Our past year in Maryland, Summer Fun and School Prep

Wow, I can't believe it's almost been a whole year since I last wrote. It's been a very busy year with lots of great changes. The kids learned to read and write after only a few months of school. They were taught by specialists at first, joined the rest of the class and quickly excelled. The teachers really have their stuff together and the kids catch on fast. Dann started working for the Department of Energy as a contractor almost a year ago, the drive is intense but they are somewhat flexible with telecommuting. I had a hard time finding work so I started going to school last Spring. I was nervous since I've never been a good student but I got A's and one B. My goal is to go through the nursing program once I get through the prerequisites. So things are about to get really busy and the house is about to get very messy but that's ok. It's going to be a long road but will be well worth it. We decided to stay in our rental as long as possible, we love living here; it's a townhouse but still fairly private, lots of kids running around, retired folk and wildlife from the backyard forest. We still own a townhouse with tenants who have been there for a few years. We've had some issues with them but they are pretty great for the most part. They said they should be moving within the year so hopefully we can get another set of tenants in there once it's time. Dann's mother moved back to MD and we are happy she is close by,  his sister and her boyfriend are moving in with his mom so they will be close by too. His other sister is having a baby boy soon so we'll have a nephew; closer and more family members are always a good thing.
 On a separate note, we got an insane dog who has an intense love of chewing up toilet paper and counter surfing for anything edible. She has been a lesson in teaching the kids to put away anything they cherish because this dog will chew anything up even the base of a snow globe. The dog also loves to jump which can be a bit much for a 75lb densely muscular animal. We all love her though and her sweetness makes up for her flaws.
 Anyway the kids have adjusted well to our home, they really enjoy having their own rooms but still fit an occasional sleepover in. They've had a great summer, they got to stay with their Aunt Katrina for a weekend in Salisbury and she spoiled them with rides in OC, the beach and all the candy their little hearts could ask for. We visited a few times with my brother, sister-in-law and niece for some quality family fun. I think after going to their new house a few times I finally know the way without the GPS. My mom came and we all got to spend some time with her and she took the girls to Southern Virginia for a week. She took them to the house my grandpa was raised in and also to the spot where we used to meet up for family reunions nearby. They have a water park there now and my mom made sure the kids were constantly busy.
  When they weren't on there mini vacations with family members I was trying to get them out of the house as much as possible. We have a tennis and basketball court nearby so I bought some equipment; Sarah seems to be interested in basketball and Julia is more about the tennis. Julia and I are still trying to get the coordination down but she enjoys getting the balls for me after I hit them over the fence. We didn't do this for long though because we had a heat wave shortly after the routine started. Could be a fun weekend activity as long as weather permits though.
  For our last summer fun activity I drove up to Rehoboth with the girls and we stayed overnight at my inlaw's place. They took the kids to see Smurfs 2 while I napped at their house. Then my father-in-law took the girls and I to Funland on the boardwalk. Sarah and her Popa went on the Haunted House ride while Julia and I rode on a bunch; the Haunted House line is always very long but Sarah actually opened her eyes this time so I guess it was worth it. The next day we took the girls to the beach and we stayed for a few hours. After that we went to Lewes to check out the boats, grab some food and play FREE putt putt. Popa and Granny T treated us to lunch, dinner and desserts. We were so spoiled and fit a lot of fun time in. One of the fun things about the drive back and forth is we go past Annapolis and by where I lived when Dann and I first started dating. So when the girls were really hungry for dinner we stopped at one of our old stomping grounds, Atlanta Bread, and boy did we get our fill.
  So we've been home for a few days and are resting up until school starts on Monday for the kids. We already got a notice in the mail to tell us who their teachers will be and are going to the open house this Friday so the kids can meet them and see their classrooms for the school year, Julia will be in 2nd gr and Sarah in 3rd. We went back to school shopping yesterday so have that out of the way. Sarah wanted Monster High everything and I told her we could shop at the 5below store and find her a Monster High backpack at another store. The cool thing about the 5below store besides being really inexpensive is their slap bracelet rulers, as a child of the 80's this is awesome, the kids were impressed too.We couldn't find a Monster High backpack at the other store but she got one with peace signs and hearts that's really cute.
  Well that's all the intensely interesting information of the past year, summer and preparation for the school year! Thank you for reading and I'll hopefully do this on a monthly basis so it's not all jam packed and maybe it will force me to take pictures!

Fall

  Sarah is riding her bike to school when the weather is nice. Julia is still afraid to fall and doesn't want to practice yet.

