Just Mom's Musings

Winter...

2012-01-11T09:00:00.004-06:00

... arrived this morning.

Merry Christmas! ;-D

On The Twelfth Day Of Christmas ...

2012-01-06T14:50:00.005-06:00

... We celebrate the feast of the Epiphany.

A celebration that recounts the day the infant Jesus was visited by the Three Wise Men.

Or, in Just Family's home, the Three Wise Men and one of the three wise guys. ;-D

On The Other Days Of Christmas...

2012-01-05T10:34:00.002-06:00

... We watched the University of Oregon Ducks beat the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl, 45-38 ...

WOOHOO!

... And then I got sick.

*blech*

On The Ninth Day Of Christmas...

2012-01-02T11:21:00.003-06:00

... I took a look back.

Last year at this time.

Today. (A lot of sun, and still no snow on the ground.)

Not that I'm complaining, of course. :-)

On The Eighth Day Of Christmas ...

2012-01-01T13:07:00.000-06:00

... we welcome a New Year.

"The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.

The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace."

-- Numbers 6:24-26

Happy New Year!

From,

Just Family

On The Seventh Day Of Christmas...

2011-12-31T08:48:00.001-06:00

... I picked my word for 2012.

FORTITUDE

I have to be honest. I had a hard time settling on this word. In fact, I'm still kind of nervous about it being my theme word for 2012. How can I, who oftentimes fears the worst when storms hit, ever possibly hope to keep even an ounce of courage? How can I, who sometimes feels like simply giving up, even dream of remaining strong through it all, whatever "it" is?

But this word picked me.

Since the Advent season begin way back at the end of November, I've been reading a daily devotions book. On a day during which a lot was weighing particularly heavy on my heart, the scripture passage mentioned was Mark 4:35-41.

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, 'Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?'
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'
They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'

Oh sure, I've read that story many times. Usually my reaction is something like, "Really, dudes. He's right there with you. Surely there's no need to overreact and panic." This time though, the message behind that story hit me and my reaction was, "Really, JM." (Yeah, I refer to myself as "JM" ;-)) "He's right here with you. Surely there's no need to overreact and panic."

I know remembering to remain strong won't be easy. It's so much easier for me to be fearful about things unknown than to remember He's got a plan. It's so much easier for me to want to take control of situations that are out of my control than to simply let go and let Him do the driving, so to speak. But I hope that by making Fortitude my theme word, I learn to "Let go and Let God" in times of distress.

Even if doing so scares me.

On The Sixth Day Of Christmas...

2011-12-30T09:02:00.002-06:00

... we played with Legos.

On The Fifth Day Of Christmas...

2011-12-29T00:00:00.001-06:00

... I took an alphabetical walk down memory lane.

A new year

Bonding moment

seCond grade

royal weDing

Earthworms

First anniversary

Gabe and Gus

Hawaii

fIllings

Just dress-up

mele Kalikimaka

the death sLide

children'sMuseum

Numbers

Offline

Piano recital

king and Queen

Robin Hood

Shoes

TJ Maxx (see Shoes and here)

University revisited

loVe

Winter's patience

eXercise

just biographY

Zoo

On The Fourth Day Of Christmas...

2011-12-28T08:32:00.003-06:00

... I finally tried making pancakes from scratch.

I may never buy store-bought pancake mix again.

On The Third Day Of Christmas...

2011-12-27T19:33:00.005-06:00

... I discovered who I should turn to if I ever need a loan. ;-)

It took us eight years, but we finally opened a savings account for JS today.

Yes, for eight years JS has been filling his doggie bank and Winnie-the-Pooh pail with birthday money and loose change my hubby and I didn't need. When we took both to the bank, we were shocked when the teller told us how much we just brought in. Let's just say the kid has more in his savings account now at age eight than I had when I graduated from high school.

On The Second Day Of Christmas...

2011-12-26T17:38:00.004-06:00

While these two were trying to figure out how to operate JS's new remote controlled helicopter, ...

Gus wondered ...

... if his brother Gabe would ever defeat ...

... the strange new toy.

Mele Kalikimaka!

2011-12-25T11:41:00.011-06:00

No, Just Family didn't sneak away to the islands to visit my folks this Christmas (oh, how I wish). But with no snow on the ground and temps in the 40s, it's like we're in the tropics. ;-D

To say it's been an odd December -- weather-wise and otherwise, but I won't get in to that -- would be an understatement. But at least the Christmas tree theme I chose for this year doesn't seem as out-of-place as my hubby originally thought it would be:

"Christmas In Hawaii."

I have been collecting Hawaiian Santa ornaments for several years now, and I decided it was time to hang them on the tree. We visited my parents in Honolulu this past summer, so the tree could also remind us of our visit there.

Yeah, I know some people think they're tacky. But I think they're kinda cute. :-D

I even had some to put on the mantel.

Here's the other side of the mantel.

And here's the full view. Yes, it's forever a work in progress.

In addition to Hawaiian Santa ornaments, I also put up...

... angels, ...

... these ornaments I bought at a dollar store in Hawaii several years ago, ...

... and poinsettias.

Lots and lots of (fake) poinsettias.

This hibiscus tree ornament is displayed next to my snowy tree.

But you're probably wondering what we did Christmas morning. Well, we turned on some Hawaiian Christmas music (of course) and watched Just Son open an insane number of presents. Again.

These were from Santa. (Notice the music flash cards? Santa loves it when JS practices piano and thought music theory flash cards would be a great thing for JS to have. ;-D).

I didn't take a whole lot of photos of JS unwrapping presents, but I did get one of him with one of his favorite gifts:

Thank you, Just Sis and Just Brother-in-Law! ;-D

Well, I think that's all to report on the blog. (Yes, it's been a while.)

Oh!

I wanted to show you the teacher gifts I put together, thanks to an idea I found on Pinterest.

Yeah, I thought they were cute.

And yes, they taste really good too.

Merry Christmas!

Er ... Mele Kalikimaka! ;-D

Let's Play Catch (Up)!

2011-12-14T11:14:00.000-06:00

(a.k.a. "The Things I've Been Too Lazy To Post About Until Now")

1) I celebrated my five-year blogoversary on December 10 but apparently didn't post anything.

2) The fact that I haven't been updating this blog regularly has little to do with nothing happening in my life, and more to do with good old-fashioned laziness when it comes to uploading photos.

3) If I had posted my photos in a timely manner, you would have seen a photo of the lake as ice started to form earlier this month.

4) It's overcast, above freezing and rainy today, so I imagine the ice is melting a little. Or a lot.

5) We still haven't received any significant amount of snow here, which I admit makes it difficult for me to believe that Christmas is only 11 days away. ELEVEN DAYS, PEOPLE, AND THERE'S NO SNOW HERE! (Not that I'm complaining, of course. ;-)

6) No snow hasn't stopped me from enjoying the things that define this time of year for me: two choir concerts earlier this month, JS's first-ever Christmas piano recital Friday and lots of Christmas lights.

7) The above display was "dancing" to the tune of "Music Box Dancer," which I hope JS will be able to play one day. (Coincidentally, we saw this display after JS's piano recital.)

8) I haven't been to a single Christmas party yet this year (was invited to four). Don't worry, there are others coming up.

9) I finally got my Christmas letters in the mail this past Monday after putting it off for so long. Here is one of the photos on the card:

That's quite a change from when I first started blogging:

10) I can't believe I've been blogging for five years.

The Gift

2011-12-02T08:49:00.003-06:00

Every year as Advent approaches I have lots of grand ideas. I look up Jesse Tree activities to do with Just Son. I seek out new devotions and gather our prayer books, all in the name of teaching JS the real meaning of Christmas. For the first few days, everything goes according to plan and we miraculously are able to do every activity. But then reality sets in -- and December commitments begin -- and we start skipping a day. Or two. Or more.

This year, I may have found the answer:

This box.

The box once contained a Christmas ornament that was given to me as a gift. The ornament now gets stored in a larger ornament container with other delicate treasures, but I've never been able to let go of this velvety box.

The box sometimes ends up as part of a Christmas vignette on the mantel, the coffee table or a shelf. But it always sits empty. That is, until this year.

Every day since Sunday (the first day of Advent), Just Family has been writing down on small scraps of paper things we were thankful for that day. Those scraps then get stored inside the box. On Christmas morning, we'll open the box and look through all the gifts we've been given throughout Advent as a reminder of the greatest Gift and all He has done in our lives.

The best part for this oftentimes overly committed family? Writing down our blessings takes but a minute, but that minute helps us pause and remember what this season is all about.

In case you're wondering what JS has been thankful for these past few days, his answer has always been his cats. ;-D

On The First Day Of December ...

2011-12-01T13:23:00.004-06:00

... I took these two ingredients ...

... and turned them in to these, thanks to this recipe.

All I need to do now is keep away from them until I take them to a bake sale this weekend. ;-)

For Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T08:44:00.004-06:00

Hi! Just Son here. My mom has been a little too lazy to blog lately, so I thought I'd better post some photos from our Thanksgiving weekend before the New Year.

My mom bought an iPad 2 as this year's family Christmas gift, but she often walks off with it.

So when she was busy in the kitchen preparing the turkey, I snuck in a few rounds of "Angry Birds."

This is a photo of the centerpiece that my grandma and grandpa from Oregon bought for us. Gabe and Gus really liked the centerpiece, so we had to move it onto a kitchen counter.

Here's a photo of me with grandma and grandpa. By the way, grandpa got addicted to "Angry Birds" too. :-)

I have no idea why my mom took this photo. She must really love butter.

For a lot of people, the day after Thanksgiving is traditionally a day of lots and lots of shopping. We decided to be different and head to the children's museum.

I spent a lot of time in this part of the museum.

