Autumn Moon Festival

The Autumn Moon Festival is one of the biggest celebrations in China, second to the Chinese New Year! This Chinese Festival of lanterns is held when the full autumn moon is at its fullest and brightest.It's a day of family reunions, a lot like our Thanksgiving, where families gather and food is abundant. In China, kids are thrilled to be able to stay up past midnight, parading multi-colored lanterns as families take to the streets to moon-gaze.
Kayli and I participated in the local autumn moon festival, hosted by Families Blessed With the World's Children. All the kids dressed in their Chinese silks, and lots of families showed up, ready to participate in some traditional Chinese activities. It was a beautiful afternoon-into-evening, ending with a dragon lead parade at dusk. The drums beat while the kids followed the dragon down the walking path, with homemade lanterns in their hands to light the way, as the perfect full moon shone above us!

the lantern parade...

what a FUN event!

* just in case you noticed a little black eye on my sweet pea, she had a collision on the playground with a little boy with a very hard head... she got knocked flat to the ground and he apparently was off and running, no worse for the wear!

 

2nd Grade Learning Excursion

Last week I climbed into a school bus with a whole bunch of 2nd graders and headed downtown for the Fall learning excursion at the A*meri*can Ro*yal. We spent the morning being herded around like cattle, going from pen to pen, to catch a glimpse of a cow, sheep, or horse, and a chance for the kids to pet or feed these animals. Seriously, there were a few times I really felt like belting out a big "Moooo" as we were nudged from place to place amidst the throngs of other kids and parents from other schools, all together at this very poplular Fall learning excursion spot!

Our kids got to see a demonstration on milking a cow (by machine) good thing they were the first school to be seated, as you can see by the layers of kids they stuffed in here...

this guy demonstrated some lasso-ing tricks...

and even picked one of Kayli's classmates out of the crowd to help him...

we headed to the arena next, where we ate our sack lunches while watching a "kid's rodeo"...

Kayli's teacher, Mrs. B, was taking lots of pictures too...

all in all, I would say the kids enjoyed themselves, but judging from some of the bus conversations, they still couldn't decide if they had just visited a farm or a circus, Ha Ha!

A Fabulous Fairyific Day!

Today was a special day, our Red Thread Day, the day we celebrate, 6 years ago, that Kayli "was born in my heart", the day I first laid eyes on my sweet pea, and soon after held this tiny girl in my arms, and the two of us became a family!

I decided that we would begin our celebration this year, from the start of our day by taking the day off from school/work. Kayli was thrilled when I told her last night, announcing that we could stay up late and sleep in! We both love to sleep in! We also both love that when we have a leisurely schedule to follow, we are just a "stone's throw" away from fresh morning donuts at QT! We thoroughly enjoyed both this morning! Then, we decided that the fairy houses at Powell Gardens were calling to us! Another new Tinkerbell movie is coming out in early October, and we've got "fairy fever!" So, we found the fairy wings, packed some snacks, loaded the wagon into the car, and made sure the camera was charged and ready to shoot our fairy fun today!

at the vegetable garden, there were postings of the story of Peter Rabbit, that lead us through the garden, just as Peter Rabbit had run from spot to spot...

even taking us into a tiny shed where Peter Rabbit had hidden from Mr. McGregor...soo cute!

we also decided to check out the view from the top of the silo. This is the "quilt garden"...

these are the stairs we could have chosen to climb but opted instead for the elevator. We did have our wagon with us after all...

We explored some more, finding this cool tractor...

a beautiful "dancing fountain"...

and unfortunately we encountered some real grasshoppers that, to Kayli, may as well have been as big as this praying mantis, judging from her reaction to them...

we managed to work our way through that roadblock, but it was no small feat. This sun umbrella helped to "shield" her from any more lurking pests...

so, we wrapped up our day with a snack and a drink and an obligatory walk through the gift shop on our way out!

We had plans to try a new Chinese restaurant tonight. We showered and dressed in our traditional "good-luck red color"

Kayli opened her special gift. This large silver engraved fortune cookie...

with this tiny fortune cookie necklace inside...

we had a delicious meal at the Chinese Buffet, and cracked open our fortune cookies to reveal the following fortunes...

Kayli's said:

good one! Mine said:

Oh yeah, gotta love it!

Happy Red Thread Day Sweet Pea!!!