Taekwondo

The boys are signed up for Taekwondo through the Korean Cultural Center.  The nice thing about living so close to Ktown is the many opportunities the boys have to learn more about part of their culture.  The classes are very inexpensive because it is through the official cultural center.  Will the boys like Taekwondo???

Union soccer

Noah is playing soccer this season on a team with a few of his friends.  Their first game was today and Noah scored a goal although I think he was surprised that it went in.  He didn't put too much effort or strength behind the kick but it rolled in slowly... afterwards Noah said, "I kicked it soft and it went in."  This speaks to his amazing soccer ability or the lack of ability of the goalie... either way, Noah had fun.  Will he score again???

Where the Wild Things Are

Micah's kinder class celebrates the children's birthday once a month with the parents combining our party expertise to throw one big party.  When Noah was in Green Cluster, the theme was Hungry Caterpillar.  This time around we chose, Where the Wild Things Are.  The birthday kids wore crowns like the character Max and we did many activities based on the book.  The kids loved it and I must say, they were too cute!  What occasion will we celebrate next???

Homework

Micah has entered the world of homework.  Luckily for him, Green Cluster has made some changes since last year.  This year, instead of weekly packets, Micah has several activities he can choose from to work on at home without having to turn anything in.  Here he is working on AB patterns in math. Doesn't he look focused???

Happy Birthday Kaitlyn!

Kaitlyn and Emma had another fun tag-team birthday at Jumping Jacks.  The theme was Pokemon for Kaitlyn and Princess for Emma.  I was unable to attend because I had a meeting, but I don't think the boys' minded at all!  Kaitlyn is now 7 and Emma a big 4 year old girl... where has the time gone???

New home, new memories

We moved!  This was super unexpected but this opportunity could not be passed.  We are walking distance to the school, it's a small house that we can (hopefully) take care of, the boys love the space and backyard, and did I mention it's walking distance to the boys' school?  The house needs a lot of TLC but we know that this was a good decision for us at this time.  Who wants to come over???

First day of school

Today is the first day of school for me at my school site and for the boys at OMCS.  I was so sad that I could not be there for their first day of school, but at least Jawsh was able to be with them.  According to Jawsh, Noah ran off to find his friends and Micah stayed near.  Jawsh was able to walk Micah to class with the rest of the kindergarten parents and then they parted ways.  I wonder how the first day of school will be for everyone???

9-5

I am making the official blog announcement... I'm headed back to work!  I will be teaching first grade this coming school year.  I've been out of the classroom for 3 years and out of the district for 8 years so there has been a lot of changes.  This is an exciting time to go back but it's bittersweet... I wish I could volunteer in the boys' classrooms but I know they will be okay.  How is life going to change for the Smith family???

The Flaming Lips

Tonight Jawsh and I went to the OC Fair to see The Flaming Lips.  The show was great and we had a good time... almost felt like we were dating again and had no kids!  Thank you to Bubbe for watching the boys... when will we go to our next concert???

YMCA

Noah is playing basketball at the YMCA in the Rookies program .  He is one of the tallest boys so he gets the ball passed to him a lot but he is also quick to pass the ball to someone who has a better shot... I like to think of him as a little Magic Johnson.  I wonder if he will want to play in this basketball league again???

(Picture to come)

8

We went back to the exact spot we were married (7-24-05).  8 years!  We once thought that we would come back to Shutters on the Beach and re-create the moment... eat the same dinner (or get as close as we could) and spend time at the hotel reminiscing about the wedding.  But in reality, we took the picture and then we walked to the pier for some ice cream at Soda Jerks.  For our anniversary (no kids allowed) dinner, Jawsh and I ate at The Water Grill downtown.  It was not the most romantic spot, but we really loved the oysters!  Where will we go next year???

Swim lessons

The boys are taking swim lessons at the Y.  They are doing a great job considering they are not used to swimming in such a large pool (the last pool was a small training pool).  At the end of each class, the boys jump off the diving board at the deep end!  They have a few more weeks left, will they pass to the next level???

AYSO camp

Noah and Micah are enjoying a week of soccer camp with friends.  All the coaches are from the United Kingdom and love playing football!  Noah is really enjoying his time doing soccer drills and playing 3 on 3 games, whereas, Micah is in the "young group" that likes playing games other than soccer.  Noah wakes up every morning excited to play soccer and Micah wakes up every morning excited to see his friends.  Both boys will be playing soccer in the fall, will their game improve by then???

