Happy Birthday Grace

I can't believe you are six already. 

You have so quietly and gently grown up just a little more each day.

 Happy Birthday, My Beautiful Girl

Eastern Hemisphere: China

With its long history and complex culture, our China studies could only begin with one crucial resource:  a monstrous pile of books. 

General Information and Cultural Stories for the Little Ones

DK Eyewitness China 

A True Book: China  

Children of China by Song Nan Zhang

A Child Like Me by Anabel Kindersley

Lon Po Po by Ed Young

The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack

A Grain of Rice by Helena Pittman

Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel

Daisy Comes Home by Jan Brett

The Empty Pot by Demi

The Weaving of a Dream by Merilee Heyer

Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth

The younger girls drew a 4-square for China and a picture from Tikki Tikki Tembo along with copy work of his full name. There was also the standard map and flag coloring.

History and Historical Fiction for the Big Kids

Usborne Encyclopedia of World Religions

National Geographic: China by Jen Green

Through Time: Beijing by Richard Platt (Excellent resource!)

Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats by Nina Simonds

Homesick by Jean Fritz

Eric Liddell by Janet Benge (Protestant missionary story)

Li Lun, Lad of Courage by Carolyn Treffinger

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Lewis

Mission to Cathay by Madeleine Polland

The House of the Sixty Fathers by Meindert Dejong (An exciting read aloud)

The big kids made a timeline of China's history, colored political, population and climate maps, wrote facts about China today, studied Buddhism, and created a graph of the family's various zodiac signs.

Movies for Everyone 
Kung Fu Panda
Mulan
Wild China Documentary

Chinese lanterns were a big hit and easily accomplished by all ages. The older ones tried decorating them with Chinese characters.

The big art project began with inspiration from the Disney Family Fun Magazine. I happened upon a craft for a Chinese New Year dragon puppet while waiting in the dentist's office. It was complex enough to interest the older ones and had simple components that I could have the younger crew accomplish. The little girls and boys painted all the different parts of the dragon head.

Olivia and Quinton painted the scales on the fabric for the body.

I wielded the hot glue gun to assemble the pieces.

The final puppet needed 2 to 3 people to operate. We watched YouTube videos of dragon dances and Chinese New Year celebrations. The acrobatics involved were very impressive!

And, of course, we read lots of books about dragons. Everyone drew an amazing dragon from the Dragon Drawing Book by Ralph Masiello. These were done in ink and water color with vibrant colors and intricate bodies. I am sorry that I didn't take a photo of all of them hanging up.

Dragons and Chinese New Year

Moonbeams, Dumplings, and Dragon Boats by Nina Simonds

Dragon Drawing Book by Ralph Masiello

The Dancing Dragon by Marcia Vaughan

Fu-Dog by Rumor Godden

Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn

After watching all the videos, the children decided to have a dragon and lion dance of their own. Dominic gleefully dressed and acted as the the ferocious lion while the older ones manned the dragon puppet.

One of our favorite resources for drawing animals are the Draw Write Now books by Hablitzel and Stitzer. The younger children draw and do the copy work while the older ones draw and then do a written narration. The small Asian animals hang around for inspiration and fun.

Kites and Pandas

The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen

Kites: Magic Wishes that Fly Up to the Sky by Demi

Kites: My intention had been to have a kite flying day with everyone but the weather just never cooperated. Instead, they drew pictures of different kinds of kites and did a narration. I know, it's definitely not the same.

Art

The Magic Horse of Han Gan by Jiang Hong Chen

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush by Demi

Ancient China Treasure Box by Running Press

Using the ink well, brush, and ink from the treasure box, the children painted traditional pictures on watercolor paper. The Great Wall of China was assembled from the same kit.

Marco Polo and the Silk Road

We're Riding on a Caravan by Laurie Krebs

The Silk Route by John S. Major

Marco Polo by Demi

Marco Polo for Kids by Janis Herbert

Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China by Deborah Noyes

Activities for the older children included an essay on the Silk Road, map work, and a drawing and narration of Marco Polo. I did give them the opportunity to try and read the original Marco Polo memoirs but it proved too dense. The younger ones just enjoyed the picture books and talking about the caravan travels.

Finally, we had our own Chinese New Celebration on Chinese New Year. What timing and what a coincidence! Everyone helped to make BBQ pork buns from scratch while Daddy visited the local Chinese food eatery for noodles, rice, stir fry, and cookies. Yum!

Once again, we had so much fun exploring China that we went way over our time limit. Oh, well.

Next Stop: Mongolia, briefly again.

Eastern Hemisphere: Korea

Due to our lingering in other countries, I made the decision to by pass the Koreas and head straight into China. However, just as I was ready to move on, an opportunity to attend a production of authentic Korean dancing appeared. How could I resist? Thus I quickly printed out the flags, a map, and pulled a few books from the shelves.

