Chilling in the pool.

Chilling in the pool.

MIA'S PLAY DATE

So today Mia was excited to go to school and get it over with so that she could come home and be joined by her friend, Anna, for their play date. Anna is returning to Japan soon, and so Mia won't be able to play with her when she departs. I thought it'd be nice to have a picture to post here for her - a record of her good friend from school. Maybe one day their paths will cross again? You just never know...

Anna & Mia

MIA & THE KWANS

Mia with her Auntie Elle and Uncle Alvin

WEEKEND RECAP:

Saturday:

So this morning we all got up and agreed to head out to the farmer’s market in Calabasas. It’s just nice to get out and about on mornings like this one, taking our time and relaxing… that is, until 4:30pm when the Pistons are scheduled to play Game 3 versus Miami!!! It was still cool out, and we browsed the marketplace in search of… well, just “stuff” in general. We picked up some fresh strawberries and cherries. And we were lured by the smell of roasted chicken nearby, so we had to pick one up for lunch. Oh man, we tore into that chicken when we got home. Then HieRan and Mia made some chocolate covered strawberries and cherries for dessert! A quick break for the kids and we were out again, this time heading to the mall for HieRan to do some quick shopping (it was getting close to 4pm already). ;) *j/k*

Well, we made it home in time for me to watch in agony as the Pistons fell to the Heat and now trail the series 1-2 with Game 4 in Miami on Monday. *sighs* Why do I put myself through this torture?!?!? Okay, I’m staying positive – the Pistons are a Championship caliber team… they’ve been in this position before… they’ll take care of business… right? =S

Sunday:

Some weekend mornings we can hear the little pitter-pat of Mia’s feet as she goes from her room to the bathroom, then to our room (where she hopped into our bed and positioned herself right in the middle between HieRan and me. It’s probably the nicest sound to wake up to – really. And in no time I’m sure there’ll be TWO sets of feet running around the house early in the morning, then jumping in our bed (well, they better learn to make us some coffee first!!). *haha* Mia woke up in a good mood today – and she’s really been great over the past week. HieRan asked me if we should take the kids to “D-I-S-N-E-Y-L-A-N-D” today (spelling it for me so that Mia wouldn’t get excited unnecessarily if I said no). But how could I? Especially as I was enjoying Mia’s morning “knee-to-my-back” that I’ve come to expect on the weekends. We told Mia and she quickly agreed that we go… NOW!! In no time flat we were showered, dressed, packed up and out the door by 10am. We arrived at Disneyland in time for a quick lunch, then it was off to “It’s a Small World”. Mia loves that ride – sings the song constantly until we can get her to listen to something else. Jacob seemed to enjoy the boat ride too. He was really looking around the different displays, soaking in all of the sights. We all rode the Merry-Go-Round, then Mia and I went to the “Storybook Land” ride. She was thrilled when she saw a miniature version of Jasmine’s palace. We took in a parade later that afternoon before heading out for an early dinner in Disney’s downtown plaza. It seems everyone had the same brilliant idea… but we were able to dine at The Rainforest Café and be back in the park by 7:30pm. We stayed to watch the Fantasmic show at 9pm and the fireworks show that followed. We departed (dead tired) around 10:40pm, and arrived home an hour later. The kids were pooped… even though they were carried, or pushed around in the stroller!! *my legs are still burning!!* Well, Mia did a lot of walking today – so I can’t blame her for being tired. She was great, and so was HieRan – despite the heat and crowds of people, we all stuck together and enjoyed the day at the Happiest Place on Earth!! Who says we can’t be spontaneous?!?! ;)

Jacob and Mia - New Mousekateers!

Now I must retire to the 2nd Happiest Place on Earth… my bathroom!! *yawn* stretch… g’nite!!

Man this cheese is so good!

Man this cheese is so good!

LONG WEEKEND AHEAD:

First, let me open by saying "YES!!!! DETROIT TIED THE SERIES WITH MIAMI 1-1 last night!!". *phew!* I really thought Miami was going to make another come-from-behind win when D.Wade hit that (desparation) 3-pointer with only seconds left in the game. Fortunately Detroit pulled through. Game 3 in Miami on Saturday - should be another good game. In the meantime I'll enjoy the upcoming 3-day weekend.

