I've got lots of catching up to do! We all left Oahu behind on the 21st and headed to Maui.
I must say the 20 min flight was much more enjoyable then the usual 6 hrs we spend on a plane when leaving the island. The kids sat next to the windows and enjoyed pointing out the places they knew on our island and watching the other islands as we passed over.
Maui was beautiful. Imagine this- It's a lot like our island, only different! He he he!!!
We stayed at the Grand Wailea. It was a fabulous resort with 9 pools, a water park, swim-up bars, amazing restaurants, gardens and beaches. It also has the designation as being the spot for the most expensive lunch ever. But that's a story to be told by Mike Furey!
We ventured out for a few excursions. We went to downtown Lahaina and visited Banyan Tree Park, the Marina and browsed through shops.
There are a ton of pics to view.
Our other family outing was over before it started.
The Road to Hana is described as an adventure that is the journey, not the destination.
The journey involves 617 turns, over 50 one-lane bridges and 62 miles of beautiful scenery.
The Road to Hana's journey is supposed to be filled with stops along the way to photograph or swim in waterfalls, hike along breathtaking trails and visit remote beaches.
During our dual van journey, our Road to Hana quickly turned into our Road to Hell!
The road is nothing but switchbacks along the side of mountains on the East side of Maui. The switchbacks yield to one lane bridges with breathtaking views into deep gulches or down the sheer mountain cliffs.
Big Guy was the first, but then the others began to get sick in quick succession. We (I should say Judy since I was holding a sleeping Trey) had just cleaned up from Big Guys puking extravaganza when Van I pulled over and we pulled in behind them in Van II.
I was excited. I sprayed everyone in Van II with bug spray, grabbed my camera and headed over to Van I ready to hike to what I was sure would be a great waterfall.
I got there excited and ready to go and what to my wondering eyes did appear? But pukers, pukers everywhere!
Kathy was bent over the fence losing her breakfast, Ellie was about to begin and Kevin was just thankful the car had come to a stop before he lost his eggs and bacon too. Judy then admitted she was feeling a little green around the gills.
So began the road to hell!
The next puke stop we made I hustled some Drammine from some other tourists but Kathy was too far gone for it to help.
The sad part of this story is that the road ends at the Seven Sacred Pools. Then you have go back the same way you came.
The journey along the road to Hana turned into a "perilous, non-stop, get the hell out of here as fast as you can" road trip that only paused for more puking, a brief lunch stop for those that weren't queasy and a much appreciated break as we hiked to the Seven Sacred Pools. Poor Kathy!
Needless to say there wasn't a chance of me convincing anyone to drive up to Mt Haleakala the next day!!!
Kevin and the boys golfed, we stayed by the beach or the pool and the kids loved every minute!
Thanks Allied! What a great place for a concrete convention!
Mike and Judy flew over after the Convention came to an end.
They spent the week hanging out with the kids. Judy must have played 50 games with Big Guy, Mike taught Baby Trey the "tickle tickle" game and Tara chatted non-stop.
Judy and Mike had the joy of attending the annual Mokapu Halloween Parade, Judy joined us for trick-or-treating and Mike had so much fun passing out candy that when we got home he was passing out cash to the kids!!! (True story!)
As always, we were sad to see them go!
They got home just in time for Mike's birthday- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE FUREY!!!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Hello? Hello? Are you there?
I have a confession to make.
I bought my 7 1/2 year old daughter a cell phone!!
Yes, I have lost my mind! Yes, she will probably lose it!
Before ye cast the first stone- let me plead my case.
I went shopping with the sole intention of utilizing my new every two phone deal with Verizon. Kevin made a huge deal of informing me before I left that all he needed was a phone. He needed to be able to open it, close it and make and receive calls. Simple.
The simple phone included pictures. (I new I was in trouble when I had to get a phone that included a camera.) With this simple phone they were giving away 2 additional phones. With me now at work all day I like to be able to call Tara and ask if they are on their way to school or are they home yet. One of the older kids in the neighborhood watches them but I still worry. So when they offered the extra phone, for free, I thought why not? As I was standing there contemplating the idea and how my DH would react the salesman honed in on my indecisiveness. He began to describe the child watch program they offer. The child watch is a GPS locator for kids. I can set up safe zones and if the phone leaves the safe zone I will be notified via text message. I can also use the GPS locator in the phone and zero in on her on a map using my phone or a computer.
I was hooked. He didn't even have to go into the fact that the phone could be set-up to only allow calls from the pre-programmed phone book. Mr. Salesman, you did your job well. I had a momentary thought of getting one for Big Guy but that would have been true insanity.
She even got a cute little pink phone case. There. My confession is complete.
I also set up her phone so that she she can only call out from her contact list. If you are on her list beware.
I bought my 7 1/2 year old daughter a cell phone!!
Yes, I have lost my mind! Yes, she will probably lose it!
Before ye cast the first stone- let me plead my case.
I went shopping with the sole intention of utilizing my new every two phone deal with Verizon. Kevin made a huge deal of informing me before I left that all he needed was a phone. He needed to be able to open it, close it and make and receive calls. Simple.
The simple phone included pictures. (I new I was in trouble when I had to get a phone that included a camera.) With this simple phone they were giving away 2 additional phones. With me now at work all day I like to be able to call Tara and ask if they are on their way to school or are they home yet. One of the older kids in the neighborhood watches them but I still worry. So when they offered the extra phone, for free, I thought why not? As I was standing there contemplating the idea and how my DH would react the salesman honed in on my indecisiveness. He began to describe the child watch program they offer. The child watch is a GPS locator for kids. I can set up safe zones and if the phone leaves the safe zone I will be notified via text message. I can also use the GPS locator in the phone and zero in on her on a map using my phone or a computer.
I was hooked. He didn't even have to go into the fact that the phone could be set-up to only allow calls from the pre-programmed phone book. Mr. Salesman, you did your job well. I had a momentary thought of getting one for Big Guy but that would have been true insanity.
She even got a cute little pink phone case. There. My confession is complete.
I also set up her phone so that she she can only call out from her contact list. If you are on her list beware.
