Easter in Utah

We decided we needed to make a trip to Utah because of this guy. . .

Caleb will be heading out to his mission in June and we couldn't see him then, so we decided to see him now.  The kids were so excited, so was I.

We left Friday evening and drove all night.  Man, each time Ben and I do it, it gets harder and harder as we get older.  I'm so tired when we arrive.  We arrived Saturday morning.  We had a Easter Egg Hunt with all of the family.

Then we did a birthday party for Mom and Dad.  Their birthdays are only a week apart.  Hannah and Abby decorated the night before so it would be a surprise when they woke up.  Andy made 2 tiers of 60 cupcakes.  We played old person Minute to Win It.  

We also went on a scavenger hunt, "Geo Caching" which was super fun.  I guess people just hide these "treasures" and put them on a GPS map so everyone can try to find it.  Once you find it, you are supposed to sign the paper and take the "treasure" inside and then leave one behind.  The treasures could be anything small like a sticker.

On Sunday, we went to church and Ben, Zoey and I went and visited the Crenshaws.  We've been friends for years.  We met the Crenshaws when we lived in Orem in 2003.  We had game nights with them all the time and have kept in touch over the years.  They just had a cute baby named Darci and I shot a few pictures for them while I was there.  Afterwards, the whole family watched "Wreck it Ralph" on the big blow up screen that we got Mom and Dad for their birthday.

On Monday, we went to Nickelcade for family home evening.  We treated the big boys to a game of Lazer Tag and the split up according to age.  The old guys vs. the young guys.  They old guys won!  We really wanted to do something for Caleb.

On Tuesday, I took Caleb and a couple of his friends out for some senior pictures. We found a really cool castle like place in Provo.  I like the idea of having friends around when I do senior pictures.  I get more genuine smiles.   

Caleb has a special place in my heart.  When I married Ben, he was the age of my first graders that I was teaching at the time.  Those children made a difference in my life.  They are so accepting at that age and have so much energy and excitement for life. More often than not, I felt like I was Caleb's aunt, not sister in law.  We lived with Ben's parents and Caleb for a year.  I feel like Caleb is my buddy.

Caleb has grown up to be a handsome, spiritual, and good young man.  I look at him and see how he does well in school, loves the church and surrounds himself with good influences and I just hope my kids will be just as good.  He is going to be an exceptional missionary!

Visiting Utah was great!  On our way home we stopped by a rest area and got to see this. . .

 

Places like this make me miss Utah. . .

Roadshow Baby!

This past weekend, Ben and I just finished up on the Stake Roadshow.  We were asked around Christmas time last year if we would head it up.  I was excited but wasn't sure how Ben felt about it.  Turns out, he was really interested in that kind of thing!  Ben and I actually worked perfectly together and we made a pretty awesome team!  I was worried we would argue, but it was quite the opposite, we worked very smoothly together.

Towards the beginning of January, we had a meeting with all of the ward specialist.  There were 7 wards involved.  Two of the wards combined so we had a total of 5 productions.  Each production had a couple or more as their ward specialists.  The ward specialist were in charge of their ward's production.  Ben and I were just over the ward specialist.  We still had a ton of work to do organizing it all.  Ben was great because he had done a Roadshow before and I hadn't. He had also done plays in highschool and I didn't do that either.  So he had lots of knowledge when it came to stage stuff.  In fact, we split up the duties where he was the technical, sound and prop man and I was the manager sending emails, booking the building, and coordinating everything else.  Ben came up with the idea, "Movie Mashup" which basically was combining the movie elements of one movie and mashing them with the movie elements of another.



I had a great idea to kick-off the Roadshow with Ben and I performing something fun.  I told Ben that I wanted to do a rap and he wasn't too excited about that, but he did it anyways because he loves me.  So I made up a rap to the song, "Ice, Ice, Baby".  I called it, "Roadshow Baby".  We traveled to each ward and Ben and I were given a few minutes.  I was dressed in my dress jacket and I pretended to warm up as if I were going to sing a lovely song.  Then I took my jacket off and  I had a giant baseball jersey on.  I put on a baseball hat and I made myself a giant CTR bling neckless.  Ben made visuals and held them up while I rapped.  I think the kids loved it!  I told Ben it was a good idea because if they saw us having fun and being goofy, it would make it easier for them to do the same.  I called myself the, "Asian Rapper."

