MY BAKING SKILLS . . .

Okay, so I've never been much of a cook.  I pretty much make the same things all the time.  But since we've been here, there are A LOT of things that you either can't find, like Velveeta cheese, or that is SO expensive, like nacho chips and burrito shells, that I don't buy them as much as I used to.  (We eat A LOT of Mexican.  If we were in Mexico, I'd be set)!  So I decided to start looking for some recipes.  I found a recipe for tortilla shells, but I haven't made them yet.  But I also found a place that has them pretty cheap compared to what I've been paying for them.  To give you an idea of the price difference, the place I normally buy them from sells them for about 35 RMB, which is about $5.  Needless to say, I don't buy them very often!  But I found a place called Metro, which is like the Sam's/Costco, and they sell them for 12 RMB, which is less than $2.  BIG DIFFERENCE!  So I think I'm going to start buying them from there, rather than trying to make them.  I just figure I'll buy about 10 or 12 at a time.  

The next thing is nacho chips.  They range from $4-$6 A BAG!!!!  And they're never on sale.  At home, I know they're pretty expensive too, but I just wait for them to go on sale, and then I stock up on them.  No such luck here.  So instead I found a recipe that shows you how to make them.  So I've started making them from the flour tortillas, and I have to tell you, they're actually pretty good.  Now I can get a bag a chips for 12 RMB  instead of 28-39 RMB.  Big difference in savings.  If I find some corn tortillas, I'm going to try making them from those as well.  I bet those will be even better, but in the meantime, my way works.  It's definitely not as easy as just opening a bag, but it will save a lot of money in the long run.  

Another thing I haven't been able to find is crescent rolls or puff pastry.  I found those at Metro too, so now I know where to find them.  I have some in my freezer right now for when I need them.  

One thing you definitely can't find here is breakfast sausage.  Believe me, I've looked everywhere and asked everyone I know.  So I found a recipe online and I made my own.  And it's pretty good.  The recipe I use has 3 different versions, sage, hot and maple.  I made the hot, but it's not as hot as I wanted, so the next time I'll add more of the spices.  I also want to make the maple, because I think the kids will like that kind. 

Since we've been here, we've tried all kinds of new recipes.  It's definitely been an eye opening experience for me, because when we get back home, I don't think I'll go back to making all of the same things I usually make.  We've enjoyed the variety, and most things we've liked.  There are a few we haven't, and we won't make those again, but some we have really liked, and we would have never tried them if we hadn't been forced to experiment with new things.

JASON . . .

Jason is in the 5th/6th grade play at school this year.  The play is Alice In Wonderland.  He's really enjoyed it so far, but the practices are MAJOR.  The play is the last week of this month, and he now has practice almost every single day until the play.  The week before the play he practices until 8:30 every night.  He's going to be EXHAUSTED!  But at least there's only 3 more weeks left.  And, like I said, he's enjoying it, so that's all that really matters.  We got a new video camera for Christmas, so my plan is to video the parts that he's in and then post them on the blog.  Of course, first I have to figure out HOW to post them on the blog!  But I still have 3 weeks to figure that out!

Today the kids have a half day at school and they get out at 11:30.  Jason has practice today from 11:30-6.  Poor baby.  But they did this last month, and I think there was a lot of play time as well, because he had a really good time, so I'm sure he'll be okay.  My friend and I are going to take Sarah and Andrew and her son David to the Mall to eat lunch and just hang out.  At least it'll get us out of the house for awhile.  And it's so cold, you really don't want to go anywhere.  This way, once we get inside the mall, we'll be fine.  I'm going to take Sarah's stroller so that if she gets tired she can just lay down in the stroller.

So that's our plans for the day.  I hope you're all doing well and staying warm.

IKEA . . .

I went to IKEA yesterday.  I've never been to an IKEA store in my life, so I really didn't know what to expect.  It was pretty cool.  They have pretty much everything under the sun.  We needed some silverware because the silverware Ryan bought when we first got here keeps breaking.  We started out with 6 of everything, and we're down to 2 or 3, if we're lucky!  So I got some silverware that is much better.  I also needed some storage containers, which I found.  I really just wanted to go because I'd never been before.  Now that I've been, I probably won't go back.  At least not to the one here.  We're only going to be here for 1 year.  Ryan said, you know, you're buying all of this stuff, and we only have 10 months left.  True, but I plan on bringing a lot of it back with me.  Just don't tell him I said that!

SCENTS FROM HOME . . .

Okay, so if you know me really well, you know how much I LOVE candles.  I like to walk into my house and smell cinnamon or cookies instead of wet dog or dirty diapers!

