fixed link

The link was broken..here is the link that should route you to the new blog.
http://adventuresfroma-z.blogspot.com/

We've Moved!

It is official! The house closed on Friday, June 3rd and we no longer own a home in Maili. It is only appropriate that our blog moves too. Our new blog site is http://adventuresfroma-z.blogspot.com/. Make sure to follow us at the new site to get updates or just enter your email to get them sent straight to your inbox.

It's That Time of Year Again

Being teachers, our years are ruled by the school year and not the typical calendar year.  This unfortunately means that at the end of each school year more people leave the island.  On Sunday, we had two aloha parties.
Kristen, who I started teaching with at Ilima 8 years ago is headed to Europe to travel and back to New Jersey where her family is at the end of the summer.  It is sad to see her go but it is for the best I know!

The kids loved running around in the park and found there own toys since we didn't bring any...oops!

They played a pick up football game

Boche Ball

And my favorite...beer can chew toys

 After an afternoon in the park we headed out to Ewa Beach for our second going away party of the day.  Cory also worked with us at Ilima.  Matt and Cory worked on the same team for a number of years and Cory has been a huge help with my dissertation since he just finished his PhD.  Cory got a job on the mainland as a professor! They are moving next week.  They had a huge bounce house at the party.  Abby went in and didn't come out until it was time to go.  Zack even gave it a try. 

 We were in the flight path and Zack got so excited every time a plane flew over.

It's Officially Summer!

I am not exactly sure why but I wasn't as excited about summer as I should have been.   Last "summer" we had a newborn and an 18 month old which didn't leave as much time for the typical summer outings so I think I forgot what summer was really like.  So far this summer is off to a great start and we are going to enjoy all the time we have together as a family before Matt starts his 12 month job in July.  Until then, though, we still have the next month off to play and that is exactly what we are going to do!

We kicked off summer with a beer in hand wiffle ball game.  Matt played and the kids and I cheered him. 

  

We have been keeping busy around the house...

Boxing alligators

finger painting

trying out the new ipad ( from school)

Being goofy! Gotta love the bed heads.

We visited the 50th State Fair on Memorial Day.  We went on all the kids rides and Abby was upset that she wasn't big enough...but was content to know that someday she could go on them.

 We got both kids on the helicopters, ferris wheel and carousel and Abby and I went on the car ride and the dizzy dragons.  Even the kiddie rides are a little tough when you get old!

 

Of course we had to finish the fair with cotton candy.  It wouldn't be the same if you didn't eat horrible food and I have always had a thing for cotton candy!  Turns out the munchkins liked it too.

I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of our summer!

My Little Helpers

Zack and Abby are very helpful these days. Who needs a housekeeper when I have these two?!

When I do the dishes, they help.

 And when I do laundry, they love to be right in on the action too!

Crackin' the Code

As most parents of toddlers do, Matt and I have become accustom to spelling everything.  The other morning Abby asked Matt in her whiny, pleading voice to go somewhere and we couldn't figure out what she was saying.  There isn't much that we can't figure out these day but she asked for it a few times and we were completely stumped.  Finally, many hours later she asked again and I realized she was spelling "P-O-L".  She wanted to go to the pool.  She was so happy when we figured it out and was so proud of herself for spelling!  I guess she earned a trip:).

Girlfriends

The USO has been doing Elmo shows for military families and Jenn offered to take Abby and I and Brooke.  Abby loves to play with her friends and was so excited for the days adventures.  As we were leaving she told Zack and daddy that she was going with her girlfriends.

I just love this picture!  They are so sweet together.

We met Jenn, Makaela, Mia and Brooke at the McDonald's close to base to play in the playground and switch the car seats.  We managed to get all 4 car seats in the Explorer after some creative maneavering and made our way over to the show.  I am sure it was quite a scene:).

All the girls!

The backseat: Makaela & Mia

 It was just like a real concert: hot, stinky and you had to stand on your tip toes to see!  The girls had fun seeing Elmo but I think they had more fun picking flowers after!

Eye Roll

As I was snapping some pictures of the kids together, I noticed Abby's eye roll and laughed when I actually caught it on camera.  I wish I could say that I have no idea where she gets it but I think both Matt and I are guilty of it every once in a while:).

A Long and Winding Road

After Matt and I signed out of both of our jobs for summer and the last day at each of our current jobs, we went to hike Kaena Point before we picked up the kids.  We realized how much we miss our furlough Friday date days!

