My first business trip away from home went well! But what a rude awakening … I had envisioned a break, where I’d get more time to exercise, shop, or even hit the spa. But nope, I spent the evenings in the hotel room catching up on email. Ironically, one email I received the first night informed me that the class I was taking was now scheduled in Folsom. The silver lining to my trip (which made it totally worth it) was that I got to see my sisters, brother-in-law, cousin, and parents!  They just happened to stop by the Bay Area on their way to China.

It warmed my heart to hear that Calie knew I was working (“mama work!”), as I was concerned that she might think I left permanently! Hats off to those who travel for work – it was a lot harder than I expected … and I was only a short company shuttle away for 3 days.

I got back Thursday night, and that coming weekend we headed up to South Lake Tahoe for Labor Day weekend.

Day1: We met up with Melissa and family at Zephyr’s Cove. We had a picnic lunch, and the kids played in the sand for a few hours. Dinner was barbecued burgers and sausages (charcoal is a lot harder than gas!) with sides of grilled corn and salad. We ended the day with card/board games.

Day2: The next morning, we went on a family hike to Vikingsholm (~2 miles roundtrip). The view was great and the kids did pretty well, with the exception of Calie who insisted on being carried the whole way. Hint to future hikers: Get there early, as parking is hard to find!

In the afternoon, Melissa and I went to Reflections (Harrah’s spa) for their steam room, jacuzzi, and massages. It was exactly what I needed! Then it was off to 19 Kitchen~Bar for dinner. We had a great corner table over looking Lake Tahoe. It was a good thing I resisted the fresh bread (only had 1-2 slices instead of the whole basket) because my entree had 2 thick ahi tuna steaks! They also gave us a bowl of cotton candy at the end of our meal – which we took back to our kids. Thank you Melissa for a great birthday dinner (and all the work advice too … gosh, am I a great conversationalist or what?!) We got home in time to watch fireworks with the rest of the family from our balcony. After we put the kids to bed, we played Mahjong … it was pretty fun, although the scoring was very complicated. I had no strategy except to end each round as fast as I could to prevent the better players from getting higher scores. I definitely need practice!

And as for the bunkbeds that the kids were so excited about the first night? Melissa and I slept in them – impromptu sleepover! With the windows open for cold fresh air, I had the best night of sleep I’ve had in a long while.

Day3: We all had breakfast together (followed by cushion fort building), and then Melissa’s family left to beat the traffic. We headed to Round Hills Pine beach. It was actually the nicest of all the Tahoe beaches I’ve been. It wasn’t crowded, the sand was smooth (no pine needles like at Camp Richardson), and the water was fairly shallow for a ways out. The kids had fun, but it wasn’t really the same without Alex and Nicole there.

We headed home after lunch. Traffic out of Tahoe was pretty bad. Calie napped most of the way, and Zachary played iPhone games. It took us almost 4 hours!

Hooray for a 4-day work week! Thursday, Kathy invited a few girls over for a clothing swap. With so many of my friends losing weight and dropping sizes, I made out like a bandit! I just need to keep staying ~10lbs behind (or is it ahead?) of them.  We had wine and chocolate cake for dinner, followed by stories of Karen’s recent China trip. I didn’t get home until close to midnight – being awake at work is overrated.

This weekend was pretty fun. Friday night, Intel held a Vegas themed fund raiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. The food was surprisingly good, given that it was catered by the onsite cafe: seafood ceviche, prime rib, and 5-spice duck were my favorites. We didn’t win any of the raffle prizes, but at least the donation went to a good cause! (Note: The below blue dress is from Kathy – thank you!)

On Saturday and Sunday morning the kids went to their swim lessons. They are making progress and seem to have a good time in class, so I signed them up for another 8 weeks. On Saturday, Zachary had his first soccer game … and they lost 0-3. They played hard, and I could tell Zachary was holding back tears. It’s hard for his team with so many new players, but overall it was a good game and the kids didn’t seem discouraged. In the evening, we went to Sam and Melissa’s house for a dinner. They used a grilled pork chop recipe from Mustards, but I think their version was better – unlimited sauce! Of course, I could not pass on the homemade apple pie … good thing I went on a morning run!

Today (Sunday), we went to the mall to get Calie’s 2-year-old photos taken. We also bought a package of family pictures since it’s so rare we have everyone in one photo. The kids were well behaved, so afterwards, we went to Dave & Busters for lunch and games.

Oh and last but not least, this past Friday, I got to send in my goal weight … 135lbs! By no means skinny, but I am a much healthier weight than I was before I started on the program. I’ve lost 16lbs and can fit into my pre-baby clothes easily – too bad they are hopelessly out of style by now!  I hope I can maintain or even lose a few more pounds before the final weigh-in (2 weeks from now.)

School started since the last time I posted, 3 weeks ago. Zachary really likes his new teacher – yay! And if you’ve ever wanted to feel like a superior parent, I’ve enclosed a photo of my 2-year-old eating raw fish (hamachi.) Everything in moderation, including our mercury intake!

The first weekend after school started, we went to Lowes visit to build a bug box. Then my sisters came to visit for an early birthday celebration (mine!) We all went to Dave & Busters to play games … using the same token cards we got from a work event in July. I have no idea how much was on those cards, but they really lasted. Sophie got the all-time high score in Whack-a-Mole (no cheating either) … and the ‘Deal or No Deal’ game was surprisingly exciting! We had over 3000 tickets, but there was nothing of interest in the prize redemption store – not even for a 6-year-old. We saved our credits in hopes they will restock with better items, or maybe we’ll just lose the card and/or forget about it.

