Snails Can't Run

 The girls brought home this guy last week.  It is their latest 'pet' since the tadpoles didn't work out so well.

 He was kinda fun to watch.  I had to do some research to see how the heck you care for a snail.  Turns out they are nocturnal.  Interesting.  I see a nighttime escape from the extreme stress of small owners in the near future of this snail.
For the love of a dog or cat or something normal.  Not that they haven't been begging for dogs, cats, chickens, and horses in between the weird things they bring home...

And then they brought home another one.  This one seemed to be slightly damaged, possible due to Kaylie dropping him a couple of times on the way home.

Today we went out to check on the snails before leaving for school.  They were gone, we weren't exactly keeping them hostage since they were living on our open porch but the girls still seemed surprised that they had left.

 

Madi said, 'mom, where are the snails?'

I said, 'I don't know, I guess they went back to their home'

she said, 'did they run away?'

I said, 'I guess they did'

she said, 'but mom, the snails didn't have any legs!'

hahaha!  Good point

 

On the way home from school today I had to convince Kaylie that we were not going to bring home the centipede that she was carrying around.  GROSS.  I finally got her to put it down and the lady behind us stomped on it.  Kaylie was not happy with me.  Centipedes happen to be on my 'terrified of' list so I was good with the stomping :) 

A Birthday Celebration

Last week we celebrated our eldest child's 6th birthday.  Her biggest wish for her birthday was to eat pizza and have ice cream.  Things really get simplified when you live in a different country :)  Her birthday fell on a Wednesday which meant we had to put off her request until the weekend.  After a bit of drama about her birthday lacking any fun, (due to the lack of ice cream evidently) I offered to try to scrounge up a cake.  Luckily I've learned some lessons about cake buying...  seems it can be a bit complicated.  Our translators all quit so I don't have anyone to call to get me out of a jam so I took the easier route and just went to the big store.  I can point and grunt and actually go home with something. 

 Birthday girl

 The cake.  The hole in the side is from the 3rd child who seems to have inherited her mother's love of cake.

 This looks delicious doesn't it?  It's not.  I still can't figure out how they can make a cake with zero taste.  It actually would be impressive if it wasn't just so disappointing!

The girls waited all afternoon for their father to get home so they could eat it.  

Party

 On Saturday we took them to Pizza Hut.  This is her drama face, usually followed up with 'mommmmmmmm'

 This kids PLOWED through some pizza.  We went through 2 larges.  And most of it ended up in 3 small but very bloated bellies.

 Next up DQ ice cream.  At this point there was some moaning about eating too much pizza.

 They managed to finish it.  At this point, Kyle and I were chatting, the kids had finished the ice cream and I noticed something strange.  Silence.  I looked around, Kaylie was draped sideways over her chair with her feet in the air.  Kenz was sprawled out across her chair.  Neither of them were moving or talking.  I looked at Kyle, I said, 'I think they are in a food coma.  This is amazing!'  They were literally like that for 10 minutes.  I've never seen anything like it, but it was real peaceful :)

 

On the way home in the taxi the sugar started to catch up with them.  They all got a little wild!

Product Review

A few years ago my parents bought me a Kindle for Christmas.  I liked it, but I still loved holding an actual book when I read.  Then we moved to China.  On our first trip over I packed all kinds of books for both the kids and myself and I even optimistically threw in a couple of Kyle.  Then the realities of weight limits and limited baggage and starvation all set it and I had to make a difficult choice.  Food or books?  Food ultimately ended up winning and my love for the kindle grew rapidly.  

Fast forward to this past March.  I went on a trip to Vegas with Kyle and I had to travel alone on the first flight so I brought my Kindle with me.  No big deal..  well three weeks later I was packing for China and as I was organizing all of our take on bags I realized that my Kindle was messed up.  Aka BUSTED.  I had a cover for it at one time but when you live with 3 small children they eventually end up breaking everything you own and my Kindle cover was one of the casualties.  I never bothered to replace it because I'm kinda cheap.  Shocking I know.  Anyway, I made the discovery on a Saturday.  We were leaving on Sunday to go to NC and from there to China.  I had a moment of panic.  Kyle reassured me that it would be no big deal, we will just go get one.  At this point I thought that the only way to purchase on was through Amazon.  Turns out that isn't true.  Great news!  So off we went to Best Buy...  then to Radio Shack...  then to another place I can't remember because by this point I was PANICKING!  Every store was sold out!  Kyle was scratching his head in wonder.  Who knew this many people actually read books?!  haha!  

By this point I was considering how my life would look in China with nothing to read.  This was not going to work.  That's it.  I just wasn't going to get on the plane.  Catch you later family!  I'm starting to realize that I was maybe not totally mentally or emotionally ready to go back to China. For some reason Kyle wasn't really into me staying here while he and the girls went back to China.  He looked at me as I was curled in the fetal position and said, 'You'll be fine'.  He says this a lot.

