A Bright New Star !

It's spring and that means it's recital time for Just Dance, the studio that brought us Ella's sense of confidence and flair. Alas Ella took a hiatus this year to prepare her Polynesian dance skills and was not participating
---BUT DO NOT FEAR,
LIANA started class this year and I believe we have a bright new star on the stage of dance

In true independent girl fashion she didn't let me go to her dance classes all year long because she wanted it to be a surprise, I talked her into letting me watch the last class before dress rehearsal so I could help her practice at home, but it was still very hush hush.

She asked me to cut her hair and curl it (because I had explained on numerous earlier occasions that long hair takes a long time to curl and doesn't stay as curly as long etc.) and wondered if she could get some flowers "Because I remember that last time we gave Ella some flowers when she danced and now I'm gonna be the dancer and Miss "Ginger" says that I am "on fire" and I get to be in the middle because the little girls don't know all the steps!" - If I hadn't been planning to get her flowers already I certainly would have been swayed by that impassioned plea!

Call me cheesy, but when I get my daughters flowers, I buy silk. I know they are not fresh and don't smell nice etc. but this way they can be hot pink (no matter what season it is) and they can be used to play bride, or garden party, or "Bravo" a game where you take turns bowing and clapping and giving each other flowers- I think I might like to play this game sometimes. Also if you let the little girl in question choose from an array of old perfumes/body sprays she can put the fragrance on her flowers herself!

Liana did an excellent job, she held still while I cut her hair, fell asleep and took a much needed nap while I curled her hair,held still again while I got her dressed, ate her daddy's quesadilla when she woke up (poor Daddy to have to sacrifice so much) and bravely tapped her way into the recital and into the pages of stardom!

Congratulations my big little beautiful girl!

Be a Hero!

Today a Hero stepped up to the plate!
My brother-in-law (who I will refer to as Big J to protect his identity) has a Kidney condition known as PKD or Poly cystic Kidney Disease. Big J has known for a while that he would need a transplant at some point in his life. He and my sister have had to face the fears and concerns that this knowledge brings. They have faced it with courage, optimism and grace, and they are heroes to me as examples of faith in action, that said, I would like to share the hero of the day.

Big J's Mom (who we will call Momma D) is a beautiful caring and generous woman who takes excellent care of not only her family but friends and people around her. When J's need for a kidney became more immediate, he was fortunate enough to have a family of heroes step up and offer to share. When it became apparent that other possible donors would not be viable candidates Momma D up and flew across the country, taking the time and giving of herself to give her son life, for the second time.

Today was the transplant and as of this posting things are going fairly well, both operations are complete and both patients are in recovery. There are still a lot of unknown elements for Big J and family, but this much we know, Momma D is a hero.

Big J is blessed with family and extended family that were willing, and finally able to give him a kidney, there are others in the world, a lot of others who need kidneys and have no relatives in a position to donate. We cannot all be living donors, but I offer the suggestion that we can make a choice to be organ donors.

I know this is an uncomfortable discussion for many, none of us really likes to admit that we will not live forever or face the reality that sometimes tragic things happen. Things do happen, and we can't control it all, but we can choose how to respond to tragedy, let it overtake us, or let it elevate us. I believe in life after death and I don't think I need to take my kidneys and other organs with me, they are earthly things- our bodies, they are miraculous in their creation and function, but they are earthly things. I choose to leave my organs where they might do the best good, giving life to another.

If you make the coice to be an organ donor, write it down with a date and signature, and share it with relatives so that they know ahead of time and can respect your wish. Having that conversation may be awkward as well, but it can be as simple as "if anything ever happens to me I just want you to know that I am an organ donor." think of the blessing that choice might bring.

My personal point of view is this, I will fight with all I have in this life to grow old and stay with my husband and children, but if the point comes that I am no longer here, I want my children to know that their mother loves and respects life enough to give the gift to someone who needs it.

