moon cakin' it

MOON CAKE DAY.

I dare you to guess the flavors. chocolate? nope. jelly? nope. cookie dough? NOPE.

 no they were filled with any of the following: lemon grass, black bean, duck egg, & red bean. but i mean at least they looked cool. 

& I'll just add that yes, they are still sitting on the counter. ha! :)

honggity kong kong

Hong kong was a success!  It felt like a bunch of U.S. states combined (new york city, las vegas, hollywood, and san fransisco).  We thought that the food would be way better here, so we took a risk and tried outback, which means MEAT. and meat in china is definitely... scary.  When our order came, it looked AMAZING.  Of course, after we got all excited, dad cut into his steak and it looked rotten. Like nasty. Ahh you win some you lose some. But mostly lose with the meat if you know what I mean. After dinner that night there was a light show and the buildings across the bay looked awesome! 

The temple was great. So pretty even with the construction next to it! Seriously the Asians are always building. and re-building. 

We took a walk on the board walk on Friday. So pretty! A few Taylor's had to go to the bathroom so I sat down on the railing to relieve the pain in my legs and feet (I was no joke wearing the worst shoes for walking). I saw some ladies giggling to each other and looking over at brynn, sophie, & me. Then BAM. One of them has her arm around me and the other is taking a picture... okay. Yes, both of them got their own separate picture with us.  I guess this implied that we were totally up for sitting there for fifteen minutes because I kid you not a line was forming. All the asians wanted pictures with the American girls! Ha! But, I guess these people don't get to leave the country easily because of the strict government, so they don't normally see light hair and light eyes ;)

I just really love that HK is like Britain. They had double decker buses all over the place, and the drivers seat was on the right. Really cool!

Until next time HK... 

aka one week when we quickly stop by before we fly out to THAILAND. so pumped.

-brooke

end of week 9

I've just been copying and pasting my mom's emails into the posts to get erryone caught up. The weekly updates will be these long emails and all others will be just little adventures and stuff!

9 Weeks of living in China. Over two months. 63 Days. I guess that doesn't sound like very long. Passports still aren't back. Hopefully Monday- Good thing because we need them to head to Hong Kong with Chase to take the A.C.T. this Saturday and Todd traveling a bit for work within China.  We are also gearing up for our first holiday in China, Mid-Autumn Festival. Also known as Moon Cake Day *** explanation at end of letter.


I had lunch with the IBM wives again today. Mr. Lee came to pick me up and we headed to Gypsy's at Sea World.  Great ladies full of good advice for living in China. I learn so much in a couple of hours. Today they asked if I had seen the bugs in my pasta yet.  Everyone at the table had seen bugs in their pasta multiple times.  Aaack!! I must look.  I don't want them infesting my pantry.  Most of them have had something stolen-this week it was an iPhone out of a son's backpack during the school volleyball game.   I appreciate them reaching out and including the newbies.  They have an opening in their driver group coming up too that I'm gonna snag.  Must have driver!  Today there was another new wife, Anita, from US.  She has also lived in Shanghai, Tokyo, and South Africa.  We went to the fruit market afterwards and found a new to me fruit that was small and yellow and in a paper like covering, like a tomatillo, but not sticky. Wikipedia shows it as a cape gooseberry or Physalis or ground cherry.  The variety here is called the Chinese lantern. I haven't seen them here until today, and I'll get more soon. They were delicious! Pomegranates and persimmons are also in season but the delicious passion fruits are now out of season.They prefer the yellow pomegranates with the pink jewel seeds over the red pomegranates here.   Pomelos-a crisp citrus fruit the size of a melon, are good right now too.  Do we have those in AZ and I just never tried one?  We like the pink better than the yellow. I got the business card from this corner fruit lady.  They will deliver for free.  Only problem: have to speak Chinese to order. Yao Feng to the rescue! I will begin the fruit delivery service Tuesday.   My friend Jordana has an Italian chef who takes orders on Tuesdays and delivers meals on Thursdays, kind of like Harumi Carter and her Japanese kitchen in AZ.  He is also available to teach cooking lessons.  I had my second lesson with Pon Sears, she invited Brooklyn too...egg rolls in rice paper and a sweet and sour sauce that is clear and light pink in color, runny, not thickened at all. Such a great teacher. Her cooking is a fusion of Laos, Vietnamese and Thai, and she gets ingredients from those countries because her husband travels there almost weekly.  I have a shopping list of things to get and where to get them when we go to Phuket, Thailand in a couple of weeks.  I'm hoping to find a flat pan to bring home to her so she can cook the Roti like they do in the Thai markets. 
Little girls started piano this week. Second week of tennis and they are quickly picking it up and playing well. It was Brooke's first lesson since she wasn't feeling good last week and she's doing well also.  Chase took two finals today  and completed both courses, just a couple more classes til he graduates. Brooke and Brigham spent the afternoon at the soccer field/gym. My nephew Tyler had emergency surgery, hope you feel better buddy!( Appendicitis). Brynn had activity days and got to make pizzas. There are two boys in the group along with four girls since there are no cub scouts here. Brooke's group played games and Brigham's group had boy scouts and capture the flag.  
We had the Sears family for FHE. We made tostadas and since the tortilla chips are almost always stale, we decided to make our own (Brooke was frying for about an hour) We served them with Misty Bowlby's famous green salsa.  I about flipped when I saw one large can of tomatillos on the shelf at the import store.  I was so excited I didn't even look to see when the can expired.  Didn't care.  I'm turning into a local.  The dented cans still bug me, especially when that's what they deliver.  We also had theoreo crust/cream cheese + whipped cream, chocolate pudding dessert.  I have learned that you can't wait until evening to go buy produce. The good stuff goes early.  We went to a couple different stores and EVERYTHING was gone except for a few worn out  looking bunches of kale or leeks.  It's like they were the last ones picked for the kickball team they looked so sad.  Early morning, however, you can get the nicest looking produce you have ever seen.  The carrots and peppers and purple onions and cabbages almost look fake they are so perfect.  We also love the bread that comes packaged without ends.  The loaves only have 8 or 10 pieces. Every piece is the same size.  Also, the bread bag ties on top instead of at the ends so that the nice inside of the bread faces out. 
I met a lady named Mahut Ling on neighborhood shuttle home from  metro/ikea. She is a Chinese woman married to a French man. They met working in a factory 20 years ago in China and have lived in France, Shanghai and now Shenzhen. Her husband works for an automobile company.  They have two children who speak French and attend the Canadian school here.  Today she sent me a text, "Hi how are you? Do you know about the sewing? I am learning how to use the sewing machine, I meet a problem.  Mrs. Mahut" I said, " I know a little".  She replied, "Oh that is nice! If you can come to my apart.  For a look sometime tomorrow before 14h30?"  So I will swing by there in the morning.  Of all things to ask me out of the blue, I'm glad I may be able to help.  ** I went to help her and she is the sweetest lady. A new friend.  I'm so impressed at the people who speak three and four languages.I also met a lady named Lynn at the gym.  She is taking her two sons on a train/plane trip to Tibet. I asked her to send me her itinerary although it might be a bit much for us to handle. Maybe in a year or so, but maybe not ever ready for that type of trip.  Her husband is Japanese and works with Todd.  She speaks Japanese, English, Chinese and Russian. ** This reminds me of this...  I was trying to get an order to Ally from the Swedish H & M. After being on the phone for over half an hour, they tell me they won't take any payment from a non-Swedish issued bank card. I tell her thank you anyway and that her English is really good.  She says, "So is yours!". Ha!  I may not speak any other languages, but I'm glad she thinks my native language is acceptable.