Actually it's a 3-day weekend for those of you who work for a living - I really don't have any claim to this or any 3-day weekends. Still, looking forward to having the family together for a few days. We're thinking of getting together with Mia's friends for an early dinner "picnic" at the park. The weather should be nice - not too hot today. And with everyone heading out of LA for the weekend, we should be able to find parking pretty easy (crossing fingers).

Well, as predicted, we were able to get to the park and meet with our friends, the Lee's, for an early dinner. We've known the Lee's (Jason, Allison, Abbey, & Erin) for about a year now. We met them when we enrolled Mia in a "Kid-nastics" class at the local Jr. College. They've become very good friends, and we plan on doing more things with them in the future (including watching the girls play soccer together in the fall). Here's Abbey and Mia enjoying some chicken and tofu-ka-bobs!!

We stayed out until about 7pm, then headed home - the kids were pretty tired from all the running around... or was it the parents?

After getting the kids to bed, HieRan and I watched John Travolta's Be Cool, which was the sequel to Get Shorty. This movie also stared Vince Vaughn, and The Rock - both of their characters were hilarious... especially The Rock (who played a gay bodyguard). After about the first 20 minutes I noticed HieRan was dozing off... *sheesh!*. So I was the only one laughing my (_)_) off at The Rock.... ahhh yes, good times... good times.

MY SOUTHPARK CHARACTER:

Okay Kimbalina... I had to try it! Sadly, this looks too much like me.

*oh, and I actually DO have the same shirt... ouch!*

You can give it a try here too!!

NEW SHOES:

Well, as the title implies, I got a haircut!! Ok... and a new pair of shoes, too. *Thanks babe!!* I ruined my last pair chasing after Mia through a creek last week. Not only did they smell foul (no, it had nothing to do with my feet), but they were pretty old too. You know, I DID notice at the gym that I was much faster and stronger because of my new shoes... oh, and taller too!!! ;)

So Mia and I were at the local Target store today. HieRan was home early from work today so she was able to be with Jacob while I took Mia out to run some errands. We went to Target to buy a sprinkler attachment for the back yard (which we had also planned on running through once it was on - it's been so hot here lately - whooo!). Mia and I were walking through the housewares and we spotted a painting that looked like it belonged to Target's "Bertrand" collection! I remember my buddy having a picture of a cafe (or was it a bistro?) hanging up in his kitchen... anyway, it had his name on it which I thought was pretty rare, right? Little did I know, Target was selling them in bulk!! Well, I sent him a copy of the picture I took - he told me that his "peeps" are responsible for his increasing popularity! *Nice one, B-*

Does that say "Bertrand"?

Mia and I returned home with our sprinkler, connected it, and turned it on in the back yard. Then we ran through like little kids... (it was a bit of a stretch for me, but I managed to behave much like a 4 year old). Even Jacob seemed to enjoy it (he had no choice since he was with me in the front pack).

Well, I was in mourning the other day - my Detroit Pistons dropped Game 1 to the Miami Heat. *grrrrr!!* Oh, and get this, my daughter has designated Miami as HER team since they list it as: MIA on the scoreboard. Cute right? Sure, it was all fun and games in the beginning... but then she starts taunting me!!! Here are some of her exact quotes:

"Yes!! My team has 9 and you still have zero!!" (after Miami's 9-0 opening run)

"C'mon guys, show daddy's team how to WIN!!" (at the half)

"First one to 100 wins, right dad?" (after Miami got to 100 first...)

"But I'm NOT tired!!" (after telling Mia to go to bed at 7:00pm)

"Ha ha!" (Me after getting the last word... well, sorta - we still lost).

