Talk of the Night

At a Pampered Chef party last night, the most raved item of the night wasn't the pizza stone or the measuring cup that my friend, Christine, can't figure out...it was the ice cream dipper. Apparently, this bad boy has a liquid in the handle that is warming, so when you shake it up and head towards the 1/2 gallon of Breyer's Natural Vanilla with Vanilla Bean spreckles, it's supposed to scoop out like, "butta."

I haven't tried it yet, but I am thinking I need to order me one! What are your favorite Pampered Chef items out there? What can't you live without?

Long Overdue (and I'm not talking about pregnancy!)

I probably won't have pictures in this post for one main reason. I'm a bad Asian. Often times, I have been depended upon as the resident photographer but for some odd reason, I have just not had it dangling from my neck these past few weeks. I think I'm just going to chalk it up to pure laziness. Yeah, that's it.

So, in this post, I'll be providing you with mere text updates. If you don't feel like reading, call me and I'll read the post out loud to you. (I'm kidding...)

I. I've been busy volunteering on PTA. If you aren't a parent, then you probably don't know what it is, but let's just say I make things happen. And when I say things, I mean LOTS of things. I am the VP of Membership and my main job was to get parents, teachers, community members to join. I might not be successful with working out on a regular basis, or showering, but I think I was really good at this job. So far, we have a total of 321 members (a 72% increase from last year!) and each day, we get a couple more here and there. That says a couple things. Either parents are really interested in what's happening at their child's school OR, I'm really good at this job. I am going with the latter.

II. Ronan does this new thing and while I'm ecstatic he is speaking in sentences...he says "ah-bah-bah-bah" for no reason. And, he thinks it's funny. It started around the time of his Baptism when Rochelle and Steve came to visit. He will say, "I gotta tell you sumpin." Then one would answer, "what's up, Ronan?" And then his response would be "Ah-bah-bah-bah. I got chu!" What it means, I have no idea, but it makes him laugh and that's enough for me. Now, if only he would just pee in the potty. We'd have progress.

III. Riley sends us notes under the door. I know, you're thinking...how cute! But, it's not because she's trying to be cute, it's because she's upset. The other day, we had a note that said:

Do you like Ronan more than me? Please check 'yes' or 'no' (with sad and happy faces corresponding).

Does this make me a bad mom because I ran out into the livingroom giggling? I did respond with a note slid back under her door reassuring her we love them both the same. (Well, at least on most days!)

IV. The Pediatric Dentist Visit. Not so fun, I must say. Ronan 0, Riley 8. I'm talking cavities, people, not tattoos. It was absolutely devastating and it's all my fault. I'm not one to floss her teeth...well, I wasn't, until that night! BUT, the worst part was how the dentist and the staff made me feel about the number of cavities she had. I honestly thought I was going to have CYS knocking on my door that night. Riley was traumatized because she's heard horror stories from her fellow 7-year-old friends who've said that the dentist drills all the way to her brain, but whatever...let's just say she cried from the minute we left the office until an hour after we got home. And no, she didn't even have them filled yet! We're still talking about what we're going to do...but whatever it is, it's going to require lots of nitrous oxide and alcohol and probably some nitrous oxide for Riley too. Stay posted on this...

V. Toy Story Mania for the Wii is awesome. If you have a Wii, get it and play. It could entertain me for hours. But, I also have the brain mentality of a 6-year-old...so that would explain it.

I will put pictures in the next post, I promise. But, until then...know that we are all happy, healthy, and well, sweaty in this humid Florida heat.

My pack-pack momma...

It's the little things in life that seem to make Ronan happy. A tiny car... A tiny nugget... Or a tiny new backpack (or pack-pack) from Pa via the Fed Ex man in the big, white truck.
When he saw the pack-pack in the box, he pulled it out, as if he knew it was his. He asked what it was and when he realized it was, in fact, for him...he couldn't contain his excitement. We place the two Thomas the Train books inside and there he was, happily displaying his new bag, his new pack-pack for school.