In the evening, my sister’s treated me to Mulvaney’s in midtown for dinner. The restaurant had great service and even gave us a special menu with a birthday message. Thank you Alice and Sophie for coming up to celebrate! Happy 36th Birthday to me!

Later that week, Dana took me out for Mikuni’s. I deviated from my normal order of sashimi and indulged in a specialty roll, drenched in yummy (and I am sure calorie-laden) sauce. Thank you Dana! For my actual birthday on Friday, James and I went out for dinner (Fat’s) and a movie (Inception.) That Saturday, a few coworkers and I had a surprise birthday party for my pre-reorg manager… Happy 50th Birthday Steve!

That weekend was also ’Opening Day’ for our city’s youth soccer league. It was basically a lot of bounce houses and a few vendors selling food and soccer related paraphernalia. Luckily, we got there early because the lines for bounce houses got long pretty fast. On Sunday, we went to Ed and Lori’s for dinner … salmon barbecued/smoked on cedar planks. I think it was the best grilled salmon I’ve ever had. They have a huge backyard, and the kids enjoyed playing outside.

This past weekend, Calie went to a trial class at Trick’s gymnastics. I’ve heard great things about them – however, the class Calie went to was mostly free play, which she gets plenty of at daycare. I later found out it was ‘creative week’ and usually, there’s more guidance. We may have to do another trial class before making a decision – I really want something that’s for Calie since Zach has soccer. Speaking of soccer, Saturday was the seeding tournament. There are 3 groups in his age division based on ability/experience. Since Zachary (and quite a few of his teammates) are new to soccer this year, they defaulted to the 3rd group. The purpose of the seeding tournament is to move teams, if needed, to the appropriate group. They played 3 games … and after a tie and 2 loses, they stayed in the 3rd group. All the boys (and more importantly the parents!) were good sports. Zachary practiced kicking off and on all weekend - I really hope they win at least one game this season! One of the boys’ mom is a great photographer:

My sister made the team banner, which solicited tons of compliments – thank you Alice!

In the evening, we went to a small zoo fund raiser event. Dinner was samples from Olive Garden, Granitos, and Cupcake Cravings. There were a few live animals, 2 art projects, live music, and docents on-hand to talk about their displays. We recieved a goodie bag, which included a coupon for a free Round Table Pizza.

Zachary and Calie continue their Sunday swim lessons – both are making good progress. Monday and Wednesday evenings are reserved for soccer practice, and starting mid-September, there will be Saturday games. Homework has started again, but fortunately it’s just review. Yep … summer is over, and we’re getting into the school year routine.

On top of kids and weekend activities, work has been very busy the last 3 weeks … 5 full days of meetings and 4 days of classes (1 down today, 3 more to go in Santa Clara tomorrow.) Lots of catered/working lunches and two dinner team builders (Bistro33 and Scott’s Seafood). Exercise has, unfortunately, taken a back seat to work and family life and I’ve gained 2lbs (which doesn’t sound like much, but I only lose 0.5-1 lb per week). My ‘Largest Loser’ team at work has only 1 month to go. I’m 3.5 lbs from my pre-baby weight … can I do it?!

Last weekend before school starts! I made the most of it and took Thursday and Friday off from work. Zachary’s school was closed during the summer camp to school transition, and I figured I’d keep Calie home as well. Wednesday … Zachary’s first soccer practice. It was so hot (yes, I complain a lot about the heat here!) but I was able to sit in the shade to watch. Zachary did better than I expected, although he did kick the ball into the parking lot twice, and I’m pretty sure it was on purpose.

Thursday, I met up with Chrissie and her family at the Jelly Belly Factory. We’ve stopped by in the past before, but always on a weekend when the factory floor was shut down. This time, we got to see the factory in action. The kids really enjoyed watching the Jelly Bellys move on a conveyer belt, get coated with flavor/color, go through quality control (irregulars get sold as “Belly Flops” for a fraction of the price), and then get packed for shipment. Of course the free sample bar was a huge hit.

The kids had a great time – and traffic was good so we got there 5 minutes before they opened. By the time we were done with the tour, the line wound around the building! We grabbed lunch at the cafe and then headed home – perfect timing with Calie’s naptime.

In the afternoon, I took the kids to work … but just the parking lot. It was Diversity Day and there were booths that showcased the different diversity groups at work. There was also painting and rock wall climbing activities. Between James and me, we received $20 worth of food vouchers, so we enjoyed Indian, Iranian, and Mexican food while listening to music and watching dancers on stage. With our last $5 voucher, the kids shared a double scoop of ice cream in a waffle cone!

Friday was a light day. We met up with Dana and baby Maya at the outlets. Otherwise, we played in the house and backyard. The kids and I made cookies – tasty, but unevenly cooked due to the wide variety of diameter and thickness. Poor quality control. Then in the evening, we met up with Dylan and Jessica for Concert in the Park. We basically set up a blanket on the lawn, listened to a band play classic rock hits, and let the kids run around with a soccer ball and frisbee.

Saturday was Calie’s birthday party. In the morning, I took her to a free trial Gymboree class … it was good, but too similar to what she was already getting at daycare. At the same time, James took Zachary to Home Depot to build a school bus pencil holder.

In the late afternoon, we had 6 families over to celebrate Calie’s 2nd birthday. We kept it really simple … a barbecue dinner followed by a traditional Chinese fruit cake.

For decor, I just hit the Dollar Store the day of the party. And as for gifts, we asked people to just give her what their child has outgrown. Calie has so many toys already and most of my friends have kids older than her – it just didn’t make sense to buy anything. She did end up with a few new items, but she also got some great hand-me-downs. Hurrah for reuse! Kids had a great time playing outside – and fortunately, our backyard is almost completely shaded after 5pm.

