Tim + Crystal

M.I.A again

2011-11-25T15:43:00.001-07:00

Amanda is having a baby boy so we threw her a Hush Baby shower! We had the yummiest soups, salads, and desserts!

Other than that and some major nesting, I'm just waddling around and spending nights wondering why baby likes making me uncomfortable! :) will try and post pics of the nursery when we actually get to it! :)

We Love Pink!

2011-08-26T20:54:00.000-06:00

Looks like this next couple months will involve plenty of:

...coz we're expecting a GIRL in January!

Our new Youtube series!!!

2011-07-06T13:42:00.001-06:00

Help us spread the video and give the Youtube video link a thumbs up if you like it!!! Thanks friends!!!

Giveaway Winner

2011-05-17T09:58:00.002-06:00

For the Giveaway winner, please go to our Facebook Page or The Railroad Classrooms Blog!!! Thanks for all your support and love!!! Keep spreading the word! Stay tuned...more giveaways coming!

Giveaway!

2011-05-06T09:27:00.000-06:00

Our new Facebook page is also up: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inception-Learning/128128180594552. Please please please do help us spread the word through your very own Facebook, twitter, blogs, emails, whatever it is!!! Keep following our Facebook and blog as we will keep launching new and exciting things the next couple weeks and months!

If you become a fan, you get entered into our Giveaway! Plus, if you refer a friend to be a fan, post this on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc... you get an additional entry for each thing extra you do! So basically if 10 friends of yours become fans, you will get 1 entry plus 10 additional ones. Please comment on our Facebook page to let us know what you did to help spread the word to ensure your entry! The Giveaway will end May 15...which equates to PLENTY of chances for you to have multiple entries! Here's what you stand to win:

1 Melissa and Doug Abacus TOY!!!

Waiting for Superman DVD which includes a $25 gift card to donorschoose.org.

1 REAL Soroban/Abacus

Our Exciting New Venture

2011-05-05T11:58:00.006-06:00

The past year has been nothing short of craziness. We have been trying to build up a new business - Inception Learning. We actually did come up with the name before the movie Inception came along. I guess great minds think alike! Christopher Nolan....we have the same ingenuity! :) Our product is called Abacus Prodigy. We have since developed an electronic Abacus keyboard - Soropad that will be connected to our online digital platform. There, kids ages 3-8 (we be continually expanding to fit ages 9 and up) can learn Math with a strong Abacus foundation, along with a full Math curriculum, using top problem solving techniques from China, Singapore, and Korea! Our site: www.abacusprodigy.com will incorporate virtual tutors, practices, games, music, animations, videos, and assessment tests. We're still fixing a minor glitch on Mozilla Firefox. So for the next few days, it's best viewed in Google Chrome. Doesn't most of everyone use Chrome anyways? Maybe this is the PC vs. Mac talking in my head! lol... It's definitely exciting as we have been HATING the school system for a very long time. I think in Asia, it was way too academic and here way too much focus on play and sports. I feel there's needs to be a good medium for the children to be well-rounded and be academically, physically, and socially capable! Hopefully, our products will help close up that gap! I believe that Math should be fun!!! Why not? It can be fun solving difficult problems. Math also teaches children to solve problems creatively...which I feel is SO important in everything we do nowadays! Yes! Creativity is a MUST. The great thing about Abacus learning is that it teaches children conceptual skills at a very young age. I see the kids who have gone through my program approach things in a very different light. I LOVE the innovative spirit such kinds of learning helps instill in young children!!!

Anyways, it's been most exciting and stressful at the same time getting our business put together. Who knew how much went into starting up a business?! AND...programmers...yes programmers! Finding the right programmers is truly the hardest thing to do. Lots of programmers are skilled but finding the ones who will communicate well and give all they have...now that's the tough part!!! It's been super great working with our Illustrator, Alvina though! Here's a link to more of her work: http://www.alvinakwong.blogspot.com.

It is also not easy to juggle being a parent, spouse, and business owner at the same time. I know there are times that I feel bad that I can't play with Talon because I HAVE to take a call or send an urgent email. But we try to make sure we switch off spending quality time with him if that's the case! He is definitely still a very spoiled but a real loving boy at the same time! Hmmm...the irony!

