Amy's Year Off





Some of you know that I've been looking for a full time job which means that my time staying at home will soon be over.  I wanted to reflect on the past 16 months that I had off of work where I got to do a lot of great things.

 

I got to experience life as a stay-at-home mom which I’ve concluded is the hardest job EVER.  But, it definitely was rewarding and fun to get to spend so much time with the kids:  taking Ashley to Gymboree and farmer’s markets, taking Jimmy to Tae Kwon Do and swimming and having play dates.

Here's Ashley riding her brother's bike and doing her "smile".

Jimmy now is a  brown belt in Tae Kwon Do.  The classes have helped so much with his coordination, discipline and overall ability to focus.

We took my mom for her first trip to Hawaii July of 2011.  Here's us going para sailing!

We took the kids to visit my parents in Shanghai in February 2012.  Pete had some business in Japan so he and I spent a week in Tokyo by ourselves.

My mom taught Jimmy to do the peace sign and he now has to do it for almost every photo opportunity.  Like a true Chinese tourist.

Winter of 2011, I took up golf and took classes with Sandy at a gorgeous public course in Palos Verdes.  Here's Pete and I at Terranea Resort for my first time playing on a golf course.  (sorry East Coast friends, this picture was taken during "winter" in LA)

Summer of 2012, we were so lucky to have Teresa, Alex and baby Graysen stay with us for a month and a half.  It was fun having a tiny baby in the house!

Jimmy said several times "I like Graysen more than Ashley because he doesn't hit me or touch my things and he is smaller and cuter."

 Jimmy took a Chinese class over the summer - here's a video clip from their "graduation".

Having a playdate with Sammie at Art Zone (she is also a good Chinese tourist).

Jimmy was so happy to get to hang out with his best buddy Arjun this past summer, especially because they are now going to different elementary schools. As you can see, Jimmy has influenced his friends to do the peace sign too.

We found a wonderful daycare for Ashley.  Gladys is the sweetest lady in the world and the kids have a great time with her.  Ashley does art, plays with friends and animals and learns Spanish!

Gladys will send me pictures of Ashley every day she has her to show what they're up to that day.

On April 1st 2012, I decided to start P90X (and Pete and Michael did it with me as well).  When I completed that program, I started and finished Insanity.  I've watched these infomercials and never thought I could do this but I did.  They send you an Insanity T Shirt when you complete the program - this is one of the most prized pieces of clothing that I own.

Shaun T. and Tony Horton are my motivators and torturers.  I both love and hate them (but mostly love because they've helped me get strong and fit and be able to do 50 push ups).  Our friends Derek and Christine also offered me so much support and encouragement - I couldn't have gotten through this without them.   The next step of my fitness journey: Asylum!!

 

We took a Disney cruise Oct. 2012 (separate post to come) - it is going down in Huh Family History as the best vacation EVER (so far)!

 

Okay, before you view this video of my naked kids, know that ever since Jimmy saw Madagascar, he's been singing the tune of "I like to move it move it" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoNkfOHBzQk  with the words "I like to naked naked".  Usually, he likes to be naked (but with underwear on) and Ashley has learned it and wants to do it too.  This song and dance took place in our room on the Disney cruise.

 

Both Pete and I signed up for a lot of volunteering at Jimmy's elementary school. I am part of the Green Program which will be launching a recycling initiative with the students and at the school. Our goal is to lower the number of trash bags thrown out by the school per day from 16 down to 2. We also hope the students will carry the good habits they learn in school to their homes. As part of the Green Program training, we visited the Punte Hills Land Fill where 13 TONS of trash go each day. It was overwhelming and scary to see how much trash we generate (and this is only one of the several land fills in LA).

I am also the Art Docent for Jimmy's class.  We have 6 formal art classes a year through an organization called Hands On Art that provides training for us to then go and teach the art class to the kids.  It is SO MUCH fun for me to be doing art again and fun to share my love of art with Jimmy and his class.

 

Huhlet Humor - Featuring Jimmy

Here are pictures of some of the fun things we did with Jimmy over the summer and some great Huhlet Humor!



 

Jimmy with Baby Graysen... he had seen my sister Teresa breastfeed the baby a few times.  One time when the baby was hungry, Teresa put her pinky in his mouth to suck on. Jimmy says in disbelief "Does your FINGER have milk TOO??!!"

