MIA

We have been a little MIA for last little while. . . . Janan got to discover a leak and Kaiya a flood at the Grandparents house. We went by on a routine flush all the toilets, run the rinse cycle on the washer and dishwasher and check the rest of the house trip. And discovered a leak in an upstairs bathroom and a flood in the basement bedroom. Janan is heading up the restoration efforts there, and you know how service companies are, always a 3 hour window. So, we are doing a lot of sitting and waiting during the process of getting it cleaned up and restored. All this has Janan questioning the logistics of moving from outhouses to indoor plumbing. Water, it is so sneaky and can destructive!!

And can I also say . . . this is just a MINUIT amount of water damage compared to IKE's victims. This small amount is giving me a headache, I can't even imagine what they are going through!! SMALL FRIES I have to take care of . . . thank goodness!!

However, in rescuing items from the water, I have had the opportunity to have to sort through a box that had lots of misc. photos in it to dry out those that were damp. I came across this SILLY photo of my cousin, Meg. Now, I have to say I must have had something to do with this do because those are my hair bows from growing up and that is a bathroom in my parents home . . . However, I recall nothing of a story even surrounding this photo . . . poor Meg!!

**I think this ranks as one of those things you can't do anymore once you are 30 MEG!!**

So, in the mean time, nothing exciting to report! Just the usual preschool, swim lessons, and daily activities!!

PLEASE NOTE: There is no picture of me with the same do. I must say, I must have been TORTURING MEG on this occassion! I am so lucky she has not disowned!! I realize I may be disowned after this . . . .

Recipes

I have been asked to share a few recipes with a few friends. I figured why not just post them on here and let all who may want to profit, profit. And well, this way I will never be accused of being a horrible RECIPE NAZI!! Yes, that is the term I have heard of late of people that do not share their recipes . . . . quite fitting actually!!!

FIRST, is a MY DAD's favorite dish that I make! My dad is a LOVER of Pasta, specifically SPAGHETTI and has passed that love on to me! I LIKE SPAGHETTI!! When I visited Idaho, I was asked to make several portions so that he could freeze them and microwave at will. It is really nothing special . . . but, here it is!!

Spaghetti with Garlic and Olive Oil
1 lb. dried THIN SPAGHETTI
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 tsp finely chopped and/or bottled minced Garlic
1 TB finely chopped flat-leaf PARSLEY or out of the bottle Parsley
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt ( to taste )

1 - Prepare spaghetti as directed on the box
2 - Put olive oil and garlic in a LARGE skilltet over medium-high heat. When garlic starts to change color, add the parsley, red pepper flakes and some salt. Stir well and remove from heat

NOTE: When garlic starts to color, it will go from turning color to burning rather quickly. So, watch it carefully.

3 - When the pasta is AL DENTE, return the skillet with the sauce to a low heat, and add DRAINED pasta to the skiller. Toss until pasta is well covered with sauce.

4 _ Taste and correct for salt, spiceness and serve at once!


The next recipe if my FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE!! Everyone that has ever had a taste of these cookies has commented on how wonderful they are. . . . I am no BAKER, but they are my favorite. Here is that RECIPE!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all purpose flour
12 ounces chocolate chips of your choice

Preheat oven to 375 and cook for 10 - 12 minutes.

My "secret" to any baked good is to ALWAYS mix the "wet" ingredients in one bowl, and the dry ingredients in another. Then, I slowly mix in the dry to the wet. Wet meaning sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, etc. Dry being any flour, baking soda/powder, salt, etc.

See, nothing special . . . just a cookie recipe! Now those asking for them have them and so do everyone else!!

NOTE to SIL: Now you have the recipe, you better treat JB at least once during every 6 month stint in ID to his favorite pasta. And NO it can't be during any of the time I am visiting!

Zoo and Tough Luck

On Monday night, as we were getting into bed, Kaiya and I were talking plans for the week. I told her all the fun things we had this week, preschool and swimming lesson. Then, I said, "what should we do on Friday? Should we see if Rachel can come play?" Her response, "I want to go to the Zoo on FRIDAY!!" So, we planned the zoo for Friday. Once I say yes, I refuse to not follow through.

