Sunday, November 15, 2009

Yearbook photos!

Just got our next-year's yearbook mug shots. Emmett's class photo is coming in a couple weeks. But I can't wait to post these. So cute! Even mine turned out OK.





WHY IS THIS BOY SMILING, you ask? His pilot shirt is a clue. You see, the morning of picture day, we put a collared shirt on him, against his will. Big fuss! As a compromise, we put the pilot shirt in his backpack and said he could change into it after the picture was taken. You see how well that plan worked. Little sneak!

And, in case you forgot what I look like:



Desi is becoming a writer, before our very eyes. Below is a page from his food journal. See if you can read it. (His class learned about food last week, and this week they will analyze what they all ate last week for their dinners.)



As for Emmy, he cracks me up like every single day. A recent exchange:

While reading "The Paperboy" to Emmy, I pointed to a picture that shows the paperboy's dog following him out on his paper route.

Gary: "What a good dog! Do you know any good dogs?"

Emmett: "Alfie, and Hay-see, Dana's dog."

Gary: "Is Hay-see a big dog or a little dog?"

Emmett: "Little."

Gary: "Does it have straight hair or curly hair?"

Emmett: "Ummm, it's not hair. It has petly fur. And eyes for seeing."

PETLY FUR! i mean, come on.

and when stills are not enough, here is this:

Sunday, November 8, 2009

my trip to Yunnan

firstly, props to Sarah for watching the kids for 5 days whilst I chaperoned China Alive! Our group of 50 kids stayed in Dali, a chill little city. We did lots of stuff. See below.

we learned how batik cloth is made. a LOT of work



we had nice walks/hikes on mountains.



we took a boat ride to an island on a BEAUtiful day

those promised photos

emmy's field trip to the farm took him back to his family's roots as farmers in Gervais:



and his other family's roots as shoppers in Scottsdale:


As for the big guy, we just wish he weren't so camera-shy. (that's a travel neck pillow, BTW):

november already

Life flies by us here in Shanghai. Halloween was fun, and it never fails to amaze me how quickly the kids forget about ALL THAT candy they had just one night earlier. Not that it was all quality candy, mind you. Desserts are one of the few foods here that consistently disappoint. I guess, coming from the USA, there ain't a country in the world I could move to and say, "wow, they like sweets even more than we do."

Briefly, as it's bedtime:

1. boys started doing wu shu (martial arts) this week. pretty fun to watch. I'll get at least a photo up here soon.

2. go Cats! Way to beat Iowa and ruin their season. That's what they deserve for having all those nasty pork farms. what with the acres of poop and all...gross

3. we're excited that Auntie Katie will be here in 5 weeks. And word has it that Auntie Erica just bought her ticket for February, so we'll show her around for New Year's. Chinese, that is. Aunties on the way!

4. Musically, we're listening to a lot of Afroman lately. If you miss the dirty-but-harmless party rap of the 80s, you should definitely check out his "The Good Times." Feel free to e-request a sample. Side note to record companies: I never share music illegally. (far as you know)

5. I'll post some pics from campus tomorrow. Still the only place I can get em thru. My hope that internet censorship would lighten up post-60th National Day are for naught.

take care, wherever you are.