once upon a dream

Harvest Festival

2011-11-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

pumpkin painting

2011-11-04T19:33:00.000-07:00

fall suncatchers!

2011-10-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the Easy Autumn Tree Suncatchers over at Frugal Family Fun Blog? So pretty! So easy! Valerie does such a great job showing step-by-step instructions, so check out her blog if you have little people in your life.

Meanwhile, here are a few photos of our cutie patootie's at play...

I just love watching Baby Deke create his first "big boy" craft!

Hooray for new fall artwork on the sliding-glass door!

And hooray for new fall artwork on the windows of the preschool room. We liked this craft so much that we shared it with the pre-k class! The kiddos there cut their own trees and I love the way they turned out...each so unique!

F is for...FEATHERS!

2011-10-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

This week, we are including the letter "F" in our play time and what better way to begin than with feathers?! (There is more than one way to decorate a pumpkin!)

simply add glue...

and add feathers!

Clearly, "F" is for fun!

how about them apples?

2011-10-10T20:29:00.000-07:00

An hour or so from our home are dozens of apple orchards and visiting them is maybe my favorite fall activity. This year, due to a late frost, the apple harvest was really skimpy and we were sad to discover that there were no apples to pick when we got there. That doesn't mean there wasn't fun to be had!

this patch of flowers was beautiful and so much fun to play in!

Daddy and his lookalike son

kiss attack!

A is for aquarium

2011-10-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Last week was "A" week at our house. The idea was to give us a little direction for our crafts, food, and adventures.

We did a lot of "A" inspired activities, but our favorite was a trip with Daddy to the aquarium.

JP touched the stingray for the first time!

We even managed to get two family photos - something that almost never happens!

nature suncatchers

2011-09-30T05:17:00.001-07:00

A post from The Artful Parent reminded me of how much fun we can have crafting with nature.

So, we invited a couple of friends to go on a nature walk with us to the creek at the end of the street. Along the way, we picked up twigs and leaves. The next morning, JP and I went for a walk and collected some more.

Next, we cut frames for our suncatchers.

I folded the paper in half and drew a zigzag line to follow. Then the kids doodled on the frame with crayons. (Next time, we'll use paint for a more vibrant outline!)

Then, I placed the frames on contact paper and it was time to make collages. I just love watching the kiddos unique personalities shine through!

Tabitha showed her creativity and ability to think outside of the box when she included some orange peels, leftover from snack!

And JP took his time, methodically selecting the very best place for each leaf and twig.

We added another sheet of contact paper to the top and...Tada!

We trimmed the edges and the masterpieces were complete!

It has been a while since we used the sliding glass door in the kitchen to display artwork. I love the way the suncatchers bring nature inside our home.

my beautiful oops

2011-09-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

Every parent (no, every person) should own a copy of Beautiful OOPS by Barney Saltzberg.

Today, I had a "beautiful oops" of my own. After naps, I was planning to break out our new glitter glue to decorate construction paper flowers, but my flowers looked a lot more like...bugs. (sigh) The kiddos turned my mistake into something beautiful though and decided to add eyes, feather wings, and antennae to one.

They created a whole colony of colorful alien bugs. Tada!

crayon art

2011-09-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

You can find this project all over Pinterest and other sites where crafters abound. Here is how we did it:

step one: Glue crayons in a row along the top of a canvas. (thanks for the help, Po Po!)

step two: Aim your blowdryer and watch the crayons melt!

a few things to note: If you use a standard blowdryer like we did, be prepared for some splatter. I like the effect on the canvas, but not so much on my kitchen cabinets. Also, be sure to attach brackets to the canvas for hanging before you begin the project. I forgot to and will be using velcro to hang ours (because I'm not going near it with a hammer now.)

to blog?

