In the past, I've always tried to somehow change myself, changing my weaknesses and replacing them with strengths. But let's face it, I have not been successful. I wrote some goals last year, which included doing some things daily, every other day, weekly, and monthly. I put the list on the fridge where I could look at it every day, and I achieved... one of them.
I'm not so good at consistency.
In school, when I had a long term project, I would schedule out the work and get started right away. But then I'd feel like I was ahead of schedule, and I'd put my feet up for a while. Then before I knew it, I'd have to scramble at the end to finish the stupid thing. Every time. Consistency is not my strength.
I feel it particularly strongly because consistency IS one of Kevin's strong points. When he was studying for the Foreign Service Exam, he decided he'd study for the test for an hour a day after work. And he did it-- daily-- for like 3 months. Every day. That's insane! I would have lasted about three days-- at the most.
I've tried to change this about myself, but I've only ever failed. So I'm going to change my approach this year. I'll use my weakness as a strength. This year, I resolve to be more inconsistent!
1. I'm going to exercise more inconsistently. Forget about 3x a week. I'm going to exercise when I think of it. I'm going to exercise when it's fun. It's not going to be part of a "program," because then it starts to feel like an obligation. Blah!
2. I'd like to clean my house less. Is that even possible? you may ask. Ha ha ha. Moving on. I just mean that I'm going to clean occasionally for a certain amount of time. It's daunting to see a whole kitchen full of dishes and somehow talk myself into cleaning it, knowing it would take the better part of an hour. I kind of get compulsive when I start cleaning, which makes me not want to start. So I'll set a timer and quit before it sucks me in-- leave me wanting more!
3. I'll lose 10-15 pounds. One way or another.
4. I'll make a Farmer's Wife Quilt. My sister Sarah and I have plans to each make a quilt this year. It's a complicated quilt made up of 111 different 6" blocks. I'm not planning on working consistently doing 3 blocks a week, but I'll keep up with Sarah. Competition is a good motivator for me. Plus, I kind of wanted to do this quilt myself, so it hardly counts as a goal.
5. I'll learn Portuguese. I just ordered a textbook and workbook, and I have 12 months until we move to Brazil. Maybe I should be specific and say I'll finish my textbook and workbook before the end of the year. But either way, I'll finish the year knowing more Portuguese than I do now!
And I think five goals is enough! I give you all permission to check in on me and see how I'm doing on my goals. Just don't try to pinch an inch.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, December 29, 2012
My new machine
When I told Kevin I'd decided to buy a new sewing machine, his response was, "What? In CHINA?"
I see his point. If I got a regular one, it would be 220 Volts, which would basically make it worthless anywhere but in China. And if I bought it in China, it would likely be made in China-- and not for export. It would wear out and break within a month.
However, I didn't want a regular machine.
I'd seen these in the tailor shops when I'd go through, and while they're the old style, they're recently produced-- which is a good thing and a bad thing. So it's not an antique. But it looks like one. And I love it!
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| My new treadle machine! |
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| The (ahem) world famous Flying Man brand! I saw one online that was Butterfly brand... but the store just had this one. |
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| Butterfly brand wouldn't have had this! My very own flying man. (Shudder) |
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| It looks like the hood ornament for a Bentley. But with a 人 (person) character in the middle. Fantastic! |
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| And the treadle itself. I'm excited! |
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| The wooden part of the desk is probably the crappiest construction I've ever seen. It's flimsy plywood with rough edges, and you can even see a staple in the drawer where they tried to put it together. This will have to be replaced. If I made my own, by buying crappy wood at Home Depot, nailing it together myself, and sanding it here and there, I know it would still be better quality. I'll be on the lookout for something in America. |
It doesn't do any fancy tricks or stitches. It goes forwards and backwards. It winds a bobbin. I'll have to check to see if I can use any of my other feet on it (walking foot, rolled hem foot, etc.). That would be awesome! One thing that I really love is that it has a much bigger space under the arm (the armpit between the needle and the machine base). On my current machine, that space is about the size of my two fists, which makes it so frustrating to try and machine quilt anything!
So... I'm excited about my new flying man!
Friday, December 28, 2012
Adventures in stupidity
Aaaghghh! I'm so dumb.
I've been considering buying a new sewing machine while I'm here in China. I considered it before we got here, I considered it when I saw some I liked, and last night, on a whim, I considered it again. I checked online for some prices, talked to Kevin about it, found a store, and decided to go for it!
So this morning I set out for the store. It was on the street where we live, and the Baidu Map (like google maps but used in China) gave me a good idea of where it was. I walked like half an hour through slushy streets in a balmy 14 degrees Fahrenheit. I got to the location, and there was no store. Actually, there were no shops at all, and there were only three very large government buildings. I walked around the block where I was sure it would be, but it wasn't there either. I walked all the way home on the other side of the street, not seeing a sewing machine store the entire time.
Ugh!
I found the website again and gave the place a call.
"Hello, is this the place that sells sewing machines?"
"Yes, it is."
"Hi, I'd like to come by and see your sewing machines. Is your store on ___ Street?"
"That's right."
(Ugh! That's only the same street I'd been traipsing up and down for the last HOUR.) "Is your store near an intersection? Which one?"
"Well... you know the post office? There's an overpass bridge right by it, and if you cross the street right there, you'll see our store. It has a blue sign with white lettering: Yong Shun Sewing Machines."
THE POST OFFICE????? The post office RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY APARTMENT?
Yes, that's the post office she was talking about.
I didn't plan on going back out again, but once I realized it was right across the street, I put my boots and coat back on, smacked myself in the forehead several times, told my husband I was stupid, and ran back out the door.
While I was waiting for the elevator, I looked out the window where she said she was located, and yup. There was a big blue sign, bright white lettering. Yong Shun Sewing Machines.
Now I'll cut myself a bit of slack: It was written in Chinese. It was also facing my apartment, which is not facing the street where I'd been walking. But I still feel stupid for not calling before I set out to find the place.
So I went to their store for about 2 minutes. They didn't have the kind of machine I was looking for.
"But the Hua Lin Sewing Machine store around the corner has one."
