One of the greatest complements...

One of the greatest complements any parent can get is a stranger walking up to you at a restaurant and say, "Your children are very well behaved."

It happened tonight... when our neighboring table walked by before she left.  Last night... the old lady behind us complement Nn's "spaghetti eating skills."  And as we were reminiscing our claim to fame as parents... we remember that last year, in Palm Springs, at a different Italian restaurant, another lady came up and said, "You're kids are amazing! So well behaved." 

Well.... I hope Nn and SW continue to exemplify the lady and gentleman I hope they'll become.

Annual Vacation - Home Away from Home

Running out of things to do here.... was going to take them to the Children's Discovery Museum (y'know...like the one in San Jose) only this place costs $8 for admission.  HA!  Cheap cheap me.... and for $8... I guess they can run around for an hour or so.  But lo' and behold... it's closed on Mondays. 

So we head off to the same places we usually go back at home.... Costco, Target and Westfield.  HA!

First we got gas at Costco.  Then had breakfast at McDonald's. (two days of making macaroni and spam in our room was enough!)

Then headed off to Old Faithful - Target.  And Joyce.... she was a machine!! Especially when she saw the "50% OFF" signs become "70% OFF."  This was her moment to shine.  She preys on moments like this every year.


For lunch... Nn screamed to go back to Sam's Sushi.... just like how she screamed to go back to Pizzeria Villagio.  This time, there was no wait.  But the food took forever to come! SW feel asleep while eating!  So instead of heading back to the hotel.... we head to Westfield! 

We found a little lounge area where I held SW and Nn slept in the stroller while Joyce went shopping.  The kids woke up and then we spent an hour in Barnes and Nobles. 

We came all the way to Palm Springs for this???????

Dinner:  At at the Italian restaurant at the resort.  Yelp gave it 2 stars.  We had low expectations...and it met our expectations.  I normally never send food back to the kitchen... but the risotto was inedible.  Makes me question the whole Westin Resort rating system.

Annual Vacation - Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

The highlight of the trip.... driving all the way down to Palm Spring... so we can take a 10 minute tram ride up the mountain for the kids to play in snow.  They've been looking forward to it all winter long.  Last night... during "Family Time", Nn even shared she was happy TODAY because she'll get to see snow TOMORROW. 

That morning... we left extra early to beat the crowd.  Don't want a repeat of last year where we dragged a boatload of stuff... ran up the stairs... only to miss our tram.

Unlike last year... we got there and parked at the closest parking lot.  So it was just a short walk to the ticket counter.  We got dressed in our snow bibs.... put on all our snow gear.... grabbed the saucer and sled.... and started towards the ticket counter.

And after I buy the tickets.... out of the corner of my eye, I see the sign that said, "Weather at Peak: 27 deg.  No Snow."  Wait.....what?!?? "NO SNOW!??!?!?!"  NO FRIGGIN SNOW!??!?!?!?!   How can there be no snow!?!??!   I drove all the way down here and now you tell me there's no snow!!?!??!?!  (riiiiight... i didn't check the website prior to coming... huda thunk???)

I asked the ticket counter attendant... is there REALLY no snow? I don't care if there isn't enough for sledding... just let my kids grab it and make some snow angels.  "No sir... we haven't had a good snow in months."

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....................  No wonder every one at the parking lot was looking at us weird.  No wonder we saw people wearing jogging pants and shorts.  No wonder the crowd was so small.

Sh*t.  Now came the time to break the bad news to the kids.  Who was gonna do it? Who was gonna break their little hearts??

"There's no snow today honey.  We can't play with our sled."

"Huh?? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....." (the sound that jerks every dad's tears.....)

"Sorry ah Nn....."

But amazingly... she recovered quickly.  SW isn't even sure what's happening.  And Joyce... she's steaming with anger!  HA!

Well.... we paid for the tickets already.  Might as well suffer through the rest of the trip.... hiking in our SNOW CLOTHES!!!!!

Poor Nn.... she hated every minute of it.

"It's hot."
"I'm tired."
"Are we done walking yet?"
"Why are we still walking?"
"My feet hurts."
"Can you carry me, like SW?"

But Joyce... being the Superwoman that she is... turned a bad situation into a wonderful one.  She kept a positive attitude.  Kept both of the kids entertained.  Even carried SW for half the hike.

