Adventures at the LA Zoo & Botanical Gardens

                         

My feet are tired but my heart is happy. We had such a good time today at the LA Zoo & Botanical Gardens. Please check them out for information on conservation and protection of wildlife and endangered species. 

I was super excited to see some elephants, but for today, they weren't in a super mood to come out & play. They mostly stayed in the back far reaches of their exhibits. What little I did glimpse of some of them were nice though. The giraffes were more animated today and definitely took some time to strut their stuff.  I love the way they move--reminds me of models on a runway. 😊The flamingos were also fun to see and actually super relaxing to just watch. I saw kangaroos in person for the first time and I didn't realize how super cute they are.

 

Seeing the zebras up close and personal made me realize how much I love them. They are spectacular.

The highlight of the day was when a mother gorilla came out in front of us with the cutest baby gorilla on its back.  These beautiful creatures don't need a baby carrier to "wear their baby". 😊

I cherish any and all moments making memories with my loves. Today, I again focus on my gratitude for them--the laughs and good times that we share. As always, I wish all light & love. XOXO

The Complex Issue of Anti-Asian Hate

Eugene does an excellent job delving into the whole complex issue of Anti-Asian hate including past and recent histories and our current struggles. There has been some truly gross social injustice atrocities that happened throughout time (and continues to occur) and it's heartbreaking. I truly hope that everyone who wants to be part of a positive change in our society takes the time to watch this piece.  Some things are hard to accept--hard to watch--but please keep an open mind. Systemic racism exists. It needs to be talked about and heard and I hope that the conversation continues. Stop Asian hate! 

Our Taste of Universal

 

I feel like it's only fitting that our first steps for over a year inside an amusement park is for a food event. 😄 I would have never predicted that we'd feel "rushed" and "not having enough time" with just a tasting event and no rides.  But that's exactly what happened.  As usual, I had the best company with my lovely family and I feel like every experience was just super fun. There were no rides.  Just food.  But it was such a joyful and memorable experience. I YELPED about the event so feel free to check that out, if you're so inclined. 

Honestly, just feeling thankful and wishing everyone light & love! XOXO 😘

  

Embracing Everyday Simple Joys

Every morning, I have a cup of coffee with a dash of flavored creamer and a piece of bread with peanut butter spread on it that I dip in my drink. It starts off my day and gives me super cozy joy vibes.

The bantering, the teasing, the laughter within my family unit is the greatest of simple joys especially when challenges and stresses inevitably seep into life. My favorite moments, and I'm lucky enough to have many, are those gut laughing moments when I could hardly breathe from the laughter that someone in the family instigated with utter & ridiculous silliness.  Usually, the source is The Huz & I'm a thankful recipient.

My love language, other than actually saying "I love you" which I have no problem expressing with my family, is when I prepare meals.  I enjoy all that is involved in this task, including the planning ahead and even looking up recipes for meal ideas. It's fun coming up with something different and using my family as guinea pigs to see if I succeeded in creating something more than just edible. LOL! Sometimes I hit a home run and other times....well, it's the effort that counts. But also even something as effortless as making a bowl of oatmeal for someone who will enjoy it brings me a simple joy. 

I love feeling consumed by a good romance novel, that simple joy of anticipating what happens next and not wanting to put the book down and then feeling sad when it ends.  

Sitting with the family as a whole and watching a show or a movie with our common interests--dissecting the plot, loving or hating the progress of the story line, having to pause because we are talking too much--consequently dragging out the said story which can be frustrating---but ultimately enhancing the television experience....such a great simple joy--one I don't take for granted since the boys have busy schedules and we sneak in these moments when we can.

The Huz and I always carve out time in the evenings to relax and share our own television shows or movies. He massages my feet or my back. LOL! It's like a mini-date night every night and probably why we don't value commercial holidays like Valentine's Day too much, because we make those moments with each other often. Simple joy. 

