Marathon Training

It's time for a marathon training update. It's been a while now since I told you about how running is going. I am LOVING it!!! I'm in shape finally so I can enjoy the workouts more and really challenge myself. I'm on week #4 (of 17) in my training. Here's the schedule:

M: jog 40 minutes (11:00 minute pace)

T: cross train 30 minutes

W: 12 x 400m repeats (1:55-2:00 pace)

R: jog 40 minutes (11:00 minute pace)

F: cross train 30 minutes

Sa: 13 miles (9:45 pace)

Su: REST!!!

Ironically, my favorite days are W's and Sa's. I love the challenge that these runs give me. The other days are cool too (esp. R since Gabe and Andrew join me), but I look at them as filler days for the rest of the week. :)

Gabe gave me the pink watch for my birthday and I have enjoyed it so much. It helps me keep my pace just right and it looks cute too! :)

Cute Kid

Andrew is just starting to understand pictures now and loves them. He especially likes Gabe in pictures. He'll carry around a picture (this one is his fav) and say, "daddy? daddy?" while walking all around the house.

Like father, like son. (This is the sports section... Front page Lakers.)What?!
If that's not a mischevious look, I don't know what is.

What a cute kid.

Nonnie and Poppy Visit

Andrew got to see 2 sets of grandparents within one week!... Come to think of it, maybe that's why he's been so fussy since Gabe's parents left. He got used to being spoiled! :)
We had a great visit even in the rain. We all went for a walk on my favorite trails and we played numerous games of Apples to Apples. (Even Gabe and his dad enjoyed it!) Also, Gabe and I got to go on TWO dates in one day! I guess we were spoiled too!
How cute is this little guy with his Nonnie?

Happy New Year!!!

Happy (Chinese) New Year everyone! Gong She!!! Last night was the big party at church. New Year's for the Chinese is comparable to Christmas for Americans. There are always family gatherings, parties, traditions, gifts, and (of course!) lots of food. One of Andrew's aunties from church got Andrew the most adorable outfit for the big nite. She also got me the shirt you'll see me wearing as well.

I think he knew he was modeling here. :)

Check out the braided hair. Isn't that hilarious?!

The talent show was AWESOME! The youth did a couple of skits that turned out great. They wrote and acted them out all on their own. They are very talented and funny!
We only got pics from one of the skits though... how sad!

I don't even know how to explain this. Two brothers (Wesley and Allan) did this crazy yoyo fly through the air and land back on the string and go around their body thing. I think that's a fairly good explanation. It was pretty crazy looking.

Dr. Ho did a puppet show... sounds boring, right? It was a traditional Taiwanese puppet show though. He made the puppets do some amazing things. The pupets could move their fingers and tilt their heads! They were balancing dishes on long metal poles and beating each other up. It was really funny and a very cute, well written play as well. He had the adults and the little kids laughing so hard. I can't even understand Taiwanese and I was laughing too!

Dr. Tien, the chairman of our elder board, challenged Gabe and I this time. He asked Gabe to write out a few sentences of our feelings for everyone at church. We gave that to him and he exchanged it for a Taiwanese-translated copy for Gabe and a Mandarin-translated copy for me. It was SO hard, but we got up in front of everyone and recited (although not completely memorized) our message to the church. One of the high schoolers (Joseph) volunteered to translate for us (into English!) and did a great job. I'm sure that couldn't have been an easy task! I'm going to try to put a sound clip on of Gabe and I saying our messages.

I also did a short act with Alice... a follow-up from the Thanksgiving celebration. she's such a funny woman and comes up with some great ideas. The jacket I'm wearing is her's from her honeymoon! Isn't it beautiful?! I wish I had a pic of it closer up.
Andrew is at the age now that he can run around with the other kids and get away with getting into things that he's not supposed to. It's really cute!
He was so close to climbing up on stage so many times.
Happy New Year, Noah!!!

Andrew liked the feeling of his new clothes.
Andrew with his little buddy, Jonathan and hid mom, Irene.

Paso Robles Trip

Happy Happy Andrew (taken 2 hours ago) We went up to visit my mom and ELM (her husband) on the central coast this weekend. Sorry to my friends up there, but it was a family-only visit this time. :) Here's Andrew in Morro Bay. (Gabe's and my old stompin' grounds.)
My mom and Andrew had a great visit. Andrew warmed right up to her and ELM. It was such a blessing!
Andrew learned how to drive while we were there.

I know this is not a good pic of my mom or I, but it shows us having a good time together and I figured that was worth a bad shot. :)