First time in Taiwan - day 1

Isabel turned 18 annd graduated from high school so I decided to take her on a graduation trip to Asia - Taiwan and China for 22 nights.  

It’s our first time in Taipei.  We both were excited for all the different food we will experience.  We arrived direct from sfo to Taipei at 5:15am on June 8.  Both of us got to sleep quite a bit which felt pretty good considering a 13 hour flight.   We got local cash out of the atm at the airport and decided to brave the metro plus taxi combo vs just take uber.  It turned out very easy and pleasant.  We were able to load up two easy pass card with nt 400 each. (nt100 to buy the card).  Metro from airport to main station was only 160 nt each and then taxi was 120 nt.  Got to hotel in about 45 min and nt440 ($15) vs uber would have been longer due to traffic and close to $40.  A very good start.   Day 1 was off to a good start. 

Hotel: amba Zhongshan was what I decided.  We like it a lot. It’s in a cute neighborhood and very walkable to metro and local restaurants.  At $185 a night plus $70 to check in at 9am, it was a good deal.  We opted for a larger balcony room so we have good enough space. 

Local breakfast.  Originally wanted to go to Fu Hang Soy Milk 阜杭豆漿 but they were closed on Monday https://maps.app.goo.gl/f9otSWfQZhuUc7wv9?g_st=ic we found a closer place and delicious. Sihai Soy Milk 四海豆漿大王.  We got salted soy milk, fried dough, 烧饼plus scallion egg and pork floss, cold soy drink and plain bun.  All for less than $5.  We did take out so we can eat in nice air conditioned hotel lobby vs onsite.  

Then it was nap time first for me while Isabel spoke to her friends and then her   I opted to order lunch delivery as I woke up midday to pouring rain  I ordered shrimp pork dumplings and xiao long bao the latter was good and the former was a bit less impressive.   By the time Isabel woke from napping it was dinner time so we headed to our first night market

Night market: Raohe night market was easy to get to by MRT even in the rain  we walked 10 min to station and 5 stops later we were there and luckily the heavy rain turned into just a drizzle.   We had pepper pork bun, Tianjin scallion pancake, pork belly bao, Taiwan fried chicken bits, fried snow crab meat (me only), guava drink and ended with mango shaved ice.   Most were delicious   The mango shaved ice was at a place Jensen huang, ceo of nvidia, just visited in late May and endorsed.   All in all a fun 2 hours and we were full and it was only 8:30   Isabel was ready for bed and I still had some energy  🤪

Massage and hair wash: I happen to walk around the hotel in the afternoon looking to buy water and came across this Vietnamese hair wash place.   I thought how good could it be but to my surprise 4.8 stars from like a thousand people   Anyways I ended up get an hour massage plus 40 min hair wash for $60   It was freaking amazing. I slept like a baby for 8 hours after. 橙花越式洗髮-台北總店 https://maps.app.goo.gl/JwQxTQkvvJ6BnqRT7?g_st=ic

A great first day! 😋❤️🥰

Alexis graduates 8th grade

 Alexis graduates as valedictorian of her class at SSPP.  She also earned another 7 awards for academic excellence.  She has grown so much in the last 3 years and also literally as she is officially taller than mama. 🙃

Isabel graduates!! ❤️

 

Our birthday card for Isabel

May 2, 2026 Dearest Isabel, Today, you turn 18! And with this number comes something no greeting card can capture: the quiet awe we feel watching the little girl we once rocked to sleep become the remarkable young woman standing before us today. Eighteen is not just a birthday. It’s a threshold. A doorway between the chapter we’ve written together and the one that is entirely yours to write. As you step through it, know this: we believe you are ready. We’ve watched you fall and rise. We’ve seen your courage in moments you thought we didn’t notice. We’ve witnessed your fire and goofiness. For your future, we wish you the wisdom to trust yourself even when the path is uncertain, the courage to choose your own joy, and the confidence that home - and us - will always be here when you need it. Happy Birthday!! Love❤️ Daddy & Mommy Lexi, Yaya ♥ Sent from my iPhone

happy 18th birthday

Sent from my iPhone

Isabel gets into RISD

This is the first time isabel is actually home with us in the afternoon so she can share with us live the decision from RISD - Rhode Island school of Design.  We are glad we could capture her excitement.  So proud of her!

Isabel gets in RSID - top art design school. Very excited for her youtube.com

https://youtube.com/shorts/fqNTq9SuN0A?si=9hqJjGxK3vNy6Q9T

RISD is widely considered one of the top institutions in the world for art and design—often described as the "Harvard of art and design." Admission is highly competitive, and the program is known for its rigor. The training goes far beyond traditional art; it emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, and real-world problem solving.

Many graduates go on to careers in technology and business, working in areas like product design and user experience (UX/UI), with opportunities at leading companies. The career paths are broad and continue to grow as design plays an increasingly important role across industries.

RISD is also located next to Brown University, and students have access to cross-registration, which adds another strong academic dimension to the experience.

That said, Isabel is still exploring her options. She is also considering the broader experience of a traditional university, so we'll be taking the time to evaluate what environment will be the best fit for her.

Regardless of where she ultimately decides to go, this acceptance is a meaningful recognition of her creativity, discipline, and ability to bring ideas to life.

Proud mama🎉🎉❤️🎉🎉

Lei

Alexis wins essay contest

Alexis wrote an essay to enter a contest through her school. She found out today she is one of the finalist winners with a cash prize. We will attend her award ceremony on March 28 in order to find out what her actual ranking is and cash prize. We are so very proud of Alexis. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤️❤️❤️

Isabel is accepted into Pratt Institute in Brooklyn

She just found out right now and I am so happy for her. She also received $25k in annual scholarship. Pratt is one of her top four choices and ranked #7 globally for art and design. This is amazing news. Congratulations Isabel.