Monday, October 15, 2007
100_4540dbl
Are these not the cutest kids ever?? We had parent teacher conferences today. Both of their teachers gave them glowing reports! I don't know why I am so amazed but I am near speechless. When I got home to tell them what good kids they are they gave me these pictures. Great pics and great report cards! What a day!
Teachings, Pink Palaces, Air Shows & Birthdays!
Friday Oct 6
The kids were all sick. I thought Big Guy had gotten better but he proved me wrong. I felt so bad for them! They had the entire week off and they were all miserable! How fun is that?
Kevin and I had been checking for room availability at the Hale Koa. When something finally opened I jumped on it! I had been off the week so we could hang out and do fun stuff. Instead I spent the week taking care of sick people! I don't even do that at the hospital! My DH had been going to work every day and playing softball every night so I stayed at the Hale Koa the first night by myself. No kids, no husband, no cooking, no diapers, no puking and no crying!! Aaahhhh. I even managed to have a massage. Double aaahhh!
Anyway, the family tracked me down with their GPS locater I am sure they embedded in me some night when I was unaware.
Hale Koa Day 1 they spent like zombies around the pool. I asked them all if they wanted naps and each one readily volunteered. Everyone woke up four hours later in a much better frame of mind. The DH and I decided we had better take a nice long walk to burn up some of their new found energy.
We meandered over to the Hilton to watch some of their pool-side Luau and take in the sites. They have a caged area set up with pools and rocks where they keep several penguins. We stopped, of course, because Baby Trey was screaming and pointing and demanding it of us. While I was holding him praying he wouldn't jump in the pool and tackle the poor penguins I heard my daughter talking to Big Guy.
"Tyler, do you see those two penguins hiding in the cave? They are mating!"
I was frantically giving my DH the LOOK as I was backing away hoping he would decipher the "Quick! Grab them! Let's go!" vibe I was sending him telepathically. I wanted to be out of there quickly before she went into more detail about penguin mating. My daughter is an expert on all things from Animal Planet or Discovery Kids. The crowd had collectively quieted and was waiting for her to elaborate.
We made a hasty exit before she was able to give the other sweet children an anatomy lesson.
Hale Koa day 2 the kids were once again enjoying the salty waters of the pool. We always plant ourselves in the gated area of the kiddie pool. Baby Trey can splash with no worries. Little children are best kept happy by bringing toys to the pool. The usual are balls, the whole sand castle building bucket of stuff and small floaty things.
On this day a little boy brought a bucket of plastic fish in amounts that boggled the mind. They were in every variety and every child there had a handful. Tara, the knowledge sponge that she is, was surrounded by toddlers as she named the fish and explained where they lived.
I was sitting in the pool scooping fish off the bottom and putting them back in a bucket. I looked at one and gave it to Tara.
"Look Tara! A sword fish."
It had a long sword-like thing on the nose. Sword fish right? Oh no! This wasn't a sword it was a twisted sword-like thing.
"Mom. That's not a sword fish. I can't remember the name of it but it lives in the Antarctic with the Beluga"
Who am I to argue with the Discovery Kid?? (To her credit, I don't remember if she said Arctic or Antarctic and I am just happy I know a Beluga is a whale!) I determined right then I wasn't needed and left her to her teaching.
_______________
I have wanted to visit the The Royal Hawaiian and never gotten around to it. It's the big pink hotel along Waikiki Beach that's been around since the 1920's. It was designed for the Hawaiian royalty. The kids and I took a walk and found our way to the beautiful old hotel. The boys didn't really care where we were. Tara was quite impressed with it's opulence. I must confess the decor and architecture was overwhelming. You could feel and touch the history of the place but.... it seemed incredibly small!
There is no sprawling lobby adorned with local flora and island plush furniture. The pool was tiny, the lounge chairs, while nicely embellished with pink pads and thick terry cloth pink towels and pink umbrellas, were crammed together with little room for walking. The beach beyond it's borders was narrow and over crowded.
I had promised the kids an ice cream when we finally reached our destination. Of course there were no simple ice creams at the Royal Hawaiian. No ice cream sandwiches or fudgesicles here! My 3 kids dripped Hagaan Daas happily down their faces and begged for drinks I refused to buy. I left the Royal Hawaiian very pleased to have seen it but I had a new appreciation for the Hale Koa. One more site crossed off my list!
Fri Oct 12
This is the weekend of Blues On The Bay! Yeeaahh! (Pardon my ambiguity but I was stationed at the winter home of the Blue Angels and have personally seen them enough for a life time. Barb and Suella- I am sure you understand!) In honor of the festivities the kids were once again out of school. This holiday was labeled Waiver Day. To celebrate Waiver Day we went to the Air Show. It was military appreciation day. The masses were kept off the base till Saturday and Sunday. The private chalets were not yet private so we had the run of the place.
Kevin had been taking the kids to a nearby hill almost daily to watch the aircraft's practice. I didn't think I needed to force the kids to watch planes they had already seen but the Blues are much better if you can hear the narrator's chatter that accompanies their show. We skipped most of the day and showed up for the main event.
We stood directly in front of the blue F-18's as they fired up their engines and made their way into the air. I was concerned about the noise bothering the kids but they were so enthralled with the excitement they didn't mention the screaming engines.
Trey was so excited he didn't know where to point or look. I was fearing whiplash as fast as he was turning his head! Big Guy was laughing and full of Oohhs! and Aahhs! My DD watched, but you could tell she would have much rather been doing "girl" stuff. As we left they were still flying and I proudly told them they were listening to the sound of freedom. They are pretty awe inspiring!
_______________
Today is Trey's birthday! Yeah! He's two! He's also rotten, adorable, spoiled, mischievous, smart, bad and absolutely perfect! He had ton's of presents (thanks everybody!) and a huge bowl of ice cream cause that's what he loves best. When we sang he buried his head in whoever was closest and if he could have crawled under the table he would have. As usual he was the center of attention. Happy Birthday Baby!! Pictures have been posted. Lots of pictures....
The kids were all sick. I thought Big Guy had gotten better but he proved me wrong. I felt so bad for them! They had the entire week off and they were all miserable! How fun is that?
