Happy Chinese New Year!

free dragon printable via craft jr.

Do you believe in horoscopes? I don't really, but when last year's prediction included stuff like-- watch out for your health, lay low and hunker down, and don't invest in anything because you'll probably lose your shirt (not in exactly those words, but you get the drift)-- it's not a big surprise that I was kinda happy to see the Year of the Snake end. And Snake… really?? I mean, you may as well just call it Year of the Big Hairy Spider… Bleh. So I'm happy to usher in the Year of the Horse!

Since my MIL is Chinese-- via Hong Kong and Peking (Beijing), we rang in the New Year with a family dinner and some good Chinese grub. According to my MIL, it is Chinese tradition to celebrate New Year's Eve with family over a lot of good food. Or as she puts it… The family that eats together, stays together. True that. I'm not sure if we ate all of the "traditional" foods, but there was a lot of seafood, noodles and some of the stuff that you typically see at Chinese banquets. Yum, yum and yum.

I'm still stuffed. My New Year's resolutions, Part II starts tomorrow.  :)

Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

photo via steamy kitchen

My inlaws spent a good portion of their lives in Hong Kong, so to celebrate the Eve of Chinese New Years, we got together for a traditional family feast. And last night... boy did we feast!  Our meal included noodles for longevity, dumplings for wealth, fish & chicken for abundance, shrimp for happiness, and sticky rice cake for a rich, sweet life & family reunion (didn't realize the dessert was so symbolic until I looked it up!).  We don't follow all the traditions... basically it's just a great reason to get the entire family together for good conversation and yummy food!

Happy Vee took a nap yesterday (hallelujah!), so with my free time, I decided to make some felt "fortune cookies" (a la Martha Stewart, which I mentioned here), and stuff them with Dove chocolates and a condensed version of everyone's personalized "2011 Chinese Fortune".  For the kids I went a step further and added some hopeful predictions like "will learn how to use the potty" and "will become a better listener".

i cut out a step or two and sped up the process by using color-coordinated pipe cleaners & a hot glue gun

my "cookies" weren't holding together, so i put a little dot of hot glue on the top rim.  worked like a charm!



And, just for fun, here's the general forecast for 2011

The Year of the Rabbit

Most Rabbit years are quiet, positive and inspiring and 2011 looks to be heading in this direction – a refreshing change after the fast-moving and quite dramatic Year of the Tiger. Family, diplomacy and personal development will all be highlighted in 2011. Once again alternative sources of energy and green living will be under the spotlight. The arts and culture sector of society will very busy producing amazing works of art and staging important exhibitions throughout the year. Love, romance and family life are well-starred, with a renewed appreciation of loved ones and friends. Overall, it should be a fun and relatively peaceful year. Even though aggression, violence and war zones will still be in evidence, the Chinese Rabbit year favours peaceful solutions and diplomacy, so there will be a feeling that all is not lost and that hope is still very much alive.

via moonslipper.com

Peace and diplomacy?  I'm all for that!  Happy New Year!

linked to:

paisley passions
the shabby nest

Happy Chinese New Year ~ Happy Valentine's Day ~ Happy President's Day

Kong Hei Fat Choi
{Happy New Year}

Click here for 2010 Predictions and Forecasts

Hmmm... I was hoping for a year of healing, not more drama.  Maybe next year-- Because really... how dramatic can the Year of the Rabbit be?  Until then, my fellow pigs and I shall remain wary, guarded and careful... yeesh, how fun. At least August thru December looks promising.  But on a happier note, isn't that a cute picture of Smarty Pants in a changsan?  He was just 18 months old... I especially love the ponytail that came with the cap {ha ha!}.  I need to get some pictures of Happy Vee in the outfit too... although there's no chance that the cap will fit-- Gotta love the large noggin.

~♥♥♥~

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I found this mosaic heart creation just in time for V-Day. Remember when mosaics where "in"?  I won't even say when that was because then I'd be dating myself {snicker}. It was actually pretty fun breaking old dishes and ceramic tile... although my neighbors probably thought I was crazy!  I unearthed this from a box marked "art" (I use the word "art" loosely) that was left unopened and forgotten at our old house.  Hmmm.... I think I may find a space for this in the craft/mud room.

~♥♥♥~

Since it's also President's Day Weekend and we're on the go, we're celebrating Valentine's Day with the kids {let's just sigh in unison}.  Sigh.  Which is also the anniversary of our engagement 7 years ago.  Sigh.  I love the munchkins, but we haven't had a "date night" in a long time.  Which is why I'm so thrilled with The Mister's valentine's gift-- Tickets to the BLACK EYED PEAS at the Staples Center!!! So we'll have our Valentine's Day celebration next month.  Yay!!!  Anyhow, if you're able, please have a nice, romantic day with your significant other and have a fabulous weekend!

~♥♥♥~