Here I am getting ready to spray all the colorful doohickeys in the pool.

Here's one doohickey.

Here's another.

I also played here.

We then went exploring and ended up here:

In Mozambique, where I got to play the marimba.

We then went exploring outside to visit some dinosaurs.

This one scared my mom.

But I wasn't scared. I was having too much fun.

Happy Thanksgiving!

For Earthworms...

2011-11-22T16:01:00.004-06:00

... the second grade musicals they inspire, ...

... and the fact that my in-laws from Oregon got a chance to see this young man perform.

Even though he stood like this through most of it. ;-D

For Those Who Hold You Up

2011-11-15T19:18:00.000-06:00

"A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope."

-Author Unknown

For The Light At Day's End

2011-11-14T16:29:00.004-06:00

Especially at the end of a trying day.

For Warmth

2011-11-13T08:42:00.001-06:00

For The Scents Of Autumn

2011-11-12T10:51:00.001-06:00

For The Colors ...

2011-11-11T09:04:00.003-06:00

... And those who gave them their meaning.

Happy Veterans Day

For Music

2011-11-10T10:14:00.004-06:00

JS is currently learning "Good King Wenceslas" for an upcoming piano recital.

But his favorite song is "Two Black Cats," a song he learned a year ago when he first started taking piano lessons.

We're pretty sure "Two Black Cats" is this guy's favorite song too. ;-D

For His Artwork

2011-11-09T08:55:00.003-06:00

JS's creations have been bringing me great joy since his humble beginnings as a pudding artist. This tissue paper-decorated pumpkin is one of his recent creations that has been making me smile each time I see it. He actually decorated this pumpkin at school last month and brought it home last week. I know the pumpkin won't last forever, so I snapped a photo of it so I can keep it for years.

For Early Starts

2011-11-08T09:58:00.005-06:00

JS and I left the house earlier than usual today so he could accompany me to the polling place while I voted before school. (JS also got to participate in the Kids Voting portion of the election.) We still had some time before school so we decided to drive around the lake before school. I didn't have my fancy schmancy camera with me, but I was able to at least capture the colors we saw with my smart phone as the sun started to rise.

For Roses Waiting To Be Arranged

2011-11-07T08:51:00.000-06:00

All six dozen of them.

Yes, it was Rotary Roses time this past weekend. The sale of the roses help raise funds for the local Rotary Club to use for projects.

In addition to helping the Rotary Club with flower purchases, I also sang for the local Church Women United's World Community Day program Friday and attended a benefit luncheon for the local Domestic Violence Network Saturday morning. My involvement in each of those projects was very small, but it made for a very blessed and wonderful weekend.

For Time Out

2011-11-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

I caught the cats sharing a 9x9 basket as a napping spot Friday afternoon. I bought the canvas-lined basket two years ago during a clearance sale, thinking I would be able to use it. (One can never have too many baskets, you know. ;-D) I never was able to find a use for it and had actually planned to give it away. The cats, however, would probably object to that plan now. ;-D

For Peppermint Ice Cream

2011-11-05T08:11:00.003-05:00

Do I really need to explain why I'm thankful for this? ;-D

For A Multitude Of Blessings

2011-11-04T09:11:00.003-05:00

Including those I don't immediately recognize as blessings.

For Quiet Spaces

2011-11-03T10:00:00.002-05:00

"Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

For The Beauty Of The Earth...

2011-11-02T10:17:00.006-05:00

... and for friends who gather that beauty ...

... so it can be enjoyed indoors.

Thank you, Charlotte, for blessing me with your talent. Again.

Happy Thank-O-Ween!

2011-11-01T09:30:00.001-05:00

Usually when I post something on Nov. 1, it's simply a recap of Just Family's Halloween. But this year is different. As I went about my day yesterday, frantically trying to get our house as ready for Halloween as we could, I couldn't help but also feel grateful for friends who helped rescue what could have been Just Family's Halloween that wasn't.

As I mentioned Sunday, I left the decorating and the organizing for this holiday until the last minute. I had the candy and JS's costume, but I didn't put up any decorations around the house nor did I look for any pumpkins until Halloween Eve. To my horror (pun intended), when I finally searched for the Great Pumpkin (or any pumpkin, for that matter), I found that all the stores in town had no more pumpkins to sell. JS and I found a gourd to paint, and he said that was fun for him to do, but I knew he really wanted to help me carve a pumpkin.

I know he probably would have been fine without a jack-o-lantern out on our front steps, but I felt terrible. And so I posted a status on my Facebook page, trying to make light of the situation by calling it another bad mom moment. And then, my friends stepped up.

Shortly after I posted that status update Sunday, one of my friends commented that she had an extra pumpkin that I could have. Yesterday, another friend called me saying she had just seen my status and has a pumpkin I could have if I wanted it. No, Halloween isn't my favorite time of year, but it is one of my son's favorites. And with the help of friends, it was another fun one for JS.

We had gourd paining.

We had not one, ...

... but two black cats.

There were pumpkin guts...

...and a smiley jack-o-lantern.

And a very happy Robin Hood.

Happy Thank-O-Ween!

Halloween Revisted

2011-10-31T09:46:00.002-05:00

Leigh Ann and I had an e-mail conversation the other day about the ins and outs of Halloween. Somewhere during that discussion the topic of costumes came up (yeah, I know, shocker ;-D ). I told her I don't mind Halloween, but I really, really, really dislike gory costumes. Really. She asked why and I sent her a link to a post I wrote way, way, way back in October 2007. I thought I would revisit that post here too for some of my newer readers.

---------

Ah, October. It's the month in which the landscape changes from tired green to brilliant orange, red and gold. It's the month in which standing over a hot stove becomes bearable again, and the urge to bake homemade breads and cookies comes back. Unfortunately, October is also the month that gives me the creeps.

Yes, you read that right. I dislike October. More specifically, I really, really, really dislike Halloween and all the gory decorations that come with it. Frankly, I can't wait until the month is over.

The fact that you'll see me display cutesy Halloween decor here and there in my house, and will host small kid-friendly parties complete with scary movies like Winnie the Pooh's "Heffalump Halloween," should tip you off that my dislike for the day has nothing to do with religious convictions. It does, however, have everything to do with the fact that some id*ot scared the cr*p out of me when I went trick-or-treating with my friends as a young girl.

Let me take you back to Halloween 197__. (The blank is there because I honestly can't remember how old I was. I only know that I was in grade school at the time.) It was a balmy October evening in Hawaii. I was dressed in the butterfly costume my mom lovingly made for me, and had been looking forward to wearing her creation. I was also excited because the sister of one of my friends was old enough to take us, so we were able to go around the neighborhood without our parents.

The night started out better than I had hoped. Most of the homeowners were handing out good stuff like M&Ms and other morsels of chocolate goodness. Because of that, I didn't mind getting the occasional break-your-teeth-if-you-tried-to-chew-them candies that try to pass themselves off as "gum." I don't remember how long we were out, but I do remember it was getting dark when we decided to make a visit to one last house.

The house was very unassuming. It was your standard-issue house wedged between two other standard-issue houses in an overdeveloped neighborhood. As is proper "Trick-or-Treaters Welcomed" etiquette, the homeowner kept one amber light on in an effort to illuminate the front steps. The lights were also on inside the house, signaling that someone was indeed home.

My friends and I walked to the front door and rang the doorbell. While waiting patiently for the homeowner to come to the door, we heard some movement coming from inside the house. We waited eagerly for the candies that would top off the bag of junk food loot we were already carrying.

I should have been suspicious when the door started opening slowly, but in all my eagerness I straightened up, put on my best smile and started saying "Trick or Treat." But before I could finish the phrase, I was cut off by the loudest "BOO" I had ever heard, and saw jumping out before me a werewolf. (OK, it was a man dressed in a werewolf costume. But to a grade school kid who isn't fond of surprises, it's the same thing.)

I really don't remember much after that. I think I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran away. I don't remember if my friends hung around to get their candy. I don't remember if the guy apologized. What I do remember is that I have disliked Halloween ever since and have never again gone trick or treating. I even willingly started to stay at home with my parents on Halloween night to distribute candy -- without tricks -- to those who came to our door.

Since that night, I have had a real dislike for gory costumes and decor. I don't have a problem watching horror/suspense movies because I know they're make believe (and sometimes even downright silly). But I do have a problem with everyday people dressing up as monsters and then leaping out in front of unsuspecting victims just to see if they'll shriek.

So you're probably wondering what I'm going to do now that I'm a mom. Will I let my son dress up and go trick or treating? The answer is, sure, but I'll leave the trick-or-treating duties to my hubby. Just Son will also be allowed to visit only the homes of those we know. Meanwhile, I'll hand out the loot from the safety of my home. Unless, of course, a werewolf comes calling, in which case I'll probably be hiding under my bed.

You Know You've Been Kind Of Disorganized About This Whole Halloween Thing When...

2011-10-30T09:50:00.000-05:00

... you finally decide to decorate for it a little bit the day before.

I think I better start decorating for Christmas on Nov. 1.

The Positives Of Having To Get Four Fillings

2011-10-26T07:37:00.010-05:00

Last week Monday was supposed to be like any other Monday that included a visit to the dentist: Go to appointment, make some small talk, have dental hygienist clean your teeth, have dentist stop by to take a quick look and say your good-byes. But the annual check-up ended up surprising both myself and the dentist: Four cavities sneaked up on us between dental visits. (As I said on my Facebook page, when I do something I like to give it my all. ;-D)

Fast forward to today, the day those cavities had to get the boot ... er ... fillings. I get nervous enough when I have to get my teeth cleaned, so I was determined to calm myself by thinking on the positive side of having to get fillings. I started by posting on Facebook, "Looking forward to spending two hours in the dentist's chair to get four fillings. It'll be the only time today that I'll get to relax. Happy Crazyday!" While sitting in the dentist's chair (it was only 1 1/2 hours, by the way) I thought of some more positives:

-- You're motivated to make all your calls early in the day because you won't be able to talk normally until after the Novocaine wears off.

