Happy Year of the Dragon

January 23rd marked the beginning of Chinese New Year.  We celebrated with Elisabeth's Chinese Language teacher, Lu Ming, and her husband, Greg, and all the students she teaches. We ate at a local Chinese restaurant and then went to Carmel Baptist Church to watch their Chinese New year celebration/show.  Carmel Baptist has a Chinese church that meets there so all their Chinese congregation was there to celebrate.  All the talking was in Chinese so we couldn't understand any of it but it was interesting to hear them sing Jesus Loves Me and other Christian songs in Chinese and watch the dancers, muscians, etc perform.  It was a fun time celebrating the new year with our friends!  

 Elisabeth and Caroline enjoying a yummy ice cream

 Tess, Elisabeth and Caroline

 Sammy and Greg (Lu Ming's husband)

 Lu Ming (aka: Natalie) with all her students. 

 Me, Kim, Shannon, Lu Ming (and Caroline trying to get in the picture)

 I love this lady's dress!  Beautiful!

The dancers.  They did a great job!

Vist to WCNC News 36

Last night we had the wonderful opportunity to visit the WCNC News 36 TV station with Ansley's Girl Scout Troop.   We took a tour of the whole station, got to watch the anchors and the weather lady do the news live (which was so very cool!), see the helicopter and sit in it to take pictures and then got to talk to the anchors and the weather lady after they finished the live broadcast.  Everyone was so nice and the girls were so quiet and respectful and asked some great questions.  We had a wonderful time!  I thoroughly enjoyed it!  The Girl Scouts get to do some really cool outings!

 Waiting to go in for the tour.  They were being told to check and triple check their phones to make sure they were turned off before we went in to see the live broadcast!

 The control room.  This is where it is all monitored and this room keeps everything at the station up and running.  Too much to keep track of at one time!

 The newsroom.   It's about 1 min 30 seconds before they go on the air.  You can see Dion (one of the anchors) checking her makeup and hair before they go live.

 We're live!  So cool to watch.  The girls were super quiet and amazed at all of it.

 The newroom that is right behind the live news desk.  This is where all the writers sit that update Twitter, the web and write for the TV broadcasts.  They also keep up with breaking news and dispatch the TV trucks and cameras from this room.

 The breakroom upstairs.  They have an ice cream vending machine which the girls thought was super cool.

 Troop 54 with the helicopter pilot

 The girls loved standing in front of the green screen and then looking at these monitors to see the map and try to do the weather.  Definitely takes some practice and coordination.

 Dion Lim talking to the girls after the news show.  She talked to them about inner beauty and self esteem and being whatever they wanted to be.  It was great and the girls really enjoyed talking to her and asking her questions.

 Behind the live news desk

 Look closely.  Very closely because I'm pretty sure this will be the only time you will see me in a helicopter.  The reason I am in this one is because it's on the ground and NOT about to take off!  :-)

Elisabeth on the set of the Charlotte Today show. 



Goofing off in front of the green screen

 Some of the troop on the set of Charlotte Today

 Talking to the Meteorologist.  She was very nice and gave the girls some great advice.



Picture with Santa

We visited the same Santa again this year.  We just love this Santa!  He is the one that was a missionary in China so he speaks Chinese and some Cantonese.    Since Elisabeth has been taking Chinese language lessons she was able to tell him Merry Christmas in Chinese this year.  Sheng Dan Kuai Le!

Christmas Tree Adventures

The weekend after Thanksgiving we traveled to the Boone/Blowing Rock area and cut down our Christmas Tree.  We love doing it and the kids especially love it.  There's nothing like the smell of a fresh Fraser Fir in your house at Christmas time.   It was a mild weekend and even border line hot when we got the tree this year.  Kind of weird picking out a tree when it is so warm!  It is a VERY tall tree and looks even taller when it isn't on the hill in the middle of the mountains out in the wide open yonder.   We had to get out the big tall ladder to decorate the top and even then we couldn't reach it very well.   I hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas season and taking time out to remember what it's really all about (and I don't mean Santa)   :)

 I love fudge!!

 Wow!  That's a tall tree!

 What Fir Christmas Tree Farm in Boone, NC

 Yep....that's our tree.  It's taller than the 10' pole.  Oh my.

 The tree was so big and heavy they had to pull it through the machine with their car. 

Love a good Christmas hayride

90th Birthday

 John's Grandmother, Louise, celebrating her 90th birthday at our house

 Susan, Rick, Ansley, Elisabeth and Porter

 Jan and Rick

Ron and Rick

Time to open gifts!

Anna and cute little Porter

Family photo

A few days after Thanksgiving we celebrated John's Grandmother's 90th birthday.  All 3 of her kids came to our house and surprised her as well as one of her granddaughters (and her husband) and her great grandson.  We had a good time eating barbeque from Jim and Nicks (YUM!) and spending time with each other while celebrating Louise's birthday.