I was ready to abandon ship yesterday. Our basement was such a disaster that it would have been easier to leave and start over somewhere else. It took me until 2:30 working with Tyler to get his room done. I sat with him and we went through each item in his room and I asked him 'yes' or 'no'. We got rid of enough stuff in his room that now the carpet guy can come tack down his carpet. Didn't I tell you about that? Um, yeah. While I was gone at Women's Conference, someone left the hose on and it flooded his room. So Tyler's room has been torn apart for weeks. After getting it dried out, I couldn't call the carpet guy because he wouldn't be able to access the carpet due to the vast amount of debris on it.
I worked on the rest of the basement without drastic results until 4:00 when I decided a shower was in order. We had Cub Scouts at 5:30, a softball game at 5:30, two baseball games at 6, and soccer try-outs at 6:30.
I got a call around 5:00 asking Casey to come finish a lawn mowing job that he didn't finish on Saturday. Ugh. I had no idea. He was over there for hours on Saturday, but apparently, wasn't very efficient. I made him go over and mow the lawn. He missed his game.
Tyler came in around 4:30 crying that his feet hurt and he couldn't go to his baseball game....he went roller blading without socks on and his feet were rubbed raw. So, I drove him to Cub Scouts instead. Nobody was there. It was then that Tyler thought he remembered his leaders saying they wouldn't be there. Nice. I took him back home and convinced him to at least go with his dad (the coach) to his game to cheer for his team.
Hailey got a ride to soccer try-outs and missed her softball game. Nathan got in trouble for hitting a girl with a baseball bat and was in his room- he fell asleep crying. Emma was in bed, and Hannah was playing outside.
The house was so quiet. So I did nothing....except for vacuuming, and about 6 loads of laundry.
And the house is still a mess. I'm sure today will be pretty much like yesterday. What happened to those lazy days of summer I was hoping for?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Lazy Tooth Fairy
Hannah lost her second tooth yesterday. She lost her first one back in March. Two days before Easter. The lazy tooth fairy forgot to come that night. So the next night, he hitched a ride on the Easter Bunny's back. Yup, they came the same night. It's pretty sad when the tooth fairy forgets that your six year old lost her very first tooth. I'm just glad that the Tooth Fairy remembered this morning to stop by before Hannah woke up. I think she'd have a complex if he forgot two times in a row.
I was thinking back about the Tooth Fairy that came to my house. He/she was always very reliable. Not only that, but he was magical. We would seal our tooth in an envelope and put secret markings on it. In the morning, there was always a dollar bill flat in the envelope and the tooth was gone. I'll never know how he did it. ;)
Our Tooth Fairy leaves the tooth right where my kids put it. He started leaving them when Casey was younger and decided he wanted to keep a tooth. So, Casey wrote a note, and the fairy obliged. After all, it does make his load lighter. Then last year, Tyler wrote a note asking the Tooth Fairy a series of questions. What is your name? How old are you? Are you a girl or a boy? For your information, his name is 'Toothy' and he remembers collecting the dinosaurs' teeth.
I was thinking back about the Tooth Fairy that came to my house. He/she was always very reliable. Not only that, but he was magical. We would seal our tooth in an envelope and put secret markings on it. In the morning, there was always a dollar bill flat in the envelope and the tooth was gone. I'll never know how he did it. ;)
Our Tooth Fairy leaves the tooth right where my kids put it. He started leaving them when Casey was younger and decided he wanted to keep a tooth. So, Casey wrote a note, and the fairy obliged. After all, it does make his load lighter. Then last year, Tyler wrote a note asking the Tooth Fairy a series of questions. What is your name? How old are you? Are you a girl or a boy? For your information, his name is 'Toothy' and he remembers collecting the dinosaurs' teeth.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Happy Birthday, Emma!
If it weren't for the tantrums and meltdowns, I wouldn't believe that Emma is two years old! The switch turned on some time ago and the "terrible twos" are in full force. But all in all, she is a ton of fun. She says more recognizable words every day. She tries new words constantly, though she is still hard to understand. But tonight she said, "Hello Kitty" and it was obvious that's what she said. She holds up two fingers when asked how old she is, and just yesterday she ventured out on her own excursion outside. We won't comment on that.
So we had a part today and she got a couple presents from us, a cute pink muumuu from Grandma and Grandpa and thanks to Mindy, she got a play kitchen. Thanks again, Min!
She wasn't thrilled with the birthday tuck-in, but that is probably because that meant bedtime. Can't say I blame her after her three hour nap after church.
I left Sacrament meeting early to put her down for a nap so she could enjoy her party. So we got a late start. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over my new fire pit and played outside for a while. We sang and had cake and ice cream, and she opened her presents. Then at Nathan's request, we played a game where we each had a balloon tied to our foot with candy in it. Everybody tries to pop each other's balloons. Nathan told Randy he was going to pop his and not to cry when he did. Even after the warning to his dad, Nathan was devastated when Casey popped his balloon and took his candy. Who wouldn't cry, though?
Now I am sitting here and Randy is upstairs dealing with kids who don't want to sleep, so I'd better go help.
Scripture Power
Nathan gave the scripture for the first time today in Primary. I must say that Randy did a great job reciting 1 Nephi 1:1. Nathan started out great and then froze. It could be due to the fact that Hailey remembered about 5 minutes before we left for church. At least someone remembered. So the poor kid never got a chance to rehearse. Oh well. Maybe next time.
WARNING!
Whatever you do, don't watch a chick flick, ie: "P.S. I Love You" after crying all day over your kids growing up. It doesn't help.
Friday, May 23, 2008
It's Summertime!
Well, it's official! Even tough the weather is trying to trick us, summer vacation has begun! Today was the last day of school, and everyone is home now. The kids found out who their teachers are next year, and I am very excited for all of them. It is always a bit sad to say goodbye to the ones that have spent so much of their time with my child. To show our appreciation, and to try to convey how I feel, I wrote this poem for Casey's teacher:
Even though I really wrote it for Casey's teacher, I gave one to each of the teachers with of picture of the two of them. I also got them my standard 'end of year teacher gift'- a Target gift card with a note:
Changed
Sometimes in life's journey through;
A special person changes you.
Inspires you to me more kind;
Teaches you to use your mind.
Shows patience, love and charity;
Gives of themselves willingly.
Sometimes their patience is put to test;
But in return, you do your best.
When it seems that time's run out;
And gone too fast, without a doubt-
Their print is made and hearts are won;
Their work will never be quite done.
For when they part from their daily teaching,
Their lasting impact is so far reaching-
That even when forgot is a name,
I will never be the same.
Love,
Casey Jefferies
A special person changes you.
Inspires you to me more kind;
Teaches you to use your mind.
Shows patience, love and charity;
Gives of themselves willingly.
Sometimes their patience is put to test;
But in return, you do your best.
When it seems that time's run out;
And gone too fast, without a doubt-
Their print is made and hearts are won;
Their work will never be quite done.
For when they part from their daily teaching,
Their lasting impact is so far reaching-
That even when forgot is a name,
I will never be the same.
Love,
Casey Jefferies
Even though I really wrote it for Casey's teacher, I gave one to each of the teachers with of picture of the two of them. I also got them my standard 'end of year teacher gift'- a Target gift card with a note:
"Thanks for keeping me on Target! Thanks for a terrific year!"
I'm a Wreck
I am an emotional wreck right now. I'm sure it's in part, due to those fabulous hormones women are lucky enough to have. But most of it is the realization that Casey's childhood days are coming to a swift halt.
I didn't cry when I dropped him off for his first day of kindergarten. I couldn't figure out why other moms were giving their kids teary-eyed goodbyes and I was happy the day had finally arrived. What was wrong with me?! Oh, if I could only go back. If I could realize just what people were trying to tell me- that it goes by way too fast. Surely they were mistaken. Didn't they know that the five years leading up to that point seemed like an eternity to me?
I realize now what I didn't then. The past seven years have flown by. They have been full. We have added three more kids to our family since that day. And yet, it seems like yesterday I was helping out in his kindergarten classroom. I was pretty involved in his class until third grade when it just got to be too much to drag unwilling kids with me. So I have felt somewhat guilty and uninvolved the past three years. That is probably part of what helped me decide to jump into PTA.
So here we are. I looked forward to today with great anticipation. The last day of school- the beginning of summer! The beginning of 'we can do what we want today'. What I didn't anticipate was the flood of emotions that would come over me at the sixth grade graduation. How can it be that I am here; the mom of a kid who will no longer sit at the same desk day after day in the safe protection of an elementary school? How did that happen?
Yesterday, I visited the Jr. High to get his schedule figured out and get him registered. As I walked into the school, I was in some what of a shock. What happened to the kids who- just a few short years ago, were at the same school I spent so much time in? They are big now. And some are a little scary. Have I really taught Casey well enough to survive there? I wasn't so sure I wanted him to go that big school next year. Maybe repeating sixth grade isn't such a bad idea after all. But I know he must move on. It is part of life and he is ready. I am not.
Hannah had her Kindergarten graduation on Wednesday. For some reason, that was OK. I was happy to see her moving on. But today, it was all I could do to keep myself from becoming a sobbing embarrassment. The graduation today was hard, but good. They sang some songs about life and about growing up. The kind of songs that make me cry anyway- let alone a day like today. A few kids gave little 'speeches' that were really quite inspiring . One girl spoke about the life of a honeybee. And how much work it takes for a bee to make one tablespoon of honey. She related it to life and the importance of hard work, and what one person can do to make a difference.
I pretty much cried through it all. I couldn't even look Casey's teachers in the eye. I didn't want to make a fool of myself by breaking down and crying hysterically. Mrs. H reiterated what I have been feeling. To enjoy the next few years, because they will be gone before I know it.
His teachers are amazing! They arrive at the school each morning around 6:30. They allow students to come starting at 7:00 to get help on work they are struggling with. Casey spent many early mornings over there. I can't thank them enough for their patience and dedication. But what I appreciate the most is their genuine love for my child. He is not always the easiest kid to love, yet they constantly tell me what a great kid he is. I am so thankful they see him for who he really is, and not just the extra effort he requires in class. They truly are angels. And I feel blessed that Casey has been a recipient of their unfailing commitment.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Lazy Days
Today, Casey gave his first Sacrament Meeting talk. He did a great job....especially considering he was asked at 9:00 Friday night and he was gone ALL DAY yesterday performing manual labor. It was a nice hot day, and he had two jobs in neighbors' yards. He was asked to speak about his experience with the Special Needs mutual that they have been meeting with this month. I was impressed with his perspective. So I am feeling slightly guilty about my post last night. I guess I was at the end of my rope with that kid. I mean, I love him more than anything, but sometimes, he makes it really hard for me to like him. Although it's sometimes tempting; a day like today makes me realize I wouldn't trade him for the world.