Be a hero, make the choice to be an organ donor, and share that choice with the ones you love!
(and while you are at it, donate blood if you are eligible!)

Rockin'-the-Luau

Pardon the journaling tone of this post, the day of the Luau warrants some description for posterity, not because it was so out of the ordinary but because is is indicative of my family's style of party and life at present.

We woke up and had breakfast, we (Eddie and I) tried to sleep in, but they (the girls) don't like to do that unless there is some early appointment we have to be at ten minutes ago. We took our time, and then it began, Eddie ran out the door to get last minute things done and drive over to set up for the party.

At home the girls and I were planning for every possible wardrobe disaster, hunting down every "Aloha" decorated item in the house, and trying to maintain some sort of schedule so that Nina would make it through the day.

Having been out late the night before setting up (late means the girls fell asleep in the car on the way home instead of their beds) the girls needed a tub and shampoo, they were disappointed that I dressed them in long pants, but I knew that the enormous bounce house that was being set up warranted leg coverings for at least the first few hours. Reassured that they would get to wear aloha dresses and lei's later, we had a little lunch, got into the car, made an emergency trip to the craft store and drove slowly to the party. We drove slowly so that Nina and Liana would take a little nap, but it was Saturday and traffic was light, so they still had less than 40 minutes of sleep when we arrived at 1:30.

We arrived at the party to find all well and in good shape, we had all been there the night before setting up the things that could be done early, and Eddie's siblings were there with their families adding the final touches. The girls made a bee-line for the bounce house - can you blame them?
I got to set up the welcoming table, the guest book was fun (at least I think it was) we had guests sign in on a paper flower with their name and the year that they first met my Father-in-Law, and then put the flowers on a time-line so that he now has a garden of his friends throughout the years.
We are not the Rockefeller's or the Hiltons, but I thought the party was festive, we had home-made oversize paper banners, fishing nets and lei's around the party perimeters, and small artificial hibiscus placed everywhere that didn't move (thank you Oriental Trading Co.) Our centerpieces were glass vases filled with sand (thank you Bolsa Chica Beach - I hope it wasn't illegal), miscellaneous shells and a votive candle. Eddie brought Red-Vines, Twizzlers and M&M's to keep us all in good humor as we continued in the set up process.

200 silk flower leis in every color were laid out, drinks were put on ice, pre-dinner snacks were presented, Music was started, and tiki torches were lit.....let's stop here for a moment.

On Friday we had been there to help set up and one thing that could be done was to affix the tiki torches to various posts around the yard. Once they were secure, we needed to fill them with citronella oil, Eddie and I worked together to fill them using, not a funnel, (there was not one on sight) but a cone made of tinfoil. Our method of filling did cause some minor spillage which may be partly to blame for what followed.

I am a bargain shopper but let me warn you, tiki torches purchased for a dollar are for decorative use only, when they were filled and lit (thankfully in a Friday test run, not Saturday night) they became engulfed in flames and whatever synthetic material was used to hold the "torch" in the "tiki" melted. The flaming posts were extinguished using a damp towel and with the aid of a helpful Brother-in-law (yes John you win in-law-of-the-year award... again), new and fire-worthy torches were in place for the party.

Guests began to arrive shortly after 3 and thankfully they were the close and helpful kind of friends who kept my children entertained and enjoyed full use of the bounce house. The next few hours are a fun blur of people arriving, and snacking, the weather was perfect, sunny but mild, slightly breezy, but not so bad as to blow off tablecloths or decorations. The guests were all charming and came in festive dress as requested.

The food was picked up, arrived, and or was cooked in a relatively timely manner and by all manner of relatives. We fed the children at the time appointed and the adults were either gracious in waiting or sneaky in eating, either way, everyone was fed to full.

