Must be tax time!

This was the scene last night at the dining table. Both Ostojic men doing taxes. Don't you just love Nick's filing system?

You pack it, you carry it!

Jonny's one packing rule for China is the 80/20 principal. You use 20% of the stuff you bring on a trip 80% of the time. Narrowing down what that 20% will be, is quite the challenge. We are trying to only bring one checked bag and one carry on between the two of us (plus a backpack/computer bag each). This is quite the challenge. After all the lists I've made and weeks of planning what to take, I'm pretty sure it can be done.

"Trip enjoyment is inversely proportionate to the amount of [stuff] (re: distractions) you bring with you." -Tim Ferriss

What are your favorite must-pack items, multi-purpose tools, and lightweight winners? 

By: Miss Abigail Hansen, age 10

Jonny and I are in BC this weekend working on getting his visa for China. Abby and I are sitting here and we thought it would be fun for her to do a post. This is Abby, our niece.

Abby's Best Jokes:
1. Why do humming birds hum? Because they don't know the words.
2. What does a cow say without any lips? OOOOOOO!
3. What is a lion's favorite state? M-A-N-E.
4. What's a lion's favorite food magazine? Feeders Digest.
5. What do you give a blood thirsty angry lion? Lots of room.

This is the story (according to Abby) of when she was caught on the roof.

One evening, I decided to stick my leg out the window and touch the roof. And when nobody was looking, I climbed right out of the window. And I had been climbing on the roof for two whole weeks. And one day while I was eating pretzels and looking at the view, I heard someone calling my name. And I quickly scrambled through the window. Six seconds later, my dad came  barging in with the most ugly look on his face. And he said, "Abby, were you on the roof?" I didn't answer and I didn't have to, because he could see little parts of the roof on my window sill and dirty black socks. I was grounded for six weeks from going and playing with my friends. I got the idea from Kim Possible. The lesson I learned was to never go on the roof no matter how much you want to see what the bird poop looks like on the roof.

The End

Jonny, Max, Ella and Abby

My favorite things about my cousin Ella:

1. she like to suck her thumb

2. she make animal noises

3. we look alike

4. she likes it when I hold her and throw her up in the air

5. when Ella was born I was really excited

6. soon she is going to be a big sister to a boy and she said she wanted a fish instead of a little brother

7. my suggestions for Ella's little brother's name are Elias, Thomas, and Arthur

8. Ella likes my big stuffed animals

9. she eats funny

What will I be when I grow up?... No clue. But, if I could be a super hero, I would be saying no way Jose. I don't want to be a super hero because I don't want to get shot down by the bad guys.

My goals for this year are:

1. following the contract that I signed with my mom

2. playing as many video games as I possibly can

3. enter to be in the movies

I think that's all. All done!

Watch This...

Jonny sent me a few videos to watch this morning and I really enjoyed this one.  Here's a kick back to that 1999 song.

Oh, Jet Lag how I love and hate you

My hypothalamus is messed up. That's the part of the brain that works as a tiny alarm clock that activates the sleep function. Mr. Jonathan has had no problem adjusting, but for me, since we arrived back in the States I have consistently woken up around 4 AM. It may be sick, but besides being frustrated by getting tired early in the evening, I am really enjoying getting up so early! For three days in a row, I have been extremely productive in the early morning hours. It reminds me of that verse in Proverbs 31.

This was my activity this morning

I would love to make getting up this early a habit. We'll see. Now, off to start work.

Facts

1. China has 1.3 billion people and 1.4 million of those live in Zhuhai (which is considered a small city)

2. Zhuhai has a humid subtropical climate and average temperature is about 75 degrees (flop weather oh how I have missed you!!!)

3. IKEA is manufactured there (as are A LOT of consumer products-just take a look at your labels) and is half price if purchased at the factory in China. There will be crates being shipped back to the US for Wilkinson Baking and yes, there will be extra room for cheap furniture!

4. The most spoken variety of Chinese is Mandarin and yes we are attempting to learn it. Thank you Rosetta Stone!

5. Zhuhai is the first city in China to have constructed a motor racing circuit. And yes, Jonny is very excited about this.

6. Zhuhai's international accolades include "the Best Model of International Residential Environment Improvement" awarded by the UN. Which is nice considering how dirty China can be.

7. We get to experience the Chinese New Year happening right after we arrive. This is going to be FANTASTIC. It is the most important of the Chinese traditional holidays.

 

8. Red is a very significant color to the Chinese representing a symbol that gives color to the soul of the nation.

The Countdown Begins....

We have our tickets to China!!! We take off on January 31st! We will be living in a city 1 hour south of Hong Kong called Zhuhai.

Jonny will still be working for Wilkinson Baking, setting up manufacturing as well as working on some fabrication (the reason we are going). I will be searching out a teaching position using my new TEFL certification. The plan is to be there for about 6 months but that is an estimate, so we'll see.

We are super excited about this new adventure! We will have internet and with the use of lovely modern technology, keeping in touch with everyone will not be an issue!

Has anyone ever been to China? Any advice?