princess party

We put up our Christmas tree so early this year. I really love the Christmas season, and hate to see all pretty decorations up for just two weeks.

Of course, someone else beside daddy and mommy also works hard on this as well:-)

We went to a birthday party at this cute tea house in old Katy. All girls had a great time playing the dressing up. I need to find a picture of her taken two years ago and compare how much she has grown! Kaitlyn picked her outfit and all accessories, she is into blue colors recently.

All little princesses were sitting nicely waiting for the next one, checking out each others outfit.

This picture is blur, but I had to put it on. Is this like she's going to her prom?! Time flies...

bubble bathing time

One of her favorite things to do during the cold weather is to have bubble bath. I need to order more lush balms, haha...
This time, I put her online with my parents. She loved to perform the show and be able to see herself on video the same time.

school visit

Once a semester, we finally got a chance to visit her class products. I looks like a serious parents checking out her grades? And Kaitlyn enjoys holding teachers pointer, haha...

I love this Thanksgiving quilt the kids put together. Maybe I should put her art pieces together like this and hang it in her room.

Her favorite section in the classroom - home center, where she can play cooking and dressing up for work.

Reading her weekly journal to me. Amazing she writes a lot about our lives as well.

Daddy was so happy that her little girl mentioned him in her journal that daddy made her happy:-)

I went to her class for a Thanksgiving party.

Everyone sharing what they thankful for.

Interesting weekend story!

Praying and dream come true! Kaitlyn has been praying for a little puppy for two weeks, and it happened this weekend (for 48hours)! Isn't this magic! This weekend's experience is like a drama for all of us...

It was an early dismissal last Friday. I got to pick up Kaitlyn at the bus stop. On my way there, a little doggy came out of nowhere followed me. Apparently, poor little doggy was lost. When kids got off the bus, they all fell in love with him. He was very playful and nice to the kids as well. Well, since the dog won't go away and Kaitlyn loves it, I decided to keep it for the time being and post a sign looking for the owner.

The girls had a blasted time with the doggy. Two girls of my friends came over and Zoe, our neighbor's girl stayed in our house for the whole afternoon. Kaitlyn named him "Mustard", I don't know why, maybe it reminds her of hot dog? Haha...

Anyway, it was an exciting Friday afternoon, the dog ran out of the house 3-4times, then girls ran after him getting him back. Mustard wants to play one of the neighbor's dog, I should have known he is not good for us to keep to start with. Kaitlyn and Zoe got into an ugly fight arguing who should hold the leash...

Saturday morning, daddy told me the first thing Kaitlyn asked was "where is my puppy?" I took dogs for a walk when Kaitlyn got up, she was so nervous thought I gave away the dog already. When she saw me outside with the dog through windows, she had a big happy smile on her face, so relieved :-)

We put signs in the neighborhood early Saturday morning, and of course Kaitlyn went with me. Seems she had no hard feeling returning the dog to owner.

She went straight back home after gymnastics class and played with dog. Since the dog always wants to get outside and she is afraid the dog would run away, she walked dog inside the house throughout the day, it's so funny. She sure takes her job seriously, she walked dog, fed the dog (holding bowl in front of him making sure Feizai didn't eat all), gave him a bath and cleaned up his poops. When I came back from errand in the afternoon, Mustard was laying on the sofa with Kaitlyn together eating snacks... Yeah, what can I expect! If I tell the dog to get off sofa, Kaitlyn would curled over the dog covering him.

Later that day, things started turning south, I can't stand this little "trouble maker" anymore. He peeped inside the house making marks for his territory, he jumped to bed and sofa all the time, he whined every 5mins if no one plays with him, I don't like dog licking my face and lips, nononono... he is too energetic for me. I can't wait to find the owner, why no one called yet?

The next day, I told Kaitlyn noon is the deadline I'll take the dog away, because he pooed upstairs and whined all night to get out. Kaitlyn asked where? I told her if his owner doesn't call us by the end of day, and none of her friends in the neighborhood wants to adopt him, he's going to the shelter... Kaitlyn then told me a story! She said they read a book at school about a little crazy puppy causing trouble at home. I was like ohh, what happen to that dog. She told me they still kept him, and we should do the same. I said "NO! period."

By 1pm, still no one called, we already walked down the street asking our neighbors, no one wants to keep it (not the kids, but adults). That's a lot of extra work taking care of this little crazy doggy! Everyone knows, why not me?

