Treasure Hunting

Thursday afternoon, I set off on an ADVENTURE!

Okay, no a big, travel-to-the-ends-of-the-earth kind of adventure.  Just a little, suburbanite, soccer (and a whole lot of other stuff too) mom kind of adventure.  The catalyst for my great trek was Elijah's need of a few more patch-things for his Boy Scout uniform.

A small explanation/disclaimer - Elijah just started scouting a couple of months ago.  I'm not anti-scouting; I'm just scouting illiterate.  Since his group was so close to moving up from Webelos into the Boy Scouts, we were told just to get his uniform for the older group.  I've already made one trip with Elijah to the Scout Store, but some how we got home missing one patch we bought.  UGH!  I may have no clue about anything, but I do know that Elijah is loving this.  He enjoys being with his friends, new and old, and loves doing something special and all his own.

So the Scout Store here locally is WAY on the other side of the metropolitan area.  It's a good 30 to 45 minute drive from our home.  Being the home-body-type person I am, I just don't drive that far unless I have to.

Well, there is another store that I had heard about and been longing to visit, also on the other side of the world, not too far from the Scout Store.  It was probably only about another 15 minute drive away, including the get-back-in-the-car-and-re-buckle time.  It is a large Asian grocery store.  They have advertised and sponsored several of the events the little girls have danced or participated with.  I had recently looked up their website so I knew the location and hours of operation.

Bravely, I ventured into the unknown on a mission - to find crackers!

Okay, that sounds a little weird.  But while we were in China with Hadassah, she LOVED these rice crackers that our guide in Nanchang gave her.  We bought some in Nanchang.  We bought lots more in Guangzhou.  We packed all the extras in our suitcases and brought them home.  I mourned the day the last package was consumed.  I even took a picture of it just in case I could ever find them again.  So the real motivation for my adventure was to see if I could find more of those crackers!

As I stepped into the store, I entered a familiar world that I thought only existed thousands of miles away.  The familiar aroma of China filled my senses.  In a strange way, I felt at home as I began to explore this incredible world.  So much was just like being in a grocery store in China.

Two BIG differences:

1.  No raw meat hanging around.

2.  Signs and packaging were written in both Chinese AND English.

It was definitely an Americanized store!  But it was also filled with wonderful and familiar treasures!!!

I didn't find crackers that were exactly the same as what we had in China, but found something very similar.  Hadassah, Keziah, and Elijah definitely approve!

I found the fried peas that Hadassah loved to munch on, without the hot Wasabi spices added.

I found candies that had been included in care packages that were sent to both girls for us.

Then I wandered the frozen food section!!!!  Let's just say I discovered an amazing array of foods that far exceeded the single choice of potstickers available at Costco.  Stuffed buns!  Red bean buns!  Steamed buns!  More than I ever imagined!

I really did restrain myself some as I collected items to bring home.  I have allowed the kids to enjoy some of the snack items and am shocked at how quickly they are disappearing.  My freezer now holds priceless treasures while I plot and plan for the perfect time to surprise the family and let some of the explore a whole new world of flavors.

Now I can hardly wait for the kids spring breaks (three one week and three the next).  I want to take them into this exciting new world!  For the little girls and Caleb, it will be so familiar.  For the other kids, it will be a small taste of China, where I really wish I could take them all.

Hmmmmm....I fear this will become a regular trek for me.  How often?  I don't know.  How much I will have to buy on each trip?  Who knows once I let the girls loose.

What fun!!!!

(Plus I'm hoping that those frozen bean buns are as tasty as the ones I love in Guangzhou!)