July (Lucas's Birthday, Indoor Skydiving, MJ the Musical, Superman, Colonoscopy, Craft Fair, Outings, Superman, Hello Kitty)

We've been really busy again, so here's July update in December. For Lucas's birthday, I was looking for something new to do with his siblings, and I saw a Groupon for indoor skydiving and thought, would he be up for that? But he said he would try it, so I went ahead and booked it for a weekday as that was cheaper as well. That meant Manny could not go, but we celebrated with him at home on Lucas's birthday. I sometimes miss the old pool parties we used to do for Lucas's birthdays, when we could just invite family and kids from his classes and they would come. I did ask if he wanted to invite anyone, but he just wanted to go with his siblings. Naomi opted for the stationary skydiving, but the boys did the extra high-flying one and spun I think 30 ft up. You can see it in the video below. They enjoyed it.

I also took the boys to see Superman that same day. Kind of funny to fly around and then watch Superman. The only showing we could go to in the afternoon also was the only one with enough adjacent seats available for us. I found out why once we got there. It was an experience showing, way too loud for me and Lucas to where our seats were shaking from the sound. Isaac didn't mind it. These days I like it quieter with subtitles. The movie had some great scenes, especially with Krypto the dog, but I didn't like the backstory change (or retcon as it's called). Manny saw it later and didn't like it. We grew up with the story of Kal-El/Clark's parents that we enjoyed. But it was still nice to see a movie again. 

I joined this homeschool teen group that had planned social gatherings for the kids, so we went to our first event, a craft fair, and while Lucas did have a nice conversation with another boy, no real connection was made, I guess. Then soon after, due to low turnout, the group was discontinued and merged back into the general group. It's too bad, but at least Lucas still has other things he's participating in, and I'm proud of him for getting out there and trying. The craft fair was huge, and it was so loud and crowded in there, which was hard for both of us. 

Manny got tickets for us to take Lucas to see MJ: the Musical. I thought it was a good idea since that would be a musical where he knew some of the background and was familiar with the characters and the song. Lucas didn't say anything other than it was good, but I think he was really happy he went and brought it up with his homeroom teacher at school.

Manny planned a family outing to Red Robin as well, but the one we usually went to closed. There is still another one open, but it's not as nice. We live in an area with high rental costs, and many restaurants around us did not recover after the lockdowns and now with rising food costs. It's a shame. However, we do also get new places as well, like the Hello Kitty Cafe that opened. I went on opening day 45 minutes before opening, but the line was already so long, and I had to leave before I got to the front for a planned lunch with Naomi. I met someone in line who'd driven an hour to come to the opening, and she and I struck up a nice conversation with her and we exchanged numbers. She volunteered to buy something for me and hold it (some of the items were only available that day), but I didn't want her to have to stay and wait for me, so I declined. I will go back hopefully around my birthday with Naomi for their tea option.

Naomi went to a concert on her own, a Japanese singer. I was there to drop her off and pick her up, and she met a couple of other girls and just hung out with them. She didn't want me to go with her, because while I love Japanese music, I'm not a huge fan of the scream rock stuff, and she'd have to be concerned about it being loud or unenjoyable for me. I'm the same way about a lot of things. I'd rather go along than feel like I dragged someone to something. But I made sure to be in the area 40 minutes early for pickup and have a clear designated spot. How did our rides do this back in the days without smartphones? I guess we would just say we would be at a certain spot at a certain time and be there. And then use a payphone otherwise and hope the person's line wasn't busy or that they had call waiting! 

My friend O. and I tried a new (to me) restaurant, Left Bank, and they happened to be decorated for Bastille Day, so that was kind of fun. My fish was really good. I also took my young friend A. from church, who was in between jobs at the time, out for hotpot. All that good eating was done by the end of July, though, when it was time for my colonoscopy. My first ever. Because there is a lot of cancer in my family, including my dad having it twice, and my maternal grandmother passing away young from it, they said I should go in a little younger. Now they have lowered the age to 45 I think. Colorectal cancer used to be an older person's disease, but now it's become alarmingly more common in young adults. 

I have a friend who is a gastroenterologist and I did not take advantage of that connection and went with the colon prep that they prescribed. She told me it was one of the worst ones of all. I think I figured that out after the first 30 minutes. I had to drink 4 liters over two sittings, and it was a lot. It helped for me to chase down the awful flavor with some frost (cherry-flavored) Gatorade. It's white, which is okay. You can't have anything that is red, blue, or purple and should just try to stick to clear liquids up until you have to stop consuming liquid as well. I'm glad Manny was able to pick me up. I was so out of it.

