D.C. Cherry Blossoms

The Cherry Blossom Trees are peaking right now in Washington, D.C.. I wish I we were there to see them in full bloom, as it is a lovely sight. We were there at this time last year but the blooms had not yet peaked on the day we ventured out with the crowds to the Tidal Basin. They ended up peaking about four days later before we flew back home, but we couldn't make it out to the city again. Here are some pictures taken by my brother from our visit to the 2010 Sakura Matsuri or Cherry Blossom Festival:

my family in the middle of the National Mall during the Kite Festival 

my niece getting her kite up

my mom

us with Cam who was 10 months old at the time

it was pretty cold, can you tell?

Sat Night: Cookies & H5O

Babybops fell asleep early on Saturday --- he was out for the night by 7:30pm. With the hubby at work and a whole evening ahead of me I decided to clean out the pantry and came across this box of vanilla with a recipe for chocolate chip cookies:

I just happened to have a  bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips on hand along with all the other ingredients so I got to work on some cookies from scratch.

It takes me a while longer than expected when I bake cookies because I can't accommodate both cookie sheets in the oven at the same time. Also I only have one sad little wire rack, sad because its not really a wire rack but the toaster oven rack that I use as a cooling rack.

And to create more manual labor for myself, I stirred the chocolate chips in by hand because the electric stand mixer started bouncing like like construction truck when I added them in to the mix while beating at a slow speed. I know, such an amateur. So after nearly two hours I ended up with 36 of these:

And with this kicker: I gave up sweets and desserts for lent.

Exhausted from baking...I sat down to enjoy my favorite DVR show: Hawaii Five-O.

Yes, I admit I'm a fan. I love it. So judge me. I spent every weekday afternoon from 1-2 pm, cradling a sleeping newborn while watching re-runs of the original H5O on KDOC during the long hot summer of my maternity leave in 2009, craving a visit to the islands. I hoped to squeeze in a trip before going back to work. You can just imagine --- a vacation in Hawaii with a three-month-old. Cabin fever gave me crazy ideas. I was still nursing and or pumping every couple of hours but still thought it would be good for us all to "get out of our element." My friend put the kabosh on my plans with only a few words: "You're taking care of a newborn all day and all night at home, but if you go to Hawaii you'll be doing the same thing - in Hawaii."

Back to Saturday night and Hawaii Five-O. The original series was known to feature locals since it was filmed entirely on location in Oahu. The new series does a pretty good job of featuring Asian-American and Pacific Islander actors and extras, which is nice to see. I told my husband, "its an Asian show!" But when Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minillo guest starred in a recent episode the hubby was quick to point out that, "the show has already jumped the shark!" Sure, the dialogue can be hokey at times and as one reviewer noted about the new McGarrett, "no one talks like that." But the scenery sure is nice.

We didn't take that family vacation to Hawaii until Cam was 15 months old. And by that point, the year went by so fast I wish I could take it all back because it seemed like I blinked and my newborn was suddenly a toddler. When a new episode aired on a Monday night while we were in Maui the hubby said to me, "Now's your chance to watch Hawaii Five-O in Hawaii." I said to him, "Watching Hawaii Five-O is for when I can't be in Hawaii. I don't need to watch it when Hawaii is just outside on my balcony!"

Aloha! 

~ Sheree

Wordless Wednesday

Once in a Supermoon

The Supermoon --- I'm sure you at least caught a glimpse of it on Saturday night. As I saw it, it didn't seem much larger on Saturday evening as it did on Friday evening. I wish I had my camera on Friday when we were driving to the fish taco restaurant and my husband pointed out the huge moon in the clear sky that appeared to be resting on the trees. They say the last supermoon this large was 1993. I can't find anything that predicts when the next one will be, but I'm guessing it won't be for a long time. So I just wanted to photograph it because the date of the supermoon was also BabyCam's 22-month birthday. Yes, the big TWO is just around the corner.

My amateur photography skills make it look like any other moon, and the logistics behind getting a decent shot with both the moon and my toddler are...complicated. So I popped out the screen of an upstairs window and rested the camera on the sill to snap this. I'm bummed that it was shielded in a ghostly haze by the clouds that were slowly rolling in to bring us the last rain of winter and the first storm of spring:

While my shot is certainly not National Geographic worthy, at least I have photos to remind me that on BabyCam's 22-month birthday when he looked like this: 

A rare supermoon looked like this: 

JET Program

With the terribly high number of fatalities in Japan, I feared that a JET member would be included. Sadly it is true, and she happens to be the first American death confirmed. My heart and prayers go out to her parents and family. God Bless her soul. 

