Frightfully Fun

This may have just been our most wholesome year yet. All clad in a red $10 Forever 21 dress, black leggings and a skull dotted scarf tied in as a belt and a $4.00 headband from the halloween store, I’ve visibly transformed into Minnie Mouse. At least in my mind I did. I’m not out to win the grand prize anyway, although I seriously considered a zombified alternative - a dead mouse - but ultimately fell into the throes of lethargy and decided wholesome will do for this year.  

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

You can see it but she's rocking a black AC/DC shirt underneath her polka-dot wholesome-ness!

Friday night was HubbyHubs birthday party at home with family which we conveniently theme apropos to said lethargy. A Pajama party! I had cooked all afternoon and so in spite of the public appearance of my Muumuu my hair smelled of the essence of fried chicken and baked spaghetti. Truly frightful. The rest of the weekend was slathered with a generous serving of friends and fun - and a decadent mousse cake.

Boo!

Trick or Treat tonight around the neighborhood!  Tonight’s cast of characters included, a Jedi soft serve ice cream cone, a banana, a medieval couple, a dinosaur, batman, Gumby, a german maid and Pocahontas.  The chill in the air was definitely one of the season’s trickeries, but then that’s the Bay area for you. Warm and inviting one moment and a chilly micro-climate shift three houses down the road later. 

Still, Minnie Mouse and her crew - friends and family in tow, trotted on with pea coats and hoodies and held on to her candy pail for dear life. I have to say, that really cracked me up. How she held on to it ever so tightly, so alert, curious and surprisingly quiet during the walk though of houses. Even when exhaustion crept up on her halfway through our candy route, she refused to be carried and soldiered on, albeit holding Daddy’s hands until we decided it was getting too cold for the little ones. 

Notice Gumby and his friend, the Saber wielding Jedi Soft serve cone.
Gumby, Batman and Elmo. Randomness.
No Mandarin! NOT the Almond Joyyyy! Nooooooo!

Back home, all the candy was for the taking. All TEN of it. Not much loot this year and definitely a step up from last year, Mandarin munched through the packaging; Whoppers was her favorite and her friend (two weeks younger than Mandarin) actually broke through the packaging and thoroughly enjoyed the sugar rush of a Crunch bar. 

Now that Halloween has officially passed, it now shifts to that time of year when everything runs on warp speed. Thanksgiving. Road trip! Parties. Birthdays. Parties. Then Christmas; parties, and before we know it a new year dawns on us. So many incredible opportunities to celebrate and memories to create that I can easily lose myself in the labyrinthine hallways of to-do lists. 

And so. 

I need to stop and breath and pause to feel that chill in the air.  The scent of the holidays and its slew of party hats, dinner plates and ornaments are set to arrive and I want to make sure that we are right there and ready when it does, because we are thrilled to welcome it back into our home. 

Hope you all had a spooktacular Halloween weekend! 

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Weekend Roundup

This weekend was gratuitously graced with light and warmth - and we love it when a plan comes together! There's always something to do with the kiddies when aboard your Red Tricycle! 

Besides, I've been wanting to go back to the zoo ever since our first trip because Mandarin and the girls were far too young ( translation: they could care less about the animals and mommies just wanted a day out! ) and lately, I've noticed that Mandarin has shown much interest in animals.   

So, Off the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo it was.  We could have gone BIG, SF Zoo big, but decided to keep it manageable and non-committal.  

There was a good lot of creatures and critters there. Not your average petting zoo; with bobcats,  raccoons, ferrets, a beautiful peacock and other colorful birds, and a simulated African cave with clusters of bats. Let's not forget the affable host of this joint - this fellow right here and his entourage of ducks too. 

I want a golden egg for easter!

Mandarin on Bunny Watch. 

Leaf prints all around. You don't notice it at first, due to its subtle print. 

"Quack, Quack" says the duck

Carefully scheming for a Bunny Bust!

Mandarin encounters her first bridge.
Hesitant, alone. Brave and assured while Daddy holds her hands across the bridge.

She kept going back to the bridge, determined to conquer it herself. Even on all fours.

We do not like large ceramic toads. 

Nonetheless, full recovery by the pond. 

What would I do with a golden egg.
Stick my tongue out and lick it, for sure. 

I find it heartwarming and amazing that such a place exists solely on the love a community has for children and the donations of visitors. The Junior museum and zoo is well kept, free, and best of all, clean.  It's a great place to educate young curious critters without having to deal with a large crowd.  

Taking trips to sweet little spots like these on a weekend opens up more opportunities to do other things after. Off to a cafe or a thrift store - maybe both?   

Yeah, why not. There's time. ♥

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Tuesday Musings

Perusing through the virtual isles of Anthropologie on a cozy and foggy Tuesday while the baby sleeps is like rowing down a chocolate river with a giant straw for an oar while an Oompa Loompa watches over your shoulder. 

Just one sip, you think. But of course. Restraint as always. 

Even with this: The incredibly gorgeous Hip Cinched Blouse. I've had my eye on you for awhile now. And look - mustard!!!! 

Torture. Gorgeous.

or this

Because why wouldn't you need want the perfectly coordinated design of this Spanish motif of the Calvia Serving Bowl? With polka dotted glazed handles. 

Moving on. Merrily merrily merrily merrily, life is but a dream. 

A quick weekend roundup consisted of a generous swirl of family fun. A trip to premium outlets and a Sunday backyard BBQ. But with the transitional weather of warm days and cooler evenings, the sniffles have returned for both Mandarin and myself, and while we're thrilled to fall back into the season of snuggles, getting sick is not for happy-happy-joy-joy moments. 

