kitchen of love

this was a little family owned restaurant we ate at in China most days for lunch. it was cheap and the closest place to us. just a hop on the bike and in 4-5 minutes you're there.  i have no idea of the name because everything is in Chinese. i'll have to find that out next time i go. 

i was so glad someone had recommended this place to us because i had been living off Lays potato chips and coca cola. not a good diet but it tasted like home. the first time we visited we were unsure what to do but we noticed that the entire menu was up on the wall in pictures. my first immediate thought was, Yes! i'll be able to order food without having to know Chinese!" (we had had trouble before this where we would go to a restaurant and the menu being in Chinese and no pictures so we couldn't eat) I just had to figure out if the dish was spicy and what the ingredients were by looking at the pictures. I always play it safe so i pointed to the dish that looked like it had the least amount of ingredients. plain. i happened to pick a really good dish of rice topped with thin strings of potatoes and some mild spices. It was so good i ordered it every time i went. soon enough the young boy who served us knew my order.

these kinds of places are wonderful to find when you're out traveling. family owned so you know it is going to be unique and well cared for just like the bay in the picture with her mom. she is learning the technique of cooking and being raised in an environment where routines, family, and love are important. 

a baby girl in her mothers arm in the kitchen as she works. i see it as a great moment in their life.

China Bound

Day 1

We are China bound! We had an 18 hour layover in Vancouver, so just enough time to rest and grab a bite. It will be nice to break up the trip this way because rest is much needed since we had a very stressful day getting to the airport and were running off of 3-4 hours of sleep. We are already making an unforgettable journey!

The plane ride from Chicago to Vancouver was a bit bumpy at times but the views were incredible. We gazed out the window with amazement. The land below was full of mountains, rivers, and lakes and its so green. I Love seeing the land from this perspective. You realize how small you really are! I could live on top of the clouds and look over the country forever! There's so much to see. 

We did land safely and had a nice dinner on the river behind our hotel while the sun was setting over the water. We had delicious food including a salad that was so fresh it tasted, smelled, and looked like the chef went to a patch of greens in his backyard and pulled a handful of his land up and threw it in a bowl. True Food in Phoenix has a salad that is just as fresh. I would love to learn the art of making salads like this. I'll put that on my bucket list!

There was a little path between the hotel and the restaurant and we wanted to see what we could while the sun was out so we got a few pictures of the views. I totally love the different kinds of evergreen trees. I wonder what kind of trees, and landscapes we will discover in China?!!

Well, we are extremely exhausted and we have a long flight to Beijing from here in the morning. I hope to keep you updated here on my blog while we are exploring the great country of China. The frequency of updates will depend on our internet access. So come back and visit and keep us in your prayers!

visual fall memories

the trails at Turkey Run state park were meant to be walked on. 

beach treasures

my family and i walked from Elliot's beach to Marina beach. 

along the way we found treasures of sorts and met friendly people.

buried scarves, fish carcasses, and colorful seashells were just of few of our finds.

my favorite part of the walk was when the wind was blowing strong

 and created a thin layer of sand dust over the beach. 

it was so beautiful to watch the flow of the grains over the sand.

resting place

                                            the beach these days have become our resting place.
                         there is a cool breeze that comes off the water and you can get snacks for cheap.

framed- i heart faces photo challenge

     beauty, calm, solitude, winter, light, embrace.
see more entries at I Heart Faces.

thawing out

it has been cold, and icy, and windy here and i am about to pack my bags and move south! i try to stay warm and bundled by staying inside, but my creative juices won't allow for it. today was sunny and my friend invited me to accompany him on a photography project and i wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to use my camera! i was bound to freeze but i needed an adventure.

what did i find?
the land seems to be thawing out and some color pushing through.
the ice is melting and nature is being revealed.
the drab colors are slowly fading away and the warmth of the sun was keeping me bundled!

March is on the horizon!

cloud gazing

have you ever looked up in the sky and was fascinated by clouds?
this is something that happens to me often.
and every time, i find something new!

what are your fascinations?