Physics Forest

 After three long months, we finally returned to the Kidspace Museum for their monthly free family night.  We arrived considerably later than usual since Sophie doesn't get out of school until 3:30, but there was a new section called Physics Forest, where the kids spent the entire time while at the museum.  They all had fun and learned a little about physics without even knowing it.  Afterwards, we had dinner at our favorite place, L'Grande Orange Cafe...just like old times!

 Think tug-a-war

 Wait for the ding!

 Blasting balls through hoops

 Creating a cool fan

 Bottle Rocket

 Pulley-ing time

 Sophie offers Kim a lift

Sophie makes it to the top with a little help from big sister

Bella's Build-a-Bear Birthday Party

 The girls were invited to Lydia's classmate Bella's birthday party this afternoon.  A handful of girls met at the Build-a-Bear workshop at Westside Pavilion to create and dress their own loveable stuffed bear.  Lydia and Sophie weren't into it at first, refusing to pick out their bear and straying away from the group, but they soon joined in on the fun.

 Room 11 Classmates Juliet, Maddie, Bella, Fiamma, and Lydia

 Silly pose

 Recording a message for Bella

Crafty gifts for a craft-loving girl; Sophie didn't want to be in this picture for some reason

Totally 80's

 After months of anticipation (we purchased the tickets back in May), 80's night was finally upon us.  My girlfriends and I got into the spirit, wearing outrageous jewelry, bright colors, and fingerless gloves aka wrist splints.  We arrived at the Hollywood Bowl a little early, picnicked on the sidewalk since all the "green" spots were taken, and people-watched.  It was very entertaining seeing all the crazy outfits...prom dresses, leg warmers with heels, Richard Simmons, etc.  Fun stuff and definitely a night to remember.

 

 Me, Snow, Cindy, and Guro ready to flashback to the 80's

 

 My first time at the Hollywood Bowl

 Wine, wine, and a little too much wine :/

 Check out the Hollywood sign in the background!

 The gals born in the 80's, but still thoroughly enjoying ourselves

 Vacation!

 Mad About You!

Head over Heels!

A tea party

 Lydia attended her first tea party for her friend Joia's birthday after school today.  The girls all dressed up in their fancy dresses and dined on tea cakes while sipping mint tea.  Too cute!

 

 Waiting for the party to begin

A bunch of happy little girls on a sugar high

LA County Fair

 The kids didn't have school today, so we went to the LA County Fair, but not before stopping by Monterey Park for some Taiwanese breakfast.  It's been awhile since I've had Chinese doughnuts, fresh soymilk, and green onion pancake, so it was a treat.  It was Weiru and her kids first time at the fair, having just moved from Seattle in June, and they seemed to enjoy themselves.  Lydia did six book reports and received tickets for six rides, our entry and parking fees were covered, and the kids got free milk, so the only thing I had to pay for was lunch...quite the deal for almost an entire day of fun.  We left at 3:30 to avoid traffic and made it just in time for the girls' 4:40 swim class; the girls certainly slept well tonight.

 

 Foot massages

 Tractor ride

 The three little pigs

 The petting zoo...Sophie and Lydia didn't last very long.  Sophie is about the same height as most of the animals and got freaked out, while Lydia just had enough petting.

 Warren and Juliet had a good time feeding the animals, but were scared sometimes at their popularity.

 Llama llama wants to eat

 Weiru and the girls kept a safe distance away

 The skyride

 "Am I tall enough, Mama?"

 Lydia has always wanted to fly

 Now that's grillin'

 Cooling off with some massive snow cones

 On the dragon roller coaster

 Sophie's one ride because she was too short for most

Mamarazzi

 You get it?  Paparazzi....mamarazzi?  Trung thought of it and honestly, I didn't get it at first.  Okay, it's not like I'm always on the hunt for celebrities, but when I do see them, I get totally star-struck.  If their kids aren't with them, yes, I will go right up and talk to them and even ask for a picture sometimes.  But if I see them with kids, I leave them alone and snap candid pictures.  I know, it's bad, but I can't help myself.  Forgive me and instead, check out my pictures of Carrie-Anne Moss at Sephora; you'll recall her as Trinity from The Matrix.

