Homestead Farm-Picking Apples.

Today we were invited to pick apples with some friends. This is the first time we went to Homestead farm and it's only half hour away from our house. Another great place to visit every year.



























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Our house almost got burned down ! (added edited part from Abbey-the TRUE story, which is way more scary)

Work was work, not much excitement. The usual drive home was the same with the Washington area traffic. However today was a bit more exciting. I am driving home from the main street and I hear all these sirens going off and police cars flying ahead of me towards the direction of where I live.

All memories come back from what happened three years ago. I was driving home and the road was blocked. There were sirens and fire trucks everywhere. Smoke was coming in the direction of where I lived. My heart sanked wondering what is going on. I parked on the street and ran towards home not knowing what is going on. Firemen and people were surrounding the area near my house. We live in a cul-de-sac (a end of the street circle) townhouse in a small neighborhood. As I got closer towards home I couldn't get close in the area of my, my heart was pounding and scared not knowing what is going on. I pushed through and started to ask people around what is going on. Apparently there were kids playing in the back of their house with fire and burned down their house and the parents were not home. Our house was only eight houses down from where the house burned down. What a relief.


Back to today. I am driving home and police sirens blaring towards the direction I am heading. Not really thinking much, I finally made it home. No fire trucks, no police cars, and no crowd. It seems normal to me until I parked the car. First thing I noticed that wasn't normal was that all the windows were open; normally if the weather is warmer than 75 degrees, Abbey would have all the windows closed and the AC on. The trash can is thrown in front of the house and the most intriguing thing: a deeply darkened pan is in the walk way in front of the house with some type of liquid spilled all around this pan. I cautiously walked into the house and can smell something burnt. Abbey was feeding Clayton while Brennan ran to up to me. What happened?

Abbey tells me she almost burn down the house. Apparently she was trying to make some sweet and sour pork to bring to my dad's house for dinner. The first part to making the dish requires that you deep fried the marinated pork. She used a sauce pan and a about 1/3 inch oil. Our new 'used' stove top cranks out very hot heat and very fast, by the time Abbey knew what happened the pan had a 3 foot fire burning. She acted fast. (She acted not too fast.....standing there and thinking what to do) Knowing that water will not work and covering the top with glass cover will not work (from previous experience),( She first took that from the burner) and she grabbed a metal cover and put it over the pan. ( That works for awhile and then She took that cover away thinking that's the end of it. But the fire came right back once the oxygen was back, then she stands there for another 5 sec. Thinking need to get this out of the house. ) then open the door and the storm screen (first, then holding this flaming pan with 2 feets of fire out of the house and tose it on the cememt *was going to put it on the dirt, but then think about it will burn the dry wood) to toss out the burning pan. (When she was opening the door without the pan, she saw the cop) There she saw a cop, just doing his routine patrol, she yelled for help but the policeman did not acknowledge. She quickly ran back to the burning pan, carefully took it and threw it in front of the house. The sound of the pan hitting the pavement and the burning oil got the policeman's attention. He spun his patrol car around and stopped by the house to see what is going on. Everything was under control after that.

Abbey was shaken but thanks to her quick thinking and action, no one was hurt in the family and the house was saved. All the while the kids were sleeping. If Abbey didn't act properly, things would have been a lot worse. I am so blessed to know that Abbey, through her quick actions, knew how to handle such dangerous situations to save the family. Another reason I love her and appreciate all that she does for the family. (From now on, I (Abbey) will never leave the stove unattended)
(Late at nite last nite, I would not sleep so I went online and checked what I suppose to do if this happen. I was lucky because I got the pan out of the hosue without burning myself. Most websites do not recommend you move the pan because of the hot and flame. First you use lid or Baking power. If they don't work, then you get away from your house and call 911. So just remember, don't ever put water on a grease fire.)

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Brotherly love

The look at Clayton knowing that his brother is feeding him milk is just precious. So good thing the camera is handy.


So Brennan has been very willing to help out with Clayton such as these pictures. When Abbey went out with her mom's night out friends, I got a little lazy and let Brennan be the big brother. It worked out well for everyone. :D




This is the satisfaction an older brother gets when he finishes feeding his brother.


So for the time mom's out and dad has to babysit, the boys get to watch TV with dad. Most of the time they fight for things but I guess when both of them get to watch a movie, they can sit next to each other.


Brennan's signature motion: Telling mom/dad that the TV/movie is very loud but still wanting to watch it, so he covers his ears and continues to watch TV.


Grand Popo with Clayton


Hm........someone loves Brennan. That's a huge cotton candy ball!! I didn't even get a chance to taste it.


Who's ready for some action?


