RIP Uncle Henry

May Uncle Henry rest in peace.  We got the sad news last week that he had passed on to heaven.  He apparently had a heart attack at lunch with his wife, our Auntie Klareen.  This is one of Ryan's mom's sister.  They live out in Bloomington so we didn't get to see them often at all.  Just during the holidays when Ryan and I first dated for years. They also came to our wedding but then the years went on where we'd exchange holiday cards and things but never saw them again and go the updates from mom as to how they were doing.  I guess Uncle's heath was no longer great and Auntie doesn't drive far or on freeways so they didn't join us for any family gatherings.  I'm just sorry that we didn't realize how bad it was and never got to see him recently before he passed.  

Here is Auntie with Mom & Dad at the funeral service.  It was a very nice service and Auntie and Uncle were very spiritual and very involved in their church so Auntie had great support.  We know through this that Uncle is really now at peace!

After the church service we went to the burial service which was also very nice for Uncle Henry.  His family arranged a mariachi band to play some nice music during the burial and also did a wonderful pigeon releasing since he raised and took care of pigeons as a hobby.  It was nice.

After the services, we were all invited back the church for some lunch.  There we got to sit and talk to a few people that Ryan's family has known for a long time.  This is him and Jacob which is one of Auntie's close friend's son.  I guess they played together when they were young.  Now look at them all grown up!  It was nice for them to all catch up and for me to meet them.  There were more people but I felt weird taking pictures during the funeral services even though Auntie asked me to.  I'm glad we were all able to head out there to be there for Auntie during this tough time.  God Bless Auntie & RIP Uncle!  We will one day meet again!  As for Auntie we will arrange to get out there for lunch or dinner and just visits for sure now that we know she won't be able to come to us anymore.

Buccaneer Water Park

We headed out to my old neck of the woods when I was a kid, good old La Mirada Park.  Wow when we got there! So much has changed that I didn't even recognize the park anymore.  There were buildings everywhere an this little water park and pools.  It was just a good old fashioned park before with lots of green grass and open space.  We met up with my cousins to spend the day there.  Makayla was so excited!

Here I am taking a little dip in with Mylee. She had to wear this very cumbersome life jacket.  I guess for safety reasons but really, the area we were in was only like 1ft deep.  Makayla was already off with her cousins.

Here we all are!  The girls!  There were great slides and lots of stuff going on with water.  Floating tubes, water falls and just sitting around in the water.  The girls all had such a great time!

Makayla is happy as a clam!  She just loved it all so much and went on and on non-stop!

Daddy and Mylee.  She also loved it!  It was a nice warm day and the water was perfectly cool for us.  I can't believe she kept that hat on.  

Happy girl playing in the water!

Now it's time for a snack and to lounge in my chair.

Me and my girl Mylee bear!  She just loved this water park!  We'll definitely be back for sure!  Thanks to Ryan's co-worker for telling us about it.  It was the perfect water park for little kiddos.  I was super comfortable with them and all the kids played pretty nicely and all under control.  So much fun!  We stayed until they closed at around 5pm.  Long day but worth every penny!  Afterwards we headed to visit my parents for a bit since they were just around the corner and then we headed out to Spaghetti Factory for dinner since that's what Mak wanted.  

80's Hair & Smore's

We've had so many fun nights with Makayla's cousin's this summer!  It's been the best summer ever for us!  I think as my girls continue to grow each year to do more and more that summertime is just going to be better and better!  We had a fun night tonight.  The girls played and dressed up, did hair and made smores'.  What a perfect night!

This was just funny photo of what Auntie Patty did to Makayla's hair.  Totally 80's!  Like for sure! 

Roasting marshmallows in our fire pit in the backyard.  They made some smores' for us and had their own with just the graham cracker and no chocolate for them.  Wowzers!  That doesn't seem so normal for little one's that usually love candy!  While they were smoring they decided that we should set up a tent and have a camp out one night.  So I guess I'm on the hunt for a tent now. 

Western Day & M&M Bathtime

It's Western week at school and dress up day!  Summer school is so much fun.  Each week seems to be some sort of fun theme along with lots of wet water days which Makayla just loves!

Yeehaw!  Is she the cutest little cowgirl ever!  Thanks Rachee and Mia for passing down great clothes!  

