Hawaii

There is so much I can say about our trip. I'm excited to make a memory book to capture all the experiences and images within.
But you don't want all that information... you want to know...
Did we have fun? Yes, it was awesome.
Did you really run a 5K or are you just posing with those t-shirts? We really did run a 5K on our second morning, and it was awful, running uphill in the windiest harbor in the Pacific!
Did you miss the kids? Sure, but it was a blessed relief to be just two adults for a change.
What was your favorite part? I loved the sunrise on the Mountain (and the starry sky before hand with the shooting stars) and Dan loved swimming with sea turtles (on the 7th day). I wish he had swam with them the second day; he was like a little kid afterwards. Giddy and excited!
Did you like your accommodations? The condo was perfect for our stop and go needs, but the Marriott Resort was beautiful and serene and I wish we could have stayed there more than the one night.
Will you go back? Hmm, this is harder to answer because, yes, I would like to go back. We didn't even go to the east side of the island, and you can't have too much beach time. But there are lots of places I would like to go to besides (and Dan says that there is a limit to how much travel we can afford :) especially if I want to go on a European tour). So, no, I probably won't go back. But I can totally see Ryan coming here and never leaving...



These final pictures are from our snorkel cruise. Dan ended up going on two because our first one didn't make it to Molokini (prime snorkel area.) These were all taken by the underwater photographer. I include the animal ones by him because we saw these water creatures, and Dan did snorkel with turtles even if there isn't any photographic proof of it.

Gratitude for washing machines

I know, I know. I am in HAWAII and I am writing about washing machines. But here is why. I dropped Dan off at 7:15 this morning for his snorkel trip (long story short, we took one together on Monday but it was thwarted by the trade winds, so I sent him off on his own in quest of snorkeling with the green sea turtle). I then proceeded to head back to the our condo to pack; we'll need to be moved out before he gets back from his trip. I started a load of laundry ( a teeny tiny load in our itty bitty washer) and left. And left! To walk along the beach and get a coconut muffin and OJ. To sip and savor a yummy freshly made breakfast on a beautiful morning. And my machine was faithfully washing away. And then I came back and switched it up, and started packing. I've read enough books about life before washing machines that I realize what a wonderful thing this is.  I'm so glad that I do not have to have a wash day, with my elbows up to lye soap scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing. So, I give my prayer of thanksgiving to the washing machine. I don't want my sweet maternal ancestors watching from above saying, 'she takes it for granted that her laundry can be done so easily. Why in my day...'  I realize what a blessing it is to have modern appliances to help me along. But I also have more time to be accountable for on reckoning day. Not a bad thing when I'm on vacation in Hawaii.
PS For tonight (our last night in HI), we are staying at a fancy hotel. I've got one more day in paradise, and 24 hours of no cleaning, laundry or cooking. Hooray!
PSS I'm just waiting for the final load to get washed and then I'm off to lay out in the sun and await the pick up call from Dan. I just thought I'd spend these 10 free minutes in the condo waiting for my mechanical slave to finish to jot down my thoughts. Oh, I hear it finish...

happiness is an attitude

Happiness is an attitude: it is not a possession or destination.
This is my new Motto that I am trying to ingrain in the kids. Ryan has the gimmies (just in case if you haven't noticed or experienced it). Yesterday after he begged to get a Happy Meal (he only wants the toy) I told him to go in his room and take a toy out of his toy chest that he never plays with and it will be LIKE getting a new toy. He seemed to be on board with that...
This is my newspaper clipping for the day... from 'Mentally account for tax refund'
'consider spending on experiences rather than on material things. Research shows experiences, especially with other people, add much more to our happiness than more stuff does.'
BINGO! We do a very good job of that at birthday time. We love to do more than we love to have.
That is why we are going to Hawaii. Not to get new stuff (although I did need a new swimsuit). Not to go to a tropical island; OK, Yes, to go to a tropical island, but so that we can do new experiences. Can't snorkel in Plano. Can't attend a luau in Plano. Can't find another good reason to share our children with Grandma for 8 days straight. Aloha!

Easter Activities

I love Easter. I love that it is a Holy Day to think about our Savior. But I suppose it wouldn't be much of a holiday if there weren't fun traditions attached. So, an egg hunt was in order. We took the kids to an egg hunt at a high school stadium. The eggs were dropped from a helicopter. The kids were divided up into age groups. Here is Macey waiting with Dan for her turn.

For me, this was a 'once' activity. The eggs didn't have candy the kids liked, the free concessions had lines miles long, and the parents were pushy on the field.

