Happy Birthday Grandpa

A day early but since the card is going to be a day (or two) late I figured it all evens out!  Honestly we have two 8 am soccer games in the morning and by the time we get home you will be half way through your big day.  Just wanting you to know we are thinking of you!

 

Hope this brings back happy memories of your time here and that you can feel the warm winds! Hau`oli la Hanau!

Great Aloha Run!

I am always amazed when I go to update my blog and start looking back on our recent days.  It's been less than a week since my post but so much has gone on it seems like eternity!  Much of it the usual - sprinkled with some fun in between.

Lake Erie had their Christmas party on Friday night.  Yes, Christmas.  Does that tell you anything about scheduling on a ship?  I must say it was fantastic - great entertainment, great food, great music and even some dancing for us old folks (we had to show them how it's done after all!)

Hula performance during dinner



Who says you can't find a little beauty while taking out the trash at 5:30 am?

The Great Aloha Run was held on Presidents Day.  This annual run is 8.12 miles and goes from the Aloha tower in Waikiki to the Aloha Stadium by my house.  They shut down the Kamehameha Highway and bus people from the stadium to the tower at 5:00 am.  After doing boot camp for almost a year now (which doesn't including running I have to add) I felt like I should be able to do this...at least partially.  David was all for it so I signed us up before I could change my mind.   

The military "team" starts the race.  There was a long line of them (imagine running 8.12 miles in cadence?) and we hit the start line about 7:15. 

Although I have never run more than about 3.5 miles before (10 years ago) I was hopeful that I could run/walk it in about 2 hours.  At the 4 mile point when I slowed for water I fast realized stopping meant never starting again so I just kept running - yes it's very Forest Gumpish.  I reached the stadium (with some very rubbery legs) with an official time of 1:25.  According to the stats I was # 4,191 out of 27,000 and I came in 144th of the 1,240 in my age group! 

David finished in 1:09 which was 1,208 out of the 27,000 runners and 75th of the 911 in his age group. 

Any way you slice it we rocked!  It was really fun and I am still so sore it hurts to breathe :)  I gave myself a meritorious day off from boot camp today. 

David is now out to sea - the kids are sick and the AC is broken.  Now that kind of stuff you can count on! 

My Rock Star!!

Olivia asked for a real hair cut a while back and yesterday was the day!

She picked a big bangs, chunky layers, rock star thing

The only thing missing is the streaks of color but since that is not allowed in her school it'll have to wait for summer.

Cool!!

Happy Valentines Day!

I am officially off duty...until Easter!

12 and one week

Party Day!!! 

Beautiful Day...check

Large group of girls who can scream for no reason...check!

High jumps...check!

Low jumps...check!

Goofy boys...check!

Cake...double check!

Heart shaped gifts...check!

Synchronized swimming...well, not so much!

If noise level is any indication of fun then today was a roaring

success!  Normally I would breathe a sigh of relief for the party circuit being over for a while but alas...tomorrow is the big one.  Yep, Valentines Day.  A celebration like no other in our house.  Why?  Who knows.  Probably because way back when some over achieving "A" type mother thought it would be cute to make a big deal with hearts, valentines and a big meal.  What a dope.  I need to travel back in time and set her straight.  

 

And She's 12!

Well, she did it.  Lived to be 12!   Believe it or not I'm almost at a loss for words.  Olivia is an amazing girl.  Smart, savvy, funny, clever, creative, hot tempered and goofy.  She has taught me a lot in these 12 years. 

She is having her party next weekend (Superbowl Sunday doesn't make the best pool party day) but we did go to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory last night and unwrapped presents today. 

I think you all captured her perfectly!...

Perfect shoes!



Perfect Pastime!

Perfect Sauce!

And Cake!

Thanks for the gifts, cards and phone calls.  She felt very special and had a great day.

Pint Sized Playdate!

Since my girls had a day off today, I surprised Emily by picking up her BFF's from her old school for a play date.  The first thing they did...change clothes.  It's the first thing they always do!

Lunch, another wardrobe change and we were off to get our toes done!

One more wardrobe change and they were ready

for their rock star debut!

You are glad this doesn't come with audio, trust me.

Big girl joined in the fun too.  Can't believe she turns 12 on Sunday!

Gimme an E!

Me: "Emily are you wearing lipstick to soccer practice?  Are you a player or a cheerleader?"

Em: "Oh!  I'd much rather be a cheerleader!  Can I?"

Olivia: "You walked into that one Mom."

Sea Duty!

I know it's been a while since my last post when I start getting emails from you all!  My explanation?  David has been home since his last school which ended on the 15th.  Having a full time husband around is a little like having a newborn!  Fun, but you don't get much done :) 

While you all were getting buried in snow...AGAIN (aren't you tired of that yet?) we did manage to tackle some household chores, play a few rounds of golf (yes, me included) and hit the beach with no kids!  Fear not taxpayers, the Navy has tracked him down and he reported aboard the mighty USS LAKE ERIE this morning. 

The girls are excited for Catholic Schools Week this week (translation...fun, games, and sugar for days!)  This morning I volunteered to serve cereal to the 6th graders, then watched Olivia (far left just over the man's right shoulder) perform a dance to "All of Creation" during mass.  Lot's of little voices singing to God - very sweet. 

After mass we moved outside for "field day!"  I may never get my voice back as I was in charge of two games which involved lots of shouting over loud music but the kids had a ball!

You know the rest; soccer, homework, food and laundry.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  Often. 

Rain, Rain, has gone away?

Hawaii's weather is always a little suspect in the winter.  No, it will never get to freezing but we do drop into the high 50's at night and can get a lot of rain. This year we have given new meaning to a lot of rain! 

We have had massive rain storms this year, which has created all sorts of flooding troubles on the islands.  Here on Oahu many of the beaches have been closed due to landfills running off into the water, high contaminate levels and unpredictable waves.  

We took a drive to the North Shore last weekend and stopped at Waimea Bay for a look.  As we got to the top of the beach it was empty with beach closed signs.  You weren't to go past the signs since they had been experiencing rogue waves breaking high up on the beach.  

Well, she can read now but she didn't bother.  Emily gets to the sand and starts running to the water.  Fast.  Of course she can't hear me yelling because of the wind and surf.  She got dangerously close to the water before the lifeguard got on his ATV and went after her.  I gave him my best "oopsy" look and he gave me his best "dumb @#$" look.  We slinked back to the car at that point. 

Emily's class is celebrating 100's day next week.  They had to make a poster with 100 items.  I'm sure her teacher is joining my fan club with the lifeguard.  By the time these candies were glued and had sat around for a few days they started melting and dripping off the board.  Yuck. 

They still predict heavy rain every day but it's been a few since we have seen any.  It's been hot and beautiful this weekend - just in time for soccer.  The Glitter Rays won their game and the Wolfpack tied 1-1.  Olivia is playing great, it must be the new $100 shoes.  That's a story for a different day.  David is still home for a week or so.  We are charging through the honey do list as I know from experience it may be the last work I get out of him for a while!