Back to normal

Yes, thankfully, we are back to normal.  No more fevers.  No more being quarantined to the house.  No more Toy Story 2, which we just happened to pick up at the library on Monday, the day before the Noodle got sick.  Good thing, though--it kept someone entertained, even if she did watch it over and over and over....!

I really can't complain.  I think that last time she was really sick, was like a year and a half ago.  That's pretty darn healthy.  I'm just glad to have our little Noodle back to normal!

A little light reading

I don't know if you're like me or not, but I'm always on the look-out for a good adoption/China book for the Noodle.  Thankfully our public library is pretty good about carrying a nice cross-section of books (more about China than adoption, but that's o.k.).  If you've never read anything by Grace Lin (Round is a Mooncake, Red is a Dragon, One is a drummer or Dim Sum for Everyone), she's got a bunch of great picture books.  Ed Young (Lon Po Po (the Chinese Little Red Riding Hood) and Yeh Shen (the Chinese Cinderella) has some good ones too, but right now the Noodle thinks his illustrations are too frightening.

I decided to gather up the various books that we have on our shelves and compile a list.  I was actually suprised at how many we own!  Clearly I'm a sucker for picture books, especially from these genres :) Perhaps you'll find something that strikes your fancy or you can pass on one of your favorites to me!

Books about Adoption/Chinese Adoption:

This one always brings tears to my eyes.  If you've adopted from China, I'm sure you'll be able to relate.

How one little girl addresses the "family tree" school project.  Touches on the feelings associated with not having much, if any, information about birth parents.

Not about Chinese adoption, but rather international adoption--I believe the author adopted her daughter from Central America, and all the excitement that comes with that long awaited call!

A mother kangaroo with an empty pouch and a longing heart.  A baby bird looking for someone to take care of and love him.  Blessings do come from up above.

Choco the bird needs a mama and so he sets off to find one.  Along the way, he asks all kinds of animals, but none look like him or seem quite right...then he meets Mrs. Bear who acts just like a mama and seems right, but doesn't she look like him.  Does it really matter?  Read and find out!

Chinese New Year:

Colorful illustrations and simple text help even the youngest reader understand about Chinese New Year and all the traditions associated with the holiday.

Based on the Danish folktale The Talking Pot, this book incorporates a Chinese wok and the importance of sharing...with a skippity-hoppity-ho it is just the ticket to a festive Chinese New Year!

Chinese Culture:

An ABC book that uses photographs to document each letter of the alphabet using objects, ideas, concepts and images from China.

Another ABC that uses illustrations to introduce China and its culture, customs and traditions.

A great non-fiction book that uses photographs and text to introduce youngsters to the culture, people and land of China.

A step back in time to ancient China with Ms. Frizzle and the rest of the Magic School Bus gang.

The love that a brother and sister have for their 2 pet doves...and what they'll do to make sure the doves always come home.

I have no idea how to pronounce most of the Mandarin words...but I keep trying!

This book has a cool feature where there are see-through scenes.  Curious as to what a noble's house looked like many moons ago?  You can learn about the outside and then, presto, lift the flap to see what it was like on the inside.  Cool stuff!

So that's it.  Our little slice of adoption/China culture/Chinese New Year books.  Hopefully there was a new one that you hadn't come across yet.  Happy reading!!

 ***Since this little one has been battling a fever on and off the past few days, we've had a lot of chances to catch up on our reading!  Hopefully we're on the mend now :)

Soccer Saturday

Some of the older boys at the babysitter's play soccer.  Most afternoons when I pick the Noodle up, if it is warm enough, they are outside kicking the ball around.  The Noodle has become quite interested and so Santa picked up a soccer ball as a last minute gift.  She was pumped!

When I was browsing through our hometown's Rec department brochure, I saw a 6 week course for 'soccer smart start'.  Basically it is geared for preschoolers and their parents to begin to learn the basics of soccer.  Bingo!  This would be the perfect way to burn off some energy (since it is in a school gym) but we wouldn't have to commit to weeks of standing out in the freezing, spring rain.  So positive, aren't I?  Kinda like 'try it before you buy it'.