The kids had a good time and were able to see some of their friends. And Macey got her picture with this rabbit. It was a fun activity for a Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately it was Conference Saturday. I spent ALL DAY Sunday watching 2 days worth of conference. It was a feast, but exhausting for me. I did finish quilting my conference quilt. I just need to bind it and then I'll have to start another 'conference' project.

Dan's truck has been an oxidized red looking nearly pink since we bought it 6 years ago. Finally, with a little urging from friends and family, Dan decided to put some elbow grease into fixing up the paint job.

Can you tell the difference between the left and the right? He only got half way done. So he is driving around in a work in progress. Our friend John said that maybe the offers on the truck are going to go up. If you aren't aware, little Toyota trucks are a hot item and Dan gets offers on it from time to time from strangers.

Here is my weekend project. I made this cute toddler dress for Macey for Easter.

She was very excited to watch me make it. It was a quick project, but so cute!

We are out front by the flowers we just planted.

What a jewel!

On Easter Sunday we got up and went to church first thing. When we got home, I got to work in the kitchen and the kids went to work on the Lego table.

Here we are at the table with our feast. A feast for our family, is probably the size a regular families regular dinner. It was delicious, if not lonely. We missed going to the Frassas or sharing our holiday's with the Williams. I did get to talk to Bruce and Julianne after everyone went to bed at 8:45 (including Dan who was holding Macey).

A chance to be silly.

It started raining after church. I nice slow rain. Enough to keep our egg hunt inside. We don't do Easter baskets, but we do have an egg hunt and then each kid gets a chocolate bunny. More candy to stock the candy jar with.

Safe

We have had a few phone calls and emails checking in with us about the tornadoes. We are safe and sound this time.
The tornado sirens started going off at 2:20pm. I went to get Alex and Ryan from school at 2:45. When I got there the district immediately put the schools in lock down mode and we all had to duck and cover. They put all of us parents (school dismisses at 2:45pm) into a classroom. I had time to get Ryan to me, but Alex was stuck in the third grade girl bathrooms.
A little after 3 I had a teacher go get Alex. I was sure his anxiety was in over drive. Over course Ryan was hunky-dorey (what a weird phrase?). Anyway, when he got to me, Alex was shaking all over. He had been trying to keep it together, and was really working on being the boss to his worries, but he said that he was most worried about whether Macey and I were safe. He was reassured by my being there.
Anyway, at 3:15 we left (before being dismissed) and a teacher said something to the affect that we should just stay there. However, we live so close to the school, that if something came through there it is just as likely that it would hit both the school and my house. Would we be safer at school? Maybe, but did you see the school that was flattened last year by a tornado? Yeah, it could go either way with tornadoes and I think Alex did better at home with his family.
The skies cleared by 5:00pm and we were back to business as usual. We did have a lovely sunset with all the dust in the air. It was a beautiful sky, but a few families and businesses here in Texas had to pay a high price for it. I hope that you will have them in your prayers and that they will quickly recover both financially and mentally . I hate to think of innocent children traumatized for life by tornado sirens.
I know tornadoes aren't anything to mess with. I did live in tornado alley a goodly portion of my life. And we've got Alex praying. He felt like his prayers were answered when the tornado warning dropped to a thunderstorm warning. Alex has got faith and I am so glad he has that to help him fight his worries.

Ramblings

Here is handsome Ryan on the day he earned his gold belt. Yesterday he had TKD again. Afterwards he probably said, 'TKD was great today!' about 6 times. He loves practicing self-defense. There is nothing like grabbing a guy by the front of his robes and throwing him to the ground!

'More Easter for your money.'  Really, REALLY, Wal-Mart? I'm surprised by the idiocy of this phrase. I would think that since the W-M home office is in the bible belt and that a number of religious persons (including Baptists and Mormons) are V-P's that Easter wouldn't be exploited in this fashion. Just in case you were wondering, Money will not buy you Easter (or Salvation), so try 'shopping' at a different location to get that satisfaction.

I did it! I ran 3 miles with out stopping on Saturday. I discovered that encouragement, music, and other runners in front of you make it possible to run for 25 mins and still have some energy left over. My couch to 5K is going smoothly. I had hit a stumbling block, but I think I was just over doing it. My desire to look fit is just going to have to be sacrificed so that I can actually BE fit enough to run without getting a stitch in my side. BTW, Dan had never heard of 'having a stitch' in his side. Ah, our language is languishing.  I hope I give my children vocabulary and idioms that can enrich their communication with their own brains and with others. (see my review from goodreads on, 'Is that a fish in your ear?')

If you haven't actually been to blog lately, you can't see the countdown to HI in the sidebar. It is coming up. June, are you ready?!!