Puzzle-time

Micah completed his first 100 piece puzzle today.  This was not done in one sitting, though.  This puzzle was something he had to come back and forth to when he felt like he was ready to work on it.  Noah really wanted to help his brother, but I really wanted to see if Micah could do this.  After several attempts at getting him to sit and focus, he did finish and he was very excited.  When will he do his next puzzle???

Dodgers

The first Dodger game for the Smith family.  Pregame we went to Wurstkuche for some delicious sausage and craft beer.  It was a hot day but luckily we went with friends who knew where to sit!  We were in the shade most of the game and had a great time.  The best part of the game was the pickle between first and second base (the Dodgers made the out).  We left during the 7th inning (we were predicting the kids would only last to the 5th).  When will we go back to the game???

Obon Festival

Today we went to the Obon Festival and the boys got their shaved ice fix.  They liked playing the small carnival games and jumping on the bouncer.  It had a nice small town feel and it was nice to see the boys' basketball coaches from the Y at the YMCA game stand.  After watching the traditional Obon dancers we walked home.  Will we come back next year???

Reading with Barbara

Barbara is a reading volunteer who loves little children.  We have a routine... I sit with Noah and work with him while Micah takes every Curious George book off the shelf and walks them over to Barbara.  It's fun listening to her read with her Brooklyn accent.  When will Micah start reading to her???

Cat- 2 ways

We have drawing boards in the car which we use all the time.  While we drive, I ask the boys to write words, do math problems, or draw.  On our way to Hollywood, I asked Noah to teach Micah how to draw a cat step by step.  So interesting to see the final product... can you tell who did what???

Summer Sounds

Summer Sounds at the Hollywood Bowl is back.
We went to a Gypsy music show and the kids loved it.  The stage was set up very cool and the of course the character, Mr. Kay, cracked the children up.  The next show will be Bluegrass... what will they think of that???

Las Vegas- Day 2

Day 2 in Vegas brought more swimming and fun with cousins.  We also celebrated Sophie and Daphne's birthday with water fun on the Slip and Slide, a cupcake pinata, and of course a Baskin Robbins birthday cake.  We can't wait to see them again next summer... will we take a trip to Colorado before then???

Las Vegas

Our annual summer reunion brought family from DC, Texas, Colorado, and NorCal to Vegas.  We stayed at our usual spot, the MGM Signature, and we were all located on the same floor.  It was so nice to walk the boys over across the hall to have breakfast with my sister while I slept in an extra hour (thank goodness she rises early because she is accustomed to east coast time).  We had a lot of fun at the swimming pool and at my Aunt's home.  The boys also got to go to the M&M store which was a real treat!  They got a lot of different types of M&Ms (Noah liked the mint and peanut butter whereas Micah liked the plain chocolate) with my sister and Auntie Sehee.  What will it be like next year???

Summer camp

Micah is enjoying summer camp at the recreation center with his buddies from preschool.  He attends camp every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  He loves playing in the gym, on the play structure outside, and there are so many great crafts.  The Eco Station came to visit and brought by animals for the kids to touch like a cockatoo, alligator, boa constrictor, and box turtle.  Micah seemed to enjoy petting all the animals, but I think he was a bit intimidated.  Here he is petting an alligator... what do you think???

Happy 4th

We celebrated the 4th in Los Angeles with Grandpa and friends.  We sat in the park, ate dinner, and watched the fireworks show from the country club across the street.  I made patriotic cupcakes and Jawsh helped with face painting.  The boys had such a fun time hanging out with friends and running around with glowsticks... what will we do next year???

Swimming at the club

Just like last summer, we spent the week at the pool with friends at the Beverly Hills Country Club.  The boys are both swimming so they enjoyed going into the 3.5 feet pool and spent less time at the 2 feet pool.  It was really nice seeing the boys swim and enjoy their time with their friends.  Will we return next summer???

Girls' Getaway

This is the view of Lake Arrowhead from my friend's home.  It was the first time I have ever left the boys overnight (only took me 6.5 years) and I have to say that I really enjoyed my time with my friends.  We had a good time at the local restaurant (no kids) and of course just hanging out at the cabin.  There were 4 of us the first night and a few more friends came up the next night... when will we have our next girls' weekend???

Lunch at Daddy's Work

Today was the annual Family Day at Live Nation Labs.  This year there were many more crafts, face painting, and an epic battle of Nerf gun war.  The boys did not want to leave and are already looking forward to the next event.  When will we have lunch with Daddy again???

