Rainy days // January Mosaic

Already a month passed since my last blog entry!  It's been January has been a cold and rainy (at least for California) month.  No big things, just getting going to school, a couple of birthday parties, a short trip to Roseville.  I've transitioned into my new, all-clinic, schedule and it is giving me more time at home which is nice.  I'm usually able to get the kids to school and am home most evenings except one.  I've also had a bit more time to help Amy around the house and do some cooking too.

To the pictures!

Birthday party for one of Sora's classmates
(though Kai and Jad were invited too)

Jad and Colton makin' faces

Sora at the Tech Museum with friends

An emperor penguin can get this big?!
(I looked it up and max is ~4.5 ft :)

The kids when they are playing nicely

Kai at jujitsu with coach Aaron (sp?)

Sora got a prize for being
top reader in her class

I went to volunteer in Jad's class.  He had
a blast and the kids were being silly.

Amy and I have had a couple of nice lunch dates

Sora has continued to enjoy Girl Scouts

In fact, I gave a basic CPR talk to them this past weekend

I'm home mostly so I can help get the kids
to bed most nights

One of our neighbor families, the Casanovas, are moving to Roseville.. Boo!! But they want to strike it out on their own after living with one of the parents for the last 3 years so it's understandable.  They bought a nice big house in Roseville with close proximity to many shops and restaurants.  They are also right next to the water park and have a pool so we'll probably visit in the summer.  We got a chance to go spend the night and hang out so four for the RCC families went out for a sleepover.  Good times!

Everyone singing Karaoke in the kitchen

We walked a short trail to Eureka! for drinks

Their living spaces has a giant play area.. it's so the kids can't jump
on the furniture and the parents can buy more :p

Amy has kept up with her daily running streak since the beginning of the year.  She's done anywhere from 3 to 11 miles, which is amazing!  She says it makes her feel better and will try to keep it up until she gets a new job.  On that front, it's still a big downer for her but she's looking around at various opportunities and interviewed at a couple places already.  Finger crossed that she finds the right place.  I'm proud of her for all that she's doing though!

This looks amazing right here.. the scenery is nice too 😁

That's it for the last month or so.  We're going on a cruise with Amy's family in a couple weeks so that should be fun.  We also planned to visit Vancouver in April and have to still plan for Spain/Portugal in July.  And I have to find some conference to go to in the Winter :)  The year is starting off pretty well though.  I'll leave you with a super cute picture from yesterday.

Sora is reading a graphic novel about cats to Sesame

Actually, one more.. Amy saw this nice cartoon about being encouraging that we really liked.  It's sometimes hard because we are both realist and that does imprint on our parenting style.  Still, this is a good reminder that encouragement and support can go a long way.  Til next time, everyone!

Great America 3rd Visit // LSCC Winter Retreat // A Quiet NYE // Amy's the Best #15 // Resolutions and Goals

 First post of 2024!  Hope everyone is starting of the new year right :) 

Post Christmas, after I worked a couple of days, we went to Great America with the neighbors (Connicks and Ngos).  It was fun to wander around with the friends and I'm glad they were able to use our gold passes for free parking.

Sora, Elysia and Jad on the swings

They also rode the gondola by themselves (w/ Kai)

Funny enough, we ran in to Joanna, Anny and Jen Chen there and they went off
on their own to wander around (reliving their teen years at Great America).  It
was a nice opportunity to catch up without the kids around (I took them for a bit)

We finished off the year by going on our annual church retreat.  We usually have it during new years though, this year, there were definitely less people than usual who attended.  That's not a bad thing as it allows time to catch up more with people who were there.  Ansel and Yukari and their kids also came this year, even though they have moved to a different church, so we spent a lot of time with them.  Our kids also loved hanging out with Evelyn and William.  There was very little snow this year and the kids asked, "is this due to global warming?"  To some degree, I think, but hopefully it's just an odd year.  Still, the kids missed out on playing in the snow which was a bit sad.  

Our kids and the Shaw kids (minus new addition Elizabeth) were
inseparable during the retreat

Went on a hike at Emerald Bay on the first day there because there was no snow play

Ice skating on the 2nd day

There was a lot of time on screens/video games..
so much so that we're electronic detoxing this week

Lake Tahoe (or Lake Takoe as the kids like to say) without
snow.. it was beautiful nonetheless

We returned home on New Year's Eve (easier driving without snow conditions) and hung out with the Connicks for NYE.  The kids wanted to stay up until midnight but Amy and I were both tired so we celebrated East Coast New Year's and then got them to bed by 1045p.  Amy was out but I played Xbox with Viet until about 1am.   A very low key NYE :)

Majong New Year's

On New Year's day, we took it easy at home then went to the last day of Christmas in the Park.  Amy likes to go every year and it has become a bit of a tradition for us.  The best part was looking around for the Toyon Elementary tree, even though none of our kids go there anymore.  

Jad has been doing the shaka a lot.  Kai
with the thumbs up too.

The favorite tree this year was the Mario themed tree

Jan 3rd is Amy's the Best day for us.  It was designated as our engagement anniversary, which was 15th years ago.  We considered going to Half Moon Bay but decided to keep it close to home because we woke up late and would have to make it back for Kai's jujitsu (or so we thought, because it ended up being closed... and soccer was cancelled too!)  We did make it to Japantown for conveyor belt sushi but had the bad luck of getting a flat tire while there.  Still, that's why we have roadside assistance and it was taken care of fairly easily. 

