No Surrey for Sammy

I got the weekend off from my grueling PB job last weekend so we decided to go to Santa Barbara for the day. It was our first time going and the weather was perfect.

We started off with a leisurely lunch outside.

Then we decided to rent a surrey. Poor Sam wanted to drive and pedal all by himself. So he cried for 75% of our time on the surrey. I held him after a while and even then, it took him a good 15 minutes to calm down. My iron man had to pedal for all of us because having Sam in my lap and trying to pedal was like trying to bike uphill on the 10th gear. Of course, Chang didn't think I was pulling my weight anyway and said it didn't really make a difference whether I pedaled or not. So I didn't and enjoyed the ride with the kids.

We went to the zoo afterward and the best part was this tiny astroturf hill. Kids were "sledding" down the hill on cardboard scraps.

We waited about in an hour long line to ride on a 10 minute train ride.

After the zoo, we went back downtown and rode the carousel.

The girls were really sweet to each other for most of the day. We had a great time and was back home in time to put them to bed just a little past their bedtime.

Same Place, Different Times

We went up to the bay area a couple weekends ago for a wedding. My old youth student whom I taught from the time she was 12 until 18, got married. It was a beautiful wedding. It was a short trip but we wanted to do some sightseeing for the girls. They really wanted to see the Golden Gate bridge. But of course, it was windy and cold at the viewing point. So after a few pictures of them with the bridge behind them, they just wanted to go back into the car.

While we were driving up, we had snacks strewn all around the car. Chips, cookies, remnants from our McDonald's lunch--I looked at our car and realized it looked like that Foster's Farm commercial with the chickens and the junk food filled car.

We also stopped in Sausalito for ice cream before heading up to Napa Valley for the wedding. I wanted to take a picture at the same place that we took a picture with just Joey when she was one month old. My how time flies!

Oh how clueless we were back then...

Now the family is complete! I know, I haven't aged at all, right? RIGHT???

Putting on a brave face in the freezing temps...

The girls loved all the flowers at the wedding, and my pashmina. I think they also took these pictures of each other.

Sam trying to get in on the action...

I'm back!

Wow, I really missed my little babies. A lot. The first day I kept showing everyone (and by everyone, I mean, even random strangers) pictures of my family. I couldn't get over how beautiful my girls are and how adorable my Sam is. By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I was ready to come back home and smother them with kisses.

It was a great trip, in any case. I am so glad that I went. I can't remember the last time I spent so much time with my friend. It was a blessing for both of us. It was so great to be able to share in this life-changing time with someone I've known since we were seven. I also loved holding a newborn baby again. But the best part of it all is I'm cured!

Before, if I held a itty-bitty baby, the smell of the baby just intoxicated me. It was like a liquor I didn't even have to drink--just the scent alone would send my body into a frenzy. My whole body would ache for more...just one more...But now, as adorable as little Jonathan is, I was more than happy to hand him back to his parents and hop onto a plane back to my older babies. I am over my addiction to the newborn baby stage. I know Chang is singing Hallelujah!

Hanging in There

All the kids and the hubby have been sick with the hand/foot/mouth virus. It was pretty mild, all things considered. Only Elysha had sores in her mouth which prevented her from eating. But Joey, Sam and Chang just had fevers.

Today was the first normal day I have had in a while. Kids at school, hubby at work, just me and Sam hanging out, goofing around and gardening. He really is just at the most adorable/most challenging stage. So sweet, so stubborn, so pig-headed, so curious.

I'll be leaving for Boston next week to help out my BFF with her new baby (stubbornly waiting until the last minute to be born) so I am scrambling to write as many blogs as possible for Savvy Source. My mind has been on getting ready to go and also recovering from everyone being sick.