Happy Birthday to my Bro!

A special birthday wish goes out today to my big brother!

Here he is with his adorable family on his birthday back in 2004:

And in 2005 with a cute cake

they made for him: 

Here he is with his boy in front of the White House, which is not too far from where they live: 

And with his little princess just after finishing a 5k: 

In Cape May in 2009:

And on his birthday in 2010. There's always a whole lot of "green" around on this birthday since it falls on the feast day of St. Patrick!

Both of my brothers and live clear across the country, so its not very often that we get to spend birthdays together. But I'm sure that his wife and kiddies have lots of special surprises planned for him today! 

Mannix, 

Hope your day is filled with fun and the year ahead with many more blessings!

Cam sends his big hugs and wet kisses! 

Love, 

Sheree

A Miracle in the Midst of Tragedy

Yomiuri Shimbun / Reuters

Have you heard about this story? It's a miracle in the midst of tragedy. 

This 4-month-old baby girl was found by soldiers in the rubble on Monday - three days after the quake. Isn't she precious? Her guardian angel never left her side. Can you imagine how her parents must have felt when they  thought she was washed away by the tsunami? And the intense joy that came over them when she was brought back to them --- alive. Truly a miracle. 

His Booth

BabyCam's latest addiction is the park. It can be any park big or small, and especially when it is lively with other kids that he can mimic and chase after. At home we take him to our community tot-lot that is just around the block in front of the lake. While at my mom's house, he gets so excited he can't get his shoes on fast enough for daddy to walk him around the corner to play at her neighborhood park. This is the same park that I spent mostly all of my summer days as child swimming in the no-lifeguard-on-duty, no-parental-supervision-required, just young park staff-who-don't-really-care-what-you-do wading-pool with the neighborhood kids. Ah, those were the days.

Anyhow, it was only last week that we discovered the grand-daddy of playgrounds that has become BabyCam's new hot spot to enjoy the best hour of his day. It's about a mile from my mom's house but still involves a short drive, so we can't really make it part of our daily routine. With steep slides and lots of ramps, one of his favorite spots is a little picnic booth tucked underneath the toddler-oriented jungle gym. The other day he picnicked on a ham & cheese sandwich with daddy (who can just barely fit inside). On this day we wanted to eat our lunch inside the booth, but it was constantly occupied so we found a big table and basked in another beautiful 75 degree day with our al fresco lunch. What's funny is that whether its one, two kids or even an entire family seated in the booth, Cam will find a way to squeeze his way in and join them (uninvited). Yet everyone welcomes "the baby" (as he is so often referred to at the park by kids and parents alike, "careful of the baby!" or "the baby was there first!") while he sits face-to-face, deeply gazing with his almond-shaped brown eyes at his new friends as if to say,

"This is my booth...you're just in it."

a portion of the grand-daddy of tot-lots

I think the kids are playing cards and he's telling them to, "hit me!" 

I really don't know...

Prayers for the People of Japan

My heart has been aching with sadness for the people of Japan as they experience a catastrophe of epic proportions that perhaps nobody thought would occur in their lifetime. I pray that God will provide strength and comfort for those whose loved ones have died or remain missing. I say a special prayer for the parents who lost their children in the devastation, for children who have become separated from their parents and for parents who now carry the burden of how to care for their children because they no longer have a place to call home, and parents that have a new fear for their children to radiation exposure.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I read a CNN report of a “shell-shocked” man in a Sendai shelter that fled the tsunami and was clinging to his 3-week-old infant saying, “I have to protect my children. I have to protect my children.” I’m sure the parents of young children amongst the 145,000 in shelters are feeling the same way. 

One thing I noticed during the brief time I lived in Japan was the tremendous respect of society as a whole towards the elderly. Unfortunately, America has something left to be desired in that area. However in the suburban (and probably rural) parts of Japan, it seemed to me that elderly people were everywhere. I wasn't sure if its because the environment was elderly-friendly, or because the elderly made the outside environment their place, as well. They were so cute, white-haired, most only about five-feet tall in height and often times hunched over (some severely perhaps due to Osteoporosis). I would see them working in the gardens, taking the bus, slowly climbing steps to the train platform, grocery shopping, or carrying grand-babies on their backs. I was impressed at how service workers, store clerks and school-kids spoke courteously towards them. 