Kids enjoyed picking things off the conveyor as
the plates came around.. next time we have to go
earlier in the lunch hour for more selection

We also got Pau Hana halo halo shave ice combo, which was very 
tasty.. gotta support our local shops!

Lastly, I'll finish off with kudos for Amy as she has started running more consistently again.  She joined a challenge in her running group and it's a good motivator for her.  I wouldn't call it a resolution because those always get broken but it's a good start.  I don't really have any resolution either but I do have some goals for the year, especially now that I'm on an easier work schedule.  I'd like to write more and, in no particular order, finish a draft of a book (so many ideas to curate and winnow down), learn to play ukulele, meditate be more present for the kids and make sure my relationship with Amy is really strong.   

Here's to 2024 and all the wonders that it brings!  

Coming home from summer camp // Year end shenanigans // Nik's out of the ER // Christmas!

 Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone!  Finishing off the year strong ..

Kai came home from summer camp and he says he had a great time.  In his laconic way, he said that it was fun and that he was only missing home for a bit on Tuesday.  He appreciated the letter we sent that was delivered to him on Wednesday and was happy to come home.  I am glad he had a great time but like to think that we've prepared him well for these kind of things by traveling a lot :)

Amy had to help with transport so was
able to see him at camp 

His first request at home was a bowl of
Thai Instant Ramen

Kristina's birthday was in early Dec so the parents asked/coerced Tien and Tam to babysit the youngers while we went out to dinner. 

Getting all dressed up.  Amy cleans up nice!

Out at a bar in San Jose (though Amy did say
that the line was too long :)

I ended up going to my work holiday party and that was fun too.  It is always nice to see everyone out of scrubs :)  

Some of the original crew that I started
in the ER with

That's a good segue to me getting out of the ED.  The ED has just become very hard to work in over the past couple of years.  Not that the work is too much harder (it is) but it takes much more of toll on the ED staff as the ED has continuously become more and more overcrowded, wait times become severely extended and we're treating people from the waiting room, which is not a good situation for anyone.  Still both at the holiday party and leaving my last shift, I did feel a bit of guilt for leaving while my colleagues continue the good fight in the ED.  There is a bit of a feeling that the next time I enter or gather with them, that I'll be looking in from the outside and not part of the crew.  Still it's the best decision for me and our family at this time.  Everyone there has my greatest respect for pushing and doing their best every day for patients and for each other.  

Unfortunately, a typical number of patients
checked into the ED in the evenings these days

A picture from my last ED shift with
Albert (who is also Ryan's cousin)

Then a bunch of random stuff.. 

Kai had his end of year strings concert at school.. he likes violin
so we'll keep at it for now

Amy took Sora and some girl scouts to see The Nutcracker Ballet

Amy and I dropped off some food for our friends Anu and Kristie, who 
just had a baby then had a lunch date in our car :p

Jad had his holiday concert

I had a day off and volunteered at Sora's class for her winter potluck.  I haven't gotten to go to the kids' classes as much this year.  Hopefully, I'll get more time with my easier schedule in 2024.

Class picture

Sora is very much the leader
in her class

Amy was able to take the kids to Gilroy Gardens while I was at work.  Apparently, the grounds are very nice (used to be a garden after all) and the rides are very kid friendly, which is nice because our kids don't like roller coasters anyway.  

Arch tree

Kai and Sora went on the Banana Split
ride and they were not big fans :p

I'm not sure what these poses are but the kids are very cute

Amy is still trying to run where she can..
This is up at Alum Rock Park

We had our RCC Christmas party at Terry and Trang's house where the kids rocked out with karaoke.  Good times. Jad's got some moves for sure.. gotta put that kid into a break dancing class.

A silly video with dancing animated aliens

All the kids enjoyed karaoke.. even
Kai, who is not pictured here

Karaoke with three mics!

On Christmas eve, we had a whirlwind of activity.  We started the morning by going to church with Joyce, John and Mia.  It was fun and the kids got pulled into a singing/dancing routine.  Their worship group was a dozen large and very animated. 

Good to see the Rongs at their church

We then stopped to see the Shaws and drop off some old girl clothes for baby Elizabeth!

Such a round face cutie.. All their kids
look like Ansel as a baby

We had a dim sum lunch with Daniel, Amy cousin, and his wife, Gabby.  They are pregnant and expecting a baby, just about the same time as Matt, Amy's brother, and Nicole.  Too bad their babies will be on opposite ends of the US :)  Then after that we went back to RCC and had dinner and drinks with the RCC crew.  We also had a white elephant gift exchange which was separated into adults and kids until Tam stole a bottle of wine (for her dad) and then it was just chaos.  That girl changed the game :) 

White Elephant time!  We came home with
three books and an inappropriate candle

Christmas morning was pretty low key.  The kids opened their presents from each other as well as the ones from Santa.  I am glad we had them buy presents for each other, which will hopefully lead to them caring about each  other as they get older and less reliance on us.   Sora and Jad still believe in Santa but Kai has figured out the scheme, but we're recruited him in so he's helping to obfuscate for his siblings.

David and Janet (our neighbors) had the winning prize with a
massive pack of Pokemon cards

We ended the day with dinner at Amy's parents' house with cousins and their families.  It was nice to see everyone and overall, pretty low key.  

Huang/Sun/Udompanyanan families

That's it for the year.  Til 2024!  Happy new year, everyone!