I had Sharing Time again today. My last one for the month- thank goodness! It has just been a super busy month and I haven't been able to give it the time I'd like.
Just an idea of my month:
That is in addition to cooking, cleaning, eating and sleeping. I know, I know, I did it to myself....some of it, anyway. Ans this is only with the older kids involved in stuff. That is why I never want any of my kids to take another lesson or sign up for another sport- EVER AGAIN! Maybe a month into the summer, I will have changed my mind. But for now, I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer.
I had Sharing Time again today. My last one for the month- thank goodness! It has just been a super busy month and I haven't been able to give it the time I'd like.
Just an idea of my month:
That is in addition to cooking, cleaning, eating and sleeping. I know, I know, I did it to myself....some of it, anyway. Ans this is only with the older kids involved in stuff. That is why I never want any of my kids to take another lesson or sign up for another sport- EVER AGAIN! Maybe a month into the summer, I will have changed my mind. But for now, I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer.
Yo Ho! Happy Birthday, Nathan!
Arrrr! I can hardly believe he's four! We had a good time Friday night. He wanted a pirate party so we ate pizza, busted a pinata, and had cake and ice cream. And of course, he got some cool presents!
He LOVES his new bike! He rode it around until it got dark. He did not want to stop! He woke up early both Saturday and Sunday morning asking if he could go for a bike ride. I was the one that really wanted to get him one, but now I'm hoping he doesn't' stop riding his scooter. He has been riding a two-wheeled scooter since his 2nd birthday and he is so good at it. Not to mention- pretty dang cute!
He has always been somewhat precocious, but lately, he has really acted grown-up.....if I could just figure out how to slow it down.....In the meantime, I'll just enjoy!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
It's Late
As if you couldn't tell, my posts have been sparse. But I'm sure after next Friday- as soon as school gets out, I'll have nothing better to do than write my blog every day. :) So look forward to it with great anticipation.
If anyone needs a strapping 12 year old boy, I know where you can find one. He's yours for the next 7 years. As long as you get him on a mission, we'll take it from there.
It's late. I'm going to bed.
If anyone needs a strapping 12 year old boy, I know where you can find one. He's yours for the next 7 years. As long as you get him on a mission, we'll take it from there.
It's late. I'm going to bed.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
An Hour at a Time
Today is Nathan's birthday. But since we have been living our lives in one hour increments, we will officially celebrate tomorrow. I have been fantasizing about my kids not being in any extra-curricular activities or lessons. How fabulous that would be?! I think we might try it.
Today we took it easy. Well, compared to the other days this week. I got a shower today, so that says something. I wrapped up some loose ends while the kids watched a movie and then Emma decided to strip down and leave a present for me on the toy room floor. At least she had the presence of mind to poop on the wood floor, and not the carpet. Things couldn't go too smoothly today...
Then we went to Taco Maker- a real treat since you have to drive more than two minutes to get there. We took it to the new Nature Park to eat but by the time we got there, it was after 12:00. I decided Hannah was just going to be late for kindergarten. We were having too much fun, and the weather was PERFECT! After taking Hannah to school, we went to the party store and loaded up on treasures: pirate balloons, pirate plates, pirate 'pinny-ata', and of course a pirate sword and hat!
We went to Tyler's class to watch him do an iSearch project. It's a second grade version of a research project. He did it on baseball and I was very proud....we put it together in between baseball practices and soccer games last night. Randy had scouts and Casey had a Shakespeare play (AGAIN) and Hailey had a softball game. I am so glad we went to that one. <-----read with sarcasm. The whole hour was one long inning, and Hailey didn't get to play at all. Not even a second. It was lots of fun dealing with tired kids (<-----more sarcasm) and I didn't even get to see her play! We salvaged it by stopping for ice cream cones on the way home. After all, it's Nathan's birthday...poor kid fell asleep on the way home! Anyway, earlier I explained to Nathan that we would have his cake and open his presents tomorrow (yes Mom, even yours,) so he would have two birthdays. He got really excited and said, "So I am going to 5?!!!" Sorry bud, just four. I know he has been trying hard to figure out how he can squeeze an extra year in there!
Shoot! It's 11:00 and I just realized I need to bake Nathan's cake tonight. I have a PTA conference all day tomorrow. Why are you laughing? Because of my moment of insanity? Yes, for those of you who haven't heard, I am the PTA President-Elect next year. That means in two years, I'll be President. YIKES! If you are wondering why this is so funny, you'd have to know that I hate PTA...at least at our school. They are a bunch of uber-parents. They go way over-board and are way too involved...yes, that is possible. For example, Hailey has one of the most awesome teachers this year. This lady is amazing! She has patience like no other, and just has a way of earning the respect of her students. She has raised five kids and knows what it's all about. So, she doesn't believe in homework. Sounds terrific, eh? Yeah, until some uber-parents decide to complain that their child isn't getting homework! So she assigned token homework each week just to please those parents that wouldn't leave well enough alone! So I am hoping to shake things up a bit. Change is good. Right, Mindy?
I'm off to bake a cake. Oh what a joy...I have a new KitchenAid....
Today we took it easy. Well, compared to the other days this week. I got a shower today, so that says something. I wrapped up some loose ends while the kids watched a movie and then Emma decided to strip down and leave a present for me on the toy room floor. At least she had the presence of mind to poop on the wood floor, and not the carpet. Things couldn't go too smoothly today...
Then we went to Taco Maker- a real treat since you have to drive more than two minutes to get there. We took it to the new Nature Park to eat but by the time we got there, it was after 12:00. I decided Hannah was just going to be late for kindergarten. We were having too much fun, and the weather was PERFECT! After taking Hannah to school, we went to the party store and loaded up on treasures: pirate balloons, pirate plates, pirate 'pinny-ata', and of course a pirate sword and hat!
We went to Tyler's class to watch him do an iSearch project. It's a second grade version of a research project. He did it on baseball and I was very proud....we put it together in between baseball practices and soccer games last night. Randy had scouts and Casey had a Shakespeare play (AGAIN) and Hailey had a softball game. I am so glad we went to that one. <-----read with sarcasm. The whole hour was one long inning, and Hailey didn't get to play at all. Not even a second. It was lots of fun dealing with tired kids (<-----more sarcasm) and I didn't even get to see her play! We salvaged it by stopping for ice cream cones on the way home. After all, it's Nathan's birthday...poor kid fell asleep on the way home! Anyway, earlier I explained to Nathan that we would have his cake and open his presents tomorrow (yes Mom, even yours,) so he would have two birthdays. He got really excited and said, "So I am going to 5?!!!" Sorry bud, just four. I know he has been trying hard to figure out how he can squeeze an extra year in there!
Shoot! It's 11:00 and I just realized I need to bake Nathan's cake tonight. I have a PTA conference all day tomorrow. Why are you laughing? Because of my moment of insanity? Yes, for those of you who haven't heard, I am the PTA President-Elect next year. That means in two years, I'll be President. YIKES! If you are wondering why this is so funny, you'd have to know that I hate PTA...at least at our school. They are a bunch of uber-parents. They go way over-board and are way too involved...yes, that is possible. For example, Hailey has one of the most awesome teachers this year. This lady is amazing! She has patience like no other, and just has a way of earning the respect of her students. She has raised five kids and knows what it's all about. So, she doesn't believe in homework. Sounds terrific, eh? Yeah, until some uber-parents decide to complain that their child isn't getting homework! So she assigned token homework each week just to please those parents that wouldn't leave well enough alone! So I am hoping to shake things up a bit. Change is good. Right, Mindy?
I'm off to bake a cake. Oh what a joy...I have a new KitchenAid....
Monday, May 12, 2008
Bug Homes
The other morning, I was sitting next to Nathan on the stairs as the kids were packing up for school. He knows to wait for them for them to get out the door before he gets my undivided attention. As soon as they left, he turned to me:
Nathan: "Do you see the homes in my hair?"
Me: "Huh?"
Nathan: "The homes!"
Me: "Did you say 'homes'?"
Nathan: "Yeah, 'homes'!"
Me: "What homes?"
Nathan: "Where the bugs live!"
I guess Randy told him that if he didn't wash his hair, bugs would build homes in his hair. He has this image of little bugs building houses in his hair. I thought I'd play along...He felt all around in his hair to see if he could feel the houses or their bones. I explained that they were teeny tiny like in Horton Hears a Who. And he would need a microscope to see them. He asks me daily if the homes are there. Then he checks in the mirror and washes them down the drain in the tub.
Whatever works!
Nathan: "Do you see the homes in my hair?"
Me: "Huh?"
Nathan: "The homes!"
Me: "Did you say 'homes'?"
Nathan: "Yeah, 'homes'!"
Me: "What homes?"
Nathan: "Where the bugs live!"
I guess Randy told him that if he didn't wash his hair, bugs would build homes in his hair. He has this image of little bugs building houses in his hair. I thought I'd play along...He felt all around in his hair to see if he could feel the houses or their bones. I explained that they were teeny tiny like in Horton Hears a Who. And he would need a microscope to see them. He asks me daily if the homes are there. Then he checks in the mirror and washes them down the drain in the tub.
Whatever works!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
No Excuses
Happy Mother's Day to all you women out there! Notice I didn't say 'moms'. Women are just born nurturers, and that is what a mom is. Every women touches someone in some way. So even if you haven't given birth, or been given a gift of adoption, you are a mother in my eyes.
My family let me sleep in until 9:30 this morning. It would have been heaven, except that I had Nathan in the bed next to me for a good part of the night and I was left with 5 inches to sleep on. So even though he woke up long before me, my back was killing me. But still, that was 1 1/2 hours less that I had to hear tantrums.
