Zoo Trip

We hauled all nine kids and seven adults to the wonderful Philadelphia Zoo for some entertainment.

No trip is complete without goat brushing.

Amelia got dressed up like a bird in the aviary.

Claire modeling the lumpy owl hat I made her for her birthday.

All the kids in front of the lion exhibit.

Busy Month

This has been one crazy month!

Mike's 30th birthday was this month, and he kicked things off with a boys trip to AZ and San Diego with his Dad and brothers. He had an awesome time relaxing, sight seeing, and (of course) eating nonstop. Unfortunately Mike forgot the camera, but highlights included whale watching, Russian Roulette chicken wings, playing pool, and seafood.

Mom arrived for a visit the same day Mike headed out west. I decided to throw Mike a surprise party for his birthday a while back, so she agreed to come help me out while he was out of town. Then Sarah and Ryan decided to drive over from Indiana just for the weekend of the party, later Dad decided to fly in, and eventually Lauren and all her kids managed to scrape together some tickets! After lots of shopping, planning, and Mike finding out about the party, we had a big shindig here the Saturday after Mike's birthday with family and few close friends. Lauren and Mom continued their visit for a week after the party, and it was really nice to spend time with my little nieces.

On Sunday the kids all got dressed up in the matching Easter clothes that we bought for them last year after Easter (we got a good deal). They all learned the song "One in a Million" and sang it in church. Sarah and Ryan were already on their way back home by then, so Max and Evie didn't get to participate, but I do have an excellent video of them all singing together that I'll post soon. Here's a photo of them all after church, and I believe Amelia is giving Jack a wet willie. Great.

Ready for Church

And playing with a photoshop action called "honey retro."

Longwood Gardens

Today we headed over to Longwood to enjoy the warmer temperature outside. The kids really wore themselves out racing around the grounds. It was a lovely day!

Jack can be so difficult to photograph these days. I'm far more likely to get his back while he's running away than anything else! Unless he's about to fight me, like he was here.

Typical Jack. He loves to furrow those brows.

Snowdrops

I don't know why I never expect to see these, but every year they take me surprise. Winter won't last forever after all!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Martha Stewart Taping

Just before Christmas a friend of mine set up a big trip to New York to see a live taping of the holiday episode of the Martha Stewart Show! It was an exciting, hilarious, and unusual experience, to say the least. I loved seeing the show being taped, marvelled at the staff and the set up, bristled at Martha's prickly responses to her fans, balked at the pathetic giveaway (plastic wine glasses), reveled in cupcakes, and soaked up all the holiday excitement that New York City at Christmastime had to offer. Thanks, Janell!!! Warning: photos are totally out of order.

Front row seats! The faux greenhouse part of the set is behind me.

Martha taking a few questions after the show. Can you believe she didn't have a ready answer to the (predictable) question, "What are some of your Christmas traditions?" Does she ever even look at her magazine?

Taking the train to NYC from New Jersey. I had to text Dad because a man in a train hat came by to punch my ticket.

Outside the studio before the show.

All the excitement getting ready to start. Can you see Martha in the kitchen back there?

Wedding in DC

Saturday we drove down to the DC temple with the kids for the wedding of some friends from church. Here are two photos from the day.

Deep Thoughts Repost

I'm staring afresh with the "Deep Thoughts" column, so I thought I'd put 2010's thoughts in a post for safe-keeping.

December 2010

Colin: Dad, I wanted the orange bowl.

Mike: Sorry, but Jack asked for it first.

Colin: But I said it in my mind.

Mike: We're going ice skating at Penn's Landing.

Colin: Is that like a world that's made out of pens?

Amelia: Guess what Mom. You can eat weather because snow is weather and I eat it.

Me: Jack, why did you throw all that food all over the ground?

Jack: Those were footballs. I frow the footballs.

Colin: Do you know cow's have four tummies on top of their regular tummy?

Amelia: No, Colin. Cow's have only four tummies.

Me, referring to naptime: Jack, guess what time it is.

Jack: Fourteen o'clock!

Me: Jack, that's not your seat, it's Amelia's.

Jack: No, I had that seat when I was little!

Colin: Timmy told me at preschool that if you punch a bee it won't sting you.

November 2010

Amelia, to Me: You're not tall enough to be a Rockette. You're not thin enough, either.

Colin, to Jack: Don't come in here. This is my personal space.

Colin, upon hearing classical music: This is Chinese music.

Me: Actually, this is classical music.

Colin: Classical music sounds kind of Chinese-ey.

October 2010

Jack, with a crazy smile, after tasting hot chocolate for the first time: It taste like caaanndeee.

Me: Colin, go get ready to get in the shower.

Colin: Okay, I'll do it as fast as a groundhog can dig!

Amelia: I was just marching and the but buts were the drum. (FYI- But in this case rhymes with put and is the family word for fart. Mike claims it's Chinese.)

Me: Jack, how was nursery today?

Colin: You know Jack, I met some pretty cool guys in nursery.

September 2010

Jack: I want some felly lotion.

Me: You mean SSSSSmelly lotion?

Jack: Yeah. SSS-felly lotion

Me, after Jack started crying in the car when Colin was harassing him:

Colin, what did you do?

Colin: I did something to Jack, but I wasn't paying attention to what it was.

Jack, at church during the sacrament, before throwing water cups at me: No, I don't eat sacrament!

Jack, the next week after manhandling the bread: It's not sacrament, it's BREAD.

August 2010

Me: Let's change your diaper.

Jack: Don't you do that to me.

Amelia, after church, when I announced that we were having frozen food for dinner: Mom, I'm imagining a different kind of Sunday. I'm imagining a Sunday where we relax, spend time together, and eat the kind of dinner with mashed potatoes.

