The Year of the Rat

Gung Hay Fat Choy -- Happy New Year! Today, the kids and I celebrated the Chinese New Year. (We're a few days late, I know. Of course, the celebration lasts for 15 days, so maybe we're not too tardy.) I enjoy teaching the kids about different cultures and they enjoy the different crafts and stories we learn with the culture study. We also have friends working in that big, big country, so I want them to find ways to relate with the children of those families that have such a great calling.

Among our activities today, we made paper lanterns to string for a "light festival", as Joost poetically called it. (We tried our hand at origami, but we found it to be a little challenging for the kids' current skill set and our lack of decent paper around the house that folds nicely.) We did take a break from the new year celebrations to go sledding. And then, after lunch, I enjoyed green tea (and folding laundry) while Joost and Grace napped.

After a day of chinese games and crafts, I thought I should pull my weight and try my hand at a little asian cooking for dinner. It worked out better than I expected and I was glad to be able to include Jeff in some of the day's festivities. Gracie proved to be a very good helper as we made the won tons for the soup. The kids especially enjoyed the attempt to eat with chopsticks...you can only imagine!

So, happy new year to you--may the year of the rat be good to you!