Chinese New Year

As part of the many hours of training we need to take in order to apply to adopt from China are several courses on Chinese culture and heritage.

After listening to several very interesting, albeit a little dry, lectures about China, we were stoked for a family "field-trip" to the Chinese New Year festival.  (Let's be honest, even if we weren't adopting, we'd go to this. A DRAGON parade, it doesn't get cooler than that).

Last year we wanted to go to the Chinese New Year's festival in Falls Church, but we all ended up with the flu and it was too dang cold. No such problems in sunny San Diego.

We've already been to a few small kid-friendly events at the library. So, the young ones were excited for the "main event," the larger festival downtown.

The Dragon and Lion Dancers were a favorite. 

Horse masks and lantern making were

also a hit for the kids. 

Adelaide was born in the year of the tiger, 

so she requested the appropriate face paint. 

The balloon artist convinced her to wear a

"horse" hat for the year of the horse. 

Except she negotiated that the horse be a unicorn. 

 Eleanor got a cat nose and whiskers, 

because that was all she would sit still for. 

And, this is the only picture of her - 

again, with the not being still. 

Have you ever had lunch with a tiger?

The food at the fair was a little disappointing. Not because we don't like Chinese food, but because we really do. And outdoor, fair-style dim sum just wasn't as good as something made in a real kitchen. Melinda did attempt to make the family some long noodles (for long life) at home. The kids went back for seconds, which never happens, so we deemed the meal a great success.

Happy Year of the Horse!