She collapsed at 7PM tonight out of sheer exhaustion, right after dinner... HAHAHA... but she really came through when the family needed her to.

I guess we have a Tahoe trip coming up.... just to make up for this.

Dinner: We returned to Pizzeria Villagio!!!!  Nn loved it the first night.  The kids loved the spaghetti.  We didn't mind the food.  But this time, food and service wasn't as good.  Had this been our first time... we wouldn't have come back.  Such it is....

Annual Vacation - Asians Asians Asians

Joyce checked the weather forecast and decided to head up the Aerial Tram tomorrow... so today, we headed to the outlets to do some more shopping.  As if Gilroy wasn't enough.

Started out the morning looking for milk for Nn. What seemed like a trival task turned into an adventure.  Walmart didn't have it.  Starbucks didn't have it.  The local donut shop didn't have it.  Not that they didn't have milk...they sold out of Horizon Organic milk.  I guess we're not the only overly concerned parents out there.

When we got to the outlets... we ran right into two tour busses unloading Asians after Asians.  Japanese... mostly Chinese.  They kept flooding the parking lot.  I guess if we go back to China for tours... they bring you shopping at the weirdest places: jade factory, tea factory, ging-tai-lam.  Here in America.... Outlet malls.

Saw one man holding four heavy Burberry shopping bags.  Typically...there's a line at Coach... nothing.  Coach isn't even worth their time.  It's all about Tory Burch. Not even sure what Tory Burch is.  

The only thing we bought there?? A two item combo at Panda Express and a Coney Island Hotdog.... then a Haagen Daas ice cream cuz we had a coupon.

Dinner: Sam's Sushi.  Luckily made reservations. People came in... were told the wait will be 30 minutes... and left.  I guess non-Bay Area people aren't use to waiting for a table????

Annual Vacation - Right on Schedule

Nothing makes me happier than being right on schedule.  I told Joyce.... if we left at 8:30, we'll make it to Monterey Park by 12 for lunch.  If we left at 1, we'll get to Palm Springs by 3pm.... enough time for the kids to nap in the car... and right in time for checking in.

We didn't leave at 830 as I'd hoped.  We left at 850... cuz we stopped for gas.

But we made up some time when Siu Wah unexpectedly fell asleep around 1030..... so instead of taking a break in Ventura... we kept going!! Joyce gave Nn a little treat and let her watch some iPad.  I, on the other hand, really needed to go pee... but if I stopped, SW would've woken up and the "plan" would be ruined. 

After a little 101/405/15/10 traffic...we get to JJ at exactly 12PM.  The kids are up... they're in good moods... and there's a nice bathroom there!! BOOM!!!

Lunch lasts an hour... and we depart at excactly 1PM.... HA!!  And wouldn't you know it.... 3PM, we roll up to the valet at Westin Hotel Golf and Spa.

Couldn't have planned it any more precise.

Dinner???  Pizzeria Villagio.  We got there at 5:59 and ordered just in time for Happy Hour - half off drinks and appetizer.  I go for the Chianti.... and Joyce..... she gets the 25 oz Bud!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!? My wife?!?!?! Drinking beer!??!?!! And good ol' Bud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life is good.... life is really good.

Annual Vacation - Off we go!

And off we go on our annual vacation... this year is back to Palm Springs ala 2012.  We had so much fun... but it was a grueling trip.  Last year, we bit the bullet and drove straight down Highway 5 with a 3 and 1 year old.  Then we hit a winter storm.  Then we hit LA traffic.  Ugh.... 9 hours later, we get there. 

This year... we made our first stop at good ol' Cal Poly. 

Things got off to a splendid start.  Left San Jose around 9 to hit up some post Christmas shopping at Gilroy and then lunch.  That way, the kids can sleep for the next two hours.  If things worked out well... we'll be in Paso Robles by the time they woke up.

Everything worked out like a charm... and coming back to SLO... it's like coming home. 

Why don't we stay at Embassy Suites everytime?  Free Happy Hour ALCOHOLIC DRINKS!!!  And free cook to order breakfast.  Two separate rooms for me to watch ESPN while the rest of the family sleeps. 

I think I can retire here....

