mamajoyjoy's Momaroo

Our Week in Photos (11/15-11/21)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:29:00 GMT

We're hosting Thanksgiving Dinner at our place on Saturday, so I'm posting this early. I'm also missing a ton of photos recently since they're in Hubby's camera or my sister's camera since I've been lazy about bringing mine out. At first it was just a small gathering, and then more people were invited, and then still more....I'll let you know how everything turns out.

We went to Papers and Petals in Burlingame on Saturday to try on bridesmaids dresses. Of course, M wanted to try some on too. What little girl doesn't like dressing up? She was particularly excited about the shoe display. The first one was a little ballerina-y for me. The 2nd one costs more than the bridesmaids dresses we tried on. Ridiculous huh? Can't wait to officially go flowergirl dress shopping with sis' fiance's niece.

Gotta get one of E at the end of the night too.

E trying to sit up.

M's "home"

Bathtime for E

I went to change E's diaper one morning. When I went back to check on breakfast, M had set the table.

E trying apple for the first time. She didn't like it as much as we thought she would, but that was a big smile she gave us.

This is after midnight. I have no idea what happened that night. M wandered in and fell asleep on our bed. I had to carry her back to bed, and it's been soooo long since I've done that and I was trying not to laugh as I was carrying her because she's so big now. We're moving the small crib out of our room and moving the big crib in, but hadn't found the time to move it, so E was already on our bed. haha We need to evict these girls.

Happy E under the covers.

E trying bananas. She seems to like it better than the apples.

Our Week in Photos (11/8-11/14)

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:53:12 GMT

E trying sweet potato for the first time. That's my nephew's bib because we forgot her's at my parents' house. That hair! hahahaha

A quick shot before she flips. E is rarely on her back anymore. Everytime I put her down, she rolls over to her tummy.

M's stove and table.

After bathtime.

After church on Sunday, we headed over to my little sister's for her engagement/housewarming party. It was nice to catch up with family and meet her fiance's family too. There was way too much food, and I would have eaten all of it had I not had 2 kiddos to watch. M and the other flowergirl (the fiance's niece) sharing a cocktail bun.

E trying peas for the first time. She actually likes it.

E with a flower in her hair. Too bad you can't really see it that well.

Hubby and I left the kids with his parents, and we kinda ran out real quick. We went to Yogofina for some frozen yogurt. It was a really cold day, but surprisingly there were still a lot of people there. Then we went to the Verizon store to look at some phones. I upgraded my phone earlier this year, but I already had it break down and replaced, and now the camera function does not work. The phone has actually been discontinued. Now we're both getting new phones. And we're going to get a data plan so we can go online. That will help a lot as Hubby uses the laptop for work a lot. Tomorrow is The Great Bridal Expo and trying on bridesmaids dresses. Fun fun!

Our Week in Photos (11/1-11/7)

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:34:09 GMT

On Friday (10/30), we went to the Ice Creamery with a bunch of random people for no apparent reason. Well, my brother had his "free sundae during your birthday month" coupon. M actually ordered from the kid's menu this week and ate what she ordered, plus some of my sandwich and salad. She usually never eats stuff from the kid's menu.

Our library finally had it's Grand Opening on Halloween!! In the morning they had The Great Book Pass. Volunteers lined up the street from the old building to the new one to pass the new books. There were sooo many new books and DVDs. The children's area is 1/3 of the whole library. Lots of new computers to use, wi-fi, a teen room, a homework center, meeting rooms, a big conference room. It's still not as big as the one in San Leandro which is 2 stories, and definitely not as big as the one in San Francisco, but our "city" is not that big and the people here have been waiting for a new library for 20 years! The library is less than 20 minute walk away from our house. Oh, there's also an outdoor amphitheatre and a bridge.

This art is called the Tree of Knowledge by Eric Powell. And there's a book return out front. You put the book on the conveyor belt and it reads the barcode inside. I think the books get sorted somehow in the machine.

Oh the way home we saw a caterpillar.

