IncrediblyX in So-Cal

Vicky's 4th Birthday Party

2012-01-29T10:50:00.001-08:00

Vicky's Birthday Cake

This years bouncy castle has a slide! All the kids loved it!

Vicky Opening Presents This year, Vicky got so many presents! She got a piggy bank, clothes, makeup, play doh cupcake kit, and lots of other toys!

They got so much candy!!!

Asian American Expo

2012-01-15T14:53:00.001-08:00

This weekend we went to the Asian American Expo in Pomona, California. It was an amazing place for your one-stop all asian food, gadget, animal extravaganza! It was really fun. We spent the whole day, from sun up to sun down. We rode an elephant, rode ponies and ate exotic food that we couldn't get anywhere else. We watch plenty of shows too. The dragon dance, Japanese Taiko drums and the Asian parade were some of the best I have ever seen.

2011 Los Angeles Carshow

2011-11-23T05:03:00.001-08:00

Can you believe that it's a Scion?

This years Los Angeles Carshow was really exciting. I saw a lot of new and upcoming concept cars like the Scion and plug-in hybrids for Ford. In addition to fuel efficient mini-cars, muscle cars are making a come back.

Vicky showing off the new HH2 conversion kit. It gives you 10% better gas mileage. Kits start at $3,000.
This display was beautiful until Vicky started to pull on the grass.

A toilet in a vehicle? That's the funniest thing the girls have ever seen!

Life-sized Fin McMissile

The girls approve of daddy getting a Chevy Camaro with a convertible top!

Jacqueline Cochran Air Show

2011-11-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

8th Annual Jacqueline Cochran Air Show featuring military demonstrations and aerobatic stunt pilots.

The show, put on by the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport Authority and Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, featured performances from the United States Air Force. The Viper West Demo Team performed precision aerial maneuvers, demonstrating the unique capabilities of the F-16 fighter jet. The rest of the lineup “wow'ed” the crowd with the beautifully choreographed maneuvers.

There was over 50 food, merchandise and specialty booths, with plenty of stuff to do. There was also a variety of vintage, military and civilian aircraft on display. Kids’ Zone was filled with face-painters, giant bouncers, slides and more. It was SPECTACULAR!

Bearizona

2011-09-01T11:59:00.001-07:00

Vicky Sporting a Tattoo

Bearizona, located in Williams, Arizona, is a large drive-thru wildlife park which mainly consists of North America's predators. They have bears, wolves, owls, hawks, etc. It was a lot of fun for the girls.

Map of 2011 Vacation Roadtip

2011-08-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Places we stopped and visited: Grand Canyon, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Calico Ghost Town, Calico, CA; Hoover Dam, Boulder, Nevada; Flagstaff, Arizona; Bearizona Drive-thru Wild Animal Park, Williams, Arizona; Meteor Crater at Winslow, Arizona; Holbrook, AZ; Gallup, New Mexico; Grants, NM; Albuquerque, NM; Clines Corners, NM; Santa Rosa, NM; Dinosaur Museum at Tucumcari, NM; Amarillo, Texas; Shamrock, TX; Clinton, Oklahoma; Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at Norman, Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK, Silver Dollar City at Branson, Missouri; and Bentonville, AR.

So, please have patience. I have literally thousands of photos to go through and post.

The Hoover Dam

2011-08-20T15:36:00.001-07:00

This has been my 3rd time visiting the Hoover Dam and it is much more magnificant than the last time. They added a bridge (the Hoover Dam bypass) so that large semi-trucks and regular traffic no longer cross over the dam.

Jump Zone

2011-08-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

The girls had a fun time at Jump Zone. It is a warehouse full of inflatable jumping castles and slides.

Jump Zone from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Calico Ghost Town

2011-08-15T13:33:00.001-07:00

Calico Ghost Town

This ghost town was once a booming mining community in the late 1800s. The types of minerals found were silver and bauxite.

There was a train ride, mine tours and a few other things going on there. It is pretty neat to see and to spend a couple of hours on your way to or from Las Vegas to southern California.

Ruins of Chinatown

Silver Dollar City

2011-08-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

Silver Dollar City is a theme park in Branson, Missouri which is set in the 1880's.
In other words, it is like Crackerbarrel with 60 acres of rides and entertainment.
This park was not crowded, the food was great and the lines were really short (if there were any). Most of the time, there were no lines. :)

Town Hall of Learning
Swings
Air Guns
Water Gun Ride
Marble Ball
Kids examining an antique drill.
Frog Ride

Enjoying the Waterfall
Catepillar Ride
Creek

All You Can Eat Catfish Lunch
Carasel Horses and Bears

Big green catepillar
Bakery

Arkansas Adventure!

2011-08-07T20:16:00.001-07:00

The Gang
The Store that started Wal-Mart
Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, was a humble and non-pretentious guy. Although, the wealthiest man in America for his time, he still drove a beat-up pickup truck.
Dora the Explorer and kids
David smiles at dinner time.

Get your Kicks on Route 66

2011-08-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

A mega playground at a Rest Area along the I40 past Amarillo, Texas.
Stay out of rocks and tall weeds.
Cherokee Diner
I told you!

Riding Ponies in Downtown Bentonville, AR

2011-08-07T19:52:00.001-07:00

Stick Bug!

