Happy Graduation Yojin!

My cousin, Yojin, graduated from USC's prestigious Architect and Design School. We are very proud of her and all her accomplishments. She has worked very hard and leaves for China for an internship very soon. Will she stay in Asia to pursue her dreams???

Noah riding a trike

This is a short video of Noah pedaling Micah around preschool. At the beginning of the school year, Noah had difficulty doing this but as you can see, he is pretty quick now! When will Micah learn how to ride???

3 in the back

When we visit the IE, sometimes we take Kaitlyn with us in the car. This is what it must of looked like to my parents driving around with three kids in the back! How cute is that???

Family photos

As an early Mother's Day gift, we went to Santa Monica Pier to get family pictures taken by our favorite LA photographers. The great thing about Nate is that he likes to capture real moments... he got some great shots of the boys in the sand and playing in the water. Where will we go next time to get family photos done?

Spring planting

Noah loves going to preschool because he gets to do all sorts of different activities. His teacher, Cynthia, is great. When I asked Noah why he liked her, he responded, "because she give me stickers and she so happy." Here they are watering his little garden. When will it grow???

Firefighters

The local fire station came to Noah's preschool today. The kids had a great time climbing through the fire engine and the fire truck. The fire fighters spoke about their jobs, uniforms, and vehicles. When it was time for questions, a bunch of little hands popped up, but being three and four years old, they had statements to share like: The truck is red... I have a hose at my house... I like the fire truck. The fire fighters were good sports about the whole thing. Here is Noah and his pal exploring one of the vehicles. Will he want to be a fire fighter when he grows up???

Uncle Bill to the rescue

After Noah lost his Darth Vader toy and cried himself to sleep... I emailed two people. Sehee, who works at Lucas Films, and my brother. Now I tried to find the Lego myself on the Lego website, but was out of luck. When I contacted my brother he said not to worry. Turns out he had another one. When Bill came over Saturday, he brought Darth Vader and Chewbacca... Kaitlyn kept Obiwon. What would we do without Uncle Bill???

Festival of Books

Today we ventured to the LA Times Festival of Books at UCLA with Kaitlyn and Emma. I remember when Jawsh and I came to this event, pre-kids, and we steered clear of the Target Stage (where all the kid programs are held). Now that is the destination! The kids were in the front row watching Nickelodeon's Fresh Beat Band and they also got to see the 14 year old girl, Kaitlyn Sanchez, who voices Dora the Explorer. I can't wait until the boys start reading so they can meet their favorite authors. I think Micah will be in line for David Shannon... who will Noah like???

"I lost him"

Noah lost his Lego Darth Vader. It's a big deal. What are we going to do now???

"31 dollars"

When we are at the store, we can go down a toy aisle, and I can explain to Noah that we "look with our eyes" or "the toys live here... not at your house." He gets it. 99% of the time. Well, we were at Target and he saw a R2D2 robot. He was quite taken with this and I tried to use my lines with him, but he was relentless. Finally I said, "Noah, I don't have 31 dollars for a toy. Ask Harabujee." Well the following weekend, he said, "Harabujee, may I have 31 dollars?" Harabujee gladly gave him 40 and we went to Target and bought his toy. You can see the look of excitement on Noah's face as Harabujee is putting in batteries. What will Noah ask for next???

Goodbye butterflies

Today we let the butterflies go out into the wild. It was quite a send off with Uncle Zach and Dolly bearing witness to this event. Noah said "good luck" while Micah squirmed to get out of my arms (maybe so he could go out in the wild)?

Plan... what plan?

The plan: Jawsh goes to work, Kim stays at home. The reality: Jawsh goes to work (and likes it) and Kim stays at her work (and does not like it). Don't get me wrong... I love my students. But I am really not liking the fact that I have to send Micah to daycare and the stress of shuttling Noah back and forth from his preschool in the morning to my school in the afternoon. In the end, I know that there is only a few more months until summer, but it's especially hard saying goodbye to Micah in the mornings. Will I get used to this???

Time for a change

We've been really blessed that Jawsh has been able to be very involved in the boys' early years, as he's balanced taking care of them and freelancing from home. But it was time for a change. Now he has a new job as Art Director at an interactive design studio in Santa Monica. I think Noah and Micah will miss him throughout the day... who will miss him more???

Butterflies

Jawsh sent me this picture. I wonder how Noah will react???

Research

So is this where Micah gets all his ideas???

BR

We love going to Baskins Robbins, not just for the ice cream but it also reminds me of my family in Las Vegas. Noah has really been into this flavor called, Icing on the Cake, which Jawsh and I both detest. So, this time around, Noah chose my childhood favorite, World Class Chocolate! It was a proud moment. Micah enjoyed his Gold Medal Ribbon, which he shared with me. Isn't it obvious how much the boys love their ice cream???

Egg hunt

Noah, Micah, and Kaitlyn got to look for eggs in Harabujee's backyard. They had a great time running around and they did not even care about the contents inside the eggs (each egg had one M&M). Micah could not keep up with the two, but next year he'll give them a run for their money. Will we take the next step and decorate eggs next year???

