Wednesday, October 07, 2020
10 Years Later...
Has it been that long since I've written here? I actually stumbled back onto my Blog because I'm getting my Google Educator Certification (Level 2), and I need to re-familiarize myself with this tool. Geez... where did all the time go?
Quick Recap:
I am still married to HieRan - I'm leading off with this because, well... it's one of the more (pleasantly) surprising facts of my life (mine, not hers, I'm sure). The kids are amazing and awesome. Mia graduated fromo Monte Vista High School last year and is attending Champman University online (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). She played softball for her varsity team (before being shut down again, due to the virus). She has become such an amazing young person - I'm so happy that I've been able to see her grow up like this. Currently, in addtion to attending classes, she works as a manager over at Jamba Juice (Danville). Her brother, Jacob, promoted from 8th grade at Diablo Vista Middle School last year. Unfortunately for both kids, there were no ceremonies due to the virus. Jacob has continued playing baseball for the last 8 years or so - catching for all of the teams he's played for (TVLL: Cardinals, Giants, Rangers, Giants, Reds, and All-Stars; Travel Ball: AS Outlaws, Headfirst, Bulldogs, NorCal, TriValley Babe Ruth, and TVBR All-Stars). He's travelled and played all over the country: New York, Utah, Nevada, and all over California. Like his sister, Jacob has turned out to be a pretty amazing young man, currently enrolled as a freshman at Monte Vista High School.
As for me, after 8 years teaching at the local elementary school (as the Technology Instructional Assistant), I made the decision to earn my single-subject teaching credential in mathematics through CSU, East Bay. All of the classes are online (yay), but it's pretty intense, having to write 3-4 papers a week. I'm in my 2nd of 3 semesters, and I should be student-teaching someplace. I'm not, unfortunately, due to the fact that there aren't a lot of Coordinating Teachers who are willing to take on some additional work in this new "distance learning" environment.
Other things...
We lost dad back in January 2011. My brothers, my mom, Auntie Cel, and I travelled to the Philippines to take care of his affairs, and to bring his ashes back home.
My kid brother, the one who I was preparing to marry the last time I wrote in this blog, has since divorced the girl who cheated on him. I know he's moved past it, but I can't forgive her for how she hurt him. I guess that makes me the a-hole. But he's doing fine - has a $1.5M house in Sunnyvale, and has a global title with Yahoo (he's the sh*t at what he does, don't let his goofiness fool you).
My older brother and family are all doing great! Kyle is in his 2nd year at CSU, Sacramento; Tim is a senior at Washington High School. Paul and Maria continue kicking colllective asses in their jobs - and still plan to get to Disneyland / Disneyworld as soon as they open the parks back up.
Oh, in the last 10 years, I've also become a responsible supporter of the 2nd Ammendment. I think I've been instrumental in getting my kid brother, and two cousins into it, as well. I shot competitively for a couple years with GSSF, but I used the membership to get discounts on firearms, so it was more of an investment for me. Still, I was recently recorder drawing and hittng an 8" steel target from 7 yards in 1.06 seconds (I actually did it once at 0.96 seconds, but it wasn't recorded).
Donald Trump is up for re-election, and I hope he wins. This country has become so divided because of all the crap the Democrats have takent his country through. Joe Biden is as dishonest as they come - but in his defense, I don't think it's dishonesty more than it is his degenerative cognitive decline that is evident anytime he speaks. In other words, he's not aware that he's lying - he's just senile due to his advanced age (78).
The country has been locked down since March 16 of this year - that's when the schools all closed and moves were made to restrict people from gathering just about anywhere. Restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, shopping malls - all closed in an effort to lessen the impact of the virus on local hospitals. It never happened, never came close to being filled to capacity. Still, the governor of the state continues to mandate a lock down, only allowing certain businesses to open. We all know things will start to clear up once the election is over - but that's another troubling event that will continue to divide this country.
No matter what happens, I still need to take care of my family, and loved ones.
Just bracing for impact at this poing...
Friday, April 02, 2010
3 years later...
... still alive and kickin... well, still alive, anyway.
