...staycation2013!...

This summer... we had an opportunity to go on a little staycation at a JW Marriot in town... this is the second summer we've done this... and leading up to it- I was SO excited!  I love nothing more than having NO responsibilities and spending quality time with my family.  I started getting a little nervous the closer we got to our vacation- you know... when something was super fun once and then you are let down when you do it again... We had such a blast when we did this the year before that I just knew that this year was going to be disastrous....

But we ended up having a REALLY awesome time.  Waking up each day...eating a quick breakfast in our room/patio...getting our suits on...getting our SPF on...and then hitting the pool... all.day.long.  It was truly bliss.  And watching Jude turn into this little fish was something I'll never forget.  It was a sweet time.  We also got upgraded to a fabulous suite...and it was HUGE... love love loved it! 

Jude and Daddy got to go to a dive in movie the first night while mommy and the girls snuggled and watched Monster's Inc in the room.  The second night we took the kiddos to see Monster's University... but the rest of the time... swim swim swim! 

This has become a wonderful summer tradition...and I hope we can do it annually.. but mostly... I love my family... and I'm so blessed we were able to spend such quality time together!

...wasting time before daddy gets home and we can go!...

...here we go!...

...little fish...

...love this girl...

...lil beauty- she had SO much fun...

...the resort had smores the first night at the pool...

...all day, everyday...

...this summer, Jude learned to dive and do a flip!...

...this one had fun playing with her Princess toys...

...naptime...

...love...

...these kids were SO tuckered out each day!  it was so quiet- lovely!...

...watching Monster's Inc...

...Kate's first movie- Monster's University...

...Stacy...

Well... the last of Kim and Mom's Summer Adventures was one to remember...We left for California on Thursday and arrived in the early evening.  We first went to our "fabulous" hotel...and had a good chuckle.  I mean... it WAS better than dorming, I guess!  After a delicious Korean dinner... and a "good" night's sleep... we got ready for an overthetopfantastic continental breakfast.  ::insert-ghetto::  It was pretty outrageous... and my mom was SO close to having a new best friend!  We ate our meal in my car ::youheardright::  and then headed to the school to get our primo seats.

Well...our seats weren't too far away... but we were all (graduates and audience) on a level field... which means that we saw... practically nothing.  And to top it off... it slowly got hotter...and hotter...and hotter.. and... yes.  Black dress+dark hair+blazing sun+2 hour ceremony= hottsweatymess!  So... about an hour in, Sarah and I ditched out ::sorryStace:: and found the nearest air conditioned room!  :D  It was a good hour of bonding with Sarah and I... we've gotten to do more of that this summer than the last 4 years combined!

After the ceremony- we had a fancypants lunch at CalTech... did a pitstop at the bookstore... and then headed to our new hotel.  Yes... we had to change hotels- one about 20mins away, but so.much.nicer!  :D  The twins and my mom/aunt were off doing something or other together in the other room... so I got a nice long break to myself!  (Every stayathome mom's dream, yes?)  We had dinner in Pasadena (at another Korean restaurant, of course!)...and then headed for our final night.

After sleeping in a little... my mom and I ate our continental breakfast... said goodbye to my uncle/aunt and cousins... and then trekked it to Hollywood!  Right?!  We looked at the sights a little... but then went on the TMZ Tour.  Buahahhaaha!  It's true.  We did.  I'm pretty sure that I had a million times more fun than my mom... but it really was a fun bonding time for the two of us!  I had my eyes OPEN for some celebrity sightings- but didn't see any... but we DID find out on the TMZ Tour that Kimye had their baby (about 2hrs before everyone else knew)...and we the hospital that she delivered at was one of the stops on the tour...  too bad I can't stand them!  lol.  It was still fun.

After the tour- we ate at California Pizza Kitchen... where my mom proceeded to order WAY too much food and try to force me to help her finish her meal!  O___o  And then we made it home...

