charlene and ashley go to los angeles

Ashley and I went to LA for a baby convention. We left our hubbies and babies behind and made a little roadtrip out of it. It was great to be able to bond on the drive up (sans crying and whining - thanks to Christina who took great care of Fallon all weekend). We were able to accomplish a lot at the convention and a lot of shopping. We stayed at the Orlando (near Armand's/3rd/the Grove/Farmers). It was a blast for us - even just for one night. We were able to squeeze in dinner at Bhudda's Belly with the gang. It was also Ashley's birthday! She seemed to hit everyone's soft spots as she entertained us with her poop stories - it also encouraged Sung Hi to partake in the story-telling! Also, a BIG CONGRATS to the Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Baker-to-be. Sung Hi & Jeremy are getting married on May 5th!! Yeah!!!

Ashley & Char road tripped it to LA!

Char & Sung Hi (before getting hitched to Jeremy in Hawaii!!)

Sung Hi, Ray, Olivia & Jeremy

Armando, Ashley and Char

april fun stuff

4.24.07 Fallon's first karaoke performance. Notice she is trying to keep up with the lyrics.
4.20.07 Izzy and Fallon having lunch on Fallon's patio set.
4.18.07 We got Fallon a tent so she could take naps with the dogs.
4.14.07 Fallon and Jonathan enjoying the carousel ride.

ray and olivia visit

Ray and Olivia came to visit. It was the end of their meatless lent! Yeah, they did it! Fallon was thrilled as they brought her an Elmo doctor bag to help nurture her interest. She took all our blood pressures, listened to our heartbeats and administered medicine to all of us. She just loves them because they play so well with her, esp. making Uncle Ray roll her up in a "taco supreme!" I wonder where she learned that??

happy easter!

Fallon opening her Easter basket before church.


With Sean and Kayla at Four Season's Brunch

Fallon and Charlene at the cotton candy stand

Fallon at the kid's buffet table

Fallon wearing her ivory chick necklace from Lola Ayala and her pearl necklace from Grandma Gregson.

Fallon spotted the Easter Bunny coming out of the bathroom - bunnies have to go, too!


We didn't get to go on the egg hunt in Lake Las Vegas since Char had a bug:( We were too full to go anyway. Happy Easter Everybody!!

"Who's that Man?" It's Papa Joe!

Tita Betty, Uncle Joe and Annie were in town and we met up at FIX so Annie and I could get our mac and cheese FIX! The two of us preggers, Annie at 19 weeks and me at 17 weeks, enjoyed all our food while we basically used them to "pretend to eat" so we didn't look like we ate everything! And, despite Fallon's allergies, she was chattering up a storm with Tita Betty and kept asking her, "Who's that man?" (referring to Uncle Joe). "Why, that's Papa Joe," Tita Betty said! It was great to see them!!

spring is here!

A wonderful day in March! Fallon posing in the front yard under the tree - loving the red shoes from Auntie Jenn. She is becoming more and more a girly girl, demanding to wear dresses at all times - even to the library.

our horseback riding adventure

Jonathan took us out to Boulder City where one of his employee's family has horses. Fallon, not even scared at all - loved it, while Jon enjoyed his first time. It had been a while since I had gone riding, but Sharon convinced me to get on for old times sake since she rode until she was 8 months pregs. I happily got on because Nick (the horse) made it seem like riding a bicycle. What a fun day!

las vegas home and design photo shoot today

Charlene & Ashley taking a breather from the shoot.
I got my hair/nails done, got a new dress, new shoes and I was feeling great at almost 4 months pregnant. It was a big day for Plain Zane and mutze because it was our first press piece! We did it in our new house which turned out great since it was empty and we could spread out. Thanks to Darleen Meier for the beautiful bracelets and Ashley's necklace she made for us for the shoot. The article will be out in the May/June 2007 issue of Las Vegas Home and Design. Look for it on newsstands!

fallon is potty trained!!! yeah!!