Friday came, not soon enough for Kaiya. We woke up at 6:30 a.m. and got to the zoo by 7:15 a.m. The plan, get there when it opened and leave before lunch, thus avoiding the heat of the day! We had lots of fun seeing all the animals and just enjoying the nice morning. We also got to test out the CAVERN SPLASH PAD and PLAY AREA a day before it opened. We went past it and they were testing the water features . . . we stopped to play for a minute, but decided to finish the rest of the zoo and come back. Lucky we stopped for a minute because when we came back, they had turned the water off till the grand opening tomorrow!!

Here are a few pictures of that fun experience!! We especially LOVED watching the ORANGATAN because there were a Dad, a Mom, a baby, and a GRAMMY!! Kaiya thought that was great!!






Upon leaving the Zoo, Kaiya and I had the following CONVERSATION:

K: Mom, I am going to live with you not GRAMMY!
ME: Well, I am afraid you aren't going to live with Grammy because I won't let you.
K: Yes, I am living with Grammy, tough luck for you!
ME: Afraid not! You won't be living with Grammy.
K: When I get big, I get a car, and go live with Grammy ALL DAY. TOUGH LUCK FOR YOU!!
ME: Quiet attempt not to laugh out loud!!

Can you tell we say TOUGH LUCK at our house?? Usually when she is doing something to a toy or other things that is wasn't mean for . . . in the terms of, "If you keep doing that it will break and it will be TOUGH LUCK FOR YOU." I better lock the door and the windows because I am sure GRAMMY would happily make living with her possible! Ha ha! 3 year olds! Gotta love them!!

In Memory and Honoring 9/11

(c) 2001 The Record, (Bergen County, NJ).

I awoke this morning to flags lining our street and it brought to startling memory what today is, the anniversary of September 11, 2001. As I drove Kaiya to Preschool, she said, "Mom, why are the Amercan flag for?" This made my mind think, "Oh yeah! She wasn't alive to witness that terrible day, thank goodness. Now what do I say to her . . . . " And like all years, I immediately flashed back to where I was and what I was doing.

5:45 a.m. Hawaiian time - - my alarm goes off and I catch the following before a commercial break hits the radio "building has been hit by an airplane." Commercial break.

My mind is still trying to wake up let alone conceive what they are talking about. I quickly get ready for my 45 minute drive to my student teaching position at Heeia Elementary School in Kaneohe, Hawaii. On my way out of Laie, I pick up fellow student teacher Allison and tell her what I have heard. As the sun begins to rise over the pacific ocean and cast light on the coastal Kam Highway we frantically push seek on the radio to try to figure out what was happening. I remember talking in very anxious we need to know tones, before we arrived to the school we have learned it was not just any building, and it wasn't a horrible accident. It was intentional and it was the World Trade Center in New York. We both student taught 4th grade students and many of them were of military family origin.

My next memory is sitting in Mrs. Watanabe's 4th grade classroom with all the students in their desk. The slate windows were open, a subtle trade wind drifting in as we fielded questionsand attempted to put the students minds at ease. I still hadn't seen any of the footage from the day and have no idea the horror that most of these student had seen. Yet, with my CT, we attempt to let them know they are safe and that things will be okay, we will be okay. After the discussion we proceed to make the day as normal as possible while wondering in the back of our mind what would happen next.

Just before lunch, we leave to head back to campus and drive the same coastal highway back to Laie. On our ride back we pass several military convoys making rounds around the island. This stands out in my mind because before this day you rarely saw a military vehicle driving Kam Highway, let alone groups of them at the same time.

About 3 p.m. we arrived back to the School of Education at BYU-Hawaii for our afternoon classes. Only to discover classes had been cancelled and the entire group of student teachers were sitting in a darkened room with their mouth hanging open, watching for the first time the events of the day. I couldn't believe what we were seeing and what had happened.