Reunited... and it feels so good

This little stuffed dog (that Noah named Bolt) was found in a plastic bag in the closet.  I must have placed him there over a year ago when I thought that someone had lice (there was never lice).  When I found him, Noah was so happy.  He started sleeping with Bolt again, but changed his name to Angel.  Isn't that so sweet???

Dan the Man Superkids Gymnastics

Noah enjoyed going to Gymnastics Camp with his two buddies.  They worked on coordination, motor development, and they loved going up the rock wall.  Noah loved playing all the games and enjoyed an Otter Pop every afternoon.  Will he go back to gymnastics camp???

Long Beach Aquarium

Today we took advantage of the free teacher day at the Long Beach Aquarium (yes, I still use this perk). Micah was in summer camp so Noah got to invite his friends.  The boys had a great time touching jellyfish and sharks.  They were reading the placards and making some really cool connections to what they already know.  Instead of leading them around, it felt more like I was following them around!  I guess this is a taste of what it will be like as they get older.  Will I be able to adjust???

Ocean Park

Today we spent the day at Ocean Park with preschool friends.  The boys had a great time playing in the water, burying each other in the sand, and making sand castles.  Although the boys were slathered with sunscreen, I forgot to apply some on myself and came home super burned!  When will I learn my lesson???

Kids Bowl Free

This summer we signed up for the Kids Bowl Free at AMF Bowl.  We met up with a few families for what I thought would be a quick game of bowling, but ended up taking over one hour!  Micah lost interest after the fifth frame and started gravitating towards the arcade, but Noah stuck with it till the end even getting a spare and strike on the last frame!  Will this be Noah's new sport???

Zuma Beach

Day off number 2 for Dad.  We went to Zuma Beach for some time in the waves.  The boys had a great time and it was really nice to spend some quiet time at the beach.  When will we go back???

Disneyland

It's been two years since we last visited the happiest place on earth, so Jawsh thought it would be a nice surprise to take the boys on his day off.  We didn't tell them where we were going... they just got in the car and the next thing they knew they were at Disneyland.  The first ride we went on was Star Tours.  Noah loved it.  Micah not so much.  We did the usual rides and activities (both boys got chosen for the Jedi Training Show) and we also went to the Iron Man exhibit which Noah loved.  It was a nice day... we took our time, the boys napped on the train while we circled Disneyland in the afternoon, and we were done by 7:30 PM.  When will we come back???

LA Zoo

Our first day of summer vacation and we headed to the zoo with preschool friends.  Noah and Micah really enjoyed checking out all the animals, especially the alligator.  When will we head back???

Camping

After the Baseball Trophy Ceremony, we made our way back to Leo Carillo for an end of the year camping trip with Micah's preschool class.  There were over 25 kids running around, riding scooters, playing games, and of course eating s'mores.  The boys really enjoy camping with their friends and I have to say, it's really nice when the kids wake up the next morning and just start playing with one another.  When will we go camping again???

Dodger Blue

Noah finished the baseball season on a high note.  He was considered a switch hitter because he could bat both left and right.  His Coach was amazing because he taught the kids the basics, technique, fair play, and love for the game.  The end of the season party was at Pitfire Pizza and the kids really enjoyed themselves.  Here is Coach Anthony and Noah... will Noah play next season and get him as a Coach again???

Goodbye Green Cluster

Today was Noah's very last day of kindergarten (here he is with one of his teachers).  He had such an amazing time in Green Cluster.  He had the most experienced, loving, and fun teachers that anyone could ask for.  When I think about Noah's time in class, I will always remember him on the floor with various building blocks, at the table working on a math packet, reading with Kim, and writing with Cathy, and how he loved to play handball.  Will Micah have as much fun in Green Cluster???

Hot Chachacha

Every Thursday there are free tickets to the Skirball to explore the Noah's Ark exhibit. The tickets also included access to Gary Baseman's exhibit, "The Door is Always Open." He has created a bunch of characters (his best known is Toby) and the one character that Micah gravitated to was Hot Chachacha, the devil who steals angels' halos.  Why, Micah, why???

Mommy-Date

 

Micah has been waiting a very long time to go on a Mommy Date and he chose to go to the Santa Monica Pier to ride the rollercoaster.  I played a game and won a Despicable Me Minion for him!  It took me two tries to win this stuffed toy but it was all worth it when he said, "Thank you Mommy for Spickel-Me-Dickel-Me."  Afterwards, we walked to Soda Jerks where he enjoyed a scoop of mint chip ice-cream.  It was nice to spend the morning with him while Noah was in school.  Now that Micah will be heading into kindergarten I know that we will not have the luxury of skipping school or arriving late (like we can in preschool).  When will we go on our next date???

