A few random photos

Sometimes events happen and then we lose track of time...
It seems only yesterday that this workshop started...

 and now look how far it has come!  Jim and Clare have been working so hard!

And the children keep themselves busy while Jim and Clare are working...

With a little help from MD -- I mowed the lawn!

She has become quite the expert tree climber recently...

And swim lessons continue... the next session just started and everyone has been promoted - including this fella who has since stopped crying!

M&M are in there.. somewhere!  Sorry it's not a very good photo but it's hard to keep an eye on all 3!

We are busy... really busy these days!  Family portraits are turning out to be a blast!  The children spend the day outdoors while Daddy takes pictures of their friends and their families.  I am getting better at using MG's scooter now.  (haha!)  We've all learned the rules to Simon Says, Mother May I, Red Light Green Light, and a few other outdoor games.  Honestly, it's hard to play these games with only 4 participants, but we do our best!  Before they would play these games for the sake of playing and rules were disregarded - merely a basis for a sibling gathering/argument (however they saw fit!).  But now we are playing by the "rules" and learning not to cry when we are told to go back to the start!  Slowly...

More events are taking place -- Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Life has kept us busy and me away...

I am back and there's a lot of catching up to do...
They were finally able to get back on these things... after a YEAR!  No kidding!  After packing them up, putting them in the shed/storage, trying to figure out the best way to use these in our new setting...  I sucked it up, cleaned up an area of the garage and made room for these so they are more accessible to them.  They are enjoying them very much!

It has taken him awhile.. but he is finally a bit happier about going to school and making various projects!  (I hate that bowl cut look!  Often times I can fix it so his hair moves to the side... but today.. bowl cut -- ARGH!!!!!)

Jim's workshop now has frames... (October 8, 2010):

MD LOVES working in Jim's garage!

Of course, E is always near by trying to do all these big boy things!  (And of course, Uncle Jim is never too far to lend a helping hand.)  Today Jim watched the boys while I walked Morgan to school.  When I returned, they were all busy doing this...  (Melts my heart that they do these things together... Something I can totally imagine them doing with my dad if he were still here with us.)

(October 9, 2010) For the 6th year, we attended the Pumpkins in the Park event at Discovery Meadows Park in Downtown San Jose!

 But this year... Daddy was able to join us!!!!

While there, we ran into the Yeh family... and we invited ourselves over to their house for dinner!  (I do that often so I don't have to cook -- hee hee)

 While the children played...

 Ed and Uyen made this delicious meal -- awesome!  It's one of my favorite Vietnamese noodles dishes.

(October 11) After many tries.. we finally figured out what he needed to enjoy his swim lessons... his siblings!  E's instructor allowed M&M to join him and he had a BLAST with them!

Check out that almost smile!  :)

October 15, 2010 Check out the progress on the workshop!  It's coming along, isn't it?!

October 17, 2010 -- They made some more Halloween decorations for their room.

 And guess who stopped by with dinner?  Grandma!!!  E made her a bat to take home.  :)

October 20, 2010 -- They had "dress like your friends" day at school.  These are her new friends Lyra and Katrina.

 Look... the roof is getting started!!!!!

October 22, 2010 -- Due to potential rain Jim was motivated to act fast... first stages of the roof coming along just fine...  and FYI -- the roof raising ceremony is scheduled to take place October 24, 2010 at 11 AM!

October 23, 2010 -- Just hanging out today...  More practice on their bikes and scooters.  Rain came pouring down this early evening so we are all hanging out at home and staying dry.

MG's costume is finally done.  (Mom would have done a better job, but I didn't do that bad a job.  She is so thrilled that it looks like her drawing!  Hmm... is that a compliment for me?  But then, she is 7 and her drawing is pretty basic...  Oh well, it's done!  MD's hat is finished.  His overalls need to be dyed (I think?) and he needs yellow buttons sewn on them.  E's costume was store bought from a few years back, so he's done. (Phew! Not sure I could've handled 3 home made costumes!)  Now I have to figure out what I am going to dress up as...  Yee-haw is what i was aiming toward.

Meet DJ and an update

DJ is short for Daisy Juliette --Her Brownie Girl Scout mascot.  The girls are taking turns -- 2 weeks each.  Each time that the girls have her, they take her to different places and they photograph DJ with them.
I brought her to school today to surprise her... and you'd be shocked to read that MD carried it from the car, walked across a busy street for all to see... and then straight to her class and handed DJ to MG!  Visiting her classroom and school was our trip.  SO we had a photo session with DJ:

DJ at her desk:

DJ and the math manipulatives:

DJ and MG leaving her classroom corridor:

Look how big her school is!  This building you see to the left is for the 4th and 5th graders!

