April 18th

Tuesday our clothes were ready to be picked up from the tailors. Becca wanted to go to to have some alterations done. So Jeanne and I ventured out to the street to get a taxi. First we wanted to go to Nankai University to pick up Becca and then go to the tailors. That is not easy to get across to a taxi driver who doesn't know what you're saying! But we did it and he did it and we got there safely. Jeanne said she'd pay the taxi if I sat in the front seat. She thinks I am her savior! The taxi ride over to the tailors was 26 yuan, the ride back was 13 yuan..go figure.
Anyway, we were very pleased with our clothes! Two of my skirts have to be fixed. They didn't hang straight, but that was the fabric, not the tailors fault. The rest of my clothes are great! I have two skirts and tops that match, two other skirts and 3 other blouses, all for 1000 yuan , about $165.00 U.S. Of course, Dad had a fit, but it's OK. It's not like I bought 20 kites!!
Now he's off to try and buy train tickets for the four of us to go to Xi'an to see the warriors when Lori and Kari come. He tried to buy them yesterday, but he forgot to take the money and then we had a neighbor go back , who speaks Chinese, and they said he couldn't buy them yesterday, so Dad and Joseph are trying today. Let's hope they're successful!
The weather is warming up..70's. and that's nice, but the wind still blows. It is very nice to see some green leaves and grass. And at 5:00 the primary school is out, parents are coming home and all the grandchildren are outside with their grandparents.The babies are so cute!
But not as cute as my babies!
Love you all! Mom XXOO

Can't wait to see the pictures of her "made in China" clothes!!

April 15th

We got back from Beijing today. It was a fun and successful trip. Our District President was called to be a member of the Seventy so we had to rearrange the District presidency. It was a good conference.
Saturday we got up at 6:00am to meet Marv and Becca at the train station at 7:15. We got there on time but Marv called and said they couldn't get a taxi. They wouldn't stop for them. Three times taxis did stop but then wouldn't take them. The train station is about a 20 yuan ride. They finally just got in the taxi and then told the driver where they wanted to go. So we all met and got tickets for the 8:10 train to Beijing.
Becca and I had a 10:00 meeting and Dad and Marv were going to buy a golf club and go shopping at the Silk Mart.We would meet again at the church at 7:00.
Because Becca has neuropathy so bad we were going to take a little longer route to our meeting, because it had less transfers. When you have a transfer you usually have to walk a ways. Well, it had less transfers, but we had to walk a long ways between transfers! We got mixed up a few times. Once a woman told us we were going to go the wrong way so we got off the subway and after it left we realized that we were not on the wrong subway. It only went one direction!
We were told it was a 20 min. walk to the house where our meeting was from the subway stop, or we could take a taxi. Luckily our friend sent a car to pick us up because there were NO taxis to be found at that subway stop! We got to the meeting at 11:10. At least they served us lunch!
Then we got a taxi and went shopping too. We had lots of fun and I spent all my money! We didn't take any more subways, we took taxis.
We had an adult meeting Sat. night for conference and then we spent the night with the Black's. They have 4 children, ages 4-12. He works for the U.S.embassy. They had a beautiful house,even a dog. They move about every 4 years to a different country or to the U.S. The have lived in Nicaragua and Romania recently. I don't think I could ever take my children to live in different countries like that. The children attend International schools and get a good education, but it is such a different type of life.
We had a good meeting this morning and then we were invited to Steve and Alice Quan's for lunch!
She had enough food for an army. We were joined by three youth from our branch, but even the two boys didn't make a dent in the food.
There was a youth fireside tonight but we came home in the afternoon.The subways were really crowded, especially with a suitcase.
...be it ever so humble, there's no place like home.... even if it's our little apartment.
Love you all, beautiful daughters of God and mine. Mom

April 12th

We have District Conference this weekend in Beijing. We'll leave early Sat. morning and get back Sun . afternoon. I have a meeting at 10:00 SAt. Dad has a meeting at 4:00 and then the adult meeting is at 7:00. Then church on Sun. morning. We'll be staying with a family there. They live in an embassy compound with a fence and guards around it. Should be long and fun. I think I'm going shopping with Becca on Sat. between our meetings! That will break up the day. We'll be taking the subway around Beijing. Do you want to take bets on how many times I get us lost?
Love you all! Can't wait to see Lori & Kari!!! Mom XXOO

Happy Easter!