I love taking walks--whether it's driving to a nice hiking location (which are plentiful where we live) or just taking walks around our neighborhood. Thankful for those simple joys.

I also find simple joys in/on Social Media. Yes, I know it can be a toxic place filled with vitriol and general unkindness, but I make an effort to sift through all that and find the inspirational, the positive, and the useful content--being drawn to the hopeful instead of the gloomy direction. I also find a simple joy in posting/sharing content that I like instead of stuff I hate. I've seen people post or make comments on others' posts trying to make themselves look intelligent by using insults, but all that does is continue to add to the toxicity of Social Media.  The negativity will always be around us. But we can also choose to not participate in it.  And with that goal in mind, I've found so many simple joys--artistic creativity, inspirational thoughts, and all around general positive vibes.

There are so many of these simple joys that happen very regularly and when you decide to open your eyes to it and feel that gratitude, these moments are amplified and feel much larger. I make a conscious effort to see and feel these joys. And I hope you do too.  Sending light & love to you as usual! XOXO

Spotlight on Larry Itliong: A Filipino American Labor Protections Rights Leader

 

This is a quick spotlight on one of the integral leaders for labor protection rights of farm workers. Larry Itliong is not necessarily a household name and may not be the first person one thinks of when thinking about this time period but he was a true trailblazer and deserves so much more recognition. There were many abuses against these labor workers that lasted for decades. It took unity among Filipinos, Mexicans and other persons of color to make lasting change--many strikes and protests organized--and not all were successful. If you're at all curious about this time period, please look it up. It's a fascinating history and a reason for Filipino Americans to hold their heads up high.  

I'm so proud of the Manongs of Delano, the Filipino American leaders who fought hard for the rights of the labor workers and are pretty much a forgotten part of history.  It's up to us to keep their legacy alive and to continue to tell their story to present and future generations. 

Please read:

We Are Not Your Model Minority or Your Punching Bag: Why Asian Americans Are Hurting and Why You Should Care

...a powerful essay touching upon the harmful model minority myth and a call to action to stop all the Asian and Pacific Islander hate that is happening.

 

Gratitude for the Daily Uses (Appliance Edition)

As I started out the year intentionally deciding to de-clutter my personal things and making a choice not to purchase new things unless absolutely necessary (focusing on simplicity rather than minimalism), we also started to re-evaluate our major appliances and decided that after some twenty plus years, we had to update our stove, our washer & create a new office space for The Huz. The process of choosing, finding good deals and acquiring these upgrades comes with some enjoyment, but we also hit some snags.  Without getting into specifics, some things didn't go as planned and we had to course correct & frankly, we're still hitting some bumps as we continue to complete one of the projects. We also have a list of growing home projects down the line to improve our living space that feel necessary and about time. It can and does become overwhelming, but I'm overall thankful and choosing to focus on the positive.

All these occurrences and especially the moments when it feels like things aren't going the way I want them to, is when I feel it most necessary to go over what makes me feel thankful. Of course, there are the big things I'm always thankful for such as The Huz and my two boys who bring me so much joy--they are permanently part of my gratitude rituals. I'm also thankful for the health & well-being of our extended loved ones. Honestly, these are truly, truly what I consider the big things--the most important blessings and everything else is truly just extra (cream cheese) icing on the cake.😊  

That being said, I also have to give some attention to the things around my house that make life easier and enjoyable & I'm thankful for these things.  

• Stove: The oven broke on my old one and two of the burners stopped working. So, I made due with two burners to prepare stove top meals for a while. It was no big deal and I just adjusted to it. But when I recently got the new one, I became hyper aware of the benefits of having additional burners and an oven that works. It's easy to take it for granted, but every time I take a casserole dish out of the oven or fresh baked biscuits, I find myself saying a "thank you" under my breath for the privilege of its use. 
• Slow Cooker:  I seriously have made so many meals with this handy dandy kitchen appliance. It's the best way to incorporate vegetables into our diet because you can pretty much just throw it in for soups and stews, seasoning it in whatever ways that one finds delicious. Just a little bit of prep work and the device does all the work. Again, making an effort to not take this favorite appliance for granted.
  
