Showing posts with label family and friends visiting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family and friends visiting. Show all posts

Monday, January 21, 2019

A Ngai Thanksgiving

As I get older the more I realize that family is worth time, energy and money.  My siblings and I haven't been able to have the contact I always wished for, due to life, circumstances, etc.  One of my brothers had moved to Utah for school and finally 3/4 were all in the same country, if somewhat spread out.  A few months before Thanksgiving we realized we'd all be in fairly close proximity, Joe and Becky (residing in Texas) would be with her family in Las Vegas.  Somehow we pulled it together so we could all spend time with the cousins playing.  It was wonderful!

James and Sam came out from Utah and we got a place with kitchen right next to each other.  My kids didn't want to leave their little ones and Bug-love was a popular attraction for both of them.  She adores little ones.  Pumpkin got to play big sister to this cutie and Bud was an outlet for a ton of energy.
 Learning all things Pokemon from a pro!
With Chinatown nearby and a Costco run just beforehand so we were set for food.  We spent our days sightseeing and playing at Bass Pro Shop the and meeting Santa. 

 The girls adored the mermaids and Pumpkin was thrilled to have her recognize her with her hands.


Snuggling/wrestling and lots of giggling for this girl!  She couldn't get enough of the little ones!

 Three out of four of the Ngai siblings!
After Thanksgiving day all 3 families met up at the park where the cousins played happily and the adults got caught up on life.  The three of us really haven't been together since James and Sam's wedding.  Looking back on the pictures both Joe and I have really aged.


A simple game of running up and down a incline that wore out all the littles and gave them good appetites for lunch.

Pumpkin LOVED all her cousins and was planning playdates as if they lived just down the street.



I had to chuckle when Bug asked if these little ones were really cousins.  We call all our Asian friends as 'Auntie or Uncle So and So' so naturally they thought all those friends were related.  It was a source of satisfaction to her that she was playing with her actual cousins and just loved all of them.  Hooray for family and when life serendipitously brings us within driving distance of each other.  The years will fly by and these little faces won't be little for much longer.  Here's to making memories.

Monday, December 31, 2018

Everything Between Fall and Christmas

In trying to catch up with everything I've realized that we do an enormous amount of activities, far too much to really document.  At the same the kiddos love looking back and remembering so you'll forgive me if I just chuck up photos and clips for the last few months.  

The kiddos loved their gifts of a koala, wombat, platypus, and kangaroo from my trip to Australia.  The particularly loved the 'fairy bread' that was explained to me.
Coop continues to be a weekly source of enjoyment for everyone.  One week a mom brought a bone box from Fish and Game which included pelts of different animals that the kids were facinated with.

Halloween was completed by the prescence of a memaid, scout with matches and a real entomologist.  Bubby was Mr. Funny Bones


Still more coop pictures.  This was our caravan to the near by park where we played with a parachute, balls and bubbles.
After our coop halloween party the kids decided to see if they could crush a fellow friend under all the bean bags.
We attended a Rebels and Redcoats re-enactment at the Pioneer park museum.  It was incredbly  well done with actors to play the parts of important people in history.  The costuming was wonderful as well as the way they engaged the kids.  Bud particularly loved playing a ball game and everyone loved panning for gold.




Watching the battle being re-enacted.  The gunshots were a bit startling for everyone.



We've begun attending another large group's weekly park days.  Once a month they hold a big combined one with snacks you can purchase, like caramel apples or hot chocolate.  Kiddo seem to enjoy it a lot and we've brought other friends to come and share the good times with.


Isaac and Keila have taken up archery.  Its been good for both of them as it become another exercise they can practice.  They also enjoy seeing their friends and visiting between shots.

 Bug's coop experiment where she carefully layered sugar water of differing densities.  She was rather proud her work turned out so nicely.
 More coop experiments outside.

We had a trip to Vegas and had to stopped off to see friends.   My old roommate and her kiddos always manage to pick up where we left off as if no distance exists between us. Good friends are always that way.

The Xmas party for our Down Syndrome family.  Bubby is much more engaged than he has been in the past and we were surprised to see him interact with the volunteers and give eye contact and hellos and thank yous.






One of our archery tournaments took us to Tucson.  Prior to going we read a little about the Mexican Cession and how the Spanish had set up missions in the south to establish the territory.  One of the larger settlements built the gorgeous San Xavier del Bac which is still a working catholic mission.  It is the oldest European structure in the state of AZ and the artwork and restoration of it is a reflections the people's dedication to their faith and their home.  The children were wonderfully respectful and reverent during the tour.  We took time to learn more about the Catholic beliefs and ceremonies and the sacrifices made by those who established such missions.




While in Tucson we had to visit with friends that date back to our New Mexico days.  Their kids have grown so much but are still as gracious as ever and keep our kiddos happy for hours.  Bug-love wants to adopt their youngest as a sister and the two of them disappeared to play the entire time we were there.  The Law family RULES!

Post tournament fun of ice cream.
So many memories and so little time to document them all well but I hope these few little blurbs will bring back the good times when my children look back.  We are so blessed!