LIFE IS WAY GOOD!

2009-12-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

NEGLECTED BLOG!

Ok, one of these nights I'm going to devote some real time to updating the blog! The last month has been SO busy! Kids are now on Christmas Break until the 6th. Connor will be in Montana until Jan 2nd. I talked to him this morning........it was 45 degrees and he was freezing! I remember when 45 degrees felt like a heat wave! Is all relative I guess. We have indeed become thin blooded islanders!

2009-12-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

Ryen bought PlayDoh for her birthday with the money Great Grandma VanLierre sent. She and Kaelan love seeing what they can make out of it!

2009-12-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

2009-12-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

All of us! Connor, Ezekiel, Paul, Ryen, Leslie Jonathan, baby Oaklee, Kaelan, Krista and Caroline (Krista's mom). Was a good night!

2009-12-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2009! The 1st time the kids have EVER gone out in just their costumes....no bulky coats, boots, gloves, hats, etc. It was awesome! We took the girls up to the "Trunk or Treat" that members of the Mormon church put on. Some people really went all out in decorating their car trunks! Girls got quite a haul in candy. After we were done at there, we dropped Connor and his friend, Ezekiel, off at one of the subdivisions for more "treating". The rest of us went home and went to see how our little neighbor friends were dressed up. Melia was Cinderella, Ryen was a princess fairy, Sophie was a butterfly (I think!) and Kaelan was a pink punk pirate!

2009-10-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Big hug for NerNer! Ryen sure loves her big brother!

2009-10-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's been SO HOT! We tried cooking an egg out on the blacktop! Took a while but it actually did cook! (The egg was NOT eaten.....ewwww!)

2009-10-30T13:08:00.000-07:00

Ryen celebrating her 3rd birthday with her friends Melia and Sophie.

2009-10-28T01:53:00.000-07:00

Now What?
So, the good news is that almost 18 months after contracting the parvo virus, I FINALLY feel as if I'm coming up for air. The DNA of the virus is no longer in my system and I am feeling closer to normal than I have in a very long time. YAHOO!!! The ok news is that over the last couple of years, I feel as if I have slowly lost my identity. The combination of having another baby, followed closely by discovering Kaelan had a serious heart condition, followed by constant drs visits, hospital stays and surgeries for both Ryen and Kaelan, followed directly by parvo really took the wind out of my sails. For way too long I felt incredibly awful and spent way too much time simply waiting to feel better. Not a very "present" way to go through life. Now that I'm close to my normal healthwise, I'm feeling the need to reconnect with what makes me, me. My identity has been that of the kid's mom and Paul's wife, both identities that I love. Yet, who am I? What is my passion? What is it I want to be known for? How can I be a positive influence on others? What do people see in me? I want to be more than "the woman who is waiting to get over parvo"......which, by the way, is a seriously pathetic description! So, my goal is to 1)rediscover this person inside, and 2) to live joyfully. Will keep you posted on what I discover!

2009-10-28T01:50:00.000-07:00

I love, love this picture! Ryen is absolutely crazy about her big brother and sister. Love how the affection between Ryen and Connor is so evident here. As she says, "I luv my NerNer!"

2009-10-28T01:46:00.000-07:00

My gorgeous girl! We played makeover one night and had so much fun! Only 9 years old and she's going to be a beauty. My goal is to make sure the inside is just as nice as the outside.

2009-10-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

IRONMAN KONA HAWAII 2009!!
Ironman was October 10, 2009. (Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, run 26.2 miles) It was one of the coolest experiences ever! We were there for the swim start at 6:45 a.m. and we saw the last runner go by late that night. In between we worked and cheered and cheered, and just had a great time. Nearly 1,800 competitors this year! It was awesome seeing the entire spectrum of athletes. The professional athletes were simply phenomenal. Let me tell you, they are R-I-P-P-E-D! Became very easy to recognize those in town training for Ironman as they all have that lean, muscular no body fat look! Aside from the professional athletes, seeing the different circumstances people were competing under was so inspiring. There were MANY people over 50 competing. A ton of people over 70! The oldest was an 80 year old man. There was the man who won "The Biggest Loser" a few seasons ago. Can't remember his exact numbers but believe he lost over 200 pounds. And now he's not just doing triathalons, he did the Ironman triathalon! There were parapalegics, doing the entire race on upper body strength alone. There were single and double amputees. There was even a blind competitor!! The very last runner we saw go by had one arm and one leg......amazing! I say, if you're feeling negative about your lot in life, go to an Ironman and see what people have accomplished under circumstances many of us can't even imagaine. A "can-do" attitude absolutely is HUGE! Ironman was hands down our best experience so far this year. I loved being a part of it. Just may be the only reason I would ever come back to Kona!

2009-10-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Two "ironmen", all numbered up and ready!