2011-08-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Stick Bug from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

The Grand Canyon 2011

2011-08-07T19:09:00.001-07:00

Small people in the background...

Look a lizard! Look a Lizard! Yes, a lizard is more interesting than viewing the Grand Canyon.

Sacrificial Goat

2011-07-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

Time to kill the goat.

Hanging the Goat

This goat was given alcohol prior to being butchered. He was drunk and happy when he died. He is the feast for the 4th of July celebration.

Nayeli smiles for a pic

Summertime at Legoland

2011-06-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

Words of Wisdom

2011-05-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

"The key to happiness is to obliterate disappointment. To eliminate disappointment, lower your standards even when the status quo is below standards. Only then, when this baseline is exceeded, your new mindset will be estatic. Repeat this infinitely until you die." - Exion H.

A good example of this happened to me recently. I had assigned four of my guys to take a forklift driving test. I expected one to pass. After the long weekend, I came to find out that none had passed. Two of my guys forgot their signed paperwork and got kicked out of the class, one could barely read English and the other one failed because of stupidity. I wasn't too terribly mad because my expectations were low. A week later, they were all afforded a chance to retake the class. I lowered my standards and expected all four to fail and three of them to forget their paperwork. When they came back the next day, they all passed the class and received their forklift license! I was excited beyond belief!!!

Legoland and Oceanside Beach

2011-04-19T18:18:00.001-07:00

Oceanside Beach at the Pier

Los Angeles Zoo

2011-04-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Vicky blowing out her birthday candles. She turned 3 this year.

Vicky's 3rd Birthday is Coming Up

2011-02-07T20:34:00.001-08:00

Happy to be leaving the house.

Infinity Basslink II Install for the RAV4

2011-02-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

Infinity Basslink II Installed on my 06 Toyota RAV4

The Idea
I had a challenge of having 3rd row seating and VERY limited space to install a subwoofer. The project actually started back in October after being sick and tired of having lousy sounding music coming out of my speakers. If I'm going to drive thousands and thousands of miles, I might as well go all out. With previous experience installing Infinity speakers in my old Saturn, I wanted to buy the very best speakers for the doors. I was very limited because I didn't want to hook those speakers up to an amplifier... that would cost more money. So I settled with some Sony X-plods (40W). After driving around for a couple of weeks with NO BASS, I needed an upgrade. Days of research turned into weeks and I finally settled on the ultimate little amplified speaker, the Infinity Basslink II. It is the most wattage for a tiny little speaker, with an eardrum bursting, 250 Watts of power!

The Process
Actually acquiring the speaker was painstaking. I searched Craigslist everyday until I found one. The 200W Basslink was available everywhere... but I DIDN'T want to settle for that one, I WANTED 250W. I HAD TO HAVE 250 WATTS OF POWER!!! And I didn't want to pay Best Buy's pricetag of $399. I wanted to pay $150. So that's what I got.

Where I stashed the Rockford Fosgate 1 Farad Capacitor and Fuse I put it in the center of the back seat.

The capacitor is also sitting on particle board and I wrapped the front of it with grey fabric.

Particle Board

I covered the particle board up with fabric from a Dodge Durango seat cover from the junk yard. With good scissors and a hot glue gun, you can achieve quality results as you see in the top picture. Everything blends in nicely for a professional, installed look.

Disneyland in Winter 2010

2010-12-12T07:16:00.001-08:00

Pluto
BBQ Lunch at the Ranch
Silvermist
Mickey Mouse Pancakes
Tea Cups
Tinkerbell
Riverboat
Hatter Shop

Changing out the Speakers on the 2006 Toyota RAV4

2010-11-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

How to Change out the Speakers on a 2006 Toyota RAV4

Vicky helping change out my speakers

2006 Toyota RAV4

First, I went to Crutchfield.com to find an appropriate speaker that would be a snug fit for my RAV4. I decided upon the Sony brand because of the positive reviews and low cost of upgrading.

Here are the things you would need.
Plastic Pry Tools

#2 Philips Screwdriver
Drill
Fiberglass
Pen or Pencil
Large sheet of paper (to trace out the holes)
Saw
Solder
Soldering Iron

Here are the steps:

Step One: Remove the Handles
Step Two: Remove the two screws on the top and bottom.
Step Three: Pop off the inside handle cover.
Step Four: Remove the Screw
Step Five: Pop off the Controls. It is easier to do if you start on the top.
Step Six: Disconnect the Controls
Step Seven: Disconnect the Top Door Panel by the rearview mirror.
Step Eight: Remove Door Panel using Plastic Pry Tools. I found it easier to use the biggest one.
Another View of Step Eight
Step Nine: Pop off the Handles from the Door Panel
Step Ten: Drill out the Rivets that hold the old speakers.
Step Eleven: Disconnect the wire and remove the speaker.
Step Twelve: Trace out the holes using a pencil (Viagra Pen) and paper.
Step Thirteen: Using Fiberglass, cut out the shape.
More of Step Thirteen: Fabrication of the Fiberglass
Step Fourteen: What it should look like when you're done. Note that I placed an extra hold to feed the speaker wire thru to the outside.
Step Fifteen: Put in new screws and rivets to hold the speaker in place.
Step Sixteen: When wiring your speakers, check to make sure you don't have your wires mixed up by listening to it. When it sounds right, solder your connectors together and cover it up with electrical tape.
Step Seventeen: Place electrical tape to hole the excess wire so that it doesn't get caught.

