Celebrations in May

May 1, Lei Day

Lei Day is a celebration of spring with leis and flowers.

May 5 Boys Day
With a significant Japanese population in Hawaii, the islands also celebrate Tango-no-sekku, or Boys Day. Families display carp banners outside of their homes, called koi-nobori. The largest carp represents the father and is traditionally black. This is my neighbor's flag. Usually, the smallest fish represents the youngest son. My neighbors have twin boys, so theirs are the same size. Koi (carp) demonstrate fervor, endurance, and power to swim upstream against strong currents. They are also robust, and live about 50 years in the wild, and sometimes longer in captivity. So the qualities of the koi fish are all desirable qualities for young men. (Yes, we have Girls Day. I wrote about that here.)Well those koi fish are about $45 per fish. Hubby is not a fan of flags and windsocks. I would like to get the flags eventually, but for now, we will settle for the fish kites that Son1 brings us from preschool for Boys Day.

In celebration of Boys Day we took the boys out for ice cream. It is common to give treats for Boys Day, too. I ordered Prailines and Cream. This baby sure can shovel with a teeny trial size spoon. He nearly ate half my ice cream! He was pretty serious!Son1 just wanted green ice cream. We talked him out of green tea ice cream and into Mint Chocolate Chip. Now he is usually good about sharing food with his brother when the baby's arm start flailing everywhere and his legs are a-kicking, but not today. When I asked him to share his ice cream with his brother, he didn't look up from licking, and firmly said N-O. We just raised our eyebrows at one another because that is so unlike him. Hubby had Love Potion 31 which was really, really good with white chocolate and dark chocolate shaped hearts and raspberry something, something. Mmmm!!!!

May 5-9, Teacher Appreciation Week

The first full week of May is Teacher Appreciation Week. It is a national program throughout schools. So as room mom, it is my job to coordinate the whole week. It has been eventful. The first day, all classes at our school do the same thing. We all host a Flower Shower. Each child brings in a flower, home grown or store bought, to place in a vase. Tuesday our class hosted Pamper Day, Wednesday was Breakfast and Thank You Card day, tomorrow is Macy's gift card day, and Friday the PTO is taking care of the teachers!

Here is some Boys Day kite flying action for your enjoyment!!

Srping Break with Grandma T. and GG

Grandma T. and GG planned their trip to Hawaii during Son1's break from preschool. Here is a little more about the visit.

One of our favorite things to do is go to Waikiki on a Friday night and swim at the Hale Koa. We usually have dinner at Bibas, and then watch the fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Grandma T. loves to swim, so this suited her perfectly!

Now this is what I love about Hubby. He sat with Son2 and helped him with a roast beef sandwich, just so I could get in and swim, too. We had just one little problem. There was a little confusion and Grandma T. and GG did not bring a change of clothes. Thank goodness for swimsuit cover ups because the Farmer Family had plans. We were going to dinner, and were going to watch the fireworks! Let's just say they eventually came around! You know what we say when there's a problem? We just flash the shaka (hang loose sign) and blurt out, "Hang loose!"
Another day we went to the North Shore to the Turtle Bay lagoons. This is a different resort than I have previously written about, that also has lagoons open to the public. People do snorkel, and do see turtles. We did not see any that day, though. Hubby and GG sat up on the beach while Grandma T., Son1, Son2, and I swam in the ocean. Now, it just wasn't a four generation kind of a swim without GG. She thought about how her great grand kids were in the water without her. So she sprang up and decided it was time to get in.
We were kind of all over the place, so this was one of the only pictures to prove we had a four generation swim. Clicking on the picture will make us bigger.
At the beach we watched this dog be trained to retrieve a boogie board alone, over and over , far past the water break. He is a Newfoundland, and he was big! The sun started to set, and we headed home. GG and Grandma T. were tired! They relaxed at home, and gave Hubby and I a chance to have dinner out, without children! Imagine that!Another day we rode the The Hawaiian Railway in Ewa Beach. Since they were encountering some construction on the railway, the trip was only 45 minutes. We went a different route than the time we had ridden the train before. One of the engineers punched the tickets with an old fashioned railway ticket punch.
The train headed eastbound rather than ewa bound. (Ewa is pronounced eh-vah. The w in the Hawaiian language makes the "v" sound. The word means westbound.) We saw one of the original sugar cane plantations on the island. See the tree in the upper right corner? It is called a Golden Tree. The blossoms are always golden. They make me smile because they oddly remind me of Fall on the East Coast, with the vibrant and deep gold color. My favorite part of the train ride was watching the old fashioned railway switch signs that tell the trains in which direction to travel. They are original from when the Oahu Railway and Land Company used to operate the narrow gauge common carrier railroad, until 1947. They could be in full use, but are not, since the only train riding was the one we were on. At the halfway point of the trip, the engineer that was the narrator asked if anyone had celebrated a birthday recently. The entire train, consisting of several open passenger cars of people, sang Happy Birthday to Son2. GG was so proud!