Yup. Across the street THE OTHER WAY from my house was ANOTHER sewing machine store. I bought my machine, and they'll be delivering it later today.
If I hadn't been so stubborn, if I had called the place before setting out, if I had humbled myself and asked for help (because that is really the issue here), what took two hours of my afternoon might otherwise have taken LITERALLY fifteen minutes.
UGH!
But I'll share pictures once it gets here!
I've been considering buying a new sewing machine while I'm here in China. I considered it before we got here, I considered it when I saw some I liked, and last night, on a whim, I considered it again. I checked online for some prices, talked to Kevin about it, found a store, and decided to go for it!
So this morning I set out for the store. It was on the street where we live, and the Baidu Map (like google maps but used in China) gave me a good idea of where it was. I walked like half an hour through slushy streets in a balmy 14 degrees Fahrenheit. I got to the location, and there was no store. Actually, there were no shops at all, and there were only three very large government buildings. I walked around the block where I was sure it would be, but it wasn't there either. I walked all the way home on the other side of the street, not seeing a sewing machine store the entire time.
Ugh!
I found the website again and gave the place a call.
"Hello, is this the place that sells sewing machines?"
"Yes, it is."
"Hi, I'd like to come by and see your sewing machines. Is your store on ___ Street?"
"That's right."
(Ugh! That's only the same street I'd been traipsing up and down for the last HOUR.) "Is your store near an intersection? Which one?"
"Well... you know the post office? There's an overpass bridge right by it, and if you cross the street right there, you'll see our store. It has a blue sign with white lettering: Yong Shun Sewing Machines."
THE POST OFFICE????? The post office RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY APARTMENT?
Yes, that's the post office she was talking about.
I didn't plan on going back out again, but once I realized it was right across the street, I put my boots and coat back on, smacked myself in the forehead several times, told my husband I was stupid, and ran back out the door.
While I was waiting for the elevator, I looked out the window where she said she was located, and yup. There was a big blue sign, bright white lettering. Yong Shun Sewing Machines.
Now I'll cut myself a bit of slack: It was written in Chinese. It was also facing my apartment, which is not facing the street where I'd been walking. But I still feel stupid for not calling before I set out to find the place.
So I went to their store for about 2 minutes. They didn't have the kind of machine I was looking for.
"But the Hua Lin Sewing Machine store around the corner has one."
Yup. Across the street THE OTHER WAY from my house was ANOTHER sewing machine store. I bought my machine, and they'll be delivering it later today.
If I hadn't been so stubborn, if I had called the place before setting out, if I had humbled myself and asked for help (because that is really the issue here), what took two hours of my afternoon might otherwise have taken LITERALLY fifteen minutes.
UGH!
But I'll share pictures once it gets here!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas
Christmas in Shenyang is different. It snowed today, and there's no shortage of cold. Today Penny and I went out for lunch at McDonald's, and we watched a tractor scoop up snow off the pedestrian street. The first couple scoops it would do unassisted, but then a few people would start pushing the snow into the tractor scoop using snow shovels. As many as 7 or 8 people would circle around it, shoveling snow into a pile, and then helping the tractor shovel that snow into its scoop. The tractor would then dump it into a truck, and the truck takes it over to an empty lot, or a construction site, or maybe out of town, to dump the snow.
When Kevin comes home from work, we eat dinner, and then he takes the girls downstairs to our playroom. This gives me some time to myself, and today I used that time to go buy Christmas presents. Penny LOVES Mickey Mouse, and thankfully, so does everyone else in China. I got some Mickey Mouse chocolates, as well as pencils, stamps, booklets, eraser dolls that you can change their clothes, and random other stationery supplies. I think it will be a very merry, very Mickey Christmas morning.
I love being surprised on Christmas morning, and I love surprising other people. This is hard when any packages we receive at the Consulate have to be opened there, at the Consulate. It kind of takes the fun out of any surprises on Christmas morning. At least for Kevin and me. The girls will be surprised, and I am excited about that.
We hear Christmas carols outside our windows all day long. I love Christmas carols, but there are some mighty annoying ones. And even cute ones grow grating after hearing them on repeat for weeks on end. The mall downstairs blares "Jingle Bells," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," and "Frosty the Snowman." That's it. All day. English and Chinese. You think "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is obnoxious in English? Ha! Multiply that by 1.3 billion.
I do love Christmas, though. I have a pandora station that plays classical carols sung by English cathedral choirs. I especially love this one, sung by the King's College Choir at Cambridge. Followed by a reading of Luke 2, this is one of my VERY FAVORITE Christmas presentations. The song is pure, simple, and sweet. And the Savior's birth story is like poetry to me.
When Kevin comes home from work, we eat dinner, and then he takes the girls downstairs to our playroom. This gives me some time to myself, and today I used that time to go buy Christmas presents. Penny LOVES Mickey Mouse, and thankfully, so does everyone else in China. I got some Mickey Mouse chocolates, as well as pencils, stamps, booklets, eraser dolls that you can change their clothes, and random other stationery supplies. I think it will be a very merry, very Mickey Christmas morning.
I love being surprised on Christmas morning, and I love surprising other people. This is hard when any packages we receive at the Consulate have to be opened there, at the Consulate. It kind of takes the fun out of any surprises on Christmas morning. At least for Kevin and me. The girls will be surprised, and I am excited about that.
We hear Christmas carols outside our windows all day long. I love Christmas carols, but there are some mighty annoying ones. And even cute ones grow grating after hearing them on repeat for weeks on end. The mall downstairs blares "Jingle Bells," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," and "Frosty the Snowman." That's it. All day. English and Chinese. You think "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is obnoxious in English? Ha! Multiply that by 1.3 billion.
I do love Christmas, though. I have a pandora station that plays classical carols sung by English cathedral choirs. I especially love this one, sung by the King's College Choir at Cambridge. Followed by a reading of Luke 2, this is one of my VERY FAVORITE Christmas presentations. The song is pure, simple, and sweet. And the Savior's birth story is like poetry to me.
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all athe world should be btaxed.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is calledaBethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the binn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the agloryof the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you agood tidings of great bjoy, which shall be to all people.
