Oh hey, I'm back

Hey there wonderful people. So, I'm back from Shanghai. Of course we had a blast, and I'm so glad we had another opportunity to go. We always have so much fun. We just can't help it! We got home Tuesday morning and the rest of that day I was running around and I was just a bit busy. I took about 6 bus rides that day, most of them by myself. I don't mind though... it's actually really great.

A couple mornings ago we met up with friends at our favorite noodle place downtown and then we walked to this huge park and watched all the old, Chinese people dance and sing. An old man set up a little speaker and plugged in his music. Then an old lady started singing in the traditional Chinese way. Another man danced with big, red fans and lots more people just sat around, talking and watching. Sometimes huge groups of people gather and dance all together. Most of it is just they're way of exercising.
That sort of thing is very normal here by the way.

Today is Friday and I've got a bit more school to do and the giveaway to figure out. I will indeed be figuring that out soon and hopefully everything will be ready super quickly.

Oh and I'm still listening to Mat Kearney extensively. (Katie)

And with all that said, I'm just happy.
Aren't you happy it's the weekend?

Love you all.

Love, a

p.s. I'm working on my blog right now... I have several options for the header and I'm figuring out everything else as well. Also, notice my background? Pretty indiscreet. Fun, fun, fun!

delighted

Oh my goodness, thanks so much to all of my new (and faithful) followers. You guys are the best and I'm so thankful for each of you! I'm pretty darn happy.

If you haven't already seen my interview go here. Thanks a ton Katie.

This past Thursday and Friday I was in Shanghai with my older sister Rachael. A few of us went over on Thursday and then my little sister Becca and I spent the night in her apartment.

Friday morning the three of us girls galavanted around Shanghai in the rain. We ate breakfast near Rachael's house at a place called Wagas, where we sat next to the window and people-watched. We ordered coffees and called the cashier "soldier boy" just because he couldn't understand. We stepped into malls just for the fun of it, we laughed a lot and enjoyed all being the same height. (Literally!). We then jumped on the subway and sped underneath the city until we popped up again and found a cafe. We sat at the cafe for hours while snow came down in smalls heaps. Snow! It was really lovely and the flakes were big. We ate, talked a lot, smiled at people and at three, it was time to go. My sister Rachael said after we left she thought "why aren't they staying for a week?" "I'm confused".

Notice the little gray building with the square cut out of the top of it in the background? That's the 4th tallest building in the world. Look at this picture of it. Pure craziness.

The whole day I wore my special red hat and we all had big hoods over our heads to keep warm. We got to the train station and Becca and I boarded the train to go home. We waved to Rachael, yelled several last inside jokes and then turned around and slid our tickets through the machine.

Kudos to Rachael for being the best, and Shanghai? You're pretty sweet.

You might just want to listen to...
This
this
this
this
this
and
this.
These songs kept me company on the twenty minute train ride back home to Suzhou. Outside it was misty and I think it was probably a mix of rain and pollution. It was lovely though.

With lots of love to you all,

love, a

p.s.

America :)

Well hello there!!! As you have heard (so jubilantly!!!!) I am in America!!! My days have been spent doing such fun things... Two days ago we got to spend the day with our great friends the Landino's. Since it was only one day we packed in so much talking! They have 6 kids and we hadn't seen there newest Violet Mei yet. Violet is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! We were SO happy to see them again and to see Violet for the first time! There three girls, Paige (15) Claire (12) and Ella (9) are us three girls good friends so we had a blast with them! I love you all Landino's!!!

Yesterday I woke up and my cousins Sam and Hannah took my sisters and I to Ice Cream on this adorable street. It was so much fun and I got Lemon Custard ice cream, because it was that sort of day. After throughly enjoying our ice cream and chatting like we do non-stop we stopped at a little store and I got a piece of paper. You know the big, fun, print kind of paper?! Mine has hot air balloon's on it and I'll probably do something amazing with it.

Then my Papa and Grandma arrived!!! We've had fun so far and we'll only have more fun with them!

Today I'll just spend time in this amazing house with my awesome family :)

I love you all and I'm so happy to be spending these 6 weeks in America, my home!!!!! Pictures to come sometime, although I don't have the nice camera with me so they'll be mostly to show you what I'm talking about :)
                                                                        Love, A
                            

Brother's and sister-

In December my brother came to China. He arrived in Shanghai and that next day we took him back to Suzhou to our home. We spent two weeks in Suzhou exploring and having a blast! Matt is such a great brother. We played a ton of games and listened to lots of music and ate a lot :)

After the two weeks for spent, we headed to Shanghai again to take care of my Uncle and Aunt's foster baby for two weeks while they went back to the states during Christmas. We got there and the next day they left and we had a baby again... for two whole weeks! It was great fun! But the post is about one day in particular.

Matt, Rachael, William and I took a taxi down to a subway station where we hopped on a crowded subway and hopped off at the place where all the "huge" buildings are. When you come out from underneath where the subway's are, you see all the huge, huge buildings and it is amazing! We met Andrew there. We walked through this really fancy hotel (I think it was a hotel or something?) And looked at the pretty Christmas decorations. We were all dressed in nice coats by the way, which we do here :)
We walked a lot. The biggest building in Shanghai is well, really big! And it cost's kinda a lot to go up to the top so we went in the one right next to it which is still quite tall and costs nothing.  Most of us had already been in that one but of course not Matt! We got to the top and it is so pretty looking out over the city! Its funny because this is a tourist place and to think that I can go there quite often and do those fun things which are right next to my city is pretty amazing! After that we said goodbye to Andrew and walked (more) down next to the Water side. On the opposite side from where we were is the Bund! All the old buildings which are very pretty on the outside and the inside!

 We were going to take a ferry accross to the bund side and walk around there. We started off to the right and walked all the way to the end and didn't find the ferry. We walked back to the left and found the ferry after a lot of walking. We paid the 2 Kuai and got our little blue chip and got on the ferry. It was short but we looked out the window the whole time and warmed ourselves in the sun. It was a very nice ferry ride :)
We got off and walked around on the bund a little bit. Its a very pretty place, one of Rachael's favorite!
After a while we were all hungry (an important part of the day... food) and so... we made the short trek to, Baker and Spice, a bakery with coffee and a place to sit at big wooden tables. Very enjoyable.
We all got our little treats and shared a couple coffees and some bread Rachael bought. We talked and ate and had fun like brother's and sister's are supposed to. Along we went home and ended are fun day in the city. Thanks for reading this everybody! Matt I love you very, very much and really had a fun day with you!!!! Ben i'm sorry that this post isn't about you- your gone too! But maybe another one. I love you too. The rest of you I love you very much too! Even if you weren't with us~

All the huge buildings here are so cool and in pictures they just don't look quite big enough (I guess there just bigger in person) so i'll just let imagine how big and awesome they are and think of are day there.

They make me excited... what about you?

Notice the very little red ferris wheel in the background... thats near our house. 

The building turns all different colors and is HUGE! 

Yay! 

When there so loud and very bright it just makes you want to yell and be excited, which we were!

Chinese new year came! We went to our friends house (they are gone and said we could go over for the view) They live on the 21st floor and they have an amazing view of the whole entire lake and all the lights and fireworks! So here are some of my picture's of the fireworks that by the way exploded all night long...