First week school report!

J had a great week. She is really excited and has great stories that I need to finish typing. I will get this done as quickly as I can. Here is what her teacher had to say though!

J has been exceptional this week and has no reason to say she has been bad. Other than being a little sad on Monday she has been pretty chipper. We have actually had a fantastic week.

This is great! J has been telling me in the mornings, "I don't think I will be bad or sad today." So I had to ask the teacher if she had been bad, because it is funny what they say. I feel that this is her saying I know I have a choice to be happy, good and enjoy school or be sad, bad and get in trouble at school.

Will be writing more over the weekend hopefully.

FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL!! :)

Jordyn did well after the first 15 minutes of being sad. Not crying, but just being sad. Here is what she told me she did.

• I rode a purple dinosaur, not a real one, it is a pretend one. It is outside on the ground but not on the playground.
• I played on the playground. On all of the parts, a slide, a climbing post and all kind of things.
• I played with a submarine toy but not the car toy.
• I colored a raccoon from the teachers.
• I played with playdough. It was blue.
• I meet a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a whole bunch of new friends. I don't know their names, they didn't tell me, just the teachers told me. Alexisa and Chloe were not there (these are her friends from Hickam Harbor)
• I rode a tricycle but didn't play with any of the balls.

We got a note from her teacher last night that says:

Everyone had a fabulous first day at school, here are some activities we participated in:

• Read "The Kissing Hand"
• Painted hand prints
• Colored "Chester" the Raccoon from "The Kissing Hand"
• Learned the "Rule Song"
• Played on the Preschool playground, and followed all of the playground rules

J did a great job remembering what she did, huh?

She didn't even attempt to cry this morning! She told me she had a funny feeling in her tummy. I asked if it was jittery? She said yes. I told her since we had left our jitter glitter at home to ask her teacher for some. So she got out of the car on a mission to find her teacher and some jitter glitter for her tummy! So the second day of school is well on it's way!

FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL!! :) - Mrs Neuman

Everyone had a fabulous first day at school, here are some activities we participated in:

• Read "The Kissing Hand"
• Painted hand prints
• Colored "Chester" the Raccoon from "The Kissing Hand"
• Learned the "Rule Song"
• Played on the Preschool playground, and followed all of the playground rules

I hope to see you all smiling in the morning!

Sleep tight,
Mrs. Neuman :)

First Day of School!

Today was Jordyn's first day of preschool. Mrs. Neuman had us do a great activity last night with Jitter Glitter. James was home from work today since he is in shiftwork. She wanted daddy to take her. So he couldn't refuse. NHKS has this GREAT system for dropping off and picking up the students. You don't have to get out of your car, you drive up and they unload the student while you are signing her in. This is great! She cried and tried to climb in the front with James when they unbuckled her. However, dad got her to show her bag to the student helper that was helping get the students out of the cars and to their classes. Dad left her crying. I think it was a big day for Dad too! (He probably used some jitter glitter to get out of the parking lot!) She usually talks dad into doing what she wants and she wanted him to come to school with her for the day!

They read the book The Kissing Hand and colored a picture to go with it. I also know that they painted, played and had a snack. She really hasn't told us anything else but that it made her tired and that she enjoyed it! It apparently worked up an appetite too because she ate a huge lunch compared to other days!

At the end of the day we all went to get her. We pulled up in the line, displayed her placard and when it was our turn, Mrs. Neuman put her in the van and buckled her up all while I was signing her out. She said that Jordyn was said for about 10-15 minutes this morning but did good all day! She listened and interacted with the others well! Our little girl is growing up!

This is what Jordyn wants to tell you about school today:

• I rode a purple dinosaur, not a real one, it is a pretend one. It is outside on the ground but not on the playground.
• I played on the playground. On all of the parts, a slide, a climbing post and all kind of things.
• I played with a submarine toy but not the car toy.
• I colored a raccoon from the teachers.
• I played with playdough. It was blue.
• I meet a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a whole bunch of new friends. I don't know their names, they didn't tell me, just the teachers told me. Alexisa and Chloe were not there (this is her friends from Hickham Harbor.)
• I rode a tricycle but didn't play with any of the balls.