Friday, Randy brought me flowers. They are the coolest roses I have ever seen. They are red with darker red tiger stripes on them. Pretty neat looking! The boys spent the night at the Father and Son's camp out and the girls and I partied at home. That is, of course, after eating out and getting a couple movies and way too much candy. Half-way thought the first movie, Hailey complained of her eyes being hot. She had a fever and a sore throat. Nathan and Emma both had fevers earlier in the week, but the sore throat was a new development. She stayed home from church today.
I love having a 'day off'! Thanks, Randy for making my day special! Love ya! This morning, Randy made me breakfast in bed and I was showered with gifts. Casey, Hailey, Tyler and Hannah had made me handmade presents at school. I am going to miss it when I don't get those anymore. I cry every time. Randy wasn't supposed to get me anything because I got my camera. But he got me a KitchenAid mixer. I have wanted one for many years. The last hand mixer I bought, I told him would be the last. It died back in February. I stuck to my guns and haven't purchased one. I have been telling him forever that I would make lots more chocolate chip cookies, real mashed potatoes, homemade bread and pizza if I had a KitchenAid. So today, my wish was granted. I now have no excuses.
My family let me sleep in until 9:30 this morning. It would have been heaven, except that I had Nathan in the bed next to me for a good part of the night and I was left with 5 inches to sleep on. So even though he woke up long before me, my back was killing me. But still, that was 1 1/2 hours less that I had to hear tantrums.
Friday, Randy brought me flowers. They are the coolest roses I have ever seen. They are red with darker red tiger stripes on them. Pretty neat looking! The boys spent the night at the Father and Son's camp out and the girls and I partied at home. That is, of course, after eating out and getting a couple movies and way too much candy. Half-way thought the first movie, Hailey complained of her eyes being hot. She had a fever and a sore throat. Nathan and Emma both had fevers earlier in the week, but the sore throat was a new development. She stayed home from church today.
I love having a 'day off'! Thanks, Randy for making my day special! Love ya! This morning, Randy made me breakfast in bed and I was showered with gifts. Casey, Hailey, Tyler and Hannah had made me handmade presents at school. I am going to miss it when I don't get those anymore. I cry every time. Randy wasn't supposed to get me anything because I got my camera. But he got me a KitchenAid mixer. I have wanted one for many years. The last hand mixer I bought, I told him would be the last. It died back in February. I stuck to my guns and haven't purchased one. I have been telling him forever that I would make lots more chocolate chip cookies, real mashed potatoes, homemade bread and pizza if I had a KitchenAid. So today, my wish was granted. I now have no excuses.
Friday, May 09, 2008
5 Things to Know about Tyler
I was tagged by Mindy way before our vacation....and I am just now getting around to doing it!
5 Things to Know About Tyler
1. Tyler is a sensitive kid who pretends to be shy. He didn't utter a word until he was 2 1/2 years old. Not one. No 'momma' or "dada', not even a goo or babble. That is just Tyler. His teacher's only complaint about him is that he rarely speaks. And when he does, he is so quiet, you have to get right down next to him to hear him. At home, he can let loose, although he doesn't always.
2. Tyler is an amazing artist. At two years old, he could draw a 3D cube. And when he drew a fire, he always put blue in the middle. He just has an eye for art. He takes art classes and continues to amaze his teacher and his parents.
3. Tyler is athletic. Tyler caught on to rollerblading at 5 years old, when we bought him his first pair. He is very coordinated and can ride scooters, bikes and pogo sticks. He can do flips on the trampoline and could probably do one on the ground if he gave it a try. He enjoys baseball, although I think the biggest reason is because his dad is the coach!
4. Tyler loves big cats: Cheetahs, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Jaguars, you name it! He collects stuffed animals and anything else depicting his favorite animals.
5. Tyler is an obedient child. He was recently baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We all think it is pretty cool that he was baptized in the ocean in Hawaii! Not many kids here can say that! We are so proud of him. Just like any kid, he has his moments with selective hearing, but if he thinks you are mad at him, it really upsets him. So don't ever raise your voice at him, even slightly. He'll break down in tears. If he does something wrong, he'll come to me and tell me what he did. What a great son I have!
A Green Child
A green child I am raising not.
Last evening, I was attending Casey and Hailey's choir performance at the elementary school. As we approached the front of the school, Nathan raced to the door. A lady beat him to it and opened the door and motioned for us to go in. We declined- Nathan wanted to open the door 'magically' with the handicap access button. She turned to him, and told him to just go in. He said, "No," this time getting annoyed.
I told her he just wanted to open it himself. She turned to him again, pleading, "Come on, don't waste electricity, just go in."
By this point, Nathan was on the verge of an all-out meltdown...the kind that turns heads. She said it again, "Just go in! Don't waste electricity!"
He was about to blow. I think she finally realized she would lose this battle and turned to me, "You're not raising a very green child, are you?"
I was stunned. I stood there in disbelief. "No, I'm not!" I replied.
Just then, Randy walked up behind me and answered, "Oh, he's really green- you should see his nose when it runs!"
He's three, for goodness sake! Can't he have a little enjoyment before he grows up and has to be responsible? I don't know what bothers me more- that she would stick her nose in our business like that, or that she is raising her own kids like that. The poor kids.
Don't get me wrong, we teach our kids to turn off lights when they leave a room, and I do my share of conserving power when I serve PB&J for dinner. But I don't appreciate someone else's agenda being pushed on me, much less my child.
I think tonight when she rides past my house on her little bicycle, I'll have the sprinkler on full-blast, watering my driveway.
Last evening, I was attending Casey and Hailey's choir performance at the elementary school. As we approached the front of the school, Nathan raced to the door. A lady beat him to it and opened the door and motioned for us to go in. We declined- Nathan wanted to open the door 'magically' with the handicap access button. She turned to him, and told him to just go in. He said, "No," this time getting annoyed.
I told her he just wanted to open it himself. She turned to him again, pleading, "Come on, don't waste electricity, just go in."
By this point, Nathan was on the verge of an all-out meltdown...the kind that turns heads. She said it again, "Just go in! Don't waste electricity!"
He was about to blow. I think she finally realized she would lose this battle and turned to me, "You're not raising a very green child, are you?"
I was stunned. I stood there in disbelief. "No, I'm not!" I replied.
Just then, Randy walked up behind me and answered, "Oh, he's really green- you should see his nose when it runs!"
He's three, for goodness sake! Can't he have a little enjoyment before he grows up and has to be responsible? I don't know what bothers me more- that she would stick her nose in our business like that, or that she is raising her own kids like that. The poor kids.
Don't get me wrong, we teach our kids to turn off lights when they leave a room, and I do my share of conserving power when I serve PB&J for dinner. But I don't appreciate someone else's agenda being pushed on me, much less my child.
I think tonight when she rides past my house on her little bicycle, I'll have the sprinkler on full-blast, watering my driveway.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Adventures in Hawaii: Part Five
The final chapter.
Day 13- Wednesday, April 23, 2008:
We headed out as soon as we had eaten breakfast. We were going to Hanauma Bay to go snorkeling, and my dad told us to get there early before they fill up. 9:30 isn't early enough, I guess. We drove all the way down there, and it was full. They haven't figured out yet how to give out tickets like at Pearl Harbor. You have to just be driving by when someone is leaving, and they let you in. They don't let you wait in a line or anything. It stinks. We didn't wan to waste anymore time, so we left. We found a Costco in Hawaii Kai so we could stock up on chocolate covered macadamia nuts, and some snacks for the plane ride home. As we walked in, it felt like home. Kind of like the Church. Wherever you go, it's the same. :O)
We drove back past Hanauma Bay one more time, but with no luck. Randy remembered seeing a nice place for snorkeling on the way there, so we drove back to that spot. I hung out on the beach with Nathan and Emma and the other kids took turns going out one at a time with Randy. They spotted lots of cool fish and some other exotic sea life. They decided that next time they go fishing around here, it won't be very exciting to see a plain 'ol trout swimming by. Emma finally decided she liked the water. She didn't find it very accommodating that I insisted on holding her hand. When her binky got covered in sand, she'd walk over to the water and rinse it off. You should have seen her face when she popped it back into her mouth! She sold not figure out why it tasted so horrible!
Next, we drove to the famous Kailua Beach (my friend, Tif, had told me it is their favorite beach there...) It was gorgeous! The water was so blue! And the sand and waves were perfect. Emma fell asleep and stayed asleep on a beach towel, so Randy and I took turns sitting by her and playing in the waves with the other kids. Casey had a blast floating on his stomach and letting the waves carry him and deposit him on the beach. Hailey and Tyler caught on, too, and didn't even mind getting a little scraped up. Hannah had fun jumping and riding in the surf, too- she stayed in the water longer than she had the whole trip. Nathan got surprised by a big wave and got a face full of salty, sandy water. As he recalls it, "The water carried sand into mine eyes." He sat out for a little while until I convinced him to ride on my back. I have never had so much fun at a beach. He talked my ear off for quite a while as we jumped in the waves together.
We had to get out of the water before we were ready to. I was a little sad as I realized it was the last time my kids would play in the ocean in Hawaii- at least as little kids (never mind that up until the week prior they never had before!)
When we were about 20 minutes away, Tyler informed us he didn't have his Crocs. Nice. He couldn't remember where he lift them- whether they were at the first beach, or the second. I had seen various flip-flops here and there throughout our trip and wondered how someone could just leave and forget their shoes. I'm still wondering.
We were headed to the PCC for one last dinner at the Gateway, and we didn't have time to turn back to find them. Luckily, Hannah had an extra pair of sandals in the van and was nice enough to let Tyler squeeze into her Crocs.
I enjoyed those purple rolls and kalua pork one last time before heading home.
Day 14- Thursday, April 24, 2008:
Whose idea was it to do family portraits on the beach, anyway? OK, so it was mine. Family pictures are always fun, :O) We got dressed and ready with only a couple minor set-backs: Hannah wanted to wear her pink dress instead of the matching muumuu I bought, and Nathan insisted on wearing a yellow shirt under his because Randy had a 'shirt' under his aloha shirt. I finally was able to bribe Hannah with a shave ice if she wore the right dress and everyone smiled. I chose not to fight the battle with Nathan.
Sunset beach was a gorgeous backdrop for the pictures. The sun was a little higher in the sky than we'd like. The sun rises much higher, much faster than here, so we didn't anticipate it being right in our eyes like it was. Casey was practically crying because of it....buck up, son, and be tough! All in all, it wasn't too bad...considering there were eight models and six of them were less than thrilled. Thanks, Dad! You took some great pictures! Hailey can blame my dad for giving me the photographer bug...she says I take pictures of EVERYTHING! I do, but it's a good thing! I'll post those later...when I have a big chunk of time to download 9 GB.
