Chris' Photo Journal

Halloween 2011

2011-11-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

Can't believe another year of Halloween had come and go! The weather was beautiful this year and the parade took place in the playground as planned. There were so many creative costumes this year! And it seemed Angry Birds, not surprisingly, have been the most popular costume theme.

The most fun and enjoyable part of this year's parade was the special dance where all the kids and staff (and some parents) from the entire school danced to Michael Jackson's Thriller! It was an amazing scene! Kudos to the staff and kids, and the volunteered parents!

5K Run 2011

2011-10-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

It was a good start to wake up early on a beautiful morning. I was actually quite surprised to see so many runners at all ages, already gathered at the starting point at 7:30am! Everyone looked so fresh and eager to support our elementary school's "5K Run/Walk" annual fundraising event. Hats off to the parents who volunteered their time and effort, worked so hard for months to organize this amazing event, and thanks to all the participants who donated their time and money to support our school.

I have enjoyed so much watching and capturing everyone for their running, dances and laughters throughout this great event!

Yosemite Trip 2011

2011-07-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

This is the first time we went up to Glacier Point. The view was spectacular! We were glad to get a close-up view of the Half Dome, since we are not ready to conquer it yet. We did the Four Mile Trail from Glacier Point (7000+ feet) to the Yosemite Valley. Although it was just all downhill walk, it was strenuous enough to cause some pain for a couple days.

The waterfalls are still at their fullest at this time of the year, and attracted many visitors. We saw more people in the Yosemite Valley than in downtown San Jose! After the tiring hike the day before, we could only go to two of the shorter trails to see Bridal Veil Fall and Lower Yosemite Fall, and to get a close encounter with the awesome beauties.

Joshua Tree Camping Trip 2011

2011-07-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun cruising around the Joshua Tree National Park last winter that we decided to go back for a camping trip, despite the summer heat. Incidentally, the temperature those few days were as hot in the Bay Area!

The rock formation at Joshua Tree is really amazing, and the kids had so much fun climbing them and running freely around, picking their secret hideouts, making their weapons with yucca and other natural materials, getting face-to-face with some desert animals, and watching the beautiful sunset and night sky.

Marlins last game of season 2011 - Great game, great party!

2011-06-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

My boy has learned a lot this season at Pinto 2 (so do we =)! Thanks to the coaches for their time and effort. And the boys had so much fun together.

It was a great last game, followed by a great party with lots of good food, dessert, and a Marlins cake!

Wizard of Oz Musical 2011

2011-05-23T21:35:00.000-07:00

After a few months of hard work, the production of the Musical, the Wizard of Oz, was finally put on stage. It was an amazing job by Marion and Kathy, with countless hours preparing the script, deciding the costume designs, props, stage design, coordination and teaching the kids from first to fifth grades. It was a pretty daunting job and the two of them made it happen! The result, with the cooperation of all our cast, was a fabulous musical show!

Chinese School Spring Performance 2011

2011-05-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

Time flies and the annual Chinese School Spring Performance has already taken place last Friday. The teachers and staff have spent a lot of effort in this performance. And the kids have all tried their best, showing what they have learned. It's an enjoyable and entertaining performance!

Lights, Camera, Monte! - WATSA 2011

2011-04-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

It was getting a bit cloudy and windy the evening before this big day. But on Saturday morning, the weather was so perfect! Blue sky, warm sun and some light breezes. When we arrived school I thought I was in Hollywood! All the decorations, from big banners, wall decos to the minute details, the walk of fame, one could just feel the devotion and heart the parent volunteers and staff has put into this event.

At the time we arrived at around 8:30, many families and students already arrived. Everyone looked so bright and cheerful and ready to have fun! After some warm up exercises, and a false start by the 5th graders, the walkathon was led off by Monte and our principal Mr. Cellini, with our familiar DJ voices in the background.

The fun continued throughout the day, with nice music, good food, fun games, and exciting prize drawings! Needless to say, WATSA 2011 was a blast! And it was my greatest fun to capture the joyous faces!

Here's the slideshow. (It might take a while to load, so please be patient and enjoy!)

First game of the season 2011 - Great job Marlins!

