April 2026 (Naomi's birthday, Michael, dinner dates, Frenchie puppies, Artemis launch)

Naomi had her big milestone birthday in April, and we got to make up for our Hello Kitty Cafe celebration for my birthday by celebrating hers. Her friend joined us, and then they went to her celebration at the escape room where her friend works. Naomi's college friends also threw her a party where everyone dressed up as her favorite things. I thought that was such a cute idea. I usually don't post her pictures anymore, but I'll include some here from her birthday. And then she also celebrated at home, and I got her a medley of different cupcakes. Manny and I also took her to a wagyu sukiyaki house.

I also got to do my make-up birthday yoga with puppies event. I saw an ad for it, and I got so excited at the idea of with golden retriever puppies. The company claimed that runs the puppy yoga says that their puppies are not from puppy mills and are adoptable puppies. I ended up signing up for corgi puppies, which was cancelled at the last minute, so they called up a Frenchie breeder and we get Frenchie puppies. On the one hand, it felt healing to see little Frenchies and remember our sweet Nacho. On the other hand, I don't like the way Frenchies are bred. I wasn't sure anymore where these puppies were coming from, so I decided I wouldn't sign up for one again, maybe unless they are rescue puppies.

Manny went to a Warriors/Kings game with Chris the same day. His car battery died on the way home, but thankfully we have AAA. We went out to a ramen place owned by a Mexican-American family, and the portions were huge. We also went to an Irish restaurant the following week. We go out to dinner more often these days.

Also in April, we took Lucas to see Michael. Michael Jackson's nephew really embodied his uncle, and it felt more like a concert than movie sometimes. After doing some research, I am even less convinced the charges against Jackson were valid, but I don't truly know. At least for the years covered in the movie, from his unconventional childhood to the start of the Bad tour, it was a time of nostalgia for Manny and me. And while I liked the Jackson 5, they were before my time, so likewise Lucas can appreciate Jackson's performances, but the pandemonium was also before his time. 

We played soccer in April for Lucas's sport class. I coached again and played goalie as well when we were short a player. My shoulder really bothered me so I couldn't really throw it in well. Another mom also had a frozen shoulder, and she convinced me to inquire about physical therapy.

Last but not least, I watched the Artemis II launch online. They were the first crew to do a flyby of the moon. For some reason I thought we'd cut back on the NASA launches, so it was special to witness. Victor Glover, a Christian navy captain and astronaut from the crew, talked about his faith in interviews, how he did not see science and his faith conflicting. I feel the same way. We make it conflict depending on perspective and motivation.

Escape room party

Michael

Spring soccer game

Pot pie and shepherd's pie at an Irish restaurant

A big bowl of ramen

Manny got the even bigger bowl.

Manny and Chris at the basketball game

Puppy yoga: she fell asleep

Puppy cuddles

Cupcakes from one of our favorite bakeries (three of us, anyway)

Time sure flies!

Wagyu master

We sat around a huge wooden counter with other patrons.

We have liftoff!

Here for the countdown, by myself. I tried getting my kids into space stuff, but it just didn't take off (pun intended).

With M. at Hello Kitty Cafe for Naomi's birthday and my belated birthday.

March 2026 (Walk For Life, Double Date with Pastor, Isaac Birthday, Project Hail Mary)

Two things you might notice--we don't do things as a complete family as much anymore, and at the same time, Manny and I go out more often. It's more challenging to align schedules, with the kids getting older. At the same time, Manny and I are more able to get out together more now. We're of course also going out alone to have some quality time. We had Peruvian food for the first time together (I've had it maybe two or three times before way back in college), and then Mediterranean which we have often together.

Our pastor has been a big part of our healing journey. He and his wife suggested we go on a double date, so we went to a nearby Chinese restaurant. He said later that he had wanted to try out my "go-to" Taiwanese place if I had one. I did, and I was about to suggest it for next time, only to find out that after 28 years of going there, it has closed. I'm really bummed about it! I took my mom and aunts there, college friends, of course went as a family, but alas, it is no more. Anyway it was a good time, but I find that I open up fairly easily to him and his wife, and I probably said a lot without time for context. 

This year is a big one for blockbuster releases. Included in that was Project Hail Mary, based on the book. I'd read it last year, or listened to the audiobook actually, because I seldom can sit down and read without interruption. I had also read The Martian by the same author, which you probably know was adapted into a movie starring Matt Damon. This one starred Ryan Gosling. I really liked the movie. Sci-fi is one of my favorite genres. Certain scenes were well worth watching on the big screen. I cried during certain parts of the book and then during those same parts in the movie, so I guess the plot and heart of the novel translated well.

Manny and Lucas participated in the Walk For Life fundraiser again this year. I usually stay home with Isaac. Raising money for crisis pregnancy centers is not about politics for us (and shouldn't be), but about raising funding for women who need or want prenatal and postnatal care and providing options for them that won't come down to money or hardship. 