M wearing her necklace she got with her Kai Lan doll.

Big and Little Sister shirts from our friends who 2 kids are both 2 months younger than our 2 kids.

M playing on my brother's drums.

My dad does random things. He came over with wood one day and said he wanted to add an extra shelf to the "shoe" shelf we have. M wanted to help so she went out to get her Handy Manny tools. Manny was supervising, as you can see.

We gave E her first taste of "solid" food. You can see from her reaction what she thought of the rice cereal. We gave her some sweet potato a few days later and she liked that a lot more, but she'll still taste the spoon first before opening her mouth to check which one it is.

Back at the library (now that the parking lot is opened) on Thursday.

We Interrupt This Program

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:30:01 GMT

...for a brief (okay, not so brief) announcement. Our regularly scheduled program will resume tonight.

This has been a hard decision for me, as I have had this entry in "draft" for about 3 weeks now....

It been busy these days, and not just because my two beautiful girls keep my hands full, literally. They are definitely growing up way too fast for my liking.

Hubby is now on staff at our church. He is the Contemporary Service Music Director. It is a part-time position, and the other part being filled by another person who is in charge of the Traditional Service (i.e. more hymns). It's an extra 12-15 hours of work a week. He was already doing part of the job with 2 other worship leaders, so he just took on a few more responsibilities and is getting paid for it now. This is something that he has always wanted to do. A few years back, he was even looking at going to seminary to attain a MDiv with Specialization in Worship Leadership (I forget the specific name at the seminary he wanted to attend). So, he's working 9 hours a day (M, W-F), and then half day on Tuesdays at his regular job, and going to staff meetings on Tuesday mornings. Instead of rotating the duties with the 2 other leaders, Hubby is now in charge every week. He still consults with each week's worship leaders on song selections, but he make sure the tech sheets are sent out and music is printed out, etc.

So part of the busyness is that Hubby is away a little more. We don't notice too much because he leaves for work an hour earlier than before, but while we're still sleeping. Another part of it is that he hogs monopolizes uses our one and only laptop most of the time after the kids sleep. This leaves very little time for me to get on to blog, check email, check FB updates (esp now with the live feed haha), and work on updates, edit photos, photobook, etc etc. (Wow, I sound like a nerd with nothing else to do but be online.) And with the holidays here, and helping my sister plan her wedding, I just can't find enough hours in a day.

Even though I've enjoyed my time here at momaroo/xanga, I think I need to take a break from it. Momaroo has changed from it's initial days where posts were more about everyday life of moms, and it was a little more light-hearted. I started blogging on xanga in 2004, just a few days before becoming engaged, and it has certainly evolved...xanga as a whole, and also why/how I have used it through my engagement days, to wedding planning days, to newlywed days, to mommyhood....and almost everyone who were my real-life friends (actually my Sunday School students at the time) have stopped using it, and now I have some great online friends who I hold just as dear as my offline friends because you all are very encouraging, and you keep it real. Thanks for sharing your stories with me.

I still have a few other places where I blog, so let me know if you want "follow" me at my personal blog. I wish everyone would post a RSS feed thingie onto their page so that I can add you to my Google Reader, but I will come back from time to time to comment. Or if you want to be "friends" on FB, message me your email addy. I love hearing everyone's stories.

I will continue my "Our Week in Photos" until the rest of the year, but then I will probably stop blogging here for a long while. This week's photos will be up later as I still have to sort through them.

Our Week in Photos (10/25-10/31)

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:02:52 GMT

No, she didn't go down the slide. This is the play structure at the "park" at the SLZ library. We're not going there anymore...Afterwards, we went to my parents' to try the ice cream cake my brother made. It was good. Later my brother picked up Hubby from the airport and dropped him off at home, M put her shoes next to my brother's.

I didn't even take out the camera for my cousin's sweet 16 party, but it was HOT! We had that freak storm come by the previous week, and then BAM, I was sweating bullets that day. No shade either. I hope it was fun for her. I'll post photos once I get them from my sis' camera. Kite-flying (or trying to anyway, there was no wind at all) and Scattegories

Some pics of the girls. People told me that M would get tired of having E around and getting all the attention, but nope, she LOVES her baby sister to pieces.

