Constant Beginnings

Our last day in China was supposed to be pretty low-key, basically involving packing and heading to the airport for our departure. However, the days before were so filled that we ended up moving a few things around so life would be a little more manageable. Our first stop was Tiananamen Square. This was such a huge area. It was rather amazing to think such protests could take place on the ground which we were walking. It was calm, fairly empty and music filled the air. They also had an incredible panoramic screen sharing all that China had to offer. My Mom in Tiananmen Square. Us in Tiananmen Square. Monument to the soldiers who lost their lives. Guard in front of Tiananmen Square. A monument representing the People's Republic of China. Horsing around in the square. More chasing and entertaining our kiddos. And even more fun. Our final stop was The Temple of Heaven. This place was 3 times larger than the Forbidden City. It was very...

Day 4 was glorious. We slept in a bit, got ready, mosied downstairs for our delicious breakfast. We connected with some friends to make our day plans. This day was filled with shopping, shopping and more shopping. Now that we had a taste of what China offered, we were ready to return with an agenda. We returned to the same market we stopped in the night before, spent a few hours then enjoyed McDonald's lunch. Yummy. We've never been so excited to see the big golden arches--only after 3 days of authentic Chinese food :) Chris and two other Dads took the four kiddos to the Beijing Zoo while the ladies returned to the stores. We stopped at the Pearl Factory as well as the Silk Street Market. I think I liked the first stop the best, but great deals were to be found all over. It was truly a challenge keeping in mind our baggage weight allowances. I actually purchased 2 additional bags to drag our stuff home! My Mom wishes she'd bought more and already wants to return to China ;)...

Mya and Claire taking pictures with their fan. I captured a picture of the little girl's momma taking a picture ;)  Claire was a great sport each and every time she was approached. It was countless times. She smiled, whereas Mya has clearly had enough and is ready to go into seclusion. More fans. The mirror in our bathroom. Note the square. The intel briefing Chris received told him about the square. Supposedly the absence of fog indicates a mirror or "something" behind the mirror. Gross. Yep. There is great video captured ;) The moat outside The Forbidden City. These men were fishing. Their poles looked like long plastic tubes with string on the ends.  My Mom in the Forbidden City. Mya in the Forbidden City. Forbidden City fun. Running around to pass the time. More entertaining. Claire at the Forbidden City. Day 3 began with a trip to the Forbidden City. It was a bea...