tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48731865073437256892024-03-05T06:34:29.098-05:00Living Out His LoveA family of 5 blogs about sharing God's love and grace through international special needs adoption from China, cleft lip and palate surgeries, parenting, homeschooling, photography, and the every day ordinary stuff of life.Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.comBlogger644125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-77474054843102991952014-03-26T12:20:00.000-04:002014-04-04T10:32:00.591-04:00Update your reading lists!Hi everyone! I am all set up with my new Wordpress site! If you are still seeing this, please update your readers to <a href="http://LivingOutHisLove.com/">http://LivingOutHisLove.com</a> (no "www"). First blog post is up: <a href="http://livingouthislove.com/2014/03/our-china-team.html" target="_blank">Our China Team</a>. Come join me!Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-61474619117515464642014-03-24T15:40:00.003-04:002014-03-24T16:32:34.942-04:00Getting a faceliftNo pictures, but just a quick note to let you know that I'm giving myself a facelift for my birthday! I'll be switching over to Wordpress with a brand new, simple, clean look. The blog will be down for a bit while I'm making the switch, but I promise I'm not going anywhere! I think you'll still be able to see me at livingouthislove.blogspot.com until I'm finished with the switch. See you soon!Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-18074398479900156292014-03-21T14:34:00.000-04:002014-03-21T14:34:29.402-04:00It's differentOne of my friends recently shared on Facebook that she was struggling with being newly home with her second Chinese son. She received so many encouraging comments, it was beautiful! But she also received a hurtful comment implying that parenting biological and adopted children is exactly the same, and she should roll with the punches because everyone else had been through the same things with their new children. Although I know this could be true in some cases, I also know that parenting adopted children is sometimes very different.
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Of course, each child is unique and different. There is no one-size-fits-all status for any child, biological or adopted. But as a parent of both biological and adopted children, I see the differences, especially when they first become part of your family. Parenting a new child who may have been institutionalized for the first part of their life - who may not have had someone to meet their needs consistently, who may not have been loved or told how precious they are, who may have been neglected and/or abused - can be very challenging and delicate compared to parenting a child who was loved and had his/her needs met consistently from the beginning. While I know that biological children can also offer significant challenges, institutionalization introduces a number of issues not typically common with biological children. Children who have been institutionalized can be traumatized, hurt, and delayed. Children generally lose one month of development and linear growth for every three months they are institutionalized. Our children often come to us with behaviors learned to survive. We usually do not share most of those behaviors with others to protect our hurting children.
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Teaching them that they have parents who love them unconditionally and will meet their needs often takes a lot of intentionality and time. This may include not letting anyone hold our children or help with any basic needs until he/she is firmly attached and bonded to us as their new parents. As much as we may want and desperately need the help that is very naturally accepted when we bring biological newborns home, we oftentimes hold off with adopted children because we know it's best for our children. There may not have been a consistent caregiver in their past. They may have depended on only themselves to survive. Survive is defined as "to continue to live or exist, in spite of danger or hardship." Survival is the most basic human instinct that children shouldn't have to worry about. If consistency is lacking, our children may think they can only depend on themselves. Oftentimes the only way to teach them that mama and daddy will always be there for them is to be the only people to meet their needs. It can be exhausting and isolating.
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Add in the fact that you are parenting a new toddler (or older child in many cases) with a very clear personality for the first time ... the road can be much harder and may look a lot different than parenting biological children. Throw in a the possibility of a language barrier, institutional delays, weekly therapies, and medical special needs ... it all just compounds how difficult adoptive parenting can be. It may be easy to look at the beautiful airport homecoming pictures and new family portraits and think the family is filled with love and everything is perfect. The truth is the family is filled with love and it is very beautiful indeed, but things are not always perfect. Fortunately we are filled up daily with His perfect love and that shines through. It is only from the Father that we have the strength in those first few months (or sometimes years). Only He makes beauty from ashes and has the ability to redeem the brokenness of adoption. His beauty and truth always shine through.
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I do not think everyone should feel sorry for anyone or adoptive parents deserve a big pat on the back. We all mess up daily (often minute by minute) just like every other parent on the planet and need Jesus desperately! I write it only to offer a different perspective and to hopefully share that parenting biological and adopted children can be very different. It's hard to understand for most people who haven't parented children from hard places. I get that. But when adoptive parents are struggling through something tough and are asking for support and prayer, it may not always be the normal everyday parenting stuff. Of course, it is ALL worth it. Totally worth it. Biological or adopted, it doesn't matter - every bit of it is worth it. Every child who we have the privilege of parenting here on earth is precious and unique. We get such a special opportunity to borrow them for a bit from the Father to train them up! It is surely beautiful and we are overwhelmed with love. Our children are gifts from the Lord and it is our privilege to parent them.<br />
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-56805848190369920432014-03-15T12:16:00.000-04:002014-03-15T12:16:17.676-04:00GUEST POST: I'm not advocating for a strangerI had the privilege of being with Kelly to meet this little guy in China and take these pictures of him. He needs a family and is such a wonderful little boy. He really would be an amazing son and he wants to be adopted. Will you please read my friend, <a href="http://www.myoverthinking.com/" target="_blank">Kelly's</a>, blog post about him below and share? He is such a light and so full of life. After meeting him in person myself, I just know his family is out there. Let's bring this sweet son home.<br />
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"I was told there were no flights out of Beijing on March 12th. No flights? How could that be? What that meant was that if we really wanted to travel on that day, our trip that would have been a 13 hour plane ride followed by several hours in Chicago followed by a 2 hour flight to Philly just increased by about 10 hours. We had the worst itinerary ever—an early morning domestic flight to another city in China, an 8 hour layover, and then a flight to Chicago and then our flights home. Great.</div>
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When I called my friend and traveling companion to tell her the <em>bad news</em>, she suggested we make the best of it, get out of the airport, make it a fun layover, see the town. Then, we both remembered that he lived there. But, there was no way we’d get permission to visit him. I was sure of it.</div>
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But, apparently, God was in charge of our itinerary all along.</div>
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<a href="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/QuiLe-1.jpg" style="color: #df670c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="display: inline-block; position: relative;"><img alt="QuiLe 1" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2534" src="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/QuiLe-1-597x398.jpg" height="398" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 15px;" width="597" /></span></a></div>
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He was anxious to greet us when we arrived, hurrying to put on his shoes. The boys in his room were calling his name. They all knew he had special visitors coming to see him. He was a little quiet at first and hindered by the gap created by our English and his Mandarin. But, chocolate fixes lots of things. He smiled big, showing off his dimples and at least two Enlish words as I handed him a big chocolate bar from America.</div>
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Thank you!</div>
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We spent an hour with him, hearing from him about how he likes math and basketball. We saw his classroom and his prize winning handwriting assignment. I saw his second grade workbook where he was doing math more advanced than my son the same age is doing in his American 2nd grade class. I saw the love his teacher and caregiver have for him, a boy who has had a rough start but who very much seems like a normal, active little guy. We heard from him that most of his friends including his best friend have already been adopted. We asked him if he wanted a family, brothers and sisters, a big move to America.</div>
