Dragon Boat Festival

My family did all kinds of things to celebrate Dragon Boat Festival this year. First, my mom made zongzi with my Ahma, and then with her cousin and aunt.

Then we put up a bunch of special grass and leaves to ward off evil spirits, and we made our own origami dragon boats.

We checked out the dragon boat races, and made eggs stand straight up at noon for good luck.

I am sure we will have lots of good luck this coming year.

Fireflies!

Last Sunday, my parents took me to Wulai to see fireflies. First we walked around the town of Wulai. This is an Aboriginal town and everywhere we saw Atayal tribe food, clothes, and art. We then took the train up the Wulai Falls and had coffee there. Then we took a gondola up to Yunxian Resort, which is above the Wulai Falls. There we got to row boats, swing across a river, and at night, we took out little flash lights and saw amazing fireflies all around the forest.

The water fall

Inside the gondola

The beach

Two Sundays ago, my mom borrowed my uncle's car and drove us to Baishawan beach. I had a lot of fun digging in the sand. Then we had a yummy lunch at a restaurant called Bosanova.

Baby Ryan is one!

My cousin Ryan just turned one. On Saturday, we all went to his "zhua zhou" event, where he had to choose an object that would signify what his occupation would be in the future. He chose the abacus, which means that he will become a rich merchant. I should mention that when I did it on my first birthday, I chose the piano. This means I will become a great musician.

Mama Webster

Yesterday my dad asked me if I knew his name. I said, "Gabe Webster". He then asked if I knew Mama's name. I said it was "Mama Webster".

New Haircut!

Last Friday we went to my Ahma's house to make Zongzi, the bamboo-wrapped rice dumplings. I also got to go to a salon and have my hair washed for the first time and then have a hair cut. I really liked being treated like a princess!
Having my hair washed

and rinsed

Getting a new summer do

From May 2009

This Little Piggy

Today I said, "This little piggy went to market, this little piggy went shopping, this little piggy went on the train, this little piggy went to the beach, and this little piggy went wee wee wee, all the way home."

When asked what my aunt's name was, I replied, "Lu jiu ma." Which means Aunty Lu.

We have a little travel alarm clock that flips open. Today I showed it to my dad and said, "Baba, this is my computer." and started pretending to type on it. It looks like the lap tops that both my parents have.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day. We took a 3-hour train ride to an area called Miaoli for the Tung Flower Blossoms Festival. Tung Flowers are a symbol of Taiwan's Hakka culture. My mom calls the Hakkas the Jews of Asia. She is half Hakka, which means I have Hakka blood also.
In Miaoli, we went searching for our Hakka roots through the food,

From May 2009

the hikes through tung flower forests,

From May 2009

From May 2009

From May 2009

and having tea under tung flower trees after the hike.

From May 2009

From May 2009

From May 2009

As we laid back and sipped our drinks, a few tung blossoms rained down near us and they looked like snow flakes.

From May 2009

Yesterday when I got mad at my mom, I told her I didn't want to be her friend anymore.

Mother's Day Celebration at school

On Saturday, I had a school performance for Mother's Day with activities for parents and kids.
Here's a video of the song I sang for mommies

I spelled, Mommy I love you

From May 2009

Our family portrait

From May 2009

I had to give my mom a massage

From May 2009

Calla Lillies

Yesterday we went to Bamboo Lake in the Yangmingshan National Park. There was a Calla Lilly Festival. It was beautiful and we got to pick our own calla lillies.
Me and my friends, Maxie and Simmie

From May 2009

Picking our own flowers

From May 2009

From May 2009

We went to a restaurant that had a sand pit in the front for the kids!

From May 2009

We discovered a great little cafe in our neighborhood today and hung out there after my nap.

From May 2009

We had a lavender milk tea, a fruit tea, and a chocolate muffin

From May 2009

Welcome to the tea party

From May 2009

Here are photos from April. April was a big month for us because we had lots of adventures.

My mom told me tonight that we may not be able to see Baby Ryan tomorrow because auntie Cynthia is sick. I asked, "Is it because auntie drank bath water?" My parents always tell me not to drink bath water because I might get sick. I drink it anyway though.

I'm Taiwanese!

Here's a little nursery rhyme in Taiwanese...

Here another nursery rhyme I know well...

Gnocchi!

Today we made gnocchi. It was a lot of fun to get flour all over me and my parents.

From April 2009

My mom made a mushroom cream sauce with peas.

From April 2009

Keelung!

Last Saturday my parents took me to Keelung, the northern most city in Taiwan. We went to Peace Island to check out the cool rock formations, then to Zhong Zheng Park, a park my mom went to as a child. Then we had some food at the famous Keelung night market.

From April 2009

Peace Island

From April 2009

From April 2009

From April 2009

Riding a Panda at Zhong Zheng Park

From April 2009

Posing with the giant Guan Yin like my mom did as a child

From April 2009

Ringing the bell for peace

From April 2009

Snails and squids at the night market

From April 2009

A temple celebration parade

From April 2009