-- If you forget to make a call before your appointment, that's OK. You get to practice talking out of one side of your mouth. That comes in handy when you have to discipline your child in public but don't want to make a scene.

-- While in the dentist's chair, you can pretend you're an astronaut getting ready for lift-off as they tilt your chair way back.

-- You also get to rock out to the music of The Commodores, Olivia Newton-John and Burt Bacharach.

-- You get to enjoy a liquid diet the rest of the day, which will in turn help to flush out all the salt and carbs you indulged in the day before.

-- People will think you have a sexy crooked smile like actress Ellen Barkin ... if they ignore your drool, of course. ;-D

Did I forget any other positives?

Oh yes! Blog post idea.

Meet The Cats

2011-10-22T09:50:00.000-05:00

This is Gabe (a.k.a. "Cat Number 1" to JS because Gabe came out of the cat carrier first when we were first introduced to the kittens back in September),

... and this is Gus (a.k.a. "Cat Number 2").

Any questions? ;-D

Dagnabit, I Missed My Anniversary!

2011-10-18T22:15:00.000-05:00

No, not that anniversary. Just Dad and I celebrated our wedding anniversary back in July. I'm talking about the other anniversary. The anniversary that celebrates the day I made the greatest leap of faith known to humankind (or at least, to me): stay-at-home momhood.

That's right, five years and 2 1/2 months ago I stepped away from the workforce to be at home with my then-three-year-old son. (Wow, time flies.) I say it was a great leap of faith because all I had known up until then was full-time employment. From the moment I received my English degree back in *cough, cough*, I was a working woman who saw that little piece of paper with the words "Bachelor of Arts" take her from ad copywriter; to magazine proofreader then assistant editor and then associate editor; to reporter/photographer and substitute editor for a local newspaper. For me to leave all that for the unknowns of stay-at-home mommyhood was ... well ... scary. Very, very scary.

In the beginning, SAHM-hood was a struggle for me. It was a dizzying ride with a lot of ups and downs, and I was sure I was going to enter the loony bin. But then, as in all jobs, really, I found my groove and started to really cherish those days -- the good, the bad and the downright ugly -- with my Peter Pan. Helping me keep my identity through it all were two choirs, a prayer group, a women's group through church and this blog. When JS entered kindergarten, I added classroom volunteer and involvement in another women's organization to my plate. And, of course, there's the substitute editing.

I guess there really isn't a point to this post other than to record triumphantly that I survived and I'm still here, at home but not really at home.

Hey! Someone should make that in to a T-shirt. ;-)

A Little Green With Envy?

2011-10-12T07:47:00.000-05:00

Why Post It On Facebook When It Could Be A Blog Post?

2011-10-11T06:20:00.001-05:00

I haven't been updating my Facebook status as regularly as I once did. Part of the reason is that I haven't been on my computer as much since welcoming two kittens in to our family. Just Cats just love attention, and have been insisting that I sit with them on the couch and watch reruns of Matlock and Murder, She Wrote on the Hallmark Movie Channel. ;-D

The other part is that my past addiction to Facebook has created an attention span that's even too short for Facebook. That means by the time I log in to my account and get to my page the great status update I was going to post didn't seem that great after all.

But fear not! I know how much you've missed my witty one-liners on Facebook (thanks for the e-mails, phone calls and in-person inquiries in to my well-being, by the way), so I've been collecting some of my random thoughts and have turned it in to a blog post just for you. Just pretend you're reading them in "real time." And then be grateful that I didn't flood your Facebook ticker thingy with my updates. ;-D

-- Lost two pounds. Will probably find them again after partaking in the pound cake I'm baking.

-- Mmmmm, melted butter. Smells like Thanksgiving.

-- Tossed three half-finished bags of expired mini chocolate chips. Must learn to finish what I start.

-- Murphy's Law #101: You'll have an itch as soon as you finish giving yourself a manicure.

-- Mom's Law #1: Your child will ask for your help as soon as you finish giving yourself a manicure.

-- Kittens have to use pellet-style litter while recovering from declawing surgery. I will never look at trail mix the same way again.

-- Came close to sitting on a cat. Will try harder next time. ;-D

-- Bought black as well as gold nail polish. I'm either ready for both Halloween and Christmas, or I've done the unthinkable and have become a Saints fan. ;-D

-- Bought a Vikings purple nail polish. I think I've redeemed myself. Well ... kinda. ;-D

-- Dr Pepper has a new soft drink that's supposed to be for men only. As far as I'm concerned, you guys can drink all the Dr Pepper you want. *blech*

-- Locked myself in the car. Now that takes talent.

-- Are we there yet?

Random Photo Saturday

2011-10-08T11:25:00.000-05:00

A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away ...

2011-09-28T11:02:00.002-05:00

... Just Family went apple picking. OK, the orchard wasn't in a galaxy far, far away, but the apple picking did occur a long time ago (blogatively speaking): Sept. 17.

If I remember correctly, it was a cold, windy morning. Unlike last year, however, we came prepared in our wool coats, hats and gloves. (This totally seems silly writing that last sentence because today's high is expected to be in the lower 80s. So much for fall.)

Anyway, here are some photos of our trip:

Here's an apple.

Just Son picks an apple.

Just Son holds an apple.

I follow Just Son and Just Dad to the next apple.

We repeat steps 1 through 4 until a half-peck bag of apples is full.

Any questions?

post signature

Dressed Up With No Place To Go

2011-09-14T11:52:00.000-05:00

Guess what? I got dressed today.

Sure, sure, I put on clothes every day (usually my at-home mommy uniform of shorts or dirty jeans with a t-shirt). But today was different. I resisted the urge to go what I call "mommy grunge" when dropping JS off at school, and took the time to put myself together: lightweight sweater, clean denim jeans, infinity scarf, new tall boots, cape-style lightweight coat and all. I knew I was just going to come back home, change in to my uniform and clean the bathrooms, but for those ten minutes that I wore that outfit this morning I felt really good about myself.

No, I'm not saying I have self-esteem issues and don't feel good about myself when I'm in my grubbies. But being dressed up (even if it was just for a short car ride) was kinda fun. And that got me thinking ... why don't I do that everyday, even if it's just to get groceries or run some other errands? Why do I save "dressing up" (or at least looking somewhat put together) for just church and special occasions? Isn't everyday special?

So I guess I'm issuing myself a challenge: Stop saving my nice stuff for special occasions, and start getting dressed up even if there's no place to go. In case you're wondering, you won't be seeing JM in an evening gown and jewels during the day. Well, not yet anyway. ;-D

How about you? Do you get dressed up even if you have no place to go?

You Know You've Become The Crazy Cat Lady When...

2011-09-12T09:56:00.002-05:00

... you leave the TV on for your cats because you think they'll be bored while you leave the house to run errands.

And In Other News ...

2011-09-07T07:30:00.003-05:00

... We're expecting twins!

OK not really twins, but there will be two new additions to our little family. In fact, we expect them Friday.

No, Just Mom hasn't been keeping a secret for nine months. Goodness! Judging by the way I grew when I was expecting Just Son, there's no way I'd be able to keep that kind of thing a secret for even nine weeks! The thing is, Just Family will be welcoming two beautiful, loving male kittens named Just Cat 1 and Just Cat 2 in to our home Friday. (By the way, those aren't really their names. I thought I'd just throw that out there as a possibility.)

It all started when we decided to watch a friend's kittens for a couple of hours late last month. We enjoyed that so much that we agreed to watch the kittens again this past Labor Day weekend to really get a feel for what it would be like to have a pet. We all had fun with them when my friend brought the kittens over Friday. And then, the unexpected happened. We fell in love with the brothers.

They're originally strays (likely abandoned by their mother) that were taken to a vet when they were very little. They were cared for by the vet until my friend took them in while hoping to find a permanent home for them. JD and I had discussed adopting a different cat (or two) because we didn't want to take these two away from my friend (who adores these kittens as much as we do). But then, while hosting the kittens, it became quite obvious that we needed Just Cat 1 and Just Cat 2 as much as they needed us. In fact, I cried after my friend came to pick them up Monday afternoon. (Yeah, talk about an unexpected emotion.)

Both kittens loved nuzzling with all three of us, and both really enjoyed playing with Just Son. Each morning we'd find them sitting just outside of JS's bedroom door, waiting for him to get up. The best part about the whole thing was watching how the kittens really brought out the best in JS. They bring out the best in all three of us, really.

To make a long story short (yeah, kinda late for that), Just Family is becoming a family of five. And that sounds purr-fectly lovely to me. :-D

Addendum: Here's a photo of them taken Monday. They fell asleep on JS's bed while we were waiting for my friend to pick them up.

On The Way To School

2011-08-31T08:40:00.002-05:00

JS: Mom? What do you after school?

Me: You mean, do I pick you up after school?

JS: No. After you take me.

Me: Oh ... You mean, what do I do while you're at school?

JS: Yeah.

Me: What do you think I do?

JS: I think you sit on the couch and watch my movies all the day.

(Hmmm ... I didn't think it had been that long since I cleaned the house .... ;-D )

Of Seasons, Setbacks and Cat People

2011-08-30T00:15:00.000-05:00

1) The day JS started school was the same day I made a change in my life. No it isn't anything major. It's not like I've decided to give up Facebook, Twitter and all other forms of social networking. No, I decided it was time to give up my summer pedicure. (Yes it lasted this long.) Well, it's slowly been getting a little too cool to wear sandals (and, really, I'm so-o-o-o-o ready to wear fall clothing), so I decided it was time to officially say goodbye to summer.

