The Next Brother’s Birthday Post

Dear Matt,

I hope you had a good day today.  You probably spent today being a totally fun and involved dad, because you totally blow me away with how you do that job.  Everyone who has watched you parent, comes away with reports of patience, thoughtful discipline, love and enjoyment.  How great to do that important job so well!

 

You and I have something that no one else in the world can share:  we get where each other came from….like no one else does.  Since we are 14 months apart (and all the rest of those siblings came at least 7 years later), we had many of the same experiences:  the same learning-how-to-be-parents parents, the same houses (in Va, Ut, Wy, Ca), the same memories of hanging out with the Christensens, making up games in that suite in San Fransisco, re-enactments of Star Wars, the log we kept of the songs on the radio. 

You were my first best friend.

 

You are funny.  You tell the truth.  You love deeply.  You change yourself to become better.  You love the Lord and serve him.  You are smart.  You are athletic.  You deserve a great birthday and a great year.

I feel lucky that I got to grow up with you. 

Love,

JellWaba

Mid Autumn Lantern Festival.

This year, i celebrate my lantern fest with my special one, with her family and relative member.and Mid Autumn dinner with them all :)


Mid Autumn Festival. it's TangLung time! Lantern Session!


"i light them up, all theses lantern " she say..


Shin lee family reunion day.


Traditional lantern and modern lantern.. hmph...


So happy with the Colorful Lantern's. and a special Winnie The Pooh Lantern.

Lantern Lantern Lantern, Light up Mid Autumn Festival :).

The post we’ve all been dreading: The California Trip Recap

**disclaimer:  real camera lost in Disneyland (I know.  I have real camera-keeping problems.), so all photos are from the iphone or other’s non-lost cameras.  Lucky for you this means less pictures.)

First, we stayed with my dad and step-mom, where the kids took part in the normal activities:  swimming, golfing, fishing:

and the less normal:  a trip to the Jelly Belly Factory.  (All agreed…not exactly worth the hour drive.)

Ryan got to “work” from home for the week we spent in Northern California.  Faith was a BIG help:

Then we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Romney for the usual days in the pool

trips to the park, In N Out and Yogofina.  (Apparently I relied heavily on the actual camera for this part of the trip, as I have no evidence that we did any of these things.  Boo.)

We also celebrated Gabe’s birthday during this week, with some Caramel French Toast, bacon and hashbrowns:

and a trip to San Francisco, where we got to see Tammy at the oldest playground in America (VERY cool)

and walk her dog (big highlight.  You know how you know how fun it is?  How many fights erupt.)

and eat shrimp at Pier 39.

We capped the night off, with some strawberry cake (made by Grandma)

and LOTS of birthday money which has turned into this bike:

 

After 6 days in Northern California, we got back in the lovely van and headed to Sunny Southern California for Sam’s Wedding to Stephanie (does she look like she belongs in our family or what?):

(Almost all my siblings):

(Me, insisting we get a family picture “I don’t care what Faith’s doing!!!”)

(Outtakes from while we were in the temple)

(Rate the comfort of my shoes on a scale of 1-10)

Coincidentally, Seth’s Birthday was also the day of the wedding.  Here he is telling you how old he is, while on the temple lawn:

We tried to celebrate with balloons and Cookie Crisp in the hotel room:

He even got to have the entire reception sing to him, with a piece of wedding cake:

He also got a few presents after the reception was over.

I tried to make this big, awesome surprise about going to Disneyland for Seth’s birthday.  But it flopped because a)big-eared eavesdropping older kids heard, apparently, ahead of time and, thus had no reaction and b) clueless younger children, apparently, don’t realize how awesome Disneyland is and THAT IT COSTS THEIR PARENTS HALF A COUCH to go for one day.  Oh well.

But go to Disneyland we did.  Even if no one cared. 

