Because I can

I think that today I will go to Starbucks and sit there all day with a coffee and a book and look at all the pretty mugs...because I can.

This was my status on Facebook this morning.  Its Friday and though I had a list of things I had planned on doing today such as: clean the bathrooms and weed the gardens, I really didn't feel like doing any of it.  Its rainy but muggy, cloudy but bright...just one of those days.  So I took myself down to Starbucks, ordered a chocolate strudel, a grande Vanilla Latte and started September's Book Club Book:  The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. 

 

Traffic. Ugh.

I'm not sure what the reason is but the last couple of days the traffic has been atrocious.  Like seriously bad!  Worse than usual!  Yesterday I decided to keep my boy S home from school as he's terribly congested and coughing quite a bit from this cold he's been battling since Saturday.  Normally I drop the kids at school, send the driver home for his break and either walk or run home.  It takes me 40-45 minutes or so to get back to the apartment.  We had to drive home yesterday as I had a 'plus one' in the back seat.  It took just as long to drive home as it does for me to walk!  

This is what it looked like!

This morning it was raining which makes the streets and sidewalks treacherous but I walked home saving myself the headache of sitting in traffic for nearly an hour and came upon a different sort of traffic jam...

An army of Red Riding Hoods!

This made me chuckle.

Something funny has occurred

I was sitting here catching up on blogs that I follow and my mind began wandering while I read and I realized that something funny has occurred.  China isn't grating on me.  Hmmm.  I wonder why this could be?  So I started thinking about what changes we have made in the two weeks we have been back that are different from the five months before we went home for the summer.  Well the only thing I can come up with is that my kids are in school and I'm all by myself.  Wait...that doesn't sound very nice does it?  I started thinking on that aspect and came to the conclusion that while they are in school and I am alone I don't have to worry about them every second of every minute when we are in the grocery store, crossing the street, in the car, who is trying to touch them, who is staring at us and pointing, who is getting panicked by all of these things etc etc...  Its quite a relief actually.  I get far less attention on my own then I do when I'm with the kids and because they really don't like the attention,  a trip out of the apartment has its own share of stress attached to it just for that reason.

It's still terrifying to have my kids going off to school in a still unfamiliar place with people we have only just met but they are enjoying it so much that I know putting them in school this year was a good decision for all of us.  I loved Home Schooling and so did the kids but we all loved it more when we were still on our farm with Animal Husbandry and Agriculture as part of our Curriculum.  Life throws curve balls sometimes and though China was not originally part of our plans I know now that it will be good for all of us in the long run. 

I love my kids to bits but to be perfectly honest, this Mama needs time to take a deep breath and just reconnect with myself sometimes.  ;) 

Seriously Grown Up Mac and Cheese

I've been trying to wean us off of meat since we've been back in China and so far it is going well.  No one has complained(much) anyway!  I could eat meatless every day but my kids get sick of beans so last night I whipped up a baked mac and cheese with broccoli.  Okay it was seriously delicious!  So I'm going to share it with you! (Keep in mind measurements are approximate because I wasn't following a recipe so use your judgment on quantities.  This made enough for the four of us for dinner with leftovers for lunches tomorrow.)

About 2 cups dry pasta of your choice- I used bow tie 

About 2 cups of chopped broccoli

Boil water, add pasta adding the broccoli in the last couple of minutes of cooking time to be tender crisp.

Meanwhile in a medium sized pot melt 1-2 TBSP butter with a couple cloves of chopped garlic and about 1 TBSP of chopped fresh rosemary.  When its good and fragrant add about 2 TBSP flour stirring to make a roux.  Slowly add 1- 1and1/2 cups of milk stirring to avoid lumps.  To that add 2 cups of chopped cheese of your choice.  I used cheddar and monterey jack in equal portions.  Stir until melted and turn off heat.

Drain pasta and broccoli, pour sauce over and spoon into a casserole dish topping with crumbled soda crackers and shredded Parmesan.  Bake at 350 until your mouth is watering enough that you can't stand having it in the oven a moment longer! 

Yup its delicious!

Back to School

When he was asked a couple of weeks ago if he was looking forward to going to school, my boy S replied, "no, school is boring."  This morning he bounced out of bed at 7:00am and the kids sat down to homemade yogurt, berry and granola parfaits.

In their new school duds and out the door by 7:38am!  Let's see how long we can keep that up!

On the drive to the school I explained to the kids how it would work at the end of the day.  I would pick up S first from his classroom and then go upstairs to get F so for her to wait for us to get up there.  

We took F up to her class first and she introduced herself to two girls that were already in the room before giving us the 'okay' to leave her.  We headed down to S's class and I tried to encourage him to join in with some kids on the carpet who were building with blocks.  He held my hand and didn't want to participate.  At this point I was envisioning sitting in the class for the next three and a half hours while he hid behind me.  His teacher told him there were a few morning activities he could do: blocks, floor puzzles, coloring or Lego.  Lego!  He made a B-Line for the Lego box and made himself at home.  Without even glancing up at me he said, "Mama, can you pick F up first instead?"  Sigh.

You're breaking your poor Mama's heart a bit my big guy.

