Sunday, February 24, 2013

farmers market

Saturday is Megan's favorite day of the week.  Today was a perfect day to walk to the Farmer's Market in search of Megan's favorite fruit - Big Red Ripe Strawberries.  We started out our morning sleeping in and headed out the door with just half of a banana.  We like to sample different fruits when we are there and maybe grab something to eat there too.


We found some strawberries, but it looks like still the beginning of the season.  They were still not as big, not as red, not as sweet, but Megan was happy to see the them.




It took us 3 hours of our Saturday morning...walking, skipping and scooting, stopping for pictures, getting fresh vegetables and fruit...  We got roasted corn and watermelon juice (and I even got cup of coffee on the way back).  We got warm sunshine and we got memories of us laughing.  


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

goose phobia

We have many great parks in our city, but this one is home to many of the ducks, geese, and many different birds (you can fish there, too).  These geese used to be as big as Megan, but looks like Megan has finally out grew them.  We are still scared of them just the same.  If they see you with a bag of bread, they literally come chasing after you. Most of the time we are too scared to feed them and hide the bag under the jacket.  Megan saw this lone goose sitting on the grass and thought she can take on feeding challenge.  Took a small piece of bread in her hand and walked up to it very slowly...



tossed the bread and ran back to me as fast as her legs could carry her.  I laughed so hard at the sight.  



This goose was not very interested in Megan or even for more bread.  

Monday, February 18, 2013

Lifestyle | Long Beach

Yes, we were there again.  The Aquarium of the Pacific.  We have an annual pass to the aquarium and this is already the fifth time going there.  Today is a long weekend holiday and looked like every family with the annual pass was there, too.  LOL~  We had to park at a different structure since our normal nearby one was already full. That lead us to this walk bridge across the street with a view of the downtown Long Beach.  Being a photographer mom, I have to make every outings into a mini photo shoot session, especially at a new location.  Megan was anxious and excited to get to the aquarium to see our fish friends.



After the short visit to the Aquarium, Megan's stomach was growling earlier then usual today.  Islands is one of our favorite burger place to go, and it was just conveniently located in our walk back to the parking structure.  We enjoyed sitting down and being waited for a change.  We ordered their chili burger and splited.  It was perfect portion for the two of us with little extra helping of fries from the nice waiter guy.  And of course, Megan got her favorite drink "Cool Breeze" - coconut, strawberry and banana smoothie with whip cream and cherry on top.  We shared that, too.  I wish my teenager had come with us...    

  
And Megan played the guilt trip on me for making her cry earlier (yes, too many pictures again).  She asked to stop at the candy store that we passed by.  Oh well, still a cheap date.  And more pictures for me.  LOL~





Really, do they make gummy candy in every shape and size and animals?  This one is a gummy frog.  Megan got whole ray of animals to chew on for the ride back home.  Mmmmmm~  What will it taste like?

Friday, February 15, 2013

{my valentine}

Every day my sweet seven year-old tells me that she loves me more...and that I am the best mom in the whole wide world.   Even with all of my flaws and mistakes (and there were plenty that I've made), and even with all of my short-comings and incapabilities, this little person loves me just the same.  There is no doubt that there are moms out there who is the "super MOM".  They juggle nearly perfectly between home and work and still manage to cook a nice balanced hot meal for dinner many more times a week, keep the house in orderly manner, help with homework without yelling.....  
Yet my baby believes with all of her heart that I am the BEST mom.  Wow!  I am so blessed.  I am so lucky.  It is the greatest love we share, my daughter and I. 


Monday, February 4, 2013

my sunshine

We have both been sick with the cold since Friday.  Although Megan's fever has finally broke last night, she was still weak and not quite 100% back to being my sweet Megan.   I still wanted to take the girls out for a walk in the beautiful sunshine anyways.  I always loved and enjoyed being in the outdoors.  Maybe being out in the nature reminds me of my childhood.  I remember my father always took us out to the river, to the beach, to the mountains when I was young.  And I treasure those memories and cherish the short 10 years of my memory of my father.  Being in the nature recharges your body and mind.... the warmth of the sun, the birds chirping in the trees, the clouds in the sky... the little creatures bustling in the bushes, and the wild flowers are full of good, happy energy.  



These photos were taken by my teenager.  I don't have too many pictures of myself or with the girls (I'm quite camera shy...LOL), but I want to start being in front of the camera more.  I really love how these turned out even when Megan was quite grumpy and tired from "too much walking" and "too much pictures".  Sister bribed with some craft string she had just bought from Michael's (Megan needed some to make her bead bracelet), and said "I'll give you this much if you take one more picture....okay, I'll give you the whole spool".  And so Megan still not happy about it, but stands in front of the camera for some lousy craft string.  That makes me laugh.  I tickle her...  Alison and I look at the camera monitor and laugh at the funny expressions that was captured...
We had so much fun just walking, talking, and just being silly in front of (and behind) the camera.  I hope my girls will remember today and I hope being in the nature reminds them how much we loved being together.

Friday, January 25, 2013

random shots

It is quite cumbersome to carry around a dslr camera on a normal day to day and sometimes even when I do have it with me, by the time I take it out of the bag and load it.... I've most often missed the "moment".  Here is collection of random shots when I was ready.  
   
They got tangled up with each other... Megan chocking Charlee's neck and Charlee chocking Megan's knee.
Megan is quite the artist.  This is one of her latest work on her ipad on Paper.
One of my personal goal for this year - wear these shoes more often.