WEEKEND RECAP:

Saturday:

Ron Howard's The DaVinci Code opened this weekend. HieRan and I have both read the book and wanted to see how the movie measured up. So far we've heard a lot of disappointing reviews, but we're pretty open-minded, and wanted to form our own opinions. We arranged to have HieRan's youngest sister come and watch the kids while we went out on this, our first "date" in 4 years!! We agreed we'd watch an earlier showing of The Code so that our sitter wouldn't have to worry about putting the kids to bed. We caught the 3pm show and I learned a few things. First, did you know that they serve "combo" packs now at the concession stands? We just had a #1 (large popcorn and 2 medium drinks) since we were going to have dinner after the movie. Okay, so with me and popcorn, it never fails. We found our seats and sat down with 15 minutes before the show started. So while watching all of the "fun facts" that were broadcast on the screen I was eating and drinking away. The show started and I was at the bottom of the tub of popcorn. Oh, and my drink was pretty much finished. Now, it HAS been a long time since I've gone to see a movie with HieRan. She was smart and went to the restroom before the movie started. I hate to get up and bother people once the movie starts... so when she asked me if I needed to "go", I told her I'd be fine (this was lesson #2).

2 hours later, I'm squirming in my seat wondering when this film is going to END??!!? Good thing I read the book, so I knew we were close. I wanted to shout out at Tom Hanks on the screen to "... hurry the heck up!!!!". The movie ended and I was able to... well, you know.

If you ever want to "dare" someone to do something, have them finish a large softdrink before The DaVinci Code and then sit through the whole thing. I bet even David Blaine can't do it!! *hahaha - it'll be his next special*

So the movie was pretty much the same as the book. It moves a lot faster in the movie (obviously), but for someone who hasn't read the book, it can get a little confusing. There's much more detail in the book, and you're able to go back in parts for additional reference.

The movie ended around 6pm, so we decided to have dinner at an Italian restaurant next door called Mi Piace. The food was excellent - especially the Ahi Tuna appetizer we shared (I'd highly recommend it). HieRan and I had a lot of laughs throughout dinner. The conversation centered around how we got to where we are today. For those who don't know us, we have a history that goes waaaaay back to our days in High School. A lot of people assume we were high school "sweethearts", but we weren't ... we were friends, introduced by my "summer-school-math-taking-cousin", Edwin (dude, did you ever pass Algebra? *kidding... I know you did... right?*). We became good friends over the next couple of years, and the next thing you know she's agreed to be my wife!!! Of course there's more to the story... but I'm writing that in another blog. Sadly our "date" had to end. But we were glad to head home to our kids, and we're looking forward to our next date... maybe in 2010? *j/k*

Sunday:

Kind of a gloomy day today - overcast for themost part... and cool. Feels pretty nice, actually - a welcomed change from all the heat we've been having. Okay, so today I'm focused and ready to cheer on my Pistons in their Game 7 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.

3 hours later...

To make a long story short... WE WON!! *yeah!* We're going to the east finals against the Miami Heat!! *Oh, they better BRING IT!!* I hope I don't eat my words... *gulp*!

The Clippers are playing on Monday - they've surprised a lot of people... especially the Suns!! Hope they can pull out another win!!

GAME 7's COMING UP:

Can you believe the 2nd round of the NBA playoffs?!?! The 7th game for Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers (Monday), Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs (Monday), and finally Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Sunday). I'm definitely getting my money's worth this season!! I'm relieved that Detroit was able to win tonight in Cleveland and force a game 7 *phew*! Like the true champions they are, they found a way to win. I called my big brother, Paul, towards the end of the game to celebrate our victory together. By the way, how would you describe his picture here? "Thrill of victory"? or "Agony of defeat"?... OR did we just catch him "dropping off the kids at the pool"? hahaha... love you, bro!! *whoo-hoo!!* He's one person I can count on to root for the Pistons... and also agonize over every missed shot, every turnover, every flagrant foul, and every technical foul. As imports from the great state of Michigan, we've always pulled for our team whenever we have the chance!! I still remember watching the Pistons of the 80's with my brothers and my dad - and how they beat up on the LA Lakers!!! *ha-HA!... good times... good times* Those were the days - and someday I imagine I'll be sitting in the family room cheering on my Pistons with my son, along with Paul and his sons... and who knows? Maybe even Lawrence and HIS boys... hmmmm?

Well today was a long day - ending on a good note with a win by Detroit! Made my Friday morning Starbuck's run to get my usual, and also a tall non-fat decaf latte for HieRan. She took today as an office day and spent it working in her office. So naturally I had to cancel the dancing girls, and DJ I had scheduled for today's house party... *rats!*. haha... j/k babe!* Mia and I cleaned up her room today, then proceeded to work in the back yard until about 4:00 (tip off for Detroit vs. Cleveland). Mia planted some flowers in one of the boxes around the deck while I reseeded and watered the grass.

