Zoo time

So it's totally past time for a post. I've had way to much going on recently, but I don't want to blog about it...so I'm going to post some pictures from our trip to the zoo on President's Day (cause it was free).

This first picture is kinda hard to see, but this orangutan was so funny. He was swinging and bouncing around, and then he climbed up into this hammock and pulled his little blankie on top of him. These guys are so smart! This picture of Hailey was taken about 1 minute before we lost her. It was one of those terrifying moments in parenting....I turned around and she was gone. I went out the exit to see if she had gone outside and Ben went back through the exhibit. A few minutes later he found her by the other door. A nice lady there had stopped her from going out the door. Thank goodness for that thoughtful person. Big smiles in this picture. Hunter says he was playing with Nemo.
Some nice looking giraffes.But look, these guys are pretty tall too.It was nice that Ben was able to meet us after work and come to the zoo too. The kids loved having him there and we managed to get a decent picture.This picture has nothing to do with our trip to the zoo, but I liked it, so here it is.

Homemade

I saw this on my friends blog, so I decided to play along (but mostly because I'm curious what she will make). You can play too! If you want :) 

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! Lucky, lucky you! Haha I even get to choose what amazing gift I am going to bestow. 

This game DOES have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! Only, it is from ME so what's NOT to like?
2- What I create will be just for you. Awww...don't you feel special?!
3- It'll be done this year. Good thing it is only February...that gives me plenty of time!
4- You have no clue what it's going to be. Mwahahahaha
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange. Sweet!

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. (Although, if you don't have a blog, I don't care if you don't follow through...I'll still make something...probably).

Soooo...the first 5 people to do the above and leave a comment on my blog, will win something home made from ME!

Well, I think they are pretty cute

Here's Hailey modeling the wontons we made.  Sometimes they really enjoy these.  This day I had to cut Hunter off after a bowl of fried rice and 6 wontons...cause we needed to save something for daddy.

Now I have to warn you about the next picture.  It is so stinking cute.  I finally got Hunter new pair of  pants and a tie for church (yes it's a little long).  What a studly boy-all those girls in nursery will hardly be able to control themselves now.

Fun with our feathered friends

Every once in a while we bust out our sweet ride and go on adventures. And yes, that helmet is from my mission days. It's actually pretty good exercise to tow 70+ pounds (well at least it really wears me out). Anyway, last week we decided to go visit the ducks at the pond in my brother's neighborhood. They've got to be the friendliest ducks I have ever seen. When you reach the sidewalk the come running to see if you've brought anything good. There were at least 20...maybe 30 or 40. The kids had a great time.
Somehow I managed to forget Hailey's shoes, so we didn't get to stay too long.

The video isn't too exciting, but I wanted to put one on here, so here it is. If you can't tell, Hunter is telling the ducks to go back in the water (just before he attempts to kick them, I think).

So crafty

Last Christmas (not this one we just had but 14 months ago...) Benjamin got us some cool stuff to decorate aprons. The kids had a great time smearing paint everywhere. Hunter especially enjoyed putting it on his face and his dad's shirt. Hailey just had a great time playing with all the colors. Now the kids have something to wear when they help me make a mess...I mean cook...in the kitchen.

Here are the masterpieces all together:

The year of the ox

新年快樂

-Seriously, if you can read that, you're cool. Happy New Year (what, New Years already happened? Well, today was Chinese New Years). It's been 6 years since I returned home from my mission. Wow, what a blur. I've been missing Taiwan and everyone I knew/met there so much recently. I came up with a crazy idea that I'd like to go back there and I have somehow managed to convince Ben to do it. The tickets are all but purchased and I'm excited. It looks like we will be heading over there in March!! (sans the kiddos, are you nuts? We're beyond grateful to those who've offered to help out on that front)

So anyways, since I've been thinking about all things Chinese for the past week I decided to make some Chinese food and have some friends over to celebrate Chinese New Years today. We made some great wontons, fried rice, fanquie dan, and egg drop with corn soup. Thanks Chartrands and Hongs (minus one) for coming to celebrate with us. We had a great time and I'm glad that we have these Chinese ties that allow us to get together and celebrate this fun holiday! Thanks Carrie for bringing some cute decorations! (In posting these pictures I am reminded that I never did post anything when we painted these rooms way back when. So here you have it-the red room is our downstairs living room and that goes leads into the kitchen which is that brownish color.)

Okay, so this picture wasn't from today. But it was cute, so I had to post it. Hunter and Hailey with their friend Danny.

I've been sucked in

...to the phenomenon that is the Twilight series...that is. Just over a week ago my friend and I took an impulsive trip to the theater to see the movie (thanks Carrie)-on the way home I decided it was time to just suck it up and read the books. I'm not a reader. But oh goodness I, like everyone else, got sucked in. My friend Jana lent me all four books last Thursday. Let the ignoring of the children and the husband begin. Finished Twilight Saturday, Started New Moon yesterday afternoon. I was so mad at the second book I just kept reading till something made me happy-I now have 50 pages left. I'm worried that when I finish the 4th book I'll start having withdrawals...there's going to be another...right??