2011-09-11T06:03:00.000-07:00

I have a hundred excuses why I took a hiatus from our family blog. The biggest one is that we’ve been too busy playing! But, the bigger reason is that I’ve been feeling uncertain about maintaining a family blog. It feels so…narcissistic. And the world can do with less of that, don’t you think?

But, there is value in a family blog too. We have friends and family scattered around the country (and world!) and this is a nice way to let them know what life is like for us here. It is also a great resource for sharing ideas. People often say that I am crafty, but the truth is that very few of my ideas are original. I usually steal them from other mommy blogs and I am so grateful to them for the fabulous inspiration. Who knows? Maybe someone will gain a sprinkling of inspiration here like I have so many times elsewhere.

What you will not see here is a list of our children’s achievements. (Our youngest can count to bazillion!) Sharing early milestones with the masses (first teeth, steps, etc.) felt okay, but now that my kiddos are bigger, I want to put the focus on the experiences we share, the glorious messes we make, the adventures we have as a family, and the God we love. I still feel a little uneasy about blogging, so I’ll continue to pray about it. Maybe I’ll change my mind. But for now, we’re back.

Here is a big milestone I don’t mind sharing. The children have all turned another year older! We had family celebrations on the day of each birthday and a combined birthday party for the three, in August. A Jake and the Neverland Pirates party, of course!

St. Patrick's Day banners

2011-03-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

I wasn't sure what to do with the shamrocks I cut out of the center of our recent suncatcher craft, but we solved the dilemma early this morning and created new banners! I suppose I will get tired of banners soon, but for now I just love the way they look around the house.

Is 7:00 too early to paint? No way!

The kids painted...and painted!

Later, we strung a few together and danced with them.

Then, made and delivered a banner for Daddy's office.

And one for the stairway in our home.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

shamrock suncatchers

2011-03-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but I somehow became the "craftmom" for the local MOM's club. (It still makes me goggle a little!) This month, we made shamrock suncatchers in celebration of St. Patrick's Day, of course.

Contact paper is my new favorite craft supply. Kiddos simply added items of their choice (sequins, jewels, tissue paper, leprechaun confetti, etc) one at a time....

or a BUNCH at a time...! And lookie what they made.

ducks

2011-02-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

This morning, we gathered old hamburger buns and set off to feed the ducks.

And the boy.

And the girl.

Oh, right! And the ducks. (I guess they are ducks...)

Tabitha wasn't sure either...so she carried a stick, just in case

And then, it was time to play at the park. A nice morning, indeed.

For this girl.

And this boy.

mash this!

2011-02-16T20:11:00.000-08:00

We love to use creative "brushes" to paint and stamp and so I was excited to see "potato masher art" at House of Baby Piranha. This afternoon, we tried for ourselves.

The patterns turned out super fun. (I especially liked the squiggly one!)

Soon though, the designs from our potato mashers were painted over as fingerprints and brushstrokes strategically filled each space.

Nevertheless, they turned out great. (Maybe we'll frame them for Daddy's office!)

6 am

2011-02-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

seven months so soon

2011-02-10T21:01:00.001-08:00

Deacon Anthony, our smallest son, will be seven months old in just a few days. Today, at his "well-baby" visit, he weighed in at 16 lbs, 1 oz. He is getting big so fast.

Baby Deke is a joyful little guy who is delighted by his siblings and is quick to grin while they smother him in kisses and twirl his exersaucer in circles across the kitchen floor. He especially lights up when his Goh Goh (big brother) appears. Often, I catch JP cooing the words, "I know...I know" in Deke's ear. I'm not sure what he means by this, but it is endearing and sweet and so full of love that my heart just can't stand it.

Deke is going through a phase where he really wants his mom. I suppose most babies experience this to a greater or lesser degree, but this is my first baby who must have Mommy - and ONLY Mommy - NOW. We're trying to meet his need with understanding (even when we don't always "get" it) and to just love, love, love.