The end of this school year marked many chages and is pointing us in new directions.  Matt had his last day of teaching 8th graders and I am leaving the district office, which I have been at for 3 years and we FINALLY closed on the the house.  We hiked along the ocean and we thought about the looooong house process, leaving the Waianae Coast- for the most part and looked forward to the summer and all the things we want to do with the kids in Hawaii and Pennsylvania.  There is a sense of freedom that we both feel not being tied to the house and we are looking forward to enjoying that until it is time to decide on our next steps.

There are usually monk seals at the point and as we walked up to them Matt said, I want to be a monk seal.  They get to lay around all day in Hawaii and it is cute to be fat!"  Classic!

The Scary Ball

My parents got Abby an orange, squishy, stretchy ball from Honduras when we were in Sedona and she has been terrified of it since the moment she first saw it.  There is no reason that we know of why she is so scared of them.  Just to test it out we have gotten other variation of the "scary ball" and she hates them all.  Zack, on the other hand thinks they are fun and chews on them.

Anyway, the other night Abby made big progress!  Usually she shreeks loudly every time she sees one of the scary balls and would never dream of touching it and all of a sudden she decided to pick it up.  She would only touch a small part but it was neat to see her overcome her fear. She was very proud of herself too:).

Dentist Check-Up

Zack had his first dentist visit today!  He wasn't totally loving his check up but he made it through.  He is right smack in the middle of getting tons of teeth in.  So far his middle top and bottom are fully in but has molars and the side teeth on their way in now.  He hasn't been too bothered by them yet, thankfully!

I made both kids' appointments at the same time and the dentist wasn't sure how were going to manage since she usually has kids sit on the parents lap.  Abby was super excited for the appointment...she loves the dentist?!  So, she sat by herself and did really well. 

Since I was holding Zack I couldn't get a picture of him in the chair...so here he is playing in the waiting room.

Abby excited for  her check up

North Shore Polo Match

On Sunday we headed up to the North Shore for a polo match.  The kids were so excited to see horses and friends.  The last time we went Abby was 3 months old...it seems like forever ago!  All 8 kids were great which meant that the adults had a great time.  Even though we barely watched a minute of the match it was a beautiful setting for a fun party!  

We had pack n plays and wagons to corral the little ones while the big kids played in a tent that Jenn brought and hung out in the back of Uncle Brian's car swapping snacks.  We are finally learning that they can figure out how to get along on their own.  There are more problems when we try and intervene:).

 

Abby blowing bubbles.

 

Zack making the best out of being trapped!

The Girls

Makenzie, Zack, Mia and Dylan- the 2010 crew and all the siblings (thrilled to be posed for a picture) on the bottom.

 Uncle Brian running around with the kiddos!

Happy Birthday Mel: Dinner and a Movie

Dinner and a movie used to be a frequent occurrence and happen with my hubby but now it is a rar treat for a special night out!  We celebrated Mel's birthday at Outback and got lots of time to catch up since the server dragged the dinner out for 2 hours but none of us minded the time to just relax. 

Happy Birthday, Melanie!

After dinner we saw Bridesmaids...hilarious!  It was great to just laugh and enjoy a movie with my girls who were able to make it! 

Maili End of the Year Celebrations

This is my first year back at a school and it is fun to be part of all of the end of the yer festivities.  Especially, as part of the 6th grader team- they have been celebrating for 2 weeks!  I am going to be working at Maili next year full time instead of for the district and I am so excited!  I love the staff and principal and am looking forward to it.

The May Day celebration was on Wednesday and I got to bring the kids.  Each grade level had a performance hula prepared and I figured it would be fun for the kids.  I told Abby she was going to get to go to school in the morning and she was SO excited!  She woke up ready to go got her "pack pack " on and never took it off all day. 

READY FOR SCHOOL

 Zack did really good.  He even sat like a big boy in a kindergarten chair!

The performances were out in the courtyard and lots of families came to watch their keiki perform.

6TH GRADE GIRLS

6TH GRADE BOYS

 Today, was the 6th grade graduation.  I arrived at 7:30 and there were already vendors set up to sell balloons, leis and blow up tubes...totally a local celebration thing!  This is a view of the crowd-  enough mylar balloons to carry a small child away! 

Two of the graduates swallowed by celebratory stuff!

Lisa, I know you are reading this envisioning J with numerous candy lei and a turtle inner tube thinking, "Why did we move?!".