2009-10-20T18:19:00.000-07:00

Look at this cute family! Checking out the Ironman preparations.

2009-10-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

We walked through downtown the night before Ironman. The top picture is of what was laid out on the Alii Drive. Bottom pic is the view looking towards the pier. The pier was the starting and ending point, as well as the location for all the transitions (swimming to biking, biking to running).

2009-10-20T17:45:00.000-07:00

Our view of the swim start (6:45 a.m.). Almost 1800 competitors! My camera wasn't powerful enough to get super close but we had binoculars and could see extreme detail with those! (You can also click on the pictures to get a better view.) I had always thought it was just a mad dash into the water at the start. However, they get everyone in the water and then the canon goes off. So, if you one of the first ones in, you are treading water for 10-15 minutes!

2009-10-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

And they are off! Was just a flurry of bodies and water! The professional athletes started 15 minutes earlier than the rest of the pack. Think there were around 180 professionals.

2009-10-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

Jonathon and Paul on their sea wall perch! We actually had a great spot.....had super views all around.

2009-10-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

The bike route came directly by our upper gate! We came home to get the kids after watching the swim start and had to park WAY down the road and walk in. Was so cool seeing and hearing those bikes go zooming by!

2009-10-20T17:36:00.000-07:00

Paul helping unload the ice truck. Two full trucks for our site alone!

2009-10-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

The Poppema crew, ready to help and cheer!

2009-10-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

Getting set up. Our aid station was directly on the running route. At mile 11 on the way up Palani Road and at mile 25 on the way down! Really a great location. We had Gatorade, Coke, water, sponges, grapes, bananas, Power bars, and Power gel.

2009-10-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

Kaelan doing her part, handing out sponges, Gatorade and water to the passing runners. She would pour the water over their head when they needed it too! One of her proudest moments during the race was handing a sponge to Craig Alexander!

2009-10-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

The NBC helicopter follows each lead male and female runner. Each lead runner is preceded by two motorcycles. Was so exciting when we heard the helicopter! Couldn't see anyone yet but knew they were coming!

2009-10-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

The winners! Craig Alexander (AUS) with a time of 8:14:04, and Chrissie Wellington (NOR/GBR) with a time of 8:54:02. Both won last year as well. Chrissie, who said this Ironman was "the hardest race of my life" broke a record that had been standing since 1992!

2009-10-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

I NEED TOOLS!

Ryen told me today that she needs some tools. This is the conversation that followed:

"Mommy, I need tools."
"What do you need tools for?"
"To make a chair."
"Oh! You're going to make a chair?"
"Ya. I need tools and screws." (Makes the motion of turning the screws with her hand.)
"Ok, maybe we should ask daddy if he can find you some tools. Daddy has lots of tools."
"A hammer? I need a hammer!"
"I think we could find you a hammer."
"And a screwdriber?"
"A screwdriver? Where did you learn that word? You're so smart Ryen!"

At this point she smiles and hunches up her shoulders like, "I'm just little ol me!"

"Ya, mommy, I need tools."

So, on to the chair building! She is busy right now watching Diego but once that is over, you can be sure she will be asking about her tools!

2009-10-11T20:58:00.000-07:00

Ryen flying! She loves to pretend she is a flying fairy!

2009-09-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

Ryen, in her usual state of dress, with two of her favorite things: her pool floatie and an icee! I took this with my phone!

2009-09-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

STILL HERE!
The poor blog has been sorely neglected the past few weeks! Have been meaning to post pictures and then the lens to the camera got stuck. Called Canon and they had no advice on how to fix it. However, with their "Customer Loyalty" plan, we got a brand new Canon (last years model) for just $79!! In return we send them our broken camera. What a deal.....I can't wait to get it! Supposed to be here Monday!

Ryen turned 3! yesterday. We had a bbq at the pool with a bunch of friends and had a great time! The little girls were so cute running around in their party hats. Will post pictures soon!

2009-08-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

Mystery Solved!! Ok, for probably like the past year and a half or so, I have had these mysterious rings showing up on my clothes! These rings always showed up in the same spot.....lower right side......of many of my shirts. What was wierd was that they only showed up on my clothes......not anyone else's in the family! We thought we had left the circle problem behind in Montana when look what showed up on my shirt just the other night!

I couldn't believe it! When I showed it to Paul and the kids, we were all like, "WHAT is going on?" So, the next day I was wearing a white tank top that I knew was spot free when I put it on. Shortly after dinner I noticed......tada!.....the mysterious circle had appeared. And right then it hit me! I use Pam a lot when I cook. When I recap the bottle I put it against my side and push the lid on (one-handed of course.....have to multitask you know!). So, the greasy spray that settles at the bottom of the can has been causing all the circles on my clothes! I'm so relieved to have finally figured this out.......seriously had me stumped!!