Garbage Dog(only cleaner)

I introduced you to our friend 'Garbage Dog'* a while back and he has become a part of our daily trip to Carrefour.  Well when we came back to the city last week, the kids and I were disappointed(and maybe a little worried) when we didn't see our little brown, white and dirty friend skulking around behind the grocery store looking for his next meal.  

I saw him this evening when I ran to the store to grab a few things.  He seems to be doing just fine and you know, he looks like someone may have even given him a bath!  Lucky guy!

*So I thought I had introduced everyone to Garbage Dog but he isn't in my post list anywhere which leads me to believe I only introduced him via Instagram so...this is Garbage Dog for all of you who don't know him.  He's a strangely adorable mutt that enjoys dumpster diving behind the neighborhood Carrefour!

3 Things...

3 things that have totally made my first week back in Chengdu are as follows:

An ice maker!  This is something totally frivolous that would have never even crossed my mind as something I would need in my 'old' life.  Well, let me tell you!  With a freezer the size of a shoe box, an ice maker has sure come in handy with temperatures in the high 30's, low 40's.  Um yeah, it's hot!

Almost better than an ice maker are my ear buds.  I can't hear anything once these puppies are in my ears!  What a glorious thing walking through the dancing square where normally 300 people are dancing to three different songs but not anymore!  In my head they are all dancing to my music!  Its enough to bring a grin to my face...making me look like the crazy one of course!  ;)

And lastly is this handy dandy little Starfrit hand food processor that my friend in Drayton Valley told me about.  I am forever trying to cut up onions and peppers small enough to fool the hawk eyes of my kids and husband!  Haha!  Jokes on them now isn't it?  I made bean and mushroom burritos for dinner tonight and used this thing to chop up the onions, peppers and mushrooms.  Gone was the little trail of picked out items circling the rim of their plates.  It was a thing of beauty!  The only down side of course was that I had to pack this 'Made in China' item in my suitcase from Canada back to China because I'd never find it here!  Some things are worth it!

Anything that has made your life easier this week?

Funny Kids

We went out for dinner tonight and in the cab on the way home this conversation came about...

S: I'm as tired as a roasted spider on a stick.

Me: A roasted spider on a stick?!

K: Exactly how tired is that?

F: Dead tired.

Dexter the miniature wolf

I find it quite amusing when Dexter and I get out of the elevator at our apartment on the ground floor and walk smack dab into someone waiting to get through the doors onto the elevator.  Well...on second thought that's not technically the amusing part.  The amusing part is when the person starts screaming and trying to climb up another person in order to get out of Dexter's way.  He's a five pound Chihuahua with a hole in his scull where all the 'chihuahua meanness' apparently fell out of when he was a puppy! 

So I was enlightened upon my return to Chengdu as to what the deal is.  Alice dog-sat for us during the first part of our Canadian holiday while my husband was with us and part of her duties obviously were to walk the dog.  Seeing as she speaks Chinese she must have asked one of these screaming people what the problem is.   Wait for it...  they think he's some sort of miniature wolf from up North!  WHAT?!  The closest thing I can think of is a Fennec Fox but even that's seriously pushing it!

When was the last time you saw a wolf begging?

Highlights from our Canadian Summer

We arrived back in Chengdu two days ago after nearly two glorious months back in Canada.  We had an amazing summer visiting family and friends.  Actually, it really was the best summer that I can remember in a long time.  

Whats a trip to Canada without Tim Horton's?  This cup was enjoyed in the Vancouver Airport awaiting the next leg of our journey.

Admiring Grampa's ferry driving skills

A hike up the Missing Link trail Quadra Island BC

 

Canada Day.  Rebecca Spit, Quadra Island BC

 

 Canola fields.  Leduc AB

  

Friend Sandwiches

 

 Puppy love

A trip to Village Bay Lake.  Quadra Island BC

 

The way to Gramma and Grampa's house

 

Birthday lunch

 

 Convincing uncles to give shoulder rides

  

 Uncle and his toy

 

 The Parliament Buildings.  Victoria BC

Fan Tan Alley, China Town, Victoria BC...oh the irony.

Ferry rides

Coffee with Grampa 

 Getting Inked!

 

Tom's Beach

Shalalligan Pass.  Quadra Island BC

Gramma and Aunty T seeing us off at the airport.

So many wonderful memories to have...and to keep us going until our trip next year!  Thank you to all who made our summer so wonderful!  xoxo

'Tom's Beach'

At one point when I was a kid my cousin dated this guy named Tom. He lived in a house by the beach and I remember spending lots of time hanging out there with them. In no time at all it became 'Tom's Beach' to distinguish it from the other beaches in the area. My mom recently ran into Tom at the local farmer's market and mentioned it to him and he was quite flattered to hear he had a beach named after him!

Yesterday the kids and I went down to 'Tom's Beach' to eat some cold pizza and look for crabs. The day was so blue and amazing!

 

Although I am a self-proclaimed Prairie Girl, I do love me some blue ocean, blue sky and blue mountains!  And I have started the next generation on calling this particular piece of heaven "Tom's Beach.'