A Bruin, at 5

Maiya started playing basketball for 3-5 year olds with the Bruins in January.  After taking a basketball clinic in November, Maiya decided she wanted to join Jr. Lakers with the Y.  Actually, she was kind of hot and cold. We'd ask her if she wanted to play, and she'd say yes one day, and no the next.  We thought she was going to be a no, but then she changed her mind and decided to try it out.

The first game was pretty scary.  Lots of kids falling down and crying, the kind of heart-tugging that goes to parents when their little ones are freaked out by the speed and craziness of the game.  Actually, a good word to describe 3-5 year olds playing basketball is "pell-mell," a little chaotic, a little crazy, just a little too fast.

Some of the kids are really good, they know what they are doing, they know how to run and dribble and pass and others are learning where and how, but not really why they are in the game.  Maiya's first game was a little deer-in-headlights-ish, but in her 2nd game, she actually made a basket.  And, even though they don't keep score, Maiya's into early math and she is keeping score and mouthing us the number of baskets each time one is made.

I like that the team has boys and girls, and that the teams are very diverse ethnically.  I like that I also like that the snacks are healthy fruits and water.  I like that she's a hustler and not afraid to run back and forth, and that she really wants to get the ball.  But mostly, I like that Tony, Maiya and I are getting out early on Saturday mornings and going to the games as a family.  Go Bruins!

Maiya's Manjuu party

Hard to believe that Maiya is 5 already.  She had a Manjuu party at preschool again this year.  Chocolate and Rainbow Mochi from Fugetsu-do, plus a special Strawberry Mochi with a "5" candle on it.  We took Maiya out from school a few hours early, took some pictures out front (her 2 year anniversary of starting preschool) and we walked to J-town and had an early noodle dinner at Daikokuya, although she really wanted Mr. Ramen, which is where we usually go when the line at Daikokuya is too long of a wait.  

Our little girl is growing up.  *Sniff*

Grandma Machi's Bday

Last month, was Grandma Machi's Birthday.  We celebrated with a Make Your Own Taco night at my sister Gayle's house.  The kids are growing up so fast.

  

File Under Bdays Over 90

Sherman Grancell was one of the founders of the law firm that I worked at for 12 years, beginning as a legal secretary in college back in 1985.  Sherman and his wife Sylvia, were among the nicest people I have ever met.  His son Norin was my boss for many years.  He was already retired when I started working in the Inglewood office in 1987, but he still had an office and came in every few weeks.  I never knew how active he was, and still is, at UCLA.  He celebrated his 100th birthday party at UCLA on Sunday. I say file under Bdays over 90, but actually, 2 people I know are now 100 years old.

Here's the article from the UCLA Daily Bruin: Sherman Grancell's love for UCLA still strong at 100 years (Photo Credit: Daily Bruin)

DJ Maiya's Music Mix: Volume 5

DJ Maiya’s second music mix is being released in time for Maiya Grace Kuida-Osumi’s 5^th birthday.  This CD is a gathering of some of Maiya’s favorite songs and stories.  As you will see, her interests are an eclectic mix of reggae, kids’ dance music, Japanese stories, really, really rock ‘n roll (a little louder Mommy), songs about animals, and the environment.  Now that she has a little used boom box in her room, she loves selecting and listening to music, an audiophile in the making.  Thanks to Auntie Nobuko for allowing us to include B.Y.O. Chopstix, a new project to be debuted on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

Free to Be… You and Me                   The New Seekers “Free to Be… You and Me”

Messy World                                     Rachel Bean “Princess Bean’s Messy World”

You Are A Lot Like Me                   Phyllis Chang “Sing and Dance Along”

Story:  Boy Meets Girl                  by Mel Brooks & Marlo Thomas “Free to Be…”

Ziggy Says                                     Ziggy Marley “Family Time”

Family Time                                     Ziggy & Judah Marley “Family Time”

P-L-A-Y                                                       Kids’ Dance Party - Kids’ Party Favorites

Story:  Swimmy                                     by Leo Lionni

Plastico                                                      Willie Colon & Ruben Blades “Siembra”

Banana Pancakes                                     Jack Johnson “In Between Dreams”

Human Nature                                     Joe Reilly “Children of the Earth”

What Makes a Bird a Bird                   Joe Reilly “Children of the Earth”

Story: Tongue-Cut Sparrow                  Japanese Children’s Favorite Stories

Ooki Na Taiko from                                     Let’s Sing!  Japanese Songs for Kids

Musunde, Hiraite                                    Let’s Sing!  Japanese Songs for Kids

Mr. Roboto                                     Styx from Classics Vol. 15

Back in Black                                    AC/DC

B.Y.O. Chopstix                                     Nobuko Miyamoto with Luke Aidge Patterson

Children of the Earth                   Joe Reilly “Children of the Earth”

Jenni, Tony & Maiya                                                                                        

February 2010


(These are just samples.  If you are interested, please google the artists and buy their CDs!

Green Baldwin Steps in January

The other evening about 4:30, we decided to head over to the Baldwin Steps.

It's very steep with uneven concrete steps.

