84 Days of Summer: It's Over, Teeth, School, Hurricanes, House

Confession:  I've deliberately avoided taking the camera anywhere so I don't feel obligation to blog.  Ha!  I love to blog, and I think this might be my longest stretch of time between posts.  I should be cleaning blinds and windows right now in preparation for our Wednesday move, but my hands are beat up, my feet are tired, and my kids are coloring, so I'm getting the writer's guilt out of my system.

Here's a couple cute pics with Kate's preschool and ballet friend, Daysha.  She is a doll, and her mom had a baby in June.  We had some fun times with her.

Zachary is a ham with little kids.  He loves to make them laugh.  After this visit, he said, "Daysha doesn't talk but she laughs and laughs and laughs."  Little kids love him.

We had a few more outings to the pool.

 Kate started holding her breath and swimming without her life jacket for short stretches.  We made some serious swimming progress this summer.

 Zachary was in a sport's camp in July.  It was run by a different church, and super cute.  He did it last year, too, although based on what follows in this paragraph, I'm not positive I will do it again next year.  They teach Bible stories, and the teenagers that are the directors (with adult supervision), are all on "missions" from other states, in many cases.  Zac chose soccer, and came home red-faced from his hours on the field each day.  On Friday, I noticed he had a fat lip.  I asked him about it and he said that another kid's head hit him in the face.  He didn't say anything else about it, and I received no phone call or notification from the sport's camp leaders.  A few hours later, he told me his teeth were loose.  He'd been telling me that all week, but I felt his teeth and they were SUPER loose.  We are pretty convinced that he got his teeth knocked out (they were barely, barely loose before).  When we probed him further, he said that the hit was really hard and his lip bled for a while.  They gave him an ice pack and he was sitting on the sidelines for a while.  So sad!  Both teeth are now out, and from what I understand, the tooth fairy was put out about her inability to pay via credit card.  Who carries cash anymore?!?

Here he is attempting corn on the cob without front teeth!

 It's been a full month since the incident with no sign of adult teeth.  This kid will be LUCKY to have his front teeth in by Christmas!

 The rest of the 84 summer days were packed with house.  Brady was at the house night after night, sometimes past 11pm.  It looks beautiful, but oh boy, there are always issues to deal with and plenty of fire drills.  Brady burns both ends of the candle, and we've both had sleepless nights and plenty of anxiety.  In another month, we will probably forget the stress of it all, and in another couple years, we might say, "It wasn't that bad."  But let me tell you right now that it was hard.  Construction is hard.  I'm glad Brady likes it.

Brady, giving himself a back rub (I promise I give them, too), sound asleep:

I got in a surf session each week this month, and one day, paid a sitter so I could go out in the middle of the day and get a little break.  Unfortunately, I got my first jelly sting within about 20 minutes, and also banged up my board on the reef.  Not my best $20 ever spent on babysitting!  I went moonlight surfing another day, which definitely made up for the pain and left me refreshed and exhausted.  I love being in the water!

Brady got in his weekly basketball on most of the Wednesdays, but mostly he just works.  He did get a promotion in the midst of all the chaos!  He is now a Senior Project Manager.  It seems like appropriate timing career-wise, but we were not expecting it.  We celebrated by decorating the house and making a chocolate tart.  We'll go out to dinner after the move.  Way to go, love!

Brady and I celebrated 13 years together on July 28th.  Megan and Todd watched our kids while we went to dinner. It was our first time out together in what felt like ages.  It's been a good run so far, and we look forward to all the years to come.  Obviously, the best part of the years was the addition of our babies.  Marriage is better than I expected, and I feel lucky that we have such a friendship as part of our relationship.

The highlight of the summer was a quick outing to Polihale.  We had friends going up early in the day, and we joined them.  Brady came that night.  We played in the water for hours, and sat by a campfire way too late into the night.  Polihale makes you feel like you somehow escaped reality, and it never gets old.

 We did have quite a bit of beach time.  I went with the kids and with friends several times, knowing school was starting on Friday.  Brady was able to join us for one hour the day after school started.  It feels so healthy to take the kids to the water (especially in the evening without the blaring sun).  Zac never gets tired of doing tricks, and he's getting really good at jumps off his board.  Kate wants to be in the water about 80% of the time we are at the beach.  She will even try catching waves on the boogie board if Jack is with us.