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Yes.</div>
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I touched his face, tickled his cheeks, patted his head, silently prayed over him in person as I have prayed from the other side of the world.</div>
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<a href="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/6.jpg" style="color: #df670c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="display: inline-block; position: relative;"><img alt="6" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2533" src="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/6-597x398.jpg" height="398" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 15px;" width="597" /></span></a></div>
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I told someone there that I thought he’d make a wonderful son and how sorry I was that he was still waiting. That someone typed something into a phone and showed it to me, unable to say it without the help of technology…or unable to say it aloud in the presence of others.</div>
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It read in Chinese:</div>
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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28</div>
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<a href="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/QuiLe-2.jpg" style="color: #df670c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="display: inline-block; position: relative;"><img alt="QuiLe 2" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2530" src="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/QuiLe-2-597x398.jpg" height="398" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 15px;" width="597" /></span></a></div>
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At the end of our visit, we walked him back to his room. I gave him another chocolate bar to save for later and told him how special he was and that we came all the way from America just to see him. It wasn’t about us at all; we aren’t all that. But, I wanted to give him that. I wanted him to know he was worth a trip across the world.</div>
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Today’s his 8th birthday. I wonder if he saved any of his chocolate bar to eat today. We prayed for him as a family today, praying that his family sees his face and that God would show Himself sovereign over their itinerary too and reveal to them that he is worth a trip across the world and back again to make him a beloved son.</div>
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<a href="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/5.jpg" style="color: #df670c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="pibfi_pinterest " style="display: inline-block; position: relative;"><img alt="5" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2532" src="http://www.myoverthinking.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/5-597x398.jpg" height="398" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-color: rgb(52, 74, 23); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 15px;" width="597" /></span></a></div>
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To read more about my commitment to advocate for him, please see <a href="http://bit.ly/1nwC14n" style="color: #df670c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">this post</a>.</div>
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To read more about my first post about him, please read <a href="http://bit.ly/1aXMiFF" style="color: #df670c; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">this post</a>.</div>
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If you want to know more about adopting him, please contact me. I would love to share more pictures, some video, and everything I know about him."</div>
Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-71409277091170973612014-03-14T11:03:00.000-04:002014-03-14T12:05:03.180-04:00Home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm home. After 48 hours of travel, a cancelled flight, and an unexpected overnight stay in Chicago, I'm home. I'm not really sure what to write, as words don't seem to do my trip to China justice. I don't even know where to start, so for now I'll just say it was overwhelmingly amazing. We went there to be hands and feet, and we saw over and over again that the Father is already working in so many ways. And our team was blessed to be a part of it. I am unbelievably thankful I had the opportunity to be His servant and to witness all that I did. Wow.</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-16464659278599377742014-02-24T11:01:00.000-05:002014-03-14T11:02:58.906-04:00#TogetherCalled<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's been a crazy few weeks, I'm sorry I haven't been posting. I leave for China on Thursday but just spent the most amazing weekend with my sweet DH and 70 other adoptive couples who get the good kind of crazy life we live. Super wonderful, fantastic, terrific, awesome, spectacular two days spent with parents who share our hearts for adoption. Feeling so filled up and honored to spend my time with the sweetest of friends.</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-61486179337595854762014-02-04T21:49:00.000-05:002014-02-05T09:46:14.125-05:00{Celebrate China} Versatility of Fried Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love the versatility and flexibility of fried rice! I admit I am somewhat new to cooking it, and I have absolutely no idea why I waited for so long. It's the best "throw all of your leftovers together" side dish without needing any measurements for anything. I had 2 cups of rice (maybe a tad more) in the fridge from a couple days ago, that I wanted to use up. I also had some frozen and fresh vegetables - the perfect combination for vegetable fried rice. I'm sure many of my readers are much more seasoned at whipping up fried rice, but if you aren't, let me tell you how easy it is! Here are the ingredients I used, with no real measurements:<br />
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"Day old" rice
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Sesame oil</div>
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Fresh minced garlic</div>
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3 eggs</div>
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Fresh chopped carrots</div>
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Frozen peas, thawed</div>
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Soy sauce</div>
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Fresh chopped green onions</div>
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Cracked pepper (white pepper might be better)</div>
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I heated up several tablespoons of sesame oil in the wok on medium heat (it's more oil than you think). I threw in some fresh minced garlic (I thought about fresh ginger too, but didn't feel like chopping it up) and let that cook up for about a minute, and then I threw in 3 scrambled eggs. After they cooked up, I mashed them into small pieces and then added in the fresh chopped carrots to cook a bit. After a few minutes, I threw in the old rice and mixed everything together, still on medium heat. Then I fold in the thawed peas. After they were mixed, I added soy sauce to taste, along with a bit more sesame oil for flavor. I threw in the chopped green onion and cracked some pepper over the rice. I mixed everything together, adding a bit more sesame oil and soy sauce for flavor. If you are a salt person, now would be the time to add that too. And then time to eat! Mmmmm, hao chi!</div>
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I am looking forward to creating a crab fried rice at some point with a bit of Old Bay. And I've been <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/znprb/chinese-cuisine/" target="_blank">pinning</a> some other fun ideas as well, the possibilities are simply endless!</div>
Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-46308986796541345652014-02-03T13:13:00.002-05:002014-02-03T13:13:59.145-05:00{Celebrate China} Our New Year Decor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I always enjoy getting inspiration from other bloggers, so I thought I'd share a bit of our Chinese New Year decorations, aside from our <a href="http://www.livingouthislove.com/2014/01/celebrate-china-our-fu-tree.html" target="_blank">Fu Tree</a>. Our decorations aren't extravagant or plentiful, and are still in the growing stage, but I think it's fun to get festive! I added a little this year, and will add a little each year in the future too. And yes, I know that typically the couplets go on the outside of your home, but it's too cold and wet to leave them out there. So I put them up in the kitchen instead.</div>
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If you blogged about your Spring Festival decorations, please share a link in the comments so I can be inspired by YOU!</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-5489287927565622252014-02-02T15:09:00.000-05:002014-02-02T15:09:18.852-05:00{Celebrate China} Xin Nian Kuai Le!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our Spring Festival celebration has gotten off to a fabulous start! We spent Friday with our dear friends dressing up in our Chinese silks and makings lots and lots of jiaozi! I mixed up chicken, turkey, and beef fillings. The turkey was definitely the favorite - it was mixed with Chinese cabbage and hen hao chi (literally meaning " very good eat"). If you are looking for some amazing jiaozi recipes, I highly recommend the cookbook, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Asian-Dumplings-Mastering-Spring-Samosas/dp/1580089755/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391370831&sr=1-1&keywords=asian+dumplings" target="_blank">Asian Dumplings</a></i>. You won't be disappointed! We did attempt to make our own dumpling wrappers but I gotta say, it's not my favorite thing. Sweetie was able to do something with the dough when she came home from school, but we ended up with wrappers that were a bit too thick. I think I'm sticking with the pre-made ones from the Asian market from now on, ha!</div>