We went to practices and videotaped them because I thought it would be fun to make a music video to show at the end.  Kids love seeing themselves on a big screen.  We also bought all the materials and Ben made plans for the shared risers they would all use and we also bought the paint for the backdrops.  Everyone was only given less than 3 months to put everything together.  That was creating the story, music and dance.  Getting costumes and making scenery and props.  It was a lot of work for all of the wards.  We encouraged them to use the members in their ward.

This past weekend, we had the performances on two nights.  I was completely amazed at what was  accomplished in just a few short months.  I hope the kids had alot of fun because Ben and I did!  One thing about being over an event, you don't get to work with the youth and I miss that aspect.  It's always good to hear from others what the kids are thinking and if they are having fun.  It's Monday and I am still kinda recuperating from this weekend.  Church was hard yesterday because I did not have much energy!

The crazy part is that Ben and I were talking about the next Roadshow and what we would do differently and what the theme should be and so on just the day after. . .!  I think we may have jinxed ourselves!

Science Fair

It's science fair time again!  I love that Xander and Mia get so excited about it.  They always know what they want to do too.  Xander wanted to learn about how caves are formed and Mia wanted to learn about how lungs were formed.

This year, Ben and I each took a kid and worked on the science projects with them.  Each year, Ben is reluctant when I ask him to do it with the kids.  It's not a small project and it's hard to squeeze into his schedule.

The week of the science fair, Mia and Xander were all excited.  They couldn't stop talking about how it would be okay if they got 2nd place.  Then they had it all planned out which place they would take. 

The day came where they had to explain their projects to the judges.  Mia gets frustrated easily and Ben worked with her the night before so she wouldn't be nervous.  Xander wasn't nervous at all.  Afterschool, when I picked them up, they were all so happy and I knew it must have gone well.  I was so happy they did it.

We went to the science fair in the evening and were able to see everyone's project.  Mia and Xander could not contain their excitement.  

When the time came for the annoucements of the winners, Mia and Xander scooted their way to the front.  Mia watched out for Xander and held his hand (I love when they do that).   They announced Xander's name first for honorable mention.  I don't understand his expression on his face.  I yelled out to him to smile and this is what I got.

When it was Mia's grade's turn, they always start on the bottom with honorable mention and move their way up to the top.   I was nervous for Mia and when they didn't call her name at all when it got to second place, I thought for sure, she didn't get it.  But, then again, it's Mia.  And they called her name for FIRST PLACE!  She was so excited!

After we got home, Ben and I were talking in the bedroom.  I can't remember his exact wording but basically, he decided that doing science fair projects with the kids is fun.  I told him, I am going to remind him how he feels now, next year when I tell him he has to help the kids again.

And yeah, science fairs are fun especially when you kid wins all the time!

11 years. . .Woop! Woop!

Ben and I liked to do fun activities for our anniversary.  We try to do things we normally don't do all the time.  Like, one year we went sledding, and another we went to the production, "Wicked".  This year we decided we wanted to go iceskating.  It's been probably 10 years since we have gone. I really wanted to go to San Francisco to go iceskating but unfortuately, here in California, those outdoor skating rings close at the beginning of January.

Luckily, we found some indoor skating rinks.  We ended up going to the one in Oakland.

At first Ben and I stayed towards the edge.  I couldn't believe how hard it was.  It seriously felt like it took me 1/2 hour just to go around once.  Plus, the iceskates that you rent, were horrible in the ankle. After awhile, Ben and I got better.  Not triple axel better, just "I think I'll move more towards the center of the rink" better.

In fact, check out Ben being all fancy. . .

http://youtu.be/6gZEhp0Q8Co

My ankles only lasted about an hour and a half before they were crying in pain.  Almost after each lap I would make, I'd take a timeout in the hockey booth to give my ankles a little break.

Afterwards, we headed to Jack London Square where we ate at "The Fat Lady".  Historically, a brothel, now a delicious place to eat.  We heard that they go all out with decorations for each holiday.  I'd love to see what they do with the place for Valentines day.

Speaking of Valentine's day, aka "Val-Day", Ben and I make things for each other.  I've got a great gift that is already done. . .hmmmm. . .hope Ben hasn't forgotten.

Yeah, Ben, that was a reminder. . .better hurry T minus 6 days.

Mia does it AGAIN!

Last year, Mia submitted a photography entry in the PTA Refelctions contest.  Her entry went to district and then onto State.  This school year, Mia wanted to do photography again.  The theme was, "The Magic of the Moment".  She knew right away that she wanted to take pictures of clouds.  Here are some of her favorite pictures of the clouds.

She took them at different times of the day and in different places.  She finally decided on this picture as her entry.  This was taken right outside our house.