12 And this shall be a asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
A quick run-down of Hawaii
I've found that if I let much time pass after something happens, whatever I write about it on my blog is pretty bland. So I'll just briefly share some of my favorite pictures from our trip to Hawaii.
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| Penny enjoyed playing with the olives at our Thanksgiving dinner. I don't remember her actually eating any, so there is hope for her, yet. |
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| We found this strange looking, three horned fellow in the garden. He's holding a Jackson chameleon. |
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| I thought he was pretty cool looking |
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| We all shared a room during the trip, and the two girls shared a fold-out bed. A couple nights we found them snuggling together, and whether it was intentional or not, made my heart melt. |
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| I don't remember the situation for Naomi's nakedness, but we hung her swim suit on a tree and designated it our pirate flag. After several people walked by and commented, "How cute!" or took pictures, we decided we had better do the same. |
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| Penny made a zillion sand angels. |
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| This was at the very end of our trip. I'm just as pasty as they make 'em. |
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| Naomi is simply delightful-- more and more so every day. |
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Christmas stockings for Chinese New Year
My cousin, Vanessa, is hosting a give-away called "Knock Our Stockings Off" on her blog. She has created a fun, funky Christmas stocking pattern, and if you make it and post it before December 14, you can enter to win a stack of cute fabric.
So last week, after I packed everything for our trip, I got going on my stockings. Here is the mostly-finished-but-needing-embellishment version:
One time I went to the fabric store in America and met an older Chinese woman. She was wearing a SPARKLY, BRIGHT green blouse she had made from St. Patrick's Day shamrock fabric. She was pointing to her blouse and asking the store clerk if they had any more of that fabric. It was hilarious!
Now that is me. Happy Chinese New Year Christmas, everyone!
But I love it. I'll be that crazy American woman at the fabric store, and I don't really care.
One of the reasons I'm mentioning this today is that Vanessa is having a sale on her patterns. You can enter a code and get 40% off, both on her Twinkle Toes Christmas Stocking pattern, and on a bunch of other patterns.
So... if you need to make cute little elf-toed stockings for Christmas, there's still plenty of time. Head on over and pick up the pattern! And then enter the give-away for even more fabric!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Conversations
Waiting in line at the Seoul Airport:
Kevin: Wow, your skin is so white it's practically glowing!
Me: What?! (scoffs) Thanks!
Kevin: Hey, we're in Asia. That's a compliment!
Today in the car:
Me: I bet after two weeks in Hawaii I'll still be the whitest person on the island.
Kevin: No, I'm sure we'll see some 60-year-olds get off a cruise ship with whiter legs than you.
(We drive past a rather pasty retired couple.)
Kevin: Hmmmm... maybe not.
Today at the beach:
Naomi: (playing in sand) "Mess. Mess. Toes. Hands. Mess."
Penny: (after getting a good faceful of ocean) "This water is NOT GOOD."
Monday, November 19, 2012
I love Korea
Our flight from China to America started with a flight on Korean Air. We knew it would be good when, instead of grimacing and muttering when they saw our children in tow (like certain American airlines), the stewardesses brought our kids some cute little toys, then handed me a plastic bag with a pile of napkins-- all with a smile! And you know what? We DID have a nice flight.
Awesomer!!
We ventured toward our gate, and when we got to our ticket transfer counter, the lady told us that, "I'm sorry. Your Delta flight is being flown by Korean Air."
Sorry? No way! We were overjoyed!!
We made our way to a play area:
The play place had a giant TV hooked up to a Wii, which if our children were older, we totally would have used!
And right next door were the FREE SHOWERS. Other airports have showers. Tokyo. London. Whatever. But these were free! Towels, soap, etc.? All provided. And it was really nice! Not nasty at all. (Although, after living in China, we are easily impressed!) Kevin decided to go relax in the shower, but by the time he got there, 5 other people were waiting in line before him, so he ditched that idea. (Plus, we had only been traveling for a couple hours at this point. Not exactly a 17-hour day or anything.)
Outside in the waiting area, there were funky lounge chairs, kind of W-shaped, or N-shaped. You could lie down, stretch out, and even fall asleep on these bad boys. And since we were up in the mezzanine, the loud airport noise couldn't be heard.
We got smoothies at Smoothie King, after a friend's recommendation:
Kevin got mango, the girls each got apple, and I got blueberry, because you can't go wrong with a blueberry smoothie, right? Um... wrong. But after one of the girls spilled mine on the floor, I just tossed the rest and finished the apple smoothie(s). I would never have guessed it, but the apple ones were by far the best!
Then came the real treat: a 3.5 hour layover in the Seoul Incheon airport. We planned our layover to be as short as possible, but in hindsight, that was kind of a mistake. The Seoul airport is AWESOME! Seriously, if you ever have to have a layover in Asia, try to aim for Seoul. The first thing I heard when I walked off the plane was "Gangnam Style" playing on someone's cell phone or in a distant shop. Awesome! But then in the main terminal as we headed toward our gate, we encountered this:
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| Is that a string/flute/piano ensemble IN THE AIRPORT? America, we need to step up our class! |
We ventured toward our gate, and when we got to our ticket transfer counter, the lady told us that, "I'm sorry. Your Delta flight is being flown by Korean Air."
Sorry? No way! We were overjoyed!!
We made our way to a play area:
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| Trampolining with some Indian-American kids |
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| An awesome swinging gate guarding the entrance to their cave (complete with spider) |
And right next door were the FREE SHOWERS. Other airports have showers. Tokyo. London. Whatever. But these were free! Towels, soap, etc.? All provided. And it was really nice! Not nasty at all. (Although, after living in China, we are easily impressed!) Kevin decided to go relax in the shower, but by the time he got there, 5 other people were waiting in line before him, so he ditched that idea. (Plus, we had only been traveling for a couple hours at this point. Not exactly a 17-hour day or anything.)
Outside in the waiting area, there were funky lounge chairs, kind of W-shaped, or N-shaped. You could lie down, stretch out, and even fall asleep on these bad boys. And since we were up in the mezzanine, the loud airport noise couldn't be heard.