2010 - Mia's in 2nd grade and doing really well at her new school (Creekside Elementary... go COMETS!). Jacob has started going to pre-school 4/5 days in the week at the local Montessori School. HieRan is as busy as ever with her work, traveling 3 days during next week's Spring Break, so we'll be staying put this year around.
My little brother is finally getting married! *Congrats, kid!* He's asked me to perform the ceremony, so guess who's an ordained minister, now? :-P
Dad's coming in from the Philippines to attend the wedding, after a 3 year departure from the states. He'll be staying with us, of course, and the kids are thrilled he's coming!
Experienced a few bumps in the road of life the past few years. Things may not always run smoothly, but they do run their course as they should.
I better finish writing the ceremony and practicing it... only a couple more weekends left until their special day. =T (Public speaking is not my forte... so I'm really extending myself for my brother, hope he knows this).
2010 - Mia's in 2nd grade and doing really well at her new school (Creekside Elementary... go COMETS!). Jacob has started going to pre-school 4/5 days in the week at the local Montessori School. HieRan is as busy as ever with her work, traveling 3 days during next week's Spring Break, so we'll be staying put this year around.
My little brother is finally getting married! *Congrats, kid!* He's asked me to perform the ceremony, so guess who's an ordained minister, now? :-P
Dad's coming in from the Philippines to attend the wedding, after a 3 year departure from the states. He'll be staying with us, of course, and the kids are thrilled he's coming!
Experienced a few bumps in the road of life the past few years. Things may not always run smoothly, but they do run their course as they should.
I better finish writing the ceremony and practicing it... only a couple more weekends left until their special day. =T (Public speaking is not my forte... so I'm really extending myself for my brother, hope he knows this).
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
A NEW SEASON BEGINS:
Okay, so I'm a week behind - it's been tough trying to balance the new prime time season with the X-Box360... and no, I do NOT have Halo 3 (yet). Ever since my brother got me this awesome house-warming gift, I've been online playing Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6: Las Vegas!! But I'm actually pretty excited about the start of a new PT Season. Combined with our DVR, we're watching (and recording) HEROES (I have a theory who the new "killer" is, but more on that later), Las Vegas (turns out to be a pretty funny show), The Office (Dwight Schrute RULES!!!), Dancing With the Stars (not my pick *ahem*), NUMB3RS, Smallville, and the Bionic Woman. Still awaiting the start of LOST, but that'll start mid-season, right?
Any other shows out there that we should be paying attention to?
Oh, then there's the start of the NFL season where my DETROIT LIONS are off to a 3-1 start (whoo-hoo... we're making the playoffs this year.... YEAH!!). Naturally, HieRan is less than enthusiastic when I mention my team's winning season (or when I mention my team at all), but I'm not discouraged by her lack of team spirit - she'll jump on the band wagon like everyone else... don't worry, there's plenty of room!! *haha - don't let me down guys!!*
The kids are getting into a regular routine, which is to say that I'm getting into a routine myself. We started Jacob at a place called My Gym - a place for him to get some exercise and much needed socializing with other kids. He's doing pretty well at it, actually. He's eager to try all of the activities, and play along with the teachers. Interestingly, the original My Gym is located in Woodland Hills (our old stomping ground).
We've been asked if we're all settled in now, and I don't know if we're ever going to be fully settled in here. There always something to work on - and I can't even begin to think about how we want to have the back yard landscaped. But our settling in is moving along as well as it can, I suppose. We have managed to reconnect with some old friends here, and I've been able to play volleyball and tennis with Bertrand again (7-5, 6-2 on Saturday... heh!). Our games stand at 12-10 (my lead)... ever since we've started keeping track about 4 years ago(?). Yeah, we've got to play more than once every 3 years. =S
Hey, congrats are in order for our friends in Southern Cali - they just had twins!! Jan and Kristy - now the 6 of you can start a band!! Mia and Jacob send their hugs to all their friends in Woodland Hills / West Hills: Abbey, Hayley, Annika, Erin, Ella, Angelina, Emily, Jake, Gillian, Justin, and Lena & Anders (new editions to the gang). We miss you guys all so much! Hope all is well, and drop us a line to give us an update when you can!!
Well, Jacob has managed (once again) to spill his fruit cup all over the floor...
