Bros

Noah and Micah are so lucky to have one another.  Since they are only two years apart they have similar school friends, interests, and experiences.  Now don't get me wrong... anyone who knows the boys well can see that they are different in many ways... but it's also nice that they share interests.  As we were vacationing, they only had each other to play with... no other cousins or friends nearby.  And they got along very well.  They talked about their favorite games, they built sandcastles together, and shared shave ice...  they even held hands as they walked through the rainforest.  It's nice to have a brother and friend, don't you think???

Snorkeling

The boys were able to head to the beach and snorkel everyday.  They were so comfortable in the water.  We saw some amazing ocean animals and we were lucky enough to see sea turtles!  When will we visit the Great Barrier Reef???

Deathly Hallows

Even in Maui, you can find Noah getting lost in a great story.  He is reading, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last book in the Potter series.  Will he finish before his birthday???

Lahaina

  We enjoyed walking around Lahaina and getting a sweet treat at Ululani's or Locol Boys.  The boys liked switching up their shave ice flavors but mostly stuck with cherry and lime.  Will they remember these walks when they get older???

Brothers

Here we have two sets of brothers that enjoy spending time together.  They share similar interests but they are gifted and talented in their own ways.    I hope they remember these special times together.  Will Noah and Micah be as close as Jawsh and Zach when they get older???

Aloha

We made it to Maui.  It's such a beautiful place!  Although we are staying at the same resort as our last visit, it is much different without their cousins.  We went walking down the beach and we enjoyed relaxing mornings and snorkeled filled days.  The boys have enjoyed eating their shave ice every morning and we are enjoying all that the island has to offer.  What we will do tomorrow???

What's different???

Noah's teeth look great!  I can't believe that he's out of his braces!  But it's not for too long... now he has a retainer he has to wear!  All this work to correct his bite and straighten his teeth has been a lot of work, so we will have to celebrate with a Candy Party.  What type of candy will he choose?

Candy party

Noah has been dreaming about this day.., his candy party!  Since he's had braces he wasn't allowed to eat certain candies.  He's been waiting for this day to eat marshmallows, jelly beans, licorice, and Mike N Ike's.Noah invited friends over and they had a fun time playing Pie Face and watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  But I think the biggest hit was Micah's school project:  The Claw Game.  The Claw Game was filled with Push Pops, See's Lollipops, gum, and Spray Candy!  The kids loved playing the game and they had a great time.  When will Noah get his retainer???

JPL

We had a great day touring Jet Propulsion Lab this morning.   We learned so much about what JPL works on and we had the behind the scenes tour of Mission Control (pictured here).  It was pretty amazing to see all the rovers, modules, and research being conducted.  This is a tour that I would love to take again next year.  I wonder if this experience inspired Noah or Micah...  will they want to attend Cal Tech when they are older???

Preschool buds

 Today the boys went bowling with the W boys.  They had a great time.  Noah and J Really enjoyed bowling and played two games.  But the younger brothers were done after the first game and spent time in the arcade.  When will we head back???

Happy 11th!

Our annual photo on the terrace of Shutters on the Beach was taken the day before our anniversary this year.  Since we take this photo every year, the boys are starting to remember stories that we have shared and it's been such a fun reminder of the love and time that has passed since 2005.  What will our 11th year of marriage bring???

Apple Camp

Noah had the opportunity to participate in Apple Camp.  He had the opportunity to use an iPad Pro with the stylus pen.  He made a great comic about a character named Timmy against a volcano.  He set it to music, added sound effects, and he presented it to the other campers.  It was a fun opportunity... and it was free.  Will he want to do this again next summer???

Boba Boys

These boys love boba...  when will they try Taro with boba???

Louie CK

Tonight Jawsh and I had a rare opportunity to see Louie CK...  and we were watching from the 4th row!  It was a great show and we had a nice time.  When will we do this again???

John's Incredible

The kids had a great time at John's Incredible Pizza.  They rode the Twister and Micah won several prizes playing the claw game.  Even though a year passes, when they see each other they just pick up from where they left off.  What will we do tomorrow???

Hi Myles!

We finally met Myles!  He is such a snuggle bug.  We met for lunch at Gordon Ramsey's BURGR.  Although it was pretty loud and crowded, Myles was super chill.  He didn't cry when I held him and he just sank right into my arms.  It was nice to catch up with Adam and Claudia too.  When will we see them again???

Las Vegas

The boys love going to Las Vegas very summer to see their cousins, Sophie and Daphne.  We enjoyed swimming and hanging out at my aunt's house.  The kids especially liked going to the lazy river and they loved playing Marco Polo.  What will they want to do tomorrow???