We finally committed to staying on top of Fallon for 2 weeks and trained her with diapers at night and mostly underwear. She got the pee thing down in a week, but number 2 took a bit longer. She held it for 4 days because it's a very dirty task to her. Finally, she couldn't hold in the fibers I've been shoving in her anymore. While in a nude frolic, she ran to her potty, stood in the dark and started crying. She ran towards me clutching her hands and threw something brown on the tile floor in front of me, crying, "Clean me! Clean me!" Oh yes it was - the ball of fibers. Luckily, no repeat of that, so far. Today was the second successful time she did a #2 in the potty - which requires mommy to do the silly potty song and dance. She knows not to go in her underwear and always tells us if she has to go. When out in public, she has been very good to say, "I have to go potty." I don't dare go anywhere yet unless there is a very clean bathroom nearby and I'm packing plenty of sanitation.

plain zane in scottsdale and deer valley this april

Plain Zane was recently accepted at Hotel Valley Ho and its sister hotel, The Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona. Valley Ho will carry an exclusive line of towel designs and The Sanctuary will debut Plain Zane's organic line. Plain Zane will also be available in the shops at the #1 ski destination, Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. They will carry select securi-tie blankets and the newbie bundles featuring mutze hats by Ashley.

fallon is 2 and a half today

Time flies...Fallon turned 2 and a half today and we want to keep her at this age so badly. She is so vibrant and talkative. She says the most adorable things. I asked her while we were getting in the car, "Are you still my little baby?" She corrected me and said, "Mommy, I'm not a baby! I'm a big birl now!" Noooooo!

tony abou-ganim on iron chef tonight! 9pm E/P

Tony will be on Iron Chef tonight with Mario Batali. He will be pairing up drinks with each of Mario's dishes. If you miss it, you can watch it all week. Check listings at foodtv.com.
Tony, a celebrity in the world of mixology, has had an impressive background as a mixologist leading up to Bellagio's master mixologist and has since moved onto consulting and making tv and live appearances all over the world. He lives in Las Vegas and was Jonathan's former roommate before we got married. He also created the menu for all the tasty drinks at our wedding (remember the sangria?). We often go to his great house for his amazing cocktails and cookouts and especially since he has a nice pool for Fallon to enjoy! The dogs love it there, too. Read more about Tony on his website.

fallon & cliff

We had dinner with Cliff Maximo at Noodles in Bellagio tonight. We caught up and I tried to talk him into finding a Urology practice and moving here since he bought the Spa Loft Penthouse here...you never know! After spending time with him, she warmed up and I'm sure she'll be asking about him all week. We passed by FIX to see Daddy and Fallon was putting on her "circles" dance for all of FIX patrons. I think it was the ice cream after dinner that charged her up! It was really great to Cliff and we're hoping he moves here!!

fallon's announcement...

Hi Everybody!
As I was simultaneously updating my pregnancy blog and this blog (linked to our Christmas newsletter in December), last week, I accidentally published my pregnancy thought of the day in the this blog, which apparently, people still read.  It said something about cravings, nausea, etc.  The next morning, I received congratulatory emails/messages saying, "are you preg...?" Some of you found out early - oops!
 
Anyway, add our fetus to the 2007 Tri-State Filipino (OH/PA/WV) Baby Roster.  We were actually going to tell people whenever, but Jonathan had not told his family yet. His sister delivered her baby a month early and he was in ICU for 4 weeks.  So, we waited to break the news until baby Michael was home safely - which, thankfully, he now is.  Fallon has also been blabbing her big message to everyone and anyone. We are excited, but looking forward to the feeling better part!!
 
Things people like to ask:
SICKNESS: Incredibly nauseous, wondering why I wanted to do this again.
MOODS: a-swingin!
CRAVINGS: Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Greek, cold foods, salads, Whole Foods spicy crab rolls, Netflix, strawberry banana smoothies, POM icees
DISLIKES: Pizza, fried foods, sour/tart foods
JONATHAN'S CRAVINGS: my peanut butter Luna Bars (for women)
MEMORY: Like Dory on Nemo
DUE: Sept.16 - 8 days after Fallon's bday, another Virgo, all ours within 6 weeks!
PREDICTION: Delivery on Fallon's birthday, a boy, looking like my dad
 
P.S.  Armand, you know how sick I was when we ate at Naked Fish?  Olivia, when you brought us the PAMA liqueur (my favorite!), I was dying for a taste!  Thaaanks! It will definitely be the first drink I have as soon as we can celebrate! 

fallon & lucas

Today, we met up with Lucas -- he's the same old Lucas! He's been in town several times photographing fights. We got to see all his photos --impressive work! We went to JET nightclub (Jon took us in there because he had a work thing). Fallon seemed to be in the mood, so Lucas wanted to shoot some photos of her in the club. Check out some of his cool pics...