2) Saying good-bye to summer also means saying hello to fall. And what better way to do that than to do a little shopping? ;-D OK, before you start thinking I'm a total shopaholic (which I am), I should tell you that the main reason for me heading to the nearest mall (50 miles away) was to buy some clothes for JS. I also decided to head to my favorite retailer:

(Sorry about the blurry photo. I was kind of excited when I saw the store. ;-D )

Unfortunately, I didn't see anything that I really needed -- or liked, for that matter. So I left before I fell apart and started wailing, "Why? Why have you disappointed me so?" OK, not really.

3) What was falling apart, however, were my shoes. (I won't show them to you and the sad state they're in because, ick.) So I did what any intelligent woman would do, go console herself with a new pair of shoes ...

... or two.

5) I know what you're thinking. You're thinking the second pair is a little to wild for JM. Sure, the color-blocked black/gray/grape pair is something you'd see me wearing. It's a classic flat, in neutral colors and doesn't draw attention to itself. But that leopard print one screams middle school. Well, you know what? I don't care. **me blowing raspberries** (which of course, is very middle school.) ;-D

6) Actually, if you've been following me on Pinterest, you'd have noticed that I've had my eye on a pair of leopard-print flats for quite some time. This is the pair I've had my eye on. But then I saw this ...

... and knew I wanted the pair I found instead. ;-D

7) Speaking of cats .... (OK, that was a very weak segue, but here goes) ... we've been cat-sitting for some friends. Well, technically, kitten sitting. Here's one of them now:

You may have seen him on my 365 Project page. He also has a companion.

Him:

No, not JD. I'm talking about the little black kitten on JD's chest. ;-D

8) Yeah, we've been testing the waters a little to see if it's time to add a Just Cat to our family. I'm really enthusiastic about the idea, and so is JS. But we still have to convince my hubby. Based on that photo, above, I think he's warming up to the idea though. ;-D

Let's see ... I think that's all to report.

Oh, wait! One more thing:

9)

I baked a cookie pizza for JS to celebrate the start of a new school year.

10) Little did I know the cookie pizza would also be the celebration of possible changes.

Why I Didn't Cry This Morning When I Had To Drop JS Off At School

2011-08-25T09:23:00.005-05:00

Me: You know, some kids get scared when they have to go to school.

JS: Why?

Me: Because they don't know if they'll like it. (Pause) Are you scared?

JS: (Smiling) No. I been there before.

***

Love that little guy.

And yes, he still loves those peanut butter granola bars. ;-D

In Which I Confess I'm Not Sad

2011-08-24T08:40:00.000-05:00

Dear Just Son,

Around this time of year, a lot of mommies are sad. They're sad because summer is over and their children have to go back to school. I have to admit that I get a lump in my throat just thinking about the fact that you're another year older and will start the second grade tomorrow. But don't worry. Even though I get teary eyed, I'm not sad.

How can I be sad when I see how much you've changed, even just this summer. Whereas once when you wouldn't do things yourself because of weak fine motor and gross motor skills, you're now at least willing to try. Whereas once when you gave up so easily on your math, your reading and even your writing, you are learning now that "the more you practice, the better you get." You also are learning that it's OK if you make mistakes; everyone makes them. (Actually, I'm still working on that last one myself. ;-) )

These changes may be only subtle ones that most people wouldn't notice, but your parents notice. Even your grandparents notice.

As you start this new school year with brand new teachers, I see you starting a new phase in your life. I see you leaving behind some of the struggles you had and slowly becoming more independent.

I know you still need me and dad to help you along the way. You are a gift to us and we know it's our job to help guide you and be there for you while you learn to navigate your life. But I also can see you're not that helpless little child you once were.

No, honey, I'm not sad.

I'm proud.

In Which I Go Back To College (Well, Kinda)

2011-08-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

Do you remember those girls back in college who would clip photos from stacks of magazines and then tack them on a bulletin board ... or the door ... or all over the dorm room wall? Well, I was one of them.

When I ~~didn't feel like working on yet another essay~~ was done with an assignment, I would relax by flipping through various fashion and home decorating magazines in search of photos that spoke to me. Photos that were truly gorgeous (but not something I wanted to keep forever and ever) ended up on display on a bulletin board. Others ended up glued in a scrapbook. This one:

Here's another page:

I continued my hobby until ... well ... until I got tired of the magazine clutter in my house (which would be about a year ago. Tee hee.) I thought I had kicked the flipping and clipping habit until I was introduced to Pinterest by (I'm guessing) a fellow flip-and-clip addict, Leigh Ann.

When LA first introduced me to Pinterest, I had no (p)interest in joining. ;-D But then this past weekend, when I ~~didn't feel like cleaning the house~~ had some free time, I made the mistake of looking through boards belonging to various members. And I got hooked.

Instead of clipping a decorating idea from a magazine, I can search for one online and "pin" it to my virtual bulletin board on Pinterest. I can also create as many boards as I want so spring ideas are separate from fall, or winter, or summer. You get the idea.

Right now I have 14 different inspiration boards, with many more likely to come. If you want to see what I've been working on (and what exactly inspires JM), click here. You're also welcome to follow me there if you decide to create your own account. But fair warning ... it is addicting. Thanks, LA. ;-D

How JS Really Feels About Readin', 'Riting, and 'Rithmetic

2011-08-15T14:45:00.001-05:00

Me: Hey, I know! Let's practice some math and then do some reading.

JS: Why?

Me: Because school will start soon, and you don't want your brain turning to mush.

(Pause)

JS: But I like mush.

(He's such a comedian. ;-D )

Summer On Ice

2011-08-11T18:09:00.001-05:00

This summer (like all summers) has flown by so fast. In just two weeks my son will start the second grade, and days of relaxing outdoors with a tall glass of lemonade will be long gone. I may not be able to freeze time, but I can symbolically freeze summer.

Vacation Randomness

2011-08-10T07:07:00.010-05:00

(A post mostly to remember the "down time")

To me, a vacation wouldn't really be a vacation without some down time. And trust me, we had lots of down time while in Hawaii.

I've already written about the Lego time we had together and have posted photos from our beach visits. Here are some other "behind the scenes" moments from our vacation.

1)

Just like last time we were here, I spent my mornings facing this window that looks out to my parents' backyard. (You can read about the significance of the view here.) The view is slightly different (my parents had to remove the neem tree in the foreground), but the memories the view brings forth are still the same.

2)

I grew fascinated with the fact that my childhood home was so close to Koko Crater. (You can see other views here and here).

3)

When we returned from any outing (whether it was sightseeing or returning from a trip to the grocery store), JS immediately started playing with this balloon. The balloon was given to him by a neighbor. Yes, JS played with it even when it started to deflate. A lot.

4)

Speaking of JS ... he grew to love guava juice.

I mean really, really, really love guava juice. He could easily slurp down three tall glasses in one sitting. We had to cut him off. ;-D

5)

My mom loaned me this book of hers to read. It's about the history of Hawaii's monarchy and the relationship between the Hawaiian people and the visiting missionaries. I didn't really appreciate it until I after we visited the Iolani Palace.

After that visit, I was hooked and started reading these books. (I'm still reading the book about Queen Liliuokalani.) I also started feeling guilty about eating Dole pineapple. Really guilty if you know about the queen's overthrow. But I ate lots of pineapple anyway. *hanging head in shame*

6)
Just Dad and I had three date nights. (Yeah, when your parents' live far away from you, you take advantage of date nights when you go visit them.) You've read about our first date night here.

For our second date night, we ate supper with JS and my parents at home and then went to Barnes & Noble. We used to visit Barnes & Noble a lot before we had JS.

For our third date night, we decided to go to Ala Moana Shopping Center (I know, I'm so clever ;-) ) and eat at Islands, a burger and drinks restaurant very similar to Red Robin. Only with an island twist.

And so, as is custom (for me) when I eat at places like this, I ordered the spiciest burger on the menu (the Kilauea).

And we had some drinks. (No, we didn't eat the pineapple.)

And then we enjoyed a moonlight stroll in the open air mall, and gazed at the twinkling lights of stores like Chanel, Neiman Marcus and Kate Spade. ;-D

The end.

For Me???????

2011-08-09T09:48:00.004-05:00

Friday, the day we returned from our vacation, I wrote on my Facebook page that among the piles of bills waiting for me was a LOFT gift card, a free 2 oz. sample of Seattle's Best coffee, and a package from "a friend." I debated whether or not to post a photo of the gift because ... well ... I never know whether someone wants it made public. It's never my intention to make someone feel awkward about not giving gifts to everyone a person he or she knows. You know?

But this one must be shared because of how thoughtful the gift is (and because the Facebook world knows I received a gift from this person. ;-D )

This friend took the time to embroider this pillow with my word for the year on it. It's currently in my home office, next to my computer, because this is where I see it everyday. (Yeah, I'm by the computer a lot. Which probably means I haven't been act-ing all that much).

Thanks, Leigh Ann, for such a heartfelt handmade gift -- and for the not-so-subtle hint that I need to get off my tuckus more often.

And yes, I may be sending it back to you at the end of this year so you can add the word "NOW!" after "Act." ;-D

Why I Love Ala Moana Beach Park

2011-08-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

It isn't as crowded as Waikiki Beach (on a weekday, anyway).

The water is nice.

You can watch people watching ... hmmm ... I have no idea what they're watching.

You can listen to the wind gently blowing through coconut trees.

You can take a random photo ...

... or one of someone you know.

The sand feels good between your toes.

You can watch sailboats in the marina on the other side of the beach ...

... or just stare at the Ilikai Hotel (the blue one) and picture the opening sequence of the original Hawaii Five-0 series, especially the part in which the camera zooms in on Jack Lord standing on the balcony of a penthouse suite at that very hotel.

