Hey batter, batter

Micah has had such a great baseball season!  He has hit every game and scored!  This has been a real confidence booster for him.  Will he want to play again next season???

Happy Graduation Rebecca

Happy Graduation to Rebecca from Pitzer College.  She did very well in college and has been selected as a Fulbright finalist in Tabasco, Mexico.  She will be at la Universidad del Estado de Tabasco as an English Teaching Assistant.  Will Noah and Micah be inspired by Rebecca's path???

Congrats City Council

Noah and his best friend, J, ran for two elected positions in their class.  Noah is the City Clerk and J is the City Attorney.  We were very proud of Noah because he ran for this position last quarter and he did not win.  But we really are proud of him because he tried again!  We had to celebrate with dinner and a special strawberry cake.  Will they enjoy their new responsibilities???

Candy with a tooth

Noah ran into my classroom at recess to show me that he lost his tooth on a Now And Later.  I was surprised that he lost his tooth and even more surprised that he was eating candy at morning recess.  I'm not sure if Noah still believes in the tooth fairy, but the tooth fairy still leaves him a note with money.  I wonder when he will stop believing???

Open House

Happy Birthday Grandpa

Today we had dinner with Grandpa and Grandma to celebrate his birthday.  Happy Birthday Grandpa Barry!  What did he wish for???

Happy Easter

We had our annual Easter egg hunt at my parent's house.  The kids really enjoyed looking for eggs and were even happier when they cracked them open to find candy and money.  My Dad hid money again which changed the friendly hunt to an all out competition.  This year, Emma found the golden egg!  She was encouraged to share her loot which she did with a smile.  What will happen next year???

Date night

Jawsh and I had a wonderful date night at Lukshon.     We started with the Hawaiian Butterfish which was interesting and the Tea Leaf Salad which I thought was bitter.   Jawsh enjoyed the Santa Barbara Spot Prawns and I loved the Thai Clam Chowder.  We also ate Sichuan Dumplings which were tasty and very spicy and the Kurobota Pork Ribs, but we were too full by that point to keep eating!  This restaurant is top rated by Jonathan Gold every year and there are still some items we want to try.  When will we head back???

Behind the scene of Story Bots

This afternoon we went by Jawsh's work and we went on a behind the scenes tour of Story Bots.  Evan is super passionate about Story Bots and his excitements exudes through his explanations.  It was interesting to see how the episodes develop from scripts, to story boards, and then the building of models.  The boys got this rare glimpse and hopefully it inspired them.  Will they find something to be as passionate about when they get older????

Kimmie Candy

What a special surprise!  This morning we went to Kimmie Candy for a candy factory tour.  The boys had a great time and loved sampling the goods.  Did this inspire them to be the next Willy Wonka???

Snowboarding

Today we headed back west into California, to Soda Springs, the longest running ski resort.  The boys took their first snow boarding lessons and had a great time.  Jawsh also got a chance to snow board while Aunt Julia and Grandpa Art skied.  It was such a nice day sitting out on the terrace watching everyone go by.  When will we go snow boarding again???

Rubin abode

This weekend we went to Reno to visit the family.  The boys were so excited to go to the Rubin home and see the cats since they did not get a chance to come to the house at their last visit.  As soon as they came over, they went to visit with the cats and then got down to business making s'mores outside.  What will we do tomorrow???

More cousin love

This was the last day we spent together with the cousins.  The girls had been all over Los Angeles and their last day, they just wanted to come over and play.  They had a great time playing soccer in the backyard and spending time with one another.  We hope that they look back at these days with fondness.  The boys can't wait till we go to Las Vegas so they can spend more time together!  Will Liam be taller than Sophie by then???

Object Parade

Noah had such a wonderful time making his object, an electrical power box, for the Object Parade.  In the last 25 years, there has never been an object that had a functioning door so this was a first in the history of Yellow Cluster.  Noah was very excited to perform his part and he did an awesome job.  When he opened the panel, the audience gasped!  After the show, I had Noah and two of his friends come to my class for a Q&A.  What will Micah want to be if he gets into Yellow???