... back to work. =T
Any other shows out there that we should be paying attention to?
Oh, then there's the start of the NFL season where my DETROIT LIONS are off to a 3-1 start (whoo-hoo... we're making the playoffs this year.... YEAH!!). Naturally, HieRan is less than enthusiastic when I mention my team's winning season (or when I mention my team at all), but I'm not discouraged by her lack of team spirit - she'll jump on the band wagon like everyone else... don't worry, there's plenty of room!! *haha - don't let me down guys!!*
The kids are getting into a regular routine, which is to say that I'm getting into a routine myself. We started Jacob at a place called My Gym - a place for him to get some exercise and much needed socializing with other kids. He's doing pretty well at it, actually. He's eager to try all of the activities, and play along with the teachers. Interestingly, the original My Gym is located in Woodland Hills (our old stomping ground).
We've been asked if we're all settled in now, and I don't know if we're ever going to be fully settled in here. There always something to work on - and I can't even begin to think about how we want to have the back yard landscaped. But our settling in is moving along as well as it can, I suppose. We have managed to reconnect with some old friends here, and I've been able to play volleyball and tennis with Bertrand again (7-5, 6-2 on Saturday... heh!). Our games stand at 12-10 (my lead)... ever since we've started keeping track about 4 years ago(?). Yeah, we've got to play more than once every 3 years. =S
Hey, congrats are in order for our friends in Southern Cali - they just had twins!! Jan and Kristy - now the 6 of you can start a band!! Mia and Jacob send their hugs to all their friends in Woodland Hills / West Hills: Abbey, Hayley, Annika, Erin, Ella, Angelina, Emily, Jake, Gillian, Justin, and Lena & Anders (new editions to the gang). We miss you guys all so much! Hope all is well, and drop us a line to give us an update when you can!!
Well, Jacob has managed (once again) to spill his fruit cup all over the floor...
... back to work. =T
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
WEDNESDAYS ARE TOUGH:
Wednesdays are proving to be more of a challenge than I expected. Mia is a "p.m." Kindergartner which means her day goes from 11:40am to 2:50pm. However, at Tassajara Hills Elementary, Mia's class attends school with the "a.m." Kindergartners from 8:15 to 11:35... this means we have to be up at 6:45am to get out by 7:45am!! Talk about breaking up your weekly schedule - 4 days of waking up refreshed and rested, and 1 day of dragging Mia out of bed (she's really not a morning person... like someone else I know *ahem*), begging and pleading for her to wake up while I get Jacob washed up and changed (he's a little more agreeable in the morning... that's my boy!). It probably doesn't help that I'm up pretty late playing XBOX 360 with my brothers online... *yeah, I get no pity... I know*. ;-(
It's only been the 2nd week of this schedule, so I'm sure it'll become easier once we get into the swing of things. I have to admit, Mia's been pretty great about going to school here. Whereas before she'd have trouble being separated from me, now she's more than happy to go with her friends and get rid of me a.s.a.p. (which makes me wonder if I embarrass her by dropping her off in my slippers, robe, and pj's.... hmmmm). ;-) *j/k* Oh, and speaking of Mia's accomplishments, did I mention in a previous blog how she taught herself how to ride her bicycle? Everytime I tried to assist her or explain what I was going to do to "help" her, she stopped me immediately and said she'd do it herself! *hrmph!* So a couple of days later (and a few falls along the way), I come out to see her riding her bike up and down our driveway, with a HUGE smile on her face (which is more like an "... I told you I could do it" grin... with one missing tooth!). :-P Way to go Mia!
Jacob is also progressing nicely, forming words and putting together his rather cryptic messages. For example:
When he says: "bah bah" it means: "father, I would like to have a bottle with some warm milk please" (okay, maybe the "please should be replaced with "now!").
When he says: "TAH-row" it means: "there is a guitar that I can see and would like to play with"
When he says: "ALL-mo" it means: "could someone please put on my Elmo DVD at their earliest convenience?"
