Kids' Christmas party, steam mopping + I surfed this morning for the first time since I lived in SB
Great time at the Westin kids’ Xmas party yesterday! Thanks Westin, you’re awesome!!
I mentioned wanting a steam mop and Jeff got me one yesterday…and I love it. Not sure it gets the floor cleaner but it sure is fun to use! And I usually hate mopping…
I GOT ON A (borrowed) SURFBOARD THIS MORNING!!! Didn’t catch any waves but I paddled out and it was so awesome. I’m really glad my brother and his family are coming next week and we can all surf together…it’s going to be just what I need to get back on a board…
Kids are playing trains upstairs, giving me a rare break during which I’m posting here and planning for the coming week…
Daddy’s at work but meeting him with the kids for lunch shortly…
Happy Sunday!
XO
Christmas Program
First grade Christmas program, Luke back row second from left, Zo back row forth from the left.
Last night was more about being in the moment vs documenting the moment, hence not much of a picture but I loved, loved, loved the kids’ Christmas program! Of course the kids’ number (first grade doing “Ring the Bells of Christmas” with bells) was the absolute highlight, but also loved the Christmas Story as told by bedbugs (second grade) and the 12 Days of Christmas song Hawaiian style (with a Myna bird, coconuts, hula dancers, etc.) Love stuff like this…it was a great night…
Beach sunset, chapter books + giving is good
Sunset at the beach last night…good to take time out for that sort of thing…
Loving yoga right now…
Starting to read chapter books to the kids…it’s fun but I’m mourning the slow passage out of the picture book phase…
Christmas feels like it is rushing towards us but I also don’t feel overly stressed…we’ve done a lot ahead of time and thanks to my husband are keeping things simple…
Going to get little treats today to put out on the porch for the UPS etc guys (and gals)…know they are working so hard. And kids and I are also doing an angel tree giving to a family in need…we’re going to pick up what we’ve committed to for them today as well. Feels good to give…
Happy Wednesday!
XO
Jui Jitsu belt promotion
So proud of my kids today. They’ve been doing Jui Jitsu this fall. There was a belt promotion ceremony this morning. They both got their first stripes on their belts. So awesome. :)
Happy Saturday!
XO
Yoga, fun weekend plans + general happiness
Loving yoga right now…
Lots of fun X-mas stuff happening this weekend…about to go to a mass where the first graders are leading it, hotel X-mas party tonight, kids are doing belt promotions (where they get a stripe on their Jui Jitsu belts to show they’ve improved) tomorrow followed by a party in the parking lot…should be a fun weekend…
Lots accomplished this week but kind of a quiet Friday, which is a nice way to ease into the weekend…
Beautiful blues and greens outside my living room window…
Just feeling generally calm and peaceful and happy today…
Happy Friday!
XO
Pillow forts, mistletoe + mom fails
Luke making pillow forts for us to snuggle in and talk in the afternoon
And we hung mistletoe yesterday and the kids love running and standing under it until everyone in the house comes over and gives hugs and kisses…it’s great…we may have to leave the mistletoe up after the holidays…
The elf forgot to move last night, and we were halfway to school before I realized Zo still had her ponytail in from yesterday…but I just shrug and say oh well… :)
Our disco Christmas tree throwing sparkles all around the kitchen when the sun hits it.
Scratching my dog’s soft head while he gazes up at me…
Happy Wednesday!
XO
A portable elf, Christmas dishes + a cleaning schedule
Our elf, Mumpho Elphie, hid in a glass on Sunday…which meant he was portable for the day…which was a thrill for the kids… (here he is watching cartoons with Zo)
Eating off our reindeer plates for the holidays…so fun…
Apple season right now and the apples are wonderful…
We’ve had a little cleaning schedule for the house and it’s helping everything to get done…
The bulk of our Christmas shopping is done…feels good…
Happy Tuesday!
XO
Charlotte flew out last night, presents aren't the most important thing + a compliment
It’s been so lovely having Charlotte here…
Ready for some serious downtime after a month of visitors (with a few days off in the middle). Can’t emphasize enough how great company has been, but will be good to have it be just the four of us for a little while…
The mist was so pretty on the mountains edging Lahaina this morning…
Luke the other night at tuck-in: “You know, presents aren’t the most important thing. The most important thing is family. And love. But if there are presents, I’ll take ‘em.”
One of Luke’s coaches at Jui Jitsu yesterday pulled him aside after class and said, “You are getting really good. You’ve got some real talent.” Both the kids are doing so well, working hard and making great progress. Luke is more aggressive than Zo, don’t know if that’s a boy vs girl thing, but really love Zo’s effort in class…
Happy Thursday!
XO
Snorkling, Mumpho Elphie + someone to watch chick flicks with
Really relaxing Sunday snorkeling first thing (Zo had been not liking snorkeling, come to find out her equipment wasn’t working…with the problem fixed she did great!)
Starting to decorate for X-mas, which feels so strange with it 80 degrees out…Zoey especially just loves, loves, loves holidays and wants to go over the top with decorations…
Our Elf on a Shelf, Mumpho Elphie, has arrived! I have had such big plans for him doing something clever every day (eg playing Twister with stuffies, hiding in the fridge wrapped in a washcloth for warmth, zip lining with a candy cane). Day 1 was great—he arrived with a part of Santa’s Naughty or Nice list that included Luke and Zo on a piece of paper. Day 2 he was sitting the the “Winter Wonderland” Zo has set up at the top of the stairs. Day 3 (yesterday) I woke up at 2 AM realizing I hadn't moved him. Got him moved, but not off to a great start with elf activities. On the other hand, he hasn’t done anything other than come visit all the years we’ve had him…can’t have him totally change personality, right?
About to go grocery shopping for the week…and maybe a movie with the kiddos or a chick flick with Charlotte tonight…she’s here ‘til Wednesday…fun to have someone here who will watch a chick flick with me because no one I live with wants to…
The surfboard rack I ordered has been slow in coming but it should be here next week!
Happy Sunday!
XO
Memories associated with smell, Target has (almost) everything + what a nice Thanksgiving!
Zo making apple cobbler with me. She loves the smell of cinnamon. “What does it remind you of?” I ask. “It reminds me of my mama and making apple pies with her in Colorado, we cooked them in the old wood cook stove.” Zo said, “Cinnamon just reminds me of cinnamon.” Maybe you need to be older to have smells associated with memories? Regardless, I hope someday she smells cinnamon and thinks of making desserts with her mama in our sunny Hawaiian kitchen…
Luke inventing a pretty complicated game with magna-tiles and cars, we had such fun playing it. “This is family fun time, isn’t it?” he asked.
Zo: “Target has everything I want, except for wishes that can’t come true.”
Surfers at D.T. Fleming today…what a nice beach and I didn’t know there was surf there…
Charlotte making a beautiful centerpiece for our table…
Happy Thanksgiving!!
XO