Midnight Mass

Christmas Eve... we let the kids open their presents so they get to play with it since we're heading out to the city tomorrow.  Lo and behold... one of the toys requires massive assembly.  So I stay up and put it together when I turn on NBC and there it was.... Midnight Mass - celebrated by Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome.

In all my years as a Catholic... or Christian...I've never watched Pope John Paul II celebrate mass on TV.

Crazy random thoughts...

1) I still could recite 80% of the mass... in both Chinese and English.
2) Pope Francis - Time Man of the Year - WOW!  And his approval ratings continue to climb
3) Where the heck are the altar "servers?!"  No female within 50 feet of the main altar
4) Pope Francis carried a statue of baby Jesus and walked around the church... .what if he drops the baby?!?
5) Nobody was listening to the readings - times have NOT changed
6) Who the heck was that reading the first reading from Isaiah... "Wonderful Consoler!?"  True... Christ consoles... but it's "Counselor!!!!"  Bah... no one was listening anyways.
7) Homily was mighty boring and parochial
8) the Basilica is beautiful...massive... a sheer wonder of the modern world
9) I think the pope messed up with the censer...
10) Absolutely loved how Pope Francis will completely remove himself from being the leader of the greatest religious group in the world, smiles and kisses the little children.

And as the mass draws to an end... I'm done putting the darn toy together.  Oh...and Santa never came.  I guess I've been naughty.

Family Altar - with the Franciscos?!?

Hosted a little Christmas party at my place tonight.  Towards the end of the night... when everyone's left except for the Francisco's... I decided to call a "Family Time."  Their kids were still a bit hyperactive from the ice cream and cookies and opening of presents.  So I figure I can sit everyone down for a few moments and calm down. 

Poor Chris and Mel... not really sure what I was gonna do, but they played along.  Everyone did their share... they said something happy that happened to them during the day.  And then I read from the bible.  Picked the most appropriate verse of the night.... the wise men bearing gifts to Jesus. 

Quickly turned that into a blessing.... that little Cathleya and Jeremy will always remember the greatest gift of all.  And to always, always cherish that gift... and return it by loving others. 

Chris definitely received by osmosis.... and he started opening up about taking the kids to Midnight Mass.  Mel kinda tucked away respectfully.  And the kids....?  They are so precious.

Thank you Jesus...for giving us a chance to have Family Time with our friends.  May they be inspired by your Spirit to continue praying and blessing one another. 

HE DID IT!! AND WE'RE DONE!!

It's official!! Siu Wah is diaper free!!

It clicked. It simply clicked.  I can't say we didn't force him... cuz there were times we had to give him some "tuff-love."  But the little guy is sleeping dry.... in his undies.  Phew.....

Still trying to train him to harness his spray.  He enjoys the sound of water splashing and the tinkling towards the end. But he's still not too decent with the aim.  Naturally, he liked to stick his butt out - which meant the final drops of pee will fall on his pants.  So I had to teach him to stick his pelvis out - to ensure every last drop falls in the bowl.

And thus begins the scariest few weeks of them all....the times when he's no longer in diapers... and we have to, first, TRUST him to tell us when he needs to go.  And second.... pray for a clean, usable bathroom when he does tell us.

Good job son!! I think you've just made my year....

Stand up for yourself!

There comes a time in life... when you have to stand up for yourself.  That time came this Saturday for Siu-Wah.... and boy was it stressful.

Saturday morning.. .we decided he must stand up and pee.  No more sitting down!! Pull down the pants... aim... shoot!!  How hard can it be?!  I begged... I scolded... I bribed.  Nothing.  He just couldn't do it.  At the very end... I was on the verge of yelling before he squeezed a few drops. 

Ohhhhh.... the ends don't justify the means.  And I felt like crap.

Later that day... we were at the Great Mall doing some Christmas shopping.  SW screams "Pee-pee!" Quickly grabbed the little guy and ran to the men's room.  And surprise surprise... all four stalls were occupied.  And all four of the men took FOREVER!!!!!  What the heck were they doing in there!?!?  There was an old man standing in line in front of me holding a toddler.  Did he offer me the stall that opened up!?  Nope.  He went right in there and did this thang....

There were urinals opening up. 

SW needed to go!

I had to decide.  Do I give up my space in line and try SW in the urinals?!  What if he doesn't go in the urinals??? Then I'll have to get back in line for the stalls!!