I'm excited about spending time with my friend and having some alone time too. I want to read Wuthering Heights again (already started it and am really enjoying it the third time around) and The Notebook, about 20 magazines that I need to go through (already sent to Boston via media mail). But I am really going to miss everyone. I haven't been away from everyone this long ever. I think Sam is going to suffer the most from my absence. He loves his daddy but I know that I have a special place in his heart. =)

A Whole New World: Part 2

Everyone seems to think we are brave (or crazy) for taking three kids on a 5 1/2 hour flight to Disneyworld...especially considering we live about 30 minutes away from Disneyland. It was a good trip and I would say it was worth the trouble and expense. But by the last day, we were all ready to go home. Seven straight days of Disney magic was exhausting, even for the girls.

And now, I see a HUGE difference in boys vs. girls. I am sure it has something to do with Sam's age too, but at the same time, the girls were never this hyperactive. The girls were able to sit quietly on the plane and work on coloring books, artsy activities, and stickers. They only got out of their seats once to go to the bathroom--both ways. Sam, on the other hand, could not stay still for five seconds, let alone five hours. We should have gotten the extra seat and strapped him in. He was also suffering from a head cold so there was a lot of crying and screaming on the descent into Orlando.

We used a credit card privilege to get into the VIP airport lounge for free. It was awesome. There was a kiddie room with computers, a TV and snacks. While I was getting the free coffee, muffins and fruit in the lounge area, I sneezed and Smokey Robinson blessed me!

We used all the complimentary shuttle services that Disneyworld provides, including the Magical Express airport shuttle. They are supposed to pick up your bags from baggage claim for you and deliver it to your room within a few hours. We didn't get our bags until the next morning. Luckily I was prepared for worst case scenario with our carry-on so it wasn't too much of a hassle. When we finally got our bags the next morning, it had these priority tags on them which was amusing.

The Finding Nemo show at Animal Kingdom was amazing. The costumes were done by the same designer as the Broadway Lion King show. We managed to get reserved seating so we didn't wait in line at all and were able to get the best seats in the house. We also utilized the fast pass system extensively so we never waited more than 20 minutes for any ride.

Our little monkeys...
Sam understands what a camera is now and will smile when I take his photo. Cutie patootie, huh?
After Magic Kingdom closed, we bought the kids a souvenir each and let them run around for an hour while we let the crowd die down. Sam is getting to the age where he can interact with them more. It's very sweet to see all three of them play together.

Chang and I celebrated our seventh year anniversary while there. What a romantic way to spend the day, huh? Love you babe. I can honestly say I love you more than ever.


Our resort was right on the water. The cool thing was we could take a 10 minute boat ride to Downtown Disney.

I have no idea where they learned to pose for pictures. Look at how they both cock their heads to the side!

Sam looks more and more like "da-da" everyday. He was also super clingy to Chang during the whole trip.

We treated the girls to a Bibbity-Bobbity Boutique trip. Hair, make-up, nails, tiara and "fairy dust" sprinkled all over for the cost of a king's ransom. Yes we are suckers but it was cute and the girls loved it. Plus, we held it over their heads the whole trip in order to extract good behavior.

The Beauty and the Beast show at Hollywood Studios was a lot of fun too. The amphitheater is a mini Hollywood Bowl.
In front of the famous "Spaceship Earth" Epcot icon.


By the end of the trip, everyone was tired. Yes, that is Elysha inside the Ergo carrier.


The weather was perfect the whole time we were there. All in all, a wonderful trip. But eight days of family vacation was enough for all of us. We were all ready to get back home and out of each other's hair.

The Happiest Place on Earth

We just got back today from a mini family vacation. Chang had to take his mom to the doctor on Thursday and we promised Elysha to take her to Disneyland once she mastered potty training. Since Chang had to be in OC midweek anyway, he decided to just take two days off work so we could go to Disneyland.


On Thursday, I decided it would be easier to take all three kids to California Adventure by myself while Chang took his mom to the doctor. I survived most of the day all by myself (pat myself on the back). The girls were so excited about being there that they were very well behaved. We watched the Playhouse Live show, ate lunch, rode a few rides and then watched the Aladdin show before Chang showed up.


