Happy is the hour

Though I plan happy hours twice a month, sometimes it's tough getting out the door.  But once the kids start complaining, I remember instantly why I need a mom's night out and am happy that I am away even if it is just for a couple of hours.

Kisses to everyone that couldn't make it

Cheers

Pampered

Every month to 1.5 months, I treat myself to a mani/pedi for $20 (+$5 for my French pedicure).  I've been going to Lynn's for over two years now and almost every time I go now, I have friends that join me.  Everyone deserves a little pampering, even if you are two!

Deborah, her daughter Emily, Danielle, and I showing off our nails

Lemonade Stand

The girls have been asking to do a lemonade stand for weeks and since today was the citywide yard sale and more people would be out and about, I thought it would be the perfect time for them to do one.  We had a late start with set-up and I spent a good hour in the morning baking homemade cookies, but the girls had a steady stream of customers and ended up making over $100!

The adorable lemonade stand we borrowed from a friend

The girls earned a easy $20 for helping actor Troy Fromin (son of the owner of the restaurant Fromin's) make a funny youtube video.  Don't worry, he replaced the "vodka" with water.

Too many leftovers

After baking all a dozen dozen cookies, I figured I deserved a break

First Day of School 2014

The first half of the summer went by rather slowly with the kids attending "summer school" and taking swim class.  After Hawaii and back to back family visits, school is upon us again.  We are looking forward to a wonderful year!

Sophie got Lydia's old teacher, Mrs. Lynch

Lydia got a new teacher to Roosevelt, Mrs. Israel, and she loves her!

My first and third graders

Chinese Schoolgirls

The girls were picture picked over a week ago to do an internet commercial for ABCMouse.com.  Then on Friday, I was informed that the job was canceled for Sophie because she didn't look Chinese enough...what?!?!  So, I sent a couple more pictures to the agency and soon received a phone call that she was perfectly fine.  That's what I thought!  The girls didn't have school on Monday, so that's why I let them take the job, but after finding out that there would be 48 other "Chinese" kids and that the pay was less than the norm, I wish I hadn't.  Plus, Sophie wasn't cooperating and wasn't even in the commercial at all and all she needed to do was sing her ABC's!  *sigh*  At least the job ended at 12:30 PM and we could continue on with our day.

Waiting for Lydia and the rest of the kids shooting the commercial

Lydia hadn't had a job in awhile and really wanted to do this one...probably so she could make some money.

The Calm Before the Storm

Since this was the girls' last weekend before school starting on Tuesday, we took a trip to San Diego and hung out at Legoland for a couple of days.  They girls hadn't been in awhile and had never been to the new Chima waterpark, so they had a really good time.  The first day we spent most of the day at the waterparks and then rode a couple of the girls' favorite rides from last time.  The second day we stayed dry and rode rides, and left around 5 to grab some dinner in Garden Grove on the way back home.

Sophie's first time in the "big kids" cars

Lydia (in the red car) expertly avoiding traffic

Trung on a platter

No amusement part is complete without a wound...Sophie's big toe got skinned.

We discovered this ride, Tournament's Arm, the last time we came, and we couldn't wait to go back

Breakfast at Starbucks (again), complete with pastries from 85 degrees Bakery

All locked-up

The Skycruiser wait is the worst, but the kids love it

The kids did all the work

Playing is hard work

Lion ate a sad little girl

At least Trung made it past the rung; the girls weren't so lucky

The girls burned their hands last time they did this ride and wouldn't go for the longest time until now

They went three times and still wanted more.

Action shot

Dizzying Bionicle Blasters

Waiting for our 4D movie

So long, Legoland, it's been fun!

Customer Appreciation

I received an e-mail from La Sandia Mexican Restaurant for their customer appreciation night when they would be serving free tacos and margaritas.  I usually go out with my girlfriends for happy hour, but figured I should hang out with my husband every now and then.  The restaurant got crowded fast, so Trung and I had to share a seat at a table, so we quickly ate and headed over to another restaurant for dessert before picking the girls up at my friend's house.  We rarely have date nights, so it was nice getting some time away from the kids.

  

Snow and Ken were there...no surprise.  :P

Walking home, we noticed the amazing palm trees down 2nd St.

Building a bear

The girls have been asking to buy new outfits for their Build-a-Bear bears (which they received at a birthday party) for quite some time, and since they received monetary gifts from their aunt recently, I finally took them.  They each choose one outfit and paid the difference to get shoes.  This will probably be the one and only time I go because I think the stuff is overpriced and the girls don't play with the bears half the time anyways, but at least they will stop complaining about going now.

Sophie really wanted a boy outfit for her bear to coordinate with Lydia's "girl" bear

I asked Sophie many times if she was sure that she wanted to get the tuxedo for her bear, and of course, the bear was out of the outfit when we got home and we was asking for another one.  *sigh*

Boogie boarding in San Clemente

My sister-in-law's cousin, Jean, and I have been friends since we moved to California four years ago.  Though we had talked about hanging out at the beach with them so many times, we hadn't until finally this weekend.  We brought along our boogie board that we had purchased a couple years back at our citywide yard sale, but had never used it until this trip.  Who knew boogie boarding could be so much fun!  Though the waves were rough at times, Lydia was strong enough to stay in the water, while Sophie often watched the rest of us from the beach.  We even had a "Baywatch" moment when Jean got stuck in a rip current and a lifeguard had to come rushing out to save her.

Trung had boogie board duty

Checking out the water

Trung caught a wave

The girls "get along" towel

The second day, we brought out the surfboards

The flags were moved over, so we settled in the same spot that we did the day before

Our great set-up

Getting chased by the waves

After dinner, we stopped by Balboa Island because Trung wanted to see the other parts of Newport Beach

Catching the sunset

Short, but sweet

Trung's sister and her family arrived late Tuesday night and spent the next two nights with us.  We didn't get to hang out with them much as they had already planned activities beforehand, but the kids enjoyed the time that they did have together.

With the Tran cousins

Walking down the beach path towards the pier

Mai and De

The Apple Store drew the kids in on the Promenade

Cute mochas at Amandine Patisserie

Celebrity spotting...Marc Blucas from "Buffy"

Have a safe trip to Nor Cal!

National Night Out

Every year, the Santa Monica Police host a "National Night Out" event with free activities and food.  We haven't been able to make it the last two years, but this year we attended and had a fun time.

We got there right at 6 and the girls were able to go down the inflatable side several times

Action shot

The carnival-type games where the girls won tiny stuffed animals.

Scammed!

Today we went to Din Tai Fung for lunch (Mike joined us) and didn't even have to wait for a table...gosh I love weekdays!  Then after grabbing a dessert at Phoenix, we headed home to relax the afternoon away.

Cute cups with a dumpling character

I may be smiling in this picture, but I was actually quite upset as I had just been scammed out of $2,000 (via the giftcards that we are holding) and had reported to Santa Monica Police.