my fruit+veggie market helpers

We got up this morning with our fridge bare. So off to the market we go! The girls enjoy getting out early, and helping me choose the best apples & green beans from the local carts down the street. We are a SIGHT!! ....and we draw a bunch of attention as we walk holding hands, momma and her 3 little chickadees. I really love that we can easily walk 5 minutes down the street for almost any fruit/veggie we might want. Everything is seasonal, so we enjoy things as they come & go. Right now broccoli is getting more scarce (and more expensive) and pineapple season is almost over - but we can find asparagus, mangoes, watermelons and (soon) lots of grapes! We get great produce here, and the girls are enjoying more and more veggies as they get brave. It's wonderful!
Next trip I will try to take some pictures of our favorite veggie stalls and the people we visit almost daily. We really love the family that makes the Uyghur Nan bread for the neighborhood. They are so kind and love to chat.

The weather has been amazingly warm, tho we've been having quite a few dust storms as well. We also enjoyed a few days of rain in the past 2 weeks, which is always a welcome break from the dry weather. I am not sure when Summer will officially hit, but we are definitely enjoying the changes that Spring brings!

the neighborhood chicks

In Spring of '08 we attempted to raise 2 baby chicks in a cardboard box, but that didn't last long. We lost one early on, and the 2nd one we released after 4 weeks into the bushes. I like to think they had a great life, but that's debatable. This Spring we are content watching others' raise their chicks from afar.
The mechanic up on the corner has 6 baby chicks that roam his "yard" while he welds and fixes old taxi's. They eat leftover rice and other scraps that he throws along the sidewalk. I guess it's not a pretty sight, but the girls LOVE visiting the chicks each day when we flag down a taxi on the corner. It's kinda like we have pets without the responsibility. I think Justin is quite happy about that too.

Gotta love the little Spring chickens!!

yogurt lips

I know this post comes from a completely biased standpoint, but dang! This girl is irresistibly cute. She knows exactly how to melt my heart - and she's growing up so fast! She's full of spunk, humor and keeps up with her sisters in grammar & vocabulary!! The amazing things that come out of her mouth don't seem consistent with her age. And here is her favorite snack at the market downstairs - Strawberry Yogurt with a straw (1.5 kuai = 25 cents).

egg-dying bonanza 2009

We searched high and low for some white eggs this year. Most of the eggs we buy here are all brown - so when Justin located an entire box of 48 White eggs, he bought them! We split the box with some neighbors, so it we weren't stuck with a months' supply. Right after the girls posed for this picture, they dropped the heavy box. Amazingly, nothing broke!! They were SO excited to begin the egg dying bonanza....so I began to boil those little white eggs.

Color your eggs with crayon... and pose for a picture

Mark them with an "E"

Choose your favorite color and plop the egg in.

Patiently wait, while you look irresistibly cute.

So many beauties.

Happy Easter!!

making jiaozi .....again!

This week we decided to make some more delicious jiaozi (饺子) - with chicken & veggie filling. We wrapped about 200 of them - and saved them in the freezer for a quick lunch. I guess the process isn't "quick" but well worth the 4 hours of prep time!!

First we chop....chop....chop

Then we knead the dough for the wraps.

Then we roll, fill & wrap for awhile!!

Then we gaze at them with anticipation.

Then we (boil first) devour them with soy sauce & chopsticks!

a walk downtown....

Da Bazaar (大把扎) is the Uyghur centre of our city & a must-see for all visitors!! This part of town is so diverse, and very different from the more central cities of Mainland China. It is the largest retail & wholesale market of ethnic goods too (in Urumqi). The market is always bustling with energy - as people sell handicrafts, food & souvenirs. This market has served as a trading hub for goods across Central Asia for many years. Bargaining is to be expected, and all prices are negotiable!

You can find grilled mutton kebabs, polo (zhua fan 抓饭), hot nan bread, fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice & sliced melons all over. Restaurants & street vendors spill out into the streets, so the smells of food are always wafting your way (which we think is a good thing!).



You can also pose with a native Bactrian Camel (the ones with 2 humps) or take a ride for a small fee. The camels are quite ornery, and are known to bite and spit. This one is still wearing his winter coat.
At many spots along the sidewalk you can find underground walkways that lead to MORE shopping areas below. Wherever we go - we must watch our possessions with care. I hope that won't keep you from visiting tho!!

Chinglish #7

Red Mountain park is the green home of every boby.
Just gave me a chuckle.

Hóng Shān = Red Mountain = 红山

We enjoyed a wonderful visit from friends from America - for an entire week! The kids played for hours upon hours, and we got to share some highlights of our beloved city with them. Despite a nasty stomach flu, the visit was sweet + amazing!! (I think we are all-too-familiar with being sick)
We took them to one of the highest parks in the city - Hóng Shān (Red Mountain). It is a historic park that overlooks a panorama of the city - and it was great weather! The mountain is made of aubergine rock, hence the name Red Mountain. We hiked the stairs, explored the pagoda, and the kids had many pictures taken of them by locals (without many smiles).
All week the kiddos enjoyed exploring, reading, imagining, and bonding with their buddies since birth. I have known J since I was 16, I believe - and now our children are buddies too! I have way too many pictures to share, so here are some highlights:

...and my personal fave....