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Daily Rice and Chicken

Rental Car Blues

A year ago in August, we flew to California for our cousin Kevin’s wedding. Since I’ve completed my scrapbook projects for now, I’ve been editing video projects that have been on the back burner, obviously, for a long time. So the following movie is our adventures misadventures in trying to rent a car upon our arrival at LAX.

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Daily Rice and Chicken

Everything’s Funnier These Days

“The pregnant body produces a hormone called relaxin. This is what loosens the pelvis making it mobile to help your baby be born. However, this can also cause waddling! I also refer to this as “feeling like a Barbie with her legs pulled off.” This is only temporary, and while it may be a pain now, come birth time you’ll be rather grateful!” – Pregnancy Week by Week

It’s little nuggets of information like this that help me feel less embarrassed about my body during pregnancy. I laugh about it rather than let it stress me out- usually (I am hormonal sometimes and can cry about anything on a bad day).

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Daily Rice and Chicken

So Happy to Have a Hibi!

Jenni's Hibiscus Flower.

I love the tropics! Especially Maui since our honeymoon was there. And I love the flowers there, specifically Hibiscus flowers. In college, my roommate, Iruru, had a beautiful red one, and since then, I’ve been keeping my eye out to buy one for myself. So yesterday, when I found some at New Season’s, I was so excited! David bought me one for my birthday, and I’m so happy every time I look out the window to see the gorgeous blooms on my porch.

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Daily Rice and Chicken

Over Yonder in Montana

Rachel and I figured out we’ve known each other for 11 years now – since before her first son out of three was born. Now that she’s moved to Montana, married a great guy, and has a daughter, it was time for a visit.

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Zhongguó

Sleepless in China

As I mentioned in an earlier post, it was difficult to sleep on the hard beds in China (I didn’t like that a third of the trip was spent in rooms with two separate single beds either. I had David push them together one night). But there were other factors that disturbed sleep just about every night while there.

  • Cars honking. They honk all day and all night in Beijing. I think it’s part of the requirement for driving there. Even out in the peaceful countryside of Huangshan, we would hear cars blast their horn as they went rip-roaring the through curves in the road to warn everybody they’re coming. Our room had a great view of the bend in the road our hotel sat on.
  • A construction site right outside the window.
  • Someone buzz-sawing in the morning.
  • Strong wafts of cigarette smoke coming from the windows or hallways.
  • Someone ringing the doorbell (they have doorbells for each room) or calling your telephone at midnight or 6am.
  • Tourists getting up at 4am and talking shouting in the hallway.

But now that I’m home, and thoroughly enjoying my soft bed, and I am even tired enough to sleep through the construction next door to our own apartment.

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Zhongguó

Cultural and Pregnant Experiences

All kinds of advise comes your way when you’re pregnant. Some you take with a grain of salt, and others come in really helpful. My mother-in-law was born and raised in China, and every once in a while she’ll share her ideas she grew up with of what to do or not do during pregnancy. Some of it is really different but I try to keep an open mind. I am thankful she is open-minded, too, when it comes to my final decisions about my body and baby. She’s really supportive. I’m blessed to have her.

All kinds of advise comes your way when you’re pregnant. Some you take with a grain of salt, and others come in really helpful. My mother-in-law was born and raised in China, and every once in a while she’ll share her ideas she grew up with of what to do or not do during pregnancy. Some of it is really different but I try to keep an open mind. I am thankful she is open-minded, too, when it comes to my final decisions about my body and baby. She’s really supportive. I’m blessed to have her.

David and I decided to go to China with his parents before I got pregnant. And so, when we found out our baby was on the way, David’s mom wanted to know if I still wanted to go.

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Straight to True North

Life After High School

My senior portraitBack in high school, all I wanted to do in life was get married and raise a family. But as graduation creeped closer, I realized I couldn’t just sit around waiting for “Mr. Right.” I also remember wanting to stay a senior because I was having a lot of fun, and college and beyond was kind of scary to think about. But someone once said to me that “There is life after high school.” After striking out on a few adventures of my own, I adopted that saying for myself.

In following David’s lead, I too would like to peek into the last 10 years as it is also my 10 year high school reunion this year.

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Daily Rice and Chicken

Godspeed Canon A80

I know you’re not supposed to get attached to material things because, in the end, you can’t take it with you, but there’s one item that has a lot of sentimental value to me that I believe it’s worth preserving its memory on our blog.

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Cute-Babays

Pregnancy and Pac-Man

Yesterday David took me to my second prenatal appointment. (That’s right! I’m pregnant, and over my first trimester at that!) We got to hear the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. I was so happy I cried.

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Cute-Babays

Baby Facts and FAQs

People often ask the same questions so I’ll post some frequently said responses.

  • No, we are not going to find out whether it’s a boy or girl until the baby’s born. We’ll be happy either way.
  • Sorry, we’re not sharing names.
  • My estimated due date is September 24th.
  • Yes, we are very excited. It’s our first child and the first grandchild for both our parents!
  • I had a lot of nausea. But I’m feeling better now.
  • We don’t sleep much now anyways.
  • Sure! We’ll take your baby stuff. But not too much stuff, we’re still in our apartment.