He said two adorable things. 1. My show Why-wee (Riley) my pack-pack, momma? My show Why-wee?! and 2. I wub (love) it. I wub my pack-pack.

And because he's Asian and know what to do when the camera comes out...he struck a pose. What a ham. Hopefully that pack-pack will last another three freaking years, because I guess that's how long I'll have to wait before he'll be in school full-time. Thanks, December baby.

Fun with Family

Living in Florida, we've been quite fortunate to have the opportunity to spend some time with family. The weather happens to be a great incentive for family to come and visit us (thanks Jason & Courtney, Pa/Grandma/Aunt & Alin). But, lucky for us, we have even more family close enough that we can pretty much see them without having to book plane tickets or plan months in advance. You can't beat that!

Ryan's cousin lives not too far from us and invited us to meet up with them this past weekend at a resort they were staying at close by. You just can't pass up the chance to go swimming on a hot day and spend time with people you actually enjoy being around! Riley and Mikenna are second cousins and a year apart (Mikenna is younger, can you believe it?!)
They had a blast together , as did Ronan and Adin. Ronan doesn't ever really have the chance to hang out with boys here, so he was soaking up the rough-housing and expenditure of energy with his second cousin....

And of course, how can you forget precious Morgan...she's the baby in the group and such a happy baby!

It's not easy to get 5 kids to look up at a camera. But, you get the point...they are cute.

We ended our evening at Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, where Ryan's other cousin met up with us and had a great time watching the chef throw shrimp and make volcanoes while we stuffed ourselves so full, we had to be rolled out of the restaurant. Love me some of that white sauce they serve there....why oh why did Benihana Pittsburgh stop making that, I'll never know...

Thanks to Mike and Alana for a fun day!!!

Our Hula Hooping Queen

This video does Riley no justice because if you saw her in person, you would see how truly awesome she is at the hula hoop! I say this because in her first few attempts, she exhibited nothing but frustration and anger...but somehow, (sans the help of her uncoordinated parents -- don't even ask to see Ryan try and hula, it's a scene all in itself!) Riley taught herself how to do it.

Seeing her tonight, she barely moves her hips and I swear, it looks like the hula hoop is moving on its own!

Just so great to see Riley do something she enjoys doing and how well she actually does it! Hopefully this motivation and excitement continues to her studies of multiplication in the future! LOL.

Exhausted

...and how couldn't you be, when your day consists of playing, eating, playing and more playing...
Ronan loves his toys. He loves his cars and he loves playing with those cars. He played so hard that at around bedtime one night, in the middle of playing, he passed out...

And yes, those are pizzelles you see on the plate in front of him. He never did get the chance to eat them....

Happy "7 years from Retirement" Anniversary

13 years ago today, Ryan joined the Coast Guard. Happy Anniversary, Ry! So proud of you and appreciate everything you do for our family so that we have the life we do. Love you!

Size DOES Matter

...especially when it refers to the height of a 7-year-old AND a 2-year-old.

In a mere 20 days, Riley grew a 1/4 of an inch and Ronan shot up an entire inch. Insane.

Momma: Oh my gosh, Ronan, you grew one inch!

Ronan: My big momma?

Momma: Yes, Ronan, you are getting bigger.

Riley: How can he grow when he only eats chicken nuggets? He doesn't eat anything!

Momma: I have no idea, Riley. I'm surprised by it, too.

Riley: I'm going to eat nuggets tonight.

First Day of School: Big Time Second Grader!

A lot can happen between 1st and 2nd grade...or so I hear! Riley turned 7 in July and watched as nearly all of her friends lost teeth and more teeth...and more teeth. Riley, on the otherhand, hasn't lost ONE tooth. She still has all of her baby teeth...and it makes her sad. She checks all the time to see if any are loose -- but here she is a big 2nd grader with all her teeth. It'll happen though...(at least that's what we keep telling her!)

