Where have I been? April 14, 2009

Chillaxing at the hotel

 

Meet my traveling companion.  As I mentioned, I discovered Facebook, so I’ve been mostly dwelling there.  But, in the real world (sometimes it’s hard to tell), I’ve been traveling around Oregon and Washington for work.  This is spring workshop season, which means I have been working weekends, which means I have been staying at hotels lately.  So, where have I been?  Well – Spokane, Salem, Everett and Central Point/Medford.  I would have been in Boise too, but we were in the Bay Area for my cousin’s wedding.   

 

Because he knew I would be a little lonely staying at one Holiday Inn Express after the other, Fran brought home this cute/ugly doll oddly named Babo’s Bird (to read his fascinating/weird story, click here).   He made my travels a little bit easier, but I wish he could drive!

Grab a sandwich, this is going to take a while January 9, 2009

I hope you had a great Christmas season.  Ours involved lots of snow, lots of food and lots of family and friends.  I enjoyed myself too much and didn’t really take many pictures.  Nevertheless, here are the top 5 highlights of our vacation:

 

1) Arctic Blast 2008!  We really did have a winter wonderland.  Pros: fluffy snow, unexpected time off from work (due to bad traveling conditions), time together at home, taking walks in our ‘hood and seeing people with their skis, toboggans and sleds in the middle of the street.  Cons: cabin fever, church was cancelled and we didn’t get to see Portland friends before we went home.

 

We ended up getting about 18 inches of snow!  That’s a lot for people from California.  

 

At Whole Foods to get some essentials before the weather got even worse (and boy, did it get WORSE)!

 

Hanging out with K Dave (from SF) at Cafe Umbria.  Thanks for the coffee and snacks K Dave!

 

Fran in the middle of chipping away at the snow/ice on our car.

 

2) Going home for the holidays!  We were in the Bay Area for 13 glorious days.  We were so glad to spend Christmas and New Year’s among our nieces and nephews, sisters, brothers, parents, aunts/uncles and surrounded by the Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge and Coit Tower.  

 

Getting stuck in the old phone booth after tea at the Fairmont Hotel.

 

Showing me their Judo moves

 

Mom taking a break from cooking our favorites and having tea together at The English Rose. I highly recommend the rumbledethumps!  

 

One of the many meals shared with family.  This one was at Cafe Cacao.

 

Her prayer for us before we left:  ”Heavenly Father bless Tito Fran and Tita Olive…bless this house so it will not be ruined or dirty.  Bless Tita Olive so she won’t have hiccups.”

 

3)  Connecting with friends over coffee, a meal or french fries (with sweet chili sauce).  We finally got to meet our friends’ baby boy.  We finally got to talk face to face instead of Facebook, IM or blog to blog.  We packed it in, but it was refreshing to meet up with friends and catching up.   I even got to see old friends from HCS.  The last time I saw them was 16 years ago!

 

Highlands ‘92 in the house! (actually in Hong Kong Flower Lounge)

 

 4)  Thomas and Donna’s wedding in Half Moon Bay.  It was elegant, heartwarming and such a joyful occasion.  

 

Glowing bride, exquisite dress

Two such as you with such a master speed cannot be parted nor be swept away from one another once you are agreed that life is only life forevermore together wing to wing and oar to oar.

Robert Frost

5)  Spending lots of time together.  Arctic Blast 2008 and Christmas vacation helped Fran and I to really slow down and chill.  

Happy New Year!!  

Two Thanksgivings and a Wedding December 14, 2008

 

 

This is the only picture I have to show for our whirlwind Thanksgiving weekend. It was too busy, fun, crazy and delicious to stop and take pictures.  Plus, I forgot my good camera.  But here is a glimpse of what Fran and I contributed for both sides of the family.  No…not the turkey…the garlic mashed potatoes of course!

 

Besides spending time with family, we also got to attend a beautiful and intimate wedding.  For the past couple of weeks, Fran has met with a couple at church for pre-marital counseling.  He also had the privilege of officiating their wedding.  It was such a blessing for Fran to share in their journey and for us to be part of their special day.

 

Dennis and Tessa got married the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.  After a very short two days with family and friends, we drove back to make it for the wedding. We left San Francisco at 7pm and arrived in Portland at 5am.   The wedding ceremony was at 4pm.  Yes, we like to live on the edge.

 

 

Unfortunately, I forgot my real camera and once again was reduced to using my iPhone to take pictures.  As a result, the images are very bad quality, but I thought I’d post them anyway.  

 

 

Waiting with the groom

 

Addressing the happy (and tall) couple

 

 

 

I took this picture just as the wedding photographer took hers with flash.

I kinda like how it turned out…

 

 

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.  

~Martin Luther

 

 

 

 

 

Whirlwind Weekend November 23, 2008

 

Last weekend we went back home…after months of not visiting or seeing anyone from home.  We made it just in time to celebrate three birthdays, see four pregnant ladies and Fran’s cute grandma.  We also visited when the weather couldn’t have been nicer – it was in the high 70’s!  Here are some highlights:

 

 

 

A view of the Bay Bridge from Embarcadero 

 

Clock Tower

 

The Ferry Building

 

Lunch at Taylor’s Automatic Refresher

(they have the best patty melts and garlic pesto fries!)

 

 

Pregnant lady #1 and #2 (their babies are talking to each other too!)

 

 

Due in December!

 

Our baby sister having her own baby (doesn’t the future dad look proud?)

 

A wonderful surprise for dessert (can you read what the cake says?)

 

Here’s a closer look…

 

Pregnant lady #4 – my older sister (see her to the left?) expecting her second baby

 

 

She’s not a baby anymore!  (Celebrating her birthday at the Children’s Discovery Museum)

 

 

Big girl getting ready to Skuut!

 

 

Mom with her baby

 

 

Best buds for 24 (!) years

 

 

Marc and Alena posing for their ninang (they’re experts at taking pictures!)

 

 

Guess who?

 

 

Family dinner

 

 

Finally…some good homemade pho!