VISIT FROM GRANDMA AND GRANDAD

GOING TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING

SUGAR IS VERY TOLERANT AND DOESN'T MIND BEING DRESSED UP

SHOPPING THE ALLEN OUTLET MALLS WITH GRANDMA AND GRANDAD

(GRANDAD IS A WHISTLER JUST LIKE MIDUK!)

AT THE CHRISTMAS DISPLAY IN DOWNTOWN GRAPEVINE

WITH GRANDMA AND GRANDAD IN FRONT OF THE MUSICAL CHRISTMAS TREE IN DOWNTOWN GRAPEVINE

SITTING ON MAIN STREET IN GRAPEVINE

BEING ENTERTAINED AT THE HIBACHI GRILL

SITTING IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AFTER THE MORNING WALK

NAPPING WITH SUGAR!

MIDUK HAS DISCOVERED A NEW TALENT-BOWLING!

BUILDING WITH LEGOS THAT MY FRIEND SHERI LET US BORROW!

HE BUILT A BUNCH OF CROSSES!

My parents came for a visit last week and stayed four days.  We stayed busy with shopping and Miduk was able to keep up with us!  One night we went out for Mexican food and afterwards went to downtown Grapevine to look at the Christmas displays.  They have a giant tree with lights that are choreographed to Christmas music which are really cool!  Just a really quaint atmosphere downtown.  :)  Grandma and Grandad brought gifts which they put under our tree.  Miduk was pretty excited to see one with his name on it and kept saying WOW!  Did I tell you about the pickle ornament?  Every year we hide a pickle ornament on our tree (old World tradition), so we explained it to Miduk and let him put the pickle on the tree.  Guess who can't remember where he put it?  haha we may never find that ornament!  One night we took Grandma and Grandad to a Hibachi restaurant which was fun, I think Miduk enjoyed watching the chef do his tricks at the table for us.  I asked Miduk if he liked it and he said "I very very like it".  On that note, today it was thundering and lightning outside and he said "I very very no like thunder!" haha  I introduced him to YouTube videos the past couple of days, trying to keep him busy and entertained indoors.  I think I have created a monster!  He is having the best time looking up everything from Hummers to funny animal videos to music.  He plays the same Indonesian rock music so much that now I can sing along.  We are competing for the laptop these days so I  haven't posted on this blog in over a week!  I did take him to the movie theater to see "Arthur's Christmas" earlier this week, he liked the movie and I have to confess I enjoyed a light nap too!  This particular theater has a butter bar where you can put your own melted butter on your popcorn.  He was pretty fascinated with that!  Another day I took him for lunch at Taco Bueno.  After we finished eating, I said "That hit the spot" and he looked at me with the funniest expression so I had to explain myself!  Half the lights on his Christmas tree would not light up, no matter what I did, so we decided to take them off and put a new strand of lights on.  As we were taking the old lights off, I found an entire roll of Mentos that he put on the tree branches.  We had sampled Mentos at Sam's Club last week and the lady liked him so much that she gave him the entire roll!  I guess to him it was pretty special and he placed it on his tree.  I have to admit, I was clenching my teeth and not too happy about having to take the lights off with the ornaments falling off too, but to Miduk it was a lot of fun to decorate the tree twice!  I looked at it as an inconvenience, but to him it was a great time! :)  And he kept singing "Feliz Navidad", which we have heard on the radio repeatedly...This past week Miduk has helped me with stuffing our Christmas cards and putting stamps and labels on the envelopes. He wrote a letter to his parents and we mailed the card to Bryan in Medan, who will hopefully deliver the letter to Miduk's parents the next time he goes to their village.  It may not reach them until after Christmas, but better late than never, right?  Miduk has learned a new sport and it is bowling!  Kasey and her friend Zach took him bowling last Sunday, and said he was a natural at it!  Rolled strikes and spares one right after the other, not even needing the bumpers.  I wasn't even sure he would be able to take the steps and throw the ball, but he did!  And outscored Kasey and Zach, who were very impresssed! Is it beginners luck?  We are going to find out!  He wants to go again soon.  When my parents left on Monday, they gave Miduk a $10 bill.  Ever since Wes and Kasey were young, my parents always give them a couple of dollars at the end of their visit - "Coke Money" they always say.  When my mom handed Miduk the $10 bill, he wouldn't take it and kept saying "No Grandma".  Well she kept insisting (my mom ALWAYS wins these kinds of battles!) and he finally took it and put it in his pocket.  Later that day I told him it was his to do whatever he wanted - to save it or to spend it.  He told me he put it in his bible. To put it in perspective, $10 is what one of his parents would make in five days of full-time work!