 We've all been really busy with school, work, friends and Fall activities. The RennFare this year was so fun, seeing all the people in costumes, met up with my sister in law, niece, aunt, cousin, and friends we haven't seen in years so it was a lot of fun. My sister in law and niece went through a maze with us but we couldn't find the end so we cheated and went back through the entrance to get out. We have pumpkins with glued on eyeballs decorating the front porch and there are many colored leaves on the ground. Julia found a huge acorn on the way to school the other day, the biggest one we'd ever seen. We've noticed lots of Squirrels scurrying about trying to stock up on food.

 The girls and I are a little home sick for Hawaii, I mostly just miss my family there but we'll at least see my parents in December. Not sure if that's a definite but we're hoping, in the mean time we are adjusting well, getting to know the neighbors and hosting gatherings at our house occasionally. Sarah and Julia have made many friends and are doing well in school so I couldn't ask for more. Something special is happening this weekend too, Betty is taking the girls to the campground for early Halloween, so they will be trick or treating and having a blast while Dann and I can relax at the house. I was actually thinking of taking Dann to the Crumland Farm this weekend because they are going to have some Halloween activities although I think I'd have to keep my eyes shut the whole time but we'll see.

They are liking school

 After the second week of school they have seemed to get the hang of the routine. Julia is really working on learning to read and is enjoying counting sidewalks on our way to school. We noticed that she spelling things backwards and flipped so she may have inherited my dyslexia; Dann said, "We don't know maybe she lives in Mirror Land.", pretty funny. I'm not worried about it because it's an easy thing to work with and overcome with a little extra help. Julia really likes her class and has stories to tell about her friends and getting "bottle nose bucks" (the school's reward system). The school also gives the kids the option to run laps around the track at recess and have a reward system set up for that too. So the girls have been running a few laps around the track every day.

 Sarah is enjoying the bottle nose bucks as well; her class is a bit rowdy and they get reprimanded as a class so she gets a bit frustrated that she's getting in trouble even though she's being good. She's getting used to the idea that the teachers are doing that so that the kids will start working together to learn. Sarah had her first spelling test today and got 9 out of a 10 correct, that was a call for double high fives. So proud of that girl! She's been working very hard all week, has seemed really tired so she was really excited for the weekend as we all are, everybody's working for the weekend and TGIF!

 One last thing; one of the best bagel shops is right next to the school so once in a while we'll stop for a pastry and it's da bomb!

First day of School

Julia and Sarah are both in grade school now, no more Kindergarten :). We need to walk to school since we live too close for the bus to come and I don't have a car yet. It's only a mile walk and it's actually really pleasant; they see things along the way that they get excited about and we talk. When they fight I don't get as stressed although it's still annoying, slows life down a little bit.
  Julia's teacher seems really nice, their are a lot of books, building blocks, a big calender and what Julia was most excited about was a computer. Sarah's teacher seems fun; there are lots of Dr.Suess books lined up with Dr.Suess stuffed animals. There are phones in the reading corner (old style rotary phones) so the kids can read aloud into them and hear their own voices. There is even a class fish :)
  I can't wait to hear about their days. Right before we got to school they told me their teachers wont be like Miss Hannigan from Annie; very random but funny. I know they will have a great year, learn a lot and make wonderful friends. Can't wait to hear about their day!

Some kind of Summer!

It's been a good one and I can't believe it's almost over! We had the best party in Sarah birthday party history right before we left. Great start for the summer, moon bounce, pool, lots of food and donuts for desert. Everybody had fun and only minor injuries so pretty good.
  After that was a whirl wind of packing while sick, seeing our favorite peoples off and getting to the airport. I wasn't sure we would get to go on the plane once we got there because our layover was originally Canada and we didn't realize we'd need passports. The coordinator understood our mistake and gave us a layover in California instead. We made it!
  We stayed with my friend for a few weeks and luckily we're still friends haha. I honestly miss her now and definitely am grateful for our friendship. After 4 years of sharing space with my parents it is nice to have a place to call our own. I know my parents are happy to have room and peace back, they are amazing. As soon as we moved in I put everything in it's place; I've never been that productive in my whole life.
  The girls finally have their own room; first thing Sarah told Julia was that she wasn't aloud in her room. A few days later they were taking turns playing in each others rooms. We started using positive reinforcement this past week as an incentive to do chores, listen and work on reading. Things are going very well and once the girls start school I will start the job search. Hopefully I'll have a car before that time comes!
  I really do like being home with the kids and am definitely appreciating that this is the calm before the storm; juggling school, home life, social life and work. How do people balance it all? I'm sure they just find a way to make it work as I know we will. Enjoying this fresh start and excited for this part of my life. Dann and I were talking about what things would be like in another 10 years for us; I'll be 41, he'll be 40 and Sarah will be 18.  It'll be our last year with her and second to last with Julia. These past 10 years flew by and I know the next 10 will too. Life is precious.

