We had a very busy Saturday on Easter weekend, as we went to two Easter egg hunts! The first one was at Van Dyck Park in Fairfax, and then we headed over to the Lee’s for their now-annual (?) Easter egg hunt event!
Arriving just in time for the egg hunt to begin!
Mio’s ready to get some eggs!
Meanwhile, Mirei is pretty oblivious, happily held by Daddy…
Rushing the field to pick up the eggs!
After the egg hunt, we took some time to let the girls run around and play, as Van Dyck Park has a fairly large playground! It was so windy that morning!
Mio peering through the window on the playground
Mio dashing around the playground!
Mio climbing the rock wall at Van Dyck Park
Some of the climbing action!
Mirei with her Easter eggs:
Lunch at Tequila Grande after Van Dyck Park
Mirei learned how to dip her French fries into ketchup!
After lunch, we headed over to the Lee household for the egg hunt they organized with all their family friends! We had so much fun with them last year and the year before, so we were excited to join them again this year!
Ready for the second egg hunt of the day!
Listening to the egg hunt rules from Stephanie
Let the egg hunt begin!
Mirei participating, too!
Mio showing us the eggs she found.
Picking flower lollipops…
Group photo with all the kiddos at the egg hunt
Uh oh, Mirei’s got a lollipop…
“Look what I found!”
Sticking the whole lollipop, wrapper and all, in her mouth…
Mio & Mirei together after the egg hunt
After the egg hunt, we enjoyed a delicious Easter-themed lunch and snacks prepared by Stephanie and Chwan, and they kids enjoyed playing with all the toys inside! The grownups had a great time chatting and catching up while the kids had their fun. On the short ten minute drive home that afternoon, both the girls fell asleep and continued to nap for a couple hours when we brought them inside. They were tuckered out from all the excitement!
Mio got to be a part of another Easter egg hunt this morning at her friend Danny’s house! Danny’s mommy Stephanie did an amazing job of decorating their front lawn and setting up Easter egg hunt stations as well as an Easter egg roll! Mio had so much fun at their egg hunt last year, and this one was even more amazing — more kids, more eggs, more activities! We’re always so impressed with how well Stephanie & Chwan organize their egg hunt event!
Mio and Danny waiting for the Easter egg roll.
Waiting for the spoon to make its way over so Mio can roll her egg.
Roll that egg!
Time for the main event: Easter egg hunt!
Today was so hot that I dressed Mio in this adorable romper. Egg hunting in style!
Some video Dan took of the egg hunt:
Mio’s basket was getting heavy…
All the adorable kids lined up!
Mio is all smiles with her Easter egg loot.
A family photo after the egg hunt.
Thanks again to the Lee family for organizing the egg hunt and inviting us to be a part of it! Mio really loved it, and it was a whole lot of fun for our whole family. 🙂
Every year on Memorial Day weekend, the community of Vienna celebrates with Viva Vienna!, a 3-day festival of amusement rides, entertainment, food, crafts, and vendors. 100% of proceeds go to charitable, community and humanitarian organizations. Growing up in this community, I have so many fun memories of attending as a child with my family, and then with my friends as a high school teenager! It’s yet another fond memory that I’m really happy I can share with Mio and Dan now that we’re back in my old ‘hood! Mio and I went two days in a row, and she had so much fun!
On Saturday, Dan was teaching a video workshop all day to the local community youth (such a great gesture on his part — so proud of him!), and our friends SunJae, Mie, and their son Kosei were visiting from Maryland so that SunJae (who is also a video editor) could assist Dan with the workshop. So Mie and I decided to take the kids to Viva Vienna! for a few hours of festival fun!
Kosei and Mio riding the merry-go-round together! Mie is pregnant with baby #2 (a girl!), due in September.
Mio going on the merry-go-round a second time. So many ponies, but this time Mio picked the freaky monkey to ride on.
They had free face-painting at the festival.
The kids are happy with their painted faces! Kosei got a spider (“Spiderman!”) and Mio got to be a kitty cat.
Mio and I really enjoyed going to the festival with Mie and Kosei on Saturday, but because Mio had so much fun there and we still wanted to go with Dan as a family (especially since it’s so close!), the three of us went again the following day on Sunday. 🙂 It was actually much more crowded on the second day, probably because the vendors (who weren’t there on Saturday) had set up all their tents down Church Street on Sunday and Monday.
Mio grabbing a hold of Dan’s chicken on a stick!
Mio nomming on the chicken skewer. You have some chicken in your teeth!
She was SO HAPPY. She enjoyed the chicken skewer so much that even when Dan and I requested to take bites in between, she wouldn’t let go of the stick and would just guide it into our mouths, before putting it back into hers. I think she ended up eating most of it!
Mio was fascinated by this “pet cool-down zone” pool they had set up. She loved watching the dogs go in and out of the water, and wouldn’t budge from the spot for about 15 minutes!