The big deal for March was that Isaac became a teenager! There's a lot I want to say, but I'm trying to be more mindful of the kids' privacy. I will say the eating program has been working, and he started wanting to build a PC (but still hasn't completed buying the parts yet). He wanted a black and white chocolate drip cake. I thought about attempting the drip icing, something I've never done before, but decided to just buy the cake in the end. Naomi came home for the weekend, and we all went to Olive Garden to celebrate. The waiter folded origami gifts for us, which was sweet. They went to Isaac for his birthday. 

Lucas and Manny at Walk For Life

Out for Peruvian food after church

For some reason it won't let me upload the photo of us with our pastor and his wife at the Korean bakery, so here's our wonton soup from the Korean-Chinese restaurant lol

For Pi Day I wanted a small wild blueberry pie, but only found a frozen gluten free one, which wasn't bad.

Mediterranean food with Manny

Coach sleeping on Pluto

Birthday berry shake for Isaac

Squeezed into a smaller table at Olive Garden

paper swan and I think a cat

Huge drip cake

Birthday boy

Movie date

Had some okay beef noodle soup after the movie

February 2026 part 2 (Valentine's, Fluffy, Lunar New Year, Anniversary, Jay & Sharon)

After my lowkey birthday, Manny and I went from one event or celebration to another in February, including seeing the comedian Fluffy, watching a lion dance up close, and having one of our best meals in recent memory for our anniversary. Manny planned the entire Valentine's. It's really nice to be able to go out more nowadays, just us. God continues to heal us. I won't write our whole story yet, but I believe we would not have made it this far without Jesus Christ, plain and simple. We had some really low points last year despite it being our 25th anniversary year. This year's anniversary was far better. 

Fluffy (Gabriel Iglesias) is a famous Mexican-American comedian who's done televised comedy specials and sold out large venues, but every now and then he will play at smaller venues. He said it was to go back to his roots, but I also think part of it is prepping for the larger shows. He had a joint show after ours in L.A. that sold out its 70,000 seats. So it was special to be able to see him in an more intimate setting. Manny picked good timing and seats. Fluffy is more on the clean side as a comedian, which I prefer, but his openers were not clean, just to give a heads up. It was a funny show, but no photos or videos were allowed, so I don't have anything shared here. We enjoyed some happy hour food and sat with another couple.

After that we went to a themed bar for even more food. I think we were thinking dessert but ended up having another meal. I say themed because it appears to change themes for special events or holidays, this time decorated for Lunar New Year. I do not go to bars in general, or really ever, but I will go with Manny on the rare occasion. My dad was a bartender for a few years, so there's familiarity, but I don't have any pressing desire to go out for drinks usually. Manny only started drinking alcohol in recent years, though he also grew up around it. Sometimes we'll just share a drink, especially if it's too strong for me. I can't handle much alcohol as it upsets my stomach, and I don't like the taste of beer, but I do like the taste of fruity cocktails, bloody marys, and white russians. I like citrus, too, like lemon drops and margaritas. My favorite drink is probably red sangria. Often I will just get a non-alcoholic cocktail/mocktail, and that's good enough for me. 

While we were at the bar, some lion dancers came in to perform, and we got to feed them some fake money. It was fun to watch. The lions were purple, my favorite color, too. My mother-in-law hired lion dancers and mariachis for our wedding reception, which was very generous and so fun and unique. 

For Valentine's Day, I made Isaac another apple tart per his request and got him some pizza and treats. I considered making the tart heart-shaped, but decided it's better for the crust to just use my pan from Ikea. For those who may not know, Valentine's is the one day a year Isaac gets to eat whatever he wants. When we started noticing his issues with food that went beyond pickiness, I realized holidays were especially difficult. A Thanksgiving turkey or Labor Day barbecue smell wafting the air would indulge our senses but was more like being trapped in a latrine for him. So on Valentine's, he can have his choice of safe foods, as his program calls them. 

After Valentine's was our anniversary. We went to a restaurant called Flowers to celebrate. I'd been wanting to go there for a while. Having not picked the place, Manny didn't know if it was going to be any good, but he ended up really enjoying it. I wore a dress he'd actually spotted at an Ann Taylor (which I then ordered later on clearance for something like $25). It was a really nice evening. I also got the most expensive item on the menu. I used to always go for the cheapest dishes I could find, but I've learned for special occasions to just receive the good things. It makes Manny happy to make me happy, so why not just get the lobster? Everything was delicious, and true to the name, was decorated with flowers or flower petals. Being February, they probably didn't have the variety they would in the spring, but they had some beautiful flowers, including edible ones. The drink that Manny ordered had some flower buds or tiny pods that popped in your mouth and buzzed your tongue. That sounded a little questionable to me, but it was fine. 

From being all dolled up to looking like death, likely due to perimenopause, I ran into these popular social media content creators at our local Costco. We've actually run into them once before. I asked to take a photo, and they were so nice. Their kids were shy, and I have to respect that kids don't necessarily want to be part of all that. I found out our children's pastor likes them, too. 

In line to see Fluffy

Lion dancers and acrobats outside

Making quite an entrance

They had a Chinese New Year theme, so these are an American take on Asian ribs and baos

Valentine's treats

My furry valentines

26th anniversary

Tasted as good as it looked

I like my risotto slightly creamier but everything was delicious.

Manny's ready to eat

Sharing desserts

Jay&Sharon