Country Bumpkins

A lazy morning brought us to Trader Joe's and Panera for lunch. Right outside the complex was the LA Carnival parade, so we watched for a little while in the comforts of our car. After an afternoon nap, we met the MOPS (Mom's of Preschoolers) members at a nearby pumpkin patch for some fun. After about an hour, it started to drizzle, so we had an early country-style dinner with Karen's family at Dinah's Cafe. An early dinner meant an early bedtime, so Trung and I got to settle down with a movie that ended at a decent hour.

Some of the elaborate costumes in the parade

Lydia welcomes you to Shawn's Pumpkin Patch

Lost in the pumpkins

Emily and Karen on the train

Little pumpkin

Sophie getting pulled out of whole in the bouncer from Lydia

Hay maze; the kids had a blast running around

Silly Sophie

Fall Festival

Last week at the Farmer's Market we saw a sign for a Fall Festival the following week, so we decided to go. The Market itself was the same, but more lively with bands playing; the fun and games were on the outskirts. The festival was simple, but entertaining enough considering everything was free.

Can't pass up a photo opp

Sophie giving a pointer or two

Sophie refused to cooperate

Displaying their painted faces

How'd the caricature guy do?

Lydia showing off her prize from one of the games

Halloween Fun

My Mommy & Me friend Annie invited the girls and I to her home for lunch and to decorate cookies and caramel apples. We arrived a little late because it still hasn't sunk in that LA traffic is awful, but just in time to catch the kiddos still eating. After lunch, the girls played while the adults ate. Cookie decorating was next; Sophie enjoyed the chocolate icing a little too much and Lydia may be getting more cavities from all the sprinkles that she ate. Then time for making caramel apples...my favorite! After the kids took nibbles here and there, we all went out back and enjoyed the nice afternoon. We had so much fun and the girls got to meet some new friends!

Everyone busily decorating Halloween cookies


The evidence is all over Sophie's face

The finished product (that I got to eat later at home). I had to spoon the caramel over the apples since the girls started eating the apples before we got a chance to dip them into the caramel.


My girls with Annie's girls: June, Sophie, Lydia, and Faye

Playing astronauts

Today at the Mommy & Me class, Sophie and I made an "astronaut" costume. The idea is to help kids not be afraid of costumes when Halloween rolls around.

Sophie and her new friend Gaia

Discovering Marina Del Rey

With no plans for the day, Trung hopped on his computer and came across a "Discovering Marina Del Rey" event just a few minutes away. Just $5 per kid for unlimited access to the inflatables, the train, and activities, the kids had a great time. What a great little community!

Sophie getting ready for lift-off

And there she goes!

Showing off monkey tattoos and star face paintings

Waiting patiently to "drive"; check out my attempt to French braid Sophie's thin hair

Trung, boy at heart

Marina Del Rey, where everyone docks their boats

A mini train ride around the marina

The next Michelle Wei

Getting pushy

The Original Farmer's Market and hanging with the Yen's

This morning we visited the original Farmer's Market at 3rd and Fairfax. I am used to seeing fruit and vegetables everywhere, but this market was mainly food stands and restaurants. We had raw oysters, Brazilian BBQ, and beignets...an interesting combination, but very good. After the kids took naps, we went to the Yen's for dinner. I've hung out with Christina and the kids a couple times since we've moved here, but we had yet to have the hubbies join us. Tri-tip steak, sausages, sweet potatoes, and bread awaited us, and we finished with watermelon and an apple pie; we were stuffed to say the least! The kids had their moments, but overall, had fun playing together.

Silly Sophie picking a her hot beignet while it cooled down, and then almost falling out of her chair

Everyone loves beignets

Homemade apple pie; I put a little too much butter, but it still turned out okay

Luke and his wooded knife...

that happened to meet Sophie's head a couple of times

Kids at play

Thank you, Yen's for a wonderful dinner and fun evening.

