Trip to Tahoe

Tracy and Ivy took a trip out to Tahoe to visit the Devine's new place.

They got to do all sorts of outdoor activities.

Ivy's Dance class.

It's been a while...

Sorry about the long layoff. I promise to start posting more regularly.

Here are some photos of the kids picking strawberries at Tanaka farms.

We got to ride in a wagon pulled by a tractor through the farm. They gave us samples of lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, green beans and peas.

Violet decided to eat her strawberries as she picked them. Her whole face was red from the juice. They were the best strawberries I had ever eaten, no joke.

Ivy showing off her bounty.

Ivy passes the survival float test.

Ivy has been taking swimming classes for two months now and to get to level 3 she has to pass the survival float test. With her shoes and clothes on she has to jump in and float on her back for ten seconds then yell help. The instructors said most kids don't pass on their first try. Not Ivy.

Ivy's first ballet performance.

So, Ivy's Pee-Wee Ballet class had their first performance at the annual Westminster Founder's Day Festival. They went on right after the Mayor spoke. It was pretty cute.

Check out the video.

Happy 1st Birthday Violet!!!

Violet having fun with her cake.

Mom and Violet hitting the huge hula girl pinata.

The kids lining up for their turn to smash the hula girl.

Violet concentrating on opening presents.

Orange County Obon 2009

Every year we go to a couple of the Obon Festivals during the summer. I have been going to them since I was just a kid, but they were in Hawaii. So when Ivy was born we figured we should take her and start a tradition. If you don't know what an Obon Festival is, it is a festival that honors the people who have passed away. There is lots of food and Japanese Dancing. The Devines joined us again this year and Great Grandma Violet was here from Hawaii.

Ivy's Ballet Class.

Ivy is SUPER excited that she started ballet class. It's once a week and they have their first public performance at the OC fairground next month. She just started so she'll probably have to skip this one though.


Haven't shown too much of Violet so here is a little video of her recently.

Fourth of July!!!

A little girl in the neighborhood named Emma organized a bike parade for the neighborhood.
After a stroll around the block she had set up some games for the kids to play and treats for all.

Father's Day at Ivy's school.

Ivy's class had a little Father's Day party. So we made a chocolate pudding with oreo's and gummy worm treat, then the kids sang a little song. It was pretty cute.

Happy Birthday Ivy!

Ivy wanted a Princess party for her 3rd birthday, so she had a few of her girlfriends over and Cinderella came over for a tea party and played a couple of games with the girls.

Scarlett, Stella, Ivy and Amelia.

check out Violet trying to get in on the action.

Cinderella read some stories and did a few games with the girls.

The girls had a tea party with Cinderella.

The whole gang.

Happy Memorial Day !?!?

So, we were BBQ-ing in the backyard with Ivy's cousins and their friends and she decided to stand up in the wagon just as it was being pulled. Ivy fell straight back on her head on the cement. Tracy and I headed to the CHOC emergency room and on the way there she started throwing up and she kept saying she couldn't keep her eyes open. Totally freaked out, they rushed us right in and got a ct scan of her head. The verdict, one concussion and a 3 inch fracture of her skull and one overnight stay in the hospital for observation. By the next night Ivy was still sore but she was her usual self. No running, climbing or playing with anything with wheels for a couple of months.

At he hospital, Ivy was the total hit of the entire floor. She had nurses bringing her all kinds of stuff and when the doctor came in she said "So this is Ivy, the one everyone is talking about."
She got so much attention she wants to go back.

Ivy's First Open House.

Ivy's Teachers, Miss Jennifer and Miss Shannon.

Ivy's classroom.

Kids in her class.

Last week Ivy had her first open house at her preschool. We got to meet her classmates and their parents and they had set up little stations to show off what they are learning in class.

Easter 2009

We all went over to Tracy's parents house for Easter. They weren't even there, (cruise ship through the panama canal) but that didn't stop us. The Barnett's, Goodell's, Devine's, Taylor's, Hardigree's and the Yoshihara's all represented.

Violet is 6 Months!

She getting SO big...

YO GABBA GABBA!

So unless you have young kids you probably wouldn't even know what "Yo Gabba Gabba" is.

It's pretty much a hip kids show that parents can watch and not go crazy. Anyway, the host of the show, DJ Lance Rock was going to make a appearance with "Toodee" at the Kid Robot store in Hollywood on Melrose Ave.

So after an almost 2 hour drive, this is what the line looked like. The thing is, the line turns the corner and is at least 4 times as long. I'd say at least 200+ people. The man with the camo hat and beard is the father of the girl in the "Toodee" suit. He started to talk to us and told us who he was, when Kilty yells out, "Hey, can you get our kids in there?" Next thing you know Ivy and Stella are going through the front door holding the man's hands. We had just met some people that had made the drive from San Diego and had been in line since 4pm. It was almost 8 when they left the store.

This is Ivy and Stella before they got in. We were hoping they would just sneak in or make puppy dog eyes in the window and DJ Lance would feel sorry for them and let them in.

Random stuff.

Violet is getting BIG! At 4 months, her 2 bottom teeth started coming in. Ivy didn't get teeth until her 9th month.

Violet went to the doctors for her check-up and the doctor said she was "off the charts" for her weight. 19 pounds at 5 months. she's pretty much wearing 9-12 month size clothes.

 We went to the Santa Ana Zoo and Ivy got to feed the goats.

   Ivy having a good time on the "horsies"

  Ivy and Stella during a "fashion show" they put on for us.

Happy Girls Day!

In Japanese culture March 3rd is Girls Day also known as Hina Matsuri. We usually get the girls dressed up and eat some Japanese/Hawaiian style food. This year was no different. Zoie along with Stella and her little brother Slater came over for an afternoon picnic.