Sunday, we took the kids to swim lessons and then had more swimming (plus lunch) at Bhavana’s house. Delicious homemade Indian food – so yummy! Calie asked for “more” and even Zachary had a bowl of biryani. I wish I knew how to cook like that!

After lunch, we had a fun time playing in the pool. Kids vs adults … water balloons, water guns, and just plain splashing and pushing people into the water!

After we got home, Sophie and Eddie came over for dinner on their way back from Tahoe. They stayed at a bed & breakfast in Tahoe this weekend to celebrate their 1st wedding anniversary, and went fishing early in the morning. Sophie caught a lake trout! After a complicated fileting process using on online tutorial, the trout was seasoned (lemon pepper) and grilled for dinner. It smelled very fishy and attracted a gazillion flies, so we were initially concerned … but it was delicious! Happy Anniversary Sophia and Eddie!

Last week was pretty busy – in a good way, although mornings and evenings were harder with James in Oregon for a 3 day business trip. On Monday, my friend Sandy, who was on vacation from her busy pediatrician schedule, set up a lunch with a few of her girlfriends at Bidwell Street Bistro. It was a nice break in the day! Tuesday, I had a soccer meeting … Zachary is on a soccer team (Warriors) this year for the first time, and I signed up to be the team parent. Since James was out of town, I had Zachary’s after school teacher over to babysit. Wednesday, I took my extended team (18 people) out to Fats for a team builder lunch. And after work, Melissa and Sam invited me and the kids over for a dinner playdate. I had a delicious rueben sandwich and homemade berry dessert! Talk about indulgences!

Thursday, my weight loss group at work went to SkyHigh for an airobics class. It was pretty fun – and a great workout. Definitely on my list for future girls night outs, as they are open pretty late. Friday after work, I took Zachary to his classmate Alex C’s birthday party at the Aquatic Center. Happy 6th Birthday Alex!

Saturday, James went hiking (Mt. Tallac) with some friends followed by a bachelor’s party, so I had the kids for the day. Fortunately, we had some fun plans. In the morning, we went to Folsom Lake for jetskiing and a potluck lunch. Larry invites a group of ex-HP employees every year, and it’s always a lot of fun. Thanks Larry! The kids enjoyed playing in the sand, and I even took both kids out for a ride.

After lunch, I took the kids to the state fair. It was SO hot and crowded. The first 1.5 hours were frustrating. We were parked so away from the entrance, I forgot my cooler of snacks at home, and I generally dislike crowded hot places. The restroom stop was the worst, with me and 2 kids plus a stroller in one stall – I swear it took 10 minutes, and I was sweating from maneuvering both kids, trying to prevent them from touching anything. Then we stood in line for 20 minutes for a disappointing dinosaur exhibit. I was ready to call it quits and probably would have left had I not planned to meet up with Bhavana and Karen. And boy was I glad – we met at the reptile exhibit, which was in the shade with water misters. The kids liked the snakes and turtles almost as much as Karen did.

We then headed to the farm animal area, and the boys fed a horse. Then it was off to see fish, followed by a food exhibit, where we ate fresh fruit – we were supposed to ‘play’ with it, but it felt too wasteful. After letting the kids run around and a few more exhibits, we had fair food for dinner while enjoying live music. Yummy fried cheese curds!

Of course, there were the rides. The boys loved the rides! Poor Calie wasn’t tall enough for any ride except the monorail. She had a minor fit because she wanted to go on a ride with Zachary. In fact, the next morning I heard her crying again and telling James,”Guh-guh ride…” It’s tough to be a little sister! Anyway, we had so much fun, the kids were behaving, and the temperature was reasonable, that we did not get home until 10:30pm! (Parenting at it’s best, eh?)

Sunday was Calie’s birthday. We decided on a low key family day, with no gifts. After swim lessons, we had dimsum at one of Calie’s favorite restaurants (Asian Pearl) for lunch. Then it was off to Artbeast, Calie’s favorite place (with air conditioning) to play, where we met up with Tabitha and her family.

Since we didn’t buy gifts, Zachary made her some necklaces there. For dinner, we went to BJ’s … I love their wedge salad and they give free Pazookies on birthdays. Calie’s eyes lit up, and she knew exactly what to do when the cookie ice cream dessert came out with a lit candle on top. It took her a few tries to blow out the candle, and she was so happy and proud of herself when she finally did it. She loves being the center of attention!

Happy 2nd birthday to Calie! It’s kind of crazy to think at one point, I only wanted one child. Calie completes our family. At 2, she is talking in sentences, in the middle of potty training, and enjoys dancing. She’s excellent at pretend play and loves babies. She is a lot more particular about what she wears – and she always notices when I change necklaces or earrings. As for spatial and problem solving skills, she’s not even close to where Zachary was (I think she’s just now completing puzzles Zachary finished before a year old.) She’s not as stubborn or persistent in trying to figure things out, but prefers to get Zachary to do it for her … that’s what big brothers are for, right?  

Speaking of the big brother, I can’t believe he starts 1st grade next week – wow, the summer has flown by this year! Today, we found out who his teacher will be (Ms. Schafer – hurrah!) and that he would be in the same class as Alex U (double hurrah!)

Two Fridays ago, we hosted a Wii and barbecue playdate. Since it was a work day, the menu was boxed pasta for the kids and Costco salmon burgers with salad for the grownups. Zachary had a great time playing with Alex, Dylan, and Jesse.

The next morning, I went on a trail jog with Erjia, Jaybal, and Sam … and while I’m pretty much the slowest and most out of shape in the group, I’m pleased to report that I am seeing results. I’ve lost over 12 lbs since I started working out, and I’m more toned (squishy belly and thighs excluded) than I was pre-kids.  Then it was pack up the kids and head up to Camp Richardson (Tahoe) for camping. Perfect timing, we got there the exact same time as Bhavana and her family. Zachary and the twins played soccer while the adults set up, and then we headed to the beach. The view was wonderful and wow, it was crowded! I was so impressed by Gaurav and Vaibhav’s swimming ability – they were able to jump off the dock like the older kids.