'Twas the Night Before Preschool Starts

'Twas the Night Before Preschool Starts - Tonight we prepared Jordyn for school tomorrow. She decided that she wanted a new skirt out of red Hawaiian fabric to match her school spirit t-shirt that she got on Friday. So of course, we ran out to Wal-Mart and let her pick out the fabric. I, of course, got the job of figuring out a pattern that I could make in under 1 hour; which I did. I am not happy with the way the waistband worked out but I will re-do it after she gets home from school in the morning.The next thing that had to happen is to do the activity that the teacher sent home for tonight. This is the instructions that we got from Mrs. Neuman her teacher at Navy Hale Keiki School.The night before your first day of school, I would like you to have your mom and dad read the poem below to you and follow the directions. I will be doing it too and remember...I can't wait to see you!

Jitter Glitter
When you're feeling nervous and in your tummy there is a jitter,
Think of your new teachers and sprinkle on some glitter,
You will find a brand new feeling when you are done,
And then you are ready for a year of exciting learning that is fun!
Mom or Dad might need some glitter...for they're nervous too!
I have a secret between me and you,
Your teachers at this moment are sprinkling jitter glitter too!
Now we are all sparkling and ready for the year to begin.
This glitter is filled with love from your teachers....
Your new friend!

While dad read the poem and passed out the glitter, mom video taped (to see the video visit mom's blog). This is all for today. This is posted a day late!

'Twas the Night Before Preschool Starts

Tonight we prepared J for school tomorrow. She decided that she wanted a new skirt out of red Hawaiian fabric to match her school spirit t-shirt that she got on Friday. So of course, we ran out to Wal-Mart and let her pick out the fabric. I, of course, got the job of figuring out a pattern that I could make in under 1 hour; which I did. I am not happy with the way the waistband worked out but I will re-do it after she gets home from school in the morning.

The next thing that had to happen is to do the activity that the teacher sent home for tonight. This is the instructions that we got from Mrs. Neuman her teacher at NHKS.
The night before your first day of school, I would like you to have your mom and dad read the poem below to you and follow the directions. I will be doing it too and remember...I can't wait to see you!

Jitter Glitter

When you're feeling nervous and in your tummy there is a jitter,

Think of your new teachers and sprinkle on some glitter,

You will find a brand new feeling when you are done,

And then you are ready for a year of exciting learning that is fun!

Mom or Dad might need some glitter...for they're nervous too!

I have a secret between me and you,

Your teachers at this moment are sprinkling jitter glitter too!

Now we are all sparkling and ready for the year to begin.

This glitter is filled with love from your teachers....

Your new friend!

While dad read the poem and passed out the glitter, mom video taped. This is all for today. Will update soon on how the first day of school went. M has orientation on Wednesday and has some weird wacky schedule for a week before he starts his regular schedule.

The Next Food Network Star!

Ok, so I am not talking about the show...I am talking about M. M went to Dream Dinners with me a few weeks ago to prepare our foods for the month. I did take my camera but I forgot to take it out. In August when we go back we will take the video camera and see if we can get a clip of him preparing the foods with me. We have about a 20 minute drive home from Dream Dinners...he talked to Grammie the entire way home about how much fun he had, what he made, how to cook it, what she needs to do when she goes and everything. When we got there he was a little nervous, but jumped in anyway! We went in, put away my purse (which is why I forgot the camera!), got our recipe cards and were greeted by Melanie. I took M to the sink and both of us washed our hands and put on aprons. Someone had brought a step ladder out for M to stand on. (Next time we are taking just a step stool, as I wasn't too comfortable with the little ladder, he wanted to stand on the top step when he didn't really need too.) We started with our first meal, they are SO SIMPLE even with a child helping to prepare. He was really excited that all the spoons were just the right size. We put all the ingredients for each meal into baggies and those baggies into a large ziploc with a label. He then took our food over to the freezer and put it in our spot. He thought that was really neat that we have a special fridge for our food. He was pleased to get to try the Oreo Brownies as a sample. I even gave him mine since I knew were were bringing an order of them home with us. There were other moms there that had young children, they were asking if we would put certain things in our meals. M would always answer them with his grown-up, long-winded answers, which sometimes I had to interpret. We absolutely love Dream Dinners, we can choose the leave items out or use extra of things that we like (i.e. garlic). Even with the heaping measurements of garlic the kids love the meals. They also brought out the Stuffed Italian Shells for us to try. I knew M didn't really like it but I let him get a taste of it anyway! He tried it which was more than what he did at home. He thought he was the reason that they had 2 samples that day!