But the number one reason I love Ala Moana Beach is this:

the mall is right across the street. ;-D

I'm kidding.

Kinda.

The part about the mall being the number one reason. It really is across the street from the beach park.

Thanks for joining us in Hawaii for the past month. (*gasp* has it really been that long?) By the time you read this, Just Family will be on Just Airplane heading back to Just House. There are a lot more photos that I took, but you're "just" going to have to wait. ;-D

Aloha!

"A Celebration," By Just Son

2011-08-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

July 25 was my mom and dad's 19th wedding anniversary. My Nani (my grandmother) had hula practice that night and my Baba (my grandfather) had some other meeting to attend so we decided to celebrate the anniversary this past Sunday instead.

My Nani and Baba know how much my mom and dad love Halekulani's House Without A Key restaurant, so they took all of us there.

Nani likes the restaurant because of the Hawaiian music and hula dancing.

I like the music too, but I was more interested in watching Curious George 2 on my portable DVD player. (Thanks, mom, for letting me bring it!)

My mom went crazy with the camera. Again. And ran around the open-air restaurant getting photos like this:

I think you may have seen it before.

She also took this photo of Diamond Head:

Yes, she hummed the theme song to "Hawaii Five-O" while taking the picture. *hanging head in embarassment*

After the scenic shots, she focused her camera on my dad ...

... who was quite thrilled about the mad photo taking. Not.

And she also got a photo of me.

That's my, "Enough already, mom," face.

My Baba thought turnabout is fair play, so he got a photo of the photographer.

My mom says that's her, "Wow! I really don't like being on this side of the camera" face.

She did eventually put down her camera so we could eat in peace. But she took it out again when the waiter brought this out for my mom and dad:

(She told me to say that this photo of the coconut cake is for G. Who's "G"?)

Thank you, Nani and Baba, for a wonderful night out.

Sailing At Sunset

2011-08-03T00:00:00.003-05:00

Taken from Waikiki Beach .

A King And Queen Once Lived Here

2011-08-02T09:42:00.006-05:00

Even though I grew up in Hawaii, it's so easy for me to forget that the islands were once governed by monarchs. (I know, shame on me.) Sure there are streets named after royalty and there are statues commemorating those who once ruled, but it wasn't until we took a step back in time (so to speak) when it all became real to me.

One of my mom's friends is a docent at the Iolani Palace, and she kindly got us tickets to take a tour inside the restored palace Friday. I wish I had been able to take photos inside, but cameras weren't allowed. :-/ I did take a bunch of photos outside though. :-D

The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Hawaii adorns the painted iron gates surrounding Iolani Palace. The motto, "Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono" ("The Life of the Land is Perpetuated in Righteousness") is also the state motto today.

This is the view we saw of the palace as we headed through a side gate towards it. The palace (built of coral block) was completed in 1882 during King David Kalakaua's reign. The previous palace was demolished once this one was completed.

Here's a view of the coronation pavilion. It was built for the February 12, 1883, coronation of King Kalakaua and Queen Kapi`olani. The Royal Hawaiian Band still gives regular concerts near the pavilion.

Yes, it's a random photo of a fire hydrant on palace grounds, but I couldn't resist taking it. ;-D It's such a purty silver color. :-D

My hubby and kid look around the front of the Iolani Palace. The palace was the first palace to be wired for electricity and telephones (yeah, before European palaces). One of the docents said that King Kalakaua was very much ahead of his time and loved new technology.

After the overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani (King Kalakaua's sister) in 1893 by those seeking an American alliance, the palace became the site of the legislature until a new capitol building was built. The fictional Steve McGarrett's Five-O office was located in the upper right corner of the building. The urge to hum the theme song was strong, but I refrained from doing so; that area of the building was also where Queen Lili'uokalani was imprisoned.

Here's a pic of some banyan trees that grow on the palace grounds.

Look! A monkey! ;-D

A view of the palace as we head up the stairs for the start of our tour.

We hung around a little after the tour to take photos around the palace grounds.

Here's a statue of Queen Lili'uokalani with the Iolani Palace in the background. The queen wrote many songs while imprisoned, including "Aloha Oe." King Kalakaua (who brought back hula after years of the ancient dance being banned) wrote the Hawaii national anthem, "Hawai'i Pono'i." I sung it a lot when I was in grade school.

If you face away from the statue, you'll see the back of the current state capitol building within easy walking distance. It is now appropriate for you to hum the Hawaii Five-O theme song. ;-D

A view looking out the front of the building. Yes, it's an open-air building with both houses of the state legislature on the first floor and the governor's office (and other offices) upstairs. No, I didn't see Steve McGarrett.

See? I told you it was an open air building.

Here is a shot of the mosaic tile artwork in the center.

A statue of Fr. Damien of Molokai sits in front of the captiol building. Fr. Damien was a Roman Catholic priest who cared for those with leprosy for 16 years until his own death in 1889 after contracting the disease. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995 and was canonized on October 11, 2009, by Pope Benedict XVI. He's now a full-fledged saint. WOOHOO! His Feast Day (the day he is officially remembered by the church) is celebrated on May 10. In Hawaii, it is celebrated on the day of his death, April 15.

Above the statue is the state seal and motto. The pillars on either side of the seal (as well as around the state capitol building) symbolize coconut trees.

Here's a close-up of the seal.

And here's looking toward the back of the building. You can see Queen Lili'uokalani's statue in the background.

OK, I think that's it. I hope you enjoyed the mini-tour. :-D

Take A Hike, Part Deaux

2011-07-30T12:14:00.005-05:00

The Makapu'u Point Lighthouse isn't the only thing you'll notice when you drive on the scenic highway that runs along the southeast coast of O'ahu. If you're paying close attention, you'll also notice this lava rock formation:

Pele's Chair.

Pele, according to Hawaiian legend, is the goddess of fire. She is believed to reside in the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island, but she once sat on this chair.

Believe it or not, I didn't even know the rock formation existed until this trip. We had mentioned to a family friend that we hiked up to see the Makapu'u Point Lighthouse. She mentioned that there's also a trail heading to the chair and to the beach below it.

So Thursday, we went back to the Ka Iwi Scenic Shoreline Trail, this time with the goal of climbing down to the beach rather than up to the lighthouse.

Here's a view looking back to the start of the trail.

And here's a view of Koko Crater.

Yeah, it's really dry landscape, but there are patches of this greenery. (I have no idea what it is.)

The walk is a very easy one once you climb down the rocks at the beginning of the trail. Don't worry, the rocks aren't that bad, but you need to watch your step.

It's a hot walk (no shade), but we saw the ocean within 20 minutes.

And we had a great close-up view of Pele's Chair.

Trust me when I say this photo doesn't do the rock formation any justice. The chair is very much intimidating, especially when you know the legend behind it. And yes, I felt a presence and was in awe. Unfortunately, some people didn't feel what I felt and decided to add graffiti to it. :-/

JS loved that we were on a beach.

We spent some time at the beach simply taking in the beauty of this area.

We also watched these beach goers as they dove off a pole (located in front of Pele's Chair) and in to a lagoon. Yes, there was lava rock all around them. No, I had no intention of letting JS go up there.

I did let JS play in the tidal pools on the north side of the beach (i.e. shallow, albeit rocky, area).

I'm such a nice mommy. ;-)

But that wasn't enough for him and he decided to follow his daddy farther out toward the really rocky part, complete with crashing ocean waves. *gulp*

Of course I followed them.

And once I relaxed a little, I took some more photos. This was taken looking south toward Koko Crater...

... and this was taken looking north. The diving pole/lagoon are on the far left in the distance.

I also snapped this photo, ...

... this photo, ...

... and this photo.

And that's all, folks.

Lego Land

2011-07-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

There are times when all you want to do is stay home and play with your Legos. The other day was one of those times, ...

so instead of making the kiddo endure another trip to a sight (or the mall) we brought out my old Lego collection.

My hubby and son were having so much fun building this airplane ...

... and this tractor.

I wanted in on the fun too, so I grabbed a bunch of Lego pieces ...

... and built this.

Isn't it spectacular?

It's got a door and everything. :-D

I call it "mobile home."

Gone Shopping

2011-07-27T12:21:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, in addition to the sightseeing and taking trips to the beach, I've also been doing ~~a little~~ a lot of shopping. Some of you wanted to know what I've purchased so far. Here are some highlights.

1) I purchased this:

... because it's July, I'm in Hawaii and everyone should own a Hawaiian Santa. Or two.

2) I purchased this ...

... because even though I'm *cough, cough* years old, there are times a gal has just got to bring out her inner grade-schooler.

3) And I purchased this ...

... because, honey, I'm so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o worth it. ;-D

Yesterday, I Celebrated My 19th Wedding Anniversary....

2011-07-26T09:55:00.002-05:00

... Today I celebrate the first anniversary of my hip replacement surgery.

Wow, I've come a long way.

Rachael Ray Once Came This Way

2011-07-25T21:34:00.003-05:00

Well I don't know if she actually came this way, or whether she took a different route, but ~~my hubby and I~~ I really wanted to try Cinnamon's restaurant in Kailua.

For those who may not know, Rachael Ray and the Food Network visited several places on O'ahu several years ago. Cinnamon's was one of the restaurants that was mentioned.

My mom had eaten here before years before Rachael (yeah, we're on a first-name basis) visited the islands, and my mom said that the food was good.

Well, Monday just happened to be our 19th wedding anniversary, so I figured it was a good day to try the restaurant.

I brought along this dude. (Someone had to drive. ;-D )

And also brought along this little cutie.

While waiting for our order, I decided to show the world how classy I am by taking photos of the decor near our table.

Here's another shot.

And look! Purty lights.

