Sharing Stories of Our Ohana
Happy birthday to our super sweet, super spunky, super spicy, super shiny, sparkly, and bright 6 year old! You move through this world with the most fantastic combinations of grace and power, quiet consideration and bravado, and kindness and persistence. You inspire us!
Well, it’s no ordinary year, which means our fall birthdays this year were celebrated in an unordinary fashion. We still had fun with decorations – Autumn’s theme was Harry Potter, and Mia’s theme was trees. Luca helped out a lot this year.
We held a virtual party over Zoom with family. Everyone sent gifts in the mail beforehand, so we could enjoy opening them together.
Above all else, we are thankful to have such wonderful family and friends, and that everyone is healthy and safe. We miss you all, and can’t wait for the day when we can all get together again with big hugs.
Happy birthday to this amazing kiddo! We are constantly in awe of your beautifully-contemplative brain, your natural flow of artistic expression, and your easy going spirit. Despite this being a challenging year filled with one setback after another, you have managed to continue living life to the fullest without skipping a beat. Keep on rocking second grade, and we can’t wait to see how you grow this year!
Tags: birthday
Summers is nearing its end and school starts next week. We decided to take an extra long weekend and head east to Milo McIver State Park. It’s on the Clackamas River. We camped, played on the river, hiked, and did some disc golfing.
We love Portland. We chose this city to raise our children in and grow old together. While we love traveling the world learning different perspectives and embracing other cultures, we are always happy to return to our home in the Pacific Northwest. This love for our city comes in many forms including disagreements and even conflict. Recent events have given our family some opportunities to engage in several different ways while teaching our kids to use their voice and stand up to injustices especially when it’s in a city we love and call home.
That being said Portland is a place of juxtaposition right now. You have happy mask wearing families strolling on their nightly neighborhood walks while just a few weeks ago there were federal troops gassing and shooting locals downtown. You have BLM protesters fighting for a better Portland while others burn park benches, throw pipe bombs, and torch food courts. You have progressive and even beautiful art on boarded up windows from previously looted shops.
For those concerned, our family is good. We’ve never been closer. We are happy, safe, and doing what we can to help our community and, in time, our city and home heal.
Just a quick snapshot of the kids in their element. Luca (10), Autumn (7), Mia (5). Luca is starting 5th grade this fall and Autumn and Mia have their September birthdays coming up. All are currently in the same school this year. They were really excited to all be riding the bus and we all hope they will be able to attend in person together sometime this year.
It’s been awhile since our last post. There was a big WordPress update which essentially broke the mobile apps, plugins, and well, the site. Since then a lot has happened including the addition of two pups to our house. So without further ado let me introduce:
Gryffindor (Gryff, Gryffonia, King Gaidis, Beadis) and Hufflepuff (Puff, Chipuffa, Prince Gaidis, Beadis) . Also known together as Da Bros, Broshish, Zhikies, and Beadises .
They are full Shih Tzus and just like the kids they have their own personalities. Gryff is the energetic agitator while Puff is the calmer, yet shall we say slower, of the two.
Each wears their house color harnesses to help identify them but the kids and family can tell by the fact that Gryff has curlier hair and a smaller white belt.
Shih Tzus have hair, don’t shed, and are hypoallergenic which make it nice for the house and Kitty. The other side to that is the hair never falls out it just keeps growing. These are the dogs you see in the shows with hair to the ground. We haven’t let it get that long but we’ve hit pony tail length a few times.
I take them for walks most nights. Rain or shine. In this case rain.
But they always clean up nicely. Gryff is on the right, Puff is on the left showing off their classic Shih Tzu under bite.
Being in a house with 3 kids means a lot of things. For the dogs it means lots of love and plenty of dress-up time.
And after the play time some time for rest and relaxation
So thats it. That’s the Broshish. Welcome to the fam jam.
Happy birthday to our sweet, sensitive, passionate, pensive, empathetic, and joyous 10 year old! We love every single day that we get to spend with you, and our lives would not be as full and bright without you. We love you more than the multiverse!
Tags: birthday, family, Pokémon, roller blades
Good morning Bangkok! We don’t often catch a sunrise but everyone was up early this morning. 
After breakfast we all piled into the van for a big family lunch at Winner House Vietnamese restaurant.
Happy to see my Aunt Lita after so many years. 
Then a few of us headed over to JJ Market for a bit of shopping. We lost Dad at one point – oh never mind, he’s by the durian of course.
Then time to pick up some street food for dinner
And then promptly passing out for the night from sheer exhaustion
First we needed to say good morning to Mr. Chimpanzee on the way to breakfast.
Then it was time for a much anticipated dip in the pool.
Sweet cousins.
Lunch by the poolside of course.
And a much needed nap.
Then we all piled into our vans and headed off to see my Grandma, whom none of my kids, or nieces, have met, and whom I haven’t seen in 14 years.
All of the babes passed out during the drive. Jet lag is rough!
Upon arrival, we can’t help but admire my Uncle Thavee’s orchids.
Meeting Ahma for the first time.
Then off to a big family dinner on the river. The kiddos tried their best, but they were really too hot and tired to be hungry.
Poor Mia couldn’t even stay awake.
All Autumn really had an appetite for was some plain rice, which at least was super cute.
But the ice cream was a definite hit.
Long overdue reunion with cousin Earth.
Finally back to the hotel, time to wind down and pass out.