Then it was dinner back at the camp, followed by dessert at the local ice cream shop. Ended the evening around a campfire, and it was downhill from there. One of the worst night’s sleep ever. Calie was super fussy and wanted to sleep across a James’ face. Halfway through the night, James asked me to switch places with him so he could get some sleep. I had a mummy style sleeping bag and Calie wanted to be in it, so we could not zip it up. I was so cold. Fortunately, like Transylvania, the torture ended at sunrise.

We had breakfast at the campground and then headed back to the beach while Bhavana and her family went to Heavenly for a scenic gondola ride. After lunch at the Beacon Bar & Grill, we drove home. Once again, vacation with another family is the way to go. The kids just have so much more fun! For a better experience, I would have purchased a bigger tent (Bhavana’s tent had 2 rooms!) and left Calie at home. Okay, I’m sort of kidding about that last part, but I’m thinking 3+ years old, potty trained, would be a threshold. That’s just me though; I know plenty of people who have success with babies.

On Thursday, James and I (and almost everyone else from work) went to see a movie. Our employer booked the local Palladio theaters and gave everyone a free ticket, small popcorn, and drink. We picked ‘Despicable Me’ since we like Steve Carell, and it was very entertaining! Yay for work sponsored dates!  This past Friday, I met up with Dana and her family for a casual dinner at Whole Foods. We took the kids to the outdoor playstructure, where there was lively music playing. And on Saturday morning, I took Zachary to Lowes to make a flashing UFO toy.

After Lowes, we drove up to Patrick’s Berry Farm in Camino. It was shady in the picnic area, and the kids spend most of the time kicking a ball around. We had a potluck lunch and then headed into the dusty hot fields for manual labor, which made for a good lesson about going to school and having a career. 

The kids liked picking berries this year. Unfortunately that meant, I ended up paying for some leaves and twigs, but I figured that was about right, given the berries Calie ate before we reached the checkout stand. Thanks to Sam and Melissa for setting up this fun annual tradition! In the evening, I took Zachary to SkyHigh and met up with Andrew. Since I didn’t go on my regular weekend jog, I jumped for an hour … not quite the same, but it was at least something!

 
Sunday morning, we took the kids to their first Steve Wallen class. It went um … swimmingly! What a big difference between the private classes and the Aquatic Center group lessons. It was indoors, moved at my child’s pace, and the instructor had both kids laughing many times. Thanks to my friends who recommended them! Afterwards, we picked up some produce at the farmer’s market and then headed home for Calie’s nap before heading out again for a ribeye barbecue and swim playdate at Karen’s. In all, a fun weekend with friends!

I kicked off the 3-day July 4th weekend with dinner at Wasabi with my girlfriends, followed by cocktails by the pool at Karen’s house. It was a mentally exhausting work week and I was grateful to have friends who could relate – and a husband who’s good with kids!

Saturday morning, we drove down to San Jose to celebrate Auggie’s birthday at a bowling alley. Calie liked it until she walked past the foul line and triggered the buzzer –then she wanted nothing to do with bowling. Zachary did quite well, but only because it was bumper bowling.  Chrissie made an awesome bowling cake with matching cupcakes – and they tasted as good as they looked too! Happy 7th Birthday Auggie!

After cake and pizza, we headed over to Happy Hollow. Zachary really enjoyed the playstructures and rollercoaster, but I think his favorite was the manual Roller Racer. Being a lighter kid (~42 lbs) really helped him, and he lapped James twice!

Happy Hollow had numerous rides for toddlers, and Calie had a great time too. For dinner, we all went to Spaghetti Factory – I love their shrimp salad (my order) and spaghetti with Mizithra sauce (Calie’s kid menu order that she didn’t finish and of course couldn’t go to waste!)

The next morning, we met up again – this time at Gilroy Gardens. The kids had a fun time and went on almost every single ride at least once. The water play area was a huge hit, since it was pretty hot. We were waiting in line before the park opened and stayed until 5 minutes past closing – the kids had a blast with their second cousins! 

But wait! There’s more…We had 8pm tickets to see July 4th fireworks at the Shoreline Amphitheater, which was 3 miles from my sister’s house. We decided to allocate 15 minutes of drive time to account for parking … after all, how many people would pay $17 per ticket and $10 parking (almost $100 for a family of 4) for fireworks? I’m used to free fireworks. Wow, I was wrong! Traffic was bumper to bumper and we got there 40 minutes after the orchestra started. It was a great show with live music from San Francisco Symphony and singing by ‘Elphaba’ from the musical Wicked.

When the sun set, there were 3 firework shows set to music – it was so close/loud that Zachary was initially scared and hid behind James. It was Calie’s first firework show and when it was over, she pointed to the sky and asked for ”More? More?” It took us literally 1.5 hours to make the 3 mile drive back home. I guess that’s part of the experience – sitting on blankets on the lawn watching fireworks and getting stuck in traffic … if only I brought some Off! insect repellent (DEET anyone?), I could relive my childhood July 4th experience. The next morning, we met up with my sister Alice and Sebastian, who treated us to brunch at Crepeville (thanks!).

Then it was nap time for Calie and iPhone games for Zach on the drive home. That evening, we went to a pool and barbecue playdate at Jessica’s house. We always have such a fun time at their home – we’re grateful to them for hosting dinner and inviting us to splash in their pool. As a bonus, I also get free camera advice from Jeff!

