Game Night

Our church decided to put together a Game Night last Saturday to invite friends from our work & other foreigners in Qingdao and we hosted at our Casa. 

Of course, I was soooo excited to be hosting & love an excuse for a party.

You guys, if you haven't had a Game Night in awhile, DO IT! 

It was soooo much fun! 

Most people didn't leave until close to 2 am. 

As I've mentioned before, China doesn't exactly have a wealth of supplies for party decorating and creating. {Unless you want every party & creation to be with Red Lanterns and red & gold Chinese words--Those they have in abundance.}

We had to improvise and do what we could with playing cards, paper, tape and string. :)

I think it turned out pretty cute. The best party about these simple decorations was that they were super cheap! 

Kate and I spent a Friday evening watching Chick Flicks, cutting, and pasting. It was the best! :) 

"Games" 

"May the odds be EVER in your Favor" 

We made sure to incorporate the theme through out the house.

Quinoa Veggie Chili

Now most of you know I'm from Texas. And as a Texas girl, my daddy made sure I was raised on meat. And let me tell you, I love meat! I seriously can walk through a bakery, past the delicious breads, towards the smell of chicken. Crazy, right?! **Ideally organic, free range chicken. :)**

And I've probably encouraged us to eat at Sitting Bull or Koronas one too many times.

(I can't help it! Ribs! Yum!)

Though I fully love meat, I am all about this Quinoa Veggie Chili! Because it is fabulous!

And this is from a girl, raised and taught, that chili is not chili without the meat!

Try it out for yourselves! It's loaded with delicious, nutritious veggies and the protein packed, gluten-free, power food, quinoa. 

Speaking of quinoa, when speaking of it, how do you pronounce it?! I'm at loss people. I always pronounce it coy (like the fish)-no-a. Wikepedia says keynwa. I have heard many people pronounce it all different ways. What's the correct way to say it? Any Spanish speakers out there?

How do you say it??
Please help me stop sounding like an idiot when talking quinoa. :) 

How to make this awesome chili:

1 cup quinoa 

(soaked at least 4 hours) 

1 can of corn

2 cans of red kidney beans

2 zucchinis

1 onion

( chopped & sautéed)

1 carrot

5 large tomatoes

2 green bell peppers

1 jalepeno pepper

2 red bell peppers

1 bunch of cilantro

10 mushrooms cut in 3's

3 tbs chili powder

1 tsp paprika

2 tbs garlic salt

5 cups of water

Chop the tomatoes & add to the pot with a 1/2 cup of water.

Cook until the tomatoes are broken down and simmering.

Cook 1 cup of quinoa with 1 1/2 c water in a rice cooker. (or stove top) 

Chop the vegetables and add all ingredients to the pot while quinoa is cooking.

Add quinoa. 

Cook until all veggies are to your liking

Serve hot with mozzarella or cheese of choose on top. 

Enjoy the healthy, amazingness!

Halloween Korean Style

We have been so busy this week and still fighting colds! 

{Being so busy probably doesn't help the colds.} 

So, I am just now getting to Thursday's post, today. So sorry. Forgive me? :) 

Without further ado, 

Thursday Throwback 

Halloween Korean Style

I know I've mentioned it before but Halloween in Korea was so much fun. 

Our school was gung-ho for Halloween and shelled out the time and money for it.

**As a side note, I nearly cried looking at these pictures. I was so close to my students in Korea. We had small classes and they were with me the whole day. I loved them to pieces. I even had a dream one time I was a duck and they were my ducklings. :) I miss them so much! That's the sad part of teaching abroad because most likely I'll never see them again. I know God has amazing plans for each of their lives though, so I trust in that!

The week leading up to our big Halloween bash was spirit week which included pumpkin carving, crafts and dress up days. 

Each day the week the kids had to come to school dressed up a certain way. 

Pajama Day

My 9 sleeping Babies