Maiya & Daddy got to the top pretty quickly.

While others of us had an asthma attack.

Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day up at top.

So we took some family photos.

And more pix of the "big girl."  Don't call her a little girl, please.

KuidaOsumi's Green Oshogatsu 2010

We've been doing Oshogatsu over the years--not every year, but just about every 2-3 years or so, is about all that we can handle. We hadn't done it since Maiya was a baby. So, this year, on Jan. 3rd, we invited about 100 friends and family on short notice to come over for Oshogatsu. This year, we really tried to do a Green Party (haha). We got out Tony's grandma's china, got out our old silverware, and we have a lot of chopsticks (not the throwaway kind) that we use for all our parties. We had a box full of Tony's dad's coffee mugs, that were in the garage, so we brought those out as well. I brought out the red plastic cups that we use and wash after every party. We bought drinks in bottles, so no single serving plastics or juice boxes to throw away. So, aside from some paper cake plates and 50 Ikea napkins I bought, we actually generated only about 3 grocery bags of trash after feeding 56 people. So, besides the craziness of doing a lot, a lot, a lot of dishes, a good eco way to start out the year seeing all our friends and family.

This year we invited people in 2 shifts, which made for a crazy first half of the day, mostly family, and friends with young children. Then in the evening, we invited community friends, which was less people, less kids, and less crazy, so we actually got to sit down and visit with people.

Tony grilled salmon, chicken and lots of veggies

and I did Make Your Own Sushi Handrolls

A bunch of Ayala's came over, plus Greg & kiddies

We did buy 3 new tables for parties and some orange Ikea chairs,

then borrowed chairs from Hector and Uncle Bill

Ito-Wong-Murashige-Pulido

Ladan and Maura reunited on Facebook

my best friends/roomies from CSUN 1982-1984

Maiya and Tula playing dress up with sarongs and scarves

Wishing everyone a Green New Year!

Celebrating 01/01/10 with Family & Friends

On New Year's we went to Uncle Bill's in the morning for ozoni, then went to the Okazaki's, my grandma's house in Boyle Heights, then a quick trip to Ikea for our second annual New Year's Day visit to Ikea. Bought a few light fixtures for the hallway and the bedroom and some plastic orange chairs for our Oshogatsu. Went home and made one more broccoli salad to take to Evelyn & Bruce's for their New Year's celebration with community friends and friends from work, both mine & Tony's. It's always a great way to start off the year, laughing a lot. It was also nice since we missed it last year because of all THE STRESS related to working on our old house, being in escrow, and taking care of Tony's dad.

Looking forward to a new year, a new decade in 2010. May it be a healthy and happy year. Let's have a little less war and a little more peace. Peace. Out.

Not our Christmas photo

No, it's not our Christmas photo... but I am working on a Year of the Tiger card, which at this point is still a month early. I am not going to stress about such things this year. I did just distribute family Christmas presents earlier today. Granny Franny, if you're reading, a Hanukkah present is (almost) in the mail.

Posts on New Years, our Oshogatsu party and my mom's bday party are in the works as well, as we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. Patience in 2010, sounds pretty good to me.

Maiya Grace-isms from FB Statuses

A few Maiya Grace-isms at 4 1/2 years old:

Lights are out, but I just heard, "Mommy, is there a thing of aliens or not in outer space?

Maiya is singing nonstop, "Black black, black sheep, have ee evey words? Yes sir, yes sir 3 bags full." And I can't stop laughing about it.

Maiya on her dead cell phone from gift exchange w/the Ayala Family: "Hi Maria, how are you doing, oh great, i do not even know what you are talking about. You are freaking me out. Ok, goodbye." To me: "Mommy, i cannot believe her. Maria said Santa came to her house, but he didn't eat the cookies but he still gave her presents."

"Now I'm going to talk to Meliza in Japanese because she knows how to do japanese. Where is Meliza? Ok, I don't know her phone number. Oh here. 468-7034. k, that's her phone number, calling. 'hi konichiwa, maku, hake hira nai, chura kirai ne, karai, kara, ma kurai shana, kuwai. bye.'" (hangs up).

JK: "Maiya I'm pooped." (MG puts her hands on my forehead.)
MG: "I don't think you have to poop. Your head is not hot." (JK laughs).

"Is Santa Claus real? Because the boys (at Ikea's Play Room) said he's not real. But I saw him!" Then when were getting out of the car, Maiya looked up at our roof and said, "Do you think Santa can really fit in our chimney?

Maiya just said to me while laughing, "I'm drinking lots of water for I can go shi shi in the shower!" It's her new favorite thing. Whose child is this?

Maiya sitting on the pot at Uncle Bill's reading a car magazine shouting: "Daddy, I found the car I like!" (It was a red Lamborghini!)

And a few from Daddy:

JK: Ok honey, what would you like to do? Dishes, fold laundry or Maiya bath?
TO: I'd like to do moon walk (then does moonwalk).

Overheard down the hall from the audio freak: "Dammit I just bought this one. I have this CD already."

Photo Credit: Mickie Okamoto

Happy New Year 2010!

Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year from the Kuida-Osumi Family. It's a new decade!