It's a Trask Thing

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T22:16:00.000-07:00

Such a wonderful time to celebrate the Lord's resurrection and spend time with the family.

Friday, we dyed eggs.

Saturday, we celebrated Easter.

Cute bunny ears. Too bad we couldn't take a picture of both girls wearing them together.

We started with the egg hunt.

Then we rolled eggs! It's a Trask thing.
Kevin and his siblings have been doing this since they were kids.

Reese trying to mess up the game.
She kept tossing her egg in the middle of whoever's turn it was.

I was one of the winners!

This was my lucky egg. Nobody could beat me for a while.

Troy and Dylan couldn't be beaten either.

But the real winner was Lexie! She found one of the cracked eggs and ate it!

PS - I wish there was a faster way to upload pictures.

Easter Play Date

2011-04-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Megan for putting this together! We had a lot of fun!

The morning prior...

Twin cousins excited to see each other!!!

Troy Boy being a big boy

Reese's shortcut

Lexie having fun on the slide

Jackson - on his way to ask me to hold him

Ready to be "hunted down"!

Saw 1!

Saw 2!

So cute - this little girl stopped by to give Reese an egg.

Reese trying to give back the egg.

So serious! And busy!

Love these next few pictures!

Mi Say A Little Prayer For You

2011-04-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Whenever we are about to say a family prayer, we encourage Reese to participate. We fold her arms as we fold ours and we close our eyes shut. We probably shut our eyes in such an exaggerated manner (while peeking a little to still keep an eye on Reese) that now, when we tell Reese that we are going to say a prayer, she makes this face.

4 Years and Counting!

2011-04-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

BFFTAAE (Best friends for time and all eternity)
It's our anniversary, it's ok to be cheesy.
Not a great photo of us but oh well.
Going on a hot date with the husband on Saturday. Yipee!

I don’t know how to speak about heaven in the traditional, lovely, paradisiacal beauty that we speak of heaven–I wouldn’t know how to speak of heaven without my wife and my children. It would not be heaven for me. Now, you can say that’s wishful thinking; or you can say that’s just because you love each other and you’ve gotten cozy here on earth and you like each other’s company. It’s a lot more than that. There is something eternal in the statement that ‘Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man, in the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 11:11). That is not just good sociology–that is theology. It is eternal. (Between Heaven and Earth, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, DVD.)

- Jeffrey R. Holland

Reese's 1st Birthday Party!

2011-03-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, we celebrated Reese's 1st birthday. She had so much fun that by the end of the day she was sooo tired. Thanks to all who came and made Reese's birthday such a special day! And thanks to all my friends and family who helped me put it together!

I'm really loving the color yellow these days so I decided to do a bumble bee themed party.

The invite (from etsy)

Cupcake toppers from etsy
Cupcake stand by me
Cupcakes by my friend Kristen

Happy Birthday banner that Megan helped me make.

Cake Pops as party favors! I had fun making them. Thanks to Kristen for teaching me.
Thank You tags made by Megan using Picnik.

The menu: Greek food - gyros with tatziki sauce from Daphne's, pita bread, hummus, orzo salad (click here for the recipe, I highly recommend that you try it!), Greek salad, chicken kebabs, and some veggies. I really wanted to serve something different and kind of force people to be a little bit more adventurous with food.
Kevin's family's reaction when they found out I was serving Greek: "What?! Who's Greek?! She's not Greek?!"
The verdict: Everyone loved it!

Best chicken kebab I ever had! Thanks to my brother Juno for making it!

Special shout out to my friend Julieanne who brought the yummy fruit salad and traveled all the way from viva Las Vegas!

Party favors for the kiddos: Bubble Bees! I made the labels using Word.

Special shout out to my brother Juno for helping me put together the menu and again for the juicylious kebabs!

Special shout out to my friend Kristen for the delicious cupcakes and for being my inspiration about all things baking related.

Special shout out to Megan for helping me plan the party and being my inspiration about all things crafty!

Special shout out to my husband for allowing me to be a little crazy with the party.

Reese had so much fun playing and running around!

She did so well sitting on my lap as we opened her presents!

Instead of balloons we went with paper lanterns.

Here she is trying to blow her candle.

Yum!

The only family picture we took :(. At least next time we'll know better to take it before the party.

Thank You cards I made using Word.

Reese writing on her Thank You cards.

I know Reese probably won't remember her party but I still wanted to make it special for her :).

Reese Vs. Mickey and Minnie

2011-03-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

The other day I put Reese in her crib so I can clean up a little and found her wrestling with Mickey and Minnie!

She tackles them!

Picks them up...

And throws herself down with them!

This tag team has nothing on her!

Take 'em down!

The winner is... Reesie Pooh!

One Year Older and Wiser Too!

2011-03-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Reesie Pooh!

Taught her how to blow a candle. Of course in this video, the D-U-M-B candle won't blow out.

Do You Understand The Words That Are Coming Out Of My Mouth?

2011-03-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

Understand my accent. Watch this video.

