Action Packed Adventures Everywhere!

We've had some extra terrestrial fun the last few days. Mommy and Josie Dong Dong are both feeling pretty worn out!

We had a blast with Auntie Andrada and Ela on Friday. Everybody played hooky and met at a really cool place called Kid City. The day was made even more special because Andrada dad is visiting from Romania and was able to join us.

Kid City is an indoor play facility that we found on the Internet located about half way between where we live and where Andrada live. We weren't really sure what to expect and we were all pleasantly surprised at how much fun this place is.

We started off entering alien land (we also ended in this room and there are more pictures later on).




Josie Dong Dong wasn't sure what to think about everything-- a pink flying saucer (big enough for adults too). It was equipped with a voice box that makes your voice sound like an alien.

Josie was very happy to have some familiar faces walking around this new world besides just Mommy's. Here she is cuddling with Auntie Andrada.

Ela is a big girl of 3-years and was unfazed by the aliens. She jumped right in to exploring all there was to see.

Leaving the Kaleidoscope room filled with crystals and Kaleidoscopes

Ela inside a rocket ship mastering the controls.

There was another room inside the alienville filled with pigs and while the pigs weren't flying, they were making balls fly.

"This place is toooooo SILLY!"

Another room was filled with a huge play kitchen, diner, bakery, and old-time laundry. Josie really enjoyed playing with the old time washing machine.

"The clothes go through when I spin this handle."

Ela had fun playing in a different room filled with pirate ships and a fishery factory. Josie didn't seem to like this room very much.

"Shiver me timbers Matey! I'm searching for gold!"

There were several more rooms on the 2nd floor. Both of the girls had a grand time playing on the Alpine Slide.

A larger room was set-up like a corn maze and each "dead-end" was a differently themed play area. Josie really liked two of these areas-- one was a school where she had fun being the teacher.

"The lesson for the day is scribbly lines."

"There will be NO seriousness in my classroom-- only fun and games!"







Another "dead-end" was a garden and Josie had a great time picking and planting carrots. She's a regular Beatrix Potter!

"I think we need to have one of these at home!"

While Josie was busy tending her garden-- Ela was fighting off dinosaurs and volcanic lava flows in the land of the lost. Now that's a REAL dead-end!

"Run little Dinosaurs! RUN!"

After a nice lunch at a nearby pizza place we went back to Kid City for a little while longer before heading home.




The girls spent most the return trip playing in the alien room. Josie especially liked playing with things she could drive.

"Where is the giggly-wiggly rock station on this radio?"

"I wanna go in here!"

"My voice sounds galactic when I talk in this thing!"

"I bet this train set can take me to the world of never-never land!"

The day flew by and before we knew it, the girls were ready to drive us home.

"Ela, I think you need to stop and ask for directions."

We had a wonderful time with Auntie Andrada and Ela. We look forward to having another fun visit with them in May. We wish our get togethers could be more frequent, but are happy to make the best fun out of the time we spend with them.

Josie Dong Dong was out like a light Friday-night and she needed her rest. Saturday-morning was her big breakfast date with ELMO!

"Hmmm, this isn't our usual breakfast routine."

Shortly after we finished eating, the announcement was made that Winnie-the-Pooh had arrived and was in the building.

I'll admit it. I am a long time fan of the 'rumbly in my tumbly' bear and was very happy to have the chance to meet him in person after all these years.

"Mommy is silly happy!"

After our adventures with Pooh Bear, Wim got in line with Josie to see Spongebob. Just to be clear, Josie doesn't know who Spongebob is-- WIM wanted to see Spongebob.

"We're going to see a SPONGE?

I have a pict of Josie punching spongebob in the nose, but you can't really see her in it. You can tell by her expression that she doesn't think too much of this character.

Of course, Dora also made the rounds at the party.



Josie doesn't really know her either, but she didn't feel the need to punch her in the nose.

Then came the big announcement-- Elmo had arrived and was walking into the building. The crowd went wild and crazy when the big red guy came strolling in to the beat of Sesame Street.

Josie Dong Dong didn't quite know what to think when she first saw Elmo. I think she thought she was dreaming.

"OMG! Is that really Mo-Mo?"

It was smiles and giggles galore once Josie realized she wasn't dreaming and Elmo was in fact standing right there!

"I love you Mo-Mo!"

Josie was giddy with joy for the rest of the morning. She had a great time dancing around with her Daddy.

"Yeah! This is the best day EVER!"

We hope your days are filled with plenty of Elmo-like surprises to warm your wintery blues.

Chinese New Year Snack Party

Here are just a couple pictures from last Sunday's CNY snack party at a local Chinese restaurant.

Mommy Michelle and baby Grace, Callie and her Daddy and Mommy- Steve and Laurie, and of course you are all well acquainted with Josie Dong Dong.

We arrived early/mid afternoon so the restaurant was slow and very accommodating-- so accommodating that I wasn't really able to get pictures of the girls together. They had a good time playing peek-a-boo with each other under the tables, so that in itself made it worth it.

The girls anxiously awaiting their snacks!

I am looking forward to tomorrow and this entire weekend.

I am playing hooky from work on Friday and Josie and I are meeting a good friend of mine and her little girl (3) at an indoor play ground for some morning fun followed by lunch.