But really. He's pretty darling. Loving him comes naturally.

o, tabitha

2011-02-10T16:28:00.001-08:00

hey there, hi there, ho there

2011-02-09T21:17:00.001-08:00

The assignment...Take Jose, the preschool class hedgehog, on an adventure.

Assignment complete.

January in California

2011-02-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

It was seven below zero in the Bitterroot, where this mom grew up, on the day we decided to take the kids to the beach here in SoCal. We expected to play in the sand and maybe, MAYBE, roll up our jeans to dip our toes in the water. It is, after all, WINTER. But this is Southern California where "winter" passes like a breath and so it was a gorgeous day...just perfect to play in the sand and the water - even if we forgot swimsuits!

first cereal

2011-01-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

I can hardly believe that Baby Deke is old enough to have had his first taste of rice cereal today. (sigh)

Of course, if he had it HIS way, it would also be his last. Safe to say this will be an acquired taste for this little one!

get yer' craft on!

2011-01-08T14:40:00.001-08:00

We were feeling more tired than crafty at the end of 2010, but it is a brand new year and this banner craft (adapted from lilla a) was a great jump-start to get those crafty juices flowing.

First, you need to take some pages from a book you are ready to recycle. The text won't really be seen in the end, so content doesn't matter, but you might want to put a touch of thought into your decision since YOU'LL know (and wouldn't it be a drag to be distracted by bad book memories when admiring the finished product?) I choose Eat, Pray, Love.

Anyway...just paint the pages! Tabitha used liquid watercolor paints with glitter.

Let the pages dry and string them on a ribbon.

Next, throw them on the floor. (Just kidding! We added that for fun.)

And hang them someplace special. We chose the sliding-glass door in the kitchen.

And oooooo...now I that I have my "craft on" this gives me a good idea for a Valentine's Day banner...Happy crafting!

(Original inspiration found here: http://lilla-a-design.blogspot.com/2010/10/flaggor-till-lillebror.html)

2011

2011-01-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

And so, a new year has begun!

We took a hiatus from posting during the latter part of last year because life got so BUSY. Looking back, we see it as a roller-coaster year filled with challenges and (many more) blessings. The highlight, of course, was the addition of our new baby...the one who makes our family complete.

For years, we have discussed developing a "mission statement" for our family. Makes sense, right? Companies, churches, and all kinds of organizations do the same to guide their decisions and help define their beliefs. If you have ever been on a committee forming such a statement, you know it is time-intensive and tedious work. And since extra time is in short supply here with three babes, three and under, we decided to table that idea for now.

Still, we wanted something specific on which to focus our year. Here is what we came up with:

The verse is from 1 Corinthians 16:14. The children helped decorate a homemade banner and painted hearts with fingerpaints. We'll hang this banner above the sliding door in our kitchen and a similar version above our front door. I hope it really will be a focal point for our hearts this year.

christmas 2010 - a time to celebrate

2011-01-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

with Ninja and Yee Yee...

Our big SoCal Szeto family...

Tedd's folks and sister, Christine, and her family...

And finally, with just our family of five...

november

2011-01-03T20:39:00.001-08:00

october

2011-01-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

lookie what I found!

2010-10-26T20:13:00.001-07:00

A fist! Yes, ladies and gentlemen...breaking news at the Szeto home...Baby Deke has found his fist! And what a lovely one it is! Deke is perfectly delighted that he has his very own hand and he's discovering that it is super fun to stare at, suck on, and use as a built-in bat!

This particular little milestone is extra sweet because he is so tickled with himself. His energy is contagious and we just can't get enough of him!

Siblings

2010-10-11T20:39:00.001-07:00

In the weeks leading up to Deacon's delivery, the children were obsessed with him. JP would sing to Baby Deke each night and belly kisses were enthusiastic and many. Each morning, Tabitha would come running to me, "Baby pop? Baby pop?" she would ask - so excited for Baby Deke to "pop" his way into the world.