2009-08-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

This is Kukio Beach, out by where Paul works. It is an absolutely perfect beach for the kids and they all love it! Has actual sand, opposed to the rocky, gravelly dirt on a lot of the beaches.

2009-08-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

1) A darling little tropical sprite I saw skipping through the foliage and 2) the gorgeous plumeria bush right by our walkway. I love the colors!

2009-08-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

Sisters! We got a bed rail today and Ryen has officially moved up to share Kaelan's queen size bed. Ryen was so excited after I got it mounted (sweating like a mad rhino the entire time), that she immediately wanted to take a nap! Kaelan is excited too.....she likes having Ryen there next to her. I washed, bleached and air/sun dried their sheets, and they smell OhSoGood! Mmmmm.....I love the smell of fresh laundry!

2009-08-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

This afternoon we played in Ryen's "boat" (actually a floatie for the pool, but kind of boatlike!). In the above picture, I am seriously frightened to see some wild fish and sharks! We fed the dolphins......Ryen got out of the boat and walked on water to do so! Then she saw some chickens (swimming chickens) and we had to go feed them too. At some point, our boat turned into a car. Ryen was the driver and Kaelan and I were the passengers stuffed in the backseat. We went to the store and got carrots. Earlier today, Ryen had some tweezers and wanted me to lay down so she could "work on" my teeth. She got interested in my stomach too and was tweezing around there. (Good thing she doesn't really know how to squeeze them shut very hard!) I was very thankful to my Dr. Ryen for fixing my owies and told her so. "Mooommmmy! I not a doctor!" Shock and awe followed....."You're not?" "No, I Ryen!" "Silly Mommy! You funny!"

2009-08-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

ON THE FARM

Lately, Ryen has been fascinated with going "to the farm". While riding in the car this week, she told me that she wanted to get a baby dragon and a robot. I asked where she thought we would find a baby dragon......."On the farm". Oh, okay! This morning we are discussing the farm again. I asked what animals we should have on our farm. Baby dragons? MmmmHmmmm! I yike baby dragons! Bunnies? Oh ya (big nod), I yike bunnies! Ducks? Ya, ducks. Turkeys? No, I no yike turkeys......but I yike chickens......we eat chickens! How about some cows? Ya cows.......mommy? We have sharks? I no yike sharks!

I love these conversations! I have finally figured out where the baby dragon idea is coming from. The latest Barbie movie....Barbie Rapunzel. Poor Rapunzel is stuck in her tower and her only friends are a dragon and a rabbit! Of course, anything Barbie is way cool, hence the baby dragon idea! Still trying to figure out the fascination with going to the farm!

2009-08-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

Ryen chillin' with her big bro! Connor said I had to take another picture as he looked "way too serious" in the first pic. Agreed!

2009-08-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

1st Day of school 2009! Little Ryen had just woken up but she gladly jumped in the picture, pull-up and all! Connor is 13 and in 8th grade. Kaelan is 9 and in 4th grade. Ryen is 2 and keeping Mom busy!

2009-07-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

BIG FISH!

The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is in town this week. There are 42 teams this year, hailing from Hawaii, North Carolina, Australia, California, Bermuda, Japan, British Isles, South Africa, Florida, New Zealand, Tahiti, and Papua New Guinea! Every day, the boats come in to the pier at 4:00 for the official weigh-in of anything they have caught that day. We went down for the first weigh-in today and there were just two big yellow fin tuna. One was 102 pounds and the other around 155. They pull them up on a chain so everyone can see them. Very cool! Tomorrow I will take the camera. Last year someone caught a marlin that was over 1,000 pounds!

I have a new job! Was recently hired to open (and work at) the new Target here.....woohoo! Over 1400 applied and only 300 or so were hired. I love Target! Is looking like they are going to be a great company to work for. And, I'm working only part-time so even better! Tomorrow night is our family night (only for family/friends of employees) and the soft opening is Wednesday. Sunday, the 26th, is the grand opening. Is going to be BUSY! There aren't many shopping options here in Kona so everyone is excited about this store opening!

2009-07-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

We have made it halfway through the month of July and it is HOT! Has really been a cooker lately with temps in the 90's and sky high humidity levels.......we have a constant sheen of sweat! Today, after I was finished on the treadmill, I wanted so badly to just jump in the pool, clothes and all! Connor has been in Montana since the 2nd and says he has hardly sweat at all, even with the high temps. That's cause it is DRY.....and I'm jealous! One thing I have learned living here is that I would much, much rather be cold than hot.......any day!