Some of the action...


...and discovering the pole

welcome baby elizaga!

This evening, Ron and Nova Elizaga, welcomed their new baby boy, Roman Fortunato Bautista Elizaga. He was 6 lbs. 10 oz. 18 1/4 inches long. Mother and son are said to be doing great. Congratulations new parents!

sung hi on abc's LOST!!

Hey all you Lost fans...did you catch Sung Hi on tonight's episode of Lost (2.28.07)? I missed it, but you can watch it on abc.com. She plays a reporter named Trisha Tenaka within the first 10 minutes (a tip she told me in case you don't want to watch the whole episode - haha!). She did an awesome job!! Yeah, Sung Hi, we're all so excited and proud of you! Looking forward to more, more, more!

plain zane to be featured in magazine

Molly Jane Quinn of Las Vegas Home & Design came over today to discuss a profile on Ashley and I in their May/June issue! We are very excited as it will provide great press for our businesses. The shoot will probably take place in our new house at Stone Canyon.

fallon & uncle zosimo

We finally got to see Uncle Zos since he has been working here for the Ultimate Fighter reality show. Of course, we all went to eat Filipino food at Salo Salo...delicious! He asked us if we want to have another child and we said, "Yeah, we'll have one in September 16 this year." It took him a few, but he realized that I meant we are "expecting" one on September 16. Haha!

oscars gone green!

And how perfect Al Gore wins the Oscar for his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth - yeah! Since we invited readers to our blog at Christmas, it was terrific to hear back from many of you after you watched the film. It's uplifting to know that people are displaying more consciousness to the crisis. Oscar kudos to Happy Feet, Jennifer Hudson and finally, Martin Scorsese. The Departed deserved it - amazing plot! I really wanted Leo DiCaprio to win and United 93 to get something. Ellen as host - she can do no wrong.

mom and dad (ayala) philippine trip update

Hi Mom and Dad! I am glad to see you are finding the time to read our updates.

For the readers, my parents are doing well in the PI. In their last e-mail, they spoke of eating with the Alimarios, eating with the Villanuevas, eating with the Velardes, eating with the Ayalas, getting daily massages for $5 and walking on the beach in Laguna. I hope they are walking while they are eating! It sounds like they are having fun and enjoying their travels between Mom's house in Laguna and Dad's house in Pagbilao.

fallon's potty training update

We started Fallon on the potty a year ago. But since we got so busy with life, we gave it up and really, we weren't ready to introduce the public restroom! Throughout the year, she has been able to hold it at night and go potty in the morning. She also got so used to reading books on the potty, that it became like a learning center. But that's about it. We had 1 successful #2 when she saw Papa Ferna do it last November. And that was that. So, we began seriously again this month and she is completely dry every morning and has consistently been dry throughout the day. She looks forward to the "potty dance" afterwards. We are still tackling the feared #2. She usually runs off and hides behind a door or retreats to safe a corner for privacy and does her thing. We will start the flushable "g" diapers tomorrow as a transition to underwear. We know that she gets it. I think I am just getting over my fear of the public restroom inconvenience!

fallon's ever-developing palate = chef?

We figured she has been eating everything we eat, i.e. Indian, Greek, Japanese, Filipino, so we decided to take Fallon to try Spanish Tapas tonight. We ordered seafoods: scallops, octopus, anchovies. Not your typical seafood fare and of course, they were prepared in the most delicious ways possible. We were so surprised that she ate everything we gave her, especially the octopus! I think our favorite was the anchovies! It must have been from all the training from the buffets Papa Ferna (dad) has taken her to and watching him cook! She has also been really into cooking with us - wearing the apron, shaking the salt shaker, stirring, etc. Her favorite chefs on Food TV are Giada DeLaurentiis and Rachel Ray.

another reason to love ikea

As an avid reusable bag user, I was thrilled to see that one of my favorite corporations, IKEA, has finally made the move to CHARGE people for using their disposable plastic bags! Yeah! So, if Costco and Sam's Club excludes bagging, why don't they just do the same at Walmart?? Or I say, "Charge everyone for plastic bags, everywhere!" It has been a regular practice of ours to always bring reusable bags into groceries, malls, etc. and to turn down bags for 1 or 2 items or if it can fit in a purse. I believe charging for plastic bags will change the way people think about plastic bags. As we mentioned before, you can get .05 off each bag you reuse at (most) grocery stores. We love the IKEA blue bags, btw! Read full article here.