Back home to pack and clean the sand-mobile. I was proud of the fact that everything, including souvenirs, fit in our bags.... Oh, how could I forget to mention the Ukeleles?! Hailey and Casey bought them at the PCC. Casey had been looking for one at the swap meet, but they were too expensive. He couldn't let Hailey get one, and he not. So they both pitched in some of their own money, I pitched in some, and Grandpa pitched in the rest. Thanks, Dad! He was the one that got them hooked, in the first place. He taught them how to play, and how read the music and tune them. It's a good thing, cuz I don't have a clue! Tyler received $10 for his baptism from my parents' friends and so he wanted in on the deal, too. My Dad took him over to the PCC to buy one while I was packing up.
The van was packed and vacuumed (somewhat, anyway...enough to avoid shock when opening the door!) and we stopped by the Laie LDS Temple. The visitor's center is very nice. I love the Christus and the color of paint behind it. It is different than the scene in Salt Lake. If you have ever been to Salt Lake Temple Visitor's Center, you have probably seen the Church movies that play in the little houses. Well, in Hawaii, they are little beach huts....complete with surf boards! So cute! WE walked around the temple grounds and signed our names on the "autograph tree". It is a tree that has giant leaves. If you write on the leaves, it stays there and turns brownish. It's kind of fun, and doesn't harm the tree.
On our way to the airport, we stopped by Ted's bakery so Randy could get one of their 'famous' chocoalte coconut cream pies. We all got shave ice at Motsumoto's, and Tyler got some flip-flops so he wouldn't have to go barefoot the whole way home! The final stop on our journey was Wal-Mart. Yup. No matter where you go, or what you do, you just can't avoid it, dang it! It is just too convenient! Hailey had promised sea shells for her class and Tyler wanted me to make him a lava lava. We got some inexpensive fabric, shells, and last-minute mementos.
We made it to the rental car place and it was time for good-byes. I hate that part. It's a good thing my parents will be home in November. (We miss you Gramma and Grampa! Thanks for letting us come visit! XOXOX)
We made it to the check-in counter at 7:55...our plane started boarding at 8:10. We hurried through security and hustled down the hall toward the gate. The very last gate in a very long airport. We hitched a ride from one of those golf-cart ladies- what a lifesaver! We sat down at our gate just long enough to finish the pie (Yes, Randy brought the half-eaten pie, and yes, they let it through security....) and go to the bathroom.
The kids were good on the plane again. I tried to let Randy sleep so he could drive the next morning. I spent the next five hours juggling Emma and Nathan as they dozed in and out of sleep. The other kids slept great.
Day 15- Friday, April 25, 2008:
We arrived at LAX around 5:00, which was now 2:00 'body time'. We had a seven hour drive ahead of us. Everyone went back to sleep in the car, except Randy. What a trooper. He always drives, and I can never stay awake. We had to wake up the kids to meet some of his family's old friends for breakfast in Apple Valley. Mos tof them went back to sleep again. In fact, casey slept the whole time. I think he has finally learned what my parents taught me as a kid- and apparently still live by: if you go to sleep, it goes by much faster.
At this point, I just wanted to be home, home. I wasn't ready to leave Hawaii, but once we landed on the mainland, I just wanted to go home. We stopped for the night at his parents house and went to Chuck-A-Rama with Grandma Great. The kids always love that!
Day 16- Saturday, April 25, 2008:
The last leg of our trip! Woohoo! It was uneventful...or at least, I don't remember anything. Maybe I was comatose.
As we pulled into our driveway, a mob of kids surrounded our Suburban, I kid you not. It was great- we felt so loved!
The kids were so excited to see the new kitties! Thanks to everyone who helped! They wouldn't have made it with out you. Please come visit them soon, and in a few weeks, you each get to take one of them home with you as payment for your services! :O) ...and anyone else who wants one...
Day 13- Wednesday, April 23, 2008:
We headed out as soon as we had eaten breakfast. We were going to Hanauma Bay to go snorkeling, and my dad told us to get there early before they fill up. 9:30 isn't early enough, I guess. We drove all the way down there, and it was full. They haven't figured out yet how to give out tickets like at Pearl Harbor. You have to just be driving by when someone is leaving, and they let you in. They don't let you wait in a line or anything. It stinks. We didn't wan to waste anymore time, so we left. We found a Costco in Hawaii Kai so we could stock up on chocolate covered macadamia nuts, and some snacks for the plane ride home. As we walked in, it felt like home. Kind of like the Church. Wherever you go, it's the same. :O)
We drove back past Hanauma Bay one more time, but with no luck. Randy remembered seeing a nice place for snorkeling on the way there, so we drove back to that spot. I hung out on the beach with Nathan and Emma and the other kids took turns going out one at a time with Randy. They spotted lots of cool fish and some other exotic sea life. They decided that next time they go fishing around here, it won't be very exciting to see a plain 'ol trout swimming by. Emma finally decided she liked the water. She didn't find it very accommodating that I insisted on holding her hand. When her binky got covered in sand, she'd walk over to the water and rinse it off. You should have seen her face when she popped it back into her mouth! She sold not figure out why it tasted so horrible!
Next, we drove to the famous Kailua Beach (my friend, Tif, had told me it is their favorite beach there...) It was gorgeous! The water was so blue! And the sand and waves were perfect. Emma fell asleep and stayed asleep on a beach towel, so Randy and I took turns sitting by her and playing in the waves with the other kids. Casey had a blast floating on his stomach and letting the waves carry him and deposit him on the beach. Hailey and Tyler caught on, too, and didn't even mind getting a little scraped up. Hannah had fun jumping and riding in the surf, too- she stayed in the water longer than she had the whole trip. Nathan got surprised by a big wave and got a face full of salty, sandy water. As he recalls it, "The water carried sand into mine eyes." He sat out for a little while until I convinced him to ride on my back. I have never had so much fun at a beach. He talked my ear off for quite a while as we jumped in the waves together.
We had to get out of the water before we were ready to. I was a little sad as I realized it was the last time my kids would play in the ocean in Hawaii- at least as little kids (never mind that up until the week prior they never had before!)
When we were about 20 minutes away, Tyler informed us he didn't have his Crocs. Nice. He couldn't remember where he lift them- whether they were at the first beach, or the second. I had seen various flip-flops here and there throughout our trip and wondered how someone could just leave and forget their shoes. I'm still wondering.
We were headed to the PCC for one last dinner at the Gateway, and we didn't have time to turn back to find them. Luckily, Hannah had an extra pair of sandals in the van and was nice enough to let Tyler squeeze into her Crocs.
I enjoyed those purple rolls and kalua pork one last time before heading home.
Day 14- Thursday, April 24, 2008:
Whose idea was it to do family portraits on the beach, anyway? OK, so it was mine. Family pictures are always fun, :O) We got dressed and ready with only a couple minor set-backs: Hannah wanted to wear her pink dress instead of the matching muumuu I bought, and Nathan insisted on wearing a yellow shirt under his because Randy had a 'shirt' under his aloha shirt. I finally was able to bribe Hannah with a shave ice if she wore the right dress and everyone smiled. I chose not to fight the battle with Nathan.
Sunset beach was a gorgeous backdrop for the pictures. The sun was a little higher in the sky than we'd like. The sun rises much higher, much faster than here, so we didn't anticipate it being right in our eyes like it was. Casey was practically crying because of it....buck up, son, and be tough! All in all, it wasn't too bad...considering there were eight models and six of them were less than thrilled. Thanks, Dad! You took some great pictures! Hailey can blame my dad for giving me the photographer bug...she says I take pictures of EVERYTHING! I do, but it's a good thing! I'll post those later...when I have a big chunk of time to download 9 GB.
Back home to pack and clean the sand-mobile. I was proud of the fact that everything, including souvenirs, fit in our bags.... Oh, how could I forget to mention the Ukeleles?! Hailey and Casey bought them at the PCC. Casey had been looking for one at the swap meet, but they were too expensive. He couldn't let Hailey get one, and he not. So they both pitched in some of their own money, I pitched in some, and Grandpa pitched in the rest. Thanks, Dad! He was the one that got them hooked, in the first place. He taught them how to play, and how read the music and tune them. It's a good thing, cuz I don't have a clue! Tyler received $10 for his baptism from my parents' friends and so he wanted in on the deal, too. My Dad took him over to the PCC to buy one while I was packing up.
The van was packed and vacuumed (somewhat, anyway...enough to avoid shock when opening the door!) and we stopped by the Laie LDS Temple. The visitor's center is very nice. I love the Christus and the color of paint behind it. It is different than the scene in Salt Lake. If you have ever been to Salt Lake Temple Visitor's Center, you have probably seen the Church movies that play in the little houses. Well, in Hawaii, they are little beach huts....complete with surf boards! So cute! WE walked around the temple grounds and signed our names on the "autograph tree". It is a tree that has giant leaves. If you write on the leaves, it stays there and turns brownish. It's kind of fun, and doesn't harm the tree.
On our way to the airport, we stopped by Ted's bakery so Randy could get one of their 'famous' chocoalte coconut cream pies. We all got shave ice at Motsumoto's, and Tyler got some flip-flops so he wouldn't have to go barefoot the whole way home! The final stop on our journey was Wal-Mart. Yup. No matter where you go, or what you do, you just can't avoid it, dang it! It is just too convenient! Hailey had promised sea shells for her class and Tyler wanted me to make him a lava lava. We got some inexpensive fabric, shells, and last-minute mementos.
We made it to the rental car place and it was time for good-byes. I hate that part. It's a good thing my parents will be home in November. (We miss you Gramma and Grampa! Thanks for letting us come visit! XOXOX)
We made it to the check-in counter at 7:55...our plane started boarding at 8:10. We hurried through security and hustled down the hall toward the gate. The very last gate in a very long airport. We hitched a ride from one of those golf-cart ladies- what a lifesaver! We sat down at our gate just long enough to finish the pie (Yes, Randy brought the half-eaten pie, and yes, they let it through security....) and go to the bathroom.