She told me after Rochelle's wedding that she wanted to wear her hair curly for the first day of school this year. So, for 4 months, that's all I heard. I bought her a curling iron and this morning, that's what I spent 25 minutes doing to her hair.
And as excited as Riley was to start her first day back at school, so was Ronan...mainly because he thought he was going to school too. Poor little guy. Although, I don't think he's too sad now because he has all my attention!

It was a beautiful day for the first day of school! Nice enough to walk -- but we didn't. I drove, all of 1 mile -- but I am chalking it up to the fact that I wanted Riley's curls to stay in tact. Yeah, yeah, humidity would have pulled those curls right out!

And here is my baby girl...mortified that I wanted to take her picture at her desk. It was her and two or thee other classmates in the room and when I said, "Riley, smile at me!" She looked at me quickly and mouthed, "no, momma, please!" It was quiet, but I got the message and snapped a couple pictures while I had the chance, kissed her and said my good-bye for the day. She's a big girl now...and it's just going so fast, I can't believe it.

Happy 1st day of SECOND GRADE, Riley! Love you, baby.

Life's A Beach

...especially when you live by one! We hit Coquina Beach this weekend for the day and it was B.E.A.U.tiful. The water was warm and clear and with just a few clouds in the sky, we spent hours enjoying the warm weather and free entertainment for the kids.
Can't wait to go back....

Uncle Mike

Recently, my younger brother and his girlfriend moved to the east side of Florida, as part of her career with the Air Force. Although it saddened my parents to see their youngest go, it was a welcome move for me, as I knew it would give my babies a chance to get to know their Uncle Mike so much better.

A couple weekends ago, we all decided to meet up at Sea World in Orlando (a halfway point for both of us) and we spent the day in the sweltering hot and then the terrential downpours that is Florida weather. It was a great time, though...and most importantly, the kids could not wait until they could see their Uncle Mike again.
Believe it or not, there was NOONE waiting to get their picture taken with the Polar Bear. I know. Crazy, right? Seriously, though...everytime you see fixtures like this in any theme park, there are always crowds of people waiting to have their kids' picture taken and they don't care if they are in the background of someone else's photo. This time around, we had no wait and we weren't rushed...until the Shamu Show let out and we could see the crowd rushing towards us.

This is my baby brother, Mike...whom Riley adores!!! He loves to thumb wrestle with her, tease her about going through all of her toys, but most of all, he enjoys playing with the kids and makes them feel like they are the only people in the room...

Here he is with his girlfriend, Jess. We were patiently waiting for the Shamu Show...which ended being canceled after we got to our seats an hour earlier. Thank you, lightning.

Ryan was happy we had a break, but I think he was about ready to pass out.

And then during the week, Mike came to Tampa to visit us and hang out. He took us out to dinner to Carrabbas Italian Grill...delish!

(They let you play with dough there...which, if you know my texture-freakout child, you know it's a big deal that he's touching it. He loved it.)

...And so did Riley, as you can tell by her hands! Thanks, Uncle Mike!!!!

Career Change, Please!

While everyone in high school was wanting to go to ivy league universities or party schools, I remember how badly I wanted to go to pastry school. I wanted to be a chef and make cakes. BUT, being that I was going to depend solely on mum and dad to pay for school, I reluctantly went to a local state college and passed over my dream. I didn't know any better. I was a lost soul in college and honestly had no idea what I was going to do with my life. I spent the first two years at the University of Pittsburgh "undecided" and galavanting in this dreamy life I had away from home.

Then reality set in. I had two more years to finish up school and I was without any direction or drive. I thought the answer was to transfer to a smaller university where I'd have more personal attention. I did. And racked up the college loans alright! (Sorry, Dad.) I had no idea what I wanted to do there, either. It was so bad that I switched majors at least a dozen times (in my head) and ended up losing an entire year of credits. I wanted to be a teacher, but was scared to mold young minds...nevermind that I have a fear of public speaking!

So there I ended up with a Bachelors in Communication (focusing more on public relations) and off I walked into the horizon with my diploma in one hand and my hair in the other...because let's be realistic, what the freak was I going to do with my life?!