This was the description that she had for this picture:

"It's magic.  Clouds move shape.  I captured that beautiful view of magic.  It's magic because you may never see this magic again.  It fills your mind up with treasures and magic."

This year, Mia's entry went to the District level.  She was the only one from her school and even nearby schools that made it to Districts.  Also, this year, they did not take as many entries in the district and state levels.  For some reason, I thought because we go to a small school, Mia's chances were better since there weren't as many entries from our school.  But, I think that everything gets judged at the district level and it doesn't matter what school you are from.

We are so proud of Mia and that she is discovering her talents and interests.  

Next year, I've been asked to help promote the Reflections program at our school.  Since it is fairly new at our school, I don't think the parents know much about it.   I LOVE that the Refelections program gives children the opportunity to express themselves in artistic ways and I hope that more parents and children take advantage of it.

Mia expressed interest in continuing Photography for next years Reflection contest.  We might just have another photographer in our midst!

Year of the Icecream

Each year we choose something fun to discover.  Last year it was "Year of the Museum".  We started our year at the museum of art at Pixar.  Throughout the year we visited places like the Oakland Museum, the Bay Area Museum, Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Lawrence Hall of Science and even a local museum in Clayton.  Because of our library pass, we were able to get into most of the museums for free!  They also have free days throughout the bay area which makes it so nice!

This year is the "Year of the Icecream".  This will probably be everyone's favorite year!  Our goal is to find unique icecream places that people don't normally know about.  Luckily, Ben has co workers who know all the good places.  For our first visit to an Icecream place, we chose the San Francisco Creamery, which ironically is located in Walnut Creek, not San Fran.

6

We ordered the biggest icecream you can get there, the kitchen sink.  The kids got to each choose their favorite iceream and topping.

Looking at it, you don't think you could ever possibly eat the whole thing.  But let me tell you. . . it is possible.  They have a kitchen sink challenge where if you can eat it in 15 minutes you can get your picture on the wall.  Not too long ago, they filmed, "Man vs. Food" where the host did the kitchen sink challenge.  

We are going to have a fun year, I'm sure of it!

GOING. . .

GOING. . .

GONE!

Grandma/pa Armstrong Visit and other things. . .

GRANDMA/PA ARMSTRONG VISIT

Grandma and Grandpa came for a quick visit last weekend. They were in Utah helping Autumn, who had just gotten ACL knee surgery and thought they would pop over to see us. We pop over meaning, driving 12 hours. We had fun visiting and Grandma/pa bought the kids Christmas presents which they got to open. My Mom thought it would be so funny if we wrapped dollar store gifts and gave it to them and said that was it. She thought my kids would complain about not getting more. But to her surprise, my kids were totally content with the dollar store gifts and did not expect more. I think she was pretty impressed with my kids. I was proud of them myself. She got the big presents out and my kids were even more excited! We wished they could stay longer, but hope to see them again soon!

 ORNAMENTS

I love our tradition of making ornaments for our tree each year. We do lots of crafting around here and I love seeing the kids get so creative. This year we used beads. Each year, I'm always thinking of what type of medium we should work with. Sometimes, it is hard thinking of something different to use. It doesn't matter though, the kids can be creative with anything.

 

TAEKWONDO AND GYMNASTICS 

 A couple months ago, Mia decided she no longer wanted to take gymnastics so we took her out. I was asking her what she would like to try. We thought of soccer which we were too late signing her up for the fall. Xander played teeball this year and wasn't super interested. I was trying to think of what he would like to do. Karate was the first thing that came to my mind. It is more an individual sport and he secretly wants to be a spy someday so karate seemed perfect. An opportunity came along at the gym where they do gymnastics and I was able to sign both kids up for Taekwondo. Taekwondo is Korean karate which is perfect for my little ninjas. At their first class, the instructor taught them Korean words, which they found facinating. They got to learn different kicks and other moves. Xander said, "I love this Mom!". I guess Moms do know some things their kids like.

 Shortly after Mia quit gymnastics, I put Zoey in. All summer long she waiting until she turned 3 and then waiting until the enrollment in September. When I bought her her first gymnastics outfit she yelled, "Sign me up!" She calls gymnastics, "nastics". She loves doing gymastics and bouncing and jumping and tumbling around. She is getting better at waiting in line, which she had no idea what a line was at the beginning. She is also learning how to wait her turn. I think the teacher thought she was older because she is so tall, and would lightly scold her for not waiting her turn. I felt bad for Zoey, but it didn't even bother her. She kept plowing forward. That's my girl!

 

I can't believe December is flying by! I wish December was a little longer and a little slower. I love this time of year!