Happy Birthday

Today is Heather's birthday!

Heather is 3 years older than me, and I've been trying to keep up with her all my life.

Heather always let me tag along with her and her best friend, Heather (how awesome to have a best friend with your same name, don't ya think?) She let me listen in on grown up conversations, and even let me join in on her totally cool sleepovers.

I remember every summer following along behind her bike on our way to swimming lessons at Downey High School. And on the way home we would stop for a treat at 7-11.

When I was a freshmen in high school, Heather was a senior. She drove me to school everyday, and she invited me to join the crosscountry track team with her.

Once, on our way to school from seminary, our car stalled in the middle of the huge El Vista intersection. Scary!

Heather also drove my friends around town, and sometimes even bought us a snack at Taco Bell. How cool was that?

I think Heather and I look the most alike of the McSisters. And a couple times in High School I was mistaken as her or her twin. Fun!

Heather lives far away from me, now, but she's still such a great example to me. I hope you have a Happy Birthday, Heather!

*******************

The best thing about Heather's Birthday, is that it is exactly 2 weeks before mine. Just enough time for you to find me the perfect birthday gift...

Glorious Sleep

It is Thursday, and so far this week, all I've been doing is sleeping. Sleeping in. Napping. Going to bed early.

I am Little Boy Blue - under the haystack fast asleep. Luckily my little sheep have stayed out of the meadow.

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book. ~Irish Proverb

Winken and Blinken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoes that sailed the skies
Is the wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fisherman three:

Winken,

Blinken,

And Nod.





That's all I've been doing. But today I need to s-t-r-e-t-c-h and get a move on. Maybe go to the grocery store to re-stock the pantry. And go get my glasses fixed. And...

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jog

Trip to Utah Top Ten

10 - Peaceful flights

9 - Getting to know all the neices and nephews again, and still feeling a certain distance from the tears! Katie's walking! Rand's almost 1! Lindsey is a climber (I once saw her climb halfway up the door just holding onto the knob!) Iris looks just like her mom! Abby is so good at keeping the little ones entertained! Peter couldn't get enough of the trains! Michelle is so cute in her pigtails and dimples! Christine is adorable!

8 - Watching Mary so calmly decorate that cake. She was amazing, and the cake was just like the picture!

7 - Jumprope Contest with Abby (she won)

6 - Meeting Erin's new inlaws - they seem very nice and only a little odd - just right for inlaws!

5 - Staying up until atleast 2am every night talking to Mary, Sarah, Laurie, and Heather!

4 - Painting all the porch columns with Sarah and Mary in about an hour.

3 - Cousin Lisa arriving and taking over the kitchen: dipping strawberries, arranging all the food on trays, preparing the punch, and cleaning up - it was a life saver!

2 - Seeing all the people who travelled far and near to celebrate Erin and Bridger on their wedding day!

1 - Lighting the sparklers as the newlyweds ran down the path and away....

**********

The wedding was beautiful. Just beautiful. But even more fun was running around with my mom and my sisters. I wish I had been able to stay a couple more days, but I'm so glad to be back home with my own little ones.

Nathan met me at the airport with not one, but two leis! I think he missed me!

June Bride

Oh they say when you marry in June...

You will always be a bride.


Best Wishes Erin and Bridger!

Anna - here are some more pictures - these are just some snapshots - I can't wait to see the photos done by the photographer. We missed you!









All the McSisters but Anna - Erin looks fab in this, but the rest of us...

MickyB's

Beautiful cake, Mary!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Field!

Yoooohoooo

Nathan and company, are you out there?

Look over here, I'm waving at you! Can you see me?

If you do, please call mom and dad's house - I can't get through on the phone. I hope all is well.

************

Aloha from Utah.

I feel like such a grown up - I rented a car all by myself, found my way to my Aunt Sue's house, then back to the airport to pick up Sarah and Iris Moon, and on to Mom and Dad's.

Mom and Dad's house looks fabulous. The grass is soft and the flowerbeds are in bloom.

3 McSisters are here now, and more are on the way -

Let the wild rumpus begin!

Solo Flight

In about 24 hours I will be boarding a flight to the mainland. All alone.

Yaaahoooo!

My little sister is getting married, so I'm heading to Utah to be there. And to help fix cute little sandwiches and boss my sisters around and throw away paper plates.

This is my first every solo trip. I have travelled all over the Continental United States without Nathan, but I took the kids along for company. This will be my first ever trip without any of them.

I'm really excited. And a little nervous.

We've had some scheduling difficulties (thanks a lot US Army) but it looks like everything is going to work out just fine.