Part-Time Lover

2011-02-13T22:28:00.000-08:00

That song has been stuck in my head for a few days now. Not that I love that song. Not at all. And not that I would describe neither Kevin nor I that as a spouse. No way! But I love that fact that in 2 weeks, I am going to start working part-time! Woohoo!

I asked my company if they would let me work part-time so I can spend more time with Reese. Surprisingly, they agreed. I work as a Project Manager at National Sign & Marketing Corp . I honestly don’t mind working. I love what I do and the people that I work with. Of course, I would give that all up in a heart beat to be a stay-at-home mom but that’s just not in the cards right now. Soon, I hope. For now I am going to have to enjoy life with my family while working some.

I came across this photo from my files taken 2 years ago. Horrible picture. This stolen blown-up shot of me was taped to my chair when I came back from being away in the Philippines for 2 weeks. My co-workers said this made them feel like I was never away. Crazy people.

Welcome to my workspace. I agree, it’s pretty boring. I’ve worked there for almost 3 years and have done nothing to decorate it. Couple of things:

That picture of Reese was the photo I sent everyone at work when Reese was born. One of the owners printed it and posted it there while I was on maternity leave.
Behind that trash can are my tennis shoes. My friend Kristen and I walk during our lunch break.
Dark pink cup on my desk – that had a smoothie that my friend Kristen made that morning.
Tangelo fruit on my desk – some employees bring the fruits of their yard at work for anyone to take, this was one of them.
Picture on the right side – picture of Kevin and I at a company picnic, my first one there.
Post-its everywhere. What can I say? I can't live without them.
Beat Boston banner on the right side – this was from last year. Just never took it down. I’m sure you already know why I have that.
2 bottom drawers on the right – are my snack drawers. Yes, both of them. Hence, the need to walk.

So… 2 weeks! I can’t wait! Especially since this little missy is walking!

Side note: I've got the best husband!

Photoshoot Giveaway!

2011-02-10T20:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, a giveaway! Deborah did my friend Kristen's wedding photos and they were simple AMAZING. Check it out! http://www.deborahtraceyphotography.com/

Lakers vs. Celtics

2011-02-10T18:50:00.000-08:00

Conversation between Kevin and I:

Me: I think I'll root for the Celtics tonight.
Kevin: ("Yeah right" look).
Me: What? I think it'll spice up our marriage.
Kevin: (Blank stare.)

Probably too spicy for his taste.

What's for Dinner?: Creamy Italian Chicken

2011-02-09T12:24:00.001-08:00

Made this last night. Sorry I have no photo of it. I wasn’t going to blog about it because I didn’t think it was that good. But I'm having it for lunch. Definitely way better. So here’s the recipe if you are interested.

To Jennifer – You know we’re really not health conscious people. Especially not Kevin. Just trying to make these meals a little healthier so Reese can eat them, too. :)

What's For Dinner?: Taco Soup

2011-02-07T18:11:00.000-08:00

Don’t you just love nap times? I especially love it when Reese takes an hour nap for me in the late afternoon. It’s the perfect time for me to whip something really quick for dinner. That’s why I love quick and easy meals that require little amount of prep time.

My friend from work,Kristen, sent me these two Taco Soup recipes (recipe 1, recipe 2). I kind of combined both recipes and omitted some ingredients - like the olives since Kevin is not a fan of them and chili beans since I am not a fan of it. I made it for dinner last week and it turned out great! I really love it. I rinsed most of the canned ingredients to kind of get rid of some of their sodium content. I also used the no salt added version on some of them. All in an attempt to make it a little healthier. Relatively speaking. Anyways, thought I’d share…

Garnish with sour cream if you prefer. You can also eat it with tortilla chips. I made quesadilla with it. Have you ever had the chile quesadilla from Baker's? I kind of copied it and put some chile on mine. It tasted good I think.

She didn't eat the taco soup.

Back With A Vengeance

2011-01-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

Yeah right. That’s more like wishful thinking. But with my new work schedule beginning pretty soon, I’m hoping I will have some extra time to blog. How long has it been, 7 months? Crazy. A lot has definitely happened since then. 2010 was a great year for us and we’re hoping this year will be as great if not way better! Just to recap, here are the major happenings in our lives last year:

Reese was born. Now she is almost 11 months old. If there is one word to describe her, I would say ACTIVE. She is unstoppable. She is always up to something, always on the go – crawling here, jumping there, reaching for that, pushing this. She is learning to walk these days and we just know we’re all in for quite an adventure. It’s always fun to watch her learn new things. She figures a lot of things out by herself without us necessarily teaching her. Just a few weeks ago, we were at Sam and Megan’s house and their son Jackson was walking around and Reese decided she wanted to walk, too, so she took a few steps. She kept falling but she also kept picking herself up and trying again. We love her so much, we can’t get enough of her.

Busted!

Show me your tongue!

Happy child.

Nothing is out of reach for this little missy!

I pledged allegiance to the American flag. Quite a big step but I took it. I will ALWAYS and FOREVER love the Philippines but this is my home now. This is where I live and where we plan to retire. I figured if I am reaping the benefits of living here, then I might as well participate and contribute to the society as a full-pledged citizen.

