Earlier this year, Karina did not feel very comfortable at all riding her bike without her training wheels. Once she was going, she was ok, but did not like starting or stopping.
After some practice, however, she's really got the hang of it and bike riding around the block with Daddy is one of her favorite activities now.
So when it's not raining (and sometimes even when it is raining), Karina will pipe up and ask Elvin, "Can we go bike riding?"
They usually go around the block once or twice, and as many as 4 times. It's about half a mile each time.
So about twice or three times a week, this is Elvin's view...
It seems to be one of her most favorite things to do right now!
Recently, Emily went away for three days to go on a trip with her sister to Arizona. It was the first time that she's been away that long from the kids for some well-deserved R&R.
So Daddy had the kids all to himself! On Saturday, it was a day of errands. They all went off to REI to return an item and the kids browsed a little bit. They also tested out camping chairs for their comfort.
Then we drove to Tigard to drop off some supplies. Our church had created some kits that would be passed out to refugees that are re-settled into the Portland-Metro area.
Here are all the kits our church had put together. (Gabe is not in the picture because he ran away. He has always been rather recalcitrant when it comes time to take posed pictures.)
That evening, as a reward, the kids got to eat shave ice. Or rather, crushed ice that was pulverized in our blender. They liked it nonetheless.
On Sunday, we went fishing at a local lake. Xiao Yu enjoyed it--for about one minute. After that, since the fish did not bite IMMEDIATELY, he put the pole on the ground and declared to Elvin that the fishing pole was broken!
We then went to the grocery store for some shopping. The kids love artichokes so we bought these huge ones for them to eat. Karina pretended it was a microphone.
And that night, we has s'mores in our backyard. Emily had sent Elvin instructions for how to do this in a ceramic clay pot, to keep the fire contained. And it worked perfectly!
Xiao Yu got to roast them too.
And had his own s'more to enjoy!
And on Monday, we had a rather low key day. After Xiao Yu was off to preschool, Elvin took the rest of the kids to Petsmart. It's sort of like visiting the zoo, only closer and much cheaper.
The kids wanted Elvin to buy a dog. Instead they were able to convince Daddy to buy them a different kind of pet--crickets. Unfortunately, they didn't last very long as they drown really easily even in one millimeter of water.
And since it was really hot that day, in the afternoon, it was sprinkler time!!!
That was our weekend...and Emily arrived midnight on Monday night--tired but recharged and refreshed to be a mommy again!
A while ago, we decided that it was time to make the trek to the happiest place on earth. So in February, we packed our bags, boarded a plane, and made our way to Anaheim. We flew down on a Sunday and planned to stay for 5 nights so that we would have plenty of time to visit both Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure Park.
So on Monday morning, we headed into the park!
We met up with Elvin's parents in Southern California and spent the week together. We took the opportunity to meet Mickey Mouse. Everyone was fairly happy about that, except for Gabey who wanted nothing to do with this...
We also visited Minnie's house, but she wasn't home. I guess those people in those costumes need to take a break every once in a while.
We went on various rides and didn't have to wait too long in the lines. This was because on the Monday we went, there was a steady drizzle all day long. This kept many people out of the park and we benefitted as a result. Being from the Pacific Northwest, our kids were not bothered by the rain at all.
Xiao Yu enjoyed the It's a Small World ride.
Xiao Yu, unlike Gabe, was quite willing to meet all the characters hanging out in various parts of the park.
He did say that one of his favorite rides was the monorail. There was never a line for that. =)
There was a ride where the kids could drive the cars. Karina absolutely loved driving it. Although Daddy, riding shotgun, had to step on the gas as her legs couldn't reach.
Eliana also got to experience driving.
The kids wanted to ride this ride in Tomorrowland. Elvin wasn't so sure he would enjoy it as he's not a big fan of things that go high up in the air.
Up and up the rockets went!
The boys loved the ride. Elvin thought the whole time that the centripetal force was going to pop him out of the little rocket.
We had fun going to the Buzz Lightyear ride.
In this ride, you hold a gun that shoots a laser. You're supposed to hit targets along the way, and accumulate points.
Xiao Yu got to ride with Yeh-yeh and Nai-nai.
Afterwards, you can enter your email and they will send you a picture they took of you somewhere along the ride, along with your score.
Here's another picture of Xiao Yu sitting in between Yeh-yeh and Nai-nai...
And here is the obligatory picture in front of the castle.
This was our first night...we were tired but happy.
And in Xiao Yu's case...VERY tired.
The next morning, we got up to do it all over again. There was a TV in the room where they served breakfast and the kids were, of course, mesmerized.
On Tuesday, we went to Disney California Adventure. Here is Gabe checking out the map.
Xiao Yu got a signature in his little book. Each of the kids had a little book so that they could accumulate signatures from the various characters that we met.
Here is a picture with Minnie, but Gabe still did not want to participate.
And here is a picture with Yeh-yeh and Nai-nai.
We also rode a Bug's Life ride on top of Heimlich the caterpillar.
We also rode bumper cars. But they were designed for little kids and the cars' top speed was about 0.1 MPH.
We watched a theater production of Frozen, which was actually very impressive with all the special effects they added in.
At this point, we decided the it seemed like Xiao Yu was needing a nap and Gave seemed a little bit tired as well, so Elvin headed back to the hotel with the boys while Emily stayed in the park with the girls. They got to ride the Cars ride, which turned out to be one of their favorite.
They also got cotton candy so they were very happy.
Elvin rejoined them in the evening in time to see the Colors light show, which was very impressive.
By this time, we noticed that both boys were acting very tired and lethargic. It turns out that they both had come down with fevers. And we also noticed that Eliana started getting sick as well! Not what we had hoped for on our trip to Disneyland!
So the next morning, we decided that Gabe, Xiao You, and Eliana were sick enough to have to stay in the hotel to rest. Elvin took Karina, who seemed fine (and never did get sick), into the park.
So...Karina got to see what it was like to be an only child. She had a great time because she got to do whatever she wanted and didn't have to compete for attention from any of her siblings! This meant that she got to ride Big Thunder Mountain not once, but four times!
She got to shoot at some targets. Doesn't she look like a natural?
We rode on the Buzz Lightyear ride several more times.
Elvin wanted to ride on Star Tours and Karina was nice enough to go along with it. She didn't really like it.
She also tagged along while Daddy walked through the Star Wars exhibit.
And wonder at all these grown men that were interested in these weird costumes!
When Elvin and Karina got back to the hotel room in the evening, they saw poor Gabey and Xiao Yu still with a fever. Eliana was feeling ok, and hadn't thrown up since noon.
Meanwhile, Karina made a little bed for herself on the top bunk, using all the extra pillows that come on the bed.
The next day, the kids' sickness seemed to be abating so we decided to all go into the park and take it easy.
We all rode the Cars ride again, which was great fun.
Well, most of us thought it was great fun, but Xiao Yu did not. It was a bit too intense for him and so he was hugging Elvin's thigh the whole time.
Our little speed demon, on the other hand, was loving it!
We also got on other rides, like these swing contraptions.
All the kids loved these but Elvin did not.
As our time in Disneyland drew to a close, the kids wanted to meet the princesses and characters...
And get their signatures as well.
And of course Xiao Yu is always up for posing in front of the camera.
And the kids wanted to drive the cars one last time...including Gabe who could've used a phone book to sit on.
They also got to pick a souvenir to buy and take home. Decisions, decisions...
In the end, the boys chose Toy Story figures, who a week before, they had no idea who they were. But hey, these were actually better choices than some of the useless plasticy junk that's available for sale there.
We took one final picture in front of the Disneyland train station.