All in all a pretty productive day - so I'm giving myself the weekend off (to watch more playoff basketball)!!

Oh, also newsworthy... I found out that my sister-in-law and her boyfriend got married last week on their vacation to Maui!!! CONGRATULATIONS ALVIN & HIESUNG!!!

Just Married... FINALLY!! ;)

Mia swinging in Calabasas.

Mia swinging in Calabasas.

Keeping myself busy here!

Keeping myself busy here!

DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK:

DON’T CRY OVER SPILLED MILK:

… but when it happens, you let the expletives fly, baby!! That’s right, Clutzo the Magnificent strikes again!! =T After picking up Mia from school today, the kids and I headed to Albertson’s to do some grocery shopping. The usual… eggs, juice, meat, and a gallon of milk. I got everything into the car and back home without any problems. Then it happened…

I was putting the stuff away and reached for the grocery bag that had the milk in it. No sooner had I lifted the bag to about counter-top height when a tear in the bag allowed the milk to fall to the floor. Even with my cat-like reflexes I was unable to catch the milk. Okay, lately my reflexes are more like Garfield the cat’s… so you can understand why I wasn’t even close to preventing this from happening. The milk spilled, exploded, and spread all over the kitchen floor. It was another one of those “slow motion” moments and no matter how hard you try, you can’t prevent the inevitable… in this case, milk EVERYWHERE!!!

I can’t believe my Pistons lost tonight!! *arrrrggghhh!!!* It was just as sad as watching the Clippers take the suns to double overtime last night… then losing! =( My NBA Playoff season is falling apart!!!! Someone make it stop!!!

Anyone watching LOST out there?!?! Man, this is getting good!!! Next week is the 2-hour season finale... and Michael is leading 4 of them into a trap to save his son, Walt.

SMART DADDY

Okay, so the other day Jacob wasn't really eating all that much... he'd "snack" here and there, but for a 5-1/2 month old, he should be eating more regularly. He's also had difficulty breathing and would grab at his ear every now and then. Concerned that he may have something more than just a cold, like an ear infection, HieRan and I agreed to have his doctor take a look at him. I made the call and got him an appointment around 11:15am. Great! I had to pick up Mia at noon, so this would be perfect. Jacob and I headed to the doctor's office at 11:00 and proceeded to head up to the 3rd floor. I had Jacob in the front-pack facing forward so he could see everything, which he loves to do. As we exited the elevator I realized that we were on the wrong floor! We needed to get up to the 4th floor - and the elevator had already headed down. *dang* The stairs were right next to the elevator at the end of the hall, so I figured I'd just take them up one floor and we'd be there! *pretty good thinking, right? smart daddy...* We got up to the 4th floor, and as I went to open the door, I was dumbfounded when I realized that the door was locked!!! (=B *duhhh*) Well, I guess I better just head down to the 3rd floor and call for the elevator... yeah, good thinking. Jacob and I headed back down to the 3rd floor, and when I went to open the door I relaized again that THIS door was locked too!! *aaaaarrrrrgggghhhh!!!!* What were the chances?!?! After smacking my forehead several times, I ended up walking alllllll the way down to the 1st floor where the door was opened... then back up to the 4th via the elevator. I guess it wouldn't have been so bad, but understand that I was carrying nearly 18 pounds of added weight (no, I'm not talking about my finely tuned spare tire, either!). Well, at least Jacob enjoyed the ride. =T

It turns out Jacob is fine, by the way - a slight cold, but nothing to worry about.

We picked up Mia at her school then headed out to the Korean market in Winnetka since we were out of rice... oh, and SPAM too!! *ha-HA! j/k*

Well, I better tune into the 4th quarter here. The LA Clippers are down by 6 to the Suns.

WEEKEND RECAP:

Saturday:

Well, we all slept in on Saturday - except Mr. Jacob, of course. So I was up with the kids to enjoy some cartoons and cereal. By 10am I was able to get Jacob back to sleep, but Mia was up and ready for the day's activities.

