Our Siesta Key Vacation

Our family just returned from beautiful Siesta Key! For those of you who may not know, Siesta Key is a small island just off the coast of Sarasota, Florida -- which is about an hour south of the Tampa Bay area on the west coast of Florida. Siesta Key has won many awards for its beaches primarily because the sand is some of the finest and whitest on Earth. The sand is 99% pure quartz, and does not ever get hot. My grandparents have been coming here since 1956, and my Mama has been coming here since 1970 (when she was 2 years old). I also made my first trip here at 2. Here is a picture of me in the surf.

One thing we love to do every time we visit Siesta Key is to go to the Mote Marine Lab & Aquarium. We started the day touring the inside areas and were able to see lots of interesting animals like this frog fish.

And a beautiful seahorse. Later, you'll get to see me interacting with one!

A lobster. Maybe one day I'll figure out why Mama always starts singing "Rock Lobster" whenever we see one.

Lots of jellyfish.

And an octopus who is so smart, they actually include some pre-school age toys in his tank. Cephalopods are quite intelligent creatures.

Cheeseburger (I say "cheeseburger" instead of "cheese" when someone is taking my picture)! I'm pretending to be a scuba diver.

And here I am being cute in front of the shark tank. Mote aquarium is a fantastic research and educational center. All the animals here are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. And many who live inside these tanks are being rehabilitated and will eventually be returned to the Gulf of Mexico.

They even have a bird sanctuary for birds who are undergoing rehabilitation.

They also have an exhibit that features floral and other botanical specimens that are indigenous to this area.

We also love to go on the Sarasota Bay Explorers' eco cruise. This give us a wonderful opportunity to spend some time on the water learning about the animals that live in this area. This is the bridge that leads from the downtown Sarasota area to Bird Key.

And we are always happy to have dolphin sightings when we go on these cruises.

The marine biologist told everyone that it is dolphin mating season. I'm not sure what that means exactly, but here are two dolphins that look like they are having a great time "playing."

We get to see not only beautiful wildlife on this cruise, but really beautiful homes as well. Sarasota and surrounding areas are home to a variety of celebrities.

Here are some birds perched upon mangroves.

And entire families who make their nests and raise their children in the mangroves.

One of the most exciting aspects of this cruise occurs when the marine biologist drops a trawl net into the bay and then pulls out some sea creatures for us to interact with. Don't worry - they have an educational waiver to be able to do this legally, and they are required to throw the sea life back into the bay afterward.

Wow, a seahorse!

Mama had the opportunity to hold it too (as did everyone on the boat). We both loved the way the sea horse would curl its tail around our fingers. Did you know that it's the male sea horses who give birth? For some reason, Mama thinks it should be that way with all species.

Here's a small urchin.

And some type of sea snail in a shell. I was so careful with these animals, because I didn't want to hurt them.

We also went to one of our favorite places to eat -- Philippi Creek Oyster Bar. They have beautiful gardens outside, and they are located right there on Philippi Creek. We sat at a table overlooking the creek.

The condominium we stayed in felt very much like a "home."

We had a beautiful view of the Gulf of Mexico and Siesta Key's Crescent Beach.

And here is a picture of our condo building (taken when we were standing on the beach). We stayed on the fourth floor.

And we all really enjoyed our time on the beach. Here's a picture of Baba.

And one of Mama.

And one of Grandma.

I always loved spending evenings on the beach.

Especially when Grandma and Pop Pop were there with me.

We also had a blast spending time in the pool. It was located in a beautiful spot where we could see the Gulf but could also spend some time in the shade if we were tired of the sun. Here's Baba relaxing.

I had a special swimsuit this year that had floats sewn into it. They really helped me to enjoy the pool - from the shallow end to the deep end!

One thing we always enjoy while on vacation is indulging in a variety of different foods. We are definitely "foodies" who seek out new and enticing culinary experiences. One night, we went to our favorite Thai place in Sarasota - Siam Orchid. We had a variety of appetizers and dishes from curried tofu to tom kha to all sorts of seafood items.

And here I am with Mama.

