First Day Fun 2009!

Inspired by Facebook friends talking about their first day of dropping kids off to school for the first time this year, I thought it fitting to take the kids for a permanent reminder of the beginning of the 2009 year, even though we've been homeschooling throughout the summer. You are looking at a halfway-through-the-first-grade-year girl and a great preschooler who loves to do school, too.

We went to Naked Plates at the Breton Village Mall for an art session. Mami kept Anna busy for two hours as Lydia and Carlos picked out and painted their art projects. They thought about the projects and laid it out in their heads (required by Mami) before they started on the work.

Carlos was a bit bummed that he had to wait a week to take his flower pot home, but then was excited that he was going to come back in a week.

Lydia painted a nature scene: a rainbow, sun behind a pine tree, and lots of grass. She was very dedicated to the task and put three layers on as suggested by the worker.

All I have to say is that Anna is very heavy after two hours, and I can't wait to have the finished product at home! I can see popcorn served in that beautiful bowl and an avocado plant in the flower pot!

In the meantime, I found a Nativity scene in bisque just like the one that I lost moving from the apartment to my home nine years ago. I'm going to have to snag it off Ebay.

Anna and the Arm

On Sunday, Anna was on the sofa and took a spill, landing on her arm.
She had a baby cry that said "something isn't right." It didn't improve after half an hour, and she couldn't move her hand like the other.

We ended up going to the med center and were wisked right in. Hoping for Nursmaid's Elbow again, the Dr. suggested X-rays before an adjustment, just based on how she fell on her arm.

She hollered the whole time, in pain. Doesn't appear to be broken, but she still isn't wiggling fingers. She is as cute as a button in her little sling and brace, though. That hasn't changed.

If you know me, you know that I'm not one for giving pain meds. I noticed that Anna was using her arm and was acting as if she wasn't injured when she was on the ibuprophen, so I stopped them. She is still acting fine most of the time, but now that she can feel some pain, she's treating her arm a little more carefully, which is the outcome I was hoping for. I'll have to post a pic later.

Lydia's Loose Tooth Story

This story comes to you on behalf of the two bottom loose teeth in her mouth presently. She's thrilled that she's beginning to lose teeth. Mami is glad for her, but realizes that the big teeth are on their way. Another way of saying that my little one is growing up.

Without further ado, Lucia's Loose Tooth, written today.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Lucia. One day, while she was eating hard bread, she felt her right tooth was hurting.

"Hmm, do I have a loose tooth?" She asked herself.

Then she wiggled her right tooth. She wasn't sure if it was really loose or not, so she asked her mom to wiggle it. Her mom was so surprised because her tooth was loose after all.

Lucia wanted to call her daddy and said "Daddy, Daddy! I have a loose tooth! I have a loose tooth!"
Her daddy said "Good for you, Lucia! How did it happen?"
Lucia answered "Well, it all started when I was eating a piece of hard bread and my tooth started to hurt. I asked Mommy to wiggle it for me. Then she said 'Congratulations, Lucia.'"

Lucia's Dad said it was time for him to hang up because he was at work. So Lucia hung up the phone. She was so excited, she couldn't go to sleep at night.

Lucia said "Mommy, can we go to the dentist tomorrow?"
Her mom said "Sure, Lucia. I'll call the dentist and make an appointment tomorrow."

So she did. The time came to go to the dentist. The dentist's name was Dr. Gray. Lucia was nervous because she thought she had to get a filling. Lucia got along with Dr. Gray.

"Good morning, Lucia!" said Dr. Gray.
Lucia said "Good morning, Dr."
Dr. Gray said "Can you please tell me what is the matter with your teeth?"
"I have a loose tooth." said Lucia.
The doctor laughed. "You have no reason to come to the dentist, if you have a loose tooth. We don't have to give you a filling."

So Lucia got out of her seat and went home with her mom. And when she got there she saw her daddy and told him that she didn't need a filling.
Lucia's mom said "You know what this means, Charles?"
"Yes," said Charles, "Um, no. What does it mean?"
Lucia's mom answered "Our daughter is going to lose a tooth."
The time came when she lost the tooth. It was time for her to go to sleep. She put it under her pillow and then the tooth fairy took her tooth and gave her $2.00 when she was asleep. The next morning, she saw the money on her bureau and put those two dollars in her wallet.

The End.

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

I had the best Shrimp Scampi here at this place. It doesn't look like much. But it really is the best shrimp truck by far, even though looks like ... an old truck.

We even autographed the truck.

I particularly liked this one!

So, I had to find the recipe. It was to die for. Must. Eat. Weekly. Ahhhh. My own recipe turned out really well, but the sauce could have been thicker.

This is the site I used in my google search:

http://www.jonesbrand.com/dakine.html

Hawai'i Delights

Showing the love

Lydia going down the slide at the Westin Maui for the 100th time.

Papi made the hat, Lydia made the face. Waiting for our dinner at the Luau.

No tuna for me, thanks. Wait... I'll have THAT.

The Luau at the Hyatt, Maui

A wall full of men who gave their lives in USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor.

Ten years of Aloha.

Aloha isn't only a greeting...

Aloha. 1. Aloha, love, affection, compassion, mercy, sympathy, pity, kindness, sentiment, grace, charity; greeting, salutation, regards; sweetheart, lover, lover, loved one; beloved, loving, kind, compassionate, charitable, lovable; to love, be fond of; to show kindness, mercy, pity, charity, affection; to venerate; to remember with affection; to greet, to hail. Greetings! Hello! Good-by! Farewell! Alas!

This post could also be called, "Sharing Our 10 Year Anniversary"
Because essentially, that's what we did. Ten years as a family that started with two "I do."
We started our trip in Waikiki, Oahu. Technically, we started our trip at the airport.

A quick view of Oahu from the plane

Yes, Virginia, there is snow in Hawai'i