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!

Quick Updates

I'm sorry I've been so MIA on blogging. It's something I love to do and I'm sad I haven't been consistent with it...I will hopefully be getting back on track within the next week or so. BUT, until then, I'll just post some quick updates.

a) Happy Birthday to my Little, Rochelle, who celebrated her golden birthday yesterday. She turned 29 on the 29th in 2009. Crazy! I am so sad that we weren't there to celebrate with her, but I hope she knows we thought about her all day yesterday!

b) Ronan has been drinking, or maybe I should say sipping, soy milk! It's not something that doesn't come without some bribery, but it's a step forward. He doesn't really like it and sorta gags when he drinks it, but I know he's not allergic to it. We've made it taste a little better with some squirts of chocolate syrup. It's progress.

c) Riley is a fish. She is swimming so well and it all came without spending a fortune on lessons. Will we eventually put her in some sort of lesson in the future? Probably. I'd like for her to learn the strokes properly...but man, I'm impressed at how great she's doing! She loves the pool.

d) Our house is officially on the market. It's lost a ton of value since the day we purchased, but we aren't upset. We have accepted it. We just hope it sells. Honestly, I'm ready to move. I'm over Tampa. I know, what will we do when we are so far away from Disney?!?! Well, I think we've been really fortunate to have had the opportunity to go as often as we have and we'll take advantage of the savings on airfare until the time we have to move. And yes, I can't wait to move. I'm ready for our next adventure.

e) I'm obsessed with Big Brother 11. I can't help it. Every season, I watch and I get sucked in. This season is no different. I love having onDemand so I can watch it without having to fast forward to commercials. Does it mean that I have to wait a day to watch it? Yes, but it's worth it.

f) I'm super busy making things for WeAreFullofScrap. It's awesome. I just finished with baby announcements, bridal shower invites and I have several new projects keeping me busy these next few months. I have to thank all my friends who have supported me in this endeavor and ordered products from me! It's allowed me to stay creative!

I will be posting pictures of everything in the next few days!

Mexican Food + Mouse Sighting = Gross

Last night, I went out to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, Sinigual. Since it opened in June of 2008, Ryan and I have really enjoyed every chance we get to eat there. It's the one place we choose to go, if we ever get date nights together.

Recently we've even tried their $1 tacos on Tuesday nights and after our first time, we decided it could be something we'd do on a regular basis...I mean, it can cost more than that to make tacos at home!

But last night, I was there with a couple friends and while having a good time, I spotted, in the cantina area we were sitting in, a small mouse. It was so clear to me, as it was directly under the spotlight in that room...but I couldn't even scream. In a loud whisper, I told the other girls there was a mouse...we all sorta froze.

I walked over to the bartender and told him...he came over, called his manager and another guy came to try and find the little critter. After no luck, they opened the door to try and let it out...and the manager came over to apologize for seeing that.

He also went on to say that he had seen a mouse in the restaurant before and that he thought "they lived outside" and the reassured us that he would "let the mall know so they could take care of it." Didn't sit too well with me...so this morning, I decided to call the corporate office and report it. I am hoping they actually do something...because I'm pretty sure the manager wasn't going to. I have never seen someone so lax about a rodent being in their restaurant. He took 50% off our food bill...but I think it should have been so much more than that...

So sad because I love that place and you can tell me all day long that restaurants all over have mice and we just don't see it. That's fine. Whatever. But I SAW this mouse and I just can't accept that as a good answer...we'll see what happens, I guess. One thing is for sure...I won't be going back anytime soon...

Family Visit Finale

The highlight of our Disney trip, was of course, my birthday. I'm kidding. Ryan made reservations for us to have my birthday dinner at 'Ohana in the Polynesian resort. Although it wasn't as delish as it's been in the past (they changed some dipping sauces and marinades...) we still had a great time and enjoyed the rest of the evening at the Magic Kingdom.

Please note how cute the kids are in this picture...
On the last day of my parents visit, I did the normal Asian family photo shoot with the kids... It was bittersweet because the kids were so excited to be with my parents, cousin and aunt, but sad because we all knew they were leaving in a matter of hours...

Such a great visit with family and an amazing time for the kids to spend with their grandparents that adore them so much. Almost makes us want to be closer to Pittsburgh, with the exception of the fact my in-laws live there...but someday, maybe someday...

July Happenings: Part...uhh...4?

You can't have a group of Asians come to visit and not take them to the happiest place on earth! So, we did. We spent a few days at Disney and had a blast. Both Riley and I were able to celebrate our birthdays there...but, we'll just start at Day 1 of our Disney Vacay. Epcot.

