Bronze Service Award

Noah completed 63 hours of community service this year and received the President's Volunteer Service Award.  We are very proud of his achievements, especially starting his Teen Clean Club.  We hope that he continues to volunteer throughout the summer.  What will he do over the summer???
 

Teen Clean Official

Noah's organization, Teen Clean, was officially recognized as a club at Venice High School!  We are so excited that Noah will get to invite his peers to help the environment!  How many teens will want to join???

The Cave

I was a college student for 4 years at UCSD.  I have been to downtown La Jolla countless times but I have never been to Sunny Jim’s Cave.  It has145 steps that were man-made.  The mouth of the cave has a silhouette of a face.  Quite honestly, it was not worth the admission to walk down the cave but it was memorable.  What crazy thing will we do next time???

 

UCSD

The last time I was on campus was in June 2000 at my graduation.  Now over 20 years later, I walked the campus with the boys to show them the campus.  It was so different.  It has definitely changed over time with the addition of 3 colleges but the lecture halls that I thought were so large were actually small and Geisel Library was not as a big as I once thought.  In a few years, Noah will be on a college campus.  What college will he attend???

 

Obsessed

Micah started playing the electric guitar in 2020.  Often times we can find him in his room just playing songs and strumming.  He is really interested in a sunburst electric guitar and he was able to purchase one with his Bar Mitzvah gifts.  He is learning on his own and enjoying bands like The Strokes and Radiohead.  Will he join a band???

My babies

My baby boys have been bigger than me for quite some time but it really hit me when we were walking around Venice High for Open House.  I can't believe we only have handful of years left with the boys before they graduate from high school so I will try my best to enjoy the time we have together.  What will life be like when the boys are at the same school???

Halmoni's Oranges

One thing the boys will always remember from Halmoni's house are the fruit trees.  The boys enjoy picking oranges, lemons, and when we're lucky apricots.  I think you can see it on Micah's face... the oranges are delicious!  When will we head back for more???

JGs here they come!

The boys have been training for this 100 yard swim for quite some time.  We have wanted them to participate in Junior Guards for quite some time but COVID put a pause on this.  The boys have to complete 100 yards within a specified time frame to join the program.  Noah had to finish 100 yards in 90 seconds but he completed it in 70 seconds.  Micah had to complete 100 yards in 100 seconds and he finished in 75.  The boys are assigned to Venice Beach and we are very excited for them.  What will they learn???

End of an era

The store is closing very soon.  It's an end of an era.  The original store was opened in 1945 and then purchased by my dad in 1977.  The original store was demolished and relocated to its current location in 2003.  My parents have had this market for over 40 years.  I can't believe that it is closing now... I have my own childhood memories from the original store... what will the boys memories be???

 

Micah's Bar Mitzvah

We are so proud of Micah...  he had a wonderful Bar Mitzvah with family present and friends Zooming in to watch and support him. He did such an amazing job going through the service and his speech was so relevant and inspiring.  To say that we are proud of him is an understatement.  Even though we had to celebrate this huge milestone in a different way we were so thankful that family could be there in person.  I love this picture of Micah reading with his family through the generations. How will Micah look back at this time in his life???

Happy Birthday GA from the GG's

Happiest of birthdays to GGA from the GGs.  It's amazing to see the age different between the boys and Dot.  We were so happy to celebrate the birthday of our wonderful patriarch, GA.  What did he wish for???

 

45

Happy 45th Birthday to my dear husband!  While he enjoyed the grounds of the Getty Center I was stuck at home with COVID.  In over 20 years, this is the first time I have missed his birthday.  But I was happy that he facetimed me while they were there so I could be part of his day.  What did he wish for???

 

Go Liam

The boys finally made it to one of Liam's basketball games.  They enjoyed cheering on Liam and his team.  I missed this opportunity but hopefully I'll be able to catch a game next time.  Will Liam continue playing basketball???
 

Volleyball

This was Noah's last tournament of the season at the Anaheim Convention Center.  His team made it to Round 2 so they were very excited to represent their club.  Noah has improved quite a bit since the start of the season.  Will he continue to play club next year???

The Simpsons

Jawsh, Micah, and I found an old game at a pop up arcade next to Noah's tournament.  We all got to play The Simpsons.  Micah was Bart with the skateboard, I was Marge with the vacuum , and Jawsh played Homer.  This was a game that I played in my childhood so it was fun to share this moment with them.  I wished Noah was there so we could all play 4 characters at the same time.  Will we make our way back there???

Park time

The boys got to spend some time at the park with Grandma and Grandpa.  I was unable to join this time around but it's always nice when we can spend time with family.  When will we see them again???
 

