Floral Expo 2011

In Taiwan, there's an International Floral Expo. This expo will end in April 2011. It is a month ahead of the time. I went to the Floral Expo before chinese new year. I went there some time in January. It is just amazing. The things they organize over there is very cool. I really like it. I really enjoy each show they have over there. I really like the flowers and everything. I will say I am very proud of Taiwan to be able to make this such proud expo. Good job to all of the people who work so hard for it. I iwll go back again on April befor the expo finishes.

Andrew can stand up already

Now, Andrew can only stand up but also, he can walk by holding somebody's legs. He is learning very fast and he is very cute now.

Andrew now is 11 months

My cute baby now is 11 month. I am very proud of him. He can walk a little bit now. He is very cute.

Andrew can turn off the lights

At this young age, my Andrew can turn off the lights by just looking at me doing it. When he turns off the lights, he is very proud of himself.

臘八節

Today in Taiwan, there's a festival call 臘八節. 臘日和臘八粥的由來：在中國古代，「臘」是一個非常重要的祭祀活動。它的意義，有人認為：「臘」是「合」的意思，臘祭就是合祭諸神；也有人認為：「臘」是 獵」的意思，獵禽獸以便歲末祭祀祖先。

從前的臘日，並沒有一定的日期，大約在冬至後的第十三到三十五天之間，最晚也不會到除夕，大多在二十四節氣的小寒節氣內，落在農曆的十二月，因此農曆的十二月就稱為臘月。農曆的十二月八日，是所謂的「臘日」。這一天，是佛祖得道成佛的日子，傳統上有吃臘八粥的習俗。在民間，吃了臘八粥以後，就開始忙過年了。

吃臘八粥的習俗據說傳自印度，相傳釋迦牟尼在未得道以前，曾經 獨自坐在菩提樹下，靜觀思維，每日只吃一麻一米，後人不忘佛祖成道前所受的苦難，便在十二月八日這一天，吃粥以為紀念。而中國自宋朝以後便開始普遍盛行起來，當時在民間有所謂「臘八日」，在臘月八日這天，每座寺廟都要準備「五味粥」敬拜佛祖，完後再分贈給善男信女，大家相信吃了五味粥便可以保佑身體健康。宋朝大文學家蘇軾，就曾大力提倡吃臘八粥，認為可以延年益壽。

過臘八節的習俗大約在清朝初期傳到臺灣，善男信女們都要到廟中去祭拜神明，並煮臘八粥讓全家人食用。康熙皇帝時，曾賜給有功的臣子臘八粥，是一種恩寵，在民間，有些特別遵循古風的家庭，天沒亮就已經吃過臘八粥，同時流下許多，吃個好幾頓，以表示「富貴有餘」。

臘八粥是用乾果、豆類煮成的，像花生、紅豆、白果、紅棗、栗子、藕乾、松仁、薏米、桂圓、核桃仁、杏仁、蓮子、葡萄乾、糯米之類，湊成八種，加上紅糖、白糖熬煮成粥。這些食物在中醫的看法，大多具有健脾養胃、補氣養血、暖身驅寒的功效，煮成粥後易於消化，適合嚴冬寒冷季節食用。臺灣的臘八粥，本來只有甜的一種，後來有一種以肉片、木耳、蝦仁….為材料煮成的鹹粥，兩種都很好吃。

臘八時節吃臘八粥，除了延續祖先的傳統以外，對健康也有幫助！