Lots of workers in the house again this week. New to us dishwasher doesn't work, fixed a clogged sink, plastered and painted the basement, changed light bulbs, checked water and electric meters and installed bars in the sliding glass doors.  They came to hang curtain rods as closet rods for Brynn and Brooke, and also a mirror for them.  When I was buying the mirror I was thinking in my head.  I love this house because if you want something hung they require you to call them to do it.  Way better than bugging Todd! I will say that the workers were rolling their eyes at the Ikea instructions.  And they don't have to check for studs because it's all cement. They are coming back Monday to hang more things.  Seems like we always have somebody in the house working on something.   I'm so over it! The appointments totally interrupt school.  The door is on the first floor and we live mostly on the third floor. It's annoying to get the door and someone has to stay right with the workersbecause there is so much theft.  Most things here take two, three tries or more to get the outcome you would like, or to get the compromise.  Getting used to this has taken some time.  It's taken us multiple trips to get our passports, get our dishwasher fixed, basement leak fixed etc.  Another example: to buy a hand mixer at the appliance store you point to the item. Even though there are boxes of the item below the display, you are not allowed to touch the item you want.  You have to call an employee over, point, they fill out an order sheet by hand. You take the order sheet to the register. Once you have paid, you take your receipt to another counter on the opposite side of the store. That person then tells a runner who goes back to the item and picks up the box.  Then, if you think you might return an item, you go to another line to get the fapiao, which is a receipt with a red stamp that makes it official.  A receipt without the red stamp is worth nothing, just for your own banking records.  No stamp, no returns.  At ikea it's a hassle. You pay, then go to another long line by customer service, sign some forms and they print out this huge receipt in triplicate, stamp it and take your cash register receipt.  SO MANY EXTRA STEPS that it's maddening.  

Seminary is moving right along. I taught lesson 15 (!) today.  The class size is a bit small to get lots of discussion going, but a great size to bond together. I think they all like being around each other. It's a fun group of really great kids.  They are on time and polite.  I'm getting more and more tired in the evenings by the end of the week from getting up early every day.  I'm really looking forward to Saturday morning this week! Tomorrow we will have a young couple staying with us overnight for district conference. We have an adult meeting on Saturday night, Chase is speaking at the Sunday morning meeting and then the general meeting for everyone at a hotel/convention center a few blocks away.  After that is the single adult luncheon that Chase can go to since he's 18 now.  The English teaching students will attend so it will be a nice group of college aged kids.  I have to bake 3 dozen cookies for the luncheon.  * Chase went to the luncheon-they served hot dogs, pasta salad and cookies, then the temple president spoke to them again.

Fri: Errands this morning but hurried home to watch Michaela open her mission call. Congrats to her.  Also so fun to see everyone there. We kept waving at the computer as our friends walked in, even though they couldn't see us! Miss you all. So much.  Brooke said I wish we could go back right now.  Fun tofacetime with Linda and Emily afterwards too.  After noon today I got a call from my friend, Pon.  She was upset. She and her husband and been stopped by the police and weren't carrying their passports with them.  He also was driving a gas scooter which was outlawed on Monday.  So, they are taking his motorcycle and putting him in jail for 10-20 days.  $1000 fine.  Seriously.  They took his phone too.  Todd texted him and someone replied "he's still with police".  My friend was a wreck, sobbing at our dining room table.  She has MS and her husband really does a lot for her...administers shots and manages the housework, errands, etc.   We have had her daughter since school let out.   Todd was supposed to hike Nanhai mountain with him tomorrow.  I made some tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches--comfort food for dinner for Sydney.  (Your recipe came in handy, Tammy B.!) The branch president and relief society president both came over and discussed a game plan.  Todd and I reviewed her letter to the American consulate.  Hopefully this week will go by quickly for her.    Brooke made some oreo cheesecakes that were delicious.   Brigham headed down to the Muslim noodle restaurant for fried rice.  We call it the "bare butt baby" restaurant because there is always a baby with the split pants sitting on the table or counter or mom holding it up over the grate outside to pee.  Chase ate there too, he even went into the kitchen to wash his hands and STILL ate there.  We are adapting SO WELL.

Saturday:  Sophie called Todd and I downstairs to her room. She had set up her bedside table with and upside down ikeatrash cans on either side, microwaved scrambled eggs for each of us and a wrapped present in the middle of  the table that said "open together". Inside the package was a framed American flag that she had drawn. On the white stripes written in pencil it read "maridge  meens freedom". Sophie is painting like crazy and has a store sign that reads "store is closed" or "store is open".  Her mother thinks her art is so great and I beg her to let me shop the pre-sales before the rest of the family.  Mandarin tutor came and filled our minds with lots of information to digest. Hoping it clicks in our minds and we learn quickly. The language is so very different and difficult.  Todd and I took a taxi out and about for errands and then we walked downtown for a few more.   Brigham also went back to the noodle shop for more fried rice with his friends Ernesto from church and James, who lives just across the street.  We went to our church meeting  and two more people needed to stay with us so we hurried and washed sheets and towels for them.  I cooked some edemame and banana bars for tomorrow  and the guys watched some football and the four people staying with us told us their stories.  Crazy ways people come together.  One guy is teaching English here, one is from Mongolia, the couple is from Ft. Worth, TX and Bountiful UT and live in the factory he manages.

Sunday: The Mongolian man at breakfast said Brigham's bed was too soft so he slept on the wood floor. Up early for theSunday meetings.  Chase spoke at the first meeting, Todd led the music... sad I missed that! We had the neighborhood operator call two taxis to take all of the boys.  They left in the two taxis.  Two more taxis showed up so I told the guard that we didn't need them because the guys already took off in taxis.  Flash forward an hour. I called for taxis to take all the girls to the general meeting. The operator said, you didn't take the taxi the last time you called so you lost your privilege of us calling cabs for you. You can ride the golf cart to the gate and get a cab there.  SERIOUSLY? So up comes a golf cart and we ride to the front gate. Todd calls operator to let them know the DID take two taxis. We arrive at the gate and they said, a taxi just went to your house. By this time I'm so frustrated. I let the operator know it too!  The meeting was good...half way through, the Mongolian man who was staying at our house fainted and fell to the ground with a thud.  Multiple people helping him including Todd, while speakers were speaking. He would wake up and then pass out again. I kept thinking I fed him something he wasn't used to eating.  He ended up being down the rest of the meeting and then an ambulance took him to the hospital for testing.  We had the Ghormleys and Chris McCabe for taco salad and banana bars and a little later the Mongolian man was back at our house feeling fine but hungry.  Sophie wanted towatch "Pride and Produce" as she calls it.  All of our weekend guests were headed back to their homes and we napped.  Girls painted this evening. Brooke has a final for her photography class in the morning at the school here in our neighborhood.