These Hawaii Burdettes are almost Maryland Burdettes!

 I can't believe the day for us to move is almost here! It's amazing, so many changes have happened with the girls between ages 2 and 4 to 6 and 8, how did the time go by so fast? I'm really glad that they got a chance to live here and know their other half of extended family. Now when my parents or grandparents visit they will know who their grandparents are and I'll be able to send the girls to Hawaii in a summer or two from  now and they would feel comfortable, probably even connect with their old school friends too. Really will be a home away from home for them. The experience of living here has been great and needed for all of us and I owe my parents everything for that gift.

This Monday we will be back in Maryland and I'm ready to enjoy the thunderstorms in the summer and lightening bugs, leaves changing and spiced cider in the fall, snow and winter parties, rain and new growth. I need to eat crabs too as soon as possible! See if I can get a crab cracking get together like we used to have growing up in Bowie once we're settled, although that might have to wait until next summer. I'd love to take the girls fishing and crabbing at Solomons Island one day, another Madden tradition from my childhood.

 I had this ideal home pictured for us with lots of space and a huge yard; might have to wait until we sell our town house but I'd be happy with anything. As long as we're all together in our space ready to start a new adventure. It's kind of funny how it worked out though; two weeks ago, my friend and I started talking about how we both wished I was there and then she said I could stay with her. Started out as a joke and the more we talked about it the more it seemed like a crazy, fun, unreal, fantastic idea! Originally Dann and I were going to wait until he got a job and a place but the more time that went by the more I felt it was time to go; he was looking on the internet earlier that day for plane tickets anyway so it was on his mind. So he got the ticket that he was wishing to get earlier, we were excited about this happy-go-lucky decision, then it sunk in for him and he was freaked out with not having a job, a place, etc. Things have a way of working themselves out because this past Tuesday and Wednesday he had an interview with the same company on both days and an offer from them today! He didn't accept it though because he has another interview on Wednesday but the offering position will be there for him until next Friday. Either way he will have a job by next Friday, this is phenomenal timing and can only make me think that all this is meant to be.

 Life is good!

Worry Less & Enjoy More

  Worry less & enjoy more; that is my new found life long mantra. Since having kids I have been worrying too much. Will they be happy balanced people? Will they have a good education? Will I be a good mother? Will I be able to provide for them? Can Dann and I make all of this work?
   A week of quiet time has really given me time to think about it and I hit an epiphany. I can worry all the time from one thing to the next but it does nothing but stress me out and if I am stressed that will only make things harder for them.
  Then I finally came to the conclusion; when my kids are grown and don`t need me as much I am not going to say to myself "I really wish I had worried more." I am going to say "I wish I had enjoyed it more." So many people have told me it goes by so fast and enjoy it. So I will keep telling myself worry less and enjoy more.

Julia's 1st big party

We had a big party at the park this past Saturday; we brought paint, chalk, kites, balls and it was lots of fun. The kids ran around the playground, lots of tree climbing, , some painted a little and towards the end all the girls had chalk drawings on their faces. The balls were a hit but I didn`t have the sticks for the kite but a few kids enjoyed running around with it while the ribbons trailed behind. We had vegetables, fruit, crackers but the most popular food was the sea weed. Julia passed out the cupcakes with really bright frosting and bunny ring toppers and then playdo that we made as the goodies to take home. Every one seemed to have a good time and Julia said a very enthusiastic thank you to me on the way home. Will definitely do this once a year!

Happy New Year! Warning! I'm complaining a lot in this one.