We moved. Again. At least this time we will be staying a while longer. After 2 years of house hunting we finally got a place of our own. Kevin and I decided we weren’t going to do any remodeling this time but how can we not?!

Especially when some things just had to go like this ugly fireplace.

Kevin and his brother Steve turned it into this! Each level and decorative detail on the mantle and the legs were all put together and assembled by Kevin and Steve.

There was also this empty corner that served no purpose so we decided to turn it into a toy box/seat. Here's the frame they made.

My DIY man hard at work.

Tada! I still need to make a cushion for it and some pillow cases to match.

Please don't judge my decorating skills. Some of these are still from our pre-married life and will get replaced soon.

Kevin graduated. Alas! We’re all so proud of him. He worked so hard to graduate in the time frame that he has set. Good job, Kevin!

Kevin got a new job. He now works in a public accounting firm in Irvine. Now his next plan is to take the CPA exam. I don’t envy him at all. It’s a good thing he loves what he does.

By the way, we are planning on going private. If you would like to continue reading our blog, please send me a message with your email address. If you do not wish to post your email, send me your email at skweebler@hotmail.com and I will add you as a reader.

Reese at 3 Months

2010-06-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

Update: She laughs now. It's so fun to hear her laugh. Makes you laugh as well. Her legs are getting pretty strong. She must have been getting good exercise from her kicking sessions. When we let her stand while holding her, she locks her legs and stands up pretty good.

For more photos, please visit this link

By the way, the photobook is not hard work at all. It's super easy! I use blurp. Basically, all you need to do is download the program (it's free!) and once you have it you just drag the photos you want on the book into whatever layout you choose. Way easier than scrapbooking. It's as easy as blogging, I promise.

No Countdown

2010-05-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

So I go back to work on Tuesday and I am not looking forward to it at all. Not that I hate work. I actually love what I do and the people I work with. But how can you leave such a cute little girl the whole day 5 times a week? Fortunately, I know it's temporary. So, Kevin, no pressure but can you please hurry up and graduate?

I've been putting together Reese's baby book. Here's what I have so far. We love her to pieces we can't get enough of her. Every little thing she does makes us so happy.

Reese at 2 Weeks

2010-03-23T19:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Lydia came over to take some photos of little Reese. We'll have to do a re-shoot in a few weeks because Reese has some baby acne (don't you hate those?) and she wasn't in her best mood. Anyways, here are a few cute ones.

A Smile!

2010-03-08T21:22:00.000-08:00

We love her sooooooooooo much!

Reese Brianna Trask

2010-03-07T21:52:00.000-08:00

Born 3-4-2010
8:34 PM
7 lbs. 4 oz.
18 in.

For more photos, please visit this link.

It Has Been Three Months...

2010-03-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

... so I guess it's about time to blog again. Sorry I have been a slacker (as usual). I have been doing most of my updates on Facebook. If you have one and we are not your friend, please add us. Kevin and I share the same account - Kevin N Hayres Trask. If you don't have one, join the throng. It's kind of a "must-have" these days.

Here are a few updates:

1. Maternity Photos
My friend Lydia took these photos about 2 weeks ago (I was 37 weeks pregnant) and she did an amazing job. Here are only a few of my favorites. You can visit this website or this link to see the rest of the photos.

2. Baby Name
We have a name for our little girl - Reese. We still haven't decided on a middle name though.

3. PUPPS
I've had to deal with a pregnancy rash called PUPPS since right around my 2nd trimester. It is the most annoying, most irritating thing you can ever get while pregnant. You literally, without exaggeration, itch all day and all night long. If you follow the link above, you will see a photo of what it looks like. It's as uncomfortable as it looks in the photo. And mine wasn't a mild case so I've had to take a low-dose oral steroid to calm it down. Topical ointment didn't work. About 1% of pregnant women get it so you can just imagine how lucky I feel getting it. :) But thanks to Prednisone things have been so much better. My rashes have tamed a lot. You can still see some marks on some parts of my body but the most important thing is that I no longer itch. Well, maybe just here and there but it's bearable.

4. 3D Ultrasound
Kevin and I really weren't planning on getting a 3D ultrasound but in one of the many perinatal appointments I went to because of my PUPPS, they gave me one!

I'm curious to see how much of this photo she looks like.

5. Maternity Leave
I have been on maternity leave since last week and have been enjoying not having to get up in the morning to get ready for work. Ah, so much freedom! I spent my first week walking a lot at malls and some stores - which kind of also meant some shopping, and of course hanging out with some friends. This week I want to take it easy and just stay home especially since I can no longer walk normal. I waddle like a duck and I waddle slow that it takes me a while to get to where I want to. So aside from cleaning and getting the house ready for our little girl, here are some projects that I've been up to:

A little something for Reese's room. I will take full photos of her room when we've gotten rid of the study table that needs to be put in the garage.