The kids were good on the plane again. I tried to let Randy sleep so he could drive the next morning. I spent the next five hours juggling Emma and Nathan as they dozed in and out of sleep. The other kids slept great.
Day 15- Friday, April 25, 2008:
We arrived at LAX around 5:00, which was now 2:00 'body time'. We had a seven hour drive ahead of us. Everyone went back to sleep in the car, except Randy. What a trooper. He always drives, and I can never stay awake. We had to wake up the kids to meet some of his family's old friends for breakfast in Apple Valley. Mos tof them went back to sleep again. In fact, casey slept the whole time. I think he has finally learned what my parents taught me as a kid- and apparently still live by: if you go to sleep, it goes by much faster.
At this point, I just wanted to be home, home. I wasn't ready to leave Hawaii, but once we landed on the mainland, I just wanted to go home. We stopped for the night at his parents house and went to Chuck-A-Rama with Grandma Great. The kids always love that!
Day 16- Saturday, April 25, 2008:
The last leg of our trip! Woohoo! It was uneventful...or at least, I don't remember anything. Maybe I was comatose.
As we pulled into our driveway, a mob of kids surrounded our Suburban, I kid you not. It was great- we felt so loved!
The kids were so excited to see the new kitties! Thanks to everyone who helped! They wouldn't have made it with out you. Please come visit them soon, and in a few weeks, you each get to take one of them home with you as payment for your services! :O) ...and anyone else who wants one...
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Adventures in Hawaii: Part Four
Is anyone tired of this yet? Well too bad. Things keep happening that I'd like to blog about (and I will...) I am just this way...I can't blog out of order. I mean, I HAVE to blog our vacation, and I can't just stick stuff in the middle. And as I said before, I want to write all about our trip for my own purposes. So here it goes....
Day 10- Sunday, April 20, 2008:
Oh, what to do. You see, we realized we were running out of days. And unfortunately, we couldn't extend our trip. And couple that with the fact that Randy can't stand to sit around on a vacation (sorry Mom and Dad...) and he didn't exactly want to make an exception in this case. We compromised:
We went to church with my parents. The bishop asked my dad and Randy to pass the sacrament, along with Casey. He was very excited to have three generations pass together. He had never seen that before. It was neat. Casey did a good job....it was cute- he forgot the choir members :) There was no Primary (remember, this is a BYUH student ward,) and the younger kids barely lasted through Sacrament meeting, so we walked around BYUH while Casey and Hailey went with my mom and dad to Sunday School and Relief Society/ Priesthood. I was bummed that I didn't go with them, but I didn't feel like I could bail on Randy with four kids.
After church (this is where the compromise came in...) we took a drive around the island. We went as far as we could on North Shore. We saw a group of people kite surfing- they have big kite/parachute things hooked around their waist and then they strap into a surfboard thingy and let the wind take them. It was fun to watch! Then we headed to the leeward side of the island. It is definitely not as pretty on that side as on the windward side. Things are not as green and there are people camped on the beaches. I mean, they live there! These are people with jobs, they just can't afford a house. It really makes me appreciate what we have. We did find a nice 'lagoon' at a private resort. We just let the kids walk around for a little while, even though they would have loved to jump in, it was, after all, Sunday. The sunset on that side of the island was gorgeous! I was able to take some nice photos....so now I have sunrise, and sunset pictures!
Day 11- Monday, April 21, 2008:
Randy took the older kids treasure hunting. I don't mean to separate them like this, it just happens that Hannah usually doesn't care to go, Nathan is just difficult to handle with a ratio of 4:1, and Emma is too little. I hung out at home with my mom and did laundry (yup, on vacation, I still managed to do a load or more a day) while my dad went to the office for a little while.
They brought back some shells- the only ones really that we found.
The PCC opened at noon, and we were ready for it...but were they ready for us? This was the part of the trip I was the most excited about! When I was younger, I never really had a desire to go to Hawaii. Remember, I don't love water, and I guess you could say I hate sand. I know, I know. But the culture is so fascinating to me. I love it! It is just fun! The drums, that dancing, the flowers, the music, the luaus, and the people...I just love it. So this is why I have wanted to go to Hawaii.
We had a great time visiting the different villages. We enjoyed the 'show' in Samoa where the Samoan warrior showed us how to make fire by literally rubbing two sticks together, how to crack open a coconut, and get the milk out. Then in a matter of seconds, one had climbed a 40-foot coconut tree!!
We got 'tattoos' in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and attempted to twirl poi balls, and play Tititorea- a fun Maori stick game- kind of like the rhythm sticks we learned in 6th grade. Hailey really liked those.
The kids- especially Nathan- loved Tonga. Hailey and Hannah were chosen to be part of the drumming presentation, and we all got to try our hand at spear throwing. Nathan especially loved that part.
Casey has a habit of disappearing. My mom found him in a hut, carving a bowl. My mom said she has never seen anyone but the workers carving in there. Casey also has a way of talking people into letting him do things! :O)
There was a canoe pageant in the river that was fun to watch. There were canoes with dancers from each island. We met some of the missionaries my mom works with in the Hawaii Mission Settlement.
Tyler and I were called up on stage in Fiji because our birthdays are in April. Tyler was less than thrilled to be up there and be expected to dance!
After countless trips to the bathroom (I swear, Hannah's bladder is the size of a marshmallow...) it was time for the luau. By this time, Nathan was asleep. I didn't want him to miss it, but I also knew what would happen if we woke him up. 'Uncle Benny' was the host and he was really great. We splurged and bought smoothies in hollowed-out pineapples. There were a few little kids that performed- I was in awe at how talented they were!
After the luau, was the Horizons night show. Wow! It was so fun! We were hooked! It was all fabulous, but the fire-knife dance and the Tahitian dancers were amazing! I was sad to see it end...but we did buy the DVD if anyone wants to watch it.
Day 12- Tuesday, April 22, 2008:
Trying to squeeze everything in before leaving, we hiked to Waimea Falls before the PCC opened at noon. I was pretty disappointed that we had to pay $40 to hike! But the scenery was beautiful and we saw lots of cool lizard-y things! I felt like we were in the middle of the jungle. And there were concrete steps and paths everywhere covered in moss, It would have been a cool place for a wedding reception or family portraits. Too bad I couldn't get everyone together and pose for me. :) I did get some great shots, though. They were filming a made-for-TV movie at the falls; 'Flirting with Forty'. It took longer than anticipated to reach the falls, so we had to cruise back down so we didn't lose out on precious time at the PCC.
Back to the PCC for another fun-filled day. We were all over the place! Sorry, Mom. We didn't plan it well, but we wanted to catch all the presentations and we had to do what the kids wanted, when they wanted..or else! :O)
We went to another Tongan drum show and this time Randy was asked to participate. He was such a ham, it was awesome! I took pictures, but not a video, darn it! I wish I had it. The guy asked him to follow along. He would shout something and have Randy repeat it. At one point, he yelled something so unintelligible that Randy just responded with 'Aloha'! The guy stopped, and said, "This is my show!" Pretty funny! Randy was rockin' out on the drums, havin' a great time.
On to the village of Hawaii. Cousin Benny was there presenting. He was very entertaining and insightful! He demonstrated all the various instruments they use, and he compared them to other Polynesian islands. We talked to him afterwards about his daughter. He said when he was little, he became a fast runner because his mom used the split bamboo sticks for purposes other than music. :O) He figured he could make his kids fast like that, too. So when his daughter was little, he'd chase her around the park with the bamboo sticks- and she became a fast runner, too. When soccer came to the island, they signed her up and she is now the first Hawaiian on the U. S. Soccer Team.
We grabbed some lunch and watched part of the canoe pageant again. Nathan was dying to throw the spears again, so we obliged. He was determined to throw the spear into the little ring. We kept moving the ring closer until it was right at his feet and he dropped it in. That satisfied him enough that we were able to make it to the Tahiti village in time for the show.
I am amazed at how fast those girls can shake their hips! Wow! We all got to try to dance Tahitian style, though few of us were successful. I'll have to keep practicing! The kids tried their hand at fishing. Tyler caught a good-sized fish right off the bat, using bread dough for bait. Hailey also caught one, and Casey had a giant Koi on his line, but it got away! Randy decided he'd start using bread dough and paper clips for fishing from now on!
We rode a canoe to the other side of the Center and visited Samoa, again. That guy, Kap, was so funny (he is on the video, BTW. Mr. Scoutmaster (a.k.a. Randy) was determined to start a fire with two sticks and a coconut husk....maybe next time.
Time was running out :( We went back to Hawaii to learn to hula (I got some great black mail pictures!) and Casey returned to the Aotearoa hut to finish his carving. Hailey wanted to practice more with the Tititorea sticks, and then we went back to Samoa for an up-close fire-knife demonstration. Those guys are crazy- spinning hot knives with flames on both ends!
Sadly, our day at the PCC was over. But Randy arranged for my dad to watch the kids so we could go out for a few hours (my mom had a Relief Society meeting.) We went to Jameson's for dinner and had the best fish I have ever tasted. Afterwards, we sat on the beach across the street, on the North Shore. We drove back to Temple Beach and sat there for a while until I couldn't stay awake any longer.
Only two more days in paradise....
Day 10- Sunday, April 20, 2008:
Oh, what to do. You see, we realized we were running out of days. And unfortunately, we couldn't extend our trip. And couple that with the fact that Randy can't stand to sit around on a vacation (sorry Mom and Dad...) and he didn't exactly want to make an exception in this case. We compromised:
We went to church with my parents. The bishop asked my dad and Randy to pass the sacrament, along with Casey. He was very excited to have three generations pass together. He had never seen that before. It was neat. Casey did a good job....it was cute- he forgot the choir members :) There was no Primary (remember, this is a BYUH student ward,) and the younger kids barely lasted through Sacrament meeting, so we walked around BYUH while Casey and Hailey went with my mom and dad to Sunday School and Relief Society/ Priesthood. I was bummed that I didn't go with them, but I didn't feel like I could bail on Randy with four kids.
