Happy New Year!

 Hello all!

This year is already underway and we have been neglecting our blog.  You may think we've been busy redoing our basement, but we are taking the slow track with that project :-)  Instead we've had a lot of fun cooking, eating, and playing.

Check out this silly guy!

This month I also celebrated my 30th birthday.  It is hard to believe I've been kicking for 3 decades, but I really don't feel any different.  I celebrated on the day of my birthday by making myself some yummy lasagna and Andrew was kind enough to help me open presents (thanks Mom II).  A few days later we had a small party and Alan made me an AMAZING birthday cake.  The lovely dessert consisted of chocolate ganache sandwiched between 2 chocolate cakes slathered with buttercream frosting :-) 

I also hosted a Chinese New Year Kitchen Playdate.  I was supposed to have 6 other moms and their kiddos, but only 2 showed.  I am kind of happy it was just an intimate crowd because it was low stress and there were plenty of leftovers :-)

 I tried to get in the festive mood with some decorations.  I made a few but mostly just gathered our many Chinese collectibles to take it over the top.  I know we lived in China for 2 years, and I have parents in Taiwan but we have a lot of Chinese tchotchkes. 

The main star of our party was the food.  I worked hard to prep all the veggies so that cooking would be smooth sailing.  I'm glad I did all the work ahead of time because I wore Andrew as I whipped up 4 dishes and oversaw the dumpling steaming.  The other two ladies worked their fingers to the bone filling and folding the dumplings.  After many hours of work we ate like queens and our sons ate like little princes!

It must have really worn both Andrew and I out because the next day we took a rare early morning nap. 

Andrew has been having a lot of fun these days scooting around the house, pulling himself up on couches, and playing with his toys.  Finally I am not the sole perpetrator of toy messes around the house. He is to blame for at least some of the chaos.  Below he had a playdate with his buddy Amalia.  She was doing most of the playing.  Andrew seemed very interested in her walking skills and gladly accepted all the toys she brought him when she decided to share with earnest.

 

 Well, if you are still reading at this point, you are a dedicated fan.  Thanks for dropping by. 

-rachel