Step Eighteen: Place everything back together in reverse order and enjoy your new speakers!

Children's Museum at La Habra

2010-10-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

There is a Triceratops behind you!

We went to the Children's Museum at La Habra, California. It was a nice place to take the kids for a small price of 7 bucks a head. The kids seemed to love it. They really liked the small village and play house. There were other kids for them to play with. Vicky held on to a stuffed chicken for the duration of our stay that she found in the chicken coup.

Riding a Fish

The museum has a carasel, model trains, live animals and other kid stuff for them to play with. It is also a good place for moms to converse about life and stuff. The museum always has new stuff and activities going on, so what we saw today will not be there in a couple of months. I'm a little bit curious what the next exhibits are going to be.

Digging for Dinosaur Bones
Chicken Coup

Baby Triceratops

Farewell, Washington, D.C.!

2010-09-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

It is time to depart Washington, D.C. It was a pleasure working with the people out here. The culture and ethnic diversity from one place to another in the United States is fascinating. I try not to define my experience based on work alone. I go by the amount of good memories, opportunities and goal accomplishment. This is the first duty station where I didn't pick up rank, but if and when the Navy finally decides to promote me, I would definitely have a positive influence in the direction of the Navy and joint forces we work with. I feel as though I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience working and liaisoning with the highest offices in the world and it has definitely given me a broader perspective in the decision making processes and business. Politics is so much bigger than changing "the don't ask, don't tell policies", this country is getting behind and there's so much more hot'n heavy issues that need to be handled first. This duty has taught me how to manage my high priority work and family life as well. The bond that I have with my wife and kids are still intact despite all the hardships of two lengthy deployments and a spouse who has a full-time job that demands constant attention. The greatest advice that was given me was given by Mr. Padilla, "Staying competitive and making rank is important, however hold on to your family and keep it together, because when you hang up your uniform (when you retire), that is all you have left." He has a point. The Navy is only a quarter of my life. I will be still be young when I retire.

I will miss the vast choices in dining and activities around the D.C. area. The traffic... not so much.

List of things I definitely recommend seeing and doing when visiting D.C.:
1. National Museum of the United States Marine Corps (free, my favorite)
2. Butler's Orchard - Pick pumpkins in October, pick Strawberries and blueberries in the summer.
3. Visit "The Rio" in the evening
4. Take the kids to Clemjontri Park in McLean, VA.
5. Smithsonians (they're free!)
6. Visit Baltimore Pier and see the aquarium
7. Downtown Silver Spring (excellent farmer's market and a nice stroll at night)
8. Downtown Bethesda (go during the Art Festival)
9. Visit The White House (write your congressman for entry)
10. Ultimately, visit the U.S. Capitol Building (free, the most exotic building)

Well signing out until I reach Camp Pendleton, good bye and thanks for everything!

Last visit to the Smithsonian Museums

2010-09-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

Human Exhibit
Smile
Mirrors and Shapes
Girls on the Doorsteps
At the Museum
Giant Rose
Frozen North Exhibit
Dinosaur Bones
Cookie Smile
Big Bear

Montgomery County Fair

2010-09-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

Vicky Smile
Toilet Decorating Contest
Soco and Vicky at the Fair
Petting the Goat
Petting the Bunny
Old Timers Show
Old Timers Place
Ice Cream Faces
Vicky's Ice Cream Face
General Store
Funnel Cakes at the Fair
Ehrlich for Governor
Animal Barn

Wicked Storm

2010-09-05T15:57:00.000-07:00

Maintenance Guy sucking up the water with a Wetvac

When I came home after a freak storm that rolled through Maryland, I found this. Water got everywhere, from the bedrooms, to the livingroom, kitchen and all the way to the entryway. A lot of stuff got ruined and we had to stay in a hotel for 5 days.

Water damaged items inside the bathroom.

Aftermath of the storm

Before this storm, there was another freak storm that had occured two weeks prior. That one knocked out power for 3 1/2 days. All of our food had spoiled. Luckily, we had renter's insurance. Hurray for USAA!

Debris
Generators to power the wetvacs. There was no power for a day and a half, so the maintenance guys had to bring out the generators.

It was so bad, we had to move all the furniture inside the living room.

Butler's Orchard - Blackberry Picking

2010-08-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

It is blackberry and blueberry picking season here in Maryland. We decided to stop by and pick some berries. The girls loved it!

Indian Edge Caverns

2010-08-08T13:56:00.001-07:00

Before a day at Hershey, I wanted to check out the caverns in the neighboring city. The name of the caverns was, Indian Edge Caverns. It was founded by the Indians, of course, but they didn't venture very far into the cave. It wasn't until the 1800's that a farmer took residence inside the cabin and lived there until his demise late 1800s. It then became a private cavern and about 30 years ago, they paved a trail inside the cave and put up lights for easy viewing. There is still graffiti from early 1800s advertising peanuts, but the peanut company ran out of business over 125 years ago. Interesting... well worth the visit.