We had to drive to NC so Kyle figured we could just stop at the first Best Buy we came to and pick one up.  Ok, fine.  Great plan.  We started driving the next day, I called the Best Buy in the next town.  Nope.  Sold out.  This happened 3 times before we finally got to a state with a Best Buy that had a Kindle in Stock.  Next problem.  They no longer sell the Kindle version I had, they switched to the new Kindle white Pages.  I was unsure.  But their were no alternatives so I got one.  Let me just tell you, this thing CHANGED MY LIFE!  ok, that might be a little dramatic, but seriously.  It did change my life on a 14 hour flight around the world.  So when we fly to China I am on edge.  I mean I am just waiting for one of the small people to loose it.  To freak out.  To explode with some bodily fluid.  It hasn't happened yet, but it still could.  So every flight I sit there and try to keep them all happy and quiet.  When they finally settle in and go to sleep I sit there and hold the baby on her chair...  she likes to flop around and usually I try to watch a movie, but this doesn't go well because her feet get tangled up in my headphones and it is basically unpleasant and I am always desperate to take my mind off the fact that I'm in a situation where there is no escape.  Enter my new Kindle.  It lights up.  I can read.  The hours melted away!  14 hours?  Not a big deal.  It was amazing.  And you don't have to use the light if you want the book experience.  I highly recommend this little gem.  It is amazing!  

Rain Rain Go Away

There are a lot of things I will miss when we leave China for good, but one thing I will NOT miss is the rain.  It rains a lot here.  And quite honestly I've lived in places that got a lot of rain, but when you live in the US with a car rain isn't that bad.  I mean clearly I was annoyed at times when it was raining and I had to go somewhere with three small children who like to linger in the rain.  But seriously.  It's a little different here.  Walking a mile to get your kid to school in the pouring rain in a country where the street drains don't work and the roads are basically hills and valleys because they are sinking and the traffic is constantly trying to run you down is a little different than backing out of my driveway and having to walk through a parking lot to get inside a store.  For the love of a garage and vehicle!  It doesn't help that a certain tot that I have to carry is obsessed about her umbrella and insists on carrying it while I am carrying her which equals mom can't see anything and about gets taken out by a scooter.  That is the other thing.  I can't get used to cars coming right up behind me and laying on their horn 'just to let me know they are there'.  Thanks for that.  My heart is still pumping out of my chest.  The girls love it though.  Oh is that a lake of water?  Let me go jump in it!  Then they lean down while standing in 4 inches of water, hey mom, look at this!  Do you think it is poop?  GET OUT OF THE WATER!  For the love.  

Anyway.  Rain.  I will always appreciate a garage and vehicle from now on. 

Spring time is beautiful in China.

 This kid is losing all her teeth.

I discovered something about ages in China when we went to eat with one of my friends and her family.  It was later confirmed by several teachers at Kenzie's school.  When a Chinese child is born they are considered to be 1 year old.  The 9 months of pregnancy is considered to be their first year.  So over the last 2 years people would tell me how old their children are and I was thinking 'my word, that 2 year old can't even walk yet!  what is going on over her!?'  Then I discovered Chinese aging.  I asked the teachers at the school at what age do you change to your actual age?  They said never, you are always an extra year older than you would be in about any other country.  At the time I was sitting with the Russian teacher and the Chinese teacher and I looked at the Russian and she looked at me and we both said, weird!  HAHAHA!  I felt at that point that I could be doing some diplomatic work, I mean here I was, holding one of the Chinese babies, talking with a Chinese and a Russian teacher, we could have really solved some problems!  Hilarious.  Anyway, so technically in China my kids are 6, 5,  and 3.  So now when people ask me how old they are I don't know what to say.  Do I tell them US ages?  Chinese ages?  Try to explain their duel ages depending on what country we are in?  It is so confusing.  The other day we were in the store and the lady who runs the store knows us and she pointed at Kenz and said is she 7?  I said sure.  Why not?  I mean I'm 25 so really these kids can be whatever age you want them to be! :)  Kenz disapproved but I just waved her off and stuffed some chocolate in her mouth. 

I love Friday's

I think my love of Friday's started around the time I started school... or probably more around the time my mom started making us pull a wagon around town selling cookies.  She somehow convinced us to do this by promising to rent a VCR player from the library and we could rent a movie.  Seriously.  We may have been desperate for entertainment and that somehow justified the idea of knocking on doors and selling bags of cookies to my brother and I.  Anyway, I have a long history of lovin' me some Friday. 

Today tested that love.  Actually it just tested my sanity.  I've been suffering from a bought of insomnia for the last few weeks.  I think something to do with constantly changing time zone for the last 18 months so I've been real real tired this week.  Last night I told Kyle that I didn't think that the hot water heater was working... the lack of hot water didn't seem to bother him until he went to take a shower about 3 hours later.  Crap.  So he started digging into the wires in the wall (there is a switch to turn on and off the hot water heater) and he declared that they were all fried.  At which point I went to bed.  He ended up getting it fixed but it meant that we both had to shower in the morning.  