When he says: "SHIDE... SHIDE" it means: "I would like to go outside to play"
Other words include:
"Mee-mee" for Mia
"AH-no" for Arnold
"heh-WOE" for Hello (much like Elmer Fudd)
"PAH-kah" for Grandpa
"SHOOP.... *slurp*" for Soup
It's been such a hectic summer, but I think we're finally feeling like we're getting settled in here. Before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us, and then *poof* goodbye 2007!! So here's to taking some time to recap and reflect, hoping this blog is read by friendly eyes with the understanding that we're thinking of you all.
Time to get the kids off to bed... nite nite!
It's only been the 2nd week of this schedule, so I'm sure it'll become easier once we get into the swing of things. I have to admit, Mia's been pretty great about going to school here. Whereas before she'd have trouble being separated from me, now she's more than happy to go with her friends and get rid of me a.s.a.p. (which makes me wonder if I embarrass her by dropping her off in my slippers, robe, and pj's.... hmmmm). ;-) *j/k* Oh, and speaking of Mia's accomplishments, did I mention in a previous blog how she taught herself how to ride her bicycle? Everytime I tried to assist her or explain what I was going to do to "help" her, she stopped me immediately and said she'd do it herself! *hrmph!* So a couple of days later (and a few falls along the way), I come out to see her riding her bike up and down our driveway, with a HUGE smile on her face (which is more like an "... I told you I could do it" grin... with one missing tooth!). :-P Way to go Mia!
Jacob is also progressing nicely, forming words and putting together his rather cryptic messages. For example:
When he says: "bah bah" it means: "father, I would like to have a bottle with some warm milk please" (okay, maybe the "please should be replaced with "now!").
When he says: "TAH-row" it means: "there is a guitar that I can see and would like to play with"
When he says: "ALL-mo" it means: "could someone please put on my Elmo DVD at their earliest convenience?"
When he says: "SHIDE... SHIDE" it means: "I would like to go outside to play"
Other words include:
"Mee-mee" for Mia
"AH-no" for Arnold
"heh-WOE" for Hello (much like Elmer Fudd)
"PAH-kah" for Grandpa
"SHOOP.... *slurp*" for Soup
It's been such a hectic summer, but I think we're finally feeling like we're getting settled in here. Before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us, and then *poof* goodbye 2007!! So here's to taking some time to recap and reflect, hoping this blog is read by friendly eyes with the understanding that we're thinking of you all.
Time to get the kids off to bed... nite nite!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
FEELS LIKE SUMMER'S ENDING:
Nothing marks the end of summer like back-to-school shopping. A new Trapper Keeper, cool Tupperware lunchboxes, and a backpack that will likely last only the first couple of weeks. Oh, wait... that was MY back-to-school shopping days. It's waaaay different for our daughter. She and her mom spend the weekend out and about getting new outfits, new shoes, and other accessories (don't ask, I've no clue what some of these things are). Picture day is this Friday, and Mia already has her outfit ready for that day - right on!
When asked about her new school, Mia replied that she "... still misses her friends from Woodland Hills, but (she) will try to make new friends at school". It's nice that her school is having a meet-and-greet picnic next Friday for the parents and students to meet with the faculty and staff. Since we're living in a new development, Mia's been assigned to attend a school that is about 5 milies away... not as close as I'd like, but it's not up to me, unfortunately. At least the schools out here are known for their high achievements - something I'm hoping will be passed down to our kids *crossing fingers*. Also, it seems this area is reknown for their soccer programs, so perhaps Mia will take an interest in the sport again once she's gotten used to her new surroundings.
Jacob (nearing 21 months now) is becoming more and more of a handful as he discovers how to run. I've decided to rename him either "Come Here" or "Nooooo!!!", but the jury is still out on that one. I WILL say that he follows his big sister, copying EVERYTHING she says or does. It's pretty funny, actually - especially when we play music and they dance around the family room together. Jacob seems to get a kick out of watching and trying to copy Mia - they both end up laughing on the floor hysterically.
HieRan and I are feeling more settled here in the new home. I was able to put together a few cabinets for her office, and the upstairs hallway that she picked out. They definitely help her organize her office space. At least when she's working from home, there isn't the clutter that was there before any longer. In fact, HieRan has done a great job de-cluttering our home. We've got boxes and boxes of stuff marked for donation...