Everyone kept asking if he was going to be a chef - he kept saying "I don't know yet, because I can sing pretty good too." He also told one customer when she asked if he wanted to be a chef, "My mommie says I have a lot of talents that I can use when I grow up, so I am not sure if I will be a chef. If I am I will be a good one.

We have pretty picky eats are our house and we were afraid the first month that the kids would not eat the foods. However, they were willing to try things. Now we realize that we are not only using meal time as a family bonding time, but the sessions at Dream Dinners allow me to spend more quality, one on one time with M. Also, we have found that the more they can help me with the preparation and the cooking the more willing they are to eat it. If we can get them to try it with an open mind, they usually will like it. I let them help me in the kitchen as much as possible and James has even let them help him put things on the grill or slide the chops around on the grill with him. They like to be part of the process of choosing which meal we should have and cooking it. I was also really thankful and amazed that one of my previous blogs "Do I pray enough?" on July 14, 2008 had a comment made on it by Stephanie Allen. For those of you who don't know, she is the co-founder of Dream Dinners!! I was really amazed. I am still not sure how she found my blog but I thought it was really neat that she took the time to comment on God, praying, and Dream Dinners.

I wonder if we could get M on one of those taste testing panels? He would adore it!! Maybe I will start posting his comments on the meals. Last night we had the Maple Glazed Pork Chops. We all really liked it. M, who typically doesn't eat pork chops at all, even asked for seconds. I took one chop and split it for both of the kiddos - but had to get the one for James to take to work to give them even more! Let's just say James did not have Maple Glazed Pork Chops and local Hawaiian mac salad for lunch at work today!

The kids are about home from karate and dance so that means my quiet time is almost up and I have some Coconut Shrimp and McCormick Seasoned Steak to get to cooking! Yes, all of it from Dream Dinners. We gave Mom and Dad a trip to Dream Dinners for their birthday presents. They went today. I can't wait until they start trying the foods!!

(A side note: No, we don't always dress like in these pictures! We spent the afternoon over at McGrew Point Community Swimming Pool and the boys are still in there swimsuits, whereas, J only has on her bottoms.)

“Little Miss Ballerina”

Here is Little Miss Ballerina being a cutie pie as she comes into dance class -- do you see that she has on a BLUE leotard, PINK tutu, and YELLOW sunglasses!! She was just too adorable! Oh yeah, she has on LAVENDAR shoes, with a pink ballerina purse and a Dolpin Water Bottle Buddie holder.

We have been having a bit of a struggle with J and dance class. She misses her SC teacher, Mrs. Heidi, and she constantly tells the teacher here Ms. Anna “that isn’t the way we do it in SC.” Or “Mrs. Heidi doesn’t do it that way.” She usually stands in the corner and cries. She says she is thinking. So our little thinker has realized that she can’t advance class to be in the same group with her friend from pre-school….so she is trying to prove that she can do everything from Pink 1 so she can go to Pink 2. Ms. Anna was happy with her performance last night. She was dancing and I was even allowed inside to video some ballet and some tap sections. Since M has two videos, I figured J needs two videos of class also. She was great. She almost started to cry and didn’t want to go in the class, but I gave her my watch which seems to be her security item lately. (All I can say is at least it isn’t something like a paci!! Also, I am very glad that it isn’t a nasty blankie that she has had for years.) She has broken my watch, twice now, so I think it is gone – but I am going to keep letting her use it for as long as she would like. She is getting so big and I hope that Mrs. Heidi would be proud of her in dance class!!

This blogging stuff is still new to me so I don't know how much of this is profound and how much of this is just letting extended family and friends watch my children grow up! Hope you enjoy the videos.