Today was our first day and I'd say she had a fun time.  It took a bit of time to "warm up" but after that, she's was good to go.  I got quite a chuckle because she was the only girl--one other little girl came in the last 10 minutes, but obviously most preschool girls aren't as into soccer as our little tomboy :)

 

Before we left, though, the Noodle had requested the standard Saturday morning breakfast--pancakes!  She loves to help J make them and chatters away to him the entire time.  Sigh...aren't Saturdays wonderful?!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy New Year!!!  Well, Chinese New Year doesn't actually start until tomorrow, but the Eve is just as important, right?

Grandma and Grandpa and their friend, Mrs. C, were passing through, after seeing a play Downtown, and we decided it was the perfect excuse to go out and celebrate CNY.  Actually, we rarely need an excuse to go out and eat Chinese food, but having them visit made it even more enjoyable.

It is time to say good bye to the rabbit and hello to the dragon.  I wonder what exciting things will roar in with it?!

A little bloggy break....

Just going to take a little hiatus...be back soon!

Christmas vacation

We had such a fun, relaxing Christmas vacation.  I can't quite believe that it is over with and we're into the cold, bleak days of January.  Sigh.

Between vising out-of-town family, meeting Uncle and Aunt C's newest (4-footed) addition, sleeping in late, having extra snuggles in bed, watching a movie or two, gorging on Christmas cookies (and candies and cupcakes and pies and, and, and...), conveniently disregarding the holiday workout schedule (ugh, back on the straight and narrow), giggling, shopping at IKEA, going on a date night, spending waaay too much time in "comfy clothes" aka pants with expandable waists and taking time to just enjoy the tree while listening to music, the two weeks flew by!  That's o.k., though.  We have some wonderful memories, quite a few photos and even a few home movie clips.  Sounds like a pretty good Christmas vacation to me.  Sigh.

Ringing in 2012...1 day early

We have a little tradition in our family.  We go out to eat (early) on New Year's Eve with Lollie and Papa.  Sometimes Uncle and Aunt C are in town and sometimes not.  Every year is different.  This year they were in town, but were heading out to drive the 8+ hours back to Va. on the 31st.  Soooo, we decided to ring in the New Year a day early.  Good thing, because someone got sick.  But more on that in a minute.

It is always fun to get dressed up and go out to eat at a fancy-smanchy restaurant.  Where we went this year has definitely evolved as far as eating establishments go.  Back in the day (like when I was in high school), they did super casual Italian...with a high amount of take-out.  Lollie even used them to feed the cheerleading squad one pre-game supper--ha!

Aunt C is starting at the U.Va's nursing school in the Spring...Can you guess what we got for Christmas?!  Lollie was holding Papa's shirt, since he was meeting us at the restaurant.

Now it is just known for great, rustic, authentic Italian food.  They may still do some catering, but it has come a long way from the poly-styrene, paper napkins and plastic cutlery of days gone by.

We had a fun night hangin' out with the fam and said our goodbyes to Aunt C and Uncle.  Then we headed home to get the Noodle in bed and watch The Help, which I had just gotten from the library--I know.  Raising the roof, crazy times............except in the middle of the night, J woke up feeling sick.  Turns out he was sick 3 more times that night and woke up on the Eve with a low-grade fever.  Yuck!  He remained sick and so we stayed in on the actual New Year's Eve and just chilled.  Ditto for today, which is kinda too bad, since we always host both sets of parents for a pork-sauerkraut-potato-palozza shin-dig.  Sigh.  We'll just have to reschedule and hope and pray that J's ushering in 2012 with a sick tum isn't a forecast of things to come! 

 Even with one sick-o, we still had a nice New Year's Eve and New Year's day.  It is really all about being with those you love, isn't it?  Hope your 31st/1st was filled with laughs and love!!!  Here's to 2012 (really?!?!?)!