A caption of one of the news reports this morning read something similar to, "Elderly make up large part of population in the affected rural areas". It saddens me to think these older Japanese have survived perhaps nearly 100 years, but are now facing the twilight of their lives with such confusion and despair. I pray for them, as well the sick whose care is in the hands of those whose services are being stretched thin. May God guide those in authority to act with haste and proper judgment in order to save and restore lives. And may all the dead be located and laid to rest in the peace and glory of God. 

St. Paul writes about suffering in his letter to the Romans: 

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.

For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope

that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;

and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. 

Romans 8:18-25

Ash Wednesday

From today's Ash Wednesday Reading: 

"Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart,

with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

Rend your hearts, not your garments,

and return to the LORD, your God.

For gracious and merciful is he,

slow to anger, rich in kindness,

and relenting in punishment.

Perhaps he will again relent

and leave behind him a blessing,

Offerings and libations

for the LORD, your God."

Joel 2:12-18

Happy Birthday to Three Special People

These three beautiful women have March birthdays and 

I wanted to share them with you. 

Sorry ladies for the belated wishes!

This is Arcel. Here's picture of us with me as her maid of honor on her wedding day.

That's her super-cool husband, Kevin:

Arcel is the friend that everyone wishes they had. 

We've went to elementary school together

and even though she lives far away from me in Nevada, 

we manage to remain super-tight. I'm always in awe at how easy and 

natural it is for the two of us keep in touch despite 

the distance and craziness in our lives. 

This is my sister, Joy. She's my one and only sis. 

Here she is with her little princess, Emma:

She also lives far away - in Washington State, so we don't get
to see each other very often but we talk all the time. 

Here's couple of pictures I found of her 13th birthday party:

Joy and her friends admiring her new Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album. 

That's me on the right ---- always into what the older kids like! 

I'm the youngest of four with an 11, 10 and 9 year age gap between us.

(Perhaps my brother can enlighten us on the funny motion he's making in the background):

And this is Barbara, my friend from college. 

Here's a picture of us on graduation day with our 

friend Katrina (far left) and Barbara's momma:

Also far in distance but certainly not at heart, Barbara now resides in NYC. 

We have a special bond that is now going on 13 years!
My favorite memory with Barbara is staying in our hotel room that we got the 

night before our graduation...
talking and painting our toenails, and getting two hours of sleep before 

we had to meet on campus at 7am for the commencement ceremony.

Here's a pic of Barbara and BabyCam. You can tell he really likes her!

Happy Birthday Arcel, Joy and Barbara! 

May all your wishes come true. 

Sheree

Magnificat App

I'm poking around on the new iPhone, still trying to figure what else has to offer. But one of the wonderful apps that I heard about and have already downloaded is the Magnificat App. Those who already subscribe to the publication know that it doesn't come cheap (about $45/year), but will argue it is worth every dime. The app is free for the first month and $1.99 per month after that. I'm really enjoying tapping through the guide for the daily mass readings, prayers and meditations as well as the always fascinating essays in "Saints of Today and Yesterday." While the beauty of the monthly cover artwork is not well-captured on the screenshot, and the delicate red ribbon bookmark and feel of the wafer-thin pages are missing, it'll suffice for now. 

77 degrees

Saturday was the first warm day we've had here in so cal in a while, it was a balmy 77 degrees. I snapped this pic --- the 1st with the new iPhone --- of Babybops as we waited outside of Mimi's Cafe for brunch. If you look closely, you can see that his cheeks were rosy from running around with daddy in front of a closing-out Borders bookstore. He finally took a breather to sit and watch the cars go by. Just another day in the [great] life of a 21-month old!

Looking forward to Spring!

"Na-Na" Bread

For the past few days after reading a post on another mama's blog about banana bread, I decided to try this recipe so as to not waste four bananas that were browning on my counter top. Babybops eats a banana (or as he so affectionately refers to it as a, "Na-Na") every single day for breakfast with his cereal. So we end up buying about two bunches per week and I have to throw out a couple of overripe ones --- such a waste of fruit. 

The recipe calls for 2 1/3 cups of overripe bananas. In case you've never made banana bread before, that is alot of bananas. My four overripe mashed bananas came out to just under 2 cups, so I added one more yellow banana. I baked it for about 65 minutes at 350 degrees as directed, but judging by the tinged edges, I know next time to only leave it for 57-60 minutes. But it smelled delicious while it was baking and in the end turned out pretty tasty! Next time I also might try to add nuts and chocolate chips. 

...everything I hoped for

"I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the praise of men. I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for. Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am, among all men, most richly blessed."

Worldess Wednesday