I don't remember much about that day. I remember Manny getting me a salad from Chik-Fil-A. And then I was saying weird stuff to Naomi, like how cute the little car was in the Grubhub app and how she shouldn't go to London because they don't speak English there (yeah no English in England). I was just goofy. My doctor friend said it shouldn't affect me much, but I was out of it that day and the next. It's the anesthesia, which I generally do not take well to, as well as painkillers unfortunately. I am allergic to vicodin and don't do well with acetominophen, but also something I was giving for Naomi's birth which was not disclosed to me for some reason). I can take ibuprofen. 

Waiting for the doors to open at MJ: the Musical

They had earplugs, which Lucas and I wore. No photos allowed in the theater.

We miss our old Red Robin, but at least there's still another one within driving distance.

HK makes an appearance. The line was too long for me to get in before I had to leave.

Fourth of July food. It's been a long, long time since I made a trifle!

This man had a pet golden duck that just followed him everywhere.

Hotpot with A. in the middle of summer!

Naomi at the Ado concert

Bastille Day with O.

Naomi

Isaac

Lucas

They look so excited. 😄 

Craft fair

Lucas learning how to screenprint

Happy birthday, Lucas!

Grandma always sends a sweet card with a generous gift!

Tip: If you can get your doctor to prescribe something else, please do it. Specifically ask for Suprep, Plenvu, Clenpiq, or Suflav if your insurance covers any of them.

My first meal after the colonoscopy. Thank you to Manny.

Window cats

May 2024 (Mother's Day Weekend in Vegas/Church, End of School Year, Retreat in Tiburon/SF, Sports Class, Spy X Family IMAX)

It had been five years since we were last in Vegas for my friend's bachelorette weekend, and we returned for Mother's Day. Our moms were invited, but just two were able to make it. These ladies are some of my good friends from college and church. I didn't ask permission this time to post the photos, so I edited their faces. Everyone else arrived before I did. I can only get away for a limited time. But just like last time, we had an itinerary packed with lots of food and fun. 

My flight ended up being delayed an hour and half, and they were nice enough to wait for me during lunch and save some food for me. I went straight from the airport with my luggage to the restaurant Palette, a very cool dim sum place in the sort of Chinatown of Vegas. Then we went back to a house one of them was able to rent for all of us through a friend of hers. She made us mojitos, and we relaxed before some of us went to the Museum of Illusions and others went to a spa or took a nap. I had wanted to see the Neon Museum or The Sphere, but there wouldn't be enough time. Then we reconvened in the evening for Bacchanal Buffet, a buffet to end all buffets. I enjoyed getting to know my friends' moms, and celebrated motherhood without our kids. haha One of my friends' husbands did bring two of their kids to join us for the buffet dinner. One of her kids entertained us with all these fun riddles and jokes. They actually treated all of us for dinner, so generous. 

After dinner we went out to watch the Beatles Cirque du Soleil show "LOVE" in its final run at the Mirage, which would close less than two months later. The show was good, and it was lovely that it was music from our moms' era as well. There were a couple of pieces that were a little questionable or confusing, but overall it was pretty mesmerizing, as most Cirque shows are. The Mirage was the first megaresort in Vegas, just a few years old when Manny and I and both sets of parents celebrated our engagement there. Now it's going to be torn down for a Hard Rock hotel. The Vegas I knew as a kid was nothing like it is now. I mean it was even less family-friendly then, but it's the only place we really went to for vacations after we moved to California. My dad would just send me and my brother into the arcade at Circus Circus while he gambled. Kids could just run around like that back then. There was a trivia arcade game that they set to endless free credits, so I played a lot of that. With any quarters I had I remember playing Crystal Castles a lot. Manny has been to Vegas a few times with his college friends. Not sure why that ends up being the place we go with friends, though if it were me and my closest friend, we'd probably want to go to a Disney park or national park together.

Manny got put in charge of tablecloths and Scripture tags for them somehow for the church Mother's Day dinner. Which meant I ended up finding the verses, adding a design and printing and cutting them out. But he took care of the rest, which was a lot of work. I flew in on Sunday in time for church, looking forward to the celebration. But we had an incident happen at the dinner, so I just packed my food and took it home because we had to leave. 

