Dreaming in Summer

 

Here we are spending the last day of July.  The summer break reached a mid point and I am still feeling doable and durable at this time.  I started the infamous back-to-school shopping online and started to look for Alyson's big girl backpack that would fit a binder and art works for kindergarten.  The prices of backpacks haven't fallen as yet and I am waiting for the right price.  Alyson vaguely understands she is going to go to Sean's school and they only speak in English.  Her English is getting better as she spends more time with Sean during summer, so I am sure it will be fine.  Sean's first grade teacher, Miss Lowy, is  going to be teaching kindergarten this year, so I think she will be Aly's teacher.  That would be great.  Sean liked her and she had an impressive positive attitude and organization skills!

I upped a notch in playdate frequency from the past week since I was starting to get bored myself.  I even organized a multi-family playdate at my house for kids from Noah's morning school.  Only a few showed up, but we had lots of fun chatting and getting to know each other.  I think I had a playdate every single day last week!  I need to contact several of Sean's former classmates to see if they are interested in doing playdates.  They had a group playdate at a park this evening, but the weather turned sour.  I wonder how everyone else is doing.  Funny, I hardly see anyone walking around outside like I usually do during the school year.

I am very excited that I am going to California next week to see cousins, Dave and Marge.  They live in Sacramento and we used to visit them often when we lived in Tracy, CA.  I am going to drive there with three kids and will be spending a night in Oregon both way.  I am hoping to visit Tracy and see some of my old friends and neighbors there.  I already can smell the sweet life Mike and I had in California.  We thought at that time, how great it would be to have children and dreamed of becoming parents one day.  The very house we found out we were pregnant with Sean...  If I do take the kids to see the first house in Tracy, I am going to tell Sean how we cried and hugged each other the moment we saw the "pregnant" appear in the pee stick.  The life has taken an accelerated path since we arrived in Bellevue and we are loaded with joy of having four children.  I wish I could slow down and enjoy every moment like I was able to during pregnancy and first two years of having one child. 

Some day, we will return to Australia to see friends and show kids where we used to live as well.  Just thinking about it lifts me up to a very far place away from the cluttered breakfast bar.  It would be so marvelous to show children how Cockatoos fly around in the city parks like pigeons and take them on a boat ride to Manly from Circular Quay passing the glorious Opera House reining above the blue shimmering water.  That would be my wish before my children leave the nest.  That would be a trip of a lifetime! 

Now that my brain feels airy and light from a pleasant imaginary trip across the pacific, I will go to bed now.  Maybe I will dream about Australia if my thoughts do not get clouded by those objects around me that are shouting my name.  I don't mean kids, but you know those things that are out of place and need someone to pick 'em up?  I think I will just keep my eyes about 20 degrees above my natural eye level!

Miss Little Red Cherries

We love Cherries!

Note Aly's serious face.  She was rubbing the half eaten cherry on her cheek to color her cheeks red!

Oh my!  This one is a clown!

Kids are funny in general, but I think my little girls are just plain comedy.  The conversations I catch while they are playing are just so funny, I wish I remember to record them somehow.  Their dessert today was red cherries.  Aly notices Saya's lips were red and decided to make cherries a make up tool!  She would eat a half of cherry and then rubs it on her cheeks and lips.  Saya copies her of course and soon they were both giggling and their little faces were made up like clowns!  I don't wear make up and it must be the TV and books they learned it from.  I washed their faces after dinner but they wanted to keep it like that since they thought they looked fabulous! It is so much fun to have two little girls close in age. 

On Photography

I have been fascinated by the art of photography lately and started to consider taking a step to become a professional photographer.  I enjoy taking pictures of people, buildings, random street scenes etc... and I love that I can freeze the time forever in a photo. 

As a first step, I finally pulled out the little manual booklet which came with the Canon I've had for several years.  I've always used the automatic mode for easy snapping, but boy there is a whole new world out there in the manual side.  I have so much to learn and I am taking notes as I learned something new about the camera as well as the photo editing software I have called Photoshop Element.  I get in my zone when it comes to photography and that is a sign... I really like creating  great photos!