We got smoothies at Smoothie King, after a friend's recommendation:
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| Naomi holding her treasure |
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| Penny climbed and played and drummed on these little stools, then she just kicked back and sang to herself for a while. |
And then on our flight to Hawaii, the girls fell asleep at the beginning with only minimal (less than an hour) of fussing, and they slept the rest of the 8-hour flight. I worked on my cross-stitch, watched "What to Expect When You're Expecting," and reveled in the fact that-- for the first time in over three years, I got to do something besides fuss over children during a flight! Wahoo!
Korean Air, Korean airport, and by extension, all of Korea, THANK YOU for being amazing! Kevin has now decided he wants to serve in Korea, and we love everything about you so far!
I'm excited for the rest of our trip, of course. Thanksgiving with family in Hawaii will be marvelous. But please indulge me as I relish the fact that the most painful part of the trip was actually quite mostly painless.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
I am so cool
There's a whole row of restaurants across the street from our apartment. I've only been to two of them, and when I didn't want to make dinner tonight, I decided to just order take-out. One of them is called "Nine Cows," and that's where I decided we'd get our dinner.
I walked in, and the hostess asked, "How many people?"
I told her, "I'd like to order take-out."
She gave me this incredulous look. "Really? Take-out? You want to have hot-pot to-go?"
Um....... no. I guess that wouldn't work so well. (Hot-pot is where you sit at a table with a pot of soup in the middle. You throw a bunch of meat and vegetables in the soup, then everyone fishes them out to eat. It's like fondue but good for you. Not sure how you'd exactly bring that home.)
The hostess was really nice and tried to help me save face. "I guess you could order some meatballs or something...."
I smiled and edged my way out the door.
So, I visited two more of the restaurants last night.
I walked in, and the hostess asked, "How many people?"
I told her, "I'd like to order take-out."
She gave me this incredulous look. "Really? Take-out? You want to have hot-pot to-go?"
Um....... no. I guess that wouldn't work so well. (Hot-pot is where you sit at a table with a pot of soup in the middle. You throw a bunch of meat and vegetables in the soup, then everyone fishes them out to eat. It's like fondue but good for you. Not sure how you'd exactly bring that home.)
The hostess was really nice and tried to help me save face. "I guess you could order some meatballs or something...."
I smiled and edged my way out the door.
So, I visited two more of the restaurants last night.
Monday, November 05, 2012
Let the whining begin!
I am excited for the election to be over. I am intensely grateful for the chance we Americans have to participate in our country's selection of leaders, both on a national and a local scale. And I hope that this gratitude makes me work harder for my country, whatever small corner of influence I might have.
When it all comes down to it, I'm not going to let the country's selection of a President, whether it be Mitt Romney or Barack Obama, determine my personal happiness. I hate to see that it makes people become so angry at each other, and that anger makes us closed-minded.
There is a quote that a couple friends posted on facebook that I've posted several times in the last few weeks. I want to remember it often, as it helps me remember that I need to soften my heart.
"John Wesley wrote in his journal Oct. 6, 1774:
I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: And, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side."Not having read John Wesley's journal myself, I can't claim with 100% surety that this is directly what he wrote. I read it on the internet. But either way, I support this sentiment 100%.
Based on polls that show the two presidential front-runners neck-and-neck as they charge forward to Tuesday's election, it seems like 50% of Americans will feel like they lost this election. And I'm sure most of that 50% will use it as an excuse to whine and complain. And swear they are moving to Canada.
50% of our family will whine and complain after the election is over. But that is because they are toddlers. They whine about everything anyway. The grown-up half of our family has decided that whatever the outcome, we will support that which is good. Constructive criticism and conversations about issues can be productive. Whining and blaming are simply complaining. And that's when we send the kids to their rooms.
Oh, and however the election turns out, I'm moving to Brazil.
So there!
When it all comes down to it, I'm not going to let the country's selection of a President, whether it be Mitt Romney or Barack Obama, determine my personal happiness. I hate to see that it makes people become so angry at each other, and that anger makes us closed-minded.
There is a quote that a couple friends posted on facebook that I've posted several times in the last few weeks. I want to remember it often, as it helps me remember that I need to soften my heart.
"John Wesley wrote in his journal Oct. 6, 1774:
I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them, 1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: 2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against: And, 3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side."Not having read John Wesley's journal myself, I can't claim with 100% surety that this is directly what he wrote. I read it on the internet. But either way, I support this sentiment 100%.
Based on polls that show the two presidential front-runners neck-and-neck as they charge forward to Tuesday's election, it seems like 50% of Americans will feel like they lost this election. And I'm sure most of that 50% will use it as an excuse to whine and complain. And swear they are moving to Canada.
50% of our family will whine and complain after the election is over. But that is because they are toddlers. They whine about everything anyway. The grown-up half of our family has decided that whatever the outcome, we will support that which is good. Constructive criticism and conversations about issues can be productive. Whining and blaming are simply complaining. And that's when we send the kids to their rooms.
Oh, and however the election turns out, I'm moving to Brazil.
So there!
Friday, November 02, 2012
New treasures
I was unaware of this for the longest time, but apparently (so it seems) authors didn't stop writing children's books when I became too old for them. Who knew?!
I've found a few ABSOLUTE WINNERS in some (relatively) recent publications, and I just have to share them with somebody. Or a few somebodies. Consider yourself lucky.
Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson
There's a children's playroom in our apartment building, and they recently remodeled, adding (among other things) a bookshelf full of books! Most of them are pretty average (bear goes to sleep and all that). But this one is great! It has a fun rhythm and rhyme that make it so fun to read aloud. The story is funny, and the kids like it almost as much as I do!
Now that I've established myself as an over-analyzer, I just want to mention that it's kind of a retelling of the Bremen Town Musicians. Okay, nerd note over.
One Ted Falls out of Bed, also by Julia Donaldson
It's a counting book, but barely noticeably so. It's a little story of a bear who falls out of bed, and all the little toys work together to put him back in. In its small, simple way, it's pretty funny. Penny likes the part where (spoiler alert) the balloons pop.
This is another one from our playroom. I think I might just like everything Julia Donaldson has written.