I got super emotional sending Zac off to school.  I was teary and sad the night before.  I made sure not to let Zachary see--he was so excited to start school and I don't want to give him the wrong message.  I want him to be excited.  I know there will be more summers with that sweet little boy, but time ticks on and I know that these are going to be some of the very happiest memories and times of my life.  He's getting older and I know I'm just entering another stage with him.  The morning of school, he woke up well before 6am and we heard him sorting through his change.  When we got up, we saw he had created a card for Kate, and he included some treasures for her--a lego man and some money.  Here is his card. So precious!!

Kate made him a card in return when he got home.  She wrote a bunch of circles, and told him it said, "Dear Zachary.  I miss you so very much.  I love your kisses."  She also gave him a present--a book mark.  These exchanges made my week!

Zac brought Olaf to the first day.  His class theme this year revolves around Disney characters.

 First day of school treat: peanut butter fingers (Zac's favorite):

 We also dealt with two hurricane warnings--Hurricane Iselle and Hurricane Julio.  Hurricane Iselle hit Big Island and dissipated.  Hurricane Julio missed the island chain entirely.  There's been a lot of mocking of Hawaii newscasters throughout Hawaii and even nationally.  Most of it revolves around the newscasters promising a storm and getting denied--again.  We've been through quite a few tsunami and hurricane warnings in the seven years we've lived here, and I can see why people would start to blow off warnings.  You know what, though?  I don't feel that way at all.  I just feel grateful.  I'm first of all grateful for the technology that gives us warnings.  I'm also grateful that we didn't face major destruction, power outages, and a state of emergency!  I can't imagine mocking the broadcasters for "crying wolf."  After all, Hurricane Iniki--the storm that absolutely devastated Kauai in 1991--didn't appear to be heading our way.  It took a 90 degree turn pretty much last minute and caused power outages for 6 months, water supply issues, and severe damage to property that can be witnessed even today.  I think there is much to be said for being prepared with the basics and hope you don't have to use them--even if you think dried/canned food is generally gross.  

 We did end up with some damage to our new home in Poipu from all the flooding, and it may be a big deal.  We're working on fixing the issue now.  There is something wrong with the tracks on our Western Door--the huge door that opens up completely from our living room.  It let in water and some of the wood flooring warped.  Brady is working hard on a resolution to this.  Ay-yay-yay, new construction obstacles!

Last night, we went to a fireside with the key speaker JIMMER!!!  I have a little Jimmer obsession.  Of every sports celebrity out there, I'd rather meet him.  

His talk was awesome.  He spoke about reading the Book of Mormon as a major key to keeping the faith.  He talked about how he has combatted the temptations around him.  He talked about experiences that made him decide to stick to the standards of the church, including his brother and best friend who ended up with drug problems.  My favorite moment by far was during the question and answer session.  Someone asked him who his favorite player in the NBA is, and he answered, "Brandon Davies."  That touched me from head to toe, especially knowing how frustrating it was to lose Davies during the NCAA championship.

We got to meet him for a moment afterwards, although they didn't have us take pictures and sign autographs.  He was sincere and kind, and Zac told him that he "watched him make baskets."  When we got the kids to bed super late, and in Zac's prayer he said, "I'm thankful we got to listen to our really good friend..."  Brady did a little fist pump mid-prayer.

 Zac goes to shake hands--with his left hand.

 I heart Jimmer!  I was so excited, I was shaking.

Another quick moment.  Zac and Kate have been working on a manners chart for meal time.  We've been frustrated with the behavior at the table: whining about eating, whining about what we're eating, getting up from the table whenever they want, whining, rude noises, pushing back on their chair legs, and whining.  We made a chart to monitor behavior, and like all sticker charts in this household, it's working like MAGIC.  They are both about to earn their toys after a month of monitoring success, and all I hear about even kale and broccoli is, "Thanks so much for the dinner, Mom!"  

The other day, Brady was in the kitchen pouring milk for breakfast, and let out a huge burp.  Later, I was in the bathroom and let out some other noise.  hehe  Zac came into the room, and he said, "Mom, I'm going to make you something special at school tomorrow!"  He was excited and enthusiastic, and I asked him what it was.  "A manners chart for you and Dad!"