Main points on the IKEA article:
- IKEA will charge US customers .05 for disposable plastic shopping bag.
- aims to reduce the est. 100 billion bags thrown away by all US consumers a year.
- IKEA is 1st retailer in the US to undertake such a program.
- Bangladesh outlawed plastic bags after they blocked drains and contributed to flooding and Taiwan uses 80 percent fewer bags after stores began charging for them.
- Bags add unnecessarily to landfills, clog drains and endanger wildlife.
- IKEA provides 70 million free bags to US customers; it expects to cut that by half in the first year.
- The company said it will also cut the price of their reusable blue bags from .99 to .59 to encourage their use. The program will begin on March 15 at the company's 29 US stores and the money from bag sales will go to American Forests, a conservation group.
- IKEA began charging its U.K. customers for plastic bags, reducing consumption by 95 percent!!!!
- The average US family of 4 throws away about 1,500 single-use polyethylene bags, which do not degrade for around 1,000 years. Less than 1% are recycled!

auntie olivia & friends visit

Olivia and her friends came by for a visit and for a break on their "Alias Marathon." Fallon fully entertained them with her antics and stories of how she vomitted on Daddy when she was sick and how she loves to dance to Madonna. Olivia and Ray also gave us a bottle of PAMA, a pomegranate liqueur - did they know that is one of my favorites?! Should I tell her I can't have any until September?!? Thanks, OMR!

happy valentine's day!

We had a quiet day since we were not able to celebrate because of being sick. It was actually more about Fallon and her Valentine's presents. We gave her a big Play-Doh set - which she sat at the table for hours making things! Forget about the candy, the books, and the new red shoes from Auntie. Jon had Fallon's first seashell (she found in San Diego beach in July) made into a necklace with a sapphire put into it! It was so special and sentimental! Our real plans were to check into Wynn, go to dinner and see "Phantom of the Opera," with a sitter for Fallon...postponed for another time!

michael jackson down the street and lebron james - our new neighbor?

Michael Jackson's new house on Tara.

Michael Jackson and family are now residing fulltime in Las Vegas a few blocks from our Maddingley house. We're looking forward to his fresh start in Las Vegas with a new show on the strip to debut this year?

The builders recently informed us that LeBron James is looking in our new neighborhood and is in love with Stone Canyon! I guess it's between this house and a 10,000 sq.ft. palace. Hmmm...if I were 6'8", would 10,000 sq.ft. be good?

fallon's first er visit :(

This past weekend, the three of us were struck with yet another virus! We all woke up with sore throats and colds. Fallon was so ill, she threw up six times - on herself, on jon, on me, in her bed, on the couch and oh - how 'bout the toilet? She wouldn't drink or eat much and when she did, it came up. Of course, it resulted in dehydration. Jon - who was the least miserable of us, took her to Summerlin ER and she had her first IV! Jonathan said she was really good when they put the IV in and was more excited to be watching the Disney Channel at 1 am. They finally came home at 4am and they passed out. It turned out to be a mild viral/bronchial infection that did not require hospitalization! Whew! I was a wreck, but so thankful it was not pneumonia or rotavirus!

wonder twins deactivate!

Our playgroup got cancelled today, so we joined Ashley's group with Izzy, Chase, Vera and Paris. They made Valentine's cards and ate tons of sweets. Fallon also got a big, wet lick from Oscar which ended up swelling her eye later (Ayala allergies)! Off to the playground where Fallon and Izzy were all over the place and loving the swings. It's so great to see everyone playing so well together! Part 2: The Twins: We then ended up dropping by to play with the cutest twins ever, Miles and Cole. It was rambunctious as usual, but then there was some sibling rivalry. We got to witness their timeouts for peeing in each others drinks - gross! Never a dull moment with those wonder twins! Since Fallon is in potty training mode, I think it may have confused her for just a moment, but then she angrily yelled at them, "You pee pee in the potty!" Word to the potty police.

we walk stone canyon today!

