Wa Gwai 兩隻人見人愛的搗蛋嘩鬼 - My 2 Little Rascals

Alex’s birthday is coming up in a few days, and I have been preparing his gifts, party favors (@ the childcare center), and his birthday outfit. No, not naked!

He has a pair of favorite jeans, but they are too small now, size 18-24 months. There’s a monkey dangling on the cargo pocket, that’s probably why he loves them so much. I had already put them away, so that he won’t ask for them anymore (hopefully).

Alex has been asking for a pair of jeans with his favorite character - Lightening McQueen. I have searched high and low and couldn’t find any. I ended up digging out his used white tee, buying a pair of pull up denim jeans (elastic waist band all around, that’s another hard to find item when you need them), and a few iron on transfers and embroidered patches, I made his birthday outfit with his favorite character on them.

The results, pretty good. The only mistake I made was that I didn’t trim the paper before I iron the “Birthday Boy” on the back of the white tee. For the front, I trimmed them really good. I can’t wait to show him his new outfit.

xoxo

You know how wireless providers always warn their customers or potential customers that ending the contract early, will result in penalty. Recently, we ended our old contract early, by 3 weeks, we were penalized for $525. Well, good thing is that our friend had dealt with the provider for us, and they had reverse the charges. Now we are just waiting for the check to come, could be any day now.

A Superior Court judge in California has ruled that charging cell phone early termination fee is illegal. WOW! That’s good news (for us, the users). Obviously this is not the end of the story. There’s gotta be appeals after appeals. Let’s just see how the story goes.

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I remember when I was younger, well, that’s probably a good 15 years ago, it’s my first time I tasted this seafood dish, and it has become my all time favorite ever since. My aunt made this dish - Steam shrimps with minced garlic. She cooked this dish without the vermicelli or yam bundle, and later on, people had many variations of the dish. Many people and Chinese restaurants use the same ingredients and method to prepare with scallops. I wonder if this dish had an American version of it at the cook off.

Oh, one more note, personally, I think the vermicelli is the best part of the dish, because it absorbs all the tastes from the prawns, garlic, and soya.

Ingredients
Prawns: 14-16pcs
Minced or diced Garlic: 2 tablespoon
Red Pepper (Optional): 1 diced hot pepper, optional
Vermicelli: 1 pack or can be substituted with 12 yam bundle, drained
Minced Ginger: 1 ½ teaspoon
1 diced green (or spring) onion
Light Soy Sauce / Soya – 1 Tablespoon
Seseme oil – ¼ teaspoon
Salt – ¼ Teaspoon
Sugar – 2/3 teaspoon
Shaoh-Sing Wine (Chinese rice wine) – 1 tablespoon

Cooking instructions
1. boil the vermicelli until it becomes clear and soft. Put the vermicelli into cold water to cool off for 5 to 10 seconds, then drain.
2. clean the prawns, trim the legs, head can be left on or removed. Slice in the middle of the prawns (but do not cut into half). Put into freezer for 10 mins
3. mix minced garlic, red pepper (optional), minced ginger, salt, suger, Shaoh-Sing Wine, and sesame oil, then spread on each prawn individually.
4. Put the yam bundle or vermicelli on the dish. Put the shrimps on top of the yam bundle or vermicelli. Add some salt to each shrimps. Put 1 tbsp of minced or diced garlic on each prawn.
5. Steam it under high heat until done (around 6-8 mins). Add 1/2 of tbsp of soya on each prawn. Add some hot pepper and green onion on each shrimps. Heat the oil until you see the smoke. Put 1/2 of hot oil on each shrimps. Serve hot.

Mmm Mmm Good!

“Alex enjoyed riding bikes today”
“Alex enjoyed playing the piano in the music room today”
“Alex did a wonderful job helping clean-up the yard outside today”
“Alex enjoyed making star fish with clay”
“Alex enjoyed making blue ocean jello today. He helped to mix it”
“Alex explored float and sink with Gavin and Kenneth.”
“Alex had fun making beautiful picture with paint dots. He cooked with Paige in the little kitchen, and Paige made Alex fruits.”
“Alex enjoyed the experiment of making volcano. He also gave Paige a hug when she got hurt.”

These are some of the “My Special Moment Today” written on the daily activity report from Alex’s teachers. Gavin and Kenneth were in many of the “Special Moments” and recently, a new name showed up – Paige, a 2-year-old kid just join the homebase. I assume this kid is around 2-year-old, cux the kid looks smaller then most of the kids.

One morning, Ms. Tammy told us there’s a new kid Paige, and loves to play with Alex. Paige would stop crying when Alex shows up. Ms. Tammy went on and said,

Ms. Tammy: Paige would stop crying when Alex shows up.
Daddy: Wow, Alex, you tried to help Ms. Tammy to take care of other kids?
Ms. Tammy: Paige follows Alex around, but Alex tried to avoid Paige
Daddy: What’s wrong Alex? Why you avoid your friend?
Ms. Tammy: I asked Paige if Alex is her boyfriend and she said yes. I asked Alex he shook his head.
Daddy & Me: LOL

Next time we dropped off Alex, just happed that Paige has arrived with her mom. Paige has shoulder length crully blond hair and big eyes. She’s a doll.