We went downtown last night and Paul played volleyball with the gang. It's a good thing they have a hose right there as the guys just get BLACK from the sand, The more they sweat the more the sand sticks and they are just a mess! Ryen played in the sand with our friend's little boy, Issac. He just turned 2 and they played so well together......were happy as could be to just get DIRTY! Was a fun night. Kaelan even got a few "guest serves" in!

2009-07-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

This little rodent was out on our back lanai the other morning. At first I thought it was a baby mongoose (or 'mommy goose" as Ryen says). It was on top of its tail so all I saw was this little furry thing. When the tail became visible, I thought it was a baby rat. It was alive for a bit and then just laid there and died. When Paul came home he said it was a baby mouse. Sure had a long, bald tail for a mouse! Don't know where it came from. Maybe a cat got it and deposited it at our door!

2009-07-18T17:58:00.000-07:00

It's Princess Ryen (as she calls herself) as the Fairy Princess! She LOVES these wings!! Wears them day in and day out.....they lay beside her bed when she sleeps!

2009-07-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

THE CASTLE PARK

We have a park just down the road that the kids call the 'castle park'. It is one of the nicest playgrounds I have seen in a long time! Really is an entire recreation area......has tennis courts, basketball courts, softball fields, bbq areas, horseshoe pits etc., as well as all the play areas for younger kids. All of the wooden structures are covered with bright wood carvings. There are rock tables with built in chess and parchessi boards. There are 6 separate tables representing each of the Hawaiian islands (built in the shape of each one). The castle structures have all kinds of stairways and mazes inside. The big twisting tube slide you can see in the picture above is entirely dark inside! Ryen LOVES that slide! She will go over and over! There is a smaller area for the 2-5 year olds as well. Really is quite a place!

2009-06-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

MORNING THOUGHTS
I see tatoos everywhere but also keep forgetting to stick the camera in the car! Have to work on that so I can show you some of the body "artwork" here.

So, here's something interesting. Did you know that Hawaii never wanted to be part of the United States?? They wanted to maintain their solitary island status but wanted the protection from the US. Can't do both so they became a state and got rid of their kings and queens. However, many locals will still tell you that they aren't part of the United States....Hawaii is simply an island in the Pacific and they are islanders. It's very obvious that they are fighting to maintain the old traditions. "Thank you" is always "mahalo" and "aloha" is everything from "hello" and "welcome" to a way of life (they always say "Live aloha"......still wondering about that one.) When you think about it, no other state has it's own separate language. (Accents and drawls aside!) Nor, it's own alphabet. (Only 12 letters) I'm not sure what I think about all this. They have also modified many words to fit into the "island" venacular. "Howz dat den bra? We be island kine, ya?" ("Kind" is always "kine", and "ya" follows almost all statements in the form of a question....."I went to the store today, ya?") Sounds a bit uneducated, but that's just my opinion!

2009-06-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

Ryen in her "Princess Ryen" top. Kaelan dressed her in this one day and Ryen came running into the room yelling, "I'm Princess Ryen!" Too cute! (Elizabeth, this is the outfit you gave her....has little white shorts with it!)

2009-06-29T16:02:00.000-07:00

Who is the baby here?? Ryen loves Abby's little toy mat! She will crawl in there and babble away!

2009-06-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

Kaelan's feet in my shoes! I will soon be the shortest one in the family.....except for Ryen!

2009-06-29T15:43:00.000-07:00

NOW I KNOW WHY OUR GROCERY BILL IS SO HIGH!

Connor had a checkup today. Since moving here he has gained 18 pounds and grown almost 5 inches!! I knew he was growing, but holy smokes! In November he was a whopping 98 pounds and about 5' 2"/5' 3". He is now 116 pounds and 5' 7-1/2". And, yes, he is still just a stick! A kid at school asked him what was sticking out of his shirt in the back......it was his shoulder blades! Kaelan has grown a ton too. Not sure on the height and weight stats but she will have her checkup soon. However, her feet were a size 4 when we moved and she is almost into my shoes.....size 7! Both Connor and Kaelan are in the pool for hours every day (swim team lessons and our own pool) so they burn off whatever they eat........and they eat a LOT! Fun to see how they are shooting up!

2009-06-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

We have recently discovered that we have lots of banana trees right on the property here! These are called apple bananas and they grow very high up.....have to get a ladder to cut them down (use big hedge shears). A bunch easliy has about 40-50 bananas. After they are cut, there is a lot of gooey stuff that oozes out of the base. They are smaller in length than the bananas you find in the store but taste about the same. Ryen loves them as they are just her size! Is awesome to have fresh fruit right outside. (When bananas are on "sale" in the store, they run about $1.10/lb!)

