Look who's walking!!

At 13 1/2 months, Elysse started walking.






Now she's cruising all over the place. I guess she figures with all her movement she's safer with a helmet! She loves wearing Kezia's helmet whenever she can get her paws on it. Funny thing is, it usually covers her eyes, so she ends up actually using it when she wears it!






And now she loves loves going up stairs. Here she is with some of our neighbors.

For those of you who would like a warm breeze of SUMMERTIME during the last month of winter:

Guess what Kezia learned to do?!?  She has been so diligent in trying to learn to ride her bike without training wheels!  The back wheel stalled quite often, and as soon as we got it fixed at the bike shop, she was cruising!!  Ivy learned a trick of her own, too.

After a preschool excursion, Ivy and I stopped at my friend Nicole's house.  She wasn't home, but her tire swing was all too inviting...After seeing the pictures, Kezia had to join us for another trip.

Well, I hope that warmed you up a little.  If you need even more warmth, come and visit!!  It is STILL 72 degrees here!

HAIRCUTS!!!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

(Okay, so Ivy's hair just got a trim, but being her first haircut, this was pretty significant and she was pretty excited about it... and wacky too!)

Now don't they look all prim and proper?

Sunday February 9th was Haircut Day.  We just went craZy with the haircutting scissors!  That night after the girls went to sleep, Nate and I searched on the internet to find a haircut for me.  Having had the "3 children" hairstyle for a year, I was ready for a change.

  We went through quite a few, but they didn't seem to fit.  The model's face is rounder than mine, her hair is curlier, too long, too short, too wacko, too shaved, etc.  We were excited to finally land on one that looked very similar to me--same face shape, same kind of hair, etc, and with the haircut I wanted.  The funny thing was, we then we checked who the model was, and it was the same movie star that I have been told several times I look like, Selma Blair.  Well, I guess I just proved it to myself, now.  And now I have her same haircut.  (  I don't have a picture of my haircut, but you can probably catch it in other blogs.  )

Thick oozing mud

Saturday February 28th Nate and I woke up at 4:30 to wait for our friends to gather at our house.  Then we traveled up the hill to meet up with our other teamates to race in... THE SWAMP ROMP

This is a muddy, icky, sandy, swampy race they have at the marine base in Kaneohe.  You race with a team of six and must stay with your team throughout the race.  We had a girls' team and a guys' team.  Amongst the running are hurdles, large swamp areas, crawling through sand, a run through the ocean water, bluish grey clay mud that seemed to suck you in, and best (or worst) of all, a slide into a huge pile of thick mud about 1 foot deep, 15 feet long and 20 feet long.  Most of the thick mud came off during a run through the ocean water near the end, but we were still worthy of a wash off from a fire hose afterward.  When I took a shower at home and wiped myself dry, I noticed the once white towel was now orange!  I had to shower 3 times before the towel remained white!  And then my mother in law noticed my dirt-hued skin!  It was a lot of fun.  

Before....


After...

I posted this video because I thought it was funny how serious the fireman seems to be taking his job.  You can see Nate getting sprayed near the end:

Snowing Flowers

It has been sooo cold. Monday Nate didn't surf because "it is too cold", an excuse I had never heard him say before. But as soon as I stepped outside, I stepped right back inside for jackets. Today Kezia said she wished we lived somewhere where it snowed. This afternoon she and I were walking behind the bank when we found ourselves in a shower of yellow blossoms floating down from the tree above. It was magical. I said, "Look, Kezia! It is snowing! It's snowing yellow blossoms!" She picked some up and placed them upside down on her fingers. They looked like elegant dancers.

Why it's important to listen

Yesterday the girls were laughing in the backyard. I went to see what they were doing and I found Kezia yanking Ivy's underwear off!!! I called her in the house immediately and had a choice to either punish her or listen to her reasons. She explained that she was playing doctor and Ivy had a baby in her tummy and she was getting it out. I am glad I chose to listen.

I love my work

Me at my office

(Although Ivy's not with me when I'm "working".)

Fridays I walk around Haleiwa, a small touristy surf town, visiting the stores that book lessons for us, refilling flyer holders, and befriending other business owners. I answer calls for people wanting to take a lesson with the aim of making them happy before they even arrive on the shore, and then Nate and I take turns teaching. Can life get any better than this? Seriously. (BTW if you are wondering what the heck I'm talking about you can check out www.rainbowwatersports.com)

I am beginning to see also the good side of a business that a long time ago I would have termed "frivolous". It is an amazing opportunity to be in a position where I can help make someone so happy, so excited and feel so fulfilled, and give them a memory to last a lifetime. We are both having a great time with this business (can you tell?) It's growing and we're trying to prepare for a whole lot more business this summer.

It may be silly, but in a way, I feel like I'm doing a small part of service to mankind. I take people out of an hurrying world, give them an enjoyable experience while teaching them a fun sport and "tour guiding" them through a tropical river. Everyone we have taught arrives back on shore with the same look people give when they debark a rollercoaster (no, not the barfing look) the "Whoa! That was AWESOME!" look. And then I get to read their testimonials and have an even stronger confirmation that yeah, this is good.

We are both having a great time with this business (can you tell?) It's growing and we're trying to prepare for a whole lot more business this summer.

Feelin' Good

Today I noticed something. I feel good. Last year was gave me a tough beating and it is taking me time to recover, but I am recovering, and today I felt good. I feel healthy and strong, not frazzled. Most women get excited if they lose a pound or two. I've gained 4 and I'm happy. To me, it's a sign that I am getting healthy again.

Happy Valentine's Day!

PS-- Elysse is FINE!!!

Make a Smilebox greeting

Elysse's new trick!

This video was taken January 3rd, and was the first time we spotted her trying to do what her sisters do when they get dressed. I started shooting the video after she was at it for a good 5 minutes. Talk about persistance!


Since this time, Elysse has put everything over her head: bras, shirts, necklaces, keychains, anything that has a big hole. Once she spotted a lady's purse at church. She looped the strap around her head and tried to take off down the hall with it!