A Hectic Halloween

Even though I had known for awhile that Halloween would be a crazy busy day, I was still not mentally prepared. The morning started out as any school day...making breakfast and getting the kids ready for school. After dropping off Lydia at school was when the madness began.

I made pigs in a blanket when I got home and went straight to Sophie's school Halloween party. After the party, we picked up Lydia's BFF Joia's mom Sara who recently had surgery and couldn't drive. When we got to Lydia's school, we watched their Halloween Parade and hung out in the classroom for a bit. Sara asked if I could watch Joia for a few hours after school while she rested up for trick-or-treating, so I juggled three kids while making fruit salad for a potluck. Then off to Lydia's old BFF Ava's house for a potluck, where we stayed for just an hour and then were off again to drop off Joia and go to swim class. Why did I bother going? Because I knew few kids would go today, so my kids would get extra attention. Yes, my kids were one of two students, but the teachers didn't really teach. Oh well.

After swim class, we met Lydia's classmates on a popular trick-or-treating street and went around for over an hour. The kids had so much fun asking for candy and seeing the Halloween decorations. Fortunately, I had slow cooked a roast for dinner, so Trung slapped together a salad and dinner was served. What a fun day!

Oops, I forgot to pack a white shirt to go under Lydia's Tiana costume. Oh well, she was still cute at the parade!

The principal and vice-principal

Sophie, Joia, and Lydia

At the Halloween potluck

Swim class...it was totally worth it to me to go because Sophie finally left the wall!

Our mini trick-or-treating team

Daddy only had a cucumber to offer

A Daddy and his princesses

The kids barely made in through the front door when they dumped out all their candy and started counting

Pumpkin Racing

Last year we came across the great pumpkin race at Manhattan Beach and it was such great fun that we decided to go back again this year. We had full intention of racing our own pumpkin this time, but getting a late start and having very slow service at brunch prevented us. Instead, we enjoyed watching other pumpkins race and non-pumpkins getting smashed.

Racing pumpkins with a view of the Pacific...nice!

The refs are such entertainers

Check out the rolling angry bird pumpkin!

Monster pumpkin (and the mascot for this year's race)

Riding the great wave, too bad Sophie burned her arm going down

We borrowed props from the pirate taking our picture

En garde

The friendly pirate...it's a coincidence that the lady on TV is wearing the same pirate he has in his hand

The pirate has two kids of his own, also 5 and 3.5 and was really nice to the kids. He even let them stab him a couple times.

Halloween in West Hollywood

Trung and I started our 4 hour body diet again and today was our first binge day and boy, was I looking forward to it! We enjoyed crunchy french toast and mochas at Blu Jam Cafe in West Hollywood and dropped by Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch afterwards for the kids. I had read that all the celebrities go to this particular patch, but apparently they all came the weekend before. For lunch we had Japanese bento boxes at Sawtelle finished off with milk teas and for dinner we had lasagna and green tea ice cream mochi for dessert. What a carb-ful day! :)

All ready for the day

Sophie learned a new "upset" look from a classmate where she turns her back towards us and crosses her arms...it's so cute!

Looking for pumpkins (and celebrities) at Mr. Bones

Waiting for Prince Charming

Yes, we moved all the way from Texas to ride ponies in California



Ride'em cowgirls

The pumpkins have been chosen

Lydia takes a picture of Mommy and Daddy

Drawing on the pumpkins

It's Thriller Time

So much fun until Lydia eats it

Trick or Treating as Ballerinas

Halloween is now in full swing! The girls and I walked by a Halloween set-up at the YWCA on the way upstairs to dance class. Of course, Lydia wanted to eat all the treats after class, but I convinced her that going to Brentwood Country Mart to go trick or treating would be more fun. Since the girls were already in their dance clothes and wanted to wait and wear their princess costumes on Halloween day, we just went to the shopping center as we were. The girls did have lots of fun going to each business and asking for candy. They even got free ice cream! Now if I can convince them that trick-or-treating at the Mart was just a special event and that not all stores will give them candy when they say "trick or treat"...

Creative Dance class with Teacher Luanice

Taking a little break from all the hard work of trick or treating

Swimming update

The weather has been off and on sunny and foggy, but we have been lucky that every time the girls go to swim class, the weather has been relatively nice. Lydia is still progressing well, though there was a minor set-up back when she kept putting her feet down when she took a breathe. Now she is swimming along and working on breathing to the side better.

