Trick-or-Treat

Bewitching Begins

It is Friday and our house is a twitter, we've enjoyed feasting on Halloween themed meals throughout this week: a huge spider and its web, delicious cyclop eyeballs, freaky vampire mouths, and even ghoulish pumpkin faces.

Yes, we are all excited and the countdown has begun for putting on those costumes and heading into the evening with thoughts of candy ringing in the ears as cackles and howls fill the air.

My Baby & Me

I will love you a long time little baby...I will make funny faces with you, hold your hand, put you to bed, and I will endeavor to always...

stop and cuddle with you!

Popcorn Sellers

This face is one that may have greeted you today if you were trying to go shopping at the exchange...the smile would have been from ear to ear and the cause worth while to stop and take a moment from the chaos of your day. It's amazing how the faces of kids can make you want to do anything to help them succeed. Even if it's buying a bunch of popcorn that will take you the rest of the year to eat!

For the cause of scouting, I would glady purchase plenty of popcorn from these smiling faces...how about you?

Halloween Crazed

H alloween's a sudden Boo!
A nd just as quick a scream:
L aughing in the scary dark,
L oving friendly fright.
O n Halloween, witches come true;
W ild ghosts escape from dreams.
E ach monster dances in the park,
E ating candy like a shark
N ow kiss and say goodnight!

Officer Barber

HH has reached another level in his daddy skills. He is now our official barber. The lanai serves as his backdrop and the creative juices flow the minute the razor buzzes. So far, he has only one customer sit in the comfy chair, but the satisfaction of this loyal customer shows with the smile from ear to ear.

Feats of Skill

Our Saturday was spent engaged with the "Wide World of Wolves." The best laid plans sometime surprise you by becoming even better than you had imagined. That was how I felt by the time I was laying on the sofa thinking over our event.

We had almost everyone of our 12 scouts participate in our "Feats of Skill Challenge" and den picnic. The boys did everything from frog jumping, playing a game of catch, dribbling tricks with the basketball, to showing off their skills at rolling and balancing. We successfully had each scout earn an Achievement and we couldn't be prouder of the parental participation (One jogged with each team of scouts...about 4 minutes of running! Another showed the boys how to do a frog stand...not an easy task to have your body weight on just your forearms! Others stepped in to encourage and lead the skill challenges) What better way to end a challenge then munch on potato chips, pasta salad, hotdogs, and delicious desserts?

WOW! We are blessed to be leaders of a phenomenal den of boys!

Let the Boo-ing Begin!

Boo!
This treat is for you, we hope you enjoy.
The idea is simple, one we hope you employ.
You pass "BOO" along to two other neighbors.
Along with any kind of Halloween favors.

If we all do our part, and spread the good cheer,
By Halloween night it will be very clear,
We're a friendly bunch, we like to share fun
So please do your part to keep "BOO" on the run!

RIP

RIP my sweet keys.
Since you left,
I've been on my knees
and so bereft!

I've been on a mission
and am now quite annoyed.
I thought you enjoyed
turning on my ignition!

The search for you sweet keys
is worse than fighting fleas!
If only your bright red heart
you would impart!

RIP my sweet keys
I've had to move on you see.
I thank you for your duty
now that you've made me frutie!

234 Years Strong

Happy Birthday, United States Navy! For 234 years you have protected the waters around the globe in our nation's name. You have served us all proudly and you have kept those lucky enough to wear your uniform embodied with your traditions.

We raise a glass toasting your successes, thanking those brave men and women who have risen to the challenge of being a proud member within your service, and shedding a tear for those who have fallen during their service. We salute those currently serving including the families who shed tears upon a deployment and pray for the safe return of all.

Happy 234th Birthday, Navy! May you continue to grow stronger, more dedicated than ever to our country, and continue to have some our our nation's finest step forward to wear your uniform.

Battle of the Dojos

What a Saturday morning! I've been amazed with the level of skill that HS has in Karate, but watching him in today's tournament made me even prouder. For weeks, his fellow karate enthusiasts have been honing their kata and working together for their chance at Team Kata glory. This would be HS's first tournament in which he would compete in the team category. He went all out and pushed himself as hard as he could to be in synch with his other team members.








The tournament was full of equally dedicated dojos. Although we were behind in points at the beginning, our dojo pulled ahead and won the Hirano cup! It was a morning of practicing good sportsmanship, facing defeat and victory with grace, and enjoying the thrill of applying the kata to an event. On Monday, it will be back to discipline and Kata. Now, the smile and stories reign.



The spirit of the tournament and the medal that fits comfortably within his fist motivates HS. It isn't about the ranking (he earned 3rd in individual). The smile is his show of his confidence in what he can do, the love of a sport, and the squeals of delight that came from his mom when he finished competing. A battle need not be between people. Sometimes, it takes a battle to prove our selves to our own self. It is in that moment that we find victory.

Giggles, Recitals, and Ponderings

It's Friday...where am I?

Enjoying a giggle between LD and I while sitting in Starbucks. Nothing could be better than enjoying some girlie time over coffee, milk, and Pumpkin Cream Cheese muffins.