Nayeli and Vicky were very scared and wanted to leave. Do not take toddlers inside caves! Lesson learned.

Hershey's Chocolate World

2010-08-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, we spent a day at Hershey's Chocolate World. It was a free tour of the chocolate factory and how they make chocolate. The tour has singing cows and free chocolate! If you love chocolate, it is a fantastical experience!

We got a hotel room in a nearby city of Harrisburg, PA (the capital city). We stayed at the Four Points Sheradan. It had a great lobby and swimming pool. I took Nayeli and Victoria swimming in the pool with their inflatable shark and whale. They cried and cried and after about 2 hours, they couldn't get enough of the pool.

At night after a long day at Hershey, we decided to drive up to Hotel Hershey (I really didn't want to pay an upwards of $450 a night for a hotel). We ate at a restaurant called "The Harvest". It was behind the ice skating rink. The restaurant required that we have reservations, but we didn't have any. So they offered us seating outside in the 90 degree weather. It was okay until I found out that the waitress forgot about us. We were practically dying in the heat and a couple of guests got up and left shortly after sitting down. We were very hesitant to leave since we spend all day trying to find a great place to eat. And this place got rave reviews... Once we got service, the food was great! The meal ended with a Reese's shot to top off my chocolate cravings. I left happy and over a hundred bucks poorer. It was worth it though.

Pizza Day!

2010-07-17T09:26:00.000-07:00

Rolling Out the Dough

Eating the pizza
Yum!
Make your own pizza

Honey Wheat Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cup water, warmed to 110-120°F
1 packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup honey (it is up to you how sweet you want it)
4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Lightly coat a large bowl with olive oil and set aside.
2. Combine the water and yeast in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Combine flours, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
4. Add the yeast mixture, honey, oil and garlic, stir until dough begins to form -- it will be slightly sticky. If it is flakey and not sticking together, then add a little bit of hot water until the dough is easily kneadable.
5. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth but still tacky -- about 10 minutes.
6. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to the prepared bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until the dough doubles in volume.
7. Stick in the refrigerator overnight for some very yummy dough! (optional) You can make the pizza right away if you want.

8. Punch the dough down, remove from the bowl, and let dough rest for 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half and turn one piece out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into desired shape and size.

Putting the Toppings On
Baking Pizza and Breadsticks

Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA

2010-07-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Elmo

Sesame Place is a really cool little theme park based on monster puppets. The girls really liked meeting with all the characters and riding the water rides. It was a blast! It was a place worth visiting. We got to see Elmo's World live and ride on a few water rides. The park is small, but it is big enough to enjoy most of it in a day.

Big Bird
Ice Happy

Bert and Ernie

Brookside Botanical Gardens

2010-07-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

Today, we went to visit the Brookside Botanical Gardens in Wheaton, MD
It was really nice. It is fascinating how we always tend to find the coolest places on our way out of somewhere. I transfer in a few months.

Cost: Free

Picks from Baltimore Aquarium and Other Places

2010-06-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Vicky sleeping in Baby Backpack
Tire Swing
The Undernehrs at Baltimore Aquarium

Sucking on Suckers
Phoebe relaxed on the couch.

Nayeli at the Baltimore Aquarium
Mom in front of the Chesapeake boat
Mom at Baltimore
Mom and Nayeli
Jelly Fish Exhibit
Hard Rock at Baltimore
Green Spotted Frog
Feeding Time
David hanging from bars
Aquarium
All smiles at lunch time.

Week long vacation in D.C.

2010-05-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

Picking Strawberries
The aquarium made Vicky so tired.
Strawberry Picking with the kids
Nayeli and David riding on a racecar
Carasal
Picking Strawberries

At Clemyjontri Park

Cabin John Park

2010-05-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Writing on Paper
Walking along Platform
Pirate Girls
Looking for Pixie Dust

Maryland Faerie Festival

2010-05-22T20:20:00.000-07:00

Faeries at the Wishing Tree
Walking down Faerie Hill

Horsy
Flower Faerie
Giant Turtle

Crowns
Faerie Lounge
Claiming Royal Quest Prize

Corn and Fairies

2010-05-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

Today was a day of food and fun! The girls filled up on corn on the cob, ice cream and mashed potatoes. It was great!

We also visited the Audubon Naturalist Society's Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It was fun to do the bird walk to see the birds, deer, rabbits and other wild animals in their natural habitat.Link to Audubon Naturalist Society

Water Play Weekend

2010-04-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Bathy Time for Cricket and Pony

Spring is here.

Cherry Blossom Bushel

Sunny Day at Baltimore Pier

2010-04-12T19:13:00.001-07:00

Baltimore Pier
Kids onboard the USS Constellation
Vicky and her Pizza
Soco on the USS Constellation
Philips in Baltimore Pier
Navy Food
Mad Science Vicky
Bronchosaurus

National Zoo and Easter Egg Hunts

2010-03-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

We got to the Panda exhibit early to get this fantastic shot!

I took mom, Nayeli and Vicky to the zoo this weekend. They had a blast seeing all the animals up-close early in the morning.

Emu

Nayeli and her grandma

Look! Easter Eggs!!!
My first speeding ticket in 7 years. Caught on camera! 44 mph in a 35 mph zone.

