still me

my matress vs. quiet

I should be heading off to bed. I am tired… but it’s so quiet, and you KNOW how I just can’t waste the quiet on sleep! I just finished off a cold piece of Red Velvet cake (just how I like it)- did I mention that mom made it for me when she got here? Lucky us. I am exhausted. We rode home last night from Xi’an on the overnight train. It was so much fun. (I wasn’t in the bunk that had cory puking in the middle of the night). Other than the puke, (sorry for that graphic word), the whole experience totally rocked. We climbed aboard after a overwhelming cultural experience in the train station, around 7:30pm. And immediately started settling in and getting cozy for our all night ride. Each room had 4 bunk beds, and I thought that the beds were actually softer than the 2 hotel rooms I had been in. more ‘samantha who?’ for me, and then a sound nights sleep… it’s amazing how rested you feel when you don’t get up with babies. (even a train is more rest than a Capri and Connor!) but I was SO happy to get back to those precious babies… who were so happy to see us! So cute.  Tomorrow is a full day! so I just want to share a few photos of our 2nd river ride, and our trip to Xi’an where the Terra Cotta Warriors are.  The whole trip was just amazing. Despite the setbacks, which were a-plenty… I LOVED seeing a new part of this incredible country- especially so ‘up close, and personal’.  it was spectacular, and beautiful, and so interesting. I feel so lucky we got to go, and take my parents, and just the 3 older kids. it was totally memorable! Every bit of it… never a dull moment… you know, I just realized that I get to sleep in my soft bed…hmm, that sounds fantastic. GOOD NIGHT!

i will post photos of Xi'an tomorrow.. now my bed is calling my name.

amazed

i wish that there was some possible way for me to really capture what I have been experiencing to share here on the blog. What an amazingly interesting and beautiful place… I can remember back, what seems like a million years ago- when eric was on his mission in Taiwan- he sent me a calendar of a really beautiful place in china.  A place that ‘he would take me some day’… (I didn’t take it that seriously, but I thought it was a cool calendar LOL)… needless to say, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to come here. Even with all the travels eric has done within china, he has never been here.  We left the babies with some friends of ours (I am trying to think of what I can possibly to do repay them, or compensate them somehow for such a gift!) and left Thursday after many-a-disaster!
Our flight Thursday morning was at 7:15am. We missed it by 3min. (missed the check in cut off) so bummed. We had to buy new tickets on a later flight – 3:35pm. So we checked in our stuff, and headed back home. I was secretly glad, as I had a few things I had left undone, and it would be good to get them taken care of.  We were riding in 2 taxis and eric accidentally left the entire stack of airplane tickets, passports, residency cards on the roof of the car while the taxi drove off (unbeknownst to us).  About ½ hour later we got a call from the guard desk that 3 passports of ours had been turned in. a rush of horror filled every one of us as we realized what had happened. We COMBED the neighborhood, and all the streets leading from our house out to the main roads. We were able to find the envelops of tickets, and 4 of the 7 passports and boarding passes. But gone were mine, eric’s and cory’s passports and boarding passes… (and visas) and all 5 of our residency cards. About 2 hours had passed, and I was holding onto the hope that we would find them while  at the same time starting to contemplate the ramifications of getting new passports, visas etc.  a daunting task with the upcoming olympics, and clamp down on issuance of visas here in china.  I can’t remember exactly what time the taxi driver drove up, but we were sitting outside plotting our next move to the police station, and he pulled up holding the bag w/ the 3 missing passports.  He explained to us that he had gone back to the airport to pick up another passenger, and when he went to open the trunk, it had slid down into the gap between the window and the trunk.  He had to take his fare, and then return our stuff… wow, so relieved, so thankful. Prayers answered! And I went in and took a nap!
We got back to the airport, and smoothly sailed through security and onto the plane. We had one stop, total of about 3 hours flying time.  My mom has a cute tv series on her I pod that I watch: Samantha who? … I liked it.