Hope you had a great week!
Keep in touch!

Love,

Jane & family

 ****Mid-Autumn Festival is the second grandest festival after the Spring Festival in China. It takes its name from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middle of the autumn season. The day is also known as the Moon Festival, as at that time of the year the moon is at its roundest and brightest.People in mainland China enjoy one day off on the festival Falling on the 15th day of the 8th month according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the second grandest festival after the Spring Festival in China. It takes its name from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middle of the autumn season. The day is also known as the Moon Festival, as at that time of the year the moon is at its roundest and brightest.People in mainland China enjoy one day off on the festival which is usually connected with the weekend. In Hong Kong and Macau, people also enjoy one day off. However, it is not scheduled on the festival day, but the following day and it is usually not connected with the weekend. In Taiwan, the one day holiday falls on the festival day. On the festival day, family members gather to offer sacrifice to the moon, appreciate the bright full moon, eat moon cakes, and express strong yearnings toward family members and friends who live afar. In addition, there are some other customs like playing lanterns, and which is usually connected with the weekend. In Hong Kong and Macau, people also enjoy one day off. However, it is not scheduled on the festival day, but the following day and it is usually not connected with the weekend. In Taiwan, the one day holiday falls on the festival day. On the festival day, family members gather to offer sacrifice to the moon, appreciate the bright full moon, eat moon cakes, and express strong yearnings toward family members and friends who live afar. In addition, there are some other customs like playing lanterns, and dragon and lion dances in some regions. The unique customs of ethnic minorities are interesting as well, such as “chasing the moon” of Mongolians, and “steal vegetables or fruits” of the Dong people.

Moon cakes, the special food for  the Mid-Autumn Festival

 Moon CakeThe Moon Cake is the special food of Mid-Autumn Festival. On that day, people sacrifice moon cakes to the moon as an offering and eat them for celebration. Moon cakes come in various flavors according to the region. The moon cakes are round, symbolizing the reunion of a family, so it is easy to understand how the eating of moon cakes under the round moon can evoke longing for distant relatives and friends. Nowadays, people present moon cakes to relatives and friends to demonstrate that they wish them a long and happy life.

end of week 8

monday
Brynn & I went grocery shopping today. The lady checking out in front of us had a fish in a bag she was buying that kept flapping around. She was chatting with the cashier and flat handed the fish and kept right on talking. It was pretty hilarious, but it's a bit scary to see flapping closed bags in people's carts. Startles me every time. It is so busy in the store; you can hardly walk through the aisles. Oh and the produce section? Forget about it. After all that we made it home alive, and then had "P.E."-- off to the neighborhood gym! Ran a whole .8 miles and felt way too tired... we're all out of shape. For dinner/ family night we went to a Chinese restaurant (shocker) that everyone recommended. The spicy green bean dish was apparently to die for... pretty sure I almost died eating it. No one in the entire facility spoke English, so we tried pointing to pictures, which didn't work. We ended up with dumplings, fried rice, and spicy green beans. We walked through downtown old Shekou and the city was hopping. Dinner time is packed! Little shops will set up tables with all types of things like veggies, noodles, dumplings, roasted dog-- You know, just normal stuff. You pick what you want and they cook it right there. Taxied home. Raining now. Brooke and Sophie aren't feeling well (shocker). Emails from Ally. Oh how we miss that girl.

tuesday
Not much. Seminary, school, and tostadas. went with little girls in the rain to the times square building, import stores for cheese, and to the candy store. Fortuitous because Todd was riding in a taxi home and passed us just as we were crossing the street, so we hitched a ride with our heavy bags- mostly orange juice for dad's famous green smoothie. They dropped me off by our gate to get the scooter. I ran back to the parking lot, but the s otter wouldn't start. Unfortunate because it started rainging and our house is at the end of a steep hill. I called Todd and he told me a trick to use and it started right up. phew. Side note: We bought what we thought were flat limes... turns out they're oranges! They have green peels here.

wednesday
Brooke still not feeling great. Todd working from home. I went to Pon's kitchen (my neighbor two doors down) for a thai cooking lesson. She taught me how to make green papaya salad, stiky rice in a steamer basker, and the egg over rice with hot sauce. We went to the gym while Brooke and Chase started their internship at Wasinc. Later the kids had tennis lessons with Peter. They thought that was fun because it sprinkled all the way throught. Sophie kept saying "I love this weather!!" Hurried home to make dinner. Brynn's request was beans and rice and mango. Granted. I also made homemade cream of mushroom soup and then they, including Todd, were off to mutual.

thursday
Found a Mandarin teacher who comes this weekend. Todd off to work and Brooke napping after seminary. Girls still asleep, boys playing a soccer game. I'm itching to get on the subway and go exploring. Brynn, sophie, and I met up with Sarah Warr to go to a ceramics warehouse. It was pouring rain. We had about 10 minutes to wait on nanhai rd and it was fun to see the traffic in the rain. My favorite was a man driving a scooter with another man on back. The driver had a plastic plant holder (with a crack up the side) on his head like a hat. The ceramics store was hard to find. Up two flights of stairs in an old warehouse there were stacks and stacks of platters, plates, canisters, cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers, bowls, mugs, and figurines. SO MUCH STUFF. Workers few and far between. The ones I did see were sewing, eating, sleeping, and one guy walking around in boxers. He had a planter filled with water and began to wash some dishes... his own dishes. It was as if he lived there with the dishes and rodents. And he couldn't care less about anyone seeing him in his sleepwear. The girls and I got ice cream bars and stopped by the store to search for Campbell's chicken noodle soup and Gatorade and dill pickles for the sickie at home. We also found Chinese mosquito repellent and bite soother, and the ingredients for the green papaya salad I learned to make yesterday. Later, Brig, Brynn, and I went to a store called muji and purchased some art supplies. On the way home- man peeing standing on the sidewalk even as we got like 5 feet away. They care not.

friday
volleyball game at the local school. one kid ran into the net pole adn landed hard on the ground- Chase: "Don't they put pads on the poles?" Matthew: "Dude, we're in China!" We watched two boys' games and the girls were on the court next to them. and by court I mean concrete floors, outdoors, and concrete bleachers. yep, we're in china. No jump serves. Joyce Youse, our RS president came and picked me up for a Shekou tour this morning. She showed me her favorite stationary shop, DVD shop, fresh flower district, theNogogo warehouse and final stop, the oversea import store. I order groceries online from the latter two. Workers were walking around shirtless, veggies were being packaged at a tiny little sink/counter and the cats! Oh boy. Good thing I can order online and rinse EVERYTHING off! At the stationary store I got poster board, mechanical pencils, notebooks, subway card holders-they had a random selection of things. After the volleyball game Brigham and I walked to the sporting goods store to look for church pants. No luck. No luck finding a cab either! We almost walked home before finding one. Friday night troubles. When we finally got home I made chili with cheese and tortillas on top.  No date night, too tired!