... what's odd is that I can't seem to find any of my clothes from the 80's that I've been sporting for 2 decades now... hmmmm...
My dad, who's been staying with us since our move, is getting better. His condition was pretty bad early on, but he has since gotten a lot stronger, gained a lot of he weight back, and seems to have a better outlook on his health. There's still a long road ahead for , m,m.,b, but he's definitely heading in the right direction. I think I've been able to keep him entertained as I "fix" things around the house. Just last week, I installed a screen door and put up some drapes - both were pretty painful for my dad to watch. You see, for as long as I can remember he's always been handy around the house, doing things right the first time, rather than doing things twice (as I tend to do). My brothers have been here often to visit and spend time with dad - I know he enjoys that, so they've made it a point to be here every week (thanks guys, it means a lot to dad).
It's funny, I haven't seen my brothers THIS much since we all lived together at home in Union City.
Mom is recovering from her back surgery, and from what she tells me, she's doing much better. She says she'll be playing volleyball with me again soon. ;-)
Last weeknd we drove out to Drakes Oyster farm in sunny Inverness, CA!! Okay, it was a long drive, but the oysters were pretty good. We (along with HieRan's mom) met up with some relatives of mine, my cousins and their folks who were camping out in that area for a few days. It was a decent road trip, and we came back home to grill some oysters for my brother and dad to enjoy. I don't think I can touch oysters for at least another 6 months or so... yeah, I'm pretty full still.
Uh-oh... I can tell by that special smell in the air that it's time to change Jake's diaper!! *whoo-hoo!! man, can this kid fill it up!!*
Just the image I knew you wanted me to leave you all with! *j/k*
When asked about her new school, Mia replied that she "... still misses her friends from Woodland Hills, but (she) will try to make new friends at school". It's nice that her school is having a meet-and-greet picnic next Friday for the parents and students to meet with the faculty and staff. Since we're living in a new development, Mia's been assigned to attend a school that is about 5 milies away... not as close as I'd like, but it's not up to me, unfortunately. At least the schools out here are known for their high achievements - something I'm hoping will be passed down to our kids *crossing fingers*. Also, it seems this area is reknown for their soccer programs, so perhaps Mia will take an interest in the sport again once she's gotten used to her new surroundings.
Jacob (nearing 21 months now) is becoming more and more of a handful as he discovers how to run. I've decided to rename him either "Come Here" or "Nooooo!!!", but the jury is still out on that one. I WILL say that he follows his big sister, copying EVERYTHING she says or does. It's pretty funny, actually - especially when we play music and they dance around the family room together. Jacob seems to get a kick out of watching and trying to copy Mia - they both end up laughing on the floor hysterically.
HieRan and I are feeling more settled here in the new home. I was able to put together a few cabinets for her office, and the upstairs hallway that she picked out. They definitely help her organize her office space. At least when she's working from home, there isn't the clutter that was there before any longer. In fact, HieRan has done a great job de-cluttering our home. We've got boxes and boxes of stuff marked for donation...
... what's odd is that I can't seem to find any of my clothes from the 80's that I've been sporting for 2 decades now... hmmmm...
My dad, who's been staying with us since our move, is getting better. His condition was pretty bad early on, but he has since gotten a lot stronger, gained a lot of he weight back, and seems to have a better outlook on his health. There's still a long road ahead for , m,m.,b, but he's definitely heading in the right direction. I think I've been able to keep him entertained as I "fix" things around the house. Just last week, I installed a screen door and put up some drapes - both were pretty painful for my dad to watch. You see, for as long as I can remember he's always been handy around the house, doing things right the first time, rather than doing things twice (as I tend to do). My brothers have been here often to visit and spend time with dad - I know he enjoys that, so they've made it a point to be here every week (thanks guys, it means a lot to dad).
It's funny, I haven't seen my brothers THIS much since we all lived together at home in Union City.
Mom is recovering from her back surgery, and from what she tells me, she's doing much better. She says she'll be playing volleyball with me again soon. ;-)
Last weeknd we drove out to Drakes Oyster farm in sunny Inverness, CA!! Okay, it was a long drive, but the oysters were pretty good. We (along with HieRan's mom) met up with some relatives of mine, my cousins and their folks who were camping out in that area for a few days. It was a decent road trip, and we came back home to grill some oysters for my brother and dad to enjoy. I don't think I can touch oysters for at least another 6 months or so... yeah, I'm pretty full still.