Wonderful cruise for Jake birthday on Virgin voyages

Isabel is accepted to Northeastern global program for design

In addition to getting admitted to Drexel and Penn state, isabel heard the good news from Northeastern While this is not her number one choice school, it's still amazing news for isabel as northeastern is a top 10 design school in the U.S. and the #1 coop program. It is considered a reach school and a great accomplishment to be admitted

She found out last Thursday while we were still on the cruise so she texted us the good news and we did FaceTime to congratulate her. If she attends, she would start abroad first semester (country tbd) and NE also offered her $5k in annual scholarship.

We are very proud of her and look forward to more news from other schools in the next two months. There are still at least 8 more schools she is waiting to hear from
- Carnegie Mellon
- Boston university
- univ of Pennsylvania
- university of Washington
- UCLA ucsd UC Davis
- Pratt
- RSID
- university of Michigan

She will need to decide by May 1 so she has plenty of time still

Lei

Alexis science experiment - how much weight can 3 eggs handle?

This is Alexis eighth grade science experiment. The hardest part was figuring out how to cut raw eggshells in half without breaking it and making them even. Agnes ended up buying a saw that worked to help Alexis with this part.

Can you guess how many pounds of books three half egg shells can hold? I give you a hint it is more than 10 pounds and the answer is in the poster in the photo.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

May 2026 bring you love, laughter, learning, and adventure.

2025 was a big year in the Lapena/Han household. Both kids applied to schools—college for Isabel and high school for Alexis—which basically meant our home was converted into a deadline tracking center powered by snacks and stress. Lei and Jaime also made the bold decision to prioritize life and family over work, and it’s already one of the best choices we’ve made. We’re grateful for the freedom we’ve earned and excited for whatever adventures (and curveballs) 2026 brings.

Isabel is deep in college application round three—yes, round three—and juggling 7 classes and robotics. “Busy” is an understatement, but she somehow remains mostly sane and powered by afternoon naps. Her robotics team placed first in the Berkeley competition and are now heading to “the big one” in January. She’s already received acceptances from several safety schools (Drexel, Penn State, SFSU, SCAD), but the suspense for her reach schools continues until March and April. 2026 will be a defining year for her, and we couldn’t be prouder of the independent, motivated young woman she’s become.

Alexis, not to be outdone, finished applying to high school—essays, videos, the works. She applied to SI, SHCP, and Lowell and has just one placement test left in January before the waiting begins. In the meantime, she continues to be a top student in her class and will be defending her spelling bee title that same month — we’ll be helping her study during our road trip to Vegas. We are so grateful for her years at SSPP, where she has built strong friendships, thrived academically, and been guided by wonderful teachers. She turned 14 in December, and we honestly don’t know where the time went. Next year will feel surreal with Isabel away at college and Alexis ruling the house as an only child.

Jaime continues to work a couple of projects with his friends remotely, and we're endlessly grateful for the flexibility. It allows us to tag-team the daily family logistics: Alexis drop-offs, pick-ups, soccer, and volunteering. He still teaches Escrima (Filipino martial arts) on the weekends — not as a business, but as a social tool in building a like-minded community he’s helped shape. It’s his happy place. This year he also has learned finger drumming, working out on the basketball court again, dipping back into capoeira and contemplating a return to Jiu-jitsu in 2026, just as soon as both of us recover from our back injuries!  And yes, Lei successfully dragged him into swim lessons.

Lei officially turned down the volume on work and turned up the volume on life. Meditation is now a daily ritual, and walks with Jaime are a favorite part of the week. She also continues to dance — a lot — starting to branch out into new styles. Lei’s still at Zumba and Choreo-dance at Bay Club, but on a whim she also joined (and performed!) a reggaeton number at a club in October. Next year, she plans to try Zouk, Bachata, and Kizomba classes. She’s also investing more time reconnecting with old friends and making new ones — social wealth feels more important than ever as we get older.

Last but not the least, 2025 included 10 weeks of travel.  We are grateful to have the luxury to do this — college visits on the East Coast, Mexico, Europe, China, Legoland, a cruise with Lei's parents, and Christmas in Las Vegas — It was Lei's dream to have 10 weeks of travel a year and she loves it that this can be her new normal. 

We feel truly blessed to be healthy and to be introducing more balance into our lives. In 2026, we look forward to supporting our kids through their school transitions, continuing to search for our ikigai, and maybe even restarting Bikram yoga (the 60-minute version — we are not crazy).

Wishing you and your family a joyous, peaceful, and adventure-filled new year!

Love,
Lei, Jaime, Isabel & Alexis

Alexis singing holiday songs

My favorite things. https://youtu.be/gDkviuaP9Hk 

All I want for Xmas is you https://youtu.be/Ydts-dMTSmE 

Carol of bells https://youtu.be/UKg6jd9Sb58?feature=shared

Sent from my iPhone

A lovely cruise with my parents in Dec 2025

Here is a quick video.  https://youtube.com/shorts/vNUrDyDxPkQ?si=83GgMzaq3RrQB2Fn

Sent from my iPhone

Happy Thanksgiving

A nice Thanksgiving at our cousins in Brentwood. We had Filipino food all laid out on banana leaves on the table and we can eat it by hand. I gained like 3 pounds overnight. I think because there were so much dessert that was so good. 😋😋😋. We stayed overnight there since they have five bedrooms and the kids didn't wanna leave at least we'll see them all in Vegas after Christmas.