This new dual event will be a good opportunity to get to know other FCC-SoCal parents without worrying about child care.

In the first event, Ms. Shawna Lai, instructor at South Coast Chinese Cultural Center, will entertain her audience with a class on Chinese folktales and music.  Parents may enjoy the class with their children, or socialize in the adjoining room.

In the second event, adults will discuss the book Factory Girls: from Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang.  Sitters will be available to look after the kids and lead a craft in the adjoining room for the nominal fee of $5/child.

Click through to the full post for details and a link to RSVP. Come for either event or both!  Admission is free.

Sunday August 22 was a picture perfect summer day, much to the delight of the FCC families and friends gathered at Crystal Cove State Beach.  Around 20 families, or 60 individuals, turned out for the event, which was expertly organized and executed by Sandy Draper and husband Joel Warner (who lugged a ton of stuff down the steep path).  Many thanks to both!

Our group congregated around an extra large shade canopy sheltering cold drinks and a variety of snacks, even watermelon!  Each family brought their own lunch and beach gear.  There was no shortage of sand toys, and a few of the older kids braved the chilly ocean water on boogie boards.  Some folks took a short walk to check out the tide pools.  All the girls (and even a few boys) had hours of endless play in the sand and the waves, and all the parents enjoyed visiting.  A wonderful time was had by all!

Check out our gallery of Beach Day photos. Our thanks to Ann Marie Rousseau and Patty Uy for contributing the photos.

In China and throughout many Asian countries people celebrate the Harvest Moon on the 15th day of the eighth month of their lunar calendar.  This year, the Mid-Autumn festival falls on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 - but that's a school night!  So please join your FCC-SoCal family in a weekend celebration of togetherness on Sunday, September 26, 4:30-7:00 pm at the Ten Ten Seafood Restaurant in Artesia.   The festivities will include games and prizes for the kids and teens, traditional Chinese entertainment and great food, including mooncakes.

Click here for registration form.

The family self defense workshop held Saturday May 15 was a great success!  About twenty kids with one or two parents per family turned out for the session. The age range of the kids was from three and a half to ten, with the majority five to seven years old.

Instructor and FCC Mom Laura Hesser did an excellent job. She made it fun for the kids all the while they were learning important information and skills.  Laura's set-up was perfect with the parents sitting in the background and the kids sitting up front around her, which resulted in the session being interactive for the kids, both discussion-wise and physically.  Laura was able to tailor the session to the age range that attended so there was high participation and the kids seemed to get the messages.  The session was relevant and a fun opportunity for the families to get to know each other better.  All in all a wonderful event!

On a rainy Saturday in March twenty-five small children in traditional Chinese costume gathered at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center to learn Chinese folk dance from “Miss Annie;” Anne Ma.

Miss Annie and her two assistants taught their young students “The Firecracker Dance” during the 45 minute session, followed by a short snack break and finally the performance! Parents who had anxiously huddled in the hallways during rehearsal were allowed into the studio to video and photograph their angels as they exhibited a graceful display of dance. Some of the older students partnered with the younger ones to help keep them in step. The results were very impressive! Most importantly all the participants had a fun learning experience!

Jingle bells were swinging and jingle bells were ringing at the annual FCC Orange County Holiday Party!  It wasn’t snowin’ in Mission Viejo, but the event was blowin’ up bushels of fun for more than 30 families attending the December 6 event.

The jingle hop had begun with a dance soundtrack playing throughout most of the party.  The kids who weren’t dancing were making projects and new friends at the crafts table.   Families generously piled a mountain of donated gifts in one corner of the spacious room for the Orangewood Foundation, benefiting OC children and teens in foster care.

Check out our gallery of photos.