Merry Christmas! (Dec 25)

I am trying to squeeze in one last blog post before the end of the year.  Actually, before the end of the decade!  Can you believe it was 20 years ago when everyone was freaking out about the Y2K issue? I can because I was logging in those hours fixing those date formats on those computer programs!  Ahhh... those were my computer programming days! :-P

Let's start off with Christmas Eve.  I couldn't figure out what to cook but looks like we may have started a new tradition with Shepherd's pie for Christmas Eve dinner:

And looks who is sneaking my Guinness! Charlie!!!

And I wasn't sure how the "meatless" ground beef was going to taste but looks like the pie was a winner!  And actually, I had somehow put a pie crust underneath, which was not something you did with Shepherd's pie.

Boys didn't mind it at all!  And the somewhat vegan version was a good version for Bobby too.  And look, Graham said he saw something hold a wine glass like this.  Hmmmm....

Well, everyone had seconds so that was a success!  Now onward to opening one present on Christmas eve.  Graham and Charlie opened up the presents for each other:

Can't go wrong with Hex bugs, magnets, and Create your Own Crystals!

Now... we wait for "Santa".  I wonder if "Santa" over-did it this year with presents!

I think this one was wrapped perfectly!  I wonder who's handy-dandy job was that??! I'm going to say Bobby :-)

CHRISTMAS Morning!!!  And the boys were up at 6:30am.  Thankfully they let Mommy and Daddy sleep for a little bit longer and they were so patient that they didn't even sneak into any presents!

So while Mommy attempts to bake some biscuits...

... Graham and Charlie tuck into their Christmas socks:

It's amazing how quickly they go through their sock!  Mommy is just happy with her stocking stuffer - yup, new house socks!

Daddy gets a new Dodger throw - something he said he always wanted.  Wow, "Santa" IS good!

We have new additions to the "pet" family - a couple of shiny-sequin-stuffed animals:

Both Graham and Charlie both get Heely's too this Christmas.  These are the shoes that have wheels on the back heel.  I am finding out after a few times of putting these wheels on and off that we, I mean "Santa", should have bought ones where the wheels just tuck into the shoe.  Next time!

These plaques are self-explanatory.  The boys love it!  Thanks to Grandma and Pop-pop!

Thanks to the Gooi family, Graham and Charlie also got some gifts all the way from Abu Dhabi!  Who is so lucky!!!

And Mommy got a new violin bow.  Yay!!! Wait... does this mean I have to practice the violin?!  And I can't blame the squeakiness to an old bow??? ;-P

Graham and Charlie also got new sets of PJs and underwear from Grandma and Pop-pop.  And thanks to the Puncher family, we have some new PJs from the Roald Dahl Museum in England! Again, such lucky boys!!!

We left the bigger presents for last.  "Santa" finally delivered a metal detector for Graham:

(Graham and Charlie trying out the new metal detector)

... and a new scooter for Charlie!

And last but not least... Bobby and I finally decided it was time for the boys to have one of their own, except they had to promise - to be responsible and take care of this pressie:

Looks like the boys LOVE it!  It's a new HP Chrome book!!!

We really couldn't pass it up.  The offer on the Chrome book was 1/2 off!!!

The aftermath...

Okay, while that mess magically disappears later... Daddy and Charlie are having a game of chess.  Can't thank Grandma and Pop-pop enough for all these new pressies!

In the meantime, Mommy is trying to figure out how to make fresh pasta.  It's been a really long time since I last busted out the pasta maker!

 Charlie is busy being the camera-man:

We made some spaghetti and also some rigatoni:

Looks like this might be another new Christmas tradition.  Although the boys ate the rigatoni first and then when it came to the spaghetti, the novelty wore off and they started to complain about how they didn't like the smell and/or taste.  Hmmmm.... maybe I need to make the tomato sauce from scratch too??!

Merry Christmas everyone! And actually, at this very moment, a Happy (almost) New Year too!  I don't think Bobby and I will make it to midnight.  We all watched the Ball drop in NYC on TV.  That might be as far as we go, just like last year.  We are definitely getting old! LOL!!!

Here's to a wonderful 2020!!!

Music - Open Stage (Dec 8)

Both Graham and Charlie signed up for Open Stage at their music studio.  It was suppose to be held in November but there was a slight change of plans with the studio.  So anyhow, that gave the boys a little bit more time to prepare!  And well... okay, I sort of made them sign up, but I think they both really had a good time showing off their skills!