After church (this is where the compromise came in...) we took a drive around the island. We went as far as we could on North Shore. We saw a group of people kite surfing- they have big kite/parachute things hooked around their waist and then they strap into a surfboard thingy and let the wind take them. It was fun to watch! Then we headed to the leeward side of the island. It is definitely not as pretty on that side as on the windward side. Things are not as green and there are people camped on the beaches. I mean, they live there! These are people with jobs, they just can't afford a house. It really makes me appreciate what we have. We did find a nice 'lagoon' at a private resort. We just let the kids walk around for a little while, even though they would have loved to jump in, it was, after all, Sunday. The sunset on that side of the island was gorgeous! I was able to take some nice photos....so now I have sunrise, and sunset pictures!
Day 11- Monday, April 21, 2008:
Randy took the older kids treasure hunting. I don't mean to separate them like this, it just happens that Hannah usually doesn't care to go, Nathan is just difficult to handle with a ratio of 4:1, and Emma is too little. I hung out at home with my mom and did laundry (yup, on vacation, I still managed to do a load or more a day) while my dad went to the office for a little while.
They brought back some shells- the only ones really that we found.
The PCC opened at noon, and we were ready for it...but were they ready for us? This was the part of the trip I was the most excited about! When I was younger, I never really had a desire to go to Hawaii. Remember, I don't love water, and I guess you could say I hate sand. I know, I know. But the culture is so fascinating to me. I love it! It is just fun! The drums, that dancing, the flowers, the music, the luaus, and the people...I just love it. So this is why I have wanted to go to Hawaii.
We had a great time visiting the different villages. We enjoyed the 'show' in Samoa where the Samoan warrior showed us how to make fire by literally rubbing two sticks together, how to crack open a coconut, and get the milk out. Then in a matter of seconds, one had climbed a 40-foot coconut tree!!
We got 'tattoos' in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and attempted to twirl poi balls, and play Tititorea- a fun Maori stick game- kind of like the rhythm sticks we learned in 6th grade. Hailey really liked those.
The kids- especially Nathan- loved Tonga. Hailey and Hannah were chosen to be part of the drumming presentation, and we all got to try our hand at spear throwing. Nathan especially loved that part.
Casey has a habit of disappearing. My mom found him in a hut, carving a bowl. My mom said she has never seen anyone but the workers carving in there. Casey also has a way of talking people into letting him do things! :O)
There was a canoe pageant in the river that was fun to watch. There were canoes with dancers from each island. We met some of the missionaries my mom works with in the Hawaii Mission Settlement.
Tyler and I were called up on stage in Fiji because our birthdays are in April. Tyler was less than thrilled to be up there and be expected to dance!
After countless trips to the bathroom (I swear, Hannah's bladder is the size of a marshmallow...) it was time for the luau. By this time, Nathan was asleep. I didn't want him to miss it, but I also knew what would happen if we woke him up. 'Uncle Benny' was the host and he was really great. We splurged and bought smoothies in hollowed-out pineapples. There were a few little kids that performed- I was in awe at how talented they were!
After the luau, was the Horizons night show. Wow! It was so fun! We were hooked! It was all fabulous, but the fire-knife dance and the Tahitian dancers were amazing! I was sad to see it end...but we did buy the DVD if anyone wants to watch it.
Day 12- Tuesday, April 22, 2008:
Trying to squeeze everything in before leaving, we hiked to Waimea Falls before the PCC opened at noon. I was pretty disappointed that we had to pay $40 to hike! But the scenery was beautiful and we saw lots of cool lizard-y things! I felt like we were in the middle of the jungle. And there were concrete steps and paths everywhere covered in moss, It would have been a cool place for a wedding reception or family portraits. Too bad I couldn't get everyone together and pose for me. :) I did get some great shots, though. They were filming a made-for-TV movie at the falls; 'Flirting with Forty'. It took longer than anticipated to reach the falls, so we had to cruise back down so we didn't lose out on precious time at the PCC.
Back to the PCC for another fun-filled day. We were all over the place! Sorry, Mom. We didn't plan it well, but we wanted to catch all the presentations and we had to do what the kids wanted, when they wanted..or else! :O)
We went to another Tongan drum show and this time Randy was asked to participate. He was such a ham, it was awesome! I took pictures, but not a video, darn it! I wish I had it. The guy asked him to follow along. He would shout something and have Randy repeat it. At one point, he yelled something so unintelligible that Randy just responded with 'Aloha'! The guy stopped, and said, "This is my show!" Pretty funny! Randy was rockin' out on the drums, havin' a great time.
On to the village of Hawaii. Cousin Benny was there presenting. He was very entertaining and insightful! He demonstrated all the various instruments they use, and he compared them to other Polynesian islands. We talked to him afterwards about his daughter. He said when he was little, he became a fast runner because his mom used the split bamboo sticks for purposes other than music. :O) He figured he could make his kids fast like that, too. So when his daughter was little, he'd chase her around the park with the bamboo sticks- and she became a fast runner, too. When soccer came to the island, they signed her up and she is now the first Hawaiian on the U. S. Soccer Team.
We grabbed some lunch and watched part of the canoe pageant again. Nathan was dying to throw the spears again, so we obliged. He was determined to throw the spear into the little ring. We kept moving the ring closer until it was right at his feet and he dropped it in. That satisfied him enough that we were able to make it to the Tahiti village in time for the show.
I am amazed at how fast those girls can shake their hips! Wow! We all got to try to dance Tahitian style, though few of us were successful. I'll have to keep practicing! The kids tried their hand at fishing. Tyler caught a good-sized fish right off the bat, using bread dough for bait. Hailey also caught one, and Casey had a giant Koi on his line, but it got away! Randy decided he'd start using bread dough and paper clips for fishing from now on!
We rode a canoe to the other side of the Center and visited Samoa, again. That guy, Kap, was so funny (he is on the video, BTW. Mr. Scoutmaster (a.k.a. Randy) was determined to start a fire with two sticks and a coconut husk....maybe next time.
Time was running out :( We went back to Hawaii to learn to hula (I got some great black mail pictures!) and Casey returned to the Aotearoa hut to finish his carving. Hailey wanted to practice more with the Tititorea sticks, and then we went back to Samoa for an up-close fire-knife demonstration. Those guys are crazy- spinning hot knives with flames on both ends!
Sadly, our day at the PCC was over. But Randy arranged for my dad to watch the kids so we could go out for a few hours (my mom had a Relief Society meeting.) We went to Jameson's for dinner and had the best fish I have ever tasted. Afterwards, we sat on the beach across the street, on the North Shore. We drove back to Temple Beach and sat there for a while until I couldn't stay awake any longer.
Only two more days in paradise....
Monday, May 05, 2008
Adventures in Hawaii: Part Three
Day 7- Thursday, April17, 2008:
Rise and shine! Everyone got up bright and early for Tyler's 6:00 AM baptism. Temple Beach wasn't far away and it was a perfect morning! The breeze that was there a few mornings earlier was gone and the sun was just about to rise over the horizon. It couldn't have been more perfect. My parents' bishop, Bishop Keale, was there to preside and conduct. What a nice man! He was so excited to be there. He is the bishop of a student ward, so this was a special occasion for him. Casey gave the opening prayer and asked that Tyler would not be stung by a jellyfish or anything. :) We stood on the beach as we sang "I am a Child of God". Then my mom gave a nice talk on baptism, and Randy's mom spoke about the Holy Ghost. Next, all the kids sang "Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam" just as the sun was coming up. Randy, Tyler, my dad and Randy's dad all walked out into the ocean for the baptism. Wow! They wrapped in towels and Randy confirmed Tyler a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The bishop made some nice comments and then he asked me to bear my testimony. I was a little caught off guard, but happy he asked me. Next, Casey was ordained a Deacon and received the Aaronic Priesthood. The whole morning was unforgettable.
We ate breakfast at Randy's parents condo and hung out for a good part of the day there. My parents went into the office at the PCC to work for a little while. The beach outside the condo was nice, and some of our family went swimming. Hailey and I left our swimsuits home becasue of our sunburns. But the water was irresistible and we got a little wet. When Emma was done being on the beach, us girls went back upstairs to the condo and watched Randy and the boys play in the surf. I saw a dark object moving in the water about 20 feet away from them. It was a giant Sea Turtle! Randy ran for the snorkeling gear to try and get a better look, but it was too fast for him. Once he got the gear on, he headed out to see what he could find. He saw lots of cool fish and other sea creatures. After coming back in to shore, Casey put on his mask and fins and went back out with Randy. A little while later, it was Tyler's turn. Tyler couldn't get enough of it!
We decided to go to Shark's Cove and see what we could find. We climbed over sharp rocks and waded through some swift currents in search of crabs, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. Tyler sliced his hand open on a sharp rock. Luckily, we had that super glue from our airport entertainment!
Randy spotted a ledge he wanted to explore and he took the older kids out to it. My FIL stayed in the car with Emma while my MIL and I took Hannah and Nathan to get some shave ice.
By the time we headed home, it was late and we stopped for something to eat at Ted's Bakery so my parents wouldn't have to cook for us. The food was pretty good. In fact, they had the best 'homemade' fries I have ever tasted. But, it could have something to do with the fact that we were hungry and tired.
When we got 'home' to my parents', we attempted to watch "Tora, Tora"- a movie about Pearl Harbor. I think I lasted 15 minutes, tops. Everyone else, but Randy, was out in 30.
Day 8- Friday, April 18, 2008:
Sea Life Park was a ton a fun. We lucked out because my parents are able to get in free, along with two guests, because they work at the PCC. And they were able to get a 'local's rate' of $8 for the kids 4-12. So it cost us only $32 to get in! Casey and Hailey thought the touch pool was the greatest thing! We watched a dolphin show that was pretty amazing. Randy had never seen anything like it, so he really thought it was neat! The Sea Lion show was a riot, and the Sea Ray Ballet was pretty cool. We were all excited to feed the Sea Turtles. They ate lettuce right out of the kids' hands!
After Sea Life Park, we took a nice drive on the Pali Road. It took us through some amazingly beautiful lush, green scenery. There were vines hanging from huge trees much like in Tarzan. The vegetation was so thick in some places, you'd need a machete to hike though it. We traveled through tunnels of trees and man-made tunnels through the mountains. At the top was a lookout point with an awesome view. The wind was pretty powerful up there, too. We drove down the road a little further and hopped out for a quick hike. The 'jungle' was a little eerie, but cool as it was covered in moss and vines.