Saturday: Mandarin tutor, Horrine Gwo,  came and will be great. Chase and Brooke can begin their Chinese classes now. Gym. Pool. Ice cream bars. Sticky rice patties dipped in egg and pan fried, topped with cilantro, shredded spinach and hot sauce for lunch. Naps. Tis a good day. Dinner tonight with Hwangs at the Boathouse in coastal rose garden. Mr Hwang is Todd's work colleague and Chase's friend Matthew's parents. (embarrassing moment happens for me!) Brigham had Ernesto over today...they played soccer, swam and went downtown for lunch. Chase and brigham had friends over tonight Til late. I heard laughing downstairs until about 1am. Chase was making the girls laugh like crazy by putting his legs through the arms of a sweatshirt and running around. 

Sunday: church, Cambodian mission fundraiser lunch at our friends' house/Todd's colleague so we went to support. Ayi'shusband brought us a fruit basket in hopes of us hiring him as a driver. Dinner at Kester's-spinach calzones, mashed potatoes and gravy, beets, and we brought salad and magic layer Texas sheet cake. 

Kids are progressing in their school-online school is tough! Boys are enjoying BYU football, girls are being crafty, our pantry is beginning to have some bulk and we are learning where to buy everything we need. Lessons and jobs are filling in the weekly schedule and we have somewhat of a routine. Finally! Chase is busy, busy teaching swimming, school, seminary, internship, Mandarin lessons, preparing for the ACT in Hong Kong in two weeks and speaking in District Conference on Sunday. Brooke is enjoying her photography class, teaching piano lessons, internship, Mandarin lessons, tennis lessons, seminary and making lots of videos. Brigham loves heading to the gym and park every day and is self motivated in his schooling. Tennis and seminary keep him busy day and night.   Brynn and Sophie do school off and on all day long, til bedtime most days because they take so many breaks and field trips with me.  They love  playing tennis, piano lessons, and going to the gym as well, Sophie likes it best when someone lets her borrow theiripod for some tunes.  Todd is learning more and more about the Chinese business culture every day-growing in patience and new ways of thinking.  

We love hearing from you throughout the week.  So nice to stay in touch even though we are so far away! We think about you often! Let us know how you are doing.  

Love from China, 

Jane & Family

end of week 7

First day of seminary. Todd welcomed everyone with a smoothie. One boy said, "YUM, tastes like freshly mowed grass!"  They all finished their Dixie cup sized drinks. President Ho sat in on the lesson before heading to Hong Kong, not to make me nervous or anything. Brynn and I took the shuttle grocery shopping. The people watching is the best here. A white gloved man with a whistle stands on a platform under an umbrella to direct traffic (hardly any traffic pays attention though he acts very important). A man drives by with a huge old style TV strapped on the back. Platform mirrored sandals walk by. A young dad with a little Chinese baby girl in front of him in a bike seat, covered by an umbrella. A mother and grandmother wildly trying to get two boys to shake hands with Brynn. An older lady rode by with about ten new mops attached to her bike. A lady on a bike with raincoat type sleeves and shiny silver oven mitt type things on her hand lebars. We grabbed our bags and hopped on the shuttle. We hear a noise...our cart was gaining speed rolling back down the ramp and smacked into the wall. Surprising it didn't hit anyone considering how busy the plaza can be. Brooke met a new friend, Anna, from Sweden down at the pool. Chase and Brigham met up for basketball when others got out of school. Sophie and Brynn went to a neighbor's house and for a few minutes I was alone in my own house and it felt very strange. I ordered some groceries online and went through my lesson for tomorrow and everyone was back. Leftovers for dinner and fhe. 

* Every time we pass a scooter or bike with an umbrella holder, Todd says he wants an umbrella holder for the scooter.  Most Chinese have a post that attaches to the handlebars to hold their umbrellas.  Some umbrellas are double long to cover the rider in back. The double long ones are usually rainbow colored. 

* At the first store by the entrance/escalators we picked out some things at the stationary mall- a whiteboard, markers, stapler, sharpener etc.  The lady gave us her final price.  We said we would check around and come back because we didn't want to carry the whiteboard around. I said hold it and we'll see.  She said pay me now and I'll hold it. Uh, we will stop by on our way out if we haven't found a better deal.  So of course we shop around and find a better deal. We buy the whiteboard. Because we needed to go up the escalator we had to go right by this girl and her shop.  Brooke was trying her best to hide herself behind the whiteboard while we were ducking down really low behind the escalator wall.  I think she didn't see us go up, coming down was the problem.  Brooke hid behind it and went one way, the others and I went the opposite way.  I stop to look at something and this girl comes running up behind me, shaking her head as she passes.  Brooke was somewhere else with the white board but we were busted I think.  She should have given us a better price! Everyone remembers us because we are the only different looking people in the place. We were busting up laughing. 

* On the way to dinner there was a man with coils of wire. He was making them into bicycle figurines.  We bought three different bike styles for a little China souvenir. One was a road bike, one was a mountain bike, and one was the Chinese delivery tricycle.  The pedals move and they have kickstands and nubby tires and everything.  Very detailed.  

* We went to Coyote for Chase's birthday dinner the night before his birthday...taco Tuesday.  Good tacos! Also, we found a cheesecake at Metro and frozen blackberries,so I made sauce out of them and it tasted pretty good considering the date on the package.  Items here sometimes don't have an expiration date , but they have a "born on" date.  This cheesecake was made in January.  

* Kesters brought Chase homemade birthday cards and homemade bread. They love having him for a swim teacher. We then got to ride in the GOLD golf cart down to the gates. This is usually reserved for potential landlords. We rode to all city mall on the subway and ordered two cheese pizzas at pizza hut for lunch. One pizza came out normal and one was almost black.  They said "they all come out this way." I said, "That one didn't," as I pointed to the other exact pizza on our table.  So typical.  We just laugh now because it's SO DANG FUNNY!! Just roll with it kids. Roll with it.   

*Signed the kids up for tennis lessons.   We went down to practice a bit. This coach, Peter, is going to work a bit harder than he's used to with this bunch of beginners. I think this is when we got a bazillion mosquito bites.  Itch, itch, itch.   

*Drivers here are CRAZY.  Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way- pedestrians are last in line. Here,  the biggest vehicle has the right of way.  Two cars will both pull out of the neighborhood, both turning left. One keeps honking. That's how you can tell the Westerners from the Nationals...We get ticked, Chinese are used to it. Today was stormy and a lady had an accident and was in a busy crosswalk holding her head with three men around her, calling for help and comforting her.  This blocked traffic and cars were honking non-stop. 

