Here's to a Happy 2012!

Our friend, Blake was visiting us, but flying out New Year's Day. So he offered to man the fort while Brian and I rang in 2012 without kids. This would be our third time out alone since we arrived in August. Even though we were heading out at 11 pm, we were still excited. 

We grabbed a taxi and headed to Sanlitun Village, a more Western area near us with lots of restaurants. LOTS of other people must have had the same idea. Our taxi crawled. Eventually, we paid the driver and walked the rest of the way.

The Little Things: Static!

Beijing's air is DRY. As in no frost on car windshields and no crunchy frozen grass. As in constant chapped lips and bloody, cracked knuckles after washing a few dishes.  I was warned about this though and brought a Costco size tub of Cetaphil (if you're looking for a good lotion, it's amazing!)

What has shocked me is the static (pun intended). More than once I have felt like the embarrassed women in the Bounce commercials who can't keep her skirt from clinging to her legs as she walks down the street. Each night we are treated to an electrical show of sorts as we draw the covers over the girls and miniature bolts of lightning arc from the blanket to the bed, lighting up the dark room. I'm still surprised when I get that little prick when I test the temperature of the bath water.  And Brian exclaims almost every time he pushes his hands down hard enough to get out of bed and completes the circuit with the mattress springs. In order to turn each little prick into something that doesn't draw tears after any human contact, these little shocks, in our house, mean that the two people love each other a lot. We hope this doesn't cause too much confusion for the girls if they have a shocking encounter with a stranger.  Or think that we don't love them any more when the weather gets more humid...

Words of the Week: Candy-Candy, Person, Ubberbuddy, Ointmeal

Ointmeal (noun): a cooked breakfast made from ground or rolled oats

Ubberbuddy (pronoun): every person

Candy-Candy (noun): a stick of hard candy with a curve at one end, usually peppermint-flavored with red and white stripes

Person (noun): a small bag, pouch or case for carrying things, usually used by women**

Video Examples:

**This one, that has been said for weeks, corrected itself before I got it on video. So sad.

Maggie Cam: Christmas

Maggie cam pictures have been few lately, because we haven't gone outside much due to the cold weather. Well, and life has been crazy. But her grandparents gave her a digital camera of her own for Christmas, so hopefully, there will be more of her documentation in the near future. 

Dora's birthday cake. She's five today.

Christmas Crafts

Merry Christmas from the Rushes

Sending our love to you from Beijing. We hope you had a wonderful holiday and a happy new year!

Preschool Christmas Party

Chinese Kitchen: Tastes of China

I was a little disappointed when I showed up for what I thought was going to be Chinese Winter Comfort Foods and found myself at Tastes of China. I had been looking forward to comfort food for weeks but got the time wrong by six hours.

Street Food: Kettlecorn

This Beijing Street Food sends its tendrils of intoxicating smell that make you turn your bicycle around in search of the sweet-salt goodness, unlike some other aromatic Beijing street food, it does not disappoint.

It comes with Chocolate or Strawberry "Smell" or Extra Sugar.

One morning after enjoying a bag of kettlecorn for dessert, Magnolia lead Kaleia on sneak expeditions to eat the leftovers. Definitely our favorite Beijing snack! 

Our First Beijing Snow

Walking home from school -- pretty exciting!

It was a two hat kind of day, one for your head and one for your stuffed animals.

They found these cute guys near our house.  When I got home, the first thing out of her mouth was "Forks and Spoons!!" Brian had to explain her excitement came from these snowman appendages.