As part of the Mother's Day weekend, we brought HieRan to get a pedicure while Jacob and I did some window shopping. Mia stayed with mommy to see her getting pampered. We grabbed some lunch afterwards and headed home to see my Detroit Pistons lose to the Cavs *arrrghh!!*.

We had to get the kids to sleep early for Sunday's Mother's Day breakfast.

Sunday:

Okay, so today was the day - more pampering for mommy. This past week has been pretty taxing for her at work. Early mornings, late nights... she works hard all year, and what I had planned for her today is just a fraction of what she deserves.

The morning started with Mia bringing HieRan her gift (the one she already showed to her a couple nights ago). Then we all got ready to head out for breakfast. We got up and out of the house by 8:30am on our way to Marmalade's Cafe in nearby Calabasas. I think our timing was perfect - finding parking right in the front, AND not having to wait to be seated. It wasn't 15 minutes later when I started noticing more and more people lining up for their Mother's Day breakfast. Soon the place was crowded, but we were seated and eating before them all.

We were done by 9:45 and had a little bit of time before the BIG surprise. I suggested we head home so that Jacob could eat and take his nap. What I ACTUALLY did was head one block over to a really nice spa, Zen Spa, where I scheduled HieRan for a massage and facial treatment at 10am!! I think she was pleasantly surprised, and I just told her to relax and enjoy herself. I took the kids home, fed Jacob, watched a movie with Mia while Jacob napped, and then went to pick up HieRan around 1:30-ish.

Oh, I also had a chance to watch NBC's Head's Up poker tournament. Interesting format when you think about playing in a poker tournamnet one-on-one the whole way. I think there are a couple shows left that they're going to air. I like Ted Forrest's chances. He's more of a cash game specialist, but seems to do the right thing at the right time in this tournament. Plus, he's not cocky or arrogant like some of the characters you see (or even play with online).

The rest of the day was spent together, having our last meal at Chili's where Mia thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate cake we ordered for dessert:

Naturally, since my schedule is dictated largely by the NBA Playoffs, we headed home in time to see the LA Clippers defeat the Phoenix Suns (series tied 2-2)!! *whoo-hoo* Then... sadly, I watched the final episode of NBC's The West Wing. I'll be honest. Most of the time the language of the show goes way way waaaaaay over my head. The government, and all the components that make it run "smoothly" must number in the hundreds, if not thousands. The thing that's kept me captivated with this series is, not just the writing (and the machine-gun way that the dialogue is delivered), but how there must be people who are really this smart and articulate in our government. They (the writers) did a tremendous job developing the characters, and you could watch any episode and get hooked. It had a great run...

Okay, so that's that. Time for another week ahead. We're watching Survivor right now... well, I'm not. I haven't watched this season, but HieRan has, so I'm just keeping her company (blogging during the commercials). ;)

Have a great week!!

DADDY'S LITTLE HELPER:

So in preparation for the upcoming Mother's Day, Mia, Jacob, and I went out and bought a gift and card. I had Mia write her and her brother's name on the card as I boxed mommy's gift. When she finished writing I explained to how we would bring mommy the gift on Sunday morning, then Mia could sing her "Happy Mother's Day" song to her (she's been practicing at school). I told Mia to keep the gift and card underneath her bed, hidden from view so that mommy wouldn't see it. She said "okay daddy", and took the box away. The plan was "set"... or so I thought.

Not 5 hours later when HieRan arrived home did Mia take her to her room asking, "... mommy, do you want to see something?". Unable to contain her excitement, Mia pulled out the box and made HieRan open up everything. HieRan figured this was for Mother's Day and asked if she should wait until Sunday to open it. Mia said no, explaining how she'd still bring it to her on Sunday morning along with the exclamation, "... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!". What could I do but smack my forehead in disbelief?!!?? Nice one Mia.

So I'm throwing my hands up in the air... looks like I can only count on Jacob to keep a secret. Thanks buddy. No more surprises for Mother's Day (that is, until HieRan sees all the laundry that needs to be done!! *hahaha... SURPRISE!!*). j/k

A new use for underwear!

A new use for underwear!

Mia & Jacob at the mall.

Mia & Jacob at the mall.

Mmmm... eat, sleep, poop - repeat.

Mmmm... eat, sleep, poop - repeat.

My seat vibrates!

My seat vibrates!

