Happy March!

Happy March 1st to you! 

Today was a great day. 

We spent the first half of this week staying with some friends out of town and got home yesterday evening. 

Side note: One of the highlights of staying with our friends was spending time with their little girl RubyJune. They just brought her home from Ethiopia last summer and she sure took a liking to Mr. Adam. She is a DOLL. 

When we got home last night, we had a good filling dinner of fried rice next door, and called it an early night. I woke up very refreshed. 

My morning was great. Full. Abundant. I wish I could go into great detail now... but can't here. I will say that time in the BG's book, a new album on noisetrade by "Jenny & Tyler" that was quite enlivening, some great processing that was refreshing to say the least ... I really wish I could tell you more now. Just know it was ABUNDANT and a gift from the BG. Then go google Ann Voskamp and subscribe to her blog {And read her book.... my new all time favorite}. The words on her blog resonated with my soul this morning. 

In the midst of this joy fest on my couch my phone beeped and my friend Ash had sent me a text that said, "The Sun!" cue Hallelujah chorus! In light of our recent gloom, this was a beautiful gift.

There were sun rays coming through my window. And shadows on the floor. I forgot what those were. 

I then officially decided that March was going to be a good month. 

I originally planned to shower at that point, and then eat some Mac & Cheese here for lunch before heading to a coffee shop to get stuff done... but this weather was beckoning me outside. So I scrapped the shower (decided I'd take it tonight... not happening), and Adam and I wondered out to get lunch and grab some things out in our neighborhood. I told everyone I saw that "Today's weather is SO GREAT! You can see the sky and the sun!!!" in east asian. Crazy foreigner. 

 Hannah even sent me a text that said, "I might be wearing too much clothing!" Which says a lot around here. It wasn't warm by any means, but it wasn't cold and wet either. The sky was blue. BRIGHT blue.  

I made it {although I was a bit chilly} in just a fleece, and even pulled out the sun glasses. 

The rest of the day was great... our fave coffee shop "The Snail House" opened another shop right down the street with a 2nd floor with NO-SMOKING {hallelujah choir still singing}... I can't tell you how wonderful that is. Coffee shops here are the WORST for feeling like you are sitting in a giant stale ash tray and certainly smelling like one for the rest of the day.

 So I spent the afternoon there with fun girls, had a tasty dinner from my current favorite little hole in the wall with 2 of my fave EAian pals and ended the night with a quick random call from my friend Jules in America on her way to work. 

In honor of deciding that March is great, I decided to jump on the "Photo-a-day" band-wagon on instagram this month. 

Day 1's theme of "Up" was perfect for a day like today: 

Even if the weather turns south tomorrow. March 1st was a very good day. 

I hope the first day of 三月 is just as great for you! 

Just Joyful,

Yarn Wreath with Winter Attachment

Okay I promise I'm back on the blogging bandwagon.

A couple of weeks ago I made a winter attachment for my "interchangeable attachment" wreath- my collection is growing with the Spring & Fall attachments. 

In case you missed those 2, I made this yarn wreath last year with snaps for interchangeable attachments with each season. 

I wanted to make a winter one instead of Christmas so I could just use it until it's time for the spring one to go back on, so I went with blues and grays.  

For this one, I went with a Peacock theme.  

To make the "feathers" I cut 3 pieces of felt for each one. I pinched the tips together at the end, stitched through all 6 pieces, and tied each one off. Then I started arranging them on white felt with the largest ones on the bottom, hot gluing them on. 

I hot glued the snaps on the back {the other side was already on the wreath}

....and there you have it. 

I added four wooden beads to bring it to a point. 

It might be my favorite thus far. 

Okay seriously, more Christmas decor coming! 

Promise! 

Joyfully attached for the winter, 

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Lions, Tigers & Bears... Our Trip to the Animal Park

A few weekends ago we went with some friends to the Animal Park in our city. What's the difference in an animal park and zoo might you ask? As the following video and picture will learn... we're pretty sure it's the "closeness" in interaction that you have with the {very large & deadly} animals and ability to feed them lots of things.  

Like this large white tiger...

{please enjoy this quick clip of the scariness of his roar}

Are there zoos in America where you can put raw meat on a stick and stick it through a fence like 5 feet in front of you to a hungry tiger who jumps over your head? Maybe... but I've never been to a zoo in America where the "large game" aren't in cages behind glass like 20 feet away. 

Off to feed more animals.

Doesn't it look like they could just jump over that little wall? 

There's a large trench in between them and the wall. 

But he looks ready to eat Grady. So instead he decided he's feel them some carrots. 

Ready with arms wide open. 

Onto the primates. There were practically every species of monkeys there. But these were my favorite. 

Just doin a little pickin. 

Every time you turn around, there's an opportunity to pay money to hold an animal and have your picture taken with it. I'm not sure who's more scared here- Anna or the monkey. 

These guys got pretty pumped when they found out that you can hold a {not so small} baby tiger. 

Adam threw his money at the lady in 2 seconds in order and practically scooped the little guy up. 

He tried his "whispering" skills on him...

But clearly the kitty wasn't amused. 

Off to the elephant show! This was the 3rd one of these I've seen in this country...

but I haven't been to one with the elephant lover herself. Its like her happy place. 

Before the show starts you can buy cups of carrots to feed them. This little guy was pretty cute. 

Once the show was underway, these guys went to work entertaining. 

Walking on balance beams, 

Oooo threw a little handstand in there! 

Did you know they can sit like people? 

And play soccer!? 

mad skills. 

Adam and Hannah volunteered to be in the show {risky move as my friend Jesse proved at this elephant show in 2008}. 

But the elephant just put hats on them and gave them flowers. 

Pretty entertaining. 

Grady isn't huge on loud noises right now, so he stood next to me like this the whole show because the PA system was so loud. 

After the show, they let you come out for photo ops with the stars. 

To add to her collection. 

Had to squeeze in a few cute baby shots. How precious is this little angel?

And my little butter bean with a double chin. He's the cutest. 

Quick stop for our picnic lunch we brought along. 

There were fun animals everywhere...

camels...

leopards...

emus and ostriches...

little red pandas...

zebras...

beautiful peacocks...

{they really are such gorgeous animals}

lions....

....and among many more fascinating animals were more tigers. 

Who provided more entertainment. 

Now please don't judge me or anyone with me for this frightening sight... I'm simply the photographer. But can you imagine being this POOR chicken who is being used to lure the tiger as bait to jump? Oh have mercy and a heart attack. Then they just set him back on that grate to stare at his fate a little more. 

These guys can jump pretty stinkin high. Cute Grady said, "Mommy, I want that tiger to jump on his tail like tigger!" 

Somehow I think these guys aren't as cute, cuddly, and friendly as tigger is though. 

And before you leave the tiger area, you can buy some tiger pee in a water bottle. Yes TIGER PEE. 

This says:

LaoHuNiao: 40 yuan/ping

Tiger Pee: 40 yuan a bottle. 

So just in case you're interested you can buy some fresh tiger pee for a mere $6.30. 

Strange enough. 

Onto the STAR of the EAian animal park.....

the PANDAS! 

He REALLY wanted to come give adam a hug.... 

But was willing to settle for a photo op. 

Cute little guy. 

Once we'd made the rounds, our chariot awaited us at the entrance. This is how we ride in style over here. Our driver friend is a local taxi driver, but is always willing to grab his van and tote us around instead. Stylin and profiling. 

I thoroughly enjoyed our day at the animal park. In my opinion, the only animal missing was a giraffe. They are kinda my fave. All in all though, fantastic entertainment at the animal park.

Joyfully Entertained,