Blessings part 2

With the addition of Emma and Micah in our family, we feel blessed in so many different ways. This past weekend we had an opportunity to bless them through baptism. The two were sprinkled with water and prayed for by Pastor Isaac. What a wonderful experience it was to have them blessed together, wouldn't you agree???

Stage 2

The caterpillars are now in their chrysalises. Noah is watching his "pets" like a hawk. When will they emerge???

Heal the Bay Aquarium

The last time we visited the Heal the Bay Aquarium was back in 2007 with Uncle Bill, Aunt Michelle, and Cousin Kaitlyn. Noah was almost a year old and definitely not able to understand all the things around him. This visit was much different. He was engaging with the volunteers, touching all sorts of sea creatures, and talking it up with Daddy (while Micah was sound asleep in his stroller). It was a lot of fun. Hopefully it won't be another 3 years before we head back! What will Micah think when he gets a turn???

Bike riding at the beach

Finally a family outing! We rode the path from Santa Monica to Venice Beach and stopped for a while at a play park. The boys had a great time and Jawsh and I enjoyed our little workout. When will we ride again???

Petersen Auto Museum

Today we ventured to the Petersen Auto Museum to check out the Discovery Center. Noah and Micah were all over the place, jumping in and out of cars, and playing at all the different centers. We had a nice time, but we missed Daddy, who was working on a project. After we played, we went downstairs and had lunch at Johnny Rockets. The boys indulged in chocolate milkshakes and french fries. It was a good time. When will we go back???

Star Wars

Noah has really been into Star Wars for the past few weeks. Uncle Bill continues to buy him small action figures (the latest addition, Chewbaca) and Noah is begging us to read him Star Wars books. What is it with little boys' fascination with Star Wars???

Passover

We had a lovely Passover at Bubbe's house with Jawsh leading the Seder. This year Noah got to look for the Afikomen, and Uncle Zach gave him a dollar as a reward. I wonder if Micah will get the chance next year???

The butterfly life cycle

Noah's fascination with butterflies continues so I purchased some plastic toys and three caterpillars at Kidspace (my school was there on a fieldtrip). When I came back home, Noah was really into it. I tried to get him to name the caterpillars and he chose the name "Caterpillar" for all three! Here he is explaining the life cycle... will he be a lepidopterologist when he gets older???

International Day

For the past few weeks, Noah's co-op has been learning about different places in the world. Each parent volunteers to expose the children to a new culture and today I got to teach the children about South Korea. I brought in Korean Shingo Pears, small yogurt drinks, and Korean cookies for the kids. We played a matching game with Hwatoo cards and the children also got to paint Korean fans. I really enjoyed exposing the kids to part of Noah's culture. What will I do next year???

Asleep

Noah's had a busy morning, can't you see???

A random family picture

So here is a random picture of us at home . It's been a while since we've all been in the same frame. When will take real family pictures???

How to eat chocolate

Micah loves chocolate. Can't you tell???

Fowler Museum

Today we ventured to UCLA to visit the Fowler Museum. The museum was celebrating 40 years of Ethnic Studies and also featured an exhibit by Nick Cave. It was really nice to go back to campus and walk around. The boys loved playing in the open grass areas. This picture is a typical one as of late... Micah trying to get whatever is in Noah's hands. Can't you just hear him screaming at his older bro???

Stuck

We recently purchased new lamps in the living room and here we found Micah stuck behind one while playing around. Not a happy camper, can't you tell???

I found a match!

GGA and GGT came by for a quick game of Matching Bears. Noah had a great time playing with his great grandparents. I'm not sure who won, but it doesn't really matter as long as you're having fun! When will we see them again???

Switching places

We had a rough night... Noah had some ear pain and was unable to sleep, especially in the hotel room. As you can see he was very grumpy and irritable. Micah on the other hand, loved the comforter, the soft pillows, and was out like a light. So he woke up energetic and ready to play. Micah has been Mr. Copycat as of late and was eager to get on the board. What's wrong with this picture???

SD

Today we took a quick trip down to San Diego. We had lunch in Hillcrest, spent the day at Sea World in Mission Bay, and then stayed at the Estancia Hotel, which is directly across from my alma mater, UCSD! Quite a day. Sea World was a fun experience... Noah absolutely loved the Shamu Believe Show and Jawsh had fond memories of his own childhood while we were there. Here is a great picture of Noah at the Tide Pools. He wasn't really following the rules (you're not supposed to take the sea star out of the water) but we made him put it back right away. When will go back again???

Happy Birthday Arjuna!

Today we ventured to Peekaboo Playground in Eagle Rock to celebrate Arjuna's 3rd birthday. Arjuna is a special friend Noah met in Y Gym. It was a great space for the boys to play and Noah had a wonderful time. When will we see them again???

Birthday bash 3

We celebrated Jawsh's 33rd birthday today with friends, yummy Mexican food, and plenty of cerveza! It was nice to see everyone and celebrate Jawsh and his art! We transformed the space by hanging up his art all over the walls. It was a fun time had by all, young and old. What will we do next year???

