Graduation Party

I love local parties. There is nothing formal or stuffy about them. They are usually in someone's yard, the food is cooked by family and the entertainment is someone's uncle with another someone's uncle jamming after a few beers.

This was pretty much it last night at our friend's graduation party deep in Hanapepe valley. But there was roughly 100+ people under a big tent in a big field with fabulous food and little girls performing hula in front of the crowd. There was old farm equipment around (it was an old piggery) and drinks were served from huge fishing coolers. The owner of the farm is a 90-something old Japanese man who tells very inappropriate jokes every time I see him. So inappropriate that I can't repeat them to you. Ariki laughs his head off and I turn red, but hey, when you are that old you can do whatever you want. And apparently tell any kind of jokes you want. (He tells the jokes to ladies at the bank and county offices too...awkward!).

One of the highlights of the night was not only the food, but also when the graduate came over to say hello to us at the table. Lyon was eating and the graduate asked for a high five. Lyon, seeing that his hands had a fork and napkin in them, decides to high-five the graduate with his face instead of his hand. atta-boy.

Dolls...ugh.

I was a tomboy growing up. I liked animals, short hair, running around outside, playing with the boys, making spears and mud and generally anything but dolls.

Today I bought Kiri a baby doll at a garage sale. I think I might have rolled my eyes but bought it anyways. I am thankful for my Costa Rican friend Anais who forced me to buy it. She is good for my girl-mothering skills. She forces me through guilt to buy dolls, princess shoes, frilly things, dress-up things, pink things.

Kiri is lucky Anais gave up everything and moved here from Costa Rica. Thank you.

Your Interpretation

I love the way kids hear songs and sing them over and over. I love it when the songs don't quite turn out the way they are suppose to be, rather the way the kid hears them. If you are from the 80's like myself, you would remember the Transformer's cartoon. Especially if you had a brother.
"Transformers! More than meets the eye!" is the motto.

So Lyon is obsessed with Transformers right now. To date he has 2 of them and 3 shirts that are shown to everyone because that is important. He walks around the house singing:
"Transformers! More than eats the island"

Close enough.

God Protects Us

As we lay in the darkness before bedtime with Lyon on my left and Kiri on my right, we recite songs, recount our favorite parts of the day, and ponder what we will do the next day. Like clock- work every night when the lights go out (after bathroom and teeth), Kiri asks to go make shishi (pee pee for you non-Hawaii folks) and drink water. Most annoying but necessary to take care of this, again. Of course when I send her to the bathroom by herself it is always "too dark" or there are some unforeseen monsters blocking progress. On this particular night when it was "too dark" Lyon sits up and tells her "Kiri, God protects us". Mama is so proud at this simple truth. But then comes more: "He has a big sword and he kills those monsters". Okay, that works, problem solved, right? Not really. So brother escorts her to the bathroom just in case God missed some along the path. As we lay back down after Kiri's nightly ritual, I begin to ponder the sweet innocence and simple faith of children. I wonder if perhaps God does communicate with them on a more real level than adults because we are too busy in the world to pay attention. I probe. "Lyon, have you ever seen God?" I ask.
"Mm-hm" he replies matter-of-factly.
"Oh really? when?" I am really curious now.
"I saw Him at a garage sale. He was picking up some stuff"

I think I walked right into that one.

Kids Are Funny

Young kids are funny because most of the stuff they do is completely irrational. Let me give you an example or two. Kiri gets mad at Lyon for taking her train. She bursts into tears and decides to lay down coffin-style in her toy box and wave a glow stick in the air, all while crying. Can you imagine an adult doing that? maybe.

Kiri and Lyon tell me they want to ride bikes outside (no neighbors can see our driveway really because we live on half an acre by a stream). Next moment I see them outside completely naked riding bikes. Why does riding bikes involve stripping down to your birthday suit? I'm not sure, but it makes for a funny site while you wash dishes.

I found a great way to entertain them in this gloomy, rainy weather. I took the 10 gallon buckets from Ace and filled them to the brim with warm water and bubbles for an outdoor "bubble bath" between storms. They loved it and it bought me just enough time to get some stuff done around the house. At one point I peeked outside to see them both in the same bucket having a conversation with their feet propped up outside the bucket. Cute moment sandwiched between all the not-so-cute ones that if you blink, you will miss it.

May 7, 2011

Water has been falling from the sky in handfuls lately. Two people from Virginia came to Sunny Kauai to get married on the beach. I worried and stressed because I can't control the weather, and when you are a wedding coordinator, you need to be in control of everything. I prayed and prayed, Lord, just an hour, please. It rained and rained all day. I went to pick up the bride for the ceremony. She was beautiful in her Vera Wang dress. We drove to the beach where her fiance waited patiently and all of a sudden...the skies opened up. I saw my shadow on the ground as the guitarist played Pachebel Canon in D. She came down the sandy aisle barefoot and beautiful. So beautiful that we did not need the sun because she was beaming so radiantly. Today, May 7th 2011 two beautiful souls were united as one and my prayers were answered: an hour of sun.

Kiri's Baby

And Kiri's baby's name is.....WALLY! (it's a girl, by the way)

A Long Time

Sorry I have been locked out of this blog for quite some time and never made an effort to get back in.

So here we are, May 2011. So many wonderful things have happened in the Foster world. Ariki's studio is up and running. He has such a talent and gift for what he does. His ear for music is incredible. It's almost a shame we live here on a tiny island when he could be pushed and molded so much more in a big city. But oh well, we make the best of where and what we have!

Lyon is a preschooler (now in age). At 3.5 he is vibrant and funny. He is always down for a good joke and laugh. He told me three times yesterday "Mom, I wuv you" and then my heart melts all over again. A couple weeks ago at Costco an old lady told me "he is your finest piece of work" of course Kiri wasn't with me that day. He is excited about monster trucks, robots, Diego (from Dora), animals, flying machines, and dinosaurs. Typical boy stuff. He loves his sister heaps and is quick to protect her when someone ruffles her feathers.

Then there is Miss Kiri. I was thinking about her the other day and I came up with something to describe her exotic looks: "wild beauty" She is a bit of it all...she looks like my Colombian mother with beautiful Polynesian lips and brown skin. She is all girl complete with drama and a love for snuggling. She is getting so tall and so sweet. She shares with Lyon and loves loves loves.

Behind our house there is a pasture with a horse. Lyon has named the horse "Jack" even though I think it is a girl. The funny part is that they stand outside by the wash house and yell "JAAACK" and the horse comes over to see them. Lyon says that they are friends. I also noticed that carrots have gone missing from our fridge.

As for me, I started my event planning business finally. Legacy Events, here we go! Currently on Facebook but no web page yet. I have to talk to Auntie Momo about that.

A new page has started in the Legacy family. Gabe and Carmel have moved home for the first time in 14 years. Can't wait to be together as a family and hang out. Now, if we could only get Ariki's family in the same place!!

Looking forward to a fun summer!!