Th entertainment was excellently started by my fabulous nephews doing a dance routine, but lest you start picturing in your mind "the Good ship Lollipop" or some other stagey Shirley Temple song, let me assure you they delivered a performance of "Electric Avenue", and "Funky Town" that would be welcomed on "So you think you can dance"

The lovely dancers from "Lei Kakala O' Fontana" began their show and during their costume changes the family filled in. The Grand-daughters (and some of us in the earlier generation as well) performed a dance to one of my Father-in-law's favorite songs, "Little Brown Gal"
Indeed He enjoyed it so much he got up and joined us half way through.
Eddie sang and played the Ukulele very charmingly, the is one of the first things I loved about him, there is something sexy about a ukulele.
Big Brother Alan DJayed and hosted, and sister Tammy sang "Where the Boys Are" one of her father's favorite romantic ballads, one he used to make her sing as a child.
Two of the birthday boy's oldest friends were called upon to tell how they met him and speak of their friendship over the years and the evening culminated with the birthday boy surrounded by hula dancers in his own dance lesson.
Happy Birthday was sung, taro cake and a variety other desserts were eaten, a good time was had by all, and Nina held out until after the cake before she finally fell asleep in her stroller.

So to recap, we have learned:
1- Test flammable objects the day before an event,
2- A bounce house brings sanity for all
3- Always bring a stroller if you have a child under the age of 2
4 - You can't go wrong with
adorable grandchildren!

Getting ready to hula!

My charming Father-in-Law turned 70 this year and to commemorate the event his children threw him a Luau. My Father-in-Law is a consummate party thrower, indeed the commemorative mugs given to his guests proclaim his title as "Birthday Party Animal"

The task of preparing for this event was a bit daunting as we all wanted it to be up to the standards set by previous occasions. Our secret weapon to insure the success of the event was cuteness. We relied heavily on the grandchildren to make sure the night was truly excellent and the grandchildren did not fail us, this following video is of my girls practicing for their portion of the entertainment.

A future post will cover the actually party for those of you who missed it, but I couldn't help but share some of the cuteness that gets me through the fits and tantrums of the week.

Time out hi-jinx

As parents of 3 small girls we have had the need arise for discipline. When the girls do something naughty or inappropriate, we usually offer a warning, try to redirect them to doing something better/nicer/away from the problem etc. and failing the success of those efforts, we give time out.

When Ella was small, she was attached to me 24/7, she hated to be in a different room from me and would follow Eddie and I around the house. Usually all I had to do was look at her with a sad face or have Eddie use a gruff voice and her little heart would break and she would do whatever was needed to get her snuggles and be happy again.

When Liana was smaller she would protest being taken to time out, but once she was there I would often hear her singing and pretending conversations with her little self. Sometimes she would just sit there and giggle, and when it was over she might choose to stay there. I still felt it was effective at stopping a bad situation but wondered if she felt rewarded for bad behavior.

Now Nina is entering the age of testing boundaries, and I think she got the memo read backwards or something,

last Friday Ella was sent to time out (for screaming at me when I told her to stop hitting Liana because she didn't do something she wanted her to uggghhhh! - but that's a different issue,) so Ella was sitting in time out, which in our house is a floor mat in the laundry room. Because Ella was crying and carrying on rather loudly (her heart still breaks rather easily) I closed the door to the laundry room while she calmed down.

Enter Nina, curious about what Ella is doing she tried to open the laundry room door, I said "no, Ella is in time out because she was screaming, you can't go in right now."

Nina looks at me curiously, thinks for a moment, and goes into the living room (scene of Ella's crime moments earlier) and without provocation starts screaming, at the top of her lungs, wailing and kicking her feet as Ella had done. I was a little puzzled until she stopped crying, walked over to the laundry room door again and pointed at the handle. Too curious to let this pass, I stifled laughter as I opened the door where she walked in and plopped herself down on the mat next to Ella and rather pleased with herself let out the phoniest cry I have heard in my life and then giggled.

Something tells me I'm gonna need a different form of discipline for her.