The Zhao Family

I am not sure when it's a good time to post these videos with the Holidays here but I figure if I don't post it here now, it'll have to wait until after January and who knows what will happen then. So here are the videos.


This is CC at 7yo practicing for his Primary class "I Love to see the Temple"









We actually got quite a bit of snow for the first time of the season! quite exciting! And of course we played on it!






FF playing in her music class with her bumblebee outfit.



Can you tell how addictive video games can become?





The receivers of the Yellow Belt for all their hard work.







So this won't get neglected, CC got his trophy for winning the Raingutter Regata.

We have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Everyone was home and celebrated with family.
Abbey has been tasked to cook a turkey this year. She used a recipe from our godfather in NYC and it came out just perfect!
















This is the kids getting dressed up to get ready to go to grandpa and grandma's house.


We couldn't wait to eat the turkey at night so we had it for lunch first!



In between the time, I taught Brennan to play chess while others played Twister.


Then it was time for dinner!! Da's dad made his usual famously delicious ducks, lobsters, and fresh fried chicken with half of the turkey. We feasted and once again ate too much.








Then we headed to PA to visit Abbey's high school friend and their new house. The gathering was great! and everyone had a great time catching up and shopping!





Brennan and I even make fresh pancakes and waffles for everyone!

So Brennan and Abbey's been taking Karate for some months now. Brennan likes this over Tball and Abbey claims this to be her exercise regimen. Nevertheless, this week both of them were tested for belts. So both of them are Yellow now. Here's a recap of the tests.










This was a surprise which I didn't think would happen but Brennan even got a trophy for outstanding performance and working so hard to get his belt! There was only two trophies for the group of 40+ kids. Way to go !






Abbey getting tested for her hard earned belt too!

Clayton is usally pretty quiet but has a mind of his own. He is not as social as his siblings but he channels his energy to thinking and putting it all on his drawings or however he can.



That is a picture of me! his dad!


super concentrated with lots of colors!




With the glow sticks he got for Halloween, he decided to put it together and make it a snow'wo'man!


This is a great photo of us! His mom and dad and with all the surrounding details!


His undersea world! with sharks and all kinds of sea mammals


His appreciation for us!


I like this one the best because he used my ipod that start with a white background, he painted it black, then added stars and the moon with appropriate spacing and color.


The artist himself!

Here are some of the photos totally missed by me.







FF had her toddler group Halloween gathering and wow was this mother trying to impress everyone or what. She went all out with decorative goodie bags, yummy and great looking snacks for everyone as well.

We went to the Zoo on one of the warmer days and we had a lot of fun! It was packed and we saw as much as we can before they close early for their Halloween party too.









FF having a tea party with XX and boy do they enjoy it!





Here's abbey's cooking! Something she missed in her childhood. It's actually quite yummy!

This happened last week but decided to post it now since we had so many events last week.

It seems like Abbey’s overworked so she asked for a day off which means I need to take a day off my job so she can take a day off from the family. Make sense? Of course it does. I was being a house husband and daddy duty for one whole day last Thursday.

Here are the details of events: Wednesday night I came home and we had a normal day. Of course I keep asking Abbey what I need to do and what time I need to get those things done for the kids the next day. She gave me a list of things I can repair/fix/put together around the house as well as what I need to clean too while feeding the kids meals, making sure they get to/come from school on time and that Cayleigh(FF) gets her meals and nap time. Her day off started officially at midnight. The next morning she left the house at 8am! which is the earliest I think she’s left the house for a while. So out the door she went even before the kids got ready for school. I had to wake up the kids, get the boys to do their bathroom duties and change their clothes for school. Then I need to make breakfast for everyone and while I was cooking breakfast, they played with toys while some read books. Since it’s a special treat that I am home, I oven baked French Toast sticks and gave them chocolate milk! Oh they love it! After breakfast, we read a little bit of books and at 8:35am, got everyone to put away the books and toys and out the door we’re off by 8:45a! I looked out the house at the bus stop but there was no one there so I waited 5-10 more minutes and people where there. It was kind of interesting because it was raining fairly light and me being a father, instead of having an umbrella like all the mothers did for their children, I just put on hoodies for all the kids and just went to the bus stop. The boys were kind of smart, they found their friends who had umbrellas and chat with them until the bus arrived meanwhile FF and I were getting a bit wet from the rain.