2011-04-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

The kids and families have been waiting and waiting for the rainy and stormy days to end. One after another game and practice had been canceled. Last Wednesday, the fine weather finally came (it was actually like a hot summer day!) and we finally had our first game, with the Cubs! Our Marlins did very well!

Field Trip to Fitzgerald Marine Reserve (Moss Beach, CA)

2011-03-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

It was probably the worst day in the week, with the storm pouring down rain. The wind was pretty harsh too, and the rain hitting the face was like pinching by many tiny pins. Still, it did not stop the courageous teacher, parents and the second graders to back out of this field trip to study the tide pool at the reserve at Moss Beach. All the adults and kids were all soaked, but we all had our share of fun finding the little creatures living in the tide pools.

School Band Performance at Vallco Mall

2010-12-14T16:46:00.000-08:00

The kids were quite excited about performing in public in a neighborhood mall the past weekend. The bands from two different schools played together for the first time and did a great job! These kids filled one end of the mall with some cheerful and festive atmosphere and lightened up the shoppers rushing for the holidays.

Los Gatos Children's/Holidays Parade 2010

2010-12-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

The rain did give way to the 54th Los Gatos Children's/Holidays Parade last Saturday, and the S'cool Spirit marching band was able to march through Los Gatos downtown without rain or ponchos. There were actually lots of sunshine and the weather was quite warm. We see a lot of familiar faces representing different organizations in the parade too.

Thanks to Mr. Pennings and the other band teachers, for organizing the bands from 10 different elementary schools, with around 200 students (plus 3 high school band volunteers playing the huge tuba), to participate in this fun and festive event. And thanks to all the parents volunteers helping out. It's amazing how this was put together with just a few rehearsals!

BowHunters Unlimited Turkey Shoot 2010

2010-11-22T02:18:00.000-08:00

Even though weather forecast said there would be rain on the BHU Turkey Shoot day, the early morning started with some clear blue sky and it looked promising for the shoot. The turnout was pretty good, with at least 70+ archers, from as small as age 4, came to compete for the turkeys for Thanksgiving. And it was especially fun for the kids to have 3D animals as targets.

However, we weren't quite prepared for the muddy trails, and while walking on the sticky mud, our shoes added at least 10 lbs of "stuff", which we kept trying to scrape off. The rain started to drizzle when we were about half way through. Luckily the lower trail was picked and the tall trees helped shield some of the rain. But when we got back to the shooting range for the delicious hot BBQ lunch, we were still half soaked. And the rain really started to pour after the winners were announced and prizes given out. It was quite an unforgettable Turkey shoot!

Halloween 2010 for Room 25

2010-11-06T15:12:00.000-07:00

Halloween 2010 for Room 20

2010-11-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Halloween Parade 2010

2010-11-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

The kids were so happy when they woke up to see the clear sky on the morning of the Halloween Parade. Indeed, it was very nice that the rain has missed us so the kids had more fun walking around the campus.

The first sight that gave us a good morning laugh was Elvis at crosswalk duty. He was so pro, even with that signature smile, entertaining the parents and kids rushing in for school. Then there were the Super Mario Brothers (plus a few mini versions) and many, many creative, hilarious, scary costumes at the parade. And even Lady Gaga made her appearance on campus!

Cady's 4th birthday (Las Palmas Park)

2010-10-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our little Cady has turned 4 already! I started going back to the pictures I took on her 2nd and 3rd birthday parties and it was just like yesterday when we celebrated! (I know, this sounded too familiar as this was the same comment I made last year =P, but it's so true). And I made this collage too for our little natural-born actress when she was turning 2!

It's really amazing to see Cady, my boys and all her little friends growing so fast, and they have become so energetic and active that it makes it more challenging to capture their actions in the pictures. But it is still my greatest pleasure to be able to capture their faces and their smiles as they are changing so fast!

Don't miss out the music slideshow I put together at the bottom of this post! Happy Birthday again, Cady!

Here's the slideshow. (It might take a while to load, so please be patient and enjoy!)

A Day with Nature and Art

2010-09-10T10:07:00.000-07:00

On the first day of the Labor Day weekend, we joined the crowd in the Golden Gate Park and visited the California Academy of Science.