*Lots of smoking, inside restaurants, taxis, while they work, etc. Today we had two guys hanging things on walls, three guys putting tile in my bathroom shower (for some reason they like to use drywall and replace ?) and two checking the dishwasher again. They had my bathroom door shut upstairs. I went in and one worker was running his hands through his Elvis type hair in my mirror at my sink. Another guy was smoking, and they were cutting tile inside without covering anything, so my freshly cleaned towels and everything in the bathroom/closet has a nice powdery film now. I went in and said "NO SMOKING" in my house. Another worker who spoke English told them as well.  They left for lunch, came back and started working again, cutting tile inside and again, smoking.  I went in and said, "who is smoking? Not in my house!"  They were making me grumpy! 

* Our ayi eats lunch at our house before heading to her afternoon job.  She brings a big bowl of noodles every time she comes and slurps them down at the table.  We sat down and ate noodles with her today. She's been married 14 years and has a 12 year old son (I thought she was a teenager she looks so young! -Another ancient Chinese secret. ) who just went to a school camp. She started crying when talking about missing him.  She said he has grown up with she and her husband and grandparents doing everything for him and now he's 12 and doesn't know how to do anything for himself so she was worried about him. She hemmed some of Todd's pants and had me make a grocery list of things she would bring from the grocery store on Saturday. I asked her about visiting a city in china and she said she's never been anywhere but Shenzhen and the city where she grew up. Not even Hong Kong. 

*Speaking of ramen noodles-Their ramen noodle aisle is like our cereal aisle. So many types and flavors.  We bought a few kinds to try and they are pretty tasty.  Some have three packets to empty into the bowl...veggies, bouillon, and either a chili sauce or sesame oil.   The kids don't care for the chicken but the sesame oil and the beef are pretty good. Thinking of you Ross Beeson! (he pulled some dried ramen in a baggie out of his backpack and offered me some at the swap meet in San Diego. "Tastes likes chips!" he said. 

*Construction workers wear the craziest outfits. Jelly shoes.  Open toed sandals, Capris, suspenders without shirts, button down shirts that aren't buttoned. pj looking pants. Some wear their socks rubberbanded up over their pant hem.  Women wear heels. Finally got the tile in downstairs. No grout, however.  

*Youth leaders planned a birthday party for Chase and 2 others tonight. They went bowling and had apricot cake and presents.  

*We had seven seminary students today, the original count was 4 but it's a great group. We meet at 7:15am at our house. On Friday it was storming from 3-8am, and really dark at seminary start time, but they all had perfect attendance this week. It was storming so bad that the school was cancelled making one student very happy. He started doing the fist pump down the stairs. The five homeschoolers thought that was pretty funny. 

*Spiders jump!  Todd and I were heading out on the scooter. I walk into the garage and he has one flip flop in his hand, hopping on the other foot, trying to smack a spider on the wall. He was swatting, ducking, chasing. All on one foot as the spider was bouncing around the garage. I also found one when I picked up my laundry basket.  I chased that thing from my bathroom all the way across my room, into Todd's closet, around the three walls and back into my room before I slowed it down with expensive hairspray, then smashed it.  I should have kept it alive for mosquito reduction purposes.  

*You don't want to stand or sit still outside. The Mosquitos and sand fleas and chiggers will eat you alive. Brynn more susceptible than most. Always gets a red patch with whitish welts. Those of us who spent time outside yesterday are covered in bites. Using lots of chiggerex. 

* We found a new mall--Coastal City, and the Papa John's pizza, we will have to try that out.  Always a little disappointing because it's not quite like at home. I suppose with time it will taste more like home as we forget what it tasted like.  We also went to Carrefour, a French grocery chain, and found a slow cooker. We did not, however, find Jusco, the reason we went out tonight. Brigham and Chase spent the afternoon playing basketball and then we made nachos.  They were off to the next door neighbor's house for games.  Sophie and Todd watched a movie and Sophie and I stayed up until midnight while she did more schoolwork online.   

* Ayi went to the grocery store for us and made lunch again.  Today she made fish with diced red peppers and cilantro relish on top, wide noodles with kale and egg, and string bean chicken.  Brigham, Brynn, Todd and I went to the gym. Heading out to mail Ally her letter. Brooke has some friends coming over to work on photoshop. Boys watching sports in anticipation of the big football game. It won't be on tv here until 4:30 AM the following day. Rise and shout, the cougars are out! They will have to get up early and watch or risk seeing the score before they watch the game. 

* No Labor Day day off here, but we do have the moon cake fall festival with lantern parade on Sept. 19th. Everyone says the moon cakes are not good--fillings like bean paste and such. You should see the displays. Moon cakes at every store in fancy tin boxes and ads all over the subway.  They say the only one worth eating is haagandaz, and costs 600RMB. ($100US), but worth it! 

Happy Birthday to Ally this week. It's going to be strange not being with her on her day.  I'm sure we will have lots of Ally memories coming up that day. The girls were playing her graduation video today during lunch. She has just over a year left.  

Tonight Todd sent this text to our friends. " dinner, 6:00? Bring Sydney to hang out with the girls " So they come over with their daughter. I'm headed downstairs with my purse and umbrella, they are headed up the stairs.  Turns out, they thought we had invited them over for dinner at our house and they were headed up to our dining room to eat.  I, in fact, had not made dinner and was ready for date night.  Awkward! We went to a restaurant in Sea World and had cheese/spinach ravioli, salad and anti-pasta platter. We went back to their house for dessert, roti with condensed milk and sugar, a Thai street food. So, so good.  She sent me the recipe, here is the link: Thai market Roti.  There is a video too.  

* Took the girls for pedicures earlier today. It was pouring rain on us. We found a taxi driver who was yelling at us because we didn't speak Chinese.  I said, as best I could with my hands, that it was just a few blocks and I could show him the way.  He finally got smiling and kept looking back at the girls.  He dropped us off close, but not that close. We were dripping wet when we walked into the nail place. They were handing me towels and tissues to dry my arms, face, legs and hands and feet. A little later she told me to dry my hair, then pointed to my neck. A little later she handed me a tissue to wipe my face. Then she started wiping my face for me.  So funny.    They look at us a little strange when we get the girls' nails painted. Our realtor said in China you don't paint your nails until you are 18.  

