Valentine's Day / Chinese New Year / Bridge to Terabithia / Winter Break

I can't believe that it's been almost three weeks since I posted anything. I apologise to my dear reader(s) for that. Let me go by each event from my post's title and catch you up!

Valentine's Day
Yummers' class had their Valentine's Day party the day before Valentine's Day. Good thing 'cos Wednesday, the kids had a Snow Day so they stayed home with me. Poor Minnie didn't get to have a V-Day party in his class nor did they do any "make up" activities. We still had a nice time in the evening as a family with an impromptu pizza party.

Yummers is in pure heaven.


Chinese New Year
We went over to see Uncle Tien and Goong Goong / Paw Paw at their restaurant and had a delightful dinner. My dad was able to come out from the kitchen and spend some time with us which was really nice. We had Tender Beef with Tomatoes, Steamed Chicken with Baby Bok Choy, and Battered Lake Trout (for the kiddoes). I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of it, because it was always beautifully presented and delicious!

Bridge to Terabithia
We went to see "Bridge to Terabithia" last night due to MJM's great work on his job. This seemed to be the most appropriate movie for the kiddos. Overall, it was a good movie and very well-done. The movie theatre had the staggered seating which was really nice so short folks (like me) and kids (like Yummers and Min) can see without having to look around the person in front of us.

Did anyone else read this book besides me? :O)


Winter Break
The kids just went back to school this morning after surviving Winter Break with mom last week. The kids stayed home mostly and played indoors. They went back to school this morning. They built and knocked-down lots of block structures!

Troop # 84: Charlotte's Web at the Michigan Theatre (02.04.2007)

Yesterday, the family went to the Michigan Theatre and saw a play adaptation of "Charlotte's Web" with Yummers' Brownie Troop. I haven't been to the Michigan Theatre in years, but it still was a splendid sight to behold. The plaster medallions and details were as colourful as they were years ago. Prior to the play starting, there was an organist playing children's tunes by the stage. There were a few sound issues, but overall, it was very charming. The actress who played Charlotte captured her voice perfectly in my opinion. As an FYI, the performance troop were from NYC.

Off-topic a bit ... Michael took a picture of our external thermometer. It was ZERO degrees and 62 degrees in our house. It was bloody cold outside!


A picture of the stage and props. See the organist in the bottom left?


We had a snack and beverage at Border's across the street after the show. Then, we headed home in a mild winter storm where Yum and I dropped Dad and Minnie off. The girls headed to the store, and the boys started insulating the parlour walls.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! It's cold outside (02.03.2007)

It's been several years since we've had really cold weather as well as accumulation. The kids and dad went outside to build a little ice pond in the back. They managed to shovel the snow to form a pond. However, it was so cold that the water would not flow out of the outside spigot. Urgh. Well, Minnie kept going and shovelling snow around lasting 30 minutes before I called him inside.

Here are the kids before they went outside.


Yummers is shovelling show...


... while Minnie is adjusting his mask.

Happy Birthday, Scoog! (01.31.2007)

Today is Yummers' birthday! We made cupcakes for her class snack last night. It was fun, a wee bit messy and delicious!

More later! :O)

EDIT: Her classlmates LOVED the cupcakes. We did bring a few home and the serving tray. All cupcakes should have cream cheese frosting.

Here are a few pictures from our birthday party at home!


The birthday balloons from Granny and Groom-Gram!


Last, but not least, the birthday girl!
(If you're wondering what that long dangly silver tube is, it's part of our Unico system that provides central air in our house. It will be put back up, don't worry! :O))

The GWL Experience (01.27.2007)

We went to The Great Wolf Lodge (GWL) in Mason, OH on Saturday as a surprise for Yummers' birthday. We sent a letter to Yummers in the mail that said that there was a birthday surprise for her, but she had to solve some clues to get to the answer. She solved the questions and wanted to see Wiley Wolf and the surprise. We drove up to the GWL, and Yummers said, "I'd really like to stay here next year for my birthday" still not realising this was for her! We walked through the long corridors to get to the room where the surprise was ("Kids Kamp") and saw a present wedged in the door. The kids saw a white shoe, went inside and realised it was Granny and Groom-Gram! LOL! The kids were tricked!

It was a lot of fun going down the waterslides, and the food for a resort park was excellent. The sushi-grade tuna and greens that I had for dinner were delicious.

Anyhow, on to the picutres!

The kids at the entrance.


Yummers taking a pause in fun to pose for the camera...


and so is Minnie!


Dinner time! (Nice hat, Minnie!)


Here is the clip I took of the surprise dessert. They came earlier then I expected as you can tell! :O)

The 25th Annual Plymouth Ice Spectacular (01.20.2007)

We walked downtown to the Plymouth Ice Spectacular on Saturday night to take in the sculptures. It was crowded and smaller than in past years, but Michael, the kids and I enjoyed it. At least the weather held up (21 degrees) and kept the sculptures from melting which has happened before as some of you might remember - LOL.

Enjoy the pictures and video below!

The kids are all bundled up with snowpants, hats, mittens, scarves and boots.


Here is Team Japan's submission. A team from Japan comes every year to the event to carve out a work of art. They never fail to impress. It was a visit to Japan's ice festival that inspired the one in Plymouth. Apologies for the blurriness!


This team is from Macomb Community College if I recall properly. They are working on a replica of the Mayflower which ironically is kitty-corner from the original Mayflower hotel that now is condominiums and shops.


