WHAT? ALMOST ONE YEAR IN PHILLY SUBURBS?

Happy 2015 Dears! Ok, I've vowed to at least write one post every other week when I started blogging in 2008. Now....after 7 years, I've gone from at least one biweekly to 1 every.... 7 months!! Yikes! This year has gone half way through! What has happened? Time warp or Alien abduction?

Caleb Shovels!

Abbie's New Invention; SNOW CHAIR!

Daddy Jumps In and Becomes Snow Angel!

Life here in Bucks County has been so exciting! It was kind of traumatic in December when our water heater leaked and died. 

Visited New York Auntie and Uncle!! Caleb has funny pose

Kids Made Yummy Sushi for Grandpa Caleb

3 Generation of Gamblers....

My dad in law Pastor Caleb came from CA at that time and I think he decided not to come this year....after going to YMCA to shower with us for a whole week when we had only freezing cold water.... Then  our air conditioning system died completely so I had to eat junk food, drink hot milk tea, and hold Frosty all day long to stay warm.

I'm Not Leaving Here until I eat 2 snowballs!

 The best part about life here is the SNOOOOOOOW! It came and came and didn't leave until waaaaaay into April! We had so much fun and Frosty stayed outdoors, taking short naps on the snow and wouldn't come in except to eat and drink water.

Don't You Dare throw that Snowball at Me!!

I Repeat! DON'T THROW IT!

Applying for Christmas Elf position

Autumn Does Not Like Photo Bomber

Cool Christmas Sled Dogs Mama Soph Found Online

The 2 Creepy Kids Photobombed my ONLY PIC with the PRESIDENT!

 We went to Washington D.C. for Christmas vacation, which was super cool! Subways are so nice and convenient, and after almost 1  year here...I am STILL trying to get used to the one lane winding back roads and 3 feet pot holes here!

I'm Snoozing On the Snow tonight,  Mom!

Hubby traveled weekly (or bi) for the most part, and the kids and I are actually enjoying our new adventure here! We are blessed with wonderful neighbors, school friends/parents, and church buds!

My Mother's Day Gift 

Abbie and our Foster Lovebird

Reading Olympics Team Belac (Caleb reversed!)

Relay for Life Event with Buds

French Club Fashion Show 2nd Place Winner!
Fruit Bowl Kids!

Caleb blossomed and made tons of friends here, all of whom are so embracing and love him dearly! He joined jazz band, basketball league and track and field, and kids invite him to play basketball or have play dates (I mean, "hang out").  Abbie suddently entered the tweenlight zone....(mom's version of twilight zone, if you know what I mean)....and has the EQ of a porcupine. 

1st Selfie of Her LIFE!

Caleb holds Madagascar COCKROACH for the 1st TIME!

Hubby and I stay away when we see her glaring, sulking or getting sassy.... IT is really scary how little tweens can be really happy and high one minute then pouting and screaming with fists in the air....the very next second. My  mom said I was like that since I was 5, so this is all normal and will pass. I call it karma...and now it's biting me in the tush.  

SMACK!  Big Brother Bad Bad!!  

The most rewarding experience this past  year has got to be the arrival of my baby #3 Frosty Poo! He has been a terrible toddler since December, but suddenly he's settling into a sweet 1 year old older-toddler! He loves kissing and lick-therapying everyone he meets, and passed his all star puppy and good canine citizen (GCC) classes! All he needs is to pass his 12 step test and he can start his new career as Therapy Dog, M.D.! We will definately have him tested after our exciting trip.... to CA and Alaska this summer! Woohoo!

Frosty Therapying 3 yr old and All the Bible Study Ladies

Shedding Snow Dogs Snow Indoors while it SNOWS outside!

We cannot wait to be reunited with our dear family members and church buds in CA! It has been a long year but actually the year went by really fast too! I am cherishing every day here because we really don't know what God's plan is for each of us, or where we would live (or go to college/work) in the future! There's nothing to worry about but to enjoy the nature and wonderful people in our lives right now!

Happy Spring everyone! Here in PA, the Winter was long so all the flowers suddenly exploded in April and all the locals are popping clairitins like tic tacs! Then late May we went into high 80s and summerlike weather, skipping Spring! I do enjoy all the deers and geese and the the occasional vultures congregating along the country roads....it is definately a jungle out here!

Peace Valley Lake ~ Frosty Screams, "COME PLAY WITH ME!"

Life with A New Baby ~ With FUR!

Ok.....  So I thought that I was done having babies 8.5 years ago..... But apparently I forgot that my last baby begot more baby.... with paw and fur! Life with a new bundle of joy and slobber was a barrel of fun....and surprises! I had forgotten how wonderful it is to wake up at 7:45am most days..... But instead now I have a natural alarm sounding like, "Arf....Arf...Grrrr....(wimper)....Arf!" each morning between 6am and 6:10am!