I was late.  This is normal but we were real late and we had to get Kenz to school then get back to meet the driver so he could take us to the store.  I blame this serious of events for what is about to happen. As soon as we pull into the parking lot at the store I remembered that I have to have a coin to get a cart.  And normally the driver who takes me has a coin for me but today I had the other driver.  Evidently people had been stealing carts and selling them.  I can't really imagine what sort of profit margins there are in that but whatever.  So new plan.  He drops us off and right before you enter the grocery part of the store there is a tiny store that sells girl accessories.  Ok, I will get something cheap for the girls and get a coin back so that I can get a cart.  Kaylie wanted some cheap little headband and Madi wanted a umbrella (the child is obsessed with them) ok, whatever.  I also got a little headband for Kenz.  I looked at the screen as she was checking us out and I almost passed out!  The two headbands alone where 44RMB and the Umbrella was 59!  I needed 1 coin!  I only brought a little over what I needed for groceries.  I put back the umbrella.  Madi melted.  The cashier hurried to show me cheaper umbrellas.  (the Chinese recognize and understand cheap people) we got a cheap umbrella.  She handed me change.  She was out of the coin I needed.  FOR THE LOVE.  (this is my new favorite saying from Texas authors)  I indicated to her that I NEEDED A COIN!  by slightly freaking out.  She got the point.  She went over to her purse and gave me a coin.  OMG.  I bought all this crap and I could have just gotten one of these coins from her.  I think they are work about $0.15.  Whatever.  We got through the store.  I couldn't get everything on my list because of the exorbitant amount we paid for some plastic crap that will soon break.  Got back to the car without breaking any eggs.  Truly remarkable.  We got home and I stick the key in the door.  Nothing.  I then realized that I had grabbed the girls play key instead of our apartment key.  They look remarkably similar.  Unreal.  So the driver looks at me and I say no good.  I point to the key and shake my head.  He starts laughing.  I start laughing but it was laughter that could turn into s meltdown at any point.  He looks at me and says (I will paraphrase, just think broken English surrounded by Chinese and gestures.  We understand each other that is all that matters) I will go back to Sany and get the key from Kyle and be back here at 1pm.  It was like 10:45am.  I said 1pm???  He said, yes.  1pm.  Please wait.  

Sigh.  At this point he sets down the groceries right on top of the girls cup of gross pond water filled with tadpoles.  Someone told me recently that little girls were so nice because they didn't get into gross things.  My kids missed that memo.  I tried to save the groceries.  Kaylie tried to save her disgusting pets.  And I was thinking in my mind.  1 o'clock?  I realize it is a 30 minute drive but we are stranded out of our apartment!!!  And then I remembered that this man doesn't like to miss a meal.  There was a bit of disgruntlement when he had to bring Kyle home during supper a couple of times.  Ok then, I guess you should definitely sit down and eat some lunch.  I'll just give these kids some cookies and tea.  No problems.  Please Wait.  And the driver left.  We stood in the dark hallway for about 10 minutes then decided to sit outside.  I could hear my phone ringing at this point and the desperation to get inside was getting to me a bit so we headed out doors.  It began to rain.  Joy.  We sat on an old broken golf cart that sits outside our building and hung out.  Finally we decided to go pick up Kenz from school to try to distract ourselves from the misery.  

On the way home from the school we stopped at the little store and got some snacks to help pass the time.  The girls rode some rides that are insanely long and then we walked back to the golf cart.  On our way we ran into the driver.  I pointed at my wrist and said 1 o'clock???  It was like 11:45.  I then realized my mistake.  It is rare to see anyone wearing a watch here so when you tap your wrist for the time that gesture really doesn't carry over like some other ones.  The driver looked at me, looked at his phone stuttered something about 20 o'clock sputtered out something else then said I dont' understand in Chinese.  I said I don't understand either but it is jolly great to see you!!!  He walked us up to our apartment and let us in.  I called Kyle.  He was laughing his head off.  He said that the driver called the translator.  He had come back and opened the door, came into our apartment and couldn't find us.  WHAT?  hahahaha!  somehow he thought that he would unlock the door and find us inside.  If only.  Anyway, evidently 1 o'clock meant I will go get the key and be right back.  Maybe there was something lost in translation with those gestures and random English words.

The worst part about this entire day was that about three days ago Kyle told me that we should hide a key somewhere outside our apartment for the day that we got locked out.  I assured him that would never happen.  I always took my key.  Besides people here are scavengers and take everything.  Someone would surely take it.  Ugh.  Now I'm going to have to hear about this for the next, oh I don't know, entire lifetime!  

New umbrella.  And yes, she is wearing socks on her hands.  She likes to be fancy.