During the week we were in the Bay Area, we went on a mini-getaway (a vacation within a vacation for us) with Dan’s family for three days, and we chose to explore the Monterey Bay area, including Santa Cruz, Point Lobos, Big Sur, and Moss Landing, renting a beach house for two nights at Pajaro Dunes Resort in Watsonville. It was a fun few days in which we could really spend some quality time with Dan’s side of the family, and the girls had a blast!
Here are some photos from Day One, which was mostly spent in Santa Cruz.
Mirei enjoying the breeze!
There were clouds overhead and it was a little chilly, but still beautiful!
Mirei with her aunties
Santa Cruz strolling with Grandpa
Picnic lunch at Santa Cruz
Mio with Grandma on the boardwalk
Mirei with Auntie Jackie
The sun came out to make it the perfectly sunny day!
Mirei and I at the Santa Cruz Wharf
Sunbathing sea lions at Santa Cruz Wharf
Mio and Grandpa looking down at sea lions
Mirei with Grandma
After thoroughly enjoying Santa Cruz, we headed over to Pajaro Dunes in Watsonville to settle into our beach house where we’d be staying for the rest of the trip — we’ll share photos from there in our next post!
Dan’s sister Hyo came to visit us for the weekend of May 4-5, which also happened to Cinco de Mayo and Kodomo no Hi weekend! She snapped some great photos of Mio while she stayed with us, which I wanted to share on the blog…
Thanks for the awesome pictures, Hyo! Here are some of my own snapshots (mostly taken on the phone) from the weekend…
All smiles at lunch.
Red curry, tamarind shrimp, and pad see ew from Natta Thai. So delicious!
Azaleas in the yard.
Mio holding a koinobori for Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day in Japan)
Picnic at Nottoway on May 5 for Cinco de Mayo
With Auntie Miwa
Designing ice cream sundaes on the iPad… ma petite artiste! â¤
On Sunday, we went to Crissy Fields in San Francisco to attend Nakayoshi‘s Annual Welcome BBQ. We haven’t been able to go the past couple years because we’ve always happened to be out of town, but we were glad that we could make it this year, especially since it’s been a lot harder to go to Nakayoshi’s events since Mio was born. The BBQ picnic was a really family-friendly event, and it was a good chance for Mio to meet all her aunties and uncles in Nakayoshi! 🙂
Jamie did an awesome job organizing the BBQ! We’ve known each other since she was a freshman at Virginia Tech who joined JCA during my senior year. It’s awesome having a fellow Hokie transplant in San Francisco, and I love that Jamie’s involved with Nakayoshi now! 😀
There was so much delicious food that everyone made!
This was seriously the best spam musubi I have ever had.
Mio happily eating some onigiri.
Mio reunited with Uncle Graig — she loves him!
With lovely Auntie Sam! Thank you for always being so sweet to Mio. 🙂
Nakayoshi Chair Haruka welcoming everyone welcoming everyone at the Meet & Greet.
It was hard to keep Mio from running around everywhere during the Meet & Greet. (><)
Touchdown! She discovered a football.
Despite the foggy weather, it was a great turnout!
Megumi made a surprise appearance — it was so good seeing her again!
Mio meeting Tiffany and Atsushi for the first time.
Giving high fives all around!
Jason leading all the fun of the Nakayoshi Games!
Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for the games because it was Mio’s naptime and she was getting cranky, but we heard it was fun! 😀 We’re glad that we could at least be there for the first half and see everyone again, as well as meet some of the newer Nakayoshi members!
Today we spent the earlier part of the day at Marina Park in San Leandro, picnicking and BBQ-ing with friends. Here are some pictures and video of all the Memorial Day fun! (We forgot to take our camera, so they’re all from my camera phone, but better than nothing!)
Mio sported some fabulous bell bottoms for the occasion.
I baked green tea cupcakes to bring to the picnic…
Matcha green tea cupcakes with green tea frosting.
Eating at the picnic table.
Mio chowing down on some watermelon.
Good food and good company!
As usual, Mio had a grand time on the swing.
JinWoo was pushing around his toy car, when Mio (in her typical bossypants fashion) hopped onto the seat. Luckily, JinWoo was a good sport and pushed her around the picnic area, taking Mio for a joyride. It was quite a cute sight for everyone to see!
Ohhh I can't take the cuteness!
Of course, the adults had to chase them around to prevent some potentially dangerous crashes…
They're such cute friends! Thank you JinWoo for pushing Mio around!
I’m sad that the long weekend is already coming to an end, but I’m glad that we could spend it in good company with friends! 😀
The weather was gorgeous last weekend, so on Saturday we went on an impromptu picnic in Tilden Park over in Berkeley. We just laid a blanket out on the grass, sprawled out and snacked on fruits and veggies, and simply relaxed. It’s moments like these when I feel like life couldn’t be more perfect… and I’m certain they are the memories I’ll look back on and cherish decades later, when our sweet little girl is grown and gone.
Mio taking away my phone, as if to say, "Get off of that for once and enjoy the moment!"
Smiles in the sun.
Mio way up high! She's getting heavy...
Daddy can give her more air! It looks like it's raining babies and Dan's catching them.
"I put my hands up in the air sometimes..."
A happy Mio.
I picked some flowers in the field to make a flower crown for Mio.
Clover flowers adorning her head...
I used to make these all the time as a little girl. I love how life brings us full circle, back to childhood memories...
Cutiepie
Can never get enough of those smiles!
After the picnic, we strolled over to the Tilden Merry-Go-Round. I love this antique carousel with hand-carved and beautifully painted wooden animals — it looks like something from a movie, a gorgeous reminder of another era. We’d come to the merry-go-round a couple times in the past, but this was Mio’s first time riding it!
Mio and I on the merry-go-round.
Mio is securely strapped onto her ride!
Round and round we go!
Daddy wanted to ride with Mio, too, so she went for a second round.
Hooray for weekend relaxation and fun! We can’t wait to do it again. 😀