Here's my list of things to do tomorrow to get ready for my flight:


Figure out how to rent a car - do I need to activate a credit card for this? or will my mastercard/debit card work?

Download a few podcasts and maybe a book.

Return dress to the Exchange - I found a better one at a little boutique in Hale'iwa.

Print out online check-in stuff.

Sweep out the Tiki Hut.

Go to the Commissary and buy corn dogs and pizza pockets and bananas.

Wrap a treat for the kids to open while I'm gone.

Buy some chocolate covered Macadamia nuts for Dad.

Do laundry.

Pack my grass skirt.

Ms. Cranky Pants

Each afternoon it's the same. The kids start to get hungry again, and I get cranky.

I feel like I am moving in slow motion - everything is so hard to do - like swimming in molasses. Regular easy things seem hard: Like opening the door for John when he gets locked out again; Like listening to the jabber of the kids; Like starting dinner.

What does it mean?

Help!

What do you do when you get the grouchies?

Here's a little more information

- I'm not getting the nap that I have held near and dear to my heart for the last, oh, 10 years or so. It's just not happening. Even when I do have time to lie (lay?) down, I'm not able to go to sleep.

- My grouchy mood seems to last through dinner and clean up, but round about the kids' bedtime I get the bounce back in my step.

- It gets very warm in the afternoons, and the kitchen, where I spend the better part of the afternoon, gets the most direct sunlight. I'm not happy when I start sweating.

- I like a tidy house. As the afternoon wears on, the little ones start to get more and more creative...and messy...

- Today's afternoon cranky-pants episode was minimal - I'm not sure if that was because I got to talk to a couple of my sisters, or because I fixed an easy dinner, or because I gathered the kids and we all went outside for a little Sunday afternoon walk.

- Yesterday's episode, on the other hand, was never ending. So I went to bed early. I felt great when I got up this morning.

I say, Doctor, ain't there nothin' I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?"
"Now let me get this straight ",
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up

What say you? Do I need an afternoon chocolate fix? A Protein Shake? Hire a housekeeper? Get my nails done? Go relax on the beach?

You say yah yah, ain't there nothin' I can take, I say
Waah waah, to relieve this belly ache,
I say doctor!, ain't there nothin' I can take,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the moooooorning

Happy Birthday!

Hannah is 13 years old!

Can you believe it?

Isn't she beautiful!

Here is a Question/Answer session with our newest teenager:

Q - Hannah, What is the best thing about being 13 years old?
A - Being a teenager!

Q - What do you want to be when you grow up?
A - A doctor, because I want to save people's lives.

Q - What is your favorite food?
A - German Chocolate Cake

Q - Have you read any good books recently?
A - I just finished Goose Girl. It is a really really really good book! It is a variation of a fairy tale and it is well written.

Q - What are your summer plans?
A - My best friend from South Dakota, Emily, is coming to visit next week. After that I am planning to exercise every day with my friend Alecia.

Q - Do you have any projects that you are working on?
A - For personal progress I am growing a garden. It is cool to see the plants growing!

Q - What is the best thing about Hawaii?
A - The beaches and the weather and the culture. (Ask me what the worst thing is...)

Q - Okay, what is the worst thing about Hawaii?
A - The price$!$ !$

Q - Are you looking forward to anything now that you are 13?
A - I 'm excited to be in 8th Grade! and I'm looking forward to sleeping in!

Do you have any questions for Hannah? I'm sure she would enjoy answering them in the comments!

Say Cheese

Smile:



Okay, Look over here, and....



Now this time, give John a kiss....



Good! One more...

That's all!

How to be Poor and Happy

In honor of my little sis' who is getting hitched this summer, I thought I'd post my best "how to be poor and happy" tips for her. There are many ways to be cheap and still have fun - here are the ones that work for me:

* No need for cable TV. Buy a set of rabbit ears for the TV if you must. ($35 saved each month) Public television has some fascinating shows that you would miss if you were watching TLC.

* "Rent" movies from the library. Your local library is a rich source of cheap fun. They have free internet. Free books. Free audio books. and Free movies. ($15 netflix savings each month, and endless free books!) It's also one of my favorite cheap dates - all of the fun of shopping with none of the expense!

* Cell phones are money suckers. No matter what plan you have you will be wasting money. If you feel you must have one, consider limiting yourself to just one phone, or limited minutes or even a Trac Phone plan. (monthly savings of $50-$100)

* Stay away from the mall. There is something about walking into the mall (or Target or Walmart) that makes me spend money. And it turns out there is rarely, if ever, a time that I really NEED something from the mall. I can buy lotion and t-shirts cheaper somewhere else.