Finally, our breakfast order came:

A macadamia nut cinnamon roll for JS, ...

... French toast with guava chiffon topping for my hubby, ...

... and guava chiffon pancakes for me.

The food was excellent!

It was so good that we ordered an extra macadamia nut cinnamon roll to go. :-D

After our leisurely breakfast, it was time to head back to my parents' house.

JD will be presenting two papers at a conference here on Wednesday, so we had to get back in time so he could check in with conference organizers.

No, we didn't go out for another romantic dinner -- yet ;-D -- but what we did have was time together as a family. And that's more than enough of an anniversary present for me.

Besides, I have no business complaining; we're in Hawaii! :-D

It Was A Zoo-per Day

2011-07-25T01:30:00.008-05:00

It seems every time we visit family in Oregon, California or Hawaii, we're always ending up at the zoo (for proof, search the archives under the "Just Family Vacation" tag). I was going to suggest skipping the Honolulu Zoo this year, but JS really wanted to go.

And why shouldn't we, really? As this sign near the zoo entrance says, "This is the best zoo to be found for 2300 miles in any direction."

So we put on the sunscreen, grabbed our caps and headed for the zoo Sunday. Yes, JS is wearing a San Diego Zoo baseball cap. *sheepish grin*

You may be wondering why his fingers are in his ears. It's because the animals were quite ~~loud~~ lively the day we went.

No, not this animal.

Nor this one.

I'm talking about these animals, the white-handed gibbon.

They were singing ...

... and swinging all over the place.

The lemurs didn't seem too impressed. ;-)

The gibbons were fun to watch, but we decided to look for the Sumatran tigers that the zoo usually has on display. Unfortunately, the tigers must have been hiding in the shade somewhere. It was, after all, a warm day.

But JS didn't mind. He just said, "Oh well," and then we headed on to the Keiki Zoo (the children's section of the zoo).

We spent some time just watching huge koi fish swim around a large circular tank.

The tank actually is kind of donut-shaped and has a tunnel so children can crawl to the center of the tank, ...

... which is what JS did.

The Keiki Zoo also has a petting area so kids can pet some goats. JS didn't want to do that.

He was more interested in climbing up to the goat viewing area. I preferred to view the goats through the ground-level fence.

Anyone have the urge to read, "Llama llama, red pajama" when looking at this photo? ;-)

JS and my hubby had a lot of fun watching the llama.

I had fun watching this peacock as it crossed our path on our way to get some water.

The last time we came to the Honolulu Zoo (exactly two years ago), officials were working on the lion habitat so that exhibit was closed.

The lions were there Sunday though. :-D

We also saw ostrich, ...

... giraffe, ...

... and a warthog.

Actually, we also saw some hippos and some zebras but I couldn't get a good photo of them. :-/

Oh well. ;-D

By this time, we had spent nearly two hours at the zoo. So instead of taking a leisurely look at all the fun garden decor in the children's garden at the zoo, I snapped some quick pics.

Here's one.

Here's the other.

On our way out, we had to stop at the Komodo dragon exhibit. Why? Because Curious George and the Man With The Yellow Hat were on their way to see a Komodo dragon at the zoo when they got separated at a subway station. (How's that for an explanation?) Don't worry, the Man found George and all was okie-dokie.

After our zoo adventure, we headed for the gift shop (of course). I had planned to just buy a magnet for me and a small souvenir for JS, but I got ~~suckered~~ talked in to buying a stuffed animal to help with the zoo's fundraising efforts.

Yes, JS gets to say he went to the Honolulu Zoo and got to take home an animal. ;-D

Country Drive, Hawaii Style

2011-07-24T00:05:00.009-05:00

I think I've mentioned a time or to before how much JS enjoys it when I take him on a country drive at home. ;-D Well when my dad offered to take us on our traditional drive around the island Friday, JS was ready to go.

Instead of stopping at tourist sites like Hale'iwa Town along the north shore of O'ahu, we decided to just drive around and enjoy the scenery. (i.e., Just Mom was just too shopped out Friday to do any more shopping. I KNOW!)

My dad instead took us on the Pali Highway and stopped at the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout so we could ... er ... look out ... toward the Windward side of the island (the southeast side).

No, this isn't the view from atop the lookout. (Although, this is the first thing we saw when we got out of our car.)

This is the view from atop the lookout.

A guidebook that I have describes the lookout as "windswept." I think "site with constant blizzard-force winds" would be a better description. I had to tuck my shirt in to my shorts so as not to have an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction in front of a bunch of tourists. The wind also did a number on my hair. ;-)

That's why instead of a group photo, all you're going to see on this tour are landscape shots like this ...

... and this. But enough with the whining. ;-D

According to my guidebook, the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout is the site of a late 1790s standoff between the soldiers of King Kamehameha (ruler of the island of Hawai'i) and the soldiers of King Kalanikupule (ruler of O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i. King Kamehameha's warriors drove more than 400 of King Kalanikupule's soldiers off the cliff. King Kamehameha eventually would unite all the islands.

After our stop, we continued our drive to the north shore using the highway along the east side of the island.

From our car, we saw landscape like this, ...

... this, ...

... and this.

We stopped briefly at the Turtle Bay Resort at the northernmost point of O'ahu, where yes, I did make a small purchase from the gift store. :-)

I don't have photos of us shopping (refer to our stop at the Nu'uanu Pali Lookout), but I did take this photo of the beach on the resort grounds ...

... this bird of paradise flower, ...

... more coconut trees, ...

... and this stop sign. No, you don't have to adjust your monitor. The stop sign really was blue.

We drove through Hale'iwa Town along the northwest side of O'ahu and continued southeast past the Dole Plantation ...

... where we saw fields of glorious pineapple on our way back toward my parents' house.

And that, folks, was the end of the picture taking.

Meeting Nemo (Again)

2011-07-23T03:17:00.005-05:00

To say Just Family loves the Waikiki Aquarium would be an understatement. Ever since discovering the attraction 2 1/2 years ago, it's near the top of our list of sites to visit when we come back. We finally made it there again on Thursday.

The exciting part for me about this particular visit was that JS finally got the hang of how to use one of those self-guided tour wands. Yes, it's the simple things. ;-D

(Sorry for the blurry photo. The little dude moves as fast as fish do, and I'm not allowed to use flash photography.)

My plan was to follow these guys and take a lot of photos.

But then I got distracted by the purty tropical fish and the giant clam.

These two seemed to want to hang out together in the tank.

Say hi to Nemo! ;-D

Tropical fish are fun, but what I really enjoy watching ...

... are these moon jellies.

And these jellies.

And look! JS is using that wand thingy! :-D

After nearly an hour of just watching tropical fish, sea jellies, sting rays and sharks (no pics of the last two because those suckers move fast), we spent some time enjoying the marine life the aquarium displays outdoors.

No, JS isn't on display. He's just waiting his turn to touch one of these, ...

... a hermit crab.

Believe it or not, I used to collect those things when I went to the beach and bring them home. I doubt my mom was too thrilled about that, but she let me do it anyway. I suppose it was because hermit crabs aren't as creepy as the gallon-size zip-top bag full grasshoppers I once brought inside the house after collecting them from our yard. Yeah, I was a seriously disturbed child.

I know, you can't tell by this photo. ;-D

But I digress ...

Before heading back to my parents' house, we just had to spend some time with this Hawaiian monk seal. Just look at how sad and lonely it looks.

OK, so maybe it was just tired and wanted to sleep but some crazy lady with a camera kept snapping photos.

I'll leave you with just one more photo from our trip to the aquarium:

Our view of Diamond Head from our parking space. :-D

How 'Bout (More Of) Them (Pine)apples

2011-07-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

We finally got out of our lazy days rut and ventured out to the Dole Plantation on Wednesday.

The last time we were here (back in 2009), JS had so much fun on the Pineapple Express train ride that we decided to do it again.

JS and his dad were on their way to the train ride ticket booth, but got distracted by the thought of grabbing a pineapple-y treat first.

JS wanted a pineapple float ...

... while my hubby wanted pineapple ice cream.

After our mid-morning refreshments, we were off to ride the Pineapple Express.

"All aboard!"

The fields around which the train runs usually are filled with pineapple. Unfortunately for us, these particular fields were in the "resting" phase of pineapple planting. In other words, very few pineapple to be seen during the ride. But fear not! We did see pineapple later.

So instead of pics of pineapples growing in the fields, ...

... I took pics like this, ...

... this, ...

... and this.

After the 20-minute train ride around the Dole property, the guys spent some time watching ...

... these guys. (Yes, the fish are fighting for the food that you could toss if you wanted to.)

But I promised you pineapple.

Here are a couple of cuties, ...

and here's an aspiring rock star. ;-)

I'm kidding.

Here, ...

here, ...

... and here.

How's that? ;-D

Pardon My Absence

2011-07-21T12:12:00.003-05:00

If you're wondering why it's been almost a week since I last posted photos, let me explain. You see, Just Family decided to really enjoy this vacation and do what is truly relaxing:

nothing.

OK, we've been doing things like going to the beach and doing ~~some~~ a lot of shopping. But I didn't think you'd be interested in photos of us at Ala Moana shopping center. Or are you, because I would be more than happy to go there again and ... um ... take photos. ;-D

We did finally do some touristy stuff Wednesday, but I've been in lazy vacay mode. Photos will be up as soon as I stop relaxing. ;-D

Just Date Night

2011-07-16T12:10:00.009-05:00

See this goofy pair? ;-D

Well, we haven't had a date night since early December. (You may scold us now.)

Anyway ... we finally went out on a date Thursday night and headed to my favorite spot: House Without A Key restuarant at the Halekulani Hotel.

There were anthuriums and candlelight; ...

... an awesome bread basket; ...