Love

I love spending time with my husband.  It's hard to believe that we met last century and that it's been over 20 years of walks, talks, and everything in between.  Whether we're walking to pick up groceries or waiting for our kids, there is no one else I'd rather be with.  Who else would put up with me???
 

New Years Eve

Happy New Years!  After all this time, COVID 19 continues to inform our decisions so we decided to stay in together and to ring in the new year together.  It is always helpful to have sweet treats after a delicious dinner.  What will the new year bring???

First Clean Teen

Magic Mountain

Over the break, we were so excited to hear that Magic Mountain was requiring masks, checking for COVID 19 vaccinations, and negative tests before entry!  So, we decided this would be a great day to take the boys.  Unfortunately this was not just our idea!  It was pretty busy but despite that the boys were able to ride Tatsu twice and Goliath.   This was great especially since we only stayed a few hours.  The boys had a fun time.  When will we head back???

Teen Clean

We are so proud of Noah that he had his first Go Fund Me for a beach clean up fully funded!  These are the tools that he purchased with the donations.  He was super excited that Old Navy also donated money to help this cause!  What Noah plan next???
 

Merry Christmas

Merry masked Christmas.  We are so happy that we can celebrate Christmas with the family.  We did it a little different this year by asking that everyone take a COVID test before coming over to celebrate and to wear masks.  In all honesty, this is the only way we could celebrate together in these times.  My dad was feeling better and since he now has the booster shot we felt comfortable inviting extended family over.  Windows were opened, air filters were purchased, and tables for dining spanned across 3 rooms.  Merry masked Christmas... hopefully this is the first and last of this kind.  What will it be like next year???
 

Big boys

Big boys.  Noah is 15, taller than his father, and doing well his first semester in high school.  Micah is 13, taller than his mother, and also doing very well in his first semester in 8th grade.  Both boys are working hard in highly accelerated math courses, Honors programming, playing sports, attending Hebrew school (Micah is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah), and enjoying the freedom that eluded them last year at the height of COVID (when there were no vaccinations for their age group).  I still limit some of the activities that they can attend (which they think is unfair).  I think back to all that has happened and I am incredibly proud of these two because they navigate through their world with kindness and respect (and with a stressed out Mom).  What will 2022 bring???

Time with Emma

This was the first time Emma stayed the night in Los Angeles on her own and she absolutely loved it!  The boys were especially nice to one of their favorite cousins.  We had a great time hanging around Playa Vista, shopping at 3rd Street Promenade, and strolling Candy Cane Lane.  When will Emma visit again???

 

LACMA

Kehinde Wiley, the artist of the Obama Portraits, is an alum of the boys' middle school!  So we had to make a quick and special trip to LACMA to view his art before it leaves in a few weeks!  This piece is so wonderfully vibrant and amazing to see up close.  I love that the boys have their LACMA cards that give them free access to art!  When will we visit again???

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

Bubbe and Aunt Julia came to Los Angeles to visit the family and celebrate the last night of Hanukkah!  Today Jawsh met them at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.  They had a nice time going through the exhibits.  The special exhibition features Hayao Miyazaki which spans all of his movies and illustrations.  When will the boys have a chance to visit???

 

Happy Chanukah!

Chanukah celebrations have been pared down for us because we are doing our best to keep everyone safe.  The boys have been going to masked teen meetings at Cool Shul once every few weeks and today we sent individually packaged Randy's donuts that they could pass out to celebrate Hanukkah but that the kids could eat at home.  It feels like a lot of extra work, because it is, but well worth it to keep everyone happy and safe.  When will we have a Chanukah celebration???

Oh, Christmas tree

Last year we celebrated Christmas over Zoom.  This year, the kids wanted to be together and decorate the tree so that's what we did.  I love decorating the tree because there are so many old ornaments that remind me of a special time in our lives.  This year, my sister allowed Kaitlyn and Noah to pick out new (tacky) ornaments to represent each kid:  Micah's ornament was a bucket of fried chicken and Noah's ornament was sushi!  Go figure.   What will Christmas be like this year???

 

15

Happy 15th birthday to Noah.  Today is not only Noah's birthday but it is also Thanksgiving!  My mom made seaweed soup for his birthday and for dinner we had all of the Thanksgiving fixings.  Last year, we celebrated over Zoom but this year we did not invite our extended family to keep the gathering smaller due my Dad's health and possible COVID exposure.  Noah was just so happy that he got to celebrate his birthday with his cousins.  Cousins are our first friends and we are really thankful that they are close.  We have gratitude that we get to spend time with one another.  What did Noah wish for???