* Share a car. You will save in parking. You will save in gas. You will save in insurance. Poor Nathan rode his bike to work and school for a couple of years. And I don't even remember really feeling sorry for him. He even had this rather attractive green rainsuit - a jacket and pants - to wear in the winter. (Sorry Nathan) AND we didn't even live that close to school! We are back to one car in Hawaii, and though sometimes it's tricky, it can work (to be totally honest, Nathan did recently buy a motorcycle)

* Hand me downs can be fun! Goodwill, garage sales, and friendly neighbors are a great source for furniture and other interesting items. I am typing this from my neighbor's old desk. It's not the one I would have picked out, but I loved the price!

* Do laundry at Mom and Dad's. Try to go one day a week and get it all washed and folded at the same time. A bonus to washing clothes at mom and dad's house is getting to use their laundry soap and eat their snacks. But be nice while you are there and thank them by vacuuming or weeding or doing the dishes!

* Take advantage of all the free/cheap fun at BYU

* Have Sunday Dinner at mom and dad's. They are going to miss you, and you are going to enjoy that roast! Just offer to set the table, make the juice, and do the dishes, 'kay? And maybe you'll be really lucky and you'll get to take home some fudge with you.

* Don't join a gym. You live in a beautiful place with a lot of great paths and trails. Start walking. Go hiking together. Ride bikes in Provo Canyon. (Monthly savings $35-$65)

* Pack a lunch. I know it's not as fun as a taco bell bean burrito with no onions, but it will save you about $5 a day for each of you. Here's what Nathan takes: 2 turkey sandwiches (on whole wheat with mayo (blech), mustard, and pickles) a baggie of chips or pretzels, an apple, a refillable water bottle of water or juice, and sometimes a treat.

* Don't buy water. Get a nice refillable waterbottle and take it with you. Do you know how much a waterbottle costs? Anywhere from 50 cents to 2 dollars! Bring your own, and think about how good you are to the environment by not adding plastic to the dump. Also, keep a pitcher of water in the fridge along with a few of those refillable water bottles. Mmm. Cold water...

* Don't move to Hawaii. Even the $1 menu at Wendy's is $1.29 over here. Ouch!


I want to hear your best money saving tip? Do you rinse out and reuse plastic baggies? Do you save the rubberbands off of the newspaper for your hair? Do you sew all of your own clothes? Do you only vacation if you can stay with relatives (come, stay with us)? Do you keep the heater set at 55 degrees in the winter? Do you pump the water from your kitchen disposal directly to your garden?

Give me your best, I'd could use more of these myself!

It's Aloha Friday

Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song. It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula is unique to the Hawaiian Islands

Every movement in hula has a specific meaning, and every expression of the dancer's hands has great significance. The movements of a dancer's body might represent certain plants, animals, and even war.





When Calvinist missionaries arrived in Hawaii from New England, Hula went underground due to the influence of missionaries' to ban the "lewd and lascivious" dance. But later in the century, King David Kalākaua enouraged a return to the tradtional arts, and formed his own troupe, encouraging the dancers to learn the old hula.



At the Hula Preservation Society, you can read about the history of hula, see historic photos, hear chants, and listen to interviews with some elderly Hawaiians who grew up in the early 1900's and share memories of their lives.

Today there are several hundred halau hula (hula schools) and less formal hula groups on all the Hawaiian Islands and even the mainland, teaching hula to thousands of students and keeping the old ways and traditional Hawaiian culture alive.




Recently our elementary school celebrated May Day with each grade performing a Hula.



My thoughts on Hula - you don't have to be a tiny ballerina to perform Hula - actually, having a little meat on your bones is a good thing! We have been to a couple of performances, and I'm impressed by how beautiful and elegant the older (and more traditionally built) women are. They really know how to move.

I'm supposed to get my hula on for Girls Camp. I just don't think I'm up for it. Help!

***Late Breaking News - Sydney will not BEE 2nd VP. But she doesn't seem too sad about it....

Ocho?

So, Hannah and I were driving home from the Ortho, listening to The Fray when we heard the song "Hundred."

We had a little arguement about what the words say. I'll write out what I thought, and what Hannah thought, and you can tell me which one you think is right:

Me:
Somewhere between Ocho and a Hundred

Hannah:
Somewhere between Unsure and a Hundred

I think Ocho is kind of clever, as in: How old are you? Oh, somewhere between Ocho and a Hundred!

But I couldn't pursuade Hannah, so we looked it up... What do you think? Me or Hannah? You can clickity click here to see which one of us was right.


Have you ever misheard a song Lyric? I do it all the time.