We have a fun in-door pool party to attend tomorrow night--

AND

We have a very important breakfast date with ELMO on Saturday!

Not exactly a traditional Chinese New Year theme-- but I did my best to find fun things to do that will make the 2-weeks of CNY a special time.

Cheers!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year (CNY) is the biggest, most celebrated holiday. I believe it begins with the first new moon after the calendar year (but don't quote me on it) and it lasts for 15 days. Several of the days within CNY represent different meanings and the final day is also referred to as the Lantern Festival.

The official start of CNY this year is Monday, January 26th. We began our celebrations on Saturday because it is easier to get family together on the weekend and Gabrielle and Xavier are with us this weekend as well.

It is our hope to provide Josie with some knowledge of her birth culture recognizing that what we teach her will likely be mottled, because we are not Chinese.

Family members were happy to join us for the Holiday and asked questions about how to celebrate. After much reading, we (Wim and I) have decided that CNY is much the same as big holidays we are accustomed to such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a time to gather with loved ones-- family and friends-- enjoy good food and catch up on what all is going on with each other.

The first day of CNY is especially about family and this day is typically when family members get together and have a big feast. Whole fish, whole chicken, whole duck-- signifies luck in the new year. Long noodles bring longevity. Oranges and tangerines for a sweet and bright new year. And, of course, don't forget the pot stickers!

It is also a Chinese custom to make dishes favored or somehow linked to loved ones who have passed in honor of their memory.

Family-- this is the center of the beginning of CNY and it really got me thinking.

Pictures of our Family--- Our kids and all the first cousins

Dear loved ones who have passed-- many much too soon.

Wim's Dad Skip holding Wim when he was just a baby himself. Wim's mom, Judy, brought cheeseburger hamburger helper in memory of Skip. Whenever she had to work at the hospital in the evening, he would make this dish to feed the kids for dinner.

Wim and his Grandfather Chase. Wim's Great Grandparents- Sherman

Judy also brought a Lemon Meringue Pie in memory of Skip-- it was his favorite dessert and big favorite of Wim's as well. This dessert was also a big favorite of my Mom's as well. She often made several at a time in the summer months for everyone to enjoy.

Mary Orangelee Timmermier-- to become Shaw

Me and my mom when I was about 3 or 4

My birth Great Grandparents, Daisy, was my Great Grandma's name-- I'm not sure what my Great Grandfather's name was. I really should have a picture of Daisy's sister, Lillian Thompson. She adopted my Granny and her sister and brother when Daisy and her husband died in a car accident. Great Grandma and Grandpa Thompson are the Great Grandparents I knew and loved.

Great Grandma Daisy holding my Granny.

My Granny and Grandpa "back in the day."

Wim use to get irritated with me because I don't know more about my family history. Now I think about Josie and her birth family. I wonder about their family story-- her birth family story.

Another tradition for CNY-- everyone can celebrate their birthday on CNY. With so much emphasis on family and birthdays, I find myself wondering about Josie's birth mom and birth family. What she is thinking. I wish there was some way for her to know that the daughter she gave birth to is happy and healthy and in a family that loves her very much.

Some people think that the Chinese do not value their daughters, do not love their children. None of this is true. They are simply subjected to different laws, different cultural norms and are not given the 'right' to make choices.

Things aren't necessarily better in our country. Look at our foster care system. How many opportunities do we give birth parents to abuse their children in some way? Neglect them? Before the child is legally placed for adoption? Is that better? I also encourage people to read the book, "The Girls who Went Away." It is listed up top. I don't think things are better or worse-- different-- yes.

Sad-- yes.

I usually keep my blog posts light-hearted, so I will now switch gears. . . .

Preparing for CNY. We did much sweeping and cleaning to make way for a lucky New Year. Josie Dong Dong was happy to make some finger paint art work, while Mommy did some dusting.

On Saturday, Judy (Wim's mom), Becky (Wim's sister) and her kids Nate and Emily came over for CNY.

The little ones had big fun playing on the floor with Grandma who was pretending that her hand was a mouse running up and down all the kids giving them tickles.

Becky and Gabrielle had some laughs watching all the little kids playing. I also think Becky was telling Gabrielle stories about how goofy Wim was for a big brother.

Josie and Emily had fun playing with Josie's fun tunes piano. Emily thought it was the funniest piano ever!

Gabrielle and Xavier sat on the couch listening to the symphony of screeching laughing from the little girls.

It wasn't long before Nate-nate got the girls together for an action packed game of toddler B-Ball. Josie Dong Dong is going to have to brush-up on her game if she wants to get by her big cousin.

The crowds were going wild on the sidelines.

Really, don't they look absolutely WILD?!!!

After all the fun and games we enjoyed homemade pot stickers and Chicken lo Mien that I prepared and the Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper Judy brought in memory of Skip.

The kids played some more. Josie handed out red envelopes filled with lucky money to her cousins and then we had dessert.

It was a nice afternoon and we look forward to many more years of CNY celebrations with our family.

Today, Sunday, Josie was anxiously waiting to go out for a snack party with some of her friends.

I'll try to get some photos posted later this week.

"Happy Chinese New Year!"