Fancy Nancy, by Jane O'Connor
I didn't think I'd be a fan of a big, pink book with a girl who likes to wear sparkles and accessories. But it's not about dressing up as much as it's about a family loving their little girl, loving her sparkles and frill obsession, and loving her without them as well.
There's a whole series of these books, but I've been more impressed by the first one than the sequels.
Little Babaji, by Helen Bannerman
One of our favorite stories my dad used to tell us growing up was called "Little Black Sambo." It's a story of a little boy who lived in India and had some fun dealings with tigers. And eventually pancakes. I loved hearing it best of all at Grandma and Grandpa's farm, where there was jungle tiger wallpaper in the room where we slept. But you can't have a story called "Little Black Sambo."
Helen Bannerman wrote this story in 1899, but more recently it has been republished with more polite, more India-accurate names. The rest of the story is delightful, and I'm happy to have found it!
Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon
When I was doing my student teaching, there was one day when I was just observing the other teacher. And the students were taking a test or something. So I just sat in the back and read some of her books. This was one of them. I haven't read it with Penny yet; I think she'll enjoy it more when she's a bit older. But it's really cute and really funny. The pictures are beautiful, and so realistic that it makes it even funnier when the birds try to be bats and the bats try to be birds. The story's great, and the moral of the story is great. You can't go wrong with that!
I wish these had been published when I was a child! What new books have you found and loved?
I've found a few ABSOLUTE WINNERS in some (relatively) recent publications, and I just have to share them with somebody. Or a few somebodies. Consider yourself lucky.
Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson
There's a children's playroom in our apartment building, and they recently remodeled, adding (among other things) a bookshelf full of books! Most of them are pretty average (bear goes to sleep and all that). But this one is great! It has a fun rhythm and rhyme that make it so fun to read aloud. The story is funny, and the kids like it almost as much as I do!
Now that I've established myself as an over-analyzer, I just want to mention that it's kind of a retelling of the Bremen Town Musicians. Okay, nerd note over.
One Ted Falls out of Bed, also by Julia Donaldson
It's a counting book, but barely noticeably so. It's a little story of a bear who falls out of bed, and all the little toys work together to put him back in. In its small, simple way, it's pretty funny. Penny likes the part where (spoiler alert) the balloons pop.
This is another one from our playroom. I think I might just like everything Julia Donaldson has written.
Fancy Nancy, by Jane O'Connor
I didn't think I'd be a fan of a big, pink book with a girl who likes to wear sparkles and accessories. But it's not about dressing up as much as it's about a family loving their little girl, loving her sparkles and frill obsession, and loving her without them as well.
There's a whole series of these books, but I've been more impressed by the first one than the sequels.
Little Babaji, by Helen Bannerman
One of our favorite stories my dad used to tell us growing up was called "Little Black Sambo." It's a story of a little boy who lived in India and had some fun dealings with tigers. And eventually pancakes. I loved hearing it best of all at Grandma and Grandpa's farm, where there was jungle tiger wallpaper in the room where we slept. But you can't have a story called "Little Black Sambo."
Helen Bannerman wrote this story in 1899, but more recently it has been republished with more polite, more India-accurate names. The rest of the story is delightful, and I'm happy to have found it!
Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon
When I was doing my student teaching, there was one day when I was just observing the other teacher. And the students were taking a test or something. So I just sat in the back and read some of her books. This was one of them. I haven't read it with Penny yet; I think she'll enjoy it more when she's a bit older. But it's really cute and really funny. The pictures are beautiful, and so realistic that it makes it even funnier when the birds try to be bats and the bats try to be birds. The story's great, and the moral of the story is great. You can't go wrong with that!
I wish these had been published when I was a child! What new books have you found and loved?
Rediscovering some of my favorites
Children's books stay with you in a way that no other literature does. At least, for me that has been the case. I loved (loved, LOVED) reading as a child, and now that I'm a mom, I'm finding the same joy in reading some of my childhood favorites to my own kids.
So, in no particular order (well, in the order I thought of them), here are some of my favorite childhood books now making their appearance in a second generation of book lovers:
Go, Dog, Go! by P.D. Eastman
I remember my parents reading this to me, and I remember reading it to myself when I got older. I read it to my little brother and to a little girl I babysat, and now I am happy to read it a million times to my own kids.
I love how there's something fun or funny in every picture. I used to like tracing the maze that the dogs go through. I thought it was funny that the dogs' cars had crashed. And I could pore over the final dog party for ages (well, childhood ages). We always loved the pages where the dogs would say, "Do you like my hat?" and, "No, I do not. Goodbye!" But my mom would usually skip those. Now that I'm old enough to over-analyze things, I guess it is kind of sexist that the girl dog should want the boy dog to like her because of her hat. But we read it anyway. And speaking of over-analyzing things, it stands out to me as VERY American that each of the dogs drives his OWN car to the big dog party at the end. If it were a Chinese book, they would have taken the bus. (And all the dogs would be Shih-tzus.)
Flap Your Wings! also by P.D. Eastman
I just think this is a really funny story about an alligator who hatches in a bird's nest. If I ever have to teach an English class about the parts of a story (beginning, rising action, climax, etc.) I would be smart to use this book. But that's the nerd side of me talking again. She should can it for a second.
I memorized this book well enough that on our last vacation, I could just tell Penny the story practically word for word while we drove in the car.
Goodnight, Moon
Who doesn't love Goodnight Moon? For several months after giving away our cats, I couldn't read the page about the "two little kittens and a pair of mittens" without crying.
Dr. Seuss's ABC
The most overdone children's books are counting books and ABC books. But there must be so many because of the catchy, cute, successful ones like these. I remember reading this when I was little, and I could never quite remember how to read "ceiling." My favorite pages now are X, Z, and probably S.
I am a Bunny, by Ole Risom
For the longest time I had been looking for this book. But all I could remember was that it was tall, had a bunny under a toadstool on the cover, and had a page about butterflies. When my mom would read this to me, I'd always have to stop on the butterfly page and choose which one was the most beautiful that day. All the pictures are just exquisite and sweet. I don't know if Penny loves it as much as I did, but I certainly love reading it to her!