Kevin and I had been checking for room availability at the Hale Koa. When something finally opened I jumped on it! I had been off the week so we could hang out and do fun stuff. Instead I spent the week taking care of sick people! I don't even do that at the hospital! My DH had been going to work every day and playing softball every night so I stayed at the Hale Koa the first night by myself. No kids, no husband, no cooking, no diapers, no puking and no crying!! Aaahhhh. I even managed to have a massage. Double aaahhh!
Anyway, the family tracked me down with their GPS locater I am sure they embedded in me some night when I was unaware.
Hale Koa Day 1 they spent like zombies around the pool. I asked them all if they wanted naps and each one readily volunteered. Everyone woke up four hours later in a much better frame of mind. The DH and I decided we had better take a nice long walk to burn up some of their new found energy.
We meandered over to the Hilton to watch some of their pool-side Luau and take in the sites. They have a caged area set up with pools and rocks where they keep several penguins. We stopped, of course, because Baby Trey was screaming and pointing and demanding it of us. While I was holding him praying he wouldn't jump in the pool and tackle the poor penguins I heard my daughter talking to Big Guy.
"Tyler, do you see those two penguins hiding in the cave? They are mating!"
I was frantically giving my DH the LOOK as I was backing away hoping he would decipher the "Quick! Grab them! Let's go!" vibe I was sending him telepathically. I wanted to be out of there quickly before she went into more detail about penguin mating. My daughter is an expert on all things from Animal Planet or Discovery Kids. The crowd had collectively quieted and was waiting for her to elaborate.
We made a hasty exit before she was able to give the other sweet children an anatomy lesson.
Hale Koa day 2 the kids were once again enjoying the salty waters of the pool. We always plant ourselves in the gated area of the kiddie pool. Baby Trey can splash with no worries. Little children are best kept happy by bringing toys to the pool. The usual are balls, the whole sand castle building bucket of stuff and small floaty things.
On this day a little boy brought a bucket of plastic fish in amounts that boggled the mind. They were in every variety and every child there had a handful. Tara, the knowledge sponge that she is, was surrounded by toddlers as she named the fish and explained where they lived.
I was sitting in the pool scooping fish off the bottom and putting them back in a bucket. I looked at one and gave it to Tara.
"Look Tara! A sword fish."
It had a long sword-like thing on the nose. Sword fish right? Oh no! This wasn't a sword it was a twisted sword-like thing.
"Mom. That's not a sword fish. I can't remember the name of it but it lives in the Antarctic with the Beluga"
Who am I to argue with the Discovery Kid?? (To her credit, I don't remember if she said Arctic or Antarctic and I am just happy I know a Beluga is a whale!) I determined right then I wasn't needed and left her to her teaching.
_______________
I have wanted to visit the The Royal Hawaiian and never gotten around to it. It's the big pink hotel along Waikiki Beach that's been around since the 1920's. It was designed for the Hawaiian royalty. The kids and I took a walk and found our way to the beautiful old hotel. The boys didn't really care where we were. Tara was quite impressed with it's opulence. I must confess the decor and architecture was overwhelming. You could feel and touch the history of the place but.... it seemed incredibly small!
There is no sprawling lobby adorned with local flora and island plush furniture. The pool was tiny, the lounge chairs, while nicely embellished with pink pads and thick terry cloth pink towels and pink umbrellas, were crammed together with little room for walking. The beach beyond it's borders was narrow and over crowded.
I had promised the kids an ice cream when we finally reached our destination. Of course there were no simple ice creams at the Royal Hawaiian. No ice cream sandwiches or fudgesicles here! My 3 kids dripped Hagaan Daas happily down their faces and begged for drinks I refused to buy. I left the Royal Hawaiian very pleased to have seen it but I had a new appreciation for the Hale Koa. One more site crossed off my list!
Fri Oct 12
This is the weekend of Blues On The Bay! Yeeaahh! (Pardon my ambiguity but I was stationed at the winter home of the Blue Angels and have personally seen them enough for a life time. Barb and Suella- I am sure you understand!) In honor of the festivities the kids were once again out of school. This holiday was labeled Waiver Day. To celebrate Waiver Day we went to the Air Show. It was military appreciation day. The masses were kept off the base till Saturday and Sunday. The private chalets were not yet private so we had the run of the place.
Kevin had been taking the kids to a nearby hill almost daily to watch the aircraft's practice. I didn't think I needed to force the kids to watch planes they had already seen but the Blues are much better if you can hear the narrator's chatter that accompanies their show. We skipped most of the day and showed up for the main event.
We stood directly in front of the blue F-18's as they fired up their engines and made their way into the air. I was concerned about the noise bothering the kids but they were so enthralled with the excitement they didn't mention the screaming engines.
Trey was so excited he didn't know where to point or look. I was fearing whiplash as fast as he was turning his head! Big Guy was laughing and full of Oohhs! and Aahhs! My DD watched, but you could tell she would have much rather been doing "girl" stuff. As we left they were still flying and I proudly told them they were listening to the sound of freedom. They are pretty awe inspiring!
_______________
Today is Trey's birthday! Yeah! He's two! He's also rotten, adorable, spoiled, mischievous, smart, bad and absolutely perfect! He had ton's of presents (thanks everybody!) and a huge bowl of ice cream cause that's what he loves best. When we sang he buried his head in whoever was closest and if he could have crawled under the table he would have. As usual he was the center of attention. Happy Birthday Baby!! Pictures have been posted. Lots of pictures....
Friday, October 05, 2007
Buffett, Remotes and the Dentist
The DH and I went to see Buffett last night for the Honolulu stop of the Bama Breeze tour. I apologize to any and all that I called while there to torment with me yelling "Listen!! I'm at Buffett!" and then holding the phone in the air for them to hear the show on their voicemail for at least 5 minutes. Kevin and I left the house with no idea where the Waikiki Shell was even located. With the help of friendly Parrotheads we found the stage and even snagged some Jello-shooters on the walk in. Once upon a time it was illegal to bring cameras or video recording devices into a concert. I wanted to be able to snap a picture so I smuggled in the DH's small digital camera. People everywhere were holding their huge DLRs with their ginormous telephoto lenses. I guess I need not have worried. So lots of people probably have spectacular images of Jimmy on stage and I have a barefoot blurr in a yellow shirt and blue jean shorts. Yoohoo!
