Fragrant Hills, Taco Rolls, and Evil Balloons

This week was action packed. Or at least the latter half was.
Monday I found out that I'd been nominated as head of the decorations committee (of which I am currently the only member) for the American House graduation ceremony, and a group of managers and I went to check out the location. It's a lovely hotel with a Mayan theme, and the room we chose will suit perfectly. It has a decent size stage, with wings and back entrances so that the kids don't have to run through the audience to get on stage.
Now I just have two months to figure out exactly what decorations we'll use.

Super Husband sighted exhaustion and malaise  (and I'd like to think a little bit of wanting to spend some time with me) and played hooky Tuesday and Wednesday. I cooked at home and he studied and watched Chinese soap operas.

Much of Thursday afternoon was spent planning for Friday's Children's Day celebration, and that meant blowing up copious amounts of balloons. I only got through seven or eight balloons before my previously only mild latex allergy kicked in. I spent the rest of the day repeatedly washing my hands and face, and hoping that reapplication of chapstick would assuage the burning of my lips. It didn't.
So I can never touch a balloon again, apparently. Thankfully other teachers are not so afflicted, and we ended up with over 250 balloons by the end of Thursday.
Friday morning was a hectic blur of tying ribbons (apparently ribbons and streamers are the same thing...? I definitely asked for streamers when I ordered the decorations) hanging balloons, moving tables, and setting up chairs. But by 9:30 all of the parents had arrived and the children were in their costumes for the performances. The Red Lions danced to YMCA (I will not be taking credit for that, their Chinese teacher chose it.) and while I thought they had done better in practices their parents said they were amazing. And really, that's what matters.
After the performances everyone made their way outside for face painting, bobbing for apples, water balloons, egg races, and basketball tosses. It was like a mini-carnival, and the kids had a blast. 

This is Ellen, she's on of the Managers. But mostly this is the only picture taken that shows any of the decorations. 

After clean-up it was time for a little staff bonding, complete with pizza and drinking games. I never lost, and so was spared from having to down large quantities of whiskey.

Saturday we enjoyed a relaxing morning. My usual tutoring session was cancelled because the parents wanted to treat their kids to a school free Children's Day.
In the evening we joined a few friends for dinner at a famous Sichuan restaurant here in Beijing. Both Super Husband and his roommate felt that it was some of the best Chinese food they had eaten in Beijing. After dinner we strolled around the Olympic area, catching glimpses of the Water Cube, and getting quite close to the Bird's Nest. I often forget how close I actually live to the Olympic area, but I could easily ride my bike there if I wanted to. 

On Sunday we lunched on Kraft macaroni and cheese, courtesy of a Christmas present that my parents brought from family in Texas. I will admit to changing the recipe slightly. Instead of milk and butter I mixed the cheesy packet with a cup of plain yogurt,and I also added a cup of spicy baked zucchini slices. All in all I think it was a healthy enough lunch. Especially considering that we spent the next four hours hiking around the Fragrant Hills with the Red Lions. 

It was even lovelier than I thought it would be. Super Husband and I have decided that we need to go at least two more times before the end of summer. 

After trekking along the paths and getting really nice and... I would say sweaty, but I was taught that women only "feel the heat"... So, after feeling the heat we all shuttled over to a Mongolian restaurant where we were celebrating Britney's fourth birthday. 

We had a really lovely meal. Super Husband particularly enjoyed the lamb ribs, and I liked the stewed beef and potatoes with cilantro. They also served "spring rolls", but they were unlike any we'd tried anywhere else. They more closely resembled a taco than what most westerners consider a spring roll. A thick tortilla or pita bread with pieces of sliced lamb, spring onions, chives and lettuce. It was very good, but dry. I'm wondering if maybe we didn't miss a sauce that you put on it,  or perhaps dip it in.
Another interesting aspect of the meal was when the performers asked both Super Husband and me to do a traditional toast. While it didn't involve a speech, it did involve flicking wine from our right ring fingers toward the sky, then the ground, and then dabbing it onto our foreheads, and finally drinking the wine in a single gulp. After we finished those prerequisites we were draped with a silk scarfs,  which we took home.
All in all it was a lovely day, and the birthday girl was more than happy with the turn out.
When we got home we barely had the energy to download the photos from our phones and camera before conking out for the night.
Now it's Monday, and the start to yet another seven day work week. This time we've ameliorated the situation somewhat by adding in fun activities that will teach, while giving the teachers a bit of a break.