I looked out the window and what did I see?

We've already confirmed that Zane is a Wild Child! Well, since we haven't done anything to the door lock yet, quite often I'll look to see where he is, and find him out here:

In the front yard by himself!


At least he is sitting and not running down the street!


On his way back inside:


Smiling, probably because he knows he got away with it YET again:


Grumpy that he had to come back inside:



Stay tuned for the next blog post: I climbed up the stairs and what did I see?

What happens when children are unattended...

First let's give a little short history. Zane has been obsessed with bandaids ever since he got a cut on his toes, and we had to put bandaids on them to heal it. My boys are wimps, and at the first sign of blood, want a bandaid.



So, either I was working or I was sitting at the computer trying to get off work. Regardless, I walk out the door to this:

Why is Zane trying to hide from me?



Ah ha, maybe it's because he's been busy doing THIS to the bandaids?


And yes, I had to buy a new box of bandaids after that!

Then....I look into his room...

Okay, toys dumped out of the box, nothing new, this happens everyday

But not this one:



Luckily Vivian seized the day and turned a mess into something funny:



We're a waste not, want not family here. So, Ken made Zane pick them all up, put them in a bag, and Ken will make use of them. Not that way, silly! They are sitting at his side of the bed. Who needs a tissue box to blow their nose, when they have a bag of toilet paper next to the bed. Yes, only Ken would do that!

Have we mentioned to you before how he gained 50 lbs when he came to the USA, because he couldn't bear to see anyone waste their food and had to clean off their plates. And I guess the giant refills of soda POP he used to get contributed to that as well, lol! Regardless, he can't let anything go to waste! Even toilet paper!

As for Zane, don't even ask how we can keep him under control. This is what happens when he's INSIDE the house. When he "escapes" outside, it's even worse, he'll take off down the street and not come back. We're contemplating a chain link lock on the door, but even that wouldn't hinder him. He'd just grab a chair and go out the door. Maybe a door alarm would scare him? Nope, didn't think so either. Suggestions?

Boys haircuts

So, I took the boys to the hair salon to get their hair cut. When she asked me how short I wanted it, I said, "Not bald, but you can use the razors" She then asked me "What size?", and I said, " I don't know". She said, what about a size 2?" I said, "Whatever you say" Later I learned that a size 6 is about what I wanted, or at least a 4!

And this is how they came out of the salon:





Ken thinks they look like they've just survived Chemo, I thought of Concentration Camp Survivors. We're slowly getting used to it. I'm not worried, hair only GROWS from here....

Metropolitan Museum

This was one of my favorite NYC trips; if only our feet wouldn't have hurt so much from all of the walking around. Last time I wore tennis shoes, but this time since I was wearing a dress I didn't want to look silly. Looking back, being silly would have been better than being in pain. I'll remember that! There's Keilani, the birthday girl! This is me in the Egyptian temple area, Keilani's favorite part. They transported an entire Eygptian temple in there that was on the verge of destruction from a river. That's not the temple, just some cool rocks with heiroglyphics.




So, I think I enjoyed myself more than Keilani. She will have to go back sometime after she's studied all the famous artists that were there, as she seemed completely unimpressed when I would say, Keilani, look a Monet, Degas, Gauguin, Van Gogh......I had never been to such an impressive museum, and couldn't believe that these were the original works, not just the copies we see in print everywhere. The actual brushstrokes by Van Gogh in this Sunflowers painting struck me the most. I wanted to reach out and touch and feel the texture you could see on the painting, but of course I didn't.


Of course I had to take a picture of Picasso's Girl Reading at a table:


One I've always loved by Pierre-Auguste Cot called the Storm :


The Degas sculptures were amazing:. Did you know this is the only one that was displayed during his lifetime, the rest were found in his studio after his death?


Loved the modern art like Rothko and other fun stuff there:



The one time I saw something and thought, hey, I could do that! Snow Flowers by Matisse:


Every Tahitian loves Gauguin, right?


The Papa New Guinea masks in the Oceania exhibit were some of my favorites: They just make you smile!




One of my favorites by an artist named Joan Miro. Just love the quote! Going to have to incorporate that somewhere in my house.


And only I could find a rummage sale in NYC, so not worth the 15 minute wait to get in, it was worse than DI!


But we did hit Chinatown just as the shops were opening up. Had to try the pork sticky buns (Polynesians call them manapua, Filipinos siapao) and of course Chinese donuts. We stumbled upon Columbus Park where the Chinese were outside all over the park doing their morning tai chi exercises. I love how the restrooms are called Comfort Stations. Reminds me of the Philippines.




I'll have to go back to the Museum next time I'm there, because there's so much more, but we just got so tired of walking we couldn't do anymore, lol!

How was your Mothers Day?

I had the best Mothers Day ever. You know why? As a child growing up my mother always said that for her gift, she would like a clean house. She never recieved that without having to do it herself. Neither have I.....until now!

While Keilani and I were in New York City, Ken cleaned the whole house, even the garage! I should have taken a before and after picture of the garage! It was wonderful, and totally unexpected. I mean, I had asked for that, but I wasn't expecting so much to be done, because after all, how much can he do when he still had 4 kids to watch that day. Apparently more than I can, lol!

Anyways, so there were no material gifts given.....unless you count this Wall Word that Keilani gave me when she received one from a friend's Mom that was giving them away...



I haven't installed mine in my living room yet, but that's basically how it looks like!

Flower Pens the girls made for me, they're sitting in a little vase at my work desk, lovely!



Then, there's all the great little "promises" my kids have made in school and church. So that I remember them, I am documenting them here on my blog.

Natasha:
Quiet Time (yes!)
Make breakfast for boys
Clean boys room
Fold laundry
Movie Night
Room Service
Mop kitchen (got this one twice)
Make Dinner
Make Dessert
Make bed (got this one twice)
Clean room (another one twice)
Watch younger siblings (got this one twice)
Watch for AVTO (that means sit at my computer and call me fast when my work offers time off for the next day, lol)

Vivian:
Read to Kalel and Zane at night
Help take care of Bro/Sis
Do the Dishes
Do Homework First Day I get it
Make my Bed
Breakfast in Bed
I will do my chores
I will obey you
I will not fight with brothers
I will tell the truth
I will pray
I will cook breakfast
I will clean the backyard
I will not disturb you (I like this one, lol)
I will do extra chores (again, good one Vivian)

Kalel: (His teacher wrote these for him)
Be nice
Clean the table
Eat all my food
Say my prayers
Be Honest
Don't Hit
Clean Toys
Put shoes away (I know he came up with this one himself, I'm always asking him to put his shoes away in the closet where they belong)




And last but not least, look at this picture Zane made in church. It touches my heart, because this is the VERY last little hands gift I will receive. Zane is 3 now, and next year he'll be out of the Nursery at church and out with the big kids in Primary. By the way, did I mention, I've been called to teach the 10 year olds in Primary at church?



So, I've come to learn, that material gifts come and go, but those gifts of service stay with you forever, and you remember them more, because they touch you more deeply. I think I'm going to have to take off for the day EVERY day before Mothers Day to allow Ken and the kids to clean the house! SERIOUS! What could be better!

So, how about you? How was your Mothers Day, did anything special happen that touched your heart? It started out well for me when I started the day by reading THIS blog post. Check it out, read it, it was wonderful to read on Mothers Day!