In with the new, and out with the old.

We spent a brief moment the following day watching the garbage man pick up the neighborhood trash. Then, it was on to more pressing things, like preparing for a

GARAGE SALE!!!

We had a multi-family garage sale with five families all trying to say good-bye to parts of their past life. For a lot of us, it was parting with the clothes, blankets, and toys our memories carry of our little ones occupying. It was sad in some ways, nostalgic in many ways, and welcomed in almost all ways.

Good bye you sweet crib booties!

Good bye you adorable swaddling blankets!

Nursing covers, I am sorry, but you are no longer needed.

Teethers, you have out stayed your welcome.

But I will miss you the most, you sweet outfits that I could not stop putting my children in day after day until they grew to big for you.

The garage sale was a success as most of us were able to get rid of almost 70 percent of our "stuff".

We did have a few moments where Jennifer and I would look at one another from across the driveway as we picked up something and hugged it to our chest.

We ended up bringing a few of those things back inside. I am sure any mother could relate to picking up something their little one wore, or used that brought back so many memories that you could almost smell the sent of "new born baby" drifting off of it.

Just as we were saying good bye to the old, I was also saying hello to something new.

My husbands new little sailor arrived in Hawaii this weekend the night before the garage sale. A good friend and myself were responsible for picking her up, and getting her settled in. After checking her in on base, she was brought back to my house to stay the weekend and put her little mind at ease before she had to go back to the barracks, surrounded by no one she knows in an environment that is completely new to her.

Being straight from boot camp and training, only 19, and never away from home she was feeling the nerves and excitement of the journey yet to come.

I enjoyed meeting her, and watching our friendship blossom in the future.

Over the weekend, I took some photos of her super fast for her to send home to her family.

Meet Amanda, my husbands new little sailor, and a rising star in the Navy (as she graduated first in her class in training).

Weo weo, and Weo weo (or is it "Jamie")

He is my son

He is our family friend

He comes from a family of 3

He comes from a family of 8

He tackles

He catches

He Laughs

When he tickles

They are "Weo weo" and "Weo weo"

..... Or as Charlotte calls him "Jamie"

They both share the same name "William", but thanks to the name changing a two year old can accomplish, he bares the same nick name as my youngest son.

Even Jordan, calls him "Mr. Weo weo".

They have become the best of friends a two year old and a grown man whom is a family friend could have.

During this hard separation between my husband and myself, he has been a saint in helping me with anything I need. While Chase is underway, he looks after and hangs out with his significant other (who happens to be on the same boat as Chase), and back at home Both Will and I have become a team.

Today, as it happens, excitement is in the air for preparations for his other half, Danielle whom will be arriving home TOMORROW! Cakes are being ordered, cars are being washed, houses are being cleaned, and Will is constantly occupied watching his count down counter that he has installed on his phone. Danielle, who also happens to be a great friend of mine as well, has been completely missed by all.

I still have many more (not too many more) days until my sweet man comes home unfortunately, but with the Danielle and Will duo by my side, along with all my other great friends, the time is more prone to pass much more quickly.

Neighborhood friends

There is nothing like having wonderful neighbors, and it is even better when you and your children are their, and their childrens best friends. We are blessed to have the best neighbors and the best of friends. It saddens me so much to know that by the end of the year, this life, this wonderful life I have here, litterally right in my own back yard will no longer exsist. I also know, that these great friends will be only as far as a phone call away for the rest of my life. I feel so rich in family and great friends.

I just pray that when we move, we are as equally blessed as we have been here.

God Bless Friends!

My Children are the sweetest, gentlest, and caring of beings. Never the less, they are still children. For every sweet hand that brushes through my hair and innocent gaze into loving eyes, there is a temper tantrum. For every "thank you", "your welcome", and "God bless you" there is also a bunch of "No", "Mine", "Get out", and my not so favorite "Go Away!". For every hug and kiss comes a push or a hit, and so on and so on. I am sure you catch my drift.