Our girls are now taking their baths together and just love it!  Makes things much easier now that we can just take care of bathtime for them all at the same time.  Makayla pretends to swim even in the bathtub.  She's so silly with her crazy goggles.  Her lil sis just gets a kick out of her! 

Mylee Driving & Hula Practice at Home

This post is strictly videos of our girls so check it out.  If you haven't noticed, I added some music to the blog.  It does get in the way of you hearing the actual video but you can pause the music on the right hand side where the player is at before you play each video clip.  Hope that helps.  Sorry if it's annoying but my Makayla wanted music on her blog like some of her friends out there.  

Mylee is finally walking while holding onto her walking car toy.  She's getting there......little by little. She's almost 15-months old and no walking but that's okay.  I'm not rushing the walking part since I know it's going to be over and very difficult to chase both girls down!  It's already hard enough with her crawling as fast as she does now.  She's practicing here with my Dad.  He just adores her like you wouldn't believe!

Makayla is really practicing her hula recital tonight.  She was so cute just belting it out "That's the Hawaiian in me".

Gotta listen to her "Pearly Shells", she's so animated and it really does seem like she's reading the words to that song on the paper.  She's so silly!  These are the priceless moments as parents!

Watermelon Tour

It was a nice day to head out to Tanaka Farms after church for their annual watermelon tour since we didn't have any plans today.  On our way out we called Rachee to join us and she did with her Dad.  Auntie Som & Uncle Alan also joined us.  Before we headed over we stopped at Togo's for some sandwiches to eat the farm since it's just about lunch time.

These two guys just love each other!  They are so silly together.  Such great Dads for their girls!

Mylee enjoying the wagon ride tour with Daddy.

Our first stop for some fresh farm tasters are the cherry tomatoes.  They were so yummy and sweet.  Mylee loved it and kept wanting more and more!  

My Makayla really enjoying her tomatoes also.  So good for her!  There were a few more stops for some other tasters like green onions, cilantro and some other herbs.  So fresh and yummy!  It all smelled so good!

Now for a little pit stop to get off the wagon and head under some tents for some more tasting, but one's that had to be chopped up.  The first round was zucchini's and then cucumbers which Makayla also loved.  My veggie girl!

Finally the watermelons!   Just what we've been waiting for!  Think the girls like them in this picture?  Choppin' away with her buddy Rachee.

A family photo with our watermelons!  One of my favorite fruits and for my girls too.  The love it!

Mak and her Auntie & Uncle all enjoying their watermelon.

Mylee tasting some yellow watermelon for the first time.  She enjoyed it alright but she enjoys ALL foods!  These melons have a slightly different consistency and taste.  We like the standard

red ones!

After all the tasters we had our chance to pick our own watermelon, but really we didn't pick them, they were already sitting in a pile for us, but the girls enjoyed choosing the perfect one to take home.

The girls are so proud of their melons!  Rachee helped Makayla pick hers out and really liked the smaller one for sure.  Thanks Rachee!  You took such great care of your buddy Mak!  

Everyone and their melons to take home!  Now it's time for the wagon ride back.

The tour is done and we stayed on the premises for some photos and then headed out since it was getting pretty hot out there.  We all had so much fun!  Thanks for all joining us!  

Another Pool Day

Yes another pool day!  Just the perfect little summer so far!  We've had lots of weekends to just hang out by the pool so the girls can have their pool time since they just love it!  This time Stace was able to bring Rachael out to play with Makayla so she was so excited.  Of course Uncle Alan and Auntie Som were both out there too like they have been with most weekends with us after church.  

Is Mylee going to jump into the pool with Daddy?  Practicing her Humpty Dumpty!

Hi Everyone!

Rachael, their new friend in the middle that they met at the pool but I don't recall her name.  Sweet little girl!  They all had fun in the pool together.

Miss. Mak taking a break to sunbath and have some snacks.

Ryan & Phil's 34th BBQ

We had a summer BBQ for Ryan & Phil's birthday at our house today since their birthday's are just a few days apart.  I wanted to do a beach/bonfire day but it wasn't worth all the hassle to go out there early for a pit and stay all day.  It's just too hard nowadays with little ones.  For as close as we do live by the beach we really don't get down there like we should.  Anyhoo, it was a nice and relaxing afternoon to spend with family and friends.