Magic Mountain

Today we made a quick trip to Magic Mountain to celebrate the boys' reading accomplishments.  They received free tickets for completing their reading goals.  The first ride we went on was Roaring Rapids followed by Ninja.  That ride proved to be too much for Micah.  He looked terrified.  So we shifted gears and went to Bugs Bunny World.  The kids had a great time dabbing for the cameras and riding rides again and again and again.  When will we return???

Happy 4th

We stayed back in the neighborhood for Westchester Fourth of July Parade.  It was a few blocks long of local organizations, politcians, and clubs that walked the parade route.  The kids had a great time with the W family.  Later tonight, we head back to Cheviot Hills to watch the fireworks light up the sky.  This has been a tradition that we have enjoyed because we get to see our old preschool friends.  Who will we see tonight???

Lego Camp

The boys participated in a week of Lego Camp.  They got to play and design with legos, do art projects, and they also made stop motion videos.  Here is a picture of the boys taking photos for their stop motion video with an iPad.  The scene they created was a bank and Batman... what will they be inspired to do next???

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

After dinner, we went to Mulligan's to play a round of mini-golf.  Afterwards we played a few arcade games and we came out victorious.  Jawsh actually won the claw game and successfully grabbed a minion, Bob, which made the boys very happy.  We also won over 1500 points so the boys got candy and Jawsh got a pair of jumbo plastic sunglasses (for his art).  It was a great summer night... when will we do this again???

Kings Hawaiian

Summer days are flying by and we wanted to take advantage of the longer days so we went to Torrance to eat at Kings Hawaiian.  The boys really enjoyed the desserts and Jawsh was able to eat the Dole Whip because it is dairy free!  Three boys smiling are better than two, don't you think???

Micah at the GMG

This was Micah's second time in the annual chess tournament.  He performed well, 5-2.  We were very proud that Micah played.  He also received scholarship money from his performance last year.  He had a fun time and we hope that he will play again next year.  Will he want to sign up???

Grand Match Gala

Noah is the reigning chess champ for his grade level for the past three years.  First place for three years in a row is some feat.  He was nervous about the tournament but he did well...  10-0.  Although his school did not take home the win, he was very happy to receive this award.  Noah collected scholarship money that he won last year and next summer he will also receive money for this win.  Will Noah make enough to go to college???

Beach Boys

The boys had a great time at the beach today with their friends.  They played football, boogie boarded, and loved having an ice cream on the beach.  It doesn't get much better than this, does it???

AYSO Soccer Camp

Week 2 of summer was filled with AYSO Soccer Camp.  The boys had some friends at camp which was nice so they could play together since they were placed on separate teams.  They have been participating in this summer camp for many years now and they look forward to it every summer.  Will this be their favorite sport???

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the BEST daddy in the world.  This year we had dinner in Ontario.  It was so hot that we had to have a cool treat at Pinkberry.  We love Pinkbery now that they have a dairy free option for Jawsh.  Now he can enjoy eating dessert with the boys.  What will we do next year???

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the BEST daddy in the world.  This year we had dinner in Ontario.  It was so hot that we had to have a cool treat at Pikberry.  We love Pinkbery now that they have a dairy free option for Jawsh.  Now he can enjoy eating dessert with the boys.  What will we do next year???

Foraging

Today we celebrated my friend, S, birthday by going foraging.  She invited a small group of people to hike through the Los Angeles State Park with Pascal Bandar, a Belgium forager who works with the top chefs in Los Angeles.  It was an interesting afternoon of eating dehydrated crickets, fermented roots, and bug poop!  I wonder when we will have another experience like this???

Goodbye Expander

Noah has a great reason to smile... his expander was removed this afternoon.  No more hard to reach crevices to brush and special floss to use.  He said he mouth felt "weird" now the the expander was out.  Phase 1 is almost complete and braces will be coming off in a few weeks.  I wonder what his smile will look like ???

Tennis Camp

Noah spent his time at tennis camp his first week out of school.  He enjoyed playing with J and P for the week.  He learned many new things and different types of strokes.  Will he want to play tennis more regularly???

Jog-A-Thon

Noah enjoyed running the Jog-A-Thon this morning.  I ran with my class and challenged him to beat my laps (which was 9).  Noah ran 12 laps and had a great time.  What will it be like next year???

Jog-A-Thon

This year's Jog-a-thon theme was: Find Your Path!  The kids had to run as many laps as they could.  Micah said he had a great time and enjoyed high-fiving everyone.  He ran 10 laps.  How many will he run next year???  

Game Day- The Claw

Micah's culminating project was the designing a claw game.  He had to design and research the history of the game.  His project (seen behind him with all the kids in line) was one of the largest projects and the most popular. Micah created the game using recycled materials and he made a hook using a paper clip  which could grab a toy.  The kids loved playing it.  What will Micah make next time???

Game Day- Toy Porsche

Noah's culminating project was making a toy Porsche out of recycled materials and a research report on the history of the Porsche.  He was very proud to show his work.  It was very interesting to see what each student created based on their interests.  What will he design next time???