2009-06-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Some of our recent experiences with CREEPY CRAWLIES! The cane spider was on our wall. The centipede was waiting in the living room one morning. You can kind of see that the top of the centipede is bluish in color....these are the dangerous ones! Have been told they will put you in the hospital! The first centipede picture is actually the DEAD creature after I got it into a box and sprayed the livin' daylights out of it! Last pic is just the beginning of a flying ant infestation. They were coming out at the base of the eating bar wall. Just started swarming out! We got the vacuum cleaner and sucked up a continual stream of ants for about 20 minutes....there were 100's! We have also had cockroaches, black slugs, tiny spiny catepillars (poisonous), and tiny black bugs that bite you at night. YUCK! I do not like these bugs!

2009-06-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

The kids with Baby Abby....a sweet little girl we watch! They just love her! Is fun having a baby around again.

2009-06-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Paddling races down at Kailua Bay (at the end of Alii Drive, which is the main drag through downtown Kona). This was taken several weeks ago......beautiful, CLEAR day!

2009-06-07T00:17:00.000-07:00

DELAY
No internet for 3 weeks.....poor blog is taking a serious hit! That's what happens when you move in Hawaii......the turtles get your internet and phone connected and they are SLLLOOOWWWW!!

2009-05-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

TATOOS
What is the deal with Hawaiians and tatoos?? I have seen more tatoos here than ever before......seems like everyone has them! And they aren't small! These are BIG body covering tatoos. Personally, I have never understood the appeal. Some people have really nice, tasetfully done tatoos. But, for the most part, I think it just looks tacky. I asked Paul if he would have dated me if I had tatoos and he said most likely NOT! Anyway, I'm going to try and remember to pack the camera along so I can post some pics of the assorted tats we see here!

2009-05-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Ryen looking for one of her Barbie dolls. I guess you can find them better if you are sitting on them!

2009-05-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Kaelan, ready to go to her Spring concert. (TWO hours long and was held outside, in the blazing sun......HOT, HOT, HOT!! Why don't they do these things in the evening???) Doesn't she look grown-up?!

2009-05-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

I was telling Mom about the trees we have here that only bloom at the very end of the branch. All winter I had noticed these trees and wondered what they were. Well, since "Spring" is now here, the trees have fully blossomed, leaves and all! They are plumeria trees! What is even stranger is that we have these trees all over where we live and I never even noticed that they didn't have leaves until just recently! These pictures show the progression from the single blossom to the full bloom.

2009-05-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

I asked Ryen what she wanted for breakfast this morning and she very enthusiastically responded, "Chocolate chips!" Nice! Here she is trying out Connor's swim goggles! What a hoot she is!

2009-05-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

ONE YEAR!!
A year ago today, Paul and I were sitting in the waiting room of Children's Hospital in Aurora, Colorado waiting to hear the results of Kaelan's surgery. She was the oldest of the three girls all having heart procedures that morning, so the other families were there too. One couple was taking it all in stride, having gone through through this more than once. Children's Hospital is an amazing place....brand new and state of the art. 10 floors, with each floor dedicated to a branch of medicine (cardiology, intensive care, urology, orthopedics, etc.) It is totally geared toward children with bright colors and kid themed decorations. Of course there are wheelchairs, but there are also tons of little red wagons for the children to be pulled around in, complete with pillows and a pole for IV's. The elevators are enclosed in glass (so you can watch everything as you ride) and sit at the very center of the lobby. Every member of the staff is fully dedicated to the comfort and well-being of the children who are being treated there. There is a valet service at the entry to the hospital so you can drive directly to the front door and not have to worry about parking your car. We were VERY impressed! However, for all it's opulence, the waiting room left something to be desired.....in terms of entertainment and distraction. There were no tvs, and nothing to read. Huh? So, you pretty much just sat there with your thoughts, which isn't the most relaxing place to be when you are watching the minute hand of the clock tick by.....just waiting for those every half hour surgery updates. These updates were given by phone. Kaelan was scheduled first, with surgery supposed to start around 6:30a.m. Because it is a children's hospital, parents are encouraged to stay with their child directly up to the onset of the surgery. This includes being in the operating room and watching them go under the anesthesia. Probably comforting for the children, however very unsettling as a parent! Especially in a cardiology electrophysiology operating room. This room has monitors everywhere! Looks like NASA headquarters or something similar. Kaelan's 'team' consisted of several doctors (2 cardiologists and an electrophysicist), 2 anesthesiologists, and many different nurses. I wasn't of the mindset to do a headcount, but there seemed to be 8-12 medical personnel in the room. Her doctor (Dr. Kathryn Collins - totally rocks!) predicted 4-5 hours for the surgery. At the 2-1/2 hour mark, we were told they were just finishing up and that it had been a huge success! YAY! Not even 12 hours after she was admitted, we took her home.....or to our rented home! Crazy what they can do now!! We spent the next 5 days in Denver. Went to the zoo and the aquarium (with Kaelan in her wheelchair), the Cherry Hill mall (I need more time there!), a Colorado Rockies baseball game, and to Dave & Busters. We wanted to make sure our trip to Denver was remembered positively! (If I can find the pictures here in Hawaii, I will post them. Think they are in Montana tho. On the computer there!) Now, it's a year later and all has gone well. We were told that even tho' SVT can return, if it does, it is most always within the first year following surgery. Once you get to that year, the likelihood of a recurrence is very low and you are considered cured. Kaelan was all smiles when she got up this morning. In her room is a sign she made and it says, "I am CURED! Yah!!!!" So....onward! 2008 was just a disaster of a year. This milepost is significant to us.....is like a huge sigh of relief and an idicator of leaving a huge weight behind us. Many thanks to all of you who sent congratulations messages to Kaelan.....she was just beaming as she read them! Happy, happy Friday!