Uh-oh... I can tell by that special smell in the air that it's time to change Jake's diaper!! *whoo-hoo!! man, can this kid fill it up!!*
Just the image I knew you wanted me to leave you all with! *j/k*
Sunday, July 01, 2007
WEEK 1 RECAP:
After about a week of unpacking, organizing, and throwing things away, I think we're finally starting to make some progress here with all the boxes. The challenges have been many, but good teamwork and little sleep go a long way in the unpacking process. This has also given us a chance to revisit some of our old "stuff" and decide to donate them - I mean, they're already packed up, right? Strange how a lot of the boxes originally marked "Arnold's Clothes" have been crossed out to read "Donate". *hahaha* But I suppose it's time for me to let go of my acid-washed jeans (and matching jacket) from ChessKing. =T File that one under "Fashions that should NEVER make a comeback".
But a lot has been done in the week we've been here. We've installed most of the blinds (two are on re-order due to a measuring error... mine, of course), put up some wall hangings (oh, you've GOT to check out the "Hercules Hooks" from Bed Bath & Beyond... they're amazing!!!), we've installed Mia's & Jacob's ceiling fan, put up some shelves, installed a couple light fixtures, arranged (and rearranged) furniture in the various rooms, and we even took time to go to the Alameda County Fair today (oh yeah.... all the "food-on-a-stick" you can eat). 
And there's still plenty to do in the days and weeks to come. *whoo-hoo* I haven't even started thinking about all the stuff that's in our garage! But at least we have more room there than we did in Woodland Hills... which ultimately leads to more stuff finding its way INTO the garage, right? Then there's the backyard that requires landscaping. I don't know what we're going to do with that...
It's only been a week, but it has been a long week here. Mia misses her friends (so do I), and Jacob... well, he's fascinated with the stairs in our house, go figure. But they're both doing great amidst all the change. The kids love the fact that they see so much of their mom here at home. No more 3-day visits, then fly off to the Bay Area anymore. We're all still getting our bearings, getting familiar with the area. Some things you just have to locate to start feeling "comfortable" again (like TARGET, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, Safeway... and STARBUCK'S). Once those are in place, everything else tends to fall in place, right?
So on to Week 2 (don't worry, I won't keep numbering the weeks like this... ). Everyone here is happy and healthy, missing our friends & family in Southern Cali (the Taylors, Sundbergs, Campanellas, Himbas, the Lees, Yees, and Z's *Zupancics*, Al&Elle, and Yung)... and anxious to reconnect with our friends here in Northen Cali (Bertrand & Kimmy, Kev & Shar, my bros, and the rest of the x-tended crew). All we need is a few friends in Ukiah or Santa Rosa and I think we'll have the state covered! ;-)
Updates to follow...
But a lot has been done in the week we've been here. We've installed most of the blinds (two are on re-order due to a measuring error... mine, of course), put up some wall hangings (oh, you've GOT to check out the "Hercules Hooks" from Bed Bath & Beyond... they're amazing!!!), we've installed Mia's & Jacob's ceiling fan, put up some shelves, installed a couple light fixtures, arranged (and rearranged) furniture in the various rooms, and we even took time to go to the Alameda County Fair today (oh yeah.... all the "food-on-a-stick" you can eat). 
And there's still plenty to do in the days and weeks to come. *whoo-hoo* I haven't even started thinking about all the stuff that's in our garage! But at least we have more room there than we did in Woodland Hills... which ultimately leads to more stuff finding its way INTO the garage, right? Then there's the backyard that requires landscaping. I don't know what we're going to do with that...
It's only been a week, but it has been a long week here. Mia misses her friends (so do I), and Jacob... well, he's fascinated with the stairs in our house, go figure. But they're both doing great amidst all the change. The kids love the fact that they see so much of their mom here at home. No more 3-day visits, then fly off to the Bay Area anymore. We're all still getting our bearings, getting familiar with the area. Some things you just have to locate to start feeling "comfortable" again (like TARGET, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, Safeway... and STARBUCK'S). Once those are in place, everything else tends to fall in place, right?
