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Thursday, October 27, 2011

The 10th Annual PumpkinFEST

1 Year, 27 Weeks

Kohlden:  24 lbs
Maddy:  23 lbs  15.5 oz

So...call me ignorant.  Maybe even a little insensitive.  But definitely frustrated.  I mean, you live in the United States, for crying out loud!  If I moved to your country I would certainly try to learn some of the language.  Can you at least learn how to speak a little, no, at most, some "Engrish?"  And you work at this place of business, so how can you not possibly know your own inventory?  At least point me in the way of the customer service desk or better yet, why don't you go and ask your manager for help?  Please show me that you have any, or at best feign, interest in helping my confusion at what the foreign names on the products say.  Can't you see I've got my hands full with a cartful of children?  I am the customer!  Don't just stare at me...help me!

My angst was due to a rather unpleasant shopping experience.  Shopping, you say?  Well, it was at an oriental supermarket I frequent on Colonial and Pine Hills.  A rather seedy part of town, but nevertheless, probably one of the better markets due to selection and options.  That was, until my last visit.

Just recently I have re-fallen in love with Asian food, particularly dishes with any type of noodles.  I have tried to lovingly re-create authentic cuisines from Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan, to enhance our dinners at home.  Problem is, I sometimes can't find the ingredient because it's written in those languages on the labels, so shopping can be rather difficult at times.  Especially when the workers can't or won't help you, as was the case for my rant two paragraphs prior.  But then again, maybe she was thinking, "You idiot.  It clearly says おいしいビーフン!  Ha!  You're Asian, why can't you read the labels yourself?"  Sigh.  Oh well.  Comme Ci, Comme Ça


I can see the picture but seriously, can you tell me what this product is!?!


This past weekend landed our yearly event at our home, the 10th Annual PumpkinFEST.  It was the culmination of a year's worth of planning games, and 2 weeks' worth of cleaning and decorating.  As always, a slew of guests were invited, both veterans and newbies alike.  The rsvp's came in as late as the day of the event, with a grand total of 71 in attendance.  Not our highest ever, but the house was still packed! 




Both dining and living rooms are ready to be filled with revelers.

The festivities began Friday night, when Tangie picked up Elisa Brown from the airport.  Elisa is a dear friend and a former roommate of Tangie's, and was her Maid of Honor at our wedding.  She had just returned from a couple years stint in Malawi, Africa, as the CFO/acting CEO of the hospital there, and just recently landed the position of Assistant Professor and Director of the MBA program at Loma Linda University, in California, where she now resides.  My partner and co-emcee at these PumpkinFESTs, Adam Heck, flew in from Chattanooga, TN the night before, and joined us all for dinner Friday evening.  It was a reunion of sorts, as the four of us are very close friends and hung out a lot together before Tangie and I got married, and then Adam, and Elisa moving away for work.  It felt like old times and there were lots of reminiscing. 


Tangie, me, Adam, & Elisa, circa 2004

Sabbath morning brought us to church where we joined old friends Cory and Amanda Reeves and their two boys at Sabbath school, along with the Grodacks.  Remember, the 3 couples all had their first children a few weeks apart from each other?  We certainly miss them as they had moved up to Calhoun, GA for Cory's job several years ago, but were thrilled they had driven down to attend the party at our house that evening.  Elisa went to see if she could catch up with people she knew at church and afterwards joined us for lunch at Sweet Tomatoes before heading back for the kids' naps and final food preparations for the evening.


Mommy and Aunt Elisa walk with the children to church.

Grodacks, Reeves, and Isidros mini reunion.

Baby Brady:  He's got the whole world in his hands!

Braelyn being a good girl and coloring after Sabbath school.

Lunch at Sweet Tomatoes with Aunt Elisa!

The most interesting man in the world:  Kohl always likes to surround himself with the ladies!

Sisters smile big!

Braelyn enjoys her afternoon nap on the hammock.

Tangie and Elisa make their two dishes:  Pumpkin gratin and pumpkin quesadillas!

Kohl helps Aunt Elisa with the lemonade.

Catherine and the Reeves busy making their dishes at the Ottati's home.

Maddy and Kohl enjoy Gabriella's toys while waiting for Daddy.

As always the food was delicious, the air was festive, and the games were entertaining and enjoyed by all.  It was a great turn out and we always enjoy seeing everyone there either catching up or meeting new friends.  But, of course, the real treat was having our former teacher from Starchild Academy and her friend watch all the kids for us upstairs, while the parents were given a reprieve to enjoy the party and have conversations with each other and other adults.  And the kids had a blast!  Along with children's movies that were playing, Miss Stephanie and Miss Jennifer brought a cornucopia of games and crafts, all Fall themed, for the children to enjoy.  I know the parents were thankful and impressed.  Thanks to both of them ~ you guys rock!


We can open up our own shoe store!

A sampling of the desserts.

The line for the food!

Old friends catching up.

Kohlden makes the announcement:  Let the games begin!

Braelyn tells Mommy about all the arts and crafts upstairs.

Adam and I about to start hosting the games portion of the night.

Looks like everyone is ready to play!




Look!  Over there!  Do you see that?

I felt like I was on the NYSE trading floor!




The winning food entry:  Pumpkin cake by Yully Wall.  It looked so good no one wanted to cut into it and mess it up!

Braelyn helps Miss Stephanie prepare the crafts.

Calleigh enjoyed "Pin the nose on the pumpkin!"

While the adults downstairs played TANK!  So close William!

The winning team of this year's TANK championship!

Announcing Best Entree, Best Dessert, and Overall Cooking Champion of 2011!

These three could pass as sisters!

The men "planking".  Duncan enjoyed being on the bottom.

The men "owling", because "planking" was so 10 seconds ago.