Sophie had a rough start because she didn't care for the "boy teacher", but is definitely showing signs of improvement. I was pre-warned by the previous "Polliwog" coaches that she was too small (size-wise) for the "Guppy" class and that she should stay with Polliwog even though she completed all the skills. I took my chances and I am glad I did; Sophie stills needs the extra attention, but she's trying hard.

Sophie doesn't move when the teacher lets go of the board, but at least she hangs on

Sophie and the other little Asian girl would always be the ones left behind, but now it's just her. She told me next week that she will try and go, but we'll see...it is an awful scary experience kicking off into open water.

Soonmee and Minji Visit

My sister-in-law Minji and one her bridesmaids, Soonmee, who I befriended during all the wedding events, came to visit us this afternoon. I got to show them where we live and they even joined us at the girls' swim class! Thanks for coming out to see us, girls!

Lydia and Sophie were all over their new friend

Farewell and Hello

Yesterday we dropped off the last of Trung's family, his parents, at the airport. We had never gone to the Burbank airport before and were surprised at how small it was. Since we were already in the area, we decided to pay Trung's ex-girlfriend Angela and her family a visit since we hadn't seen them in almost a year. It was nice to catch up and watch her son Logan, who is 1.5 months older than Sophie, and Sophie play together.

Trung and his parents

Lydia playing with Logan's Captain America

Logan and Sophie peeking at us

The three year olds, with the five year old hiding behind her sister

After we had lunch, we drove 25 degrees cooler back to Santa Monica and checked out the Fall Festival at the Main Library. The girls just drew some pictures and ate some snacks, but really enjoyed the dancing celebrating the "Day of the Dead" that followed.

Lydia learning a dance

Creative Dancing

The girls have been taking a dance class every Friday for five weeks and this week the teacher finally invited the parents to come and watch. Unfortunately, Sophie fell asleep on the short ride over to the YWCA and was in no mood to dance, but at least Lydia enjoyed herself.

Lydia showing her dance moves

This was our second attempt to get Sophie to participate, but we failed miserably

Bye bye babies

The tissue paper was way more interesting than the present

New outfits

Thanks for coming out to see us!

Cheeks that go on for miles

Pure sugar, pure delight

Free cotton candy at Bloomingdale's

Welcome to Santa Monica

Playing with Grandpa

The pier

Climbing

Today we headed to Garden Grove/Little Saigon for lunch and grocery shopping. We enjoyed the always wonderful food at Brodard and Ma bought food for the remainder of her and Ba's stay. Then the gang visited Third Street while Trung and I took the girls to swim class. We didn't do much, but it was yet another exhausting day.

Abby and Gavyn loved climbing up the stairs

Happy campers

Sophie is adjusting slowly to her new Guppy class, mainly because she doesn't care for the male teacher, but at least she is still trying.

Lydia always has time to bite a hang nail

Sing and Maggie shots

Here are a few great pictures that Sing and Maggie took during their stay with us.

The youngest Ly brothers (not to mention the tallest and shortest) pushing their girls

At the Getty

Checking out the colorful leaves

LA at night

Trying out hats at The Farmer's Market

Me and the little girls

A quick shot of everyone (but Tai) before Sing, Maggie, and Fiona left for the airport

Fall Festival at the Farmer's Market

After a breakfast of Belgian waffles and sausages, the adults took a late morning jog with the kids in jogging strollers. We showed Sing and Maggie the famous Santa Monica stairs and the big houses north of Montana. For lunch we had Umami Burger and the burgers were as tasty as I remembered. Then we drove by Rodeo Drive for kicks and then headed to The Farmer's Market where we had dessert and walked around the Grove. After a quick look at the "Hollywood" sign, we had All You Can Eat Korean barbeque at a new place called "Road to Seoul", which was pretty good and quite satisfying.

The girls conked out on the way to The Grove

One of Lydia's favorite things to do

Lydia and Fiona really enjoyed the live music, too bad Sophie was in one of her moods

Cousins

Fall is here!

Milking them cows

Cowgirl Lydia

Pouty Pic

Taking over the walkway

Feeling a little like Goldilocks

A bored farmer cuts out a winged creature out of an apple for the girls