We had our walk through at the Stone Canyon house today. It took almost 4 hours! We found some major mistakes, but most importantly, they are fixable. We weren't too happy that they had to redo the concrete floors. The look came out less polished than the original floor. The process caused grinding and dust - which means a total mess on the wood floors and new carpeting in the bedrooms! We were also very unhappy about the workers coming in and out of the house with no booties while we stood there with ours on! How rude! Everything looks amazing, especially the Caesarstone countertops - which they gave us a hard time about. I had mentioned to them earlier that the reason we chose it is because it is a more eco-friendly product requiring less maintenance. What do we later learn that they are using in their new project...Caesarstone! We met some new neighbors and were thrilled to find that we have "green" neighbors next door and a great group of 30-something professionals across the board.

panda's time out

Panda (the shih tzu, aka our first born) chewed up one of Fallon's toys. I was so angry with her, so I scolded her and sent her to her cage. "Panda, you get a time out! Bad girl!" We really haven't put Fallon in a time out yet, but she watched intently and looked at me with a serious glare. So, I bent down and explained to Fallon, "Panda is a bad girl. Do you know why? Because she chewed your toy. So she has to have a time out." Then Fallon bends down and moves in closer to my face and says, "I understand." !?! Wait a minute...that was too easy.

#1: I didn't know she knows the concept of the word understand and #2: What are you, 6??!!

plain zane's fantastic year!

The launch of Plain Zane was one year ago. We have made up our startup costs and we look forward to bigger and better! The foundation of Plain Zane was built on the support and encouragement of friends and family. With shows and representation in: Las Vegas, Connecticut/NY/NJ, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah, Chicago, Arizona and LA, I want express my gratitude and acknowledge those who have helped tremendously last year. This also includes those who came to our shows, all our enthusiastic customers, all the loyal, repeat customers, all those who continue to pass on the word, the retailers and especially the following people:

Jonathan Gregson, Ashley Gunson, Yolanda & Fernando Ayala, Jennifer Ayala, Fran Ayala, Armando Llenado, Judi Nielson, Deanna Sasser, Angela Sasser, Audra Davis, Darleen Meier, Heidi Archlan, Rita Ferrera, Sheila Milic, Melissa Fojas Adaya, Tara Staughton, Bill & Rebecca Nassikas, Niki Peckham, Sonny Ahjua, Mindy Elizaga, Debi Gregson, Libby Rademacher, Kristen Nies, Calla Korts, Harmony Susalla.

fallon's new year's resolution: she joins a gym

Well, someone had to. Today was Fallon's trial day at Gymcats Gymnastics. I found a toddler class so she can work on those motor skills. As soon as she was let loose in the gym with the kids, she was all over the place. It was especially fun since Jon threw her in the cube pit! It was so great to witness her running, on the balance beam and trying the bars. When we left, she kept saying, "We'll come back here!" Do we have a future gymnast on our hands?

baby audie is born!

Liz (Jonathan's sister) and Dave Audie welcomed son, Michael David Audie, today (5 weeks early) weighing in at 5lbs. 12oz. 18 7/8 inches long. He is in NICU, but we are praying for his full recovery. Liz is doing better and is anxious to see her son! Congratulations new parents!

jon finishes real estate courses

He had been contemplating getting his mortgage license, but he decided to go for the real estate license first and he finished his classes today - yeah! He enjoyed it and looks forward to getting his license - the hard part. It'll be great when we go to sell our house.

plain zane in steubenville

At the Ferrera's house in Steubenville.

On our visit to Steubenville, we had our usual visit with the Fererras. A fun visit to talk about everything and anything and eat, eat, eat! Fallon (and Jenn and I) had a blast with Rita as she fed her cupcakes, chocolate, yogurt and pizza! Rita also got to see see my blankets and wanted to take them to Sheila Milic's store, Something Special. I was not able to since I was leaving the next day, so Rita and Jenn went the next day to bring the blankets. Sheila loved them and immediately bought a bunch of blankets and matching burp cloths. It's great to be represented in the hometown!

sick of being sick!