All these below were my friend Lydia's idea. She is so creative and sewed half of it.

stuffed animals

burp cloths

bibs

6. Tomorrow's Itinerary
Well, tomorrow is the big day! I go in at 6am and we can't wait to finally meet our little girl!!! I just hope I can sleep tonight.

24 Weeks

2009-11-16T20:42:00.000-08:00

I'm running a little behind on my maternity book so I thought I'd post some of my recent pictures.

My belly honestly looks bigger than that.

I think this is a better angle.

I must say I am loving the cold weather. This is what I used to do a few weeks ago when it was hot - take an ice cold drink and press it against my face. Made me feel a whole lot better!

Kevin is 25!

2009-11-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

Happy 25th birthday to the best soon-to-be dad in the world! Kevin can now officially rent a car :).

Maternity Book - Month 2 Part 2 and Month 3

2009-10-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

Took a while for me to finish these due to some technical difficulties. I use Photoshop and I'm still learning how to use it.

Boy or Girl?

2009-10-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

Bring on the cute bows and dresses, we're having a little Hayres!

Maternity Book - Month 2 Part 1

2009-10-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

Maternity Book

2009-10-24T23:56:00.001-07:00

First page of my maternity book. Thanks Lydia for the template. You are one of the most creative people I know!

19 Weeks

2009-10-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

For Jennifer.

Reagan Library

2009-09-21T19:49:00.000-07:00

I am officially over my first trimester and I feel great! It has been so long that I have forgotten how it feels to be normal again. I told Kevin that as soon as we get a chance, we are getting out of the house so this past weekend we decided to go on a trip to the Reagan Library.

The Oval Office

The Marine 1

Reagan's Limo

Air Force One

Situation Room

This guys needs a C-section or a liposuction!

Richard and Genevieve came with us.

A piece of the Berlin Wall

First Trimester

2009-08-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

First of all, thanks to Kevin for posting the last entry. We all know he is definitely not a man of few words BUT he is not a blogger either so let’s all give him a big pat on the back for at least trying. :)

So now for the juicy details… Well, not really but some more info about my pregnancy... I am on my 11th week now and have been mostly sick for the past few weeks. I am hoping the ALL DAY morning sickness will only last during my first trimester and I will feel a lot better in a couple of weeks. I’ve heard some horror stories about this lasting all throughout the pregnancy and I just can’t imagine having to go through being sick until March. Just a few weeks ago, Kevin and I had to do a little trip to the ER. Because of too much vomiting, I ruptured a blood vessel in my throat and vomited blood. It was gross. And a little scary. We didn’t want to over-react so we called my doctor and the 24/7 nurse hotline and both directed me to ER to get checked. So off to ER we went. Of course, in the end, it wasn’t really a big deal. They gave me some meds and sent me home. Other than that little incident, everything is fine. Kevin has been great and has been very supportive and very sympathetic.

So here are our latest ultrasound. Our little baby is beginning to look like a baby. It was really fascinating to see the fast heart beat! 71 beats/minute. We are both very excited! We have been wanting this for a long time now. I don’t even know how many negative pregnancy tests have broken our hearts. Anyways, that’s all behind us now and we’re just very happy that our time has finally come!

It was hard to tell which one's the head and which one's the body.

Waving hi to mom and dad :)

Hello

2009-08-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

Hayres is with child.

Going Twice...

2009-03-28T17:35:00.000-07:00

Kevin starts school at CalPoly on Monday and we are both excited about that. However, that also means he can't come to the Philippines with me. Bummer. I tried to convince him to come for at least a week and miss some classes but my ever responsible husband cannot be misled. So since we will be apart on our 2nd anniversary, we've decided to celebrate early.

Destination: Coupa Cafe, Beverly Hills.

Kevin found this restaurant in Beverly Hills that serves Venezuelan food. He served his mission in Venezuela and has been dying to show off their interesting cuisine - what he ate or at least tried to during his mission. I liked it and would actually eat there again if he doesn't mind the more than an hour long drive. But that's me, I can eat anything! Kevin really has such a simple taste in food and he never gets excited about anything foodwise. Everything to him is just "alright". But for the first time ever, I saw a twinkle in his eye when he had sip of Frescolita. Ah, memories.

Kevin had pabellon.

And I had arepas.

We stopped by Mulholland Drive also and saw this magnificent view. Unfortunately, I was wearing flip flops and did not have the guts to hike on them. We'll take a closer look next time.

We did, however, see a real life actor! Morris from 24! Or Carlo Rota - his real name. He's really not that famous but he is in 24 and being major followers, that's pretty exciting for us. When people find out we're from California they always ask whether we've chanced upon any celebrity and we always disappoint them... Now, go ahead and ask us :).

This is his house, we think.

This is what Kevin got me for our anniversary:

Yup, Kevin wants me to aprender espanol. Goodluck to that!

And here's what I got him. He wanted one.

Yup, husband dear is a hard-core conservative.

2 weeks seem like such a long time. It would be great to be with my mom but I am also sad to leave husband dear behind.