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For dinner on Saturday night, I made my most favorite Chinese dish, Kung Pao Chicken. I had never made it before, but I am thrilled with how it turned out! I followed the recipe from <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-kung-pao-chicken/2/" target="_blank">RasaMalaysia</a> exactly, except for adding thinly sliced carrots. Even Sweetie had only good things to say, she loved it! I also picked up a couple pork and salted egg-stuffed zong zi (a traditional dish served during Dragon Boat Festival, but available all year). Yum.</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-16278404416271882302014-01-30T09:49:00.000-05:002014-01-30T09:59:32.532-05:00{Celebrate China} Her Birth HeritageI can remember our China trip to adopt Sunshine like it was yesterday. If I close my eyes, I can remember stepping off the plane, smelling "China", and hearing people speak Mandarin everywhere. The food, oh the delicious food. Making a fool out of myself trying to eat with chopsticks. The hustle and bustle of everyday China going on around me. The young children following after their mamas in split pants. The food carts and street vendors. The sweet little stores. Chinese flute music. The stunning architecture. The lanterns hanging everywhere. People willing to help in any way they could. A country so beautifully alive and rich in culture. A country I fell in love with. The country where my precious daughter was born.<br />
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Before our adoption trip, I didn't realize how naive I was about my understanding of China. I knew I was born in the year of the monkey on the zodiac calendar, but didn't know anything about celebrating Spring Festival. I knew the basic things you learn in school about China, knowledge that is so limited and without a true appreciation of the country. I didn't know much else about China except for how to say "nĭ hăo" and "zài jiàn" in an obvious American accent. I didn't truly know the culture. The holidays. The traditions. The language. I didn't know why I needed to know. I didn't realize how important it was for me to embrace my daughter's birth heritage. But being in China was the beginning of a transformation for me.<br />
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I fell in love with China. It has a beautiful culture to be celebrated. As Sunshine's mama, I tried to learn everything I could about China while we were in country. I took thousands of pictures to help me remember. And through the years of being her mama, I have yearned to learn even more. To joyfully embrace the culture that my daughter was born in and came to us from. To find out about her beginnings as much as I can.<br />
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Why?<br />
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Because she needs to know who she is, where she came from. Her Chinese heritage is a vital part of who she is and should be honored. She is Chinese and American. Both cultures make up the person she is growing into. Neglecting to teach her about either one is a disservice, to her and to our family. In order for her to know herself, she needs to know China. Our family needs to know China. To joyfully embrace it. The holidays. The traditions. The language. The beautifully rich culture.<br />
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Her Chinese heritage has become a part of our family, and I'm so thankful for that. Although our household is American, China is very much alive also. Sunshine has blessed us by being our daughter and sister, and also by sharing a culture we didn't know we'd adore so much. We have more reason to celebrate holidays and be with family because of her birth heritage. More reason to share traditional Chinese stories, learn the Mandarin tones, and sing "Liăng Zhī Láo Hŭ." More reason to learn how to cook new foods, steam dumplings, and decorate for Spring Festival. More reason to be forever connected to the country that is my daughter's birth heritage, to honor where she came from.<br />
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I am thrilled that tomorrow is a dumpling making day. All day long. And all the kids will join in on the fun, and we're bringing a couple friends along for the ride too. It's a family and friend affair, one that is sure to be enjoyed by everyone. We will be celebrating Spring Festival for the next 15 days in American Chinese fashion, with food, hóngbāo, music, crafts, and a very large FCC New Year party to round off the festivities. Xīn nián kuài lè! Mǎ nián dàjí, my friends! Let the celebration begin!<br />
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Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-90542982738027837712014-01-29T09:59:00.000-05:002014-01-29T10:04:05.368-05:00{Celebrate China} Moon Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Festivals/78311.htm" target="_blank">Mid-Autumn Moon Festival</a> is a Chinese holiday celebrated in September. <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=moon+cakes&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=aRHpUtLUM4_MsQSBrILoCw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1278&bih=1084" target="_blank">Moon Cakes</a> are very popular at this time and are given to one another as gifts. They are definitely an acquired taste and not my personal favorite, but they are exquisite works of art. They probably aren't the kind of baking I want to try because of how involved they are (and because no one in my family cares for the flavor), but when I found <a href="http://wokshop.stores.yahoo.net/macomo.html" target="_blank">wooden moon cookie molds</a>, I felt like I hit the jackpot! I know it's not Mid-Autumn Moon Festival time, but I made these cookies for a little sprinkle to send off my very dear friend, <a href="http://youwereborninourhearts.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Melissa</a>, to bring her sweet boy home from China. I thought it'd be fun to post about these during my {Celebrate China} series.</div>
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I made them with a basic shortbread cookie recipe that I have posted below. Aren't they pretty?</div>
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<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Basic Shortbread Cookie</span></u><br />
(adapted from Martha Stewart)<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 1/3 cup butter (2 sticks plus 6 tbsp)<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
3/4 tsp salt<br />
3/4 tsp vanilla extract<br />
3 cups all-purpose flour<br />
Sugar for sprinkling<br />
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Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the salt and vanilla extract, beat to combine. Add in the flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on a lower speed until combined. To make the cookies, I rolled 1-inch balls from the dough, and then lightly tapped one side of the dough ball in flour (to prevent sticking in the mold). After that, I pushed the dough into the wooden moon cookie mold. Two whacks on the counter popped the cookies out of the mold, and then I placed them onto a Pampered Chef baking stone. I repeated this process for all of the dough, which made about 30 cookies. It went surprisingly quickly and didn't take as long as I thought it would. I baked the cookies for 70 minutes, which seemed to be the perfect time using the baking stones. As soon as I pulled them out of the oven, I sprinkled them with some white sugar cookie sprinkles, but I'm sure granulated sugar would work just fine if that's what you have.<br />
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I will absolutely be making these again for Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. They are the perfect alternative to moon cakes for our family, and they came together pretty quickly. I'm sure it would be fun to sprinkle different colored sugar on them too! They keep for a long time and actually taste better with age. You'll need the <a href="http://wokshop.stores.yahoo.net/macomo.html" target="_blank">wooden moon cookie molds</a> from the <a href="http://wokshop.stores.yahoo.net/index.html" target="_blank">Wokshop</a>, but they are reasonably priced and were delivered quickly. I highly recommend their shop.Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-15567332380021714262014-01-28T16:13:00.000-05:002014-01-29T10:00:08.161-05:00{Celebrate China} Our Fu Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love the idea of combining our American traditions with Sunshine's Chinese heritage. There are some Spring Festival customs that we can't do here (like setting off firecrackers), so creating some of our own blended traditions seems like a great idea. When I saw a Chinese New Year tree on another adoptive mama's blog, I thought it was such a creative idea. I am hoping to add to our ornaments while I'm in China, and eventually hope to decorate our big tree after the Christmas ornaments come down. For now, I started with our small tree. "Fu Tree" comes from the Chinese word "fu," which means good fortune. It's also part of the city's name where Sunshine was born.</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-12102274253890814872014-01-25T13:33:00.000-05:002014-01-27T15:39:02.484-05:00{Celebrate China} Crab Wontons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love crabmeat wontons. Love them. Every time we go to the local Chinese food restaurant, I have to order them. They are expensive, but oh so delicious. And yes before you ask, I realize that they are not authentic Chinese food, so it might be a little silly to be posting this in my {Celebrate China} series. But they are definitely American-Chinese food, so I'm going with it :-) I found several recipes online that looked like they'd work, but I also have a friend who is originally from the Philippines that cooks up some awesome, mouth-watering crab wontons. When I asked him for his recipe, he offered to come over and show me how to do it. Isn't he the sweetest? You'll find the recipe and method at the bottom of the post!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Crab Wontons</u></span></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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a few stalks of green onion, washed and cut in small pieces</div>
