Wednesday, July 11, 2007

4th of July at the Nelson's!


We started a tradition at the Nelson's for at least as long as we live at the lake... Independence Day at our house! Ingrid played in her little pool out back in the festive red, white, and blue bikini that Grandma Camera sent her for the occasion. The rest of us hung out where we had a "cook-out" on our front porch on our tiny electric grill that Granny and Grandad bought at a yard sale and everyone ate grilled sausages and chips and tea and iced coffee and beer bread and dip and pound cake with strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream! Boy, was it good!!!
We kept the Weather Channel on the TV all evening as we watched thunderstorms threaten the area, each of us betting whether or not they would cancel the fireworks for that night... Just when it looked like the storms were coming upon us, the fireworks started across the lake -- and we had front row seats on our front porch! You couldn't get a better view of the pyrotechnics! It began to really rain during the show, but the fireworks kept going off!
We stayed outside until we were all a little wet from the blowing rain (except Elijah, who was REALLY wet from playing in the rain...), and then we hung out for a while longer as the traffic cleared out of the area (in Deep Creek, you can't move on the road for about an hour after the fireworks...). Then, people went home and Andrew and I were left to munch on leftovers and watch TV while our caffeine from the iced coffee and Mountain Dew wore off. It was a fun, fun time. We can't wait until next year!!

Tiffy Leaves for Taiwan!



Our Taiwanese sister, Tiffany Tzu-Ting Hung, who was living with my parents since before Christmas, left us for Taiwan on June 28th. While we were sad to see her go (and I'm still explaining to Ingrid why "Tiffy" left to go see her Mama in Taiwan and she's not at the farm anymore...), we're glad she's back with her family at home.

She and Ingrid became really good friends while she was here. Ingrid now calls her dolls "wah-wahs" like Tiffany taught her ("wah-wah" is baby in Chinese...). She also sings "O Happy Day" like Tiffy sang in show choir EVERY time we get into Mama's car. She calls it "O Happy Day -- Tiffy's song."

We loved learning from and living with Tiffany while she was here.


We love you, Tiffy! We hope that if you come back to the US to study, you'll come to see us LOTS!!!