Return from Operation Unified Response Haiti

2010-03-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

USNS Comfort
Giving Comfort
Looking at Arm
In Haiti
Haitian Man draws the Comfort amongst the rubble
Going Ashore by Boat

Yea! I'm back from Haiti.

Mom comes to D.C.

2010-01-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

Hannah comes to visit Vicky

Happy New Year everyone! It is pronounced Twenty-Ten, not Two-thousand and Ten. There's a huge movement concerning that we fix how we say it now rather than 30 years from now. It has been really cold in DC lately so we rarely go out, except to buy groceries and essentials.

Vicky really loves being held by Daddy.

Vicky is growing and talking a lot more. At age 1 1/2, she can now sing her ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Nayeli has an imagination now and can tell stories and make up her own stories. She tends to act out what she doesn't know the word to, which makes storytime very interesting and sometimes, hilarious.

Watching Monsters V.s. Aliens

Everybody has been hooked on the movie: Monsters v.s. Aliens. It is really great, especially when the President (played by Stephen Colbert) says, "Commander, do something violent!" after the Alien squashed his electronic piano. We watch this just about everyday.

Nayeli wants something.
Vicky wants something.

DC's Blizzard of 09

2009-12-19T18:12:00.000-08:00

Vicky enjoying the snow.

We got about 16 inches of snow today and it is still snowing... who knows how much more snow we are going to get!

RAV 4
Nayeli
A Ford Explorer buried in the snow
Both of the girls playing
Outside my window

2nd Visit Play Wise Kids

2009-11-29T18:53:00.001-08:00

Vicky Loves Beaches
Playing in the Ball Castle
Lego Blocks
More Beach Play
Nayeli!

Nayeli had her share of chocolate ice cream at PlayWiseKids!

Art Table

Watching Ni Hao Kai Lan - Weekend

2009-11-28T05:19:00.000-08:00

Big Slide
Kids enjoying Acorn Playground
Watching Ni hao Kai Lan

Ni hao Kai Lan is a kids show that teaches kids Chinese. It is the Chinese version of Dora the Explorer.

Flowers on the Breakfast Table
Heart Blanket

We saw Disney On Ice Celebrations

Nayeli's Writing

2009-11-24T02:24:00.000-08:00

Nayeli Writes! from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Playground Nicknames

2009-11-23T18:54:00.000-08:00

Lately, Nayeli has been coming up with names of all her favorite parks. The one in Pliers Mill, she calls the "Acorn Playground". The one by the mall, "The Nut Playground". Clemyjontri, she calls "Rainbow Playground". Here are some pictures at the "Rainbow Playground."

Preschool Pictures 2009

2009-11-14T04:13:00.000-08:00

This year's pictures came out great! It was hard for the photographer to photograph Vicky because she kept moving or walking away.

Nayeli is still having dreams of Halloween pumpkins. This morning she said "I want to wash my pumpkin." while she was asleep. It was funny that she talks in her sleep.

Both of our co-location packages were submitted, so we should be moving out of DC within a year.

I bought a large 47 inch lcd television by Samsung. I really like the 120hz, it makes purchasing blueray technology unnecessary. Regular DVDs are enhanced and are all displayed in near HD quality. Another thing is that I can directly connect my harddrive to the tv. It is able to recogonize almost all video files except for Real Player files. It is really great since I have lots of home videos and movies available for my watching pleasure. While Best Buy would sell this TV for $1,760.00 +taxes, I only paid $1,160 flat for it at the Navy Exchange. Good Veterans Day discount! Only problem is, this tv is so huge, it is a bit obnoxious.
It is a major upgrade from our 21 inch tv that we owned for 5 years.

Happy Halloween 2009!

2009-10-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

2009 Halloween Parade
Dorothy

25 Days after Laser Eye Surgery

2009-10-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

I think my eyes are fully healed by now and my vision is still blurry. I see about 20/30. It is improved, but not crystal clear. I can't see in high definition anymore and when I see those big tv's at the store, I can't tell the difference between the perfectly clear tv's from the imperfect ones. It is a little annoying, but it is something I have to live with. I can drive about the same as before. Before the surgery, I thought that I was going to get the same vision without glasses, so now I'm more cautious because I can't really see the smaller bumps and holes in the ground as much. Now, I wear sunglasses during the daytime and I squint when I have to read or look at the computer. A little annoying? Yes. I now have to get reading glasses. So was it worth it? Yes. I can see better at night when I drive. The double glares from the windshield to my glasses to my eyes was making me practically blind. Driving without glasses at night is a major improvement. Most annoying thing? Looking at the computer. I have to squint to see the fine print. Is my life improved without glasses? YES! Do I recommend having laser eye surgery done? Yes, if you didn't have to pay for it. Knowing what I know about having having blurry vision after surgery, I would've been disappointed if I had to shell out $4-6000 dollars.

Picking Pumpkins at Butler's Orchard

2009-10-11T19:21:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin!

As soon as October hits, it is pumpkin picking time! We went to Butler's Orchard where they have their annual pumpkin festival. It is full of games, corn field maze, hay ride, pumpkin patch picking, food, fun and playing in a barn full of hay. The girls loved it!