Chantell arrived at the show around 4 in the afternoon to get in line to get in, an hour and a half later. You go Chantell! She got the best lawn seats in the house! Great job and thanks!
I love to go to a Buffett concert. People are there of every age. We had teens on one side and a group that had to be in their late fifties on the other. Buffett is timeless. There was a guy that I chatted with that was bringing his daughter to her first concert. She must have been all of 10-12 years-old. That made me laugh. My DD had told me a couple of hours earlier
"Mom! That's not fair! I want to go! He sings the Cheeseburger song!"
That made me proud. My seven year old knows who Jimmy Buffett is. Sorry Paula- I met no one from Utah. The place was packed. The usual beach balls and balloons were a flyin' around, the smell of Maui was everywhere, and Jimmy commented on how awesome it is to be on the beach and then walk over to enjoy the show. The music was as it always is- fantastic. I hope he tours for many more years!
_______________
Emily stayed with the kids last night. We were almost late leaving because we couldn't find the remotes to the TVs. FYI- Kev went into Tyler's room this morning and found 5 remotes and a phone. The question is not just why but also who???
_______________
We all went to a new dentist yesterday. The kids were great. Tara expressed her concern over the fact that she has only lost 2 teeth. The dentist assured her she would lose more. He told me she would probably lose them rapidly around the same time. He did point out that Tyler would probably be the exact opposite. His roots are already deteriorating. He might actually beat his sister at something! Usually when I go to a dentist I open my my mouth and I see $ in their eyes and can hear the "Ca-ching" of money flying from my account. I loved this guy! He said
"Your teeth look great!"
Holy guacamole! No crown? No artificial bone grafting surgery? No root canals? No belittling for not doing something that I do already? I wanted to add him to my Christmas card list right there in the chair! The entire place was friendly! I never get this excited over a dentist!! I am still in disbelief. Not that anybody wants to know this, but the bone graft worked! My pockets were reduced from 7-9 to nothing but 2-3s. If you have no idea what I am talking about that's good. If you do then you know that's great!! Okay, I am going to quit gushing about a dental visit now. Don't forget to floss!!
Chantell arrived at the show around 4 in the afternoon to get in line to get in, an hour and a half later. You go Chantell! She got the best lawn seats in the house! Great job and thanks!
I love to go to a Buffett concert. People are there of every age. We had teens on one side and a group that had to be in their late fifties on the other. Buffett is timeless. There was a guy that I chatted with that was bringing his daughter to her first concert. She must have been all of 10-12 years-old. That made me laugh. My DD had told me a couple of hours earlier
"Mom! That's not fair! I want to go! He sings the Cheeseburger song!"
That made me proud. My seven year old knows who Jimmy Buffett is. Sorry Paula- I met no one from Utah. The place was packed. The usual beach balls and balloons were a flyin' around, the smell of Maui was everywhere, and Jimmy commented on how awesome it is to be on the beach and then walk over to enjoy the show. The music was as it always is- fantastic. I hope he tours for many more years!
_______________
Emily stayed with the kids last night. We were almost late leaving because we couldn't find the remotes to the TVs. FYI- Kev went into Tyler's room this morning and found 5 remotes and a phone. The question is not just why but also who???
_______________
We all went to a new dentist yesterday. The kids were great. Tara expressed her concern over the fact that she has only lost 2 teeth. The dentist assured her she would lose more. He told me she would probably lose them rapidly around the same time. He did point out that Tyler would probably be the exact opposite. His roots are already deteriorating. He might actually beat his sister at something! Usually when I go to a dentist I open my my mouth and I see $ in their eyes and can hear the "Ca-ching" of money flying from my account. I loved this guy! He said
"Your teeth look great!"
Holy guacamole! No crown? No artificial bone grafting surgery? No root canals? No belittling for not doing something that I do already? I wanted to add him to my Christmas card list right there in the chair! The entire place was friendly! I never get this excited over a dentist!! I am still in disbelief. Not that anybody wants to know this, but the bone graft worked! My pockets were reduced from 7-9 to nothing but 2-3s. If you have no idea what I am talking about that's good. If you do then you know that's great!! Okay, I am going to quit gushing about a dental visit now. Don't forget to floss!!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Pity No More!!
I hate feet! Feet are gross. I have a pedicure every now and then just to have a pound of flesh removed from the bottom and sides of my too often bare and quite neglected feet. The women stuck performing this task often shake their heads and as the pile of dead skin grows higher and higher they have been known to call friends over to marvel at the mounds of sloughed-off skin. I am like a carnival side show when it comes to pedicures. I always have my toe nails painted in a very blah french tip style. I want no one starring at my feet ohhing and ahhing over a selected color because with the prolonged look they may notice what I have always known- my feet should be chopped off and donated to science.
On my last visit for skin removal I took my dear daughter. She has her father's feet. For this I am eternally grateful to the little bits and pieces of DNA that determined her parts distribution. She proudly picked the brightest bottle of polish on the shelf. She sat perfectly still and enjoyed the massage chair and didn't mind one bit while someone labored over her feet. She didn't wiggle or squirm and sat very stoically through the entire procedure. The lady assigned this task was quite impressed by her behavior and added a very beautiful flower to her toes at no extra charge. She loved every minute of the fuss over her feet!
I noticed something too. While everyone was marveling over the beautiful young lady I had beside me, my feet were not the center of attention. The lady merely looked at me and I got the pitied head shake and tongue "tsk! tsk!" but I was not barraged by the normal group of oglers. I may take this wonderful distraction with me more often.
On my last visit for skin removal I took my dear daughter. She has her father's feet. For this I am eternally grateful to the little bits and pieces of DNA that determined her parts distribution. She proudly picked the brightest bottle of polish on the shelf. She sat perfectly still and enjoyed the massage chair and didn't mind one bit while someone labored over her feet. She didn't wiggle or squirm and sat very stoically through the entire procedure. The lady assigned this task was quite impressed by her behavior and added a very beautiful flower to her toes at no extra charge. She loved every minute of the fuss over her feet!
