Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 30

"Mystery Guest! Guess Who???

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 29

"Exercise is a lot more gratifying if you count what it feel like."
March 17, 1993

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 28

"RRGGH... 5,200!"
March 17, 1993

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 27

"OOF"
March 16, 1993

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 26

A new week. A new style. Since it is so hard to keep Natalie from reading in the morning before school, we found a way to combine it into our daily picture. One of her favorite comics is Calvin and Hobbes. For Christmas last year, Santa Clause brought a set of three books that contain all of the comics (The Complete Calvin and Hobbes if you are interested in your set. However, they weigh about 7lbs each so be prepared!). So, we will pick out a 4 box comic each week and re-enact it. I'll add the date of the strip as well. Friday will include something about that week's strip.  Enjoy!

"RRGGH... 125...."
March 15, 1993

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 25

Last day of our series. New ideas for next week.

"She might not be a spy, but she's as cool as one!"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 24

So we had a minor debate this morning about the use of the word "Might've". First, Natalie didn't agree that this was not a valid contraction (she mumbled something about an auxiliary verb, but I stopped listening). Then after she agreed it was wrong, she said I couldn't/shouldn't correct it when I put it on the blog. That is wasn't truly her caption if I changed it from what she wrote. Little does she know that when I have a misspelled word, Chrome underlines it in red and my brain does not allow me to publish with a known defect. So I had to add to the dictionary. I am not sure how she did it, but she negotiated a change to the English language this morning!

"My imagination might've run away with me."

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 23

Beautiful day outside and we decide to take a picture of the whitewashed wall. And she wore white. And the whiteboard is, well, white. You can't really tell in this picture, but Natalie has her new glasses on. I'll get a better picture soon. She got another pair (Abi Spofford picked them. Abi is 20. The frame reflects that!) but she is still building up confidence to wear them! Why two new pairs? Because they are only $25 a pair here!!

"She's totally FEARLESS!"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 22

Soccer day today. Used to be a day that made Natalie sick to even think of. This year she told me she likes Soccer day. Who can figure out kids? Not I!

"SOCCER DAY!
(I don't care that my classmate is a spy)"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 21

"She carries binoculars everywhere!"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 20

Hair up due to Concordia having lice situation. No, not Natalie. And not sure why I feel compelled to laugh at the fact that the expensive International School we send our child is hounded by the type of situation you normally stereotype at poorer, rural schools. Lesson to be learned there about scourges and how they impact our culture. (sigh... I feel a musing blog post inside but no time today...)

"She keeps a journal of every one she meets."

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 19

Major lens fogging issues today! I even put the camera outside 10 minutes before we were ready to shoot and it still kept fogging up! Must be a hot, humid day in Shanghai!

"She brings COOL Gadgets to school"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 18

Apparently Spies are also acrobats? Who knew...

"She is unbelievably ACROBATIC!"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 17

16 days of school and two of them days off for the kids already. We made it through the Mid-Autumn Festival without overdosing on moon cakes. (Though I did miss Zhong Biao's Haagen Daz moon cakes!) Anyway, the plan for the Daily Picture is not working out the way we had planned. The mini-stories will continue, but our "Stop Action Video" concept not going the way we wanted. I say we, I mean I.  Anyway, we'll get into a creative groove soon. New 'story' this week. 

I am convinced my classmate is a SPY!

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 16

*SIGH* My imagination might have run away with me."

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 15

Great Firewall of China issues yesterday...

"I bet every full moon she turns into a werewolf!"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 14

"She has a keen sense of smell"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 13

"She always brings plastic forks, spoons, and knives"

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 12

I guess she decided to stick with the monster theme. The "take the picture in the same place every day" is not working. Must try a different way next week. I think I will establish a studio downstairs with appropriate lighting.

"But she teaches during the day, so probably NOT a VAMPIRE! But I think I saw some FUR!!"

Chinese Baby Drivers?

We used to joke about drivers in China being "baby drivers" since most families have not been driving for generations. But this takes it to a new level! Highly possible this is faked, but it is awesome, isn't it!

Recipe - Mexican Tortilla Casserole

 As a celebration of getting my refrigerator fixed, I decided to make some comfort food for dinner this week. Being American with no true cuisine classification, our family has comfort dishes from all over the map, literally. But I had extra tortillas (rare occurring situation in Shanghai) and needed to get rid of them. So of course we chose an old favorite, Mexican Tortilla Casserole. This recipe is not light by any means! Though this version is lighter on a few ingredients than the original.

This recipe was actually one of the first recipes I ever learned by taking a cooking class. That had to be 12 years ago? The class was specifically targeted at "casseroles". But not the French "take all day to prepare and cook a dish that is filled with delicate flavors". More of the American "make a recipe that can be turned into mass produced dishes that will go into the freezer". Since Tom and I never seemed to have time to actually cook a meal once we got home, I though this would be a good way for us to have a home cooked meal once in a while. So, about once a quarter on a Sunday, you could find me preparing two or three different casseroles for future eating! I have just recently started doing that here in Shanghai. Freezer space is usually a premium. But since I cleaned everything out, I now have plenty of space.

The recipe can be doubled or tripled. I like to use aluminum pans for freezing casseroles. Reduces the mess and usually takes up less space in the freezer. The downside is the expansion of your green footprint! Either way, make sure you wrap the casserole well. I use a cut piece of waxed paper over the top layer. Keeps the cheese from getting freezer burnt if you can eliminate as much air from your container as possible! When you are ready to cook the frozen casserole, I usually take out of freezer and put into the fridge for the day. Then put into the oven 35-40 minutes before dinner. IF you forget, I have found you can still cook by reducing the heat to 325 and extending the cooking time to closer to 60 minutes. Oh, and I have used this recipe as an appetizer served with tortilla chips!

Enjoy!

Daily Picture Grade 4 - Day 11

"I caught a glimpse of FANGS!"