* Church was good, the Dongguan group meets with us on Fast Sunday. The two rooms were packed! And there are some good singers. I could hear all four parts behind me, sounded like a choir.  I sat in on Todd's Sunday School lesson. He was Sophie's class and it's pretty wild and crazy because of two boys for the most part.  There is one other girl named Virginia. Brooke made us parmesan fries, Todd had interviews with the kids and we had President Cox and the Kester family over for "random snacks and kindness".  Banana bars, fries with Thai hot sauce, oreos, lemonade, veggie platter with ranch, french baguette with olive oil dipping sauce, chocolate wafers, goldfish and sweet tarts and popcorn.  Quite the collection of things that don't go together! But, the company was good and the stories told were entertaining.  President Ho asked Chase to speak in District Conference Sept. 14th. He's not jumping for joy about that in addition to working, finishing school, act prep and teaching swimming lessons.  It's great to be busy doing good things.  

end of week 6

Monday. Took brig and Brooke and Brynn on the shuttle to Walmart and the sporting goods store for a new soccer ball. Home. Quick Skype with my parents before heading to the subway. We shared an umbrella while it dumped rain on us. Another fine day at the hospital for testing. We found a photo booth and had a bit of fun with that before the tests began. Chase said there was a guy with five hairs 8 inches long growing out of a mole. I went back into the first squatter I experienced back in week 1 and it looked so nice and clean and not bad smelling compared to what we've seen since. Scary what we are getting used to comparatively! Todd was running a workshop today. They served chilled pig ear, gristle and sauce in the cafeteria.( HE DID NOT PARTAKE).   Letters from Ally and then Todd gave the FHE lesson and went straight to bed. He was pooped.  

Tuesday: Workers in house. They've been smoking in the basement and leaving butts on the ground so the girls looked up "NO SMOKING" in Chinese and made a bunch of signs. Online school takes so much work at the elementary level.  Yikes.  I didn't know what I signed up for.  After Chase taught swimming lessons they had a playgroup at the pool with some other moms so we went down for a bit. Three ladies from our neighborhood, IBM wives, Jordana from Sandy Hook CT, Christine from Canada, Jennifer-Korean from Dallas, took me to lunch today. We went to a German restaurant...Here's what was ordered: onion soup & plate of fries, schnitzel and oven fried potatoes, farmer's salad (green and red peppers, onion, cucumber, vinegar - no lettuce), and garden salad w/twice baked potato.  It was OK. Not rushing back. I think, sadly, I've made the transition from living to eat to eating to live.  It's no fun.   They all ordered iced tea and the glasses came with bright colored plastic star stir sticks and bendy straws.  I wonder what the kids' meals look like with the party they give adults.  We went to a place called Kosmo after for smoothies.  They tasted like watered down applesauce. $5 bummer.  Todd's smoothies are wayyyy better. It poured rain like crazy on the way back home.  We were SoAked by the time we got to the car.  I spent most of the afternoon trying to order groceries online.  Chase went to play basketball with Matthew.  Brooke, Brigham, Brynn and I then headed out to the MixC mall.  Grand Theater stop. We were looking for a skirt but ended up with a sweater and new sandals for her talk on Sunday.  Also went to Muji for new pens and blank paper pads and another really nice store...Ochirly.  We bought some frozen yogurt and the cashier handed us two bags of colored marshmallows.  Random, and tasty.  The subway ride home was interesting.  Old men just spit on the subway floor. We saw the same singer/tambourine duo performing for money. As Brynn was handing her money, the lady grabbed it really quick and pushed Brynn's hand away from her tip backpack.  So funny. At the top of the subway escalator we saw Todd waiting to take us home on the scooter. He took Brooke and Brynn first with all the bags and then came and picked up Brigham and me.  

Wednesday: Glad Ally all moved in and safe in her new town..Katrineholm! School most of the day. Chase was asked to help move some furniture for the neighbors. Good morning!  Groceries came but orders all messed up or incomplete. Typical. After being over charged and under delivered, I called the guy and he said, "prices change every day".    I walked down to old shekou to get fruits and vegetables.  Flies everywhere but the other kinds of bugs about did me in today.  At least we know there aren't a bunch of pesticides on the food.  And that was more delightful than seeing a girl about Sophia's age pooping on the curb while her Ayi stood between her and the street. I almost turned back to give her a wet wipe.  There are some areas by us, down by the park where it's like Disneyland. Little people in blue outfits sweeping sidewalks and picking up trash, and a few blocks down you have that.  In the evening, all the little shops are open and the whole family is there, eating dinner on the counter or huddled around a TV.  Scooters and motorized bikes and truck bed bikes drive all over the place, sidewalks, alleys, streets.  The restaurants set up their woks and frying pots on the sidewalks and men cook,shirtless sometimes, if it's hot.  Men sit around plastic tables and chairs and smoke and chat and slurp and spit.  Moms and grandmas walk naked butt babies in strollers and dogs, cats and rats roam around.  Little kids play too close to the street and laundry blows in the breeze, sometimes having to dry three times if they don't bring it in before the rain comes. Mostly they are happy it seems. Kids were playing at the park when I got home. I hurried to make dinner before the kids headed to mutual for pool a couple houses down at the Sears.   We had coconut sticky rice with fresh mango for dessert- that was a hit with Chase and Brooke, but Brig doesn't go for coconut.  Getting school lessons ready for tomorrow.  MATTRESS TOPPERS CAME TODAY. Happy birthday to us! We will be a new family in the morning.   

Thursday: Biggest storm through last night since we've been here, and that's saying a lot! Lightening and thunder for 3-4 hours. Sounded as if the thunder was right outside the window.  LOUD, & BRIGHT.  Todd left early for work, ayi let herself in which is so helpful.  The front door is on the bottom level and my bedroom is on the 4th so it takes me a while to get down there and I've got some wicked bed head I must tame before heading down.  Chase and I headed back downtown for some visa work then birthday shopping. We ate lunch with Todd before he went back to work.  Our choices included : duck tongue (a whole platter), various noodle/stir fry dishes, salads.  I chose a salad and the dressing was "sweet mayonnaise", can't believe I ate that! Brigham and Chase played ball all afternoon- soaking wet shirts when they were finished.  Sophie has been journaling ALL DAY. Brooke worked on her photography class and Brynn science & social studies.  We are kind of at a standstill with the little girls since I can't proceed without the handbooks.  I'm trying to stay up late tonight to contact the district because they aren't responding to emails.  Frustrating.  Chase told us today he's going to submit mission papers as soon as he finishes his classes in Nov/Dec.  Need to get some traveling in before he leaves.  While the boys were playing at the park, the girls and I rode (all 4 of us) the scooter down to the gate then walked to the international markets to meet Todd.  Today's purchases: mozzarella cheese, pudding, pop tarts, avocado, apples, bread, bananas. Todd took the girls and groceries up on the scooter. I needed to walk the hill for some exercise.  We had taco salad for dinner and it tasted so good. Chase wanted more coconut mango sticky rice so we had that again too.  We are now calling it Chase's rice.  Duck Dynasty, Brooke talk run through, Seminary study and a movie.  Mom, Chase's package came today.  Thank you! I'll have him open it on his birthday.  