We met up with Ryan’s brother Greg and his wife Christy, who live in Texas and just had the best three days. Grandma and Grandpa drove down for some fun, too. Some obligatory D-land pictures:

Can I also just say?  Disneyland is worth every penny.  So clean, so friendly, such a nice day, such a great way to be with adults, big kids and little kids alike.  I, truly, had the time of my life.

We also hit the beach (so fun)

 

and ate lots of food and talked until waaay too late in the night with the Texas Romneys.  LOVE those guys.

We headed back up to Northern California for a one day pit stop and then began the 15.5 hour drive back home.

47 hours of driving, upwards of $2000 on hotels, food, gas and theme parks, 2 birthday boys, 13 days, 6 different places to sleep, 2 lovebirds, ALL sides of the family =  Way more fun and WAY less stress then we’d thought.  Thanks for the memories, California!

Bright and Dark Side of Genting Highland.

i got myself a free 3 days 2 night staying in genting as a membership of World Card. since i will be spending 3 days in genting. will gonna explore more about genting. maybe some place i never been before? and it's MalaysiaDay, i will spend this day in Genting Highland.

Let's look at the BRIGHT SIDE of GENTING HIGHLAND.


Genting Highland here i come. stop by roadside to take this picture. the glowing mountain. the casino that never sleep is located up there.


Genting Highland. now only i notice.. the Logo here did mentioned it's 6000 Feet high.. hmph...

Largest moon cake discovered.. and it's real!!hungry?? i believe this 1 can share among all family memeber's. you need a big family members to finished it. "yee ma gu jie all come eat yuet beng!"


Eiffel Tower in first world. located inside genting highland.

Roller Coaster!! i love this ride ! damn ChiGik!!! love the 360 degree turn. damn nice. but the queue always damn long..


Another interesting ride.. but far different compare to first time i ride on this.. changed a lot.. first time i experienced this. it was shoot u up and let it fall down back. which give me no chance to shout. and now.. they removed the "shoot u up" part. just slowly move up. and just a simple falls. the goos things is you can enjoy the scenery a bit longer. fantastic view up there. especially night time.


Eye of Genting??? hmph...


This is my first time playing Theme Park Go Kart. my friend used to called it "Practice Zone". why? caused the kart here is moving slow... compare to Shah Alam Go Kart.


now.. everybody can fly.. in genting.. erm.. feel it at least :p. feel hot? (well at least i did). ride on this, let the wind blow your mind away.. weeeeeee


antique car... petrol powered? no? but got petrol smell every time i step on the gas wor. no? artificial? hmph...Petrol powered Antique car. just the steering doesn't really doing it jobs.


Double Decker also here... it's a Restaurant.. purchase your food and enjoy it in this double decker. but we didn't.. kinda WARM in there.


that's Genting Theme park, my last time entering theme park was years ago!! something did change in there.still a great place for happiness.



Let's look at the DARK SIDE of GENTING HIGHLAND.



we discovered hidden hotel? i never heard of this hotel. and can't event find it from Genting website.. it called "AMBER COURT".... curious about this hotel? let's find out more...


But when you reach another side of it... totally horrible!! blood!! blood!! blood stain on the hotel!!! OMG!!!! damn scary wei!! imagine you come to CHECK IN here during night time... another thing to mention.. there is NO STREET LIGHT along the road to this hotel. yes.. total DARKNESS!!


a close look... it's some soft of fungus... but since it in red.. it made this hotel more SPOOKY!!!


and even-though the building is old.. and can see most of them are forbidden for quite some time. but still some of them are well renovate. look like it still operating.. and some of the room still AVAILABLE, attached IF YOU DARE to stay here..

p/s: i'm not staying in this hotel. just curious and come here to check it out.. found it look more like a Haunted and abandon place rather than a hotel.

Adobe Max 2010 Widget

Have a little Faith

This is what’s up with her:  she’s MUCH better.  If you have been within listening range of me in the last month, go ahead and skip this post because I’ve already talked about it to you ad nauseum.  (Sorry.)