The Plymouth Ice Spectacular on Saturday night.

Fai Leaves / Farrand Fox (Part II)

Well, like most of the nation, we are finally feeling Old Man Winter! The high was 19 degrees this week for goodness sake. Yes, I actually did turn the thermostat up to 62 degrees. Even I have my comfort level. LOL! ;O)

A couple things of note for the past couple of weeks. Fai left during the first week of January back to Guinea. She's been in Conakry and keeping us up to date on her blog. She's been chilling for the most part. Here we are at the NWA terminal at DTW. Sniff, sniff.



Today, I had lunch with Minnie who was the Farrand Fox this week. Minnie invited his friend, Geoffrey, who enjoyed his lunch as well. I cringed when I ordered the french fries (instead of apples), but that's what Geoffrey wanted. Obviously, if he had them, Min had to have them, too. Argh. They had a raucous time together.



edit (01.22.2007): Fai is not the dictionary definition of prodigal. Apologies, sis ... that could be further from the truth.

Christmas 2006 - NYD 2007 (Happy New Year!)

Well, apologies for the delay in posting ... It has been a busy few weeks for us with Fai being home, Santa, Granny and Roger visiting, holiday parties, gearing up for the new year and getting back to normal. It's been a whirlwind of activity and fun. We hope that you and your family / relatives / friends have had an equally relaxing time. On to the pictures!

Christmas Eve 2006: Yummer and Minnie enthusiastically decorating our bubble-wrapped staircase.


Christmas Eve 2006: Here we are experiencing the hustle and bustle of shopping on Christmas Eve at Laurel Park Place and of all the people to see there, David Boldrin! LOL!


Christmas Eve 2006: We baked cookies for Santa Claus. The kids put some cookies, carrots (for the reindeer) and milk out on the porch with the Christmas lists.


Christmas Eve 2006: The kids and their stockings.


Christmas Eve 2006: The kids and their new digital cameras from mum & dad.


Christmas 2006: Christmas started at 2.52 AM EST for us this year. Here are the kids with their new fishing poles and fish pillows.




Christmas 2006: At 4.35 AM EST, we went back to sleep for a few more hours.
Zzzzzz ...


Christmas 2006: The kids woke up and put together this little portrait of their new animals plus Bug and Lambie.


12.30.2006: We are getting ready to head over to the Michaud holiday party. Here is Granny and Yummer looking at me.


12.30.2006: Braylynn, Morgan, Yummer & Jenica at the holiday party.


12.30.2006: Minnie is being ... well, Minnie.


12.30.2006: No party is complete without a card game.


NYE: Minnie didn't last past 8.00 PM EST...
Seems like a repeat from last year!

and Yummers almost made it to 10.00 PM EST. LOL!


It's almost the new year ...


Happy New Year!

Kids' School Christmas Parites (12.21.2006)

Talk about trying to be in two places at once... Both kids had Christmas parties on the same day, and I shuffled back and forth on opposite ends of the school attending and helping at both. It was a lot of fun!

Yummers is aiming glitter glue at the cameraperson ... me! ;O)


Capturing Yum in serious concentration mode with her friend, Kaitlyn.


Minnie made another ornament for the Christmas tree!


Instead of paying attention to Mrs. F, Minnie strikes a pose. Geez. ;O)


After the party was over, Minnie and his class went out for recess. He is in the sandpit with his friends making a volcano.

The prodigal daughter comes home. (12.20.2006)

Tien and Fai stopped at the house to see us after her arrival at DTW. It was awesome to see Fai (and Tien, of course!). She looked fantastic down to the braids that she had been sporting for a while. We spent an hour talking in the upstairs bathroom (the end of the house tour ~ LOL) 'cos it was still not completed earlier in February of this year when she left for Guinea and the Peace Corps.

Apologies, Fai, that your eyes are closed in this picture. I had chocolate in my teeth, and you look better with your eyes closed than I do with chocolate in my teeth. LOL. Here are the Foen kids and my kids in front of our Christmas tree.

Batman (12.17.2006)

We left some windows open in the house to provide more ventilation while Michael was blasting the foam into the attic. Apparently, a little bat flew into the house. We have had a couple bats now and them come in to our house, so it was not too surprising. Michael caught the little bugger and sent him on his merry way outside. Here is a picture of him on the wall. To the right of him, you can see a wee scrap of original wallpaper that is still on the plaster. Cool beans. :O)

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree (12.16.2006)

We picked up our Christmas tree on Saturday from a small farm (same place from last year). We discovered that the aunt had previously owned the land across the street which is now a subdivision of 800+ homes and a new school. Indeed. Here's some pics from the farm to our house and fully decorated!

On the toppermost of the van ...


Now, the kids are clipping the webbing off the tree ...


Here are the kids with are fine balsam fir tree ... (Note Yummers "skirt")


and here is our beautiful tree!

Farrand Movie Night (12.15.2006)

We went to see "Shaggy Dog" at the school on Friday night. It was actually better than I thought. The kids had fun, too, which was the most important thing!

Farrand Multi-Age Christmas Recital (12.12.2006)

The multi-age classes had a Christmas recital last night which had an Asian-inspired theme. It was really cute and even Minnie sang loudly from the audience when he recognised some of the songs.

Yummer and her gang of friends (Apologies for the glare from the program!)


One of the songs that were performed.