Bahumbug!!

What's happening to me this year?? I guess I am becoming one of the Bahumbugs especially during this year holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This year, I have not gotten a Halloween costume from a store. I instead got the same old costume from last year: worn a Surgeon Outfit. Pretty simple, huh? I am not only ones who is not into creative spirit.. you will see the pictures of Dylan on Ryan a day after Halloween.

I guess it started from doing the Halloween pumpkin. Two weeks ago, I had a high spirit for the Halloween when Dylan and Ryan helped me carving the first pumpkin. They even helped me cooking the pumpkin seeds. Since I am no expert in any cooking, I started cooking the pumpkin seeds. It tasted awful when it came out in the oven ! Also, it was NOT a smart move for me to do the pumpkin carving ! It ended up being rotten and created cobwebs around the eyes and mouth. Gross , huh??? So I had to come up really simple. On Halloween morning, I instead purchased Mrs. Witch Potato Head from Vons and punched into my second pumpkin.

Now, after Halloween ends, I will at least have someone to push me for Thanksgiving spirit and bring out the best Thanksgiving dinner. This is our first Thanksgiving dinner in our house. Boy, I feel really, really sorry if I burn the Turkey. Perhaps, I would need to hire a chef so everyone in the family member would have a jolly Thanksgiving.

Christmas was always my favorite holiday, but this year is a different story. Seriously, I have NOT started my Christmas shopping. Knowing that I will end up grumpy hanging around with the crazy or jolly Christmas shoppers!!! It means that my husband will have to be a temporary Mr. Mom in order to watch our high-energy level sons.

This is not the only thing I have procastinated this year. I even have not started making Christmas lists for those who already asked us to send it out. I must make a promise to myself that I will stay up REALLY LATE and kick myself on the computer !!!

Last, I have not started writing Christmas Newsletters. Hopefully, I will have a left-over brain to bring some interesting news on this upcoming Christmas Newsletter.

I usually get everything done in order before Halloween! I guess I need some magic gold to spread it all over me!

Look-Alike Meter

Frankly, I found someone else's blog. I thought it was interesting to share it with you. What do you think? Do you agree with the meter ? Why don't you try it ? It is fun to find out the result.

Back To School

After having three weeks off from work and school, it was an extremely difficult to adjust the routine schedules especially for the Dylan and Ryan.

By the time I woke Dylan up at 6:30 A.M., he kept saying "It is still dark outside. Why do we have to wake up?" I explained it was time to go back to school. He stated it was very confusing for him. Who wouldn't blame him? Next, I had to wake Ryan up who usually does not like to be forced to get out of bed. The good part was that he was already awake before I had a chance to wake him up. He and Dylan accepted to change their regular clothes without any fight with me.

We left at 6:40 A.M.with their breakfast in a car. That's our regular routine on our way to work and school. Isn't that sad ? This will change until the new toll freeway 125 opens. Once it opens, all of us will have a chance to have a real breakfast meal, instead of having a "take-out" breakfast on our way to work and school.

However, our school had canceled the field trips in order to catch our lessons up. It was not easy for the students and teachers who were prepared for the field trips.

Let's hope everything will go smooth for the rest of this week.

Chuck N'Cheese

The boys and I had an extra week off from work and school due to the natural disaster: fires. Instead of being in cabin fever, we met their Grandmother Cathy at Chuck N Cheese for an afternoon.

Both of them brought their tons of extra tokens and tickets with them. Once we arrived there, they ran out like as if they were crazy mice. Dylan was the ones who wanted to explore everything before he decided to get more tickets for the prize. Ryan was on the other hand. He just wanted to hop in whatever it was next to him.

While Dylan was very selective for the game, Ryan watched the older kid driving on a monster truck until it ended. Then he felt confident to drive on his "own." By the time he got up on the top of the seat, he realized his feet would not reach the gas pedals. Grandma Cathy was kind enough to help him out while he was steering the wheels throughout the game.

Ryan decided to try out for another "tough" ride, Tumble Roller coaster. Dylan found ways not to go on rides, but instead of shooting at the frogs, catching the Bubble Bees. He did get some tickets.

Even better, he was one of the luckiest boy at the Chuck N' Cheese because the two teenagers met us at the table and chose to give Dylan at least 200 free tickets. "Wow!" How often do you know teenagers would give their tickets away to the younger' s??? It stunned us!