Once we got home, I immediately got started with putting a bed side drawer that we bought two months ago in my room. FF was watching some ballerina DVD on the bed while I was putting that IKEA drawer together, I guess what I was doing was more interesting than what she was watching so she came over to help by giving me screws, nails, wood pegs, and tools too. The whole time she kept asking, “ni goh hai mat yeh” (what is this) pointing to all the object since she has never seen any of the materials/tools before. So I tell her what the items are and how they are used and soon she learned all the stuff and was quite effective to give me the right material/tool at the right time. She even wanted to help and indeed she did by helping me nail the back panel of the drawer! She banged two nails in without messing up at all! The only thing I helped with was to set the nail and she got them it!

After we were done with drawer I needed to move our bed and other furniture around to make space. While I was at it, I decided to vacuum the whole room and all that dust behind the bed and around the edges of the room. Of course while I had the mattress on the floor FF was jumping all over the mattress. Since I was on a roll I changed the bed sheets and then I vacuumed the hallway, continued to their rooms, changed their bedding as well as taking out all our comforters to wash them. FF's room was easy to vacuum since she doesn’t have much furniture but once I got to the boys room, it was quite difficult. So I decided to take lunch since it was around noon and I was starving, so I took FF out to get free food. I had a coupon (of course me being cheap) for a free burger at this new fast burger joint but I don’t think that food is right for FF and end up with a cheeseburger at McDonalds. We came home and quickly ate it. Then it was time for FF to take her nap around 1p. I resumed vacuuming the boys’ room moving both beds, the suite cases and bins of clothes underneath them, and book shelf. When I was done, I put up a roller blind and a drape for their room. It took me an hour and a half to just complete their room. After that, I continued vacuuming every single stair for both floors and finished the basement. Then I dusted all around the house while I washed and dried 4 loads of laundry.

By the time FF woke up and drank a glass of milk, we headed out to pick up the boys at 3:50p. We came home and the boys had some snacks then it was time for Brennan (CC) to practice 30 mins of piano followed by Chinese homework, Clayton (SS) was to do his hw as well, while I read to FF. Two hours later it was time for dinner, since Abbey’s not home, I just kept it simple and had everyone ate leftovers for which they were happy about. By 7p, dinner was done and it was time for me to put FF to bed while the boys continued reading their books. Gave FF shower, brushed her teeth, read to her, prayed with her, and sang to her as I turn off her lights and shut the door. No later than half an hour later I put the boys to bed in the same manner.

So by 8pm, I was a freed man! I stayed in bed to read a bit, catch up on FB, emails and chat. I was hoping that Abbey will be back soon. Mind you that she never called home once to see how she’s doing, however her friend posts photos of them eating Korean BBQ at 9pm. I watched 3 movies before Abbey finally made it home at 12:30am smelling like Korean BBQ. She was off exactly 24 hours and 30 minutes.

So what a day! I actually enjoyed the day at home cleaning the entire house; it was actually quite relaxing. Many FB friends kind of admire what I did for Abbey but I told them that I can’t do this every day but once in a while is nice since this is the first time I did anything like this.

This image is the itenary for me on Abbey's day off



Below are the Facebook status I keep updating so Abbey and friends can see what is going on.

Daddy duty starts in -5:00 hrs. Mommy day off starts in -4:59 hrs
Wednesday at 7:00pm via mobile

Abbey's day off: my schedule for daddy duty day
Wednesday at 9:33pm

So far so good: everyone woke up on time, done their bathroom duties, fix bed, and now their treat is French toast sticks with chocolate milk!
Thursday at 8:20am via mobile

I've made it thus far: vacuumed entire house moving furniture and beds, put up curtains, wiped all windows, put up my bed drawer, dusted everywhere, changed all bedding and washed 4 loads of laundry. Gave kids snacks and now playing puzzle with FF while CC is practicing piano and SS is drawing. Next: Chinese HW, dinner, shower and bedtime! So far so good!
Thursday at 5:20pm via mobile

Mission accomplished! Kids got dinner, showered, prayers, kisses goodnight! Now some peaceful alone time. Chilax a bit, shower and bed time. Whenever wife decides to come home: drive safely.
Thursday at 8:19pm via mobile

Exactly 24 hrs 30 mins off
Yesterday at 12:31am near Rockville

(BTW-Abbey never called home once to check on us, she claims she regularly checks my status) And below is how FF decide to help out.

This is FF being very helpful to put the drawer together



Chasing me to suck me to death!?!