Finally!

While we've endured below freezing temps without a trace of the white stuff these past few weeks, the Lord showered us this morning with a gorgeous snowfall.  After breakfast, we quickly changed into our gear and headed outdoors to play.  Good thing we went early because by 10:30 it had all melted away...that's a Tennessee snow for ya :)

Olympic Fever

 

The 2014 Winter Olympics are here, and we couldn't be more thrilled!  Cole really got into the summer games two years ago, and was so excited to cheer on Team USA once again.  I doubt Cade understands too much of what's going on, but he waves his American flag and chants his 'Go USA!' with gusto.

To ring in the games we made paper torches and marched around the house, prepared Olympic treats, and played a fun round of broom hockey.  On Friday, we also centered our school day around Olympic themed activities (G is for Gold is a perfect book with loads of information) and added some teachable moments to the Opening Ceremonies with scavenger hunt Bingo and a geography fill-in map.  Cole loved watching all the countries enter the arena with their matching outfits (what was team USA thinking with those sweaters?!) and even learned a few tidbits of Russian history in the process.  It was a beautiful ceremony in a lovely city by the Black Sea.  Excited to watch the games and help cheer our team to victory!

A little addition and subtraction 

ABC order with Olympic words

Broom hockey - they had to sweep the letters of their name into the opposing person's goal.  First one to complete their name wins!

 

A festive dinner with left over 4th of July napkins :)

Baking and decorating our Olympic cookies

Snack to watch the Opening Ceremony

Saturday breakfast to keep the fun going :)  And yes, the cupcake liners and flags were found in the July 4th attic bin as well...so glad I kept all these extras!

GO USA!!

Lego Mania

With Cole receiving a Lego table and a few kits for his birthday in November, the fever of these colored blocks has officially invaded our home.  We use them for play, but they've also been helpful with teaching math, reading, and geography...who knew?  Cade's even sporting a few Duplo vehicles and a trip to the mega store at Opry Mills is always a fun outing for both boys.  However, this trip we did more than just browse and build.  We surprised Cole at the store with an empty box given to us by sweet neighbors that he could fill to his heart's content (free of charge).  So thankful for friends that love our boys like we do!  That plus a treat from 'The Cookie Store' and you have the perfect night - at least in the eyes of a seven year old :)

He is a thinker...it took him 30 minutes to pick the right ones for his collection

A quick moment of brotherly love

Reading the new Lego magazine together

Gong Hey Fat Choy!

I've always enjoyed exposing the kiddos to cultures other than our own, and this past Friday afforded us the perfect opportunity to do just that.  January 31 was Chinese New Year...the day that Korea, Vietnam, China, and other Asian countries celebrate the New Year based on the Lunar calendar.  2014 is the year of the horse (each year is based on one of the 12 Zodiac animals) and the boys loved crafting, eating, and reading about many of the fun traditions that accompany this Eastern holiday.

Here are a few of the crafts we made...
* Popsicle stick horse
* Paper lanterns - the Chinese children end the 12 day holiday by a lantern parade
* Red envelopes with Chinese symbols - Chinese children receive these as gifts with coins or other treats inside.  Red is the color of good luck and is used in many New Year festivities.
* Fortune 'cookies' - folding circles of red paper into traditional shapes with our own paper fortunes stuffed inside.
* Paper dragon puppets - we danced them to music and Chinese drums

Pinterest has been a wealth of ideas for us this school year :)

Cutting our lanterns

Making dragon puppets

On Friday, we enjoyed storytime at our local library with CNY books and a lantern craft.  Our sweet friends, Karla and Melanie also came to join us.

Sweet Melanie 

To make dinner extra special, I decorated the table with our crafts, Chinese name place cards (I found a website that translates your name to Chinese symbols...so neat!), leftover birthday napkins for color, and tried a delicious new recipe of beef broccoli w/ noodles.  Michael visited a local restaurant for free chopsticks and fortune cookies to add to the authenticity of our meal :)

Ate my ENTIRE meal with those bad boys 

Opening their red envelopes.

Checking out our homemade fortune cookies

Breaking open the real thing

We also used this holiday as a tool to continually teach Cole about our one, true God.  The Chinese worship many gods and rely heavily on the thought of 'luck'.  They clean their home from top to bottom the night before the New Year to 'sweep the bad luck and evil away' - even leaving open windows at the midnight hour so that anything missed might leave and the good spirits can find their way into the home.  Some families also believe that if the traditions aren't kept or followed in the exact order at the exact time, they could invite bad luck into their home for the entire year...whew!  So thankful for a God that knows me intimately, gives undeserved love and grace, and doesn't ask that I come to him cleaned up (with a clean home :)).  A Savior that bestows blessings on those he loves that no amount of 'luck' could ever match.  What a beautiful truth to pass to our little ones.

Throughout the week, we took moments to stop and specifically pray for Asian missionaries and for all the families we know that have adopted or are in the process of adopting from China/Vietnam/Korea.  We wanted them to know that their journey of compassion and obedience has not been forgotten. We stand in awe of the way the Lord has knit families together both near and far and the way He is furthering His kingdom in these dark places.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!
(Happy New Year!)