We're hoping to officially launch our product some time in Fall. Meanwhile, please help us spread the word by being fans of our Facebook page and getting ALL your friends to be fans as well!!! Our Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inception-Learning/128128180594552

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Jessica's Baby Shower

2011-04-21T13:05:00.000-06:00

Hot Chocolate Bar

Veggie Platter and BYU's Mint Brownies to go with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I also made Spaghetti and Meatballs to go with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs!

Hot Chocolate Bar Mugs...I wanted to fill them up with hot chocolate but wasn't quite sure how many people would show up! Ahhh well....

Yummy Ghirardelli Hot Chocolate

Freezer paper onesie craft station

Our freezer paper storybook onesies!

Picky Eater

2011-04-17T21:05:00.000-06:00

Talon has got to be the pickiest eater ever! He went from loving and eating everything we gave him to not even wanting to put anything in his mouth, like it was poison to begin with! Lately, he has started eating casseroles, as long as there is rice in it...although, he won't sit in his highchair. He wants to walk around as we chase him down with the spoon! Geez. Are we spoiling him? Maybe we should just let him sit in his highchair and either "eat it or wear it!" :) We have found that somehow he recognizes sweet stuff (I have no idea how) and things like cupcakes, cookies, wafers, etc...he will open his mouth wide without hesitation even though he has never tried it before. Could this be memories form the preexistence? I thought we didn't eat then? lol! Although the perfect heaven would allow us to indulge in everything we love eating...at least that's my version of heaven! Indulge but never have to gain an ounce!

Check this out!

2011-03-25T14:56:00.000-06:00

My cute friend, Chrissy has the best taste ever! Seriously, her kids (and her) always look like they just came out of a fashion magazine! She just started a fashion blog called To and Fro and I'm so excited to keep visiting it to look up new items and inspiration since I barely have enough time to go actual shopping! (I prefer web shopping...love the stuff but too lazy to put in all my shipping information = savings!!! :)

I LOVE THIS!

2011-03-16T10:23:00.000-06:00

I love this wooden Pinocchio puppet!!! Any ideas of where I might find one?

Curious Talon!

2011-02-19T23:02:00.001-07:00

Talon just turned 1 today! I can't believe it's already been a year. This boy is growing much too fast! Poor boy was really sick last week and had been super clingy and quiet. That stayed with him today and he was Grandpa's little buddy. He only wanted Grandpa to hold him all day today! He was definitely in awe when everyone sang him the birthday song. To be honest, he probably was wondering what was going on! He was more interested in the wrapping paper and trying to get to Grandpa than in his presents but we're certain he'll be loving playing with all his new toys the next couple days! We did a Curious George Birthday themed party coz Talon has been loving his Curious George monkey and he really is a curious little one.

Thanks to everyone who came and shared your love for this cute lil' one!

I made these party favor drawstring backpacks for the little kids. It had crayons and a curious george coloring book in it. It was my first time making it and I actually loved it so this will not be the last of the drawstring bags!

What the heck is this gooey stuff?

More interested in Grandpa than his presents!

past events 2010...

2011-01-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

I've been super busy with a ton of projects and of course Talon who pretty much keeps me sleepy and on my toes at the same time 24/7!:) So here's a recap of what went down in 2010 that we didn't ever post!

1. Baby Sprinkle for my friend, Travy! (It's her second child, hence a sprinkle instead of shower! Don't you just love that idea?) It was fun hosting it. I've always loved planning events and once upon a time wanted to have my events company. Unfortunately, other projects have taken priority. Maybe one day I will host the Oscars or MTV Movie Awards night. Until then, I'll be happy doing the small and simple events of my family and friends!

2. Matson + Erica's wedding - Was beautiful + breathtaking!

3. Thanksgiving in Houston, TX - We were hosted by Tim, Julia, Olivia + Toby, old friends from college and had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with the Hsieh's. It was lots of fun and we had a ton of good food from all over China-town in downtown Houston! During our trip, the Nuttalls imparted valuable gaming fun such as Monopoly Deal and Sequence! We'll need to do this sort of get-together once every couple years that's for sure!