We arrived there at around noon and it was already very crowded in almost every corner of the park. We were able to find the farthest parking spot eventually. But it was well worth the walk! The Rain Forest structure was so cool. There were so many different interesting creatures with exotic colors, and birds and butterflies flying around the visitors. It was a very unique experience. The Extreme Mammals special exhibit, on the other hand, was a bit disappointing, especially compared to the Rain Forest.

We then swung by De Young Museum right across California Academy of Science. It has a very special architecture. We'll definitely go back to visit!

There's a slideshow at the end of the blog. Please check it out!

Here is the slideshow with more images. It might take a bit longer to load. Please be patient during loading and enjoy it!

1st Annual Monte Scramble Golf Tourney 2010

2010-09-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

It was a late warm August day. A group of Monte dads came out to compete and enjoyed an awesome day of golf at Shoreline Golf Links, while raising funds for the kids. Although I did not get to witness or capture the "amazing shots for birdies, eagles or bogies", nor the "Closest to the Pin" shots, I could tell that all the dads had a fun day and this was a great event put together by the hosts. Hats off to Jimmy, Ted, Mike A., Mike D. and Paul!

I also put together a slideshow at the end of this blog. Please remember to check it out, and leave me comments!

Here is the slideshow with more images. It might take a while to load. Please enjoy!

Point Richmond & USS Hornet Museum

2010-08-17T23:50:00.000-07:00

After seeing the amazing displays and train model sets at the Golden State Model Railroad Museum, we went outside and saw this pretty park with a lake. We stayed there for a while and headed to the USS Hornet. Unfortunately it was closed by the time we got there.

"I'm your father??!"

Target Summer Pops Opening Concert 2010

2010-07-25T00:26:00.001-07:00

The opening of the free series of summer pops concerts started off with Jon Nakamatsu playing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. It was great enjoying classical music played by the Symphony Silicon Valley in a relaxed and casual environment. The kids seemed to enjoy it a lot!

Peter Jaffe conducting.

Jon Nakamatsu playing Rhapsody in Blue.

Awesome performance!

Jon played "The Entertainer" after the audience cheered for an encore...

Jon Nakamatsu was the Gold Medalist of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

The long line of people waiting to pay for parking...

The nice full moon rose as we left the concert.

My Bros Birthdays

2010-07-19T18:05:00.000-07:00

We had a great time this weekend celebrating Matthew's and Edwin's birthdays. Big kids and little kids all enjoyed some water gun fight and water bending in the pool. We then had a yummy BBQ and lots of other good food, following a tasty birthday cake and ColdStone's ice-cream cupcakes! We were so stuffed when we left Matt's house.

Rangers Last Game 2010 Spring

2010-05-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Rangers were a blast at their last game! Everyone was so focused and attentive, and putting out their best effort to play the game. They have come a long way, so thanks to all the coaches and parents for their time and patience. I'm sure it's a memorable season for a lot of us. Hope to see you all in the next season!

Don't miss the slideshow at the end of this post. Enjoy!

Here is the slideshow.
(It might take a bit longer to load. So please be patient during loading and enjoy it!)

9th Annual ChoralFest (Mountain View, CA)

2010-05-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

The 9th Annual ChoralFest took place successfully Monday evening on May 10, 2010 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, after some rain in the morning. A lot of schools and school kids participated. It was actually quite chilly already with the sun setting, but the voices of the kids warmed up everyone at the Amphitheatre and many were still wearing short sleeves. It was an enjoyable event!

Year End Band Concert 2010

2010-05-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

About 8 months ago, for most of the kids in the Beginners Band, it was their first encounter with these instruments. It is quite amazing how Mr. Pennings has transformed them into this nice band, playing some catchy tunes like Yellow Submarine, Star Wars, Let's Go Band etc.. It was a very enjoyable night and the kids did very well.

And for the Intermediate Band, congratulations on their outstanding achievements! They definitely set a high bar for the Beginners Band to reach next year!

2010 Spring Performance - Part 2

2010-05-06T00:06:00.000-07:00

This is the second part of the Spring performance, with the upper grades performing. Again, all the singing and dancing were wonderful, and showed the effort the teachers and staff, and the students had put together behind the scenes. As always, Ms. Liu's report on the school building projects in China for the minority ethnic groups and the slideshow/video of their trip were very touching.

