(Or why my family had four reunions… but for all the wrong reasons) This year has been rough. Like, the kind of rough where you look up in November and realize you’ve been to more funerals than birthday parties. Since March, we’ve lost four family members and a friend — all to illness or old…
Life Lately
Life lately has been a mix of chaos, loss, and small blessings. Taking it week by week and finding comfort in little moments with the kids. New post on the blog — a short update from the heart.
The Original Farmer’s Market at The Grove
My sister took us to The Farmer’s Market at The Grove for the first time, and honestly—it’s totally my vibe. The mix of old-school charm, local eats, and city energy is so L.A. We arrived early (which I highly recommend if you don’t want to deal with the weekend rush) and found parking easily at…
A Day Trip to Newport Beach, CA
It started as a random weekend plan when my cousin casually said, “Let’s go to the beach.” I didn’t realize she meant Newport Beach, which is a bit of a drive from where I live—but honestly, I’m so glad we went. The place was stunning. The air had that crisp ocean scent, the kind that…
Discover CAF SoCal: Plan a Family Visit to the WWII Air Museum
I was looking for a place to take our kids that’s easy, educational, and not too far from home — and CAF SoCal hit all the boxes. Alvin, with his years in aviation, was especially excited. But for me, walking into a real WWII plane — touching the metal, seeing the cockpit — felt deeply…
Naturalization 2025 Updates: New Citizenship Test & Rules
If you’ve been following my original post about the naturalization process, you probably noticed how many moving parts there are … forms, interviews, study prep. Well, there’s a major update: USCIS is rolling out a new civics test and adjusting some of the evaluation criteria. These changes will apply to new applicants starting October 20,…
