Lion Dance, take 2

Yes, it may look like a unicorn...but it isn't.  It's really a lion...doing a lion dance.  Can't you tell?  

Do you wonder who is "under" the lion?

Peek-a-boo!!  I know you're shocked...to see the Noodle.

This was what she wanted to play before preschool this morning.  She brought some of her friends (read, stuffed animals) down for the show and had me drum, bang, gong and clap away to a variety of different beats while she cavorted around.  Periodically we "fed" said lion red envelopes and lettuce (don't quite understand the background or reason behind the lettuce business, but we'll go with it..........).  Hilarious!

After wearing a blanket on your head, in the winter, in a dry house, with stick-straight hair, this is what happens :)  Happy Wednesday everyone!

Chinese New Year

Gung Hay Fat Choy (Best Wishes and Congratulations)!

This will be the first of probably 2 CNY posts.  In our family, we tend to celebrate a couple of times...just like the holiday that's 15 days long, right?!  Ha ha!

On the actual start of the holiday, we didn't end up doing anything, but yesterday we headed down to Asia Town to watch the Lion Dance.  Soooo cool!!  On a side note, we thought the Lion Dance was last Saturday but were wondering why there weren't more people milling around the plaza...turns out we were at the WRONG plaza (slap head).  No problem though...we just wandered around the market.  Always fun and interesting.

Snow Fugus?!?  Can't say that I've ever tried that in my oats, but o.k.

Thankfully we got down there early enough this weekend (as well as getting the location right) to get a good standing spot that was close enough to see all the action.

We were not disappointed!  The lion danced, shook, lunged and gobbled up lucky red envelopes as fast as people could feed them.  Listening to the drummers drumming, the cymbals clanging and the gongs gonging (?) you get so caught up in the moment.  I'm certain the evil spirits would be chased away (if we believed in that) after such a performance!

Then, last night, we got together with friends from church for our annual CNY party.  Even though we are the only family who has a child adopted from China, we still like to hang out, laugh and of course eat!  Any excuse, right?!

Aren't these rookie sticks fun?  A kind gift, for all the kiddos!

The kiddo table (plus one--hee hee);  see the look of glee that a juice pouch can produce--the forbidden fruit I tell ya!

The lunch with the FCC group will occur next weekend.  We always look forward to this event because it is so awesome to see the girls (and boys) running around in their finery, loving life, being proud of their Chinese heritage, eating like champs, and, for once, being the majority and not the minority.  Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Inspiration

First off, let me say how much I lurrrve Amy Butler prints.  Gorgeous!  The colors, the patterns, the combinations.  The only problem?  Rather hard to locate, other than on-line...at least in our part of the world :)  Luckily, I found a shop (close by too--who knew?!) that carries some and so the Noodle and I went shopping yesterday.  The hardest part?  Making a choice.  Aghhhh!  Each one is better than the next.  These were the 4 I ended up choosing.  Time to get busy and make something with them!

Sweet endings

The sun is shining.  The sky is an amazing color of blue without a cloud to be seen.  It is the end of the week, with the weekend knockin'.  Have a little treat...on me.  Perhaps an early Valentine gift to yourself?  Ahhh!  Sweet endings!!

Sources:  Chocolate chip scone recipe and spicy hot chocolate recipe

Education Cubes

We recently purchased a set of Education Cubes and have been thrilled with them!  Somehow presenting the same material, in a different, more novel way, makes it much more fun!   And really, who doesn't like to build a tower and then knock it down?!

After a few days exploring and just "playing" with the cubes, we got down to the serious business of learning.  Ha ha!  Mama Jenn has collaborated with Carissa so that the RRSP information can be used with the cubes.  I love it!!

Matching the word on the cube to the word on the card

Love the smile on her face as she experiences success and reads the words!

If you're interested, the cubes can be purchased here and then you can sign up for a one time membership fee of $10 here , to gain access to over 100 different insert cards.  Even if you're not doing the RRSP program, this is still a great way to work on those ABCs and 123s.  Go check it out...I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Wordless Wednesday

That's just how God made me!

The other day when the Noodle and I were talking, I gave her a compliment and you know what her response was?  "That's just the way God made me!"  I love that she recognizes God is the source for everything and isn't afraid to say it.  I pray that she will continue to be bold in her faith!!

She has also been asking to hear all kinds of stories about when J and I were little.  The ones where we were naughty, have been especially entertaining to her.  Ha ha!  In the process, she'll ask us to tell her stories about the "hotel room" (aka when we first met her and became a family) or when she was little :)  Sometimes she'll get out our photo album and retell the story in her own words--simply precious!!  That transparency is so important and it is my hope that she will always feel that she can come to us and ask questions...especially as she gets older and the questions become more difficult.