Some of the guys starting up the Q for some simple burgers and hot dogs.

Some of the crew just hanging out in the backyard ready for some grub!

The birthday boys!  Of course the girls are all right in there to help blow out the candles too!

Don't know how I ended up drinking wine in a sippy cup?  Silly goose I am!

More of the crew after some grub since it's now dark.  Everyone just hanging out and catching up since it's been awhile since we've seen everyone.  Probably since April when Alan and Som got married.

Rachael and Makayla playing with the Playdoh along with all the other kiddos.  Boy were there lots of kids tonight.  Funny how life has so changed and how the kids really have taken over.

Now the girls are cooking in their kitchen.  All the kids had so much fun!  Bubbles and chalk outside and lots of toys in the garage playroom to play with too.  It was like a tornado but boy did they all have fun and so worth it to see them all play together.

I guess the night is still young for some poker time!  Some of the guys stuck around to play a few rounds of cards.  It was a good evening with some great company!  Good times!  Happy Birthday to two of my favorite guys!  Hope you both had tons of fun!

Martial Arts Evaluation

Makayla is getting evaluated to see if she's ready for martial arts since she's pretty young but we think she's coordinated and ready!  We found out about this school and instructor through friends from her preschool.  Very highly recommended and even better that the instructor is her preschool teacher's boyfriend, Sensei Mike!

Here she is getting started.  We headed over after her My Gym class so not sure if she'll be tired or not but she's thrilled about it.  Something new I think.  She bowing to the American Flag here before they start.  So cute!

Check out the form on those arms and the legs ready for a kick!  I think she's gonna be a natural!

I believe this school is pretty famous since I've seen their tree logo often.

Another great form picture with her horse stance.  Not bad for her first time ever trying it out.  She didn't say one word to Sensei Mike but she loved him and gave him tons of high 5's and followed all his instructions.  He thinks she's totally ready and going to be awesome.  It's the shy one's in the beginning that are usually his best students is what he told us.  We'll see.  We're going to think about it and get back to him since it's pretty pricey and we'll have to give up on some other activities to fit this into our schedule.  We're so glad this went well and we're so proud of her!

Holding Snacks & Floating

Mylee is finally starting to hold some of her own snacks.  Very little still since she's so stinkin' spoiled!  j/k, but not really.  She sure is a princess!  But we've been working hard at getting her to do it and here I had the camera handy to capture her eating a pinwheel all on her own.  We were outside by the pool while big sis was taking her swim lesson.

Open wide!  Chomp, chomp!

Just hanging with her toys and watching big sis's swim lesson closely.  Maybe she'll get some swim tips and learn extra early!  

Mak floating so nicely on her back with Miss. Brianna!  She really does improve week after week!  Well she should since I feel like we've lived in the pool this summer!   

Gyu Kaku for Ry's 34th

It's Ryan's actual birthday today and my Dad's also but we celebrated his big surprise this past Saturday already.  Still amazes me that my Dad and Ryan share the same birthday.  I really do love and get along with these Leo's!  We went to dinner at Gyu Kaku, a yummy Japanese BBQ Grill Restaurant.  His Mom won a jackpot at Pechanga so it was her treat tonight!  It was so much fun!

What's up with that scared face?  Silly girl!

Mak just lovin' on everyone tonight more so than normal.  Her with her Grandpa & Grandma Arakaki.

M&M girls with Ong Ngoai and Ba Ngoai.  Looks like the yummy food is her t grill right at our table. 

Uncle Alan and Auntie Som with their favorite little niece Makayla!  She is so attached to them that when we're with them you'd think she was their little girl.  It's so cute the love and relationship she's developed with them!

Our family photo for Ryan's birthday!

We did cupcakes for his birthday cake.  Yummerz from the Great Dane Bakery again.  We're keeping them busy lately!  Makes it easy that their bakery is right down the street from us too.

Ryan and his lovely girls and their special pink sparkle cupcakes that I got them too!  What a fun birthday!  Hope you enjoyed it Ry!  Happy 34th!  Thanks for dinner Mom, we had a great time with the whole family as usual!