Friday: Super rainy all morning. Kids slowly came in to study...between 10:30am-noon.  They have a five hour commitment so the timer starts when they do.  They weren't loving it at 4:30PM.  Homeschooling is HARD. Everyone has to be quiet, l go between Sophie and Brynn getting them set up on the right lessons, printing off the right worksheets, making sure they are "getting it".  Minestrone soup for lunch on this rainy day.  Chase went out with his group of friends.  Todd and I went on a double date with John and Sarah Warr.  We ended up going to the same restaurant as Chase.  Todd's work buddy from Sweden was there with his family so I got to meet them-Anders, Ulrika, Tora & Anna who is Brooke's age, yea!   Chase stopped by to introduce himself also.  During dinner I got a text from Chase that his friends ordered margaritas.  I guess in China there isn't a minimum drinking age-anything goes, so that was new.   Dinner was good-Mexican in China, who would have known? We ordered gouda cheese but it was delivered like a parmesan cheese crisp that they rolled and served with salsa.  Unique. Gelato after dinner and then home.  Oh ya, Todd took me on the scooter...we don't usually take it out of the gates, but there is lots of crazy driving going on so we thought we'd join them.  It can't make it up our hill so one of has to get off and walk.  There was an orange frog in the garage when we left and still there when we got home.  

Saturday:  Yao Feng came and we had a taxi take us to the grocery store where she shops.  She explained what things were and we bought some of the things she gets regularly.  She then cooked us curry and stir fry, rice and edemame.  It was all good.  After lunch I took Brooke, Brigham and Brynn to the "stationary mall", or sun gang arts and crafts city.  It has all types of pens/markers, paper, notebooks, paints, brushes, white boards, office supplies.  Upstairs had toys, shoes, holiday decorations, light strings, party supplies.  We couldn't stay long but want to go back.  We took a taxi home to meet Todd, Chase, Sophie and the Kester family at Bombay for Indian food.  Magnum bars from the corner store, French Bread from the bakery and fruit from our favorite fruit guy and then walked home.  Games at the Kesters to end the night.  Chase is out with his friends.  Brooke is speaking tomorrow and the Ho family ( of 8) is coming right after church for dinner-Spaghetti/Salad Sunday! 

Sunday: Brooke did great on her talk and told some funny stories. We went back to 3 hour Sunday blocks today. I had to borrow 3 forks from the church for our Spaghetti Sunday dinner tonight. Chase took my sliced bread I was gong to use for garlic toast to use at church.  Trying to make this dinner is proving difficult.  I put the drinks in the freezer to make slush, then remembered Chinese don't like cold drinks.  Then I was making caramel corn and remembered they don't like sweets that much...she gave me her pudding mixes last time we were there and doesn't eat brownies.  Hmmmm.  Maybe we will have melon for dessert.  I just have two sticks of butter left...need to make a treat for the first day of seminary as well.  It's hard to bake here. Everyone has an assignment now...Brig is on pick up the house, Sophie is on drinks and place settings. Brooke is on salad and pasta, Chase is on sauce. Brynn is setting the table and slicing french bread and making olive oil dipping sauce. We will see how it works.  Next week we might have a bunch over to eat for Fast Sunday.  Some come as far as two hours away, 2x a month and skype the other two weeks.  Today there were more people back from summer vacations...Youse family, Lariska from Netherlands, Twila and Debbie from Tucson, a college guy teaching English and the Nash family.  We had smart, interesting lessons today.  Preparing the seminary classroom for tomorrow morning.  

Have a great week! Miss you all. 

end of week 5

I walk around this place totally fascinated. So much world to see, so

little time. Loving the experience but the whole getting here,settled,

not knowing the language, culture shock, constant nausea has been one

of the hardest things I've ever done.

Here we go!

Brigham up early working on school. Doorbell ringing already. FedEx

documents we have been waiting for. A man came by to paint some water

damage in the laundry room. Don't fix the problem, paint over the

mold! Chase playing basketball, Brigham playing soccer, girls

swimming. They make trips to the little international markets to buy

airheads for 32 cents. Brooke also bought some pop tarts that went

half off. Now $3.33 instead of almost $7. Big day! Todd home and we

have a meeting to see if we are going to move or not. Checked out our

other option...mold also, so we are going to fix this as best we can

and then keep on top of it. I took Sophie down for a night swim and

then we walked to the grocery store...found a couple of movies from

our movie guy and then walked home. Brig rode the scooter down half

way to take the groceries.  Todd,Brigham and I ran down to the

clubhouse, lifted weights and then ran back up the hill home.  I was

cooking rice in the rice cooker while our two realtor friends were

here.  They started laughing and said, "you guys eat rice?" I told

them we fry it with eggs and vegetables. "That is very traditional

dish we make here. We thought you don't eat rice cause it make you

fat".  Uh, yep, we eat rice! I do have to say, when I rinsed the rice

I saw two black things...I hope it wasn't bugs. I asked Todd if it

were bugs, would there be little eggs in the rice bag? And then I

cooked it anyway.  Am I embracing the culture or what? I checked the

bag and didn't see any other black things.  Oh well! The realtors

dropped off 2 lbs. of tea tree oil to mix with water for safer mold

riddance.  We will see if it works.  It might help the smell of this

place but I'm guessing I'll never want to smell it again once we leave

China.  Letter from Ally, highlight of our week.  Tomorrow we have the

ayi coming and the shuttle goes to Metro / Ikea (they call it

Euroland) Chase starts teaching swimming to the neighbors.  No rain in

a few days.

Tuesday:  I guess that's all I had to say..."no rain in a few days",

cause today it poured buckets. Typhoon Utor looming around us.  I

scratched the metro shuttle because a friend from church, Rhoda Cox,

has a car and took me to Wal-mart, Charlie's, Park -n - shop, a fruit

stand and overseas market.  It's good to go with those who know what

to buy...we came home with a few things I'd never buy on my own...moon

pies, bakery bread loaves, saltine crackers.  It was a good day, found

dill pickles, coconut milk, mosquito plug ins, new to us fruits, pizza

sauce.  Walmart is a bit nuts.  When you choose produce, you then go

to a counter where they weigh and price things. They put the sticker

on the bag so they don't have to weigh at the cash registers. People

sort of use lines but you just have to get in there and hand your

things or place them on the scale before the next guy or you will wait

in line forever. Made egg salad sandwiches and then kids went to play

at a neighbors, Chase went to play volleyball with some friends and I

took a nap. More workers today scraping the wall behind the dryer. We

are going to try the tea tree oil/water mix to kill mold and then they

will come back and paint over it.  They are trying to make it right

for us and are taking our suggestions on how to fix it.  Chase said

swimming lessons with the neighbors went well.  He's learning all

sorts of new things here.  Brooke is editing photos and working on

school. Waiting to see what the storm will do.  Corn bread, beans and

coleslaw for dinner. Snickers for dessert-Rhoda made me buy those too.

:)

Wednesday: Went to metro with my friend Alicia. Rainy! Love it!  Got

three cases of boxed milk (this is so weird to me) to put in the

pantry. I guess it is illegal to "hoard" here.  Being used to food

storage and a well stocked pantry and with a family of seven, I'm not

used to shopping every other day but it seems to be all I do! Having

the kids home all day and not at school leads to lots of eating all

day long.  I've been doing some teacher training online. We made

personal pizzas for dinner and kids had Kester kids over to play.

