Noah's 6 yr-old "fight like a soldier" party

Happy Birthday Reina! 3 years old

Hello again Karuizawa

We just returned from our Japan trip. Karuizawa....loved it. Trees, shades, stream, nature, fresh vegetables, air, onsen, excellent coffee, excellent soba, a bookstore full of cookbooks....this place has the combination that makes my heart, mind, soul, body happy. Kids love it too. walking around in the forest with bare foot, dipping their feet in ice cold streams, picking leaves of different shapes...

No more babies in the house! One toddler princess and one little man.

This blog was first started to record the everyday moments with my son, then daughter came, of course I continued to capture the precious everyday with her as well...but life got a little more busy with two kids, and even more chaotic with my new restaurant venture. On top of that, my husband changed the camera...from a pocket size Sony to a big chunky Canon which I refuse to carry in my already heavy diaper bag...but but but but but those time has passed. With both kids in preschool and business surviving the first two years, I think this fall we will start to see more blog posts coming along.

Good morning.
Creativity has always been a topic of mine. I want to live my life always getting inspired and hopefully inspiring others. I want to wake up with an eager heart to work on projects that make my mind wonder off to a creative zone, where work is produced from a state of rest, giving life to my soul.

The question and the problem has always been --- the medium. I am exploring. Exploring.

Restaurant has been a journey. SEASON. Quite a journey.
However, I feel God is calling me to enter another chapter. Exciting.
This chapter will be more hands-on and me-centered. Less business, more fun.
It might be writing, photographing, or simply just recording events and things that inspires me in my daily life.

"Pont des Arts" is the name for the new brand.  Not finalized but we love the concept.
Ponte des Arts is the first metal bridge that was built in Paris that connects Lourve and Institut de France across the Seine River. What am I connecting? Why does God produce artists and souls that longs to express, create, connect, produce, and show others how we see the world? Is it because these are all part of our Father's nature and it pleases Him to see His children do the same?

Have Fun. God tells me. Just have fun child.
I see Jesus sitting with me in a studio, He is just happy to be there with me. Smiling. He's not smiling at the little project or the masterpiece. He's smiling because it gives Him joy to see me have fun. Sort of like why we take our kids to Disneyland. We love to see the joy, the glow, that smile on their faces. Seeing our children have joy just make our hearts so happy.

Jesus says, I am going to have a walk with you teaching you about Rest. I can't wait, heart has been longing.

Time to rest and create.

Jesus also says, the problem is not the medium....;)

a summer day

let's be daddy

menu tasting at mommy's restaurant

what is fear?

Fear....one of the most controlling emotions that keeps us from experiencing fullness. Just some minutes ago, I prayed, God please open my spiritual eyes....then fear came in and whispered...but what if the devil gives you more challenge because you are growing closer to God...usually this is the pattern. then I usually waver, go back and forth: I want to grow closer to God but I am scared...the what ifs....then I let fear take up a little portion of my prayer time...which often leads to a less passionate prayer than it originally started. Not today...had a breakthrough...thanks to Reina's little swimming drama yesterday. About a couple weeks ago, she forgot she didn't have her float guard on and jumped into the water, of course she drowned. Joseph was right behind her so it was only a second that she was in the water as she was pulled out right away. But of course she was shocked, and she remembered. So yesterday when we went swimming again, feeling scared, she insisted she would only stay in the water if she could hold on to me. But Joseph took over and started encouraging her to swim on her own again. She was originally holding on to me so tight so I was pretty shocked when a few minutes later, she was swimming on her own, kicking her cute little legs. I was like...see you didn't have to be scared at all! God must be smiling and telling me the same thing . Love you Papa.

where have i been?

Wow...I haven't kept up with my blogging for so long. I really miss it. Each day is so precious with these kiddos, each day is a day worth writing, celebrating,  and to reminiscence on. Noah is already 5 and Reina is 2.8 months. Gosh...I gotta get back in to blogging! What have been keeping me from blogging for this long is about two years ago, I started a business, around the time when Reina was almost a year old. A restaurant business, also involving some catering and merchandizing. The shop is called SEASON. How it happened was all unplanned....met some people, one thing leads to the other, and here I am, running this thing. It's a lot of fun, but also A LOT of work. A lot of giving, but also a lot more reward. I have two partners, Ashley and Season. Season is the chef, the mastermind that creates most of our products. The shop is named SEASON, sort of because of him but not really(this is a topic for another day...) But as the shop is now almost 2 years old, things have calmed down a bit, learning curve not so crazy steep anymore....I better start recording my life again. Everyday is so blessed and colorful. My two little precious, the center of my life. I love you, N&R.

ninja-go reina