Hello cousins!

We finally had the opportunity to meet baby Harper!  She is 8 months old and so adorable!  Atticus is now 3 years old, but the last time we saw him was on his 1st birthday.  We kept our visit short and stayed masked the entire time.  Noah and Atticus had a great time playing with his train set and hopefully it brought back memories for Noah who loved Thomas as well.  When will we see them again???

Magic Mountain

Noah was pretty adamant that he did not want to do anything for his 15th birthday.  It could be the age, the time, the circumstances.  But I continued to encourage a celebration with his friends and he finally agreed.  Noah and his friends went to Magic Mountain for the day and had a great time.  We drove back before dinner and they had dinner at Hop Daddy which they really enjoyed.  Happy Birthday to Noah!  I think he would say that I made the right call on this one, wouldn't you say???
 

Boo!

I thought last year was it.  Family costumes were over.  And I was ready for it.  But the boys surprised me this year... they were down for one more year!  It started organically... Micah wanted to dress up for school (so he wouldn't have to dress out for PE) and I suggested a panda onesie.  He agreed.  Then we were invited to an outdoor Halloween get together and Noah and Jawsh were open to dressing up too.  They thought of other bears and then we remembered that the We Bare Bears had a human character, a Korean girl, who I could be!  It all sort of worked out... even though this reference is obscure to many, it made sense to us!  Will this be the final year of family costumes???

 

Unraveling Again

Unraveling Again...  This is one of Jawsh's larger pieces measuring 36x48 and one of the most intricate in detail.  This has been a labor of love as he works full time and then tries to find time to create his own art.  What will his next piece be???
 

Mini me

This is a first.  My student, L, made a mini pumpkin in my likeness.  I found this to be so funny so of course, I had to take a picture.  Will this ever happen again???
 

Club Volleyball

Volleyball is a new sport that Noah loves to play.  It all started with his high school not allowing tennis to be counted for PE credit due to some restrictions.  He signed up for 6th Period Volleyball to receive credit and to hold that PE spot for tennis in the Spring, and then he ended up really enjoying the game of volleyball.  The Coaches really encouraged Noah and after attending a clinic he tried out for a club team to gain some experience.  Even though he has never played an actual game of volleyball, Noah was selected to join the team due to his potential and skill set.  After some lengthy discussions, we allowed Noah to join the Santa Monica Club Volleyball Team.  What position will Noah play???

Soccer

COVID 19 took a toll on all of us... and it still does.  But most notably, Micah was not allowed to play in his final games with The Blue Jets in the Spring.  This was such a hard decision but we explained our reasoning and he understood.  Now that he is fully vaccinated, we are able to revisit soccer again and this time Micah is playing with his old coaches and a few friends.  This is not the same as The Blue Jets, but Micah is just happy to be on the field.  He plays Center Defense and he looks great, especially considering he took months off from playing soccer.  What type of season will he have this year???

13

Micah is now 13 years old!  Where did the time go???  Here are his top 13 things that he enjoys: guitar,

music, family, sports, games, friends, beach, soccer, dogs, food, cooking, movies and reading.  He is enjoying his 8th grade experience and making more friends.  What will this 13th year bring him???

 

43

This is 43. What will this year bring???

First day of school for the 17th year

This is my 17th First Day of School as a teacher and it is one of the weirdest yet.  We are teaching at a time where all the students on our campus are unvaccinated and where it is impossible to keep the distance between students 3 to 6 feet apart.  We are in a pandemic teaching and we have to do our best to keep the students safe, engaged, and happy.  This is no small feat.  My partner teacher and I wear aprons to keep our belongings near us... like band-aids, hand sanitizer, phones, and pens.  There is so much to keep track of that it can be really stressful.  The students I am teaching did not go to kindergarten or first grade for the majority of the year, so this is their first experience in school which is a big transition.  What will it be like this year???

First Day of School- Freshman Year

Noah is starting his freshman year at Venice High School!  I can't believe that he is in high school!  We are so fortunate that Noah is going to high school with a handful of good friends and that his schedule was programmed a few weeks prior so he was ready.  It took Noah about 45 minutes to get onto campus but at least he waited in line with his friends so that helped.  Noah is 6'1'' and in high school!  Where did the time go?

First Day of School- 8th Grade

It was Micah's first day of 8th grade!  It was a weird start for a weird year!  Micah had to wait in line for about 20 minutes to get scanned with the Daily Pass to enter the school.  The Daily Pass ensures that the students have a recent negative COVID test and they have to answer that they are in good health before they enter the campus.  Micah never completed his 6th grade year here and missed 7th due to COVID, so starting this 8th grade year will be interesting.  I hope that he sees some familiar faces and that he has a good time.  What will the first day of school be like for Micah???