Graham was actually second up on stage.  Not sure if he was all ready for it (I know I wasn't for him!), but you could see his deep breath after his first song. Ha! Ha! Too cute!

Graham's video: https://youtu.be/cMK4_co1R2E

I am so proud of him!  And he was so confident with his 2nd song - Up on the Housetop.  That was a song he was also practicing for his school ensemble.

And Charlie did really well too!

Charlie's video: https://youtu.be/K-Bnt9l1EnQ

I love Charlie's "thumbs up" at the very end.  He KNOWS he did well!

And can't thank the boys' teachers enough for putting up with these two monkeys:

Hopefully Graham and Charlie are motivated for another Open Stage again.  We're thinking of a duet perhaps. No date set yet but will update when it does happen! :-)

Holiday Singalong - Walt Disney Music Hall (Dec 21)

First of all, what an amazing building!  It makes quite an impression when you drive up to it:

Okay, maybe it's more impressive if I actually had my camera phone in focus!  We were still in the car driving... and then there's this interesting looking building next door called The Broad.  We later find out that it's a contemporary art museum.  Fancy!

Family we-fie!

We have some time so we head into the gift shop.  Of course!  I mean what else would we do with so much time to spare:

Love this store!  What interesting items:

Unfortunately, everything is so expensive!

Ok, back outside.  Quite the amazing architecture:

Onward to another part of the building:

The boys are having fun with all the reflections on the building:

And check out this sculpture!

It's called "A Rose for Lilly", also designed by Frank Gehry (who designed the Walt Disney Music Hall).  The Rose is a tribute to the late Lillian Disney and her love for Delft porcelain and roses.  It's beautiful:

So many Delft pieces!!!

Okay, time for the Sing-along!  The theater is so pretty.  Our seats were located behind the stage/choir.  The grand piano is to the right and then, the organ is to the left:

The organ is actually connected to this organ located not too far from our seats:

Check out these PIPES!!!!

 

Here is our program for the afternoon.  The conductor also had a side-kick - a lady who is a singer/comedian/actress if I'm not mistaken.  It made the entire show quite entertaining!

The conductor (who also had an amazing voice by the way) at one point had the entire crowd turn on the lights on their cellphones.  Since I had my phone out, I was able to conveniently take this photos :-)

The Sing-Along was especially fun when we all sang the 12 Days of Christmas.  A different portion of the theater was responsible for singing a different Day and we had to stand when it was our part.  Definitely something the boys will remember despite the origami they were making during the concert: 

All done with the concert!  A quick photo of the Christmas tree in the building:

So since there was still some daylight, we decided to venture out and get some dinner.  So remember that building next door?   The boys were trying to climb it:

It almost looks believable!  Graham actually took this photo.  And I took this one.  Ha ha!

These old olive trees next to the building were amazing looking too:

I actually wanted to find this old bookstore and somehow we came upon this - a funicular??!!

 The Angels Flight Railway has been opened since 1901!!!

What a fun find for all of us, although now we are $4 short going down the hill and will be another $4 down when we have to get back UP the hill:

That or you can take the stairs... NOT!

And then, we find this entire building packed with food vendors!!!

The boys were being quite grumpy about not wanting to eat this and eat that.  We eventually get through dinner and find some abstract art by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) on the way back to the car:

Back by The Broad and guess what... admission is FREE!!!

Okay, love the Venetian plaster but maybe not the 3-story tall escalator??!

Some pretty artwork here by Jeff Koons!  I think the kids are oblivious at this point as they were busy trying to solve a kids' game:

We did find some other interesting art!!!

Graham gravitated towards this train for whatever reason.  I am just finding out this is one of Koons' work too:

 And then of course, there is Jeff Koons' Blue Balloon Dog.  How cute!

And oh, I am finding out Koons' Rabbit sold for $91 million in an auction this past May.  WHhaaaat...??!!!!

This cute little thing... $91 million dollars... a record as the most expensive work by a living artist to be sold at auction:

Tulips by Koons... I love our reflections in it :-) 

Okay, that's it for the night!  A quick photo of Los Angeles City Hall before heading to the garage:

I'm just glad our car wasn't towed away and/or the garage wasn't locked up by the time we got back to it.  As per my trips to downtown LA, I am still haunted by the thought of the minivan being towed during our trip to La Brea Museum.  Ha!

PS. I did get a little souvenir from the Walt Disney Music Hall gift shop - a ring that almost replicates the "Rose" for Lillian Disney.

What a fun adventure today!