I noticed something too. While everyone was marveling over the beautiful young lady I had beside me, my feet were not the center of attention. The lady merely looked at me and I got the pitied head shake and tongue "tsk! tsk!" but I was not barraged by the normal group of oglers. I may take this wonderful distraction with me more often.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Yet Another School Holiday!
One of the perks of being contract is that I am able to take off when my kids are out of school. Here in Hawaii they have "year round" school. I think that is actually code for "take as many holidays as you want" school. We are currently enjoying Fall Break which began with Sept 28th being Waiver Day, Oct 1-5 being Fall Break and Oct 8 being Teacher Institute Day. I could be wrong but Teacher Institute Day used to be Columbus Day. In an effort to be politically correct, it became Discoverer's Day and, for the life of me, I haven't a clue what Teacher Institute Day represents. Any guesses that don't involve the obvious joke of teaching and their right to being institutionalized?
If you read this you know my boys have been sick. PUKING, FEVERISH, MISERABLE sick. Today has been a complete change. I have been on the computer doing things people do on the computer while my children run wild and rampant through the house.
-Trey has brought me no less than 3 Halloween sized candy bars from the bag that is hidden. I have tried to finish what I am doing and happily opened each one and sent him away with smiles on his chocolaty face
-Tara has finished her Christmas list. I tell her that her Christmas list can only be 10 items long so that we don't overwhelm Santa with our requests. She has met my requirement by making a new list, 10 items long, daily.
-Tyler has been grazing through the kitchen eating everything in his path. He hasn't touched solid food for 3 days. He is making up for it now. Obvious sign of wellness!
-After each candy bar, Baby Trey opens the fridge, grabs the gallon of milk and drags it to me. Than he finds a sipee cup and does the same while yelling "Mom-myyyy, milk, and Barrnneeeyy! Thank heavens for Time Warner and Kids on Demand.
-Trey is my touchy feely child. If you remove his diaper he pushes his button. If you take off his shirt he plays with his circuit breakers. Now he has discovered the joy in pulling up Mommy or Daddy's shirt and playing in their belly button. That is what he is doing right now. I must go do something fun with my children!
If you read this you know my boys have been sick. PUKING, FEVERISH, MISERABLE sick. Today has been a complete change. I have been on the computer doing things people do on the computer while my children run wild and rampant through the house.
-Trey has brought me no less than 3 Halloween sized candy bars from the bag that is hidden. I have tried to finish what I am doing and happily opened each one and sent him away with smiles on his chocolaty face
-Tara has finished her Christmas list. I tell her that her Christmas list can only be 10 items long so that we don't overwhelm Santa with our requests. She has met my requirement by making a new list, 10 items long, daily.
-Tyler has been grazing through the kitchen eating everything in his path. He hasn't touched solid food for 3 days. He is making up for it now. Obvious sign of wellness!
-After each candy bar, Baby Trey opens the fridge, grabs the gallon of milk and drags it to me. Than he finds a sipee cup and does the same while yelling "Mom-myyyy, milk, and Barrnneeeyy! Thank heavens for Time Warner and Kids on Demand.
-Trey is my touchy feely child. If you remove his diaper he pushes his button. If you take off his shirt he plays with his circuit breakers. Now he has discovered the joy in pulling up Mommy or Daddy's shirt and playing in their belly button. That is what he is doing right now. I must go do something fun with my children!
Monday, October 01, 2007
Surf Lesson Video
After a very long wait we received our video from Heath Thompson. Heath, of Waterlogged Productions, made a recording of the kids surfing when the Beatty's were here. I have embedded it at the very bottom of this page. It 's a wonderful video and a beautiful display of many of the sites here in Paradise. Scroll all the way to the bottom. Enjoy!
At Random
Tara was Citizen of the Month at Mokapu for September. Woohoo! Way to go Tara! She wore one of her fancy dresses for the occasion. Her good friend, Cody, was also Student of the Month. They are both in Mrs. Holiday's class and he lives just up the street. They are so cute!!!
Big Guy had his first football game Saturday morning. He had on his jersey, mouth piece in place, with the "black stuff" smeared under his eyes. He looked like such a little man!! He played hard and there was vast improvement from some of the first practices that I saw. They were able to actually make plays that didn't involve a dog pile. This is going to be one good season to watch!
Tara had her first performance of the cheer season shortly after Big Guy's game. The did a half- time routine that was done very well and even included some stunts. Very impressive for a first show! Last year they were the MCBH Bulldogs. This year they have changed their names to the D-Dogs. (Yep, we're on a Marine Corps base!) Gooo D-Dogs!!
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Tara is my child that tends to be on the creative side. If she is bored she will find something to do. Tape does not last long in my house. Most of her projects involve the use of tape. She tapes up the end of empty paper towel tubes to make shakers or tapes various items inside of boxes that become houses for pet rocks, etc. etc. I'm sure you get the idea. For the last couple of days I have noticed a new flower decoration taped to my wall. It's very pretty. It has a a big leaf with several other leaves taped to it and a gorgeous red flower taped in the middle. The entire creation is taped very securely to my wall. I get it. It's pretty and she wanted it to be a beautiful decoration displayed on my wall. What I am baffled by is the new addition I found taped next to her lovely arrangement. A calculator. A small hand held calculator is taped to the wall right beside the flower. Why??
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Last night was one of those evenings one spends reminiscing about the years before children. Kev and I were exhausted. He scampered upstairs about 7:30 mumbling something about watching TV. I knew what he was up to!! So I rested my weary head on the side of the couch and told the boys to lay down and go to sleep. Hah! That didn't happen. Who knew they would be up all night? I am pretty sure they must have been drinking coffee and eating sugar. Finally when I was done being awakened by toys bouncing off my head and Trey poking his fingers in my eyes and up my nose proudly showing off his anatomy skills, I got up and pulled the big bad Mom routine and made them go to sleep. Since my adrenalin kicked in I was hopelessly awake and began to do a little internet surfing. An hour or so later the real fun began. Big Guy woke up crying, hotter than Hades with the temp he was suffering from and complaining of a headache. ( I was waiting for this to happen. Emily's kids had it first so there were no surprises when this little virus surfaced!) Motrin had to be searched for in the medicine basket I pretend is organized, the thermometer's whereabouts I am still seeking, the puke bucket had to be recovered and I had to put on my Mommy nurturing smile and hold my now feeble child as he suffered through another late night illness. Just as I got Big Guy settled down guess what? It was Trey's turn to wake up miserable. About 3am I kicked Kevin out of bed and said "Tag! Your it!" (At this point he had been sleeping for at least 6 hours. How is that fair and why do I feel it is my sole responsibility to provide care during an illness? I know it is embedded in the mommy gene but I swear it is some type of genetic flaw that needs to be eradicated!) He spent the rest of the night holding Trey and keeping him comfortable. I can't stand when my kids are miserable. I am typing this pretty late on the following evening and Big Guy is still groaning and moaning in his sleep. I have a feeling this is going to be another long night. Remember when if you stayed up all night it was fun and then you got to sleep in the next day? Sometimes I do long for my misspent youth.