... Hawaiian music and dance; ...

... grilled shrimp salad (hers),

babyback ribs (his),

and asparagus (theirs); ...

... a view of sailboats heading to shore as the sun set; ...

panna cotta (hers)

and cheesecake (his); and ...

... this as we left.

P.S. I wore the infamous wedge heel sandals and didn't twist an ankle. ;-D

Take A Hike!

2011-07-14T03:30:00.001-05:00

The Makapu'u Point lighthouse is a landmark that always lifts my spirits when we drive along the southeast shores of Oahu. The funny thing is we never bothered to actually climb to it (well, climb to the lookout above the closed lighthouse) until just Wednesday.

Before heading up the Ka Iwi Scenic Shoreline trail to the Makapu'u Point lighthouse, we stopped at a scenic lookout area next to the start of the trail.

The spot is an ideal location to watch migratory humpback whales between November and March.

You can also see Rabbit Island, ...

... Makapu'u Beach, ...

... and this in the distance.

We didn't stop very long at the scenic point because this dude was ready to go see a lighthouse. So we headed "next door" to the trail area.

Yes, he took off running.

The trail (about 2 miles round trip) took us a little less than 2 hours because we kept stopping to take photos like this:

Koko Crater.

The Ka Iwi Shoreline and part of Koko Crater.

Just Son and Just Dad keep a good pace.

A view of the parking lot and Kalanianaole Highway. The scenic point we visited earlier is just toward the beach to the right.

Cactus plants grow up the mountain along the trail. I stuck pretty close to them because ...

... this is what I saw on the other side of me at one point. *gulp*

Getting closer to our destination.

Yup, there's the lighthouse. But we're not at the top of the trail yet. (The lighthouse, built in 1909, isn't open to the public.)

While I was taking a photo of the lighthouse from the trail, JD and JS made their way to the final lookout area. (Yeah, JS was really excited.)

When we finally reached the end of the trail, I watched my two guys climb up to the highest lookout.

I wish I could say I stayed behind because I was tired. The truth is I got the heebie-jeebies being so way high up from sea level.

It took all the courage I could muster to take this shot from a lower lookout point.

This photo was taken through the rusty fence that prevents us from plunging to our death. OK, I'm exaggerating slightly. Anyway, the water looks closer than it actually is because I used my zoom lens. Trust me, it eased the heebie-jeebies. Somewhat.

While the guys were looking at the lighthouse, I read this plaque.

I found it a shame that most people didn't even bother reading it.

I was ready to head back down, but JD surprised me by asking me for my camera. He then headed back to the highest lookout point ...

... and took this shot ...

... and this shot for me. (Yes, that's Sea Life Park.)

Now we can finally say we saw the lighthouse up close. (OK, my hubby and son can say that, but I kinda saw it up close further down the trail ;-D )

Thanks, JD, for getting such beautiful photos for me!

Of Guns, R2-D2 and Peace

2011-07-13T16:42:00.008-05:00

(a.k.a. A Sunny Tuesday on the "The Mighty Mo")

JD, JS and I decided to take a trip out to Pearl Harbor Tuesday to spend some time at one of the museums.

We took JS to the Arizona Memorial in 2007 and the Pacific Aviation Museum in 2009, ...

... so we decided to take him to the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial this time.

The tour started with a shuttle bus ride out to Ford Island, where the Missouri is permanently docked. Once we got there, JD and JS were like kids in a candy store. ;-D

JS debates whether he should take the wheel. This is actually on display before you board the Missouri.

Some of the colors on display in front of the Missouri.

Heading on up!

You're probably wondering why we chose touring the Missouri this time. Well, it's because this is was the site of the surrender of Japan, thus ending World War II.

See?

Yeah, this was kinda intimidating. The kiddo kept nervously asking if the 16-inch guns were going to shoot.

Once on board, you have views of this (yes, real in-use-now military vessels).

You also have a great view of this. I'm assuming the Arizona memorial really needs no introduction.

Going back to the Missouri ...

I found the hubby trying out one of these guys and using his imagination.

Against my peaceful nature, I decided to go ahead and give it a try.

Yeah, I felt as awkward behind it as I look.

This, of course, was downright disturbing. ;-D

Oh look! A random photo!

In addition to being a battleship that saw the end of World War II, the Missouri also saw action in the Persian Gulf War back in 1991.

This doohickey is a Phalanx CIWS (a.k.a. "R2-D2" because ... well ... it looks like R2-D2). It's an anti-ship-missile defense system. No, I didn't look all of that stuff up on Google. Who needs Google when you have a military history buff for a husband?

Here is the hubby telling JS all about the R2-D2. Oh joy. ;-D

But back to peace ...

Here is the spot where the formal surrender occurred back in 1945.

A shot of JS near the spot. (Sorry, no creative caption here.)

At some point, JD and JS climbed all the way to the tippy top of the battleship.

I stayed behind to get random photos. (OK, I stayed back because of my fear of heights ... and near vertical ladders.)

Ready to head back to the car.

Just one last random shot though:

From Just Dad, Just Son and Just Mom: Thank you to all military personnel, past and present, for your sacrifice.

A Random -- But Nonetheless Relaxing -- Day

2011-07-12T11:58:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we:

Went to the beach, where my hubby and son played in the Pacific Ocean while I ...

... took photos of a wedding photographer in action;

Headed to Koko Marina for some Korean food ...

... where I took this photo while waiting for our order.

And came back home to watch my mom and her friends practice for an upcoming hula competition.

Yes, I know you're wondering why there are no photos of my mom dancing. I didn't take any because she wasn't sure everyone would want their photos posted on my blog.

But I did take a pic of this lovely centerpiece my mom created using a ti leaf, plumeria flowers and Spanish moss from her yard. :-D

"I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty ..."

2011-07-11T00:00:00.005-05:00

I love the fragrance of the ginger flower and jasmine, but the plumeria is the flower I most closely associate with Hawaii. That's probably because my parents have grown plumeria trees in their yard since I was a kid.

I've made it a tradition (albeit a recent one) to take something plumeria-y back home with me to remind me of my parents and my childhood home. On one trip, I bought a little vial of plumeria-scented perfume. On another trip, I took back an artificial plumeria flower hair clip. This year, I'm taking back this...

... if it doesn't rub off during our planned visits to the beach.

I better make a back-up plan.

Change Of Plans

2011-07-10T12:20:00.005-05:00

I wish I could say that this photo of a cluster of coconut and plumeria trees was taken as I was relaxing at Ala Moana Beach Park, but I can't.

You see, JD, JS and I had planned to spend some time on the beach, but by the time we got there the parking lot was packed. I mean, really packed. As in, we were in the car for 30 minutes hoping people would start leaving, but no one did. Not a single person. But I suppose we should have expected that, considering: 1) we arrived late (11 a.m.); and 2) it was a Saturday.

We decided to make the best of our little family outing, so we decided to drive through Waikiki to do a little people watching by car.

This photo is for you, G.

This is the exterior of the Moana Surfrider. It's the hotel in which JD and I stayed when we went on a mini-getaway to celebrate our anniversary two years ago.

We drove past Waikiki and took Diamond Head Road to head back to my parents' house. I didn't take any photos during this part of our drive. Shame on me. :-/

After a brief rest we decided to take a drive along the southeast side of O'ahu, near where my parents live.

This is one of my favorite scenic points.

We kept on driving toward Waimanalo. It was a beautiful day so why not, right?

I was tempted to stop here for some coconut, but decided I don't need the extra calories. ;-D

On our return trip back to my parents' house, we stopped at this scenic point near Hanauma Bay.

That's Koko Marina in Hawaii Kai.

We may not have been able to sit on a beach, but seeing the views more than made up for that.

Really, There Was More

2011-07-09T04:10:00.000-05:00

You wanna know what the funny thing is about traveling? No matter how many lists you make, and how many times you check it, there will always be something that you forgot to pack. Of course, you usually don't realize it until the time comes when you need said missing thing.

Take yesterday, for example. We were all ready by 6:45 a.m. to go on a walk around the neighborhood. JD and I promised ourselves before our trip that we would make this Hawaii vacation a healthy one. Usually we just relax and tour the island, which I realize is what one is supposed to do when on a vacation. This time, we're adding exercise in to our routine.

Anyway ... JD, JS and I set off for our walk a little before 7 a.m. I thought it would be fun to show our neighborhood to you, so I brought Josh along with us and had him take some photos. On our walk, we came across some ducks floating peacefully under a bridge. We also got a close-up view of some "shower trees", a snail shell and simply took in our surroundings.

I was so excited about downloading the photos on to my computer and sharing my neighborhood with you, that I made a beeline for my 'puter when we got back. I set my JoshBerry down near the USB port of my 'puter and reached for the cable connector thingy. That's when I realized that I had forgotten to pack the cable connector thingy. The horror!

Not wanting to disappoint my dear blog readers ;-) I grabbed my digital SLR camera and took a pic of my breakfast for you:

What. Fresh papaya and a hot cup of Kona coffee is my idea of paradise. :-D

It's (Almost) Wordless Friday...

2011-07-08T03:13:00.006-05:00

... Because I'm still too jet lagged to write anything about our airline (mis)adventures to Hawaii, and because I was too jet lagged Thursday to do anything but take this photo.

Stay tuned ...

All I Really Need

2011-07-03T12:01:00.003-05:00

Where we're going, I doubt I'll need to pack anything else. ;-D

Now, let's get this vacation started!

Now For Some News...

2011-06-29T10:25:00.004-05:00

... of the spectacular, awesome and no doubt almost miraculous kind:

I still fit in to my jeggings!

That is all.