Their first visit with him was a moment we'll never forget. Both kids were enamored with their baby brother. JP had a look on his face that I've never seen before...a look of pure...LOVE...and awe.

And they haven't stopped loving this little one. We have not witnessed even one moment of jealousy. They ADORE this child... our baby, they say. He's so cuuuuuuuuuute!

Deacon Anthony

2010-10-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

On July 14, we welcomed our smallest son, Deacon Anthony Yuan Zhi into the world. Our beautiful boy weighed five pounds, eight ounces and was 18.5 inches long. After a difficult pregnancy, he was born just one month early, completely healthy, completely whole...completely an answer to prayer.

Baby Deke was folded so smoothly into our family. We can't imagine what life would be like without him. Did we really debate having a third child?! Life just wouldn't have been complete without this precious gift from God.

And so, nearly three months have flown by in the blink of an eye. Deacon weighs well over 12 pounds now. He coos and smiles and is just such a delight that my heart goes pitter-patter every time he shares a sparkly-eyed grin. We are so, so, so, so, so blessed.

Publish Post

but you never blog anymore!

2010-10-02T14:50:00.000-07:00

It is no surprise that things have been a little busy around here lately now that we are a family of five! We have been touched to learn that several of you have actually missed our blog (who knew anyone read it?!) and so I'll try to catch up soon. Thanks for joining us on the journey!

4th of July!

2010-07-04T13:56:00.000-07:00

fire-guys and girls!

2010-07-03T07:10:00.001-07:00

JP and Tabitha had a wonderful time celebrating friend Leo's 3rd birthday!

4th of July!

2010-07-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

At under three, I'm pretty sure that my kids don't understand what the 4th of July is all about, but they DO understand fun crafts and so we are celebrating Independence Day with a fun handprint craft that we saw at Casa Camacho (http://bobbicamacho.blogspot.com/2010/06/handprint-fireworks.html).

They turned out great and we'll be hanging them on the front door this Sunday!

think outside of the box

2010-06-26T18:20:00.001-07:00

more cousins!

2010-06-26T18:14:00.000-07:00

gymnastics

2010-06-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we signed the kids up for gymnastics and we're so glad that we did! Not only are they learning about their bodies, coordination, and practicing their motor skills, but they are learning the discipline of taking turns, following coach's instructions, and are just having a BLAST! Below is a slideshow of this week's fun.

Create Your Own

happy father's day!

2010-06-26T17:59:00.001-07:00

We love you, Daddy! (slideshow, below)

Tabitha's first haircut

2010-06-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

Tabitha was so cooperative during her very first haircut. Of course, there wasn't much to cut so it didn't take long, but she did need a trim to even out the mullet in the back. Now, she has a cute little bob!

And since we were there, JP got a trim too.

Vines!

2010-06-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

So what if it was only 7 am and we were still in our pajamas! It was a beautiful morning and there was gardening (aka PLAY) to do, starting with the removal of the long vines that invaded the shrubs. (The last photo is my favorite!)

back yard bliss

2010-06-16T21:23:00.001-07:00

painting playdate

2010-06-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

girl in green

2010-06-16T21:06:00.001-07:00

beautiful babies

2010-06-16T20:59:00.000-07:00

We are so, so, so, so blessed to have some wonderful friends who just happen to have gorgeous, photogenic babies. Thanks, you, for sharing your lives and your children with us! We hope you know how special you are to us.

a wonderful morning

2010-06-16T19:06:00.001-07:00

We are lucky to live by the beautiful Puddingstone Reservoir and, last week, spent the morning there, just following our noses. Below is a slideshow of our adventure.