Well, all good visits must come to an end. On Grandma T. and GG's last day in Hawaii, they got to visit Son1's preschool class. Their last day in Hawaii was the first day back from Spring Break. GG was so impressed she was moved to tears. But the teachers were also impressed with her. Being a senior member of a family in Hawaii is a huge honor. So, the preschool teacher and teacher's aide asked how old GG was. They were so honored to have Son1's great grandmother in class they took our picture and offered hugs. It was a very sweet moment.

Once Son1 was home from preschool, we spent our last hours together on the North Shore. From the time we left our house to the time we got to our first stop, the Dole Plantation, the rain was pouring down. We were afraid the rain wasn't going to let up. We rode the Pineapple Express, and both boys loved the minutes on the train with GG and Grandma T.

We rounded a bend and the rain came to an abrupt stop. I looked out across the pineapple fields and saw this rainbow. If you look above it you can faintly make out the second double rainbow. One day I just may tell you why I think God made these for me. But right then, we all looked out at those rainbows in awe. We arrived at the train platform and headed for the big Dole store. Hubby met us there shortly after work.Our last stop on the North Shore was historic Haleiwa Town. This is the largest commercial center on the North Shore, with a residential population of just over 2,000. This is also where our family favorite, the Grass Skirt Grill, is located. GG loves coconut, so of course we ordered a plate of coconut shrimp. They served it with two sauces, an orange and a more spicy sauce. This is one of their specialties.

More importantly, they serve the best teriyaki cheese fries. To the Farmers, these are the best fries on the island. We just giggled and giggled watching Son2 devour these. Once he got a taste, he just couldn't help himself, probably because I have him on such a fresh diet. Mmmm, saturated fat!

Their burgers are also our favorites. By request, they also come with a half an avocado as a topping. To die for!

The owner of the Grass Skirt Grill also owns the Surf shops next door, called Strong Current. This is his Woody.

This was a great way to end the visit, with full bellies and wide smiles. The boys were sad to say goodbye to Grandma T. and GG. But we have this saying in Hawaii...A Hui Ho! Until we meet again!

Preschool Morning

I am totally leaving out the part how we got to school and they had four foot long pieces of sugar cane out, and how I munched and crunched down on some sugar cane in preschool this morning. I wanted to pull my camera out, but Son1 wasn't even into the sugar cane. So how in the world was I going to have them take my picture? For another time...

Son1 packed two diesel semi trucks in his backpack for Share and Tell at preschool. We arrived, and he pulled the trucks out and handed them to the teacher. Next, he spit out three sentences about trucks. The teacher's eyes almost rolled out of her head and her jaw dropped. "Did you hear what he said?" Ummm, something about trucks...no I really hadn't heard what he said. I produced a puzzled look. "He just recited three lines from the truck book I read for the very first time ever, yesterday! His trucks he brought to share are exactly the same color as in the book, doing the very same thing! See, look!" She grabbed the book, fumbled to find the right pages, and showed me. Son1 cocked his head to one side, and repeated the lines again. I knew what she was getting at. I smiled, masking my enthusiasm. Yes, I totally got it. Hubby and I have been totally getting it for some time, now. He has this incredible memory. Even tonight he got home and told me all about Peter and the Wolf that he saw produced at the symphony on his field trip. He told me all about the instruments, the different characters they represented, how the music went really fast, and then it slowed down. I didn't even know they were going to see Peter and the Wolf. But I totally got what the teacher was saying this morning. The kid has a memory. Ask him to tell you about George Washington or Martin Luther King, or more importantly, his Bible verses for Awanas or Cubbies. But I nodded and smiled, and turned away.

