April 01, 2012
March 26, 2012
January 15, 2012
OKC Museum of Art
We went there for the Exhibition "Illuminations: Rediscovering the Art of Dale Chihuly". He actually got his first degree from University of Washington in Seattle! The collection here at MOA in OKC is one of the most comprehensive one of his glass in the world. In the slide show below, if you watch patiently, you could see several oil paintings in there. They're done by Dale Chihuly, too.
Go check it out when you get a chance.
January 07, 2012
December 27, 2011
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
We originally went for the glass art by Dale Chihuly, but the show won't be open until the New Year's Eve. Instead, we were carried away by another exhibition called "Faded Elegance" --- the Photographs of Havana by Michael Eastman.
Although each photo is up to six feet, the scale feels right because when you look at the photo, you feel you could enter the print. I was never a fan of photographs. But I found myself enjoying thsoe oil-painting-like photos enormously. Girls also had fun looking at the details of each photo. The layout, the perspective, the color, the light, the texture, and the scale, it's amazing. "It’s very important for the viewer to be able to discover the narrative of that photograph and of the person that lives in that space. Those details are on the wall, they’re in the chairs, they’re in the artwork, they’re in the peeling paint, they’re in the chandelier..."
If you cannot make the trip, here is what I found on Youtube, beautifully composed, with much more photos by Michael. I especially love his photos of interior architecture. Enjoy (with Full Screen)!
December 25, 2011
Tulsa Christmas Light Show
Looks like Santa is not only coming to town. The Santa is coming to "sea" this year. I'm wondering if Sophie's favorite Puffer Fish is on the nice list. Here, Sophie is saying "Hi" to the underwater Santa Claus at the Oklahoma Aquarium on the day of the Christmas Eve.
Girls also enjoyed the Christmas lights enormously.
"Sophie, did you love the lights?"
"Mom, this is the best day ever!"
May 07, 2011
Galveston Beach 2011
Just watch them! How happy! I love watching them play!
(Last time we took the girls to the beach is when Sophie was 2 and half. They also had a great time!)
May 06, 2011
May 05, 2011
Treasure Books
While we were shopping in the Chinese Town District in Houston, we saw a couple of Chinese Book Stores in the same shopping center.
The Book Stores are small. They carry more music CDs, movies and videos than books. One of the book store has a little bit more selections on the children's books, which are all on the lowest shelf and on the floor. Easy access for Sophie. I had to kneel down to look for the books I want one by one --- since they're apparently not in any order.
New books, old books, out-of-print books, all together. Here is part of my lucky find. One particular, called "Weighing an Elephant" is the last copy in store. With damages on both front and back cover, it's not even in mint condition. But inside, it has 5 famous Chinese children stories, each beautifully illustrated in distinctive Chinese art style: traditional ink and wash, free style painting, fine brush painting, fan painting and paper cutting. Each illustration is a piece of art work by itself! It's a treasure book.
May 04, 2011
NASA
It's a great experience! It just could be better if we had more time. The guided tour to the Astronaut Training Facility at the Johnson Space Center was the highlight of the trip. But the long wait outside the building was quite challenging to the small kids. Even Laura at some point got impatient.
A lot of things to see in the center. We changed out plan to stay longer so that girls could play more in there. If you go, give yourself some extra time.
May 03, 2011
Houston Museum of Natural Science (& the Water Wall)
It was a quick visit since we had other plans for the day.
It's not as big as I have expected. Of course, it's not Smithsonian. But still you could learn a lot if you took the time to see everything there. The best part of the museum is probably the Gemology exhibit, which we spent quite a long time wandering through the never-ending gem vault. My girls were oohs and aahs all along. They just love HUGE gemstones and diamonds. I don't blame them.
We also watched the 3D movie "Sea Rex" in the iMAX theatre in there. Sophie was brave enough to sit through the whole show, although I had to cover her ears, while she was busy holding on to the big 3D glasses to prevent it from falling from her small face.
3 stars for the museum. The exhibits seemed old and haven't been updated for a long time. Some science exhibits don't work properly. The other star get subtracted because of the McDonald's in the museum. It gets messily loud during lunch time when it's crowded with people. Doesn't seem to go with the atmosphere of the museum. Besides, it's quite pricy for the whole family, and the Butterfly Exhibit is not even included. It could be a better museum.
Overall, it was nice.
The Water Wall we went afterwards was amazing. We all loved it. Laura and Sophie were chasing each other around and in front of the Wall. They played hard on the giant lawn in front of the Wall. They ran, they were hot, and they went to the Water Wall to cool down; then they went to play again... Definitely a good place to go in a hot summer day.
December 30, 2010
Leonardo's Children Museum
It's our third visit. As usual, girls enjoyed it very much, especially the outdoor "Adventure's quest".
( First Visit in 2008 / Second Visit in 2009 )
October 11, 2010
Fall Foliage Beyond New England
I don't know about you, but the Crispy Fall Air and the Changing Colors are really starting to put me in the mood for a getaway.
This is a picture I stumbled upon online after our trip back from the Broken Bow Lake this summer. It's the Beavers Bend near the lake. Looks like the rich foliage is not something only special for the New Englanders!
Don't forget to share with me your pictures of the fall!
October 03, 2010
Fall Weekend @ Global Oklahoma 2010
The Global Oklahoma at Rose State College this year features the country of Ireland.
I'm so glad I took both girls along. It turned out to be a really fun experience. Laura and her friends did Irish Dancing performance both at Opening Ceremony and the later-on performance.
