Our first Cali Potluck

We used to have potlucks and/or gatherings at our house in Texas all the time, but haven't lived in a place large enough to host anything since we moved to California until now. We hosted our first potluck tonight and had a great time. All six girls ages 3.5-7 played together beautifully upstairs after dinner while the adults got to enjoy ourselves downstairs. Hopefully we can make it at least a monthly thing! :)

Six little girls

Just chilling

Halloween Disney

Since Lydia didn't have school today, Trung took a day off transitioning to his new job and we all went to Disneyland. The park was already decorated for Halloween, but nothing that really scared the kids like at the zoo. We tried a few new rides and of course, hit the girls' favorite "It's a Small World".

A giant Mickey pumpkin

Yes, matching hats...I know I know.

Autotopia, where the kids attempt to drive their own cars

Though Sophie can't even see above the steering wheel.

Snacking on Mickey beignets

Posing with Winnie and the Pooh, as Sophie would say

Maybe I should get Sophie to do some chores

Just hanging around

Peek-a-boo

Just look at those faces!

Ariel, Lydia's favorite

Chatting it up with the mermaid

Belle, Sophie's favorite

Tiana, the princess Lydia will be this Halloween

"Mad" Daddy and his teacup

Dynamite dolls

There she blows!

Pulllllll

Behind bars

Paying Minnie Mouse a visit at her house

Chasing after Daisy Duck

To infinity and beyond!

She can breathe!

Yay, Lydia comes up for air now and she keeps swimming after doing so!

Mad Men

I normally walk with Sophie to pick Lydia up from school everyday, but since I was coming from a play date and I couldn't find a parking spot at the post office afterwards, I drove straight to school. Why does this matter? Because I normally pick Lydia up and exit from the west side, but my car was parked on the east side, so I exited there and happened across my first paparazzi. Not for me, of course, but apparently for January Jones, who is in Mad Men and X-men: First Class. According to a nice paparazzi guy, she was at the pediatrician's office for her newborn son, whose father she won't reveal because it might be the director of X-men who also happens to be a married man. oooOOooo I started to drive away, but decided to turn around and a friend happened to be parked right in front of the office door, so the girls and I hopped into her car and we all waited together. We had the car window open and cameras poised and I was able to catch a few shots of the actress. Fun stuff! :P

The paparazzi's turn to get their picture taken

January Jones heading to her Range Rover

Nice shot, if I do say so myself. :P

Waterful Monday

This week is off to a nice start. First, the weather is awesome and second, the kids are happier than normal. Lydia held hands and walked with Isabelle all the way to school and Sophie has been in better spirits now that her stomach bug is gone. In the afternoon, the pool was nice and warm for the kids for class and they actually paid attention. Should be a great week at this rate!

I put the girls in different classes on purpose, but they still seem to distract each other

Sophie can kick and put her head under water well...now if she could just move her arms

Lydia stiffens up too in the big pool/deeper water

Citywide Yard Sale

I joined Tom and Jess at their apartment complex's front lawn for a citywide yard sale. I didn't sell much, but considering most of my things were free or going to Goodwill, anything I made was great. Trung watched the kids for the day and dropped by after lunch to bring me food and to let the kids play. I didn't do much, but was still exhausted by the end of the day.

Our set-up

Jess, me, and Sophie

The friendly Honda helpers, who were supposed to drive traffic, but didn't really do much

Crazy Christy entertaining the kids

Meeting Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay, a well-known chef, had a book signing at our local Barnes and Noble. We haven't bought a book in ages and Trung doesn't care for lines, but we did both because we actually know Bobby Flay back when we had/watched the Food Network. It was quite exciting meeting him and we both shook one of his talented hands.

Chatting it up

The girls' smiles came with a cost...a sugarfree mint.

Solemn Swim Lesson

Today showed signs of fall, which is great, but not for outside swim classes. We still went to the pool and since most other parents decided not to take their kids, the girls got more attention and learned new skills. Lydia is still working on her breathing, but she can swim all by herself now. Sophie is improving on her skills as well, though she always prefers the help of a teacher.

Lydia can swim now!


Practicing the breathing motion


Clowning around during downtime



Learning to bounce off the pool floor

Chillin or swiming?