On second thought, I didn't want her to think I didn't share her enthusiasm. I turned back toward her, and asked her if I could tell her something without her thinking I was sick and twisted. She looked at me intently and was totally intrigued. I gave her a little story, totally not what she was expecting, but totally FARMER. I told her how Hubby's family is a card family. He started playing cards when he was four years old. When we were seriously dating he told me we couldn't get engaged until I learned to play cards. So I learned to play, learning the rules, learning basic strategy. But I didn't just want to be a warm body at the card table my soon to be in-laws could just trounce over. Nooo. Not me. I figured very quickly the art of counting cards, counting odds, memorizing 52 cards over and over in Hearts and Spades, and Poker. Eventually I learned Pinochle after we married. The only way for me to compete with my in-laws was with my memory. I also have a thing for numbers. They have always fascinated me since I could tell anyone that asked that I was 3 and 3/4 old. I love different algorithms, game theory, and speed of computation. I didn't babble all of that. No, I stopped at telling her that I had to learn to play cards to get engaged, and that my husband calls me Rain Woman because of my thing for numbers. I looked the teacher square in the eye and told her we hope our son can become a professional poker player with his memory. That stopped her in her tracks. Who says that stuff besides the Farmers? Now you would only get what I am talking about if you ever came to one of our tournaments in Virginia.

There was a pregnant pause. I smiled again, and started toward the door of the classroom. It took the teacher a minute. She caught me and said, "You mean like the movie that is out? The 21 movie?" Frightening isn't it? That is exactly what I meant, going to MIT and being a Black Jack player. "Yes!" I beamed. Now you know we will be perfectly happy with him going to a school of his choice, as long as he can beat his inlaws at cards. You folks with little girls that we knew from Teammates....we will inevitably move back to the Cold Coast, I mean East Coast. If you haven't started your girls playing cards....well, this mommy is making a rule. No dating unless they know how to play cards!

Girls Day and Hatted Cats

In Hawaii March 3 is Girls Day. The tradition comes from the Japanese Girls Day called Hinamatsuri. Japan has done away with Girls Day now. They turned the former Boys Day (May 5) into Children's Day. But in Hawaii we still celebrate them separately. The older tradition of Girls Day was centered on doll collections started for daughters at birth. The doll collections symbolized proper girl values. The display could be up to seven tiers. It had to be taken down by March 3, or the tale was that girls would never marry. Now tradition centers around giving your daughter a gift. At our school the girls dress up in kimonos. All of the kids painted little dolls with candy and traditional cookies.


On March 3 we also celebrated Read Across America. Traditionally it is celebrated on March 2, in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday. Our school serves a big green eggs and ham breakfast for the kids. My neighbor was sweet enough to serve Son1. She also served him a chocolate milk. Ooh he had this guilty look on his face, and he sat and stared at the chocolate milk for a long time. His teacher only allows the kids to drink white milk. I only allow white milk. Remember me, with the cavity ego? He occasionally gets chocolate milk when his daddy treats him. Well, he only took a bite or two of his eggs. Even though I told him he could drink the chocolate milk he was well aware that he knew I normally would not let him drink chocolate milk! He probably had all of two or three sips!

Family Poster

Last week Son1 brought home a 12x18 piece of construction paper. Each student was supposed to make a poster of everyone that is important to them in their life. Sigh...I can't show you the picture because once I thought about taking a picture, it was SO BEAUTIFUL with everyone's names, and you know how we are about names...

