Quality Time

Spending time with my family is very important to me... To be honest, I'm a homebody. I'd definitely rather stay in and lounge around with my family than do something extravagant (minus the few adventures that I do love to go on). This was an impromptu photo shoot with all of my cousins that stopped by to see me before I left to go back to JMU. They're the cutest! I had so much fun playing with them and being silly (: They say that you can learn something from little kids, and I have to agree.

Left to right: Adrianna (my sister!), Nicole, Gabby, and Isabelle

Isabelle and I raked the leaves into huge piles while everyone else went to the park with my uncle. After they all came back, we decided to have a photo shoot with them jumping into the leaves! I was a bit wary because leaves definitely have germs and bugs in them.... but they still wanted to do it. These pictures turned out so great! (: 

Some fun things to do in Autumn weather, with your family,  before the winter season picks up:

• Rake leaves! (the old fashion way... without the leave blower) It's an incredibly calming feeling and if it's great weather outside it's perfect to soak up some sun!
• Bake! (pumpkin season isn't over yet!! here are some great recipes to some pumpkin flavored treats: Fudgy Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cup Brownies, Chai Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins, and Pumpkin Spice Donuts)
• Visit the Apple Orchard (some local ones in Virginia: Crooked Run Orchard, Carter Mountain Orchard and Virginia Farm Market)

I love when fall season rolls in, because there are holidays stacked on holidays! We've got Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years to name a few of the ones that my family celebrates. The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on all the things that we are so blessed and thankful to have in our lives, our families being one of them. Just a few more weeks and Thanksgiving will be here and next thing you know 2013 is rolling into 2014! Oh my, does time fly! I hope everyone takes some time today to appreciate and thank those in their lives who they care about most (: That's what the holiday season is all about.

What are you thankful for? 

With Love,

Cassandra

The Le-Nguyen-Kim Family Takes Over Myrtle Beach

all the cousins and Coco

3 generations

4 families

2 sets of grandparents

8 cousins

1 dog

and a week long vacation

the Le-Nguyen-Kim family vacation at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!

Asher (:

A few weeks ago, my family went on vacation with my mom's side of the family. She is the oldest of 4! It was my uncle, aunt, and uncle and their families plus my grandparents and my aunt's mother in-law. Oh, and we also can't forget about Coco! (: The week was filled with great weather, great family bonding time, and some family spats here and there. I mean, being surrounded by 20 people every single day... we all get a little annoyed with one another! 

Ethan  

Coco the beach bum 

It was great to be with my family and be able to bond and hang out all together. We always try to have family get togethers back in Virginia, but having an entire vacation together was something that I am really appreciative and grateful for. I'm lucky to have a big family that values time with family so much and is always family oriented. My family may be a bit kooky and we do have our moments of pure insanity, but they're always so supportive of everything that I want to pursue or are always looking for ways to help me in some way, wether by a simple job that they're willing to pay me for or a connection they think i should make. Yes, sometimes they get a bit annoying... but they're family and i can't get rid of them, so i might as well attempt to like them, right? just kidding! i love them all (: 

me and Nicole

me and Isabelle 

my awkward sister on the side - creeeepy

our big family outing we partook in was mini golf for all of the cousins! for a lot of my younger cousins, it was their first time and they were all pretty excited! it took a little longer to play through 18 holes though... with 6 little kids playing mini golf and one adult playing... it was a bit stressful but i'm really glad that my baby cousins enjoyed it (: below are some pictures from our adventure that night!

Gabby - the Diva

Isabelle - she's just as fiesty

Asher

The Kim side of our family 

mom and her daughters 

this post is getting long with all the pictures i wanted to put in! below are some other great pictures taken throughout our vacation (: 

Daddy and FOUR princesses (:

Ethan's hiding

Grandparents and their grandchildren

i told you Coco was a beach bum! 

"Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops"

- Cary Grant

Sneak Peek: Fam[ILY] Vacation at Myrtle Beach!

Stay tuned for my recap about my family vacation with my Mom's side of the family at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina! (: 

4 families

2 sets of grandparents

8 cousins 

1 dog

it got a bit hectic!

Happs Burtday `MURICA!

Yesterday, my family and I spent July 4th with my dad's side at their bay house in Annapolis. The day was filled with cousins, lots of Vietnamese food, small dogs and a great time. The trip to Annapolis took about an hour and a half, which isn't too terrible! The weather was amazing, not too humid and no rain (thank goodness!). We grilled skewers and pork chops and had a great time catching up with my cousins, whom I don't get to see very often, and celebrated one of my aunt's 65th birthday!!! I was too caught up in trying to be artsy fartsy with my photos and capturing scenery that there aren't any people in my pictures... oops...

I hope everyone enjoyed their July 4th, Happy Birthday America!

the view from the harbor 

vermicelli noodles w/ chicken skewers, vegetables, shredded pork & fish sauce

pork chops!

through the board walk planks 

this cake was HUGE

Oh! Big, fun fact for the day... Coco hates all forms of water but my sisters decided to take her into the bay to see if she could swim and she can! (: it was so fun to watch her doggy paddle her way back into my sisters' arms every time or paddle back to shore. She's a fast swimmer too... probably because she hates the water so much. Anyways, I hope everyone is enjoying their Friday!

With love, Cassandra