We ran into the Lee family by the carousel! Here’s Mio riding with Danny and his mommy Stephanie!
I’ve always wanted to go on the ferris wheel with Mio, but she was never allowed to go on them in California, even with her parents. We were really excited to ride it together!
The view of Viva Vienna! from the ferris wheel.
Mio bravely looking over the edge.
She really enjoyed the ride! The rides she could go on were limited due to her height, but maybe next year she’ll get to go on more!
We met up with newlywed friends Mimi and Sujay, and Xiaolu and her new adorable dog!
Mio was of course very interested in the dog. She kept pointing at its curly tail and eventually was brave enough to pet it.
It got really hot as the day progressed! Cooling down with a frozen drink on the sidewalk.
Waiting for pizza afterwards at Luciano’s! Love this smile.
“Enough pictures! Bring out the food!”
Mio staring at the huge pizza in front of her.
We had a truly memorable couple days at Viva Vienna! Festivals, carnivals, and county fairs are probably one of my favorite things about summer, and I love that now I can experience it with our little family. We’re looking forward to making more fun summer memories in the coming months and years ahead!
Happy Easter! Mio got to go on her first egg hunt yesterday when her friend Danny and his parents invited us over for an Easter egg hunt in their front yard. Even though it was Mio’s first time, she knew exactly what to do and was a egg hunting pro!
Stephanie made little signs in each area with numbers indicating how many eggs each child could pick up in that respective location, to make sure that they would all get an equal number of eggs.
There were also various themed eggs, from metallic ones to iridiscent ones, to ones shaped like ducks and cars!
Mio’s favorite was definitely the ducks!
Mio is distracted by a pretty pom pom decoration on a tree.
Back to the egg hunt!
Danny also hard at work finding eggs!
Mio showing us her loot! So many eggs!
Adorable Danny counting out his eggs.
Mio randomly came over and gave Daddy a hug. Such a sweetheart.
Looking quite pleased with herself.
Cutiepies with their eggs!
Mio suddenly grabbed one of her car-shaped eggs and held it out towards Danny, as if she wanted to give it to him.
“Danny…?” No response.
He finally turns and notices!
Negotiating a trade. lol
Are you being bashful, Mio? Too cute!
The three cutiepies, quite happy with their eggs!
A family picture. 🙂
The beautiful Lee family! Thanks for organizing the egg hunt, Stephanie!
Mio inches in towards Danny and oustreches her arms for a hug.
…but instead of a hug, they just ended up standing really close to each other and staring down at their toes.
Danny getting a little push from his Daddy.
This looks like a scene from a sappy Asian drama. lol
Back at home, checking out the toys inside the eggs. Instead of the usual chocolates and candies, the eggs were filled with little stickers, toys, and other goodies that are fun for kids to play with.
Cute Easter-themed stamps from inside the eggs!
There was even little bunny dolls with parachutes attached to them. Here Mio is trying to test one out.
Mio had such a great time at the egg hunt, and was playing with the eggs and the little goodies from inside the eggs all day yesterday, even reaching for them right after she awoke from her nap! It must have been just that much fun for her. Special thanks to Danny, Stephanie, and Chwan for planning and preparing the egg hunt and having us over! It was a very fun and memorable occasion for our whole family!
Last Sunday as a busy day for us! For lunch, we drove over to Bowie, Maryland to visit our friends Will & Clair and their adorable one year old son Joseph! We had a great time at their lovely home, making homemade pizza for lunch and letting our little ones get to know each other…
Cutiepies! Mio meeting almost-1-year-old Joseph.
Making homemade pizza for lunch!
Later that evening, we went to Gymboree Play & Music in Burke to celebrate our friends’ son Danny turning two! Mio and Danny had met a few months ago when we went to Frying Pan Farm Park. This was our first time going to a party at Gymboree, but it was a lot of fun and we can see why it’s so popular!
Mio at Gymboree play gym, looking intense. Playtime is serious business.
Butt sticking out of the tube tunnel
Sticking her head out: “Coast is clear!”
Everyone was supposed to hop on the “train,” but Mio ran away from the group activity.
Mio with the birthday boy Danny, who loves trains!
Mio is doing her own thing (again) while everyone’s collecting balls.
What finally piqued her interest were the bubbles!
Mio’s favorite was music time: she loved hearing the instructor sing, and enthusiastically shook her maracas along with the song.
Danny with his lovely mama Stephanie.
Mio also loved the parachute! The kids had fun running around under it.
After an hour of fun-filled playtime, it was time to eat!
Beautiful cupcakes for Danny!
Happy birthday Danny! The beautiful family. 🙂
Mio chowing down.
Mio had a lot of fun! She was especially fond of her party hat that she got at the party, and still likes to wear it even a week later… 🙂
