A Viet Day!

One of the amazing things about this family is the degree to which the multicultural nature has become a total non-issue. I was thinking about this last Saturday when we spent virtually the whole day with the Viet kids and families. I feel very lucky and blessed to have such a great family, and all the diversity that occurs as a result.

We started late morning with a Birthday Party for Jacob. He is Hai and Kyle's little guy. Way cute and pretty dang precocious. The party took place at this giant warehouse that had huge play toys in it.


And what do you eat at a Viet B-Day party? Why pizza of course!


The guy was way excited about his cake, and got a little ahead of himself!



He still couldn't take his eyes off of it however and was pretty excited about blowing out the candles. The "blow out" was accompanied by a fair amount of saliva which just added to the flavor of the cake!




Good thing his sisters Kasandra (KC) and Theresa were there to clean him up.


I caught Hai several times holding someone else's baby! What do you think folks, who is for another try by Hai and Kyle!



It has really been fun to spend time with these guys this last year or so as they enjoy the fun of beginning a family! Notice the great teeth! Dr. Kyle is fixing us all up!


So the next event was a Chinese/Vietnamese New Year Party at a local restaurant. Hoa is from a small village (Cau Da) just south of Nha Trang in Vietnam. Chuong, Cuong and Chinh are from another small village just over the hill from there and knew many of the people in that village as boys. For a number of years, the immigrants from this village have gotten together from time to time and collected money for the less fortunate back home. These are not rich folks. for the most part these are blue-collar workers many in construction. They have some of the greatest hearts I have ever seen, and wonderful families.

Hoa was in charge of the Dragon Dance. This is traditionally part of the fundraiser, as those attending feed the dragon with red envelopes containing money. Our grandson Dillon was one of the clowns who taunts the dragon as it winds its way through the crowd.




Dillon is in the mask on the left.


Hoa takes the drumming pretty serious. (As he does much of life!) His efforts are really blessing a lot of lives.



All of the Viet functions tend to be chaotic! Kids running everywhere, everyone talking at once. It really feels like a party.


I really respect Su Lu, the mother of Chuong, Cuong and Chinh. She works hard to make sure her children and grandchildren are able to take advantage of the opportunities they have and get the education they desire. She even takes English classes and is really getting good.







Who wouldn't love this bunch! How lucky we are.

A Vial Family Birthday Party!

I know every family has them, and they are all great, but I gotta say our kids know how to do a party. This one was for Kennedy (9), and was at Nic and Hailey's. Just a few pics to give you the feel of it!


Kennedy is a fun 9 year old. Maybe this is just Grandpa talking, but I think she is pretty mature.


By Sierra!


Great Kids! Kennedy, Moose, Sierra, Victor, Jacob, Regan, Eva, Sara, Kayla and Ava.


Hailey's aunt Carol and friend Martin. Carol has no kids, but you wouldn't know it. She is a natural!


Kennedy got a little help from CC with blowing out the only candle that mom had in the house. (It was a 5 candle!)


We had to light it again for Jacob to take a turn!


Nic struggled to get everyone's attention for the blessing on the feast.


Clearly there were some important conversations taking place.


Not everyone was happy. (I think Bree had just woke up.)


Even Moose (Sam) got a gift. Jacob is a good kisser!


Caitlin really is as excited as Christine and Kennedy, Really!


Grandma is goofy!


Uncle Chuong and Ava!


Uncle Tucker!


Uncle Nate!


Aunt Alicia.


Mom and Bree.


Hai explaining something?


Great Food!


Uncle Cuong


Alicia is Pregnant.


And getting plenty of advice from the experts like Liyan.

Nothing like a Vial family party!

ZURI ROSE

Zuri means "beautiful" in Swahili. This child certainly lives up to her name! She is not just beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. She has slept with Paula and I (like between us) for the last two nights, and is just as peaceful and mellow (as long as she is fed and changed) as can be!


Kelso, the dog is having a bit of trouble accepting that he is no longer king of the roost, but seems to be adjusting.


Although, when I decided to sit down for a pose with Zuri, he had to get into the middle of it.


Mom, Grandma and Zuri in the gym while Chris and I were taking pictures of the women's basketball team.


It's a family!


It's a Dad!

It's life!

Winter Birding in Virginia

Visiting Chris and Kenni in Buena Vista, Virginia to share the birth of their baby girl Zuri Rose. She was born Dec. 23. Chris came out for Nathan's wedding (the 2nd of Jan.) on the 31st, and we flew back to Virginia with him on the 3rd. While here we decided to see if we could get some bird pics, so I got on the web and found a guy on BIRDINGPAL.COM.

The guy I connected with is 81 year old retired printer Bob Abraham. A truly delightful guy, we found that we had in common Grants Pass, Oregon, where I grew up and he worked briefly for the Forest Service in the early 50's. He now spends his days hiking along the lakeshores and rivers of south central Virginia looking for and photographing birds. He is known by the local hikers, birders and even the birds themselves! We thoroughly enjoyed his stories, knowledge and willingness to share. A true example of what birding does to bring people together.

Chris, although not a birder, may be hooked. He suffered through the 20 degree (much colder if you factor the wind) weather to look at ducks, woodpeckers, and lot's of little brush skulkers. He is interested in photography however, and this made it fun to watch him go for the birds. He even braved this old Great Blue Heron out on the end of a dock.


This guy really was old and gnarly looking. I think he had been chewing on himself.





Lot's of ducks out on the lake we visited. Grebe's, Coot's, Bufflehead's, Ruddy Duck, etc. etc. While the light was pretty tough, I did get this shot of a Ring Necked Duck on the wing.


Lot's of Chickadee's, Titmice, and Nuthatch's. Bob had been feeding crushed peanuts to some along the river trail, and they mobbed us when he walked up. He even had us feed them.




These Tufted Titmice are common here but were really fun for us western boys who are not used to seeing them. We also saw the Carolina Chickadee which is different from the very common Blackcapped Chickadee common to our feeders in Oregon.


While they are also common in Oregon, the White Breasted Nuthatch is a very gregarious and fairly tame bird. I have gotten them to eat out of my hand before at home while I am filling the feeders.



Several really fun woodpeckers are common in this area. Among them are the Downy (first picture) and the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker.


This picture of the Yellow Bellied Sapsucker is interesting because you seldom see them harvesting berries this way. Usually they are seen working their way up the trunk of a tree.

One of my favorite sparrows is the White Throated Sparrow. Often overlooked among other species, it really stands out in the snow with its distinctive white racing stripes along the head with a tinge of yellow near the eyes and the bright white chin.


While I initially thought this was an Eastern Phoebe, Bob Abraham, our local birder has convinced me that it is a Northern Mockingbird. The bill shape is the primary difference, and the fact that the Eastern Phoebe probably wouldn't be back from the south yet tells me I initially screwed up! This is a good example of how careful we need to be with judging size. The Phoebe is a 7 inch bird and the Mockingbird is a 10 inch bird. Without something to compare to in the field, that can be very tough to call.



As evidence of what the wind was doing to us, I thought I would include this photo of the Mockingbird getting it's "do" blown back!


Finally, the Virginia State bird, the Northern Cardinal. Common here, but really beautiful in the winter. Both the male and female are striking in their own way.