Dunking for rings


Sophie started getting cold and wanted to come out five minutes before class was to end, but decided to stay after hearing that it was time to find the rings.

Bowling Babes

A bunch of families bought a Groupon for 2 hours of bowling and shoes a few weeks back and we finally found a day we were all able to go. The girls did okay for their first time, though Sophie, who was the youngest of the bowling bunch, got restless after a few turns. The adults had fun teaming up against each other; I hadn't bowled since the kids were born so it was pretty cool bowling with my own kids.

The bowling gang

The kids looked so cute in their little bowling shoes.

Lydia's first bowl

Sophie's first bowl

Sophie getting a lift (and an undressing) from Kim

Snoozing Sophie

Trung's way of cooling down

Dance Day

The girls attended their first dance class today. Most of the kids were in dance wear and so cute. The teacher is older, but seemed to handle all the kids quite well and preferred to have the adults outside of the class, so I only got to watch about ten minutes of the class. We get to watch the final class, so I am really looking forward to it and seeing how graceful my little girls can become.

Waiting for instructions

Already having fun

I was still preparing dinner when Trung came home from work tonight, so he read old baby books with the girls. I had stored these fabric books away for awhile and the girls found them during our move and just love reading them.

Legs in the air

I didn't think Sophie's voice could get any cuter, but her having a minor cold has proven me wrong

Back floats

The girls started their fifth swim session this week and their instructors seem to be pretty good so far. Sophie decided, however, that she didn't like her class this time so she has not been wanting to get into the water, but eventually does after a short discussion. Hopefully next week she will cooperate better.

Lydia's back float

Sophie's version

Aunt Minji performs

We had the pleasure of attending Minji's concert today in Irvine and witness just how talented she is. We sat in the balcony of the church just in case the kids got rowdy, so we didn't get a great view of the flying fingers, but the music was fantastic just the same. Great job, sis!

Sophie watching Aunt Minji play from the balcony

My very talented new sister-in-law

Mike and Minji, still in their honeymoon phase

Minji's dress wasn't from there, but we both love White House Black Market as the dresses may indicate

St. Anne's Carnival

After dropping Trung off at work this morning (he was still feeling a bit ill from the day before), I drove by St. Anne's Catholic Church and saw a sign for a carnival this weekend. I'm telling you, there is always something to do here! So, I called up a few friends and we made plans to hang out for a little while and then walk over to the church. The people were just setting up all the games as we got there, but soon everything was in full swing. Trung met us after work and we enjoyed some authentic Mexican food...yum!

Can you see the blue dart Lydia just threw?

Sophie basically just placed the rings over the bottles, but no one complained

Find the right key to the door and you get $10! Three kids won in a row, so they reduced it to $1.

Crack an egg and your wish just might come true!

Lydia's "California Adventure" birthday

The girls woke up bright and early in anticipation for our visit to Disney's California Adventure to celebrate Lydia's 5th birthday. The amusement park opens later than Disneyland, so we started the morning nice and easy with Lydia opening her birthday gift from Uncle Mike. Then off we went on an adventure, but not before changing the girls into their princess dresses. The weather was perfect, a tad bit cloudy, so not too much sun. The park itself was pretty fun, though the girls kept asking to go to Disneyland next time. The World of Color water show at the end of the day, on the other hand, was fantastic; it blew the one at Las Vegas' Bellagio out of the water. :P Happy birthday, my precious Lydia!

Happy Lydia with Angry Birds

Our first ride, Ariel's Underwater Adventure

Lydia as Princess Tiana on the carousel

Why are these girls so happy?

Need I say more. The things we do to pass the time during LONG waits.

Ready for 4D

Trung taught Sophie a new trick

Let me out! Actually, don't let them out. :P

Just before showtime and I got some final instructions from a little princess.

The Aladdin show was great! The genie was hilarious and the girls loved the action! Worth the hour wait!

The final song with the entire cast

My "boo" aka Cinderella

Two dancing princesses

Beast's library

Lydia's temperament is like Nala from The Lion King

Sophie is like Tinkerbell, our little spitfire

Interaction with Crush

Trung from Tron

Silly Daddy

A clip of the fantastic water show...a must see!

We'll be back! Especially if we upgrade to an annual pass.