Magic Island

This wasn't posed at all...my kids really do love each other this much.

See Diamond Head in the background.

The kids needed to thank the pigs for a great show

Reed watching the pig races

After church Sunday, we ventured out to Magic Island for the Annual Honolulu Family Festival. We told the keikis ahead of time that we wouldn't be riding rides or buying any food, and we stuck to our guns. We had a good time anyway. We watched a pig race and a trapeze show. Then, we just walked around and enjoyed the view. It sure did get us excited for the good ol' Eastern Idaho State Fair!!

Our family trip to Costco

Recently, Max has picked up the oh so very annoying habit of punching us as hard as he can when he wants our attention. That being said, the other day, we went to Costco to return something. Brent and Max went to return the item, and Emma and I stayed outside to get some food. Brent was taking FOREVER so I called him to see what was happening. He told me that he passed out and the ambulance was on its way. As I rushed in to see what happened, out came Brent in a wheelchair with Max on his lap. Brent had a crooked grin on his face...I asked him what happened and he whispered that Max had, and as Emma so delicately puts it when she tells the story, "punched him in the nuts". He said he was fine but the Costco manager would not release him until the paramedics cleared him (Brent hadn't told the manager what happened). Up pulled the fire truck along with an ambulance and 10 EMS/firemen hopped out to rescue Brent. He assured them that he was fine and proceeded to fill them in on what had actually happened. Everyone got quite a laugh out of the whole situation. Apparently, after Max punched Brent, shall we say, below the belt, he took a deep breath and sat Max down in a time out along the counter. Then he stood up to make his return only to pretzel down and pass out cold on the floor. Max thought dad was just messing around, so while he was out, he took dad's hat off, hit him in the face with it, and then straddled him and tried to ride him like a horse. When Brent came to, the wheelchair was there ready for his exit. And that, my friends, is our family trip to Costco.

Lucky Number SEVEN!

(Emma talking to grandma on her birthday)

You help your family out with chores, sing songs, and play games outdoors.
You draw fun pictures for the fridge and grow each day (well just a smidge),
You run and jump and dance and twirl. You're our amazing super girl!!

Emma is sporting her new hula outfit that River and Riley gave to her. Riley even brought his bunny to the celebration!

Well, it's official, Emma is seven, and she declares this her "best birthday ever!" We just partied all day long! First we got up early and went to the Honolulu Zoo as a family. (Emma actually wanted to go swimming with sharks, but we decided this was more family friendly.) After the zoo, we came home and made her cake. She said she wanted a Hawaiian cake and asked me to make a pineapple (flavored and shaped) cake. It actually turned out really yummy! We had friends over for cake and ice cream, and then we did it all over again with dad, the crew, and Uncle Ryan and family. Emma is SO BIG!! She is just growing up mentally and physically. I love the way she mothers and organizes all the kids in our apartments. She was trying to tell the boy that lives downstairs that it is not okay to litter. When he told her he didn't know what littering was she was appalled. Today we watched a six month old baby and his three year old brother. She made a bottle for the baby and lunch for the three year old and Max. Lunch was served on a cookie sheet. It was a cheese, peanut butter, and jelly sandwich (her secret recipe), yogurt, extra sliced cheese, and cookies for dessert (Emma NEVER forgets dessert!). On her birthday she had Parish, the 7 year-old boy that lives below us, and Max perform a dance she choreographed to a song she wrote. It was super cute and if I could figure out how to post it I would. We love you Sister SUE!!! Happy Birthday!

My Wake Up Call

This week a boy in our neighborhood back home died in a boating accident. He was only thirteen years old. Here I was, just that morning, grumpy as could be with my kids. I was worried about money, a messy house, and all sorts of things that don't really matter. What an eye opener...I can't believe how much I take advantage of the blessings I have in my life. Our thoughts and prayers go out to this family and all those that are trying so hard to make sense of all of it.


Be sure to see all of my other posts. I have been trying to make up for the past week and a half.

All over the world...

Last time we were at the beach, Emma met this cute girl from Japan. They were playing on boogie boards together for about a half an hour before I went over to talk to them. Emma told me that her new friend was 10 years old and didn't speak English. The two girls were sharing goggles, boogie boards and smiles. Emma called the girl Elizabeth, because that was as close as she could come to what her real name sounded like. It was neat to see how they could communicate even though they didn't speak the same language. When "Elizabeth" left she asked Emma if she would take a picture with her. She and her family were so nice to all of us. They kept saying "bye...See you" over and over and "Elizabeth" kept coming back to wave and say "See you" one more time to Emma. Emma was so excited use the only Japanese she knows "Kansha shimasu".

$$ GOING GREEN $$

The kids think "going green" means, trading your used water bottles for money. We told them that if they recycle water bottles and soda cans, they can earn money. So they have been saving them since we got here. They also managed to get some from another couple that was out here. They were so excited to change them in and even more excited when they each earned seven dollars for all of their hard work. Max is saving his to buy a four wheeler. Emma was going to save hers as well, but ended up spending most of hers on Hannah Montana lip gloss about two hours later.

FIVE AND ALIVE

Okay, SO not the best picture, but better than the other one I took. Emma wanted
Max's cake to be a boogie board because he LOVES his boogie board.

After Max made his wish and he blew out the candles, he opened his gifts. He was SO excited when he saw what his cousin's got for him. He later whispered to me that his wish came true because he had wished for a jet ski and then Anakin and Hanna got him one!!! He was so thrilled. (I didn't have the heart to tell him that it is a boat. We all call it a jet ski now too!)

Jade, Blake, Max and Emma (notice Emma's coconut purse she takes EVERYWHERE!!)

Best BUDDIES!!!!

Well, against my wishes, Max just turned 5!!! I kept telling him I wasn't going to let him be five, he could just be four forever. He didn't like that idea. I keep telling him it is against the rules to grow up, but he just keeps doing it anyway. We had a fun day on Max's birthday. He chose to go to the aquarium that morning. We invited his best buddy, Blake, and his sister, Jade, to come along. They had the BEST time. After seeing all we could see at the aquarium, we told Max we would take him anywhere he wanted for lunch. He chose McDonald's of all places, and the rest of the kids couldn't have been happier! We spent the afternoon swimming with Blake and Jade's family, and after dad came home, we had cake an ice cream with the boys and Max's other buddies. It was lots of fun. I made Max wait until 7:59pm before I would actually declare him 5 years old because that was when he was born. I still can't believe it was five years ago. He is such a fun boy. I love so many things about him. He loves to learn and is starting to read really well. He is also learning the difference between fact and opinion and likes to point out, "That's just your opinion". His freckles are popping like crazy this summer and it is so cute. He so social and is making great friends with everyone out here. I LOVE YOU BUG-A-BOO...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!