Konichiwa!

My good friend Violeta and her husband Brian moved to Japan last fall to begin a new assignment with the Navy. They were in California for a brief visit last week and were sweet enough to come see us. 

Violeta brought adorable cotton kimonos for the two boys. They are beautifully made and lightweight for summer play. I think Lucas-San and Cruzy-San look kawaii, don't you?

Dads and Donuts

Since the school year comes to an end in just two weeks, the preschool class celebrated Father's Day a little early. Randy joined Cruz last Friday for "Dads and Donuts". They snacked on mini donuts and fruit while enjoying the sunshine. After making a funky little keychain using colored sand, the little preschoolers performed two songs for the crowd of dads and grandfathers. 

Randy even got a present - a rock painted in glitter by Cruz! The tag read "My Dad rocks because he does cool dances". Awesome! 

Mother's Day 2013

Mother's Day weekend was busy, but in a low-key way, if that makes any sense. The weekend kicked off with a "Moms and Muffins" event at Cruz's preschool to celebrate mothers and grandmothers. The event was held in the school's play yard and we were able to enjoy the sunshine, catch up with friends and do a fun little craft with our kiddies.

Posing in the preschool's garden

Decorating a picture holder

On Saturday we took the boys to San Francisco to visit the Aquarium of the Bay since we had free tickets. It's a really small aquarium, but for toddlers with short attention spans, it's just right. The boys especially loved touching the star fishes and sting rays.

Fun times with sea life

In awe

Family fun

After brunch at Ironside, we headed over to Berkeley to do a little furniture shopping. We checked out the Wooden Duck and Urban Consignment, which are both very cool stores offering unique furniture. And both are eco-friendly which just makes me happy! We didn't purchase anything but got some good ideas of pieces that might work in our house.

Goofing around inside an extra large wooden frame

Mother's Day rolled around and I woke up to fresh flowers and a nice spread, courtesy of Randy: bagels with cream cheese, scrambled eggs, bacon and fresh fruit. I tried to eat a small portion since we had a big meal lined up for lunch at Ad Hoc. Some of you may recall that this is where we went for Mother's Day last year, and I loved it so much, I decided to go again this year! I am a huge fan of Thomas Keller, and I love Ad Hoc's laid back, family-friendly vibe that still serves a 5-star menu. You can't beat it!

Yay for the orange box!

I didn't open Cruz's gift until we got home. It was a homemade necklace with his thumb print - sweetest gift ever.

My new treasure

Last stop for the weekend was the cemetary to visit my mom's grave. I am so, so, thankful to have been raised by a strong, smart, generous, unforgettable woman and I hope I make her proud every day.  

I am a lucky lady