Hooray for Hollywood

The site of the Oscars, just 3 days earlier

There's a big mall inside. Fountains and architecture. Really beautiful.

Grauman's Chinese Theater

I was so excited to see the 'real' movie stars. These people were TINY, TINY, TINY!

Jeff and I went back to Hollywood last night. He saw my pictures and was jealous. It took us about 1 hour 10 mins. to get there during evening rush hour. On the way back, it only took 1/2 hour. Traffic is insane.

These are Cary Grant's prints. My FAVORITE actor of all time. I was so excited to see them.

Downtown LA

Jeff and I both are just in love with California. I always knew I'd be, but I didn't think Jeff would. I mean, of course you can't beat the weather. It's just amazing. It was 89 degrees yesterday afternoon. It's sunny and warm and dry. No humidity. It's just perfect. And when the weatherman comes on to give the weather and just says "It's going to be perfect today", that just about sums it up.

We can completely understand why people pay a million bucks for 200 square feet. We can't wait till we retire......or win the lottery.

La La Land

Beverly Hills Hotel (duh)

Tom Cruise's gate!

Bel Air

Santa Monica

Santa Monica

A FLOWER in February!!!!!

View from Mulholland Drive

Ol' Blue Eyes..........swoon!

Big Foot. (I really just wanted to show off that I'm wearing FLIP FLOPS!!!-----so exciting!)

I took an 8 hour tour today of LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Bel Air, Santa Monica, Venice Beach. I loved every single second of it. It was so fantastic. I had so much fun, I'd go again tomorrow if I could.

I also took 177 pictures. eek.

For Cryin' Out Loud---It Didn't Take Me THAT Long to Get to China!

Over 14 hours and all 4 time zones later: Hello from

SUNNY, HOT (AND DID I MENTION SUNNY?)California!!!

Insane. Everytime I boarded a plane, I turned my watch back an hour. It was a real hoot to talk to Jeff. He would ask me what time it was and what time my flights were and I didn't even know what time zone to convert it to. (by the way, did you know that the enormous, entire country of China has only ONE time zone? I don't know how they do it, but it sure would be nice)

I started my day at 11:30am heading to the airport for my first of 3 flights. I got there and found out that my very first flight had been delayed by 3 hours, which would mean I'd miss all my connections. There was a storm heading in from Chicago (which was where I was headed), so the ticket desk suggested that instead of waiting, I take a bus to O'Hare. OK.
The bus ride was 3 hours long. It started to rain the closer I got to Chicago and I prayed that it would continue to stay rain until I got out of there.
I made a later flight to Denver, which I noticed was the LAST flight out of there. All later flights were canceled. As I got on the plane the rain changed to snow, but we got out of there in time.
I finally got to California at 1:30am.
I'm just glad I made it. I knew if I didn't get out of Chicago last night, I wouldn't be getting out for a couple of days.

I heard that we got a foot of snow back home. Whew. Did I dodge that one! And to think, I thought maybe I shouldn't go?? hah. hah. hah.

It's sunny and going to be 78 degrees here. AND! It's only 9:30am instead of 1/2 the day being gone already.

I'll be heading to the pool-----yes, the POOL-----later!

(haven't had time to get pictures yet, but I'll work on it)

Well, Here We Go.......

This is it.
Today's the day I take my first solo flight(s).
And wouldn't you know it? I'm sick.
I'm better today than I was yesterday---my fever's gone. But I think I got a total of 20 minutes sleep last night. I'm a little weak in the knees.
So, if you could, say a little prayer for me, and for Brett and Lili too as they go their separate way.
Hopefully soon I'll post some sunny, warm Southern California pictures!

Magic Wands, Seeing Stars and a Little 'Bippity Boppity Boo' For Your Entertainment Pleasure

"I see Mama and Madeline........"

How cool. I've always wanted to be a member of KISS.

And since Madeline is always around at picture time (see Mama's picture above), we figured we'd let her in on the action.
She was so glad to participate.

This is Lili working her magic wand at a frenetic pace to everyone's favorite 'Bippity Boppity Boo'.

Another Breathtaking Moment

Lili and I were at Dollar Tree today when we saw these.......
They're marshmallow sticks. Now, in and of itself, it's not that exciting BUT!..........
I know you've seen this picture before, but have you ever noticed what Lili is clutching for dear life in her left hand?
Here she's clutching the 1/2 eaten marshmallow stick that she blissfully started eating on the bus ride to the most traumatic experience in her life. She hung onto that 1/2 eaten stick until it melted down to nothing and ended up smeared up and down the upper half of my body as I held her writhing body for 3 straight hours.
And here she is today. Blissfully eating another marshmallow stick.