We took him to PetsMart trying to give him to the vet. or shelter. Of course Vet. can't take it, and we have to drive to Houston to drop him off at a shelter. I don't have time for that, I need to go to a friend's home for a baby shower! I was like "what can I do? What can I do? I'll be stuck with this little monster. Why did I take him the first place? No wonder no one called me yet?!" I can tell Kaitlyn was happy, she kept telling me "We'll have take him home now!"

The grossest thing happen then, Mustard pooped at Vet's office, then peed on Kaitlyn's new shoe! So embarrassing, I can't believe this! How could he? See how innocent and helpless Kaitlyn looks like! I was so mad at that point. I was mad but can't help laughing at the way Kaitlyn holding her shoe and the dog... She still wants the dog! On our way back in the car, the only thing in my mind was how can I get rid of this dog?

Taking him to my friend house see if anyone wants to adopt him? No I can't do that, what if he causes more trouble over there? Or I should let him run away from our house again and not taking him back? But... my neighbor all know this is "our" little dog... Or, I can "drop" him off at the park, and let him go "free" and find his way for a "better home". This is such an evil idea, I feel so guilty with this idea...

Things happened just like in the movie, when we got to the park one block from our home, I stopped by not sure if I should or not, sure the dog ran out the car like crazy, disappeared in a second... The same time I said let it run never come back, I was worried he might be hit by a car. We sat in the park for a little while, he never came back. Kaitlyn asked me if Mustard will come back, I told her he might. With the guilty feeling, I took Kaitlyn back to the car. Just then, Mustard came out chasing after someone's little Yorkie! Ohh gosh, little monster is back! The other dog's owner was nervous that her dog was being assaulted. "I'm not stepping out admitting that's my dog!" This thought came to my head, I have had enough of him...

I took off to home, Kaitlyn started looking sad and was crying on our way back, I felt so sad and guilty too. What can I do, his owner doesn't even want him, who knows what kind of mess he's going to do to our home once on Monday? I tried to comfort Kaitlyn he'll be alright, and he might find his way back home...

We got home, I washed Kaitlyn and got her changed ready for the baby shower. After I pulled out the garage, I took a different route which is closer to the park hoping to see if Mustard is still there! I know I did feel I did something horrible. I don't like THIS dog, but I hate to abandon him!

Amazingly, I saw him running back to our home in a short cut! How does he knows?! We have never take him that way that far?! Gosh!! I pointed to him showing Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn was screaming "my puppy!" He was running like arrow flying towards our home, I immediately turned back following him - how could this happen? This can only happen in movie!

I parked my car and got out, he zoomed and jumped on me! He recognized me as well! That mixed feeling inside me - happy, relief, guilty, and sad... That exact moment, my cell phone rang, an unknown number! Ohh my god - his owner!

Yes! It's his owner, I was so exciting - he deserved better ending! She was going to come to our house picking up the dog, I told her I'm on my way to drop him off! Haha, happy ending! That lady has three kids and she told me this is not the first time, or second he has been running away, and definitely not the furthest distance he ran away! He even ran away visited the same house twice! (Ohh, please don't visit me! At least, I know who to send him now! Haha...)

I'm so glad he made his way home, and I'm exhausted. We still have lots of house cleaning work to be done... What a weekend!

Little artist

Kaitlyn put these signs on study room doors, stating her rules.

In case you can see it well, here is a recap of the first picture:
No food,
no kids (except Kaitlyn),
dog - yes,
parents - yes,
no sticker on walls.

I love her artworks, so interesting to see what's in her mind. I'm glad to see her picture of burger has veggie and meat (or maybe tomato). She likes long hair and dresses as you can see from her drawings, the dog is actually really cute with all parts of body, haha... She writes words the way they sounds, which is really interesting, because I didn't learn English this way (which I learned it at much older age.)

Kaitlyn got her first school awarded ribbon - A royal blue ribbon for friendship. She was so proud showing off her award. I asked her how she got the award, she said she was playing with McKinney (one of her good friend), and saw nobody wants to play with this one girl, she invited her to play with them. That's such a sweet thing of her!

I personally think this is a big achievement of her. Kaitlyn is very sweet but is not the kind of girl who talks and makes friends easily. She knows who she likes to play with and will be so loyal to her friends, but for others (before she considered them as her friends) she is shy and takes a long time to warm up or at least will not approach others proactively.