I asked my friend, Hanae, to be my first model (apart from my family) and we set out at my choice of location in Issaquah last Sunday.  She has just completed her Yoga teacher course and will be starting out her new career as a Yoga instructor soon.  She was in need for some photos for her portfolio, so it worked out well for both of us.

The photo shoot was fun!  We started out just taking photos for her head shots and then her poses.  I was careful with the camera settings and I think the photos turned out pretty well.   I hope she likes the photos and they help her stand out in her resume. 

I am hoping to get a newborn and children models next.  I am very excited to build up my collections and get lots of practices with not only the use of the camera but also the techniques to bring out the best in people while shooting.  That is probably where the difference is - a great photographer capture the essence of people by making the subject relaxed. 

I am excited to begin this new goal of mine (old but new).  Who knew a few classes in college could plant a seed in me AND it is finally sprouting after nearly two decades later? 

Blueberry Picking

We had fun picking some blueberries at the farm near our house the other day.  We drive by the farm everyday and I was looking for the perfect time to visit it.  I noticed some flocks of people lining up to have the blueberries in the bucket weighed and knew that the time was right.  My friend and her kids met us there when they opened at 10:00 am.  I couldn't take Noah, so we went while he is in therapy.  Someday I will take you, Noah, when you learn not to run off like you do! 

Sean really likes to pick blueberries.  The girls were into it for about 30 minutes and perhaps because their shiny flat shoes got soaking wet, they weren't that willing thereafter.  Our little friends and their Mom picked a lot more than us and I know they are going to make something yummy out of them since my friend is an excellent baker!  I wish I were an excellent baker like her! 

We had about one and half pound of blueberries at the end.  The girls eat them for dessert after every meal and they ate them all in two days.  I am just bearing myself for the blue stuff they'll drop off in the toilet.  Sorry it's kind of gross, but they really do make a different type after eating a bunch of blueberries.  Girls aren't all about something sparkly and sweet :-)

We will keep up the annual tradition as long as the kids are willing - hopefully for a long time!

In Love With Summer

 

No doubt, summer is the prettiest season in Seattle.  It's like a different city compared to the gray drizzly seasons which are fall, winter and spring.  I took the sunshine for granted when we used to live in California.  Now things are different!  I love the sun and just seeing the clear blue sky puts me in a better mood (at least for the morning).

I am busy hauling kids to different places as usual.  Noah has therapies from 9 am to 12 pm everyday, so the morning rush continues from the school year.  At least we don't have to agonize ourselves when the school starts.  I load up the kids around 8:40 am to drive up to Redmond (I really should leave at 8:30 instead) Sargent style.  They often shove each other to get to their seats and a few screams can be heard.  I tell them to be quiet (tell is a nice way to describe it) and check their seat belts. I often forget Noah's shoes since I carry him to the car.  I also often forget his backpack, which is embarrassing.  Here I am taking Noah to his therapies and I sound like I need therapy myself!

During transit, kids often talk about funny things.  Like this morning, they were talking about who to marry.  It sort of went like this.

Sean: I don't want to marry a princess because I don't want to be a prince. 
Me:  Why not?
Sean: Because I want to be an architect! (in an annoyed tone) 
Aly:  I want to marry a prince!
Saya: Me, too! 
Sean: There are no princes in real life.
Me: There are!
Sean: How many princes are in America?  Like 10?
Me: Nope not in America.
Saya: I want to marry a dog!
Sean: You can't marry a dog!  They can't dance!
Aly: I want to marry an unicorn!
Sean: Unicorns can't dance, either!
Aly: They can!  Like this. (she pretended to dance with an unicorn)
All: Laugh

They went on and on about different animals and things to marry and how they might be able to dance.  Sean thinks getting married is dancing(?)  I asked him if he wanted to marry me.  He quickly shot down by saying "you are already married, Mommy!"  How innocent the children are?!  I will cherish their genuine kid moments like this while I can hold them close.

