"Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!"

Luke 24:5b-6a

We had a wonderful Easter weekend...probably one of my favorite weekends in a long time. How fitting. This was Brock's first Easter and likely the first Easter that Brielle can understand and will remember. Leading up to Good Friday and Easter, I read the Easter story to Brock and Brielle over and over again, using a variety of books and children's Bibles. I'm not sure just how deep their understanding goes, but they both can tell you why we celebrate Easter...another little seed planted. I am sooooo blessed to be able to pass on these Truths to two more precious ones.

Coloring Eggs...

Making tomb cookies as Brittany and Brant read the Easter story...


Searching for eggs and baskets...

A gorgeous Easter afternoon ... just perfect for a hike!

It's the Year of the Ox!

Due to our crazy hockey schedule, we were not able to make any of our area's organized Chinese New Year celebrations. So, we had our own family celebration at home (which is how we usually prefer it anyway).


Last week, the little kids and I decorated our house and did some CNY crafts. Then, on Saturday, I made Asian Orange Chicken, Longevity Noodles, and dumplings for our CNY feast. It didn't taste as good as it sounds, but it was Chinese! We gave the kids their red envelopes and then danced with the little lion dancer marionette we bought in China last summer. Brock Ji Hao and Brielle were thrilled with each and every activity!

Since CNY is China's most important holiday, I was curious to ask Brock Ji Hao how he celebrated CNY in China. He told me that he had seen Lion Dancers on t.v., but they never came to the "hotel" (what he calls the orphanage). He had never received the traditional "red envelopes", but he said a "woman" give one to his "laoshi" (teacher), and that there was money inside. He did describe something that sounded like the Lantern Festival, which concludes CNY. He said the children walked outside in the dark carrying lanterns. He was unaware of the Chinese zodiac, the animals, etc., which I find surprising. He is, however, happy to now know that he was born in the year of the Dragon!

My little Dragon and little Rooster...

A Dragon and two Roosters...

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Happy 2009!

Making Shish Kabobs to grill for our New Year's Eve dinner....



Mmmmm....

After dinner, we spent a fun-filled New Year's Eve playing games. Our new family favorite is
Bananagrams --- another one of those they'll-never-suspect-they're-learning games that I love!

Christmas Break '08

2008 was a crazily-busy year for us, and by the time the Christmas season finally rolled around, we were ALL in major need of a break. Max had two weeks off of work and, as always, it was so great having him home all day with us. We spent the time relaxing, playing, and visiting some of the area highlights, including the Riverwalk/Alamo, Six Flags, and the zoo.

Fuzzy pix of the kids at the Alamo...

Another fuzzy at Six Flags...

A beautiful day at the zoo...

As I'm sure you've noticed, I have no gifts in the area of photography (and our ancient camera doesn't help), but Max might have even less photographic talent. He was the Christmas-morning-photographer, and though he snapped about 100 pictures, very few were decent enough to post here.

4 B's on Christmas Morning...

Finding baby Jesus under the tree...

Brock Ji Hao discovering the gifts...


Brielle, soaking up the moment...

One of Brock and Brielle's favorite gifts is the My Little Sandbox...

Thought I'd better share some of our pre-Christmas festivities before Christmas is actually here (and I only have 2 more days to do that). Can you believe Christmas is just TWO days away??

It has been unusually COLD down here in TX, so it does actually feel like Christmas. One night, we even saw this icky stuff falling from the sky and into our backyard (what is up with that????) ...

Tree Decorating:
For once, our Christmas tree lights and decorations went up without any mishaps. With the six of us working on it, we were done in no time. I've definitely lightened up in the ornament placement category. I used to secretly fret over where the kids hung each ornament. Now, I'm just happy they make it on the tree in one piece! Brittany helped add to the Christmas cheer by making us all a cozy cup of hot chocolate.

(click to enlarge)

Traditions and Advent:

If you were reading my blog last Christmas, you might remember me mentioning that I LOVE traditions and Christmas is a great time for loads of traditions. In case you missed it, you can read last year's post here: Christmas Traditions and Orname-mories .

We are once again reading The Advent Book every night before the little kids go to bed. What a great (and simple) way to hide the story of Christmas in their hearts. It warms my heart to hear both of them call out, "God with us", when the author mentions the meaning of Jesus' name, Immanuel. This advent season has opened up many opportunities to talk with the little ones about the baby Jesus, God's plan for HIS and OUR lives, His coming so that He could ultimately die for us, etc. What an awesome privelege it is to share these truths with these little ones, just as we have to the big kids over the years.

2008 Orname-mories:

Brittany will kill me for attempting to explain her 2008 orname-mory, so I'll let all of you fill-in-the-blanks...

Brant's 2008 was undoubtedly marked with TEXTING his friends, with 100s and 100s of texts coming to and from his cell phone per day. Crazy, isn't it?

2008 for Brock Ji Hao was obviously a year full of changes, as he prepared for and then began to acclimate to his new family and home here in America. We are so happy to replace his 2007 orname-mory, when we were just "thinking about Ji Hao", with his new 2008 "1st Christmas home" ornament.

Brielle has spent the last half of 2008 purring and meowing like a kitty. Not sure where that is coming from, but it made picking an orname-mory for her quite easy.

Cookie Making and Decorating:

Cookie decorating has always been an event for the entire family, and now with two more members in on it, it goes so fast. This, too, has been a place where I've given up on things looking perfect...or in this year's case, even edible :o) !

(click to enlarge)

Gingerbread House:

While Max and I were shopping one afternoon, Brant helped the little kids make a Gingerbread House from a ($9) kit. Brock and Brielle were so proud of their creation. It has been our centerpiece on our breakfast nook table, and they still proudly tell me all about it on an almost daily basis. Brant is such a good big brother!

Better make that it for now...there are many things to wrap up in the next TWO days!

Wishing you and your family the most blessed of Christmas Days!