The following hours, days, and weeks brought about a PRIDE in being AMERICAN among everyone that I will never forget. It was a pride that was displayed in our EAGERNESS to display our flag, proudly state we were AMERICAN, and most importantly our SUDDEN WILLINGNESS to go OUT OF OUR WAY to HELP and REACH OUT to EACH OTHER, OUR FELLOW AMERICANS! I only wish we would all be so proud to show our love for our country and each other everyday and always. Over the last seven years, the eager display of patriotism has wained by most Americans. I wonder how many of us will stop for even a moment during the events of today and remember those that lost their lives on that September day sever years ago. Why we are not as eager any more to show our patriotic spirit for our amazing country and our fellow countrymen? Why does it seem we aren't as eager to reach out to each other?
Today, I hope every American will look at their lives and find one thing we can do to more fully honor those who have given their lives for us and our country. I hope we can all decide to be more actively involved in being a positive contributor to our neighborhoods, cities, states, and country!! I AM SO PROUD to be an AMERICAN!!! That is a title I will always hold with HONOR.

Teaching, Remembering, and Honoring 9/11

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This is a little clip of the trip Kaiya and I took to the Healing Field here in Tempe Arizona. It is amazing the sheer number of people we lost that day! You hear the number 2,996 and you think wow. Then, you see something tangible of the people lost and you realize just what that number looks like. As you look closer, you realize each flag truly does represent someone. Each flag carries a card with the picture, name, residence, and where on that day they died. Suddenly, you have a face for each of them.

I am so grateful to those who put this tribute together! It is a sight to see! I would encourage ALL that live in the PHOENIX area to make a trip with your family!

Preschool!!

Kaiya started preschool this week. She is so excited and I am so sad! She only goes for two hours a day for three days a week to a little local place! She has a fabulous teacher, Mrs. Beecher and I am excited for her to go off and socialize with other kids and learn to participate in group activities.

Tuesday, we went to meet her teacher at a little open house. She had lots of fun! She got to color a train car for the bulletin board. That didn't go over so well when it was time to leave. I have been taking Kaiya to art classes once a week for about 6 months and at the end of class you get to take your work. So, it is understandable that she wanted to take this beautiful train car that she wrote her name on by herself and colored. When I told her it was for the classroom, we had a KAIYA SIZED TANTRUM!! If you have ever been around Kaiya you know she has two modes, quiet-happy and stark raving blood curdling MAD! And so on our way out, she presented her preschool teacher with her other mood. I had to carry her out of the classroom because she had all the dramatics of a girl and fell to her knees screaming bloody murder over this picture. The screaming didn't stop for two hours. Finally, she wore herself out and fell asleep!

Another story on the teacher front. Kaiya's Uncle Cary is one of the most CREATIVE TEASERS you will ever meet! There are many times in Kaiya's short life that I have just wondered, "WHERE DO YOU GET THIS STUFF?" He seems to have a never ending ability to just get kids rilled up and worried over things!! When we returned from the cabin, Kaiya's teacher had left us a message on our phone. We listened to it and Kaiya showed excitement. However, after hearing the message, she got this worried look on her face. I asked her what was wrong. Her response was the following:

K: "Does my teacher have POINTED EARS mom?"
Me: "No, why would you think she has pointed ears?"
K: "Uncle Cary's says she has pointed ears. (little forced giggle)"
Me:Oh brother! Uncle Cary is just teasing.
K: "Uncle Cary is full of bananas!" (another forced laugh).

I walk away thinking . . . where, where does he get this stuff! I mean POINTED EARS it is just enough to WORRY a kid, but not to TERRIFY one! I just have to laugh at what a great Uncle he is to his four little nieces!

So of course, when we meet the teacher and she is talking to Kaiya, Kaiya turns to me and says, "Mom, she doesn't have pointed ears." The teacher gives me a look of wonder! And I have to explain the whole situation! She giggles, pulls her hair back to show Kaiya her ears are normal and we collaborate on a plan for Halloween!! Too silly! Before the meltdown and after resolving the pointed ear concern, I did manage to get a picture with her teacher!! Here is that picture!!

Kaiya and Mrs. Beecher


Finally, we got up this morning, had mickey mouse pancakes, and got ready for our FIRST ALONE REAL DAY of PRESCHOOL!! She was excited and worried. On the way there I was making sure she knew I would be there to pick her up and that she would have lots of fun. She gets teary eyed and says, "Mom, I am going to miss you." Love those moments! I follow it up with how much fun she is going to have with her teacher and all the friends she is going to make! Not to mention, her little boy friend is in her class! That seems to resolve the tears!!

LEAVING in the MORNING to PRESCHOOL


WAITING in LINE outside her CLASSROOM