When we were in the class, I saw this hanging up -- I think it was up during Back to School Night, but I went by it too quickly to take a photograph.  It's so funny!

Can you see what she has to say?  (Let me help you...) 

Morgan

Very neat, boss to brothers, and nice

Daughter of Steph and Vince

Lover of reading and writing

Who fears bugs and other disgusting things

Would like to see Atlanta, Georgia

Resident of Los Gatos

Quach

After dropping her off at school today... we went to preschool/preK again. It's every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-12:30.  So far, he's fine:

See?  He even saw a flower on the side, while walking to class and picked it up for me!

Unfortunately, once we walked up the steps to the classroom, he asked to go home.  We walked MD to class first then quickly said goodbye to him.  We walked next door and he kept saying, "Mommy, I want to go home, I'm tired."  And through tears he kept asking me to go home.  Mrs. Gavin took him from me and I walked out.  At one point he took a deep breath to cry and nothing came out.  I ducked and waited by the bench in front of his class to listen to him.  He eventually let out the cry!  But all turned out well.  He had a better day today.  The bonus was when he was able to have recess with MD.  They apparently played on the monkey bars together!  Hooray!

After picking up MG from school we went to Jim and Clare's for a bit.  The boys did some hammering...

MD made a table!

Tonight for dinner we had fresh green beans tossed with salt, pepper, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.  Our entree was lamb with a side of mashed potatoes.  MD cut the potatoes for boiling.  Then he and MG took turns mashing it with butter and milk.  When I informed them we were having lamb, MG asked what kind of meat that was.  I said, "lamb is lamb, you know like Mary had a little lamb."  She then clarified,  "No, is it like cow is beef? Pig is pork?  What's lamb?"  I repeated my answer... then she was quiet and just said, "Oh...." very quietly... as if she totally got the Mary and her lamb thing.  Sorry, Mary -- but lamb is delicious!  MD loved it and kept asking for more.  I only cooked one rack -- apparently I need to cook 2 racks next time! 

This little one liked it too!

In my dry rub, I used rosemary, sage, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, zest of a lime (because I couldn't find a fresh lemon in the house) and fresh minced garlic.  Rubbed it all over, popped it in the oven for about 45 minutes on 350/400 then broiled on low the last couple of minutes to get that crispy flavor of the garlic, salt, and pepper.  Yummy!

MG went to bed with four braids all over her head... picture day is tomorrow!  She wanted curly hair and to wear the dress Auntie Clare and Uncle Jim gave her for her birthday!

Friends and Lemonade

Today we met our friends from Allen School.  Julie was nice enough to offer up her driveway for the children to have a yard sale.  We didn't have much to offer... but the children have been asking to have a lemonade stand.  Why not?!  We had one...
Here they all are -- enjoying each other's company:

My noise maker trying to make some money.  He actually approached customers on my suggestions and would say to them, "Are you thirsty?  Would you like a nice cold cup of lemonade?"  (He was very cute about it though.)

She was excited about the concept but was very quiet when customers approached her.  (We need to give Emma E. credit for the awesome sign she helped to write.  Great job, Emma and thank you!)

He decided he would rather sell Sarah and Josh's brownies!  (that's Josh behind the fuzzy bear book)

So... result of the day?  We left with a negative balance!  Haha!  I didn't have any lemons at home. So we stopped at the store to pick up some lemonade mix and ice.  Well, that was $5.00 worth.  Then we came home with $2.50.  We need to sell more cups!  It was a nice day with friends.

Summer is... #3

Swimming with friends!

Braden and MD are preschool play mates.  (They actually met a year ago during the junior Olympian sports class and then later at soccer.  This was before they started the Kindertots program at the community center).  They are buddies now!  Braden introduced MD to Transformers and GI Joe... it's all MD talked about until Vince introduced him to Star Wars!  Every now and then Braden will want o ONLY play Transformers and MD will ONLY want to play Star Wars...  It's so complicated being 4!  Well, Braden turned 5 in April!

MG and Braden:

Showing off her underwater skills:

Silly guy!

Mr. Cool Boy!  We left the sunglasses somewhere at the pool unfortunately.. :(

Underwater battle!  Braden was NOT impressed!

Hey there cool boy #2!

They swam and played for almost 4 hours!  They came home starving... then I realized that today was the day  we left the house later than normal so I only fed them a late breakfast!  Whoops!  I guess lunch is a pretty important meal!  I also woke up this morning with a kink in my neck and I am in so much pain still!  Driving has been a bit tricky -- gotta check to the left before turning and all...