At the end of every year it always feels like a whirlwind as the year flew by. There's never enough to get everything you want done around the holidays. Cooking, baking, shopping for gifts, decorating ... we barely have time to take pictures for our Christmas card, which is why this is late. In an effort buy some time and make the card a little more personal, I decided to do a digital Christmas card letter. And save trees! A double win.
Travels
2024 started for us ringing in the new year in Hong Kong. As the fireworks lit up Victoria Harbor, we were among the 400k people who showed for fireworks last aired in 2018. The millions of phones and “wah!!” Meant we weren’t in Kansas anymore. Our travels also took us to Foshan, China, Guilin, Hoiping, Guangzhou, Macau and the Chung ancestral village. The kids got to see what life was like for Yeh-Yeh in China and be grateful for the life they have today. Here is a video of the village visit:
Yeh Yeh's Childhood Home
Yeh Yeh's House Tour
In the summer we visited Elaine's aunt Winnie in Toronto along with Elaine's parents, brother and Kenny's dad and stepmom. Highlights were Niagara Falls, coffee at Tim Horton's, Montreal bagels, Poutine and Nathan speaking french in Quebec City.
Kenny had his own travels this year: Chicago with James, backpacking Rim to River with Nathan with his Boy Scout troop, backpacking in Sequoia with Bradley and Glacier National Park with his friend Aaron. He also went on a couple missions trips to Mexico with Nathan building houses with our church. He has been accident-free since 2023 and enjoys quiet evenings reading.
Nathan is a busy junior playing water polo and swim. He had an awesomely large tomato plant this summer, and also leading his boy scout troop as SPL. He is looking forward to getting his drivers license soon.
James is a 7th grader at Whitney High School, he enjoys competing on the robotics team and has a keen interest in astronomy. He has definitely expanded his palate this year trying new foods and holding fast to his conviction that straws will harm the ocean animals, so you will not see him using one.
Bradley is enjoying 5th grade. He plays soccer, collects Pokemon cards and enjoys making creative recipes in the kitchen. Sometimes I find his creations in the freezer, such his homemade chocolate bar. They are unique but sometimes tasty.
Elaine has been all about friends, family, outdoor adventures and water. Since the summer, she has grown a fondness for swimming even more than before - keeping a consistent routine of at least 3 swims a week. If she is not swimming, she's out paddleboarding. Locally around in Naples island or her favorite place at 6am on Catalina Island at summer camp.
We hope 2025 is a year of love, laughter and connection. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Kenny, Elaine, Nathan, James, and Bradley Chung
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