Sometimes the hardest part of the day is when my phone rings. They have a built in psychic beacon that tunnels in the direction of a melt down once they hear that phone ring. Can you imagine two screaming toddlers and an eight year old needing my immediate assistance while trying to talk on the phone? As one might imagine, just that alone makes my stress level shoot through the roof.

It is a challenge every day for me to truck on down the wonderful road of motherhood. I am often alone while my husband is off afloat on the ocean somewhere, or in some third world country, so I rely on the chatter and company of good friends. I am truly blessed to have some of the most wonderful friends in my life. Some still here on the island, and some spread out through the mainland. Courtney, Hayley, Crista, my dearest friends since childhood that have stuck with me through the hurdles and tribulations in life. I miss them so much. Tasha, Keith, Amber, Kuhio, Pat, John, Moe - another bunch of friends that will always be considered to be some of my dearest and closest friends. Most of these friends are no longer here on the island. I am blessed to still have some wonderful friends still here on the island that I get to share my daily ramblings with and insane states of being. Ford, Rita, Jennifer, Lauren, Will, Rain, Danielle - I have no idea what I would do with out their friendship and company.

Looking back on the different chapters of my life, I have made some great friends in each of them, and am lucky enough to have them all standing by my side today. It is so easy to fall into a category of just a "Mother" and a "Wife" and forget about all the other parts of you that make you, YOU. I have made many truly great and wonderful friends through out my years, some sadly I lost and miss, but a majority of them have stayed amazingly close. These wonderful people I get to call my "Sanity keepers".

The other night I was fortunate enough to go out with a few of my dear sweet friends. I do not go out often at all, especially with out my husband! It was a wonderful treat and just what the doctor ordered. What a treat it was to be able to go out with some wonderful friends.

The next morning I felt re-charged, unwound, and ready to face a day full of the tiny ramblings of a two and three year old, and the steady assignments of spelling and math of my eight year old.

God Bless Family and Friends!

Just a little child's play

Jordan received a "Green Machine" as a gift for achieving "Student of the Quarter". This thing is a monster. You need a helmet for sure when riding it. William loves it as well, though he has only gotten as far as sitting on it. ha ha.

Charlotte's favorite activity is coloring, writing, drawing.... when we are inside she has a notebook and pen permanently attached to her, and outside she is always basking in the chalk and the ground.

And lets not forget about the ever so wonderful rocks! William loves to sit in them,

and Jordan loves to attempt to build great castles with them. He will walk around for hours collecting and building. Maybe we have a future architect on our hands?

It is also a sweet little girls birthday today. Today she is officialy the big 2!

Happy second birthday Lainey! We love you!

Day 15 Morning

I am here, I have not disappeared, I have just been preoccupied and busy with, well, life in general. I have decided to start taking on clients again while my husband is away. It has been a busy past two weeks, and I have to say, I am ready for a hot bath, another great book recommended to me from my husband, and some alone time. I just finished the book "The Noticer" last night. I rarely find the time to read, and when there is time to read, it always seems as if I have a million other things to do - to include sleep. I am so glad that I did not object to my husbands recommendation this time. It was pure delight, eye opening, and left me wanting more. I am almost begging him to send another wonderful recommendation my way.

Yesterday was such a nice day. I had some good friends come over and we all cooked up some bbq, (veggie burgers for me), conversation, and great company. We had all the neighbors out chatting it up with my friends and I, and all the kids running here, there, and every where. I am happy to say that when bed time came for them all, they were out like a light with no complaint. I am looking forward to another day like that. As any mother who is home a majority of the time would know - adult conversation is priceless.

Today we are expecting company - The Monaco's, for a play date. Its time for me to hurry up with some house hold chores this morning, and get our house in decent looking appearance. The down stairs usually always looks wonderful, but because of my knee, the upstairs has been untouched in weeks. Now, I have a good reason to go and do a lot of "touching" up there. In a way it almost seems pointless to clean on a daily basis up there between my babies, Jordan, and all his friends that are up there "playing fort", "playing war", or just taking every material object they can think of out of its rightful place and introducing it to its new home "floor".