We went over everyone on the poster. Son1 kept cheering, "That's all my families! That's all my families!" Both great grandmothers, both grandmothers, and grandpa were on the poster. My sister and her son were mounted, along with my brother in law and sister in law. On GG's lap sat all five of her great grandchildren (including my two) that are Latino, Asian, African American, and Caucasian. Our immediate family was up on the poster, too, along with pictures from Awanas Cubbies, Sunday School, and gymnastics. Son1 was so proud! Plus, did I happen to mention HOW BEAUTIFUL this poster turned out?

We arrived at school and we pulled out the poster and proudly showed it to his teachers. I dolled up that flimsy little piece of purple construction paper to look just smashing. Ok, I am just being honest. So they loved that. But then as they looked closer, they had a number of questions. And Son1 kept saying, "That's all my families!" I answered their questions, and they were a bit surprised that we are so, um, United Nations looking, and not completely, um, organic, in the look alike sense. We don't all make up traditional families. And I smiled as I told the stories, because I love "all my families" to death. The teachers were so intrigued by the little tidbits I shared, and were so genuinely curious.

I went home and thought about how "all my families" have some cracks. But where there are cracks God has truly shined through. I hope Son1 continues to be proud all his families, regardless of looks and cracks!

G is for Garden

The letter of the week in preschool is G.

The hat reads:

G is for garden. Growing and learning together in 2008.

See those little green shoots in the middle of my purple ground cover? Those are from heliconia, which is a beautiful plant my neighbor planted on the other side of the mailboxes. They have a crazy under-root system, and we can't seem to get rid of them.

Christmas Field Trip

Hubby came home on an earlier than expected flight from his trip back East this month. He traveled about 13 hours home, and got home late on a Thurs night, with a 5 hour time difference. This was great timing. I was going to skip Son1's field trip, but since Daddy could watch the baby, and nap when the baby napped, I was able to go. Well, that made sense to me. But not to my three year old.

"Mommy is going to go with you on the big bus today."

"Noooooo, Mommy! YOU stay home with Son2. DADDY is going on the big bus with me."


I was disappointed. But I let it go. He had been clamoring for Daddy to come home for 2 weeks. So off they went, a jet lagged Hubby and a thrilled Son1.


The first stop was City Hall. For the last 23 years the mayor and the city council has hosted the Honolulu City Lights tour at City Hall. The decorations are amazing.

This is the Lanakila train, which means victory, named for the royal train that once rode O'ahu rails. It is in honor of Queen Lili'uokalani, who enjoyed riding the train. A menehune (warrior) hangs out giving the shaka sign (hang loose).


See the snowmen? He is wearing a Hawaiian shirt and the little one is holding a surf board.


The landmark Christmas tree decorated with huge candies and pointsettias at the foot of it, along with Hawaiian gourds.



Inside of City Hall different businesses set up a Christmas display.

Then the kids headed toward the Fun Factory at Ala Moana shopping Center. Daddy treated Son1 to Islands and took Son1 to do some shopping for me. It was an exhausting day.

Reindeers and Gingerbreads

The preschool teachers invited the families in for a continental breakfast and to make gingerbread houses and gingerbread people. The parents were to help the kids make them. Each family got a kit for the house and one for the gingerbread man. I also had the baby with me...he is not pictured. I was too busy policing Son1 from eating all of the fruit loops, M&Ms, licorice, sugared gummies, and peppermint candies that were supposed to go on the house, that I didn't quite get a picture of the gingerbread house, either. I did manage a picture of him with a reindeer buddy.

The gingerbread man was almost ready for the cookie sheet. Something was missing. His face was complete, so were the buttons, and his mittens and shoes (made with candies). He needed knees, Son1 informed me. So he wadded up some licorice and gave the gingerbread man one knee. It was precious.