July 2010

Me, while getting dressed: Hmmm, I don't like this outfit. I look silly.

Colin: I don't think you look silly. What part of your outfit is silly?

Me: The skirt.

Colin: The skirt is my favorite piece of your outfit. I think it looks great. I think you look fantastic.

Colin, whispering, after saying his prayer at night and while listening to someone else's: Wasn't my prayer fantastic?

Me: Do you want to try this cereal?

Amelia: No. When it stays in my mouth for a while it makes my nose smell Meerkats.

Me: I'm kind of hot.

Amelia: Me too. I wish we weren't going to Arizona. I wish we were going to the arctic.

June 2010

Colin: I think dinosaurs can kill your life.

Colin: Can I have some milk? Please, I mean.

Mike: Sure. Good job saying please.

Colin: Great job, you mean.

Colin: I'm faster than anybody in this family. I even beat Dad up in some of these running races.

Jack, during a diaper change: I stinky. It hurt a nose.

May 2010

Jack: Papa, I have to get out. I have to go potty. (Funny, since he isn't potty trained. Just trying to escape from his stroller.)

April 2010

Amelia: In other countries, like San Diego, they build houses out of grass.

Me: Good morning, Colin!

Colin: I HATE the color pink.

Colin, two nights in a row at prayer time: Please bless that our jammies will be cool.
Colin, the third night at prayer time: Please bless that our jammies will be... beauuuutiful.

March 2010

Me: Come on over here and snuggle up on the couch with me.
Amelia: There's more to life than snuggling, you know.

Colin, after a lot of Easter talk: Mom, we've got to get away from that resurrection

February 2010

Me: that looks like a bruise on your head. Did you hit your head?
Colin: No. Maybe a bird flew down and pecked it.

Me (in which a mundane conversation takes a spiritual turn): Let me cut you a piece of cheese.
Amelia: It's like string cheese, only you made it.
Colin: No, God made it. God is sooo nice.
Amelia: God loves you. Go in peace.

Jack, after putting his milk cup in the fridge on my orders: night, night milk.

Amelia, coming down to dinner: What is that appetizing smell?

January 2010

Me: What is Jack's middle name?
Amelia: It's Jack Rental Chin!
Me: What is Daddy's?
Amelia: It's Fincent.

Amelia, yelling through the house: Who wants to help me wash my whoopee cushion!?

Ice Skating at Penn's Landing

Just after Christmas we took our group of Young Women ice skating at a cool rink on the river in Philadelphia. It was the first time for Amelia and Colin (and many of the girls), and it was really fun. Jack came, too, but he was stuck watching.

The whole group after the skating. We're all still alive!

Amelia and Colin, after putting on their skates for the first time. Also the last time they stood upright under their own pwer for the rest of the trip!

Me and Colin. Colin mostly got dragged around the edge, with me holding the wall to keep him from taking us both down. Amazingly enough, he enjoyed this! This was when we paused to take a break.

Amelia was really into it, and really brave. After a few trips around the edge with Mom and Dad, she decided she could handle it by herself. She sort of jogged around on the skates. It was pretty cute. Mike was dragging Colin around, but he's smiling!

Checking out the blades.

First Big Snow

Shortly after Christmas, we got our first big snow of the winter. The kids' coats were in the dryer, so we improvised and they wore their raincoats with a few layers underneath. They had a great time playing while Mike and I dug out the driveway. This year Jack LOVED the snow, (last year he mostly cried) and he was crawling and jumping and going nuts!

Jack and Grandpa Chin at Church

More Christmas Photos

Ready for church on the Sunday after Christmas. Amelia, Mike, and Colin sang "Away in a Manger" during Sacrament meeting. They were wonderful and I was really proud of Colin, who was excited to do it for the first time.

Grandma Debi and Amelia painted this cute little tea set. Amelia painted most of it, but she let Grandma Debi, Mommy, and Colin try paining a few pieces.

Jack loved tearing around on his new "motorcycle."

The kids participating in a long Chin family tradition- Uno! They did great in their first game, and were surprisingly competitive!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day was really fun and kind of low key, which was nice. The kids woke up and on their way down the stairs Daddy saw Santa walking down the street outside. The kids ran to the door, and waved at him, and he waved back! They were so shocked they could hardly speak! After a short while, Grandma Debi and Grandpa Chin showed up and the present opening began. After all the unwrapping was done we went to Chinatown for some delicious dim sum, and then we came home, took naps, and relaxed while the kids played with their new toys for the rest of the evening.

Checking out the new sofas from Grandma Debi and Grandpa Chin

Colin got this sweet dragon from our mysterious Secret Santa who leaves gifts on the doorstep every year.

Excited!

Jack had a little trouble getting through his gifts. Once he opened this one, he wasn't interested in anything else!

Matching jammies from Grandma Susu on Christmas night.

Christmas Eve

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! We stayed in Philly for the first time since we've moved here and Mike and Debi came to visit. Here are our photos from Christmas Eve.

Colin and Jack looking at coloring books Colin-style- laying down with a pillow! Colin is such a relaxed little guy!

We decided to do our big dinner on Christmas Eve. I didn't get any photos of the table before dinner began, but here's one we took while we were serving the food. All the food wasn't perfect, but the meat turned out good so that's all that counts! Mike's dad was the first to dig in!

The kids waiting for their food at the table that Amelia decorated. Amelia was wearing a special new Christmas apron that Grandma Debi brought. I got one too!

Decked out in new matching jammies and ready to go to bed on the big night.

Santa loaded their stocking!