Happy Valentine's Day

In 2006 I started an annual Valentine's Dinner just for my family.  I made all their favorite dishes, used the fine china, and decorated for a fancy dinner.  From the time the kids were little we have always enjoyed doing this.  Since we moved overseas, most years we have found ourselves traveling and not home during Valentines, so this year we were thrilled to have a chance to celebrate together tonight.  Living here, we have to adapt and make most of what we decorate with....which turns out to be really fun!

My house helper was a little baffled as to why I was decorating the dining area, but after I explained it to her all afternoon, she was starting to get it.  She watched me make dessert and just shook her head at all the steps I was taking to make one thing.  She said (in her own language) "you sure do things different!" 

I had a lot of fun cutting and hanging hearts from lights and making a banner to go across the door, though I didn't get a picture of it.  I found vintage valentine cards that I cut out and turned into napkin holders. And we all made each other Valentines with special messages on them. It was a super fun dinner!

Please note my beautiful roses in the above picture!  The best moment of the day came when Rob had some roses delivered to me.  I said, "Oh, these must be from my husband!"  The rose lady replied, "I don't know if the guy was your husband or not!"  I laughed and asked if the man who bought the flowers was a foreigner, and she said "YES!"   Pretty sure since my husband is the ONLY foreigner in town, they were from him.

One other special part of dinner was dessert!! My sweet friend Rachel sent me (via the husbands) some special treats she can get where she is, but we can't get where we are.  It just so happened one of the things she sent was a recipe for chocolate chip cheesecake ball and all the ingredients I needed to make it.  I have put the ban on all sweets and general junk food in our hosue, so this was extra special for our family. Thanks again Rach!!

 And here are the people I love more than anything and and their sweet faces! 

Conversations

I love the conversations that happen in my home.  Sometimes it just makes me laugh listening to the situation unfold.  Here is what I heard today, as Hannah finished working on her current event report for the week.

Hannah: My current event is going to be the absolute best this week!! I give you a one word hint.....commode.

Hudson:  Commode?!?  What's a commode?!?!

Mom:(lauging in the kitchen becasue what 5th grade boy isn't going to find the word commode enjoyable)

Hudson: Mom, what's a commode?

Mom: I don't know but I bet you will use one sometime today. Look it up!

Hudson: Hmmm....commode....how do you spell it?

Hannah: C-O-M-M-O-D-E

Hudson: OK, hold on.........(reads) "a piece of furniture, a chair elderly people may sit on.....(explodes into laughter) ....YOU WROTE ABOUT TOILETS!!! I gotta read this!

You are all invited to join us each Friday for current event reports.  This week is supposed to be really interesting!

The Dry House

Yesterday the sun came out.  Yea! hooray! We stood out on our balcony, rode bikes, soaked in some Vitamin D!

One problem, however, the cold concrete that is our apartment began to sweat.  And sweat it did.  You know, like when you have a ice cold drink and you take it outside on a hot day.....it sweats.  Most people here throw open their doors and let the warm air come inside, but the problem with that method is that is soaks your walls and floors and furniture and clothes and GROSS!!!  So we are careful to keep everything else closed, and let everything warm up slowly.  

Today, my new helper arrived at 9am and began exclaiming, "Your floors are dry!" "Your walls are dry!" "My whole house is soaked, I don't understand." I quickly told her that we kept our place closed up.  To which she replied, "Ahhhhh, you know how to live."  I thought that was pretty funny, because normally we are looked at as weird, but I guess she doesn't like having a wet house as much as I don't like having a wet house.  Maybe it will also make her think twice before opening every door and window she passes in my house. 

Who Cut the Cheese?

Upon our arrival back to this part of the world, we began restocking our cabinets and refridgerator/freezer.  Living out here requires planning ahead, being stocked in what you need, and being resourceful.  One of the first weekends we were back we drove into the big city to buy some butter and cheese.  To our horror and shock, Walmart no longer sells Land-o-lakes cheese.  There were a few imported cheeses from Switzerland and Holland, but the price was more than the Land-o-lakes (which was already very high), and let's just say it had aged nicely there on the shelf.

What are Americans to do if there is no cheese?  Buy it in bulk on the internet.

This week we purchased 20 pounds of cheese on Taobao, the local cross between amazon and ebay. My friend who helped me buy the 20 pounds of cheese can't fathom how huge it would be and it usually leads her to a fit of laughter every time it comes to her mind.  The glorious part of all this is that this cheese, once divided will be only a third of what we were paying in the big city!

I think today I am going to make pizza!!

Good Morning Cold

I know that every year that I have been here I have complained on the blog how cold it is here.  And while it isn't freezing or snowing or icing, it is just cold all the time, everywhere you go. 

Here is what we woke up to the other morning.  I was in the classroom preparing for the school day and this was the temperature in the room, as well as throughout the house.  54.  Thankfully this room is the only one with a heater, becasue who could concentrate on school with your teeth chattering. 

On the bright side, after 3 cold winters here, we decided we would buy 3 big space heaters.  And they make all the difference in the world!!

Fireworks Excitemnt

All around us New Year celebrations are in full swing.  Day and night there are firecrackers, fireworks exploding everywhere.  What are 2 boys to do, but join in the fun.  Yesterday, Rob and Hudson went bike riding after we finished school. They came back with the loud, long strand of firecrackers.  One of the things people do is hang these off of their balconies and light them.  This is all fine and good as long as your neighbors below know what you are going to do. 

Let's just say that 30 seconds after this video ends, there was a knock on our door.  We had scared our neighbors to death.  Imagine sitting comfortably in your living room and suddenly smoke, fire, and a lot of noise begins.  It would scare you too.  Rob apologized profusely and told them it wouldn't happen again.  And it won't.

 Rob and Hudson took a big bag of fruit to them a little later and apologized to them again for scaring them.  On the bright side, we made some new friends tonight. :)

Back East

It is so hard to believe six months could go by so quickly, but alas, it has come and gone. 

Our travel back to the east was uneventful.  We stopped in California for an 8 hour layover and were picked up by Krista and Phil for an enjoyable dinner on the Santa Monica pier.  We ate then took a walk down the pier.  It was a cold and windy evening, but an enjoyable break from the airport!

We made it back to our town 4 days ago, and were welcomed by our teammates at the airport. We had a great time visiting with them on the ride home.  We had lunch together at our favorite restaurant in town.  It was a good time of fellowship and laughter. 

Then the work began. Unpacking, cleaning, bleaching, reorganizing, etc.  A house that has been left for 6 months has a little recovery to be done.  Thankfully, our 2 local friends had kept it in good shape for us.  Jet lag helped me get up and get to work by 5am the last few mornings. And by 10 pm sleep was very welcome. 

Because of the New Year celebrations in this country, all of our friends have traveled home to their various towns for the celebration.  We are ready to visit and see them, but are thankful for this time to prepare and get settled.  It is great to be back, jet lag is once again visiting our home, but hopefully we will be back to "normal" very soon!

Last night we watched and listened to hours of fireworks. It is the most beautiful thing you could imagine, and amazing to think that an entire country could be doing this all at once!  If you ever have a chance to see this in person, you should take it!