Sand Sledding for New Year's!

By MAGGIE WANG

If we have to suffer with the sun and beautiful weather in Hermosa, we always try to make the best of it.

Sand sledding!!! 

At first, Sedona was actually afraid to go on it until she saw Riley doing it over and over again. By the end of the day, Sedona was putting her hands in the air like it was a roller coaster.

 

And better yet, we had Debbie in town to help, so I didn't have to go down the hill and pick up Maven every time they went down.

WHOOO!!!

Art Zone

By MAGGIE WANG

Sedona has the last two weeks of December off from school so we hit up Art Zone with friends Hailey, Riley and McKinsey and Isabel (our new friends who just moved a block away).

The girls can paint freely without me worrying about what a mess they'll make.

Stamping it up.

Building and playing with clay. They loved this. Did it three times.

Spraying blue water and using squeegees.

Christmas Day

By MAGGIE WANG

Sedona woke up this morning to understanding that Santa Claus came to the house because she was a good girl this year. If you recall, she made three official requests to Santa to bring her things. She got two of them: Life Savers and ...

... a train set (from which Maven took one car to play with here).

Our gift to Maven: parachute. It was a hit! The girls love it!

It has multiple purposes, as seen in the dragging going on here once Felix (and Riley) arrived.

From Auntie Jennie & Uncle Peter -- you must notice the Tory Burch box in Sedona's hand!

Kevin predicts this Christmas morning photo he took will wind up being a classic photo for the ages. It's Maven showcasing her beautiful new jacket from Auntie Jennie & Uncle Peter (and trying out some fun earrings we got Sedona).

(Maven also was determined to try Sedona's fun dress shoes.)

Both girls love the sleeping-bag backpacks from Auntie Anita & Uncle Jason.

The girls got many other wonderful gifts that aren't shown here or in the previous Christmas Eve post:

From A-Gong Toshi & A-Ma Alice: balance bikes

A-Gu Felix: night light coloring books and an assortment of Kumon learning books

(Teacher) Auntie Lulu: academic games and books

Riley: LeapFrog writing game, Dora shoes, Tiger flashlight

Hailey and Landry Tucker: picture of girls at Knott's Berry Farm

And to show you how we appareciate all the wonderful and loving cards from you friends and family ...

2009 Family Christmas Card

By MAGGIE WANG

For the past few years, I have been mailing out postcards for our family Christmas cards -- a picture in the front with a quick update on the back -- addressed and mailed first class! No hand-writing addresses. No stamps. Heaven!  (Though, I will say, formatting it isn't super-easy.)

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Eve

By MAGGIE WANG

The girls have been in the holiday spirit for a while now ...

... And we headed out to spend Christmas Eve with the Ding clan in the beautiful Ding-Chang Pacific Palisades home.

The girls were hungry when we got there, and A-Ma Ding was prepared with yummy pears!

Sedona opening her first present: an interactive baby doll from A-Gong & A-Ma Ding.

Maven opening her first present of the day: Jungle Giraffe Bike from A-Gong & A-Ma Ding

Eating a hearty Christmas Eve Dinner with their cousins here, Maven and Sedona sort of look alike!

We gave the grandparents a photo calendar, booklet of professional pictures taken at the beach for both grandmothers' birthdays and pictures of Maven each month until she turned 1.

The two younger children playing.

Sedona enjoying a Little Mermaid (yes, Sedona knows her name is Ariel) dress from the Jo Wen Wu family and Maven a coloring apron from A-Go Kristen.

Maven's Music-in-Me Class, Fall 2009

Maven is the barefooted babe right in the middle, wearing white!

Manhattan Beach Farmers' Market Train

By MAGGIE WANG

During the holidays, there has been a trackless train at the Manhattan Beach Farmers' Market for $2/ride.

The girls had a great time eating and riding at the market.

House the Homeless

By MAGGIE WANG

It was cold and rainy the other day, and as we were driving home I spotted a homeless guy. I pointed him out to Sedona, as I've done occasionally before in similar situations, and told her how that person didn't have a home and wasn't that sad.

Sedona asked, "But where does he sleep if he doesn't have a home?" Upon being told that he had to sleep outside, where it was wet, she said: "That isn't comfy." We told her again how that was sad and she should be happy she had a comfy bed and home.

She asked why he didn't have a home and said to Kevin: "But Mommy can help him get a home." Kevin proceeded to tell her that he didn't have any money to buy a home and she said, "But Mommy has money."  We explained to her that we couldn't buy him a home but when she gets older, we could help build people in his situation a home.  She was excited and said, "When I get bigger, I can help build him a house ... but how do I get onto the roof?"

I've said this before, and I'll continue to blog this because it is just so true.  We are fortunate.  There will always be people in life that have more than us, but that's not the point. We are together, healthy and happy.

Knott's Berry Farm

By MAGGIE WANG

On Sunday, the Tuckers invited us to join them for Fire Fighter Day at Knott's Berry Farm.

Kevin was playing softball and then had a Lakers game, so A-Ma Alice came along.

With Snoopy!

With Hailey. She and Sedona play so well together.

Poor Maven (and Landry, Hailey's little sis), waiting on the outside while the big girls have their big fun.

This line was short. The girls got on the ride at least four times.

Hailey shared her pretzels. Isn't she sweet?

Maven shared her Cheerios.

The little ones found entertainment on the bench.

We ended the trip with a ride all the girls could get on!

Social Saturday

By MAGGIE WANG

We walked over to Sedona's pal T.L.'s school, Starfish, in Hermosa Beach for some morning fun.

Sedona decorated a cookie with T.L. and Sophie. It was yummy. I took a bite!

While T.L. was playing inside, Sophie and Sedona made snowman ornaments.

To get a candy cane, Sedona bravely approached Santa for a picture.

Yummy!

After going home for Maven to take a nap, we headed to Lana's 3rd birthday party at My Gym. She's a Sedona school friend.

Pictured here is Maven next to Honoka (another one of Sedona's school friends).  It was fun to see Sedona interact with her classmates. She is a little bit on the older end, which might be part of the reason that the kids really seem take to her. Similar to her dad, Sedona is sometimes cool with others' attention and sometimes not in the mood.