Universal with the cousins

Today we ventured to Universal Studios with the cousins.  The boys were very excited because they have been anxiously waiting to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  As huge Harry Potter fans, this place did not disappoint.  We wish that it was a little bigger but it was still really fun to walk around.  Hogwarts Castle was amazing and the Butterbeer came two different ways (frozen and regular).  We did not get to spend as much time here because the kids wanted to go through the rest of the park, but it was a great experience.  When will we head back???

Skateboarding

While Micah plays baseball, Noah is learning how to skateboard.  He chose a skateboard with an illuminati symbol (where did he learn about that?) and he got all the appropriate gear.  We also found out that he wears the same size helmet as Jawsh!  Will he want to keep this up in the next few months???

Cousin love

Sophie and Daphne bring so much joy to our family. They were here on a family vacation and we had the opportunity to get together for dinner at my parents' house. The kids had a great time playing and running around in the back. Here is a great shot of all of them... when will see them again???

Happy 40 Uncle Bill

We celebrated Uncle Bill's 40th birthday today! Emma and Micah baked him this very blue sprinkle cake.  Wonder what he wished for???

Love you Watts

We miss you, Watts! RIP 2004-2017
*
Yesterday, on the same day that Chuck Berry passed, we lost a beloved family pet, Watts, an Australian Shepherd mix. Watts was an abandoned puppy at a park in south central LA, where Kim found him, then took home to her Mom, where he lived a great life and grew from a tiny white and gray furball to a full fledged friendly wolf. Watts was incredibly intelligent, loyal and affectionate, with a wisdom in his eyes that spoke volumes. And when my boys were born, and my nieces and nephew too, Watts was both protective and gentle. He joins the pantheon of great canines, along with Goldie and Hopps.

Read-A-Thon

The School Readathon is pretty amazing.  The students read over 50,000 minutes combined!  This year the theme was Tangled Tales.  Each student collected playing cards of their teachers photoshopped on top of a favorite story book character.   The students were all on one team and unlocked challenges every week.  Since I love the Harry Potter series, I chose Harry Potter.  Micah and I both dressed at Harry Potter on the Tangled Tales dress up day.  Noah was uninterested in dressing up... which is just another indicator that he is growing out of all these activities. What will the theme be next year???

Daddy Date

Noah and Jawsh went to see Finding Neverland at the Pantages Theater.  Before the show, they went to Connie and Ted's and had a yummy brunch.  Will Noah remember these special days when he gets older???

UNICEF art auction

 Jawsh donated two paintings to UNICEF's Art Auction which took place in Venice.  It was a lovely evening full of a lot of great art, free food and wine, and music. We had a nice time viewing the art and enjoying the beach breeze and we saw that one piece was bid on.  It's nice to know that his work is going toward a good cause.   Will he donate more work again???

Pastry window

Jawsh and I ate dinner at Scopa Restaurant before heading to the UNICEF art auction where Jawsh had two pieces on auction.  They sat us at the Pastry Window which is seating only for two and close enough to give guests glimpses of the kitchen.  It was a great place to sit because it was private, romantic, and unique!  Will we get another chance to dine here again???

Object parade prep

Noah's working on a project to build a 3D object that you can find in the city.  Noah chose to do an electrical box.  His project is pretty exciting because in the past 25 years of this class project, there has never been an object that has an attached panel that can open.  Here is Noah attaching wires to his panel.  We asked him if he also wanted to add functional lights but he declined.  Will his project look like an electric box when he finishes???

Happy Birthday Unc Z

 We had such a good time celebrating Uncle Zach's birthday at the Rose Cafe in Venice! We enjoyed dinner and dessert!  Wonder what he wished for???

MOCA

Today we ventured as a family to check out Printed Matter’s L.A. Art Book Fair.  This is a unique event for artists’ books, art catalogs, monographs, periodicals, and zines presented by over 300 publishers. It was interesting to see all the different works but it was also overwhelming.  There was so much to see that it was hard to focus.  I don't know if I would want to do  this event as a family again next year unless there is a Hot Mess booth.  Will Jawsh present some printed work next year???

