I love my children!

Aren't they adorable? Each has a sense of style ... sometimes my eyebrows raise (wish i could do that thing my sister Marie does when she raises just one eyebrow), and wonder how on earth they come up with their personal image! And all i have to do is smile because it was me who bought that jacket, or bright blue pants, or funky shoes. How on earth do they talk me into this? But at least I'll have the proof when they are my age and show them what they use to wear.

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!! Its always sweeter for me when all of my family members are around for the holidays. And of course, it becomes complete.

"woof, woof (Merry Christmas!)" says Momi and Hunter

It was a very white Christmas! We were again showered with snow, and headed outside to enjoy it. This time we were able to make a snowman!!

The all time tradition to take a photo in front of the Christmas tree.

And of course we did make cookies for Santa. When Jadeline woke up this morning she ran to the plate of cookies, and said, "Santa was here! He ate ALL the cookies i left him!"

From our family to yours, hope all of you are having a wonderful Christmas!!

..Merry Christmas Eve!!..

as per Jadeline when she woke up this morning! Its nice to see that children are innocent and have no idea how lots of snow, as beautiful as it is, can interrupt the plans for parents who want to create that Santa Claus exist!! Don't get me wrong. This is an incredible first - Its a beautiful white Christmas! And the only thing we can do, is to make the best of it... and make Christmas as magical as it should be. 

"Merry Christmas!!"

Around at home.

Trying very hard to keep preoccupied at home. Trying to entertain the kids but you can only do so much. What's worse is that i can only take so many pictures of snow or stuff at home.

Ornaments straight from Disneyland. Each family member gets a disney ornament this year. 

• Mickey - Bobby
• Minnie - Jeannie
• Goofy - Ashton
• Pluto - Troy
• Donald Duck - Jadeline

. . . family . . 

Our way of keeping the kids in physical shape indoors. Thank goodness for Wii. ;)

Jadeline loves helping make mapo tofu. Its one of her favorite meal. However, she wasn't raving about the fresh green beans.

@10:00 pm. That table is still growing!

Just when i thought the snow was done. It snowed again at 430pm. Remember my previous photos of our backyard? What happened to that gray/stone wall? I'm getting a little tired of this snow....

Kids and snow

What to do with all this snow?? It really feels like we're stuck at home - literally. So you make the best of it right? My kids are driving each other crazy and have just the walls to bounce off on. They've started their Christmas vacation early. A bit sad that we weren't able to hear Jadeline sing her Christmas songs which she has been practicing for a couple of weeks or the projects that she was excited to show us that she made.  Maybe next year right? Oh, and this did mean that they cancelled her Nutcracker recital that was suppose to be held today. They have it rescheduled for January.

We finished our Ginger bread house. But I had more fun. I found myself sitting at the table placing the last few pieces of candy.

So with all this snow.. the only thing to do is to play in it right? But it seemed like it took longer to get everyone dressed warm than playing in it. Well, i lasted not more than 5 minutes before I ran back into the house.

snow was just to fine/thin to make a snowman . . . we're amateurs. ;)

snowball fight? snow was still to thin!

snow angels? PERFECT!! Jadeline plopped herself down and was loving it! It was a mere thought for me to do that - that thought lasted 2 seconds.

Lots of Snow!!

I don't know how much snow i can take already! I've always loved it, its beyond pretty, it makes Christmas a little sweeter, but this is crazy!!! I've had enough! And yet Bobby and the kids just love it! I just want a taste of hot sun, thats all.

December 14 - a few days from what we thought was a lot of snow.

December  18 - i thought it was about to clear up. Not bad right? It is a pretty sight.

Today @ about 2:00 p.m. I was impressed! Look at that!!

Tonight - @7pm!! Incredible and its still coming!

I'm back!

We had to wake up 5am to attend our 2 1/2 hour breakfast talks. Thank goodness they had lots of coffee and a buffet breakfasts.

At a Covidien dinner I was drawn to this chocolate fountain - i couldn't believe how huge these strawberries were! And it was delicious! Yes, they also served dinner, but the shrimp and mussels weren't as good as all the food you could dip into the chocolate fountain.

Having more fun with the girls again....

We absolutely made it on a lot of rides. We rode this screamin' rollercoaster. We were all smiles the second time around.

Tower of Terror. We rode this 3 times, but it seemed more. And as much as we rode it, I still didn't get bored - i screamed everytime, and my stomach felt like it was in my lungs every single time. Melinda got us into this ride, and towards the end, I loved it as well.

the "A" from California Adventure!

One of New Orleans famous dessert - Beineggets (don't know the spelling). It was soooo yummy! Wish i could eat that every single day. I believe that it taste better in the shape of Mickey.  

Adult time @ Downtown Disney in House of Blues. Maquet dressed everyone up in these blue bling lighted glasses, blue wrists bands to get drinks and of course VIP passes to get into the party.

