Family picture- finally

Finally a family picture... here we are enjoying beautiful Ojai... how long will it take till we take our next dressed up family photo???

Congrats Yojin

We were so happy to witness Yojin and Bryan's beautiful wedding in Ojai.  It was such a wonderful and intimate ceremony.  After the wedding they had a short Korean ceremony called pyebaek. Thet wore special wedding hanboks and they bowed to their parents who are seated behind a low table stocked with traditional and symbolic wedding foods such as chestnuts, jujubes, and dried persimmons.  Finally family will throw the jujubes and chestnuts back at the bride, who has to try catching them with her wedding skirt which they say will amount to how many children she will bear.  How many kids with Yojin and Bryan have???

Sushi

Real or fake???

GMG Chess

This was Noah's fourth and Micah's third time in the annual chess tournament.  Overall the school came in second place but the boys did not come in the top three in their levels.  Noah left the tournament determined to take his chess sessions more seriously and Micah left the tournament in search of Powerade (these two are so different).  They will both receive scholarship money from their school performance again.  Overall, the boys had good time and we hope that they will continue to improve.  Will they want to sign up next year???

All Stars

Micah was chosen to play on the All-Star team in his division.  He was very excited.  I was up in the box taking stats.  Micah was the only player that hit off the pitcher every time he was up.  Many times, the batter will get walked or strike out but Micah did very well.  We were all so proud of his ability and the growth he has shown from last year. He went from batting 0 to .300 (or something like that).  Will he want to play next season???

Recital

The boys had their third piano recital at Sunrise Senior Community in Playa Vista.  The seniors really enjoyed the music and were very appreciative. The boys played two piano songs each and Micah also played two songs on his ukulele.  The boys played very well and although Micah had to restart a few times, we were really proud that he did not give up and that he finished his piece.  Where will their next recital be???

n/naka

Today was the last day of school and what better way to celebrate then to eat at n/naka.  It was a 13 coursemodern kaiseki menu served at a relaxed pace which lasted three hours. Afterwards, Chef Niki visited out table.  It was an unforgettable experience... will we ever go back again???

Noah's Yellowhaven

Today was Noah's final presentation of the year.  He created several buildings, helped create City Hall, and also created cars of the future.  We were really proud of him and his public speaking skills.  He did an amazing job and had such a wonderful experience this year.  Will he have an even better year next year???

Red Rocks

After lunch, we headed to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater.  It is a naturally formed, world-famous outdoor venue just fifteen miles west of Denver. Red Rocks is recognized for its star-studded concert roster, natural acoustics and ambience, as well as its awe-inspiring hiking and biking trails.  It was an amazing experience to see the natural formation of the rocks.  Will we ever go back to see a concert????

Denver Botanical Gardens

Today we went to the Denver Botanical Gardens.  It was a beautiful morning and by noon it started to rain!  It was such a nice day to walk around and we really enjoyed our time at the gardens.  There was so much to see but since it started to rain and we left earlier then planned.  The kids were happy to go anywhere as long as they were together.  What will we do tomorrow???

Opening: Naturally Weird

Tonight was Jawsh's Opening at Rare Tempo.  It was a great evening with plenty of guests, wine, and music.  I was so proud of Jawsh.  Where will his next show be???

Welcome to Denver

Our first trip to Denver!  We are so excited to be here to see our family and so proud of Jawsh and his art opening.  What will this weekend bring???

Ollivander's Wands

This morning we went back to Universal Studios with one thing in mind: for the boys to get chosen at Ollivander's Wand Shop.  We planned on staying in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the whole morning expecting that the boys would not get chosen  the first few times... but we were surprised.  Upon entering, the boys were not only chosen first but they were chosen together!  They got to be part of the show at the same time.  The wand maker handed two different interactive wands.  Noah's wand was made of holly and Micah's wand was made of reed.  After the show, the boys went on multiple rides and also got to try out their wands.  The boys also wrote letters with Hogwarts stamps and we also ate at the Three Broomsticks.  It was the best experience and we were only there for 2.5 hours!  When will we head back???

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???