Sorry About the Delay and Happy (Late) Chinese New Year

Here is my family and my cute grandma. Did you notice the flower on the right with red envelopes tied to the leaves? I wonder if there's any money in them? Hmmm...

This is my cute cousin Jaylene and me.

Here is Steve taking in all of the food! He doesn't know where to start!




This is the table where we put all of the yummy homemade Chinese food! There are so many people over that we had to set out 2 tables in my grandma's living room.

Hello again! I know I have been a slacker the past two weeks and haven't posted anything for a while. Sorry to everyone who have been checking my blog and have seen no new posts. I will try to redeem myself and post a few pictures this time. The pictures I will post will be from a couple weeks ago celebrating Chinese New Year! How fun! If some of you don't know Chinese New Year was this month on Feb. 6. It lasts for 2 weeks and it's just a celebration for the new year on the Chinese calendar. On the first day of Chinese New Year we have a big dinner with everyone in my family with real homemade chinese food. Yummy! Red is the big color because it stands for good luck so every where you look red is in the decorations and the clothing. After dinner we all gather in my grandma's living room and pass out the famous red envelopes filled with money. Yes, we get money! The tradition is that anyone who is married gives out the red envelopes to the children in the family or non-married adults to wish them a good new year. Last year Steve and I had so much fun because we weren't married yet so we received a lot of red envelopes, but this year it was a bummer for us because we are married and instead of receiving a lot of red envelopes we had to give them out instead to the youngin's. It was still fun though! Inside the red envelopes there isn't a lot of money because we have to give out so much so the norm is to put $2 in them, but what makes the envelopes even cooler is if you can put actual $2 bills in them! Even though Steve and I had to give out envelopes this year we still received some money from my grandma and mom. So we did get a little something. It was so much fun to get together with my entire extended family to celebrate a new year in the Chinese calendar and I love keeping this part of my Chinese heritage alive. I hope everyone has a great Year of the Rat! Enjoy the pictures and did anyone notice all of the red? I hope that means extra good luck for Steve and I!

Drunk Men and Smashed Windows

Last night was a very traumatic experience! As Steve and I were settling into bed around midnight, we had just turned off the light when all of a sudden we heard this noise down a little ways from our condo. We weren't sure what it was until we heard glass shattering from next door. This guy was yelling something and smashed into the windowpane again! Steve and I were up by then!!! We both jumped out of bed, I ran to get the phone to call the police while Steve made sure the man wasn't coming into our home. I have never been so shaken up in my life. It was the first time I had EVER called the police and my voice was shaking so bad. There was so much confusion and Steve and I were so worried that the man was going to come inside. When we heard glass shatter from the other condo next door we knew he was just on a rampage of some sort and he wasn't going to come inside. My adrenaline was rushing so fast! I don't think I have been that alert around midnight for a long time. Everything happened so fast and then it was over. The police were able to catch the man (thank goodness!) and told us when they came over to get our report that he was from Chicago and was very drunk from what they could smell from his breath. They weren't sure why he did what he did, but they reassured us that they did catch the man. I could not believe what had happened to us! We don't live in a very safe neighborhood, but our condo is kind of secluded so I thought we were safe. I guess I was wrong. It is one consolation that we weren't targeted in any way, but he had attacked everyone else's condo too. After the "incident" we found out that he just went down the row of bottom condos and smashed in everyone's windows. Needless to say Steve and I did not get any sleep last night. I am just glad neither of us are hurt and we are safe and sound other then being a little shaken.

Newbie on the Block

Hello everyone! I have been debating for a while now about making a blog and I have finally done it. Before I created my own blog I have been reading from my friend Robyn's and realized how a blog was able to keep me updated on her life. So please be patient with me all you experienced bloggers while I still try to learn the ropes. Hopefully in the next few days I will have pictures and more up.