Fallon and I have been sick in Ohio since the Holidays. Unfortunately, we got Mom and Dad sick, too! It was so bad, they had to postpone their trip to the Philippines. Z-packs on the house! Nevertheless, we had a great time cooped up in the house. Fallon had a blast at Christmas despite the occasional vomitting. She really understood Christmas and got to bond with Mom and Dad while poor Jenn came along and had to take care of all of us. Miraculously, she never got sick! Auntie Jenn was able to spend quality time with her and "make hot totties!" Mmm!

happy new year!

Another year - more resolutions! Fallon and I ended up getting sick over the Holidays due to the very warm weather in Ohio. It brought all the Spring pollen which sparked allergic reactions and led to colds! We are still in Ohio while Jonathan headed back to Vegas to work and begin his real estate classes. Mom and Dad are packing up and heading to the Philippines for the winter so we wanted to spend some extra time with them.

Thanks to everyone for your lovely emails about your families and your happenings. It's always nice to read about everyone's activities and accomplishments. We were also amazed that many of you responded to the concern of our climate crisis / global warming and to hear about what you are doing too! Here are some of the responses that were not posted on the blog:

- Thanks for the great tips on how to save. I guess we have always associated eco-choices with being more costly, but not so!

- It's sad that most people ignore the issues and continue to live in the "bubble" of the evils of big business. Since we have kids, it is our moral repsonsiblity to protect their future.

- Yes! Thank you for the very important message this Christmas. We admit that we always think about it, but we saw the movie you suggested and we are active as of today! Long gone are the days of: it's not cool to be green. It's irresponsible to raise kids in this world without being aware of global warming and educating them about it. What is the point of raising kids when this planet is in crisis???

- We are also practicing green living and would like to discuss with you more about the subject and exchange ideas on greening the home.

- It's good to see you are eating healthy (we also eat organic as much as possible) and are green.

- We are also very much into environmentally/socially responsible practices (rain barrels, composting, organics, no Wal-Mart, etc). It's great to see others in the family are as well.

- I truly enjoyed your blog, esp the pictures and the many links to help us become more involved. I admit, I've been a huge contributor to global warming. No more plastic take out boxes for me!!

- Being a nurse makes me sad sometimes to see how much waste we generate in the hospital. I really try to make better choices when I buy products at the grocery or at the mall.

a valderrama playdate in pittsburgh

We met up with Pixie & Co. at Robinson Mall in Pittsburgh. Lucas, Dylan, Isabel and Fallon all got to play together in the play pit. I can't believe how big the kids are getting (and #4 on the way!). Isabel has entered toddler-dom and is the cutest little thing! Their personalities are very apparent: Lucas, 5, is the independent, careful one; Dylan, 3, is the adventurous, sweet one (a middle child trait?); and Isabel, 1, is the loving, tough one. I am glad we got to spend time with them. Fallon will now remember their faces when we go through pictures. Looking forward to #4, Pix!!

fallon & santa

We took Fallon to the Fashion Show Mall to get her picture taken with Santa. She got right to the point and asked, "Where's my choo-choo train?" At least the Eloise doll comes in a close second.

SEASON'S GREENINGS

We must become the change we want to be.
– Mahatma Gandhi

Hi Everyone!
It's the Holidays again and 'tis the season to be wasteful! Over 2 billion holiday cards, excessive packaging, and wrapping are estimated to be picked up by the sanitation departments across America. That results in 6 million tons of waste during the holidays - more than any other country. As a family committed to protecting the planet, it's a painful fact for us to digest! As Americans, we are conditioned to excess - buying disposable items and not thinking about the impact that packaging has on the environment/global warming/oil/water. We are consuming more resources than the earth can produce as we rank first in offenders. If you take a look at some of the facts about global warming, you would not believe how our planet is drastically changing. Recommended documentary by Al Gore.

Even though we are becoming more aware as a nation and more corporations are thinking responsibly and reducing waste, we really need to step up and do our parts. And although it's hard to avoid for its randomness, Walmart is one of the most wasteful retailers, generating the most packaging and plastic bag waste. Despite their shady business practices, they are slowly beginning to "clean up their act" and jumping on the green bandwagon. Large and powerful corporations like Walmart need to set examples. Albeit that Whole Foods and Wild Oats are not for the budget-conscious, they carry organics which support organic farming and fair trade, purchase wind power credits and maintain eco-conscious business practices. They promote recycling within the markets and educate customers with their products. Trader Joe's carries many of the same products (under their label) and also practices being green! It makes a huge difference supporting and shopping markets such as these. Ethical eating!

