Surf Lessons

Last week we went to surf lessons. The kids had a great time. Mikaela got up once. This was a big accomplishment for her. When we first started going she got up on the board. She is growing so fast and her balance has been a little off the past couple of times we have went. She was excited to get up and I think it helped that the waves were a little bigger this time. Blake got up on the board and has informed me that surfing is one of his "careers". Ethan had a great time playing in the surf and sand. He also was standing on the boogie board pretending he was surfing.

Mission Organization Part 1 The Boys Room

Yes, that is right. I did it! I went into their room box in one hand and trash bag in the other. I started under the beds and worked my way to the closet.

When I opened the closet door I just had to stand there for a moment.
I just don't understand....the bins are on the shelves.......EMPTY!!
All of the toys are on the closet floor, of course.
It made my job a lot easier.....everything went into the trash bag.
After about an hour of cleaning my boys room, and I am talking top to bottom-inside and outside of everything.
My husband said,"Oh that is the color of the carpet." LOL.

Into my room tomorrow. ......

Tuna with Artichokes

I wanted to share this yummy tuna recipe...sorry it is a recipe I whipped up, so I don't have the exact measurements.
Ingredients:
2 cans of Albacore tuna
marinated artichoke hearts
onion
lemon juice
salt & pepper
balsamic vinegar
about 2 tbsp.mayonnaise
1. Mix tuna and mayonnaise.
2. Chop artichokes and onion; toss in( # of artichokes/onion to taste)
3. Toss everything else in to your taste.
It was so yummy! Everyone in the family loved it!

My Journey as a Student Part 1

It has been 14 years since I have been a student. Going back to school has always been a goal of mine. I was motivated by my husband and so I thought I am going to do it. I registered for two classes; a Health and an English class.
To be honest with you, I was so nervous. I had my doubts… “The only thing I know is being a wife and homeschooling mother.” I kept thinking to myself,” Will I be able I do this?”
I logged in the first day and received the lesson schedule. At once, I made myself a new schedule. I had to rearrange my schedule to include my schoolwork. I realized the only time I had to get my schoolwork done was between 8-10 pm. I also wanted to include a family game and a movie night with our two older children since my schoolwork would be taking some of our time together. Some chores have had to take a back seat. I will have to admit cleaning is not a priority sometimes. I used to clean every day, but now Saturday is our cleaning day. I had to come to the realization that I am not a Superwoman and I have to set priorities. Sometimes I hear, “I can’t find clean shorts, shirt, or most recently underwear.” My response to that has been, “Check the dryer, the three baskets of clean clothes or my favorite PUT YOUR LAUNDRY AWAY!”
So, now I have completed my first two classes and I feel a sense of accomplishment. I did it! I still have a long way to go, but one step at a time right.
What did I learn?
Throughout taking the English class, I discovered a lot about myself. In this class I had to write a lot of essays. I learned about my thought process, my personal beliefs and morals, that I am good at thinking critically and I really enjoyed the process of examining a character and the symbolism authors use in their stories. I also learned I can be a good student. I am so proud of myself. I received a 100 % on my final exam/essay and my final grade for the class was a 99%.
From the Health class I learned. Some health issues are repulsive and I couldn’t even read a couple of pages because of the pictures. So with that being said….I learned I could not be a nurse. I also learned that two classes are too much for me. I received an 88%, but I know if I had more time I could have gotten an A, and that frustrates me. I try to look at everything as a lesson though and like I said I know now I can only take one class at a time.
So, my next class starts on Monday. I am taking a Child Psychology class (infants to adolescence). I am again feeling a little nervous and the doubt begins to creep into my thoughts. I just pray when this happens and ask God to guide me, to give me strength, and to give me the confidence that I need.

Ethan's Birthday

Ethan had a great day! He woke up in the morning saying," It's my birthday." and had to tell everyone he saw. He thought the presents and cake were so amazing..."WOW!!!!" We took him to the movies for the first time and he just looked all around saying"WOW!!!" It was so much fun watching him enjoy every moment. This is the only picture that wasn't blurry because of his excitement.

