another.... Rainbow

As promised...
another rainbow.
this was taken...in the wee morning...

I was running the last leg of a Relay for Life event.

It had drizzled the entire hour. (I am happy to say I ran the entire hour) and after... I looked up to see this glorious bow in the sky.

summer fun

So ... summer is winding down for us... and we are getting ready for back to school.



Back to a routine...


This morning... my youngest wanted to "shave" with dad. It was so cute- my husband slathering the shaving cream on his face...

I grabbed a Popsicle stick (from a craft box) as his "razor"... and then ran to get my camera... but as you can see... they were almost done, by the time I got back.

I love watching my boys... following the lead of their dad.

They are such "little men"

Even in little steps... like wanting to "shave"... I am excited they want to follow his example.

I'm starting to get back to school blues... my husband who works every day... doesn't have that... deep sense of loss.

No more- kids running the neighborhood in and out of houses
no more long days at the beach, or short beach trips


no more lazy day picnics and reading under shade trees....

hey! I don't think I am ready for all the bustle and hustle yet!
Good thing I have a few weeks... of vacation left... and a few days before hockey starts up again.

I hold my glass of lemonade up---and say, "Cheers for the last few weeks of summer... here's to making the most of them!"

I like to look for rainbows...

Living in hawaii... the Rainbow State

It is fun seeing Rainbows... almost weekly.

real rainbows that is....

but one of the fun things I've notice during our un-plugged summer... are

the "un natural" rainbows around me too!

Rainbow colors

are so happy- together.

I think I'll post more rainbow pictures... when I see them... and share the joy.

Un-Plugged Summer

So Summer Break is here!

I challenged my family to Un-Plug this summer.
Meaning, no tv
no xbox
no movies
no video games
no computer games
no games on our phones

So I put up a poster with a $50 dollar bill . The person who goes the longest "un-plugged" wins the $50!

now.... there are exceptions... my husband works on the computer, and so do I. But I have drastically reduced my hours on the computer... doing much of the leg work... the old fashion hand & paper method.. instead of writing with the computer key board.

I check my email every three days or so.. and I only get an hour. So... blogging is going to be sparce... but will be well worth it!

Other exceptions are... if we want to watch a movie as a family... that is legal.

okay

gotsta run!

Happy birthday

We had a fun weekend- celebrating a birthday-

Go Go Diego style.

My oldest son- was very helpful... he created an obstical course...

where rescue hero's had to go around under- in and out... to rescue a stuffed animal at the top of the slide...

then slide down

and the next Rescue Hero starts the course.

We're BACK!

Since the kids were gone Christmas vacation- and since
hockey hasn't started yet..
they wanted to invite a few friends over.

(well- actually I don't know if they invited them over or not... )

I just woke up Saturday morning with a house FULL of kids!

We had a XBOX kinect- Sports challenge/Pancake morning...



and then...
as quickly as they came...
I looked up
while washing dishes
and
they were GONE!

Onto another house no doubt....
probably
trying to score another breakfast-- from a different mom.

It's never too late

Here is my adorable IRON MAN- Today he was saying he wanted to go Trick or Treating again.
I tried to explain- it was a ONCE a YEAR kind of treat.

Well- he and his friends went out to prove me wrong.
They came running back 10 min later... with candy...
"Mom we trick or treat again!"

Looks like-- if you are 4 you can trick or treat even into Nov!



I took this picture and then - noticed my living room floor.

I know- Last post I said I was a flybaby... and look
at this conflicting photographic evidence!






But this is the culprit-
why my floor is never clean.


I pick them up- and then he just dumps them back out.

They need to be out and about- you never know when you are going to want to make ships and such.


It's funny because after I clean them up...
he comes back in ...
and sighs a big frustration....
as if to say...
"who keeps putting these away! I always have to dump them out!"





Here is our pumpkin..
and his pumpkin face....

Play of the Dawn Treader highlights

I've got to run---
but I wanted to post some pictures of our
AMAZING
Play in a Week
Production of
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
(a Narnia story)


My youngest was a "Sea Warrior"
(My husband was opposed to the term mermen.)







Second son-- one of Caspian's sailors

the only Sailor who didn't wear the right color pants.
(what a flaky mom! How did I NOT read the email I wrote and sent out... about costumes!?!?)


















Another one of my youngest...
he practiced
all week-
and then
when it came down to performing... he had no interest!
(dang- stubborn 4 year olds!)

But he was the cutest Sea Warrior of all...




and then the last picture is of a friend of ours...

actually
Anjeny's son..
He was Aslan.



He helped create his costume... that is just cut brown butcher paper/ brown paper bag.. type stuff..

more details to come..
like I said..
I gotsta run!


Oh- Oldest son was the head of a Sea Monster
and third son was a slave...

It was a fun- exhausting week.

