Cleaning, Easter, Gardening and Herbs.....

Well April came and went. Even though I didn't get a chance to get on and update the Internet world we did do a lot of spring things! Like:

Easter of course!

Samuel did a fantastic job on his egg hunt.

We have also been doing a lot of

GARDENING!!!!

yay! My dad is letting me borrow some land at his house to try out a garden. With his help I know it will survive. So far we have only planted lettuce, spinach and radishes because its still pretty cool in CO to be planting anything else. But here are some examples of my helpers hard at work!

And what else comes with spring.....?

CLEANING!!!!

Although this happens all the time not just in the spring time. I thought I'd include some cute pictures. Samuel received a vacuum from Nana (Grandma Conklin), it makes noises just like a vacuum so whenever I clean he gets it out and we clean together. Its so cute. Samuel LOVES to clean and help, and you can probably see from these pictures.

We also built a fort. Which later I realized looked like a dog house (good job mom! Way to make a dog house for your kid- silly me) He still seemed to like it though

And we have taken many trips to Starbucks. Yum.....where I have been enjoying my Zebra lattes (perhaps these being the reason why the doctor is concerned about my weight gain this pregnancy) and Samuel has enjoy his birthday cake pops. Yes, we go in our PJ's too.

And even though I tell him its not necessary I still wake up to my amazing husband cleaning the house sometimes. How cute, they are vacuuming together....

I have also started a Herb garden inside, along with some tomatoes that I am going to transfer outside. To see pictures of their progress so far head on over to my other blog and check it out momssimplepath.blogspot.com

Beautiful Sunshine

We've been getting into a great routine lately. I want to start looking for some interactive learning activities to do with Samuel during the day. Hopefully I'll get around to that soon. I'm so glad its been warm and sunny lately. We go on lots of walks, to the park and play outside A LOT. Here are some shots from our past couple of weeks. Sorry about the quality, they are from my phone. Enjoy!

Samuel was trying to be so gentle with the cat, but he got a little scratched...

Doesn't seem to understand the tray stays on the stand, not his head.

Can you find Samuel?

This kid sits in the strangest positions when watching TV

Samuel LOVES reading. Loves Loves Loves Books.

and drawing...
and his baba's. This is a funny picture. Such a strange kid. Don't know where he gets it from.

Again, loves reading. Especially with his BF Kayla.

And of course climbing on any and everything

You can probably see why I need one of these every morning

Snow!

The vacation is slowly winding down for us. School starts this coming Friday but our classes don't start until the next week. It will be nice to have our friends and students back on campus! Its feels so empty here without them!! For now we are continually "thinking" about our future plans and what is to come this semester. We are very excited about it.

A few days ago the temperature rapidly dropped from the enjoyable 60 degrees to- well cold enough to give us a full day of snow yesterday. It looks beautiful outside but its almost already melted because the temperatures are going back up!

Picture taken from our window

Our lovely tree outside! Looks all winter-like and its almost March!

Yes, we have to ride our bikes in the snow - its our only form of transportation, besides foot and taxi

Lady cleaning off the steps

Friends

We know, your not suppose to have favorites. But its kind of impossible here. One of our favorite people here is name Zhong Hong. He is the liaison between the foreign teachers and the DIC (Department of International Cooperation), our boss. Not only is he amazing at his job, does a wonderful job taking care of, and is there whenever we need him - but he is one of the most kind hearted people we know. We love just hanging out with him and talking with him. His English is fantastic and we have GREAT conversation. Curtis particularly enjoys conversing and spending time with Zhong. Zhong got married the same summer we did. However, his wife is still in graduate school. Because finding a job is hard in China- they kind of have to take whatever job they can get no matter the location. In their case, her graduate school is pretty far away from Baoding. So they only get to see each other when she has breaks from school. This is a very common situation among the people who live here. We have another friend who's uncle works in Beijing and has lived there for 7 years away from his wife who lives in southern China. Because of difficult circumstance they have to live apart - they don't really have much of a choice. She is currently pregnant and they see each other about 4 times a year. Can you imagine! What great strength they have!

Friday night we went out to eat at our favorite restaurant here in Baoding with Zhong and his wife. The next day (Valentines Day) he sent her off - back to school. They are such sweet people!

Welcome Home

Yesterday we were welcomed back home with a blue sky and 60 degree weather. After a freezing time in Harbin and a little chilly in Changchun we were so excited to only have to wear light jackets as we walked to the grocery store today to get some necessities.

School doesn't start for another couple weeks so we get to wonder around Baoding and do whatever we want to do until we have to start teaching again. This vacation was so different than last year. Both were equally amazing and fun but totally different. We had such a great time celebrating the Lunar New Year (15 day festival) with JinJing and her family. We enjoyed yummy food cooked by her father as well as delicious food at JinJings favorite restaurants. We got to sleep in, go bowling, ice skating, shopping and learned how to play majiang. Curtis and Josh have a good friend, Jacky, who they play basketball with here in Baoding. He is from Changchun as well so the boys got in some good basketball, eating and shopping time with one of their good friends as well. Our time in Changchun was relaxing and fun.