Trying to keep my New Years resolution. All the laundry was clean for about a day. Then I kept cleaning and folding but not putting away so now I have a clean laundry mountain by my bedside. Every time I look at it I feel guilt and so it must be all put away.
I know things are going to be a lot easier for getting ready in the morning once everything is organized and that means no things on the floor. This will be an amazing feat but I am determined to make this happen!
The girls couldn't find anything to wear and Sarah has gotten to the point where she is very picky about clothing and will only wear jeans. So I've got to keep those jeans clean and folded away! Might as well put the rest of the clothes away for now because she ends up taking them out of the drawers and not putting them back to look for her jeans.
Their recent art building material is foil too so they keep getting huge sheets of foil and making cool things but the things get smaller and smaller until there are just tiny foil bits everywhere. So I put my foot down for the final time this morning and told them no more foil! Seriously; it's all over their bed before they get in and I have to clean it up every night, all over the floor and all over our tables. So tired of cleaning up foil even if it keeps them busy.
Although they do things that drive me crazy I need to keep accountable for my own mess and the fact that they are having a hard time because I'm not making anything easier by being so disorganized. When they start making huge messes I need to redirect there activity and make sure they clean up when they are done. I need to keep the kitchen clean after cooking and meals and not let it sit. I really need to start getting rid of things because I'm not going to do it all right before I move when I'm already stressing about moving. I've gotten rid of a few things but no where near where I need to be at this point. I told Dann we should just get a company that takes all your junk at once and then we wouldn't have to think about it. I should take pictures in my progress and post it to my blog and shame myself into getting this ridiculousness under control because I know in a couple of months this is not going to be cute. We did nothing to help our messy situation over winter break but we did have a good time so worth it but time to get the ball rolling!

Advent

We have been preparing for Christmas day by sitting down after dinner and tearing a day off of the Advent Calender and then lighting an Advent Candle and letting the girls blow it out after ward. It's been a really nice way to wrap up the day and settle down for the night.

The girls did their Advent Walk on Saturday and for Julia's there was a harpist who accompanied the ceremony; it was so relaxing with the lights off and the candle glow. Her teacher told the parents that this is to show that each child carries and brings their own special gifts to this world making it brighter. After they all took turns setting down their lights they sang an Advent song about carrying a light within themselves.

Sarah did the walk with her class an hour later and her music teacher accompanied their walk with the flute. Her teacher told a parable that in the end had one coal that lit up a whole castle and did not go out. It was a beautiful ceremony and the class sang Silent Night to close it.

I love the concept of having that inner light shine to share with the world. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Getting Festive!

It's that time of year again and the girls were just in the Hawaii Kai Holiday parade with Papa and now they are getting ready for their school advent walk and Julia for her Christmas Play (she wants to be the angel and hold the star).
The Advent Walk is pretty cool the lights get turned off so that the Children can light a candle themselves and it turns out to be this really pretty spiral design. http://www.ourbigearth.com/2009/11/28/seeking-the-light-and-the-warmth-with-advent/ more accurately describes the event. Last year Julia was a little confused so the teacher helped her out a little bit, one kid walked backwards and one girl had a close call with a candle and her dress. We may end up seeing "Honolulu City Lights" afterward on trolley. I saw a groupon for it so maybe we'll do that to get into the holiday spirit.
I was thinking of doing water color Holiday Cards with the girls and also got some Christmas sheet music to play on our keyboard. Julia and I got a chance to test it out in the living room over the weekend. The music is one of my favorite parts of this time of year; music and hot drinks.

Ready for school to start!

On the way to MD they mostly slept!

They really wanted Katrina in the back with them. They had a sleepover party with her the night before.


Saying goodbye to Oma until the next time!


Sarah was afraid of this poodle puppy nipping her. Don't let his adorable puppy face fool you! haha

Sarah had gotten hurt in this one. First time she really hurt herself falling off a bike.


On the train at Arrundel Mills Mall with Wyatt. Grace and I rode behind them because we were cool like that.



Mr.Bigglesworth doing his kitty thing. The girls were sure to give him lots of love.



On the way back to Hawaii from a nice long trip.


