Year of the Dragon

We ventured to Chinatown to celebrate the Year of the Dragon! We parked our car in Koreatown and took the metro with my friend and her daughter. It was really easy getting in and out of Chinatown via the metro and the kids loved it. We saw part of the parade but the best part of the day was eating at Foo-Chow Restaurant and having the dragon dancers come inside. The dragon's movements traditionally symbolize power and dignity. Jawsh was born the year of the Dragon... what will this year bring???

Ode to Micah

Micah... where do I begin??? Micah is our little sous-chef. As soon as hears me in the kitchen, he will stop playing, run to get his stool, and will stand in the kitchen next to me ready to help (he is now shaving carrots pretty good). He also loves tamping the coffee grinds for Daddy's Americanos. Micah loves to ride his scooter, although we have to constantly remind him to use his brake (his little legs go fast). He is always singing a song and changing the words and you know you're really on his good side, when he addresses you as a favorite food, "goodbye rice, goodbye cookie, goodbye shushi." Micah is my little Asian boy who likes his sushi, rice, tofu, noodles, etc... At restaurants he likes to take the cucumber out of cucumber rolls and eat just the rice and seaweed and at preschool he will eat rice and seaweed and insist to everyone he is eating a cucumber roll! Only in his logic does that work. Micah is our headstrong boy who is growing more sensitive to others feelings (yes, empathy!), and those cutie dimples and smile will get you every time. Oh Micah... what will you get into next???

Huntington Beach

The boys are so lucky that Bubbe lives less than a mile to Huntington Beach! They had fun of scootering at the beach this past weekend. They also loved collecting shells and rolling down the sand hills. It's always fun for the boys to visit family and they love their Bubbe! When will we see her next???

Noah can read

Noah read his first online book (totally indepedent) today, Zac the Rat (I like the fact that it has his uncle's name in the title). Noah has been working on sight words and blending letters here and there, but today I can say as his mother (and teacher) that my son can read! It's very exciting... what will he read next???

Puppy luv

Noah and his friend, N-o-r-a (he never says her name, he just spells it) have been an item at preschool for sometime. I think N-o-r-a showed interest because Noah is the tallest and oldest boy at school and Noah showed interest when he saw that she was the only girl who could cross the monkey bars independently. They have been like "peas and carrots" at school swinging, hanging on the bars, and looking for treasures (confetti in the sand). At the writing table, Noah and N-o-r-a often exchange papers... Noah wrote his first love note that read, "Nora love Noah" and added his signature abstract geometric drawing and Nora draws him pictures of rainbows. Isn't that too cute???

Liam's Baek-il

In Korean tradition, on the 100th day after a child's birth, a small feast is prepared to celebrate their life. The number 100 has an inherent meaning of maturity and perfection. Our family celebrated Liam's Baek-il with beautiful rice cakes and a delicious dinner prepared by his two grandmothers. Liam is such a cutie... who does he look like more... Kaitlyn or Emma???

Birthday for Grace

We helped celebrate Grace's 2nd birthday at Music Stars and Masters. It was interesting to observe Noah because he would not participate in the group activities... he felt like he was too old to sing and join in with the rest of the kids. Instead he took Jawsh's camera and took pictures of the event. I couldn't believe he was acting like this at a birthday party and it made me realize that he is getting older and distinguishing himself as a "5 year old boy" and no longer just a "big boy." At the end of the party, we enjoyed cake and desserts while the boys dressed up as the true rock stars they are... can we say, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards???

Getty Villa

I have said it before, and I'll say it again... I love living in a city with so many free cultural activities. We went back to the Getty Villa so Jawsh could view the exhibition: Modern Antiquity: Picasso, de Chirico, Léger, and Picabia which focuses on how they reinvented and transformed the artistic legacy of antiquity. The boys were not so interested in this exhibition, instead they liked walking the Herb Garden that featured a mosaic of fruit trees and they enjoyed the Outer Peristyle that is adorned with hedge-lined pathways and circular stone benches around a 220-foot-long reflecting pool that has a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean. Here is a great photo of Noah relaxing at the Outer Peristyle... what was he meditating about???

Hooky

Micah went to school and Noah and his two friends went to the Petersen Auto Museum. They had fun racing cars, playing Marble Run, and of course, we had lunch at Johnny Rockets. Micah didn't mind too much since we brought him a small lemonade. When will we go back???

