Morning after....girls heading to school with their new do's

Kaitlyn is still not happy with her hair...or believing she's pretty. But she's smiling!

Locks Of Love and lots of drama....

Today were having a lazy day.

Larry left yesterday for a few nights....work trip to Australia and New Zealand.

Friday I woke (with Larry still home) at 5:59am to go to the bathroom. I lifted the lid of the toilet still partially asleep and a splashing sound was heard. Before I processed that sound I saw a black blob on THE TOILET SEAT! You can guess or imagine what happened next, but rest assured my reaction (if you ask Larry) was better than a movie could portray it!
About 18 hours later the rat was finally caught on a sticky trap the pest control company set. He said they fall into the clean out vent on top of the ROOF and SWIM through...so creepy!!

That afternoon, the kids and I along with Robby's friend went to Wet n' Wild for a few hours. Super fun, Tommy boy is absolutely a BOY with NO FEAR! He's right at 42" tall and could ride quite a few water slide/rides. Was supper fun, right until we got to the van and I couldn't find my cell phone! Thankfully dumbo me decided to purchase a locker key to keep it safe, yet I LEFT MY PHONE on the counter....which happens to be "lost and found" desk too!!! I guess I shoved all the other important things into the locker and felt safe. -shaking my head-

After that I sincerely prayed asking God to watch over us and bring us home safely. I was so emotionally drained between the rat and my phone...I couldn't handle one more thing.

Sadly, 15 minutes after arriving home I got the call. My Grandmother had been called home. She died quickly and peacefully we believe as she had spoke to my Aunt just an hour earlier saying it was difficult to breathe.


So very thankful that just TWO weeks before the packers arrived to pack us up to move to Hawaii I decided to make a last minute trip to Florida to see my grandparents on Easter weekend! I conned my sister in law Jessica and brother Robb to come home too, when we went to visit my grandparents my brother Bill and his family joined us. It was the most sweet visit we'd had in years. Such a rare thing to have so many of us all together...just missed my brother Rudy and my Dad!!

Somehow, still stings that it's just not logical with the kids still trying to get comfortable in their new schools and their Dad out of town to get home for the services. I feared this situation could occur and thank God for allowing me to be so crazy to wake up one day and decide to take a two day road trip the next......memories! And thank God for a hubby who doesn't think I'm off my rocker when I think up such things!

Grandma's service will be Monday evening....I'll be there in spirit!

-this night I slept in Kaitlyn's bed with her...until around 2:30am when the rat was caught and killed by Larry! At which time I then moved to my bed, and could not fall asleep!!


Saturday~
Robby and I went out shopping for his surf board. We went to four shops, only to come back to the first place and buy the first board we saw! It's blue and orange/yellowish....totally Robby!!! He's so happy and anxious to try it out. Wednesday is early dismissal, but this Wednesday we have some very important felines coming in. The kids are so excited and this is about the only thing worth missing a surfing day over!


Later that night the kids babysat each other and I went to see a movie with my friend. So good to get out!! So blessed to have good friends!! When I arrived home the girls had cleaned the kitchen, washed the dishes and put them away!!

Sunday (today) ~
Today we were to stay together as a family and do something before Kaitlyn's riding lesson in the afternoon. Kaitlyn decided we should go and donate her hair. As if I need more drama or trauma...Kaitlyn planned on donating 12", the hairdresses didn't use a ruler and ended up cutting off near 15". Kaitlyn's hair is absolutely adorable. But she won't hear it and definitely doesn't feel it...
Kimberlyn planned to donate 10", and her hairdresser used a ruler and took exactly that off. Kimberlyn is so carefree...and pleased with her new do! The girls just donaed 21 months ago...I think it's such a great cause and am so proud of them for sporting new do's so other children can have wigs and feel better when ill.








Kimberlyn just before bed....


Kaitlyn just before bed...

Our Surfer Dude

Dad and the three oldest kids took surfing lessons at Waikiki back in June. Robby is the one whom will really take up surfing. He'd been talking of it since like MArch 9th, I can say this as I think it was one of the first things out of his mouth when we told him we were moving to Hawaii!

Yesterday Robby rented a board at White Plains Beach at Barber's Point Naval Air Station (closed down Navy base) about 30 minutes away. He has rented out here many times, but this time he really liked this size board. So after tasting and trying out boards, this is the weekend he gets HIS own board!!

Enjoy the pictures....

Robby surfing....


Robby's board surfing, I thought this shot right after/as he fell with the board all alone was fun!


The girls...they have such fun here even though most times I have to drag them here. Kaitlyn has issues with this beach as last month she stepped on coral and sliced her foot open...she wears water shoes now and is probably mentally scarred for life. She had to get stitches...was not a funa dventure.