We got into Guilin and had an hour and ½ bus ride to Yanshou… which would have been really pretty in the day. We checked into our hotel around 11pm and walked the streets just a bit. The street our hotel backs up to is lined with bars and night clubs with amazingly loud music blaring from each. Tons of little restaurants and shops…and TONS of red lanterns…so fun to explore… but everyone was tired, and we were in our (hard) beds by midnight.
Yesterday we rented bikes for the day and headed out on our own to head up river. The plan would be to ride along the river bank and then hire some bamboo rafts to bring us down a ways.  The scenery is stunning. When we woke up the place was totally covered in low clouds, and I was thinking that our bad luck was back! But by about 9:30 we could see the spectacular rock mountains covered by lush green vegetation. It’s totally tropical here… we have been sweating and I even got a sunburn yesterday! First sun I have seen in a long time.  We just took it easy riding, and took tons of photos along the way .  we met lots of locals, and saw where they live, saw them working in their rice fields and working, walking their water buffalos and saw the kids in schools and all kinds of really cool authentic china life stuff. It was amazing and so beautiful. Just like in the calendar! 
We were so hungry around lunch, and I was a little worried where we were going to eat…(no handy mcdonalds LOL) and we had passed a few ‘restaurants’ on the way- but I just wasn’t sure if the food would be safe, or what… I didn’t know how the kids would do- or my parents… ( I know eric will eat anywhere) so in the place that we were going to get on the bamboo rafts, was a larg-ish open air restaurant place that had another group eating (locals, not foreigners) and we decided to just give it a go. As eric read off the menu, I was trying to grasp onto SOMETHING I thought my kids would eat. Holy cow, you would have died at the menu items… man, I wish I could remember some of them… but we are talking GROSS, scary, Fear Factor situation.  But there was ‘pork with sour and sweet sauce’… sounded like a possiblitiy.  We also got a couple orders of fried rice. That seemed safe. We got ‘water spinach’ and ‘rice root with pork meat’ and ‘scrambled fried beans’… k, these are the SAFE choices we thought.  But we were delighted when they brought us a big ½ frozen bottle of COKE.  Miraculously, the kids actually ate!  Well, the fried rice, and picked what little pieces of meat  were there…(I avoided the meat).  But the rice root and water spinach were actually delicious! Surprise surprise.. and no one is sick today, so alls well!
We got on our bamboo boats- 2 people per boat- and one guide that had a huge long pole to push the boats along. This was a HIGHLIGHT! It was totally calm, quiet relaxing, and enjoyable to dangle our feet in the  cool water.  Next thing I knew cory was jumping in, then eric and colton were in- and convincing quincy to jump in too! They had a ball swimming along as we floated.  So fun. 
We came back, cleaned up and went to dinner. (pizza this time). And  then went at 8pm to the MOST amazing thing I have seen in a long time… they had a ‘light’ show on the river. The ampatheater for the show is enormous… and it was cram packed for the first showing. There are 600 locals in the show, and the stage is the river and the backdrops are the mountains.. they light them up with different colors at different times… and the people were dancing and singing on bamboo boats, and big floats and floating catwalks…etc.  it was SO awesome. SO beautiful and fun to see!

Ok… I gotta go, we are heading out. Going on a different river. We are told the more ‘beautiful’ one… wonder if that is possible.

**photo credit for night shots go to eric... who has the patience to use a mono-pod. thumbs up babe!

weekend warriors!

Beijing is so beautiful right now. Everything is in bloom… with vibrant color and beautiful green everything else.  I took these photos at Forbidden City- the Peony is the national flower… and they are just beautiful, and are the subject of my favorite Chinese paintings. I almost like that shiny, hot pink bag just as much…
We are leaving in the morning for a couple of days in southern China… going to Guilian, and Xian- two of the spots I have been waiting patiently to visit since we got here.  hopefully I will have some awesome photos upon return! I was explaining to the kids that this is not a ‘vacation’ that we are embarking on, but an ‘adventure’! we will be biking, and rafting and climbing in caves…and if you have heard of the ‘Terra Cotta Warriors’ we’ll be there as well! So exciting. We are coming home on the over-night train… I have heard many-a-story about the over-night train, so I am really stoked to see for myself! Come see on Monday, tales of our ‘adventure’…

