Flower Girls (Steve & Candice's Wedding)

By MAGGIE WANG

The girls debuted as flower girls at Steve Tsai and Candice Chen's wedding!

The scene upon our early arrival at the wedding venue was a little dicey. We had gotten back home at 10 a.m., returning from a eight-day Mexican cruise with early morning disembarkation. Maven got a good (maybe too good) nap back in her own bed but was then reluctant to get up. Sedona, as usual, didn't nap after an early wakeup to disembark, but we figured she would doze on the drive down to Newport Coast -- except she got annoyed in the car before she did nap for a bit. We wound up at the venue (the Resort at Pelican Hill) with both of them refusing to put on their flower dresses, but we were able to work it out ...

I was super worried they wouldn't be able to handle this honorable task, as they can both be shy ... and well, they are only 2 and 3. I thought I'd try to outsmart them.

I put a Life Saver at the bottom of Maven's basket and piece of gum in Sedona's basket. While it helped motivate them to drop their rose petals to get the reward, it led to the only mishap. Maven threw our her Life Saver with her flowers ... so she stopped in the middle of the grass on her approach to the aisle, looking down and trying to find it. That caused Sedona to double back and get her sister and even help pick up some petals, thinking Maven thought she was dropping too many. Maven retrieved her Life Saver herself but lost her momentum and needed a little help making it all the way down the aisle. (She later told Kevin that she stopped because the grass was wet. Sedona chimed in that it was "a little" wet, probably from the cold rose petals.)

Our beautiful couple above! The happy wedding couple below!

The girls have taken a real loving to their cousins, with whom they bonded all week on the cruise!

The girls continued to try to put their signature on their first wedding, getting the dance floor going. They didn't stop!

The bride and groom had an innovative digital photo booth. Everyone had a great time.

What a fantastic way to end an already adventurous and fun week!

Mexico Cruise: Day 3 in Cabo San Lucas

By MAGGIE WANG

Six weeks after having Maven, I went to Cabo for Jennie's bachelorette party. It was very adventurous. We snorkeled on a booze cruise, went ATV'ing and zip-lined. I knew the all-terrain vehicle would be something Kevin would love, so I researched doing it close to home, but nothing made sense. When I realized we would be going to Mexico, I asked our travel agent (who is a client and friend, Grace Nieh), and she suggested Cabo Outfitters, which uses Cactus ATV -- the very same company I used on Jennie's trip!

The kids stayed with A-Gong and A-Ma Ding, and we got to it ...

As you would expect (because I'm usually right *wink*), he loved it!

Mexico Cruise: Day 2 At Sea

By MAGGIE WANG

Some of the staples of the Mexico cruise were definitely stopping by the ice cream machine and gearing up for group dinners together, a couple of which even got Kevin into a suit (but not tie).

Mexico Cruise: Day 1

By MAGGIE WANG

As a gift for A-Gong and A-Ma Ding's 70th birthdays, we took an eight-day family trip with Kevin's sister Kristen's family on Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas cruise boat -- coinciding with Skyler's 7th birthday, too.

We gathered on A-Gong and A-Ma's balcony as we headed out to sea ...

The kids are showing their bracelets that they are required to wear the entire trip in case they get lost and for emergencies. Maven was sad she didn't get one. They said she was too young and figured to be with us.

Fun to have a picture of us four!

Concert in the Park (Polliwog, Manhattan Beach, CA)

By MAGGIE WANG

The summer Concerts in the Park series has started up again at the Manhattan Beach Polliwog Park. We went to our first one today, missing last week in favor of Sienna's 4th and Ryder's 2nd birthday party at Begg's Pool.

The evening featured Sedona and Maven's first taste of shaved ice/snow cone. They get so lucky when we are with Whitney and Emily.

The Meggers family joined us. Sedona and Katie had reconnected at the afternoon pizza-making party and got together yet again. Aren't the girls cute?!

Riley had the eye to find Linda at the concert! Sedona and Maven naturally got excited to see her. They ran her down, but she didn't notice them for at least five minutes with her focus on her fancy dancing.

Awww ... Maven got some quality bonding time with A-Gu Felix.

Kevin was playing ball with Sedona and suddently found all the girls wanting in: Riley, Sedona, Raychel, Sienna and Charolotte.

Sedona had a ball, hanging upside-down here with Kevin near Mag and Austin (who came over afterward for a little more time together to play) and rolling off my back along with Riley.

Everyone had a great time. See why I love the summers!

Pizza-Making Party

By MAGGIE WANG

I know. It seems like we are always at some party, right? It feels like it to us here too.

Sedona's friend from school, Katie Meggers, had a pizza party at Fresh Brothers.  It was a really cool concept and a lot of fun.

The girls (Katie on the right) started by decorating their boxes...

... then making their pizzas ... poking holes into the crust to get going ... 

... adding tomato sauce, toppings and cheese. Yum!

While their pizzas were cooking, they each decorated a T-shirt.

Finished and consumable product!

They loved it! Can you tell?!

Then last but not least, cupcake decorating.