2009-04-25T23:14:00.000-07:00

Chasing bubbles last weekend.....Ryen couldn't get enough!

2009-04-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

Just found these shots from last Halloween. Aren't they the cutest little unicorn and she-devil?! Ryen LOVED this unicorn costume. She had it on first thing in the morning and literally wore it all day long!

2009-04-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

Paul and Ryen walking along the rock wall that separates the beach from the ocean. Kaelan and Connor were checking out the black crabs on the rocks below. Was HOT today....92!

2009-04-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

Sand crabs! There was a local couple at the beach that taught the kids how to dig for sand crabs. You look for holes in the sand, and dig down until you find the crab. Sometimes you have to dig DEEP! Here, Paul is digging and Connor is keeping an eagle eye out for crab legs!

2009-04-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

The beach we went to today. Was just a tiny little beach right downtown. Is nice for us because hardly anybody goes here and there aren't any huge waves. Ryen can freely run around without us worrying about her!

2009-04-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

The top picture of Ryen was taken last November, right before we moved over to Hawaii. Notice she has brown hair! (In the background, on the computer screen, there is a pic of Ryen as a tiny baby!) Just 6 months later, (and quite a few days at the beach) she is as blonde as her sister, Kaelan!

2009-04-17T00:39:00.000-07:00

VOG, VOG GO AWAY......AND DON'T COME BACK ANOTHER DAY!

We are sick of the vog. Ugh! The sun broke through very briefly yesterday morning (in honor of my birthday I think!) but we were all vogged over by mid-morning. And that was the first glimpse of the sun in about a month. Makes the air feel very heavy and damp. For all those people out there who say, "Oh you get used to the humidity", umm, not true! Still makes us feel like we can't breathe and leaves a film of sweat over our bodies! The poor tourists who have been out here the last month have really been ripped off weather-wise! One of our friends flew home yesterday and said she couldn't believe how good the air felt when she got off the plane in Missoula. (And Missoula supposedly has the "bad" air in Montana!) Said it was nice, and oh so dry. I'm hoping she bottles some up and brings it back to spread around Kona.

2009-04-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

WHAT'S UP WITH THIS??
Connor is disgusted that he is starting to sweat. Not your normal, "Ugh I'm so hot I'm sweating" either. He can't believe how much he (and the other 13-14 year old boys) sweat while playing ball at school! Welcome to the hormonal throes of puberty!! When I told him it was all normal (and hormonal) and was just part of growing up he said, "Oh great, I'm not going to start crying for no good reason like all the girls do......am I??" I certainly hope not! He said one of the girls in his class said she went home the other day and just cried. When he asked what for, she said she had no idea! His take on that? "Mom, that's just wierd!" I agree. However, that's the way it is! At least for some. I have certainly had my tempestuous moments but have never really been into the crying thing. (When I get upset, my house gets CLEAN!) Fasten your seatbelt Connor and enjoy the ride.....it won't last forever. And, when it's over, your new crackly voice will be nice and deep! ;D

2009-04-12T15:21:00.001-07:00

2009-04-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

This egg coloring is serious business!

2009-04-11T20:00:00.000-07:00

Connor and Kaelan in the first stages of egg dyeing!

2009-04-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

TADA! The finished product......don't they look great?! Happy Easter everyone!!

2009-04-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Whew! Home after a long day at the slides and swings!

2009-04-08T11:05:00.000-07:00

Oh YUM! We made homemade pizza the other night. The kids made their own and helped with the big one. Paul and Ryen even joined forces to make a personal pan! They were delish!

2009-04-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

IT'S BAAACK........RATS!

Our vog is back. We haven't had a really nice sunny day in a couple of weeks now. When the volcano is spouting vog, it's super humid, very overcast (can't even see up the mountain) and still hot. For some reason the vog settles right in Kona. Paul works about 15 mile north of here and has had nice sunny days! I have learned that a dark sky doesn't mean a thing out here. In Montana, if the sky turns dark, it's gonna rain....and soon! Here......well, I haven't figured it out yet. It rarely rains when the sky is dark. Instead, the rain will come completely out of left field. Had the mother of all rainstorms the other night and I don't even think it was predicted. Wierd!

