smileface

thank you

safe and sound in santa rosa, california after 11 hours on the road (eek!). it's been a bountiful year- i couldn't be more grateful. here's a flashback of never-before-seens.

glendale korean sda church / eagle rock, ca / february 2009

my 30th @ chateau marmont / los angeles, ca / february 2009

the saesims / loma linda, ca / february 2009

alyssa's dohl / los angeles, ca / february 2009

pals / pasadena, ca / march 2009

esther's 40th / las vegas, nv / april 2009

my little rascals / happy valley, or / april 2009

rylan's dohl / pasadena, ca / april 2009

r.i.p. rhino / happy valley, or / may 2009

the gang / turks and caicos / july 2009

bellevue square / bellevue, wa / august 2009

bellevue square / bellevue, wa / august 2009

brady / porter ranch, ca / september 2009

elizabeth / happy valley, or / september 2009

seaworld / san diego, ca / september 2009

the shim men / san diego, ca / september 2009

sd korean sda church / san diego, ca / september 2009

rebecca / happy valley, or / october 2009

dahlia lounge / seattle, wa / october 2009

playa azul / tulum, mexico / october 2009

rascal flatts concert / portland, or / october 2009

kinderconzert w/CC / portland, or / october 2009

roc fellowship harvest fest / portland, or / october 2009

pambiche w/cousins / portland, or / november 2009

jenn's shower / portland, or / november 2009

wonder what's in store for 2010. i'm ready!

one week from today...

...i'm gonna get my grub on. yum.

have a great weekend!

a matter of principle

ladies' night out / ken's artisan pizza / november 2009

earlier this afternoon, the boy came home from a neighbor's house in tears. he was under the impression that this particular lego piece had been stolen from him. it was, apparently, a crime of gravest degree.

both parties were certain beyond a shadow of a doubt as to the ownership of this lego (retail value: 18¢). so when the neighbor refused to relent, the boy came home with his head hung low.

i could only think of 3 choices at that point- (a) buy the boy a replacement lego (b) tell the boy to suck it up, 'cause life is hard, tough cookies or (c) have him fight for what was his.

so i marched him back over there to face the criminal in question. and whattya know- he got it back.

what's the right way in teaching my kids the difference between holding your tail between your legs or giving in when it's the right thing to do? i have no friggin' clue. here's hoping for the best.

i-have-no-control-over-costumes-anymore halloween 2009

man, my kids love halloween.

they are totally into it.

totally.

every year i fail to prepare a costume for myself.

one of these years i'm going to get my act together. then i can be as cool as this mom. or this mom. awesome.

wishing you a wonderful weekend

halloween 2009 preview

"honey, welcome to my box."

volunteer park / seattle, wa / september 2009

in less than 4 months, i will be 31 years old.

for some reason i am absolutely petrified.

i feel like i've got one foot in the grave. (no offense to anyone older than 31 years...)

i feel like i have to go skydiving or learn how to shoot a gun or something.

is this what they mean by mid-life crisis? think i'm having a nervous breakdown over here!

a knight's tale

man, time sure does fly. back in february, during our month long excursion to los angeles, we had the opportunity to visit a medieval castle. did you know that there is a medieval castle in buena park, orange county? it's true.

this is before star wars took a strangle-hold over the boy's life, and he was still interested in other things like knights and pirates.

front-row, where the action is!

this mesh is meant to protect you from dust and horse excrement while you are enjoying a dinner of turkey legs. and judging by said turkey legs, the animal in question probably stood about 4 feet tall, i'm not kidding. also, everything is eaten sans dining utensils. i'm led to believe that this is the medieval experience.

my strawberry daiquiri was served in a mammoth chalice the size of a child's head.

some very excited participants.

our knight in shining flannel armor. THE GREEEEEEEEEEN KNIIIIIIIIGHT!!!! (he actually won the tournament to our giddy amusement.)

sir caleb and the victor. a great time was had by all. (my cousin lisa is curiously absent from all these pictures. i'm so sorry, lis!)

be yourself, everyone else is already taken

grossly paraphrased- the immortal words of sir oscar wilde

my poor husband just left for a 10:50 hockey game. 

me, i'm watching ina make a white pizza with lemony arugula followed by fudge cake topped with chocolate buttercream for dessert. (holy mother.)

men and women are so very different, aren't they?

i was really attempting to participate in NaBloPoMo this year, but kev took off to vegas this past weekend, kidnapping my computer in the process. mission failed. really, i was planning on an exercise in discipline. turns out, i'm not programmed that way.

nothing can peel me from my couch at this hour, let alone a hockey game. that is, unless ina were waiting for me on the other end with pizza and fudge cake, in which case, i might actually consider it for a second before concluding with an empathic no, gracias.

i feel sorry for my sorry-ass sometimes. geez!

the doldrums

i am so excited about winter. it's been nonstop activity and travel since the year began, and i'm ready to welcome the next few months of quiet. peace. tranquility. (but that hardly means i'm going to laze around on my bum!)

the plan:

- to read the omnivore's dilemma by michael pollen; 

- to perfect one very complicated recipe. not sure what.

- to make a giant quilt out of the kids' old clothes

- to be darned sure that i make a dent on this list

- to teach the kiddos how to sew

- to learn how to play yahtzee and backgammon

- to bake 5 things out of scratch

- to clean and organize my crazy closet

- to get the kids their own library cards

- to fool around with kev's digital SLR, get some practice

(on a slightly somber note: the kids' hamster passed on to the afterlife yesterday. RIP dear little rhino. you were a sweet critter, and we loved you.)

book launch party

behold, the star wars lego visual dictionary. we had to be there, no question.

that's han solo. (i know, it's a crying shame.)

the first 50 to buy the book that day were rewarded with a limited edition darth vader figurine. so cool.

prize creations were on display.

costumes, mutually admired.

sabers, in proud formation.

this lady leia went uncontested in the adult category for costumes and took the prize. (the storm troopers are employees.)

do you see my angel in there? just another face in a sea of anakins.

little cutie was the only contestant cheering on his fellow competitors- what a sweetheart. (the prize went to darth maul, however. well-deserved, i might add.)

the playing field was much narrower in the girls' category, as you can see.

can you guess who won? (adult size XL t-shirt and commemorative button.) good times.