My Baby Is Turning Two

My little man is turning two tomorrow! Today we were reminiscing about the day I went into labor. My labor started about 9:00 in the morning with irregular contractions. My mother and sister were visiting and were going to be leaving in a few days. I was determined I was going to have him, not to mention I was three days late. We went for a hike and had a picnic. After that we went to walk the mall. My contractions started coming regular and it was about 5:00. We decided to eat dinner since I had a feeling this would be my last meal for a while. All during dinner my sister was keeping track of my contractions. As they kept coming we were getting more excited. We finished up and headed out to the car and when we got outside the sky was filled with clouds. Not just any clouds.....every cloud in the sky was in the shape of a heart. Some of the clouds even had arrows through them, it was so beautiful. Once we got home they kept coming and I decided to walk the neighborhood. There was no chance I was going to let them stop. As we walked my sister was still tracking my contractions. She would say five minutes....two minutes.....one minute....My son was so excited he would tell people as we walked past, my brother is coming in two minutes. When we got back to the house I decided I would call my husband to come home from work. He got home and we headed to the hospital, we lived twenty minutes away. We got to the hospital and they told me I was only five cm dilated and I should go home. My contractions were getting really strong and were about one minute apart by this time(11 pm). My husband and I looked at each other and decided we were not leaving. The doctor came back in and saw that my blood pressure was getting pretty high, so she changed her mind and said I could stay. They got me a room, IV ed me, and tried to make me comfortable. You are only about 6 cm so I'll check on you in a little while. My contractions were so strong and I just kept working through them. I decided I wanted the epidural and the nurse told me I was third in line and it would be about 45 minutes, you have plenty of time. I kept thinking I don't have 45 minutes. I finally got my epidural and the nurse said, " Well, let's see where you are. You are 10 cm!" I had a feeling but at the same time I couldn't believe it. She was acting like I had hours. She asked me, " Do you want to at least enjoy your epidural before I break your water?" I shook my head yes. Just as I did that...yup...my water broke. Two pushes and I am holding my bouncing little 9 1/2 lb. baby boy. He was so amazed at the world. He was barely crying...wide awake....looking all around at his new world.
So, now he is turning two and I feel like it was yesterday. He still is wide awake, observing everything about his world. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ETHAN!!!!!

ALWAYS BEING SILLY


ALWAYS CURIOUS, FIGURING THINGS OUT

ALWAYS HAS TIME TO DANCE

ALWAYS TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH HIS BIG BROTHER AND SISTER

The Joy of Rain

We haven't had rain since December. Everything has been getting dry and it has been a challenge to keep everything alive. I have been watering, and the grass and plants still look parched. When you drive around the colors have changed from green to brown.

Well, today it rained!!

We were so excited. The children came running into the house shouting"It's raining, it's raining!"

Outside my window I can hear the birds twittering their songs of joy.

They are in the garden taking a bath and appear to be just blissful.

The garden is emerald and the flowers are reaching for the sun once again.

The sweet fragrance fills the house.

We love the rain!

Stuffed Peppers with Turkey, Corn, and Cannellini Beans

These stuffed peppers are a healthier alternative to regular stuffed peppers and in my opinion taste better. I got the recipe from Ultrafit Nutrition but tweeked it a little bit. Mikaela helped with this recipe and it was delicious!!!! Everyone in the family approved so give it a try!!!

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 egg whites
• 1 lb. ground turkey or chicken cooked
• 1 cup frozen, thawed corn kernels
• 1 cup low-sodium canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained(I have also used northern beans
• 1/2 cup nonfat ricotta
• 1 clove garlic, minced(I use 2 we love garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 green bell peppers, cut in half horizontally and cored
• 1/2 cup nonfat low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites. Add the rice, turkey(or chicken), corn, beans, ricotta, garlic, and black pepper. Stuff the bell pepper halves with this mixture.
3. Arrange in a nonstick baking dish and bake until the peppers are tender, basting with chicken broth, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
   

Doggie Delights

Mikaela is my little entrepreneur. She is always thinking and trying to come up with ways to make a business for herself.
She decided she would make gormet/organic dog treats and sell them. She found three recipes to start out with and was busy in the kitchen for a few hours.
She came up with names for the treats, designed labels and packaging, and signs for her doggie treat stand. One sign had the name"Doggie Delights" and the other said "Pamper your pet with the delicious taste of Doggie Delights"....cute.
She sat out on the curb for a few hours and sold about half of her treats.

Memorial Day Service Project

On Friday, we went to the Oahu Cemetery for a service project with our homeschool group. We raked, weeded, and scrubbed the section of the cemetery dedicated to fallen sailors. After we cleaned up, the children placed flags on every grave. It was a great opportunity for the kids to pay tribute to these fallen sailors. God bless our service men and women!

New York Diorama

Last week the kids worked on this diorama of New York City. We were doing a short unit study on the history of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. They had a lot of fun putting this together and are anxious to work on another one.

