WSW

So, I'm a bit behind because I'm on vacation but this week's edition of West Sisters Weekly is on Ie Li's blog.

More from the beach later =)

West Sisters Weekly

So, Ie Li does a sisters' update with Steve's side of the family and I've been wanting to do it with the West sisters for a long time, so here is the premiere of West Sisters Weekly.

Ie Mei:

This Week:

• Spent every morning at the club watching Jackson and lance at tennis camp/watching Mylee and Ailee scooter and play at the playground while I tried to get to know a very nice mother of five from Bolivia.
• Spent four hours working with my Spanish tutor, Liliana.
• Exercised a couple times before the kids got up :)
• Had a tennis date with Brad and popped our tire on the way home.
• Taught Lumy, a young adult in our ward, how to make funeral potatoes.
• Prepared the funeral potatoes and homemade rolls for the five American missionaries in our ward.  Had fun --watching them devour the rolls and potatoes - foods they don't get very often in Mexico.
• Finalized the deal on a 2007 Passat.  I'm about to be a Mexican driver.

Next Week: 

• Big surprises from Ie Mei next week!

Vanessa:

This week:

• I took the kids to the Reptacular Animal exhibit and show at our local libraries.
• Devin got to hold an albino, Burmese python and Marina got to hold a canary. 
• On Friday nite, after an arduous week of earning 10 happy faces, Devin and Marina received the honor of accompanying mom and dad on our date nite to the Thousand Oaks Philaharmonics featuring youth soloist from the community.  The musicians were brilliant and the kids loved it.

Next week:

• our usual summer activities of piano, ballet, tennis, and swimming
• We are looking forward to heading out to the beach with family on Saturday.

Ie Li:

Last week:

• Swam
• Took the kids to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum on Wednesday
• Had a piano delivered to our house on Friday
• Summer school
• Played in puddles.
• Played in the sprinklers.
• Had dessert and played a game with Christine, John, Rachel, and Ken.
• Mei Li had princess ballet camp, which afforded me a few hours in the week to take two children to stores instead of three.  It makes a big difference.  I think Stephen enjoyed being the big boy.
• Got up at least a half hour before the kids woke up everyday.  I am hoping to make this a permanent habit.
• Made whole wheat bread with my new mixer.  The results were less than stellar.  I need to practice some more.
• Made pretzels as a family on Saturday.
• Attended the Redskins fan appreciation day on Saturday.

Next week:

• Go to Cafe Rio.  As much as I love Cafe Rio, I haven't been to either of the DC area ones that recently opened up.  I think I'll do that tomorrow.
• Search for a mirror and artwork.
• Another trip to the Air and Space Museum?  
• Summer school
• Swim
• Get up early and go to bed early
• Pack and go to the lake house in Pennsylvania with Rachel, Ken, and Christine (maybe John?)

Michiko:

This last week, I:

• got to hang out with Jonathan!  He's awesome, and I love the man he has grown to become.  I'm so super proud of his amazing study habits and achievements of this last semester! Nerds unite!  :B
• got to go to Ulta without kids.  I never go shopping, but I needed an anniversary present for the Jer-bear.  What do you get the guy who already buys himself whatever he wants?!  No, seriously.  What do you buy that guy?!  I bought some cologne, but I'll need ideas for later.  :)
• bought a few extras for myself while at Ulta!  I took advantage of Uncle Jonathan, who was patiently watching movies in the car with the boys.  After I settled on a cologne, I scanned the aisles super quick for something for me!  I had a 20% off coupon, I had to maximize it, you know?!  I found 2 things I'm excited about - a salt spray for my unruly hair, and RED lipstick!  I've always wanted to wear red lips, but have never been daring enough to try it.  What's the verdict, sistahs?!
• celebrated anniversary #11!  Jonathan watched the kids and put them down for bed so Jeremy and I could have a romantic date.  We went all-out for our 11th and drove to the city of love . . .  Stockton!  We hit the teacher supply store AND REI and held hands the whole time like love-sick teens.  :)  I know, I know, it's all too much, but wait!  There's more!  We had sushi and stayed out til 10 pm!  Kuh-raizy.  Just wait til you hear what we have planned for next year! (I kid, but Jeremy really did spoil me - he got me 2 new lenses for my camera and patio furniture for the back.  I can sit while I watch kids in the pool now!)
• finally got the primary program written!  That was a big load off my shoulders!