XOXO

Yesterday was my cousin Krystal’s 20th Birthday. We had a Laua themed BBQ party for her. We prepared the Tiki torches, cocktail umbrellas, and inflatable palm tree cooler. We even prepared special outfit for her - hula skirt, silk flower leis. Oh, the only thing missing was the coconuts bikini top ( Ha Ha!).

Cousin Jacqueline brought over her Rock Band PS2 game set with guitar and drum set, Ashlyn & Alex had so much fun. I wondered if they were practicing while I was at work or what. Look at them, they are like the pro.

xoxo

I always wanted to go shopping at the new San Fransico Center in SF Downtown, but couldn’t find the time to go. Afterall, it’s an hour drive and parking in the garage could be expensive. This past Saturday, I need to go Chinatown, so I thought it’s a good chance to go Downtown too. Dear Hubby agreed to go with me to keep me company. Kids were supposed to stay home, but under certain circumstances, Ashlyn tagged along. The only store I wanted to shop at was H&M. Why? Here are the reasons:

1. Bigger & better selections (I assume)
2. Early Fall collections just arrived
3. Most important, have a $10 off $50 purchase coupon for Kids’ department

We got there, parked. Both Ashlyn & myself were excited to go shopping. Went to the one on Powell Street. As soon as we went in, Ashlyn said, “I told you not to look at adults department. I told you to go to the kids’ section.” We went upstairs, nop. I remember Elaine told me there’s kids’ section, so I called her. She told me to go to the new one at the Westfield San Franciso. We went. There’re 4 doors at the entrance, 3 of them were shut. A security guard standing in the front, answering people questions. OMG! how could that happened? Not today!! A piece of paper posted on the glasses, and all I could see was “Power Outage” NO! NO! Not today! We went in anyway, and I checked the directory, H&M was located on 3rd floor. I looked up, dark, no light at all. Oh well, so we turned around and left the building and head home. Both Ashlyn & myself were disappointed.

You know what my Dear Hubby said to me? He said, “It’s not your day today!” How comforting.

*sigh*

We spent our July 4th holidays in Los Angeles this year. We arrived LA on the 4th, early afternoon. Soon after we checked in to the hotel, Jeff, Penny, and Ryan were getting ready for their special event planned in the evening - to watch a soccer game, or David Beckham.

To prepare for Ryan’s first celebrity encounter, Jeff had been searching for the England team jersey for Ryan. Why England not Los Angeles Galaxy? I guess Beckham IS the English soccer star? Oh well, that’s not important. Finally, me, the shopping mama, found him the jersey he wanted here locally, and was able to have it delivered in time for the event. Geez, never thought an infant jersey could cost that much — $50.

Here are some picture they took at the soccer game.

Ryan: David Beckham? My first celebrity encounter.

Ryan (troubled): Since when I become a Soccor fans of England?

YAY! Beckham! Beckham! Over here!! This way!!

Ryan: Cheers? Noise? What? I can’t hear you! I don’t hear anything!

xoxo

When Ashlyn & Alex were born, they didn’t have much hair. Alex didn’t get his first haircut just before he turned 2. Ashlyn? haven’t had her first haircut yet. My nephew Ryan, was born with full head of hair. Well, digging out the old pictures, my brother had pretty full hair too. When I was in Hong Kong (HKG) a few months ago, Ryan was just about 3 months old, my brother already thinking about cutting his hair by himself. They just returned to HKG couple weeks ago, and Ryan had another haircut already. This time, thanks to Elaine, Penny, my sister in law no need to hold Ryan in her lap, cux Auntie Elaine gave him the BUMBO, and can sit there safely by himself.

Look at the pictures, I wondered how long it look for him to cut Ryan’s hair. Why? Just take a look.

Ready… Set…

GO!

Ryan: How much longer? Are we done yet? Let me take a nap, wake me up when you’re done.

Ryan: Woo Hoo! All Done. I’m Handsome!!

XOXO

When we had our first child, Ashlyn, it was pretty quick for us to decide / comprimise on the name. The second one, Alex, took a little more time. It was not an easy task at all.

Have you caught on to the latest celebrity babies’ names? Since a few years back, celebrities named their babies some unusual names, like Apple, CoCo (this is obvious that her mom loves certain name brand). The latest, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, a mouthfull. I must say, when I heard this one, my reaction was “HUN?” Sunday Rose. Well, I guess Sunday Rose isn’t unusual anymore until I read this news headline (from New Zealand) this morning. Judge: Girl’s name, Talula Does The Hula, won’t do. First I saw Talula. It caught my eyes cux one of the characters in the animated movie Barbie Island Princess (one of Ashlyn’s favorites) was named Talula, it’s a monkey from the South Sea. It’s a mental torture to the child. Moms and Dads to be, please think twice, three times, four times before you decide on your child(red)’s name(s).

Out of the blue, Ashlyn was humming a 3-year old Chinese song. A pop Chinese song. A HIT Chinese song at the time, and it’s in Mandarin Chinese, not Cantonese Chinese. I didn’t catch it at first, but then, she heard a portion of the medley song I play in my car, and asked me to go back to play that 10-second portion again and again. I asked her if she liked the song, she said yes. She also complaint that I didn’t keep a copy of the song (full version) in the car. Then, Alex started to hum with Ashlyn. You may be wondering which song that is. Drum roll…. Ta~ Ta~