nami walk and sugar fast:

On Saturday, September 21, I did a 5K walk with my friend and her family to raise money and awareness for the NAMI organization with the goal of stamping out the stigma associated with mental illness.  Mental illness is of course a cause close to my heart, especially with my brother.  My friend's brother had the same mental illness and took his own life.  We walked in honor of his memory.  It was a warmer than usual day, and I got pretty hungry by the end.  

For three weeks in September, I was on a complete sugar fast, which means I could not even have fruit, rice, beans, corn, or peanuts.  I managed okay, but that day I felt pretty famished with just my protein bar and ended up having a small piece of banana bread.  I did it as part of a spiritual fast that included a Candida detox (meaning starving it out by taking away any sugars or anything that breaks down into sugar).  At first I had headaches, but after a while, I seemed to have great energy for the most part.  Without starches and sugars, I lost three pounds in three weeks, which is a lot for me, as I have been up and down with my weight this year due to stress.  After the fast I gained it back in a week, though.  My intent was not weight loss but spiritual gain.  I had a number of breakthroughs during the fast, and I hope to build on them in my everyday life and in the years to come.

Shoe art contest.  Beautiful works of art depicting the trials and triumphs of mental illness.

The audience joining in on the Indian (South Asian, not Native American) dances.

Guest speaker spoke of his struggles with OCD.  People joke about it, but I can tell your firsthand, it is a real illness and can be debilitating and hurt others.

My friend and team captain.  We are the original Hawaiian-themed group.  This year the entire event had a Hawaiian theme.

Green bow for Olaf (the green ribbon is for mental illness awareness).

Aztec dancers.

Cooling off at the fountain.

sister visit:

My sister-in-law came up for the weekend after Labor Day.  It was so fun to have her here.  Nacho loved her and got to stay with her at night.  He loved it.  I missed taking a photo of them together.  Isaac was so excited to have time with her showing her his programs and just chatting as much as ever.  Naomi was out at a birthday party at Great America most of Saturday but got to spend more time with her that evening and Sunday.  I don't if Lucas was jealous, but he was kind of grumpy all weekend and didn't like Auntie talking to Isaac so much.

She came in on Friday.  Isaac and I picked her up from the airport and then they spent some time together while I took Lucas to his music lessons.  Friday evening we cooked Chinese for dinner.  It was awesome to have someone in the kitchen with me!  Then Manny took her out for dessert and drinks.  Saturday we went up to San Francisco.  Lucas wasn't grumpy anymore once we told him we were going to go all the way across the Golden Gate, something he'd been wanting to do for years.  And Sunday we had some beef chorizo and eggs, Manny and Dolly went to watch a movie, and then Naomi and Auntie went out to the bakery.  We went out for pho for dinner.  We dropped her off at the airport on Monday.  It was great to have her here! 

Dolly frying up some shrimp and broccoli.

Dinner--ma po tofu, beef satay soup with bok choy, chow fun with baby bok choy, shrimp and broccoli, and some jalapenos for garnish.

Enjoying dinner.  Isaac fled after the smell of the shrimp and the broccoli got to him.

Lunch at Bubba Gump's.  We could see Alcatraz through the window.

This pear and berry salad was really good.

Lucas a little bothered by a waitress bumping into his chair.  Better than Isaac, whose leg and foot were stepped on by another waitress.

Isaac wanted to take a photo with Aunt Dolly, and we found the perfect spot.

Sea lions sunbathing.  There was one by itself way off to the side, and Lucas said it was like him, needing some peace and quiet.

Tunnels always remind me of my life in Taiwan and the east coast.  I had a rough childhood, but going through tunnels always made me happy.

I love you, Aunt Dolly!

Setting out on our trek.

We made it to the second tower!

Group selfie.  Missing Naomi.

Stopping for hot chocolate and cookies at the Round House Cafe with a great view of the Bridge.

It's pho time!  Sorry for the blink shot!

Isaac showing Auntie his self-made "green screen."

swim date:

Our last swim date of the summer was the day after Labor Day with the boys' friend C.  My friend couldn't come, so C's dad came instead.  Isaac really likes the dad and followed him all around the pool talking.  Poor guy.  Manny had the week off, though he was in and out of work a few days.  It was kind of a hectic morning, plus the pizza place which has a good deal on one of Lucas' favorite veggie pizzas is only open for dinner.  So my friend provided the food, and I just brought paper goods and utensils and pool items.  We had a great time.  There was one neighbor who said we weren't allowed to have inflatables in the pool and would report us.  We decided to just take them out.  We've had HOA see the inflatables many times over the last 10 years, and they never had an issue.

labor day family day:

On Labor Day, we went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch, armed with all of our gift cards (thank you, Grandma!).  I can't remember the last time we all went out to eat, and this felt like a reunion of sorts.  After that Manny and the older two rested while I took Isaac to Target and the the park, and then Isaac and Manny played archery on the PS3 and I made a light dinner, which was good after eating 10,000 calories at Cheesecake Factory.  Also that weekend, Manny took Lucas to see the Dora the Explorer movie.  Naomi had seen it with her friends.  Isaac still does not watch movies.

At the movies.

Isaac the last to hold our hands.

We shared a Thai chicken salad and still could not finish it all.  It was good!

With our entrees.

Mango key lime cheesecake was really good, but I only had room for one bite (which was probably still 300 calories).  We split it as well.

Look what I found in the second row of cokes at Target!  Naomi's name on a Coke at Big Lots was still a more surprising find.

Isaac loves the park.

He fully pumps himself on the swing now, so I can actually sit down and rest.

Sausage and roasted vegetables.

Fruit salad.

Bonding over Sports Champions on the PS3.

august misc:

Miscellaneous round-up for the month of August (finally!).  Hope to be faster with the September posts.

Some leftovers from our printer, which was acting up.  Naomi wrote and drew this comic for her friend's birthday (Clemmie is named after her friend's dog).

This actually looks a lot like her friend.  I want one!

During the summer, Naomi hung out with her friends, riding the bus, walking for miles, and they made weird foods at her friends' houses, including these goldfish cracker omelets.

When Nacho got hot, he'd knock the lid off the sandbox and sit in it.  Now it's cooler, so he lies on top of the lid in the sun.

Naomi and I visiting the kittens up for adoption at a local pet store.

Getting my hair fried.

I actually wanted even blonder, but it took two passes just to get it this light.

Friend K. visiting us at a church we are visiting.

Isaac learning to code.  He now knows more than I do.

Isaac coming to visit me when I had to sleep downstairs with the dogs.  My shirt says, "It is Well with My Soul," the title of a hymn written by a man who lost his young son and his investments in the Great Chicago Fire, and then lost all four of his daughters in a shipwreck.  

Back-to-School shopping.  Found the perfect notebook for my little cat lover with shiny letters.

Isaac's thank-you card for Manny he wrote at church (his idea).

A friend of mine from Australia sent me a cool necklace just because.

Isaac doing a good Nacho (or is it his twin Zorro?) impression.