Bubbe's House

The boys love going to Bubbe's house and spending time there.  She sets up their space and they like being able to eat in front of the tv!  Now that the boys are getting older, they can help more and they had the task to vacuum her garage.  They did a great job!  They also enjoyed eating all of her baked goods.  The boys had fun bouncing between her house, GA's house, and Uncle Steve's house.  When will they get a chance to visit again???
 

Time with GA

After our trip in Yosemite, we continued northward and visited family for a few days.  The smoke from the fires made it difficult to enjoy the outdoors but the boys had a great time spending time with GA playing cards, solving puzzles, and listening to old stories.  We feel so lucky that the boys penpal with him and that they got to spend time with him face to face.  I hope they never forget having pancakes made for them by their 94 year old great Grandpa.  When will we have our next visit???
 

The Ahwahnee

The Ahwahnee Hotel shines as Yosemite National Park's distinctive upscale hotel and it has been booked for over a year.  It seemed impossible to get a reservation but by sheer determination and constant website checking, I was able to book not only the hotel for a few nights but also a cottage!  It was a nice experience staying at the hotel because of the stunning interior design and architecture.  I also loved that there were hardly any people around in the hotel which made me feel so much safer.  We ate at the Ahwahnee Dining Room which was a contactless buffet where mask wearing was required except while eating.  Due to my concerns about the dining room, we were moved to the perimeter table next to a grand piano that kept us safely distanced from all the other tables which was amazing.  The next night, we moved into the cottage and we learned that we were staying in the exact cottage that President Obama stayed in!   As soon as we walked in we saw his presidential photo and excerpt of his speech.  The evening in the cottage was calming and very nice.  When will we return to Yosemite???

Lower Yosemite Falls

We were so lucky to see that the Lower Yosemite Falls still had water at this time of year!  It is the 5th largest waterfall in the world.  The boys ended up hiking over boulders and slippery rocks to make it to the actual falls.  I decided to stay back and I sat on a bench under some shade until my phone rang and the boys face timed me from the falls.  This was not an easy trek by far but the destination was worth it because the boys loved feeling the mist of the waterfall hit their faces.  When will they have another adventure like this again???

Fun with the W Family

Out of pure coincidence, we were in Yosemite at the exact same time as the W Family!  We had such a nice afternoon hanging out with the W Family.  The boys swam in the Merced River and we revisited the Yosemite Falls.  Then we went to the village to have a pizza dinner.  It was a busy day and it was so nice to share this memory with friends.  What are the chances of that happening again???
 

Curry Village to Mirror Lake

This afternoon we rented bikes and rode through Curry Village to take a loop to Mirror Lake.  At this time of year, the lake was completely dry but we still had a nice time bike riding.  It was pretty hot outside so it was nice to bike ride instead of walking through the trail.  The boys really enjoyed riding fast and cruising with the wind in their face.  It's been such a long time since we went bike riding so the old saying is true:  once you learn how to ride a bike you never forget.  When will we go bike riding again???
 

Glacier Point

 

Just when I thought the views could not be any better, Glacier Point proved that this was the view of all views.  This overlook is a commanding view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite's high country as we gazed down from 3,214 feet above.  I could not help but feel that this was God's work that gave us this beautiful view.  This overwhelming feeling that I had spurred on quite a discussion in the car on whether God was real, how the world began, and what the boys believed or sorta believed.  I am thankful that we had this time to share and discuss with one another the meaning of it all... what is the meaning of it all???

Mariposa Grove

Our Yosemite adventure began with us getting on a 4 mile moderate/ severe trailhead in 100 degree plus heat with little water and a handful of snacks.  Sounds terrible.  In fact, it felt sorta terrible as well until we decided that we would take this opportunity to trek to the giant Sequoias because carpe diem!  I, for one, was so glad we did.  I loved seeing the trees, taking the hike, and once I saw the Bachelor and Three Graces there was a profound sense of wonderment that I could feel staring at these trees that have been around for thousands of years.  The Grizzly Giant was not too far away and to see a tree that had lived over 2,700 year was pretty amazing.  I would love to come back here again... when will that be???
 

Tunnel View

 

In every review of Yosemite, it is said that Tunnel View should not to be missed.  It really can't be because as soon as you emerge from the man made tunnel, it is the first glimpses of Yosemite that you can see.  We stopped here several times throughout our time in Yosemite and every time we were it was a little different.  It was a great way to start our trip because the majesty of it all is so wonderful to look at...  when will we come back again???