“Wubie crushed my wand — no magic show for him!”
— Lucy’s response after she waved her ‘magic wand’ (stick with a ribbon) in front of Wubie one too many times (he destroyed it).

We went to the SJ Obon with friends recently and had loads of fun, especially Lucy…she got to dance in her first Bon Odori.

Lucy went to her first Obon fest way back in 2008, when she was still a baby. Grandmommy had suggested we go, she had cut out a clipping from the newspaper for us, and urged us to go that very day (it was a Sunday and we had been visiting her in the hospital). We went and had a lovely time. Shortly thereafter Grandmommy got out of the hospital, so we all went together to the Palo Alto Obon fest. That was about a month before she passed away in September, and it was our last big outing together.

The Obon festival is held to remember ancestors and loved ones who are gone…so it seems appropriate that we keep going in memory of Grandmommy. (Posts from last year’s visits here and here.) If she were still here, she would surely be dancing with us!

Phalaenopsis, phalaenopsis…pretty flower, pretty flower… (to the tune of Frère Jacques) — Lucy’s song after visiting the orchid farm

We’ve had a pretty mild summer, a few hot days here and there. On the hot ones we head out of town…to the foggy city or to the cool beach. Here are some snaps from our summer so far, mostly beach pics. Stay tuned for part 2…

The tree house…a room made by hanging branches

Trying out cameras…she sure has some trusting relatives!

lounging by the pool…phew it was a hot day.

(Anyone else notice how much auntie resembles G’Mommy these days…almost thought it was her in some of these pics. maybe it’s the hair…)

dancing in the ballroom with grandpa

cavorting in the café

Last week we had our first adventure in kite flying, on a big hill overlooking the valley. Madame was a natural!

The weather was warm, wind was blustery, and the view was spectacular…you could even see the water of the bay and the hills in the distance. What a perfect day.

Madame also enjoyed playing with the birthday girl’s toys….

But kept going back to the bouncy house….she even convinced her daddy to bounce!

They were crafts…a pinata…loads of balloons…cupcakes…phew!

It was a great party, and we stayed til the very end. Just as we were about to leave, she got in one last bounce!

One of our local stores has little shopping carts for the kids…Lucy loves it! She pushes her cart around and puts random things in it. If the bunch of bananas needs room, out goes the lettuce. No mommy, you may not put that in my cart!

I try to steer her clear of the other shoppers as she gleefully strolls down the aisles singing. The checkers are always very nice to her too…and point her to the treat box by the door. It’s a great way to shop!

Our little girl went to her first ballet this weekend. I loved ballet when I was a kid, so this was a special moment for me. I was a bit teary-eyed when it started. It just hit me…I am with my baby…at her first ballet!

Lucy has recently started liking ballet, dancing around wearing her tutu, pretending she is Angelina Ballerina. So when the chance came to see a kid-centered ballet we took it.

The ballet we saw was the Ugly Duckling, featuring as many students as possible from the local ballet school, costumed as ducks, swans, flowers, cats, dogs, and chickens. The baby swan stole the show.

Madame behaved very well, applauding in all the right places, staying in her seat the whole time, and watching enraptured for much of it. Not bad for a 3 year old.

When I was a little girl I was obsessed with ballet, and remember asking my mom for ballet lessons…and her saying, ‘not ’til you’re 5′ (or was it 7? either way it seemed a long ways away.) And boy I held her to it!

I remember changing into my ballet clothes in the station wagon as my mom drove me to ballet from school. I remember watching the older girls in the advanced class taking pointe lessons, and dreaming of the day that would be me. I remember the wonder of seeing some of those same girls performing in the LA Ballet’s Nutcracker.

I don’t want or hope for madame to become a professional ballerina, that would be a hard life (low pay, constant aches and bruises and little time for anything else).

But I am happy that she likes ballet, and will be happy to see her studying it, and to take her to many more performances. And I can’t wait for the day when she will be the student up on stage for the first time taking her bows.

Lucy and I made madeleines today with our acorn pan…love it almost as much as our mazed-shaped brownie pan. Such cute little cookies!

We go out to our garden, and check for snails on various plants, esp. the lemon tree. We pick our contenders. After watering the racetrack, we place the snails in a line with a goal in mind, usually the top of a nearby pot. And they’re off!

Racing snails is similar to cats…they take naps, go the wrong way, turn around a lot. So it can be quite exciting…you never can tell who will win.