Tabitha Maureen

2010-06-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

This little girl is...well...a little girl! No longer a baby, Tabitha has recently cartwheeled through a developmental growth spurt and she is so much fun! Our Mei Mei has a bold personality and we can hardly wait to see who she will be when she grows up. Both determined and delightful, she makes her desires clear and will never be lost in the shuffle as a middle child. She is also a generally joyful child, which is a relief to us since she spent most of her first year of life in tears! But now, at 21 months, she is confident, coordinated, and sweet. Her favorite books are "Snug House, Bug House" and "The House that Jack Built." Her favorite activity? Eating! She also loves bath time, climbing, playing in all things water-related, and cooking in her play kitchen. Oh, and this is a little girl who simply adores her daddy.

cousins

2010-06-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

first born

2010-06-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

super kids!

2010-06-07T16:53:00.000-07:00

Have you ever met a super hero without a super-power bracelet? With their freshly-painted arm-bands, this duo is ready to save the planet!

Uncle Father Radmar

2010-06-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

When Uncle Father Radmar comes to town, one thing is for sure - we are going to have a GREAT time! This trip, Radmar taught the kids to play "kraken" and every time the call, "Oh, kraken, oh kraken" rings through the house, we think of him. (Thanks, Rad.)

what a fun daddy!

2010-05-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Manya!

2010-05-18T16:32:00.000-07:00

On May 09, we were honored to host a graduation party for our sister-friend, Manya. It was an extra-special afternoon because her sisters and mother were in town and were able to celebrate with her SoCal friends.

Manya, we are so proud of you and look forward to watching you grow and thrive as you pursue the beautiful life God has planned for you. We love you!

big sister in the making!

2010-05-18T16:27:00.000-07:00

Tabitha is already excited to meet her brother, Deacon. Every morning, the first words she says are, "Deke pop?" (Loosely translated: Did Deke pop out yet?) Several times each day, she covers my belly with sweet hugs and kisses and is more tender and loving toward "Baby Deke" than we've seen her...with anyone!

Mother's Day gift

2010-05-18T16:21:00.001-07:00

The best gift any mom could receive on Mother's Day is time with her family. I am still floored that I get to be mother to these beautiful children...(thank you, Jesus!) The matching family outfits their daddy made us were icing on the cake! I couldn't feel more loved.

what Mother's Day is all about

2010-05-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

we made butterflies!

2010-04-30T15:48:00.001-07:00

I just love these beautiful butterflies the kids made!

This is an easy art project with stunning results. I'd seen blogs with ideas for making butterflies using watercolors and basket-style coffee filters, but I never remembered to pick up basket filters at the grocery store. So, yesterday, we modified the "recipe" and used cone filters instead. It was super easy! Simply, cut the filter open and (wallah!) a butterfly shape!

Next, paint the filters. Most directions call for watercolor paints, but I couldn't find ours. We used old finger-paints and diluted them with water. I suspect any watery paint would do.

It was fun to add dots! All of the patterns are so pretty. Next time, I think we'll fill spray bottles with colored water.

Finally, we let them dry, added pipe-cleaner antennae, and taped them to the sliding-glass door in the kitchen. I love them!

paint play

2010-04-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

Just as I turned the corner to get some fresh water for the paint brushes, I heard JP exclaim, "Oooooooo...Mommy is going to be very mad." He was wrong. I hope our children learn to think outside of the box, draw outside of the lines, and make creative messes for all of their lives.

Besides, green is my favorite color!

art walk

2010-04-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

tomato face

2010-04-26T16:52:00.001-07:00

sprinkler smiles

2010-04-26T16:47:00.000-07:00

It sure feels like summer in SoCal and that means time for water play! This afternoon, we set up a sprinkler ($1.99 at Target!) in the back yard and went wild.

garbage monster!

2010-04-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Unpacking after a move is a process and we have a garage filled with cardboard boxes and other recyclables to prove it. Today, we put some of them to good use and created a "garbage monster" in the back yard.

poppy festival

2010-04-25T16:52:00.001-07:00

To celebrate the sweet state flower, the city of Lancaster hosts the annual Poppy Festival. We stopped by after visiting the Poppy Reserve and enjoyed yummy food, local entertainers and (the highlight for the kids, of course) carnival rides.

poppies!