New teacher, new school

Lydia attended her new preschool today and did very well. Just to back track a little, I received a phone call from the Santa Monica School District on Monday saying that there was an opening for Lydia in their preschool program (LAUP). I didn't expect a call so soon because there was supposedly a 20 child waiting list. I wasn't as excited about Lydia switching schools as I thought I would be because 1) we had finally established a routine, 2) the new school would be from 7:45-11:15 and we aren't early birds and it would be cutting into my current programs that end at 12, 3) now we would be paying a nominal fee, and 4) the star rating was the same as the current school and not higher as I had expected. We finally decided that attending this new school would help Lydia transition to kindergarten (her old school was out of someone's house) and the teachers would pay more attention to her (her old school was also somewhat of a daycare).

After dropping her off at school this morning, Trung and I believed that we had made the right decision; the teacher was very professional and the classroom was very clean and orderly. Now if only we could get the kids to bed earlier so that don't wake up so sluggish.

Teacher Flavia...when I picked Lydia up, I asked her if she like Teacher Flavia. When she didn't answer, Sophie piped up, "I like Flavia. Phie phie likes Flavia." Then she paused, "who's Flavia?" :P

A welcome sign

Exhausted from her first day of school and from waking up an hour earlier than usual.

The Ellen Show

My friend Susanna got stand-by tickets to the Ellen show and invited me to go with her. Since our tickets were not guaranteed, we arrived early to grab a stand-by number to hold our place. Once all the guaranteed ticket holders arrived at 1:30, then they would supposedly have a better idea whether or not we would be getting into the show; if we didn't get in, then we would stay in the riff raff room and watch the show from flat screen TVs.

We had some time to kill before 1:30, so I filled by tank with Costco gas and then we ate at an Italian restaurant within walking distance from the parking garage. We got back around 12:30 to find about 150 people now waiting in the garage. After taking a few pictures and returning my camera to the car, we were finally greeted by Ellen employees. We watched that day's episode of Ellen and some of the audience members showed their special talents (talking like Donald Duck, dancing funny, doing a handstand, etc.).

Finally around 3:45, we were numerically lined up and walked over to the studio. Susanna and I were the 5th and 6th stand-by ticket holders and barely made the cut-off at ticket 9; we didn't get to sit together, but at least we got in! The show had a lot of energy and seemed to go by quickly. Our special guests were Felicity Huffman from the Desperate Housewives, Anderson Cooper via satellite, and an unknown band. We got a board game and the band's CD to take home. After the show, we ate at Ahi Sushi and had a nice meal with just us girls. So much fun! We should go every season! :)

Getting excited about the Ellen show

The entrance to the Warner Bros. Studio

The street of billboards

Nissan Leaf

This morning the girls and I joined Trung in test driving the new 100% electric Nissan Leaf. We were first given a mini tour and got to mess with all the buttons in the display cars, and then we got in a Leaf with a representative and Trung drove in the course and around the block. With the capability of lasting about 100 miles when fully charged, the car was nice and quiet. If only these cars were more affordable, we would love to be more "green".

The girls have zero emission

Lydia playing with Trung's cell phone as wait to test drive the Leaf; you can see the driving course in the background

The Leaf we test drove

Trung behind the wheel and trying not to knock down any cones

4 Family Fun at LA County Fair

We picked Christine and Elyse up bright and early this morning and headed straight to Yung Ho for Taiwanese breakfast. I got the location mixed up with another restaurant of the same name, so Jean and family just got their food to go and met us at the fair. Henry, Susanna, and Ethan met us shortly after. The five older kids did a few rides and then we had a chaotic lunch. Then off to the barn to visit the animals, play in the haystacks, and drink some fresh milk. The girls hit the princess area again and played dress-up, and then we visited the trains, which was more of Teddy's cup of tea. After an exhausting, but fun day at the fair, we ate a delicious dinner at New Capital Seafood and had milk tea. The kids had fun going on the rides together and the parents enjoyed chatting. We should definitely make this an annual event!

Bob Harper from The Biggest Loser

Parachuting

Bumper boats

The must-do teapots

Looks like someone took over the bumper car

These bumper cars were definitely not made for adults

Traffic jam

Chauffeur Teddy

The group!

Teddy's intricately placed arm (that I placed :P )

Choo choo! Oh wait, Sophie needs to go pee pee