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4-6 oz crab meat (or imitation crab meat), chopped</div>
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3 pkgs of cream cheese, softened</div>
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80 wonton wrappers</div>
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cooking oil for the deep fryer or pan</div>
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(If you want to add a bit of Maryland to your wontons, try adding 1/2-1 teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning to the filling also.)</div>
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To make the filling:</div>
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Living on the east coast, I choose locally caught and picked crabmeat. We try to eat local seafood whenever we can, especially when it comes to crab. Claw meat was just fine for this recipe (and it was cheaper - no need to buy the expensive stuff), but I had to sift through to pick out all the shells first. After that, combine the crab, green onion, and cream cheese together in a bowl for the filling. Make sure it's combined well, and then it's time to start filling the wontons.</div>
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To make the wontons:</div>
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(I used pre-made wonton wrappers from the Asian food market. They are good quality and fry up very well - perfectly crusty but not too tough.) Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper, then fold opposite corners together to make a triangle with the wrapper and then pinch tightly. You do not need to use water to seal the wrappers well. Push the two open ends up toward the pinched corners to mimic flower petals, and fold together. I didn't take enough pictures to show this process, but it really doesn't matter how you fold the wontons and they do not need to be sealed tightly closed. Because they are fried, the wonton wrappers fry into place immediately and the filling stays inside. Don't worry about your filling falling out, it just won't. Repeat this process for each wonton until your filling is gone or you've used all the wrappers. We had several helpers, hence all the teaspoons in the filling. The wrappers filled much more quickly this way!</div>
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To fry the wontons:</div>
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If you are using a deep fryer, you'll want to fill it with oil and heat it up sometime while you are making the wontons (I used a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Presto-05411-GranPappy-Electric-Fryer/dp/B0000Z6JK0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390672566&sr=8-1&keywords=grand+pappy+deep+fryer" target="_blank">Grand Pappy</a> and it was perfect - I highly suggest this purchase!!). We fried batches of 10 wontons at a time, but you'll need to do it based on the size of your frying area. It takes only a few minutes, if that, for each batch. It may be helpful to turn the wontons over with tongs while frying to make sure they are evenly fried. Once they start browning, pull them out immediately and put them on a plate covered with paper towels to cool. I used <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Kitchen-5-inch-Spider-Strainer/dp/B000PKQ3YW/ref=pd_sim_k_3" target="_blank">Helen Chen's Asian Spider Strainer</a> to pull them out. Repeat this process with all of the wontons and then be prepared for crab wonton heaven! My whole family gobbled these up and are already asking for more. Looks like I'm going to be making many more crab wontons in the future!</div>
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What's your favorite way to make wontons? I'd love to give some other recipes a try!</div>
Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-14516716008462705292014-01-24T09:23:00.000-05:002014-01-29T10:00:33.275-05:00{Celebrate China} Our New Year LibraryWith Chinese New Year (or Spring Festival) just around the corner, it seemed like a good time to post about our favorite books celebrating the holiday! There are so many terrific books available! Our library is still a little small and certainly in the "growing" stage, but here is a list of what we like to read during Spring Festival, along with explanations taken from Amazon:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-UzEQ2MCrTHxYg9_25R1jXOCQH9S2htvbNEVylEP7xgkxw0F1f4nlB1bkmQ4ZbX-VQ1kFVZTqmOKa9Mke9kot-lE6vzcv38ZsyPuhyXiurQbTWHvrmrvT05tIrtihdeERwQEnEfFqQY/s1600/a-new-years-reunion-book-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-UzEQ2MCrTHxYg9_25R1jXOCQH9S2htvbNEVylEP7xgkxw0F1f4nlB1bkmQ4ZbX-VQ1kFVZTqmOKa9Mke9kot-lE6vzcv38ZsyPuhyXiurQbTWHvrmrvT05tIrtihdeERwQEnEfFqQY/s1600/a-new-years-reunion-book-cover.jpg" height="200" width="175" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763658812/ref=oh_details_o05_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">A New Year's Reunion</a> - "Little Maomao's father works in faraway places and comes home just once a year, for Chinese New Year. At first Maomao barely recognizes him, but before long the family is happily making sticky rice balls, listening to firecrackers, and watching the dragon dance in the streets below. Papa gets a haircut, makes repairs to the house, and hides a lucky coin for Maomao to find. Which she does! But all too soon it is time for Papa to go away again. This poignant, vibrantly illustrated tale, which won the prestigious Feng Zikai Chinese Children's Picture Book Award in 2009, is sure to resonate with every child who misses relatives when they are away--and shows how a family's love is strong enough to endure over time and distance."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdQYQa0IDt1bgqw7v5E20V15p67d0bad3-50Y3asldD6Je9_4moIBH4Pi1Vh-ZMarSe67VOmA_KniJA3LH6E7EmuLGYSAw4iDM73ewtckXEsbscSpTf-BwXENDh9bXrHkXrDHBTviKSk/s1600/screen480x480.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKdQYQa0IDt1bgqw7v5E20V15p67d0bad3-50Y3asldD6Je9_4moIBH4Pi1Vh-ZMarSe67VOmA_KniJA3LH6E7EmuLGYSAw4iDM73ewtckXEsbscSpTf-BwXENDh9bXrHkXrDHBTviKSk/s1600/screen480x480.jpeg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ryebooks-beast-nian-by-rye/id396384621?mt=8" target="_blank">The Beast Nian (iTunes e-book)</a> - iTunes doesn't provide a good summary of this story, so I'll share my thoughts! Although this is an e-book, I love that it tells the legend of Nian. I haven't found many books that explain this story, and it's part of some of the traditions behind Spring Festival. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the story tells the legend well. Very young children might not do well with the beginning knowing that Nian is a monster who would sometimes hurt the villagers, but I think it's probably fine for most children. For $0.99, it's a bargain and you can listen to a narration in English or Chinese!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPozxoh4XwqV3H6jP3ytB4Qva4qa1HCTlO0Cvc1bcXXuEOy0iFU8nWTIetNbrPgc1r81LHWhkj51ht2ywyKngaSEjz615d2lhUXLiZJqAy3eMQ_kb_vhKgCbbemf7PaM4EUbnZlsLdV5E/s1600/11112bringing_in_the_new_year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPozxoh4XwqV3H6jP3ytB4Qva4qa1HCTlO0Cvc1bcXXuEOy0iFU8nWTIetNbrPgc1r81LHWhkj51ht2ywyKngaSEjz615d2lhUXLiZJqAy3eMQ_kb_vhKgCbbemf7PaM4EUbnZlsLdV5E/s1600/11112bringing_in_the_new_year.jpg" height="160" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-New-Year-Read-Child/dp/B0085S8IG2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390353666&sr=1-1&keywords=bringing+in+the+new+year" target="_blank">Bringing In The New Year</a> - "This exuberant story follows a Chinese American family as they prepare for the Lunar New Year. Each member of the family lends a hand as they sweep out the dust of the old year, hang decorations, and make dumplings. Then it’s time to put on new clothes and celebrate with family and friends. There will be fireworks and lion dancers, shining lanterns, and a great, long dragon parade to help bring in the Lunar New Year. And the dragon parade in our book is extra long–on a surprise fold-out page at the end of the story. Grace Lin’s artwork is a bright and gloriously patterned celebration in itself! And her story is tailor-made for reading aloud."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlP55rI-YdiM8WpXRgJM-YpPNbOz1TcVE6JHsHSAbuoai1kySio0B2iRChUsX6KABw9r5m23OpcV2q4hcacXGzoNkVVdy-u9VVEq-cCR5_UYnqBLdZG0TZcbm4drxjGlfbY9V_bhPIL8/s1600/614fTqNZffL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlP55rI-YdiM8WpXRgJM-YpPNbOz1TcVE6JHsHSAbuoai1kySio0B2iRChUsX6KABw9r5m23OpcV2q4hcacXGzoNkVVdy-u9VVEq-cCR5_UYnqBLdZG0TZcbm4drxjGlfbY9V_bhPIL8/s1600/614fTqNZffL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="200" width="169" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holidays-Around-World-Celebrate-Fireworks/dp/1426303815/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390353153&sr=1-1&keywords=celebrate+chinese+new+year" target="_blank">Celebrate Chinese New Year</a> - "Children have never had so many reasons to learn how Chinese people everywhere ring in the new and ring out the old. Celebrate Chinese New Year is the latest, timely addition to National Geographic’s popular Holidays Around the World series. With 25 colorful images and a simple, educational text, the book is a lively invitation to revel in this child-friendly, national and international holiday. Carolyn Otto brings the historical and cultural aspects of the Chinese New Year into focus, and young readers experience the full flavor of an event celebrated by over a billion people in China, and countless others worldwide."