Frosty Flurry Tsaikovsky is super cute, so even though he pees like a camel, nips our heels/pants/legs, and barks at everything including:  Lemons, doorstopper, jingle bell, food bowl, everything! Yet we still love him to bits! The last time I was full time doggie caregiver was in 1992, when I was a senior in Cerritos high school! And now after 22 years, I'm back at being a doggie-holicism because they are so cute, innocent, and love you no matter what! (^_^)

Best friends napping together

I haven't slept past 6:10am since we brought him home from his breeder Maine on July 4th weekend! Still, I enjoyed this precious new adventure with my little furball because we all are enjoying the Philly suburbs as a brand new family of 5!

Little Frosty was at first a helpless case of potty training failure. He would be taken out for potty breaks, then come into the house and immediately squat and dribble dribble right in front of our eyes!

Mommy I've been good! Can I have my kibbles now?

Or it'll be raining and he'd sit and refuse to budge, leaving me standing in the thunderstorm holding a big umbrella (yet dripping wet) while he looks at me and tilts his head by the sliding door in the house.

Since Day 1, Frosty pup loved sleeping in the 1 feet of space between sofa and wall

I call him "Bat Man" because when the noon sun hits him, the silhouette of his head and ears resembles Batman (with a very round head)...
 

Favorite Spot: The A/C VENT (9 weeks old)

Favorite Spot: The A/C VENT (13 .5 weeks old)

And also because he would NOT walk to his potty patch of grass when the sun is very hot. He'd literally walk along the bricks on the yard where clearly there's only 1 feet of shade to his destination. So our house was pee central and in the first 2 weeks of housebreaking disaster, hubby would growl and grumble, "The Brazilian Cherry Wood is now Brazilian PEE wood!"

Our little trooper had hernia surgery at 10.5 weeks!

Now he is with us for 5 weeks and our little fuzzy poochie mango has graduated to about 1 accident every 2-3days! That's a major improvement!

Frosty listens to Abbie read a doggie care book!

 

 

Face to Face time between girl and her best friend

And he has also taken up a new chore assignment to burn his energy and earn his keep in this family. We are super proud of him for this achievement, because his assignment was literally larger than his mouth and chest combined but he fumbled his way back home anyhow.





People I met at supermarkets, chiropractic office, and school orientation always look puzzled, scratched their heads, and asked, "So....you're from California?! So.....what are you doing here?" It sounded like I've just signed up for Survivor training camp in Jurassic Park....  But I always tell them that this is a beautiful place with 4 seasons, and I love seeing all the GREEN!

A dozen Canadian geese crosses the street by Target!

There's always something to appreciate in every State  you're in. For me, after 32 years (since....2nd grade!) in the same state with the same weather (EITHER: HOT or HOTTER), with bare brown hills and brush fires, earthquakes, expensive mortgage/taxes, crowded schools, and El Toro Y traffic (although NOW we really appreciate the wide, straight, 4 lane freeways!), it's actually kind of nice to come out to the other side of the country and explore!!  Oh and the thunderstorms and humidity? It reminded me of my 7 years (since birth) living in Taiwan! Love the smell, coolness, and tip tap of the raindrops!






I can't wait for school to start in 3 weeks! The concept of SCHOOL BUS blows my mind....since the last time I've rode in one was in 1985 when I was in Torrance, CA in 5th grade!

 Frosty hanging out at the front yard

YEAH, I get to walk in my PJs all day from Sept. 2 onwards! I love it too that school bus is right in front of my house! Amazing and Blessed!

Frosty visits Lassie statue in Buck's library

I know, I know....they all told me about last year's shocking snowfall. I know I'll be gritting my teeth in my December post and drinking hot chocolate by the pitcher every day....but I'm still excited about my new adventure. This is like College.... with more people (and pets) in tow! As our adventure continues, I will let you know if by December I'm still as jolly as I am today. At least I'll have Frosty! He's going to keep us all warm with his sheep fur. We'll be casting lots to see who gets him every day starting Thanksgiving day!

Frosty fell asleep after 3 episodes of  Abbie's favorite ~"Full House".....
 



Here's My Favorite Hang out! Cools my (double coated) body!



Yeay! Today Our Newspaper Boy Succeeded! But the big rain last night caused the victim to Slip Away! (^_^)

After 2.5 years, kids are getting even closer to BLACK belt! (^_^)

CONGRATS to our Red Belts ~ ~ 9 months to go!! (^_^)

I still remember the day I decided that the kids are DEFINATELY going to do Taekwondo (aka: Take-My-Dough)...... and that was the day they had a big cat fight in my Honda Odyssey.....in which they literally demolished the DVD cords which were attached to the dual car-mounted DVD monitors! I think we were stuck for like forever in the minivan coming ALLLLLLLLLLLL the way back from Victoria, Canada to our home in Ladera Ranch, CA. The summer trip was a 12 day live-out-of-suitcase-trip traversing all states on the west coast. NEVER do that, EVER!