Pigtails
Happy!
Lyin on the Floor

Day 4 - After Surgery

2009-09-21T04:11:00.000-07:00

Day 4 went okay. A little discomfort due to the contact bandage that are in my eyes. My eye lids feel like they are bruised from blinking over a dry hump for so long. Burning went away. Things still a little bit blurry. Sun sensitivity is still intense, but slightly reduced with the use of UV lenses. I'm still taking my meds as instructed. I have already tapered myself off the motrin and percocet. Don't really need it. I was able to go outside today.

National Air and Space Museum

2009-09-20T18:43:00.000-07:00

Looking at a Bomber
At the National Air and Space Museum
This weekend I took Vicky to the National Air and Space Museum in downtown D.C. We had a blast. Vicky always wanted to get out and touch everything. Let me repeat that again. She wanted to TOUCH EVERYTHING!!! Even the fake penguins on the Artic display. Too bad, she couldn't have her way. The exhibits were really cool. It has the reputation of being the best Smithsonian Museum there is and after visiting, I would have to agree. Airplanes and space exploration is fascinating, especially since outer space is the final frontier.

Vicky 1 1/2 years old

Vicky loves Organic Cookies

2009-09-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

Day 3

2009-09-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Still burns. Pain controlled by Tetracaine. I think I can see a little bit better. Hopefully soon. Walking outside is like staring at the sun times ten. So I prefer to stay inside.

I've been carrying around a fanny-pack full of meds. It contains four different eye drops and two pain killers. There's also a sheet for tracking what medication I have taken and when.

I'm still getting disturbing flashbacks of watching a stiff toothbrush scraping my eye and a paper shaped scapel scooping the debris off. I'm also remembering the nurse telling me to stop squeezing the metal retainer that was holding my eyelid open.

Day 2 - After Eye Surgery

2009-09-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

The surgery went fine, however a few hours after that, my eyes were on fire! Attempted to do my normal activities with my eyes shut, eventually giving up and crashing for the night. Soco had to help me with everything else I normally do. Woke up, and my eyes felt fine. The world is still a little bit blurry. Doc said this morning that my eyes are healing abnormally fast due to the limited usage of the recommended dosage of Tetracaine (eye numbing solution). I'm not saying that I'm torturing myself, I'm just getting a lot of REM sleep. It is kinda fun walking around the hospital wearing shades. I'm sure some people are annoyed, but whatever.

Today is my birthday. Yea. Big 30. What is 30...old? I don't feel old. It is nice to get my sight back after 10 years of wearing glasses. My eyes are still adjusting. Prescription now? 20/50 right eye. 20/30 left eye.

Pre Op Experience for PRK Laser Eye Surgery

2009-09-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

Today, I got my pre-op for the laser eye surgery. They did some tests and made me watch a video. Turns out that I'm a very good candidate for laser surgery. I didn't realize how much went into the preop... it was quite extensive. I was there from 0730 to 1130 with most of the time waiting. It felt like my eyes went through a hundred little tests. I'll keep everyone updated about the results. Prescription now? 20/200 in both eyes.

Water Balloons

2009-09-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

Another day at Newport Beach

2009-09-01T17:58:00.001-07:00

Playing at Newport Beach, CA from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Round Two at the Beach

2009-08-31T23:25:00.000-07:00

In the Water
Wet Beach

N and Katie

USAMEOS Graduation Pictures

2009-08-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

BMETs from 1947-1997
http://www.mscwarrants.com/images/USAMEOS/index.htm

Source: 24x7, Soapbox - Remembering Fitz

Lake and Lytle Creek

2009-08-27T21:19:00.001-07:00

At Lake
Do you want a pink spoon?
Behind Bars
Lytle Creek
Eat the grape Squirrel!
At the Lake

Archiving Old Family Photos

2009-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:00

I really liked these old photos of Soco's Family.

Does Nayeli look like Soco?

Beach Vids

2009-08-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Surprise Splash from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Vicky collecting Seashells and Getting Wet from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Nayeli in a Hole from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

King Taco

2009-08-26T13:32:00.000-07:00

Nayeli eating Nachos
Funny pic
This place is famous for having the best Mexican tacos. We knew about this place long before Hillary did.

Newport Beach, CA

2009-08-26T13:13:00.001-07:00

Car Ride to Newport Beach
Beach Bellies
Vicky testing the Water
Sea Bubbles
Sand Blanket
Buried in Sand
At Newport Beach
Excavating the Beach
Nayeli in Hole
Sunny Face

The Kiddie Cars

2009-08-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

The Kiddie Cars from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Tire Swinging and Soccer

2009-08-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

In Hammock
Tire Swing

Giant Soccer!

Chalk and Chickens

2009-08-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Chickens and Eggs
Vicky Eating
Egg Basket
Foot Tracing

Swimming Pool and Bouncy Castle

2009-08-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

Fontana House
Carebears Care a Lot!
Peach Tree
Candies PJs
Splash
Having a Blast!
In the Living Room
Pool
Another Pool Picture

Back in California

2009-08-19T17:43:00.001-07:00

Sunflower
Blue Chair
Rocking Horse
Holding a Chicken
Climbing a Tree
Do you want a Cheese Sandwich?
Chalk Table
Bouncy Castle

Garden in Patio

2009-08-16T10:59:00.000-07:00

Vicky Smiles
Sunflower
Nayeli and her Red Pepper
Indoor Eating
Eating by the Garden
Garden

The Montgomery County Fair

2009-08-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

John Deere toy

Today, the kids went to the Montgomery County Fair. There were a lot of rides, games, animals and exhibits on display. Nayeli got her corn-on-the-cob and Victoria drank a lot of lemonade and ate BBQ. We got to see baby animals in the barn. They both loved the ducks the most. After three hours, we were worn out.