Tic-toc-tic-toc..... time was ticking.  And SW needed to pee.  What to do?! What to do?!

FINALLY!!! A stall opens up.... I quickly run in.  The teenage boy walks out but doesn't flush. Jerk!  So I flush... only to see the dang toilet flood.

I make a quick u-turn... trying to get back in line.  And I see the stall next door open up... PERFECT!!!  Oh.... but the guy behind me didn't care.  He snuck right in.  Didn't give me the time of day.

I was stuck... no where to go but back into a flooding toilet.  Or.... give the urinal a try.

And boy did that training come in handy.  At least... he's done it all, but ONCE.

Took him to the urinal... he was too short!! What do I do? How do I hold him?? How do I coax him to pee? Do I yell at him in public? Does he even understand what's going on?

I pull down his pants and undies....  lift him up and dangle his legs.  Poor guy has no idea what's going on.  In my most loving voice... I ask, "Siu-Wah... pee pee la."  He's lost.  He's confused.  He's intrigued by the entire ordeal.  What's this thing we're standing in front of???

My back in killing me.  I start to sweat.  My arms are tired.  And the little munchkin can only say, "No pee-pee."  He hates it.  He needs to sit in his red potty at home.  He needs the comfort of gravity on his bum-bum.  Not dangling legs... not bah-bee's hands squeezing his armpits.

A million thoughts cross my mind.  Do I have any diapers with us? Do we have a change of clothes? Goodness... we're at the mall... we can just buy another set of clothes!!  Who cares if he wets himself.

So I pull up his pants.... I can't do this.  I can't do this to my son.  Simply can't force someone to pee if they don't want to.  I turn around and start walking out when my spirit of competitiveness kicks in.  I WON'T GIVE UP!!! NO!!!

Turn around and face the urinal again.  Go through the whole ordeal again.  Undo his pants and undies.  Lift him up.  Dangle his legs.  Beg.  Coax.  Bribe..... sweat POURING down my neck.  Still dry as the Sahara.

The heck with it....  not worth it.  When all of a sudden..... SW starts giggling.  He giggles.  He's smiling.  He's looking down... he's pointing, pointing at the stream arcing to the bottom of the porcelain bowl.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! HE'S DOING IT!!!

Couldn't have timed that morning training session any better.... huh???  

Family Altar - 薪火相傳

The other night, we had fellowship at our house. It was more an excuse to have hotpot than fellowship.  But towards the end of the night, Nn demanded we have Family Time.  So the Yu's joined us for family time... after I told them during dinner how it's transformed our family!

Just like normal... we started by sharing a happy moment for the day.  Then I read a verse from the bible... and we blessed one another. 

The next night... Roy texted me, telling me that their first "Family Time" was from Mui-mui's Children Prayer book.  A simple prayer about protection.

Let's hope that Family Time can become a staple in not just our lives... but in everyone's lives. 

Leap of Faith

We're doing it!! Siu Wah is gonna sleep in an underwear for the very first time tonight! 

Oh boy.... do I really get my wish from Santa?? No more diapers!?!?!??!?!  (not holding my breath...)

Family Altar - Day X

Haven't blogged about our Family Altar time in a couple of weeks.  But by God's grace... it's now a part of our lives; to a point where Nn will request it or remind us that we haven't done it.  And SW will instinctively grab my bible when we sit down on the living room floor.

Last night... after our customary 2-minute family time (yeah... 2 minutes is all we can sustain with a 4 and 2 year old), I thought we should extend the time by going around and have everyone share a "Happy Moment" from the day. Worked out amazing!! Everyone felt happier after everyone was done sharing!!

Then today at church was the annual round of Thanksgiving Testimonies - where PAL gets a little lazy and invites people to share instead of preaching.

Is it me...? Or does every year have at least one testimony (myself inclusive) share on the difficulties of conceiving and starting a family?
 Is it me...? Or does Grace go up every year without pre-coordination?
There's usually an "employment" one.
And more often than not a "health/sickness" one.
This year....we even got a couple of "empty nesters!"

After CS2... I told C-hing, "In 18 years... it'll be us giving those empty nest testimonies."

Ahhhh.... the power of thanksgiving.  As Eric said, 「感恩，係可以扭轉命運！」