PEACE.

Tish - A Little Su'em Su'em ...........

To Shake Your Groove Thang To!

The first song on the blog player is from this CD.

Check Am*zon- Shanghai Chinese Traditional Orchestra.

They have 4 or 5 CD's.

The kids LOVE it....................Mama loves it ,too.

Friends have cooked for the past 3 year.

This year we are cooking.

Have a Plum Duck that you can do in a Crock Pot.

Nope not a typo...CROCK POT.

The kids cleaned the bones! It was GOOD.

Each family is bringing 1 dish and a dessert.

My friends are still making the egg roles, though....I'm not TOTALLY insane.

We spend the ACTUAL New Year with our friends at their restaurant.

They close early and we all eat and hang out.

Lots of Fun!

Get some people together and Rock the House, GIRL!

Don't forget to take PLENTY of pictures!

xoxo.

PEACE.

*****MEMAW UPDATE*****

Color looking better.
O2 saturation is MUCH better.
Still on the Vent.
Looks like another 2 or 3 days.
Managed a little smile around the endo-tube.
Granfather hasn't caused a scene, hit anyone, and is not in JAIL!

God Is Good!

Thanks for the prayers, Sister/Friends.

PEACE & LOVE

.................mostly LOVE

Dear Riley Katherine...............

CHINESE NEW YEAR starts on January 26,2009!

I love you.

Aunt A.

Happiness Is..........

Touching the cheek of your little girl for the
very first time.

Congratulations Kevin , Sarah, & Baby Bear Hannah Claire!

Welcome Home !



PEACE.

Calling All Prayer Warriors!

If you have a second..I need your help.
My Daddy's Mom is in ICU on a ventilator.

Getting Ready!

It is time to get ready for Chinese New Year!


This will be the 3rd for us(we missed last year due to a rodeo).
We usually have a house full of people , a ton of food
AND a healthy dose of Chinese Techno music!
No Fireworks! It freaks out the horses and our Basset, Bob.



This is a picture of Mary Elizabeth during her first Chinese
New Year Celebration.
She had been home just shy of a year.

When we traveled to meet her, we caught China's celebration at the end.
The locals were still going strong.
We were still able to see fireworks over the Forbidden City. It was COOL!

If anyone is interested- Pier*1 has silk Take-Out boxes on clearance for $1.88 per.

We are going to use them for "Swag Bags".

I can't wait!

I do love a party.;)


PEACE.

Crazy Christmas Morning!

The little girls showing Caleb the gifts.
They were so sweet.
We had to wait for Caleb to get back from feeding the horses-
he had JUST walked in the door.



Caleb and Ben checking out all of Ben's Magic Tricks.



Hannah screaming over her new FUNKEY!



Ben making faces at the camera! As usual.....



The little girls opening the "Barbie Heads" that they
asked for.


Christmas Brunch: Trans-racial Family Style



Mary Elizabeth working on her 3rd cup of Green Tea.



After brunch, the girls decided to take the new dolls and the new tea set
and have a tea party.



Mary trying to give me a "PEACE" sign.

She's almost got it!



They giggled and laughed for about an hour.



We have NO idea what they were talking about-
but it must have been good.



Rachel swiped some old tea cups & dessert plates from the shelf.

I bought these things at a flea market(3 years ago) for Hannah
to use for her tea parties. You can usually find mismatched cups
& saucers for about $.25 a piece.

Well worth the money!



Mary Elizabeth's new Doll that she named "Dorothy".




We had a great day.

It was nice to sit around the house all day in our P.J.'s.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.


PEACE.

PEACE.

Our week in Pictures

Rachel & Mary are making dresses for the fashion
dolls.



Hannah gives a hand.



Rachel has the gift.



Then we moved on to making Victorian Christmas cards.
The kits are on sale right now on HearthSong*com.



Caleb getting his ribbon JUST right.



Ben writing his poem:
It's not about the Candy Canes
It's not about the Presents
It's about the Love

Sniff...Sniff....I am so proud...



Mary telling me that she needs MORE glitter!



Hannah and her "vision".


The end results.
I think they are Pretty Dang Good..if I do say so myself.



When Caleb was 7, he and Stacy were on the way home from a local NFP
after packing boxes for needy families. During the trip home , he asked
Stacy why Santa Claus didn't go see poor people...as a result...we
do not "do" Santa Claus.

Ben has decided that he will "believe" in Santa this year..
But not next year..................

He has instructed us on the whole "cookie thing" AND the elves AND the fireplace.



Rachel has been carrying around "Baby Jesus".



We have read the story of Jesus' birth quite a few times this week
and every time I say,"Mary" Mary Elizabeth screams, "that's me!"

It's pretty cute.




This is Elf on a Shelf.
We bought him for Ben.



The kids named him Ernie.

He watches the kids all day, and then flies to the North Pole to give Santa a report,
then he flies back and is in a different spot each morning.



Then it was time for the Gingerbread Families!



I guess I liked this one so much.....



I posted it twice!
She is pretty, though.






Ben's dog did not make it.
He ate it.


Hannah the artist.




Pretty good for a 5 year old.


The decorative gel was a BIG hit!



Mary Elizabeth had to point out everyone's families.

Then she would lick her fingers!

Told ya that gel was a hit.


Today- My Sunday School Class had a Birthday Party to celebrate
the birth of Christ.



Some of our Youth acted as crowd control.



John Mark in his "Christmas Colors".



Everyone loves a party!



Trading party blowers.

After I spent an hour filling them with stories, cake, and chocolate....
I gave them back to their parents(all hyped up on sugar).

Funny!

Stacy is on vacation this week and we will be spending time with our families.

We are looking forward to it.

If you are traveling, Be Safe.

I wish you JOY

I wish you LOVE

&

I wish you







PEACE.







MERRY CHRISTMAS!