Boom Boom Pow!

For 4th of July we went to Tustin High School for fireworks-viewing. Last year we were able to find parking on the street, but this year we had to park in the lot for $5. Unfortunately, the school is under construction, so we could not walk through the campus. The cheerleader taking our money cheerfully told us it was only a short five minute walk. Um, not really, especially with two little ones, blankets, food and beach chair. The viewing area seemed more crowded too. One person attributed it to the economy...everyone's doing the staycation.

For dinner we had spam musubi, thai take-out and these patriotic rice krispie treats made by Zaza.



D ended up talking a lot to the guy on the right while k and n befriended his wife, to his left.





Marshmallow Fight!


The sun finally set, and it was showtime!



We sat closer to the exit/bathrooms, so weren't able to hear the music very well. k seemed to enjoy the fireworks, although she was screaming during parts of the show. At first n was closing his eyes and covering his ears, but he was enjoying it by the end. n's last word when D was tucking him to sleep was a whispered "boom".

In Praise of the Balance Bike

I first heard about the concept of a balance bike at my moms' group. The basic idea is that kids need to learn how to balance before they try to put together balancing and pedaling at the same time. My parents bought k a balance bike (no pedals) for Christmas from Costco. It took a while in the beginning, but gradually k got it. Our neighbors gave us a hand-me-down girl's bike a few months ago. k tried it, but she thought it was too heavy and didn't like it. We had k try it again on Sunday, and within 1/2 hour, she was riding by herself! (I still have to give her a push to start her out, though. And, understandably, she only likes to ride where there is plenty of room). This process was so much less painful than what I remember from my own childhood. So, I heartily recommend skipping the training wheels and going for a balance bike! The proof:



Now, if there was only a "trick" to learning how to swim!

D + L's Reviews Are Back!

Does anyone remember our Xanga page? I pretty much forgot about it, but it lives on as a link on our sidebar. FYI, I am resurrecting it, so check it out when you have the chance.

Beach Bums

In an effort to get our money's worth with our state park pass, we have been visiting different beaches.

A few weeks ago we went to Crystal Cove. The setting really can't be beat, but it is a bit of a trek down to the water, especially with kids.




These are the steps you have to take to get to the beach.

Birds!


Last weekend we went to Huntington Beach, state side. There was June gloom, but it was kind of nice not to have worry so much about the UV rays. (Yes, we still put sunscreen on!) Plus, we got to try out our new Tommy Bahama umbrella from Costco. We couldn't find our old one, but this one seems to be of much better quality. It is also much larger, so our whole family can benefit. We might need to return to Costco for beach chairs, because D busted through our old one during this trip.


Sand cake with shell frosting made by k. Surprisingly, k was able to find three pretty large shells that day.

Fish Fest 2011

On Saturday the fam went to our first Fish Fest sponsored by 95.9. It was held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine. We saw Jamie Grace, Tenth Avenue North, The David Crowder Band and Third Day. We actually went home before the main act, Mercy Me, who wasn't scheduled until 9:30 p.m. (We had already seen Mercy Me at a Harvest Crusade, so we weren't too sad to miss them. Plus, we were able to get out of the parking lot a LOT quicker than had we stayed until the end).

It was my first time sitting in the lawn section. I thought it would be better, so the kids could lie down and spread out more easily. It is a real hike to get there, and the slope for seating is also pretty steep. I would not recommend it for elderly, pregnant, or high-platformed shoes (which we witnessed). Luckily, we found a shady spot, so that was nice.





n fell asleep in my arms by the time Third Day took the stage. Both k and n had fun rockin' out to The David Crowder Band, though.

Regarding food, they only let you bring in one sealed water bottle per person. The food at the venue was expensive, as expected. We bought a chicken kebab plus roll ($10), chicken tenders, fries and drink combo ($13) and a frozen lemonade ($5). That was almost as much as the tickets! If only they let you bring in outside food like their 4th of July concert.

Korean-Japanese Wedding

Last Saturday we had the privilege of attending the wedding of one of my friends that I have known since junior high. My mom and I helped out with the guest book/gifts, so I didn't get any pictures of the ceremony itself. It was a large wedding, which I guess is common for Korean weddings? The groom's father surprised everyone by making some announcements in Korean, Japanese and English at the end! There was quite an impressive spread of Korean food for dinner.




The maid of honor, who was also one of my college roommates, gave a speech with a surprise group dance at the end!


I don't think I've ever seen a wedding cake with such a large knife. More like a sword!


They hired a balloon artist for the kids to keep them entertained, very thoughtful.





All the best to the newlywed couple. We're sad you won't be in OC anymore, but we'll have to visit soon!

Redd (& more)

For lunch we went to Redd. I was a bit apprehensive since they don't have a reputation for being very kid-friendly. When D's dad called for reservations, they told him that they don't have high chairs. That was fine, because n doesn't really use high chairs anymore, anyway. However, our waiter could not have been friendlier. He told us that there was no children's menu, but that the kitchen could make a simple pasta, or chicken wings, etc. I asked for a pasta with red sauce for k. When the waiter presented our table with the calamari appetizer we ordered, k exclaimed, "onion rings"! The waiter smiled, and said that the kitchen could do onion rings for her, if she liked. I said, "maybe just a few" but he came back with a full order, which we all ended up sharing. I can see why they wouldn't want to necessarily encourage kids to come to their restaurant, but I found them very accommodating nonetheless.


Redd's fancy rendition of pork buns. Not being a fan of pork belly fat, I had to take some fat off. However, I really like this dish...very flavorful.


D ordered the short ribs. In fact, D made a category of "best short ribs" on his List, in anticipation of our visit.


Loved the modern interior. Clean lines, lots of light.



We walked a bit in Yountville. There were lots of people out and about. Unfortunately, the line for Bouchon Bakery was out the door, so we skipped it. We did come across this public art installation that I thought was cute:


D's brother's family joined us for dinner. We ate at Bistro Don Giovanni, one of D's family's favorites in Napa. Funnily, D noticed that there was a group of four that we had seen earlier at Redd during lunch. I guess they have a similar good taste in food!


Really good pizza.


Silk handkerchiefs--housemade pasta with pesto.

Unfortunately, they only serve their famed hamburger on Fridays and Saturdays at lunch. Maybe next time.


Waiting with the restless kids at the fountain outside.

We went back to D's parents house for dessert.

Tiramisu cake.


Playtime with their cousin.


Reading time with their auntie.

It was a quick trip, but it was nice to see everyone.