2 Weeks of Hustle and Bustle!

Wow, talk about a whirlwind couple of weeks. Ever had one of those moments where you stop and wonder when was the last time you looked on your calendar and didn't have something to do? That's pretty much me right now. To cope I like to envision securing just one day for myself when I can be a complete and total bum who stays in her PJ's (okay, sweats and a t-shirt for me), eating a pint of Haagen Daz while entertaining myself with endless rounds of mind-numbing television, intermixed with occasional bouts of napping throughout the day. Yup, sounds good - no appointments to go to, no practices or lessons to cart the kids to, no dinner to cook, no tantrums to ride out - essentially, no one to cater to but me, myself, and I! Mmm-hmm, fantasies are a good thing....

...but who am I kidding? I "ping" far too much to actually be able to sit down for long without getting up and doing something completely ridiculous, like straightening kitchen towels that aren't hanging exactly parallel to the floor. How my husband puts up with my odd tendencies, I will never know, LOL. Anyway! In between all the typical mish-mash of life with 3 rugrats and an often traveling husband, we have somehow managed to squeeze in some fun things.

First, Isaiah and I had what we like to call "an evening off" where we attended the NCO Academy graduation of one of our friends. Amir provided outstanding baby-sitting services while we trekked up the road in our dress blues. It almost reminded me of when we were dating! We used to attend alot of military functions together back then - and really, there is something so sweet about getting all dolled up with your man and spending a nice evening together, sans children. It helps me remember why I fell in love with him in the first place! Yup, lots of coy flirting going on that night...


Over the weekend, we enjoyed a nice pre-Memorial Day BBQ at the beach with a group of our friends out in Ewa Beach. Isabella spent her time dumping shovels of sand into buckets with Keith & Reshon's daughter, Kai (and on their hair, clothes, and the rest of us) while the boys played some football with the other kids.

(Isa also spent some time in the gazebo singing and dancing...I will try to figure out how to post a video clip later!)

The 50th State Fair also came into town and parked itself at the Aloha Stadium. On Memorial Day, they gifted all military members with free admission, so you know where we ended up on Monday! The carnival rocked - the kids definitely enjoyed the unlimited rides and games, as well as the naughty things we adults aren't supposed to eat, like cotton candy (okay, I snuck a few handfuls, I can admit that...it was blue, though! You can hardly expect me to avoid it!)

So...end result? I may be tired, but I DID manage to get the following accomplished:

1. A nice little tan
2. The sand out of Isa's hair (thanks, Reshon, for the hair tips!)
3. Three worn-out children who have slept quite nicely
4. Some one-on-one time with my man

and....most important

5. A supremely cool set of memories! (am I a cornball or what? Ha ha....)

Amir Can Fly!

Okay, not literally - but I have to admit, he is pretty darn close. He came home a couple of weeks ago, excited because he had tried out for the school track team and made it. His team practiced just about every single day, and then he informs me that he was chosen to compete in a track meet against seven other schools. So, on the day of the meet, my girlfriend Denise and I packed up our little ones and drove out to Mililani to check it out. Now, mind you, I had never seen him run competitively before - I was all ready to hand out pats on the back and words of consolation in case he didn't do well. After all, isn't that what parents are supposed to do? LOL....anyway, the time comes for the 400-meter relay, which is the race everyone had been waiting for. I started to get my camera ready as Amir got into position to grab the baton and go. The starting gun goes off - "bang!" - and the next thing I know, that boy was flying around the track like he had fire on his heels! Oh, my - I know it sounds corny, but I got chills in the ninety- degree heat. I honestly didn't know he could run like that. I couldn't even take a decent picture; I just stood there, flabbergasted. Denise looked at me and says, "Carmen, he looks like a flying ostrich! Hurry up, take a picture!" By the time I was able to get myself together, I only could take one far-away, semi-hazy picture (see below). Sorry for the horrible quality, but it was the best I could get!

I know we are all kind of biased when it comes to our own kids, but as a runner, I tend to be a bit more critical than most when I watch these things. Yeah, mean Mommy, don't remind me. But wow, I cannot express how awesome that was to see. Looks like I may have a new running buddy on my hands...