Luckily, I quickly found a job (networking was a must!) and spent a year and a half in PR. I liked it, but it stressed me out. Then I got pregnant (with Riley) and decided to make a career change. What did I do? What any other Asian does when they aren't sure what else to do! Nails. [No offense to any nail techs...I love ya.]

And then moving with the Coast Guard, well, I dropped out of the beauty industry and focused on being a mom while doing other various things...but I still, to this day, wish I would have stuck with my first dream -- because who knows, maybe I'd STILL be doing it.

So where is this coming from you ask? I watch TV...answer your question? With shows like Ace of Cakes and Cake Boss, I can't help but wish that I was doing that and maybe, just maybe I'd be slightly successful in that field.

Oh well, what can ya do? Maybe once the kids are both in school and I have the itch again, Ryan will support me and let me go back to try it out!!! Until then, I'll just eat cakes instead!

Happy Anniversary (1-day-late posting...)

8 years ago yesterday, I was at my brother-in-law, Jason's wedding...I didn't know that in these short 8 years, his wife would become one of my BFF's AND, that Jason, Courtney and their kids would be one of the few people to stick by us through thick, thin and, well...the ugly.

Jason and Courtney have always, always, always been there for us. They stayed with us when they came to visit Pittsburgh and when we moved to San Diego, they promised they would see us -- and they kept that promise. They've even come to see us here in Florida! (But why wouldn't you want to come here and go to see Mickey Mouse, right?!) Ryan and I love them so much and we wish them a Happy Anniversary (yes, I swear, I called them yesterday, too!) and are looking forward to at least 50 more! Old and wrinkly they will be, but I'll still love them!

Some Fun Contests

You cannot tell me you don't like to win something some of the time...I, rarely win anything, but I will admit, I love the adrenaline rush of getting the entry in and waiting and waiting and waiting to see, well, someone else's name get the one thing you really wanted.

One of the blogs I love to read happens to be one from a former highschool classmate, turned virtual blog friend, Dr. BabyMamaDrama. My husband reminded me, after I told him about her blog, that she was a genius in highschool. I corrected him and told him, "oh, babe, she's still a genius!" She makes me laugh and inspires me...and, she's doing a contest.

From her blog, I connected to another blog and although I haven't followed it from the beginning, it's a fun read. She's doing a giveaway too! Check it out!

Any of you have great blogs you read often you'd like to share? Post a comment!

Through Ronan's Eyes

Most people would cringe to know that I hand my children my camera so they get the opportunity to take pictures. I will say that I did not let them touch it when it was brand spankin' new, but now that it's a couple years old, I'm okay with them walking around on my carpeted floor snapping away.

Generally, I end up deleting several hundred photos by the end of the session. Most are blurs or spots of white and others are random pieces of furniture in the house. All, are at 35" in height...or all at Ronan's eye level.

After I got the camera back from the little dude, I found there were more keepers than tossers, and just had to share some cute and funny pictures from Ronan's view...
He spent most of his time taking pictures of his sister. She must have told him to snap away because there were too many to count - but this picture of her was the clearest I could find. By the shear amount of Riley pictures, you can tell she is his ultimate favorite in this house.

Then there I am...wow, couldn't have dressed up for the photo shoot, I guess. I'm reading here...

He and Ryan had a fun time taking pictures. Ryan looks slightly possessed, doesn't he?

And no photo shoot is complete without some sort of self portrait. Must squeeze those cheeks.

Stop Being So Cute!

Every single one of my mommy friends has says this about their own child. AND, I think each of them is justified. Their kids are freakin' cute. But, I can't help but think my kids are the cutest when they have moments like this...

I have experienced some hysterical moments with these kids this summer. They have had instances where they play so well that I have no idea where they are and then I peak into Riley's room, to see them both playing with Barbies. Since then, Ronan has his own Jonas brother doll I got him. Hey, it's a boy and it's the same size as Riley's other Barbies. Would Ryan have liked a Star Wars character better? Sure, but it was a quarter of the size for almost double the price. (Joe Jonas was on clearance.)

