A weekend to ourselves

Our great friends Jessica and Michael Monson watched our kids last weekend so Nate and I can escape for some "us" time. It was sooo fun and relaxing. We stayed on Nate's parents' boat. We spent the day Saturday at the waterpark acting like kids, getting barrelled in the wave pool, and yelling and laughing while we sped down the slides. The best part of all, perhaps, was our discovery of the massaging characteristics of a waterfall and a relaxing hot tub. It seemed to blast away our cares. Fortunately, that same weekend Groupon was having a deal for a pizza place that was right at the boat harbor, so we took advantage and gobbled down delicious hot, inexpensive pizza before settling down to Cupcake Wars on the Food Channel.

I was grateful that while we were watching the thought came into my mind that we didn't pay for our parking space. We were even more grateful to find we hadn't been towed away. Thank goodness for the Holy Ghost.

We left the next morning to come back home to our girls, and met up with them at church. A woman commented how I was so patient and loving to our kids and seemed so happy...

...I think we ought to get away more often.

Wise Words from Young Girls

Lately I've heard some sayings from our girls that are worth sharing. Here they are:

While we were going to a baptism for a friend, I realized we didn't have a lei to give. When I mentioned this to the kids, Kezia said, "We don't have a lei, but we have love....and even if we didn't have anything at all, not even clothes, we'd still have hugs and kisses to give....unless we didn't have arms or a face, of course."

One day Ivy told me she made a friend at school. I asked, "How did you make a friend?" She looked at me questioningly and responded, "I just started loving her, and she started loving me, and so we're friends." (And to think of it, it really is as easy as that, isn't it?)

And even though this one might not be so wise, it is nonetheless cute: Elysse was in time-out and in tears came out to tell me, "My heart is broke and that's why I'm sad."

Nate's Book

After 3 1/2 years, the writing is complete, the illustrations perfected, and the first ever stand up paddle guide book is published and on the market!!!

As some of the first paddlers up here on the North Shore, we had no formal training or guidance on the sport. Whenever we would ask someone for advice, the tip was " just keep practicing". And although that's true, we saw the need for some true guidance. Hence, the birth of Rainbow Watersports and this book. This has been a big feat for both of us, especially Nate, of course, and I must say, he did a great job. It is about 260 pages of entertaining reading, complete with illustrations created by himself. Check it out : www.standuppaddlebook.com

Now that it's complete, Nate has already written the outline for his second book.

Stormy weather!

We have been hit by 5 storms this winter so far. What a stormy, windy, rainy season it's been!

We've tried to make the most of it, and have loved the thunder and lightening -- a rare occurrence in beautiful Hawaii. The electricity has gone out a couple of times, and I was even called in by the Red Cross to help open a shelter because they were thinking they would have to open the flood gates on the reservoir. We are so grateful that we had a good friend come chop down a tree that was right next to the power lines at the beginning of the season.The weather and muddy water it's been producing has been putting a damper on our stand up paddle lessons, however we still have had some folks come out who won't let that slow down their fun. I have been able to take advantage of some time off, and actually clean out the girls room.

Hawaii has been in a drought, so this rain, though plenty, is a welcome treat for many parts of the islands.

We've

Happy Birthday, Ivy!

When Ivy woke up on her 6th birthday this week, she walked to the mirror in Grandma's room "to see if [she was] bigger". Upon seeing her reflection, she gasped, "I am!" and then bending her shoulders, she said, "Yesterday, I was this short" and stretching up tall exclaimed, "Now I'm this big!"

6 years old. Wow.

Since Elysse's birthday is in 3 weeks, we decided we would celebrate both birthdays with a trip to the waterpark. However, we did have a small slumber party for Ivy with Kezia and Ivy's very good friends who live just a stone's throw away.

We played "Pin the birthday badge on the birthday girl", hot potato with a box of goodies for everyone to unwrap, silly string in the front yard,

ate chocolate cake,

and the girls watched a movie.

Ivy's into art, so she got all sorts of fun crafty and artsy things to do for her birthday,

so the next morning when the girls got up (at 6:30 -- what about sleeping in?!) they dove into coloring, shrinky dinks, and face painting. The girls played all day long, giving me much needed time to clean the house. I can't believe that the girls lasted so long with relatively good behavior without crashing!

Thank you so much for the phone calls, cards, emails, thoughts, etc. ;)

Here is what makes Ivy wonderful:

• 
  
• She is so full of love. She says "I love you" freely and gives hugs and kisses all the time.
• 
  
• she is vibrant and full of passion. She still jumps up and down when she is excited about something. Her eyes dance when she tells of an exciting event.
• 
  
• She is beautiful
• 
  
• She is all about fashion, often lying out her outfit on the floor and asking, "does this look good?"
• 
  
• She is a kind sister, happy to play, quick to forgive.
• She has a gift for art. She understands forms quite well and can color beautifully.
• Ivy was named after the ivy plant because of its ability to spread beauty anywhere it goes. Ivy is true to her namesake and spreads joy and beauty to those around her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, IVY!!!