When I saw these at the store, I stopped dead in my tracks. I was SO EXCITED to see them. We scoured Guangzhou looking for them, but never could find them. Imagine finding them in the middle of Indiana. They are the EXACT same thing. Packaging and all.
I showed them to Lili and she said "I like that!" "Mama, China !!!!!" I almost fell over. She then proceeded to reenact how she shared her last remaining marshmallow sticks with Mama, Baba and Gogo in the hotel room.
whoa.
What a kid.

'California Dreamin' on Such a Winter's Day'

As I sit here yet another day watching the snow fly with the thermometer not even topping out at freezing , I checked the weather channel and what I saw warmed my soul (if not my hands and feet)



Forecast for Covina, CA



High / Low (°F)

Mon Feb 25 Mostly Sunny 68°/44°

Tue Feb 26 Sunny 72°/46°

Wed Feb 27 Sunny 71°/47°

Thu Feb 28 Sunny 70°/47°

Fri Feb 29 Sunny 65°/47°


aaaaahhhhhhh........

I am one proud Mama

Lili surprised me yesterday by showing me this.

This was the FIRST TIME she's ever written her name all by herself, without help and without anyone telling her to. I didn't have any idea she had even done it till she showed it to me.

Wow.

(now we need to work on the lower case letters. she's only been learning the capitals)

'She's a Very Kinky Girl.....'

Our girl has some serious kink in her hair. Not just the frizzy, damaged hair in the back of her head, but honest to goodness kink! Interesting......

And speaking of hair, I went to get my hair cut and highlighted today. An obviously traumatic experience for Lili.
She absolutely LOVED the foils in my hair when I was getting it highlighted. Guess she thought it kind of looked like a crown or something. She kept saying "I like that" and "Niiiiiice". Cracked the hairstylist up.
But when it came to seeing my hair get cut off and land on the floor, now that was a different story. She kept picking up my hair and saying "poor sweet baby". She then would gather bunches of it up and stroke it like a dead cat.
She did, however, clean the floor of any and all hair and throw it away which helped the stylist because she didn't even need to sweep the floor up after her.
I smell a part-time job...............

Dancin' Queen

How do you separate a girl from her tutu?

It wouldn't be so bad if it was warmer than 10 degrees. She has to be freezing.
Oh well, I guess she's got her love to keep her warm.

Wish me luck as I go try to pry it off her hot little body before bed.

'Miss Lili Long Hair'

Lili has become obsessed with having long hair.
Not only does she want it to be longer, but she's convinced she already has long, flowing locks. So much so that she's always flipping it and sweeping it off of her forehead.
She's constantly asking us "Lili lon' hayah?"
She begged me to take a picture of her 'lon hayah' today.

And to think she constantly asked for a haircut when her hair looked like this.........guess all those Disney princess movies have gotten to her!

Post-Valentines Pictures

We didn't take any pictures Valentine's Day, so these are from Feb. 15th.

This is Lili in her half-price-day-after-Valentine's shirt, which I like better than her full-price honest-to-goodness-Valentine's Day shirt anyway.

Don't know what's up with the 'Super Girl' pose......I couldn't get her to not do that.

Oh well. She is pretty super.

Flying Solo

I HATE TO FLY!

I also hate to drive, but who ever fell 30,000 feet from a car?

The closer I get to leaving for California, the more I wish I was staying put. (by the way, I do this every time I go somewhere)

Wanna know the worst part? I have to travel ALL ALONE.

I've never done that before. I've never flown by myself.

I've never driven to the airport, parked in the long-term parking lot and stepped on a plane all by my lonesome. eek.

And, lucky me, I get to step on THREE planes. double eek.

Jeff is flying out on Sunday. I'm flying out on Monday. He'll be picking me up at the airport in CA and then on the way home we'll be flying together. I was able to get the same flightS as him, so that will be nice. (yep, 3 flights on the way home too)

And who knows? Maybe this will be a good experience for me.

Maybe it'll make me all independent and free.

maybe I'll get lost in denver. is denver nice this time of year?

Happy Hearts Day

Jeff and I aren't big "Valentine's Day" people. We think you should love each other EVERY day of the year and shouldn't be forced to show it by lining the pockets of Hallmark or Teleflora.