(I am hoping, my sweet man, that you are able to watch this video in this format)

Day 9 ending

"Dinner for 10"

One of the great things about being in military housing is that you are more likely to have some friends that live right by you whose husbands are gone the same time as yours. A few families came over and we all made breakfast for dinner. How much fun is it cooking for 10? I have to say.... I LOVED IT!

"The kiddos"

Friends, Eggs, and Animals

The Hughes and The Monaco Children

We had a fabulous time today at some friends of ours home. They opened up their home to our family and some other friends of ours, the Monaco's. Bob and Pat were very sweet allowing both of our families (the five of us, and the six of them) to come over and hang out with them for the day. They had a fabulous lunch for us all, and had an egg dying kit, and Easter eggs hidden in their backyard for the kids to go hunting for.

(Dying home grown Easter eggs)

(Hunting for Easter Eggs)

Bob worked in Agriculture here in Hawaii decades before Chase and I were ever born. His array of vegetation that he has growing all around his house is amazing! They Even own five goats, which they milk every day and use that milk to make their own cheese, and for drinking. They also have many hens they collect eggs from on a daily basis. They even make their own chocolate, and coffee. They grow everything from cinnamon, nutmeg, to ginger and taro.

(Bob Picked a Cocoa Pod to cut open for us)

(These are the cocoa beans inside that you use to make chocolate! They were delicious to suck on!)

(Bob was showing us the Vanilla bean tree. This is the Vanilla flower...

(... and because there are no insects here in Hawaii to pollinate the flower, Bob has to do it himself every day!)

(Did you know that in order to grow nutmeg you have to have a male and female tree? On the left is the female tree, and to the right is the male tree.)

(some of the Coffee that Bob and Pat grow)

The Children had such a great time with one another and with all the animals! Charlotte fell in love many times with all the goats and Chickens. She even was allowed in to the area that they keep all the goats in, and showed "NO FEAR". She would chase after them trying to feed them a palm leaf, and they would just run away. When she would get her hands on one of the chickens, she felt the need to kiss it over and over again. William would adore the animals from afar. Jordan on the other hand, made quite a bond with one of the chickens.

(Charlotte could not keep her hands off the hen)

(Jordan's new found best friend)

(Charlotte and Jordan feeding the goats some tea leaves)

(The quiet before the storm)

(and then it storms)

(Bob to the rescue!)

The lunch was amazing! Delicious ham, a variety of cheese, watermelon, oranges, strawberries, taro chips and some delicious (and very unique) sandwiches the Monaco's brought. The watermelon and strawberries were a huge hit.

(Charlotte just devoured her watermelon, making a mess of it everywhere!)

(William's new found love for Watermelon ....)

(... and strawberries)

Thank you Bob and Pat for having us all over to your precious home. We had so much fun with the Monaco's and you both. It was a lovely afternoon, and a fabulous and fun learning adventure.

(Marcie (super mommy) Monaco)

(By the end of the day William was so tired. He just held on to Pat and wouldn't let go! Thank you so much Pat...)

(and Bob for the wonderful day!)

Peek-a-boo

This past weekend was a whirl wind for us. Saturday and Sunday were days filled with children non-stop running through the house, staying the night, playing games, and enjoying some fun filled laughter. This was the first time we ever had seven children under one roof all ranging from 19 months, 20 months, 2 years, 2 and half years, five, seven, and eight. It was purely delightful and chaotic! We were watching the children of two separate groups of dear friends.

Jordan and Brayden playing a fun game of peek-a-boo

no, he is not in time out. Brayden is counting while Jordan is hiding.

Rub a dub dub...

Ridley, William, and Charlotte in a tub

Practice with public speaking for William
and a little childhood wonder for Charlotte and Ridley

 Who doesn't love a little childhood magic? Oh, the places a bath tub can take you!!!