School has change Kaitlyn little by little, my baby girl is gone little by little but she is becoming more and more thoughful and mature. I can tell she is happy at school, picking up both good and bad influence, I love her the way she is and will always!

I voted for...

Super Tuesday - I'm so impressed how organized the polling place was this evening. The line was pretty long when I got there, I thought I would stuck for at least an hour. But volunteers kept organizing people by alphabets to try to get everyone out there within 20mins. I made it out in about 30 mins, which I'm pretty happy about it.

Kaitlyn came home very exciting telling us she voted today, but her voted candidate lost because she voted for John McCain. Well, mommy expected the same result for her vote too! This is so cute, her teacher emailed me this picture took from the school, and you can peak into the polling screen of candidate's picture, haha..

Next door neighbor girl was playing with her when I got home, and she proudly claimed she voted at preschool too. I asked her who did you vote, she blinked her eyes and smiled at me, said " I voted for M&M!" Haha, interesting little girls!

I want a puppy...

This is her favorite phrase of the weekend. She has been whinning about this all weekend. It's my "fault" to get her into this...

After her gymnastic class in the morning, we stopped by LaCenterra for a walk. They happen to have pet adoptions by some pet shelter organization. One group had big dogs and another group has small dogs.

Kaitlyn fell in love with one little Chihuahua which is sadly skinny. I joked with her that she likes skinny puppy just like her :-) I bet that poor little dog was abused before because she is so nervous about everything going around her. Even when Kaitlyn tried to pick her up, she is shaking. I'm so proud to see how gentle Kaitlyn was to this dog, try to comfort her and walk her around.

She is getting better and better at her gymnastic class. She is a lot braver now. She likes jumping and flipping activities, but is still afraid of walking on the beam and high-low bar. But she is home, she loves to flip on her bed, faster and higher. At first she can only bent and roll over. Now she is able to jump up and flip barely using her hands. wow...

Step one - get on by myself

Oops, I felt offThat's alright, I'm back on againOhh, Halloween this weekend. She had so much fun. We had street party again in Friday evening, lots of food and lots of kids! A friend of mine came over for trick-or-treat because there weren't many young families where she lives. She was amazing how many kids we have here!

After changing her mind from princess to zoo-keeper, to army, she decided to switch back to princess again, so here we are...

Check out the pumpkins on the back - they carved out the princess, amazing! Princesses! Picture of most of the neighbor kids - except the two white statues, they're decorations, haha... look so really, aren't they?! Well, another big project this weekend - making banana bread! She brought home a bag of flower and sugar from her science class Thursday. It's about bananas. From her own experience at school - she weighs 73 bananas and is 6 banana tall!

She loves her teacher, Mrs. Sanchez. She draw pictures and hearts for her, she wants to bake the bread for her. Here we are.

Smashed the bananas

Mix well with flour and sugar...Ready to go in the ovenlearn to use the ovenYeah, it's ready after I took a nap! Looks good and I'll bring some for Mrs. Sanchez on Monday!

Fun weekend

I did something I’m so proud of myself this past weekend – I used coupons from HEB and saved $22 plus earned a free car wash! This never happened to me. There were times that I tried to use coupons, but either forgot it when went shopping, or circled around the grocery store trying to find a item that could save 55cents…

I was talking to a friend visiting us from Austin on Saturday about how economy is getting worse, and we all should try to cut spending. Then I received some coupons from HEB- free salad and bacon (both organics) along with other in-store coupons offered by HEB, I decided I have to do this. I haven’t cooked the bacon, but will let you know how different the organic bacon tastes like :-)

Listening to the news about recession and watching the retirement accounts shrinking day by day do make a lot of people nervous. And this unsecured feeling about uncertainty is contagious, filling the air around us. Hope we’re not far from the bottom and things will get better and better.

We all had a fun time this weekend. Saturday morning, I stayed home, dad took Kaitlyn to an airshow with a friend of his (he has a daughter too). I believe both daddies had more fun than the girls. Girls were excited to ride the jeep and running around, then it’s getting hot, so they enjoyed better eating snacks under the shade of airplane wings:-)

Soon after they came back in the afternoon, our friend from Austin visited us and stayed with us overnight. We went to Kaitlyn's school's annual "Bonzer Bash" party.

My friend had a boy who is one year younger than Kaitlyn. We can tell for sure the difference between girls and boys. We try to stick together in case getting lost, but they two end up playing diferent games. Kailtyn likes nail polishing, hair spraying, and candy, etc. the best.