I got lei-d

At the school social that is J
A busy day with Sam’s club errands and transcribing and classes and more transcribing and attending my Department’s social and YW mutual

Homeschool

Theme: snowman
Activity: snowman finger puppets; snowman “puzzle”

A family that cuts hair together...

... stays together?
Jonas invite Apollo to go with him for a haircut. I wasn’t sure if he meant for himself or for Apollo, and so I asked. Apparently it was both. Since I missed their first and last haircutting session (I was doing an amazing Harry Potter Bday party in SoCal), I decided to tag along, which meant now Adonis was part of the entourage. So we all walked the few blocks to the local “cabeleleiro” and we all got a haircut! Did I mention the three boys had matching Superman shirts? Super cute.

 Homeschool

Theme: snowman
Activity: drawing snowman in the sand

My first day back to school

Sights. How I love being in a classroom! I truly enjoy the sharing of knowledge, minds, and wonder! I’m taking Sociolinguistics and Qualitative Data Analysis this semester, and am so excited! It’ll be a busy semester – but fun fun fun!

I also resumed my morning jog, and it was dark when I left! It was beautiful jogging the canal with the sunrise to my right. Not doing it for almost 3 weeks has left me huffing and puffing at minute 10 lol

After the hike we went for yes another hike sans kids J It started raining and as we drove closer to the destination it rained harder and harder. We dare going into the jungle to Judd trail anyway and it was a fiasco lol We got two minutes in the muddy, slippery forest when Jonas fell. Did I mention he was in slippers? Because we sneaked out and he was already outside. Of course none of us realized that until we were on our way there J

Homeschool

Theme: snowman
Activity: build a snowman with homemade play-doh and accessorize it with buttons and small candy
Huge success! The boys were super into it!

First day of homeschool

We’ve been considering putting the boys in a part time preschool program this semester, but have learned that the ones we want (and can afford) have long waiting list and people usually register like a year in advance. And so I decided who needs preschool when you yourself can teach your children, right? I figured it’s time to start socializing them into the expected classroom behavior (such as sitting down, listening to stories without interrupting, etc) and today we began structured learning time – or, as I refer to it, “hora de sentar na mesinha com a mamãe” (table time with mom). The lessons are meant to take only half an hour and include reading a book (Portuguese or English), acting out a song (gross motor skills), watching a song (thanks Youtube!), and a craft/activity (fine motor skills). I’m following the themes suggestions I found on this website (http://www.readingconfetti.com/2013/08/a-year-of-preschool-books-activities.html) but modifying books and activities based on what we (and the local library) have available.
 
Theme: snowman
Activity: instruct mom to draw a snowman; choose snowman’s feeling; glue cotton balls on paper

Primary = success!

Soooo excited!!! The boys were soooo good in Sunbeams! I had a plan – to help them be as independent (read, not clingy) as possible. I stayed with them through Sharing Time and this time had each sit on a chair. When we walked as a class to their designated room upstairs, I held my hands by my head so that they wouldn’t hold it and was the last in the line. I’m sure I looked ridiculous to the occasional passerby J They were so excited to find their room! They recognize it and sat on the chair while I stood by the door “busy” looking for something in my purse. The teacher had brought crayons and paper, and when the boys realized that they were elated. And so I kissed each good-bye, and headed to the door without looking back when I heard Apollo say: “mamãe, Apollo não ‘tá triste” (mom, Apollo is not sad) – yes, they speak of themselves in the third person. I smiled at him, congratulated him, and went on to teach my Beehives.

Kapena & Alopena Falls

Today I took both boys to help me clean the church building. We focused on their Sunbeam room. My hidden reason was to get them familiar and comfortable with it, so that when we go tomorrow it’d be an easier transition.

After I got home we all headed to Kapena & Alopena Falls. This was a jungle hike, not so much incline, but with lots – and I mean LOTS – of mosquitoes!

Koko crater arch

Another hiking day sans kids. This is an interesting/funny hike because we were clueless as how to get to it. I mean, we knew just where to park but not how to “get in”. After a few minutes starting the bolder across the busy highway, we decided to go for it. It was exhilarating to bolder again! No ropes, so safety, just slippery rocks and my finger grips and awesome Merrell Glove shoes. Once we reached the top of that ridge we notice some people come down a different – and much easier – path; oh the irony.

You know those pictures on the internet of people on top of the arch? Well, those are nearly impossible to shoot! Overall, although rated an easy, beginner’s hike, don’t be fooled – it is not.