The Best Toddler Playgrounds in D.C.

2009-08-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

For the past month, I've been on a quest to locate the very best inexpensive things to do for Nayeli and Victoria. Since malls seem to suck our wallets dry, playgrounds really fit to our budget.

Best Outdoor Playground:

Hands down. CLEMYJONTRI
19 Acres of Pure Free Fun for kids. The playground is located in McLean, Virginia.

View from Helicopter

There is a giant maze there. I like to run in there and have Nayeli and Victoria chase after me. Of course, I get seperated from them and they start crying because they can see me, but they can't get to me. Hehehe.

I also like the millions of different slides and confidence courses. Lots of climbing, bouncing, running and thinking to do around here. This park was designed for kids with physical disabilities so it is extra spacious and very safe. Just don't let your kids run around without supervision, because they WILL lose you.

View from Outer Space

Best Indoor Park:

PlayWiseKids Located in Columbia, Maryland.

PlayWiseKids offers 25,000 square feet of of playtime and learning opportunities for toddlers through 10-year-olds. The open facility is divided into walled-off areas with different types of activities... a large sand pit (beach), a real Fire Truck, puppet show theater, dress-up area with dance floor, supermarket, castle with a pool of plastic balls, classroom, building zones, baby play area and outer space, among other things.

Nayeli and Victoria loved this place and would stay forever if they could. This place also has a Cafe which sell pizza, snacks and ice cream.

The cost is $9.95 per child (ages 24 mos. - 10 years), $6.95 per toddler (12 mos. - 23 mos.) and $4 per adult. Not really that expensive compared to going to a theme park, such as Six Flags, where toddlers wouldn't be able to play on 75% of the rides anyways.

Good to come when the weather is really bad, it is about 35 minutes from where I live. We visited during a changeover in management. The new owners asked me if I would make any changes or what they can do to make the place even better... after being there after an hour, I shrugged my shoulders because I didn't really have any suggestions because I haven't explored everything yet. I just had difficulty finding a parking spot in the front because I didn't know that there was ample parking behind the building.

Victoria Speaks

2009-07-28T15:04:00.001-07:00

17 Month Old Victoria at Playground from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Geocities is Shutting Down!

2009-07-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

There is a rush to archive everything that is still on Geocities! Several people have reminded me about this on Facebook and I'm doing my best to archive everything before it gets wiped out of history. It's like burning all the world's history books in one swoop! Those jerks.

I figure that I should upload some of my favorite pictures of the past to preserve on the Blogger. My dad uploaded hundreds and hundreds of pictures. They're nice to see until they get deleted. Hopefully, Blogger will stay online for a while.

I've been on the web for 12 years. Wow.

Little Rock 1984
Our house got robbed. Lost our TV, VCR and precious baby pictures.

Doesn't Victoria look like Phoebe?
1982

Family Fun Day

2009-07-27T15:13:00.001-07:00

Playground on Pliers Mill Rd. Maryland from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Parks, Parks and MORE PARKS!

2009-07-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

Victoria likes the huge crazy slides. Victoria has absolutely no fear. She will step off any slide and she will tumble and roll down if she has to.
Vicky at 17 months
ASBBC got two nominees for the Sailor of the Quarter Board
Mickey Ears!
Nayeli doing the infamous "Asian Squat"

Kids watching "Scratch Incident"

2009-07-09T11:53:00.001-07:00

In Response to the Scratching Incident from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

Pics at CDC and Whole Foods

2009-07-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

Soco eating at Whole Foods
Vicky at CDC

Nayeli at CDC

Visit to GETTYSBURG, PA

2009-07-05T15:18:00.000-07:00

Wooden Fence how it looked in the 1800's
View from Little Round TopLittle Round Top was a strategic location because it overlooks much of the battlefield. The Confederates saw that the location was abandoned, so they tried to take this hill. The Federals discovered this at the same time, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides. The fighting was so fierce, there was hand-to-hand combat with bayonnets. After a long day in the second day of battle, the Union eventually took this hill.

The Union Cannons The Cannons used here were fired on the first day of the battle at Gettysburg. The heavy firing here resulted in 1,475 casualties.
Another view from the Top of Little Round Top
Pennsylvania MonumentThis monument was the largest of all the states. All the Confederate and Union states contributed in this epic battle with the state of Pennsylvania suffering the heaviest losses. The Union army at this battle was made up 1/3rd of Pennsylvanian troops. At this memorial, the names of every Pennsylvanian that was killed here was inscribed into this monument.
General Robert E Lee
Downtown Gettysburg
The CutsIn the cuts for this railroad track (the railroad hasn't been put down yet), 230 Confederates were trapped and surrendered here.
The First Day

Scratching Incident

2009-06-29T16:20:00.000-07:00

Scratch Incident from IncrediblyX on Vimeo.

