Chinese New Year 2017: Year of the ROOSTER

On a cold January morning, we bundled up, grabbed some lunches, grabbed some dragon food (aka dollar bills), and went to Downtown Dallas for our annual pilgrimage to the Chinese New Year Dragon Dance and Street Fair!

This year, your Mama came too!

This year, Julia, you said you would NOT be afraid at all!

This year, Aidan, you were hoping to not get your butt bit by the dragon!

The show was AWESOME! 

You both were brave and bold and fed SEVERAL lion dragons!

There was a little trepidation, of course...

But those frowns quickly turned to smiles!

We ate and felt the rhythm of the drums:

And took the show home...you both were drumming and dressing like dragons for days. You both made Chinese New Year masks- Julia you spent hours and hours on yours!

And the results were frighteningly good!

2017 is the Year of the ROOSTER! I wish you a happy new year full of good luck, good health, and--

HOLY SMOKES a dragon!!!!!!!!

The Year of the Monkey

Last year's Chinese New Year festivities left such an impression on both of you, that you were excited to go again. I was too!

 

Remember last year how we didn't know that the Lion/Dragons would demand to be fed money, so you Aidan fed them trash and they bit your butt? Not this year! That's right: your daddy remembered cash this year!

 

So with cash in hand, we sweatered up, loaded up, and headed to downtown Dallas.

 

Aidan, last year you were decidedly unafraid of the lion dancers. This year was definitely no different. You are bold, brave, strong, and curious, and you eagerly went up to many different Chinese New Year lion dancers to feed them money and pet them.

 

 

 

Julia, last year, you did not like the Lions. You didn't want anything to do with them. You were glued to my lap. You cried. But...then again, you were excited to go back this year.

 

2016 Chinese New Year didn't look like it was going to be any different for you. I mean...just look at the look on your face.

But...then you got a little brave and left my lap to go near one of the lions...

Then, perhaps inspired by your brother's "enthusiasm" you happily and willingly ventured even closer and closer:

And then, in a moment of pure courage...you reached out and TOUCHED one of them!

You were so proud of yourself, and I was (and am) too! Way to go, Jules!

 

 

The lions had to stop dancing eventually, so the three of us enjoyed some live music...

 

 

...some costumes...

...some selfies...

 

 

...and then made our way over to Klyde Warren Park for running and playing...

 

...cool snacks on the ever-warming day...

 

... a quick and ill-advised, but still fun- dip:

 

 

...and then some soaking wet swing-dancing lessons!

 



 

You know...just a father, daughter, and son monkeying around downtown to ring in the year of the monkey!

 

Circus Maximus

Where do you the clowns go for some grade-a clownin'?

The Circus, of course.

Mimi and Pops joined us for our annual excursion to the GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH- The Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus!

And it was a really special, fun, silly day with fun brewing in all three rings of the circus of our lives!

There were elephants, and clowns...

Thrills and chills...

Popcorn and red noses...

Smiles, giggles, and awe...

Souvenirs and memories-made...

There were horses, kangaroos, hilarious little dogs, and  fake mammoths, unicorns, and peagasi...

There was hopping...

Shopping...

...and love...

The reviews are in. Both of you talked about the circus for weeks and weeks after the event.

Aidan Weinstein: "The music was terrific and the elephants were woken up and I don't want you to wake them up because they were sleeping."

Julia Weinstein: "It was fun seeing the circus, Daddy. I liked the flying horse got a pretty lady on it!"