I have also witnessed scary moments when I hear them both screeching at the top of their lungs, ending with Ronan yelling to Riley, "Wi-wee, you mean!" And then Riley responding, "I don't want to live with you anymore!" Does it make me sad? For a split second, yes. Then, the giggles come out when Ronan is pounding on Riley's door, begging to come in and "pway" again and then they are back on the floor with the Barbies.

With all the good and bad that happens during the day, I can't think enough about how thankful I am for those two little nuggets...and it doesn't hurt that they are so stinkin' cute!

Support a Fellow Coastie Chick

Sometimes while I browse the web, I come across the cutest things...and it just so happens that a fellow Coastie wife makes it!

It's soap! And, it's cute!!! Check out her site and see just how cute her stuff is!

"My Happy, Momma?"

There have been some things going on here (that I won't go into detail about right now), but it's basically put me to tears. The past 24 hours have been insane and unfortunately, I can't control my emotions really well around the kids. So here I've been dragging along a towel to wipe my tears and blow my nose...as my adorable children follow me around the house asking me if I'm okay. I know I've made my share of parenting mistakes (ie, bribing with cookies, manual labor, not changing a diaper right away, etc.) but I know that Ryan and I have taught our kids compassion and love when you hear them say:



Ronan: Momma, you cwying? You sad? Come talk to me 'bout it?



Riley: Momma, don't be sad. When you cry, you're face gets all red and puffy and your nose looks like a clowns nose. I'm not trying to be mean. I'm just telling you the truth.



Ronan: Momma, you get hurt? You cwying? Somebody hit you? My hit chu my toy? My sowwy.

Anyway, after those little conversations, how could I keep crying, right? I'm lucky I have little ones around me that are so caring and cute...definitely helps get me through a rough day, even if they DO fight more than they get along.

Staycation at Coquina Beach

As much as there are days I have here where I wished I was somewhere else...I can't help but be thankful for the opportunities we have to hit the beaches that are relatively close by.

I'll be honest when I say that I am not a huge fan of sand. Sand without kids, okay. Sand with kids, not so fun. I can't say that sand is always a bad thing...it definitely keeps the kids entertained and does a great job exfoliating -- but cleaning the sand afterwards is a clean-freak's nightmare. Can I just say 'cracks and crevices'?

The water was clear as could be this past Saturday. We could see thousands of fish swimming by us...and not just tiny ones, either. I sorta freaked out a bit when I saw how close they were to my legs. I know, this is where they live, I get it. BUT, it still is kind of strange to have them swim by your feet and legs... Needless to say, the kids and I did a lot of screaching and wriggling, but all-in-all, we had a great time in the warm water.

Only a few more weekends before school starts, but we're hoping we can make the beach outings a normalcy until it gets too cold to go anymore... it would definitely be a good way to maintain a year-round tan!

Prayers for ROWAN

When I was pregnant with both of my kids, the one thing I was asked more often than I wanted was whether or not I wanted a boy or a girl. Of course, the politically correct thing to say was, "I just want the baby to be healthy" but honestly, that's what I wanted...that's what every parent wants. Would I be lying if I said I didn't care? Yes, I cared. I wanted to know what I was having, I just didn't have a preference...I'm a planner, people...pink or blue, okay?

So then came Facebook and there, I connected with lots of old friends...many of which had become moms, just like me. One of those moms, though, has become really special to me, unbeknownst to her.

One of my sorority sisters, Liz, has a son Rowan, who was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disease known as OMS (Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome). I didn't know much about it until I connected with her on Facebook and did some research myself. It's hard to pinpoint for me, why I'm attached to Rowan's story. Maybe it's because I have Ronan and they are around the same age...or maybe it's because I no understanding of why little kids can get sick like they do. BUT, my main purpose in blogging this is for exposure and education.

There are many diseases out there that I know very little about, but it doesn't hurt to learn, right?

Read about Rowan...he's an incredible little man with an amazing family.

Thanks, Liz, for letting us into this part of your family's life...big hugs!