I will always treasure this summer and the amount of time my mom and I got to spend together.  It had been 10 years since her and I have gone anywhere together... and we have both changed so much in those years... but at the end of the day- she is still my mommy and there are some bonds that only grow stronger over time.  I will never forget... the Vagabond Inn... staying up way too late... watching wedding shows on TLC... being the navigator... our spontaneous last day... and a sea of Asians.

I love you, momma.

...the day started out so nice...

...this was one of the only ::blurry:: pix I got of Stace...

...someone turned the sun on- it was blazin' hot!...

...Stacy receiving her diploma...

...finding my uncle/cousins in the crowd!...

...paparazzi- I look forward to seeing what he was capturing on video!...

...Why???  What are you looking at Samchun?!...

...party!...

Kate's birthday has come and gone... it's hard to believe that my little babylove is already well on her way to being three...  Woah- I shouldn't get too ahead of myself! 

Kate's birthday party was a short and simple and SWEET success! 

...serious sugar coma!...

Cookie Corner does it again!  Beautiful  ::check::  Delicious  ::check::

...prezzie time!...

...ever the wonderful helper!...

...my sweet baby girl...

It's pretty unbelievable to know that my youngest baby girl is 2years old today.  I have a mixture of sadness and happiness... with all my children growing older... but especially so with Kate.  How can it be?  It seems like only yesterday that this 9lb 2oz bundle of dimples and a full head of dark hair entered into our lives.

As hard as I feel like I'm taking it... Jude is taking it just as hard!  Haha!  Over the course of the past couple of weeks... there have been numerous times that Jude has expressed how he did NOT think we should celebrate Kate's birthday because then she wouldn't be a baby anymore!  He says- "Mom... I don't want Kate to grow up!  She needs to stay a baby!"  ::tear::  I know, son... I know.

But... Baby Kate is indeed growing up... and she is just the most gorgeously hilarious little monster that you have ever seen.  She talks so much...some of my favorite things she says are:
*  Oh, sure!
*  Showwy, momma, showwy!  (sorry)
*  Oh!  I know... I an idea!
*  Alwhite...
*  Don't wowwy!  (worry)
*  I wann tiss!  (kiss)

As a matter of fact... all her 'c/k' sounds are replaced with the 't' sound...and it's just awesome!  "Pint" (pink)... "stayerd" (scared)... and she says "Thank you" all the time.  It's the sweetest.

Kate copies everything her brother and sister do... whether it's her infamous "I'm maaaaaahhhh!" and fish lip/pouty face... or her running and yelling that "Hanni" is here!  She really is just the cutest stinking thing!  And even though her "Leame lone!" (Leave me alone!) and "Gowayyyyy!"s are sometimes frustrating... her lil pout is hard not to giggle at! 

Katie-
I am constantly amazed by how much joy you bring to our family... I can't even begin to tell you how much I love being your mommy.  Your little smile brightens up my life.  Thank you for being such a sweet, smart and caring little girl.  I love your funny little personality... you are the perfect ending to our lil family!  Love you, bebe!

Sarah

My mom and I have been having a lot of fun this summer... we've been traveling to my cousins' college graduations.  The first one of the summer was for my cousin Sarah.  Sarah graduated from Cornell University with majors in both Biology and Chemistry.  She's one smart cookie!  She will be attending Johns Hopkins for her graduate program...studying Biophysics.

My top 5 memories of this trip- besides just spending time with my momma:
5.  The cold.  It was "freezing"... considering that we left home to 108 degrees... and the wind was not kind to us... I thought I was literally going to turn into a snowman at the graduation!
4.  Walking... everywhere... and my mom taking her shoes off b/c her feet were getting sore!
3. Asians... they were a plenty... and they were just as dorky and precious as ever- whether they were holding up Cornell banners and posing for pictures... or just rockin' their Cornell gear... it was awesome!
2.  Crying...and noticing my mom and aunt were as well... at the graduation... when the Doctorates were walking in!
1.  Dorming... with my mom as my roomie... with the "gender neutral" bathroom next door...

Our adventure is about to begin- waiting to board the plane!