FIRST MOBILE BLOG

Me and my son

TiVo WITHDRAWAL

Arrrrrggghhh!! I knew it was just a matter of time - but our TiVo has passed away. *sniff* Somehow the hard drive was corrupted and the system couldn't be revived (or reformatted). We used to share so many good times together, making us laugh at all the shows, or keep us at the edge of our seat when we were told who was next to be "Fired" or "...voted off the island". Our TiVo allowed us the freedom to watch one show while recording 2 others that shared the same time slot... it really strengthened our television-watching prowess, and did wonders for our time management (yes, we actually had time to pay attention to our two kids). *haha - j/k* Alas, we will have a proper burial this weekend and invite all our friends to join us in our time of need... like, we NEED updates on some shows, so give us the skinny, okay?

Our new DirecTV DVR is set to arrive, and it's supposed to be "better", but we'll see. You never forget your first TiVo, right? Take care good friend... safe journey... we'll miss you... time to record your last show... the tribe has spoken...

FORE!!!

Today was another pleasant day in Woodland Hills. Temperatures had to be in the mid- to upper-70's easily! And with our lawn FINALLY cut, we were able to play out in the back yard again. HieRan had an office day here at home, so she was able to play with the kids a bit in between working (ie. answering e-mails, returning phone calls, setting up appointments, you know... stuff you normally do IN the office). Mia wanted to hit the golf ball around the back yard a bit, so she and I worked on our short games. Let me describe how Mia hits a golf ball. She lines up her shot, positions her feet shoulder-width apart, addresses the ball... and flicks the ball forward. It takes her a couple of tries but maybe that's how Michelle Wei started?!!? =S Well, she's still MY All-Star!!

A SHOUT OUT TO MY BUD:
Hey Bertrand! Guess what popular Filipino food we had for dinner tonight? *hahaha - I'm sure you or K- will chime in won'tcha?* Ahhhh, yes - fuel for the gym!! For some reason the gym was so crowded today... at 7:30pm, too!! What the heck people? Don't you have families to go home to?!?! No celebrity sitings today... and I haven't seen Morris Chestnut working out there in a long time. I guess he saw me curling the 5 lb. dumbells... errrr... that's 50 lbs. and looked to join another gym. *yeah, that's it!* Either that or he must've torn an ab muscle laughing at me as I got pinned under the weights at the bench press. *darn you 10-pound plates!!*

Did anyone see David Blaine's attempt at holding he breath for 9 minutes tonight? Yeah, he failed... (he lasted 7 minutes and change) but I'm still amazed at some of the things he IS able to do. That guy is spooky! The one that got me was when he pulled that girl's teeth out of her mouth (there was blood and everything!)... and then he blew in her face and her teeth were back in her mouth!!! *yiiiiiikes!!!* I think I'm going to try that one on some passer-by tomorrow! *haha* G'nite all!

WEEKEND RECAP:

Okay, so this is the best part about being a dad (to me, anyway). This morning Mia came into our room and found a spot inbetween her mom and dad. Jacob was already being held by HieRan, so Mia snuggled closer to me - all of us were cozy in bed watching Wall Street Week... hahaha, j/k - I let Mia watch cartoons. A few minutes later, after being awoken by Mia's axe-kick to my quadracep (major charlie-horse) I got up and made some pancakes and eggs for breakfast. I cleaned up the kitchen and headed out to the gym before my Pistons started their second round of playoffs against the Cavaliers. I got home in time for the tip off, then managed to take Mia out for a bike ride during the halftime.

Well, my Detroit Pistons made a pretty good statement today crushing the Cleveland Cavaliers by some 30 points!! The game was over by the start of the 4th quarter, so we were able to head out and enjoy the rest of this beautiful day.

We found ourselves in Calabasas once again it's always a nice place to just hang out. Mia found some girls to play with, and they spent the better part of an hour running around and having fun. They even took in a game of "duck-duck-goose"... a classic game of chance, anticipation, and blinding speed. It was fun to watch Mia play with these other kids - she was the youngest of them all, but definitely the most vocal. Oh, and when it was time for one of the girls to leave, we could hear her pleading with her mom to stay saying "... noooo, I'm the ducker mom! I'm the DUCKER!!!". Cute, right? We didn't stay too much longer after that.

