My Little Cowgirl...

I just had to take a moment to post these terrific pictures of the most adorable little cowgirl in the entire world.

Here's my Nalani...



Riding her little pony during a Mom's Club visit to a horse farm..



It's inevitable. This little cowgirl has to become a fan of the Dallas Cowboys!

The Yankees meet the Red Sox!

Oh what a conflict for my poor boy David.

It's bad enough that a Red Sox fan has to play for a little league team called the Yankees, but then to have to face the Red Sox? Oh doesn't that just stink.

So there goes our boy, batting third, marching his way to the plate...



Even if they're the Red Sox, they're not the Boston Red Sox, so David took his stance, focused on the ball, and got himself ready to swing...



Only to be hit by a wild pitch...



Ouch!

Okay, maybe there are some things not to like about the Red Sox.

David played fine...



Fielding the ball...



And doing his part...



To lead the Yankees to a 5-4 victory over the Red Sox.

Of course, it typical fashion, Cari couldn't just sit around.

Here she is as the "Team Mom" for the Yankees getting the kids on deck in the batting order...



'Cause obviously having just 6 kids isn't enough for her!

If You're Going to San Francisco...

Be sure to wear flowers in your hair.

Okay, while I did go to San Francisco, I'm still looking for those gentle people with flowers in their hair.

Earlier this week I was brought out by the James Irvine Foundation to speak a little bit at a dinner for community foundations in California that are participating in their capacity building project. While that all sounds well and good, it also gave me the opportunity to spend a little time in this wonderful city.

There was a remarkable view from the hotel -- the room had a little semi-circle sitting area which gives you a 180 degree view...



Of cousre, I liked this view in particular...



Grilled cheese made with Panini bread! Cari stayed home so I just had to eat something I shouldn't!

I had a few hours to waste before hopping on a plane this morning, so I decided to check out of the hotel and meader the streets of San Francisco (I was trying to find Karl Malden and Michael Douglas).

I found myself walking through Chinatown, which is an amazing place. It's almost like another country...



There are all kinds of stores with foods out front...



And it's amazing how many people are speaking Chinese.

In Las Vegas, the growing Latino community has made signs in Spanish incredibly commonplace. It's so normal that you hardly even notice.

It's the same thing in San Francisco's Chinatown, except so much of it is written in Chinese...



In Las Vegas, we have our Spanish speaking television stations. San Francisco has their own version, but in Chinese...



I must be reconnecting with that small part of the Bicoy heritage that is Chinese!

After walking down block after block of stores and businesses, every single one of which was Chinese in nature and had signs written in Chinese, I came across this most unusual place...



"Little Paris" -- the French Restaurant!

I suppose if you can have Paris in Las Vegas you can have Paris in San Francisco's Chinatown.

I also had the opportunity to see the most crooked street you'll ever encounter...



Lombard Street. It just twists and turns because the street is so steep, that without it, no car would ever be able to go down the street!

And just when I thought my walk would never end, I finally hit water when I arrived at the famous Fisherman's Wharf...



They say that in 1990, for some strange reason, a pack of California Sea Lions decided to sunbathe on the wharf -- and they've never left...



Right off Fisherman's Wharf is the infamous Alcatraz - the island prison...



And of course there's the view of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance...



But even with all these incredible scenic views, there is one better than all the others...



Ghirardelli Square, home to some of the best chocolate in the world! The picture above is from a very old machine that they still have in working order to make remarkable chocolate.

You can see some of that chocolate put to a very practical use in this most magnificent picture of all...



On this first day of summer in San Francisco, we will have a chocolate "love-in there!"

A School Year Ends and a Season Begins...

The equivalent of half the population of Hawaii makes a trip from Honolulu to Las Vegas' McCarran Airport each year. In the period of 1995 through 2000, 1% of the entire population of the State of Hawaii relocated to Las Vegas. Varying studies estimate that anywhere from 25,000 to 70,000 people who live in the Las Vegas Valley are former residents of Hawaii. It is widely believed that Las Vegas has the highest concentration of people from Hawaii of any city on the mainland United States.

And if that weren't enough to make the point, consider our son Kekoa's kindergarten graduation ceremony.

Also known as "Aloha Kindergarten..."



You have to love that we're in the middle of the desert and our kids are wearing aloha shirts, leis, and singing Hawaiian songs.

Of course, while Dad kept moving around the room to get a decent picture, Kekoa celebrated that great Hawaii tradition of giving stink eye...



While the performance of our kindergarten students is merely judged as satisfactory, starting in first grade the kids receive traditional letter grades.

In our son Bretty's case, he is so very pleased to have received straight A's -- one of only two students in his entire class to earn that honor.

In fact, if you look carefully in the background of the picture at the award ceremony below, you'll see that even Katie Holmes took time away from the scientologist (you know, the Opera couch jumping guy who subscribes diarrhea-etics) to attend Bretty's award celebration...



Either that or someone forgot to bring the camera to Bretty's ceremony so this picture was taken at home.

Well, we're pleased to say that David also is a straight-A student and received his certificate from the principal as well...



And as the school year comes to a close for David, so begins that most famous past time for the boys of summer.

Welcome to baseball!

Not too long ago, David and Bretty were with me when I stopped in a barbershop for a quick haircut. As a men's barbershop, naturally the only thing on the television was a baseball game. While Bretty was preoccupied talking away with some girl sitting next to him, David was enthralled by the game. This was the first time he had ever had the opportunity to watch a baseball game because other than the famous Red Sox - Yankees battle of the season before last (during which time David was asleep), we NEVER watch baseball. Not ever.

Well, for his first game ever, David couldn't get enough of it. When we got home he immediately flipped through the TV channels and found himself watching his very first Red Sox game.

Thus David became the newest citizen of Red Sox Nation.

And like every good boy who loves the Red Sox, David decided suddenly that he had to play baseball.

Today, batting third in the order in his very first game, he stepped up to the plate...



And so it was that David would get the very first hit of the season for his team...



As his single took him to first base...



For his little league team, the Yankees.

Yes, he is more than a little bit upset about the name.

As one who spent four years in college just outside of Boston, I am a Red Sox fan also (well, as much as I can be a fan of any team other than the Dallas Cowboys). And so it was my sacred duty to teach David to despise the Yankees.

Oh well. Even if he has to play for the Yankees, he did have a blast playing ball...



And his younger siblings were enjoying themselves as well. Kekoa, Nalani and Malia decided to make a train with their chairs...



Until the caboose took a tumble...



And so begins summer vacation!