Mom

2009-03-28T17:30:00.000-07:00

I will be flying to the Philippines this Sunday to see my mom and will be staying there for 2 weeks. It sounds like fun doesn't it? Indeed it would have been except that this time I am going there to be with my mom for her surgery. My mom developed a cyst in her ovary which has, in time, grown as big as a baby. How in the world did it ever get that big? I can only think of one reason - because she's such a selfless person who's always busy taking care of everybody else but never herself. We have, actually, noticed the belly expansion but never thought anything of it. We thought it was mostly because of weight gain until recently when my aunt visited her and noticed that it has gotten bigger and convinced her that she should get checked. Plus she never complained of any pain - whether she had any at all, I don't know, but that is just so typical of her not to complain about it. She is such a strong person and a great example to me. Through these all, I saw how such an amazing person she is, well loved by many, not only by her family but many others who know her. We are all very hopeful that things will go well. Thanks to all who have kept and continue to keep my mom in their prayers. When you have to be strong for some people it is such a blessing to have someone who can be strong for you. And for that I am most grateful for my dear husband.

Photo Ad

2009-01-17T22:13:00.000-08:00

Every site needs an ad so here's mine. I don't think I've ever mentioned it but it was my friend Lydia who took our wedding photos and she did an awesome job as can be seen in exhibit A (see main blog photo). Check out her website to view more of her work.

Also, she has this brilliant idea of giving out a free photoshoot and great discounts. Check it out if you want one!

Burke Williams Spa

2009-01-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

I spent one afternoon with some of my friends "pampering ourselves" at the Burke Williams Spa. Loved the massage, the fruits and the company but I think I'd choose shopping anytime over spending a day at the spa. I don't think I need a spa to relax. Being at home relaxes me. Spending time with my husband relaxes me.

Santa Barbara

2009-01-17T20:30:00.001-08:00

I had to do a site survey in Carpinteria for one of my projects at work so instead of being lonely and driving out there by myself for 4 hours (round trip - I hate driving), I decided to do it on a Saturday so Kevin can come with me. We made it a fun little stay-cation and spent the day in Santa Barbara, it's neighboring city.

Kevin thought I was joking when I said I was going to post this picture.

We ate at this teppan grill place called "Something Fishy".

Of course, I had fish! I love sushi!

Kevin and his fork. Who wants to eat with chopsticks when you can chow down your food with a fork, right?

Mt. Rubidoux

2009-01-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

A co-worker who is also a photographer needed some couple photos for his portfolio and asked that Kevin and I pose for him. He took us to Mt. Rubidoux but it was a little hazy that day so he didn't get the effect he wanted. But we enjoyed the hike and the grand view of Riverside City! Yeah...

Here are some that we took from our camera.

Updates Galore!

2008-12-31T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'm back! Life has been crazy busy that I haven't had time to post. Here are a few highlights from months past:

We've Moved!

We have been inspired by our friends Mike and Courtney who just purchased their new home that we have decided to follow suit. We haven't bought one yet though. We are still currently house-hunting, which is one of the reasons why we've been pre-occupied. We have, however, put in a couple of offers and are waiting to hear from the banks. In the meantime, we've moved in with Kevin's parents in Ontario.

Kevin's 24th Birthday!

Husband dear turned 24 in November. He is probably the richest man I know, the hardest person to gift a present to because he never wants nor needs anything. Luckily he is easy to please so as long as I don't go shopping, he's a happy man.

with brothers Mark and Steve

Cactus Cooler - ah what joy!

Prop 8
Of course there was the craze about Prop 8 that sent us out in the streets holding up banners to encourage people to support our cause. It was a relief to know that a lot of people still believe in the traditional marriage and are willing to protect it. Yes on 8!

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving was spent with Kevin's parents. My family usually has a big thing on Thanksgiving but this year, some of them couldn't make it so we scheduled it on another day so that worked out really well with us.

We all got this Nativity as a Thanksgiving present from Kevin's parents. It was hand-crafted and made in the Philippines.

Lakers vs. Knicks

What can I say, I am a Laker fan. I come from a family of sport spectators and basketball is definitely at the top of that "must follow" sports list. Kevin scored some cheap tickets from razorgator.com so we invited his brothers and their wives for a fun-filled night at the Staples Center. It was a quite a game! The Lakers trailed behind the Knicks all throughout the game. Towards the end of the 4th quarter, they finally stepped it up a notch and clinched the game from the Knicks by 1 point. We had so much fun! My throat still hurt the day after.

Steve and Chelsea

Mark and Jennette

Christmas Tree Shopping

Since we didn't have a our own place to decorate this Christmas, we went with Kevin's parents to go Christmas Tree shopping. It was a nice little family trip!

Mark and Jennette joined us to get their tree as well.

Christmas Eve

The eve of Christmas was spent with my brothers who both live in Anaheim. My family (or Filipinos in general) celebrate Christmas by staying up all night on the eve and waiting for midnight - we call it "Noche Buena". The night is usually spent eating (there is always a huge variety of good food!) and visiting. When midnight strikes, we all open our gifts together!