Happy New Year!

Think this is a professional fireworks show? Nope, this is how Hawaii celebrates the New Year -- with fireworks on all sides of our house going off. Where do these people get the $$ is beyond me. Sadly, the ban on fireworks went into effect January 1st this year. However, these types of fireworks have already been illegal. Will we see them next year?

We went to a very fun family party at the park to celebrate. It was so fun to see old friends, shoot off fireworks on the basketball court surrounded by children holding sparklers calling, "do another!" "do another!"

My New Year's resolution is to wish my friends and family a very happy birthday on or near their birthday. It's the same resolution I have had for a 3 years now. Hey, 3 times a charm, right?

Happy Holidays! 2010 newsletter

Happy Holidays

and

Mele Kalikimaka!!!

We hope your holiday is bright, and may you have a wonderful new year!

It’s been fun getting cards and hearing from our friends and family this holiday season!

Here’s what’s been happening with our family:

(Please excuse the itty-bitty photos -- our computer with our photos isn't working. We'll change them when we can!)

As a family: We traveled to the mainland for a family reunion and to visit family and friends, were in the Haleiwa Christmas parade, and have enjoyed paddling together, camping, playing on the beach, and just being a family. We try to keep our relations strong amidst busy schedules. We are grateful for the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ and our family and friend relationships.

Nate: He surfed in a couple of contests this year as well as competed in some stand up paddle races. He continues his web design and internet marketing business (www.integrityonlinemarketing.com) as well as his stand up paddle surfing magazine, (www.supsurfmag.com). He published his book on how to stand up paddle that he has worked on for over 3 years: The Stand Up Paddle Book (www.standuppaddlebook.com) and is beginning distribution for Skupboard (www.skupboardhawaii.com), a company that creates surfboard-like skateboards. His biggest accomplishment this year, however, is winning the prize for the Best Turkey in the ward’s Turkey Cook-Off last night. One of his highlights of the year is catching 3 pesky chickens in the front yard, using only a cardboard box, a skateboard, and a string.

Heidi: She trumps Nate’s accomplishments by winning an all-expense paid trip to Vegas this year. It was thoroughly enjoyed, with just us two. Heidi’s Mom was great to come out and watch the girls for the week. She continues to enjoy running our stand up paddle school (www.rainbowwatersports.com) and she also loves having another instructor join the school to allow her more family time. She got 2nd place in 2 stand up paddle races. One of the coolest things she’s done this year is night-surfing with Nate under a full moon. She considers writing a Christmas card before Christmas her greatest accomplishment of the year. Whether you receive it before Christmas is irrelevant. (a couple sick kids later, and whaddya know, it came out late!)

Kezia (7): She is in the 2nd grade and continues to devour books. She has learned to stand up paddle solo as well as surf on a longboard on her own. She surfed on her own in a surf contest for children in October, and did great! She felt like a champ. She loves riding the Skupboard down the street. She and the toothfairy had close relations this year, with Kezia being rewarded for 6 teeth. Her greatest accomplishment this year is outgrowing all her clothes. She’s down to only 3 shirts – hope you’re reading this, Santa!

Ivy (almost 6): Ivy began kindergarten this year and found out it really isn’t that scary after all. She loves her teacher and the friends she has made. Both she and Kezia love having new, best friends next door. After dealing with sibling jealousy, Ivy managed to lose her first tooth. And then another one. She also surfed in the surf contest with her daddy and was so proud – but we were prouder. She likes to ride her bike and tell jokes like this one: “What color?” “Orange.” “No, TEN! Get it? Do you? Ha ha ha!” Her highlights of the year are learning to wink with one eye, and pat her head while rubbing her belly.

Elysse (almost 3): Elysse enjoys being in a parent-child preschool at Tutu and Me. She loves it and so does Heidi. She travels by bus to fieldtrips – the ultimate bragging rights for a 2 year old. Elysse talks up a storm and and loves to learn colors, shapes, and letters. Give her a paper and crayons and she’s good for, well, at least 5 minutes. Give her a dress ups and she’s a princess for the whole week. Her biggest accomplishment is learning to use the potty, and after which she announces, “Guys, come check this out!”

We hope all is well with you. Please drop us a note and let us know what’s going on with you!

