My Panda

It's kind of a joke that we call ourselves Pandas... because sometimes (since we are foreign) it is kind-of like we are a zoo exhibit.  Point and stare... take pictures of the foreigners.

Well, Wes went to teach class and one of his students said "Now you look like a Panda too"
I wonder, is the approprate response, "I feel like a Panda too" ? 
haha... So when my Panda got home... I had to take this picture!

It's looking better.  This was two days ago... Even since the bruise is almost completely gone and his eye brow is starting to grow back. 

 

A lesson in sharing toys

Today two of my old students (now Junior students) called me and said "Thomas, Edward and I are on our way to your house... is it convenient for us to visit you?"  The Mrs. part of the Thomas always gets left off... so to many of my student... I am "Thomas" and Wes is also "Thomas" ... Makes for a little confusion but we have fun with it. 
Anyways, I said "of course come on over"
We had a nice time chatting about relationships (Edward is having a little bit of "girl trouble")  Getting advice from a girl (me) is priceless :) 
We all sat down to play with Parker for a while.  I put him in his Bumbo and put his toy box in front of him.  He loves to pull out the toys.
Well, Edward and Victor also like to pull out the toys :)
Everytime they would pull out a toy, Parker would snatch the toy from them... play with it for about 1 second ... then throw it on the space in front of him.
Here he is ... You can see his feet are missing... covered by toys... and the little look on his face is "Mommy, these guys are trying to take my toys"

And here... he's defending duckey... moments before... Edward had duckey in his hand but by the time I could snap the photo... P had snatched it. 
Notice the mountain of toys is bigger at his feet. 

So Moms,
How did you teach your children to share their toys?

Our weekend

Wes has a new BFF this year (best friend forever)  Our teammate, Chris. 
Wes and Chris like to play sports together- basketball, soccer, ping pong- just kidding- they don't play ping pong. 
I would say 5 days a week... these two are out on the b'ball courts with countless other Chinese boys. Sometimes we joke about the two of them... but it is really cool that he has a good guy friend.

Like many other days, Wes and Chris went to play on Saturday. 
Below is how Wes came home.

  No, it wasn't a fight... just an overly aggressive (losing the game) Chinese boy with long fingernails. 

It was deep... It was ugly... It was bloody.  It needed stitches.
Chris and Wes headed to Changsha on the high speed train. 
Wes came back looking like this-

10 stiches and a swollen eye

Just a little bruised here.

But the next morning - it was completely swollen shut and a nice shade of purple

He is sore but he is a tough MAN!!  I mean look at that... it will be another scar to add to his list. 

Thankfully it didn't affect his vision or his eye ball. 
For now (per his request) ... we will call him Scar - like from Lion King :)
ROAR :) 
No more basketball for Wes.
His shoes have blown out (two pairs), his eye is black and he cannot come out to play :)

Paci

One paci in my mouth... one in my hands... I LOVE my paci. 
Odd really... P wouldn't even take a paci as an tiny baby... then one day- it was like a new found love.  If he sees it... he wants it. 

Cute

Clapping hands and blowing raspberries
Perhaps it would have been a good video... maybe next time :)

Letter to Sock Monkey

Dear Sock Monkey,
I love you :)
You are so cute.  I like to bit the red ball on your hat. 

You make me smile, even with my paci.

I also like to poke your button eye.

Do you love me?
Check Yes or No

Until I choose another toy,

Parker

Inspiration

 

I'm a BIG BOY!!

"Hey Mom... I don't need to sit in my walker... I can push it" :)

Fun Family Lunches

Recently, our boss has invited us to her home on the weekends to enjoy lunch or dinner with her family. It is so much fun... I even feel a small part of her family.

They have a BEAUTIFUL house in the new developing area of Hengyang.

Here is the front view of the house - it is the most beautiful house I have seen in our city.
Here is the front yard. 

It was a pretty day so we spent a lot of time outside looking at fish

 

Here is Fei Fei (our boss) feeding the fish.  P loved watching all of them swim over for food.