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkXZRz3-7uAW34i4s32iNqVapn36MK4v9Ry2xac7kG3pmdA3GVdTnJswPZf2PP3En-HpMTOPZUWqt7TroC3wmS0LTxNuHeO4UmRRODeIJPwuiSwmueI6UePQZbPIUetxg0ZZwGFCW4Vg/s1600/The-Dancing-Dragon-9781572551343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlkXZRz3-7uAW34i4s32iNqVapn36MK4v9Ry2xac7kG3pmdA3GVdTnJswPZf2PP3En-HpMTOPZUWqt7TroC3wmS0LTxNuHeO4UmRRODeIJPwuiSwmueI6UePQZbPIUetxg0ZZwGFCW4Vg/s1600/The-Dancing-Dragon-9781572551343.jpg" height="200" width="163" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Dragon-Marcia-K-Vaughan/dp/1572551348/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390351341&sr=1-1&keywords=the+dancing+dragon" target="_blank">The Dancing Dragon</a> - "The Chinese New Year is about to begin. There's lots to do--tie strings of firecrackers outside, hang up red scrolls, bake special cakes, and sing New Year's songs. And when family and friends are gathered together, it's time for the parade to begin. This book folds out to reveal all the color and excitement of a traditional Chinese New Year celebration, complete with dancing dragon!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpM7xtTqV0ou_6FFzwQ-s-FK-B8CM1jQOjskPgKGukq2OWeKfCfo3wcMeVHzRPFOwsU_wqtBwXv_gPEzMHZGUC1X8BVhj7eQRpzPAglGK8L7lYdTqTpDTlbhvO33e6UDrpOa5aHxXq5E/s1600/dragon-dance-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpM7xtTqV0ou_6FFzwQ-s-FK-B8CM1jQOjskPgKGukq2OWeKfCfo3wcMeVHzRPFOwsU_wqtBwXv_gPEzMHZGUC1X8BVhj7eQRpzPAglGK8L7lYdTqTpDTlbhvO33e6UDrpOa5aHxXq5E/s1600/dragon-dance-image.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Dance-Chinese-Lift---Flap/dp/0142400009/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390353524&sr=1-3&keywords=dragon+dance" target="_blank">Dragon Dance</a> - "It's Chinese New Year and there are so many fun things to do! Shopping at the outdoor market for fresh flowers, eating New Year's dinner with the whole family, receiving red envelopes from Grandma and Grandpa, and best of all-watching the spectacular Chinese New Year's parade! Introduce the customs of Chinese New Year to even the youngest readers with this festive new lift-the-flap book."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJchDJdHLpkYpVzUinJGG-lvZPaOZQdthyhsSUMtXEvV1lGuCkko3vSvx9I1Tn-1b55aLU7MhSbYUk9eu-zeX9bFClFWAdLgQ4emYJsgjTVKhjZAHDfd_k14yWz3_lk6OvsgJkTLFrEdk/s1600/The-Great-Race-by-Dawn-Casey-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJchDJdHLpkYpVzUinJGG-lvZPaOZQdthyhsSUMtXEvV1lGuCkko3vSvx9I1Tn-1b55aLU7MhSbYUk9eu-zeX9bFClFWAdLgQ4emYJsgjTVKhjZAHDfd_k14yWz3_lk6OvsgJkTLFrEdk/s1600/The-Great-Race-by-Dawn-Casey-.jpg" height="200" width="157" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Race-Dawn-Casey/dp/1846862027/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390352842&sr=1-1&keywords=the+great+race" target="_blank">The Great Race</a> - "The Jade Emperor is concerned because his country does not have a calendar, and no one can tell one year from the next. He decides to hold a race across a great river, and the order in which the animals finish will determine the order of the years. The event is exciting as the creatures maneuver for position, only to be bested in the end by the clever Rat. In this retelling of the ancient legend, Casey maintains the pace well. Back matter includes information about the Chinese calendar in general, as well as the more specific Dragon Boat Festival and Moon Festival. The book is a visual treat, with illustrations in simple collage designs on acrylic and painted backgrounds placed in such a way as to keep the eye engaged and moving."<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1880000539/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">Sam And The Lucky Money</a> - "It's Chinese New Year in Chinatown, and young Sam has four dollars of New Year money burning a hole in his pocket. As he and his mother are milling through the crowded streets--alive with firecrackers, lion dances, and shoppers--Sam accidentally steps on the foot of a homeless man who is buried in a pile of red paper. Flustered, Sam hurries back to his mother, and is soon distracted by the char siu bao and other sweets he might buy with his gift money. When he sees fish-tail cookies that remind him of toes, he remembers the old man again, and Sam starts to think of his "lucky money" in a new light."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLWZooLsn3HXcQEvqK87_amuaMW5SseZMKkp45X0LgfU0TFpkEzI3cjHRCDupC3hm3FpiKo0i-ApiAluY6F0iLJpPt85DFhr_SvmXZ93Dv-Vb3MWxgfZbQ8y_BmEg8Ls9NiPcrW_mf48/s1600/yearofthehorse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLWZooLsn3HXcQEvqK87_amuaMW5SseZMKkp45X0LgfU0TFpkEzI3cjHRCDupC3hm3FpiKo0i-ApiAluY6F0iLJpPt85DFhr_SvmXZ93Dv-Vb3MWxgfZbQ8y_BmEg8Ls9NiPcrW_mf48/s1600/yearofthehorse.jpg" height="200" width="189" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/159702080X/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">The Year Of The Horse</a> (new for us this year) - 2014 is The Year of the Horse! Hannah the horse has a wonderfully talented family and a very special friendship with a boy named Tom, but she wants more than that. She yearns to have special skills like those of her parents and relatives. When Tom offers to take his art teacher s newest painting to the governor in a far off capital, Hannah jumps at the chance to show a little horse can have a lot of courage.<br />
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This latest adventure in the Tales from the Chinese Zodiac follows The Year of the Snake (2013), Dragon (2012), Rabbit (2011), Tiger (2010), Ox (2009), Rat (2008), Pig (2007) and Dog (2006). Each book features a unique cast of a dozen creatures. In the Chinese lunar calendar, a special animal represents every year. Each creature symbolizes unique qualities and has a personality that people identify with.Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-49276256017362083512014-01-22T10:48:00.000-05:002014-01-22T10:53:41.300-05:00{Celebrate China} Children's Songs GIVEAWAY!I love music. My kids love music. I can't really sing a note, but I do love to sing. I think music is such a great way to change your mood when you need some uplifting. It's a great way to memorize facts (like we do with our homeschool studies). I also think it's a great way to connect with Sunshine's Chinese heritage. We know several Chinese songs and sing them whenever we think of it - all three kids love to sing in Mandarin. We listen to the songs in the car and have a lot of fun singing along. My children's favorite is Xiao Xing Xing (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). It sounds like it might be difficult but I actually think it's easier to remember a different language through song versus rote memorization of vocabulary. I would also think it could be very soothing for newly adopted children to hear the words of familiar songs from their parents. During a time when everything is so confusing for them, what a sweet way to try to connect with our new children.<br />
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There are a handful of Chinese Children's Songs that everyone in China knows. They are all in <i>A Little Mandarin: Chinese Children's Classics</i>. I adore this album. Not only does it have all the well-known songs, they are all sung by Toni Wang, a woman with a beautiful voice. This makes it much easier to understand what she's saying to try to sing along! So many children's songs are sung by children, and they are sometimes hard to listen to and even harder to understand. You can get this collection of songs from Toni's website, <a href="http://alittlemandarin.com/store/" target="_blank">A Little Mandarin</a> for $9.99. And you can enter the giveaway below to win a free copy for yourself!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0mEfENtuh-rAFBc8a1Ik8x7lNAcwPKQZmGVdn9TUmSlvGIygZh7QFkSeVy46aZ3cMP7yrg42vDe6Fnj4Mri9ZuE5APh6qk-mypmoWM41c-684NKpmZQGXUCSdXG4VaNndSK4t8Vx9hs/s1600/458267_378018885584598_2066422155_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0mEfENtuh-rAFBc8a1Ik8x7lNAcwPKQZmGVdn9TUmSlvGIygZh7QFkSeVy46aZ3cMP7yrg42vDe6Fnj4Mri9ZuE5APh6qk-mypmoWM41c-684NKpmZQGXUCSdXG4VaNndSK4t8Vx9hs/s1600/458267_378018885584598_2066422155_o.jpg" height="356" width="400" /></a></div>
1. Making a Phone Call - Da Dian Hua<br />
2. Two Tigers - Liang Zhi Lao Hu<br />
3. Little Duckling - Xiao Ya Zi<br />
4. Sitting In A Row - Pai Pai Zuo<br />
5. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Xiao Xing Xing<br />
6. Scale Song - Yin Jie Ge<br />
7. Going To School Song - Shang Xue Ge<br />
8. Find A Friend - Zhao Peng You<br />
9. I Have A Pair Of Little Hands - Wo Yo Yi Shuang Xiao Xiao Shou<br />
10. Rowing The Boat - Hua Chuan<br />
11. Pulling The Radish - Ba Luo Bo<br />
12. Doll & Littlebear Dancing - Yang WaWa He Xiao Xong Tiao Wu<br />
13. One Penny - Yi Fen Qian<br />
14. Rock-A-Bye - Yao A Yao<br />
15. Happy Birthday - Sheng Ri Kuai Le<br />
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To help you out with the lyrics if you'd like to purchase this album (or win it in the giveaway below!), I am including the words for the songs we know. I am a visual learner and can memorize the songs much faster if I can see the words - maybe it will be helpful for you too. Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language, but that isn't quite as important when singing. Because of that, I have not included any indications of the tones, so just try to memorize what you can! Also, without an understanding of how to read pinyin, some of the words will not look phonetic to you. But hopefully reading them in conjunction with listening to the music will make it click. It really is worth the effort to learn a few of these!<br />