NHM

Good old free day at Natural History Museum... since the kids were all on school break we met up for a few hours playing in the Discovery Center and looking at all the exhibitions. It was kind of crazy walking around keeping track of all the kiddos but I think they had a great time. Afterwards, we went with Kaitlyn and Company to the Science Center. We did not have enough time at the museum, when will we head back???

Topanga Beach

Jawsh wanted to start the new year in Malibu. As we were heading out, my friend posted on her facebook that they were at the beach. So in this day and age, I just texted her and we ended up meeting up for a bit. An impromptu play date, how great is that???

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! We 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. Noah had a great time with Harabujee and really enjoyed the strategy behind the game. Should we teach Noah chess???

Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!! We enjoyed a quiet evening at home, drinking Martinelli's apple juice. What will 2012 bring???

Solvang

Today we went on a spontaneous day trip to Solvang, CA. Solvang means "sunny fields" in Danish. The city was founded by a group of Danes who traveled west to establish a Danish colony and is home to a number of bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of Denmark in California. The architecture of many of the facades and buildings reflects traditional Danish style. We ate authentic Danish food like medisterpolse (sausage), frikadeller (meatballs), and of course, aebleskiver (pancake balls with powdered sugar and raspberry jam). We also went around the town on a surrey which the boys really enjoyed. It was such a nice afternoon biking to museums, eating ice cream, and enjoying the nice sunny weather. It was a great way to end the year, wouldn't you agree???

Take your head out of the sand, come to Ostrichland!

On our way to Solvang, we stopped at Ostrichland! It is a small farm off the side of the road. The highlight of our visit to Ostrichland was feeding the ostriches and emus. The landscape on which they roam is quite lovely and seeing them walking about on the plain that resembles their native desert is like being in another place and time. Noah was apprehensive at first, but Micah wanted to grab the bucket and feed all the birds by himself! Once they warmed up to the animals, they wanted to feed them again and again and again! Jawsh remarked, "This was an interesting stop along the way, something we will always remember but not necessarily have to do again." To which Noah replied, "When we come back with Kaitlyn we will do this again." So, I guess we will do this again with Kaitlyn if she ever goes to Solvang with us in the future... Noah is a thoughtful cousin, wouldn't you say???

Last night

Tonight we celebrated the last night of Chanukah. The boys loved opening their final gifts for the year and I think Jawsh and I are officially partied out. When Chanukah and Christmas overlap there is an extra dose of blessings, food, and presents!!! Next year, Chanukah falls before Christmas so it will be better spaced out. The boys had a great time with family and friends and we look forward to what the new year will bring... what will be our New Year's resolutions???

7th night

Tonight we celebrated the seventh night of Chanukah with Bubbe, Uncle Zach, and Dolly. We had a great evening at Bubbe's house eating good food, opening gifts, and playing games. Noah loved playing Dreidel with Bubbe and he spun gimel a record amount ten times (or so he claims) which made him very happy. Uncle Zach also set them on their path to rock stardom with their first real guitars! What will the last night of Chanukah bring???

Merry Christmas

This Christmas we are so thankful that we can celebrate with family and friends. Most of the family was in Korea so Billy's closest friends came over to break bread. We had a delicious holiday meal which consisted of prime rib roast, sweet and mashed potatoes, mac and cheese (and a bunch of other tasty foods). Jawsh made latkes (now a third time) and by far these were the tastiest. They were a big hit. Earlier in the day, we took the kids to see the movie, Arthur Christmas, and then we made gingerbread houses. And of course, the kids had a great time opening their gifts. Noah's favorite gift was the Legos Star Wars and Micah loved his green light saber. What will Christmas bring next year???

4th night

We celebrated the fourth night of Chanukah with Grandpa, Uncle Zach, Delee, and Kyer. I made Barefoot Contessa's matzo ball soup and brisket while Jawsh made the yummiest latkes. There was a lot going on in the kitchen but it was well worth it. The boys had a great time running around while the adults had time to eat dinner. What will the next night of Chanukah bring???

Happy Chanukah with the Shields

The tradition of the Smith-Shields Chanukah celebration continues to year four! Last year they came to our place and this year we headed to Simi Valley. It was so much fun catching up with everyone and watching the boys play. The guys made two types of latkes: sweet potato and russet potato and they were both delicious. Kyer, Noah, and Micah got along very well, however, at times there was two ganging up on one. It's so nice to have the families together. When will we see them again???