Nathan and I thought (well, maybe not Nathan, maybe he was just being nice to me. I'll have to ask him....) Simon and Garfunkel, in The Boxer, were talking about the WARS on 7th avenue. Nope!

Cousins

We had such a great time playing with little Katie!



She is just adorable!

I was impressed by how easy going she is. She visited gardens and beaches all over the island and was able to nap anywhere!



She also put up with a lot of helpful cousins!



We miss you Katie!

Bad Mom Award

Poor Sydney. We are on school election #2, and as you know, I was born to be a campaign manager. For Sydney we have focused on the BEE as her election slogan. We have made little bumble bee shaped sings with: Vote Sydney B. for 2nd V.P. We have made other signs with BEE SMART or BEE COOL vote Sydney B. for 2nd V.P.

Sydney is not very excited about this election. Apparently her teacher nominated her for it without first asking if it was something she really wanted to do. And what exactly is a 2nd V.P? But she has been a good sport about it, though last night as we were working on her speech, I asked her if we should say "I'm running for V.P." or "I want to BEE your V.P."? Her answer was: "Just choose the worst one, because I don't want to BEE it!"




So for her election speech we cut out 5 Bees and wrote Responsible, Fun, Trustworthy, Honest, and Hardworking on the bees, as a visual aid.

Her speech is this afternoon. I sent Sydney with her speech over to the teacher in charge to make sure that it was acceptable. When I checked on Sydney on my way out of school, she was crying.

It turns out visual aids are not allowed. Waaaa! This was not mentioned on the 3 page campaign guide. In fact, the guide specifically mentions that there should be "a "hook" to get the audience interested and focused on you"

So, I'm back home, typing up her little speech again. Now she will say, there are 5 things I will BE as your V.P. and hold up five fingers. #1 (holding up one finger, not the adorable bumble bee) I will be Responsible... etc. It will still BEE cute, but...

I hope she will bee okay!



ps - I also heard the mean lady tell one student that parents really aren't supposed to be at the election speeches, because it's just for the students. Hello! If my 9 year old is giving a speech to the entire student body, I am going to BEE there!

Happy Memorial Day!

Here is a little tidbit of McSister family history in honor of Memorial Day (I hope I have this right - though I'm sure one of my sisters will correct me if I'm wrong)

We live on Schofield Barracks, in Hawaii. A long long time ago... before WWII... before my grandpa met my grandmother... before my dad was born... my grandfather, Mark, was station here with the Army Air Corp. Right here on Schofield Barracks. There are some interesting old barracks on this base (some being remodeled, some still housing soldiers) built in the 1920's that I'm sure my grandfather must have lived in.

My memories of my Grandfather mostly consist of visiting their St. George Condo and playing "Oh When the Saints" on the electric keyboard. And my Grandpa turning down his hearing aids when we kids were toooooooo loud (often!) And a song about a Monkey and Diego? But I feel a weird kind of closeness to him here.

I wonder what the island was like when he lived here - was Wahiawa really the pineapple capital of the world? - was he stuck here in the middle of the island, or was he able to go to the beach and learn how to surf? or to the Temple? Did he look rather dapper in his brown uniform? What was his job here? Was he a drill instructor by then, or was he a young recruit? Did he ever see any Hula Dancers in grass skirts? How did a young man from Tooele, Utah end up in the Army in Hawaii?

One thing I do know about grandpa, is that he really wanted to be a pilot, but he was color blind. My sources say that you still cannot fly for the military if you are color blind. So, back in the day, the color blind test was somehow administered with yarn. Grandpa had figured out a way to cheat on the test, and therefore, enter the Army Air Corp and learn how to fly. But just before he was able to take the test, they changed it to the dot test that is still used today.

Grandpa never learned to fly, but he continued to serve in the Army. He was later stationed in Texas where he became a drill instructor, met my grandma, Ella Gant, and the rest is history!

Happy Memorial Day


(p.s. I would love to hear stories about life as a military wife during the forties. Grandma doesn't talk about that much, other than to say that she was always prepared to whip up extras of dinner for anyone my grandpa brought home with him. I imagine her in heels and pearls and a starched apron.)

The Adventure Continues

Sunbathing ...

Splashing in the Surf...

Waterfalls ...

Flora ...

and Fauna

Jungle Hikes...

Yooohoooo, Jack, over here....

and Snorkling...

And this is how I'm feeling now...

Tiki Hut Tours

Your adventure includes:

Banyan Trees

Secluded Islands

Beautiful Beaches

The Polynesian Cultural Center

Maori Warriors

And Sunset on Sunset Beach

Call now to make your reservation.

(Thank you Laurie and Randy and baby Katie for letting Tiki Hut Tours use you in our advertisements)