Summer is a wonderful time since I get to spend more time with the children.  It's tiring for sure and feels like running a marathon everyday, but at the end of the day I feel quite satisfied with my life.  I learned though that summer is not the best time to quit coffee.  It lasted only a week and now I am guzzling down java like spinach deprived Popeye.  Isn't that funny how his spinach came from a can?    I guess it reflects the time. 

Japan Trip 2013 Part II

I feel quite lucky to be able to go back to Japan again especially since my last visit was just in October.  I had to have a lot of help in order for this trip to be possible.  My parents were willing to chip in for the airfare, which was a big blessing since we are a single income family.  I feel like a 41 year-old baby to have my parents help me out financially in my ripe age, but happily accepted their help because I knew they really wanted to help.  My big hearted husband volunteered to take two weeks off from work and care for the other three children in my absence.  The best part was - he didn't make me feel guilty even one bit.  In fact, he said he really enjoyed spending time with the children.  He didn't miss any school events and stayed active with the kids.  I think he did more than I usually do.  Hmmm... what am I doing wrong?  I am usually exhausted and feel like I am barely functioning everyday...
All in all, it was good knowing that everything was being taken care of and all I had to do was just get on a plane and have fun.

After the busy weekend visiting Kyoto, Kobe and Matsuzaka, I met up with Megumi on Monday in Osaka.  We went to Korean Town in Tsuruhashi since Megumi likes Korean pop music and dramas.  They are very popular now in Japan and although I am not following that trend, I do love Korean food.  We got lost at first since there were no signs at all to lead us there, but we eventually found it.  We walked through a narrow corridor of shops and restaurants nestled tightly under an arcade.  It's a traditional Japanese market street called "shotengai" found in most towns in Japan.  Spirited shop keepers shout out their sales pitch inviting customers to buy their products.  It's the real typical living noises in Japan and one of those things I miss hearing in America.  I wanted to absorb the smell, the noise and everything else.  I've never experienced a feeling like this when I used to visit Japan often in the past.  The places and things that have some links to my childhood suddenly have lots of significance.  Maybe I am getting old... I pulled out my camera and captured it in case I forget.  An ordinary scene in Japan.  Beautiful!

Megumi and I chatted a lot as usual.  We had lunch at a Korean restaurant, but we lucked out on food again (last time, Megumi's taco platter didn't have any meat in them).  We ordered a buffet of Korean food and that didn't include any Korean barbecue!  The food was good, but I wasn't expecting a vegetarian lunch at a Korean restaurant.  We walked around a bit and for some odd reason, I decided to buy a ten packet of beauty masks made from snails.  Yes, SNAILS!  I thought it was different and interesting at the time, but it's incredibly gross now that I fully processed what they are.  I don't even like to touch them with my fingers and how am I going to put them on my face, let alone a melted version of them?  If anyone would like to have them, I am happy to give them to you.  After wandering around the street, we decided to go back to Osaka and have tea at a cute café.  They had opened a two new buildings near the Osaka station with stylish shops and cafes, so we decided to follow the stream of people heading towards that direction. 

We settled ourselves in an Indian inspired café with light and airy decoration.  We squatted there for a few more hours and talked about everything we can think of.  I always tell Sean that time passes quickly when you are having fun, but I honestly think the earth spins faster when I am with people I love to spend time with.  Thanks, Megumi, for coming to Osaka again to see me!  I had lots of fun as usual!