We've really had a fun summer. Sarah had a great birthday party to start it off at Papa & Tutu's house with about 12 kids running around and her Tiana Cake that she's been asking for since the movie came out. It was nice and relaxing at home for the first few weeks of winding down from school.
Next the real fun started when my Mother in Law sent us to MD and we stayed with her at Dann's old house for a few days, we went to Chick Fillet; a must every time we are in town and next "The Puppy Store"; we got to play with 3 different puppies and each one was adorable. We saw my sister in law Katrina who took us to see the girl's great grandma Oma on our way to Papa and Granny T's house. We had dinner later on with both the great Grandma's Oma and Grandma (the only Grandma out of all of them) and then went to Grandma's house. We played in her basement where she keeps every toy you could possibly imagine and more. There were all sorts of little instruments so Papa, Granny T, Grandma,me and the girls all formed a band. Who needs tv when you got a basement full of toys? We spent the weekend with Granny T and Papa so I got a chance to sneak away to see some friends.
There was some pretty cool thunder storms while at my inlaws, we got to spend quality time with them and their Yorkipoos; Janice and Jimmy and met their new kitty Winter. I also got to have my first night out with one of my best buds Sarah who I haven't had a night out alone with in about 9 years and hadn't seen in 3. I met her in down town Silver Spring and my shoes were killing me so we went shoe shopping and I got an excellent pair of comfortable shoes. Then we went to this place called Eggspectation and got rum smoothies, salad and ribs; amazing! The next day the girls got to go to The Puppy Store again and also caught lightening bugs with nets while I went to Angie's, it was a lot of fun to see most of the people from last year, some people I hadn't seen in a long time and there was also some new faces. When I got back to my inlaws we watched Spy Kids in 3D. Once we were all ready we went to visit Grace and Wyatt at the mall. We ate some tasty food and then Mike and Trish were off to do some shopping. First I let the girls burn off some energy in these cool beach ball things. The guy in charge let them go as long as they wanted since it was a slow day. First he deflated the ball, unzipped it, mostly zipped it up once the kid was in and then filled it up with air. Sarah was so sweaty after she got out her head was soaked. Julia relaxed a little more and laid down when she got tired but Sarah didn't know the meaning of rest. They had so much fun doing that and then the girls and Wyatt rode the train carousel, went to outdoor world to look at fish, rode another train carousel and then rode the mall train. The three of them seemed to have a lot of fun and Wyatt led the way for us while he marched. He has grown up so much since we last saw him and that was really neat to see. We went to the Disney store after all that to look at all the cool stuff and then said our goodbyes. Trish and Mike drove us back to their house and we saw their goodies that they had found at the mall. They got really cute decor for their new beach house. They had shown us earlier what it's going to look like through pictures of models that they had been through, the materials they chose and the colors; it's going to be so cute. We'll be visiting them in that house next year in Delaware; until next time Granny T and Papa!
Lots of fun in one week. Then we went to Nana's Splash Magic Campground http://www.riverandfun.com/ and jumped in the pool as soon as possible. This was after all one of the hottest summers; we were very lucky to have that pool and this year they had huge slides that Sarah was brave enough to try out. They did ceramics every day, got new bikes from Nana to ride everyday, swam every day, ate lots of icecream, Julia discovered Root Beer floats, saw The ZOO Keeper down the street with Nana at a drive in movie theatre, bought goodies from the Amish both Saturdays we were there, caught lightening bugs, played candy bar bingo, hooked worms with my Mother in law Betty and it was gross for both of us, shamefully watched to much tv; with the heatwave it was all we could do sometimes, finished a book; more than anything the whole trip was very restful and a lot of fun. My phone wasn't working either so I couldn't check my e-mail, facebook or make calls; but I was great-full for that. It seemed to make the time more enjoyable just being in the present moment.
We drove back to MD and I got a chance to visit Dan, Ruth, Eve, Paul and Scarlett in DC. I'd never met Scarlett before but she was all smiles and even let me pick her up. Eve was still sleeping when we got there but was up after a while. The girls all played so well together; it was so sweet and heartwarming. Mary had came just in time for lunch and then we all decided on the pool instead of the Zoo because it was so hot. Walking there was a little tricky because Eve would want to run with Sarah and Julia and then she'd fall, cry, and then repeat. Dan had it right when he said it was like herding cats. It took a while for Eve to get used to the water once we were there. She was fine as long as no one touched her and she could walk on her own; I completely understand :). Scarlett was all over the place which was really cool. The only thing is my girls wouldn't leave her alone and that made me so nervous. After a while they got that it was safer for me to do the holding. The pool was the perfect activity for the kids and there were only a few other people there. Once the life gaurd blew the whistle we were ready to go home. Same thing pretty much with the herding on the way back but the nice thing about kids is that they are way cuter then cats! The girls and I stayed a little longer at Dan and Ruth's while our towels dried but the grownups were tired and my kids seem to get more rambunctious when they are tired, so it was time to head out. It was a quiet ride home because the kids were asleep, love when that happens on long rides.
The next morning we rode to the airport and Sarah had the craziest tantrum on the plane. As soon as we sat down she was screaming and hitting me. This probably lasted a half hour until I told her that hitting your parents is illegal and then she cried saying it wasn't fair and fell asleep. Poptarts and donuts are never good to start your morning.
I'm so excited to move back to Maryland; just driving around on the highway and back roads just made me feel like I was home. We will be so lucky to see so much family and friends. I can't wait to see the changing seasons and the festivities that come with them. Really looking forward to going back!
It was so good to see Dann when we got back. It felt like it was such a long time even though it was only 3 weeks. My sister in law's Erin and Katrina just got to Hawaii last week and we're dropping them off today. The second night we had a huge dinner at the house when my brother got here after. It was a nice celebratory dinner; ribs, corn, shrimp, salad, cherries, box of red wine, juice and cream puffs for desert; my mom got too much food; sort of a running joke but leftovers are always great. My brother was pretty busy because he was here for his best friend's wedding as the best man but we went out to BC Burrito for breakfast one day and went hiking up Mariners Ridge another with our mom and dad; some really nice quality time. It was Erin's first time here and Katrina's second; the girl and I went to eat breakfast with them at Dukes http://www.dukeswaikiki.com/ in the Outrigger Surf Waikiki hotel they were staying in; we all had a breakfast buffet that was delicious with the best coffee I ever tasted, scrumptious biscuits with sausage gravy and lots of yummy fruit and after eating the girls and I took them to Kaimana Beach (not the best beach but Sarah really wanted to take them there), Erin and I went hiking on Mariners Ridge and lots of good conversation, Dann took them on an Island Tour and the next day Erin & Katrina rented a jeep and went off roading on the north shore, the girls and I took them to Hanauma Bay for some snorkeling; Erin & Katrina saw a turtle when they swam out further, Sarah really loved swimming and seeing the fish with Katrina; she's such a strong swimmer and has so much fun. Julia let me carry her further out so she could see the fish; she got a little worried about the bigger ones at one point but then got over it, Dann and his sisters went on a booze cruise while I saw my mom in Tony & Tina's Wedding again; they brought back some funny stories and that night my Dad babysat the girls so the Burdette Grownups could eat at the Cheese Cake Factory; we had an hour in traffic then an hour wait and then Erin got sick so she had to leave early but we sat,chatted with Katrina and ate so much food that we took half home for leftovers. The last spot Dan and I took them to was Sandy Beach; Julia came with us but Sarah went shopping with my mom. Sandy Beach has some strong waves, current and a stronger undertow. Marathon training Erin seemed fine but the rest of us were wiped out from fighting the waves and current; it was a lot of fun and Katrina didn't get a chance to try that beach out last time so she got to experience some crazy Hawaiian Surf. Erin took turns with me watching Julia because there is no way a little kid should be out there. We had so much fun with them here! Dan is leaving today too so we went hiking up Mariners Ridge with our Mom and Dad. Really a great Summer and I know the girls and I are ready for the Fall!