We had a birthday this month!

All my son wanted for his birthday was this skateboard.so... we ordered it a few weeks before his birthday - so he could have it in time.
Then a few days before his birthday-
he was playing soccer... and goofed up his foot.

On crutches for a week...
Just so happens-- the week of his birthday! Here he is going off to school ... poor, poor birthday boy.

Poor guy has waited months for his skateboard...and had to wait a few more days before he could use it. Isn't that how life always happens?

Family Tradition:

Birthday boys always get to pick dinner and dessert.

It was a fun- low/key/family birthday of board games and pizza with chocolate chip cookies.

Happy Birthday Honey!

Long Awaited Puppy Pictures!

We've had Bauer for 3 weeks now.

Here is my son... exhausted from me trying to get a cute photo of Bauer...

I was not exaggerating.

This is a non-photogenic pup.

Here my son is-- waking up early to walk the dog.

What a good son.

Over- all... Bauer is adorable.

He can sit and lay down... (if we have a treat)

He is great on walks...

he is a hesitant running companion...

(he's still young)

He is friendly and good with other dogs and kids...

He'll fetch for two throws.. and then he wises up and wont chase the ball.

(He just lays down and rolls over... and gives me a look like, "I know all you are going to do is throw it again- once I get it. So what's the point?")

He's so cute.

So far... so good.

Homework Blues....

It's only August and we are already back to school... my kids are suffering a little from the "homework blues".

I can tell because besides the usual side effects my kids have added an extra
complaint to homework...

"He's looking at me!"

"Stop Looking at me! "

and " He's started it!"

I didn't know how distracting that could be ... when trying to write spelling words or while working on a math sheet... but the gaze of a brother has some kind of drilling effect that burrows into the brain and causes all kinds of confusion... so to keep the peace and my sanity.. I made some dividers out of file folders.

I simply snipped off the tabs of one folder... and glued two together to get a nice tri-fold.

I even added pockets that can hold weekly spelling lists... or flash cards of multiplication facts...

Honestly- it has worked out nicely.

It's still new... so we'll see if it is a long term solution...

but for this week... it has helped.

And lets face it- I am working day-by-day.

My clever son

A week or so ago my two oldest sons went to the movies with their friends and watched Toy Story 3. Son #3 was sad he couldn't go... but without an adult going... I told him he couldn't tag along.
Then a few days ago the boys wanted to go to the theater again and see Karate Kid, this time as a family and parents paying...
We told them we want to save our money for our upcoming family trip.

All the boys were a little disappointed- but didn't put up too big a fuss. They are too excited to goto Mainland and visit the cousins and grandparents.

But last night- my son #3 approached me so sweetly and asked, "Mom, can you and I go on a date? Just the two of us?"

I was so flattered - I quickly agreed and asked "So, what are we going to do... on our date?"
Guess.
Can you guess?
He suggested we go see the movie Karate Kid. (And said for it to be a real date we should share popcorn and soda too.)

The other boys are a bit deflated that he gets to go to the movie-- but at the same time--- kicking themselves that they never thought of that!

I predict in the future, my date schedule is going to start filling up fast... my husband might have some competition... (tee heee)

My husband is going to stay home with the other boys tonight- while I have a one-on-one with son #3. I know he just wants to see the movie- but I thought he should be rewarded for his clever thinking.

Kids! What can you do when they start outsmarting you?

Champions!

Can I hear a "Whoot Whoot!" ?
My three oldest boys just finished their hockey tournament.
Whew-
all that hard work
came together....
and most importantly---
I survived.


My third son played up an age group and competed on my second sons team... He was sooooo adorable! Half the size of some of the players... he would skate right at the other team members and try to take the puck from them.

He did a great job- holding his own.

My second son- goalie- had a SHUT-OUT and was given Most Awesomest Over All Goal Tender Award. or something like that... he had the best stats of shots blocked/goals saved.

My oldest scored the game winning goal in two games.
The final game score was 1: 0.

What will I do for the next week with no practice?
(5 extra hours 4 days a week?)

Possibilities endless.....

May DAY!

Here are my boys- in their May Day costumes.

My fourth son enjoyed running around the stage-- performing the LIMBO and the Mexican Hat Dance.

Then I don't know what it is about my third son.

People look at him.. ... and just envision muscles.

He does have the heart and attitude of a warrior.

His class performed the New Zealand Haka

My second son-- strutted his stuff... performing

Rag Time to represent United States.

How dapper he looks in a hat- what a stud!

What a fun performance.

It is always great to see the community out supporting

the kids.

Always amazing to see the costumes

and dances the parent helpers come up with!

Like I've always said- we live in an amazing community.

I know you friends and family are ASTOUNDED I got these pictures posted so fast!

Neither my camera, nor my computer gave me any trouble! It's a miracle!