Mother's Day at the Beach

We had a relaxing day on the beach for Mother's Day. We went to Bellow's Beach which is one of our favorites on the island. It is a horseshoe shaped bay surrounded by the Koolau Mountain range and the beauty of the Pacific Ocean. Here are some pictures of the kids playing and relaxing on the beach.

Daddy's Home!!

Ethan and Roxy were excited that Daddy was home. Mikaela snapped this adorable photo of the two of them looking out the window.

Chicken and Aspargus Salad

I am trying some new recipes out. I made this one yesterday and everyone thought it was yummy.
Chicken and Asparagus Salad
from: Cindy Whitemarsh-Ultrafit
2 1/2 cups diagonally cut asparagus(1 inch)
1/2 cup non fat mayonaise
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups chopped roasted skinless boneless chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
1. Steam the asparagus, covered, 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.
2. Combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, curry powder, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add the asparagus, chicken, bell pepper, parsley, and almonds; toss to coat.

Be An Egg Detective!!

Yesterday, we were egg detectives.

We went out searching for insect eggs for our science lesson. We checked the underside of many leaves. On one leaf we found these interesting insects. It looked like we were seeing the different stages of metamorphosis. Then under a palm leaf we found this Praying Mantis egg. We are going to watch it to see if anything hatches. It was a neat find.

Mineral Mania Workshop from Mad Scientist

Today we did a Science workshop with our homeschool group. It was a lot of fun. The kids had the opportunity to work in lab groups. They did three expieriments and also had an activity classifying minerals.
The following post has photos from todays workshop.
Mad Scientist did a wonderful job!

Pictures from Megan

Click here to view these pictures larger

Aboard the "Mighty Mo"

On Thursday night, Mikaela spent the night on the USS Missouri with our homeschool group. She had so much fun! She learned a lot about the history of the ship and WWII. Activities included; historians told them tales, they played games, sunset and sunrise colors, dinner and breakfast, and they were able to see parts of the ship you are not able to see on a regular tour.

She was so nervous before I dropped her off. I kept telling her it was going to be fun. She said to me," Where are we going to sleep?" I said, " In a bed." We have toured the ship before, so she said,"We'll probably sleep in that room with the couches and everything." I had to laugh because the room she was talking about was the Captain's room.

When I picked her up she was just smiling and so excited to tell me all about it. She told me...." It was so dark at night-pitch black. They just shut the lights off and that was it." I giggled and asked her,"What they didn't come in and tell you goodnight and to have sweet dreams?" She laughed.

I am glad she had the opportunity to experience a little piece of history.
For more info on the USS Missouri visit http://www.ussmissouri.com/visitor-information/interesting-facts

Mikaela at the Barber Shop.

Mikaela and her friend locked in the Brig.

This was her rack. They are stacked three bunks high. She said there was only enough room for one, maybe two people to be in the aisle at a time.

Colors

The Missouri secured its place in history as the site of Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces on Sept. 2, 1945, ending World War II. The ceremony for the signing of the Formal Instrument of Surrender was conducted by Supreme Allied Commander, General Douglas A. MacArthur. This marker is where the treaty with Japan was signed.

Sketch Tuesday-Van Gogh's Olive Trees

This weeks assignment:

You can sketch the whole painting or just a part of it for this assignment. If you would like to print out the painting, you can right click, save the image, and then print it out on your color printer. Here is a link to see the painting larger:Wikipedia: Van Gogh: Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the BackgroundTake some time to really look at the painting with your child. Have them view the painting for a few minutes and then have them tell you about the painting. This will help them to begin to really see all the details that Van Gogh used to accomplish this masterpiece. All ages of children are capable of completing this assignment so let them give it a try.Here is a child friendly link for Van Gogh:http://www.geocities.com/ljacoby_2000/vangogh.html

Mikaela's painting Blake's painting

This assignment was fun. The kids enjoyed using paint and playing with the colors. It is always more of a challenge to copy a painting ,but I love to see how they turn out.

House Guests

We have had two very interesting house guests this past week. An African Grey named Sisco and a Sun Conure named Sunny. It was kind of a trade off with one of my husbands co-workers; they watched our dogs when we went on vacation and we are watching their birds while they flew back to the mainland. Sisco is a lot of fun. He talks and imitates everything you say. He kept saying things like they had meaning and my husband was reading they are very intelligent animals. They are considered to be as intelligent as a human toddler, a dolphin, or a chimpanzee. This past week my daughter has taught him to say her name. So ,every time she passes his cage he says....Mikaela..hey buddy. He has learned to imitate Ethan's temper tantrum scream and the barking/whining sound Wally makes when we leave the house. He was also imitating the garbage truck this morning. He is a lot of fun. Sunny on the other hand is so loud. He screeches, especially when my husband walks into the room. Let me just say....two more weeks to go. Sisco will tell him to shut up. Not very nice but still funny and he always has perfect timing.