Happy Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, I took the boys to Los Angeles National Cemetery.  It was so packed that we were rerouted and we could not enter the cemetery to pay our respects.  Afterwards, we went to the beach to ride our bikes for the first time.  The boys did a nice job not crashing into anyone on the bike path.  It was a really nice relaxing day and we are so thankful that we have the freedom to do these activities.  When will we do this again???

Wattsy

I found Watts in 2004 in a Watkins Park in Watts.  He was just a little pup.  I remember picking him up and looking at that little face and I called my mom to see if she would be willing to take a new puppy.  Thankfully she said yes.  That night, Watts stayed in Jawsh's apartment and the next day I drove him home to my mom's house.  It felt like yesterday.  Watts is such a wonderful dog... when will we visit him again???

Piano Recital

The boys had their piano recital at a local Santa Monica coffee shop, Unurban Coffee.  The boys played three songs each.  Micah played: New World Symphony (Dvorak), Duke of New Tork (Traditional) and Canoeing in the Moonlight.  Noah played Turkish March (Beethoven), Aria (Bach), and Auld Lang Syne (Traditional).   The boys played very well and they memorized all their songs which was very impressive.  When will they have their next recital???

Red Sox- Tiger Award

Micah really enjoys playing baseball with his friends but he had an up and down season.  Now that he is at AA level and the kids are pitching to the batters, Micah has not been as successful at hitting as he would like.  He would strike out during the regular season but during the playoffs he hit a double and got a RBI.  At the end of the game, he was awarded the Tiger of the Game.  He was very excited.  Will he want to play baseball next year???

Dodgers

Micah had a great opportunity to see the Dodger game with his friends from school.  They had really great seats and plenty of snacks to eat.  Micah loved the free hat and all the fun he had with his friends.  When will we go to the game as a family???

Happy 40th

Happy Birthday to Jawsh's best friend, Jay.  They have been friends since childhood.  I wonder when we will all get together???

GT

Today was the unveiling of Grandma Tina's headstone.  It was so nice to be surrounded by the whole family to celebrate and remember the life of Grandma Tina.  We feel so blessed that the kids have such wonderful traditions and family to rely on.  When will we see everyone again???

Icecream with GA

We made it to Reno for the unveiling ceremony for Grandma Tina.  We came into town a few days prior to the ceremony and had a chance to spend some quality time with Grandpa Art.  He picked us up from the airport, took us to lunch and then we went to see a movie together.  The boys also got to share an ice cream from McDonald's with Grandpa Art, which they were very excited about.  It was nice to spend some one on one time with him before the whole family arrived.  When will we spend some more time with him???

Hammer Museum

The boys are taking a Korean Language class Westwood for 8 weeks which is located next door to the Hammer Museum. Jawsh drove them to class but headed to the Hammer first to check out the installations.The boys enjoyed the art and they also played a few games of ping pong in the courtyard.  I have not been to this museum since last summer, so I will have to visit soon.  When will we go???

Topanga State Park

The boys went to Topanga State Park for their field trip to learn about the Tongva People who once inhabited the Los Angeles Basin and the Southern Channel Islands.  They were a hunter gatherer society.  The boys learned how they survived and had opportunities to recreate how they lived.  Jawsh had the opportunity to chaperone this field trip and he was very impressed by the field guide expert.  In all the years that I have lived in Los Angeles, I have never been to this state reserve.  When will I visit the park???

Picnic

For the past five years we have been attending the annual Rancho Co-op picnic hosted by the boys' preschool.  It was a fun afternoon with plenty of good food and friends.  The boys enjoyed spending their time with the W boys.  Even though they go to separate schools they still enjoy spending time together when we see each other.  Will we hear back next year???

Open House

Open House is one of my favorite events at school.  I love going into the boys' classrooms and seeing all their work in class.  Although we're at the same school, I rarely have time to go into their classroom so it's nice to see everything they are working on.  This year was special because I only had one classroom to visit since the boys were in the same class... next year will be different.  What will it be like then???

Baby Brady

Micah really wants to be a big brother... he loves being in charge of little people like my cousin's son, Brady.  The whole lunch, Micah liked sitting next to Brady and playing with him.  When will we see them again???

Sports Authority Commercial

Micah had a special opportunity with his baseball team to be cast in a Sports Authority commercial.  He was on first base for most of the shoot.  He said it was a long day and his favorite part was the snacks (and getting out of school early). Will this start his career???

CPK Chefs

The boys went on a special tour of CPK with their classmates.  They had the opportunity to make their own pizza and tour the kitchen.  They really enjoyed walking through the back of the kitchen and making their pizzas, but the part they enjoyed the most was eating!  They also had a chocolate brownie for dessert.  This was a great experience for the kids.  Will this be an inspiration for Micah to open a future restaurant???