2009-06-28T18:52:00.000-07:00

Victoria with Chalk

June 09

2009-06-21T06:44:00.001-07:00

Victoria Cries

I finally got my Sony digital camera fixed! It only cost me $20 for shipping. Apparently, there was a defect in the CCD chip and it went out two weeks ago. Now it's good as new.

Vicky at Playground
Soco and Ex going to the 111th Birthday Ball for Hospital Corpsman

Last night, me and Soco went to the ball for some food and cake. It was really good. There was chicken and pasta there. Like always, we didn't win any door prizes.

Nayeli and her sunburnt face

Nayeli has been spending a lot of time out at the playground. Her face is a bit sunburnt. She's okay though.

I need Wonderpets on Computer.

2009-06-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

Trip to Arkansas and Back

2009-06-04T18:27:00.001-07:00

Vicky in Tennessee

Phoebe with Camera
Celebrating Nayeli's Third Birthday with a cupcake!
Look at Her
At Little Rock Airport
Kiddy Smiles
Grandkids
Victoria got bit by Fire Ants!
Exhausted...
Cooking

Cousin Linda

2009-05-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

Nayeli's Smiley Face
Soco and Nayeli

Sorry for the delay with pictures. My trusty digital camera, DSC-M1, broke. However, I did take the kids out to Butler's Orchard and we picked strawberries. It was a lot of fun and Victoria sat in front of her strawberry bush and ate all the strawberries that she could. Nayeli did the same and helped pick strawberries. It was really good.

Cousin Linda visiting us

Saying Goodbye to Dad

2009-05-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

The last photo of Hung Dong Huynh, 1952-2009

Dad passed away peacefully gardening in his backyard.

His parents fled central China, Hubei, to get away from the communists. His family later settled in Saigon, Vietnam. Went to school, got a diploma in electronics. Hung served in the South Vietnamese Army as a scout during the Vietnam War. Got shot five times, once in the face and out behind his ear which almost took his life. Joked about cowardly American soldiers running away from Viet-cong. Sold cigarettes for a living and got married via match-maker to another Chinese decendent. Immigrated to the United States in 1979 and worked really really hard. Started out life in the United States with $25 from selling my mother's necklace and ate out at a pizza place. Learned English. Started up his first restaurant business in the early 80's. That business failed. Partnered up with someone and opened up another restaurant in Searcy, AR. The partnership went sour and Dad bought the business. Business in Searcy flourished. Opened up another restaurant in Little Rock. Business did okay, but not too great. Closed that business and started to rented out the building. Decided to retire after 10 years in the food business. Got bored, started another restaurant in Camden, AR. That business failed. Packed up and settled in Bryant, AR. Enjoyed retirement, traveled to China, Vietnam, Europe, Canada and visited his grand-children. Started a garden. Died gardening in May 8, 2009. He was fluent in several languages and he loved doing puzzles and playing puzzle video games (Tetris and Dr. Mario) at the hardest level at super speed. He was known for his light-hearted humor, taking walks around his neighborhood, upholding the ugliest Asian vegetable garden (so ugly, that the neighbors put up fences) and being incredibly smart. He will be missed.

Frugal Living at it's Best

2009-05-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

Art Time
Drawing Smiley Faces - Nayeli, 2 y/o
Victoria loves the new kitchen set
Kitchen Set from Goodwill - $10.50

More photos from DC Carshow 09

2009-04-30T07:05:00.001-07:00

Rally Car

Nayeli and Nico

Plug in Hybrid Karma car
Thanks Darryl for the pictures!

Spring time is here in Silver Spring!

2009-04-30T06:02:00.001-07:00

Running in the Park and picking Flowers!
Fairy Princess
Earth Kid

Nayeli frequently wears her princess dress.
Soon after this shot was taken, Victoria spilled food all over it.
Easter
Some restaurants in downtown Silver Spring. Pho, Steak, Italian, Ice Cream, Whole Foods, Ethiopian, etc!
Bunny Face
Another bunny face

House in Silver Spring

2009-04-30T05:57:00.001-07:00

Here is some of the pictures of our future house. It looks like this house is gonna be it. After looking at over 40 houses, this one is in pretty good condition and has a good location. If we wanted a cheaper, newer house, we would have to drive a very long distance to work.

Huynh Look-alike Meter

2009-04-29T18:56:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Geneology - Family tree templates

Germantown Park

2009-04-21T17:08:00.001-07:00

At the Smithsonian National Zoo

2009-04-04T20:31:00.001-07:00

Brass Panda and Nayeli is holding piece of Bamboo
Respect the Cookie
Nayeli picking all the yellow flowers at the Zoo

Nayeli meets the Meerkats
Gorilla
Cows at the Petting Zoo
A spring day at the Smithsonian National Zoo
Nayeli loves a good piece of rotisserie chicken
Vicky loves Chicken too
Butterfly Princess

Long Lost Photos of Victoria

2009-04-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Water Play

July 08

Victoria on a Carty
Baby Circle

Thanks Gracilia for the Photos!

At Target

2009-03-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

I spent a few minutes at Target shopping for clothes for Victoria and socks for Nayeli. They both moved up in size. Victoria keeps destroying her shirts! I'm keeping a tally of how much she owes us in clothes and I'm gonna charge interest. ;)