• Rice Cooker: We consume rice, if not necessarily daily, pretty close to it. And this appliance makes life super easy because all I have to do is wash it, put the right amount of water, set it & practically forget it.  It won't burn the rice since it turns off automatically and makes my life a heck of lot easier. 
• Refrigerator and top loading freezer: They sit side-by-side in my kitchen and although it is often taken for granted, I'm thankful they are there to store our food. I want to make sure I give them some gratitude attention because never is their value more glaring as when one doesn't have one or they break down somehow. They're amazing appliances and again, I'm thankful for them. 
• Microwave: Thanks for making heating meals faster & easier.
• Toaster: Thank you for making toasting bread a no-brainer.
• Air Fryer: Thankful for the newest member of my kitchen arsenal for making things delicious and crispy without adding any oil. This was a Christmas gift from a family member and again, I express gratitude. I'm still finding new things to cook in it so those discoveries are super fun. 
• Hand-held can opener: I had one recently break on me (one I had for a long time) so I went out and bought a new one and realized how much I appreciate this little guy.
  
• Washer: Without this appliance, I'd have to wash clothes by hand. Sigh.  That would be a real drag. So, I'm ultra thankful for this wonder of wonders. 
• Hand-held vacuum: Truthfully, my First-born is the main user of this one, but I'm thankful that he does and that it works great to help with the overall cleaning of our space. 
  

There are more things around the house that make life easier that are often taken for granted, but you get the idea.  Having these things are a privilege and are causes for gratitude. They really are.  And when I feel like there's a bump in our journey, I'm going to make an effort to remember what I'm thankful for. It helps put things in perspective. Super thankful for life! Sending light & love out to all of you! XOXO 😘 

  

My Inner Non-Traditional Evolution

Love this idea!

 

 The Huz and I had a lovely wedding some 20+ years ago. It was pretty traditional--with the beautiful dresses and suits, a guest list of some of our closest family and friends (and some not so), decorations, a pricey reception etc...and because we genuinely focused on our marriage and future and not just the day itself, I regret nothing and have many fond memories. But the most stand-out memory we have of that day--the topic that always comes up when we discuss the actual day--is how excited we both were to get through the day so we could go to our honeymoon in Orlando, Florida. At the time, it was a highly non-traditional place to go for a honeymoon (and believe me, we heard about it 😏) but we were so hyped and thrilled to go. It was going to be our first time there but has now become our absolute favorite place to vacation for our family of four.

The other day The Youngest and I were watching a show with a gender reveal party scene and I told my son I'm so glad that this trend wasn't "a thing" when I was pregnant with him and his brother. I would hope that even if it were, I wouldn't buy into it especially since I was never focused on the gender of my kids but on genuinely having a  healthy pregnancy, birth and child. I had a baby shower with The First-Born and didn't even feel the need for a second baby shower with The Youngest because I felt we had enough. Honestly, when you're having a baby, all you need is an abundance of diapers--so a "diaper shower"? Maybe that should catch on. 😁

These days I feel like my inner peace and happiness is grounded in simplicity. I see non-traditional wedding invitations such as the one above and I'm so drawn to it. How unbothered it all seems.  And I'm here for it. If we didn't have the constraints of tradition and expectation, this would have been the most ideal way to celebrate our union together. The Huz and I are not fussy people.

I don't see anything wrong with fancy things and feel no judgement toward others' lifestyles. My thoughts and feelings are not rooted in judging or condemning other people's choices.  But for me, simplicity is the ultimate goal.  Seems backwards to some who want to pursue bigger more grandiose things.  But it's forward moving for me.  Yup.  I'm definitely changing and evolving. 

As usual, sending light and love out to you all! XOXO