Random Photo Saturday

2011-06-25T17:00:00.004-05:00

I found these "antiques" this afternoon while cleaning my home office. I haven't used a film camera since 2005, so seeing these brought back many fond memories of using up a roll as quickly as I could so I could see what my photos looked like. I also remember when I used to say I'd never switch to digital photography. My, how times have changed.

Do You Know What's Totally And Utterly Shameful?

2011-06-22T09:57:00.004-05:00

This catalog arrived in the mail yesterday, the first official day of summer.

Do you know what's even worse?

I sat down with a mug of hot chocolate and browsed through it.

OK, I'm kidding.

It was a mug of coffee.

In Which I Show My Girly Side And Talk Shoes

2011-06-21T10:49:00.005-05:00

Before I start this post, let me preface it by saying that I am no fashion authority whatsoever -- especially when it comes to shoes. (I can totally see my mom vigorously nodding her head in agreement with that statement. Hi mom! :-D )

For years the main selling points when it came to shoes I purchased were: 1) is it flat, and 2) is it on sale? The shoes had to be flat because of my arthritic hips (and face it, my less-than-graceful tendencies). They also had to be on sale because, well, who doesn't like a good sale? ;-D

Anyway ... I don't know if I'm coming out of my shoe rut because of my new hip, but I've been obsessed with shoes lately. Especially sandals. With a wedge heel. So when I spotted these I had to buy them -- even if they took me out of my comfort zone:

I know from this angle the sandals look like any other dress sandal.

But look at it from the side.

Yeah, I hesitated a little when I saw how high the heels were. Sandals aren't supposed to have more than one inch of heel.

And then I almost got a nose-bleed looking at them from this angle.

But I decided to bring them home, try them with a few summer dresses I have, and I loved them.

I'm still a little shy about how tall they make me look when I wear them. (I'm about 5'4", and the sandals make me grow to about 5'8".)

But the price tag is helping me come out of my shell. ;-D

Really, though, I need your advice: Keep them, or return them?

In Case You're Wondering Where I've Been....

2011-06-17T13:12:00.003-05:00

I've been busy. ;-D

Dinosaurs, And Knights, And Mummies. Oh My!

2011-06-09T15:19:00.005-05:00

On the last day of school, JS's first-grade teacher gave a book to each child as a gift.

JS got this one from his teacher.

And because he's a numbers guy, he wanted to start with Book #1 ...

... so off to the library we went.

And thus began an addiction to another series.

If you need us, we'll be in the tree house.

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

2011-06-08T09:11:00.003-05:00

You remember this photo that I posted Monday?

Well, I also posted it the same day on my 365 Project page. (If you don't remember what the 365 Project is, you can read about it here.

Anyway, I woke up yesterday to e-mail messages from fellow participants about this:

Yup, the 365 Project "photo monkeys" included the photo among those they select daily for the project's Popular page.

Can I get a "Woot! Woot!" ;-D

How JM Trims A Honeysuckle Vine

2011-06-06T09:24:00.003-05:00

Look for -- and find -- vine trimming doohickey.

Whack away at vines.

Hear an early morning visitor (neighbor's cat). Grab camera.

Play with early morning visitor.

Continue playing with visitor and taking photos.

Decide that at near 80 degrees at 8:30 a.m., it's too hot to finish trimming vines.

Welcome to the dog ... er ... cat days of summer.

On A Sunny Day Last Week ...

2011-06-01T13:19:00.008-05:00

... I took this guy to my favorite dock on the lake.

And I watched him as he played Poohsticks ...

... and sang songs ...

... to these pelicans that swam by.

And I thought to myself ...

... I love summer.

Just Thoughts ....

2011-05-24T09:12:00.001-05:00

... as JS completes the first grade.

EEK!!!!

In Which He Conquers The "Death Slide"

2011-05-20T11:29:00.000-05:00

One year and eight months.

That's how long it took Just Son to gain enough confidence to try once again to climb up, and then slide down one of these:

The last time he encountered one of those inflatable slide playground thingies was September 2009, when Just Dad and I worked at the Fall Fest at JS's former school. Back then, JS wasn't interested in making the climb up a "Death Slide" (my term, not his), and whooshing back down. But last night, he conquered it.

He was a little hesitant at first, simply because he wasn't quite sure how to navigate the soft steps and handles. In fact he'd climb up just a few steps, and then climb back down. (Thankfully we were there when it wasn't that crowded, and all the children interested in the obstacle course/slide were very patient and polite.)

I didn't want to force the issue, so we took a little break for juice. But then, JS surprised me by saying he wanted to try climbing all the way up again.

So we went back.

And he climbed.

And before I could get my camera out and focused on him, he climbed over and whooshed down the other side.

I guess it's my turn now to get over my fear of heights.

Panda On The Brain

2011-05-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

To say that JS is looking forward to seeing Kung Fu Panda 2 would be an understatement. Not a day goes by that he doesn't read his KFP books or reenacts some scenes with his KFP action figures.

In addition to liking the storyline of the movie -- a lot -- he also likes learning about the different anthropomorphic characters in the movie and what those animals really look like in "real life." In addition to knowing the obvious (that Po is a panda, Master Monkey is a monkey, Master Tigress is a tiger, etc.), he knows that the antagonist in the first movie is a snow leopard and that Master Shifu is a red panda.

So it really didn't surprise me that when we came upon this family of geese on our "country drive" before school this morning, he earnestly asked ...

... "Is that Po's dad?!?!"

Yes, someone has panda on the brain. ;-D

Confession Of The Celebrity News Kind

2011-05-18T11:31:00.004-05:00

I dislike celebrity magazines. Really, I don't care to read about the latest in rumors, gossip and scandals surrounding the entertainment industry.

When I go to the checkout counter of my local grocery store, I have to fight the urge to remove the celebrity magazines and replace them with something more pleasant and less controversial -- like magazines that tout 100 different kid-approved chicken recipes, using five-ingredients or less.

But then one morning last week, when I was at my weakest, I swallowed my pride. I broke down and bought myself one of those celebrity magazines I usually avoid like the plague.

And it was all because this was on the cover:

I know what you're thinking. I know you're greatly disappointed that instead of the tough cookie you imagine JM to be, I'm actually a big ol' softie.

But really, I felt compelled to get the magazine because it had lovely photos like this on the inside:

And behind-the-scenes stories like this:

I'm not convincing you that it was a good purchase, am I?

OK, how about if I told you the magazine also has an ad for this:

Well ... ? It's the best issue ever, right? ;-D

JS thinks so.

Just Wondering...

2011-05-17T11:53:00.002-05:00

... Is it summer yet?

Just Biography

2011-05-10T13:35:00.001-05:00

(a.k.a. "What I Got From My Son For Mother's Day")

Want to know more about JM? Well then, you're going to want to take your computer -- ideally a laptop, or it will be just too heavy ;-D -- to a comfy couch, sit back, relax and read my biography.

Yes, you read right. My biography. Written by none other than Just Son himself.

The biography came as a complete surprise to me on Mother's Day because: 1) he secretly worked on it at school with the help of his teachers, and 2) I had no idea that he was actually listening to me all these years. As great a listener as he is though, he did get a few facts wrong. But overall I'd say he knows his momma well.

Enjoy the "e-book". ;-D

Very clever title and beautiful cover art. I wonder where he gets his cleverness from...

Thank you, child, for giving me blue eyes and leaving my weight blank. ;-D

Yup.

It's actually green, sweetie, but for you it will be blue.

Translation: "... I listen"

Very true. Both the "very smart" part and knowing all about you. ;-D

Apparently, I like ice cream a lot.

My wish would actually be for world peace. But if I can't have that, I'll take shopping. ;-D (Yes, I laughed hard when I got to this part of the book.)

Yes, I do love you JS.

Finally! The "I luv U" note I had been wanting all these years.

Thank you, JS, for the best Mother's Day gift ever!

The Reason I Love Being A Mom

2011-05-03T08:30:00.002-05:00

Him.

You Bet I Got Up...

2011-04-29T03:46:00.004-05:00

... for the "pregame show." ;-D

I made myself a cup o' joe -- with heart sprinkles.

Even Google got in to the spirit of things.

Aren't royal weddings fun?

Oh come on, you knew I'd get up for this. ;-D

Easter Weekend Recap

2011-04-25T15:51:00.005-05:00

(Because I know you're wondering. ;-D )

There were treats.

There was sidewalk chalk. (This was in his Easter basket. The other -- edible -- stuff is in my belly. ;-D )

And there was time outdoors with him.

The best part was watching him play with bubbles.

I see tennis in his future.

Or perhaps basketball, if he grows another two feet in height or so.

Mostly, I see a lot of bubbles.

Time to buy stock in "bubble juice." ;-D

Random Photo Saturday

2011-04-23T13:35:00.002-05:00

I've Got Sunshine ...

... on a cloudy day.

Numbers

2011-04-21T13:47:00.006-05:00

When most children draw something for their moms, its usually a picture of their child holding their mom's hand. Or of some flowers with the words, "I luv u Mom" (or something similar) scrawled on the artwork.

But not me.

When my child wants to draw something for me, I get this:

Numbers.

Lots and lots of numbers.

Yup, my child will either be a mathematician when he grows up ...

... or a bookie.

Random Photo Saturday

2011-04-16T08:53:00.000-05:00

Yes, it snowed Friday.

Happy Spring!

If It's True That When You Sing, You Pray Twice ...

2011-04-12T13:07:00.001-05:00

... then I've been doing a whole heckuva lot of praying.

And there's no sign of stopping until after Easter.

Not that I'd want to stop. After all, music ... er, praying ... is a big part of my life. :-D

The Questions He Asks

2011-04-07T12:05:00.001-05:00

Just Son: "Mom? If I go in the water, will I touch the clouds?"

Faith ...

2011-03-28T09:11:00.002-05:00

... is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. -- Helen Keller