Earlier this year, we repainted and redecorated our home. In doing that, we decided to create a more eco-friendly abode. The future of building is green. Realizing that it could not be as green as we wanted, we decided to build one that is. We chose cellulose insulation, solar wiring, a radiant barrier roof, xeriscape landscaping, low-flow shower heads, eco-smart toilets, sun shades, low voc paints, recycled carpeting, bamboo flooring with many more green and sustainable choices to make once finished. Many of these ideas can be implemented in any existing homes. The research has been very educational and it will enable us to lower our utilities and live in home with less toxins. It may not achieve LEED certification, but we can do our best! Buying things like hybrid cars and solar energy systems can also save on taxes, but there are lots of other ways to save with smaller, less-costly home upgrades that offer tax credits, thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The future is green. It is reaching more people today. The problems are only getting worse, but we have the ability to make better choices everyday. Learn more about it on some of our links. We can do our part no matter how small it may seem, but it will make a difference. You may do many of the things already, but you can probably add a few more :) Think of our future and the future of our children. It's our responsibility to educate, listen and learn. You can bet we are "greening" our daughter!

As for us, we have been busier than ever! Jonathan is still plugging away with long hours at The (unstoppable) Light Group's FIX in Bellagio. They are rapidly expanding in the next 2 years, taking over and opening several restaurants. It includes a service-based hotel called Harmon, in the upcoming City Center Project - opening 2008. The Light Group has recently made the effort to go green.

Since Charlene is happily at home with Fallon, she started a small business called Plain Zane this year. Her functional and fashionable baby blanket attaches to strollers, car seats and baby carriers and a patent for it has been submitted. The simple idea became a hit in Las Vegas and after 8 shows this year, the blankets are beginning to make its way about the country. All products are made in Las Vegas and Plain Zane functions as green as possible - paperless, using recycled and reused packaging, earth-friendly detergents, while embarking on vertical integration. A sustainable blanket line is also in the works.

Fallon is 2 years and 3 months already! She has had an incredible year with activities, friends and just developing overall. She is the most talkative thing ever and prefers adults over kids...time for a sibling? In July, we took her to Sea World in San Diego with Mateo and the Ayala clan. She had a blast with Mateo being here for 2 weeks! In August, we went to Scottsdale and stayed at Hotel Valley Ho to celebrate Charlene's birthday. Fallon was in heaven at the pool, playing with her bubble gun from Uncle Bill & Aunt Rebecca. In November, we attended the beautiful wedding of Ray Mupas & Olivia Pham (Congrats!) in Anaheim where she danced all night! She also fell in love with Disneyland, home of Mickey and Minnie. Her current favorite things are: the ipod, swings, trains, Mickey Mouse, Eloise, adults, chocolate and blankets! We look forward to spending the Holidays in Ohio where Fallon can finally make snow angels:)

That is all for this year. It went too fast and we hope that things are not as crazy in 2007. We wish you all the best health, happiness and memories this Season with family and friends.

With Love,
Jonathan, Charlene & Fallon
(and our crazy pups, Panda & Poncho)

green ideas

" In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact
of our decisions on the next seven generations."
- from the Great Law of the Iriquois Confederacy

• You can get bag refunds (usually .05 per bag) at grocery stores if you bring your own bags! When mall shopping, avoid collecting an armful of bags or any bags! Don't be afraid to put all your items in one bag -- or BYOB.

• Buying natural/organic foods is more healthy for many reasons. See "Why Organic?" link at right.

• You don't need to plastic bag all your produce when picking them out! You wash them when you get home, don't you?

• Change out your bulbs to CFL (Compact Fluorescent Bulbs). They can last 5 years or more and saves $$.

• Download all your music/movies on iPod and say bye to CD and DVD cases.

