Not Well

Lyon: "Mom, I don't feel well"
Kiri: "Well maybe he has a beaver"

Beaver, fever...same thing.

New Zealand 2012

I am sitting here listening to Bon Iver and reflecting on our trip. So many memories that put a smile on my face. So many moments spent connecting with friends and family. Moments of silence as we traveled across New Zealand; the farms, rolling green hills, sheep, forests, cold oceans, roadside cafes, the moments looking in the backseat and seeing two sleeping children. I remember a year after we got married we took a trip home. It was just the two of us and our newly-wed excitement. After a few days with the family in Wellington, we got into our rental car and waived our teary goodbyes to the family in the driveway. As we drove off, I looked at Ariki and said, "one day there is going to be two little babies in that backseat driving away with us" and we both laughed. Our vision of a blessing comes to pass as a real blessing. Indeed.

This is life. This is real. We could spend endless hours pursuing more money or material things. Or we could spend endless hours living life, each day, each moment counts. If there's something that is on your bucket-list, do it. Plain and simple. Just do it.

First Dance Class

After our trip to New Zealand (which I will post about later) Kiri got the dance bug. She loves her traditional dances of Tahiti and Hawaii! Today I took her to her first dance class. She was the youngest in the class and the little girls were really sweet to her. She really liked it!

Song and Baby Names

Last night after work, both the kids were still awake. I got them in bed all snuggled up in the dark and Lyon started singing in the most angelic, childlike 4 year old voice: "If yoooouuuu go to Jaaaail....you get to ride in your own cop-car....yea yea...." HUH?! I had to chuckle.

And then he told me "hey mom, when I get big, I'm going to move out of here"
"ok, where are you going" I asked.
"I'm getting my own house."
"Can I come visit?" I asked.
"Sure. I'll come pick you up in my Jeep" Lyon answered.
"Well are you going to have a wife and kids at your new house?" I asked.
"Yeah...her name is going to be Joya." He answered. "That's a good wife name, don't you think, Mom?"
"Yep, good name" I answered. "What about your kids?"
"Trainer and Conner" He chimed in.
At that point Kiri piped in "I want a wife toooo!
"How about a husband, Kiri?" I suggested. This got her mad. She didn't like the idea of having something different than Lyon so she started to cry. "Nooooo....I want a wife like Lyon!"
"Do you just want to stay here with Mommy when you get big" I asked.
"Yeaaaa....." she said through tears. And then she thought about it for a moment and added "but I want babies like Lyon" sniff sniff
"Monica and Makayla" sniff sniff
"And maybe Jayden" sniff sniff

And that's how we ended Sunday night. Thoughts of babies, future, and a thoughtful song on what perks their are if you go to jail (private cop car ride).
The End

How Old Are You?

I just had to re-post this story from my dear friends Kim and Jared. Judah is their 5 year old son. Too funny!

Judah was admiring his light up Skechers he got for Christmas. He asked me, "Hey mom, did you have Skechers when you were a kid?" When I told him no, he said, "So, what, did you just wear shoes made out of bearskins like Indians?" He was serious. Evidently I have reached the status of being old...really, really old.

Lyon's Snail Friend

This afternoon I was out tending to my little garden while the kids played in the yard around me. All of a sudden I hear Lyon exclaim "HEY look! It's Shaggy!" as if an old friend just arrived. I looked around perplexed. "Lyon, who are you talking to?" I asked. He pointed to a snail in the dirt. "Mom, that's Shaggy!" Apparently they had met before. Lyon and Kiri got to work digging out a pool for Shaggy in the dirt surrounding the banana trees. They added a water slide with the banana leaves. Shaggy is one lucky snail so we decided to let him live near our ti-leaf plants.

Realizing Identity

We have been going to the beach a lot lately. What can you say- it's beautiful weather and there's not much else to do on Kauai with preschoolers. Anyways, on the way home from the beach the other day, Lyon pipes up "Mom, I'm brown. Kiri is brown, Dad is brown. But you're white. Look at you."

Little does he know that I'm actually off-white or caramel-ish depending on what light he sees me. Either way, it's time for a trip off-island to see real white people.

The following day he had another realization in the car ride home: "I'm brown like chocolate"

Yes, my little man, you are brown like chocolate.