More Dinos

The Conservatory of Flowers at GG Park is hosting a dino exhibit in a muggy room filled with ferns. It was kinda small and hot, but they had four dinos that made sounds when Huelan push the yellow button, so she pushed it and immediately ran to the other side of the room. Repeat about 95 times. We watched. There was also a red button that started a mini earthquake and volcano- that was pretty cool, but she only pushed that button about 68 times.

We picnic-ed on the lawn outside and saw three wedding parties and a quincinera taking pics and could hear the band from Oysterfest in the Glade. A very nice SF Saturday.

*Side note on Oysterfest. Liz and I absolutely love oysters, but there is absolutely nothing anyone can do to get us to line up for a quarter mile around the park for admission into the glade to overpay for oysters and drink beer from plastic cups with five thousand other people. Does that make us old? Cranky? Maybe. But we prefer to think that we just know ourselves a little better than we used to.

LeBron

Matt & Careey are expecting their son, codename LeBron, in about six days. Actually, it's exactly six days since they have a scheduled c-section on Friday at 12:00 noon. We stopped by to bug them a bit before the kid pops out and peep the new pad, which is basically all set up for the new arrival. That kid is gonna have a lot of gadgets....

Huelan Backyard Bubbles

I know this is a constant underlying theme, but I've actually been pretty good about not harping on it lately. Anyway, I'm succumbing today. She's getting to be a big girl, and it's going by too fast! If you haven't seen her in a while, check out the vid. Definitelty not a baby anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftr0_hFvetI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Choo Choo

The genius of Dinisaur Train is that it combines dinisaurs AND trains. Stereotypically, you'd think that it'd be a boy thing, but Huelan absolutely loves both. We've hit up the Tilden Steam Trains a handful of times, but now that she's been into DT, she has a whole train vocabulary, shouting, "All aboard," and "Time tunnel approaching" to everyone within earshot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9EmmsQQFSU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Dinosroooooaaaaarrrs

A little while ago, we discovered Dinosaur Train, one of the PBS kids series. It took about four seconds for Huelan to decide that it's her favorite show and now it's pretty much all any of us ever watch now. All of a sudden she's a dino expert and can't get enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkaM7hhC0z4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Dads' Day

Decided to skip the last day of the tourney to hang with the fam. Full day of sunshine and caught most of the Open on the DVR anyway, which was exciting down to the end. Even got in a nap and Q'd up some sausages for dinner. Giants lose, Dodgers win. No complaints.

Last One

Believe it or not, Kevin is the last sibling to finish high school.  The seven of us graduated from four different high schools and attended seven different universities.  Holy tuition.  Kevin we're really proud of you for accomplishing this milestone, and we've seen you excel at everything that you've dedicated yourself to.  Like shredding the dance floor in a grey sweater.  You're becoming quite the young man, and we're really excited to see what you take on next.

Some Grad Pics

Family Tree

 

Last week, Huelan and Grandma patiently put together this family tree, which is no easy task with our families!

We did a little early Fathers' Day in the Sunset with some pizza and some great cards and gifts. I was late coming from the Open, but still managed to score a bottle of fine scotch and a painted egg ornament. Both handcrafted.

Can't Believe my Eyes

Something I never thought I'd see...

Banteay Srei

PART 1 << Click here if the embedded vid is not working


PART 2 << Click here if the embedded vid is not working




In Cambodia, Banteay Srei is a temple filled with intricate carvings in the Ankor area. In Oakland, Banteay Srei is a youth group sponsored by Asian Health Services dedicated to girls empowering themselves that principally serves the Cambodian community.

More about Bantey Srei, including how to make a donation, here:
http://www.girlsempoweringthemselves.com/pages/index2.html

And for the past four years, the group has been led by my sister, Nhuanh. She works with teenage girls, basically trying to help them stay on the path toward becoming proud, successful, mature young women living in a community that doesn't always model that possibility.  She uses heavy doses of mentoring, art, and plain old listening to make sure that these young women can envision a positive life for themselves, and she does it amazingly well. 

Nhuanh has been planning a big move for quite a while now, and this year was her last with Banteay Srei.  A few nights ago was the final showcase of the girls' art and performances that they've been putting together all year.  It was capped off by the girls' goodbye to Nhuanh.  You can see that she's had a huge impact on them, and that though it's goodbye for now, the effect and impression that she's made will long outlast her tenure there.

Mel's BBQ at our house

So Melinda felt like throwing a BBQ, and we felt like it would be a great excuse for us to pull a few things together and have friends over, so we dusted off the grill and rubbed up a few tri-tips and had a party.  Side Note- our friends' pot luck fare rocks- from Spam masubis to lumpia, from crab dip to desserts (Happy Birthday Jeff!), and plain old liquor, there was barely a crumb (or drop) left over.

We benefited from a clear, warm day, and the kids entertained each other til almost 11PM.  Not even the Paquaio debacle could dampen the mood for more than a few minutes.....


More Pics here

This girl

Loves spam masubi

Besties

Huelan met Maggie last week at D&G's BBQ and was immediately enamored with her worldliness stature as a 3.5 year old.  Also, Maggie had a Hello Kitty lunchbox filled with stickers and stamps and a shimmering hula hoop.  All week, Huelan would talk about "Maggie, my friend."

Well today, at the Hardcastle baby shower (we are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of baby LeBron), Maggie was in attendance in all her glory.  At first, Huelan had a difficult time keeping up with Maggie, who has a year on her, but through diligence and charm, Huelan quickly won Maggie over.  Soon, they were popping bubbles, Maggie was helping Huelan bury her hands in the sandbox, and the strolled out of the party hand-in-hand.  Huelan even gave Maggie a little yellow flower.

I could only bear to watch them hold hands for a brief few seconds at a time for fear that my heart would explode from the devastating cuteness.

Playdates will ensue.

More pics here

St. Brigid Angel

In San Francisco, eighth grade graduation is kind of a big deal, with considerably more meaning than when I left eighth grade in Garden Grove.  My eighth grade class was probably 450 kids, and 90% of us would go on to the same high school, so no big whoop.  For Sophia and her classmates, totally different game. Her class was 36 students, and about 85% of them had been in the same *classroom* since kindergarden, sharing everything.  They literally grew up with each other, near siblings running down the same milestones contemporaneously, so at the end of grammar school, it's a serious parting of ways.  Students from St. Brigid this year will go on to about 9 different high schools, and only eight will go to Sacred Heart, where Sophia is headed in the fall. 

As bittersweet as that is, it's the natural progression, and we have no doubt that Sophia will make the transition with grace and good humor, as she always does.  We're very proud of you!

More pics here

End of May

Just like that, May is over and summer is kickin full effect.  Save for one or two days, the weather has been absolutely epic in the east bay, with long days of sunshine encouraging us to make full use of the yard and deck. 

May also saw a little bit of travelling- Liz went solo to a tropical wedding (Congrats Joy and Eric!), and I took a solo trip to SoCal for Jen's USC Grad.  While kind of weird, we both handled our solo trips (and more importantly solo Huelan stints) with aplomb, though there's no place like home.

With a lot of help from our friends and family, we finished the kitchen and thus feel like we are fully settled in the house.  The project list gets shorter and shorter, but still some biggies yet to tackle.  Next will be painting the family room, but trying not to think about that just yet.  For now, bask in the kitchen being complete and getting into a summer frame of mind.  It really is time for you all to visit if you haven't been by.

Some May pics here

Liz's pics from Joy's Wedding