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<u>Two Tigers - Liang Zhi Lao Hu</u> (tune of Frere Jacques)<br />
Liang zhi lao hu, liang zhi lao hu<br />
Pao de kuai, pao de kuai<br />
Yi zhi mei you er duo<br />
Yi zhi mei you wei ba<br />
Zhen qi guai, zhen qi guai<br />
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<u>Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Xiao Xing Xing</u><br />
Yi shan yi shan liang jing jing<br />
Man tian dou shi xiao xing xing<br />
Gua zai tian kong fang guang ming<br />
Hao xiang xu duo xiao yan jing<br />
Yi shan yi shan liang jing jing<br />
Man tian dou shi xiao xing xing<br />
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<u>Going To School Song - Shang Xue Ge</u><br />
Tai yang dang kong zhao<br />
Hua er dui wo xiao<br />
Xiao peng you zao zao zao<br />
Bei zhe shu bao yao qu shang xue xiao<br />
Wo qu shang xue xiao<br />
Tian tian bu chi dao<br />
Ai xue xi, ai lao dong<br />
Zhang da yao wei ren min li gong lao<br />
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<u>Find A Friend</u><br />
Zhao ya zhao ya zhao peng you<br />
Zhao dao yi ge hao peng you<br />
Jing ge li ya wo wo shou<br />
Ni shi wo de hao peng you<br />
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<u>Happy Birthday</u><br />
Zhu ni sheng ri kuai le<br />
Zhu ni sheng ri kuai le<br />
Zhu ni sheng ri kuai le<br />
Zhu ni sheng ri kuai le<br />
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And if you are feeling especially industrious, <a href="http://alittlemandarin.com/lyrics/" target="_blank">HERE</a> is the link for you to look up the lyrics for all the songs. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPkDA7-Da5TAY-ZhdlFth8PX0OgzFs4g0" target="_blank">HERE</a> is another link of <i>A Little Mandarin</i>'s singer performing many of these songs live :)<br />
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Toni Wang, the author and singer in this CD has so graciously offered to donate 3 of her CDs for a giveaway! She has even offered to send a few CDs to China with me when we leave in February! How cool is that?! She is such a sweet lady and understands the value of music for all children! Enter the giveaway below to win one of her beautiful CDs! You won't be disappointed if you score one! Zhu ni hao yun!<br />
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<a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1287b62/" id="rc-1287b62" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-63466446584577554462014-01-21T12:32:00.000-05:002014-01-29T10:01:12.232-05:00{Celebrate China} Chinese TraditionsIf you are an international adoptive mama like me, chances are that you didn't inherently know everything about your child's birth culture. Unless you spent years living in their birth country, it takes a lot of research and learning to feel like you might really have a sense of the people, the traditions, and the holidays. It's important for us adoptive parents to know everything we can about where our children came from to celebrate their birth heritage, and also to help them make sense of who they are. Aside from other adoptive parents, our Chinese friends, and the ever-present interweb, there are a couple books that have been extremely wonderful resources for me in learning about Chinese culture. I want to share them with you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4PDc_5L2HnT5bI6OfIUVHFUorW5M1nab_O7w2wgJLysM3eYiL6iJQ1TbWKNvUa_8PvzANdoyHWKC33RfnSgbNAO_J_g0VtgIlW5gMuC2tTQfeX4k0D1kq7CA4tKmijNOCyeLytxQctk/s1600/9780061871481_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4PDc_5L2HnT5bI6OfIUVHFUorW5M1nab_O7w2wgJLysM3eYiL6iJQ1TbWKNvUa_8PvzANdoyHWKC33RfnSgbNAO_J_g0VtgIlW5gMuC2tTQfeX4k0D1kq7CA4tKmijNOCyeLytxQctk/s1600/9780061871481_p0_v1_s260x420.JPG" height="400" width="271" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Luck-Life-Essential-Celebrations/dp/0060735368/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390321991&sr=1-1&keywords=good+luck+life" target="_blank">Good Luck Life</a>, <i>The Essential Guide To Chinese American Celebrations and Culture</i> by Rosemary Gong is simply fantastic. From the book: "<i>Good Luck Life</i> is the first book to explain the meanings of Chinese rituals and to offer advice on when and how to plan for Chinese holidays and special occasions such as Chinese weddings, the Red Egg and Ginger party to welcome a new baby, significant birthdays, and the inevitable funeral. Packed with practical information, <i>Good Luck Life</i> contains an abundance of facts, legends, foods, old-village recipes, and quick planning guides for Chinese New Year, Clear Brightness, Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and many other festivals.
Written with warmth and wit, <i>Good Luck Life</i> is beautifully designed as an easily accessible cultural guide that includes an explanation of the Lunar Calendar, tips on Chinese table etiquette for dining with confidence, and dos and don'ts from wise Auntie Lao, who recounts ancient Chinese beliefs and superstitions. This is your map for celebrating a good luck life."<br />
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From the Table of Contents, it covers: Chinese New Year, Qing Ming - Clear Brightness Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Double Seventh Day (like the American Valentine's Day), Hungry Ghosts Festival, Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, Chong Yang - Double Ninth Day, Weddings, Red Egg and Ginger Party to Celebrate New Babies, Big Birthdays, Funerals, Table Etiquette and Other Delicacies. It is a quick enough read (or could also be read as needed) and explains all of the main Chinese holidays (some that I didn't even know existed). It shares practical ways to celebrate the holidays here in the U.S. and gives the stories and explanations about how and why the holidays came to be. In my opinion, <i>Good Luck Life</i> is a must-have resource for all adoptive parents with children from China.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33gFATlGDQiwxFtQjgDLFOiBP1BHLwJC3bB7oWCrnqkLwL-SkgnhYGYCE1MRSxS_ncLZQzWn5-pPusvBdfUVEq265wDu6jLeAl7So6ohEL8EO6stngKvQa-kIlQAx-iVCKt0ERW4GSQg/s1600/61bcy9SsDbL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33gFATlGDQiwxFtQjgDLFOiBP1BHLwJC3bB7oWCrnqkLwL-SkgnhYGYCE1MRSxS_ncLZQzWn5-pPusvBdfUVEq265wDu6jLeAl7So6ohEL8EO6stngKvQa-kIlQAx-iVCKt0ERW4GSQg/s1600/61bcy9SsDbL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moonbeams-Dumplings-Dragon-Boats-Activities/dp/0152019839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390324109&sr=1-1&keywords=moonbeams+dumplings+and+dragon+boats" target="_blank">Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats</a>, A Treasure Of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes by Nina Simonds, Leslie Swartz, and The Children's Museum of Boston is another awesome resource for adoptive families. From the book: "Filled with delectable recipes, hands-on family activities, and traditional tales to read aloud, this extraordinary collection will inspire families everywhere to re-create the magic of Chinese holidays in their own homes. They can feast on golden New Year's dumplings and tasty moon cakes, build a miniature boat for the Dragon Boat Festival and a kite at Qing Ming, or share the story of the greedy Kitchen God or the valiant warrior Hou Yi."<br />
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It's not quite as inclusive as <i>Good Luck Life</i>, but seems to be geared more toward celebrating with children. It offers some great ideas for celebrations of Chinese New Year, Qing Ming, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. The story of each holiday is shared, as well as several traditional recipes and activities. The stories are shared in a way that they could easily be read aloud to children, and there are even a few simple illustrations. As a homeschooling mama, I especially like the hands-on craft ideas for each holiday.<br />
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Although I think both of these books compliment each other very well, go with <i>Good Luck Life</i> If you only want to make one purchase. I prefer having both, but there are enough internet ideas out there for holiday crafts. You could probably make up for not having <i>Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats</i> with some extra pinterest research.Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-72032466575636423512014-01-20T11:47:00.000-05:002014-01-20T11:47:48.631-05:00{Celebrate China} Free Mandarin Apps for Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Trying to preserve or teach birth language is one way to help adopted children connect with their heritage. Although we struggled just with English for quite a long time with Sunshine, we are now trying to teach all the kids as much Chinese Mandarin as we can, with the hope that maybe one day they'll be bilingual. We'll needs lots of help at some point in the future, but for now, we're working on simple children's songs (which will be in an upcoming post!) and vocabulary. There are endless possibilities available out there nowadays for language learning! You can learn anything you want on apps, including tons of different foreign languages. I love that there is such a variety of Mandarin Chinese apps for kids. If you are serious about your children learning Mandarin, you'll need more than just a few apps. But they are surely a great way to get your children started. I spent some time reviewing just a few of the many Chinese apps available - these are arranged from my most favorite to least favorite.</div>