We also always like to visit Sarasota Square Mall while we are there. Here I am with Grandma and Pop Pop.

Another fun part of spending time on the beach is building sand castles. Baba and I are just getting started.

I'm working hard!

It's slowly coming along.

This is so much fun!

I also enjoyed chasing the seagulls. I never did catch one.

We also had a delicious steak dinner at Ruth's Chris, which happens to be one of Mommy's favorite places. And yes, I like my filet cooked medium. Mama and Baba won't let me have one medium rare just yet.

We also went to a seafood place that served alligator. Mama loves alligator and convinced me to try it. It was delicious! Plus, it's very lean protein. It has 110 calories per serving (uncooked) and only 20 of those are fat calories.

OK, so deep fried isn't the most healthful way to prepare it, but it is SO delicious this way. It is very tender and has the taste and texture of a very mild flavored fish. Also, Mama loves to say that Gator is what Georgia Bulldogs have for dinner.

Baba, a native Rhode Islander, is always happy to get hold of a lobster. He's bibbed and ready to get cracking.

We also were able to visit some of our friends in St. Petersburg: Mary Elena, Joe and their sweet daughter Mara Jade. We had a so much fun playing together.

We also visited some antique stores. I loved strumming this mandolin.

Our last night on the beach, we decided to give the seagulls some of our leftover food. They love Kashi crackers! I still wasn't able to catch one though.

See how powdery this sand is?

There's nothing as beautiful as the sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico. It creates such a glow on the water.

"Cheeseburger!" Is this a good smile Mama?

What a beautiful sunset.

The surf was really up for this part of the Gulf, but it allowed for some spectacular pictures.

And this was our final sunset at Siesta Key. This was a time for us to reflect on our trip and to really be thankful for everything G-d has blessed us with. First, we are thankful for one another and the opportunity to be together with Grandma and Pop Pop at this beautiful place they have been visiting for over 50 years. But this night was a little bit bittersweet. As you all know, there is an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that is getting larger every day. Most computer models show that this part of Florida should escape any damage to the beaches or wildlife. However, anything could happen if winds shift direction or if a hurricane enters the Gulf. Mama hopes that I will be able to enjoy this beautiful place for the next 40 year of my life, just as she has. Maybe that is what will happen. But even if this part of Florida escapes the effects of the spill, there are so many beautiful beaches, bays, and estuaries that have been affected already from Louisiana to the panhandle of Florida. And more will be affected. We just hope and pray that somehow every inch of land or water that has been affected can recover. And now, for the final sunset, as we watch the sun take it's "plunge" into the Gulf of Mexico.

And it's gone. I love how the beautiful colors of the sky change every few minutes as the sun drops off the horizon. Thank you for looking at our pictures and for letting us share our vacation with you! We wish you all a wonderful summer.

Our Fourth Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to my Mama, Grandma, Aunt Doe and all the other wonderful moms out there. Mama and I are so grateful that G-d brought us together.

We Are Having A Wonderful Spring!

We've had a busy couple of months! Valentine's Day was just 3 weeks after my birthday celebration, and we had a great time. I received lots of valentines from my friends at school, and I'm really happy I received one from Javaun, who is my boyfriend. Well, sometimes he is. And sometimes he's not. It depends upon my mood that day. Oh, and he just happens to be the ONLY boy in my class of 15. So he is very popular.

We really enjoyed celebrating Passover this year. The "Passover Fairy" brought me some Magna Tiles, which are so fun to play with. Well, my parents would have me think it was the Passover Fairy, but I told them right away that there was no such thing and that I knew exactly where my Magna Tiles came from. THEY bought them for me. Passover Fairy. Who would even think up something so ridiculous. The picture below shows an example of what I can build with my Magna Tiles.

Of course Spring is always more fun when it includes ice cream. This is a delicious dipped cone from Dairy Queen.

Another fun thing we did recently was attend the Cone Spring Fling. It was at High Falls State Park, and I really enjoyed spending time with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course, Grandma and Pop Pop.

Cousin Carl took some time to pose with me.

Here are the beautiful falls.

And here is a picture of all of Mama's cousins and then some of her aunts and uncles. And somehow I ended up on cousin Steve's shoulders.