Big Guy had his first football game Saturday morning. He had on his jersey, mouth piece in place, with the "black stuff" smeared under his eyes. He looked like such a little man!! He played hard and there was vast improvement from some of the first practices that I saw. They were able to actually make plays that didn't involve a dog pile. This is going to be one good season to watch!
Tara had her first performance of the cheer season shortly after Big Guy's game. The did a half- time routine that was done very well and even included some stunts. Very impressive for a first show! Last year they were the MCBH Bulldogs. This year they have changed their names to the D-Dogs. (Yep, we're on a Marine Corps base!) Gooo D-Dogs!!
__________________
Tara is my child that tends to be on the creative side. If she is bored she will find something to do. Tape does not last long in my house. Most of her projects involve the use of tape. She tapes up the end of empty paper towel tubes to make shakers or tapes various items inside of boxes that become houses for pet rocks, etc. etc. I'm sure you get the idea. For the last couple of days I have noticed a new flower decoration taped to my wall. It's very pretty. It has a a big leaf with several other leaves taped to it and a gorgeous red flower taped in the middle. The entire creation is taped very securely to my wall. I get it. It's pretty and she wanted it to be a beautiful decoration displayed on my wall. What I am baffled by is the new addition I found taped next to her lovely arrangement. A calculator. A small hand held calculator is taped to the wall right beside the flower. Why??
_________________
Last night was one of those evenings one spends reminiscing about the years before children. Kev and I were exhausted. He scampered upstairs about 7:30 mumbling something about watching TV. I knew what he was up to!! So I rested my weary head on the side of the couch and told the boys to lay down and go to sleep. Hah! That didn't happen. Who knew they would be up all night? I am pretty sure they must have been drinking coffee and eating sugar. Finally when I was done being awakened by toys bouncing off my head and Trey poking his fingers in my eyes and up my nose proudly showing off his anatomy skills, I got up and pulled the big bad Mom routine and made them go to sleep. Since my adrenalin kicked in I was hopelessly awake and began to do a little internet surfing. An hour or so later the real fun began. Big Guy woke up crying, hotter than Hades with the temp he was suffering from and complaining of a headache. ( I was waiting for this to happen. Emily's kids had it first so there were no surprises when this little virus surfaced!) Motrin had to be searched for in the medicine basket I pretend is organized, the thermometer's whereabouts I am still seeking, the puke bucket had to be recovered and I had to put on my Mommy nurturing smile and hold my now feeble child as he suffered through another late night illness. Just as I got Big Guy settled down guess what? It was Trey's turn to wake up miserable. About 3am I kicked Kevin out of bed and said "Tag! Your it!" (At this point he had been sleeping for at least 6 hours. How is that fair and why do I feel it is my sole responsibility to provide care during an illness? I know it is embedded in the mommy gene but I swear it is some type of genetic flaw that needs to be eradicated!) He spent the rest of the night holding Trey and keeping him comfortable. I can't stand when my kids are miserable. I am typing this pretty late on the following evening and Big Guy is still groaning and moaning in his sleep. I have a feeling this is going to be another long night. Remember when if you stayed up all night it was fun and then you got to sleep in the next day? Sometimes I do long for my misspent youth.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
That's Love
I am double dipping today but I am feeling rejuvenated! When Baby Trey woke up I was really yearning for the beach. Tara and Tyler were out playing and I was tired of waiting for them. Since I have been working (I won't take that statement any further because I know you are tired of me whining about working) we are all growing quite pale. We are beginning to look as if we live in Alaska and not Hawaii. I was killing time, pacing back and forth when my DH said "Honey if you want to go to the beach why don't you go..." At this point in his sentence I took off like the wind, raced up stairs, changed into my favorite "no one will see me suit", grabbed a book, my keys and a towel and was almost back downstairs before he could finish his sentence with "...and I'll bring the kids if they want to go when they get home." That my friends is love. He earned huge brownie points for that one statement. I don't know if it was love for me or love for football, but really, does it matter? I was out the door before he could reconsider. I heard him say something about look for them as you go up the hill but I ducked my head and hoped for a clean escape. I drove on auto-pilot to Secret Beach. Apparently the secret is out (I'll blame that on Melissa and Ray!!!) because my spot was full and I was in search of quiet solitude. I drove a little more and found a nice deserted patch of sand further down. I spent an hour in deep thought about life and things when I noticed a beautiful girl walking the beach. That beautiful girl was Tara followed by Tyler, Trey and my DH. The few moments alone were nice, but the joy I felt in seeing my family, and the fun we had playing in the water and throwing around the clay we dug up with our hands and feet, was priceless. Aloha...
Too old....
Nothing makes my morning brighter than starting my day with a reading from this web site. This morning while laughing out loud with my coffee flavored hazel-nut concoction, Kevin came limping, moaning and whining down the steps.
"I am too old for this!"
He played softball last night. His elbow has a layer of skin removed and has begun to crust over making it painful to bend. He collided with a big ole' Marine as he ran for home and is now stooped over like an eighty-year-old man on a calcium-free diet for the last 50 years. He has a big old bruise on the inside of his thigh, right at his groin where his boys used to be. They got grazed and are still in hiding. He whined and moaned as he feebly stretched out on the couch. I looked at his softball schedule posted by the desk. "Hey dear! Today is Saturday! Just think on Monday you have two more games!" He replied with a groan. Hehehehehe! It's a great morning!
