Happy Lunar New Year!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Lunar New Year (if you celebrate it)!  We spent the weekend in my hometown with family, and had a great Tết (Vietnamese new year) celebration. 

We played traditional games, ate delicious food, and took the kids to see the Dragon dance.  This year was the first year they weren't crying and terrified of it, so that was a nice bonus!  It's considered good luck to feed the dragon "lì xì" (red envelopes containing lucky money) and we attempted to get the kids to feed them, but again, it was a no go.  Maybe next year.  Jax gave me his money to feed to the dragon (that's my blurred hand in the pic below).

My parents had a Hoa Mai tree (a tree with yellow blossoms that's native to Vietnam, traditional decoration for the new year) with fluttering red lì xì envelopes with different amounts of money in them.  We each took turns cutting down a lucky red envelope.  True to my luck, I picked one with only a dollar in it.  :)  But hey, it's a lucky dollar!

Chúc mừng năm mới (Happy New Year) and cung chúc tân xuân (gracious wishes of the new spring)!  I hope the year of the Dragon brings you much prosperity and happiness.  I know we're looking forward to meeting our little luck dragon, scheduled to arrive in April.  ;)  


What are you looking forward to this year?

 

KC Blogger Meet Up

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with several bloggers from the Kansas City area for lunch at Blanc Burger.  I'd never really considered myself a "blogger" per se, rather just someone with a blog... that I update.. *ahem* rather sparsely.  Therefore, I don't think I'm quite deserving of the blogger title, at least not just yet.  So it was a sweet surprise when out of the blue, Sandy (of Sandy a la Mode) invited me to join the meet up.  Of course I was in!

Before Saturday, I'd never met any of these ladies nor was I familiar with their blogs.  And I don't think any of them had ever met in person either, though I think they knew each other from the blogging world.  What a treat it was to meet a group of genuinely interesting and fun girls!  And on top of having awesome personalities, they're all super adorable, each and every one of them!  I had such a blast chatting it up over fancy burgers and truffle fries (which are served in tiny shopping carts! can we say super adorbs?).

Taken by Angga's husband, who is 10-feet tall (ok, not really)

Then, as would be expected when six bloggers meet, the cameras came out!  So each of us has our own version of these pics.  The above two were the only ones I had where all six of us were mostly within the frame.  Thank you to Angga's husband, who volunteered to be our paparazzi.  :) 

From left to right:  Ashley of A Hasty Life, Sandy of Sandy a la Mode, Shea of Bon Chic Bon Gastronimique

 

From left to right:  Angga of Reserverade Fashion, Michelle of Second Street East, and me.

After lunch, Shea, Sandy and I trekked out into the cold to do a little window shopping at the Plaza.  Despite it being freezing out, these ladies braved the cold for an impromptu photo shoot for their blogs.  Now that is some dedicated blogging!  I just volunteered to take the photos because I am no model!  Sure I used to choreograph hip hop, but thinking of modeling poses baffles my brain.  Not sure why there's a disconnect there for me, but there is a definite gap.  So I'm not sure how they managed to do so, but Shea and Sandy convinced me to step in front of the camera.  Here are some snapshots that I lifted from Sandy since all the pics were on her camera (hope you don't mind, Sandy!).

So this is how the pros do it.  Laid back, even while balancing on a bench!

Fierce!

 And then it was my turn.  Poor Sandy and Shea had to coach me the whole time.  Did someone say "horse stance"?  Nope!  That was all me.. and that is why I need coaching. 

Kohl's catalog, here I come!

 

 

The last two are my favs because I don't look like a total goober in them.  Thanks to all you ladies for a really fun day!  And thanks to Sandy and Shea for showing me how to model!  Maybe from now on I'll come out from behind the camera a little more.  Maybe.   :)

Hope you all had a phenomenal weekend! 

More updates to come this week (including the whereabouts of my Warm Hearts Necklace)!

2010 :: views from my back porch

One thing I have always loved about being in Kansas is the chance to witness some gorgeous skies.  And with our house being on top of a small hill, I feel like I could just touch it sometimes.  I especially love watching the seasons change and seeing a different sky every single day.  All from the comforts of our humble deck--an ordinary place to be, yet full of extraordinary sights.

Through all the undulations between happiness and tears, I hope your year was filled with magic and moments that left your heart in awe.  Here's to the wonderful memories with our loved ones, the experiences that have helped us grow, and a new year brimming with hope and surprises. 

Wishing you the warmest and brightest of Holidays!  See you in the brand new year! 

If I were... I'd be...

my photo: taken while apple-picking last October

 If I were a month I’d be October.

If I were a day I’d be Saturday.

If I were a time of day I’d be sunset.

my photo: partial view of Boston skyline along the Charles 

If I were a planet I’d be Saturn.
 (it's wearing jewelry!)

If I were a sea animal I’d be a jellyfish.

my photo: a jellyfish at the New England Aquarium 

If I were a direction I’d be East.

If I were a piece of furniture I’d be a huge cozy bed
with lots of pillows you actually use.

If I were a liquid I’d be rain.

 Raindrops print by bluedreamsunshine

If I were a gemstone I’d be Sunstone, Emerald, or Aquamarine.

If I were a tree I’d be a bonzai.

 my photo: hanging out with the bonzai trees at Longwood Gardens in PA

If I were a tool I’d be glue.
 (mushy and helps keep stuff together)

If I were a flower I’d be a daisy.

my photo: wall of daisies

If I were an element of weather I’d be a breeze.

If I were a musical instrument I’d be a piano.

If I were a color I'd be London Blue.

 London Blue Topaz gems from rmcgems.com

If I were an emotion I’d be Gratitude.

If I were a fruit I’d be a Kiwi.
(sweet and tart ..and a little hairy..
lol, ok no more hair jokes I promise)

If I were a sound I’d be
the light clinking of a bamboo wind chime.

If I were an element I'd be Oxygen.

my photo: soap bubbles in an empty bottle 

If I were a car I’d be a convertible.

If I were a food I’d be anything made by mom.

If I were a place I’d be "home".

Neighborhood cup/vase by loveartworks

If I were a material I'd be cotton.

If I were a taste I’d be savory.

If I were a scent I’d be fresh linen.

 Fresh Linen Shea Butter Soap by dennisanderson

If I were a body part I’d be eyes.

If I were a song I’d be a lullaby.

If I were a bird I'd be a hummingbird.

If I were a gift I'd be 
one that is simple and from the heart.. 
and handmade.

If I were a city I'd be Boston.

my photo: view of Boston skyline while walking along the Charles River 

If I were a door I'd be vintage french doors.

If I were a pair of shoes I’d be
super stylish kicks that you can dance all night in.

If I were a poem I would be
flying off the tip of a favorite pen.

my photo: a poem I wrote
(ps. my handwriting is only this neat when I concentrate real hard) 
 

There you have it, a smidge more about me you may have not known before.  Thank you to Andrea, whose "if I were, I'd be" post inspired this one.  So dear readers, I'd love to see your version of this so I can learn a little more about you (so if you do a similar post, please let me know)!  :)