Eek blech!

That's about how to describe Monday to Thursday this past week. Julia woke up Monday morning with hives so I took her to the doctor. He didn't know what the hives came from but he did tell me that Julia has a little asthma. I was really worried because the hives kept getting worse and would seem to cover her whole body. Her face was really red and ears completely red at one point. She's been coughing like crazy for a few weeks.
The good thing about seeing the doctor is that he wrote Julia a prescription for both the cough and the asthma and she is barely coughing now. Whenever I talk to doctors they always say to wait the cough out a few weeks but with Julia I think it's better to catch it right away. I guess her cough has a harder time clearing up because of the asthma. The asthma meds seemed to have finally cleared up whatever the rash was too.
I thought the hives could be caused by bed bugs because they did look a little like bites; so I did the responsible thing and googled bed bugs. They said to look for black dots (bug poop) and I saw black dots (maybe dirt?) under the mattress on the slats so I started to freak out and washed everything with hot water. I put the mattresses outside to air out then inspected them to look for the eggs and bugs. They were completely clear but I didn't tell Julia that it was just a false alarm because she didn't seem to care about it.
So yesterday when she got back to school she told all of the kids and some parents that she had bed bugs (she also still had some hives to add more fuel to the fire). So the parents were naturally concerned and one gave the teacher a hard time about it so she called about 20 minutes after dropping Julia off. Good to know they act fast but even after I assured her that Julia does not have bed bugs and explaining her situation at drop off time I still had to get a message faxed over from the doctors. An e-mail was sent out yesterday to calm the parents down explaining that Julia does in fact NOT have bed bugs and the doctors note is in the office files; so hopefully that's the end of that. Oh sicknesses and misunderstandings; all I can say is thank God she's better and hopefully she stays that way.

Big Decision!