Dad invited a new guy upstairs for Easter dinner and then he thought that he had invited the Boren's but their 2 kids are here. Anyway, he hadn't invited them, but I invited all 4 of them, we had ordered a big ham. Then we invited Jean from upstairs also. So that was eight, we ended up with 13!
Borens' kids decided to go to Xi'an so Dad invited another couple to come and then the kids couldn't get tickets to Xi'an so they stayed on the guest list. And Dad had invited Joseph from upstairs, single, hungry. Then Joseph asked if his girlfriend could come!
As we were getting ready to eat Joseph called to say that a girl from our Branch had had her computer stolen from her backpack while she was waiting for a bus (they unzipped her backpack and took it. Not one of the 30 people around her said anything until it was over) She was a little upset. So Joseph and his girlfriend went to get her and brought her back to our house.
We have seating and plates for eight. So Nelson brought some down from their place and we were fine. We still have lots of ham left, but nothing is left of the mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing or deviled eggs! We had a good time and that's all that counts. Nelson's son said that he didn't expect to eat so well in China. They do have good pork in China, and other things too!
We ate dinner at a restaurant Sat. night. It was really good! It's advertised as a Cuban restaurant. The owner is from Portugal . The food was good and not too expensive. We went with the Ferrrels and Johnsons.
Sacrament was good today. As I listened to Shawn haltingly say the Sacrament prayer in English I was reminded to "always remember Him and keep his commandments". May you hear those words today too and take them into your heart. These are the covenants you renew each week; the same ones you made when you were baptized. These are the promises you made.
Then in Rel. Soc. we heard the words of Pres. George Albert Smith that "eternity doesn't begin after this life but that mortality is a part of eternity." Each day we choose to go towards eternal happiness or eternal disappointment. I hope you're all going in the right direction because I want you to be with me forever!
I Love You so much! Mom XXOO

April 5th

On Thursday mornings there is a great street market, like a swap meet, that we've been to once. Nelson and Jeanne wanted to go so we left this morning at 7:15. I had a map with the market circled on it. But apparently it wasn't circled correctly. The taxi driver signaled for us to get out, so we did. We thought we'd just have to walk a block or two to the market. Not! And guess what? No one spoke English. Surprise! Plus we didn't know the name of the market we wanted to go to. We finally found someone who told us the name and then another woman pointed us in the direction. How many blocks left and then right? Finally a woman had us follow her to the market. We never would have found it by ourselves. It covers several blocks of just jammed packed vendors and buyers. None of us bought anything. I found some really nice beads. I thought they were 2 yuan for the bag of 50. No, they were 2 yuan apiece.Dad offered 50 yuan for the bag. They're still there.
We took a taxi home although Nelson wanted to walk. He walks miles everyday. And we got home about 10:30. It's a beautiful day. Maybe Spring is here! Love you! Mom XXOO

April 4th

Today Dad and I walked to the Water Park. Nelson said that it was just down the street. Yeah! - about 3 miles down the street! And the park is HUGE! There are lots of lakes and amusement rides and a zoo. We wanted to see the zoo because Jeanne had said that it was so great. Although the Humane Society wants to shut it down because the animals aren't housed well. And they're not.
The zoo is on the farthest corner from the entrance. We finally found it, paid our $3.00 entrance fee and eventually found the bears and lions and birds. The bear pit was open and you cannot believe all the food that the people were throwing to the bear!
We were very tired but we couldn't find the exit! We asked about 4 people and we had a map to show them. We finally found it and then we were going to get a taxi to go to a restaurant and eat. There was a man sitting in a van and Dad started talking to him. He offered to take us to the restaurant. He was waiting for his family and they hadn't come out yet. So we let him drive us to a restaurant! Always an adventure! He spoke English and he was very nice.

April 3rd

We took it upon ourselves today to have an adventure.
First I got my hair cut - really cut. But he was having so much fun cutting it! Anyway, it'll grow back. It's probably my last hair cut in China.
Then we took a taxi someplace in Tianjin to see the home of our friend Rachel Yang, from Camas. She grew up in Tianjin and she gave us the address of her home, although we thought we were going to a museum that honored her father. It was in a tourist area and there were lots of homes that were historical. Althouhg they didn't look so great to us.
There was a park nearby that we walked through. People were singing and dancing.These old ladies invited us to dance with them, so we did! We drew a crowd. It was slow Chinese music no "Boot Scootin' Boogie".
Then we left. It was a little hard to excuse ourselves from her. We caught a taxi and came home.
I'm making Jeanne's No Knead Bread. Hers is a nice rounded loaf, mine is a blog about 2 inches high, but it tastes good.
Tonight we've been invited to go to dinner with Paula and Wynn Ferrell a couple from BYU that teach at Nankai University.
When you buy a train ticket you need to show your passport. A few weeks ago Wynn was at the train station but he forgot his passport, so he showed his temple recommend! The lady looked at it, wrote down the number and sold him a train ticket! Always carry your temple recommend!!
Love you all!!! Be good. Mom XXOO

April 1st

Next Wed. is Grave Sweeping Day in China - like Memorial Day. So the government gives everyone 3 days off.. Mon, Tues, and Wed!! Yeah!! Oh, but wait, you need to make up those classes you're missing so they'll be made up Sat and Sun before your "vacation". The freshmen were let off the hook, but I had to teach two classes of sophomores yesterday and today. Dad stayed home and made dinner for us!

I made Chocolate -chocolate chip muffins Sat. I was in a chocolate funk! They were good! I gave some away so I wouldn't eat them all :)

I hope you're all having fun!! We miss you and all your silly antics. Is my kitchen clean? LOVE YOU !!! Mom XXOO