2009-03-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

CONNOR'S HOME!

Yay! Connor flew in this afternoon....back from a very wintery 10 days in Montana. First thing he did when we got home was head for the pool! I am so thankful his flights went well and that he is back safely! We missed him! Ryen didn't want to let go of him at the airport, and even Kaelan had a big hug for her brother/buddy/annoyance! (As the horomones rage, Connor and Kaelan have a love/aargh, you bug me relationship. Somedays the best of friends...other days it's pick, pick, pick!) Paul is just happy to have his male counterpart back in the house!

2009-03-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

Kaelan made cookies for us last night and they are oh so good! Oatmeal chocolate chip - yum! She did a great job. Her assistant for the evening was Miss Ryen, who was most interested in snagging chocolate chips out of the bowl! We are having a total girl's week as Connor is still in Montana. Paul is thinking he needs a bit more testosterone around here!

2009-03-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

RANDOM THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED

We have learned a new word: Haole (how-leh). Means Caucasian and that's what the natives call us. At least the rude natives! Another word we have learned is kookoos....or as we call it on the mainland....LICE. Makes my skin crawl to think about it, but lice is rampant here. Kaelan's school has weekly head checks and there is ALWAYS somebody in her class who has it! I guess lice thrive in this warm, moist climate. Yuck!

For all it's beauty, at times I still feel as if we are living in a third world country. The vacation side of this island is very lush and commercial. The rest, very primative. Reminds me somewhat of Mexico: how you can stay in lovely hotels and sunbathe on beautiful beaches, yet there are children begging on the streets wherever you go.

In Montana, meat is a staple food! Nothing beats a great steak (of which we had some last night - yum!). Here the staple is rice. Rice is eaten at every meal...yes, even breakfast. (Is usually fried rice in the morning.) The grocery stores all carry huge amounts of rice....all different kinds. Thai food is also pretty popular. I have yet to figure out what true Hawaiian food is, with the exception of rice...and seaweed. Oh, and pickled foods.....pickled anything, even mangoes! Just imagine what that tastes like! Kids here eat seaweed like it's candy! Kaelan was offered some at school and it made her gag!

There is a very lax work ethic on the islands. The work day usually starts around 9 or 10. Lunch is a 2 hour break from 12-2, and they close shop at 4. A lot of places are randomly closed one day during the week. There is no set schedule for this....there will simply be a written note on the door of the business. The few locals that were hired on Paul's crew have since been fired or quit. The exception is the resort locations, and they have 'normal' hours. Once you have lived here, the term "island time" takes on a whole new meaning!

That's all my random thoughts for the moment. Will keep you posted as they come!

2009-03-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ryen showing Paul the right way to wear a hair clip!

2009-03-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

SAFE AND SOUND

Connor called about 8:30 this morning.....is safely in Montana! He left at 8:50 last night so was about a 12 hour trip, with 2 layovers - one in Los Angeles and one in Salt Lake. This was his maiden voyage on flying alone and it went great.....yay! He just sent Paul a text and said he is "kinda cold" - ha! Is in the 50's in Bozeman today, which probably seems warm to them. But when he left it was in the 80's! Will have to get him on the webcam later this week.

2009-03-19T11:10:00.001-07:00

The poor blog has taken a hit while we have had company! Paul's sister, Christi, was here for the past week......left just last night. She was a most excellent guest as all she didn't want to do the whole sightseeing thing. Just wanted to hang by the pool, which was very doable! Had a couple of cloudy, rainy days, but most were sunny and HOT!

Tomorrow is the last day of school before the kid's Spring Break. Is two weeks long here! Connor is flying to Montana for part of the break.......and the rest of us are extremely envious! Doesn't work out for all of us to go this time but hopefully soon! We miss Montana!

2009-03-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hawaiian cane spider! They are BIG and completely disgusting! We had one in our house while Christi was here (our first spider in the house). These spiders have LONG legs....looked enormous up on the wall but was probably about 6-8 inches across. Our neighbor came over with some bug spray and Christi got the esteemed job (at 6'1", she was the tallest one around as Paul was at work!) of climbing up on a bar stool to spray the nasty thing. After it was sprayed, it fell to the living room floor where I scooped it up in a plastic container and flushed it down the toilet. GROSS!

2009-03-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Ryen, Kaelan, Christi and Connor.

2009-03-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ryen dancing.....absolutely loves it!