4. My new ice-cream maker - William Sonoma had a one-day deal where their electric ice-cream maker was on a huge huge sale!!! I originally wanted the red one but it was out of stock online. Finally, my bro. took time from his nap to run down to the store in the Riverbottoms to help me pick up the LAST ice-cream maker they had in store. Phew! We've since made Purple Taro, white chocolate, and peppermint ice-cream! Yums!

5. Vegas for New Year's - My parents have a time-share at the Planet Hollywood. They used half of it and were kind enough to give us the second half of it, just in time for New Year's!

Talon loved the jacuzzi jets!

The blinds came to down to a dazzling projector screen! Tim is totally looking forward to his future media room!

Rio is still our fave. buffet but the Cosmopolitan's Wicked Spoon buffet was DELISH and I love how everything was packaged so beautifully!

No need to crack those King Crabs...they come perfectly undone and yummy!

Blue Steel

Happiest when there is food!

Well...after this much fun in 2010, time has certainly flown by. It's been an eventful and interesting year! Talon came into our lives, Russ got left out a bit (poor dog...Talon loves him to bits though!), started a new business that's taking lots of our time but is exciting at the same time, made time for family and friends and renewed old friendships, took a few trips, ate quite a bit, took on the lemonade diet to lose quite a few pounds only to gain it back during Christmas and New Year's, and basically had a good time!

As crazy as this year has been, we've been blessed in many small and simple ways. This next 2011, I personally want to improve on quite a few things. I want to NOT try and sleep in (just wake up completely when Talon wakes up so I can get more done...hopefully!), manage my time more wisely and efficiently, work better at project completions, lose more of the baby weight (just a little more to go!!! Lemonade diet...come again!), and try and be a SUPER mom! Lots to work on so I better get off my butt and start working! :)

this christmas...

2010-12-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

We didn't put up a tree or stockings this year since Talon has been trying to grab everything and anything. We had a Christmas table instead!:) I don't think Talon knew what was going on. He just kept touch the present instead of tearing the paper off which boggled my mind since he usually loves scrunching and tearing paper he's not supposed to touch. We managed to get him to tear some parts of and with the help of the adults, we got his presents unwrapped. Talon got a music guitar, his own set of "keys and key-chain" with all the real sound effects, a phonics toy, lots of board + cloth books, a cool puzzle and book from Aunt Isa, loads and loads of toys from Grandma and Grandpa, more puzzles, cool gap clothes from Uncle Matt and an electric four-wheeler - compliments of his favorite Uncle Matt again! Boy...is he the luckiest baby ever...his very own four-wheeler and he can't even walk yet! lol...

Santa also came for Momma in the form of darling Tim and cool Uncle Matt!! My very own set of fabric-bound classics !

We had a Christmas "lun-ner" with some friends who were not doing Christmas with family as well as my siblings. G-pa and G-ma were enjoying their new timeshare in Vegas, which they are very generously giving half of their timeshare for us to use later this week! Merry Christmas indeed!!! Due to the busy nature of cooking and preparing, I totally forgot to take lots of pictures of my set-up, table decor and my first ever Cookie-exchange buffet! :( So all the pictures you're gonna get are pretty much bits and pieces, mostly after everything had been cleared! Ah well...there's always next Christmas I suppose! We hope all of you had just as a beautiful wrap-up to Christmas of 2010 just as we did!

santa baby!

2010-12-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Our second trip to go see Santa was equally scary to Talon! I guess little kids just do not like Santa or at least how he looks! Santa was super sweet to our angry child though and from the looks of it, he also brought Talon lots of presents this year!

Our sweet boy is just growing a little too fast! I can't believe it's already his first Christmas! Next up will be his first birthday and I'm undecided if I'm excited about the lil' party we'll have or sad that he's already one.

Santa!

2010-12-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

So while I'm totally NOT diggin' our ward's "kiddie kandids" backdrop look, a picture with Santa is still a picture with Santa - especially one that involves a faker-crier-baby! LOOK! NO TEARS!!! lol... Santa actually held on to our lil' wriggler pretty well! The best part was as soon as da-da took him from Santa, all yelling and redness in the face immediately ceased! Ah the little stinker!