M loves to sit on the steps of the stage in the church sanctuary. And there she is running away from us.

E likes the musical table.

This is how E looks if we put her hair down. I think we'll stick with her signature look for now... And she's making a funny face too.

M threw up a little during her sleep the other day. While Hubby and I were washing her dirty clothes and sheets, she was playing. Her hair is wet because there was "stuff" in it...and we had just given her a bath before bed too. And how The Little Mermaid characters look at 11PM.

E trying out the Jumperoo for the first time.

E holding Little Bear during changing time.

The blanket is actually a gift from my aunts when we got married, but it's very comfy for laying on and rolling on. We put it over the rug. M used it when she was learning to lift her head and crawl, so now it's E's turn. M wanted to join in on tummy time too.

Warm and cozy for bedtime.

Not much this weekend. Our library is opening again! The new building is finally finished. The last time I passed by, they were still doing the outdoor amphitheater. Can't wait to see the inside. I don't think we're doing anything for Halloween. I'm hoping for a more relaxing weekend. Last Saturday while I was doing my cousin's sweet 16, Hubby was at church playing for the Community Festival. The next day he was there at 8AM manning the sound board for both services, and then he headed out in the afternoon for worship practice for our new pastor's installation service later that evening. I brought the girls for a bit but they got fidgety and it was dinner time. So I took them to my parents' for our weekly family dinner. Hubby joined later. It was a great service, but it was also 2 hours. Anyhow, I should be off. We're having my sister over for lunch, and tonight we going out with some family and friends at one of our favorite places - The Ice Creamery!

Our Week in Photos (10/18-10/24)

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:09:49 GMT

M is apparently meal planning.

We went to our first dodgeball tournament at the girls' future middle school. It was for a friend's church raising money to save lives in Africa. Dip Duck Dodge. My brother played with some friends. They team was called Log Rollers. They had the funniest cheer. We got there just in time to watch them play and stayed for some shave ice. My sister and her fiance went in the afternoon. They need some people to play for one team because half of them were at a funeral. My sister's fiance played, and guess what? That team won!

The next day we hosted dinner at our place to celebrate my parents' 34th anniversary and my sis and bro's birthdays. I made so much food and then my dad brought over some too. He can't help himself. M had a lot of fun with everyone visiting. Classic Chinatown cake and classic M eating cake face.

I woke up one more to find E like this. Somehow she got the buttons on the legs undone. Silly girl. She did it again another morning too but it was with a sleeper that had feeties on them, and she was in a sleep sack. Oh the talents of my baby.

These are from my cell, taking photos before bedtime stories for Hubby who was away for training for the week. E was soooo happy to hear Daddy's voice over the phone when we called him. Super happy baby when he called. And M would leave him voice mail by singing songs. (Yes, she does know how to use my cell phone, every function.) These photos are from various nights. M loves her baby sister to pieces.

E with Big Sis' Bear Bear. She loves to grab things lately. So cute.

The Belle doll is from my sister.

Whenever I'm cooking this is what M does. She always seems to be making eggs (and sometimes pasta). She's going to be a good cook one day I hope. I have her help with whatever she can and tell her what I'm doing as I do it.

Talking to Daddy on the phone.

We also went to storytime with our new pastor's wife and son. They had a blast, but I think boys are different from girls. My little cousin's sweet 16 party is tomorrow. I'm hoping for some good weather. Here's a sneak peek below. These are the logos I made. I forgot where I got the L, tennis ball, and racket from, but I found them on google images. Will give credit later. I download the semi-scripty font for the 16 and added the racket to the background.

Goodbye?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:21:43 GMT

Our Week in Photos (10/11-10/17) and What's Ahead

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:20:23 GMT

Bathtime with "Herman"

After bathtime wearing her new onesie that I won from a giveaway. And with Big Sis and Big Sis' bows in her hair.

