Xin Nian Kuai Le!

Officially, the Chinese New Year begins today...January 23rd! If you want to wish someone a Happy New Year, you should say "Xin Nian Kuai Le" or (Shin Ne-yin Kwy La!) In China, this is the mandarin way to say "New Year Happiness/Joy/Rejoicing!" Lots of places here in America will post the words "Gung Hay Fat Choy", which is the Cantonese version of Happy New Year. It's literal translation is "May You Become Prosperous" which is something you would wish someone during the Chinese New Year. So, take your pick...I think the 1st version sounds "prettier!" (I don't like wishing people anything with the word FAT included!)
So, the big performance this weekend was sponsored by the K*ansas C*ity Chine*se A*ssociation, held at a C*ultural Arts Ce*nter in town. Overall, it was a wonderful show, with a variety of Chinese themed performances. Our kids had to be there by 4:30 for a rehearsal...

then, I fed Kayli a quick dinner and we were back by 6:30 to get a parking place for the show that started at 7:00. Our kids were the next-to-last performance in the line-up, with the show going past 8:30, with a 15 minute intermission. Kayli was thrilled as the show began with the drum roll/dragon dance, then followed by beautiful dancers,costumes, scenery, and she kept whisper-yelling "Mom, get a picture of this!"

When the lights came on at 8:00, for the 15 minute intermission, I turned to Kayli and...

I let her sleep until a few acts before she was due backstage... "Are you ready girls?!!!"

Ok, time to sing...

We were so proud of our singers!



Kayli was not in the dance below, but it was just so cute I had to share it...



The next day, Kayli and I got busy with our Chinese New Year preparations...sweeping the floors, shaking out rugs, dusting. Kayli had her "Chinese New Year reference book" that she was reading to me and saying "Sweep floors, check. Cut hair, check."

a thorough cleaning of the kitchen took place (mine and hers)...

we gave Sprinkles a bath, we bought a beautiful green plant with new buds, and already have our red geranium in place, our front door is already red (lucky us!)...

we posted our Chinese Wishes on the inside...

We set the table with our red silk placemats and chopsticks. We added a glass of fun/pretty chopsticks, that I had purchased at a local international market, to use throughout the week...

In this little "wishing pot" we will add our wishes and/or aspirations for the new year! We'll place the pot back on the shelf to hold and honor these thoughts for us throughout the coming year!

Finally, as dinner time arrived, with the beautiful chopsticks already on the table, and ramen noodles in a bowl, Kayli couldn't resist trying out the first pair...

We both discovered that our "chopstick skills" need a little refining, nothing that a little more practice won't bring!  Happy New Year/ Xin Nian Kuai Le!