Yes, Disney @ night! I can't stop saying that its MAGIC!!

Sun and palm trees on day one!! And that was about it. Love how all that sun shines on us!

Cali was fun! I wish we had more sun, but with all the snow that accumulated here in Portland, I guess i could have settled with the weather in Anaheim. When you expect the hot warm sun and get wet rain and cold, it is hard to take.

I didn't realize I had taken over 400 pictures. Still trying to edit and delete a lot of them. 

By the way, we actually did attend the Respiratory conference. 4 days of  classes can really get to you. The 6am breakfasts was the hardest - i still work nightshift so my body is suppose to be in REM at that time. But i did learn a lot in this conference. I work in a field with an epidemic - pts who have lung disease. And as much as you think there is a solid cure. There really isn't - still lots of changes and new developments.  But what was great was to see hundreds and hundreds of other therapists who genuinely enjoy what I also love to do. We all have the same goals - we are all part of a team who help to improve the life of a patient who has lung problems.

Still in Cali. I'm back to PDX tomorrow

decorations around the house..

Christmas cards are made, signed, and are at the post office! Phew! Every year i tell myself to buy the ready made ones but every year, just can't seem to do that. I think I stress myself out.

Jadeline is all about the Nutcracker this year. Given her recital on 12/20 is on the Nutcracker. But it reminds me a lot of my mother. Growing up, i remember how fond she was of the Nutcracker. I couldn't help but to give that joy to Jadeline.

The stockings are hung! Love, love this part of Christmas. Something I didn't have growing up in Hawaii. Go figure.

Came across this from other bloggers. Clever way to use up last years ornaments. Love that I can use the ceiling to add Christmas decorations.

If you have ever been to our house, there's this small window in what we call the dining room. Its hard to even call it a window when I have to step on a chair to look out. Its odd. I don't understand why its even there. But this year, found these decorations at Joanns for 90% off - can't go wrong with that - it fit perfectly!

The advent calendar. A lot of people have them - just never understood it. A lot of people make an advent calendar - and place treats for each day, hmm... its just not my thing to make one. Yet i thought i  shouldn't deny the children just because i haven't educated myself right? I don't know why i never started this. Its so much fun. Every morning the first thing that Jadeline does is head to this calendar, find the date and pull out an ornament for the day.

my WISH list

hey it never hurts to wish.. i can't see myself buying this for me, when i'm suppose to be thinking of other people right? But shopping for other people of course makes me 'window shop'.

I was shopping for dvd's when i saw this:

I have all the other seasons except this one...

And then this. Its amazing scrapbooking with Ali Edwards. Yes, i really did a few months ago. The woman is inspiring. This is her latest book:

And one of my favorite stores where i want this but seriously don't need it!:

and yes the matching wallet...

And i'm yet to really think twice if i really want this or actually need this: anna maria's drawing room fabric: Do you know how much stuff i can make!!

its a bag full of scrap material - yes, it really all scraps... But you have to look beyond just scraps. it would make a great quilt!!! Or as Bobby would put it - 'ITS CLOTH!'

And of course can't go without looking at some camera lens:

And look at that.. this "window on-line shopping" keeps all my money in the bank!!! 

This was actually fun!

Isn't that a pretty lens????

the 2nd Christmas tree...

We have 2 Christmas trees. One was for me. And the other is for the kids. We have it in the hallway - upstairs. I stared at it when i woke up a few hours ago- and thought, "oh my gosh (from the angle i was staring at it while i way laying down), that tree is like a Charlie Brown tree!" You know the ones that you have to give a lot of love to? - our tree is beyond crooked and a little bare on one side. I was hoping that it would look a little different when i got out of bed. But its not. Its crooked! And i thought if i keep the lights on, move the decorations around, it wouldn't look so bad. The ornaments are the children's which we either make or purchase every year. Just noticed that green pickle ornament.. that belongs on my tree...

I love the holidays!

When I was in Hawaii a few months ago, my sister Marie turned me on to Kim Chee Fried Rice. and since I will never find that same meal here in Portland, I made my version. Which actually turned out great! But it was spicier than i wanted.

How do you like my butterfly Dollar tree?? I went shopping @ the Dollartree - seriously!!  This year, it was my turn to decorate the tree without the kids ornaments and without all the colorful lights. (Well, thats the reason we have a small second tree. I plan to place all their ornaments from previous years. I didn't get the chance to get to work on that tree because i had to work - grr.)

And every year, we head to Helvetia Farm to cut down our Christmas Tree. By the way, thats Blueberry bear - Jadeline has a buddy for the weekend. It was her turn in school to take him around; we take pictures and she gets to write in the journal. Blueberry bear had thanksgiving dinner with us, joined us on Black Friday, and watched us cut down our tree.  And yes, that meant i held her buddy when she was tired of holding him; hence that blue thing behind Bobby.