Todd and I went out in the rain to the bank and the wet market.

Looking for kale, oregano, beets and arugula.  I think the smells from

today will forever be ingrained in my mind. So, so, so awful.  The

fish, the pigs, the beef, the chicken, the rotten eggs, the caged

birds, all the innards displayed, piles being made into dumplings and

hot pots of boiling parts and pieces.   It was so bad that Todd

couldn't even stay long enough to buy any vegetables and was out of

there looking for the first cab he could see.  I asked for some

arugula and the lady runs to another booth, throws a bunch of leaves

in a basket, some fell on the ground, she picks them up and put them

in the basket. Uh, that's not arugula and i'm not buying it after it

touched the wet market ground.  Home to wash our feet! We did,

however, find spray paint for one of Brooklyn's projects. Hooray! And

is was only 7 RMB!! $1.16/can.  Not a big color selection but found a

golden yellow that will be just fine.  With the rain came a puddle in

the basement where they dug a hole.  Also water in the wall behind

dryer. The water coming out from the electrical box finally stopped.

They found a leak in a pipe underneath a tile in the girls' room.

Random.  Chase played basketball with friends most of the afternoon in

a gym they pay to rent and all three older kids went to mutual for

game night and treats.  I guess they were getting their boogie on

playing "just dance".  Brigham finished his talk and a little more

working on school for Chase since he was "late" this morning.

Thursday:

Ayi came this morning to help us out, ordered water for the water

dispensers and she does all the conversing with the repair men that

are here EVERY DAY.  Made fried rice for lunch and then I headed to

meet Todd downtown to get our residence visas.  There was some

paperwork missing and since Chase is so close to 18 they want him to

go have the medical tests that Todd and I had to have down at the pink

hospital.  He's gonna LOVE that.  We are hoping it doesn't delay our

visas because we need our passports back so he can take the ACT in

Hong Kong in September.  A mom was holding a little baby, probably 7

or 8 months in cute little knit pants with nothing underneath. The

whole ride home I couldn't figure out what in the heck they do when

the baby pees their clothes.  She wasn't even carrying a diaper bag.

Still baffled. It's an ancient Chinese secret.  The other thing was that Todd met me at the grocery

store and in my bakery bread case I found comfort in, she took one of

those bug zapper paddles and was swiping it all through, caught some

flies right in the bread case. SICK. Todd said he saw them do that

before. Dang it.  As Todd and I headed home, the girls were walking

down to the store. We got a call from Brooke that the cashier said her

money was fake.  I just got it from the bank.  Some customer there

traded her, said it was good and was on his way.  Ordered Indian food,

kids are in playing a game and laughing about something. Ahhhhhh, this

place!

Friday: Working on school with the little girls takes so much time.

Missing workbooks and no response from district.    Found baseboards

all chewed up in corner...termites? Three workers were right here to

check out the rest of the house and will be back with pesticide.

Seriously.  A couple guys were in the basement with a jackhammer

making a drain or something.  Made banana bread...still not quite the

same as home.  The sugar here sparkles like crazy.  Looks like

Christmas snow.  Had avocado on saltines for lunch.  Chase went to the

school to play volleyball and then with friends to Sea World to eat.

Brig's new friends came to get him and they played soccer and ordered

in Papa John's.  Didn't know they had that here! He said the friend

reminds him of Jake McGee, YESSSSS.  (Our neighbor in Mesa that we

love.) Todd got home from work and he took all of the girls to the

mall.  Sophie was whining the whole way there of a wedgie so we went

straight to get her some new clothes.  Went to a store called UNIQLO.

We all found something there while Todd ordered pizza. Kingberry

yogurt for dessert and then rode two stops up to get Brigham from his

friend's place and then back home the other way.  Bought a few new

release movies from our movie guy and waiting for Chase to get home.

One other thing...don't the Hershey bars with almonds have whole

almonds in them? Here the nuts are all chopped up like a symphony bar.

 Whole almonds made them seem a bit more healthy.  Sophie is

calling...saving me a seat to watch Man of Steel.

Saturday: POURING rain.  Todd, Sophie and I went to the

mini-track-It's .08 of a mile around, then to the gym and library.

Found a few books to "check out".  Ayi was here and ironed a huge pile

of clothes and did the dishes and bathrooms.  I'm going to miss her

when we move home!  Chase headed out to play volleyball and

basketball. The rest of us headed to mail Ally's weekly letter and it

was raining like crazy still.  Saw Dale Cox (district president) in

his office at the international school and visited with him for a

while.  We met his office assistant and then chatted with him some

more.  The kids started laughing and trying to get my attention.  I

guess I forgot to take the sticker off of my new shirt.  NIICCEE.

Sophie fell asleep in his chair we chatted so long.  At the post

office I asked the lady worker, "Is there a bathroom nearby?"  she

opened up a book and pointed "10-25 days".  I guess she didn't

understand what I was asking. I just walked down the street and

laughed about that one.  We all hopped on the subway and rode down to

the "Windows of the World" stop to the holiday plaza mall.  The kids

went ice skating.  Let's just say we haven't had much experience ice

skating.  Sophie was skating circles around the others. They all had

some spills and Brynn knocked her head on the plexiglass.  We bought a

few groceries (ALWAYS buying groceries!) Hurried home...Todd and I had

a date planned with the Coxs.  They picked us up and we headed to a

building I've passed a few times above a Starbucks. I would never have

known there was a fancy restaurant upstairs.  Italian- I ordered New

Zealand fish and Todd had alfredo. So happy to have people who know,

show us where to go.  Ice cream for dessert and then to a French

bakery to buy bread for tomorrow's meal.

Sunday: Brynn and I walked to church after everyone else. As we got to

the door it started pouring rain.  We barely made it inside and it

really let loose.  Our "chapel" has a floor to ceiling, wall to wall

window with huge green tropical trees as a backdrop. It was certainly

different watching the rain out that window during the whole meeting.

Quite pretty.  Brooklyn played piano again and Brigham did a nice job

on his talk.  I played piano for primary.  A bit wild today but with

different kids this time. One had a Japanese bandanna around his head

and the other had a fedora and sunglasses.  The usual wild ones were

out camping.  I can hardly wait for the combined group of boys. The

best is how the leaders react to the random outbursts, funny comments

and physical activity. I had a two hour nap and then we cooked for the

15 people who were here for dinner. Easy-spaghetti, salad, bread. The

Kesters brought homemade oreos with peanut butter filling. I made

popcorn but got distracted and burned the first batch.  We finally

finished all the popcorn we brought here.  We will have to pay the big

bucks to get some more at the import store.  (6x as much as at home)

Next trip home I'm packing our boxes with all food!  

Seminary starts soon, getting excited about that, if you have any good teaching ideas let me know! 

It was a good week. All is well.  Keep in touch!

Love,

Jane & family