Adonis pooped in the potty!

Yay! Most likely another mother who’s recently potty trained her kids (maybe dogs too?) can understand my enthusiasm! We’ve been potty training-ish since Christmas and this is the first time either have used the potty for a #2. Hurray Adonis!

Also, we did our first outing with underwear only. We walked to the playground and then crossed the street to Ross. Both boys did wonderfully. Adonis was sitting on the slide when he looked at me and said “Adonis não tá fazendo xixi” (Adonis is not peeing) which raised a flag that he indeed was probably peeing. So I pulled him to the side by a tree, pulled his shorts and underwear low enough for him to go, tried to cover it so homeless people wouldn’t stare and at the risk of getting my hands wet. I felt totally clumsy with this boy business. Although he did not go – probably feeling just as awkward as me and trying to figure out what was going on – Jonas did say I did do an adequate job J

Byodo-in temple

We had a late start so we decided to do something other than a hike in which the boys could be involved as well. I had forgotten how beautiful and peaceful this place is – well, it’s at a cemetery. The boys loved feeding the koi fish.

Manoa Falls with boys

I'm so proud of them! They walked uphill for a whole hour without complaining or asking to be carried. It was a fun hike through the forest and the boys seemed to enjoy it. They liked climbing rocks and finding sticks and were excited with the waterfall at the end. They were pretty tired on the way down and were carried but, as we say in Brazil, “pra baixo todo santo ajuda” (going downhill all the saints assist you).

Diamond Head Crater hike

Diamond Head Crater hike sans kids – easy peasy after Koko Head J

Boys’ first day in Primary

It. Was. Bitter. But we all survived. They were extremely clingy and would not let go of my skirt, shirt, arm, purse, or anything that they could grab on me. And so I sat with them in those teeny tiny chairs through Sharing Time. Then it was time to go upstairs to their classroom (which is literally next doors to mine/YW) and time for me to step out for 2 and a half seconds and drop off something next door. The boys flipped. I came back and there was no consoling. They both wanted to sit on my lap and fought for it. After a few minutes of that, Apollo decided it was okay to snuggle next to me, and Adonis remaining on my lap. Once again, those teeny tiny chairs… By the end of the class we played pretend and the boys had fun lining up the chairs and “flying the airplane”. Now cross your fingers that next Sunday they’ll be good because I’m supposed to teach Beehives!

Saturday is… work day!

Divided we conquered: Apollo helped me clean the church building while Adonis helped papai grocery shopping. We regrouped at home, then left them at home to buy some plants to beautify our newly-released-renewed home.

Afternoon projects included a failed attempt to build a CD shelf, and a successful attempt in trimming the front yard bushes with the boys’ cheerful help as they pretended to be trolleys and trains taking the cut branches to the designated pile J

A day at North Shore

Dole Pineapple Plantation with train (desperation for missing it), garden walk (while waiting for it), and maze (rushing through it).

 

Stopped at a random food truck hailing a Brazilian flaga and advertising açaí, pastel, and coxinha.

 

Arrived at PCC at 3pm and rushed through Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga and Aotearoa, did a canoe ride after it was already closed (the power of Brazilian persuasion lol) and finished it all at 6:30pm – mom and Ka stayed for dinner and night show, and I drove the boys the 1-hour drive alone.

 

No barfs roundtrip. In my book, this trip was a success.

Stairway to not heaven

Ka, Jonas, and I did Koko head – 1,048 steps going up, 1,048 steps going down.

The view was fantastic; the legs, caves, and knees, not so much. Got some much deserved acai, and went home for a much deserved – and needed – nap.

New Year's Day - a day for family tradition

My 2014 resolutions are many with which I won’t bore the reader(s?). But I will say that a blog has long been on my mind. Just a blurb and a picture a day to keep the blues away J With family and friends scattered in Brazil and US (and soon to be somewhere “chilly”), it seems like a good idea finally to make this happen. I won’t go to great lengths to catch up on the last… hmmm, well… 8 years (?) although there are some random older posts – proof that this is indeed not a new project. Anyhow, jump in and enjoy the ride.

With that said, we celebrated the first day of the new year by continuing a family tradition established last year – we visited the Hawai’i Kotohira Jinsha – Hawai’i Dazaifu Tenmangu, a local Shinto shrine.

With Jonas’s ties to Japan and my own increasing interest of Japanese culture and language, it seemed like the natural choice of family tradition that exposes the boys to other culture’s ways of celebrating holidays. They had fun throwing coins and ringing bells.