So Much Appreciation!

First off, I promised you some hula photos from Olivia's show.

As predicted, I didn't really have an opportunity to get any from my nosebleed section of the theater

They allowed photos for this one group shot, but it's underwhelming!  

After the show, we had a quick chance to give her a lei and a hug before they had to go back in and clean up.  Again, underwhelming photography skills.  My bad.

I did steal some shots from the MidPac website.  This was one of her numbers - she is up on the platform in the back, on the edge of the red panel 

Appropriate that this costume is the one I found photos of.  The black marks on the skirts were painted on from dye made out of kukui nuts that we had to harvest, wash, bake, crack, and blend.  Twice.  It was a fiasco, but the oil was eventually mixed with burned lei ashes so they could create this effect.  Hmmmm, the word underwhelming is coming to mind again.  

She also made her own ti leaf lei shown in this photo.  We are living a very authentic life here in Hawaii folks.  After this post I'm going to re-thatch my roof with palm fronds.

The kids in the show that could play ukulele had the chance to perform Pineapple Princess - it was fun to see her play again.

Ok, now back to our regularly scheduled program.  Teacher Appreciation Week!

After last year, my girlfriend and I promised to take it down a notch.  Less is more, simple is better.  That was our mantra.  BUT, we suffer from overachieveritis and when you mix that with Teacher Appreciation Week, well, chaos ensues.

Cute right?  We know we are over the top, but we had fun and the staff really appreciated being pampered for the week.   Click on the link below to see the slideshow :)

TAW Slideshow

I know what you're thinking..."wait, aren't you a teacher this year...why are you doing this stuff?"  Well yes I am, but I'm also the VP of the PTG and that's just the way it rolls sometimes.   Don't worry though, I got appreciated right back this week:

Don't worry...next year we have vowed to take it down a notch, less is more, simple is better ;)

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii

It's that time of year again -  Hula time!

Largely the same production, but each year my kids have played a different part.  This year, most of the hula was done by the 4th grade - hula dancers or not. 

Soooo, lil miss thing being in 4th grade AND hula was in about 5 different numbers.  She said it was pretty stressful but I think she ate the whole thing up.  (Apparently the curl job I did that morning didn't pass muster so her personal assistant did it at school)

Selfie #1

4th Grade buddies

Aren't they cute?  Don't tell them but I kinda love these boys!

Aloha

I have no idea what I did here.  I was trying to find a better/faster way to upload some video and this crazy wiggle shot is what I got.  I gave up, come visit me if you want to see some cute video ;)

Emily's BFF's

Selfie #2

#3

If you can't beat em...

Hmmm, the cheerleading BFF's look a lot like the hula BFF's

This is what they do after school and before cheer, glee or hula.  They come to my room, eat popcorn and steal my phone to take photos.  Hooligans.

Change of topic!  Olivia just completed her sailing season.  She had a great year, placing first and second most races!

This is the only race I got to see this year, but I picked a good one.  Here is Olivia...

And there was everyone else!

This is her crossing the finish line (buoy) and looking back like "hey, what happened to everyone else?"  

It was fun to watch and be the crazy mama on shore cheering her on.

She is also knee deep in hula this time of year.  Her class is having their spring show tonight.  She is also in 5 numbers with lots and lots of costume changes.  We are heading to the show in just a bit, but I won't be able to take any pictures so I'll just have to count on her taking selfies too!  I think the prospect is good.

The show is 3 hours.  Yep, 3.hours.of.hula.  I don't think Dances with Wolves was that long was it?