Easter

Easter was low key this year.  We had just received our UAB and HHE shipments a few weeks before, so I was distracted with settling in, and didn't put Easter baskets together for the kids.  I did, however, help fill a zillion eggs for our combined youth Super Saturday activity in Shunyi where part of the activity was an Easter egg hunt.  The embassy Easter party was a few hours before, but none of us were really feeling up to going.  I spent the morning on wechat, texting with the young women's presidency to try to figure out if we should cancel the activity due to the bad pollution, or if we could move it somewhere indoors. Luckily Amy Tanner, the YW president, offered up her house in Shunyi.  Our scheduled venue for the Easter egg hunt and games was planned for Chaoyang Park, a few blocks away from us.  Bri and Rhea walked the park with me for two hours to find a suitable place that was private enough, close to an entrance and exit, and would work for the activities.  Alas, we had to leave that idea behind. 

We organized the downtown kids to meet together to catch the subway.  It's about a half hour ride on the subway, with walking to the subway to catch it, and then arranging for a ride from someone to pick us up from the subway to drive us wherever we need to go.  It saves us a lot of money overall when taking a group that large.  It's only a dollar or so per person each way (about $24 total for the group), instead of $60 in three taxis.  So we'll take the subway when we can.  And of course the kids didn't mind being together.  ;)  Avalaon and Aaron B, Joseph B, Porter S, and our kids took the subway and Lizzie and Adam met us there.

 After the kids got to visit and make some cream sodas, Bri gave a nice message on prioritizing their lives and putting the gospel first.  Then the games started.Kjirsten M. led us in some fun games she had played at EFY.  The kids had a ball!After the adult leaders hid the eggs, we moved outside for a quick Easter egg hunt.  The kids were being goofy with the bags they were given to hold their eggs (thank you Amy T!), so we had to grab a pic.Leaders hanging out--President Tanner, Bri, and Glenn Bailey.

Ben, Josie, and Lizzie

Joseph and Asher

Avalon and Kjirsten & O'Mailey

Mayah

Thomas was happy to report that he found an egg with 100 rmb in it! ($15)

The kids settled in the family room to examine their eggs more closely, hoping to find good candy and more money.  ;)

Funny enough, Rhea also found another 100 rmb and Savvy found 50 rmb!  We had some very generous egg fillers!

A fun activity getting these two groups of kids from downtown and Shunyi together, as well as the boys and girls.  Despite the pollution and having to move the activity indoors, the kids had a great time!

We got a ride back to the subway and took it home, this time with Adam and Lizzie joining us.  The boys of course were on their phones, enjoying some game time together.  ;)

And the girls enjoyed chatting!

It ended up being a perfect day of Easter activities and having fun.  We really appreciate all the effort of everyone that help make the youth program and activities so successful for our kids here in Beijing.  We're trying to figure out what quantity of activities is doable with the branch being so spread out and how often we should try to meet together as YW and YM.  We'll get it figured out and continue having fun!