DROOL!!!!

2010-11-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

LOVE...

WANT...

MUST HAVE!!!!

I completely change my mind. This is all I want for Christmas, Birthdays, Valentines (what else is there?) from here on out: cloth-bound classics from Anthropologie!!! Anyone looking to buy me a present....please take careful note!!! I will love you till the end of time!!! :)

Talon Laughing

2010-11-22T15:49:00.002-07:00

Untitled from Tim Huang on Vimeo.

Talon 9 Months

2010-11-22T11:58:00.001-07:00

Talon 9 months - Laughing from Tim Huang on Vimeo.

Nordstrom Rack Deal

2010-11-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

Get this COOL DEAL!!! $50 Nordstrom Rack Gift Cert for just $25!! Love it....

Happy Belated Halloween!!!

2010-11-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

Tigger and the Bumble-Dog!!!

Oh BOY!!!

2010-10-26T23:24:00.002-06:00

Talon boy is 8 months old!!! I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday when it was snowing and we were on the way to the hospital! Wait it was snowing yesterday but we were warm in the house playing with the cutest boy in the world! Sorry other moms...I am a little biased...just a little!!! haha!!! Talon is the world's biggest faker. He knows how to pull our heartstrings!! I keep telling myself to be strong, but it is SO hard to say no to that cute face even when it's red with temper tantrums!!! I don't even need an alarm clock anymore. My lil' boy wakes me every morning. He comes into our room to play on our bed between us around 7am as we try to snooze a little longer! We try to pile the bed with toys! After playing for a while, he ALWAYS gets sick of his toys and comes crawling towards me...actually towards my hair. I usually wake up to my baby giggling loudly as he pulls HARD on a chunk of my hair! The silly will actually ALWAYS look at dada first, knowing he's not suppose to do that, then go for it anyways! The routine is either my hair first or poking dad's eye out! He's such a boy!!!

He's a bigger wiggler though! The boy will NOT stop moving! It's tiring just watching him! Seriously! Talon crawls all over, wriggles constantly and pulls himself up on everything! Sometimes, it's funny watching him crawl as he tries to "walk-crawl"! It seems like he may be walking pretty soon but I'm so not excited about that anymore. I was looking around to see what I have to baby-proof the other day (with a huge bag of already-purchased baby proofing stuff), and was and actually still am debating if I should baby proof everything or teach him to maneuver around stuff (I've actually seen lots of baby do that!!!) We've plugged up all the outlets and will be moving our coffee table to the front room!

Talon is a little too aware of the camera on the phone. He always seems to know the camera is on and stops doing what he's doing and starts smiling and reaching for the phone instead! Ya, those reality families who claim their kids have grown up with cameras and don't notice them anymore...hmmm...so not true! Talon is only 8 mths and he is already so aware of the camera and knows what it's for! He is definitely his daddy's boy as he has the same love for gadgets of all sorts. He's already done stuff to my laptop. It's not the same anymore!!! lol...

Sometimes I think I give in all the time because he truly does the sweetest things ever! He gives kisses by opening his mouth wide open and putting it on you. He'll give the sloppiest but best kisses ever! I love it too when Talon will tease dada at times by not wanting him to carry him away from me. No worries...Tim-lovers, he does that to me at times too! I love it best when he puts his little head on your chest and just cuddles. It's pretty rare coz he moves around so much but when he does, I want to just freeze time!

I think it's about time for my baby boy to stop growing...at least for just a little while!!!

2010-10-01T13:07:00.002-06:00

To all you moms, dads, grandparents, and educators, please do help me complete this survey!!! It won't take very long at all and it will help me greatly on a project I am working on!!!

Click here to take survey

Laughing

2010-09-16T13:19:00.002-06:00

Laughing from Tim Huang on Vimeo.

High Five

2010-09-16T13:13:00.003-06:00

High Five from Tim Huang on Vimeo.

Falling asleep in his jumper

2010-09-16T13:10:00.003-06:00

Falling alseep in jumper from Tim Huang on Vimeo.