How about you? Which children's books did you LOVE as a child and now LOVE reading to your own kids?
So, in no particular order (well, in the order I thought of them), here are some of my favorite childhood books now making their appearance in a second generation of book lovers:
I remember my parents reading this to me, and I remember reading it to myself when I got older. I read it to my little brother and to a little girl I babysat, and now I am happy to read it a million times to my own kids.
I love how there's something fun or funny in every picture. I used to like tracing the maze that the dogs go through. I thought it was funny that the dogs' cars had crashed. And I could pore over the final dog party for ages (well, childhood ages). We always loved the pages where the dogs would say, "Do you like my hat?" and, "No, I do not. Goodbye!" But my mom would usually skip those. Now that I'm old enough to over-analyze things, I guess it is kind of sexist that the girl dog should want the boy dog to like her because of her hat. But we read it anyway. And speaking of over-analyzing things, it stands out to me as VERY American that each of the dogs drives his OWN car to the big dog party at the end. If it were a Chinese book, they would have taken the bus. (And all the dogs would be Shih-tzus.)
I just think this is a really funny story about an alligator who hatches in a bird's nest. If I ever have to teach an English class about the parts of a story (beginning, rising action, climax, etc.) I would be smart to use this book. But that's the nerd side of me talking again. She should can it for a second.
I memorized this book well enough that on our last vacation, I could just tell Penny the story practically word for word while we drove in the car.
Who doesn't love Goodnight Moon? For several months after giving away our cats, I couldn't read the page about the "two little kittens and a pair of mittens" without crying.
The most overdone children's books are counting books and ABC books. But there must be so many because of the catchy, cute, successful ones like these. I remember reading this when I was little, and I could never quite remember how to read "ceiling." My favorite pages now are X, Z, and probably S.
For the longest time I had been looking for this book. But all I could remember was that it was tall, had a bunny under a toadstool on the cover, and had a page about butterflies. When my mom would read this to me, I'd always have to stop on the butterfly page and choose which one was the most beautiful that day. All the pictures are just exquisite and sweet. I don't know if Penny loves it as much as I did, but I certainly love reading it to her!
How about you? Which children's books did you LOVE as a child and now LOVE reading to your own kids?
Thursday, November 01, 2012
Hitting resolved
I talked to Penny's preschool principal the next day after Penny talked to me about the hitting. I told the principal what Penny had told me and asked her what the teachers usually do to discipline the children when they misbehave. She is a very kind woman, and she sounded legitimately concerned. She assured me that in the 10 years she had worked there, they had never had a teacher hit a child, and it was something they definitely didn't allow. She would talk to Penny's three teachers and see what the situation was.
Now I've worked with kids and I know that even when they tell you the truth, it might not be the whole situation. I remember kids telling the counselors things at the day camp where I worked, and sometimes we would have to tell them, "Maybe that's not something your mom or dad wants you to tell everyone at camp." The one I remember the most clearly was when one little girl explained to us that her "mom has a boyfriend, but only at night." Of course we thought it was hilarious, and it could have been possible that her mom was the town harlot. But it also could be just a misinterpretation. I really have no idea. But kids sometimes have their own perspective.
One time we had a counselor hit a kid. Right after it happened, the counselor came and told me about it. His eyes were wide, and he was obviously horrified by what he'd done. And if we left it at that and let the kid go home and tell his parents that part of the story, it does sound like we were the worst ever. But then he told me that this little boy had come up and-- without warning-- punched him in the stomach. So his reaction was to swat/shove the boy away. We talked to the kid about how his human jungle gym of a counselor wasn't invincible, and he had to be more gentle with him. We also talked to the parents about it when they came to pick him up.
And that's how we handled it in America.
I took Penny to school yesterday, and Penny's teachers talked to me. I understood most of what they said, and then I filled in the blanks with what I thought they meant. So the story I got was that there is a little boy in Penny's class who likes to touch Penny's cheeks. When the teacher reached over to get this boy's hands off Penny's face, she accidentally whacked Penny in the face.
How do I feel about this? Well, I give it a 50% chance of being true. If this is really what happened, then that's fine. If the teacher really did slap Penny, then this is also what I would expect them to tell me. So I still don't know.
But I do know that they don't allow hitting the kids, and it's not something they regularly do for discipline. I asked what they do in a normal situation, and a teacher told me that they stop the child and then talk slowly with them. Or if they need to, they'll take the child to the side of the room and talk to them there. But they never hit the children. And the teacher reassured me that they all really like Penny. They would never hit her.
And I believe them. I don't know what really happened that day, but I feel confident that they have addressed my concerns. Whatever happened that day, they'll be more careful in the future. And I think they'll be more likely to talk with me when I pick Penny up if there has been any sort of incident, large or small.
For now, that's probably the best I can do.
Now I've worked with kids and I know that even when they tell you the truth, it might not be the whole situation. I remember kids telling the counselors things at the day camp where I worked, and sometimes we would have to tell them, "Maybe that's not something your mom or dad wants you to tell everyone at camp." The one I remember the most clearly was when one little girl explained to us that her "mom has a boyfriend, but only at night." Of course we thought it was hilarious, and it could have been possible that her mom was the town harlot. But it also could be just a misinterpretation. I really have no idea. But kids sometimes have their own perspective.
One time we had a counselor hit a kid. Right after it happened, the counselor came and told me about it. His eyes were wide, and he was obviously horrified by what he'd done. And if we left it at that and let the kid go home and tell his parents that part of the story, it does sound like we were the worst ever. But then he told me that this little boy had come up and-- without warning-- punched him in the stomach. So his reaction was to swat/shove the boy away. We talked to the kid about how his human jungle gym of a counselor wasn't invincible, and he had to be more gentle with him. We also talked to the parents about it when they came to pick him up.
And that's how we handled it in America.
I took Penny to school yesterday, and Penny's teachers talked to me. I understood most of what they said, and then I filled in the blanks with what I thought they meant. So the story I got was that there is a little boy in Penny's class who likes to touch Penny's cheeks. When the teacher reached over to get this boy's hands off Penny's face, she accidentally whacked Penny in the face.