"I am too old for this!"
He played softball last night. His elbow has a layer of skin removed and has begun to crust over making it painful to bend. He collided with a big ole' Marine as he ran for home and is now stooped over like an eighty-year-old man on a calcium-free diet for the last 50 years. He has a big old bruise on the inside of his thigh, right at his groin where his boys used to be. They got grazed and are still in hiding. He whined and moaned as he feebly stretched out on the couch. I looked at his softball schedule posted by the desk. "Hey dear! Today is Saturday! Just think on Monday you have two more games!" He replied with a groan. Hehehehehe! It's a great morning!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Wow! So much to say! So much to write about!
I have bad news. Work has asked me to extend my contract. They now want me to remain in the clinic through the end of December. Monday through Friday. I became a nurse so I didn't have to work 5 days a week. I don't mind the job, I sort of like it. They need the help too. So, if you do a good job, your are rewarded. The term that applies here, as with most things in life, is karma. My company has always treated me justly and fairly so I will do this favor for them. (Hey, I just found out I have accrued PAL time so I feel as if I owe 'em!) I will bite the bullet and stick it out. It's only 3 more months. Three more months of not languishing on the shores of the beach and enjoying the peace and the beauty that comforts me there. (What am I doing?!?) It's okay though, I know the warm sands of tranquility are there and will be at my next duty station too!
Not much has changed here. Tara is enjoying cheering and Big Guy is loving football. Football for 4-5-year-olds is a comedy in the making. Whichever poor child ends up with the pigskin is the base of a massive dog pile. It is play after play of the dog pile that moves down the field. They haven't yet grasped the concept that they are on the same team, nor that they are playing flag football and there is no tackling in flag football. Tara is participating in drama club. I don't know why she has to go to school to find drama, but it is an extracurricular activity and if it makes her happy, it makes me happy. Both are attending CCD. Big Guy wasn't real excited about it last year. This year he has lots of friends from his sports endeavors and from the CDC so he is very comfortable. It's a big year for Tara. She will receive First Holy Communion. She is very excited and a little too motivated. My dear daughter has the ten commandments posted on the refrigerator and is quick to point out the difference between right and wrong. My DH has been standing in for Mom and making the rounds at school for family lunch days. Gotta love the Dad that makes family a priority.
Tara and I had a Girls Afternoon Out. Saturday we took in a performance of the Lion King. The show was absolutely breath taking. The costumes and theatrics were incredible. Tara was wide-eyed with amazement and appreciated the story so much more because it was one that was familiar to her. She laughed and clapped and we all stood together for a much deserved standing ovation. If you get chance and opportunity this is one not to be missed.
I must now extinguish the power of the pen. It is back to work time for me.
I have bad news. Work has asked me to extend my contract. They now want me to remain in the clinic through the end of December. Monday through Friday. I became a nurse so I didn't have to work 5 days a week. I don't mind the job, I sort of like it. They need the help too. So, if you do a good job, your are rewarded. The term that applies here, as with most things in life, is karma. My company has always treated me justly and fairly so I will do this favor for them. (Hey, I just found out I have accrued PAL time so I feel as if I owe 'em!) I will bite the bullet and stick it out. It's only 3 more months. Three more months of not languishing on the shores of the beach and enjoying the peace and the beauty that comforts me there. (What am I doing?!?) It's okay though, I know the warm sands of tranquility are there and will be at my next duty station too!
Not much has changed here. Tara is enjoying cheering and Big Guy is loving football. Football for 4-5-year-olds is a comedy in the making. Whichever poor child ends up with the pigskin is the base of a massive dog pile. It is play after play of the dog pile that moves down the field. They haven't yet grasped the concept that they are on the same team, nor that they are playing flag football and there is no tackling in flag football. Tara is participating in drama club. I don't know why she has to go to school to find drama, but it is an extracurricular activity and if it makes her happy, it makes me happy. Both are attending CCD. Big Guy wasn't real excited about it last year. This year he has lots of friends from his sports endeavors and from the CDC so he is very comfortable. It's a big year for Tara. She will receive First Holy Communion. She is very excited and a little too motivated. My dear daughter has the ten commandments posted on the refrigerator and is quick to point out the difference between right and wrong. My DH has been standing in for Mom and making the rounds at school for family lunch days. Gotta love the Dad that makes family a priority.
Tara and I had a Girls Afternoon Out. Saturday we took in a performance of the Lion King. The show was absolutely breath taking. The costumes and theatrics were incredible. Tara was wide-eyed with amazement and appreciated the story so much more because it was one that was familiar to her. She laughed and clapped and we all stood together for a much deserved standing ovation. If you get chance and opportunity this is one not to be missed.
I must now extinguish the power of the pen. It is back to work time for me.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Remember 9/11
Aloha! It's Sept 11. Please take a moment today to remember the tragedy that unfolded 6 years ago. Remember the horrific images of explosions, fire, death, dust and rubble. Remember too the hero's that were made and lost. I also remember, in the days that followed, how united we were as a country. It was amazing to look around and see Old Glory on cars and on homes, lapel pins, magnets. Spirits were high and the military was an icon of honor, courage, commitment and integrity. Now? People are done with the war and the military. It's a common theme of both conservatives and liberals "to support your service men and women" even if you don't support the cause. Why do people have to be reminded to support the men and women that are serving their country so that these same idiots are allowed to voice their stupidity? This is where I have to stop. It could get ugly. No politics today. Today is for remembrance. Remember the pride and hope that united us all after 9/11? See if you can't relive a little of that!
REMEMBER !!
NEVER FORGET !!
REMEMBER !!
NEVER FORGET !!
Monday, September 03, 2007
Citizen of the Month
Tyler is having lots of firsts! He has started kindergarten, went to his first school friend's birthday party and at his very first assembly he went up on stage and accepted his first award as citizen of the month! Daddy took time from work, mom went in late and baby Trey was there too! He had cookies and punch to celebrate and then went quickly back to class just so he wouldn't miss anything. We were very proud of our Big Guy. Now if we could just get a real smile!!