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful thanksgiving! It is my favorite holiday by far. I love that it is a time to reflect on all we have been blessed with, and to take time out of the regular routine to do so. We made a Thanksgiving tree. I can't remember all of them, but here are a few:

Ivy wrote she was thankful for unicorns, rainbows, and mommy

Kezia wrote she was grateful for church, the Bible, nature, and mommy

I wrote I am grateful for water, kind strangers, and smiles. And when I went outside that day to find Nate, I found another thing to be grateful for: my husband who plays with our kids (and our friends' kids)

And what a better way to give thanks than over a feast with friends and family! This year we had our good friend Mara and her daughter Nicole over, as well as 3 girls I had taken paddling and found themselves with no where to go for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to have them join us.

That Saturday we headed up to Malaekahana to go camping with our friends Jason and Shana and their two boys. We had a blast!

Jessica and Michael met us up there for a bit as well. We caught 62 crabs on the beach, including one as big as a shaka. It rained as we stayed dry in the tent at night. The next morning we went to church and came back to find our friends had left. Apparently it rained enough while we were gone they decided to pack up and leave. Oh well. We had a fun time together playing Kick the Can and then got ready for another campfire. That's when we noticed our friends had taken our lighting fluid and we had nothing to start the fire with. So Kezia and I said a prayer, and as soon as we were done, Kezia said, "Look, Mom, that man is smoking!" A man had pulled up as we were praying and had lit a cigarette. I can't think of another time I had been happy to see someone smoking.

A whole lotta smoke and then slowly the fire started.

We invited our friends Natalia and Brandon and Kai to join us as well. We had a great time. I Love camping!!

Ivy's tooth

After years of being left out of the Tooth Fairy's generosity, it happened: Ivy finally lost a tooth!!! She is sooo excited. And since this photo, her second tooth right next to it has also fallen out, giving her a perfect place to sip through a straw.

Vegas, Baby!! and Grandma Hicken's visit

October 31st we took off to Vegas, just Nate and I. My mom was so nice to come out and watch the girls for us while we took advantage of the free trip I had won. I was really hesitant about it all though. Was it really going to happen? Who had ever heard of "Omni Airlines" anyway? So I was relieved when we saw the plane and just had to take a photo of it.

When we got to the gate we noticed we were "one of those things that's not like the other" -- we were the only white folk and the only ones under 50, or not toting along a senior citizen. I'm telling you, the wheelchair line for the plane was at least 15 chairs long!! Apparently, Vacations Hawaii markets to old Philipino/ Japanese Hawaiian residents. (And don't worry if you haven't heard of Omni air. It's a charter plane, but must be for pilot training because both ways had bad turbulence and hard landings.)

We got to the California hotel and got our *free* meal coupons, and ate like royalty each day!!!

Paying just a dollar or two extra, we got to go to some really good buffets. I came home with a belly for sure, but there will be plenty of surf this winter to shave that off.

Another BIG highlight was going to sleep when we wanted and waking up when we wanted. Or at least when I wanted; Nate got up earlier to do work.

We brought our skateboards and skated all around town.

We seemed to be the biggest show in Vegas, with so many people commenting on our big skupboard (www.skupboardhawaii.com), which is like a mini surfboard on wheels. I'll tell you, skating is the best way to see Vegas. We were too high to see the "newsstands" and too fast to be bombarded by the pimp card passers. Plus it was just fun, and helped us burn some calories before our next big buffet.

I will admit that Tuesday I tried doing a trick and fell on my tailbone, which put me off alignment and tore ligaments, I was in a lot of pain, but grateful I could still skate for the rest of the time. And grateful to see a chiropractor once I returned home.

We also watched the show at the Circus,

played at the arcade,

(having finally beaten Nate in air hockey, I had to post this photo!)

shopped at the M&M store,

went Go Karting

and rode the New York New York roller coaster, at $14 a head!

Here we are after the roller coaster, I with air-blown hair, and Nate looking like he had a near-death experience!) Way too expensive, but it was worth it.

And what's Vegas without a Wedding Drive- Thru? Had to get a shot there. ;)

It was wonderful being able to have time together without kids and act like, well, kids again, riding around on skateboards with no schedule or plan.

The girls had a GREAT time with Grandma Hicken, as did I when I returned home. She said she just wanted to make good memories for the girls, and I think she accomplished that. They all seemed so happy. When I returned, we talked, went to the farmer's market, the beach, played games in the park, played Pit, and went to a hula performance in the park. The night before she left Nate and I were tour guides for the Mormon temple open house. Mom got to take the girls on the tour of the temple, which they thought was amazing. THANKS, MOM!!

Mom the "tickle monster" with Elysse after preschool

Mom spent the whole morning on Tuesday preparing for a lesson on Egypt she was willing to give to Kezia's special location exploration class. She was able to enthrall the children.

There were 6 turtles on the beach while Mom was here with 6 in the bay! That's a record in my book. See if you can find 5 in the photo.