2010-04-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

85 miles from our home is the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve where the hillsides are blanketed in orange poppies, this time of year. Yesterday, we hopped in the mini van and took a day-trip to see for ourselves.

Not far from the reserve, we passed fields bursting with poppies and we couldn't resist pulling over to see them up close. We weren't the only ones poppy-pleased. A big herd of sheep merrily munched them and the children laughed and laughed at the blossoms hanging from the mouths of our sheep friends.

The reserve was impressive and I would highly recommend it to folks without toddlers. There are eight miles of trails to hike and the view from the hills is beautiful. But, the rules say that adventure must be contained to the trails since rattlesnakes are out!

Below is a slideshow with more highlights from the day.

fancy feet

2010-04-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

stained-glass craft

2010-04-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

I was really excited to make this simple stained-glass craft with the kiddos, but surprised by how quickly they lost interest.

First, I cut tissue paper into pieces and the kids mixed a solution of equal parts water and glue.

Next, they "painted" wax paper with the glue, stuck bits of tissue paper on top, and covered the collage with another coat of glue.

We let the finished product dry outside for an hour or so and...

Tada! A pretty stained glass craft for our kitchen window. We'll do this craft again, but first I'll put on my thinking cap to see how it might be more interesting for them. Any ideas...?

Sunday morning

2010-04-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

who says sick days aren't special?

2010-04-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

lessons in grilling

2010-04-13T17:08:00.001-07:00

spring has sprung!

2010-04-07T14:05:00.001-07:00

The evidence is in our back yard!

loquats!

2010-04-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our house, we weren't one bit excited about the strange loquat tree in our back yard. We watched the fruit ripen and even tested it once or twice to see if they were ready. Yesterday, I noticed a few loquat had fallen to the ground - a sure sign that they are ripe enough to eat. And they are! And they are delicious!

cutest cousins EVER!

2010-04-05T14:40:00.001-07:00

Oh, the little cousins were so cute together last night! How we wish we lived close together.

Easter eve

2010-04-05T14:27:00.000-07:00

On Easter evening, we celebrated with our local Szeto family, plus Tedd's sister and her boys who are visiting from Hawaii. Ninja and Yee Yee (family too!) joined us as well. Tedd is LOVING his new grill and put it to good use. I am LOVING our new home which has ample room for entertaining. (Slideshow, below)

Easter morning

2010-04-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

Oh sure, we have Easter egg hunts, visit the Easter bunny and give baskets filled with goodies, but the real reason we celebrate Easter is to remember the grace-packed gift that God gave us in his son, Jesus. Our Easter morning began with a worship-filled celebration at FBCP followed by an Easter egg hunt in the church park. There were too many sweet moments to pick from, so here are a few of our favorite photos with a slideshow at the end.

3rd Annual Buddy Easter Party

2010-03-31T20:46:00.000-07:00

We were excited, this year, to host the 3rd Annual Buddy Easter Party at our home. It seems like just yesterday that we were propping our babies up in sitting position to get an Easter photo. Now look at how they've grown and how many have siblings!

2008

2010

Thank you Ninja, Yee Yee, Uncle Ben and especially Daddy for making the party so much fun.

There was an egg hunt in the ravine:

Egg-coloring under the gazebo:

Beautiful cupcakes created with love by Daddy:

And more cuteness than you could wiggle a whisker at!

We are thankful for such wonderful friends!

the end of the day

2010-03-29T21:42:00.001-07:00

This is what our yard looks like at the end of the glorious day. Thank you, God, for these GOOD things!

boys will be boys

2010-03-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

Mud? Cars? Oh, yeah!

hello, grilled asparagus!

2010-03-29T21:33:00.001-07:00

this girl

2010-03-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

This beautiful little girl is curious and excited about life!

This girl is FUN!