Pumpkin Patch photo overload up ahead

Choosing a wagon which we abandoned after meeting up with friends S and A

How tall are we this year? 6-7 inches taller than last year.

We found them!

We'll be back when they have the Christmas trees.

See the people sitting on the cars in the background. I'm not even sure they had kids there with them, but they were just sitting there for the longest time.

M really wanted to go down this slide, but we don't think she really wanted to. She's been a wuss about going down the slides at the park since she fell at church. Thanks for the extra tickets S and A. It's so expensive to go on those rides. I think the pony ride was $6 but M didn't want to go on that.

And here's one of E who finally woke up at the end of our trip there.

Another 6-9 month outfit that I thought wouldn't fit E, but it did.

M loves her new blanket sleeper. She was still cold wearing regular PJs underneath that...and a flannel PJ shirt over the blanket sleeper. As I type this, I'm wearing a tank and shorts...wow, a few days changes many things.

We had a freak "storm" come by this week so for the first half of the week, it was cold. Here is E all bundled for church (all we made it for was to pick up Hubby's music equipment after service...I don't wake sleeping babies) I think it was only 60 degrees...yeah, I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold. I'm a native Californian I guess. Of course, whenever we take photos of E, M always has to get in the shot too.

E has been sitting by herself more lately. M has been doing "tummy time" more lately. haha

It's going to be a long week ahead...starting tomorrow... We're headed out to a Dodgeball Tourney by Pathway Community Church to raise money for the AIDS/HIV pandemic in Africa. My brother is playing, so hopefully we'll catch him if it's not nap time. On Sunday we're hosting dinner to celebrate my parents' 34th anniversary (on the 19th), my sister's birthday (20th), and my brother's birthday (21st). Hubby is down in SoCal for another training...and to end the week, my cousin's Sweet 16 birthday party that my sister and I planned.

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch or How M Has Grown

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 20:42:03 GMT

Here are some photos from our trip to the pumpkin patch last year and this past weekend. What a difference! This is a teaser of what’s to come in “Our Week in Photos” album. Need to sort through the 100+ photos we took. (We went to the patch last year after my first appointment with the doctor to confirm that we were indeed expecting our 2nd little one!)

Choosing a wagon:

How she's grown. I think 6-7 inches??

Mickey last year, Minnie this year:

Getting a bit big to sit on the pumpkins:

With all the baby pumpkins:

We actually didn't buy a pumpkin from the patch this year because they are ridiculously priced, but M did go on the train, and had a lot of fun with her little friends! E was just sleeping most of the time.

Our Week in Photos (10/4-10/10)

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:04:47 GMT

We went to SuperFranks on Saturday to celebrate a 3-year-old birthday. I think this was the first time at a kid's birthday party not at a home or Chinese restaurant. M had so much fun. They have different theme rooms - like All Stars Sports, Princess Tea Party. The one we were in was Taught Town, so it's like a mini city. Everything is done for you, so you just pay the money if you're hosting. M had a great time. She was trying to blow at the candle after we sang the song.

Hubby's parents had come car trouble when they were leaving our place on Friday night so they took BART home, and came back on Saturday to change the battery. They wanted to go out for dinner, so we went to the new Tofu House that just opened. E didn't want to nap so she was a bit grouchy (all the workers LOVED her! and kept coming over to see her), and M had a great time. It was decent Korean food considering there's not much in terms of ethnic foods around here. It's gotten a lot better in the past few years I heard. In the last pic, M is pretending to sing into the spoon as a microphone.

My dad came over to help us trim the trees. Here is one that is half-way done. He was a beast, using his hands...and then found out that we had bought new shears.

M hasn't said it in awhile, but the other day she said, "Carry her." Her new phrase lately is, "Say hi to her." She wants us to hold E close to her so they can put their heads together.

Forgot to take pics, but yesterday M helped me bake blueberry muffins, and we also tried a new banana muffin recipe, instead of our usual banana bread that we make. Yum!