Mia & friends

ANOTHER WEEK IN THE BOOKS

Friday after (Mia's) school we decided to go to the park... 3rd day in a row! Today was actually sunny and warm, so parking was difficult as every kid and their mother was out there to enjoy the day. Mia played with a girl about a year older than her, but they got along so well - it was as though they were best friends! Interestingly, Mia's friend has a brother who is a year older than Jacob, so maybe they'll be able to play together when Jacob gets bigger. We got home around 3pm to find HieRan was already home! I don't usually like to have her come home to an empty house, but I didn't know of her early arrival today. The kids were thrilled to see her (as usual) and we let Jacob finish his nap before heading out to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner! *yum!* I ordered the Milan Pizza which has a combination of sweet sausage, spicy sausage, and mushrooms. When it came out it was burned to a nice dark crisp. I looked at it and then looked at our waiter as if to say, ... ummmm, you don't actually expect me to pay for this, much less eat it, do you? Unfortunately my telepathic message didn't quite get across (that's been happening a lot lately, just ask Mia). So my pizza sat there until he came back to check on us. I went and brought the pizza to his attention - his "surprised" look was pretty disappointing. He should have practiced it a bit more. Regardless, a new pizza was brought to me and dinner continued without further incident.

Got home to see the Sacramento Kings blow it at home - taking themselves out of the playoffs for this year. My Pistons are set to take on the Cleveland Cavs in the 2nd round. The Lakers play game 7 today against the Suns in Phoenix.

It's early so I think I'm going to take Mia with me to STARBUCKS for some coffee and an apple fritter! I hope she isn't too wired after drinking a grande soy latte.

Mia after just ONE sip!

EARLY RISERS

It's only 8pm and I'm beat. Jacob decided he would get up today around 5am... and STAY awake until it was time for me to wake up Mia. It seems he had a lot to discuss, and wanted to talk with me until the sun came up - ahhhh, yes... my little shot of caffeine!! *WAKE UP DAD!!* There was a time that I'd literally get about 4 hours of sleep a night, and I'd be fine! I felt like a zombie today, but still managed to get a lot done (how, you ask? I haven't a clue). Since I was up so early, I put Jacob on the front pack and did some work around the house. *I will say that having an additional 20 pounds strapped onto you while doing some housework makes for a pretty good workout!* I did a couple loads of laundry (it's a never-ending battle trying to get it all done), make Mia's lunch, put away dishes from last night, and Swifer the floors before having to wake up Ms. Mia at 7am. The rest of the morning went as it usually does - and Jacob and I took Mia to school before heading to Starbuck's for our morning coffee. ;-)

After school we decided to head to the park to let Mia run around a bit. Unfortunately there weren't too many kids there as the weather was a bit overcast and gloomy. Still we had fun and Jacob loved watching Mia jump off of the swing.

We got home in time to put Jacob down for a nap while Mia and I watched the Detroit Pistons advance to the second round crushing the Bucks and winning the series 4-1. With the game pretty much over before the 4th quarter, I went ahead and got dinner ready... a "rice-and-ground-beef-with-pasta-and-cheese-special"!! (aka Hamburger Helper!!!) No, it's not as bad as you think, and in a pinch it's super easy to make!!

After a quick run to the gym, I'm ready for a shower and some much needed rest. <=/ *phew, what a day*

Oh, just a quick question. Last night I had a very vivid dream about two of my teeth somehow falling out... it was the strangest thing, and I could literally feel them as they came out!! Any idea what this could mean? I also remember being at some campground with my cousin, and it all felt very familiar. I woke up in a daze... but thankful that I still had my teeth!! *haha - I think I'm heading for dentures someday!!*

WEEKEND RECAP

FRIDAY (night):
Took the kids to the local sports bar... no, j/k... really! We decided to have dinner at Red Robin's which is located at the local mall here. Afterwards, Mia wanted to walk around a bit - do some window shopping, I guess. There's a Disney store there, and I know she wanted to go and see the princess toys/dresses/& accessories to put on her wish list (trust me, she has a wish list in her head that is about a mile long). You know, there used to be a time when we'd take her to the toy store, ask her if she wanted anything and she'd reply "no". We miss those days. *sighs* We stopped by the goodbye store and Mia was able to score 3 "samples" which she finished in a matter of minutes. So that did it - Mia's sugar intake had reached capacity and she was bouncing off the walls, running, skipping, and hopping all over the place. The mall wasn't crowded at all, so we just let her run around (keeping her in our visual range). We were finally able to catch her and bring her back to the car... tired, but happy nonetheless. Got home in time to watch the end of the Sacramento Kings game vs. the San Antonio Spurs. What an ending!!!

