Kings Canyon

  When the warrior ninja and I started dating, going anywhere with him was like going around with a celebrity.  People were constantly shouting out his name when we were out at restaurants and bars, every waiter/waitress and bartender seemed to know him, and we were always running into people he "knew from high-school".  Going to Kings Canyon for the annual camping trip he has been making for at least fifteen years is the exact same way.  What look like average campers to me as we drive by, searching for a campsite, suddenly transform into life long friends.  "Sang!!!  Man!  We heard you might not be coming this year!"  or "Sang!!  Is that you!?  I heard you have a kid!!!"  The entire campsite knows him.  He is welcome at all tents and around any table for dinner.  There are stories, legends really of the time Sang did...insert any small antidote here.  He is well loved and well known.

   I have gone to Kings for three years.  The first to Kings we were dating and only stayed one night, the second  trip I announced to my family that we were expecting, and this third trip we brought our beautiful son.  This third trip was special in that way while also nostalgic for the warrior as this may be his last trip for awhile.  We are moving to Indiana and so this journey was also a "good-bye" for now.

  Here are some highlights of the beauty of Kings and the enjoyment of being with family.

First catch ever!!!

Jumping off of "Party Rock"

Long time family friend "Chris"

 Aunt Anne Catherine with nephew Joseph :)

Uncle Sang with Eli's cousins!

Angela's mom and dad

Gotta show Eli sequoias before we move to Indiana!

The Best Days of Our Life: April, May, June, July

April

 

 

 

May

June

 Baptism

First time lifting his head up!

Fourth of July!

The Best Days of Our Life: First days home with our little baby.

First family photo at the hospital

 

First bath with Oma

 First car ride to Oma and Opa's house - 2 weeks old

 First book read to him by daddy, "Fifteen Animals".

First book read to him in dutch by Opa

Meeting Grandma and Grandpa for the first time.

Completely happy and in awe.

He LIKES us!!!!

The Best Days of Our Life: First day of HIS life!

Peering out at the world.

 

 

 Looking at mom for the first time.

 

Lifelong Love

 

Highlights

 Due to the fact that so much has happened since I last wrote I will quickly update with a few pictures.

 I not only learned how to crochet hats but I decided to crochet a blanket for my baby!  I will be honest, it was SO tedious!  I realized I am not one of those people that enjoy crocheting.  You know those people. The ones who can't wait to get home from work or put there kids to bed so they can relax and zone out by crocheting?  Yea...I only finished this blanket out of pure stubbornness and a desire to make something for my son. :)  I do LOVE IT though!

I did so well with the blanket I decided to make matching stuffed animals!

                                                                             

 

My Warrior Ninja actually became a hat making machine! He was making fun of me trying to learn how to make a hat and I challenged him to try himself.  Pictured is first hat.  His first of about 45 before the winter ended. :)  And of course one for our beautiful son to match!

 Above I am 8 months pregnant viewing the little garden my Warrior Ninja started putting together.  Below is the herb garden I have my love for his christmas present.  It has been so awesome having lots of fresh herbs for cooking!

 Below I am building a rabbit cage to keep my busy days before I gave birth to my son, the little ninja.

 

And of course we welcomed our beautiful son into the world!!!!

 Above: Six hours old! :)

 

Update!

     I have begun to accomplish some of the personal goals I had set for myself a month or so ago.  I am well on my way in crocheting a baby blanket and my Warrior Ninja has also unexpectedly jumped in!  He has been enthusiastically crocheting with me and is turning out really nice hats!  Already the "orders" are pouring in as cousins and friends see the one he wears around now.

    Since I have been feeling better I have been cooking a bit more.  I made a good split pea soup the other day and was surprised to find what a healthy and delicious option this is!  I added broccoli, potatoes and carrots as well as chicken broth and found that the potatoes made it taste a little creamy even though I didn't add milk or butter.  I also made another good soup from the "Bear Mountain" dry soup packets, adding vegetables, cream cheese, and some bacon.  This is probably not as healthy due to the sodium content and being a prepackaged food but it was a relatively cheap dinner as it will last as a few meals and so yummy!

    In the interest of saving money and paying off debt the Warrior Ninja and I are going to be moving in with our friends, and their three children (with one on the way in January).  It is a mutually beneficial arrangement I thin,k albeit somewhat counter cultural in an American society.  I am looking forward to having a full size kitchen to use though as our apartment kitchen is teeny tiny and doesn't even have a full size stove let alone counter space.  We get along with them very well.  It will be an interesting adjustment but I am looking forward to it. 

   Another effort I want to begin making in the interest of saving money is to focus on cutting food costs as I believe this to be one of our biggest outflows of money after bills.  The Warrior Ninja brought me home a magazine from "Mother Earth News' that is a "Guide to Self-Reliance and Country Skills" in which there are lots of money saving tips.  Specifically in this regard I have begun to wonder if there are ways I could get "free" veggies and fruits from local farmers if I volunteered with them in harvesting or gleaning.  The magazine suggests this works but being in Los Angeles I am unsure of how "local" farmers are.  I also find it a bit overwhelming adding this on after work, being pregnant, etc. but at the same time it might actually be something I enjoy and trying it out once couldn't kill me, right?  They also whole heartedly suggest that you buy everything in season when it is cheaper and then can so you have it later.  Again canning has come up...how hard is this?  Sounds like a dedicated way to save money....do I even like canned food?  Some people suggest drying your fruit...don't you need a dehydrator for this?  Is it worth investing in?

    In pregnancy news!!  I am feeling a lot better, still not up to my full work hours yet.  I am averaging about 24 hours a weeks currently and still feel tired when I get home.  Still feel nauseous and gaggy if I don't take the anti-nausea medication unfortunately, but at least with its use I feel well enough to go to work.  Had an ultrasound today and it looks as if we will be having a BOY!  The Warrior Ninja already looks very proud and happy. :)