To see picture from our vacations click on each location to get to the link: Changchun- Spring Festival, Harbin- Ice Sculptures, Harbin- Polarland , Harbin- Snow Sculptures.

We are really looking forward to this next semester. Sadly, we decided we won't be returning to teach a 3rd year. Most of the friendships and relationships we have made here will be graduating and finding jobs or going to graduate school all over China. We are very excited for many of our friends and the opportunities they have found, yet still encouraging and supporting those who are struggling to find jobs. They say this year is the hardest year for undergraduates to find jobs. Most of our students/friends have been keep very good attitudes despite their disappointment after returning from another job fair with thousands of students looking for a job. We are confident they will find the right positions though, and are encouraging to look for jobs where they will be most happy.

As far as our job searching goes...we have applied to work with a group called CARES Team. They have many locations all throughout the U.S. and we have applied to the one in the Denver/Colorado Springs area. It is a very cool program that focuses on apartment ministry. We won't know for sure if we will be accepted or placed until we can get back in July. Until then we will keep our options open. Our main goal for coming back is to get Curtis through his Medical schooling which will bring us closer to our overall goal of working with or starting an orphanage. So which ever jobs we encounter along the way we hope to continue to work towards our dreams.

Christmas Part I

Christmas Eve was a lot of fun this year. During the morning some of our friends came over and we decorated cookies. For being their first time decorating cookies they did a great job!

In the afternoon, we went to the RT-Mart to get a TURKEY for Christmas Dinner! We have never found turkey in China but one of my friends knew we were on the look out for some during Thanksgiving so when she read the ad for the local grocery store she called me right away. Even though it was a bit pricey we ordered one. They rotisserie roasted the turkey so we didn't have to worry about cooking it at home in our tiny oven. We did, however, have to cut off the head and feet before we served it. It was our first time carving a turkey but we got all the meat off so I think we did it right. Anyways Christmas dinner was fabulous, not just because of the turkey but because of the other yummy food the teachers brought.

Later that evening the DIC (our bosses) took us out for a Christmas dinner and then we went bowling. It was so much fun and a new social activity to do in Baoding! Yippee. The bowling alley was really nice. It was only 8 lanes but very traditional.

Christmas was full of spending time with friends and opening presents. In the morning we opened out presents. Josh came down and we did our traditional stockings a little later. We then went over to Rena's who was having a Christmas brunch party and more presents. I then went to hang out with one of my friends whom I haven't been able to spend much time with because of her schedule and my schedule but we finally were able to really connect. It was very nice. That afternoon some more friends came over and we did presents and played games. Later we carved the turkey and then had Christmas dinner and Secert Santa exchange. Though out this holiday we have felt so blessed through our family and friends both here and back in America.

We hope your holiday was full of joy and happiness just as ours has been.

To see some pictures from Christmas click here

Winter is here...

Its official. Winter has arrived in Baoding, and its SOOO cold. Lucky, I spent the day inside baking yummy goodies for my students. I decided that I wanted to make holiday treats for all of my students in all of my classes. That's about 150. Not as many as last year but still a lot of goodies. Between Curtis sneaking some off the counter (I guess I had a few too), and the number of students getting at least one treat, it has been quite the task. But I LOVE the holidays!!! Curtis spent his day teaching two classes in the morning, we played UNO with some of his students in the afternoon, then he went to play pool with some of his boy students, came home to change clothes and is off playing basketball. I don't know why anyone would want to go out in this cold ha ha.

So much has been happening these past few weeks - sorry I haven't kept up!!

Some of Curtis's students came over last weekend and made us some really yummy Chinese food, I tried to watch and learn, but I'm afraid I haven't quite mastered cooking Chinese cuisine quite yet. We had over 8 dishes plus dumplings! Spicy Green Beans (my favorite), a potato dish, a green pepper dish, spicy fish, pork and vegetable dish, stuffed eggplant and some others.

We have a small apartment and 6 students (all roommates) came over, so I was in the kitchen with 2 and Curtis held down the dumpling making in the living room with the other four girls. It was a great night!

We also went to a friend name Celia and her husband's house to celebrate Lindsey's birthday (one of the four parties she had). We ate my most favorite Chinese meal - hot pot. It basically consists of a bowl of boiling water in the middle of the table, with seasonings in it to make it flavorful - spicy or non its your choice. Then you take raw veggies and meats put them in for a few minutes, take it out, dip it in some peanut sauce, and eat! I could eat it everyday...

Saturday we made a trip to Beijing to relax. Rena, Josh, Curtis, Justin, JinJing, Sabrina and I caught a train in the morning and enjoyed a great meal at Outback. We then proceeded to go shopping at various places. Ate some Baskin Robins Ice cream, Curtis grabbed a pizza from Pizza Hut and we jumped back on a train. It was a good break, maybe not so relaxing from walking and shopping so much but we all had a lot of fun.