 

A beautiful water display in the pond

 

I don't have any pictures of lunch (but it is the BEST food I have eaten in Hengyang... but we also snack on fruit before lunch.  This past weekend we had a fabulous fruit that is from Thailand.
I haven't seen it in the US... but the English name is Mango Stana.  Here is the outside.

And this is what the fruit looks like

After lunch we took a few group pictures.  P is proudly displaying his new facial expression.  :) LOVE it

Here is the group of us.  The girl in the white dress is Fei Fei's sister-in-law.  She is pregnant ... due June 20.  I am really excited for her.  She showed me all of the baby's clothes.  I even gave her a few things from America for the little one :)

 

Banana Nutella Popsicles

Super Delish
Blend 2 bananas and 2 generous scoops of Nutella (or more depending on your taste)
Freeze in Popsicle trays (yields 4 Popsicles)
Enjoy with a smile :)

Another Day in the Life of P and Me

If it is sunny, P and I normally get out about once a day to go buy vegetables on the alley and sometimes a drink from the tea shop. 
Here is my drink-  Mang Guo Bing (or whole mango blended with ice)
It is super yummy and $1.25

This is the walk from the back gate of our school to the front gate.  One of my previous teammates said "I think this is the prettiest road in Hengyang and we get to walk it every day" 
I completely agree... it is the prettiest street in our city.  Clean, tree-covered... beautiful!

And I am the luckiest person in Hengyang... but I have the cutest walking buddy.  Here is P in the Ergo carrier- smiling up at Mommy :)

After getting some fruit and the delish drink at the front gate, we walk to the back alley.  There is a short cut to get there... but you have to squeeze through a SUPER tiny door-- so tiny even the Chinese turn sideways when walking through.  I decided to gamble that P and I could still fit... I am twice the size with him on my front in the Ergo... but we made it :) 

Can you see how tiny it is... It reminds me at the Grand Canyon how they have some passages called "Fat Mans Misery" :)

Anyways... from here we buy veggies and walk home.  A normal afternoon for P and me :)

Completely Hilarious!!

It is with my husband's permission I post this hilarious story :)  afterall laughing is good for the soul.

This is Wyatt... you have seen him on our blog before.  He is Wes' best friend in China.  Recently, he has moved to be closer to his girlfriend (Sugar)  He is almost finished with college and is a working man (as is custom for Chinese Seniors to focus more of a job than school.)
Anyways, Wyatt came back to Hengyang for one month.  It is so nice to have him back.  One time, we asked him his favorite restaurant in Hengyang and his reply was "Avery's Cooking"  So as normal we invited him over to "Avery's Cooking" :)  After a fabulous lunch, Wes and Wyatt went out to practice some boxing.  About 2 hours later they come back to the house.  Wyatt is limping... not from a punch... but from a huge open sore on his foot (caused by not wearing socks with his shoes)
Here he is soaking his foot :)

Here is my handsome husband.  After boxing, basketball or any sport played in the heat of Hengyang... he comes home dripping.  Shirt always comes off.  He sits at his comptuer to start working on an exam for his students. 
After several minutes of just sitting, talking, chilling etc... Wyatt looks at Wes... shakes his head and say "you are fat." (as an American we would NEVER dream of saying this to someone... but it is completely acceptable in Chinese culture)
HAHAHA  Ok... I think we would ALL agree Wes is NOT fat :)  Wes is consistently telling me he has loss muscle tone... but I wouldn't classify as fat. 

Wes then shows Wyatt his muscles.  Wyatt's reply "you are fat" :)

Love that smile :)

And here I am.  Parker napping on me like a sweet angel.  I am trying to control my extreme laughter.

Wyatt is still doctoring his foot.  Wes says, "Wyatt, let me see your muscles."

He stands up takes off his shirt and say "take a picture of this."
HAHA!!

I bet you never would have guessed that thin looking Chinese guy would have that cut of muscles.
Oh boys and their muscles!!