So on to Week 2 (don't worry, I won't keep numbering the weeks like this... ). Everyone here is happy and healthy, missing our friends & family in Southern Cali (the Taylors, Sundbergs, Campanellas, Himbas, the Lees, Yees, and Z's *Zupancics*, Al&Elle, and Yung)... and anxious to reconnect with our friends here in Northen Cali (Bertrand & Kimmy, Kev & Shar, my bros, and the rest of the x-tended crew). All we need is a few friends in Ukiah or Santa Rosa and I think we'll have the state covered! ;-)
Updates to follow...
Saturday, June 23, 2007
THIS IS IT:
I originally created this blog so that our friends from the Bay Area could keep up to our family's growth, progress, and overall activity as we relocated to southern California in '04. While I have not been the most diligent in keeping up with my posts here (no excuse, I know) I've tried to hit the highlights and give everyone the sense that we're still alive down here! I have been better about posting pictures of the kids in their blog here.
So as I sit here in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel writing this, I'm reminded of a journey that began almost 3 years ago - our move from the Bay Area to southern California felt a lot like this... the same but different. It has only been 3 years, but we've been blessed with so much in that time. Our kids have flourished here - Mia's completed her Kindergarten, and Jacob... well, it seems every day he reaches a new milestone. The growth of our kids is easily the best thing we've experienced here. Right up there would be the friendships we've developed with a group who will always be our closest friends.
Here's some advice: If you have young ones, consider looking at activities that are offered by the local parks and recreaction, or community college. There you will find kids who are in the same age group as yours, and more than that, you will find their parents who take the same genuine interest in their kids as you do. I can't promise that you'll meet a group as special as ours (in fact, it's highly unlikely), but you certainly stand a better chance of it by getting yourself in the right place. ;-)
I also want to mention our friends at the First Step Montessori School where Mia attended for 2-1/2 years. I never knew that teachers could grow so close to our daughter, and take such a genuine interest in her development. You have done a wonderful job in laying the foundation for Mia that will help her progress for years to come. I only wish her brother could attend your school - he would have loved being there (especially during snack time).
Thank you, dear friends, for making Woodland Hills our home. We will miss you all so much. Please keep in touch with us as we will do our best to do the same. I am certain our paths will cross again, and I imagine when they do it will be as if we've never left. It's hard enough to leave our home (which you helped become so) without also having to say goodbye. So instead, we will say that we're going to go for now, and we will see you soon. Here's to love, laughter, friendship.... and to the days we'll be together again.
So as I sit here in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel writing this, I'm reminded of a journey that began almost 3 years ago - our move from the Bay Area to southern California felt a lot like this... the same but different. It has only been 3 years, but we've been blessed with so much in that time. Our kids have flourished here - Mia's completed her Kindergarten, and Jacob... well, it seems every day he reaches a new milestone. The growth of our kids is easily the best thing we've experienced here. Right up there would be the friendships we've developed with a group who will always be our closest friends. Here's some advice: If you have young ones, consider looking at activities that are offered by the local parks and recreaction, or community college. There you will find kids who are in the same age group as yours, and more than that, you will find their parents who take the same genuine interest in their kids as you do. I can't promise that you'll meet a group as special as ours (in fact, it's highly unlikely), but you certainly stand a better chance of it by getting yourself in the right place. ;-)
I also want to mention our friends at the First Step Montessori School where Mia attended for 2-1/2 years. I never knew that teachers could grow so close to our daughter, and take such a genuine interest in her development. You have done a wonderful job in laying the foundation for Mia that will help her progress for years to come. I only wish her brother could attend your school - he would have loved being there (especially during snack time).
Thank you, dear friends, for making Woodland Hills our home. We will miss you all so much. Please keep in touch with us as we will do our best to do the same. I am certain our paths will cross again, and I imagine when they do it will be as if we've never left. It's hard enough to leave our home (which you helped become so) without also having to say goodbye. So instead, we will say that we're going to go for now, and we will see you soon. Here's to love, laughter, friendship.... and to the days we'll be together again.
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