Mosquito Bandito

Here's the thing. Over the last 9 months we have had a menagerie of different disgusting bugs come parading through our home. The only reason I have refrained from blogging about them is because I have hopes that some of you will come visit. A less selfish person might've just said "because I didn't want to gross you out in case you were eating breakfast" but, this is me after all.

Of all the creepy crawlers, I have found it is the tiniest irritators that are the most rage inducing. Mosquitos. I loathe them. And Taiwan's climate enables Mosquitos to be prolific reproducers. Have I ever mentioned I hate mosquitos? Don't mind if I do.

I think I hated them the normal amount until they started playing dirty and attacking us at night. Like the morning Aly woke up looking like she had a bad case of the Chicken Pox but no, it was just 30+ mosquito bites, twelve of which were on her right upper arm. I was livid. How can you fight something in your sleep?!! It wasn't as if our home was inundated with them, all it takes is a few glutinous suckers to make a smorgasbord out of you while you're out cold drooling on your pillow.

And it's not like I'm stingy about my blood, heck I've given it to the Red Cross plenty of times. I'm just saying if something is going to come suck my blood, can I make a request it be this ^ guy, or maybe one of his brothers? I may not be a "Twihard" but I know a better deal when I see one.

In the mean time I've had to come up with a plan to defend our family. First I tried the "clap!" method. This is where you chase after the mosquito, who, by the way, flies like he spent a little too much time at the Cantina. When you finally get close you *!CLAP!* your hands together and then quickly survey them in hopes you've just made a Skeeter Sandwich.... Dang. Nothin. At least 85% failure rate.

Then theres Nathan's method. I have to share it because, well because I've never seen this technique before and I suspect I know why. He chases the weaving little bugger around the room and all of a sudden with one hand he' ll grab! at the air and then he'll start scrunching up his fingers in his fist like he's trying to pulverize the mosquito in a motion that looks like he's scraping a sticker off his palm with one hand or something. Very unique technique, 100% fail rate so far but it sure does entertain the whole fam watching him employ it.

*I think we both sensed we were overwhelmingly getting owned by something miniscule, so Nathan took action and went and purchased us some weapons. Game on.

It's become a family effort, the kids often spot them first and ring the alarm Beyonce' style. I have good eyes but wow, theirs are better. Anyway, I'll go get the Racket of Death, two if I'm feelin feisty, and we hunt the offender down until we hear the most satisfying *ZAP!* - a sound that gives me a high I could easily become addicted to. Never mind that I just took out a bug that I am roughly 200 x's bigger than, by swinging around a large bolt of electricity. Over kill? I think not. Not when they play dirty and leave behind a reminder of their silent assault for days after they are gone.
These are our battle faces. Don't mess.

A Snail Tale

It might be a little hard to know the real focal point in these top pictures but the kids were insistent I get some shots of them with their new pet snails.
After some unusually cool temperatures this spring the heat, it seems, is finally here to stay. The proof is on Weather.com where it says the current temp. is 91* and with humidity feels like 103*. So we can all call me an idiot for wishing for warmer swimming weather just a few short weeks ago. On the up side the kids are loving immediate access to the pool and I'm loving the new 'motivational' tool I have for them to get their stuff done.
Anyway, I came out to find they had all adopted pet snails which they were quite proud and defensive of.
They had made them each a bed of flower petals,
then jumped back in the pool, content that their new family members were making themselves at home......

Never, have I seen 3 snails move as quickly as these guys did. They must have sensed their minutes would be numbered with my kids.

As sweet as this face is, Iiiiii don't know how much I'd trust it either.

Sometimes, there are no words....

For a kid like this.

Gerber = Gold Bullion???

You are looking at the Gold Bullion of Taiwan. After I discovered the price of baby food here I realized investing in it could be a great way to diversify our portfolio, though not if I intended on feeding it to our son since that would be akin to flushing our money down the toilet.
68 dollars for a stinkin little jar of baby food?! Well, NT dollars anyway but still. That is about $2.15 U.S. on a good day. Granted, a lot of imported foods -and basically much of the food we buy to make our meals- is actually quite expensive but that is a story for another day. When I realized how much I could end up spending in baby food I indulged a slight panic attack before getting my hysteric breathing under control, putting down my brown paper bag and reminding myself that I used to make baby food for Aly so... I can do this... I think.

One of my favorite things here is this little truck. See that cement dome in the back? That is an oven where they cook a couple different kind of potatoes. One or two nights a week Nathan regularly picks up baked sweet potatoes for dinner. They are delicious. Not only that but they are a super food, highest nutritional veggie score thank you very much. Don't believe me? Click here.

Seeing as Ander's favorite food is Sweet Potatoes, this vendor makes it very easy for me to augment (10 points for word usage) his diet with them, with little difficulty.
For as expensive as foods are the produce is actually better, thankfully. I have been steaming and pureeing carrots and green beans etc. for the little guy but as reported before the green beans are not his favorite. If I put a little with the carrots he doesn't gag as often and will eat them without the afore mentioned tears. So, progress?
It does feel good to feed him something that I know is fresh. And nutritious. I save a few jars of baby food for emergency's but it feels good to avoid it with that price tag. One interesting tidbit, Ander does so much better eating with a regular sized spoon. I'm not sure why but it's SO much less messy when I just use a regular spoon. Bonus!
And finally, I am pleased to announce that Ander is going to have a little baby...........tooth! What did you think I was going to say? Ha! Definitely not that. Yes, after literally MONTHS of drooling we have spotted a little tooth poking through. Finally! Proof that all that drool "ain't been in vain for nothin."

Anyone know that movie quote? anyone???

Yangmingshan Calla Lily Festival 2010

I am grateful to have friends in the know. Otherwise the Yangmingshan Calla Lily Festival would have come and gone and I never would have been the wiser. Thankfully I got to go up The mountain to have lunch with a few friends and see the sprawling fields of Lilies all in bloom. It was exquisite.
We took some time to snap some pictures though it's hard to do the scenery justice. I felt like I was in some scene from a Chinese movie or something. I would have hardly been surprised to see people flying/fighting through the air.

All of us minus Cici, on our way to go pick some lilies of our own!
I don't know why I love this pic of Aly so much. Maybe because it's so reAlyty. A new word Nathan and I have cause to use frequently with this one.

When I saw this guy walking by I wanted to ask how much for that bouquet? They are all so perfect and beautiful even in an old bin, I'm thinking I like lilies in mass. We actually picked our own which was fun, especially at only 10NT, or roughly 30 cents a lily. Even Aly got to pick a few and add them to our pile. It was such a beautiful and unique way to spend a morning. So glad I got to go!