Birthday bash 2

Today we celebrated Jawsh's birthday with a quiet dinner at home. We ordered food from the Nook and had some yummy desserts. What did Jawsh wish for???

Happy Valentines Day

Today Noah celebrated Valentines Day with his classmates. They exchanged small cards and gifts. For snack, they all received a heart shaped piece of watermelon. Isn't that too cute???

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

We really love the fact that Noah's preschool teaches the kids about recycling. Too bad Noah thinks it's a telescope. Great picture, though, wouldn't you agree???

Birthday bash 1

February is a busy month full of birthdays in the family. We celebrated Jawsh's 33rd birthday a week early with Bubbe, GA, and GT. Bubbe made a delicious lasagna and Jawsh's favorite dessert, an apple tart. What will we do on Jawsh's actual birthday???

Pad thai

As you can see Micah loves pad thai! He has some on his fork and some in his other hand, all the while eating from my chop stick. Wonder how he'll react to pad see ew???

Chop chop

I am so saddened that we cut Noah's hair. The good thing about this experience is that Noah handled it very well. He let Susan wash his hair and cut it, all without tears and remaining still. But the bad thing about this experience is the actual haircut. We don't like it. Noah doesn't seem to mind though. Jawsh keeps reminding me not to obsess about it as it will grow back, but I'm not a patient person. When will his hair grow back???

He said what?

Here are some funny things Noah has said lately. Background: Noah had a butterfly in his hand and was ready to go to bed. Dad says, "Noah time to go potty and the butterfly needs to go potty too." Noah responds: "No Daddy, the butterfly don't have a penis." Background: Noah is playing with Luke Skywalker action figure (courtesy of Uncle Bill) and says to Dad, "He not talking because he needs batteries." What funny thing will he say next???

Crock pot kalbi-jim

Kalbi-jim is a very popular Korean beef dish. It is short ribs that are marinated in traditional seasonings, then cooked long and slow. By the time it is done, the tender beef is practically falling from the bones, and the sauce is thick with flavor. I decided this should be the first meal I attempt in the crock pot, and it came out great! Everyone really enjoyed the food, especially Micah. What will I make next???

H-A-T

Noah has been reciting his abc's for quite a while so I started to teach him his sounds. Last night while playing with blocks, Noah started saying his sounds as we stacked. I started quizzing him on sounds and then decided to put some letters together. I made the word, H-A-T and he sounded it out, "h, a, t" and then blended it together and said, "hat, mommy that says hat." Oh my goodness. I was so excited!!! Will he love to read as much as his Bubbe???

Jawsh's New Website

Jawsh has been taking ucla extension courses in the evening learning how to build websites! He received an A+ in his class and has made a new website from scratch (using CSS- whatever that means) featuring his work. Check it out: jawshsmyth.com and be inspired! He's a wonderful husband, great father, and awesome designer! Am I biased???

Preschool

Here is a picture of Noah at one of the craft tables at his school. He's still in love with butterflies and his hair is still growing out (we have it pinned up so he can see). What are we going to do with that hair???

Chop chop

This is a difficult blog for me to write because I still can't believe that I allowed Jawsh to cut Micah's widow's peak! After much deliberation, Jawsh took some scissors and cut his bangs. Micah was not happy and he cried and screamed. After the haircut, we gave him a hug and kiss, but I was really bummed because he doesn't have a lot of hair to begin with. When will his hair grow back???

GR Show

We went to the Japanese American National Museum with Jawsh's friend, Spencer, to check out the Giant Robot Show. But we were in luck, the museum was also hosting a day of activities to celebrate the new year. Noah got to make a ton of crafts and participate in a drum circle. It was really cool to see how much he enjoyed drumming. Will Uncle Jay teach him how to drum???

Ode to Micah (part 2)

Again, I know that Micah is not getting his equal share on this blog... so here I find myself playing catch up again. Micah has 8 teeth (4 on the top and on the bottom) and his upper molars are starting to grow in. Micah is also more verbal saying words like thank you, neh (which means yes in Korean), mama mogo (I want to eat in Korean), and Evah (anytime he sees anything associated with the movie WALLE he says that). He also hums Walk Old Joe and It's A Small World. And the cutest thing is, if you say "tiger" he'll growl. Micah likes to play with whatever Noah has in his hands, and we are finding that he's very coordinated. What will Micah do next???

Snow Day

To start off 2010, we ventured to snow! We drove to a local site near Mountain High called Wrightwood, and the kids had a great time sledding, and of course, making snow angels and a snow man, . It was a lot of fun for everyone, especially since this was Noah and Micah's first time. When will we go back???

Happy 2010

Happy 2010! We ate traditional Korean soup and afterwards Noah, Micah, Kaitlyn, and Emma bowed to Harabujee and Halmoni. They received money, symbolizing good luck and good wishes. 2009 was such a memorable year, what will 2010 bring???