Chinese New Year means lots of fireworks. They start early and go all night long. This is a picture from one of my friends. She went to her grandmother's house and her grandmother set off these fireworks.
Gracie enjoyed watching the fish.
These two puppies. I can't believe that they both sat still for this picture! Yoyo and Winter came and spent 3 days with us during the holiday. They love the dogs!
I have to say that I do like all of the new year signs this year. Puppies are so much cuter than a chicken ;)
I had to go to Hong Kong last week for a doctor's appointment. Because I couldn't get an early time, I had to stay the night in a hotel room until I could catch a ferry the next day. Every room was provided with a free cell phone to use in the city. I thought it was a pretty cool idea. Of course it had coupons and stuff like that on it, but the idea of free calls, free internet, and GPS/maps is a good one.
I ALMOST bought one of these to bring back to the kids. They look too pretty to eat. It said it was seaweed flavored jelly. I just wasn't sure about it. I'd rather buy a chocolate chip cookie ;)
Jonathan was really busy with work stuff one night so the kids and I went out to eat while he continued to work (and brought him something home) We took a bus. I felt so bad for Lauren. On the way home, we got off the bus and she immediately realized that she left her brand new purse that she got for Christmas (and all of her special things) on the bus. She ran as fast as she could trying to catch the bus, but it was driving too fast. She almost made it to the next bus stop, but it had just pulled away. She had such a good attitude about it. I sent the other kids home with Jonathan's food and she and I went to the main bus station and got on every 26 bus that came by. We waited for an hour and 45 minutes in the cold just hoping. It never turned up in lost and found either. Poor baby.
We got a fun surprise!! Valentine's candy and plates! We saved them for the 14th which we designated as Scrapbook Day :)
Scrapbook Day also means lots of movies ;)
Even Hudson worked on his very first Scrapbook.
It's always so much fun to see them work on the albums.
Jonathan did good and surprised me with these flowers!
Flowers are a big deal around the new year. We went to an incredible flower market. It was so pretty! I wish it was there all the time, but the vendors only come in for 7 days. I really liked these flowers, but they were 5 dollars per stem! :( Maybe one day. If the arrangements were smaller, I might splurge for a small one.
I still don't know what this plant is called. It looks a lot like a lemon, but it is not. It's very popular at CNY. I liked this one in the duck vase, haha.
The market
Katherine bought a cactus with her money.
Lauren bought this plant.
Hudson bought this one.
The girls in the market. Oh yeah, you could also buy all kind of CNY decorations.
Lauren pretending to sleep with Scout
Our neighbors brought over some fried lotus root. They said on this particular day you are only supposed to eat fired things. Not sure why, but the food they brought us was good.
I have never seen white strawberries. Each pack was 21 US dollars! why?!
Our good friends came to visit. Hillary and Daniel live in a different city, but came down for 2 days. They are expecting their first child. They had so many baby questions and stuff this visit and are so nervous about becoming parents. They said they wanted to learn how to change a diaper, so out came the girls baby dolls. :)
Then they even started feeding the baby. They were so cute. I can't wait until this baby gets here.
This might be one of my new favorites. :)
Some of the kids' friends helping their family family prepare dinner.
This is why I don't like to travel during the holidays. So many people!
People everywhere.
We went to a park with a friend. It's still a work in progress.
Polly and Lauren tried to fly a kite for hours. There really wasn't much wind, so it wasn't easy, but they had fun.
walking though the fountain
water hand prints
The girls with Polly
My two "cowboys"
flowers everywhere
They really are so pretty.
As I started to think CNY is all about being with family, spending time together at parks, looking at flowers, eating together...I am reminded how lost people are. One of our friends went to offer her sacrifices with the hopes of the gods helping her to make lots of money in the new year. Obviously, she was not there alone.
It's a part of the holiday that we just don't see because we don't go to the temples and such.
But, it was a good reminder of the lost around us and the false hope that money is what makes you happy.
Ayi is still in her hometown, so we have been much busier in the kitchen and around the house. Hudson enjoyed helping his daddy make the gravy. Love these two. :)