At Karate

M choose to take karate this summer. The rec center said that Sensei wouldn't take him because he was too young. However, we went out with him and let him take a class before we paid and bought his gi (uniform). He wasn't sure if he liked it or not. However, he agreed that he would like to take it all summer. We are going to see what school is like for him before we decide to let him take it all year long. You pay per month, so you can stop at anytime. He goes twice a week and loves it. M has a video that he can practice with here at home, which he does on his own. I will hear him in his room practicing. I don't force him, he just does it. He wants to be a like a Power Ranger....so he practices! LOL! I think he is adorable. Here are a couple of videos of him from class last week. (Yes, his face is red - he refused to go without a t-shirt on under his gi and he gets SO hot!).

Do I pray enough?

My day…
You know lately I have been thinking that my days are not very prayerfully filled. However, last night I realized that they are! I just didn’t realize that I do the mom’s method of prayer. A couple minutes every time you get a chance. I awake with a small blessing of happy children, which I took a few moments to thank Him for! It is wonderful when you day doesn’t start in chaos, isn’t it? Having a 7 month old, you don’t always get to start your day first so you have to take it as it is. Since James was home he got up with L and M and let me rest longer with J in my bed.

“Thank you, Lord, that my children are in a good mood today and thank you that my husband is a wonderful man who will get up and let me sleep in.”

Later, as we were getting ready for church I was able to say “Thank you Lord, that everyone in the house is happy about going to chapel this morning and that Sunday mornings are not a struggle for us. Also, mahalo (Hawaiian thank you) that You have blessed us with living in Hawaii and learning about clock time and “Hawaii time”. We are so wonderfully blessed to be living here!”

On the way to Chapel, “Lord, mahalo for allowing us to safely travel the roads. Mahalo for giving me a man who is a safe driver and I don’t have to worry about on the roads.”

At the Chapel, “Lord, mahalo, for having a nursery that I feel comfortable leaving my baby in so that I can enjoy the service to grow in Your Love.”

Afterwards on the way home, I realize that I thank God daily for allowing me to live in such a great place where the weather is almost always nice and that is so beautiful. Every time I leave Ford Island, I say a thank you to God for letting me live in a neighborhood that is safe and so wonderful to see all the amazing things every time I leave home or even look out the windows of my house!

Then it came to supper time last night. At this point, I had struggled with a migraine for most of the day and wanted to eat at home. However, our Dream Dinners meal needed to marinade for 2 hours which we did not realize before we were ready to cook. M has been talking about going to eat at Red Lobster since we have been in Hawaii. Well, we found one and all day he had been talking about eating the meal at Red Lobster from the Next Food Network Star show. We were sitting at the table and J just threw up. We were lucky that she got a little on her face, some on her kids menu and the rest was in the chair between her legs but not on her dress. Then right after the food got there – M keeps spilling his shrimp in the chair and smearing the ketchup all over the place. J spills her drink about 4 times and as you can tell this was shaping up to be a very unpleasant meal out. Well, TWO HOURS AND 45 MINUTES LATER (yes we could have eaten faster than this at home and not had to drive to get home when we finished!), we get in the car and discuss our meal. I told James that I had been praying throughout the meal. My prayer went something like this….
“Dear God, please grant me the sanity to make it until bedtime. Please grant me the patience to get thru this meal. Please help me see that they are only little once and this time spent with them will end much sooner than I can imagine now. Please help me make sure that they feel loved and appreciated. That M is able to continue to tell people that his mommie thinks he has many talents and can grow up to be anything. That J continues to be able to say how much she loves me on a regular basis and that we can keep a wonderful line of communication. Please also help me to instill these same things into L. Help me make sure that my husband knows how much he is valued, loved and appreciated. Help me grow as a woman, mother, wife and friend. Show me how to do all of this in your Name and likeness. Amen.”

I sure hope that I am able to keep this kind of attitude throughout life! And I think yes I pray...is it enough? Well, I don't think anyone could - but at least I know that I am praying and thanking God on a regular basis!!! What could be better than that?

