We're Baaaaackkkk!

A few brown bills and we are past the firewall and back in publication. All hail the VPN. Some pics from recent times (Christmas ish). It is the tail end of the CNY here. Back to work tomorrow. Have been watching a lot of olympics (thanks to the VPN). Weather was pretty crappy for most of the vacation - but has smartened up today. Kids are restless and need to get back to school - Mom and Dad; not so much. Hope all are well.

Chinese Vacation

So we have 9 days off... Well kinda semi-off for me as I'm working on logistics for an ACAMIS volleyball tournament. The weather has been amazing in Shanghai so far. Tomorrow we are going to host those SCIS staff members who didn't get to go away for vacation for a Tuesday BBQ. Bought 20 chicken breasts and a whole bunch of different pork products today. The Dickers organized a kids and parents Karaoke party today. Jaden was able to sing along with all the Avril Lavigne songs while Dylan belted away at 'We Will Rock You'. I've got to download some recent pics for the blog - after this note I'll see what we've got. Sheri and I have been watching Friday Night Lights for our couch potatoe time. We've finished season two now and have vowed to watch some movies this week seeing as we don't have to be up early for work. Yesterday we watched Gran Torino and today Sunshine Cleaning. Sheri's getting ancy to paint - I imagine we will be doing the living room before the end of the week. Sheri thinks a bamboo green together with a rusty red. Should be fun. O.K. I think my 100 hits from teh 80's have downloaded now - tomorrows play list. Time for bed.

Disneyland

Spring break in Shanghai -- we went to the HongKong Disneyland. The kids had a great time. Weather was so-so, but a lot of smiles and hugs to all the disney characters. Dylans favorite was a Stitch interactive movie, Jaden got a blast out of Space Mountain. Dad and mom liked the 3D movie.

We stayed at the Disneyland hotel -- quite a palace.

Dylan @ Soccer

Dylan has been playing soccer on Sundays. He goes up against 8 & 9 year olds and consistently holds his own.

Harbin

First stop: the Ice and Snow World. LED lights brighten up ice block sculptures of enormous proportions. J & D found the ice slides to be of the most fun. They also did some sliding on a tube down a mini-hill. The weather outside was 'frightful' but it was nice to feel the chill of winter once again.

Professional Basketball in Shanghai

On boxing day I took the kids to the Shanghai Sharks (CBA) basketball game. (This is the team Yao Ming used to play for). It's not the NBA but it was a ton of fun. The great thing is that with our matching Nash jerseys we were in the Sharks colors; and we didn't even know it.

after-school activities

What do the DeNeef's do in the afternoon in

Shanghai? Here is a sampling: Dylan and Jaden are both involved in afterschool activities -- Dylan does soccer, and Kung-Fu while Jaden does dance, yoga and tech. "Some afternoons/evenings we 'may' go to the local pub/restaurant and have a burger and a game of foosball. Other times we will be at home playing Wii. Daddy is often coaching. It's a busy time but we enjoy it.