Aidan Turns 13!

 I am now officially the mother of a teenager!  How did that happen?! Aidan turned 13 yesterday and we celebrated with a family dinner.  He wants to have a go-carting party in a few months when the weather is warmer.  Here he is forcing some smiles as we take photos...

 Aidan with birthday cake

 He got a new basketball and a subscription to MLB TV

 Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Sarah bought him a new PS-4 game

 Thanks Julia for the new book!

He also got a bunch of clothes including jeans, shorts, a polo, and some pajamas

Celebrating Tet Last Month

 

Maya sporting a new au dai from Vietnam

 Receiving their lucky money

 

Meeting friends for Vietnamese food. 

 Arn, Carol, Mike and Sharon (so nice that Sharon is feeling good these days)

The boys... Aidan, Isaac and Nathaniel

Sponsoring a Child from Vung Tau

We have decided to sponsor a child through the French charity,   APER (www.pourlesenfantsdesrizieres.org) Association Pour Les  Enfants des  Rizieres.  While we are sponsoring a Vietnamese child through Plan Canada I wanted to also sponsor a child in Vung Tau. APER has a close affiliation with the Vung Tau 2 orphanage and seems very well organized. We were matched with a 9 year old girl with HIV in Vung Tau, who was abandoned four years ago. We will have the opportunity to correspond with her through a translator.  I am excited to help this girl and maybe a few years from now will meet her when we go back to Vietnam with Maya.

Catalyst Culture Camp?

We are thinking of attending this camp in the U.S. and are interested in opinions of others on whether it is worthwhile.  With the Canadian dollar so low, the camp is quite expensive. Please provide your comments below.

Many thanks!

Escaping the Cold in Florida

Best of Bac Ha and Sapa

Here are some more photos of the Flower Hmong in the Bac Ha Market and Black Hmong in Sapa

Bac Ha Market

 Sapa

Kindergarten Opening Dance- I Smile When I Watch This!