May Day 2015

Aaaaand we've finished out May Days for both schools! We missed May Day last year because we were off island so it was really special to have Kai Boy's first official May Day ever and Ry's first at her new school! It's a little hard to see them in the videos but they're in there! Kai boy is wearing rainbow shorts and Ry is on the stage slightly right of the middle.

Kai's May Day performance was to Kolohe Kai's "Good Morning Hawaii" and it was so cute because he has been practicing for weeks. Whenever I asked him what song he was performing to, he always said he couldn't remember but that his favorite part was "You are the empress of my heart" and then I'd get a hug. It was really hot and really crowded so we actually walked back home after the Kinder performance (we're so bad!).

Kai's Video (must open on actual web)


Ryenne's May Day was really unique in that it had a theme! The theme was Na Wai Eha, the Four Waters, and each grade did a performance about returning Mauka to Makai water flow for the four streams of Waikapu, Wailuku, Wai'ehu, and Waihe'e. It was incredibly well done, nicely thought out, and turned the entire thing into a political education (bonus that County heads were there to hear the kids demanding water back to the community!). 

Ryenne's Video (must open on actual web):

Hold My Tongue

Just a little note to hold your tongue sometimes..... we just got done buying cleats for the boys and Ry was holding the boxes in the car on her lap. She had a pencil and started writing on the box and I thought to myself, "What is she DOING? The boys are going to be so mad when they see scribbles on the box" and I was trying to think about how I would handle the situation that I perceived happening when we got home.

But what happened instead caused me to take a deep breath and take in the moment.

She hadn't scribbled on the boxes. She had written each of them a note for their first day of flag football tomorrow. For Cruz, "Good Luck!" and for Kai, "Be A Team Player!" .... so I guess that was a little lesson for me not to always assume that they'll fight and to slow down and hold my tongue sometimes. I'm glad I did in this instance!

How did I get here?

Just blink. And time passes so quick. Here we are at practically the end of May already. I feel like I just blink and weeks pass. Day to day life, work, all of it.... seems like the older I get the faster it passes.

I haven't been writing as much or reading as much. I've been  focusing so much on the various hats that I wear... trying to find a balance with all of it (not an easy task).

It's been a really amazing few months. Truly. We had a visit from Pops, Uncle Jeff's wedding along with lots of family visiting, tons of photography work, school work, evenings at the beach....

In my last post I wrote about feeling tethered to this little piece of Wailuku - and boy do I ever. Peter and I love this place so much. Actually we've already started on a few of our plans to restore it, and I have to say, that it's pretty cool to be on the same page when it comes to our ideas. We just picked out wood floors that are going to start in the kids' rooms and the hall. The living room is an entirely different project altogether, as there's some lead paint under paneling that needs to be dealt with before we tackle the flooring. I am so excited to do Ry's room while she's visiting Texas this summer. She's going to come home to quite a surprise.

I've been sharing DoTerra oils a bit and it's been really amazing to see the oils benefit others as well. The kids love their oils and our routine every night. I've found the changes in mood and attention span to be phenomenal.

We're looking forward to Ry's May Day this week and the last day of school on the 3rd. We have a quick trip out to Hana scheduled for Ry's birthday before sending her to the mainland. The boys are looking forward to Summer Pals program and a flag football league! 

Silly Monkeys with me in our yard

I rented a lens to test out since one of mine broke and Kai asked me to take a portrait of him. It's rare that he won't give me a crazy face. This was a really special moment for me.

A ti leaf outside... another test with that lens.

Beautiful Arlito on a visit to my house

Getting organic Shave Ice with Pops and Uncle Koa

Emmy hurt her back. It really sucks. She is confined to her cat crate for a month. Her best friend Mitz likes to sit on the crate and look over the top.

Saying Aloha to Pops again. I swear those visits just go by too fast!

Mother's Day lunch with the Dagupion 'Ohana at Nana's favorite restaurant!

May Day boy - Kai in his kindergarten class for his first ever May Day! (video coming)

Quick overnighter at the Hyatt for some much needed R&R. 24 hours was WAY TOO SHORT! Ry the mermaid

Cruz is pretty awesome with his merboy skills

Kai tackling the waterslide in true local boy fashion