We have so much to look forward to in the coming months. Baba's birthday is this weekend. And then at the end of May, we'll be going back to Siesta Key for a vacation. Then after that, Mama and Baba will soon celebrate their 11th anniversary. So stay tuned for more updates!

Guess Who Turned Four?

Yes, it was me! I turned 4 in January. I was very lucky to have a party at one of my favorite places: Groovy Golf. It's a glow-in-the-dark putt putt golf place. Here I am blowing out the candles on my cake.

I also got lots of presents from my friends!

I had a great time, surrounded by my favorite friends and my family.

Here I am with my friend Lalapat.

I also enjoyed a fun party at my school, and some of my friends from school also attended my party at Groovy Golf. To be different, I had a cookie cake at school and then a traditional cake at Groovy Golf.

January was really a fun month for me. And the best present of all was that Grandma finished her treatments and was able to come to celebrate my birthday.

Also, Xin Nian Kuai Le, or Happy Chinese New Year! We welcome the year of the tiger, and I hope it's a wonderful year for everyone.

Our Holiday Season

Just one of our "Eight Crazy Nights." Explanation to come. :)

We had a wonderful holiday season this year! And it's probably time to share with everyone that our holidays will be a bit different from now on - meaning that they will now include Hanukkah and other Jewish celebrations! So if you see pictures of Santa AND a menorah, don't think you have the wrong blog.

Mommy and Daddy have both always believed that there are many paths that lead to the same outcome, and we are thankful G-d is leading us to embrace one that Mommy has felt pulled toward for about a decade now. Definitely a "mazel tov" worthy occasion! We appreciate that our family and friends love us and support us in all that we do. Mommy especially appreciates that she has a husband who is so supportive of her and always wants the best for her - even if it means major changes to our family traditions. And you have to admit that there is nothing cuter than a beautiful Chinese-American girl grinning ear to ear over a menorah. :)

And I learned so much about Hanukkah this year! It lasts 8 nights, and I learned how to light the candles properly on the menorah. We played with a dreidel set a sweet friend of Mama's bought us, read from the Torah, and listened to Hanukkah music. Each of the 8 nights consisted of reading about the story behind Hanukkah. We learned a lot about the Maccabees. We ate delicious latkes that Mama prepared. It was a wonderful learning experience for me. I cried on the 8th night, because I did not want Hanukkah to end. But, it will come again next year!

This was also my first year really LOVING my visit with Santa. Tears were nowhere to be found this year. I walked right up to him and hugged him and told him how happy I am to be visiting him. I told him exactly what I wanted.

So that is our holiday update! Guess who has a birthday coming up and will turn 4 in a few days? Look for pictures soon!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a very enjoyable Thanksgiving celebration this year. My brother, Xavier, was able to come visit with us even though Grandma, Pop-Pop, and Doe were not (since Grandma is not feeling well and needs to keep her immune system healthy right now). This year, we decided to dine out for the first time! Mama has cooked Thanksgiving dinner every year since she and Daddy have been married with the exception of one year, so this was a real treat for her. We went to the fabulous buffet at Chateau Elan, a nearby vineyard and winery in Braselton, Georgia. Here I am standing by the fireplace at their beautiful resort.

Xavier took this picture of Mama, Daddy and me overlooking the Versailles restaurant (where the Thanksgiving dinner buffet was held) at Chateau Elan.

And here is a nice shot of the buffet tables and the festivities below. I really liked looking up at all the glass and seeing the sky and the clouds as they moved past us.

Here I am sitting in my brother's lap. I love spending time with him.

And here I am in Daddy's lap after eating some of everything on the buffet - including caviar, foie gras, smoked salmon, and all kinds of things kids are NOT supposed to like. My parents love that I'm a culinary adventurer!

We hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We look forward to the upcoming holiday season and all the festivities and fellowship that it will bring for us. Stay tuned for pictures from the various events we attend and activities we participate in. And we thank everyone for the continued prayers for Grandma. She has tolerated her second round of chemotherapy well and has only one more to go. We look forward to 2010!