Dann and I have been talking a lot this year about what our plans will be when he graduates. We've finally come to the decision that we will move back to Maryland. We have missed our big gatherings with friends and family. It has been really nice for the girls to see their other grand and great grandparents here for the past few years and we have really enjoyed the nice weather and beaches but it's time to go back. Dann and I were going through Craigslist for places to rent and were getting really excited. We look forward to having great space, a dog, a yard and lots of get togethers.
I asked the girls about it and they were really excited too. They can't wait for the snow and I know they will be so happy to see all the family and our friends on a regular basis. The more we talked about moving the more it felt right. So one more year to soak up the sun and enjoy the island before we move back! It feels good to have a plan and know what are next move is going to be.

Julia's Birthday Circle

Today was a confirmation of how amazing Waldorf is. Julia was so excited about her birthday circle and I could see why. Of course the parents bring in a "healthy cake" for their birthday child but what I saw and experienced with the class exceded my expectations. Everyone was seated in a circle and everyone had a flower from a bogenvilia. Next the song came about Julia's birthday and love from everyone while we each went around the circle giving her a flower in her basket and then a hug. Julia wore a cape and crown and three of her friends wore the same. Her teacher went through Julia's years and the parents were supposed to come up with a memory for each year. I wasn't prepared of course but came up with a few things and her teacher did a beautiful job. Then their was a story about an angel who found a family especially for Julia while her friend came dressed as the angel going around the circle and dropping her off back to us. Then she put out 5 candles 1 at a time with a song to symbolize each year and next finally came the regular birthday song. The class made her a card book with a picture from each teacher and child, she got magnets and a cape. It was much more of a ceremony and it was so touching and meaningful. I hope we can carry this tradition throughout the rest of her life. I like the idea of making a card and sharing stories of her life on her special day to celebrate it.

Spring

Sarah did an amazing job at her recital and of course she was adorable as ever. She kept telling us about her "play" and that it was her first real one on stage during the week leading up to it. She was a little nervous but told me she would follow what the other kids were doing if she forgot the steps. She did really great and we had a celebratory Burger King meal afterward. I asked her if she had fun and she said that she was so happy that she finally got to perform. My Grandma got her an Angelina Ballerina movie to watch as a gift for a job well done and Sarah and Julia both wanted to take lessons after watching it. So the Gymnastics and everything else will just have to wait.
Spring Break was off to a great start until yesterday when I decided it was time to start a little Spring cleaning. We moved a bunch of furniture around until the space started to make sense. Sarah ended up cleaning her room and there was a lot of clamor. Julia was being her cute but very loud and energetic self and as a result of all that Sarah and I were starting to get headaches; mine went away but hers turned into a full fledged migraine. So she's been throwing up for the past 24 hours; not fun at all. Hopefully she'll be ready to eat again and enjoy the rest of her break by tomorrow!
... she was better the next day and back to eating like there was no tomorrow. I stayed at home with the girls most of the week. The girls were aloud to watch one movie a day and boy were they excited about that. We spent some time with Jenn and Beth and the girls were very lucky to be read to by Jenn more than a few times. They got to ride in their Mystery Mobile to the beach; it was a little rough but we enjoyed the water none the less. We went to the store last Wednesday and the girls picked out a really pretty kite. It's been very windy here recently so we took it to the park and watched it soar. It was really exciting for all of us.
We spent Saturday night at my grandparent's for Julia's 5th birthday celebration and then the next day we went to Chucky Cheeses for her actual birthday with Jenn and Beth. Julia loved playing in what I think of as a hamster maze, eating pizza & winning tickets. She got some cute trinkets, cotton candy & was as happy as can be. After all the excitement it was time to head home for her steak dinner of birthday choice; Dann pan cooked it with delicious herbs, big hit for all. So great birthday weekend and Thursday her class is doing a morning birthday circle for her. I get to make a "healthy cake" and join in the celebration. The girls are back to school and enjoying their friends and activities. We all had a much needed rest from the rush and are ready to start again.

Spring Break!

It's a half day for the girls today and I'm sure they are about ready for a relaxing break. Hopefully the relaxing can ensue even with two kids at the house. Dann will probably do most of the supervision since my dad has needed me at work a lot more recently.
Our awesome friends Jenn and Beth are on their way on a plane for their Honey Moon in Hawaii! We will pick them up from the airport this afternoon! So exciting and I know they are going to have a fantastic adventure while here. I'm hoping I can play tour guide at least a little bit; one of my favorite things to do! Hopefully I'm allowed some time off for their visit!
Another great start to Spring is Sarah's 1st Ballet Recital this Sunday! Which reminds me I have to charge my camera. She was practicing her routine when I walked past the living room yesterday; so cute! Dance has been a really great thing for her; she's definitely began to literally find her own space in the room. After this class she wants to try gymnastics, hula, and then tap; in that order. I think that's a great idea to keep her options open until she finds something she really likes.
So heres to a successful Spring Break!

