10th Annual Chu Family Pumpkin Carving Contest

It's hard to believe that we have been hosting our annual Chu Family Pumpkin Carving Contest (now known as CFPCC) for 10 years now. Every year we switch it up with a new theme/rules to make carving a little more challenging. This year we cut the carving down to 1 hour to really challenge all the participants (we usually carve for 2-4 hours). Almost everyone carved this year including my dad. The kids are really getting into it now that they are older and we can trust them with sharp objects. Pumpkin carving is one of my absolute favorite family traditions and I can't wait to to dethrone Tania in 2018! Scroll down to see the winners of this year's contest. Happy Halloween from our family to yours!

[What's that, Tim Gunn?]

2017 Winners

Adult Category

[1st place - Tania's Oogie Boogie]

[2nd place - Noah's Scary Clown]

[3rd place - My Pennywise]

Kids Category

[2nd place - Parker's crab]

[3rd place - Andrew's Dracula]

Pumpkins that didn't make the cut (pun intended).

Annual Bates Nut Farm Visit 2017

I remember the first time we took Parker to Bates Nut Farm to see the big macs. He was barely standing and we had to lean him against the big macs to get the shots. He was shorter than some of the pumpkins! Fast forward to 2017, and my now 4 year old could barely stand still for a photo. He wanted to run through the fields, pick up the pumpkins and was totally distracted by the tractor rides. I started this blog as a public diary of our journey through parenthood in San Diego. Annual traditions like visiting Bates are reminders of how far we've come as parents and how Parker growing into a handsome, independent little boy. 

2016

2015

2014

2013

Bates Nut Farm

15954 Woods Valley Road

Valley Center, CA 92802

Mom tips:

-Sunblock, water and closed toe shoes are a must.

-Bring quarters if you want to buy corn to feed to animals.

-Bates now charges a $5 cash only parking fee

-The number of vendors and food trucks has increased significantly. Woo hoo!

-We visiting late in the season this year and most of the big macs were already gone. There were still plenty of pumpkins though!

Winter is Here for Tuan's 34th Birthday

For Tuan's 34th birthday, I planned a low-key Game of Thrones inspired bowling birthday party. We are big GoT fans and it was fun to publicly declare our fandom at Fountain Bowl. We bowled boys vs girls and, since the guys are waaaaay better than us, we gave them two toddlers and a 200 point handicap. Like the Lannisters in the Battle of Goldroad, we didn't have a chance and were slaughtered.

Introducing the Lords of Pinterfell!

Versus the Mothers of Dragons! We're not regular moms, we're cool moms.

We bowled for team bragging rights but I also made individual awards to encourage ridiculous behavior. 

Here's Giao shaking her booty as she gets ready to bowl. She tried the hardest to win the "best warm up award".

I'm so happy with how the shirts turned out! Thanks to my little sister Tania for designing them and a huge thanks to InkPress for printing them. The other bowlers at the alley were definitely talking about how good they are! 

After bowling, we cut into this delicious cake. Everyone had a slice and then Giao and I sat there and ate the rest straight off the sheet while watching the leaked season 7 episode 6. There's no shame in our game. 

[Happy birthday, @deejaytuan! We love you to the moon and back.]

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Related but unrelated. Before we bowled, we had an amazingly decadent lunch at Trade Food Hall in Irvine. Here are some of the highlights. 

[Bacon chedder fries Pig Pen Delicacy]

[Bird in Hand from Two Birds]

[Lobster fries from Dos Chinos]

[Our favorite people to pig out with!]

1st Day of Preschool x2

Update: San Diego Family Magazine selected Parker's picture for their back-to-school photo contest! He won a big boy backpack and matching lunch bag from Lands End. I'm looking forward to seeing P's photo in the October 2017 edition of the magazine.

Here we go again! The new school year has started and Parker is excited to be one of the big kids in class. His observations so far: the "babies" cry a lot and they are not good at taking naps, he is really tall and a great class helper, he's going to get to play on the play structure this year. Good luck to my little man on his second year of preschool.