Happy Chinese New Year!

This past Monday was the beginning of Chinese New Year. It is the year of the ox. To celebrate it we had dinner with friends a little early on Saturday night. We made our own food and had a wonderful time together! Janelle made homemade dumplings that were wonderful! The kids gave each other a red envelope with money inside. This is a tradition in China. When the families come together during this time of celebration red envelopes with money are given. 
  

Sunday Alissa wore her traditional Mandarin dress to church that we bought for her in Beijing China. She looked adorable! 

 

Tuesday night we enjoyed a dinner at MoJo's our favorite Asian restaurant here in Lititz. Alissa enjoyed her favorite dish... noodles! That evening as we left it started to snow. Yeah!

 

Wednesday school was cancelled due to the snow and ice. Benjamin and Alissa had fun sledding and playing in the snow until it started raining! Ugh! We just can't seem to catch a break and get some plain snow! 

Alissa continues to amaze us! Her vocabulary is incredible! We really have to watch what we say and how we say it... we have a little echo on our hands! 

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Finally Some Snow!....Gallbladder Update

This past Monday Benjamin had off school for Martin Luther King Jr day. We ended up getting about 2 inches of snow. More than the dusting they were calling for! Benjamin and Alissa went out for an hour and a half of fun! Benjamin was such a great big brother. He pulled Alissa around all through the yard on a saucer sled. They both had the greatest laughs! It really melted my heart! Today the temperature hit 50 so any snow left is now gone. A cold front is expected again this weekend. I'm ready for spring!

As stated in a previous post I found out the other week I have gallstones. I saw the surgeon yesterday who stated I need to have my gallbladder removed. I found out today that I am scheduled for surgery next Friday. It is outpatient so I'll be home the same day and have Brent around for the weekend while I recuperate. Thanks for all your prayers I have appreciated them and will appreciate them again next Friday. 

Pig Tails and Gallstones

Pig tails and gallstones have nothing to do with one another! In fact they are opposites. The first is really cute especially on Alissa, and the second one not so cute! So the the cute first. On Friday I decided to try pig tails on Alissa. She loved it and looked oh so cute! The back isn't quite long enough to be pulled up yet, but still looks adorable. Friday also brought the news of gallstones. I had my ultrasound Tuesday and then saw my doctor for the results. They found numerous gallstones and are recommending my gallbladder be removed. I see my surgeon next week. We'll go from there. So for now, we'll focus on the cute. I love those pig tails!

New Year's Eve Fun, ER Trip, & A Belated Christmas

Happy New Year! We enjoyed celebrating with our friends on New Year's Eve at a local Asian restaurant and bowling afterwards. The kids had a blast. Benjamin has bowled before, however this was Alissa's first time. She had a lot of fun. The look on her face when she knocked down the pins was priceless. She jumped up and down. We ended up heading home a little earlier than planned... Alissa had had enough. The holidays have been fun, but it was a little overwhelming at times for her.

Next on the list...Trip to the ER. That would be me Kristin. I chose to celebrate the New Year there. We stayed up to see the ball drop and then headed to bed. I awoke a hour later in pain... I had severe upper/right abdominal pain. I paced for 2 hours before waking Brent, who said I needed to go to the ER. We called my mom so Brent could stay home with the kids and off I was. I followed up with my family doctor and it's one of 2 things... gallstones or a stomach ulcer. I go for an ultrasound tomorrow morning. Never a dull moment in this house!

The belated Christmas.... this was New Year's Day rescheduled from last Saturday when Brent then I had the stomach bug. We went later in the day where I received my favorite gift...Vicodine! Woohoo! While I slept most of the time the family enjoyed a wonderful brunch, reading of the Christmas story (Benjamin you did a great job!), gift giving time, and more food. Thanks to my parents for a wonderful Christmas! Thanks to my mom for taking me to the ER. She was up at 3am to take me to the hospital and then had a wonderful Christmas for us all yet too. Thanks to my incredible husband who took such great care of me and the kids over the weekend. Hoping that the rest of 2009 is better than the first day of it! :o)