Sports Rituals

It is a known fact that many sports players and fans have rituals. Blake has developed his own ritual. Every game during half time, he dumps water on his head and spikes his hair. Another one, after he makes a goal he does this crazy dance. His team is undefeated and he leads in goals, so maybe it is working.

Team Edward, wrapping it up

Well, Mikaela's first soccer season is coming to an end. She has learned a lot from a great team and a great coach. Her team was so much fun to watch. They communicated with each other, used skills they learned in practice, and really encompassed the team spirit. She is looking forward to playing again next season. Go Team Edward!!

Happy Easter

Our eggs.... Ethan was having so much fun dying eggs. Sometimes he would have three or four eggs in a cup at a time. He didn't want it to be over.

Mikaela and Blake were trying to keep up with him.

Do You Feel Inferior?

Do you feel inferior?
This is a question I was asked recently.
Our neighbors invited us over for a barbecue. They are both active duty serving in the US Army. We were sitting around talking when my neighbor expressed to me she was thinking about getting out of the Army to be a stay at home mom. She said it is killing her to have to leave her children.
She was asking me all kinds of questions...Do you get bored? Do you want to hand over the kids and run out the door when your husband gets home? I tried to be honest with all of my answers. The one question that kind of surprised me....Do you feel inferior? It kind of shocked me, I guess because I can't remember feeling that way. I actually had to ask, what do you mean? She said I mean your contribution to the family. My response was being a mother and a homemaker is my role in the family...no ,I don't feel inferior. Then my husband said, " If anything I am the who feels inferior. She does so much for our family and I don't know how she does it." I looked at him and almost cried because I didn't know he felt that way. She looked at the both of us and said I guess that answers my question.
I really began to think about that question though....
Why is it our society has given women the idea that staying at home to raise your children is an inferior role? We should be raising our daughters to know that motherhood is the most honorable and important job they will ever have. We should be raising our daughters to know that motherhood is not inferior but superior.

Our Last Day

Well it is our last day on Kauai. We had such a wonderful time. We enjoyed so many things on this vacation, but the best thing was to be with family. We only get a dose every now and then and it is always sad to see them go home.

We had a great time though......laughter, kayaking, hiking, swimming, a luau, sunbathing, bonfires on the beach, movies, board games, delicious food(thanks dan), shopping, bbqing, memory bracelet making, long drives in a small car(AHHHH, I appreciated my mini van), mornings w/ Great Grandma(from the kids), reading, bike riding, sight seeing, walks on the beach, sunrise and sunset, collecting shells, roosters in the morning(afternoon and evening), and great memories.

So today we just hung out at the house and packed. We tried to take a walk but a big storm rolled in from the ocean and we had to run home. So, what do you do in a six bedroom 4,500 sq ft house? Play hide and seek of course; FUN!

Then we went into the town of Kapa'a to the fair. We went into this shop and bought Red Dirt Shirts. I had never heard of it but I loved the story behind the shirts. Talk about when life gives you lemons make lemonade. On September 11, 1992 the flooding of hurricane Iniki damaged so many shirts at Paradise Sportswear..they were on the verge of financial ruin. To save the shirts and the company, they developed a dirt dyeing process using Hawaiian red dirt. The shirts are manually dyed by the people of Kauai. Of course it didn't hurt that they gave us a 50 % discount because we are military. We bought four shirts.
Mikaela's has a picture of a rooster on it and says"Kauai's bird of paradise-not endangered". Ethan's shirt says " Red dirt squirt". Dad's shirt says "Life's short, play dirty". My shirt has the Red Dirt Rules on the back which says:
1. When the "One Great Scorer" comes to mark beside your name, It matters not whether you won or lost, but how you played the game.
2. No one stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child.
3. The Lord will not give you a burden you cannot carry, when Life is hard, it shows He knows your strength.
4. Success is a journey, not a Destination.
5. Love is not put in your heart to stay, Love is not Love till you give it away.
6. The harder you work, the luckier you get.
7. Morality is what you do when nobody is looking.
8. Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow never comes, so make Today count.
9. Red Dirt Ethic: Voluntary Commitment to a Higher Standard.
10. How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time.

Some good advice on the back of that Red Dirt Shirt! http://www.dirtshirt.com/