this year's pumpkins

So, this was the first year in a while that we did not have a Halloween pumpkin party. We've been so busy that we haven't been able to get it together and connect with friends in our new locale. Also, we just thought a party of sharp knives and small children were not a good mix. So, this year we decided to carve on our own. Hopefully, next year (or maybe the year after) we can start the pumpkin party tradition again.

Rain Dragon was upset that we wouldn't let her carve her own pumpkin so to make it up to her we themed the pumpkins around her favorite friends:

Yes, her toys are wearing diapers. She refuses to do anything unless they do it first. 

I carved her friend "Cute":

bonus points if you recognize where he's from! It's the Sasquatch's fault. 

And the Sasquatch carved Kermit  "Moo-Moo":

originally he was called "Mermit" but then we put a Kermit band-aid on her boo-bo and now he is "Moo-Moo"

Even though she still would've preferred to play with the sharp knives, the finished pumpkins were an acceptable consolation prize:

Happy Halloween!

When Halloween Meets the Moon

From one of the schools I visited in Florida, comes some Halloween fun: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon inspired pumpkins! Here is how Dragon would look if he were made of pumpkins:

Thanks so much, students! Have a happy Halloween!

on my desk monday

Finishing up the last details on Rain Dragon's Halloween costume!

Can you guess what she is going to be?

fortune cookie friday

"It is difficult to catch a black cat in a dark room -- especially if the cat isn't there."
-Chinese Proverb

thanks for a fortunate visit!

And my school visits are now in full swing! Sometimes when I enter a school, I worry how the day will go. But when I recently visited the Hopewell School in CT, all my worries quickly disappeared. 

Because the first thing I saw was a big welcome banner!

And that wasn't all! The whole school was decorated with projects the students had done with books. There was a huge fortune cookie board, in honor of Fortune Cookie Fortunes:

Each class in 4th and 5th (I think) grade wrote their own fortunes:

which were bother flattering:

You have nice shoes!

and encouraging:

You are a great writer!

I was thrilled to see that they also created their own Five Poisons Charms in honor of Starry River of the Sky:

And with the new book now out, I was so happy to see that Ling and Ting was so popular. Some classes had the students imagine they had a twin:

Their little essays cracked me up:

"If I had a twin it wold have the same hair and have the same name...but I am tanner."

my favorite line: "But we have the same allergies."

Other classes wrote how they were similar and different to Ling and Ting:

These were really sweet:

Ling IS kind!

I am  messy like Ting, too!

But the most eye-catching displays in the school were the moon-themed ones; in honor of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Thanking the Moon, of course:

this one spans the whole wall of the cafeteria!

Students wrote what they were thankful for:

"I am thankful for my life because I have a wonderful one..."

"Thank you for keeping Captain America alive..."

I think it's funny that this student is thankful for his/her chickens before his her parents!

Yes, I'm thankful for food too...that death drawing is quite gruesome

a hollow shell without penguins!

But I admit it was their secret wishes that I couldn't stop reading:

"...I hop my sistr gets her handstand today." 

"I wish that I was neat and not messy." ME, TOO!

"I wish I had a giant pancake"

"...to see a unicorn..." I think I had that wish, too.

 But I didn't have to wish for anything more from the school! It was a great visit!

Thanks, Hopewell School!

pocket ling and ting in Taiwan!

Pocket Ling and Ting are now traveling the world! Why should Pocket Pacy have all the fun? Two readers (who received Pocket Ling and Ting at the birthday party) have been making Ling and Ting very happy. Pocket Ling and Ting were a little jealous that Pacy traveled to Taiwan in Dumpling Days,   but now they don't have to be! Because they are on a tour of Taiwan, themselves!

Here at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall:

And Taipei 101:

And, of course, at the BEST dumpling restaurant in the world...with Tom Cruise:

Thanks so much, Wu girls! Pocket Ling and Ting are thrilled to have found a home with you!

on my desk monday

 On my desk floor is the quilt Rain Dragon was given in Florida!

It's so lovely! I have to show it off more! The quilt squares were drawn by some awesome young readers from the FCC in Jacksonville:

who also made dumplings because you have to keep your strength up while you are quilting

They also (with help from their equally awesome mothers) pieced the squares and sewed it:

Here's some photos of the quilt close up:

Isn't it great? I have to say, Rain Dragon and I are very quilt-rich! We have her 100 Wishes quilt,  the gorgeous one by Winifred Weng and now this beauty! I think I'm going to have to learn how to quilt myself so I can add to our treasures. 

Because Rain Dragon can't get enough of them:

Thanks so much, FCC Jacksonville!