Saying thank you and goodbye to Miss Stephanie and Miss Jennifer.  Braelyn had a great time!


Sunday both Tangie and myself had committed to spending time with some friends that had just recently gotten married, Adrien and Stacy [Litzenberger] Shepherd, so we attended separate get togethers planned for each one of them.  The girls met for brunch, so Tangie and Elisa spent the morning shopping for gifts and then meeting the rest of the party at some tea house in Longwood.  I hooked up with Cory Reeves and Duncan at a park in Altamonte Springs as all three of us were on Daddy duty.  The ladies  returned home while the kids were taking their naps (I made sure they played hard at the park) and then it was my turn to take Adrien out for a guys' afternoon, along with Jared Clarke.  The three of us visited a life-sized slot car race track in Longwood and then afterwards had Thai for dinner on Park Ave in Winter Park.  We snuck in the movie "Captain America" before feeling guilty and returning home back to our wives and families.  And although we had permission to stay out as late as we wanted, we were back home by nine pm.  Such good husbands!


Such a big helper, big sister pushes the twins' stroller to the playground.

Going up, going down.

The three dads on duty with the kids.

Kohlden seems to be enjoying himself.

Maddy's hair sticking straight up from the static on the slide.

Tangie and the kids drop off Aunt Elisa at the airport.  Thanks for visiting!

Me, Adrien, and Jared at the slot car track for "big kids".

Enjoying Thai at the Orchid restaurant in Winter Park.


Monday morning dark and early all 5 of us hopped in the van to take Tangie to pick up the Infiniti that was in the shop, before she headed out to work.  Her car had died on her last Sunday out by UCF in far east Orlando, and we had to get it towed to a mechanic.  At first I thought it was the battery, but I had just replaced it, so then I was thinking it was the alternator.  It turned out to be a dead starter, so that was replaced.  It's starting to show it's wear and tear, as it has already been 10 years since she purchased it brand new.  We might end up selling it or trading it and the Pathfinder in the near future for another vehicle that can fit 3 car seats together.  Having three cars is just not practical right now.  We'll see.


It was so early we woke them up and just put them in their carseats, pajamas and all.


Wednesday was the twins' 18 month visit to the doctor, with both Hepatitis A and flu vaccine shots on the menu, so I knew they were not going to be happy campers afterwards.  Maddy was the braver one while Kohlden resorted to fits of screaming and crying, and wouldn't you be as well if a complete stranger kept looking in your ears and examining your twig and berries?  They are both growing well, but mostly in the 25th percentile in the categories of head circumference, height, and weight.  Kohl is a quarter inch shorter than Maddy, but is just a little heavier.  Maddy also has a slightly smaller head.  The doctor also noticed that they are taking their time with their teeth coming out so he said that they would be late bloomers and would continue to grow and develop a few years after the average kid stops.  Good to know.




Waiting to pick up big sister at school, Maddy complains on how Kohl is holding her hand.



He didn't want to let go of Mommy at the doctor's.

While Maddy was hamming it up with Daddy's sunglasses.

Dr. Gordon check's Maddy's vitals.  He has 7 kids of his own!

"Okay Doc, that's it.  I'm done.  Daddy!"


Also that evening, Braelyn had her bi-weekly Adventurer's meeting.  Since the last one we were working on the prayer honor, so I had been diligently teaching her the Lord's Prayer, which, I'm proud to say, she can recite from memory!  She had an extra long weekend since there was no school on Monday because of Teachers' In-Service, so she spent the day with me and twins and we joined seven other moms and their kids to visit a worm farm in Apopka.  No, really, there is such a thing!  They had a class where they learned about the anatomy and eating processes of worms, and how they can digest trash and make their own waste look like soil.  The kids even got a chance to touch worm poo.  So remember this, the next time you pick up a handful of dirt!  And they were able to make and keep their very own worm farm to take home, for we have 6 brand new pets:  Toot, Puddle, Pumpkin, Flower, Missy, and Trophy.  Whew!


With the Grodacks at the worm farm.

Using Calleigh's help in an example of how much food a worm eats.

Yes, I let her touch the worm poo.

A worm "condominium", an upscale luxury worm farm.

Team Isidro

Braelyn builds her own worm farm to take home.

The twins enjoyed their snacks from the sidelines.

We had a picnic lunch afterwards.  Great weather for it!

Braelyn, Calleigh, and Danica at Adventurer's Wednesday evening.

Funny how kids automatically segregate themselves.  Obviously, this was the girls' only table.

Braelyn works on her leaf honor.


Randoms this week: 


We happened upon this store in Longwood but it was closed, so I waited for them to open in typical Filipino fashion.

Fifty five thousand five hundred and fifty five miles in the minivan.

This person sure has an eclectic selection of bumper stickers!

So...which of these options constitutes for actual food?

I'm sure it's a great business.  It just that...um...it's a shed in a parking lot.  Location, location, location!

Nothing beats the original 1871 Ford F-150 model.


A couple meals this week:


Arroz y frijoles negros con quesadilla de pumpkin.  Delicioso!

Green curried beef Thai noodles.  Spicy!


I could only remember one conversation I had with Brae.  We were shopping at the oriental market, as mentioned in the beginning, and as we were going down an aisle, she overheard another Asian boy talking to his father in their native tongue.  I'm not going to speculate what language it was, because again, apparently I'm too ignorant to know the difference.

     Brae:  [silent gasp] "Daddy!  He lives here!"
     Me:  "What do you mean?"
     Brae:  "He lives inside the store!"
     Me:  "Why do you think he lives inside here?"
     Brae:  "Because...he's speaking China!"

So keep that in mind.  If you speak "China", you live inside an oriental supermarket.




Leave us a comment and have a great weekend!