Baseball season

  Micah told me that he did not want to play baseball this year.  I  could understand where he was coming from because last year he cried because he struck out a lot.  When I asked him why he didn't want to play, he responded, "it's too hard."  If he had said, "it's boring" or "I'm not interested," I wouldn't sign him up.  But because he said, "it was too hard" I had to sign him up again.  I want my boys to persevere and I want them to know that they are not going to be the best at every thing they try.   And most importantly, I don't want my kids quitting when it gets too hard.  How will this season go???

40

Happy Birthday to my dearest, Jawsh, who turned 40 today.  We had an amazing time in Palm Springs and headed back west to dine at the Tasting Kitchen.  We sat upstairs and had a great meal shared with our two loves, Noah and Micah.  This picture was taken by Noah, who wanted to capture this moment on camera.  We enjoyed the food, the wine, and afterwards we headed to Blue Star to pick up some amazing donuts.  What will this year bring???

Cabazon Dinosaurs

Yes, we are "those people" who made a stop at Cabazon for the dinosaurs.  And yes, those two pictured above, are "those people" who paid an admission fee to go into the Cabazon Dinosaur Park.  According to the sources above, it wasn't as bad as they imagined, and they even got to climb all the way up the T-Rex to his teeth!  Now that's what I call, cool.  Will we stop again???  No.  But I have to wonder... did Noah and I miss out???

Joshua Tree

In honor of Jawsh's 40th birthday, we headed east to Joshua Tree.  We didn't know what to expect other than gorgeous views of nature and it surpassed what we imagined.  We headed to the park early and walked the Hidden Valley Trail which looped for about a mile.  The boys loved climbing and jumping off the rocks, and Jawsh felt the spirit of Ansel Adams and took a lot of black and white photos.  It was a crisp beautiful day for a hike.  When will we do this again???

Two Amy's

A visit to DC is incomplete without Two Amy's.  This is one of our favorite places to eat and it really does not disappoint!  When will they open one on the west coast???

MLK

Today we spent time walking around the Capitol and visiting monuments.  Last time we visited, Micah did not want to walk any more so he missed Dr. King's Memorial and we weren't going to let that happen this time.  We walked around, reading all the quotes, and enjoyed the light rain.  We also visited Roosevelt and Jefferson's Memorials as well.  DC has so much history...  we can't wait to come back and to learn more.  Which memorials will we visit next time???

Women's March

On our second day, we joined the Women's March to stand up for our rights, our love, and our future. We peacefully walked with over 400,000 people in DC.  The boys made signs and were given signs and were a part of our history in a different way... instead of watching it they participated in it.  Will the boys remember the significance of this when they are older???

Mount Vernon

The arrangements to the Presidential Inauguration were made in the summer of 2016 with the hopes of viewing history being made with our first female President.  Just four years earlier, we were at the Capitol watching President Obama being sworn in with Noah.  This time, we thought Micah would be old enough to join us.  However, it didn't pan out the way we thought and we decided to keep our trip but to alter our plans.  In lieu of the Inauguration, we made our way to Mount Vernon.  The boys learned about George Washington's house,  as well as about slavery, and how it was like back in those days.  This was a great alternative to the Inauguration... will they attend a Sanders' Inauguration in 4 years???

Hot Mess

Hot Mess Show- Artist Statement:  The earth is getting hotter. A meltdown is coming. A serious lack of symmetry. Staring into the backyard of my mind. Searching for buried treasure. Melting down. Critical mass. Spirit quest to the inner world. Less and less concerned with perfection. Throwing stones. Meteorites of distraction. Exploding inside the eye. An unreliable mind. Making a mess. Making amends. The polar caps are melting. If my soul wore glasses. Sorry, I'm in the middle of self-deprecating. Any new thoughts on death? What do you do when your dreams are dying? Just stay focused. Pray for good ideas. Pray for clarity, flow, and quality. Pray to the art gods. Pray for enlightenment, a peaceful death, and a ripe avocado (or whichever comes first). Traversing the valley. Attacked by self-doubt. Climbing the mountain. Hovering along the cliffs of madness. Peace in the abstract. Preferring to live in metaphor. Just another hot mess.