How do I feel about this? Well, I give it a 50% chance of being true. If this is really what happened, then that's fine. If the teacher really did slap Penny, then this is also what I would expect them to tell me. So I still don't know.
But I do know that they don't allow hitting the kids, and it's not something they regularly do for discipline. I asked what they do in a normal situation, and a teacher told me that they stop the child and then talk slowly with them. Or if they need to, they'll take the child to the side of the room and talk to them there. But they never hit the children. And the teacher reassured me that they all really like Penny. They would never hit her.
And I believe them. I don't know what really happened that day, but I feel confident that they have addressed my concerns. Whatever happened that day, they'll be more careful in the future. And I think they'll be more likely to talk with me when I pick Penny up if there has been any sort of incident, large or small.
For now, that's probably the best I can do.
Monday, October 29, 2012
My teacher hit me
I finally read one of the weekly notes Penny's preschool sends home, and it asked for each parent to make some play-dough and send it to school with their student. I had some on hand, so I am pretty proud of myself for remembering to send it.
So tonight when I was getting Penny ready for bed, I asked her, "So, did you play with play-dough today at school?"
She looks up at me and says, "My teacher hit me," and points to her cheek.
I tried not to put any words in her mouth while I asked her what happened-- which is not easy with a 3-year-old. But from what I understand, while they were playing with playdough, her teacher slapped her on the face, and then while she was crying, another teacher gave her "star candy" to help her feel better.
I don't know why. Penny doesn't yet understand "why" or "because," and this isn't the first time I wished she could explain those concepts.
I'm going to talk to the principal tomorrow. I want to know what happened. I want to know what their discipline system is. What are the usual consequences for a child misbehaving (or in Penny's case, probably being stubborn about something)? I want them to know that there is no situation that calls for their hitting my child.
Having said that, I do have to admit that I have spanked Penny before. I spank that little butt when it runs out into traffic or something else quite dangerous. I've slapped her hands when she touched something she shouldn't have. I've spanked her on MY bad days, and those are the ones I regret.
I'm American, though, and I think that corporal punishment doesn't belong in schools, and especially preschools. I know it happens in Chinese schools, and I think I remember it happening in my classroom once. I was teaching some middle schoolers, and I think the other teacher roughly took a kid out of the room, if I remember rightly. But Penny's school needs to know my standards. I've recommended this school to other friends, and they need to understand that none of us tolerate that kind of discipline.
And if they don't step it up, then Penny doesn't need to be subjected to this just to learn some Chinese. We can just have Chinese friends over for playdates at our house, if needs be.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Let's. Learn. En. glish.
Everyone in China wants their child to learn English. I'm pretty sure it starts in utero-- like how we play Mozart to our children in the womb, Chinese parents play English tapes. Probably. It starts early.
So I went to the bookstore today. (I didn't find what I was looking for, fyi.) There are always nice displays of various English-learning programs for kids. Last time there was a video playing with some native English speakers introducing their DVD set. Holy cow, it's embarrassing! They were some greasy college guys-- the kind that you know are just in China to bum around for a few years, teach a little English for money, and drink a lot of cheap beer. At least they could have showered and gotten dressed before going to work on video day, though! Americans are slobs. Thanks for reinforcing that stereotype, guys!
Today's display was even better. Right when you walk in the store, they have some kids' cartoons playing. I watched for a while, and they were actually old Disney movies, with Goofy and the gang. But it had been dubbed over in reeaaallllyyy sssllllooooowwww, carefully enunciated, monotone English. It hurt me to watch it. But I couldn't tune it out! Goofy finds a wanted poster nailed to the tree, then turns to the audience and says, "Gggooosshhhh. A. Rrrrooooobbbbbbbbbbeeerrr." (But 10x more robotic than you just read that.) It was very clear. The enunciation and diction were beautiful. The native American accent was impeccable. But why would you want your child to learn to taaaaaalk. liiiiike. thaaaaat. And why would your kid want to watch that?
It was so stupid! Kids don't learn language by hearing slow, careful diction. They learn the inflection along with everything else! That's why parents instinctively use a wider range of tones when talking to small children (and pets) than when talking to adults. That's why my kids have better Chinese tones than I do!
And that's why they should have paid their actors more. "Okay guys, twice the money, and now this time, use INFLECTION!"
People should ask my opinion more often.
So I went to the bookstore today. (I didn't find what I was looking for, fyi.) There are always nice displays of various English-learning programs for kids. Last time there was a video playing with some native English speakers introducing their DVD set. Holy cow, it's embarrassing! They were some greasy college guys-- the kind that you know are just in China to bum around for a few years, teach a little English for money, and drink a lot of cheap beer. At least they could have showered and gotten dressed before going to work on video day, though! Americans are slobs. Thanks for reinforcing that stereotype, guys!
Today's display was even better. Right when you walk in the store, they have some kids' cartoons playing. I watched for a while, and they were actually old Disney movies, with Goofy and the gang. But it had been dubbed over in reeaaallllyyy sssllllooooowwww, carefully enunciated, monotone English. It hurt me to watch it. But I couldn't tune it out! Goofy finds a wanted poster nailed to the tree, then turns to the audience and says, "Gggooosshhhh. A. Rrrrooooobbbbbbbbbbeeerrr." (But 10x more robotic than you just read that.) It was very clear. The enunciation and diction were beautiful. The native American accent was impeccable. But why would you want your child to learn to taaaaaalk. liiiiike. thaaaaat. And why would your kid want to watch that?
It was so stupid! Kids don't learn language by hearing slow, careful diction. They learn the inflection along with everything else! That's why parents instinctively use a wider range of tones when talking to small children (and pets) than when talking to adults. That's why my kids have better Chinese tones than I do!
And that's why they should have paid their actors more. "Okay guys, twice the money, and now this time, use INFLECTION!"
People should ask my opinion more often.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Naomi: she speaks!
Naomi is learning how to talk at such a speed that by the time I resolve to write down her cute little words, she's already moved on to new ones. Agh! And now, in addition to saying her own words, she'll repeat everything we say to her, so it's impossible to know which words are hers or ours. I would ask her to slow down, but it's just so exciting!
