what ever happened to predictability?

The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV. Everywhere you look , everywhere you go (there's a heart). There's a heart A hand to hold onto. Everywhere you look , everywhere you go. There's a face Of somebody who needs you. Eveywhere you look, When you're lost out there and you're all alone, A light is waiting to carry you home, Everywhere you look. Everywhere you look.

chinatown, my kind of heaven

Eating on a second story balcony:
Peking duck:

Dried assorted fishes:

The sweetest Ye Ye ever:

pier 39, the wharf

Ben on a trolley:

Silver guys pretending to be statues:
Breakdancer:

Toilet:

Gold pop-n-lock guy. And a semi-silver guy:

Alcatraz:

Lots of seals:

one of the world's nastiest hotels

In front of the entrance we were asked for change by a homeless woman and saw a 6'5" "woman" with the build of a Harlem Globe trotter.

Warnings of damages and fees for visitors: $30! (prostitutes?), and you were only allowed one at a time:
Need to rest your tired feet? Comfortable bench available with only minimal amounts of disease!

Need glamour in your life? Try this elevator:

What's that you say? Oh, you don't enjoy running water on the floor behind the toilet? Best not flush! And if you are going to be a while, no leaning back, or you just might puncture a kidney.

I swear when we walked in the lobby, I heard doves cry.

Here's a "lounge" located on the floor of your room for your convenience:

whale watching in monterey bay

kasey's presents from chinatown

This koi fish:

This mobile of umbrellas was originally bought for Miyo's room, but I loved it so much I put it in the kitchen. She got a lot of stuff, and doesn't know the difference anyway.
I got this fan as well:

I also got a wok brush and bamboo tongs. We got things so cheaply it was really a great place to shop.

miles' present from chinatown

Wooden samarai sword:

What he really loves is this sleeveless sweatshirt Hanna gave him:

murphy's present from monterey bay

"Show me your shark, so I can take a picture.":

Murphy loves his new little shark, he got home and got out his soft plush dolphin and put them together. He was just as happy to see Ben and I as we were to see him. All smiles!

miyo's presents from chinatown

Miyo's little dress:

An upside down umbrella to hide her light:
Sweet little slippers:

A reed hat and a baby doll that has a baby doll:

New pajama shirt that we will totally be using for a cute dressy shirt (she is running from me in this picture, but I love how she is holding the hat, so it won't fall off):

We are so glad to be back, her hair seems longer and she seems to have grown and gained weight in the week and 3 days since we saw her last.

ben and jim had a vision of love?

Karaoke never sounded so good.

kids' art projects on display

Miles brought home the tall vase/cup. He told me it was the "Grail" (thank you Indie). And Murphy brought home the little dish. I love them. And I know exactly what they are.

This however...? This came home in Murphy's backpack. I have no idea what it is. But it is cute and I love it anyway. So it's on display in the living room. Awaiting inquiries from visitors as to it's origin and function.

miyo stinky pants

Funny Miyo quotes:

While holding up my bra in front of her self while her face was aghast, "OH MY GOD!"

We turned a corner in the van and a bag of groceries fell and spilled in front of her in her car seat, she said, "For God's sake!"

(I'm starting to realize I need to censor myself, just now while typing, not a second sooner.)

"I'm so freakin' tired." (Yes, she actually said this).

Ben was telling her that she needed to be good and he was saying, "You are not the boss, I am the boss!" And she, crying and yelling, repeated, "I not the boss! You the boss!"

She was sitting with a content and happy Uncle Jim on the couch cuddling. She looked at him and said, "You crabby." He loved this statement.

When she wants to go to the Playplace at McD's, she says, "I want go to McDonald's have a farm."

She sings constantly. Especially while trying to fall asleep. Dora, Kai Lan, Backyardagains...

She has two play microphones, but real ones are more interesting to her, even though she doesn't get the concept of her voice becoming louder from it.

Her new favorite thing is water with ice in it. Last night in the middle of the night, "I want water with ice in it. Go get it." I said, say please. "Please." And that is the segway for my last quote from Miyo:

She was in the boys' loft bed and wouldn't come down. Exasperated, I sternly say, "GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" While climbing up and grabbing her foot and pulling her to where I can reach her and carry her down. She cries and screams, "SAY PLEASE!"

chicken & broccoli braid

when does this stage end?

Miyo and Murphy cleaned off the top of the boys' bookshelf. Miyo now uses it as her reading corner. I'm seriously growing tired of this girl's dirty-destructive-Wreck-of-the-Hesperus phase.
Here is some of the things she has done to me in the last three days:
-painted the kitchen counter with a can of pepsi mixed with a jar of Nestle strawberry powder (when told that her mother was very mad she responded, "I just dropped it.")
-pooped in the bathtub
-scooped the contents from a large bowl of dip onto the floor
-ate poptarts and fried wontons in between the sheets of my bed
-painted the hallway and entrance of her room in yogurt
-smashed a banana on the floor of Miles' and Murphy's room (which, as you can see, from the picture above was full of books, clothes and toys
-squished her sushi rolls between her hands and painted the counter with it (sticky rice/eel/seeweed)
I'm sure there's more. And yes, I try not to let her leave the kitchen with food. Yesterday I saw a little boy fall and cry at Walmart while horsing around. I felt bad at first that his parents weren't running to him to hug him and kiss him. That is until I noticed their tired worn out faces. They had nothing left to give-he'd already sucked it all out of them. LOL.

miyo's "maphey"

In mom and dad's bed watching NICK JR.

i think miles is a republican

Miles has finally lost both upper front teeth. Kady asked him if he got any money for them. He replied seriously, "I don't believe in all that mystical mumbo-jumbo."

Comic Shene Hanson

Last night Jim, Shene, Shelby and I were playing Cranium (Ben fell asleep on the couch, he woke up at 5am for work that morning). I was acting out silent clues to have Shene guess "bench press". She had been given the clue "action". I will admit we were drinking a little. Shene yells out "weightlifting!" so I think she is on the right track. Then she yells "Arnold Schwarzenegger!" And I, being a cheater and a jerk, say, "It's an action, you idiot." And she responds, "He's an actor. He was in 'Junior'." We were laughing so hard. She thought it was 'actor' not 'action'. And the fact that she used the movie 'Junior' to prove he acted was beyond hilarious. Why not 'Terminator' or something else, why 'Junior'? Aaaah...