The life and times of the Truong family.
posted by Annette Truong at 2:42 PM
My coworker Joyce's last day at work today. Celebrated (mourned?) at Miyakes in Palo Alto. California is going to miss you!
posted by Annette Truong at 1:30 PM
E has mixed feelings about dropping ballet for the summer.
posted by Annette Truong at 12:06 PM
This is the first year passports are required (and they mean it this time!) for travel between Canada and the USA. I, of course, just mailed my application in last week. I took Mare's class on procrastination and passed with flying colors. I just had a pang of dout - did I remember to put my birth certificate in with the application? Yikes! I hope so.
posted by Annette Truong at 9:27 AM
Probably the most-asked question I have received about our road trip plans "how will you keep yourids occupied!?" Well, I won't lie and say that it's easy. We have learned over the years a few tricks. 1 the tub of activities you see between J&E contains: books, coloring/activity pads, pencils, 2 Nintendo DS's, games, puzzles, binoculars, and other assorted toys. Here you see J&E enjoying a movie on a tablet PC (headphones on a splitter so they can both listen while the adults enjoy music or silence up front). Everything that consumes electricity has its own car charger, and in addition we have a dc to ac converter to keep the laptop running (it provides a "regular outlet" in the car). Coupled with lots of rest stops, and some mandatory "quiet time" (gotta enjoy the scenery now and then), as well as naps, we usually don't have much trouble driving long distances with our kids.
posted by Annette Truong at 9:21 AM
There used to be a trail you college alkaline down, at Hell's Gate, my mom said. It's all fenced off now, we just admired the gorge from the tops we didn't want to pay nearly $100 to take the tram down!
posted by Annette Truong at 9:12 AM
Nothing pleases J&E more than a nice little BBQ outside. We are pretty good at getting a fire going efficiently. The trick? Lots of small dry things. 6 weeks of this is what J is looking forward to!
posted by Annette Truong at 4:34 PM
More 1337 outdoorsy practice. "Yes of course you're allowed to walk on the log in the stream." Hey, in the city, this opportunity doesn't happen often.
posted by Annette Truong at 4:30 PM
J here is making his move on "Wings of War", a game I got for my birthday this year. The idea is to fly your little plane around the table shooting down the other planes. It's really fun but another game we'll likely leave at home rather than take with us.
posted by Annette Truong at 4:25 PM
"J, go out to the coop and get some eggs."
"E, help me mix some pancakes."
"T, make me an iced coffee?"
Saturday breakfast action.
posted by Annette Truong at 3:23 PM
"J, go out to the coop and get some eggs."
"E, help me mix some pancakes."
"T, make me an iced coffee?"
Saturday breakfast action.
posted by Annette Truong at 3:21 PM
"J, go out to the coop and get some eggs."
"E, help me mix some pancakes."
"T, make me an iced coffee?"
Saturday breakfast action.
posted by Annette Truong at 1:37 PM
When E saw the cute bed with toys and quilt set up at pbfk, she was ready to move in on the spot! She asked me to photograph the toys so we could make them ourself one day. It makes me wonder if we should take sewing supplies on our trip...
posted by Annette Truong at 9:36 AM
E and I are on the little train at Vsona park in Los Gatos. I briefly contemplated making this summer's road trip a train trip. But it wouldn't offer us the same flexibility, s ee that plan pretty early.
posted by Annette Truong at 9:34 AM
J is going to miss out on a lot of cub scout activities this summer. He was sad because he heard about the camps and activities they had planned. He perked up when I reminded him we'd be camping nearly every day for 6 weeks. "I'm the best mom!" Oh man. What have I committed myself to...
posted by Annette Truong at 9:29 AM
We sometimes look after our neighbor's dog, Strider. Strider is a white german shepherd and one of the best behaved dogs I've ever met! He's a big fuzzy polar bear. Here E and neighbor-girl A are playing in the park with Strider.
posted by Annette Truong at 9:13 AM
What? Williams Lake? A small town like that shouldn't have one of the coolest visitor centers in all of BC let alone all of North America, yet it does. Here you see the bottom of the tree trunk that extends from the basement to the ceiling and is the main support of the entire building.
posted by Annette Truong at 9:10 AM
We have really been prepping for this Year's 6-week monster road trip with smaller excursions to BC and NM over the years. The photos here are of J&E at a rest stop in BC last year.
posted by Annette Truong at 6:52 PM
J&E both love Runebound! Sadly it's too bulky for our road trip, but here are the games we will be taking: boggle, pass the pigs, Scrabble (travel) Catan (travel), yahtzee, myword, pokemon, and cards.
posted by Annette Truong at 10:34 AM
J had a fun time getting to know our "neighbors" on the kids free fishing day. He tried for 5 hours to get a trout, and all we got was memories! Next time...
posted by Annette Truong at 10:12 AM
A couple weekends ago we were practicing our 1337 outdoor skills to prep for our road trip. We went fishing on "kids fish for free" day at the Campbell Perk Ponds. J came away empty-handed (and very dejected) but E got a little 2lb trout! Notice how she's wearing a hand-made *dress* to fishing day. (She has gumboots on underneath, so I guess that it's all good). -A
posted by Annette Truong at 10:10 AM
Testing testing 1-2-3. Mi-mi-mi-mi...
posted by Annette Truong at 7:58 AM