 
On Thursday afternoon, James and I went to Dave&Busters. Our company rented out the arcade/bar and in addition to food and 2 drinks, gave everyone a game card. The $20 card lasted a surprisingly long time.  We didn’t finish our cards or redeem our (2000+) tickets, so we’ll have to go back in the future … plus we received some good coupons. Hmmm … it is possible to be working hard and hardly working? Lots of work sponsored events lately!

 
The following day (Friday), James and I went to Shahrzad for our date night – yummy and authentic Persian food (at least that’s what my coworker – who’s Persian – told me.) Saturday morning, we went to Lowes to build a ball-in-cup game, and then we headed to the Bay Area again. This time it was for my sister Alice’s birthday.

Alice planned an awesome Hawaiian Luau party – complete with hoola hoop contest and themed food, including barbecue pulled pork, Spam musubi, pineapple, and coconut cake. For party favors, the men received shell leis and the ladies got flower leis with a matching hair clip!

When the sun set, James took the kids the Sophie’s house, where we were staying the night. I got to sit around a fire pit with my sisters (and their friends) and watch ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’. It was hilarious – I love awkward moments and that movie had plenty of them. Hooray for weekends with sisters! Happy 33rd Birthday to Alice!

We took it easy on Sunday … walked around the local farmer’s market with Sophie, made a lunch out of the food we purchased, and then drove home. In the evening, we had Alex and Nicole over for a casual dinner and playdate.

Summers are so jam packed with activities that I let 3 weeks pass without posting!

The week after we got back from Maui, my extended team had a quarterly at the aquatic center. Families were invited so James took the afternoon off, and we picked up the kids. We had catered barbecue and played on rented kayaks/canoes/hydrobikes. Kids got water toys to play with and take home. It was a lot of fun – and as a bonus, it wasn’t nearly as hot as the rest of the week!

That Friday, James and I went to The Kitchen to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. Thanks to James’ parents for babysitting! The food was delicious, although I have to admit I preferred the scallops at Lahaina Grill. My favorite dish was the Wagyu beef with Dungeness crab Bernaise. And they had the best dessert of all the times I’ve visited: peach ice cream made with raw honey … I had to get seconds of that despite my diet, it was so worth it!

That weekend, I took Calie to Lowes to build a Father’s Day frame … and then we went to Dylan’s house for dinner and a pool playdate. First swim playdate of the season! The next morning, we got up early and headed to Intel for a charity 5k.

Calie was last in the ‘under 5′ category and had to be carried back as to not hold up the next race. Zachary ran a 1/2 mile in 4 minutes … much better than I expected. He was so proud of himself and said,”I did not even look back because I didn’t want to waste any time.” He took his medal (everyone got one) to summer camp the next day to show his friends. I ran with Karen, Erjia, and Jaybal. My first 5k in maybe 10 years, but I met my goal of running the whole way even if it was a 12 minute mile! 

The following weekend, we were going to the Bay Area to visit my sisters … so I panicked when I got food poisoning Friday evening. I was also bummed to have to cancel a girl’s night out. Fortunately, I recovered quickly and the weekend plans were saved. Saturday, I took my sisters to Watercourse Way Spa as their birthday gift. We reserved a private room (called ’9 Bats’!) with jacuzzi, steam room, and cold plunge. It was really neat, although it did cross our mind what other people might do in such a room.

We all had 1 hour massages next, and I was happy to hear my sisters say it was the best massage they ever had! Fortunately, that weekend, the spa was celebrating their anniversary, so we received free hand/arm scrubs and had cookies and fresh fruit refreshments. After a homemade spaghetti dinner, James and I went to see Wicked while my sisters babysat the kids (thanks!) What a GREAT musical … I highly recommend it.

The next day was Father’s Day, and we decided to go to Great America. It was an ideal day to go – not crowded at all. The only downside is that many of the rides required 44″ and Zachary was 43″ with shoes.

Since the last time I visited, the park added a decently sized water park area and Snoopy themed rides/shows. Bonus: Alice “won” a turtle for my kids for looking like she’s in her 20s!

Last Thursday, I rescheduled my girl’s night out – and it happened to be on Kathy’s birthday (Happy Birthday Kathy!) Karen, Rachel, Megan, Kathy, and I went to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner to celebrate. Then we met up with Sandy to watch the 9pm showing of Sex and the City 2. As it turns out, Palladio theater does not keep Flixter updated and the movie was no longer showing. Ack! We decided we MUST see this movie and drove 30 minutes to Roseville to another theater. Since it was a 2.5 hr movie, I didn’t get home until past midnight. Despite the bad reviews, I really liked it. I think it helps to know the characters (and we all did … does that date us?) On Friday, I had a team builder at work, where we had Quiznos and pizza, and played volleyball. After work, Kathy and I made another trek to Roseville for Mikunis sushi with Dana and Reshma (and their cute babies.)

Saturday morning, I went for an early morning run, and then took the kids to the local water park to splash around.

After lunch, I headed to Simple Serenity Spa with Melissa, Karen, Rachel, and Kathy for a few hours of relaxation. It’s great having friends I share so much in common with – be it our kids’ interests, careers, travel, or even getting in shape. Definately lots of good laughs – sorry Karen for jolting you out of your massage induced slumber! (Haha) The owner of the spa was so gracious and accommodating, it reminded me the importance of supporting small businesses.

After our private spa party, we went to Rachel’s for dinner and a pool playdate. I got to verify that my new camera was indeed waterproof. We had so much fun, we didn’t leave until it was dark, past 9pm!

