We are so loving this cooler weather that has blown in--and without the freezing cold that was hitting just about this time last year (which we all remember due to the fact that we had about 2 full weeks of really cold weather before the heaters were able to be turned on! Our first Fall in China--and daily in long underwear--that I'm pretty sure we won't forget any time in the near future!) We are making the most of the outdoor time and the break from our routine as there are quite a few national holidays around this time of year. On Wednesday, as I mentioned on our last posting, there was the national holiday of Mid-Autumn Festival. We were all off from classes, so we headed to the Water Park (which is a public park that has several bodies of water--some with fish and ducks). There are no water slides or spray grounds, but there is an entire area with rides that you can pay to have the kids go on and even a Ferris wheel. Kevin's friend Lief joined us for the adventure! The picture is of the kids on their favorite ride, one in which they spin around (slowly) and try to shoot rubber balls at the pirates on the ship in the middle.
The one thing I'd failed to take into consideration was the number of people who would be out on this holiday. The kids really handle all of the attention they get with their blonde curly hair and blue eyes when we go out incredibly well. But I must admit, Wednesday was pushing the limit for all of us. I wish I'd been keeping count, but I'm pretty sure that Karis alone posed with Chinese folks for at least 25 pictures in the first hour and a half we were there. Normally the people we meet here are most excited to have their pictures taken with the little boys (they generally prefer younger kids to slightly older, and also value boys over girls here culturally). So this was an especially strange day. The boys all had their fair share of posing, but Karis took the prize for the most photographed! We rewarded the kids for their patience and kindness by taking them to KFC for chicken nuggets and ice cream cones for dessert, finding a bench and dining outside the restaurant as we just couldn't get enough of the gorgeous weather! Wednesday evening, two of our couple friends came over to join us for dinner. We had a combo of Chinese food and Western, where I had prepared an Italian pasta dish beforehand and then we cooked two Chinese dishes together. A few of my friends here have agreed to teach me how to cook Chinese-style, and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it a little! I haven't practiced much, mainly because as much as our family has grown to love Chinese food, we already eat it for three dinners and several left-over lunches each week when our ayi cooks dinner on the afternoons that I am in class. So on the nights that it is "my turn" to cook, most of the requests are for more of our usual comfort-foods, including BBQ pulled pork, all sorts of pastas, or even just marinated chicken baked in the oven. Next week we will all be off for another week-long national holiday, including our ayi, so I'm thinking that will be my opportunity to practice my Chinese cooking when we are not all too Chinese-fooded out!
On Thursday, Kevin began teaching the 1st grade after-school sports program at the International School. Karis is THRILLED with this arrangement! Of course I didn't want to miss out on the excitement, so I got the younger two guys up from naps early and headed over on the three-wheeler to join in the fun of Kevin teaching 31 1st graders (well, 30 1st grades and Eli, who was allowed to join in since his daddy was the coach!) how to play basketball. Or rather than teach, should I say, direct the pent-up energy and try to keep anyone from getting seriously injured for about an hour?! The kids seemed to love it, and although it is not Kevin's first choice of where he would be spending his time, he really had a good time and is a total natural in coaching little kids! He is committed to doing the after-school program with the sports focus changing every several weeks (covering badminton, hockey, kickball, ping pong, and soccer) through the end of the school year. (Part of our scholarship agreement for the kids to attend is to put in several hours of volunteer work each week.)
Saturday was a total crazy China day--even considering how normal so many of the differences are seeming for our family after being here a year! We went to Kevin's friend Lief's grandfather's 80th birthday party. I am actually going to dedicate an entire post to that experience (that I will hopefully write later today after I get back from class), so I won't spoil any of the fun here!
Sunday we all desperately needed rest! So after going to the international fellowship, where Kevin and I again taught Karis' Sunday school class of 1st and 2nd graders, we returned home after grabbing McDonald's on the way for a special lunch treat. The kids once again got ice cream (a new oreo blizzard-type treat that we agreed, even DQ couldn't beat!) , their reward for incredible behavior during a really long day on Saturday! The Eli and I went to a birthday party for one of the little girls in his class. He had fun playing with the other kids in their courtyard type area (closest thing to a backyard here for us!) and enjoying eating fun western snacks from the import store (including real tortilla chips, ranch dressing, and brownies). Super fun weekend with a short week ahead of us, as Friday begins the week-long holiday here!