The weekend before this, I went to the final weekend retreat for my women's discipleship or "journey" group in Tiburon and San Francisco May of last year. It was very sad that our fourth member fell ill and could not make it. Two of our group are older women (that includes me) and two are younger, in their 20s, so just having only one of the younger women there changes the dynamics. Also sad was that this was my third and final year in the group. Manny also had his retreat with his men's journey group, and it was also his third and final year. I learned a lot and grew so much in those three years. We also had an end-of-year journey groups combined celebration, and I was asked to give my testimony of what each year meant for me and how that translated into and paralleled with sharing my faith with someone and their becoming a believer.

Also in May, Naomi finished her first year of college! She did very well academically, and there were many ups and downs for her socially but I feel it ended on a high note. She was able to find roommates for the next year. She didn't have the best roommate situation freshman year, but she didn't want to talk bad about her roommate, a pretty nice girl. Naomi was very patient about that. She and her dorm friend M. whom she ate most of her dinners with said goodbye to their favorite commons chef, the only one who made good food there and was very friendly. Her dorm friend moved to an apartment for sophomore year while Naomi stayed in the dorms.

Lucas had end-of-year celebrations for his sports class and his online school. At the sports class we did some line dancing and handed out certificates. I received flowers for helping coach and we took a group photo, which I can't post publicly. Lucas didn't really make any new friendships, but he did enjoy the year and especially the group sports. For his end-of-year festival, he took photos and did the rock climbing, jumping, and slide again. We didn't stay long this time. It just feels lonely for him sometimes. I think they should organize more group games. 

And last but not least, Isaac's promotion ceremony and class pool party were in May. Isaac received an academic excellence award. He probably could have gotten the math award too, but didn't want to test for it. He's very smart but also has some school anxiety, which may sometimes present as lack of motivation. Isaac didn't really want to swim and just played table tennis with other non-swimming students during the class pool party. 

Naomi and I also watched an anime movie, Spy X Family: Code White. I actually like the series more than Naomi does. I haven't watched really any anime or much of anything on my own since Naomi was younger because I am so busy, but I was able to watch the first season of Spy X Family (and motivated by Naomi's recommendation). Sometimes when I do these things like hang out with Asians, I feel more like myself.

Good times with good friends

All you need is Love! (moms and moms of moms). Photos or videos aren't permitted during shows, but you may be able to find clips. Or just listen to some Beatles while watching Cirque du Soleil lol

Having a nice chat at 1 am! I don't know how they do it. I didn't get much sleep, though, and needed to be up early for my flight home on Sunday.

In the backyard of the house we were staying at

One of the last times we went to In-n-Out, to celebrate his award. We don't go much anymore because they kept getting onions in his grilled cheese despite our requests, and Isaac can't hande that flavor well.

Presidential Award for Academic Excellence

I'm going to miss this dachsund that I saw many mornings at the elementary school.

Lucas's school's end-of-year festival

He almost made it all the way up. So close!

Watching Spy X Family movie at the IMAX dome near an anime convention

Took Isaac to the park to kick his soccer ball around

Lucas sports class end-of-year celebration

Naomi removing her door sign. Goodbye stinky dorm!

I forget the significance of this full moon, but it was cool to see. I think it was the Flower Moon.

Lunch after end-of-year church gathering. Manny and I somehow ended up at the pastor/elder table.

Some final words from our middle/high school lead coach

Isaac painted this for Mother's Day at school

Naomi drew this picture of me

Manny putting together flowers to hand out at the Mother's Day church celebration. I helped with the cards and the supplies.

The last time we'd ever see this sign again

About to watch one of the last volcano shows

A little bit of everything at Bacchanal Buffet. I think I went five rounds.

Cute chick dim sum at Palette

Pretty cool plates with sauces

In Tiburon by the San Francisco Bay

Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco

A big pearl I got from my oyster in SF.

Looking for hot chocolate on Fisherman's Wharf. I think we ended finding it at Ben & Jerry's!

At Surisan (Korean fusion) for dinner. Best dish we had was the oxtail soup. It was super loud that evening!

Full rainbow on the drive back

Taking a walk in Tiburon up to this stone tower that used to be connected to a bridge

At the Tiburon Railroad and Ferry Depot Museum. We got there in time for the last docent tour. I won't post all the photos, but it was a very interesting place.

The museum is the original ferry building that was moved to this side of town.

Nice farm-to-table coffee house (Malibu Farms)

View from our table at lunch at Luna Blu

The portions were kind of small, but the food was interesting. The fish was the best.

Recreational soccer game

Snoopy marshmallow on my iced chocolate (with Naomi)

My cheerleader friend got me to do this. It was pretty neat!

Model of the Tiburon as it looked when the railroad and ferry ran through it at the museum

One of the last volcano shows at the Mirage

Sea Lions at Pier 39 in San Francisco