Maui 2014

Yes, I'm back...for a quick appearance or back for good?  Not sure.  Goal is to continue posting but let's see if I can make that a reality!

We had the most relaxing and wonderful time in Maui.  The pictures will speak for themselves.  So many fun memories and great pictures that it was hard for me to choose.  We stayed at Honua Kai and it was the most perfect resort for us...testament is that the only thing we really left to do was miniature golf one day and to seek out some beaches with calmer waves.  Oli flew on his own joining us half way through so he didn't miss too much school and boy, we were all so excited to see him!  He enjoyed surfing and boogie boarding but probably most of all enjoyed just body surfing the waves.  The 'littles' loved swimming and also loved playing in the sand, particularly when there was something to build or a giant hole to dig. 

Oli is going to the Championships!

Background – all Oli's buddies had qualified for the upcoming championship event.  Oli was just 3/10^th of a second short on his 50 freestyle in order to qualify.   Apart from the power outage during last week's swim meet (his last opportunity to qualify), he knocked nearly 2 full seconds off his time & qualified for the championship.    He also did really well on his 100m Individual Medley  (as Brett would say apart from his fly to back turn! J).  

 

Oli will be swimming at least 2 events (hopefully 3) at the Championships on Nov 23rd and 24th. One of the events will be his first 500m freestyle race (no typo there...an extra 0). 

50 Freestyle  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K28A154XC_M&feature=youtu.be    

 

100 IM   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG7urxQfJnQ&feature=youtu.be 

 

A Fall Day

A typical Monday...

Julia and Oli walking home from Oli's bus stop together.  Catching up after a weekend apart; both excited to see each other.

 

 

Trash Day!  Tyler likes to go with Dada.  Today was extra special since Brett's friend the eagle is back.  He tends to sit in the top of the huge tree in our yard and Brett loves him.  He is around much of the fall and the spring.  We hardly see him during the summer so Brett was reconnecting with him here.

He looks at Brett too, just not sure the feelings are mutual.

Today, like we often realize, he prefers to be outside running with a football or making spears with the bamboo shoots than having screen time.

Halloween 2013

Halloween was a lot of fun for the kids this year.  Each of them had a classroom party (Tyler at Toddler Group, Julia at preschool and Oli in 4th grade).   And of course, we did some trick or treating in the evening. 

 

Julia is old enough now to be scared of scary things.  Last year, she was oblivious, just following her big brother wherever he would take her.  This year, she was going up to a house with some crazy decorations, including a 10 ft tall inflatable cat that turned it's head and hissed at her.  At that point, she said, "Daddy, I think this house just ran out of candy.". 

 

The classroom treat I made for Oli's classroom party. 

Oli and his teacher, Mrs. Ishii.  Her costume was apt since science is her passion. 

A classmate of Oli...best costume I saw this year!

not sure what to say about this...

Kirkland Halloween Parade

One of the neighborhood events that I help to plan is the annual Halloween Parade into downtown Kirkland.  The Kirkland businesses are stocked up and ready for the kids to trick-or-treat.  We have made so many good friends in our neighborhood that an event like this is as much fun for us as it is for the kids.

Julia is Doc McStuffins (from Disney Jr).  Pipe cleaners in her hair made the braids mimic Doc McStuffins hair style.

"You're gonna pay for this one day, Mom"

Oli has a crush.  And it seems to be mutual.  More documentation below.  (BTW, he is some sort of zombie...the selection gets smaller and smaller for his age)



That look on her face screams, "I feel special right now". The next pics prove how special and happy she was, dancing and singing out of the stores.

 

 

"Wait up for me, guys!"  Julia this is the first time you had to share your brother's heart to another girl.  Afraid it will be the first of many.

She still loves the flag duty.

A waterfront stroll.  Man, the teenage years are going to rough.

Tyler's Sleep Study

I normally don't blog about medical stuff but here goes...

 

Tyler has always had a rattling/wheezy style of breathing, he stops breathing during sleep, he often breathes through his mouth, etc.   All leading to a hypothesis of large adenoids that may need to be removed (Oli had his removed when he was 8).   The hypothesis is confirmed by an overnight sleep study at Children's Hospital.  We were scheduled for Feb but they called with a cancelation last Thursday at 4pm and we checked in at 7pm. 

 

It was brutal.  Check in at 7pm, start the hour long set up 8pm.  By 8:20, Tyler had run out of patience. At that point, still had nearly 30 wires to be attached (head, body, neck, etc) - 50 total.  He really lost it when they put an oxygen and CO2 sensor up his nose.  I've never seen him so angry and for so long.  And all I could do was hold him and restrain his hands from reaching up and yanking out the wires while he was thrashing about and inevitably, pulling out some wires and making one tangled mess.  2 hours later he finally slept.  Brutal.  While I am not one to quit when the "going gets tough"...part of me really thinks I might have walked out had he not been leashed to a bunch of machines. 

 

Results in one month.

 

My hope is that we confirm the hypothesis (avoiding any more tests) and that it isn't a severe problem so that we can wait until he is older for surgery (to remove adenoids). 

 

Pumpkin Patch 2013

An annual tradition I love is to go to the pumpkin patch at Dr. Maze's Farm.  It is close and has a great fall setting and we just happened to have a free afternoon and the sun came out.  We got lucky!

 

Just like the story, Julia wanted a bumpy, little, pumpkin.  I was so proud.  She found this one and immediately fell in love with it.  

She took such great care of this pumpkin and none of the perfect pumpkins we continued to see caught her eye.  This pumpkin was coming home with us.

She insisted on carrying it. 

If it was in the wheel barrow, she had to keep a close eye on it.

"I found the perfect pumpkin!!!"

"Darn, wish I could have settled on a smaller one."

"I got it Daddy, don't worry."

"Uh Oh, Daddy....it fell over!"  Oli was first to drop what he was doing and save the bumpy little pumpkin.  Brett wasn't phased...he was still hunting for the perfect one.