• LCD vs. Plasma:
Though plasma technology wins over LCD technology in color, contrast and brightness, LCD wins hands down when it comes to the functionality. LCD TVs have greater longevity. Most LCD TVs can last up to twice the lifetime of a plasma TV. LCD TVs are also better suited to usage at higher altitudes or while traveling, because LCD technology does not use any gases, and is not subjected to air pressure. LCD TVs are also energy efficient, as they require less voltage. This helps in reducing electricity bills.

• Got room in your backyard for a composter? It saves on trash bags, disposing in the sink and it saves the earth!

• Find out about recycling your computer parts, catridges & electronics by googling: hp recycling, cartidge recycling, computer recycling.

• Teach your kids the basics of recycling at an early age - make it a fun learning project! See Leo's site for kids>>

• Reduce, reuse, & recycle... and refuse & upcycle!

• Be smart about your purchases.

congrats to nurse charmaine inomata!

Congratulations to Charmaine Inomata upon her recent graduation from nursing school -and valedictorian at that! She is a mother of 2 very happy, well-adjusted girls, wife, great friend and now R.N! We are very proud of her as she accomplished this in such a short time and at a later time in life - something that most people would never find the time or energy to do. She is very inspiring to me as a mother as well as her dedication to family, committment and hard work. You have always been so conscious of others and others doings and we want nothing more than to let you know we admire and love you so very much! Congratulations as you begin your work as a nurse in the ICU at Trinity Hospital.

Plain Zane @ Bleu Gourmet

Plain Zane is now selling @ Bleu Gourmet in the retail section! Love that place - great food, great wine, great atmosphere :)

farewell, our brother max

Max Ayala, our shih tzu, passed away in his sleep at the vet on Thursday, December 7, 2006. He was our family dog for 17 years! He knew dad had planned to put him to sleep before leaving for the Philippines. Max had not been doing well the past year. Everytime mom and dad leave for the winter, he takes it personally and it takes a toll on his health. This year, he knew the time was nearing and whatever sickness he had been harboring took over him quick! Max was a joy to our family. He was nicknamed "Dr. Max" by patients as he was the Urology Group's mascot at my dad's office for many years. He put smiles on faces and made the stress of a hard day go away. He was well-traveled, enjoyed countless leftover filet mignon's from all the golfers at the country club and lived like a king! My dad always said, "In my next life, I want to be Max." He was defintely a member of the family - remembered as the little brother that we never had and was truly my mom and dad's best friend.

we have a winner!

Jon's cardinal vest won "Best Sweater" at Ashley & Brent's "Tacky Sweater Party!" Is that really something to be proud of? Anyway, I didn't even come close!

turkey day!

Outside Whole Foods to pick up the Turkey!

Gobble gobble!! The three of us did a quick Thanksgiving together in the afternoon. So quick - we ordered our meal in advance at Whole Foods!! Laziness is convenient. Then Fallon and I went to Christina's parents house where Fallon partook in yet another (tiny) glass of wine. It seems be her own tradition now. Their fantasic meal was from Bellagio...shhh!

important reading

- An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore
It was a very shocking read and I just watched the film. If you are not even aware of the our climate crisis, this will definitely get you to really think about your actions in everyday life. This got standing ovations at Sundance. READ IT or SEE IT!

- Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart
The writers of this book are industrial designers that call for a new kind of ecological consciousness and a new approach they've dubbed "eco-effectiveness:" designing from the ground up for both eco-safety and cost efficiency. I call it eco-design. It's not so much about recycling, but about upcycling. I found i a bit complex to read and you have to have a decent knowledge of environmentalism. I definitely agree with many of their points and with a design background, I put more thought into how I will execute a project (and the consequences of it).

- Natural Capitalism by Paul Hawken
This book gave me a rounded understanding of eco-business. It's based on the principle that business can be good for the environment. They show how leading-edge companies are practicing "a new type of industrialism" that is more efficient and profitable while saving the environment and creating jobs. It is also a very detailed analysis of sustainability.

fallon's wedding dance

Fallon gets down with Jerome and Julius at the Pham/Mupas wedding in Anaheim, CA.

"i love you teo!"

That's all Fallon said for 2 weeks! Mateo & Fallon had the best time during his vacation in Vegas for 2 weeks. We went to Sea World in San Diego...what a blast! We stayed on the beach, but the vacation was too short to enjoy it all!