought food within 5 minutes, and tended us like royalty! Sara got some, what else, chicken into her and she shared with Ruth and I. The meal was great and the service wonderful. Tami went ahead to see about the car, tow truck and loaner car coming from the dealership.
We met up with Tami as her car was leaving piggy back on the tow truck. On the way home we stopped at a park by her house and the girls played until it began to get too cool. Back to the house for the girls to make cookies. Then I took the training wheels off Lauren's bike and Lauren and Ruth both learned to ride!!!!! They were off like the wind, and Sara had to show them a few finer points on the bike.
This evening I caught the girls being girls...playing dress up. It was so much fun sitting back and watching them. AHHHH childhood is wonderful and we all need to keep a little in 
Well, today was the teeth doctor, aka dentist. We stopped at McDonald's on the way for a little lunch and relaxed play-it is cold and raining outside. Sara was thrilled to see the dentist had video games to play while she waited, Ruth is old hat at all of this. Then it was time and to the back they went. Parents are NOT allowed in the back! They were there for a long time, then out comes Sara in her silent cry with tears running down her face. Her teeth were bad, but not terrible. They had to push back her gums to get to the crud. They are so much whiter too. Down the road will be braces and fixing a few chipped teeth. They played video games a little after the appointment and were all smiles by the time they left.
she came home, and Ruth needs to learn how to ride. I ended up getting both of them a bike and I am glad I have a van! Of course we bought helmets too, Ruth a purple, and Sara picked out a ladybug one.....go figure.
That taken care of, off we went with Ruth. Unfortunately they had watered the mud, and well, that did not turn out well and I am still cleaning the mud off the shoes! I decided we needed a break and we stopped at McDonald's....yes, Sara love hamburgers....an all 
American girl! Then off to our local park. Sara was off like the wind, and Ruth is trying very hard and is very close to being off like a small wind. I guess that once they are both up and going, I will have to get a bike, bad knee willing, to keep up with them. Our town is putting in miles of linear parks, all connected, and they are beautiful. They spent some time climbing on the vines too.
Today I attended both Christmas parties, luckily Sara's began first and ended as Ruth's began, and luckily their rooms are down the hall from each other, or I would be in need of roller blade, and a good health insurance LOL. Both girls had a blast, and Sara is thinking this Christmas is not so bad. She also is under the opinion that the Christmas stocking belongs on her foot, after all it is a stocking. The girls came home early 
with me....only 20 days until school begins again!
This week the girl's school has been collecting Toys for Tots, a local toy drive organized by the Marines to get Christmas presents for deserving children. Of course it was made into a competition and Sara's class came in third. In the afternoon, two helicopters, one with some Marines and professional baseball 
players and a second from a local TV station, arrived at school. The kids all got to shake hands (or Hi 5) the ball players and Marines.
and Misty's pending daughter Fu, Dan attended this summer in Fuzhou. It looks like they had a great time.
Today and yesterday Sara had an appointment with two cornea specialists. Her favorite part of course was the chair that went up and down....wonder if we can get Santa to bring her one for Christmas because she has been very good. We will see about getting her glasses in the next few weeks.
Today we celebrated my birthday, since it falls on Tuesday and all will be scattered. I got breakfast in bed, and beautiful home made cards. Also beautiful flowers, a cake, and tonight dinner out.
make sure she was comfortable. Her teacher Ms. Ridelhubner helped Sara get her binder and all of her school supplies put away, assigned a locker, and a buddy to show her what and how to do things. Yesterday Ms R had time to tell the class a little about Sara so they were not overly inquisitive when we arrived---BIG HELP!!! Ms. R read a book to the class, and Sara got a book to follow along, just like the rest of the class. During Social Studies, she got a book with the rest of the class, but she did not need to do the open book test, but she did not stand out by not getting a book from the shelf. Sara did a project "tell me about you" and she listed her favorite things as eating watermelon, watching TV, jump roping, and doing hackey sack. They had their morning snack.
Today is the last day off from school. I took the girls to a local park to enjoy the beautiful day and since Sara's legs were still sore, I thought it would help work out the stiffness. We had a picnic lunch
so Sara could get the concept of a lunch box for school. The girls played, then we walked down the new linear addition to another park. There the girls played some more. We were exhausted and walked all the way back to the car. 