Brothers Randall and Juno

This is Happy, my brother Randall's girlfriend

Christmas Day...

... was spent with Kevin's family. Because of overlapping of years of people being gone on missions, this was the first time in 7 years that they were able to spend Christmas together as a family!

I am not a creative person but this year I decided to make my own cards.

Pedicab - this is a mode of transportation in the Philippines that my in-laws brought home with them.

Troy

Dylan

When the kids invade our room...

Jake

Super Brooke!

Make-up session with Auntie Hayres

Ta-da!

Treigh's Farewell

2008-10-26T21:17:00.001-07:00

My cousin Treigh gave his farewell talk today. He did very well, he actually sounded like he has already gone on a mission. We're so proud of him. He enters the MTC on November 4th and will be serving in Chile Santiago West Mission.

Treigh is on the left wearing a black shirt.

Time to eat! It's what we do best.

Chow time.

T
This is my brother, Juno.

This is my cousin, Valerie. Everybody thinks we look very much alike.

And of course, my loving husband, Kevin. :)

60th Anniversary

2008-10-26T21:09:00.001-07:00

Triple Date. Happy 60th anniversary Grandma and Grandpa Trujillo!

Disneyland

2008-10-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Kevin and I went to Disneyland with Steve, Chelsea and Dylan.

On our way...

Boo! We watched the parade and Dylan loved it!

Space Mountain

It's the happiest place on earth! :)

My Fave 8

2008-10-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

So I got tagged. I don't usually do these things but hey, in the spirit of blogging, why not...

Eight favorite TV shows:
1. 24 - next season is comin' up!
2. Privileged
3. Seinfeld
4. George Lopez - Orale!
5, 6, 7, 8 - We don't have cable so there's really not a lot to choose from. I don't mind though because I can't sit still and watch tv.

Eight favorite Restaurants: (this category I actually like!)
1. Arroyo Chop House, Pasadena - they have the best lobster I've ever had although it will probably take a long while before we ever go back there
2. Red Lobster - i'm a seafood lover
3. Dampa, Philippines - they have an in-house market where you pick out and buy fresh seafood and they cook it for you
4. The Cannery, Newport Beach - where my brother works, they serve great sushi
5. Le Ching, Philippines - for authentic Chinese food
6. PF Chang - for americanized Chinese food
7. Joey's BBQ - better than Famous Dave's
8. Coco Palm overlooking the great city of Pomona! - seriously, they have great lunch buffet
I can actually go on and on...

Eight things I did yesterday:
1. went to work
2. called my subcontractor in Utah
3. figured out how to mount canopies using eyebolts and turnbuckles
4. watched Privileged
5. attended a baby care class where we learned about car seats
6. ate a pomegranate fruit for the first time
7. hung out with my friend, Lydia
8. browsed through the new Ikea catalogue

Eight things I love about fall:
1. Kevin's birthday!
2. perfect weather - not too hot, not too cold
3. autumn colors
4. Thanksgiving!
5. "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"
6. leaves changing colors
7. pomegranates - now, one of my favorite fruits
8. general conference

Eight things I look forward to:
1. coming home to my husband
2. Christmas!
3. going to Tai Pan Trading - they just opened in California
4. my massage appointment on Tuesday
5. next month
6. seeing my primary kids on Sunday
7. baby shower I'm throwing for Lydia
8. Kevin's graduation

Eight things on my wish list:
1. have a baby boy
2. have a baby girl
3. have a baby boy
4. have a baby girl - in no particular order but yes, we want 4
5. a family car with more than 2 doors - we both drive coupes
6. a house with a big backyard
7. prop 8 to pass so I won't have to home school my kids
8. for my mom, niece Xacha and nephew Hans to move to California

Eight people I tag:
1. Lydia
2. Jennifer
3. Jennette
4. Megan
5. Emily
6. Heather
7. Natalie
8. Whoever is reading this post.
Show us your eights! Come on, you know you wanna do it!

The Joys of Teaching Primary Kids

2008-10-19T21:48:00.001-07:00

I teach the CTR 6 class in our ward and it is my favorite calling thus far. I am just amazed at how much one can learn from little kids! 2 hours of my Sundays are always interesting. It's definitely something I look forward to.

My little kids love being the teacher's little helper so, in class, I let them hold up my visual aids. And since I can also show so many pictures per class, I pick the ones who are most reverent. Today, one of my students asked why she wasn't chosen to hold up a picture. She really wasn't being loud but she refused to sit on her chair. Before I could say anything, one of the girls replied:

"Because you weren't sitting on your chair so you really weren't being reverent."

And then after seeing the other girl's sad face she said:

"But you did well."

During this time, she got all the kids' attention so she added:

"We all did well."

Isn't that the sweetest thing? I am so proud of her.

Priceless

2008-10-12T23:11:00.000-07:00

We love this commercial!

Maracaibo Venezuela Mission Reunion

2008-10-09T21:55:00.000-07:00

Event: Maracaibo Venezuela Mission Reunion
Date: October 3, 2008
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Venue: Tanner Building, BYU Campus

Kevin had a great time visiting with his mission buddies. Here are a few photos:

With President and Sister Rogers

Hislop, Kevin and Bunt (I only know them by their last names.)