Anyway, Brett and Lili had parties at their schools today. Which is another thing that bugs me. We're no longer allowed to have Christmas parties at school or bring cards or gifts, but by all means let's party and share for Valentine's Day.......whatever. Don't get me started.

Lili got all dressed up in a special hearts and Xs and Os shirt. It's so much fun to dress a girl for different holidays! Brett just isn't in to all that. And seriously, pink hearts for a boy? Not gonna happen.

It was a nice day. I baked a heart shaped cake and we all had some sweet tarts and heart suckers.

So Happy Valentine's Day everybody. Hope you're able to share it with someone you love.

Finding Joy in the Simple, Everyday Things

While Lili was taking her nap today, I realized that she won't be taking naps for too much longer, especially after starting ALL DAY kindergarten in August. So I just couldn't resist capturing it on film. (then, of course, the flash woke her up and I was like "crap, now she's up! I should've let her sleep.")



Hello Kitty!
Lili still LOVES, LOVES, LOVES bathtime and I started thinking that it won't be too much longer and she'll be taking showers and won't want anything to do with me. So I figured I'd capture 'baff tiiiiiiiime' while I still can.
sigh.......

My, what a productive day we had.

We've been giving Lili 'homework' every day. She LOVES doing well and getting praise (and the occasional Skittle!) She's doing better tracing the letters. Her main problem is either lack of hand grasp/strength or just not knowing how to really use a pencil to write. We think she just doesn't know how to write. I'm sure she never did anything like this before.

And THIS.........

is what she learned in dance class today.

It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but it ends well!

Whew. We're exhausted.

California Here We Come!

Guess where I'm going to be in 2 weeks?

......ok, technically I'll be on a plane from Chicago to Phoenix.....but after that?

....ok, I'll be on another plane.....But! I'll be on a plane to..........

California, baby!! swimmin' pools, movie stars!

Jeff has to be there for a week on business and I get to go too!!

Yep, just Jeff and me! ALL ALONE! (did you see that?)

Not that we don't just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our children, but WE GET TO GO AWAY TOGETHER ALL ALONE!!!

We get to go somewhere in FEBRUARY where the temperature actually registers on a thermometer!!! Today it's 75 degrees warmer there than it is here!

If we get really lucky, we may actually see the sun shine!! gasp!

I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo excited to get away from here (can you tell?)

I need this getaway so much!!

And thanks to my wonderful, generous, loving, giving parents I get to get away!!!

So Happy Valentine's Day to me!!

I leave you with the timeless words of Laverne and Shirley: "Where dreams come true, for me and you, in California."

:) :) :) :)

6th Month Liliana-versary!

I have a new obsession.

Has anyone heard of www.shopgoodwill.com?

It's an online auction like ebay, but everything comes from a Goodwill somewhere across the country and your money benefits Goodwill.

They update the listings everyday. And there's always something interesting every single day.

And I bought one thing. I found a collector plate from the Forbidden City. And! It just so happens to be part of a pair with another plate I had already bought at a flea market. The Goodwill site had a translation of the information on the back, which was written in Chinese, so I found out that the plate I already had was from the Forbidden City too. Cool!
I've added the shopgoodwill site to my favorites and I check it every day.

(because sometimes the weather's bad and you can't make it out to the stores and who feels like cleaning the house or doing laundry anyway?! ) :)

Gong Hay Fat Choy: Part Deux

We had the table all set with Chinese decorations, Chinese music playing in the background, our children dressed in Chinese costumes and we ate fettucini alfredo. Which, to be fair, really is authentic Chinese cuisine for us since we ate Italian the whole time we were in China. (and of course it's Lili's favorite, so happy new year to her!)

Lili and I did eat at a Chinese restaurant today for lunch. And, hello! she asked me if they had spaghetti.....anyway, the staff was all over her (and thank goodness she's much more social now or it would've been a fiasco). Every time I went up to get my food one of the waitresses, hostesses or hosts would be sitting at our table talking away to her. They went on and on about how beautiful she was. When it was time to leave, they gave her a stuffed animal and every one of them said "Bye Lili". It was a nice experience.

This Saturday will mark our SIXTH MONTH Liliana-versary! Wow.

Has it been 6 months already?

It's only been 6 months?

Very strange. Sometimes it seems like we were just there, other times it seems like she's been here forever.

Amazing.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

And remember, 'Ni Hao Kai Lan' premieres tomorrow on Nick Jr. at 11:00am EST