Next Week:

• celebrate Maika's 10th birthday!  It's going to be an EPIC party - even bigger than our anniversary!  We might get balloons!  And I think we are going to invite Maika's WHOLE classroom.  (Shhhh.  It's a surprise!)
• (Do I have any hope of the kids not resenting me when they get older?!)
• get passport applications submitted!  Both parents need to be present, and for having a husband that doesn't work Fridays, you'd think that would be easier to accomplish.
• make a loose D.C. itinerary and figure out which places I need reservations for.  
• mail Primary letters to the Elders serving in our ward. 
• try some vegetarian meals out on the boys - wish me luck!
• go to Benjamin Moore and pick another color for my kitchen.  I had high hopes for Martha's "enamelware" color, but it wasn't quite right.  I think I'm on try 6 or 7!  Who knew picking a blue could be so hard!
  
  
  
  Ie Ling:
  

This Week:

• worked 8 hours in front of a computer in one day. Major headache.
• had so many girls' nights because Blakers was on family vacation this week in Oregon.
• found a house to live in for the fall. Private Room. Piano. Theater Room!
• de-cluttered my closet with the help of my trusty friend, Martha.
• bought some  M.A.C. Fluidline in Dipdown. I would highly recommend it =)
• sported the side fish braid more than once. ( I also recommend this. It stays in much better than a regular one.)

Next Week:

• take a final for Business Law.
• spend an evening at Seven Peaks with Blakers for the first time since I was...five?
• Pack up all my stuff and clean.
• Run the Moonlight half marathon in my new shoes! (see post below)
• Fly to California for Beach Week!

Girls Only

This past weekend, Ie Mei and I went on a little girls trip with some ladies from the English-speaking ward. 

Just a heads up, this is kind of lengthy, so feel free to just look at the pictures. We embarked on our adventure to Puebla at about 8:30 AM on Friday and arrived at our destination around 11:00.

We ate at the most delicious sandwich shop for lunch. If you're ever in Puebla, Mexico, I highly recommend you go and eat here. Cemitas Las Poblanitas.

You see those spicy looking things? I put those in my sandwich. They were delicious, but I did work up quite a sweat eating them.

Puebla is famous for a type of pottery called Talavera, so after lunch we visited a workshop where they showed us the whole process.

 It's amazing how these artists paint everything freehand. Everything was beautiful. Later that day we walked through a lot of different Talavera shops and Ie Mei bought me a serving plate for my late birthday present. I may be biased, but I think my plate is the most beautiful piece that came home in our van.

Puebla has the most beautiful colored buildings with these cute stone sidewalks. This is my favorite picture of the trip. I just love my sister. She is beautiful.

Right after this beautiful picture was taken, we had a crazy hail storm. 

Being a Californian, and it being spring and all, I was of course wearing flip flops, but it eventually died down and we were able to visit some churches and go to dinner at an Italian/Poblano restaurant. Puebla is also famous for its mole which is a chocolate chili sauce. I figured I had to try it. Not my favorite, but I'm glad I tried something new. The churches on the other hand were lovely and I really did like those. 

By the time we were back at our hotel we were ready to pass out. The next morning we ate breakfast and we were on our way to Tecali, the Onix capital of the world. Ok, I made that up, but we shopped for hours and hours looking at all these different shops with all the same things made of onix. I found some good finds though. 

After all the shopping, I was glad to take a break and take a look at the church. I love this picture of this cute church with the bright blue sky. 

We walked down the street to the convent which is now ruins and it was really cool. It hasn't had a roof in I don't know how many years so now instead of an interior floor with stone, it is a beautiful grassy field. 

It was such a nice weekend with my sister and I'm glad I was able to visit so many interesting sites. The only down side is the sickness that Ie Mei and I have been experiencing all last night and today, but other than that it was a delightful, delicious, de-lovely trip. Thank you Ie Mei Lynn for a wonderful weekend!

P.S. This makes me smile

Posting twice in one day is probably a blogging faux pas, but this is well worth it. Seeing this wonderful sister of mine was a highlight of my day. I mean, look at how big I'm smiling =). Thanks for the chat, Ie Li Anne!

When we were chatting I accidentally ended our video call. Ie Li wasn't sure what happened when it said, "Ie ended the phone call," because it turns out we're both "Ie" on gmail. Haha. I imagine if Ie Mei was in on the conversation it would've been overflowing with confusion. Pun intended =).