Sunday, we took Zachary and Calie to a trial class at Steve Wallen Swim School. It was highly recommended by my friend Bhavana. I could tell that they work a lot more with the kids than the public pool lessons Zachary took last year. The session from last summer were good in that he became more comfortable/confident in water .. but they didn’t really teach him to swim. These classes were semi-private, so a teacher would be dedicated to just Calie and Zachary … and run us $350 for 8 30 minute lessons. I was hesitant because I never expected to pay that much for kids’ lessons. But then I remembered I shelled out ~$800 in spa treatments this month, and signed them up – funny how guilt works!

After our class, James took Zachary to watch Toy Story 3 (in 3D) with Dylan and Jessica. I walked around the local farmer’s market with Calie, trying to keep her in the shade as much as possible. She loves fruit and ate a bag of cherries, claiming that half of them had “no seed!” I probably ruined a pair of shorts with all the fruit stains, but the verdict is still out since I haven’t done laundry yet. We all met up for Mongolian Barbecue after the movie, where I decided it was completely unfair that I don’t have Rachels’ metabolism. It was a busy weekend, so the rest of the day, the kids just played at home.

From a Calie milestone standpoint, she is talking in simple sentences and usually able to get her point across verbally. Even people outside our immediate family are starting to understand her. I love hearing the two kids converse in the back seat … although it does occasionally break out into arguments.

Thursday, before heading to Maui, I went out with my friends and tried a new wine bar. We shared a few appetizer plates and also a chocolate platter. Some of us opted to try the ‘summer whites’ tasting, while the true wine affectionados among us stuck with reds. Cheers to good friends!

(On the way home, a police car was right behind me almost the whole way - while it had been literally hours before my last drink, talk about feeling nervous!)

Friday morning, we go on the plane and headed to Hawaii! Finally! I booked this vacation about 6 months ago, when Alaska airlines was advertising their new direct flights.

Day 1-2: We checked into our condo, the new Honua Kai on Ka’anapali Beach in Maui. It was very nice, with lots of grassy areas for kids to run around, a few pools (including a water play and slide area), and the beach right outside the condo.  

We waited a few hours for Natalie (with nugget), Jason, and Anderson to arrive,  as they were flying in non-direct from Austin. The first 1.5 days, we played on the beach and hung out at the resort. Last year, Zachary was afraid of getting too close to the ocean … this year, he enjoyed going in (knee deep only) to pick up washed up pieces of coral, shell, and rocks. Calie still preferred staying far away from the crashing waves … as did Anderson, although he warmed up to it after a few days.

Day 3: We hit the 3 Upcountry tourist attractions … first stop was Ali’i Lavender Farm. The view from up there was incredible, almost surreal. We walked around the gardens and Zachary completed a scavenger hunt. We sat out on their patio and had lavender tea, scones, and cookies.

Next stop was Tedeschi Winery. Coming from the Napa area, I was surprised that tastings (up to 4) were complimentary. Of course, both families ended up buying a bottle of passion fruit “wine” from them before walking across the street for a barbecue lunch. Our final stop of the day was Surfing Goat Farm. Unfortunately, we didn’t expect them to close so early (2pm!) on Sunday. So we didn’t get a tour … but we did try their fresh cheese sampler and pet baby goats. Well, Anderson did … my kids were scared of them. Ended the day playing at the beach. Natalie and Jason went to Roy’s for dinner, while we watched Anderson.

Day 4: Natalie and I met up with Kathy at the Sheraton for spa treatments. The Spa at Black Rock was not as luxurious or big as the Westin spa, but the massage was excellent. In the afternoon, I took Zachary parasailing. He LOVED it! We did a 800ft tandem flight, which included a dip in the ocean. In the evening, Natalie and Jason watched the kids while James and I went to Lahaina Grill for dinner. Everything was so delicious … seriously, the best scallops I’ve ever had. Highly recommend this place!

Day 5: Retrospectively, Tuesday was probably alittle overbooked. There’s still alittle bit of “let’s do it all” in me even though I’ve slowed down considerably since traveling with children. We started the day at the beach … we try to go early in the morning or in the evening to avoid too much sun. Then we took the first Sugar Cane Train to Lahaina. (There is actually a schadenfreude story here. Anderson hid his parents’ rental car keys in a martini shaker … so we left ahead of them and waited at the train station. We had to board without them. Then right as the train was pulling away, we saw their car driving by the track … and they ended up catching up by the next stop!)

We walked around Lahaina until it was time to board the Reef Dancer, a glass bottom boat. Since both Natalie and Jason get motion sickness, we took Anderson while they grabbed lunch.

We rode the Sugar Cane train back to our condo, and then headed to The Drums of the Pacific Luau. We met up with Kathy and her boyfriend Caleb. Natalie, James, and I realized a few minutes after arriving, that we’ve been to this very same luau many years ago! The food was better than I remembered (I guess that’s what dieting does to you?) and it was neat watching Zachary and Calie up stage trying to learn a few dance moves. Zachary was very impressed by the fire throwing finale. By the end of the luau, the kids were over exhausted, but it was still a fun day!

 Happy 7th Anniversary to me and James!

Day 6: We kept it very simple on Wednesday, and just hung out by the beach and pool. Natalie and I took a walk (with Anderson and Calie) in the morning to a local farmer’s market. I wish we had discovered it sooner, as the local fruits were so flavorful – Calie had fresh lychee for the first time! For lunch, we went to Duke’s, which was poolside and overlooked the ocean. I could not resist (despite gorging myself on ahi poke at the luau) and ordered ahi tuna sashimi.

Since it was Jason’s birthday, we watched Anderson at night, while Natalie took him out to dinner at I’O followed by the Warren and Annabelle Magic Show. Happy 43rd Birthday Jason!

