{Little Miss Sunshine*}

I am in a GREAT mood today.

For all you nay sayers of this progressively cooler weather, I am simply happy to be so far removed from the China summer. My arms and legs are bite free, I'm not currently driven crazy with the unceasing urge to itch or take a shower and I will gladly put on an extra layer, scarf and mittens to not go through that for a LONG time.

I am currently working TWO jobs. One is at the testing center I worked at a couple of years ago. I know the people well, we get along great, it's a mindless and conducive job for multitasking errands and to do lists that have been piling up on me as we work on getting re-established. For example, while doing my job (which I happen to be pretty great at) I also managed to research, call, apply, and get some really fantastic health insurance for Jeff and I - Something that has been a major stressor since before we got back from China.

The second job is what I'm even more excited about. Before we left for China I was working as a companion for an awesome woman who had Down Syndrome. During that time I fell in love with the area of work, and got to know the case managers and what they do. When I got back, I looked up some of those connections, had an interview and am currently working on getting established with a case load of my own. In the mean time, they are also letting me make money helping with billing and expenses, something I had already had experience with while working with them in the past. This is something I have been looking forward to, and honestly what I was really planning on doing when I got back. Everyone has been asking me if I plan on teaching again, and while I still love being in a classroom and working with children, I honestly am so burnt out ( or bitter , as Jeff puts it) with the education system. This new direction I'm taking will allow me to work with the same people that I wanted to work with as a teacher, but with less  different obstacles.  I'm very, very excited about this change.

While I'm not loving having less days off, I am loving being able to come up with enough time to run errands, unpack things around the house, and have dinner cooked before Jeff gets home. Almost every day this week we've been able to enjoy a home cooked dinner together, in our kitchen sitting at our dining table.

Finally, I'm SO relieved to finally have a place of our own that we see ourselves sticking to for a while. I hate moving OH.SO.MUCH. While our apartment still looks a little chaotic with boxes still threatening a hostile takeover, we get a little more done each day, and each day it looks a little more like home. Eventually, when I'm satisfied that it looks worth sharing, I'll give you a tour.

For right now though, I'm satisfied for the daily progress and the little things that keep me upbeat. Tonight, Spiral ham, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, parsley potatoes, and banana pudding.

-Ashley

*Also the name of my lemon of a car. 

{Culinary Wish List}

We eat well for living in China. We really do. We've been blessed by having good friends to leave behind spices and left over pantry items, even better friends who go through enormous efforts to arrange care packages with tastes of home, and an expat rich community that blossoms western style restaurants and groceries so that we can always get a fix if we need it.

That being said... we, as fat people, have had some wanderlust over food lately, especially with the new knowledge that home is only three months rather than another year away. Perhaps it's in poor taste to make a list like this, but I'm doing it anyway. Here's a list of the places and food we're going to be visiting when we get home:

• IHOP - Bacon. French Toast. Sausage. Colorado Omelet. Pumpkin Pancakes with Butter Pecan Syrup. Stretchy Pants.
• Taco Bell - This one is all Jeff. Though I'm sure it will involve the destruction of a lot of tacos. and Mt. Dew. 
• BBQ - Oh so much BBQ. 
• Frozen Yogurt - This one is all me, but it WILL include a girl date and pedicures. 
• Hamburgers - Cheeseburgers. Bacon Cheeseburgers. Monster Thick Burgers. Hugh Jass Burgers. Burgers with burgers on top. Mostly we just miss BEEF. It's so expensive here, so we've only had it a few times. 
• Steak - Medium Rare ( Jeff just gagged... he'll get over it) with a bottle of A-1. It's gonna happen. Grilling in the snow. That's what boots are for.
• Butterfingers - and chocolate. Really. They suck at it here. I don't even like chocolate all that much. 
• Chinese food - Don't laugh. We're serious. The food in China is yummy but NOTHING like your run of the mill drive through/ delivery/ Chinese take-out in America. There will be some OM NOM NOMing of crab rangoon, egg rolls, general tsos chicken, sesame chicken, Mongolian beef, and beef and broccoli.
• Gigi's Cupcakes - and baking in general is going to happen. So much baking. Kentucky's apples and pumpkins better run, we're coming, and we're hungry. 
• Popeyes - This will take a drive to Louisville or farther, but it's going to happen. I never want to see another KFC in my life.
• Fazolis - I miss you, bread sticks. I'm sorry I have forsaken you. I'll be back soon, we'll talk. Johnny Carinos, we'll be seeing you soon, too. Don't leave town.
• Ice - and cold beverages in general. Yes, they exist in China, I will just enjoy the becoming the assumed preference, again.  

Who's up for helping us complete the list / work off the calories afterward?

-Ashley

{Food Triumphs of the Week}

I give you: China's take on the banana split ( I think it's a dragon?), and the best lamb and mashed potatos I have EVER had... and that Jeff stole most of ( order remorse).

{Food Talk - From the mind of Jeff ( and ever so slight edits by Ashley)}

I want to take my turn to talk about the food here. The dumplings are out of this world, the noodles are great, the rice and … well everything is good. Ok, ok you got me, the American food here is not that good, but when you are having a “I need something from home” moment its ok and will do.

We ate at a place called the Spice Spirit, and let me tell you the name said it all… it certainly set my sprit on fire. Of course it didn’t help that I (ignored my wife) and ate a chili pepper that prevented me from eating all my meal. (In spite of my doing that) it was very good even with the heat.  The real draw back to living in a hotel is how much we can’t cook, so we have to eat out all the time. It does get old, but most places we eat are really cheap and a meal for the two of was run about 30-40 rmb.  When I don’t eat out I enjoy a cup-o-noodle from the local mart.  Let me tell you guys that in America we have been misled, the cup of noodles here blow the ones back home out of the water.

I am pleased to report that I have been trying new things. One night Ashley stopped and got some meat on a stick… it tasted like pork but let’s be real I have no clue what it was and he put some curry stuff on it. In the morning you can stop and get this egg bread thing, and flat bread that make one tasty breakfast.  The other night we were craving some ice cream and something from home, so we got some coldstone. They asked Ashley how long it would take us to get ice cream home, she told them 30-60 minutes and they packed it with dry ice… yes I played with it. Don’t judge.

- Jeff

Cupid' got nothing on us.

Some delightful ladies paid me a visit this weekend to help me devour some tasty treats and laugh through French cinema.










I love that I'm starting to feel more at home here, and love sharing my time here with agreeable people.

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