sunday night-long post

It’s shocking how fast the time seems to be passing! I can’t believe it’s the middle of May…it’s Sunday night and we just got all the kids settled in bed, and usually I look forward to this time to plan and prepare for my week… sort of use Sunday night to make lists. Tonight I just feel so tired! My potential-list is very long, and I think that I need the Monday morning momentum to even face it! My mom and dad have been here for a little more than a week now, and it’s been such a treat to have them around. I totally love showing people around here, and introducing them to this crazy life we lead here in China! It’s so much fun, and we have had a great time. we have eaten at all our favorite restaurants, and hit most the major must-see’s… still a few left to check off the list. I think that the highlights have been the fabric market, were we got fabric to make my dad a couple of suits, and my mom a skirt and a shirt and a robe. That alone is a major cultural experience. The traffic and parking and frantic chaos associated with mass amounts of cars, bikes, taxis, busses and pedestrians…oh, and the delivery bikes… which are bikes with either a ‘flat bed’ on the back, or something of a truck bed… these guys barrel through the narrow aisles of the market and slam their brakes and miss you by inches… being with my mom and dad for the first time has totally brought back all the thoughts and feelings I had when we first got here. It’s funny how I have come to accept it, and love it… and am starting to feel more and more confident. I may have mentioned that eric gave me a GPS for my birthday. I have to admit to being intimidated of the little machine… and worried that even a spokes person would not help my map reading skills! But I am happy to report that I am experiencing a whole new world of freedom and confidence getting myself to places I want to go! (kylee you would be SO proud)! All you have to do is look up where you want to go on Google Earth, and then program in the coordinates of your destination! I have driven to the Wall, Forbidden City, and the fabric market… (by myself) not to mention being able to communicate well enough to get the things that we need and order food, and tell the street vendors that we are not interested in more olympic paraphernalia. And although my Chinese is painfully inadequate for living here… I think that I have managed to impress my mom and dad (aren’t your own parents the easiest to impress?). lol…I can understand more than I can say, which I think is typical… but I was a little proud of myself this afternoon when eric was having a conversation with a lady at a small store, and when he was done, I translated to my mom what he had been saying… he looked at me and said, ‘you understood all that??’… (smile)!! I have to hand it to my folks, they have been living it up here with us! We have been going non-stop, and not only are they adjusting to the wacked out body clock situation, and the Chinese culture shock… but they are having to deal with 5 kids worth of chaos!! (giggling, crying, arguing, leaving shoes and books and toys strewn about, and toothpaste mess). On Thursday, we loaded up all the bikes into the JinBei and headed into town for some biking touring. We needed another dependable bike, so eric and dad had gone to the Giant store, and they each got a new ‘folding’ bike. So great for cruising around the city, and even better for loading into the van. AMAZING, the frame folds right in half, the petals fold up, the handlebars rotate and you put a strap around it and can just carry it onto a bus or whatever. My dad is a cyclist, so we was absolutely in his element-the guy could bike for miles and miles. I think we did around 15 miles in all, winding in and out of old alleyway villages, (hutongs), and around the 2nd ring- by Tian’namen, Forbidden City, the Bell and Drum towers… well-all over. It was a PERFECTLY delightful day. Once they got the traffic thing figured out, they agreed that it’s the absolute best way to see Beijing. We had so much fun. Grandma and Grandpa did arrive at a perfect time to celebrate some of our family’s milestones… quincy turned 7 (gasp); connor is basically walking; and cory has learned to ride a uni-cycle. My dad is so cute…he brought with him this movie called “Knights of the South Bronx” with Ted Danson. Of course I had never heard of it, but it’s about a substitute teacher instructing the 4th grade students of an inner-city school how to play Chess. I guess since Colton is in 4th grade, he decided that he wanted to teach him how to play. Now, a week later, Colton and Cory are addicted to Chess of all things! They have just jumped right in and are loving playing the computer simulator on-line and each other and my dad! We immediately had to go to the toy market and buy a chess set (we have never had one) and got a little magnetized set… get this: they are bringing it with us in the CAR!! It’s like it’s a game boy or something. I think it’s great. it’s a wonderful movie, I highly recommend it! I am having another little photo crisis, so I will add photos later. China of course is rocked with the tragedy of it’s largest natural disaster in 30 years. As reports and images of the devastation are released, it just breaks my heart…I think that it would even from a million miles away, but being so close just makes it all that much more real. I can’t even imagine. Natural disaster always just makes you feel so helpless, and scared… at least it does me. we are praying for their comfort, and relief…as well as trying to be prepared ourselves for any kind of emergency situation that may arise. We have always tried to have emergency kits and equipment, but I think that it’s a good time for us (and everyone) to put together really smart 72 hour kits, have plans and emergency numbers, and information available, as well as food and water in case of any emergency. Man, you just never know.

ok in beijing

so my email server has been down for 3 days, and just kicked back into action this morning...and there were a bunch of emails asking if we were ok, and effected by the earthquake.  we are about 900 miles away from where the epicenter was... and though eric thinks that he felt the tremors, most of us did not.. ... our prayers are going out to the thousands who have been effected by the earthquake- and other recent natural disasters.

my folks arrived late satruday night, and we are off having wonderful adventures, and taking lots of photos.
i will stop to take a breath as soon as possible!

last day of fun...