By better this is what I mean:

--she isn’t hard to take places anymore.  She still has trouble with transitions but I’ve learned how to deal with that 90% of the time.

--she doesn’t pull her hair out EVER.  She still tries to make herself barf, but hardly at all.

--she has 5 minute tantrums instead of 45 minute tantrums (except today.  But it was truly a total anomaly).

--she can calm herself down all on her own with the tools we’ve taught her.  She doesn’t do it every time, but when she does I want to kiss her and cry all at the same time.  (She tries so hard).

This is why she’s better:

--I prayed and prayed and fasted and prayed.  I know there are people who will think that the things/tools/books/therapies that manifested themselves to me are the result of my hard work and my own mind, but I know that I found them because Heavenly Father listens to me and answers my prayers by bringing things into my mind and life that help me solve my problems.

--I read the Spirited Child that 7200 people recommended.  It totally helped me re-work my mindset about the kind of kid Faith is and how to feel about it.

--We went to a counselor a few times for personal Faith advice.  She was great.  She says Faith is “an extreme example of a Strong Willed Child” but besides some possible anxiety issues in the future, there is no serious disorder or worry regarding her. (yay!)

--I received a few Priesthood blessings that gave me counsel for what I should do and confirmation when what I was doing was right.

This is what we’re doing to help her be better:

--Magic Breaths.  My friend Melissa left a comment about these and when I initially tried I thought “NEVER will this baby understand how to utilize these breaths in the midst of a tantrum”.  Until she did in the hall of the church when I said she needed to wait to have chocolate till we got home.  Watching the cute little kid suck breath in her nose and blow it out her mouth in an effort to settle herself made me die of love and gratitude. 

--Slowing down.  I am learning that I would rather be 5 minutes later to the grocery store than force her into her car seat.  I just make it her idea (“Oh WOW! JANE!  You are buckled in your seat!  THAT IS SO GREAT!  Oh, you too Seth?  Wow!  That is so fun!”  And in Faith goes, because she decided it was what she wanted to do.) and we have a much better errand-run.

--I don’t get angry.  You know why?  Because it’s not my fault she has a problem handling frustration.  I was feeling so angry because I felt like her behavior was a result of ME messing up and so when she flipped out, I felt guilty and then angry at her for making me feel that way.  When I’m not angry, I think SO much clearer and I handle her issues with love and empathy.  It changed everything for us.

--Staying by her as she tantrums.  I used to put her in her room, so as not to give the tantrum attention.  That is apparently NOT a good thing with this type of kid.  Leaving them in that out-of-control state is frightening for them.  When she tantrums, I stay within a few feet of her (even as she runs away and screams at me “MOOVE PEESE!!).  I remind her that I will be close by to keep her safe and I pull her hands off of her head or out of her mouth if she tries to harm herself.

--We use the same language every time.  “Magic Breaths, Faith”  or “You need to make your body calm.  We’ll go back to the living room when your body is calm” or “We don’t hurt bodies when we’re mad.”  That language is a trigger and she knows what we are saying, even through the crazy. 

Why I am better:

--I love that girl even more (if that’s possible).  Working with her, praying for her, sacrificing for her made me love her extra.  Plus, watching her try as hard as I was made me appreciate her strong, smart spirit and filled my heart with love every time.

--I know I can be the mom my kids need!  Sometimes you hear about women (hello, Shally! and many more) who truly sacrifice their lives/time/energy for their kids and you wonder if you’d have what it takes if that was your child.  My situation was much more mild, but I was able to stretch myself and communicate with Heavenly Father and receive revelation and change my way of doing things and way of feeling and I HELPED MY LITTLE GIRL.  Yay me!

Thanks for listening.  Being a mom is truly such a mental, emotional, spiritual challenge. I grow and progress and do great things every day in this job.  I’m grateful for good kids and the tools I need to be the mom they need me to be.