 That's my friend Weiru on the left

 Zoomed in, way in

 

No, she's actually not looking at me

Santa Monica's Citywide Yard Sale

 This morning we hit the the Santa Monica citywide yard sale in search of some beach furniture and boogie boards.  The girls biked a couple of blocks around our place, but we only found a few people selling items that we weren't interested in.  Then I found an interactive map with all the people registered for the sale and started efficiently going to yard sales around Sophie's school and then north of Montana.  We purchased a boogie board, a pair of Crocs, and plenty of nick nacks for the girls.  I would call that a productive morning.

We saw actor Jason Isaacs and his daughter at our first yard sale

Trung was checking out his push up bars and Jason quickly walked over to him to claim them back.  :P

Our first purchase of the day

Check out all our new stuff for only $23

Endeavor's journey home

This morning I dropped my parents off at the airport and planned on staying around LAX to watch the space shuttle Endeavor atop a Boeing 747 as it lands at the airport.  Unfortunately, the shuttle's arrival time was postponed for two more hours (ETA 12:45 PM) and I had to get Sophie to school by noon, so I decided to pick up some lunch and try to catch a glimpse on the Santa Monica beach.  I guess everyone was thinking the same thing because the beach parking lots were packed and I couldn't get a parking spot.  So instead Sophie and I went to her school, about half a mile inland, had our lunch in the car in the parking lot, and waited.  Trung, who was waiting on the balcony of his work building, texted me that the shuttle was going by Malibu, so I should have gotten ready, but I wasn't thinking.  When I saw people in my rear view mirror staring into the sky, I ran out of the car and watched as the shuttle went right over me.  No time for pictures, but the sight will never be forgotten.  

I walked Sophie to her classroom and as I was leaving, I saw the shuttle coming back again.  This time I was camera ready and actually got a couple pictures and videos.  It was so cool to be able to experience a part of history.  Poor Sophie was still in the car when I ran out to see the shuttle, but she said that she saw it.  Then later that day, Lydia's teacher told me that the kids went outside to watch it as well.  So, the whole family got to experience Endeavor's final journey!

My friend Lalaine's picture of the Endeavor when it first came around

Trung's video clip from the Santa Monica Pier

My view of the shuttle from Sophie's school play yard when it came around the second time

My video clip

Mommy Wednesday

 Even though I picked my parents up from the airport on Monday afternoon, we didn't really get to hang out with them until today.  My Dad still went to the convention, for which they were mainly in town for, but my Mom spent the whole day with me.  First thing in the morning, she was already cooking up a storm.  After I dropped Lydia off at school, Sophie, my Mom, and I went to the Farmer's Market where she went produce crazy, buying three bags of fruits and vegetables.  Then Sophie's turn to go to school, and then I had a few friends over for an authentic Chinese lunch. When I left to pick Lydia and Sophie up from their schools, my Mom took a break and was rested enough to join us for swim class.  For the first time in a long time, I got to just chill while my Mom made dinner and helped with the dishes.

  

 My Mom taking over my kitchen

 "Talk like a pirate" at Krispy Kreme and get a free doughnut

Sophie has improved by leaps and bounds since the last time my Mom saw her swim

Scenes from Seaworld

A trip to San Diego isn't complete without a visit to Seaworld.  (Oh, and speaking of Seaworld, they had my camera in the Lost and Found and actually shipped to me.  I was waiting for it to arrive, hence the delay in the post).  Now that our Disneyland passes have expired, Seaworld is now our "go to" amusement park even though it is 2.5 hours away.  Too bad the kids aren't tall enough for the really fun rides, but at least they can both go on the smaller ones.

 

  Still one of the kids' favorite attractions

 The "Pets" show never gets old

 

  Last time we saw this show, "Marina" wasn't able to stay on top of the dolphins

 The sea lions grin at the end cracks me up

 

Shamu Live!

 So glad we weren't in the soak zone...guaranteed wetness tonight

  

 Sophie doing the "splash" gesture to get the whales to splash

 

The finale