Thursday at the condo, Hailey saw a commercial for Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. Randy has been talking about Farrell's our entire married life. He has always wanted to go back to one. He has a memory of one as kid- just like Bill and Ted's...remember the Ziggy Piggy? That was Farrell's. Thanks to 'Mahana', my dad's affectionately named GPS, we were able to locate one. We ate dinner in a'train' and enjoyed our ice cream, complete with train whistles.
Day 9- Saturday, April 19, 2008:
In all our travels, Randy spotted a beach he wanted to visit. Our sunburns were better (and Randy purchased a rashguard for himself,) so we hit the beach. Tyler left the house without his Crocs, but my parents picked them up when they went back for their chairs. The sand was so incredibly fine that it attached itself to everything. The kids enjoyed playing in the water- even Nathan. Hannah spent most of the time trying to get her feet free of sand. She'd wash them off in the water, hobble back to the beach mat on her heels, and realize she was unsuccessful. Back to the water, this time with flippers in hand (she didn't want her Crocs to get sandy, either.) So she tried washing her feet off, and attempting to put the flippers on her feet and walk back to where I was sitting. Nope. That didn't work either. She gave up on cleaning her feet off in the ocean, so she filled a water bottle up with salty water and walked back to the mat and poured water on her feet to wash them off. The trouble is, she ran out of water before her feet were free of sand. She patiently filled up the bottle again, and tried a couple more times. After a good 30 minutes, she resorted to leaving the sand altogether and joining my parents at the picnic tables in the park behind the beach where there was a water faucet.
Casey was thrilled when a dad and his son showed up with a couple surf boards. As is characteristic of Casey, he talked the man into letting him try it out. Soon, Randy, Tyler, and Hailey were in on the action, too. Surprisingly, Nathan had no interest in it. It was so nice of mister surfer dude to let us use his boards. They spent quite a while riding the waves, little as they were. They had a great time and disappointed when it was time to eat lunch.
The younger kids were tired, so we headed back home so they could just 'hang out' with Grampa and Gramma. Randy and I took Casey, Hailey and Tyler back to Shark's Cove for some snorkeling. It was there that I realized just how fearful I am of water. As a kid, I almost drown in the creek behind my house. That same feeling came back as I tried putting my head under water and breathing through a little rubber tube. I began to hyperventilate. I tried just using the goggles and holding my breath. But the goggles weren't a great fit, and I just couldn't do it. Oh well, I don't really like the taste of salt water, anyway.
We stopped at Sunset Beach on the way home. The waves were ginormous! A storm had rolled in and so there were lots of surfers there. I was amazed at how young some of the people were in the water, because I wouldn't let my kids near the waves! It's a good thing they didn't see those waves before surfing, or they wouldn't have been content with the mild waves.
Rise and shine! Everyone got up bright and early for Tyler's 6:00 AM baptism. Temple Beach wasn't far away and it was a perfect morning! The breeze that was there a few mornings earlier was gone and the sun was just about to rise over the horizon. It couldn't have been more perfect. My parents' bishop, Bishop Keale, was there to preside and conduct. What a nice man! He was so excited to be there. He is the bishop of a student ward, so this was a special occasion for him. Casey gave the opening prayer and asked that Tyler would not be stung by a jellyfish or anything. :) We stood on the beach as we sang "I am a Child of God". Then my mom gave a nice talk on baptism, and Randy's mom spoke about the Holy Ghost. Next, all the kids sang "Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam" just as the sun was coming up. Randy, Tyler, my dad and Randy's dad all walked out into the ocean for the baptism. Wow! They wrapped in towels and Randy confirmed Tyler a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The bishop made some nice comments and then he asked me to bear my testimony. I was a little caught off guard, but happy he asked me. Next, Casey was ordained a Deacon and received the Aaronic Priesthood. The whole morning was unforgettable.
We ate breakfast at Randy's parents condo and hung out for a good part of the day there. My parents went into the office at the PCC to work for a little while. The beach outside the condo was nice, and some of our family went swimming. Hailey and I left our swimsuits home becasue of our sunburns. But the water was irresistible and we got a little wet. When Emma was done being on the beach, us girls went back upstairs to the condo and watched Randy and the boys play in the surf. I saw a dark object moving in the water about 20 feet away from them. It was a giant Sea Turtle! Randy ran for the snorkeling gear to try and get a better look, but it was too fast for him. Once he got the gear on, he headed out to see what he could find. He saw lots of cool fish and other sea creatures. After coming back in to shore, Casey put on his mask and fins and went back out with Randy. A little while later, it was Tyler's turn. Tyler couldn't get enough of it!
We decided to go to Shark's Cove and see what we could find. We climbed over sharp rocks and waded through some swift currents in search of crabs, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. Tyler sliced his hand open on a sharp rock. Luckily, we had that super glue from our airport entertainment!
Randy spotted a ledge he wanted to explore and he took the older kids out to it. My FIL stayed in the car with Emma while my MIL and I took Hannah and Nathan to get some shave ice.
By the time we headed home, it was late and we stopped for something to eat at Ted's Bakery so my parents wouldn't have to cook for us. The food was pretty good. In fact, they had the best 'homemade' fries I have ever tasted. But, it could have something to do with the fact that we were hungry and tired.
When we got 'home' to my parents', we attempted to watch "Tora, Tora"- a movie about Pearl Harbor. I think I lasted 15 minutes, tops. Everyone else, but Randy, was out in 30.
Day 8- Friday, April 18, 2008:
Sea Life Park was a ton a fun. We lucked out because my parents are able to get in free, along with two guests, because they work at the PCC. And they were able to get a 'local's rate' of $8 for the kids 4-12. So it cost us only $32 to get in! Casey and Hailey thought the touch pool was the greatest thing! We watched a dolphin show that was pretty amazing. Randy had never seen anything like it, so he really thought it was neat! The Sea Lion show was a riot, and the Sea Ray Ballet was pretty cool. We were all excited to feed the Sea Turtles. They ate lettuce right out of the kids' hands!
After Sea Life Park, we took a nice drive on the Pali Road. It took us through some amazingly beautiful lush, green scenery. There were vines hanging from huge trees much like in Tarzan. The vegetation was so thick in some places, you'd need a machete to hike though it. We traveled through tunnels of trees and man-made tunnels through the mountains. At the top was a lookout point with an awesome view. The wind was pretty powerful up there, too. We drove down the road a little further and hopped out for a quick hike. The 'jungle' was a little eerie, but cool as it was covered in moss and vines.
Thursday at the condo, Hailey saw a commercial for Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. Randy has been talking about Farrell's our entire married life. He has always wanted to go back to one. He has a memory of one as kid- just like Bill and Ted's...remember the Ziggy Piggy? That was Farrell's. Thanks to 'Mahana', my dad's affectionately named GPS, we were able to locate one. We ate dinner in a'train' and enjoyed our ice cream, complete with train whistles.
Day 9- Saturday, April 19, 2008:
In all our travels, Randy spotted a beach he wanted to visit. Our sunburns were better (and Randy purchased a rashguard for himself,) so we hit the beach. Tyler left the house without his Crocs, but my parents picked them up when they went back for their chairs. The sand was so incredibly fine that it attached itself to everything. The kids enjoyed playing in the water- even Nathan. Hannah spent most of the time trying to get her feet free of sand. She'd wash them off in the water, hobble back to the beach mat on her heels, and realize she was unsuccessful. Back to the water, this time with flippers in hand (she didn't want her Crocs to get sandy, either.) So she tried washing her feet off, and attempting to put the flippers on her feet and walk back to where I was sitting. Nope. That didn't work either. She gave up on cleaning her feet off in the ocean, so she filled a water bottle up with salty water and walked back to the mat and poured water on her feet to wash them off. The trouble is, she ran out of water before her feet were free of sand. She patiently filled up the bottle again, and tried a couple more times. After a good 30 minutes, she resorted to leaving the sand altogether and joining my parents at the picnic tables in the park behind the beach where there was a water faucet.
Casey was thrilled when a dad and his son showed up with a couple surf boards. As is characteristic of Casey, he talked the man into letting him try it out. Soon, Randy, Tyler, and Hailey were in on the action, too. Surprisingly, Nathan had no interest in it. It was so nice of mister surfer dude to let us use his boards. They spent quite a while riding the waves, little as they were. They had a great time and disappointed when it was time to eat lunch.
The younger kids were tired, so we headed back home so they could just 'hang out' with Grampa and Gramma. Randy and I took Casey, Hailey and Tyler back to Shark's Cove for some snorkeling. It was there that I realized just how fearful I am of water. As a kid, I almost drown in the creek behind my house. That same feeling came back as I tried putting my head under water and breathing through a little rubber tube. I began to hyperventilate. I tried just using the goggles and holding my breath. But the goggles weren't a great fit, and I just couldn't do it. Oh well, I don't really like the taste of salt water, anyway.
We stopped at Sunset Beach on the way home. The waves were ginormous! A storm had rolled in and so there were lots of surfers there. I was amazed at how young some of the people were in the water, because I wouldn't let my kids near the waves! It's a good thing they didn't see those waves before surfing, or they wouldn't have been content with the mild waves.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Adventures in Hawaii: Part Two
For those of you who think I have abandoned my blog, I'm sorry. I think about it every day. I just haven't had time to post. But it should get better, and I will carry on. In fact, i have a list of things that have been going on (pre and post vacation) that I will wite about after I finish writing about our vacation. You may have lost interest in our trip, but for my personal history's sake, I am going to write about it anyway. So if you don't care, don't read. :O)
(I just love when you have spent half an hour typing something and you push some fatal key and the whole thing gets deleted. Here I go again...)
We slept in after our long day at Disneyland the day before. After eating breakfast, we packed up our stuff and headed to LAX. We gave ourselves plenty of time, just in case. So much, that we had time to kill. We decided to drive through the neighborhood Randy grew up in. When I say drive through, I mean literally, we didn't get our of the car in spite of the fact that it is now a scary neighborhood. We saw his old preschool and the store he bought candy at as a young boy...a liquor store...nice.
Day 5- April 15, 2008:
Morning comes early when the roosters crow. We would learn this well over the next ten days. I actually came to enjoy it. I woke up around 6 AM every day....on vacation! How come I can't do that here? Oh well.
Half my family was still asleep, so my dad and I took Casey, Tyler and Nathan to check out the beach. The one where Tyler would be baptized. It was a breezy morning, but it was beautiful. The boys had great fun finding treasures: old coconuts/husks, and nuts.