It’s Tuesday night, and I leave Cape Town tomorrow morning, to start my long journey home. I think my travel time is about 36 total hours. Loving that! (lots of quiet productive hours!) I am ready to be home! 10 days is just too long…I am sure that Eric would agree (wink).  I today was an awesome day, despite waking up to serious rain clouds and cold, windy conditions… we went up the coast and hit some super cute shops and then onto Fish Hoek where we saw real live penguins that just live there on the beach. They were so cute! So fun to watch. What a highlight… I also ate fish and chips for the first time today! i am not a fish eater, but I was assured that I HAD to try, and that is was THE THING to do just there… so I did indulge! And they had Mountain Dew at this little fisherman’s spot… it’s mainly a ‘locals’ place, so it was most enjoyable. I even ate it doused in vinegar and salt! I am feeling ‘cape townian’ already!  We did a little more shopping in the evening (mother’s day may 11th! Don’t forget!—I am lucky enough to have my mother with me this year on mother’s day! can’t wait). It also happens to be miss quincy’s birthday on may 11th!  Gasp!
I am also including some photos of yesterday’s adventure up to the top of Table Top mountain. We rode up on a cable car. Stunning view from the top. And good hot chocolate there too!
(this is the hotel we are staying at here in cape town... SO beautiful!)

Monday morning..

Monday morning… and ready for action! We have had a wonderful, delightful time staying here at the Spier Hotel. It’s in the ‘winelands’ part of Cape Town, quite inland from the ocean. The resort has a convention center, where the classes were held, and just beautiful grounds, fabulous restaurants and even a cheetah outreach program where we went and actually petted the cheetahs.  They are just amazing and beautiful. One of the cheetah cubs that we were able to ‘meet’ has ‘king’ markings on her coat, and is very, very rare. So that was cool to see, and learn about.  We also learned that big cats either roar or purr, but they can’t do both… and cheetahs purr… so as we were petting them they were just laying there purring! How cute is that? it was really cool. Afterward, we took a 2 hour long drive up and over the mountain and down around ‘False Bay’… the cool thing about Cape Town is that it’s at the southern point of the country where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean meet in this huge convergence. There are these huge, rugged mountains that have strange weather patterns on either side… it’s very ‘california’ to me. It seems to be northern and southern California all within the confines of a very small area. I think that is so cool. This would be an awesome place to live.. its has a little of everything. We drove through amazing orchards, and farms… I could see trials for biking and hiking… and we drove along the most magnificent coast where the sharks and whales are… simply amazing place. Happy to be here… (Eric, you would LOVE this place). We sped back to eat at the most spectacular restaurant that I think I have ever been to… it’s all under a tent.. or outside in the trees… great ambiance. The food is served buffet style, so you can try all kinds of stuff…and there was really fun entertainment- including face painting for everyone! They came around and put white dots on all our faces…so much fuN! Very memorable. I loved it. of course I ate too much, and even this morning- I don’t feel like I need to eat for a week.

having a great time..

I just have a few photos I want to post from the Joburg event… the venue was absolutely stunning, and I don’t even think that my photos will do it justice. I only brought my little camera, and it’s just not the same! Luckily I have Janet walking around shooting fabulous photos with her big camera, I can just get her to burn me a disk! (wink!)

joburg event...

Oh what a day… I am beat. We are back at the hotel with our feet up and eating room service. Today was the Joburg event…I took a bunch of photos because this venue was absolutely STUNNING. It was an old home built by one of the most wealthy south Africans…it has been converted to a convention center- for special events. It is gorgeous. And it was a beautiful day- it had rained last night, and it was a crisp, beautiful fall day. just awesome. We were ‘fetched’ at 7am…and classes started at 8am. There were 4 classes all 2 hours each, with quite impressive tea and lunch in between! The food was so good. There was even a bit of a breakfast, my favorite were these peach yogurt smoothies. YUM. The day started out with 8 cards from Amy and Adriene at MSE (my sentiments exactly). I had never met them before, so it was fun to get to know them a bit. They are so cute… mom and daughter… cool that they get to work and travel together! They have some really cute stamps and gave some amazing kits for the class! Louise was next and she did this amazingly intense page with serious cutting and stitching, and beading. It was over the top- very cool, and beautiful to look at. After lunch, Janet was up- I love her class… it was a 12x12 album with some pages that were made from clock overlays and other bits that were inserted into the album by using that punch that makes a spiral punch. So cool.  We both got to teach using new product- so that is always fuN!
I taught a variation of the project I taught at Scrap ETC. event…it’s really nice to teach a class you are really familiar with and have had experience knowing what works and what doesn’t… and I love the mirror album!  It was a fun day. Louise and Glenda have a way of really creating beautiful events. This was nothing less. It was fun to see some familiar faces!  In the morning we leave for Cape Town where we are teaching on Saturday…doing the whole thing again! We get a bit of a sleep in, so that will be good!
UNFORTUNATELY, I don’t have a card reader for the camera I have been using. So I will have to wait until I get home to post photos… or maybe I can find one to buy.  Good night!