On the Ladybug ride--Chang and I had a deal before we even got married. I do the roller coasters and he does the spinning rides. Unfortunately, he wasn't around to save me from this spinning ride. I had to close my eyes to keep myself from puking. The girls kept asking me, "Why are you closing your eyes Mama?"



Since we decided to do this vacation last minute, I wasn't able to get us reservations at Ariel's Grotto. I'm glad that I wasn't able to because it gave us an opportunity to discover another wonderful character dining option--Breakfast with Minnie Mouse and friends. It is usually all about the princesses for Joey, and Elysha generally follows suit. But the breakfast was a lot of fun. First of all, it's buffet (which the whole family loves), and secondly, we got to see a lot more characters this way.



This picture cracks me up because Elysha and Eeyore have the same expression. As much as Elysha loves seeing the characters, she is always a little scared.



After we finished breakfast, the girls wanted to see the princesses.

Since we couldn't get into Ariel's Grotto, as a special treat, we let the girls get their face painted. I even paid an extra $2 for glitter. They were so ecstatic. Elysha rubbed hers off as the day progressed. Joey was so careful to not touch her face. Whenever she had a little itch, she would ask me, "Is my makeup still on?"

Three princesses...

And my prince...

If only I had one of these cages at home.

We had a lot more time at Disneyland this time since we didn't have to go over to California adventure for Ariel's Grotto. So in all the times we have gone to Disneyland, we have never set foot in Toon Town. It's a cute little area where Joey and Elysha rode their first real roller coaster. Elysha was hesitant the whole time we were in line. But after it was over, she said, "I want to do it again!" Joey has been an adventurous rider for a while now--even at Knott's--she wants to ride the big rides.

Joey has grown up so much. She is a wonderful older sister to both her siblings--most of the time. We had a great time on our vacation and I am so grateful that we can do such fun things. Chang and I were talking about it while the kids were napping in the car--we are so immensely blessed. We hope that we never take it for granted, and the kids do not feel entitled.

Judge me by my size do you?

That's what Elysha's little Yoda beanie says--"Judge me by my size do you?". It cracks me up because Elysha is a lot of person in a little body. She is starting to potty train a little bit these days. She definitely knows how to hold it. Bribery with sugary treats helped the first two days but she has lost interest again. On the second day of P.T., at 8:30 in the morning, I was sitting with Elysha. I told her that if she pee'd on the potty that I would give her a "special treat" like the other day. She immediately got up, sat down on the toilet and took care of business. With her Dora underwear still around her ankles, she asked for her special treat. So she was eating chocolate cookies for breakfast.

I was gone for an Arbonne conference last week so I took Sam with me to Atlanta. Chang took two days off and had a good time with the girls. They met my brother's family at Legoland...

Picnicked in the backyard...

They also stayed at a hotel and swam in the pool. According to Chang, the girls missed Sam more than they missed me. Surely, he is mistaken...

I love this picture because all three kids are doing their thing--Joey with sucking her thumb, Elysha with pressing the back of her hand to her mouth, and Sam with grabbing his toes. And of course, both girls are petting Sam's head with their free hand.

As painful as life can be with three kids, Sam completes our family and I have no regrets. Before Sam was born, I never felt that I was done having kids. After Joey was born, I hadn't even left the hospital before I was thinking of number two. After Elysha was born, I distinctly remember coming home from the hospital and while I was taking a shower, I was thinking about having another. But now, I have a lot of peace saying that this factory is closed!

Spring Break

Joey was home last week for Spring Break so we had a few outings such as Paradise Cove, Knotts Berry Farm, and the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.

Joey sliding at the Peanuts Playhouse

We got annual passes for Knott's since we are in OC every weekend visiting Chang's mom. We've already been here three times in two month.

We stayed in a hotel Friday night so the kids could swim in a pool...and because we all love sleeping in hotels.

Then we met a school friend at The Discovery Science center in Santa Ana on Sunday.

There was a Clifford exhibit which the kids loved.

And the kids made imprints with their bodies. As much as I love Joey, I was happy that Spring Break was over and she would be back in school. 2-1 ratio is better than 3-1!