Never have I had a desire to eat a turkey leg and after my parents ordered THREE, I still have no desire to eat it. BUT, they loved it and my dad literally finished his to the bone. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. He could've won a turkey leg eating contest.
My mom seemed to be having fun, although there was a ton of walking and even more rain...I think she was just happy for the much needed sit-down break...even if it meant watching my dad inhale a turkey leg in under 5 minutes. Makes my stomach churn just thinking about it...

And then came Riley's birthday...the big 7. Can you believe it? 7 years. How fast it flies by. When she was born, I worried about what I would put her in to wear to sleep, now, I worry about whether or not the shorts she is wearing are too short. I guess the worry never ends. BUT on July 8th, 2009, I worried about nothing, because she was having so much fun. Anything she wanted, she got...which I guess is okay, when Pa and Grandma are around.

We went to Hollywood Studios that day and here we are, waiting for the bus...

And yes, I wore my birthday pin, too. I can't help it. I like hearing all the birthday wishes wherever you go...even perfect strangers say it. I'm telling you, Disney is magical!

Ronan was nice to Riley...that was his birthday gift to her...

And here Riley is with her second cousin, Alin. They had so much fun together...I think Riley really enjoys having someone pick out all her clothes and hang out with her all the time...Riley got the chance to practice BEING a teenager, WITH a teenager...

Ryan and his Flea Market Purchase: NOT!

My parents are huge fans of flea markets. In fact, I don't think they miss a Sunday outing to Trader Jacks...and I was not about to let that stop us, being over a thousand miles away. We brought them to a local flea market and walked around for a bit.

Ryan came upon a booth and stood next to a set of wiggling breasts and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted to buy it and put it above our TV in the living room. You just have to love what you can find in a flea market.

New set of potholders, check.
Package of paper plates, check.
Wiggling breasts that jiggle to music, double check.

My main concern is why does Ryan look so stinkin' happy here...I don't get it.

July Happenings: Part Three

What July 4th would be complete without 'blow-off your limbs fireworks'? Yes, we let the kids hold sparklers We were standing right there, I swear. But, rather than go out and sit in a crowded parking lot, watch fireworks and then sit in traffic for an hour, we opted to sit outside of our house, do our own show and get eaten alive by bugs.
Our neighbors put on a good show, too...so it was nice to sit at home, drink a little and relax -- even though every time Ryan lit a mortar, I held my breath and prayed that he would run a little faster...

But the funniest part of the night was when Ronan decided to do his "tickle-tickle" magic on the most ticklish person in the planet, Rochelle. He literally had her squirming all over the living room floor, laughing and covering her neck from his tiny fingers. After about 20 minutes and some tears of laughter, he stopped...for Rochelle's sake. LOL.

July Happenings: Part Dos

The following day after beachin' it, my parents, cousin and aunt flew in from Pittsburgh. It had been a couple months since we had seen them in person and the kids were ecstatic for roommates and visitors. Riley shared her room with my cousin, Alin and her mom. They stopped for a second to take a picture...
One of the reasons my parents and Rochelle & Steve came to visit was not just to see our beautifully tanned faces, but for Ronan's long awaited Baptism or what I liked to call, "The Cleansing of Ronan's Original Sin." Normally, Catholics do this Sacrament within months of a child's birth...but we thought we'd be rebellious and wait uh, over 2 years! And I'm sure glad we did, because we would've never seen him in this cute little get-up as a newborn!

Yes, folks, it's a vest/tie and button-down all in one (buttoned UP the BACK!), sported with his brand new Shaq tennis shoes in a stark white. I have to say, he looked so stinkin' cute. For real. I just wanted to bite him! He seemed fine with all the attention and we were happy that Rochelle and Steve (the GodParents) could make the flight in and celebrate it with us...

But with every special gathering, there must come some sort of drama. And drama there was. Ronan's Baptism was scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on July 4th. We were told to arrive about 15 minutes prior...which we did. We sat and sat and sat and sat, in the dark church...and here Ryan and I were, stressed as could be. It was set-up for a Baptism, but there was no priest!

Rochelle proceeded to say, at 1:15 p.m., that if we wanted, we could perform the Baptism on our own and that it would be good...we could just splash him with some water and call it a day. All this time, Ryan was frantically running around, looking for a phone number or someone who could help us. He came back with the news that the priest wouldn't be here until 2:30p.m. Apparently, he had both July 4th and July 11th as the date of the Baptism and wasn't sure which one it was. (Can you picture me, panic-mode ON?)

So, to make the best of it, we had our photographer take a ton of pictures of us and within 30-45 minutes, the priest arrived and Ronan was cleansed.

Whew, at least the guests flying in wasn't in vain. We celebrated afterwards with some food, swimming and more food...

Amen.