This Week In Pictures

Do you ever feel like things are going in slow motion, yet warp speed all at the same time? I remember I felt that way the week before my wedding. That is how I feel right now.

From the looks of these pictures it looks like ALL WE DO is eat! I guarantee we do eat a lot of really good food, but I also spend  time doing other things...walking everywhere, at the gym, taking the dog to the park, running, shopping with friends, doing dishes by hand;), and watching Castle (my current show obsession).

These first two pics aren't really from this past week, but someone just forwarded them to me from our church service project that you can see here. 

Total vanity of why I included these...it is not often I see pics where I am pleased with how I look but I thought these two pics were decent.

I honestly have never, even seen myself laughing before...pretty funny!

The lobby of the theater at ISB. We spent a lot of time in this theater watching music concerts, play performances, orientations, Cub Scout Pack meetings and sports award assemblies. Go Dragons!

This school will always have a special place in our hearts.

Baseball RBI!

Prom time!

 I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to serve with this amazing woman. She is our Relief Society president and I am one of her counselors. What a blessing it was for me to be able to learn from her. She invited our family over for dinner last Sunday. I am still craving her tofu! Yep, I said craving tofu...boy have I changed!

I learned a thing or two about chinese cooking. Here she is making fried rice.

Lots of yummy homemade chinese food! 

Such great women whom I will always cherish.
 Funny that my eyes are more "Chinese" than my Chinese friend. 

 Hubby has had a coworker (another secondee from the states) who has helped him with everything while we have been here. She speaks fluent Mandarin so she helped him and us out of many situations. To thank her, we took her out to a fancy lunch. E had exams that week with a modified schedule so she got to come along too.

Another fabulous lunch at Maison Boloud.

My entree of lamb. Perfect.

 After almost two years I have finally trusted to let him off his leash here next to the road. 

We had a fun night with some friends.
 D really, really hit it off with their little guy.

Donuts for dessert. E has a Popsicle that when it melts it turns to jell-o. 

Some boxes have arrived  "just in case we want to pack some clothes before the movers come". Ummm, no. Why do their job for them?

D ripstiking down one of my favorite streets. Later he crashed hard.

 A lot of the time Dad works late and E is off at various school or church activities. D and I have the opportunity to have many date nights. I love them so much. He usually chooses a french cafe.

He really likes spaghetti and iced hot chocolate.
My poor children are pasta deprived, I rarely cook it because it is not my favorite dish...sorry Mom!

My yummy dinner at the cafe...spinach salad with pears and raspberry dressing.

 This picture means a lot to me. When we first came to ISB I saw all of these enormous banners hung for the varsity teams. At the time I thought since Emma would only be a Freshman it would be a slim chance that her name would make it onto one. She did make it! I am so proud of her, not that she was on a varsity team, but because she has left a little of her own legacy at ISB.

ISB Varsity Softball team 2013!

 We love going to the Silk Market and since we are leaving there are things that we needed to buy this weekend. We picked up some sunglasses, the girls at the shop really loved my boys!

Chinese people who work with foreigners choose their own English names to use. On the left is "Carrie Underwood" and on the right is "Mona Lisa". They were so fun! The workers in these stalls work seven days a week, twelve hours a day, with only Chinese New Year off...amazing work ethics!

D still gets uncomfortable about all the attention he gets from females.
I hope that doesn't change anytime soon.

Hubby, on the other hand, doesn't get uncomfortable at all.
Here he is with Mona Lisa.

 D will be hitting a milestone at church this year when he turns twelve. He is getting a custom suit made. These women are amazing! Wait until you see what they are making me.

We totally recommend Tony's Tailor at the Silk Market!
They have made many, many shirts, suits and even a tuxedo for hubby! 

Last Saturday the air was clean"ish" so I ran outside along Second Ring Rd.
 I am getting ready to transition from mostly treadmill to mostly road running.
I can't wait to run outside everyday!

Stay tuned for a post I have been writing for the last six months: "What I Will Miss In Beijing!"

Coming Soon!

Thanks for reading!