The next day, I got to spend some time with Kayako and her baby at her home in Amagasaki.  The baby girl is now walking and in a full blown stage of getting into everything.  Very cute age, but Mom has to keep an eye on her at all times :-)  Kayako was a seasoned Mom and looked happy.  Kayako's mother was there as well and it was so sweet to see her interacting with her grand-daughter.  It reminded me of how my Mom was with my kids when they were babies.  We talked about kids, our old friends and family life as we watched over our children.  It's hard to talk when little people are constantly demanding our attention, but it was neat to see our kids playing together.  Apparently, I wrote in my graduation note to her that I want to make our kids be friends.  So, the dream partially came true.  Maybe they'll play together more when they are older.  Since we attended a private school in another city, we always hanged out in downtown Osaka instead of visiting each other's houses.  I only visited her house once before and I didn't remember how it looked.  Kayako told me her house was damaged during the big Kobe earthquake in 1995 and the current house was rebuilt thereafter.  That was when I lost touch with her since I was studying in the U.S. and I was a terrible at keeping in touch (no emails yet).   We still have a lot to catch up and we will do so every time we see each other!

I was able to catch another friend, Chika-chan, out of her busy schedule.  We met up for brunch at a Japanese restaurant nearby and my Mom was able to join us with Aly.  If there is one person who is perpetually a teen, Chika is the one.  Not that she is immature, she is a successful business owner and definitely more mature than me.  Her bubbly disposition and lively voice have not changed since we were friends 30 years ago.  I wish I don't age like her!  She is always fun to talk to and I am so glad I was able to spend time with her during this trip.  Thanks for making  time for me Chika-chan!  Looking forward to seeing you again next time!

More to come from my trip!  Yes, I did a lot thanks to my Mom and Dad!

p.s.  Chika-chan's pictures were only taken with iPhone.  I am yet to upload iPhone photos to my computer...

Lately I am that girl...

One time back in Mexico, I played a game of futbol rapido (smaller soccer field with walls) for my friends' soccer team.  I participated in their practice only once and I had no idea what the heck I was supposed to do.  I stepped onto the court, the bright stadium light was glaring at me.  With the whistle, I ran as fast as I could in random directions.  Someone was shouting at me but it was only a distant background noise.  Suddenly, a ball came flying towards my direction.  What would a girl who'd never owned a soccer ball do with it?  I went blank - I didn't exhale and my body felt like a cold air.  In the next second, I took a big step and kicked the ball as hard as I could.  I am glad I did it because I still remember it clearly since it was hilarious.  I kicked the ball towards the opponent's goal and I nearly scored for the other team.  I got pulled out swiftly by my coach and never ever played a game again.

Why am I writing about it now?  It's because that silly me back then reminds me a lot about how I am now.  Now that the summer vacation is here, I feel like I am that girl in the stadium not knowing what to do with kids, the house and social life.  I have too many things in my head and cannot settle down!  I am running around everywhere and not much is getting accomplished.  Mike suggested making a list of to do's and I did.  That helped a bit.  I also read about the importance of meditation and I did it this morning.  That helped a lot.  It's not only kids that suffer from change of routines.  Us parents also sometimes have hard time dealing with the change. 

I am behind in posts but I wanted to share some pictures from June that I haven't had a chance to upload yet.  I still want to write about Japan and I already have it in draft, but I am going to wait publishing it since I have not edited the pictures yet.  Now that I am more serious about photography, I spend a lot of time studying about editing and camera.  I finally pulled out the manual of my camera and started to read it.  I was using only a half or less of functionalities available in my camera.  I am excited that I can actually do a lot to improve the quality of my pictures using the available settings instead of relying on editing software.  I bought a technique book for Photoshop Element and have been polishing my editing skills.  It's all fun. 

Since I am behind, I will add pictures that are not edited. 
I am hoping the daily meditation will make me a super woman and update my blog more frequently from now on!

We went on a father's day hiking to Bridal Trail in north of Bellevue.

We found some horses along the way.  He is peeking through the fence!

Saya touching the horse.  He is so soft!

Aly so wished she had a horn in her forehead and wings on her back.

This was our July 4th dinner.  We had Nana over and also our neighbor Jerry.  We had hamburger and lots of different sides.

The pictures are out of order, but this is from Father's Day.  I cooked salmon and various other dish.