Day 7: Our last full day before heading home, James took Zachary on an ATV adventure. Natalie and I took the younger kids to Whaler’s Village. It was a decent walk (my guess is almost 2 miles each way), especially since Natalie had to carry Anderson for quite a bit of the way. I think she might be the strongest pregnant woman I know!

Afternoon, the kids played in the pool. The Honua Kai pools are really great for kids, with a number of shallow areas. And it was much less crowded than the Westin Villa pools next door.

Early evening, I met up with Kathy at the Westin Villa spa. Since I was in Hawaii, I decided to try the Lomi Lomi massage … which was basically a deep tissue, but not as deep. I’m glad I did it for the experience, but in the future, I think I’ll stick with the traditional Swedish style. The Westin Villa spa was quite a bit smaller than the Westin Hotel spa and didn’t have the incredible ocean views in the lounge area … but it was also less busy, so Kathy and I were able to enjoy the place almost all to ourselves. We were the only ones in their steam room!

<You may notice a lack of pictures here … 2 iPhones and a camera were recovering in a pot of dry rice. Fortuanately, mine made full recoveries. Possibly even more fortutitous for Jason, the new iPhone 4G will be available soon.>

Ending this ideal day (minus the electronic mishaps), Natalie and Jason watched the kids while James and I went to I’O. My salad and James’ fish entree were both very fresh. I also had carpaccio, and we shared a crab cake appetizer and chocolate dessert. It was our last night in Maui. We had reserved patio seating, overlooking the ocean, and enjoyed live Hawaiian music (as well as a sneak peek of dancing) from the Feast at Lele next door. I really didn’t want to leave … the 8 days of vacation felt like 3-4 days!

Day 8: We had a lazy morning before our 1:50pm flight. Stopped by Safeway for some bargain ahi poke ($7.99/lb) … I determined on the way to the airport, that I was probably at risk for mercury poisoning due to the ~2lbs of ahi I consumed this week. Oh well. We flew home… and since it was only Friday, we had the whole weekend to recover from the time change. All we did this past weekend was unpack, restock groceries, and play with the kids. Perfect!

Top 5 Travel Tips:

1. Get a condo right on the beach … saves you from strapping kids in carseats and driving anywhere. Walk out, walk in. No sitting in wet, sandy clothes in a car.
2. Get a place with a nice kitchen and washer/dryer. 
3. Unless you’re on a super tight budget … don’t over buy at Coscto (or any chain grocery store). Try the local farmer’s markets and nice restaurants!
4. Get a good friend to vacation with you … kids play together and parents can take turns babysitting, which gives the other couple a break.
5. There are advantages to ground floor – you get a better price (our 2 bedroom was $250 per night … so $125 per family) and you have a small private ‘backyard’ area for kids to play in.

A great weekend! I must have taken the conference message to heart because I took very good care of myself this past weekend. Friday afternoon, we picked up the kids early (~2pm) and brought them home to play with their grandparents. Then James and I headed up to Tahoe for a work celebration, which included a banquet dinner and an overnight stay at the Embassy Suites. Dinner was just okay … a bit bland, although the dessert was very good.  After dinner, a few of us walked next door to Harrah’s for some gambling and shopping.

We got up early in the morning and had breakfast, including made-to-order omelets. I filled mine with fresh vegetables and totally wished for bacon, ham, and cheese. I knew I had to save my calories for lunch though! We got dressed up again and drove directly to the Grand Island Mansion for Jenny and Danny’s wedding celebration.

What a beautiful wedding! It could not have been a more perfect day – sunny and cool. I loved the unique jewelry Jenny made for herself and her bridesmaids (including my friend Uyen). It was great how they involved Megan in the ceremony, with all three of them pouring/blending different colors of sand in a vase, symbolizing one unified family. Congratulations Jenny, Danny, and Megan!

The food was delicious – a buffet spread with a carving station, seafood, salads, and a huge fruit platter. I was pleased that our table was adults only – it felt liberating to eat without wrangling kids. What a great day!  We got back home late afternoon … kids were happy to see us, but they had so much fun playing with their Grandparents, I don’t think they even missed us! Thank you Graeber Grandparents!

The next day, Sunday, I took Zachary to a classmate’s birthday party …air hockey, arcade games, mini golf, and lunch (pizza and cake.)  Happy 6th Birthday Ishi! My dad and sister’s birthday was also this week … Happy birthday to my dad and sister Sophie!

Friday night was girls night out at Sienna. I ordered an ahi tuna dish and shared a goat cheese and mushroom flat bread pizza appetizer and desserts with my friends. It was all very good! Rachel brought her new acquisition to show off … a beautiful, well constructed and modern Monogram Eden. *swoon!*

That weekend, we took Zachary to Lowes to build a catapult … and then it was off to Kaitlyn’s birthday party. I wish they served just pizza because that would have been easier to resist … but nope, there was a spread of small bites that included lumpia, teriyaki chicken wings, smoked salmon, brie, and homemade hummus. All delicious – thank goodness I jogged 3 miles that morning. Happy 6th Birthday Kaitlyn!

In the evening, Zachary’s after school teacher came to babysit, and James and I went on a date. We went to Scott’s Seafood and saved over $20 using a discount card from work. I’ll give you one guess what I ordered. Of all the ahi tuna dishes I ordered this month, it was my favorite … thick slabs of sesame crusted fish, resting on a sweet, soy based sauce. After dinner (which included sharing a cappuccino and tiramisu), we went to see the movie ‘Date Night.’ Not as funny as I expected given the leading actors, but still a decent romantic comedy – I would recommend it for a rental. Sunday, we went to the Veggie Chase fun run. James ran the 5k while I watched the kids and took them around to the various stalls to play games and gather snacks and promotional freebies.