Below is a slideshow of photos from this morning. Shown in the order taken, they are from our back yard where the kids played in the mud together for the better part of the morning. You'll notice the clothing gets more sparse and the dirt more prevalent as the photos click by!

CARS!

2010-03-29T21:08:00.001-07:00

JP is all about the CARS these days, so we lathered up in sunscreen and took some in the backyard to play.

We have a sprinkler that needs to be adjusted but JP was glad that the flowerbed flooded because it made the perfect place for a "car wash" and a splashing pool.

dentist!

2010-03-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today, JP and Tabitha had their first visit to the dentist and we were SO PROUD of them for being so brave. The dentist says that they both have really clean teeth and JP had his first in-office cleaning/polishing and was excited to show off his shiny teeth. Below is a short slideshow of the event.

Gpas are special

2010-03-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

a mother's love

2010-03-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

My mother went back to Montana today, after a two-weeks visit to help us transition to our new home. Before she arrived, JP said, "Po Po is coming to save us!" and he was right! My mother is generous, encouraging, wise, creative, and playful and we all miss her already.

Here are some photos of her and the kids baking goodies to take to Daddy and his colleagues at work. Thanks for loving us, Po Po!

Po Po and her babies

2010-03-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

We aren't sure who is having more fun these days, Po Po or the children, but we sure love having her here with us!

back yard fun...

2010-03-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

Oh, what a gift to have a yard of our own. (Thank you, Jesus!)

look what we caught!

2010-03-20T21:18:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, when Mom and I came back from running an errand, I saw a lizard by the garage. When I went to catch him, we discovered that his tail had been shut in the garage door! This was particularly unfortunate since the door had been shut for almost 24 hours. Poor guy! Well, we introduced him to the family before finding a comfortable place in the back yard for him to recover. And yes folks, my MIL is still speaking to me even though I chased her with a reptile!

Ninja and Yee Yee

2010-03-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

Another reason we love our new home is because Ninja and Yee Yee live just a few miles away. Here are some snapshots of an afternoon adventure in the ravine with them.

flower girl

2010-03-20T20:59:00.001-07:00

Puddingstone Lake!

2010-03-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

Just a five-minute drive from our home is Puddingstone Lake. The lake is 250 acres and is in the middle of the Bonelli Regional Park. Although it is a popular place for fishing, boating, water-skiing, and wind-surfing, we fell in love with it for the calm that nature brings, and for the many birds and flowers, plus wonderful trails to explore.

Below is a slideshow of some favorite moments...what a wonderful day!

wait...it gets better?

2010-03-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

So, we had just moved in and were feeling overwhelmed by the support of our family and friends and still trying to really believe that the new house is our home when it got even better...

Tedd's sis and her family were visiting when we took our first family walk around the neighborhood. At the end of the street is a culdesac with a gate that leads to...THIS!

Ohmygoodness!

Neighbors tell us that it is a protected nature preserve and that, since it is hidden within our small community, it is really only used by our neighbors - and rarely! What?! A natural private park at the end of our street?! You're kidding?!

As we walked down the path, dozens of bunny rabbits scampered from the trail. We passed lizards and a whole variety of plants that I can't name - but will some day!

Around every corner...every step of the way...we have found the most wonderful surprises leaving no doubt that this home was hand-picked by God. We feel overwhelmed with good fortune, blessed beyond what we deserve, and thankful for so, so much.

thanks, cousins!

2010-03-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

The cousins stopped by with a fantastic house-warming gift for the kiddos - a Radio Flyer wagon filled with balls...what fun! THANK YOU!

we have a new home!

2010-03-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

One week ago, our lives changed for GOOD when we moved to a new home in San Dimas. We want to thank those of you who helped us pack, haul, and unpack and those who showered us with encouragement and prayer. Thanks especially to our amazing Realtor friends, Mark and Carolyn whom we can never thank enthusiastically enough. We are so blessed to have friends and family like you and we hope this will be a home where you always feel welcome...because you ARE!