A Preschool Thanksgiving

Son1 had a Thanksgiving luncheon at preschool. First we created a Thanksgiving windsock with Son1 for craft time. Then each family placed a feather on this large turkey with their thanksgivings. Ohhh Hubby volunteered to fill out our feather with a twinkle in his eye, like he was going to take an evangelical opportunity. I suggested um, not now. I love Jesus, I do. I invited his teachers to our church for a Christmas outreach event. I am most comfortable, and often do share my faith in smaller settings. I just didn't want the plan of salvation on a turkey feather at that moment. Shoot me, save the turkey, true confessions of a born again that is sometimes reluctant to share Jesus. My husband generally doesn't have that issue. It must be very freeing and I ought to take some lessons. I took one look at that yellow feather, and I thought I recognized the handwriting. "I thank God for...His Son, Jesus Christ, my family, and His many Blessings!...." I stopped reading, went up to Hubby, and said I wish he wouldn't have written that. He gave me a perplexed look. Stomach turn. I went back to finish reading the rest of the yellow feather that thanked the families....and on and on.....the teacher had written the feather! Boy I was embarrassed of myself for my shyness and proud of her all at the same time. Lesson learned. Then I looked for very similar writing on the blue feather that thanks God for our preschool teachers, and our family, and la la la that Hubby wrote.

Before we ate, his preschool teacher asked for a moment of silence where we remembered our forefathers and why they came to this country (uh hem, religious freedom that she all but mentioned), asked us to bow our heads, and then concluded us with AMEN. That is otherwise known as a prayer to me. And I'm so cool with that, particularly outside of a Christian environment. There is no way I would have gotten away with doing the same, teaching in conservative VA, where there is a daily moment of silence in the public schools.

All of the families participated in creating a knock down luncheon buffet. There was local food, fruit, pizza, hot dogs, salads, breads, desserts...and a ton of other stuff I can't remember.

This is our family photo with Roaring Lion. That is his Natvie American name for the Thanksgiving play.

Hubby goes on a mosquito fest...er, field trip!

I thought it would be cool for Hubby to chaperone Son1's field trip to the Lyons Arboretum. So I signed him up. The arboretum is a botanical garden that specializes in woody plants and is part of the University of Hawai'i. It is one of the few accessible rain forests on this island, is about 200 acres large, and averages 165 inches of rain a year. Hubby called it a mosquito fest. It was hot, muddy, and buggy. He was slightly annoyed when he got home. The coolest things he saw:

1. Leaf skeleton- Bugs eat the entire leaf and just leave a skeleton of the leaf when they are done.
2. Popping leaf pod-The leaves pop and seeds go everywhere.
3. Planting a sunflower with Son1.


Hubby was a good chaperone, though. The preschool teacher even wrote me a note and sent a huge mahalo my way for all of Hubby's help. Oh, he was so nice. He even took some pumpkin cookies I made, and shared them with the teachers.

I know a Martysaurus

During dinosaur week Son1 brought home some interesting artwork. A puppet came home called a J.-saurus, and there was also a construction paper J.-saur. And when Son1 wouldn't eat his dinner we would ask if one of these little dinos would like to eat. All of the food got instantly gobbled. Well, when he was here, Marty started to play along as a Martysaurus. And when it would come time to coax our little guy into eating....Marty turned into his Martysaurus and roared at J.saurus to eat his food. The night after Marty left Son1 wouldn't eat. Ugh. And then I remembered....don't you want to eat like a Martysaurus?

The First "First Day"

Son1 started preschool last week.

W
When we got to school he didn't just have eyes for me, anymore. He was all about the excitement. We live in a neighborhood where moms and dads walk their kids to school, and parents take off work for the first day, with a camera in one hand, and coffee mug in the other. Tons and tons of people were everywhere. It felt like being at an amusement park on a very crowded day, where you can just feel the excitement buzzing around you. I wish I could have better captured Son1's eyes. They got WIDE when he saw the kids. WIDE like humongous dinner plates. WOW-WEE. Kids everywhere...all going the same place. And you mean I get to stay??

You can't believe how many pictures I took between the time we left the car and we got to the classroom. By the time we got to his class he started making silly faces at the camera.

Son1 started the day by writing his name with his teacher. He signs in every day like this. We love his teacher. She is a local children's author. She has taught preschool for 23 years.

Everyone wants to know if Son1 cried. Yes, he did. When I came to pick him up at the end of the day because he just didn't want to come home. And it went on like that for the first few days.