Play date in Malibu

 Sophie's classmate Zara and her mom Neeru invited us over to their new condo in Malibu for the afternoon.  The girls had so much running around and snacking that we didn't make it to the swimming pool.

 

 Four little monkeys jumping on a bed

 Glittery girls

Sophie, Zara, Ione, and Lydia

All things Asian

After we dropped my parents off at the Santa Ana airport in Irvine, we had lunch at Brodard and then went to visit Mike.  Trung hadn't seen Alexis is over three months, so it was nice for them to get reacquainted.  After a quick visit with Aunt Monica to drop off some food, we went to a stinky tofu restaurant for dinner and spent a whooping $25!  Gotta love inexpensive Asian food!

 

Cousins

Trung and his youngest niece

Throw down

Lydia and Sophie dragged this huge teddy bear downstairs and Lydia entertained Alexis with it

Double the fun

Hydra

Minji's Final Graduation

This afternoon, I had the privilege of watching my sister-in-law Minji graduate with her doctorate degree at USC.  Parking was a nightmare, so I was thirty minutes later than I had planned, but I was present to watch the entire ceremony.  Congratulations, Minji, you made it and we are all very proud of you!

Walking to the ceremony

Getting hooded

"The" graduate pose

Dr. Minji Noh Lee

me, Dad, Alexis, Mike, Minji, Minji's mom, Mom, Aunt Monica

First Five California

It is currently dead season for the entertainment industry, so I was surprised to get a text for a job for Sophie.  It was her first picture picked job and for a public service announcement about First Five California, which informs parents how important the first five years of life is.  I was still able to go to my eye doctor's appointment and Sophie was able to attend 2.5 hours of school since the shoot wasn't until 3:30.  We got home around 6:45, so it was relatively short, which is normally the case when schooling isn't required on set (3 hours for kids 1st grade and up).

 The director really made the shoot a lot of fun

Always posing

 On set...the kid in the orange is the main "actor"

The cutest little pancho

Wooby and Peep

Apparently this week is "Celebrate Children's Books" week, so the main library had a special book reading of "Wooby and Peep" with a craft afterwards.  With swim classes over until the summer, I jump at any opportunity to keep the kids busy, so I was totally there.

Ready for story time

Getting goofy

Illustrator Mary Peterson reading her book

Flat tire

 Unfortunately, I'm not talking about the Belgium beer.  This afternoon when I went to pick up Sophie with Lydia, Juliet, and Isabelle in tow, I just had to park in the first parking spot even though there were at least four consecutive spots available, and I went over the curb of the concrete divider.  I didn't think much of it since I've done it several times before at other places, but I went to look at the tire anyways, just in time to hear all of the air hissing out.  I had myself a bonafide flat tire.  I must have hit the tire at just the right spot because this was definitely a first.  Luckily, a friend had AAA card and we were able to call them up and have the spare put on within 45 minutes.  Everything went very smoothly considered the kids had a play date and it was the hottest day so far this year.

 Noticed the two inch slit at the bottom of the tire

My poor minivan...going on five years with us.

Japanese Tea Party

 The girls and I attended the main library's annual mother/daughter party this afternoon; this year, it was a Japanese tea party where we were taught the correct way to prepare and drink tea.  We go every year, though last year, they changed the age limit and Sophie couldn't go.  Lydia arrived late too because she went with Weiru and Juliet to a classmate's birthday party about 45 minutes south of Santa Monica.  I enjoyed the parties more in previous years, but it was still a nice way to spend Mother's Day weekend with just the girls.

 Our vegetarian bento boxes

 Traditional Japanese dancing

 Sophie is the middle without a clue of what to do

Making fans during craft time

After the party, we went home and changed.  Then we went to Weiru's place to have dinner and watch Aliens 2 and 3.  Weiru and Dave didn't care to watch the last Aliens movie, so Trung and I will watch it later in the week.  Maybe a Terminator marathon next?

Wine and Cheese

I had some fellow Washington West mommies come over this afternoon for some wine and cheese after dropping off the kids at school.  We enjoyed yummy snacks and conversations without having to be constantly interrupted by children, which was so nice.  Definitely a great way to start Mother's Day weekend!

  

 

 Wine, cheese, and more!

 Chocolate mousse cake with raspberry filling...so good!

Criminal Minds

Sophie had an extras job on Criminal Minds several months ago, but when it aired tonight, she was no where to be found.  This would be the first job that either girls have done where they don't appear at all.  It also goes to show how much the entertainment industry spends on extras that they don't even use, and it was such an elaborate scene too!  Oh well, at least she got paid.

The playground scene that Sophie would have been in.

Kidspace with Preschool Buddies

Sophie had her kindergarten assessment this afternoon, where the kindergarten teachers assess the kids to determine which of the six classrooms they will be going into in the Fall.  I had to pull her out of school at 1:30 for the 2 PM assessment, which lasted about 45 minutes.  Lydia got out of school soon after and we all left (with Diane and Ione) to Pasadena for an afternoon of fun at the Kidspace Museum.  Lorri arrived later with her gang of four kids and we had a tough time keeping all the kids together.  Fortunately, most of them grouped together, so the three adults were able to keep track of them for the most past.

Petting a cockroach...ewwww

Sophie getting a free ride

Sophie stops in the middle of the "street" to pose for the camera

Not sure, but I suppose Lydia is reading an imaginary book?

Insect entrees, anybody?

Teamwork

Just LOVE Lydia's pose in this picture

Go Team Washington West!

All the kids...we were greatly outnumbered

All the more reason for the moms to enjoy sangrias