Jimmy took Chinese classes over the summer.  After class every time I would quiz him on the new words he learned but usually, he doesn't remember them.  Me: "Jimmy, why don't you remember things?  You say you have such a big brain."  Jimmy: "It just popped out. I have too many memories in there."

Once we were at a store and a male cashier said to Jimmy, "Well hello there young man!"  Jimmy says "I am not a young man.  I'm only four and a half!"

We went to the Hollywood Bowl for Pixar night - it was awesome!!

Acting goofy with friends Emma and Matt

Jimmy at his preschool graduation.  Anyone who has spent an extended amount of time with Jimmy in an enclosed space, you know that he is capable of some really stinky farts. One time he did it in the car and it almost made me choke.  Me: "JIMMY! You made it smell like a bathroom in here!"  He just laughed uncontrollably for 5 minutes.

Jimmy and his best buddy Arjun

Jimmy taking a Tae Kwon Do belt test

Jimmy doing like, 100 kicks in a row... he is now a blue belt!

Boba Fett and Darth Vader (Jimmy & Megan)

with Sundae cat...

Fun at the Aquarium!

Dinner at Gladstone's with their animal shaped leftovers!  Arjun and his mom introduced Jimmy to eating pistachios. Except he calls them "mustachios".

Having a reunion with his preschool friends Arjun, Jacob and his favorite teacher Ms. Stephanie!

Boba Fett and Darth Vader again (Jimmy & Arjun)

It looks like Jimmy and Sammie are on a date here! Fun at Art Zone...

Always on the move... one time, I scratched Jimmy by accident with my nails. "OUCH! You hurt me with your CLAW!"

Playing air hockey with buddies Christopher and Batman (Brandon)

 

I am Ashley hear me roar

Ashley turns 2 years old in a couple of weeks and she is currently in training for her terrible two's.  While she is so adorable and cute, she can also be demanding and needy.  Some friends who see her for under 10 minutes at a time usually comment "Ashley is SO HAPPY all the time!" to which Pete and I shoot each other a weary look and say "uh, SOME of the time."  She has a strong personality and is quick to laugh or cry. When she gets in one of her "moods", my mom will say "Oh! That's the Korean temper!" (because of course, Chinese people never get moody or mad)

 

For purposes of this blog, I will focus on the good times.  Ashley is the best little sleeper.  She naps for 2-3 hours a day and sleeps for 11 hours straight at night.  There's no cuter time than when she first wakes up... she is in a great mood and has her messy morning hair and breath (which is sweet).  She is good at cleaning up her toys and is self sufficient in many ways.  This week, Pete took her out of the crib in the morning, she walked over to her dresser, pulled out a shirt, pants and a diaper for him to change her.  She'll also tell us what she wants to eat (and heaven forbid we don't understand) and she'll go get her own bowl and start climbing into her high chair.  Unlike Jimmy who still likes to use his hands to eat, Ashley will insist on using a fork or spoon and a non-sippy cup (it gets VERY MESSY).

 

Ashley LOVES music and dances along to The Fresh Beat Band or any groovin' music that's on. (and don't get me started about her love of K-Pop)  Gymboree class is her favorite time of the week - she loves all the songs and activities and of course, Gymbo the clown.   We also discovered that she loves it when Pete juggles.  She will point at the juggling balls and say "uggle!" and when Pete does it - she starts laughing and spinning around and around (and falling down). 

 

 

  

 

 

If we are out anywhere and there's a bed - she will jump on it and say night-night and lay down! Here we are at Ikea...

 

 

And here we are at Marukai...this one is not even a real bed.

Here we are at Living Spaces

And Living Spaces again

With Auntie Amy and baby Graysen

Ikea again

and again...

She loves to open the fridge and pick what she wants to eat, in this case, she's taking a seat to think about it.

Fun at Art Zone!  Ashley loves to paint and draw... sometimes on herself.

 

Baby, Baby Baby!

This summer we had the pleasure of having the cutest little baby at our house.  My sister Teresa and her husband Alex had their first baby Graysen on June 11, 2012.  They stayed at our place for about a month and it was such a treat. 

Both Jimmy and Ashley marveled over the baby, Jimmy even declared "I like Graysen better than Ashley because he doesn't mess with my stuff" and "Graysen is cuter than Ashley because he is smaller". 

This is my favorite pic from the newborn photographer (some of you may have met Jacquie shooting pictures at Jimmy or Ashley's birthday parties in the past) - these were taken at our house!

"Ah! Going to work already..."

The happy parents!