So before we left I brought some candles with me.  And I'm on my last one.  My friends make them, and they are VERY good.  You really need to check out their website.  It's www.kaykaycandles.com.  I've been waiting to burn this one, because I knew it was my last one.  But I finally broke down and lit it yesterday.  It's Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.  It smells REALLY good.  And it makes my apartment smell good too.  So I've already been making a list of the ones I want to get to bring back with me.  And believe me, I'll bring a lot more than I brought the last time!  It's nice having a memory of home.  Plus, it's something that I won't have to bring back home, so I don't have to worry about having the room  in the suitcases, because they'll all be burned by then!  Some of my favorites are Cinnamon Sticks, Clove, Extreme Vanilla, and Home Sweet Home.  

Anyway, check out their site.  Chances are if you've been to my house, you've smelled their candles burning anyway.  I'm so glad I brought them with me.  Plus, like I said, it reminds me of home.  And I'll take any memories I can get of home!

BIG THUMB PLAZA . . .

Yesterday we went to a place called Big Thumb Plaza.  They have a Carrefour there, plus they also have lots of other places.  There are shops and restaurants.  We went there because we needed to get Jason a disposable camera for his upcoming field trip, because they don't want them to bring expensive digital cameras.  Talk about a rip off!  The disposable camera was $15! So instead we bought him a film camera for $17.  I figure if he doesn't lose it or break it, then he can use it the rest of the year. 

I wish we lived closer to that Carrefour.  There is a lot more shopping and restaurants there than at the one by us.  There's a Pizza Hut, Papa John's, and KFC.  It's pretty cool.  I'll have to go again when I have more time.

FOUND PRETZELS . . .

Some of the things that are so easy and cheap to find at home, are very difficult and/or very expensive here.  One of my favorite snacks is pretzels and peanut butter.  And before you laugh at me, make sure you try them first!  Anyway, finding pretzels around here has been very difficult.  I've found some at Carrefour, but they were very small bags and not very good pretzels.  Today I went to The Pines, which is the international grocery.  It's one of those places that might have one thing one week, and then not have it the next week.  Well today, THEY HAD PRETZELS!!!!!  And Rold Gold Pretzels to boot!  WooHoo!!  I was so excited.  So I bought 2 bags.  And they are put up high where the boys can't get to them. 

Do you think that makes me a bad mom, that I won't share my pretzels with my kids?!?!  I wonder what that says about me?  Nevermind, I don't think I want to know!  I'm not sure I'll like the answer.

PACKAGE . . .

We got a package from home today. Thanks to Carol who mailed it, and Mom and Dad who put it together. We got Jason's tennis shoes, Andrew's dress shoes, Splenda, Instant Oatmeal, Hot Chocolate, and MS. DASH!!!! What kind of sad commentary is that about me that I get so excited about Ms. Dash?!?!?! I must be pitiful! I've looked everywhere around here, and you can't find it anywhere. And I use it in EVERYTHING. So Mom and Dad picked mine up from home and had it sent it to me. Yea! And Andrew was SO excited about the instant oatmeal. He eats oatmeal for breakfast almost every morning, but they don't have instant oatmeal here, Cinnamon Roll flavor, so he hasn't been that thrilled with it. He can't wait to have it for breakfast tomorrow.

It's funny, the things we take for granted. The things that I use the most at home, you can't find here. And if you are lucky enough to find them, they're usually very expensive. Things like Macaroni and Cheese, Velveeta Cheese, Ms. Dash, Instant Oatmeal, Microwave Porcorn, Kool-Aid, Tea, Splenda, Jif Peanut Butter. I was planning on bringing back a big suitcase after Christmas filled with all of those things, but Ryan said you can't bring food through Customs. So I'm thinking I'll just ship a box to myself before we leave, and then when we get home, we'll get a package with everything in it that we've been missing. Sounds like a good idea to me!

THE PINES . . .

Today the kids and I ventured out by ourselves since it was Ryan's first day of work. We went to the international grocery called The Pines. They have some stuff that you can't get at Carrefour, but the thing I liked about it the most is that everything is in English, so I knew what I was getting! They still don't have diet Coke though! I'm not sure how I'm going to go a whole year without my diet Coke!

It rained all night last night, and it's been drizzling most of the day today. According to weather.com, it's supposed to rain for the next 10 days! I think it's coming from the typhoon that hit a different part of China. Luckily, it didn't hit us! You'd think the rain would cool it off a little bit, but it's still very muggy outside. All you have to do is walk out the door and you're dripping in sweat. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be ready for cooler weather!