Ichiban

My Number One Daughter, Sydney.
She is all that a daughter should be. Wonderful, Dynamic, Smart, Beautiful, Difficult, Amazing, Talented, Helpful, Interesting, Fun and growing up so fast right before my eyes.
I love her.
I learn so much with her.
She is such a good girl and a wonderful example to her little sisters.

Right now she thinks its gross when Troy and I kiss.
She is reading the Little House on the Praire Books.
She loves to read.
She loves to eat White Nectarines.
She has size 10 feet.


She still thinks I am cool.
I am still taller.
She has a big smile.
She loves her Dad.
He loves her.


Almost 12.
So ready to leave primary.
She has such a bright future.
I am excited to see what she chooses to fill it with.
Thank Heaven for Sydney!

Ethan's First Surf Competition

So Ethan mentioned that he wanted to do a Surf Competition last weekend. We looked it up online and saw that there was one this weekend! He was excited and nervous, but without hesitation, he said that he wanted to do it...here are the pictures:






The famous board shaper "ole" was there. He is 80 years old and he competed. His wife surfed too! Very inspiring.

Ethan did great. He rode a smaller board than most of the other keiki so he didn't catch as many waves, but he was happy and felt good about the experiance.

What makes Amy Work?

Happy, Busy, Optimistic, Cheerful, Overwhelmed, Productive, Driven, Playful, Hungry, More...I always want more...
I feel like I go. I go hard. I usually enjoy it. Until I don't. What is the difference. When does the enjoyment end and the drudgery begin.
I like to run on my terms, my time, I don't like to wait. I am a bit impatient, but I am learning to live in the moment and enjoy waiting. I enjoy it a lot more if I have something to read or learn or do...okay maybe I am not learning to live in the moment, but I think about it.
If I walk in the morning and do something for me, then my day is smoother. Something done for me makes doing for everyone else all day easier.
Paint, play piano, draw, sew...utilize that other side of the brain. Miracles happen. Coloring with Sophie kind of counts.
Friends are the chocolate of life. Sweet moments in a otherwise bland smorgasbord.
Husband. He makes my day better. Even when it is already good.

Ethan Maui Boy

Bittersweet

Well it is with sadness and a full heart that I write this post. Tomorrow is the first day of school for Ethan - 5th grade and Ember - 1st grade. Sydney starts 7th grade on Wednesday and I will be left home with my little Sophie. We have had a busy and full summer. We have surfed, hiked, danced at ballet, played piano and violin and swam every week. We have visited the goat farm, the tropical plantation and the aquarium. We have mowed the lawn, planted a garden, mountain biked, filled our home and yard and car with all the neighborhood kids, eaten ice cream, camped in Hosmer Grove, directed Stake Girls Camp and celebrated birthdays. Ember turned 6 and I turned 35!

So what have we learned:

Amy: My favorite thing was that I love spending time with my kids. I am exceptional at taking them on adventures of fun. I will miss them terribly when they are back in school. I learned that I am tired.

Sydney: Favorite thing was going to swimming and she learned to play "Each Life that Touches ours for Good" on the piano.

Ethan: Learned to short board and his favorite thing was surfing.

Ember: Learned how to make Phoenix Birds cut out of painted papers and her favorite thing was playing with her friend Eden at the beach.

Sophie: "My favorite thing was going to the goat farm" and she learned how to jump into the water all by herself at the pool and off a 3 foot rock at the bamboo hike!

Troy: "My favorite thing about this summer was taking my kids mountain bike riding and I learned that nothing says I love you like chocolate."

The Garden

We have been counseled and taught the importance of growing a garden, but is was not until Troy became inspired that we got to it. It helped that he got to build something to garden in. He likes the building part. So here is the story of our garden:


Here we are mixing the dirt.....those are banana plants in the background. We are also lucky enough to have guava trees, lime, lilikoi vines and starfruit, but luckly they do not need much attention.



Almost Done.

5x5 Square with a 5x5 grid. The kids made little signs for their seeds.


Radishes are the fastest growing vegetable in our garden, only 28 days to maturity!










They were beautiful, hot, red and oh so fun to pull out of the garden. We have been enjoying the lettuce and peas too! There are peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, kale, carrots and beets too...waiting for their big day!

May Review

Truly one of the greatest pleasures in life is to remember.
We sure have a lot of good things to remember.
So glad for cameras and computers so we can share good memories with you.
Hugs

Amy Got to go out on a Girls Night to Letters to Juliette - Great Movie - Scarves were the Dress Up Flare!

Ember still loves Ballet and Violin.

Ethan and Dad made a Hawaiian Canoe for his 4th grade project.

Ember Longstocking for crazy hair day!

Ethan Volcano Top for Crazy hair day!

Troy and Zack got muddy in the Forest.

Sydney and Ethan both had a Piano Recital You can see Ethan play his piece on my last post.

The Girls are always dressing up as princesses. What fun to have sisters!

Grammy Came for a Visit! Captain came too and Sophie is still asking me where my Dad is.

School ended...so we went to the Beach! See you in June.

Ethan's First Piano Recital

He played Bamboo Leaves. This is only after about a month of lessons.

Wizard of Oz

We have had a whirl wind month. The highlights were having Grammy here with us for 3 weeks and a short visit with Captain! They both came over for the performance of the Wizard of Oz.

Sydney was a forest and vine, Ethan was a yellow brick road munchkin and Ember was a lollypop munchkin!

Having three kids in the show was so fun! The theater sold out as there was only one performance, so there was great energy and lots of smiles.

Spring Break - Monday

Sand Monkeys

Good day. It was raining at our house this morning, so we decided to head to the beach. The sun was shining and although the waves were very little, we had a fun time catching what we could and just enjoying the water. We even saw a few Humpback Whales! Sydney has not been interested in Surfing for a few years, but on the last two trips to the beach, she has been back on the board. It is so fun to watch my kids surf and enjoy their accomplishments! Now Ember and Sophie have to get hooked. How will I fit all those boards on my van?

Sydney is so sweet and such a big help to me.

Ember loves to play, talk to animals and be with her friends!

These two are fine siblings, occasionally poor foe's, but gratefully, good friends.

My little Angels, what joy! What fun! Is found in these, our little ones.

*****❖*****

Here are some quick video clips of Sydney and Ethan Surfing.
Sydney still has the same stance she had when she was 4 years old...pretty cute.
Ethan is just...cute.

No Shoes

Today at church I went into the nursery to pick up Sophie.
She was very excited to show me the big tummy on my friend who is expecting.
I asked Sophie what was in there and she said "A BABY!"
I asked, Can it come out?
She answered, "No, it doesn't have any shoes on."

Ember

I took a trip to town with Ember yesterday. I pointed out a passing limousine to Ember, and she enthusiastically responded: "When I grow up and become a vet, I am going to have a limo with a jacuzzi in it and all the animals can ride around with me and go in the jacuzzi if they want to!"

Later the same day...

We went into Borders Books and I bought her a field guide about butterflies and moths. She studied the pictures for a long time and then on the way home she asked if I could roll down her window. I rolled it down and then watched as she opened her butterfly book and wiggled it. While she wiggled it she said, "fly, fly, fly!" She then looked at me and explained that they just wanted to go for a little fly.

I want to live in Embers world. I love that kid!

Twilight and all that it Encompasses

After much hesitation, apprehension, denial, and internal debate. I declare that I am now a fan of Twilight. I think Edward is a hunk and in real life Bella surfs, so she must really be okay. Did I mention that Edward is cute...is it normal for a married woman to feel this juvenile?