Books

Tales of a Korean Grandmother by Frances Carpenter

Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park

The big kids were thrilled to be given the opportunity gulp down the stories with no strings attached.

After quick review of St. Andrew Kim, we were off the the dance. This was a truly worthwhile event. The dancers were mesmerizing, the drumming exciting, and the costumes breathtaking. All six littles sat enraptured. At the conclusion, everyone had the chance to taste Korean appetizers. Perfect. 

I really expected this to be the end of Korea as we were now moving on into the rich land of China. However, the children internalized all they had seen and, a week later, I was gifted a private viewing of traditional Korean dancing.

Grace simply appeared one afternoon in fairly authentic costume and proceeded to dance her heart out. If you have ever had the chance to see Korean dancing, you would know that she truly had it down, flipping scarves and all. 

Inside, Collette and Dominic drummed for added effect. 

I love, love, love this kind of spontaneous play based on real learning.

I guess now we are done with Korea.

Another country that was sacrificed was Vietnam. We read the books for pure enjoyment.

Next up: China

Stephen's 40th Birthday- Hooray!

This is the day that everyone has been anticipating- Daddy's birthday. Dominic practically jumped out of bed singing Happy Birthday. The little ones were quite disappointed that he had to leave for work on his birthday of all days. However, I had some serious work in store for my crew.

First we made a delicious carrot cake with lots and lots of cream cheese frosting. I'm sure Stephen didn't mind all the little fingers that needed to taste everything to make sure it was turning out properly. Then there were presents to wrap and decorations to display down the mountain at Nanna's home.

My dearest love was not exactly overjoyed with the idea of turning forty. He refused the idea of a party and every other mildy extravagant idea I formulated. Being the wonderful family man that he is, he just desired a quiet day with all his littles, a movie, a great hamburger, and some of his favorite cake with nuts and cream cheese frosting.

When I asked him how he wanted me to decorate his cake, he replied drolly, "With frosting." Well, that would simply not do, so we surprised him this monstrosity. The kids unanimously agreed upon the imprinted cake pan of a dinosaur in the jungle. Hmm, somehow it morphed into something more akin to a Mexican wrestler. I'm still not sure how that happened but everyone was thrilled with the results none the less...

even Stephen.

The children insisted on a full 40 candles, nothing less would suffice. I do believe Stephen would have been okay with a few less. We ended up needing all hands on deck to light those candles before the first ones burned down to the cake. Xavier was not particularly helpful as he kept blowing out the candles as we lit them. 

We made it! 

After a very quick rendition of happy birthday

he blew and blew and blew. 

The little girls held on tight for encouragement and support. And then we all enjoyed the feast.

Happy Birthday!

You are my dearest.

May our good Lord bless you and keep you safe and healthy in this next year.

Collette's First Holy Communion

Collette had been anticipating her First Holy Communion for weeks. She would dance into my room each morning and announce how many more days were left until Jesus came into her heart. So, so sweet! Finally, after a year of preparing, First Confession, one nerve racking interview with the Director of Religious Education, and a rehearsal at church she was ready.

Collette beamed with anticipation on her way to church.

We are generally the kind of family that comes skidding in at the last minute for events. However, this one was so important that we actually left early, really early. In fact we were so early that Stephen managed to annoy the drivers on the freeway with his creeping speed and we still had time to get the all important morning coffee. To pass the time with the little ones, we snapped a bunch of pictures while hanging out in the car. The little boys mugged for the camera,

Gracie smiled her sweet contented smile,

Olivia read and read and read,

and Xavier just looked cute.

Collette managed to remember to sit, kneel, and stand at all the correct moments during Mass. This was not an easy task as all the First Communicants were in a separate row and it was a High Mass. She did admirably. After receiving, she glowed with happiness in a truly grace filled moment of perfect peace. May Our Lord continue to bless her with such grace-filled faith each and everyday.

Grant me Thy grace, most merciful Jesus, 
that it may be with me, 
and work with me, 
and continue with me even to the end. 

After Mass we headed back to Nanna and Papa's home for a BBQ supper and swimming in the warm spa and freezing pool. It is amazing how impervious to the cold the children can be. 

Nanna made Collette the gorgeous banner and I made the cake to her specifications: chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting.

On the way home Dominic fell asleep and was in no mood to smile nicely. We managed to cajole something approaching a smile from him with the promise of swimming afterwards.

My boys.

Collette glowed with happiness.

Happy First Communion, my love!

Yes, Stephen is the behemoth pictured. I never realize how tall he is until I take a picture of him with his head almost touching the ceiling.

What a joy filled day!

Sunday, May 22, 2011