Browse Category: family

An Afternoon with The Brother

Last night we went to Agora Churrascaria for dinner with Dayantha, Thilan, and Ti. The sirloin and skirt steak were good. I didn’t care for any of the chicken. The meal was about $35 per person and I’m not sure I really ate my share. Afterwards we met up with Derek and Elise who were in town for the weekend. We ended up at Dave and Buster’s at the Spectrum. We had some drinks, played some games, and I came home with a million little erasers and a little stuffed penguin for Koa. Mmm…penguin.
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This morning Patti came over to help assemble Holly’s invitations. We had to get them printed at Staples and I was happy with how they turned out. I’m so relieved that it’s all done. I suppose I could have done it all myself but it was a good excuse for the two of us to chat and catch up on things. It was great hanging out with you again, Patti!! And thanks for all your help!
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Later the brother came over to do some shopping for his apartment. We first went to Costco and I got myself a knitting book/kit. I’ve had my eye on it for some time and decided to snag it this time. Jes and I almost got ourselves a Dyson but smartened up and left it for another day. When we got home, Jes went straight to bed for a nap while the brother and I continued shopping. The next stop was Target and then the grocery store. We also sat down for a couple episodes of Tom & Jerry, which were hilarious. We were laughing so loudly that Jes could hear us from upstairs while he was trying to finish his nap. We also prepared a yummy pork carnitas dinner with all the fixings. Jes was so confused when I told him to go downstairs for some carnitas because it usually takes 4 hours to prepare. Well, this was Chiembanchong-style cooking where it involves taking the pork out of the package, warming it in the oven for 15 mins, and then shredding the meat. Jes was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Haha…the brother and sister team strike again!!The evening was topped off by a couple games of poker. The cousins came over for a second time this week and brought friends. Ken had some crazy cards in the first game and took everyone out one by one. I lost with a King-high straight! What kind of luck is that?!

more Taku-chan

DSC_3245.jpgMarie had a presentation today with a client so I went over to her house this morning to babysit. It was only for an hour and Cole was on his best behavior. He’s so much easier than before. The last time I had to do this was when he was only about 4 months old and it was pretty rough. Now he’s walking around and much easier to entertain.
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This evening we had my other cousins over, Pish and Debbie. It feels like ages since I last hung out with them. Anyway, it was nice to catch up again. Now that it’s cycling season again, we’re all going out for a ride on Sunday morning. It should be fun. I just hope there aren’t any crazy hills.

through a child’s eyes

DSC_3102.jpgToday I took Marie and Cole to the Long Beach Aquarium. I wasn’t sure how it would go considering Cole’s age and unpredictable mood but it went rather well! Cole sat in the stroller most of the day and appeared so engaged in each exhibit. He will look at anything you point to and watches the fish so intently. He’s also walking now so he had some time to wander the halls freely and lean up against the glass to see the fish. Overall, I think he had a good time and Marie seemed to enjoy it herself. Afterwards we had lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., which was across the street. It was such a nice and sunny day that eating out on the patio was very pleasant. The service was not as cheesy as I had remembered it to be and Cole contently sat in his stroller eating his turkey, bread, fish, and avocado. Boy, can he eat! By the end of the meal, all three of us were stuffed and the birds had a feast with all the food that Cole had dropped on the floor.
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Later in the afternoon, I had to babysit Cole while Marie had to take care of some business. So, I baracaded my livingroom and hung out with him for about an hour or so. The dog and I even took him for a walk to the park and had some snack together. I’m so happy that Cole was in a good mood today. It made that hour so much less stressful than the last time I babysat. Phew!

Target’s closed

…just for today. It’s Easter!
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On Saturday, we went up to check out Johnny’s new studio that is actually around the corner from our old Colby apt in West LA. The building is only 4 years old with new appliances and has nice little nooks that make a studio feel more like a 1-bedroom. The parents helped bring up his bed and we handed down our TV and set of livingroom tables. The brother’s been a little down in the dumps lately but I’m hoping this new apartment and his relatively new job will bring him new adventures and perk him right up.

Play Time!

Marie and Cole came to my clinic today. Cole got to roam around in a safe, padded environment with lots of stimulating toys and activities. I think he had a good time.

Hi, Family!

No trips to the mountains this past weekend so we got to hang out with family. On Saturday night, Jes and I had dinner at the Suminos. Marie and Kenji prepared teppan with beef, chicken, and LOTS of yummy vegetables. Cole was a little grumpy with a runny nose but he perked up by the end of the evening.
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On Sunday, Jes and I had got an unexpected phone call from my mom to have dinner with her, my dad, Pish, and my uncle from San Jose. We went to a Thai place in Mission Viejo and had lots to eat. We also got to catch up a bit but not as much as I would have if I didn’t have this blog. My initial intention for this blog was to keep my family updated and it’s working! It’s neat that my parents and relatives are actually reading my blogs regularly to stay informed of my whereabouts. It’s good to see that this isn’t a complete waste of time. 🙂
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In other news, my running shoes are back in action. I’ve been casually running in the afternoons 1-2 times per week for the past couple months but this past week I ran four times for at least 30-45 minutes each time. Koa’s getting quite a workout too considering he’s been on every run with me. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a half marathon to train for. They’re either too soon, too far away, or scheduled on the same day as one of the four weddings I will be attending this year. This may be the year of 5Ks and 10Ks. It would be nice to set personal bests in both.