 

I almost abandoned ship when the kids flipped out that day and wanted to jump on a plane and let hubby and kids can come back by themselves...... So I decided that moment....that as soon as we get home, I'm going to sign BOTH of them up so they can fight PROFESSIONALLY! Let Mr. Kim teach these wild youngsters how to respect and cohabit with one another without breaking each other's body parts! Hence, ever since August 2011, Mr. Caleb and Miss Abbie officially joined our Ladera Ranch ATA Taekwondo Martial Arts! (Btw, they still fight all the time, only now more fearlessly and forcefully. Respect for one another is out the window (unless they are in public with complete strangers, of course). Their monthly advancement in belt color and ranking is actually making my physical discipline extremely difficult because they can now swiftly and reflexively block all my angry swats and run/dodge as fast as my flying chickens!




From innocent little White Belts, they spent the last 2.5 years working their way up, faithfully attending classes twice a week, tournaments once in awhile, and testing every 3 months.....(and mommy & daddy paying week by week.....by week......) to be where they are today!

 

LOVE THE NEW COLOR RED!!!

Little RED belts they officially are....as of today!!!.... they are now officially 9 months or so from getting their BLACK belts!





Come to think of it, they will definitely have to finish their red gold bar belts and recommended black belts.... in the Philly suburbs somewhere! That's ok, the MOST important thing about parenting is to Savor the NOW and worry later about where in the world the new ATA place (on the other side of the country) may be!




This Blog post is dedicated to daddy Mark, who is still freezing like Snowman in the blizzard-ridden Philly! Your kids did superior today! Great job!!




Cupcakes ALWAYS follow a new color belt!!!

 

Miracles Happen Every Day ~ Like Today! (^_^)



When hubby and I looked back at the last 3 months, it seemed like a Dream! Actually, more like a nightmare in the beginning, but now as life unfolded, we realized it was a MIRACLE!  We couldn't imagine life to take on such a dramatic transformation in merely 88 days! When God is at work in our lives, Boy.... His plans are monumental and life-altering!

One day early August, hubby saw a pop-up on the corner of his LinkedIn screen as he worked on his resume. It said, "Micro-Catheter Engineer, Johnson & Johnson. So he thought it sounded interesting, had something to do with eye and catheter (his background), so he sent in his resume online. Then he forgot about it. At Sequoia, he received a voicemail about phone interview with HR in Johnson and Johnson but he had no idea what job this was. In September, after the phone interview, he was asked to have an on-site interview at the Pennsylvania headquarter of J and J....on his 44th Birthday Eve!

It was a grilling 6 hours interview (plus lunch...but their on-site cafeteria, chefs who cooked to order, and huge grilled catfish entree was unforgettable!), but he was very impressed with the talented scientists, the wonderful potential boss, and research team there! So on his birthday eve, he completed his only on-site interview in this career-search journey thur far.  This week....we got the official (PAPER) offer letter and related forms, and we so shocked and grateful. God is soooo good and this whole process had His fingerprints all over it! Hubby had applied for about 80 jobs from SF down to SD, and a couple of them in the East Coast. We had no in-person interview at all (but lots of phone interviews which didn't lead to further interviews). Had he not change his job to Bausch & Lomb last May, he would not have been laid off this August, hence we would still be living status-quo as the last 16 years had been!

Hume Lake in Sequoia (Hume Christian Center)

We were also so blessed because this job description seemed far-reaching, yet they hired hubby. Hubby applied for the micro-catheter Engineering position, but they hired him to work with the design contract company on the actual console (macular degeneration machine) itself! It is a job more for Electrical Engineers, it seems (^_^). We spoke with friends and family, and realized that many of their parents had macular degeration, and they themselves were at risk as well. We are so thankful for this opportunity to venture out into a new life and a new world. I feel like a college freshman to be.... ready to spread my wings upon the big, vast, mysterious, yet inviting sky!

Do you Think Our 3 Amigos are ready for Philly? Or Not?

Getting the chicks used to SNOW....by giving them ICE cubes! They were confused!

If we did not face layoff the last 3 months, we would never have dreamed of going to a wonderful company like Johnson and Johnson, and actually MOVING to the other side of the  United States! Thankfully it is a beautiful place with New England states just a couple hours train ride away! God is so good, and his blessings are unfathomable!

What to Do when Waiting for Offer ~ RELAX!
So We all watched the new Japanese drama:  DOCTOR X  !! REALLY GOOD!

Thank you for standing by us in the whole journey....not only was it a job-hunting journey, but a soul-searching one as well. We will continue to update about our migration to the East as soon as information arrives! Our biggest head-scratcher at this time is.... HOW do we relocate our whole zoo? Perhaps our feathered friends all can fly East for the winter and save us a bundle on pet transport!