2009-03-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

FRIENDS
I miss my friends....and the kids miss theirs. A lot of Paul's Montana friends came over with the job so he isn't feeling it quite as strongly as we are. Of course, living in a new place always brings an opportunity to make new friends, and we are. And we are meeting some very cool people! Yet nothing beats that core group of buds who really, really know and love you!

As I get older, I am realizing that the only friends I really care to have are those who enrich my life in a positive way. I'm also realizing that some of the people I considered friends, really aren't. They are more aquaintances. You know the ones......the friends who rarely return emails or phone calls, (yet will certainly call if they need something from you). The friends who put no effort into maintaining the friendship, but go along half-heartedly with your sincere efforts. The friends who feel uncomfortable if anything goes awry in your personal life, and make their discomfort known. The ones who make it almost hard to keep in touch. Fortunately, I have very few of those friends in my life. The people I consider friends, I know I can count on. I can call them anytime of the day or night with the absolute certainty that the call will either be answered, or that I will hear from them within the hour. They take an interest in my life and what is going on in it. I can openly share my hopes, dreams, fears, diappointments, triumphs, etc and know that I am supported, no matter what. These friends keep in touch, no matter the distance. They have witnessed good times and bad, happy times and sad. They have my back and they know I have theirs. It is a good feeling! So, this is a big shout-out to all of my awesome, faithful friends! You totally rock and I am most blessed to have you! And you are indeed some lucky gals to have the good fortune of knowing me! ;D

2009-03-05T16:13:00.000-08:00

Just in case you have ever wondered what a 2 year old does in her spare time! Yep, she did this all by herself! I was actually impressed with her "house"!

2009-03-05T16:11:00.000-08:00

Ryen having fun with Grandpa Poppema.

2009-03-05T16:04:00.000-08:00

Ok, this gives me the shivers! This is what a DEAD centipede looks like. And this is a relatively small one! YUCK! Good thing this one had already been run over by a car, otherwise I would not have gotten anywhere close enough to it to take a picture. They usually have really long legs sticking out all over. See that pointy thing near the bottom of the pic? That is a stinger. If you get stung by a centipede, you win an instant trip to the ER! Thank goodness they spray for these nasty things where we live! I don't see what purpose they serve at all in the food chain.

2009-03-05T15:01:00.000-08:00

Our friend, Troy, took Paul and Connor out spear fishing. The picture above is of Troy's daughter Tiffany, trying her luck at stabbing a fish! I think Troy was the only one who was successful.....got one fish!

2009-03-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

Under the sea!

2009-03-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

Some underwater shots of Paul and the kids. The black spiny thing in the 3rd pic is a sea urchin. VERY painful if you step on one of these! And peeing on yourself won't help either!

2009-03-02T12:08:00.001-08:00

LAST NIGHT

We went to a luau at the King Kamehameha Hotel last night. Was fun! Check-in started at 4:30 and the show ended around 8:00 so it was quite a long production. After being seated, they had various activities you could be involved in: learning the hula, braiding palm fronds into fish, watching a coconut husking, tatooing (BIG in Hawaii), and watching them take the pig out the of smoking pit. (Ryen called it the "pig house"!) After the pig was removed, it was time for dinner. Yum! They had a variety of smoked pork....really moist and delicious. Also had smoked chicken breasts, braised beef ribs, poi sweet potatoes, several macaroni salads, green salad (3 types of dressing - French, poppy seed and oil/vinegar), ceviche' with a tomato salsa (ceviche' is marinated raw fish....some people like it....this one does not!), pineapple, cinnamon bananas, jello, banana bread, coconut pudding, coconut cake, chocolate cake and......hmmmm, I'm sure there was more, just can't remember what! Also had a variety of drinks: mai tais (a rum based drink), sodas, fruit punch, open bar for alcohol and coffee. Was a very good dinner! As we ate dinner, they had singers and dancers on the stage. The evening ended with the traditional fire dancer. Kaelan loved all the performances...was clapping like crazy! I took pictures of the stage but was too far away for my camera - they didn't turn out so good! Oh well, we all had a great time!

2009-03-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

The woven fish we learned how to make.

2009-03-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

Connor standing beside a large marlin in the lobby of the King Kamehameha hotel.

2009-03-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

Kaelan standing below a record breaking blue marlin. Tag said it weighed 1,062.5 pounds!

2009-03-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

2009-03-02T11:52:00.001-08:00

2009-03-02T11:51:00.002-08:00

Who is this good lookin' bunch?!

Hey Mom, for a reference point on Connor's growth spurt.....I am wearing 3 inch heels in this picture!

2009-03-02T11:51:00.001-08:00

Ryen and I with two of the luau dancers. Ryen thought the man was a big monkey and refused to look anywhere in his direction!

2009-03-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

2009-03-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

"The mouse" (as Ryen called him), Kaelan and Connor!