Waiting

  My last post was written as we waited to leave Hawaii and move back to the mainland. 7 years later and we’re on the mainland waiting to move back to Hawaii.  People ask if we’re excited and of course the answer is yes but oh, the hurdles and obstacles and challenges between here and there are a little overwhelming. 

Over spring break I took the girls back for a visit. Got to check out some of their old haunts. See some new things. 

Will make some time to record these memories. Time is flying way too fast. 

One Month

For the past 12 years I have had the privilege to be a stay at the beach mom to my three water babies, but that is all changing. One month from today we will be leaving our paradise home and heading to the mainland.  My little guy will also turn 5 and be heading off to kindergarten.  It seems like we just got here from West Point with our 6 week old bundle and now we head back to West Point where she will be entering 6th grade.  We are busy finishing up school this week, preparing for our move, repairing our house to rent and getting in as much beach time as possible.  

I had hoped to chronicle more of our Hawaiian adventure but we've been busy.  I did manage to record our brief stay in Alabama on my other blog Homeschooling in Paradise and we enjoying reliving our adventures on it.  In the same vein I do hope to try and capture as much of our last month as I can.  Last week was May Day and end of the year pool party. 

The week before that preschool graduation. 

We have been spending more time on the northern end of the windward side to avoid wasting time in Kailua traffic and enjoying more time in and on the water.  Hubby and I have been to NY before so we know how much we are going to miss the beaches.  The kids have not and are currently having a hard time being constantly dragged to the beach.  I will remind them of their complaining sometime next February. 

Merry Christmas

I just realized I haven't posted forever and had actually forgotten how (dang technology) so this is a test to figure out how it all works.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Swimming

I love swimming. Its my favorite (we're been watching a lot of "Elf" over here, our Christmas    movie of choice). Unfortunately I haven't made it into the water a lot this fall and its really making me fidgety.  I only need 10 minutes to reset myself and shake off a funky mood but sometimes its hard to even make those 10 minutes happen.  Yesterday however I got an hour. A whole glorious, solitary hour in the beautiful Pacific Ocean and it was amazing.  All the holiday stress, sick kid stress and crazy trip planning stress dumped into the ocean and washed away with the waves.  I had originally hoped to convince a couple of my Mama friends to join me but when they couldn't make it it turned out okay as it gave me the time alone to complete whole thoughts, create plans  and just get into the flow of my swim.  The beach was oddly empty for such a sunny, calm morning but as I left more cars arrived and I was grateful for my stolen tranquility and felt fully charged to return to the blessed chaos I adore.

Soccer X 2

Soccer season has started and with 2 playing this year that means no beach Saturdays but we can't really complain.  This is where Ella has her games.

She is a proud member of the "Lalaloopsies" and Dad is the Assistant Coach.  The girls are having a great time and are all smiles even after being completely trounced by the "Pretty Pinkalicious Panthers" on Saturday.

This league plays 3 on 3 but the crazy thing about our games is that they are played on a field where the City is attempting to regrow grass so they won't cut it.  When you're five it means you can't see your shoes under all the grass.  Also the uniforms are a really cute wide neck design that is all the rage but unfortunately youth small is miles too big for most 5 year olds so they are falling off them.  I put a tuck on both sides of Ella's neck and it still hung way to low to be appropriate so she's got a t-shirt underneath.

 The end result is they look pretty darn cute out there!

After a quick lunch it was time to head to game 2 of the day The Purple Dragons vs. some team in green. Dad is head coaching again this year and the team had a rough start last week with a mid-day game and 2 players away.  But this week, wow!

These girls had some fire in their bellies! Hannah tried goalie last week and liked it so she went back in for the first half. 

The final score was something like 8-2.  The girls worked hard and made Coach Jason look very good!  Looking forward to a busy soccer season.

Not a bad view from this field either.

Stay on the beach mom

So this is a good place to pick up writing the blog again.  I am now a stay ON the beach mom.  Being back in toddlerland means my number 1 job is keeping the little man from being swept out to sea as he has no fear of the ocean and loves just crawling face first into waves.

 

More than 1 kindly Tutu has intercepted this determined Honu on his return to the ocean as his good- for-nothing mother ambles her way down the beach.  So while I'm on the beach, here's what's happening in the water.

Hannah (right), Ella (center) with Dad.

This is my 8 year old catching her own waves and loving it!  She and Dad have been making weekly trips.  Then the best thing that could possibly happen to my social butterfly girl:

She found some surfing soul mates!  These three little girls played in the waves and surfed all afternoon.

They spotted turtles, played in the shallow water and even managed to catch "party waves" together.  I wasn't able to get pictures of the three of them out in the water as the little man decided to take a nap in my arms at that point.  

The Teeny Wahines calling it a day. 

Ella scored the first surf session with Dad this morning but was done before I arrived with the camera. Next time!

Boy talk, most likely about surfing knowing these two.

One cool thing about Sunday afternoons at Waikiki is all the free stuff you get.  So far I've scored an inner tube, a beach umbrella, shell necklace (well someone gave it to Ella) and the latest InStyle magazine.  The key is to make eye contact with that sad looking tourist who has to board a plane tonight leaving paradise and just can't justify packing a huge florescent floaty for Chicago.  

Sweet!

I have been gone for a while mostly due to the fact I can't wrestle a toddler and use the computer at the same time, however now that I can iPad it a whole new world opens up! So excited :)