So, he went back to find something else to get more tickets because he knew he and Ryan had a better chance to get a "Hot Wheels" prize. Unfortunately, we will need to go back and get more tickets enough to buy the Hot Wheels.

Cathy and I had a NICE chatting at a table while the boys had a blast time until their small pizza were ready for them to eat. As soon as pizza arrived, Dylan galloped his 3 small pizzas while I had to find Ryan to come for a late lunch.

As I was looking for Ryan, I found him playing with other kids. Food was not his priority. Who wouldn't blame him for being away from school for 3 weeks ?

While we were at the table, there was an animation, Chuck, the mouse. Dylan was terrified to be near him or even joined the gangs to get the candy prizes. He instead would rather to sit next to us and eat pizza. It didn't bother Ryan this time. He just ate his lunch and returned to his play time until we had to leave.

Going out with Cathy and the boys had a good time at Chuck N' Cheese for an afternoon was a REALLY ENJOYABLE AFTERNOON !

Masks

As many of you have heard that there were terrible fires brushing all over San Diego, the fires seemed to die down in our home area. However, it was encouraged Chula Vista residents to wear a face mask without getting any ash dust through our lungs.


While we were putting our masks on before we left for a nearby grocery store for a little bit instead of being cabin fever, it was not comfortable to wear masks. Who would? But Dylan thought it was SO COOL to wear the mask, except Ryan. I second for Ryan. Good grief, it is only temporary.

Returned Home from Wildfires

We're BACK home from Harris Wildfires.

On our way back home from Vista, there were at least 20 police cars driving swiftly by on the other side of the freeway. At that time, it was not driving toward to Pauma Valley (near Riverside County.) Instead they were heading for Camp Pendleton, the road to Orange County and Los Angeles (Oceanside to San Clemente) from San Diego leaving thousands of drivers not able to go to work, or even get out of San Diego.

While leaving us lots of pondering on the roads, my family and I were pondering what's happening to our home. By the time, we arrived home we could see some of the smokes and clear air in our neighborhood areas. The good part was our home is still standing in one piece. The bad part is that we will have to clean the ashes up after the air quality clears it up.

Another good part of the news that our homes, my parents in law, and few other families I know is in the good shape. It is not only that I felt good about our homes are being safe, I do think of the other families' homes were unfortunately. Let's hope that they will have lots of thousands items can be offered for the families who desperately need the items.

At the end, there are impressive that many volunteer people bring TONS of supplies for the families who need them at the Evacuee Center, especially at Qualcomm Stadium from food to grieving counselors. Not only getting tough news, the prominent people are bringing the smiles for the San Diegans for the first time in four days.

Wildfires in San Diego

Who ever thought the fires in San Diego would repeat the history? It is like an apocalypse ! This gives us a lot of nervous wreck whether we need to evacuate our home or not.

The fire had initialized from Julian, about an hour from our current new home. With the strong wind and warm temperatures, it created the problem overnight. By the time, I woke up at 5 AM to find out whether I have to return to work after having a two week of a Fall Break. In fact, it happened the same thing four years ago. At that time of the hour, I was not able to know whether we have to return to work because it was not on the school closings list. Instead, I ended up volunteering to stay home from work for my family's safety. However, hours later, I got an email from my school superintendent that all district staff are encouraged to stay home today (Monday) and Tuesday.

Who would believe that the Navy Base where my husband works remain open? He also chose to use his Annual Leave for his own safety. Some of his co-workers communicate with him on his pager stating that they have to find their way back home, especially driving it over the Coronado Bridge. Does that sicken you when the person who is charge of the Navy does not think about the employees' safety???

As of right now, the fires are popping all over San Diego, including Otay Lakes no more than 10 miles from our home. Windows and doors are being shut except the air conditioned being turned on. Without air conditioned, we could smell the fires easily. We have packed our important stuff in case we are being evacuated while 250,000 residents already been evacuated! View from Otay Lake

Many of San Diegans are being affected that many homes are being demolished more than the buildings. Even all of the patients from births to elderlies are being evacuated from the senior communities and hospitals as well. So far, we have had two hospitals are being closed due to having fires around the buildings.

All we can do is to pray for our safety my families, other families and animals who are affected by the Wildfires. Let's hope the fires will die down.