It was the school’s annual Lantern festival. All the kids were invited to make lanterns and come to the event. It was kind of a new year/ lantern festival mash up.

The halls and floors were all covered in lanterns and lights. Luminaries with stars cut our of them we on the floor in the hallway. The lights were out to extenuate the little lanterns everywhere. Some children had made the Chinese birth cycle picture.

We found our lanterns!

It was fun to see what some of the other children came up with.

An idea we wanted to keep in mind for next year…paper mache.

Most of the lanterns were like this one on the left. Others were like the one on the right, a lantern made from another store bought lantern.

In the multipurpose room, there was LOTS going on. Chinese jump rope with these kiddos. (And the Greys)

Vibrating prayer bowls, and Chinese luck painting area.

Then we sat down to watch the Lion dance.

The dancers threw candy out at the kids. Things started to get a little out of hand.

The kids were given red envelopes to put money in to “feed the lion”

But it was really tough to get the lion’s attention, and it turns out Lucas was terrified of the lion.

Once Mirah gave the Lion her envelope we were ready to leave. It was sooooo crowded and so loud, it was just too much.

Leaving was wonderful, a quick pic and good bye to Mirah’s buddy Aurora from class.

Then trying not to get trampled getting out. Yikes.