Passport Party Activity with International Foods

We celebrated another birthday this month, and I added another twist at the last minute.  One might even call it a theme.  But I'm not usually a theme kind of party thrower, so bear with me.

Since we like to eat Asian foods around here, I thought I would serve some of our favorite internationally inspired dishes.  Plus, since we were expecting a dozen children, we would serve hot dogs frankfurters.

So here was what I came up with for our global tour dinner:

1.  Frankfurters (Germany)
2.  French Bread (France)
3.  Steamed Sticky Rice (Vietnam)
4.  Potstickers / "Jiaozi" (China)
5.  Dried Mango and Pineapple Slices (Thailand)


Not having any veggies was regrettable, but I was trying to keep things simple.

Of course, making a pinata and passports on the same day as the party does not qualify as keeping things simple.  Anyway, here are the passports:

Guests were instructed to eat and sample the different dishes first and then come back to collect "stamps" for their passports.  The stamps we used were obtained from free resources at the LCMS website.  My daughter cut them out.   We provided glue sticks and school glue for the adhesive, though printing the images on sticker paper would be a great time saving option.

Time constraints limited us to six country stamps, which turned out to be plenty.  However, for more stamp opportunities I thought of adding:

• a pinata for Mexico
• some origami shapes for Japan
  
• some South African rooibos tea

This passport activity could be used at a variety of occasions, from an educational meal with family and friends, to a potluck event, or even as part of a geography lesson.

Have you ever sampled cuisines from multiple countries in one meal?  

What was the occasion?

Misadventures and Shared Moments

Despite a series of misadventures, we made it to
Oklahoma to see my sister and parents. We arrived minus one important purple suitcase, but that wasn't the airline's fault. It was mine! I seemed to be a magnet for mishaps on this trip. My eldest daughter, on the other hand, was a generator of creative solutions.

Her solution to the missing case of kids' clothes started with a question-- "Do they have a second hour?"
By that she meant Sunday school. Her proposal was that her younger sister wear the skirt we had with us and attend the first hour. Then my eldest would swap clothes with her and wear the skirt for the second session. Meanwhile, her grandma and grandpa came up with another solution: a last-minute Saturday night shopping spree. My idealistic, cost-free idea to find clothes to borrow did not happen, but we did appreciate having our needs met. On Sunday morning, however, the girls chose two wear two "vintage" dresses that had belonged to me as a girl.

Solution Gal's next idea was a contingency plan, in case our minivan broke down (which it thankful did not). If we had to abandon the vehicle and walk the rest of the way to grandma's, her little brother could be pulled in the wheeled suitcase--the black one I did manage to put in the trunk.

Fog and sickness also assailed us on our trip, but we enjoyed the 60 degree weather and fine views of grass further south. And there was still some of Mom's fruitcake left!

Besides marveling at my daughter's ingenuity, I also was amazed by God's goodness in providing a job to my younger sister. I had not seen her since the summer and it was important to reconnect in person. Furthermore, my children got to spend time with their grandparents, creating a paper bouquet for them to keep during the quieter months ahead.
On the way back home, we broke our journey in Kansas, where Jhona lives. After meeting over Company Girl coffee several months ago, I enjoyed getting to know her and her kids as three-dimensional people. We appreciated how she welcomed us so warmly.

Now it's back to real life. I am hoping to be less forgetful in the coming weeks as we settle back into a routine!

Time for a Blogcation

Unable to find a common thread of thoughts for the week, I am sharing my Friday Five:

1 . The Bittersweet Blessings of Adoption

Many splendid friends have graced my life, several of whom happened to be adopted. I'm so thankful that they were, for they have meant so much to me and the many others who love them dearly. I've also come to know several adoptive families at my church in the last two years. I am delighted that now my children are receiving similar blessings, growing up with friends who came to us through adoption.

What prompted me to remember how grateful I am for those who adopt and were adopted? This touching post, by Steady Mom.

2. Company's Coming

To be hosting my sister in law's family of five for Thanksgiving next week is a happy and daunting prospect. They are coming in from Chicago next week. I am longing to manage my time better so I can have things prepared before their arrival. The first step toward that transformative goal? A better prayer life. "I need Thee every hour..."

3. The Return of Sock Hunting Season

Snow I don't mind, but how I despise hunting for socks! On the bright side, after doing the necessary weeding Rachel proposed, I can chop the strays up and help my oldest daughter make this uber-cool jump rope. I will post the results after we complete it. Meanwhile, I bought 12 new pairs of kids' socks this week. If I can still find 10 out of 12 pairs when we ring in the new year, that will be a triumph to celebrate.

4. Wish List Update

Two of the three wishes I shared last Friday are in the process of being granted. The third, "to arrive early and at peace" is still a struggle. Getting up from my computer, by God's grace, would be a way to progress. It is humbling to fail so repeatedly at doing the simplest of things. Punctual arrivals, well-coiffed hair....everyone else is managing, it seems, but me.

5. The Temptations of the Blogosphere

My, am I ambivalent about blogging lately! It motivates and distracts me. It gives me a mode of accountability and offers an avenue of escape. I need to get away for a time and receive some wisdom and healing from above. So if you don't see very many posts during the remainder of this month, that's the reason. I plan to schedule a few posts ahead of time, and then focus on those tasks and people that should get more of my attention.