the O.C. - over thanksgiving i went down to So Cal. i stayed in beautiful orange county. contrary to the image portrayed by the popular tv show, the O.C. isn't all like that. i didn't see any mega mansions and i didn't run into mischa barton. darn! newport beach was very beautiful though. lots and lots of palm trees. So Cal has everything! i think i'm going to move there when i'm older. i took 80 pictures but here are my favorites...

three strange pigeons at balboa pier

to-die-for sunset at newport beach

one of many streets lined with palm trees

cool looking apartment building at santa monica

a very clean and peaceful newport beach

cavalia: awesome show but quite expensive

some celebrities i met in hollywood

crystal cathedral: mega-church made entirely out of glass

poor guy

after the sunset at newport beach

a group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "what does love mean?" the answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.

"when my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. so my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got the arthritis too. that's love." rebecca - age 8

"when someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. you know that your name is safe in their mouth." billy - age 4

"love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." karl - age 5

"love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs." chrissy - age 6

"love is what makes you smile when you're tired." terri - age 4

"love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is okay." danny - age 7

"love is what's in the room with you at christmas if you stop opening presents and listen," bobby - age 7

"love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." noelle - age 7

"love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." tommy - age 6

"my mommy loves me more than anybody. you don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." clare - age 6

"love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken." elaine - age 5

"love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than robert redford." chris - age 7

"love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." mary ann - age 4

"i know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." lauren - age 4

"when you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." karen - age 7

"love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." mark - age 6

"you really shouldn't say 'i love you' unless you mean it. but if you mean it, you should say it a lot. people forget." sarah - age 6

pancake - riding home from school is usually not that interesting or eventful. today was an exception. as i was pedaling and nearing my house, i suddenly see a squirrel in the middle of the road. i try to swerve away so as not to hit it but it was too late. i was surprised and curious so i stopped my bike and went to check out the roadkill. pancake's death was not my fault and i know this for sure because a bike could never do that. because he was rather large and now kind or flat, i named him pancake. if you don't want to end up like pancake, please look both ways before crossing streets; too bad pancake didn't.

ysmp - a team of 12 adults and youth from my church just came back from the youth summer mission project (ysmp) held in arizona. this year was my church's first time going to ysmp and we had a blast! we ministered to native american indians through vacation bible school (vbs) and sports clinics. it was so much fun interacting with the kids even though most of the time it was difficult and even painful (kids jumping out of windows, endless piggy-back rides, etc.). there were many hardships along the way: sometimes no showers, lots and lots of flies, sleeping on the floor, and many other things. eveyone did a great job stepping out of their comfort zones and serving others no matter what the situation. i'm really proud of the work we did at ysmp, a total of 13 kids accepted Christ at our site. praise the Lord! ysmp 2005, watch out, here we come!

nick - janely - mike - gary - calvin - eric - anita - jessica - joseph - tony

tiffany i. - joanna - tiffany t. - anita - charis - jessica - sarah

vbs playing duck duck goose

tyler and jessica - squishing cheek buddies

the guys

the girls

the group