Christmas shopping has begun. While Curtis and Josh went out last night to continue their shopping I decided to text some of my friends to see if anyone wanted to go to dinner. I didn't expect anyone to reply "yes" as it was an hour before we would meet, Saturday night and if they hadn't eaten already I was sure they would be studying for all of their finals. Well turns out I was wrong. So me and 12 of my fun and beautiful friends went out for a girls dinner. It was a lot of fun. Of course we talked about life, love and other mysteries. We also planned some shopping dates(these girls LOVE to shop) and other hangout times. They also, all walked me back to my apartment in the freezing cold - they are pretty cool. The night ended with lots of smiles and a successful unplanned girls night.

We are still thinking about our options for the future. Thanks for your thoughts as opportunities present themselves.

Off and On

Its interesting to see which websites will open on which days here in China. I have so much blogging to catch up on...I am behind, not because I have been lazy, but because the Internet is being slow or the actual blog site won't load. Tonight it seems like it is working pretty well. I will try to put up as much as I can...
Last weekend was a busy one. I(Katie) went to Beijing with my lovely coworker/American/teacher/friend Rena for a quick trip.That afternoon Curtis spoke, along with Josh and Rena, to students about the psychological effect of stress on college students. Curtis told me that when they introduced them they said "This is Beautiful Rena, Handsome Josh and Smart Curtis!" When he told me I could help but laugh...the Chinese are funny. I think since being here I have had more men compliment me on how handsome my husband is then I would have ever imagined! Yes, that's right- the MEN tell me how handsome he is, and of course I fully agree!
Later that evening we went to an English Majors performance and got to see many of our students from the past year and spend time with friends while the underclassmen performed To see more pictures from the English Majors Performance, go here Sunday, Curtis taught his random class he tutors every now and then, we did our weekly fellowship with Josh and Lindsey and Lindsey made some amazing egg-enchiladas
Afterward Curtis got to do homework and I got to go see the Men's National Volleyball match! Oh I was soooo excited! Sorry I couldn't put all the pictures up. it would have taken FOREVER!!!!
More Volleyball Pictures:click me!
Yes, today was Thanksgiving and it was a wonderful day...I made homemade pumpkin pie again and it was even better than last year, mostly because I had all the right ingredients this year (ha ha). I also attempted to make green bean casserole but didn't realize that when the recipe calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup, and the can says condensed, you DON'T add the water that it instructs on the back of the can (that's only if you are making soup!). So we had green bean casserole soup! It was still pretty good. Curtis made his yummy Candied Yams and Mashed Potatoes and gravy. Josh made some really good chicken for us all to enjoy instead of Turkey (no turkeys in China) Lindsey made some tasty homemade stuffing, apple-crisp, and gingerbread (haven't tried yet- we were too full!) and Rena made some corn, fruit salad (my fav), and really yummy pineapple. So bringing it all together we had a yummy yummy Thanksgiving meal. Lots to be thankful for!

Happy Halloween!

Friday nights are not very exciting at our house this semester because I have to teach class. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:30 - 9:30 I have a teacher’s class that I teach. So I see the same students almost every night. For a little variation, Friday nights we usually meet at my house and I cook an "American or Western" meal for them. Since this Friday was Halloween, we did snacks and carved pumpkins.

It was their first time to carve pumpkins and I think they really enjoyed it. Curtis helped out with his expertise on carving pumpkins (most tips he gave, I forget every year. For instance, when you cut off the top, cut at a slant so it can go back on without falling through. Yeah. I usually forget that I am suppose to do that until I try to put the top back on and it falls through, then I think "oh yeah! I was supposed to cut at a slant.") So thanks to him, they didn’t have to experience the mishaps of carving pumpkins. I had fun preparing the snacks, even though they don’t eat much.


I made Aunt Jane's Brownies (Curtis' aunt’s recipe), Pumpkin-apple muffins, popcorn, toasted pumpkin seeds, and of course we had candy corn. One of the other teachers, Lindsey, also came to help out with advice and to just visit with the students/teachers in English.

Overall, it was a fun Halloween!

Nancy and her Pumpkin

Sara and her pumpkin



Laury and Nancy and their pumpkin

George and his pumpkin


Audrey and her pumpkin

David and Victor didnt bring pumpkins but they helped everyone else to theirs!

Happy 50th Anniversary North China Electric Power University

I think the Chinese are in control of more than we know. This last weekend our University celebrated their 5oth anniversary. The weather was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The sky was the bluest I have seen in China for a while, maybe even the whole time we've been here. I think they control it. They make it pretty and blue when its suppose to be or needs to be. Just like the Olympics. Beautiful blue sky those days too. Maybe its all in my head.

Anyways. Here are some pictures and videos from the Olympics and the front of the school for the 50 year anniversary weekend. Enjoy! (don't miss the videos from the Olympics and the fountain in front of our school!)

Notice the Beautifully blue sky.

The flowers in front of the campus make the campus look nice too.

Us at the Baseball game. Like my mascot headband? I did, all the other Chinese people did too.


Mascots entertaining us during a break.


The Nest. Its GINORMOUS!


Charles and Curtis


Charles, Curtis and Me





I tried to upload some videos but it didn't work. Sorry!