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#1 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kids-learn-mandarin-premium/id636317815?mt=8" target="_blank">Kids Learn Mandarin</a> - This is by far my most favorite app. It's free at first and a bit pricey to download the whole app, but oh boy the $12.99 is worth it. It teaches fruits, veggies, body parts, colors, shapes, animals, family members, occupations, things around the home, eating and drinking. I can't say enough good things about all of the different games available for reinforcement. There are so many different things to do, it could literally entertain a child for hours!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijC4EQIMdnhRe8bsz0DBjTZVwKpC0VkfxZsDUGj68jP2lqnLOPYc0ckTKf8KPSlD4wp15Ql__wwo9PHLBfCWLwtgnnOZNzdeiM_7UMEjJ-iehh5oC9Ixoo_VOXYLZHjeDtM0QCcfpk8g0/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijC4EQIMdnhRe8bsz0DBjTZVwKpC0VkfxZsDUGj68jP2lqnLOPYc0ckTKf8KPSlD4wp15Ql__wwo9PHLBfCWLwtgnnOZNzdeiM_7UMEjJ-iehh5oC9Ixoo_VOXYLZHjeDtM0QCcfpk8g0/s1600/1.jpg" /></a></div>
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#2 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ricki-jacky/id523533631?mt=8" target="_blank">Ricki & Jacky</a> - This one is really fun, although a bit limited compared to Kids Learn Mandarin. It is free at first, with a $3.99 download to unlock everything. It teaches colors, fruits, emotions, simple action verbs, and places. Ricki & Jacky are two circus clowns that lead children through multiple circus tents, offering a few games to teach and reinforce new vocabulary. All of my kids enjoyed themselves while playing this one!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1Lro5sCCRMs3AGUxFc4mGS-QKQa9XY5kFS537l5v2wAEts42CVr1xQFLFI_6MvMYCvNvbLzsNB8-Xvl4VvoW4HY_maXqevXKdgmLeVYkqv8YbmGqz4DxZJVIr_d3Bz2HZAGHPvwS0TA/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1Lro5sCCRMs3AGUxFc4mGS-QKQa9XY5kFS537l5v2wAEts42CVr1xQFLFI_6MvMYCvNvbLzsNB8-Xvl4VvoW4HY_maXqevXKdgmLeVYkqv8YbmGqz4DxZJVIr_d3Bz2HZAGHPvwS0TA/s1600/2.jpg" /></a></div>
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#3 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fun-chinese-mandarin-chinese/id547571511?mt=8" target="_blank">Fun Chinese</a> - Again free at first, it's $4.99 to unlock the entire app. It's very fun, offering quite a large variety of games for reinforcement. It comes loaded with colors, and also teaches animals, numbers, things around the house, and transportation with the full app.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaS-SfiygOYSvqI03aAVViMi8ldN3kpDWBVVCl4i12w08XEOzyBG9NxuZEzacU6LU2KjQKq6jzEZpvBqBNmOOC16X669pWf6ln5kQfjFSqwJRfJfdqZr-yyGEHuB_gosRSe7GzjHnH9A/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaS-SfiygOYSvqI03aAVViMi8ldN3kpDWBVVCl4i12w08XEOzyBG9NxuZEzacU6LU2KjQKq6jzEZpvBqBNmOOC16X669pWf6ln5kQfjFSqwJRfJfdqZr-yyGEHuB_gosRSe7GzjHnH9A/s1600/3.jpg" /></a></div>
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#4 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chinese-flashcards-mandarin/id519583080?mt=8" target="_blank">Chinese Flashcards</a> - Free at first, but for $0.99 to unlock the whole app, you can't beat this one. If your child prefers to skip all the games and just learn the vocabulary, these flashcards may be the way to go. It teaches animals, transportation, verbs, around the house, numbers, shapes, colors, weather, musical instruments, food, fruit, and veggies. Being a visual learner, I do wish the app showed the pinyin so I could read the words. But if your child is a good auditory imitator, you're set!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGXSkerN35ixreFgSgTrhsPLLoxWPeHeh4N37sksOJjUtQZTj7z9tRb_mO6YqOlK-Y0yC48DW28T0EAuJw3jj1iD5ktiF6dDVJQn3t8CDVkMlultrcOoHB32cnifz5Yq-H7fl-KsUwzw/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGXSkerN35ixreFgSgTrhsPLLoxWPeHeh4N37sksOJjUtQZTj7z9tRb_mO6YqOlK-Y0yC48DW28T0EAuJw3jj1iD5ktiF6dDVJQn3t8CDVkMlultrcOoHB32cnifz5Yq-H7fl-KsUwzw/s1600/4.jpg" /></a></div>
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#5 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lingupinguin-english-chinese/id419606691?mt=8" target="_blank">LinguPinguin</a> - This one comes loaded with animals and transportation with the free download, and then a $1.99 upgrade gets you everything else. It's cute and interactive and my kids had fun playing it. I think it's worth the $1.99 for all that it offers!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxmoAqYgTOcCvGnq38bnMXEwtExE5uVpImrKidiIwZk43APytDfvKoJLzH9sC863D-RCpOAcG3zM-ZagV_XSl3D1_bhfLKgu6BWNmZSTMZrryRF9jEqemr2tRuPOOHNDefeuXIgQmHeY/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxmoAqYgTOcCvGnq38bnMXEwtExE5uVpImrKidiIwZk43APytDfvKoJLzH9sC863D-RCpOAcG3zM-ZagV_XSl3D1_bhfLKgu6BWNmZSTMZrryRF9jEqemr2tRuPOOHNDefeuXIgQmHeY/s1600/5.jpg" /></a></div>
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#6 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learn-mandarin-chinese-vocabulary/id531843574?mt=8" target="_blank">Penyo Pal</a> - This one is more difficult and probably suited for older children. I didn't spend the money to upgrade past the included foods section, but it's great for recognizing Chinese characters if your children are interested in that. It's a little hard to follow at first, but you can catch on quickly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZymFl2JJcE98xxT09jlo1PnttWdxfJQjy1ahVnaP6-GJd3nsUXSLutkCupDZHTQmVZ5oTeC2uNniK6SxLwQtyilt82bjaF_JbsmaaOPpiX-IFC2f1ovSV6mp4rTK51tTqSQ0Q7NYVYs/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZymFl2JJcE98xxT09jlo1PnttWdxfJQjy1ahVnaP6-GJd3nsUXSLutkCupDZHTQmVZ5oTeC2uNniK6SxLwQtyilt82bjaF_JbsmaaOPpiX-IFC2f1ovSV6mp4rTK51tTqSQ0Q7NYVYs/s1600/6.jpg" /></a></div>
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#7 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/princesses-learn-chinese/id453221072?mt=8" target="_blank">Princesses Learn Chinese</a> - I suppose the name of this one might limit this game to girls only, but it's still cute. It's a free download and includes the story of Snow White. The app can narrate the story, which includes a bit of Mandarin thrown in. You can also purchase other stories for $1.99 each. It's a cute idea, but I'm not sure how much Mandarin can be learned with it. There are a few games too, but none that really kept my children's interest. It's certainly worth the free download of Snow White to check it out though.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRWfv7EYTgV9SbURZGpIMqL4pE-04GDvCrH7nS9GFkyz3ZsKLBrmIRZeMtr9Kl-zl5RFSCjDuXoJbgFSZOjf1zi23-NS6Dr_WLJJ94_FZafCSwiXo_thdf8pG6AWHHit00_VG78nC4zE/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRRWfv7EYTgV9SbURZGpIMqL4pE-04GDvCrH7nS9GFkyz3ZsKLBrmIRZeMtr9Kl-zl5RFSCjDuXoJbgFSZOjf1zi23-NS6Dr_WLJJ94_FZafCSwiXo_thdf8pG6AWHHit00_VG78nC4zE/s1600/7.jpg" /></a></div>
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#8 - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/learn-chinese-mandarin-beandolls/id506287852?mt=8" target="_blank">KidsChinese</a> - I'm not sure how this app has so many glowing reviews. This is a free app that comes with one short animation of little bean people having a conversation. After that, you have to pay $0.99 for each additional video you want to download. The audio lags behind the video, which is frustrating when trying to read the English subtitles. I could recognize some of the words, but I couldn't follow along with the conversation. I am not sure how anyone could learn a foreign language this way, but maybe I am missing something.<br />
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There are so many more possibilities for Mandarin Chinese apps, as you can see with the screenshot below. I chose to review just a few of them, but I definitely think there are some big winners in this list. I'm sure there are many other equally great apps available, but hopefully my reviews will get you started! If you already use any apps, please comment and let me know so I can add it to my "check it out" list. And if you are interested in learning Mandarin Chinese for yourself, there are many very good free apps for adults too!<br />
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-65296420989568425702014-01-16T17:35:00.002-05:002014-01-16T17:46:47.592-05:00{Celebrate China} Wonton Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With Chinese New Year/Spring Festival coming up soon, this is the first of several posts celebrating Sunshine's Chinese heritage. I am trying to expand my total lack of knowledge in making traditional Chinese food. Yesterday, I attempted Wonton Soup. Although all of our wontons eventually fell apart and the fillings came out, the soup itself was quite tasty. Everyone else thought so too, as it was totally gone by the end of the night (I made it for a soup tasting party). Angel had several helpings, and I got a thumbs up from Sweetie (although I don't think she would have the heart to tell me she didn't like it anyway). I have leftover frozen meat filling and am challenging myself to try it again now that I have researched wonton folding. I combined a couple recipes to get what I was looking for in this soup, and I have included what I did below. Don't use our example of wonton folding if you want to cook this soup, check youtube for some tutorials.</div>
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<u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wonton Soup</span></u><br />
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Wonton Filling:<br />
1 lb of raw ground meat (pork is traditionally used, but I chose chicken)<br />
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or rice wine<br />
1 tbsp soy sauce<br />
1 tbsp sesame oil<br />
1 tbsp fresh chopped ginger (I used my Pampered Chef chopper)<br />
2 cloves of garlic, minced<br />
green onions - maybe 3? (I added enough until it looked good)<br />
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48 wonton wrappers (I used store-bought)<br />