Good Day!

Today I picked up the girls early so we could have an Aquarium Trip. Sarah has been wanting to ask the Scientists for weeks about her fossil. So I asked about it when we first got there and the host told us to ask the Education Department. Well I didn't know what that meant but the Manatee's were being fed so we got to enjoy their cuteness while they ate. Then Julia was off to the touching pool so she could hold the hermit crabs (we learned that all the Hawaii hermit crabs are left handed) while Sarah and I made friends with a Puffer Fish. Then we walked around until it was time to get back to the touching pool because Julia wanted to touch the Urchin so it would "hug" her finger. Sarah touched an anemone until it shot out it's stinging nettles. I'd never seen it before but it was pretty cool. The supervisor was telling us that it doesn't hurt people because the skin on the palm of our hand is so tough that it doesn't pierce. On our way out we asked about the Education Department and a call was made and two Scientists came out to talk to Sarah about her Fossil. You could tell Sarah was really happy to talk about it. She found out that it's Limestone and definitely coral and one of the prints is still unknown. One of the ladies gave her a really great idea to label everything she finds and keep it on a shelf. When we headed to the car, Sarah told me that she wanted to be a scientist and I thought; how cool!

Sarah went to Ballet Practice after that and they started working on their routine (where Julia took her head shot, the top picture, she's got a new found love of photography). They will be performing at the Art Academy next month dressed as birds to "Some Where Over the Rainbow". She is really excited and so am I because I can't imagine how it could get any cuter!
After Ballet we tried Genkhi Sushi and the girls loved the conveyor belt style serving. Julia ordered Garlic Chicken, Sarah ordered Fried Shrimp, I got cucumber sushi and soy beans off the belt, Sarah got Octopus Sushi off the belt and really liked the Octopus! I couldn't believe it but she liked it better than the rice. They had cupcakes going by so we had to get them but only after we ate a salad of course. All in all a great day and hopefully all our Fridays will be so nice.

Lessons, Animals, and Day Trips

Haven't written on this forever and so I figure it's time for an update...

Sarah has really been enjoying her Ballet classes and made a little friend in her class. They were cracking up and really trying to make each other laugh. The teacher was really good at regaining the girls attention and she is so patient with them. Her class is so small, it started off as 4 girls but last week there was 3. It's kind of nice that it's small, seems more personal that way.

Julia will be starting her Swim Lessons on Wednesday! She's been asking for months so I know she will enjoy them.

The girls have been catching Geckos lately. It's all the rage at their school. We try to encourage them to let the Geckos go after catching but they really want to make friends with these Geckos. So as a result they end up losing tails; I'm pretty sure the tails grow back but I'm sure the lizards appreciate having them just the same. It's a lost cause at this point but a cute hobby of theirs.

I've been trying to do more things with the girls during the weekend. We've noticed the longer they are cooped up in the house the more we drive each other crazy. So last weekend we went to the Zoo and the Aquarium. We've got a family pass to the Zoo so we really should be going more often. They love the goats usually because you can go in the pen with them but this time we went the Goats were ramming each other and chasing after people. Julia was chasing after the Goats trying to pet them while they were ramming each other. I chickened out and made the girls get out of there.

The Aquarium was very cool. Julia seemed more psyched about it this time then the last few. Each of the girls were given a radio where you push the numbers for each tank while you are walking through and then it gives an explanation of the animals. The girls really loved that. They are still working on numbers but they got the hang of it as we were going through.

Sarah had found a coral fossil a few months back so she brought it for people at the aquarium to look at. They didn't know much about it and asked us to come during the week when the experts are there. They also said that maybe they could use it for display there; Sarah was really excited about that. Julia was mostly excited about holding the hermit crab because this time she wasn't scared since she's been finding them on the beach.

They loved going out and making a day of it but their only complaint is that they wanted to go to the beach. So that's the plan for this weekend.

Broken Camera :(

So almost as I got my new nifty Video Camera my regular camera fell on the cement ground. Now when I turn it on it asks me to turn it off. I will miss that camera because I got it right before Julia was born to document the kids growing up. I guess this just means that I really have to use this video camera. I used it at the beach when we stayed at Bellows the other day and I got Sarah's first wipe out in the water and Julia catching a moth. It was really funny because as soon as Sarah got out of the water she was freaking out and not because she got caught in the undertow but because she lost her goggles! Dad found them so all was well but she said she didn't mind going under the wave and that she wanted to do it again!