Watching a poetry recital in HS's 2nd grade classroom. I can never get enough of listening to him read. He used voices, expression, and a healthy dose of nerves which got him through the reading without a hitch.

Pondering what LD will be for Halloween. HS is set on being "Robin" but LD seems stuck between a horse and Little Red Riding Hood. Only Halloween night can tell what she will be!

Jungle Safari

The chatter of 12 seven year old boys participating in a den meeting can be deafening to one's ears and thrilling to witness. It takes a lot of hours planning for these den meetings and the being able to enjoy the boys' faces, especially HS' make it all worth the stress. This month's theme is Jungle Safari, so the boys made jungle puppets, retold the story of the Jungle Book, and discussed with HH how they could help conserve our planet's resources...recycle, reuse, and reduce! What a great group they are! Next event: Feats of Skill Challenge!

Dancin' with Daddy

Enjoy the Splendor!

This weekend's entertainment was an afternoon in China. Yep. China. Acrobats, Chinese food, lanterns, silk, and jade everywhere. The trip wasn't too painful and went quicker than I thought it would. One moment we are relaxing in our house while LD napped and the next, we are stepping into China. HH brought home free tickets to the weekend long event and the kiddos were thrilled. The dragons, the dancing, and the yummy food made us all feel like we had stepped into a new country, if only for the afternoon.


As we headed back to the car, the kids spent at least a half an hour mesmorized by the koi and fish surrounding the Honolulu convention center. LD kept shouting "ish!" while pointing for her big brother to come and check out the cool one she found. He humored her like a good big brother should, and peered into the water as if he'd never seen a fish before. They are indeed our little explorers happy just to enjoy the splendor of life!

Card Holder

Libraries are community treasure chests, loaded with a wealth of information available to everyone equally, and the key to that treasure chest is the library card. I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card.
~First Lady Laura Bush

I remember how special I felt walking into a new library once our boxes had been upacked. I remember how wonderful it felt to walk up to the Librarian and announce that I was here to register for my library card. Funny how moments that meant so much to us become pillars for our own children. HS has enjoyed visiting the library since he was only crawling among the bookcases full of pages that for him, he just loved pointing to pictures and making sounds or drooling on them. As he grew, crawling became wandering the endless supply of books that all held new treasures inside. Laden with books he had selected for that week, we would head back to the house to enjoy his bounty. The following week, we would head back and participate in the ritual all over again. Just as I had done when I was his age. A time honored tradition has now occured in his childhood and will be forever etched in his memory.

As we walked up to the librarian at our local library, HS was grinning. He knew that today was the day that I had deemed him old enough and responsible enough to own his very own card. "Keys to the kingdom of books" as I explained to him one night on how it was that libraries came to be. This was his special day. He filled out his form and handed it over to the waiting hand of the librarian. Within a few moments, it was official. He was given his very own card that now gives him the ability to check books out in his name. Although the weight of the new responsiblity is great,

it is obvious that he is thrilled at the prospects of diving into the world of reading with the use of his own card.

Be Afraid

Be afraid. Be very afraid. We have an exhibitionist on our hands. What started out as an occasional taking off of her diaper has gone through an evolution. This morning, HS and I heard LD squealing merrily in her crib.

"Why's she so happy? Must be because she doesn't have to go to school!" HS stated sleepily.

"Maybe it has more to do with the fact she woke up on the right side of the crib, unlike some of us...." I said as I wiped sleep from my eyes.

HS got to the door first. He paused with it half open and then looked over at me with his eyes bulging and a smile creeping across his face. "Nope. I think it's because she's missing her clothes!!! She escaped from 'em!" he shouted as he busily pointed in her direction.

I peered over his head into the room, afraid to see what I may find out. What exactly does he mean...missing her clothes...impossible! Her PJs had a zipper on 'em for Pete's sake.

Well, she obviously has phenomenal manual dexterity for a 21 month old. She managed to unzip them and there she stood on her tippy toes, proudly squealing with delight in her accomplishments as her PJ's lay over the crib rail. Ahhh...be afraid. Be very, very, very afraid!

Music in the Air

At the beginning of September, HS embarked on his 1st musical journey. We are fortunate enough to have a music teacher next door to us who has taught piano for a number of years and has taught band in the schools. She decided at the end of last year to begin teaching piano and when she started this fall we were excited to join. I thought it would just be me who enjoyed having the sound of the piano back. I thought it would be me dragging HS kicking and screaming to the piano.

My nightmares have yet to come true. Every evening as I cook, the sound of scales, Hot Cross Buns, and Old MacDonald fill the air. HS loves to sit and practice. He enjoys trying his own tunes after he has fulfilled his practice time and is excited to play for Mrs. Kim on piano days. He has filled the air with music again. It feels wonderful to see a love of music passed on to a new generation. Maestro, we're ready to listen.

Lovin' This Face

LD May 2008
















LD September 2009





I adore this face...LD brings out the smiles in all of us and melts us with those eyes of hers. These pictures just prove that regardless of her age, those eyes, that mouth, and that little smile will always make us reflect on what a treasure she is to our family.