…and getting into everything!  she’s been rolling around for a while now and is just starting to scoot.  it’s so cute seeing her inch forward, stretch her legs straight and stick her butt up ever so slightly.  but i think i may miss the immobile days. =)

so here is my latest accomplishment in fresh goodness:

homemade yogurt and granola.

i was actually quite surprised and excited to see how easy it is to make both of these.  all those years just buying it off the shelf – who knew it really is quite simple to make on your own.  and it costs a lot less too!

this whole attempt to make yogurt evolved because Kaylah is at the age where yogurt is a good healthy part of her diet.  but the yogurt available here is all very sweet and liquidy (you need a straw to drink it).  no plain, whole milk, thickened yogurt.  so i decided to try it on my own – followed directions from this book, but you can easily find directions online as well.  then as i was reading about how healthy yogurt is, i felt like i should have some myself.  and fresh homemade yogurt is not as tart, which is more to my liking.  but then i thought it would go nice with granola.  hmmm… another rare/nonexistent item to around here.  a quick search on www.allrecipes.com and i whipped up a batch in no time.  hannah loves the granola too – both making it and eating it!

i shared my accomplishments with another foreigner friend in China.  found out she makes her own yogurt too.  and she quickly explained how to make your own cottage cheese and sour cream as well! (variations on the yogurt recipe)  i tried the sour cream recipe a few days ago and it worked as well!  chicken paprikash and baked potatoes this week…

as you can see, i love feet and photographing feet.  and kaylah seems to have quite a fascination with her little piggies too… perhaps it is hereditary?

we ventured out with some of hannah’s classmates to the surrounding countryside to go strawberry-picking.  me and hannah were both excited as we have never picked strawberries before and hannah *loves* strawberries.  and it was a chance to get to know her classmates a little more.
the countryside really is beautiful this time of the year.  the yellow flowers you see are *everywhere*, even in random empty lots and roadsides within the city.  they are from a chinese vegetable called 油菜 (literally translated “oil vegetable”)  how convenient that a staple food also blooms such wonderful yellow flowers.  i soo want to find someone(s) willing to do a photo shoot in one of those fields.  =)
after driving around for 1 1/2 hours (should’ve only taken 20 minutes), stopping literally 15 times to ask for directions, winding along seemingly random unmarked roads that the locals told us to follow… we finally found the place to pick strawberries.  but i did enjoy taking in the scenery along the way. the strawberry picking place was basically just at someone’s home and farmland (no big signs saying “U-pick”).  their house and property had a lot of character and photo-potential, and if i wasn’t toting 2 kids by myself, trying to keep up with 15 other people, i would’ve taken more pictures around their property.   oh wells… if only i could find my way back there, i’d find me a few more someone(s) for another photo shoot.  =)
oh and yes, the strawberries were delish.  i liked how they made my whole car smell of strawberries.

our little one really is our hug machine and we can’t get enough of her.  i can’t believe how quickly she is growing so i soaking in (and squeezing and hugging) as much of her baby-ness that i can.  can you tell she is a happy baby?
i was pleased to get this shot with my girls too, as i spend most of my time on the other side of the camera.  thanks luke for capturing this, and entertaining my obsession of photographing our family.  i will treasure this shot and this stage.    =)

on mondays, i go to the traditional market and load up on lots of fresh goodness.  there are aisles and aisles of vendors selling everything from fresh meat and veggies to live seafood to tofu products to preserved goods, and so on.  while there are many traditional markets that vary in size and items they offer, here is a small glimpse of the one near my house that i usually go to – 三水湾菜场.  the vendors already recognize me and will ask me where my daughters are if i happen to go by myself.

much of the produce selection is seasonal, so i am excited it is currently strawberry season and am loading up on them while they last.  i will say that i have not been brave enough to try everything offered here – such as live frogs or chickens.  (though today i did purchase some live shrimp for the first time…)   but for the most part, i find it quite inspiring to go there.

three major traditions around here include hanging lanterns, eating tangyuan (汤圆), and setting off firecrackers.  i managed to capture 2 of those 3.

for weeks, the city and neighborhoods have been adorned with red lanterns hanging along the streets and buildings.  i love how they brighten up the streets.

also, hannah’s school had a Lantern Festival party, where they got to make some tangyuan themselves.  tangyuan are these balls made from glutinous rice flour.  they can be filled or unfilled, small or large, and usually served in some sweet soup.  hannah loves how they taste.