catch-up

Sorry I have no pictures to post but I thought I would jot down some highlights for those that still read this blog:

- Our biggest news is that we are moving...but not off island. I have realized lately that when I tell people that we are moving, they either are really excited or really sad...depending on their location. The mainland-ers are the excited ones until I tell them it is just to another house here in Hawaii and the other fellow islanders are sad thinking we are moving off island. So to clear it up, we are just moving across town into a little bit bigger, kind-of ugly, fenced in yard, single family, mountain view home. We are REALLY excited!! The move date can't come fast enough...but on the other hand the actual packing up everything can't seem to move any slower. So more to come...

- Jason has been at a camp for the past few days with the 6th graders at the school. He was asked to fill in since the 6th grade teacher wasn't able to go along. He just came home, gave me a kiss (before he told me he was really smelly and dirty) and then fell on the bed from exhaustion (don't worry he did take a shower first...I'm sure he's glad I posted that on the blog). I bet he's so glad to be home so he can pack up a few boxes and move some furniture now. :o)

- We finished up the boys swim lessons for the season which frees up a little more time in our week. Ethan is a natural swimmer...being so tall and skinny. He can swim free-style, back stroke, breast stroke, dive and do flip turns. And Jude...well let's just say Jude needs a few more lessons. He loves the water but has absolutely no form. He's more like a turtle than a fish. :o)

- Ethan finishes up Math tomorrow and next week will finish Phonics, Bible and Grammar. Science, Art, and Geography we will finish up this summer. Our goal is to finsih before the big move. I can't believe he will be a second grader soon. Where does the time go?

- I started a new Bible study with the ladies from church. It is a DVD series from a conference called True Woman and the main speaker sections are all on-line for free. We watched the first one this past Wednesday. John Piper was the first speaker and it was SO good. I am looking forward to the other sessions from speakers like Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Joni Eareckson Tada.

- Jude is an official bike rider now. I took the kids last night to the beach park where they have some so-so riding trails and Jude figured out how to start off his bike by himself without me giving him a push first. This was great for him because when he stopped before he had to wait for me to catch up with him so I could give him starter push. And since I was walking with Ansley that could take a while. Now, I have to teach him how to watch for other bikers/walkers on the trails because a few times I saw people halting to a stop or swerving out of the way to avoid colliding with him...while he zoomed on by oblivious that he was in anyone's way.

- Ansley has been my little shadow lately. She likes to "help" me in any way she can. Throughout the day she takes a break from playing just to give me a quick snuggle before she's off to go play again. She doesn't really talk yet but she still tries to sound like she is talking and then points as if what she is "saying" is really something important. She thinks the boys are the funniest people she has ever met. She is a great mommy to her two baby dolls. And she can sling a purse up on her shoulder like she has done it all her life. I love having a little girl!

- I'm sewing a bear, bib and burpie set for my new little nephew who I can't wait to meet soon! On a side note: I must say having my sewing stuff organized makes sewing such a better experience. It's so easy to pull out what I need and put it away until I have time to work on it again.

-Oh and another big announcement is that I have a GREEN-thumb now...not brown. (I bet you thought I was announcing a pregnancy didn't you?) I have this amazing garden and the only thing I did differently is actually plant it in the ground (not containers), use organic compost to help the dirt, and actually water it everyday. Who knew those things were so crucial to a successful garden!? So I will post pictures soon before we move and I have to leave it all to my neighbor...who said she would take care of it for me. So, now I will just have to plant a new garden at the new place.

Okay enough with the catching-up stuff. I tend to ramble too much when I make a post like this. But in case you were wondering if this old blog was dying, I reassure you, once things settle down a bit I will get back to more normal blogging frequency...at least I hope.