Our Busy Busy Summer!

Oh my. I haven't updated this blog since April?! It's bad enough that I don't make fancy schmancy scrapbooks (or even develop any photos, for that matter!), but I'd like to have something concrete (is a website concrete?) to look back upon once in a while. So here are some spring/summer highlights:

May 2009 - Joined Daddy on one of his So Cal business trips. While he was out doing doing his sales/marketing thing, the kids and I went out for a "hike" (more like a flat bike path in the mountains). Their favorite part was finding and taking this photo of "flower on a poop".

Another notable event in May - I turned 40! Stupidly (VERY stupidly), Gus and I decided to attempt the Lemonade Cleanse diet during this time. The SuperCleanse is a crazy 10-day liquid diet (lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper) during which you eat NO solid food. How and why we chose to do this, I'll never know! While the kids celebrated my 40th with cookies and ice cream, all I did was drink the horrible stuff and bitch more than usual. Needless to say, I won't be doing that again.

The kids' Mommy's Birthday treats...

MY Birthday treat...

I am blessed to have 2 fabulous sisters, 2 incredible sisters-in-law, and 1 wonderful Mama. We all share the same love for travel, food and fun, so every year we try to find an excuse to go on a Girls Only trip. So far, we've done Santa Barbara, New York, Portland, and this June - VEGAS, baby!

We loved "LOVE"

After Vegas. Rina and I flew out to Montreal to check out wedding vendors and attempt to find the yummiest poutine in the city.

Lindsey "scored" in more ways than one at the Fresno Basketball tournament in June - I think $1 per point is what we signed in blood.
In July, I taught and the girls attended Jan Ken Po Gakko again. Here are some of the cuties...

We had our first real hospital scare this summer. We are incredibly fortunate to have healhty and strong children. In 9 years, none of the kids had ever stepped foot into a hospital, until Emily's pediatrician was alarmed from some bloodwork results. Although it turned out to be nothing more than iron-deficient anemia, the experience made us truly appreciate the health we normally take for granted.

Emily's best boy buddy Tyler was the only person who made her laugh out loud at the hospital
She still (2 months later!) proudly wears this hospital bracelet

Mitchell's favorite day of his life (I think!) - A Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine! He didn't stop smiling the entire day.



August - Montreal, Quebec for Rina and Eric's Wedding!! We spent our first 4 days sightseeing our way through the beautiful city.

Paddleboat rides at Mount Royal

A rare family photo at the Botanical Gardens

An even rarer all-grandchild photo at the Chinois Garden

Heat sensor camera at the Montreal Science Center

Strolling through Old Montreal

Notre Dame Cathedral
11 Sasaki grandkids in gorgeous Quebec City!

Sasaki grandboyz

Their whirlwind engagement gave them only 6 months to plan the entire wedding and it went off beautifully and without a hitch! Rina was gorgeous and radiant in her wedding dress (I'm glad she went for "classic" instead of "hoochy"!), Eric beamed, and the lucky 8 nieces made perfect little flower girls in the incredible setting.

Blowing Off Steam

When the entire family goes out, I often have to "remove" a couple of the kids if they're forced to sit quietly too long.

We went to an end-of-the season basketball dinner and the younger kiddos were getting antsy. I was outside for a mere 15 minutes and this is how much steam they blew off!


First, Molly tried to control a game of "Red Light, Green Light" but THAT didn't work...

Next, to chill them out, I encouraged them to meditate under a tree. Below is what happened. I don't think the Dalai Lama would be impressed...

Unfortunately for "Little Miss Bossy", Mitchell usually gets the last laugh...

and the last kick...

Life's Simple Pleasures...

Jello,

popcorn and hot cocoa,

a steaming bowl of pho,

riding on Jichan's shoulders,

a walk along the Cosumnes Wildlife Preserve,

and being "dressed-up" by your big sisters.

Celebrating the Holidays - Maseba Style

As you all know, we have 4 young kids that are full of the 3 "E's"- energy, eagerness and enthusiasm! As each holiday comes around, I have a tendency to celebrate much the way I was brought up:


2003

2008

New Year's Day: Very Japanese-y. We make mochi for ozoni, toast with sake, and eat traditional foods that are supposed to bring happiness, a long life, and fertility (I ate too much of that in the past, I guess!)



Valentine's Day: Cute little cheap Valentines in little cheap envelopes to pass out into our friends' (and non-friends') decorated Kleenex boxes



St. Patrick's Day: The girls still continue to pinch me if I forget to wear green that day


2003

2006

2008

Easter: Dye eggs - most of which are left uneaten -and stain the kitchen table even worse each year



4th of July: Pyro-Daddy puts on a "show" while Mommy and Lindsey often hide in the car

Halloween: "2 candies a day" rule until it is confiscated by Mommy when she finds all the wrappers shoved behind their beds. One of these days, they'll move up to the big leagues when they carry pillowcases instead of plastic pumpkins



Thanksgiving: Traditional fare - along with sushi - and if we're lucky someone will make some turkey jook!


2003
2004
2008
2008
When new friends find out that I'm not only Buddhist, but the daughter of a retired Buddhist minister, I'm sure they wonder why I celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter. Well, I guess it's because in my mind, we celebrate them as part of the American culture as opposed to something religious - special days to show kindness, love, and gratitude for everything we have.


Happy Holidays!!!

Another "Mollyism"

My mind was totally scattered today (what else is new?). I rushed the kids through Costco so that we'd be on time to drop off Molly at preschool...only to remember on the way there that she starts at 12:30, not 11:30!

I mumbled aloud, "How could I forget the time...that's so dumb!"

Molly called out, "That's okay, Mommy. I still love you even if you're dumb."

I guess that's what you call unconditional love!

Life with a Goofy Dude

Well, Mitchell is 2 1/2 now, and although I hate to stereotype...he's such a BOY!

At this age, I think all of my girls were nearly potty trained without much effort; Mitchell wants nothing to do with it.

At this age, the girls were quite verbal and loved to show it off - here's what Mitchie likes to do...

Feelin' Retro

So I'm feeling very "retro" these days - probably from spending so much time on Facebook reconnecting with old friends that date as far back as junior high. I've dug through a "SAVE" box from my parents' house that's full of old yearbooks, diaries, and photos.

It's really cool to read my diary entries from 1979 (10 years old). Here are some highlights:

"Sharon gave me candy for my Xmas preent! Fun dip, PEZ refills, and volcano rocks."

"Today Stanton cried a really lot because he didn't get the shoes he wanted for his birthday."

"Today we saw Eight is Enough- 2 hour special. At the end I thought I knew what was going to happen, but Dad turned it off."

"Brian just got hit on the ear and I think it hurt. Mom didn't care, and she's in a bad mood."

"I love Beauty (our dog) a lot and I hope he does not die soon (he didn't die until many years later)."

"Today we had a basketball game. We lost 2-4, but I made the 1 basket."

"I hope I'm sick tomorrow so I can skip band, but I won't trick."

"Today was Dad's birthday. We went to Sizzler. I gave Daddy a card, Sharon gave him a card, and Rina gave him two stickers."

"I just played Blockhead with Rina and she won but she cheated a lot."

"We watched Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, and Taxi on T.V. from 8:00-10:00! Mom and Dad came back late, that's why."


By reading my old diary, I'm feeling a bit more empathetic towards Lindsey (8 years old) and her issues with homework (looks like I, too, misplaced it ALL the time) and TV time (sounds like I watched a ton).

I found some "My Friend Mandy" dolls for sale on craigslist and I snatched them up for my girls. And, lo and behold, they were made in 1978! I hope my girls love them as much as Rina and I did.