It would have been nice if I got to see more performances and took more pictures. They put on some real good shows at the three different stages throughout the day. We checked out a few, but it seemed Sophie was not content just watching --- she's more interested in the hands-on activities for the children. She was proud of her giant paper flower and her cute antenna made out of pipe cleaners became a huge head turner at the festival.
Girls fell asleep fast that night. I couldn't even finish checking my emails. I almost dozed off on my keyboard. But I'm glad I made the trip. One thing I wish I had done was to get the autograph of the artist who created the poster. It was one of the most beautiful posters I've ever seen.
I wish you all had a wonderful weekend.
September 08, 2010
10 Big Moments @ BROKEN BOW (3)
10. Laura's Trout & Sophie's Cat(fish)
9. Feast @ Cabin
8. Mountain Fork River
September 07, 2010
10 Big Moments @ BROKEN BOW (2)
7. Girls' First Catches of the Day
6. Laura's Diving
5. Swimming
4. Boating
September 03, 2010
3. Outdoor Jacuzzi
Girls just had to check it out before the sun set.
What a good way to relax!
2. CABIN ( Interior)
I loved it!
Later the day, Sophie asked,"Mama, is this our home?"
"Do you want this your to be your home?"
"Yes. I like this place."
Who wouldn't with nature as your closest neighbor?!
1. CABIN
After almost 5 hours on the road, we couldn't be happier when we finally pulled into the parking of the cabin, the Loose Moose Cabin.
It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was still high. The two story cabin, sitting deep in the woods, looked picture perfect!
August 16, 2010
January 01, 2010
October 18, 2009
August 23, 2009
An Hour's Drive to Adventure
Two days before Sophie's 3rd Birthday, we treated BOTH girls a trip to the Leonardo's Discovery Warehouse & Adventure Quest in Enid, which was an hour's drive from Stillwater. THis was our 2nd visit.
Laura has been asking for a 2nd visit ever since our first visit last Spring. The giant Adventure Quest outdoor playground left really a nice impression on her, on me as well, to be honest. So almost 2 hours' play up and down the 3-story castle-style playground this afternoon, surely was something they both would remember for a long long time.
The garden behind the playground, which was not done during our last visit, was another reason I loved this place very much. Either a picnic around the table, a chess game under the shade, or a quiet walk around the flower bed, a wild chase over the lawn, I'm sure everybody can find a reason to be here.
An hour's drive wasn't that bad, at all!
August 17, 2009
盈菲‘09夏日中国行
We're back, safe and sound!
Check out our amazing trip back to China at 盈菲‘09夏日中国行！
June 10, 2009
Stone Bluff Lavender Festival
Something a little different and unexpected here at Oklahoma? If you were here, you would know what I'm talking about. I see rolling pastures, grazing cows, galloping horses only a few minutes' drive from our home. So for that something different and unexpected, we took girls to visit the Stone Bluff Lavender Festival at the Lavender Hill Farm, which was about two hours' drive (from Ponca City Herb Festival, yes, that's a lot of herb experience for one day, & a lot of driving ).
We had enjoyed the Sequim Lavender Festival back in Seattle while we were there. And Laura has such fine memory of the beautiful purple patches stretching far into the horizon. When choosing the color for her Irish Dancing cape, she picked the lavender purple.
The field here couldn't compare to that of Seattle. We soon found Laura wandering off to see the vendors. But to little Sophie, the small patch was big enough to win her woos, ahhs and wows. After all, it's her first encounter with this beautiful plant up close. To me, I would be lying if I said I was not a little bit disappointed. But amazingly, I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved being surrounded by those delicate purple flowers under the blazing June sky; I loved that unmistakably lavender perfume in the summer air; I just loved being there. What a beauty!
June 08, 2009
Ponca City Herb Festival
The festival was worth the drive. It is our first time to the Herb Festival at Ponca City, which is about an hour's highway from Stillwater. We arrived at around 9 o'clock, thinking we were the early birds ( we got up before 7am!) , but this was what we saw while we tried to pull the car into the already crowded parking lot.
What a fabulous idea! With a beautiful bow tie, these could make a cute little gift for a keen gardener!
This was exactly what you would feel when you were at the festival.
Held on the first Saturday of June each year, the Ponca City Herb Festival is a 10-acre showcase of color, fragrance and music. Located right in the Cann Memorial Botanical Garden, you will see the finest rose archway, lovely water ponds, and cute little ornamental fixtures at every turn of the lamp post-lined brick walkways. Big trees provide enough cool shade for almost every vendor, who bring their handmade baskets, candles, soaps, stoneware, yard ornaments, even furniture to the festival. Of course, the big crowd was always around the herb plants. The biggest?
Festival seldom goes without music and dance. For this Herb Festival, The Hill Irish Dance School was invited again. Along with 10 other girls, Laura really enjoyed dancing under the shades, in front of the pleasant audience (the biggest), and amidst the fragrant air.
February 19, 2009
"Moving" Postcards from CA --- Beach Play
If you watched closely enough, you would see at one point, Sophie almost fell into the mud puddle on the beach. She DID, actually, later on when the camera was not rolling. If it wasn't for that fall, the girls wouldn't have wanted to leave the beach.
Yes, Mom did bring clothes for both girls to change, towels to wrap, wipes to clean, tissues to dry the tears, and a relaxed attitude and plenty of patience. Other than that, girls knew where to find that shoulder strong enough to lean on.
Pictures taken after the Beach Play:
Left: Laura at Seal Beach Pier
Middle: Girls with Daddy at Sunset
Right: Sophie felt asleep minutes after the picture was taken