I promise to take some photos of the house soon, but for now - here are a couple of photos from the original listing.

kid tested, mother approved!

2010-03-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

cars are for girls too!

2010-02-24T02:16:00.000-08:00

Tabitha loves playing cars with her big brother and so this wooden-car painting craft at a friend's birthday party was right up her alley.

egg crate Chinese dragons!

2010-02-21T20:45:00.000-08:00

You too can make your very own egg crate Chinese dragons! In honor of Chinese New Year, we made these two as gifts for Mah Mah and Yeh Yeh. Below, are the instructions. Notice the change in clothing? Well, we made this craft over a span of three days!

First, cut a paper egg carton into two sets of cups and paint them.

After the paint is dry, cut the cups apart, trim them, and decorate them with glitter-glue, markers, and stickers of your choice!

After the decorations are dry, add pom-poms to the top of each cup.

Cut a dragon "head" from construction paper or foam and decorate it. We added glitter around the edges...

And googly-eyes!

Then, daddy poked holes in each of the cups and laced them together with ribbon.

Family crafts are fun! We should give credit to http://crafts.kaboose.com/dragon.html, the site from which we took the idea and modified it to make it our own.

sleeping beauty girl

2010-02-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

These are some of the very few photos we have of Tabitha sleeping. You see, when Tabitha is asleep...nobody wants to wake her up. This beautiful angel baby girl has a fierce and lusty cry and when she is mad...she let's us know! So, instead of checking on her at night, we just say a prayer outside of her door!

This day, she fell asleep in the car after a trip to the grocery store. We live in a condo, so I loaded the groceries and JP in an abandoned cart and tossed her on my shoulder. She slept through my one handed navigation through the parking garage, up the elevator, and across the bumpy bricks that lead to our doorstep. In fact, she kept sleeping on the couch until lunchtime and I couldn't resist taking a few photos of our sleeping beauty girl.

happy Valentine's day!

2010-02-14T19:43:00.000-08:00

Sure, Valentine's Day is really different with two babies (and one on the way) but that doesn't make it less meaningful. In fact, this day is one of the best Valentine's days I can remember. And here is why...it was all about love.

1. We started our day with a Valentine exchange. (Okay, fine...AND I received a gorgeous onyx toggle bracelet in a blue box from my #1 Valentine!) LOVE!

2. We went to church and were reminded of God's endless love for us and for all of the people of the world. Now, that's LOVE!

3. We went to a train show in Long Beach and the kids had a blast. My favorite was watching the kids ride a Thomas the Train locomotive and seeing JP hold his sister close as she leaned back into his arms.

4. We went to Borders and looked at books, rode the ferris wheel and carousel, ate dinner before the sun went down, and sang silly songs all the way home. The afternoon was filled with squeals of delight and so much laughter that my heart hurt because...

I love this life. I love that our children remind us to delight in the smallest things. We are amazed that we could be so blessed and I love...

I LOVE...my valentines.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2010-02-14T06:17:00.000-08:00

fingers

2010-02-06T02:31:00.000-08:00

For you created my inmost being;

You knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

Your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139: 13-16

we're pregnant...again!

2010-02-05T00:29:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to announce that our third baby is due on August 14! We realize that we are the luckiest parents on the planet and we can hardly wait to meet the child who will make our home complete.

love this face

2010-02-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

Tabitha @ the park....

2010-02-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

It wasn't so long ago that a park was REALLY tough for us to navigate. JP was eager to explore everything and Tabitha wasn't quite mobile yet. Now that she is a steady walker (runner?!) our park outings have become an almost-daily occurrence. Fun for ALL of us!

friends

2010-02-03T14:28:00.000-08:00

JP and his friend, Katie, act a lot like siblings. They argue (especially over trains) but they love...they really love each other! Here are a few precious moments from our morning outing to the park.