2010 Spring Performance - Part 1

2010-05-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

This is the first part of the 2010 Spring Performance at Chinese school. Since we have to leave early, we could only enjoy Danny's class performance. The teachers and staff have really spent a lot of effort to organize the event and teach the songs, poems and dances to the kids. They all look so cute on stage! And they seemed to have a lot of fun too!

Drama performance 2010

2010-05-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

There were 3 plays performed: "Cat, Dog and Mouse - Friends forever", "The Clown who forgot how to laugh" and "Jester has lost his jingle". The kids did very well and had lots of fun! Hats off to the instructors putting together these shows in such short amount of time.

May 1 Game - Ranger against Rockies

2010-05-03T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Rangers are getting better, applying the different techniques taught by the coaches.

2010 CSMA Award Ceremony

2010-04-19T13:07:00.000-07:00

The moment we walked into the Finn Center of CSMA (Community School of Music and Arts), we were already attracted by the colorful and creative art works throughout the center.

The award ceremony recognized the art work of students from different schools that participated in CSMA's Arts in Action program. We were very surprised but honored that Kevin could be one of these students.

The ceremony was followed by a family concert performed by the Oriki Theater, introducing African dance and music to the families. It was a very enjoyable and rhythmic afternoon.

2010 CEEF ePIC Film Festival

2010-04-05T09:07:00.001-07:00

The Cupertino Educational Endowment Foundation (CEEF) 2010 ePIC Film Festival has taken place last week on April 1. The talent, creativity and hard work of these students from K to 8th grade were fully reflected in their work. And the quality of the films is increasing. This film festival is a great avenue to allow students to develop the interest in film making and discover their creativeness and ingenuity.

WATSA 2010 - Hawaiian Luau

2010-03-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

After the long hard work of so many volunteers for months, WATSA finally took place the past weekend. The weather was exceptionally beautiful. The kids were so energetic, running laps after laps to achieve their goals. Some eagerly walking around and around the kids raffle prize tables, deciding which ones to put their tickets in, while others enjoying the great selection of food or playing games. Some had so much fun trying to dunk the principle, their teachers or parents, and some joining their parents walking in the GLC deciding which items to bid on. Everyone at the event had so much fun.

Here is the slideshow with more images. It might take a bit longer to load. Please be patient during loading and enjoy it!

Pinto 1 Texas Ranger First game 2010

2010-03-22T01:33:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, Texas Ranger had a great start on their first game of the season. Everyone did so well!

2010 Winter Soccer Clinic

2010-03-18T23:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Coach Ken for his great training. The kids learned so much!

Their Future is Now! District-wide Campaign Launched

2010-03-18T21:50:00.000-07:00

Our school district is being affected by a serious state budget cut and about 20% of our teachers will lose their jobs. This is very sad. A group of parents, the school district and CEEF put together a campaign, "Their Future is Now", to hopefully help the situation. The campaign was launched the other day at a neighborhood school, and one of our school parent Scott asked me and my wife to capture the event. It is touching to see our community leaders, parents and students all coming together for this event and working towards a common goal. Here is the story of the event:

Blue Tornadoes Last Game & Party!

2010-03-15T21:54:00.001-07:00

What a team! Hooray to the kids! Hooray to the coaches!

Blue Tornadoes In Action!

2010-03-07T18:43:00.001-08:00

We cannot believe the basketball season is already coming to an end. We have enjoyed each and every game so much that we hope the season could last a lot longer. Thanks to the wonderful training from the coaches, the boys are improving every week, and the team work and coordination is just amazing. Way to go, Blue Tornadoes!

Here is the slideshow with more images. It might take a bit longer to load. Please be patient during loading and enjoy it!

Leisure walk at Rancho San Antonio Open Space

2010-03-03T00:23:00.000-08:00

The sun finally came out for a bit on Gladys' birthday. We took a walk at the Rancho San Antonio park at sunset, trying to catch the last bits of sun rays and hoping to find the trail of the owl. And for Gladys, of course, to "shoot" some birds. New leaves are coming out of trees, flowers start to bloom. It was a nice walk in the fresh air, although no traces of the owl was found.