Happy Graduation

Micah's preschool graduation was very sweet.  The children were dressed in cap and gown and received a diploma from their teacher, Cynthia.  The graduation was held at a friend's backyard and the graduating parents hosted a California beach themed party with delicious salads, sandwiches, and dessert.  Micah had a wonderful time playing with his buddies.  It is bittersweet because we are saying goodbye to a great community of parents and I am just thankful that we were able to develop the friendships that we did.  What will Micah think of Open School???

Disneyland Concert Hall

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah...  5 months later!  Jawsh bought tickets to the Walt Disney Concert Hall for us to see Dudamel conducting Mozart and Mendelssohn.  It was a beautiful concert... when will we go again???

Jog-a-thon

Noah had such a fun time at the Jog-a-thon.  I really enjoyed it because it was a FUNraiser and not a fundraiser (the school met it's fundraising goal this year).  There was a track, obstacle course, and then a schoolwide celebration afterwards.  Micah was there rooting for his brother and enjoyed giving the runners high fives!    Will Noah get into track???

Last Day of School

Today is the last day of preschool for Micah.  I am so thankful that he had this experience to learn and socialize through play.  There are not a lot of co-op preschools in Los Angeles and these past few years have been wonderful.  We have met a lot of caring families here and it's been so nice to be part of this community.  Will Micah's kindergarten experience be as wonderful???

Enjoying Endeavour

Noah's last class fieldtrip was to the California Science Center.  The kids were split into groups and went through the various exhibits.  Then we went into the 3D movie, Arctic.  About 15 minutes into the movie, Noah asked to leave.  He said there were three reasons why he wanted to leave.  1.  It was too loud. 2.  It was too scary.  3.  He didn't like it.  So we exited the movie and waited for the rest of his class.  The final stop was at the Endeavour Shuttle.  It was pretty amazing to see the shuttle up close.  Noah had a great time.  When will Micah get to see the shuttle???

Go Angels!

The job perks have kicked in!  Jawsh received 4 Angels tickets and we enjoyed the baseball game in high style... Diamond parking and Field Level seats!  The boys enjoyed walking around the stadium, eating cotton candy, and cheering for the Angels with their foam fingers!  It was a nice evening... what tickets will Jawsh score next???

Korean School

Noah finished two full semesters of Korean school and passed to the next level, 1B.  Noah had an interesting second half of Korean school with a different teacher.  She was a little more strict but had him focused and reading in Korean.  Noah has made a lot of new friends and actually enjoys going to Korean school... so much so that Micah is looking forward to attending next year!  Will Micah enjoy Korean school as much as Noah???

Children's Film Festival

We ventured to downtown LA to check out the annual REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival with Bubbe.  Everyone enjoyed the shorts it and it was so cool to see different animations from around the world.  I wonder if it inspired the boys the same way it inspired their dad???

Cousins are our first friends

The kids love their superhero pajamas!  Spiderman, Hulk. and Iron Man. Too bad Emma was already in bed.  Any guess as to which superhero she likes???

Good bye Goldie

Goodbye to our sweetest dog Goldie.  She went to doggy heaven this morning and we are thankful that we got to say our goodbyes.  It was pretty emotional for all of us, but poor Noah took it very hard.  We retold the story of how we met Goldie several times and we talked about our favorite things about her.  My mom and I met Goldie by chance in front of a pet store... she was brought from a shelter in Yucaipa. We were picking up Watts early from a grooming appointment and thought it would be nice for him to have a friend.  The first dog we chose was Goldie's brother but my Mom did not want two boys.  We then picked out Goldie and she was very shy and docile.  We thought it would be a perfect fit.  The boys will always remember how she would lick them in the face when they walked through the door...  she was a licker.  Watts and Goldie were best buds and we will miss her terribly.  Noah says he will see her again when we are all in heaven... isn't that the best thing a kid could say???

Lake Tahoe

We had a wonderful time in Lake Tahoe.  Although it was a bit overcast, we had a nice time.  I didn't realize how large the lake was and we definitely would like to come back in the summer.  When will that happen???

Cat time

The boys love going to Reno.  We had a nice brunch with the family and the boys loved playing in the backyard.  Noah was busy spending time with Uncle Steve and Micah loved being in the tent with the cats.   What will tomorrow bring???