After breakfast, we all hit the beach- my parents, and all eight of us. It was overcast and a little breezy, so although I packed the sunscreen, I didn't give it another thought. If I had thought about it again, it quickly left my mind as Nathan got stung by a jelly fish. Or 'kissed', as we like to refer to it. Leave it to Nathan. His first time in the ocean, and he gets stung. Luckily, my mom had the foresight to pack some vinegar along....I wouldn't have wanted to pee on the poor kid. We stripped him down, rubbed sand on the wound to get get the tentacles out and poured vinegar on it to neutralize it. Ouch! It was pretty painful for awhile, and I wasn't sure he'd get back in the ocean any time soon. Randy's parents joined us for a little while as Nathan played nude in the sand, and Emma slept on my mom's lap.
We packed up and headed to Chun's Reef to see the turtles that bask on the beach. There, right in front of us, were two enormous Green Sea Turtles! They had the cutest little faces...just like 'Crush' in Finding Nemo! As we were gathered around the rope watching the turtles, Nathan somehow got sand in his eyes....the first of many.
A little farther up the road was the next stop at Matsumoto's for some famous 'Shave Ice'. Mmmmm...so many flavors to choose from....we'll just have to come back!
My sister called to say our momma cat was acting strange. I knew her delivery was imminent, and sure enough, later that day, she called to say there were three newborn kittens. Then four, and finally five!
I'm not sure at what point I realized the extent of our sunburns, but thanks to a local in the grocery store, I was set with my Aloe (a-lo-ay as he called it.) The next couple days would have to be 'non beach' days so we could recover. :)
Day 6- Wednesday, April 16, 2008:
The Swap Meet. Anyone who has been there doesn't need to hear any more. Row after row of tents full of every imaginable souvenir! I was on a mission for some Aloha wear for our family pictures. And whatever else caught my eye.
The kids each got $10 to spend. Some had an easier time than others. Casey learned to bargain with the vendor to afford his mini surfboard. I was looking for white dresses and white shirts...remember this post? Randy and Nathan had expired and I still hadn't found what I needed. My mom found a booth with lots to choose from, but no white ones. I didn't necessarily need them to match, but I didn't want them to clash or be too busy, so I settled on more of a tan one. I found one for everyone. Except me. So after much thought, I decided I would buy a girl's size 14 dress and alter it into a shirt for myself. I would've loved to buy some individual ones just to have- there were so many cute ones. I think I could get used to wearing a muumuu to church! As I was finalizing my decision, I realized Hailey had let Emma out of her stroller. And she didn't know where she was. My heart just about fell out and I panicked. After a few scary moments, we found her. But I was in no mood to do anymore shopping. Not to mention it was getting late and we had more plans. Randy's parent's met up with is once again and we went to Pearl Harbor. We got tickets, but had to wait two hours. My parents weren't able to stay because they had to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) that evening. So they left after we all grabbed some lunch.
Casey enjoyed Pearl Harbor. He was bummed that he didn't have his own camera. Because according to him, I didn't take the pictures he wanted. We took the ferry out the memorial. The kids were all very well behaved. I was amazed that there was still oil leaking from the ship after 66 years. The lady there told us it leaks 5-6 quarts a day! And that the oil on the water represents the tears of the servicemen that died. And that when it runs out in about 10 years, that will be the last tear.
That evening, we were able to meet up with my parents at the PCC for dinner. We got our first glimpse of the place they have spent so much of their time over the past year. We dined at a restaurant called The Gateway. We sampled some authentic Hawaiian food. My favorite were the Kalua pork, purple Taro rolls, and purple Sweet Potato Salad.
By the time we got home, we all crashed-- again! It was a long, fun day!
(I just love when you have spent half an hour typing something and you push some fatal key and the whole thing gets deleted. Here I go again...)
Day Four- Monday, April 14, 2008
We slept in after our long day at Disneyland the day before. After eating breakfast, we packed up our stuff and headed to LAX. We gave ourselves plenty of time, just in case. So much, that we had time to kill. We decided to drive through the neighborhood Randy grew up in. When I say drive through, I mean literally, we didn't get our of the car in spite of the fact that it is now a scary neighborhood. We saw his old preschool and the store he bought candy at as a young boy...a liquor store...nice.
We found a Subway in a better part of town and took it to the beach. We were less than impressed, but it did kill some time. We found a long-term parking lot and arrived at the airport two hours early. The security at LAX was a piece of cake. I made everyone wear their Crocs for easy removal. It worked like a charm. We walked to our gate and tried to find a seat...or should I say 8 seats. Our gate was full so we sat in the gate across from it. After an hour, I decided to check the status of our flight. I walked over tour gate and saw the marquee said, "Maui 4:55" Uh oh. We aren't going to Maui. I told Randy and he checked our tickets. They said, "Honolulu 4:55".
What is going on? He left to investigate and returned a few minutes later. "What are you doing for the next four hours?" Wonderful! Our plane was delayed three hours. Nobody bothered to tell us when we checked in. I had just enough food to last for 7 hours...not 10. And I had barely enough battery left on my cell phone to call my parents and let them know we'd be delayed.
What is going on? He left to investigate and returned a few minutes later. "What are you doing for the next four hours?" Wonderful! Our plane was delayed three hours. Nobody bothered to tell us when we checked in. I had just enough food to last for 7 hours...not 10. And I had barely enough battery left on my cell phone to call my parents and let them know we'd be delayed.
So what did we do in the airport for 5 hours with 6 kids?
~went for walks
~visited the bathroom countless times
~rolled pennies across the walkway
~glued quarters to the ground (who knew it would be so easy to find crazy glue at the airport?)
As we were on our way to buy dinner at the airport McDonald's, someone stopped me and told me the airline will give us meal vouchers. It's a good thing, too. Because our little meal at McDonald's cost $60!
We arrived in Honolulu and by the time we got our bags, it was pretty late. My parents wered supposed to meet us there, but we didn't see them. We were afraid the rental car place would close, so we hopped on the shuttle and headed there. Luckily they were still open. I called my parents and they met us there.
It was so good to see them! They have been gone for almost a year. After hugs and kisses and our Aloha welcome complete with leis and kukui nut necklaces, we started the drive back to their house. It was an hour drive and we were tired. After all, our body thought it was the middle of the night. When we arrived, we made our beds on the couches and floor and we crashed.Day 5- April 15, 2008:
Morning comes early when the roosters crow. We would learn this well over the next ten days. I actually came to enjoy it. I woke up around 6 AM every day....on vacation! How come I can't do that here? Oh well.
Half my family was still asleep, so my dad and I took Casey, Tyler and Nathan to check out the beach. The one where Tyler would be baptized. It was a breezy morning, but it was beautiful. The boys had great fun finding treasures: old coconuts/husks, and nuts.
After breakfast, we all hit the beach- my parents, and all eight of us. It was overcast and a little breezy, so although I packed the sunscreen, I didn't give it another thought. If I had thought about it again, it quickly left my mind as Nathan got stung by a jelly fish. Or 'kissed', as we like to refer to it. Leave it to Nathan. His first time in the ocean, and he gets stung. Luckily, my mom had the foresight to pack some vinegar along....I wouldn't have wanted to pee on the poor kid. We stripped him down, rubbed sand on the wound to get get the tentacles out and poured vinegar on it to neutralize it. Ouch! It was pretty painful for awhile, and I wasn't sure he'd get back in the ocean any time soon. Randy's parents joined us for a little while as Nathan played nude in the sand, and Emma slept on my mom's lap.
We packed up and headed to Chun's Reef to see the turtles that bask on the beach. There, right in front of us, were two enormous Green Sea Turtles! They had the cutest little faces...just like 'Crush' in Finding Nemo! As we were gathered around the rope watching the turtles, Nathan somehow got sand in his eyes....the first of many.
A little farther up the road was the next stop at Matsumoto's for some famous 'Shave Ice'. Mmmmm...so many flavors to choose from....we'll just have to come back!
My sister called to say our momma cat was acting strange. I knew her delivery was imminent, and sure enough, later that day, she called to say there were three newborn kittens. Then four, and finally five!
I'm not sure at what point I realized the extent of our sunburns, but thanks to a local in the grocery store, I was set with my Aloe (a-lo-ay as he called it.) The next couple days would have to be 'non beach' days so we could recover. :)
Day 6- Wednesday, April 16, 2008:
The Swap Meet. Anyone who has been there doesn't need to hear any more. Row after row of tents full of every imaginable souvenir! I was on a mission for some Aloha wear for our family pictures. And whatever else caught my eye.
The kids each got $10 to spend. Some had an easier time than others. Casey learned to bargain with the vendor to afford his mini surfboard. I was looking for white dresses and white shirts...remember this post? Randy and Nathan had expired and I still hadn't found what I needed. My mom found a booth with lots to choose from, but no white ones. I didn't necessarily need them to match, but I didn't want them to clash or be too busy, so I settled on more of a tan one. I found one for everyone. Except me. So after much thought, I decided I would buy a girl's size 14 dress and alter it into a shirt for myself. I would've loved to buy some individual ones just to have- there were so many cute ones. I think I could get used to wearing a muumuu to church! As I was finalizing my decision, I realized Hailey had let Emma out of her stroller. And she didn't know where she was. My heart just about fell out and I panicked. After a few scary moments, we found her. But I was in no mood to do anymore shopping. Not to mention it was getting late and we had more plans. Randy's parent's met up with is once again and we went to Pearl Harbor. We got tickets, but had to wait two hours. My parents weren't able to stay because they had to work at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) that evening. So they left after we all grabbed some lunch.
Casey enjoyed Pearl Harbor. He was bummed that he didn't have his own camera. Because according to him, I didn't take the pictures he wanted. We took the ferry out the memorial. The kids were all very well behaved. I was amazed that there was still oil leaking from the ship after 66 years. The lady there told us it leaks 5-6 quarts a day! And that the oil on the water represents the tears of the servicemen that died. And that when it runs out in about 10 years, that will be the last tear.
That evening, we were able to meet up with my parents at the PCC for dinner. We got our first glimpse of the place they have spent so much of their time over the past year. We dined at a restaurant called The Gateway. We sampled some authentic Hawaiian food. My favorite were the Kalua pork, purple Taro rolls, and purple Sweet Potato Salad.
By the time we got home, we all crashed-- again! It was a long, fun day!
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