Home, Home on the Range

A lot of recent pictures of life in Minnesota. We're loving life here, even though the temperature has been hovering around 0 degrees the past few weeks. We've visited many of the museums in the Twin Cities, including the Minneapolis Children's Museum, Baaken Electricity Museum, Minneapolis Science Museum, Arboretum and Natural History Museum. We've explored the fantastic nature centers and parks, and Mike and I have gone cross country skiing. We plan to go skiing again tomorrow!

We enjoyed having Uncle Shen-Yun (Ah-Mah's brother) over for Thanksgiving. It's great that his family lives only 45 minutes away in MN. Granny and Big Grandma visited us over Christmas for a little over a week. It was fantastic for Isabella and Will to have so much bonding time with them, and Mike and I had a great time as well. Thanks to all for all the amazing and thoughtful presents!

Isabella started 4 new schools since September, and has finally settled down at Eden Prairie Montessori. She had been going to the public school for 2 months, and although it is a good school, she was very bored with the Kindergarten curriculum. Thanks to the generosity of her Ah-Gong and Ah-Mah, she will attend private Montessori school for the remainder of Kindergarten. She is happy to be learning and we are so relieved that she looks forward to going to school again. We've applied for her to attend Eagle Ridge Academy (a public charter school) next year, and should find out by the middle of January if she has been admitted.

Pictures! Sorry for the random ordering...


at the Science Center














Aunt Dorothy made the gorgeous sweater and gave Will the eco-friendly dinosaur toy set. Thanks, Dorothy and Kirk!













Will couldn't get up after getting all bundled up in his snowsuit :)



























Mike's new espresso machine, Miss Sylvia Rancilio, much thanks to Gaba and Nana!













Four deer! in our backyard!













Isabella wearing the another beautiful sweater crocheted by Aunt Dorothy!

Finally, Will likes books

Isabella is under there

Captured a great candid moment, unfortunately the camera lens had a toddler's greasy fingerprint on it :(

New Year's Eve with my girl

Will really liked the furry pink headband, as you will see in the next few pictures

Happy Birthday, Granny!









































Will loves to wake up Izzy each morning













I used to do this when I was a kid!

Will's room- Teresa and Ulrik bought the painting (on the left) in Africa. Thanks, guys!

Isabella's room

Thanksgiving with Uncle Shen-Yun









































I turned around for no more than 30 seconds, and Will managed to remove the bottom rack from the dish washer

















Playroom