Blessings to all

This week

I have been writing in my head all evening...if it would magically appear on my computer monitor now that would be great! I am exhausted, one day off your "normal" routine I guess will throw you off. James & I went to farewell to the MSP Chief's outing yesterday. We went to Paradise Cove to the Luau and show. It was really nice to be at a table full of adults and not having to worry about anyone spilling food or drink or even crying. Everyone stayed in their seats (well unless a performer got them up) and behaved nicely! We had the deluxe tickets so they even served us our food and we didn't have to go to the buffet line. The sunset over the ocean was amazing! I can't get over how I have spent my life watching the sun RISE over the ocean but here I get to see the sunset over the ocean.

We had a wonderful experience with the kids this week. On Saturday afternoon, Forest City (they people who own our house) get an ice cream truck to go around different neighborhoods on certain days. We were actually home when it came by this time!! We have lived here for a year and never been home before!! I heard the truck coming and told the kids to run. They took off with dad down the stairs. M was so excited he threw his toy leaflet up in the air over his head as he was running down the stairs. When they got to the front door - the truck was already down the street too far to catch. So they watched to see which way he went so that they could go that way. Sure enough they went down to another intersection and got ice cream! L and I wouldn't chase the truck, but we got lucky that he passed the house again!! Well, L wasn't so lucky because he isn't old enough for ice cream yet!! If it takes another year for us to be home when they come thru again he will be able to eat it then. M was amazed that it was FREE. It is one of the few perks of living in military housing here in Hawaii.




I think that is all for today. Maybe I can actually get some of that writing in my head on the computer during the week this week....who knows as James is starting shift work so he will only be here until around 11:30 and be gone until well after midnight each day. Afternoons are the LONG part of the day for me, so I may or may not get anything accomplished for the next few weeks!

My New Business Listed on a Hawaii Blog!!

Look at what this Hawaii WAHM Blog says about my new business....
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First Time in the Pool

We went to the Arizona pool today. L was able to go in the water for the first time. It was a little cold for him but he seemed to do ok. After we got out of the pool, we sat on the side for awhile with him in the water carrier. I loved it!! It dried quickly and was comfortable for both of us. I wrapped his legs and feet up in my t-shirt so that he didn't get too chilly.

M and J seem to be doing better with swimming. At least it looks like it from the sideline. James can't believe that M passed his Level 1 swim class and J didn't. It seems to be she is better with James than M is. I think a lot of her problem at swim class is that she kept telling Daniel, their instructor, that she couldn't do it. Niether of them care to get their face wet.

We aren't too happy with AZ Pool. The lifeguard doesn't seem to be the friendliest person!! She wasn't nice to us the other day when we got there at 5 minutes till closing -- but we were not aware of the hours. The kids screamed and cried the whole way home. Today, she wouldn't let us use the kickboards. Well, I understand that it is a rule, but she could have been a little nicer about it. She must have realized that I was upset because she came down and offered them a life jacket and a pair of swim wings. HOWEVER, I realized on our way out that the swim wings are NOT allowed either, per the rules posted on the side of the shower. James pointed out today that it would have been nice for her to have pointed that out to us the other day since she didn't even let us in the pool area so we could read the rules. Oh well, I guess we will continue to deal with this unless we want to pack the kids up and drive to a pool somewhere. I am not sure that taking the kids in the life jackets are going to help teach them to swim at all.

Service at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Chapel was nice today. Chaplain Felton did the sermon on Enough is Enough. It was a great service. We are sticking it out until Bible Study and Children's Church starts back. J was better today than she has been. Last Sunday was the first service that James got to hear because he would always take her out. Then I figured out that she thought it was treat to get to sit in the lanai watching the birds, the flowers and whatever else she was watching and playing with! I have been taking her in the Cry Room at the back of the Chapel last week and this week. Last week, she screamed her way out of the Chapel -- at least other parents could relax that their child wasn't the worse - LOL! Today, she looked at me and said I am bored. She kept talking and I asked did she want to go out. She said yes. J did well in the cry room today, I think. She moved a rocking chair so she could see Chaplain Felton and rocked most of the time. She walked around a little bit but she was good and quiet. I wish she would stay occupied with paper and crayons so that I didn't have to take her out but she starts disturbing the people sitting around us and I feel bad so I take her out.

M has another loose tooth. He keeps playing with so I am sure that it will come out soon. I am not sure if we will be able to find this one or not. We will ask him if it is still there and he will have to go look to see! LOL!

That is all for today. I wish you all blessings and happiness!