SATURDAY:
I got up early to clean the house a bit before the day's activities. This included parking my (_)_) on the couch to watch my Detroit Pistons play the Bucks... grrrrr - THEY LOST!!!! ARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!!! So game 4 is on Monday and they still have the lead in the series, right? HieRan and Mia went shopping while Jacob and I watched the game (in agony). See just how involved he was in the game? Okay, so he's not a big sports fan - he'd rather eat, sleep, and poop... hey, not a bad life actually. =T The girls came home with a few bags of "stuff"... including bags of McDonald's!! *whoo-hooo*

SUNDAY:
Okay, the Laker game is on later in the day - so I planned my day accordingly. Jacob got me up pretty early (7am), so he and I got up, had some coffee, and I was able to get him back to sleep around 8am. I decided to put up the curtains that HieRan and Mia bought the other day. Our sliding glass door in the back of the house isn't covered with anything, so we figured it's about time to put a window covering there. My drilling and stuff woke everyone up *oops*, so when I finished I suggested we head to the Corner Bakery for some brunch!! It was another nice day, and the CB is located at an outdoor shopping area in Calabasas (frequented by the former "Nick & Jessica"). After brunch, we walked around the outdoor shopping area - Mia loves to go to the pond and look at all the turtles. We spent a good part of the afternoon out - just enjoying the day and one another's company. Jacob is sitting up in his stroller now, and just loves to take in all the sights. He fell asleep along the way - just long enough for me to run into Cold Stone and grab a coffee milkshake!! ;-P Thanks Jacob!!

No problems here!!

After running a couple more errands, we headed home. While Jacob continued his nap, HieRan and Mia relaxed at home and I headed out to the gym. I wanted to make sure to get home in time to watch the Lakers take on the Suns again - Game 4. Did you see it? One buzzer-beater to tie the game and send it into overtime. And then ANOTHER buzzer beater to win in overtime!! That KB is quite the gamer. Lakers lead the series 3-1. Oh, and just to mention, the LA CLIPPERS are ahead in their series over the Nuggets, 3-1. See? Looks like we could be in for a "hallway" classic between the Lakers and the Clippers. Should be a great series.

So that brings us to today....

Huge demonstrations are happening across the country, supporting immigrants. My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, I understand the underground economy and how the immigrants are helping keep the cost of living down. They are a huge part of the labor force (just visit your local Home Depot to see for yourself), and make positive contributions to America. HOWEVER there are immigrants and then there are undocumented immigrants - the latter I don't think deserve any of the privileges that they think they do. If they feel so strongly about contributing to the US Economy, then they need to get their documentation in order and become citizens. My folks did it the right way, and I am proud to have benefited from an education system that my tax paying parents contributed to. This country is a country of laws, people. If you're not following them, you're breaking them - and violators should be held accountable for their actions. So it seems a lot of immigrants are taking a day off to protest and show their support over the immigration issue. It doesn't seem fair that existing taxpayers should foot the bill for an infrastructure that anyone and their kids can use. I give undocumented immigrants about as much respect as I do people who drive around without auto insurance. Sooner or later someone's going to pay - should it be us or them?

NBA Recap:

The LA Clippers have advanced to the second round defeating the Nuggets of Denver. It's taken the franchise only 30 years to advance - way to go team!! Looks like LA basketball could be in for a great 2 weeks of basketball at the STAPLES Center, if the Lakers can beat the Suns tomorrow.

In the west the Dallas Mavericks sweep the series against the Grizzlies... wasn't much of a series actually, but Dallas looks strong. If the Kings can push the Spurs to 7 games, then Dallas will get a nice long break before the 2nd round.

My Pistons won again tonight over the Bucks putting them one game closer to advancing to the 2nd round.