The sun barely made an appearance today - the fog barely lifting above the hills like the droopy eyelid of a sleepy day. And that’s exactly what today feels like. Time for a warm cup of tea with Mandarin kisses. No need for concern on whether either one of us will catch the sniffles from each other.We’re sharing blankets - and a cold too.  

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Wonder Fall

This weekend we set sail for fall and went full speed ahead in seasonal bliss. In spite of warmer temperatures during the day, the evening moon brings the chilly cloak of fall into our doorstep with its train of crisp brown leaves from neighborhood trees and cinnamon-spiced air of baked apples and roasted pumpkins.  

I can sense it in the air - just like I did with Christmas in Manila as soon as the last quarter of the year rolled in. Growing up in the tropics pretty much meant that our four seasons were either heat, blistering heat, rain and apocalyptic typhoons. It was just either one of two: sweat or wet by fire or flood (It’s no surprise why I LOVE rain). Intuitively, every person on the planet can somehow relate to the motions that go into seasonal shifts; the essence of change within a full year’s closing transcends culture and geography. 

Nonetheless, it seemed pretty ridiculous to bulk up in cable knit sweaters, riding boots, and run around stacks of hay, schools of pumpkins large and small, pony rides  in 100 degree weather  - in the tropics! So we had ghouls and ghosts and all things paranormal instead and Halloween was a day’s event of tricks and treats and not a month long celebration of harvest and color and ultimately, thanksgiving in short, Christmas in Manila is what all the festivities of fall is for here. 

Tradition begins here for us. More than ever, I crave for shifts of color - the ochres, deep browns, crimson (lips and nails!) and all shades of mustard. Mustard, I covet you! I will slather anything with this color if I could. Hot dogs, pork chops but seriously, sweaters good enough to lick, scarves, bags, shoes, fabric. I want them all. And yes, there are ornamental gourds on my dining table and pumpkins on our front door because it’s the season to be jolly gourdy or as elegantly versed HERE. Classic. 

I am in shameless seasonal bliss. 

As far as family traditions go, this weekend’s Pumpkin Patch with close friends was a fabulous place to start. The journey of the year has brought us here, watching our children soak in the season where pumpkins aren’t (god forbid, vegetables) but an icon of fun and playfulness. Mandarin let loose and ran from one pumpkin to another like a little hummingbird, hovering for a moment and moving on to the next branch of curiosity fearless and free.  We chased after her at times, as evidenced by my tongue hanging out of my parched lips bullets of sweat dancing around in our brow .  

It is inherently human to crave change and this year’s journey into motherhood was nothing short of life changing. So much in you changes in motherhood. So much you don’t expect, like being capable of carrying a 22 pound toddler on your hip while you re-stock her diaper bag with one hand. While your left foot swiffers the kitchen floor. Also, being emotional (Psst...it doesn't end in pregnancy!) You’re heart breaks for the million things you cannot provide and afford for your daughter and then become reminded of the twenty things you can fully give her (such as the priceless commodity of love). 

Mandarin's First Pumpkin pick!

We crave change because we outgrow ourselves - and grow with our children, our husbands, and our friends. We unknowingly attune ourselves with seasons with almost primal conduct, as if a switch is flipped and all self-reflective wisdom is gathered, all things that have come into fruition are taken to make way for growth.

We all have reasons
for moving.
I move
 to keep
things whole.
- Mark Strand

Growing with my family is a blessing and I am all for the celebration of family traditions. Those that carry over from our family and unprecedented ones that my own family has yet to forge into being. Seeing this sign at the pumpkin patch was an excellent reminder of what is always most important in all things that we do.

Give thanks - for ice cream. 

Gratitude is always welcome guest in our home that comes and goes. Often times left out when the house is occupied with of loads of laundry, blatant routines, and things that simply need to get done.    Still, there will always be room for Gratitude.  Now that’s one guest that should definitely stay for good.  

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DIY: Ice Cream (Sundae) Place Card Holders

Squeeze a rock hard enough and a gem pops out. A day before Mandarin's birthday party, I was still in need of place card holders. I found it to be one of those decorative details that mattered when it came to the overall design of her party. And since my husband and I were unwilling to spend a ridiculous amount for the boring set of hearts and spheres sold at craft stores, we juiced our thoughts for something more exciting. 

It started with popsicle sticks. A grueling twenty minutes. Wood glue. Maybe a wood saw and a large question mark on how to make it all work together. Finally I ended up in the plant section of our craft store, picked out an adorable glass pot which I initially thought I'd fill with sand to hold the stick upright. 

Mister (Hubby ♥) grabbed a small styrofoam ball and checked if it was a good fit. It sat perfectly on the lip of the pot and we both thought - ice cream!  I figured the leftover japanese tissue paper I had left would cover the ball perfectly.

A small glass cup, craft sticks, styrofoam ball, pastel tissue paper, crinkled paper  (can be found at craft stores - used as fillers for gift bags etc.) 

Carefully round out the tissue paper around the styrofoam ball. Be gentle, they tear easily. Fill the small cup with the filler paper - just about halfway.

And just like that. You've gotten crafty!

Vintage Ice Cream Parlor Printouts
Thank you very much! 

Place card holders - in less than 10 minutes! 

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DIY: Sundae Bowls (Party Giveaways)

Yes. I am aware that it's no longer summer and that Mandarin's birthday was a month ago, but an excellent DIY project I made for her party turned out so simple to do and good enough to eat and good enough to share. However late it may be.

Pastel colored Ice Cream bowls. Fill with candy, toys and all things sweet and nice.

Pastel colored tissue paper. Fold it into itself ( keeping the top smooth) until you make a small "scoop " of ice cream. 

Medium sized "cherry" red pompoms (from your local craft store) 

Glue!

It's all coming along nicely. 

Good enough to eat!

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