Right in time for Halloween, she can say "Danding" (candy). There are Lifesaver mints in a bowl down in our breakfast room, and every morning after breakfast, she goes and grabs some to distribute. And she eats several.
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| She's thrilled with her badminton skills. |
She has an amazing sense of when people are leaving, getting ready to leave, or even thinking of getting ready to leave. She'll say, "Bye," and wave. She says this when people are getting off the elevator, and she often adds, "Byebye, dai den" (byebye, zai jian).
She calls dogs "dodo," which is a great mix of English and Chinese. She says "ni hao" and "ayi hao," and for both of them she really closes her mouth around the last "aooo." When she doesn't want me to do something, she'll either yell, "No!" or alternately what I'm realizing is "bu yao!" She learns a lot from her sweet older sister, Deh-deh.
She can finally tell us, "Down," when she wants to get down from her highchair or stroller. If she's holding something and it's hers, she'll tell us, "Meimei de." (That's Chinese.) For a while she was saying, "Mine de" (English and Chinese).
She likes to push the stroller and push her shoes on. For both, she's happy to chime in with, "Push!" When we're sitting down and want to help her put on shoes or her jacket, or when she wants to sit in our laps, she turns around and then backs up into our laps. She'll usually start a foot or two away, but I've seen her turn around and back up from 5 feet away. We're trying to teach her to go, "Beep, beep, beep, beep." I'll let you know how that progress goes.Penny's kind of forgetting to say "please" very much, so we're emphasizing it a lot in our house. I guess it's sinking in somewhere, because if Meimei wants something, she'll sometimes come up to me, arms outstretched, and say, "Peeeeeease."
The baps:
She loves applesauce (bappo). The other day we went apple picking out at an orchard, and now she likes to reach for the tomatoes on my tomato bush: "Bappo!"She likes to wear backpacks: bap-bap. She also likes to play with Dad's iPad: bap-ba.  |
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Magic carpet
Okay, okay. One last post about our trip, and then I'll move on to real life.
One of my grand plans for our vacation was to buy a nice carpet. When you think about the Silk Road, you should probably think of carpets, since it goes right through Persia and all. Kashgar is still a big trading hub for all the central Asian countries, even nowadays where not many people travel by camel caravan anymore. Though we did see a man and a woman traveling by camel at one point. But anyway... Persian rugs.
In Kashgar we went to a few rug shops around town, one by the mosque and another by the bazaar. I love rug shopping! You walk from the busy, loud street into the little shop, and there's a sudden hush. The entryway, floors and walls are covered with carpets, and some even hang from the ceiling. And after all the available space for displaying carpets is used, the rest are rolled up or stacked flat along all the walls. Then the proprietor starts showing you rugs. He just starts on one stack and starts unrolling them and laying them out on the floor for you. They're beautiful. He tells you where each one is from, how old it is, if it's handmade, what it's made from. Each one has a little story. (It seemed like all the old ones were 80 years old. I'm not sure how you'd test that without being an expert-- which I am not.)
At some point, I start feeling bad that so many rugs are piling up and I'm not buying one yet. Once we leave, the owner will have to roll them all back up. But on the other hand, this time I am a real customer. I really do intend to buy one. And this is how you shop for rugs.
I can't really tell the difference between most of the rugs by region. The shops had Uzbek rugs, Iranian rugs (i.e., real Persian rugs-- China still trades with Iran, I guess), Afghan rugs, Pakistani rugs, and Kazakh rugs. There are different designs and different styles, and they're all very beautiful.
Kazakh rugs are quite different from the rest, though. Instead of a woven rug, it was more of a felt quilt. The designs, instead of being woven in, are other pieces of felt appliqueed in place. I don't know enough about it to say if this is always true, but in both the stores we went to, all the Kazakh rugs were this style.
We had kind of given up on actually buying a rug after the first store. But the next day we decided to visit another store-- just to look. The man started pulling out rugs and rolling them out. We told him we might be interested in a long one (for a hallway rather than a whole room). He pulled out rug after rug, and they were nice-- but nothing I could see myself buying or using.
Then he unrolled the magic carpet. It made me sigh out loud, it was so beautiful. Some rugs had been overly bright-- reds and oranges. Some were rather dull-- just neutral colors with other neutrals. They were pretty, but matched nothing in our house. But this one stood out from the rest. It had red and blue, and then the background was white, making the designs stand out. The blue and red flowers were raised and fuzzy, while the white part were tightly woven and lower. It's made of wool, but the fringe is camel hair. (!!!)
It was really long. I thought it would fit our hallway, but Kevin thought it would fit our hallway plus half our living room. Turns out, we were both wrong. It fits our hallway plus about one foot of our living room. I think it looks marvelous.
So yeah, we bought it. The man started by asking 2400 yuan. I'm a terrible bargainer, so it's a good thing Kevin was there. We bargained for a minute, and then his friends came in to bring him lunch. We were offering 1800, and he was asking 2100. But when his friends came in, he just said, "Okay, let's just do 1800. You can have it." I'm sure he was happy with that price and didn't want to haggle in front of his friends. So, we were both happy!
After we got home, I went to Ikea to compare prices. Ikea in China sells Persian rugs-- from Iran. I guess China doesn't have a problem with it, and neither does Sweden. They didn't have anything exactly like this. Ours is handmade, and the ones at Ikea were machine made. One at Ikea that was a similar size, but only about half as long was priced at 9900 yuan.
Um... we scored a deal! (Until you factor in plane tickets, of course....)
So here are the pictures of our lovely rug:
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| Isn't this gorgeous? I kind of want to make a corresponding quilt with red stars and blue sashing or something. You can tell the rug is handmade, partially because the right edge isn't straight. In this picture you can see that it kind of bulges. But as they say, there are no straight lines in nature. Or in handmade stuff. :) |
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| A close-up of one of the flowers. Each flower is a little different and not even quite perfect. But I love that it has handmade personality! And I think that's Naomi's foot. I have a lot of help around the house-- whether I need it or not! |
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| Camel hair fringe! |
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| Room enough for Abu--even elephant-sized Abu! |
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