Yes, Brennan is in his underwear giving his father a haircut. Brennan wanted to give dad a haircut and Da didn't seem to mind. It was short-lived b/c Brennan ran out of patience and decided the hair on the floor was more fun, so Da end up cleaning all the hair from the floor after finishing his haircut of course.


This photo is great! Look both expressions. Clayton has been in a habit of tossing everything on the floor; which happens to be the carpet. See what he's eating? Yes sweet potatoes will stain the floor quite nicely. So I guessed that some didn't make it all the way to the floor-right Abbey?

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Kids will be kids

These are random pictures of this past week. It is to fulfill the demands of overseas viewers(no names will be mentioned here)



So every Tuesday and Thursday after Brennan comes home from school, the boys goes to the backyard and play in the sandbox. They can play for hours on it. Don't know why but they do. Plus it also helps with Clayton's standing.


Da's Sydney Australia friend, Jennifer moved to New Zealand, came to visit our family. She is great! Though she's a visitor, she loves to help out even with diapers, babysitting, and giving the boys bathes. Da doesn't seem to be refusing the offer at all.



Jennifer is doing a great job to balance the cart training Clayton to walk. In fact he walked three circles all by himself pushing the little plastic cart. Prior to this Clayton has not been on his two feet yet.


For dinner we went to a Tex-Mex restaurant at RIO. The food was really good and the night was just perfect as we were eating outside under the moon.



Even Clayton didn't complain, though most of the time he doesn't complain anyways.



Our family, lots of food, and its all gone. Da eats the meat, Abbey eats the veggies, and Brennan with Clayton eats the bread.



After dinner, we walked around the lake and had a great time.



Another day: Here on our usual visit to the grandparents house, we make sure our boys do their part of the cooking. Brennan is peeling the veggies that his grandpa grew in the backyard.


After dinner, there can't be more fun than a horse ride with your cousin. And its good that Da's back is still strong because carrying 50lbs is not easy on the back. But then again sacrifice brings joy to others.


So yes we went overboard with doing thing at times and mom's involved with it too.


So here you go! my boy the circus acrobat/stunt person with his dad. (I think we need to start putting a small bowl in front of us to collect...)

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A family friend's wedding

This is about a week old now but nevertheless I finally have time to post these. The wedding reception was semi-traditional Chinese. It was still have nice reception and we had a good time.

It was interesting though because the bride and groom wanted a wedding without children and when my parents found out that no children are allowed they freaked and did not want to do. They have always been to traditional Chinese weddings where everyone in the family is invited. After several weeks of no reply, the parents of the bride called saying why was there no reply. That was when my parents told them that if the grandchildren weren't allowed to attend the reception the whole family (all eleven of us-my family (4), my sister's family(4) and my parents and brother) So in the end everyone went to the wedding.



Here we requested that we sit in a corner of the restaurant so the kids would not make so much noise.



Mom and Clayton is having a good time and enjoying the music and baby food.



A new way to use the napkins









Brennan have a great time with Emilee


Look at that..the sweet smile from grandma


Groom: Benny, Bride: Yee
Photo by: Da


Here are the Eleven of us. From Left to right: Brother in law, Christopher, grandpa, grandma, sister, Emilee, bride, groom, brother, Brennan, Da, Clayton, and most beautiful Abbey


Our family with the newly weds.


Best photo of the night, Brennan and Clayton somehow with their charms together got three, yes three girls to happily hold hands and hold things for them to walk them to the car. Unbelievable, but again maybe it's in the Zhao blood ;)

More photos can be seen here: Benny & Yee Wedding Reception

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Grandpa's vacation

This past week Da's dad was on vacation and since his dad don't know what places to go, we all just went to RIO and walked and paddled on the boat. RIO is a small area of town where commericial retail surrounds a lake with boardwalk and paddle boats. It was a great day. The grandchildren and grandparents had a really great time. Its amazing that Da's dad lived in the Rockville area for 15 years and have never been to RIO.



The boardwalk leading to the boats. There are lots of people that take their families here to walk, shop, and eat. Its a really nice stroll after dinner.





Since grandma is affraid of water and Clayton too smal for a life jacket, both stayed on the walk way and walked while we were paddling.



That's us in the water!!



Here's how RIO looks like from the water's view.


Look who's on the boardwalk.



We forgot about bread for the ducks, so we improvised and used Cheerios. I think its healthier for the ducks anyways, they get their fiber.





We paddled into the night. It was just beautiful place to enjoy a slow and relaxing day. So for his vacation we didn't have time to take him to some place exotic or far far away. He just stayed local and enjoy his time around the grandkids.

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