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Soup Broth:<br />
12 cups low-sodium chicken stock<br />
4 cups water<br />
2-3 tsp sesame oil<br />
2-3 tsp rice vinegar<br />
green onions for garnish<br />
sea salt to taste<br />
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Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a bowl. Separately, combine the chicken stock and water together in a big pot, and bring to a boil. While waiting for the soup broth to boil, fill the wonton wrappers using about 1 tsp of filling each. It's important not to overfill the wrappers. Check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWIVfA9uteY" target="_blank">this youtube video</a> for a wonton folding tutorial, don't use my pictures as a guide. If you fill them all at once like I did, with the wrappers laid out on the counter, make sure to cover them up with a towel while you're working. The air will make the wrappers dry out, which then makes them very difficult to wrap because they break. If you are worried about the wrappers drying out, you can fill, fold and then cover each wonton individually.<br />
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Once you have all the wontons stuffed and folded, and your broth is boiling, drop the wontons in the broth, one at a time. Bring the broth to a boil again, and simmer 4-6 minutes, until the wontons are cooked through. Then stir in the sesame oil and rice vinegar. Add green onions and sea salt to taste. Serve and enjoy!<br />
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Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a Chinese food cooking expert. But I am happy with the results of this soup, and will definitely be making it again!Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-55720013218136554652014-01-13T08:59:00.000-05:002014-01-13T08:59:18.510-05:00Fully Funded!And I'm going to China! I am so thrilled to be part of a 13-member team going to love on orphans and their caregivers! We will be in an orphanage for five days. I am expecting big things during this trip! After having the desire to do this for years, it is such a blessing to finally be going back to my daughter's birth country. I am not taking a computer and will not be blogging during that time, but I will be sending out email updates and prayer requests. If you'd like to be added to the email list, please shoot me an email at livingouthislove@yahoo.com. Our plane departs on February 27th. Oh how I cannot wait to plant my feet on the ground of that beautiful country again.<br />
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-16441217835491966112014-01-10T10:25:00.000-05:002014-01-10T10:25:47.141-05:00Do you do quinoa?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Because I am <i>obsessed</i>. I love quinoa. You can do anything with it and it's pretty darn healthy for you too. I made these little quinoa cups for brunch on Christmas Day (don't worry, there were also plenty of very unhealthy options available too), and I thought they were just fabulous. Quinoa is so versatile and you can add just about anything to it. Literally. There are sooooo many recipes out there. If you haven't cooked it yet, you are missing out! I pulled the quinoa cup recipe from pinterest and want to share it with you, along with another one that is my quick go-to quinoa dish. I'm going to link to the recipes instead of post them here, so the original creators can get credit for them (see below).</div>
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I do cook quinoa in low-sodium chicken stock, versus water, for added tastiness. But that's not necessary if you are looking for a vegan dish. Water works fine too, it just has less flavor.</div>
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<a href="http://iowagirleats.com/2012/02/16/mini-ham-cheese-quinoa-cups/" target="_blank">Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups</a> (pictured)</div>
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<a href="http://lisasdinnertimedish.com/?p=2951" target="_blank">Spinach Parmesan Quinoa</a> (my personal go-to quinoa dish)</div>
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Here are a few other quinoa recipes that sound delicious:</div>
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<a href="http://skinnyms.com/quinoa-and-vegetable-stir-fry/" target="_blank">Quinoa and Vegetable Stir-Fry</a></div>
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<a href="http://whatsfordinner-momwhatsfordinner.blogspot.com/2013/03/cheesy-cauliflower-quinoa.html" target="_blank">Cheesy Cauliflower Quinoa</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.traceysculinaryadventures.com/2012/10/buffalo-chicken-quinoa-mac-and-cheese.html" target="_blank">Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac & Cheese</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.traceysculinaryadventures.com/2013/02/baked-quinoa-chicken-parmesan.html" target="_blank">Baked Quinoa Chicken Parmesan</a></div>
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<a href="http://reallyfrompinterest.blogspot.com/2012/07/quinoa-mac-cheese.html" target="_blank">Quinoa Mac & Cheese</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thebakerupstairs.com/2013/02/cheesy-broccoli-and-quinoa-casserole.html" target="_blank">Cheesy Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.pink-parsley.com/2013/02/crock-pot-quinoa-chicken-chili.html" target="_blank">Crock Pot Quinoa Chicken Chili</a></div>
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Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-70108951925736013362014-01-08T21:23:00.001-05:002014-01-08T21:23:13.672-05:00A 10 degree swing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Did you know that it is in the realm of sorta-maybe common for your child to have a 10 degree temperature swing when she's working through a virus? No? Yeah, me neither. Until yesterday. After hitting 105.5 degrees (which in itself can be scary), 24 hours later Sunshine's temperature was registering at 95 degrees. Yikes. Surprisingly, the 95 degree reading was much more worrisome to me than the 105.5. With Sunshine generally running high temperatures when sick, it's very common to see those types of readings. But the 95 degree temp? Yeah that one freaked me out. A quick call and then visit to the doctor revealed that she was just dealing with a virus and her temperature swing was nothing too serious to worry about. Geez. I'm hoping this is the most excitement we have this season in sicknesses!</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-87122746832557579032014-01-07T19:56:00.000-05:002014-01-07T20:07:43.616-05:00New Year's Eve at the beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I am a week late in posting about our celebration with good friends at the beach ... we couldn't have asked for anything better to ring in 2014! Lots of silliness, delicious crab cakes (pizza for the kids), fun decorations, hours of games, and just having a good time pretty much sums up the night. It was a great party that I'm sure none of us will be forgetting. What a blessing all of our friends are!</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-41381072063189565442013-12-27T12:52:00.000-05:002013-12-27T12:52:21.710-05:00The Gingerbread Compromise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Apparently when you wait until Christmas Eve-Eve to pick up gingerbread house kits, they are all sold out. Just saying, in case you need to know that for future reference. I naively thought I'd be able to grab a few while trying to pack in a bunch of Christmas activities all at once. I was totally wrong. In a stroke of luck though, I spotted gingerbread men kits in my peripheral vision while checking out at BJ's. Score. When the kids saw how big these gingerbread men were, they were pretty excited and forgot about gingerbread houses. They had a boatload of fun creating these while I worked on Jesus' birthday cake. The mess that was leftover was well worth their happiness. I think :)</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-21271235230387721582013-12-26T23:26:00.000-05:002013-12-26T23:26:10.931-05:00Miracle on 34th Street<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There is a particular block on a street in the city that goes all out every year with Christmas lights. Every house decorates. And as you'll see, they really DECORATE. It's quite a local attraction, and people come from all over to walk through the block. I had never been to visit, until today! We ventured out with the kids to the city, and I'm so glad we did. What a sight! There were so many people, even after Christmas, but the crowd was a bit more manageable. It was awesome to see so much creativity on one little block, and there were many local touches that made it even more special. I could easily see this becoming a yearly destination!</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873186507343725689.post-51695996994091532722013-12-25T21:44:00.000-05:002013-12-26T21:52:49.833-05:00Christmas gatherings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I usually forget to pull my camera out during all of the Christmas festivities, especially because we host a lot of it. I at least managed to snap group shots with the timer this year though. There were a lot of laughs involved, but I think I managed to at least capture the people there :) Christmas is my favorite holiday for many reasons, but I adore all the family time. We spend two days together, and it's really just wonderful. Lots of chatting, coffee, and eating. Ohmygoodness, the food. So. much. food. We will have leftovers for awhile. We are also still digging out, but I am beginning to see more of my floor. It was a magical day for the kids, it's so fun to see Christmas through their eyes.</div>
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<br />Nicole Renéehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16593529943246455724noreply@blogger.com2