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Worst Parents Ever
My daughter is a sap. It's been confirmed before and there is no end in sight. She cries over movies, stray cats that aren't with their family and even flowers that die after being picked. This weekend she went over the top in the drama queen game.
Kevin and I have a 19" TV that we have had since we were married. It was actually left in his old apartment by one of his roommates that moved out too quickly. The name brand is Crozely. It's wrapped in a faux wood tone and is so old it has one port on the back to which you can hook up cable. We had to buy a special RF modulator thingy to be able to watch DVDs. In the last year, the picture has become snowy and it was just time to be rid of the old eye sore. This past weekend I had time to hit some yard sales in search of a replacement. I got a great deal on a 29" Panasonic TV with a built in DVD player. The DH and I did the juggle, move and replace thing and finally put the old TV out by the road for the trash to pick up. All is well, right?
WRONG!!!
We found our DD crying hysterically with her arms wrapped around the TV. After Kevin and I got done giggling over the situation while watching through the window, I bit the bullet and went to talk with her. Amidst the sniffles and sobs she proceeded to tell me that it wasn't fair. She had been with this particular TV since she was a baby and why couldn't we keep it? I tried to talk of living and non-living things and she wasn't buying any of it. Why couldn't it stay in a closet until we moved and then it could be put in a play room again where Baby Trey could watch it too? I shook my head and went back inside knowing I couldn't win against this particular chain of thought. I later discovered that my DD had rolled the thing back into the house and I almost tripped over it as I came down the stairs. It is now back in the yard and she periodically sits with it. I can only imagine the conversations are about how mean and evil her parents are for throwing it out. I am sure we are the worst parents ever! Drama Queen!
Kevin and I have a 19" TV that we have had since we were married. It was actually left in his old apartment by one of his roommates that moved out too quickly. The name brand is Crozely. It's wrapped in a faux wood tone and is so old it has one port on the back to which you can hook up cable. We had to buy a special RF modulator thingy to be able to watch DVDs. In the last year, the picture has become snowy and it was just time to be rid of the old eye sore. This past weekend I had time to hit some yard sales in search of a replacement. I got a great deal on a 29" Panasonic TV with a built in DVD player. The DH and I did the juggle, move and replace thing and finally put the old TV out by the road for the trash to pick up. All is well, right?
WRONG!!!
We found our DD crying hysterically with her arms wrapped around the TV. After Kevin and I got done giggling over the situation while watching through the window, I bit the bullet and went to talk with her. Amidst the sniffles and sobs she proceeded to tell me that it wasn't fair. She had been with this particular TV since she was a baby and why couldn't we keep it? I tried to talk of living and non-living things and she wasn't buying any of it. Why couldn't it stay in a closet until we moved and then it could be put in a play room again where Baby Trey could watch it too? I shook my head and went back inside knowing I couldn't win against this particular chain of thought. I later discovered that my DD had rolled the thing back into the house and I almost tripped over it as I came down the stairs. It is now back in the yard and she periodically sits with it. I can only imagine the conversations are about how mean and evil her parents are for throwing it out. I am sure we are the worst parents ever! Drama Queen!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Why are you here?
I am working in an emergency walk-in OB clinic. Some of the things I hear are amazing. Some of the things I would like to say aren't very professional. Personally, I think I could cut down on our workload if I could just tell it like it is. For instance.....
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 1: "I have a cold. I have had this cold for 3 days. I don't know what to do."
(You have a cold. A cold has to run it's course. A normal cold lasts 5-7 days. Go home.)
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 2: "I am tired and and always feel as if I could puke."
(Sounds like you're pregnant. Oh! That's right, you are. Go home.)
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 3: "My gums are bleeding and my tooth hurts."
At this comment I just stared at her. Really. I couldn't say anything! (Hey dumbass! You need a dentist! Not a doctor! DDS not MD! Go find a phonebook and look under dentist! You're in the military stupid! You have insurance! Please leave!
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 4: "Well I need an STD check."
Me: Looking confused "Your admission paper says cramping and spotting."
Pt 4: "Yes but my boyfriend was with me. He's not very faithful so I would like to be checked for STDs."
Me: Just staring. (Wow. You're stupid. Get checked. Go home. Find a new boyfriend.)
and finally....
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 5: "I was in a car accident and I think I hurt my wrist."
Me: "How many weeks pregnant are you?"
Pt 5: "Pregnant? I'm not pregnant. Why would you think I'm pregnant?"
Me: ***Deep groan*** (Because DA this is an obstetric walk-in clinic. Not only does your wrist hurt but you are stupid. Someone will be able to fix your wrist but my diagnoses is you're always going to be stupid!!! Please leave!)
I bet I could get people in and out pretty quickly if I could triage the way I want to! Where do these people come from??
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 1: "I have a cold. I have had this cold for 3 days. I don't know what to do."
(You have a cold. A cold has to run it's course. A normal cold lasts 5-7 days. Go home.)
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 2: "I am tired and and always feel as if I could puke."
(Sounds like you're pregnant. Oh! That's right, you are. Go home.)
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 3: "My gums are bleeding and my tooth hurts."
At this comment I just stared at her. Really. I couldn't say anything! (Hey dumbass! You need a dentist! Not a doctor! DDS not MD! Go find a phonebook and look under dentist! You're in the military stupid! You have insurance! Please leave!
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 4: "Well I need an STD check."
Me: Looking confused "Your admission paper says cramping and spotting."
Pt 4: "Yes but my boyfriend was with me. He's not very faithful so I would like to be checked for STDs."
Me: Just staring. (Wow. You're stupid. Get checked. Go home. Find a new boyfriend.)
and finally....
Me: "What brings you in today?"
Pt 5: "I was in a car accident and I think I hurt my wrist."
Me: "How many weeks pregnant are you?"
Pt 5: "Pregnant? I'm not pregnant. Why would you think I'm pregnant?"
Me: ***Deep groan*** (Because DA this is an obstetric walk-in clinic. Not only does your wrist hurt but you are stupid. Someone will be able to fix your wrist but my diagnoses is you're always going to be stupid!!! Please leave!)
I bet I could get people in and out pretty quickly if I could triage the way I want to! Where do these people come from??
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