Fife, Jensen, Kevin, and Bunt (Again, I only know their last names.)

Utah Trip

2008-10-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

We went to Utah. It was great fun! - Kevin

Brooke wanted to figure this out herself.

And she did. Good job, Brooke!

Kids grow up so fast.

Adorable.

Kisses.

I had fun playing with the girls.

Gramma G, Jake and Madisen

Kevin finally decided he wanted to contribute to our blog so the first line of this post is his. Here's my version: We spent this past weekend in Utah. It was a nice visit and we're greatful that most of Kevin's family came as well. Thanks John and Jennifer for letting us invade your home!

Hubby's New Hobby

2008-10-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Kevin recently joined a local softball league. This is his first time to ever play softball although he did play baseball back when he was younger. He does well so I am always a proud wife watching from the bleachers. He enjoys it a lot and I'm glad.

When he was first asked to join the team, he really wasn't so sure he wanted to do it. His reason: he felt pretty guilty having to spend some money on something he doesn't need - a trait I'm still struggling to learn. Kevin tries hard to keep me in check though. Sometimes, I still think "need" is relative. I did listen to last weekend's General Conference so I know that's not true. Anyways, this was how our conversation went:

Hayres: So you think you want to play?
Kevin: I don't know yet. Me playing means I have to spend some money on it.
Hayres: That's okay, Kevin. You don't really have a hobby right now. I think it's okay to spend money on a hobby.
Kevin: But you're my hobby.
Hayres: That's why it's okay to spend money on a hobby.

Pretty slick, huh? I did get a new blouse out of it. Although I think I'll stick to batting my eyelashes - that works sometimes as well.

Taken after Kevin's first hit. He was too quick to run I did not even catch him!

2nd hit. I did better catching him just as he was about to run.

Steve's (Kevin's brother) turn. He plays well, too.

And then it got darker and my camera started acting up so that's all from me being a paparazzi.

Privileged

2008-09-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

I am really liking this new tv series from CW. It airs on Tuesday nights at 9pm. CW is channel 5, by the way, we don't have cable. Contrary to what's usually swarming the tv scene (uh, rubbish) or the whole entertainment industry for that matter, this one is actually very wholesome. Megan, the lead, is very quirky and funny and conservative. I hope she stays that way. The show gives valuable lessons at the end of each episode which most of the time I agree with. I hope it stays that way. I guess we'll just have to see... For now, goodluck to Megan as she tries to save the two heiress she tutors from a life of Paris Hilton.

My rating: 4 Stars

Ally's Mission Call

2008-09-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today, my friend Ally got her mission call so we went to her little get-together to find out where she's going.

New Jersey, Cherry Hill Mission

We're excited for you, Ally, we know you're going to be a great missionary!

Kevin and I were matching. I didn't tell him until we were in the car when it was too late for him to change :)

Taken last week when Ally came to visit our humble abode.

Mini Vacation

2008-09-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Well, for starters, I got a new haircut. It's shorter than I originally intended but I love it! I have forgotten how much more convenient it is to have short hair. Kevin likes it although he still prefers long hair. Yeah, typical guy... It will take a while to grow it out so I'll enjoy it as much as I can. I don't know if he'll let me cut my hair this short again. We shall see...

This past weekend, Kevin and I went with his family on a mini vacation in Oceanside. We had a great time with everyone! I had a friend who visited us while we were there and she said I have very cool in-laws. I agree.

Walk at the Beach. It was a little gloomy on Friday and nobody was brave enough to take a swim.

Water was a little cold but you get used to it.

Troy refuses to walk on "unsteady ground".

He had to "test the waters".

Happy child!

Lunch by the pier.

Fish and chips and a pacifier.

The view.

Kevin was the champ! I didn't play, lucky for them.

Little Troy and Tita Hayres

Little man

This post is especially dedicated to Jennifer. :) We miss you guys!

Welcome Home President and Sister Trask, Welcome Home!

2008-07-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

I'm in my blogging mood so I figured I should try to post as much as I can while I have the momentum.

After 3 years of serving an honorable mission at the Philippines Tacloban Mission, the greatest mission ever (who wants to argue?), the Trasks finally came home 2 days ago. It was such a sweet family reunion especially since their family has tripled since they left with their three sons getting married and 3 grandsons being born. What a great blessing! We are so excited to have them home!

Here they are!

First time

Matching...

Another first

Li'l big Jake

Trujillos

This is Kevin's version of baby-talk. Troy seems to be enjoying it.

Bbq time! Notice Brooke in the left corner. She found a puddle and went swimming! It was hilarious.

Look at her soaking wet. Brooke and Dylan feeding the scary turtle.