Tommy reclined abit too far....he didn't fuss and was just hanging out upside down!


The surfer dude!


Tommy wanting to go home, he was so super tired from school!


I have way cool pics from the first lesson, soon I'll post them here! Kimberlyn really did well and I'm shocked she's not wanting to surf more...in time I'll get her back out there.

Manoa Falls

Yesterday we hiked up to see Manoa Falls. Was a pleasant hike and the kids ventured off on every single trail off the beaten path! Enjoy the pictures....


Strange cool tree stump....



hiking in a rain forest....



Kaitlyn posing and looking too old!!



A cute family shot of us on a log...



Kids in a bamboo forest...



Crazy mom swinging on the vine...okay, actually this was a close as I got, I kept letting go...



Kaitlyn swinging on the vine....she was hunting for a vine strong enough to swing on....it just wasn't strong enough for Daddy to climb and he thankfully didn't get seriously injured when it broke and he fell!!


Kids on this huge log, we believe it was actually a branch, look at top of picture...




Thought I was just photographing the event....



Boys walking along huge downed tree...



THEN I HAD to follow along...terrifying!!!



Kids hiking over some massive roots....



Tommy climbing a bamboo tree....



Kaitlyn climbing a bamboo tree...



Robby pretending to get a drink...



The whole family at Manoa Falls, Hawaii



Larry and Tricia at the Falls



Kimberlyn and the mountain apple a guy gave us....


Forgot to add about said mountain apple...the skin and flesh was very similar to a plum, even had just one large pit/seed in the center. Kind of tasty, although I doubt the kids would eat it on a regular basis.

Mountain Apple tree....



Tommy trying the mountain apple....



Tommy had a clue, which was to crawl under the root....


A cute posing Kimberlyn



To finish off the trip, a way cool McD's drive thru for icecream. Your food came through the above "tunnel"..........

Hello again...

Wow it has been some time since I posted here. Where to begin...

A quick back track...the last year was filled!

Kaitlyn had many horseshows, finished off the year as Champion in her division for one show organization and reserve champion in another over in St. Louis.

We lost our beloved Emma Ann (our Bull Mastiff) Sept 2010, she became ill and started having many seizures and within a week we had to put her down. HORRIBLE.


Because I promised the kids a more energetic dog when Emma passed, they were begging with in a week. It was a hard thing to deal with as Emma was a puppy from my mom's breedings.

In October, we welcomed a very special, adorable Spaniel mix pound puppy. Rosie is currently being adored by Larry's mom in Omaha.

I was browsing the Humane Society online and came across "Jaz"....her picture was a face shot and she looked just like our precious Chrissy whom passed away in 2003 at the age of 6 due to cancer. Chrissy was an amazing, child friendly dog....we really missed her. I went to visit Jaz and it was a done deal, she came home with me!! The kids were pleased, and had already decided on a name of Rosie. Jaz was only her name for 2 wks as she was a "run away" and had no history, she also told us she preferred Rosie ;)

We added two cats to the collection too....just in time to learn we were moving to HAwaii!! I'll explain in another post when two of the cats join us soon. They are riding out their quarantine in Omaha.

Our trip to Disney July 2010 was a blast!

The kids finished school in St. Jacob a week early so we could move to Hawaii....after being told two other assignments. For a short time we thought we were headed to Turkey, then Del Rio, TX was a pretty serious deal right up until March 9th, 2011 when we were told we were actually headed to Hickam AFB, Hawaii. The next day we were told we were headed there real quick....we arrived in Honolulu on May 23, 2011 greeted with some gorgeous leis from some amazing Air Force friends. Just a day after some seriously teary-eyed goodbyes to some amazing friends in Illinois.
Can't seem to locate the family picture of us at the airport...this will have to to do.




June 21, 2011 ~ 735 AMS Change of Command ceremony




We did a few touristy things before Larry took command....many more touristy things to come.


August 1, 2011 First Day of school!!

Robby ~ 8th Grade


Girls headed to school....


Kimberlyn and her teacher ~ 3rd grade


Kaitlyn and her teacher ~ 6th grade



And let's not forget Tommy!!! Headed to his first day of KINDERGARTEN!!!! August 4, 2011 ~ 4 1/2 yrs old


He ALWAYS stops to pick up a flower off the ground for me to wear in my hair!!! LOVE HIM SO MUCH!

NOTICE!!! NO TRAINING WHEELS!!! He ditched them last month!

Slightly excited, waiting for the classroom door to open!!




Waving bye-bye!


The bikes...when T saw this HUGE bike parking area he said something like "holy whilickers" and I about wet my pants, he is so funny!!