Zachary ran a ¼ mile run and Calie participated in the diaper dash.  I watched in dismay as she threw herself into the arms of a man dressed up as a large carrot, waiting at the finish line. She has no fear of strangers – perhaps a downside of being in daycare… too trusting. After the races, we headed to an area set up like a farm. There were chickens and cows in pens, and an area for kids to do art projects, plant vegetables, and play in dirt. I visited the farmer’s market stands to stock up on organic produce and even scored some local honey, which I hope will help with my allergies!

Here’s a bonus picture of Zach’s Kindergarten graduation … one year down, many more to go. And as for Calie milestones this month, she is laugh-out-loud proud of herself for walking backwards and jumping.

End of April, my girlfriends and I met up at Bistro 33 to celebrate Melissa’s promotion to director. I had the ahi poke appetizer (loved it) plus a trio of soups (of course, my favorite was the creamy, high calorie one), and the table shared a plate of chocolate desserts … way more than 8 calories , but worth it. A fun way to kick start the weekend – Congratulations Melissa!

 
Saturday was jam packed full of activities – we started at 9am. Met up with Dylan at Home Depot to make a wooden chair that held a potted plant for Mother’s Day  … then it was off to Lowes, where we met up with Alex and Nicole, to build a wooden school house.

After lunch, we went on a short Skagit train ride (unexpected detour – it happened to be set up right near where we parked) and then headed to Michael’s for the kids to make glass bead bracelets. Despite an over scheduled day, since Zachary has been asking to feed fish at the Nimbus Hatchery for a few weeks, I took him over there for ~an hour while James stayed with a napping Calie in the car.

 
I had another fun girls-night-out(in?) at Kathy’s house that evening. Kathy hosted a clothing/accessory swap party, which was great timing for me. I needed to go shopping – but was unwilling to splurge since I’m hoping not to be my current size for too long (I’ve lost about 5 lbs since my last post). Fortunately, my friends started their diets earlier and are now very slender … which means I get to inherit their bigger clothes to wear during this transition period. At first, everyone felt a bit nervous about changing out in the living room, but after a few glasses of wine, clothes were flying everywhere.  I left with a fully belly (love homemade Chinese food) and a bag of new-to-me clothes.

Sunday, James had to stay home to wait for our new refrigerator … so I took the kids to Artbeast. We met up with the usual suspects (Dylan, Alex, and Nicole) and the kids had a great time … I love how all our kids can self-entertain and come up with creative games to play on their own. 

For lunch, we went to dim sum at Asian Pearl, where I showed how much a mother is willing to sacrifice for her children by giving Calie the last chicken foot. After lunch, we headed back to Artbeast and stayed until they closed! (Yep, aside from lunch break, we were there from before 10am to 6pm)  I was very pleased when Zachary asked a boy his age to play with him – they had a great time playing the entire last hour! This is probably not a big deal to most parents, but Zachary tends to only join groups when he’s asked or (more likely) play by himself … so it’s a big step for him to proactively go up to someone he doesn’t know and start a conversation.

Last Thursday, Zachary’s school had a circus themed musical on the field. We got there a little earlier for a picnic dinner. To be honest, the show was pretty terrible. Kids kept forgetting lines, and I could hardly see Zachary in the crowd – the only part the kindergartners had was singing. Zachary had fun before the picnic/show though, kicking a soccer ball around with Alex and a few other boys.

The following day, the school had the longest assembly ever … Zachary was getting ‘recognized’ for being Citizen of the Month. Every kid gets to be Citizen of the Month … and Zachary was chosen the last month of school, so you can pretty much figure out what that means. The assembly was so long and boring, that I left 1.5 hours into it, before it ended … I personally think all the kids should get an award for sitting so long! 

On Friday night, Melissa and I co-hosted a jewelry making party. It was at Melissa’s house and she provided the snacks, so I was probably more of a supply provider than a host. Melissa and I handed out clasps, wires, pins … and the other ladies brought their own beads to use and share. It was really fun and basic necklaces/bracelets were surprisingly easy to create.

Saturday, I got up ~6am and ran over 2 miles without stopping for the first time in over 7 years. After a month of aerobics classes, I’m finally in good enough shape to jog – yea! Later that morning, we went to Lowes to make another Mother’s Day flower pot.

We spent most of the afternoon running errands, and in the evening, James went to John’s for a barbecue party, while I took Zach and Calie to a barbecue playdate at Alex/Nicole’s house. Alex showed Zach a picture of himself with a Lego fire extinguisher (which won him a $100 gift card) in Lego Magazine – Zachary was very impressed! Nicole and Calie didn’t care, as they were focused on what seemed like an eating competition.
 
Sunday was Mother’s Day. James and the kids took me to Bistro 33 (We go there a lot … possibly motivated by the $100 gift card for $80 deal at Costco.) Since I want to lose weight, I didn’t completely gorge myself. I ate a small slice of steak and a serving of Asian sesame noodles, but otherwise filled up on salad and shrimp. (Okay, I also had half a cookie and a small lemon bar … but that was it, I swear!) 

Since we didn’t have any other plans that day, and I felt a bit guilty about my indulgences, I took Zachary to Sky-High. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that moms jumped for free on Mother’s Day. I bounced with Zachary for 60 minutes with only a 10 minute break in between. I was UNpleasantly surprised later to find out it was only worth ~230 calories!

This past Tuesday, my girlfriends and I took a day off from work to attend the Professional Business Women of California conference. Since it was in SF, we had to get up early – bus departure time was 5:50am! I attended 2 seminars, got a chair massage, tasted food samples, heard an amazing live performance by one of the Wicked cast members, and listened to speakers, which included Geena Davis.

Key non-business message … which seems to especially apply this month of Mother’s Day  … take care of yourself!