Hot Mess in progress

It's just around the corner...  a year of work to be shown at Civil Coffee in a few weeks.  What will the opening have in store for Jawsh???

Happy New Year

 Today we went to my parents' home to celebrate the new year by making Korean mandu. Afterwards, they spent the night playing a traditional Korean board game called Yut Nori (Yunnori). Instead of dice, wooden sticks are thrown which determine the amount of spaces a player can move. The kids had a great time playing... when will we do this again???

Happy New Years Eve

 The last night of Chanukah and also the New Year!  We have so many blessings to be thankful for... what will this new year bring???

Happy Chanukah (again)

Another night of hosting Chanukah is a lot of work but we just had to celebrate with friends!  We changed up the menu with vegetarian chili and latkes (which was delicious) and had our largest game of dreidel...  we had 16 people play.    The kids had a blast and it was fun hosting!  I don't know when we will host an event again this large, so this will do for the rest of the year!  When is Chanukah in 2017???

Happy Chanukah

Happy Chanukah!  The tradition of the Smith-Shields celebration happened this year!  The kids had a great time playing with K and meeting his younger brother, K.  We enjoyed each other's company over matzo ball soup and yummy latkes!  When will we celebrate with them again???

Gingerbread house

The boys got to spend a little extra time with Uncle Zack today building their gingerbread house.  They each had a side to decorate and they had a lot of fun eating the treats.  When will we see Uncle Zack again???

Sing

The kids got to watch the movie, Sing, with Uncle Zack and Kelly Emo.  This was a great Christmas gift because the kids really wanted to see this movie.  Jawsh and I went to another show and saw Dr. Strange.  What movie will they want to see next???

Merry Christmas

The kids really enjoy spending Christmas together.  They are so happy to celebrate and sing songs in front of the family.  This year, Micah played the ukulele while Kaitlyn and Emma sang, "Jingle Bells," and Noah played the song "Sleigh Ride Holiday" on the piano.  The boys opened their gifts and received Nerf guns and bullets from "Santa Billy." My favorite part of the evening was when we played Pie Face Showdown.  What will Christmas bring next year???

Early gifts

In an untraditional move, Jawsh allowed the boys to open one Christmas/Chanukah gift of his choosing early.  With the barrage of toys, candy, and gifts, Jawsh wanted to make sure that these two gifts stood out.  He gifted each son one of his favorite books: The Hobbit for Noah and The Amazing Spiderman for Micah.  He also wrote a personal message to each one of them.  Do the boys know how lucky they are???

Dave and Busters

Today the boys spent some time with my partner teacher's kids at Dave and Busters.  They had a great time playing video games and eating lunch together.  They even got to order a glow in the dark soda pop!  Now that's special!  When will we see C and M again???

The Broad

We went back to the Broad on this rainy day. I was really surprised to see that there were still people waiting in line under umbrellas and felt so fortunate that we could just walk in with our reserved tickets.  The boys are so lucky to have this museum time with Jawsh because he knows so much about the artists.  Last time he explained the art of Basquiat and this time he explained the work of Roy Lichtenstein.  Then the boys sketched a bit in their journals and then we went to see the new Creature exhibit.  When will we visit again???

LACMA

Today I took the boys to LACMA.  They went to the Children's Gallery and painted.  We also spent some time looking at the Korean pottery through the ages.  It was a nice quiet afternoon at the museum.  When will we head back???

Good Dirt LA

Tonight we went to Good Dirt LA to support their first "Empty Bowls" charity event.  We purchased a few bowls handmade by a local potter with 100% of the proceeds going to feed the children in Ghana.  Our friend, K, made some beautiful bowls.  After purchasing the bowl, we filled them with delicious soups from Rainbow Acres.  It was a beautiful event.  Will they do it again next year???

Winter Concert (Yellow)

Noah's class sang two songs:  "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" made famous by Mary Poppins and "If You're Out There" by John Legend.  It was fun to watch and the kids sang beautifully.  I wonder what they will sing next year???

Winter Concert (Orange)

Micah's class sang two songs:  "Let's Go Fly A Kite" made famous by Mary Poppins and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland.  It was really beautiful listening to the kids sing these songs.  What they will sing next year???