Pummelo Heads

My children either have bigger heads or pummelos aren't as big as they used to be. We love pummelos (Rachel and I do...Erin Joy doesn't touch anything citrus) and Chinese New Year is a good excuse to eat them. Yummy!!

Spring-Like Fun and Lunar New Year Celebration

I feel for others in our country who are experiencing terrible winter storms. We had a hard winter last year, so I am very sorry for those of you snowed in back east and those of you facing floods and landslides in California. However, in the Northwest, I think we skipped winter this year. We had a little snow in December and that was it. It has been very warm and not as much rain as usual. It sure feels like spring. Is it too early for spring fever?

Erin Joy and I enjoyed the sunshine at Carkeek Park while Rachel went to dance class.

The pedestrian bridge over the railroad track was closed for repairs so we enjoyed the view of the sound from a distance. I was disappointed that we didn't get to play on the beach, but Erin Joy didn't mind the extra play time at the playground.
In one end....
And out the other.
What a beautiful day! What a beautiful girl!
I took many pictures like this....
To get a few great pictures like this...



We ended our fabulous day with a lunar new year celebration at the Westminster Church. We had a wonderful time. The activities for the kids were perfect, the food was great, and the entertainment was fun.

I included a little snippet from each performance except the choirs. We had great seats on the front row, but we were on the side which gave a funny angle for watching the choirs. I did include a sideways view of the Asian Pacific Children's Chorus singing the "Congratulations" song I heard over and over and over while living in Taiwan. It is kind of like the Jingle Bells of Chinese New Year. It brought back fond memories:)

Another Great Show

The girls asked if they could use the green plastic wrap left over from Christmas cookie wrapping. I agreed, but I didn't realize they'd use the whole box! It made for a great mermaid dance.

Reptile Zoo and Haircut

It's a little early for a Chinese New Year haircut, but it's close enough. I love Erin Joy's hair cut short. She has never had bangs before, but I like it. I think she is a cutie:)
We also enjoyed the Reptile Zoo after dance class today. Well, Erin Joy and I enjoyed it. Rachel didn't enjoy it. Be sure to watch the video at the end for Rachel's reaction to the snakes!

We did avoid the area where we heard a large snake was enjoying a rabbit for lunch.

Cool two-headed turtle.

There was no way my girls were getting close to a snake so I took a picture of another family with the albino python.

How do you like the snakes, Rachel?

Bouncy Girls

Artsy/Crafty Children

Santa brought Rachel and Erin Joy a round knitting loom. Rachel recently finished her first hat. Erin Joy gave a noble effort on her hat, but her mother is going to finish it for her. I love helping with school projects...especially easy kindergarten projects. Erin Joy had fun with her snowman. It has a cute hat now...I took the picture before we added the hat. I'll have to take another picture....
This is Chinese calligraphy Erin Joy style. This is how most of her art projects turn out...she eventually covers everything and has fun:)

Fun Times

Giving each other piggy-back rides....

Today, the girls had a great time at the Children's Museum with their friends. The weather felt like spring. I wish we would have gone on a hike or something outside. Notice they are playing on the "rooftop adventure" without jackets. Unbelievable! I think we were digging out of 3-4 feet of snow at this time of year last year. I even have bulbs coming up. Nice!!!

Helping Haiti

There are so many organizations. I decided to help one that works directly with orphans and children. If anybody else is interested, Child Hope International seems like a good place to donate.

CARE is working directly with children too. You can find them on this link as well as many other good organizations who are helping the earthquake victims in Haiti.

I have been following this blog and praying for all the orphans and all the children who are waiting for forever families. This story was linked to the blog I just posted. I ache for all the people in Haiti, but especially the children.

Zoo

We had a break from the rain.  Sunshine in January?  On a Saturday in January?  NO WAY!!!  That never happens!  We had to go to the zoo to take advantage of a sunny day before the rain returns tomorrow.

Found two cute spiders in the web...

We were fascinated by the gorilla and the baby.  So sweet!

We love the Zoomazium playplace!

My favorite picture of the day...aren't they cute:)

Touching a gecko...it's bumpy and not slimy, by the way...

Erin Joy didn't want to touch it.  Me neither.

Top of the world...

Relaxing and watching the penguins...

Monkey girls...

Both girls agreed that their favorite animal of the day was the peacock.  They had fun following it down the trail.

We enjoyed a huge bowl of hot and sour soup at our favorite restaurant after the zoo.  We have enough leftover for a midnight snack and breakfast and maybe lunch tomorrow.  Yummy!

We just needed a few things at the grocery store so I grabbed a small cart.  Somehow the girls still managed to squish in (after running around the store, giggling, putting candy into the cart without permission, knocking things off the shelves, and other such antics...sure love shopping with children....)

Happy New Year!

We enjoyed New Year's Eve at a motel in Salt Lake City with several cousins, aunts, uncles, and Grandma and Grandpa.  Of course, swimming was the favorite of all the children.

Our New Year's Eve dinner was fast food at In-N-Out Burgers.
We then enjoyed the beautiful lights at Temple Square.

Erin Joy carried around a snowball named "Isabel."  Her cousin had a snowball named "Lucy."  

The adults welcomed the new year by playing cards.  The children watched movies and played games with their DSs.  We then flew back home on New Year's day.  It is 9:00 in the morning and I am the only one awake.  We are exhausted, but we had a fabulous time.  We LOVE spending time with our family.  

Happy New Year everyone!