Thanksgiving and Birthdays

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Emily turned four years old this month! She is such a big girl now. She is into all kinds of tricks of jumping, leaping and rolling. She loves coloring and tracing. She is quiet, sensitive, helpful, and observant. David also thinks she is a perfectionist. There are moments that she tried to test our limits. But we are absolutely blessed with our sweet little princess! We love her more than she possibly knows.

We had a small birthday celebration on her actually birthday. It was her school's pajamas day. So we sent her to school in her princess pajamas and these little treats for her classmates. These berry danish minis were so good that her teachers asked me for the recipe.

 

 

The birthday party theme was "Dora Saves Mermaids" because she has been reading a few Mermaids books and she loves the DVD "Dora Savies Mermainds". Mary Ellen and Gayla bought her a giant Dora balloon. It has been a hit in our house for every kid who saw it! Who would know they will love a giant balloon like that? But every single kid got so many giggles and laughters out of it. Good idea Mary Ellen!

 

 

 

 

 

 After the party we all went to the backyard to play bubbles and balls. Emily had a great time running around chasing the bubbles and kicking the balls.

 

 

Mary Ellen's birthday was the day before Emily's. So we had a little birthday gift for her. She loves her jewelry making set from Emily and Andy.



Our China missionary friends Andrew and Jaime (and their daughter Lucia) came to visit us later that night. We were so glad to be able to catch up with them.

 Emily's classmate Logan had a birthday party at the Fire Station. That was the first birthday party we went to outside our (adults) friends circle. Emily kept looking back at me to check that I didn't loose her since it was a pretty big crowd. We didn't stay to the end since our good friend Leslie was coming over for a visit. But we totally enjoyed everything and was amazed by the maturity her classmate displayed.

As part of Emily's birthday tradition, we went to the Fort Worth zoo on the birthday weekend. We stayed there from ten thirty to four thirty. We saw almost everything except the living art museum exhibition inside.

 

At the end of the trip, we stopped for an icecream before we hopped on the train. David asked the kids whether he could have a bit of their icecreams. Here are their responses:

 Now that said how much they loved their daddy!

 

Emily's school had Thanksgiving dinner. We brought some pilgrim hats. We met some of her classmates' parents. Three of them work for Raytheon also. The food was so good that all of us had a full tummy that night. Besides school Thanksgiving dinner, we also went to Friendspeak Thanksgiving dinner, Church luncheon, and small group Thanksgiving dinner. 

 

One day when I was in the school picking up Emily, one of the school assistants asked Andy "Are you Andy?" Andy said yes. She told us that when the teacher asked the kids who they were thankful for to make the thankful turkey, Emily said she was thankful for Andy! Here are the thankful turkey Emily's classmates made. Emily was pointing to one of her school friends' picture.

Emily was in camouflage on school's camouflage day. Doesn't she look like a soldier girl?

 

We fed lots of carrots and apples to the horses this month. Andy got to feed them three times, with half big bag of carrots and apples each time. The horses had a Thanksgiving month too. Our friends Todd and Becca came over to feed the horses with us the day before Thanksgiving day because their daughter Savanna loved horses. Savanna had a great time feeding and petting horses. She giggled the whole time!

 

 

Every time after the feeding, the horses stood at the fence waiting for more until they were sure we wouldn't go back with more treats. It took some strength each time to say "That's it. No more. Bye-bye" to these horses. They are beautiful!

 

 

Dad and Amy's family came for Thanksgiving. We had a great time relaxing and eating and talking. The weather was beautiful! This picture was taken after the kids went out to feed the horses. But the horses didn't come by. So they had to put the carrots back into the bag. Andy got to feed all of them to the horses two days later.



 

The weekend after Thanksgiving, we put up the Christmas trees and lights per Emily's request. We also went to the Dickens of Christmas event in downtown McKinney. We enjoyed looking around and eating corn dogs, gourmet bread puddings and hot chocolate in a cool evening. It was more crowded than we thought.

 

 

Emily and Andy were looking forward to helping set up the Christmas tree and starting the Advent count downs.

 

Emily made a cute Gingerbread house picture frame craft. She did a great job lining everything up at the right place. There's a reason why Daddy thinks she is a perfectionist.

 

 

 

Andy loves helping me with cooking whenever he can

 

 

Hot air balloons on Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Emily and Andy love playing hide and seek. The way how they play is "OK, you hide right there, and I'll look for you." It always involves lots of laughters. Here's Emily hiding in the closet :-)

 

 

We had to take this picture before we throw away this pant. When will they learn not to draw on things other than allowed paper??

 

 

There are lots of things we are thankful for this year: a new house, a job, family, health, friends, ... But most of all, a God who loves us no matter what! As Christmas is approaching, let us remember what it is all about - the celebration of the greatest love of all:

 

God: the greatest lover

so loved: the greatest degree

the world: the greatest company

that He gave: the greatest act

His only begotten Son: the greatest gift

that whoever believes: the greatest simplicity

in Him: the greatest person

should not perish: the greatest promise

but: the greatest difference

have: the greatest certainty

everlasting life: the greatest possession

(parenthetical commentary on John 3:16 by Chuck Swindoll)

 

 

Here is a wish for you and your family a very blessed Christmas and New Year!!!