The Past Two Months in Pictures

2008-07-05T22:33:00.000-07:00

It's about 10:30PM and we just got back from Missy and Diego's wedding reception. I wish I had taken photos especially of the kids. Brooke and Madisen looked so cute in their dresses and Jake was so handsome in his shirt and tie! I did bring my camera but I forgot to take photos. You know how it goes, you say hi to people, you talk, you eat, say hi to more people, talk to more people... which, by the way, brings me to why I'm still up blogging. I've talked to at least 2 people tonight who knew exactly the last time I blogged - 2 months ago. For those who kept checking, I apologize for being a slacker. For those who continued to leave comments, thank you. And to April and Jessica (nice to meet you in person) - this one's for you guys! Kevin made sure I post something tonight because he didn't want to pay April $20. Anyways, here are a few highlights in the past two months.

Kevin threw me a surprise birthday party - got people's number from my cellphone, called them up, told them what to bring. I was proud of him.

They didn't mis-spell my name. "Ayi" is what my family calls me.

First baby-sitting experience. Here's Kevin putting Audrey to sleep. She is Jason and Nicole's daughter.

Isn't she adorable?

Kevin was kept busy helping Mark revive their parents' backyard.

It was literally dead! This photo was taken after a lot of work had already been put into it. The weeds were much taller than me, which doesn't say much, but still...

But of course, they got it all ready for their parents' homecoming. Good job guys!

Meet the Parents. The Trasks had a few days lay over in Manila where my parents live. This is the first time our parents met and my mom and dad just absolutely love the Trasks!

Getting acquainted.

The first thing that Kevin said when he saw this picture was "That's us!". He claims that like his mom, I seem to know exactly when a picture is being taken and always ready to strike a pose while he, like his dad, just could not stop talking. I'm sure I can find a picture of us somewhere but that will have to wait.

The Trasks are home, by the way, but that deserves it's own post. I'll be back...

7,107 Islands - Part 1

2008-05-04T17:38:00.000-07:00

For 2 weeks in January, Kevin and I visited my so-called land of birth. It was a much awaited trip for a number of reasons. Here are a few:

1. When Kevin and I got married, my mom was not able to come due to visa issues - yes, it was pretty sad. So Kevin promised me we'll save up money to see her. It was a promise well-kept.

2. Coincidentally, Kevin's parents are serving a mission in the Philippines. It was a nice treat that hit 2 birds with 1 stone.

3. I was born and raised in the Philippines and since I moved to California in 2002, I had not gone back. After 6 long years, there were just tons of people to see!

4. Of the thousands of islands the Philippines is composed of, I'm embarrased to admit that before this trip, I have only been to 2. So we made it a point to explore more and went island hopping!

5. Food. I had a list. There are a few that I could not find here which, if I did, are ridiculously expensive. Plus they're never the same.

I'm guessing I won't be able to post all the photos I want to share under a single entry so this will constitute part 1. This is kind of long overdue but most of our family and friends have not seen them so here they are!

Dinner with my mom and dad

P day with the Trasks

Entrance to the cave. None of us knew what kind of adventure we were in for!
I almost wore flip-flops.

Beginning of the trek. As you can see, we were still smiling.

And then there were bats!

Caught one!

Disclaimer: None of the bats were harmed during the shoot.

We promise.

It was worth the hike.

There were ups...

...and downs.

Oh, poor child.

We finally got out.

But the adventure was far from being over!

That's just about the time I have tonight. I'll post more in the next few days... maybe weeks... or months...

Cultured

2008-04-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Kevin and I visited the Paul Getty Museum in an attempt to be cultured - at least in this aspect of art. Art appreciation is not exactly our forte but we figured, why not. We were mostly interested in paintings so that's where we spent most of our time. My first real taste of the art world was in my Humanities class back in college. I was excited to see actual works of famous artists like Van Gogh, Monet, Rembrandt, etc. I mean, we analyzed their works in class! Not that I recall what we actually talked about but it was a pretty amazing experience. Kevin, on the other hand, loved the religous paintings from before the 1600s. I personally think they were scary - the scenes and colors were too dark and even gory. Pretty ironic, isn't it?

On our way home, we paid Kevin's gramma Trask a visit. Kevin hasn't seen her in years and that was the first time I met her. We had a fun time visiting with her and his Uncle Robert. Gramma Trask has a very good sense of humor and I'd even say hip for her age - she's a big Laker fan.

A Year Past

2008-04-13T21:36:00.000-07:00

On April 7th, Kevin and I celebrated our first year anniversary. He definitely scored some husband points for taking me to Red Lobster for dinner. For those who know Kevin really well, well enough to know his sense of "practicality" in terms of spending money, this is a big deal. I grew up in the Philippines, an archipelago, where fresh seafood abound so not having it as much as I used to gives me huge cravings once in a while. And their mouth-watering TV ads do not help at all. I think it's great that they at least serve food for non-crustacean eaters. Even though it wasn't the house specialty, Kevin was satisfied with his steak. He isn't really picky with food. For desert, we went back to our place to enjoy our well-preserved cake top from our wedding which we saved especially for the occasion.
"We cannot believe it has already been a year!" was a common blurt out from people. All we can say is: time sure flies when you're having fun!