My DiDi is coming home soon!!!!

Well, Emma's little brother (aka DiDi), will be coming home soon. We got our Travel Approval from China and will be leaving on May 4th. We are going a day earlier before we meet our travel group in Beijing, to visit New Hope Foundation, where Joshua has been last 2 years. He will have been sent back to his home orphange (unfortunately) before we go to China, so we won't see him at New Hope when we visit. 

Emma is excited for Joshua to come home, so far, but doesn't really understand what is about to happen. So we keep talking to her about Joshua and how we will go to get him, while she helps Grandma take care of our dog sadie while we are gone. 

Four weeks from today we will be on our way to China!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR.....YEAR OF THE TIGER!!!!

Here is our little Tiger at the IFCA (Idaho Families with Children form Asia) Chinese New Year Party.

         We have started getting involved with these great activities. Emma is not real sure of all the other kids yet, but we hope as she grows older she will appreciate it more and more. This particular event had 2-3 times as many people as the Fall Moon Festival had. This was our first CNY activity with the group, they had Panda Express cater the meal. YUMMY!!!!

          Part of the entertainment was a martial arts demonstration, must of the participants were actually children and wife of one of the instructors. All of the kids (2 girls and a boy) were junior Black Belts, and wife also a black belt in their style of martial arts.

Mommy was impressed with the show, and Emma was practicing her 'Martial Arts' face.

The same group also performed a dragon dance for us. VERY Impressive!!!

The dance had drums through out the dance. Reminded me of the opening ceremonies at last years Olympics in Beijing.

Had more pictures but these were the best when they were mostly standing still, had the wrong camera for tonight. Will know better next year.

They also had a dragon parade where all the kids who wanted too, (not Emma though) got under the dragon and paraded around the halls of the school walking over bubble wrap simulateing firecrackers.

Our little tiger was ready to go home after a fun Chinese New Year Party.

Here are some more of Emma since Thanksgiving....kind of Long....

THANKSGIVING

Emma Hosted her first Thanksgiving at her house this year, she invited all of the Lunds and Steiners this year.

Emma was telling Great Grandma Olsen about what all she had been busy cooking.

Pop-Pop wanted to know when turkey dinner was going to be.

Emma, Pop-Pop, and Auntie Heather, Grandma L and Kabrie waiting for the feasting to begin.

Looks like Pop-Pop finally got his fill of Turkey, or he is just showing us what it is like to be retired.

Just a cute picture of Emma (of course she is always cute).

CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

Helping Decorate the tree this year.

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emma's Premiere in the Church Christmas Program

Lining up the crew to sing.

It is always funny when somebody elses kid gets caught doing something funny (sorry Slaters).

BUT...........

It is just as funny when............

Your own child decides to show the whole church her 'Pull Ups'

and then realizes...........Uh Oh, did I....just do what I think I did?

-CHRISTMAS EVE-

Emma opened lots of presents between all of the families, here are just a few of the pictures.

Reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' with Daddy, Thanks Grandma L for the nice book.

Mommy says if we put out cookies and milk some guy called Santa will come and eat them and leave me some presents too............

HHMMMM.................

Mommy was right, he did come last night!!!!!!!!!!!

and he ate all the cookies and drank all the milk.........

Sadie, "ya and I didn't eat those cookies, Emma"........

More Christmas at Pop-Pop & Grandma S's New House

Pop-Pop's train is the best!!!!

Family together again for Christmas at the new House.

Santa's newest Helper.

Giving Hugs to Great Grandma Olsen..........

and Great Grandpa O.

We missed having Jenn's Brother and Wife at The Grandparent Steiner's, but we met up with them at our house before Grandma and Grandpa L had to go home.

The big girl cousins

Grandma L, Emma, Kaebrie, and  Kyson.

Kabrie and Kyson also got a 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' book from Grandma and Grandpa L.

New Cabbage Patch Dolls for the Girls.

FIESTA BOWL  BABBBEEEEEE........

GO BSUUUUUUUUUUUUU..................

HANG IN THERE... WE ARE ALMOST DONE,

WINTER CARNIVAL, AND

CHINESE NEW YEAR NEXT........

In front of the PANCAKES House.

First one down the slide.....the sculputers said please break it in......we don't want it too fast.

A little faster.....but it slows down near the bottom.

Nicest Bear I've ever stood by.

Nicest Bear I've ever sat on.

Emma didn't know the theme for Winter Carnival this year was from the movie Up. She thought the falls on the right was Paradise Falls from the movie.

Emma also thought that the dog was'Dug' from 'Up', too. But was worried the Dinosaur had Dug by the tail.

Waiting for the parade to start.........

After the parade ended.

 Emma stood near the start of the parade, and probably had two more times the amount of beads around her neck, that wouldn't fit.

Grandma L and Emma.

STAY TUNED FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR POST.