Check this out! Pretty cool!
Also, check out the Rwanda baskets at Macys. Not just because my brother Dean Ericson is involved i (well, partly it is, I am really proud of him!) but because it is for a GREAT cause.
http://www.macys.com/campaign/obracelet/index.jsp
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The Weather Channel Rocks!
Or any other weather forecast for that matter. I seriously think I have PTSD from living in Washington State. Last night while watching The Unit (Yes, I am "That" geek) The Colonel replied to his wife " I'm not going to England, I cant stand the rain" I felt like going into a convulsion ala' Kramer upon hearing Mary Harts voice.
When I see the forecast here.. The SEVEN DAY frigging forecast and it has '79 and sunny' ALL WEEK! I want that meteorologists job! Edit, copy, paste SUNNY! repeat...
I see its snowing and cold in Seattle muuuahahahahahahaha Can you hear me laughing maniacally? Sorry, I just can't help but love it here.
On another good note, we rented our home! Thank goodness too, I mean we were enjoying making two mortgage payments, it was sure fun and all, oh and paying the gas, elec, sewer and all the rest for two places was a dream.... yeah... Maybe I can afford a Starbucks or two a month now? Can you believe that coffee shops are not on every corner here? And coffee drive-thrus? They are a needle in a haystack! Thats probably good though, I am a sucker for that immediate gratification, then getting the kids cocoa or the ever popular kids Strawberry Littlefoot at Bigfoot Java. Troy always busting my by finding little empty cups all over the mini-van. Washington did have its pick of the crop of coffee shops as I think back. Everything from elaborate stands shaped like coffee pots to glass and modern architecture to little trailers parked on supermarket parking-lot corners obviously with no running water or "facilities" rendering them unsuitable for most germaphobes like me. Eeeewwww.....
Oh, and the newest trend, baristas clad in nothing but a skimpy bikini. Now, I don't care, who am I to judge? I'd work there but I doubt they'd want to see my fat ass poured into a grandma suit. But seriously, would I ever GO there to get a coffee? Hell no, I'd feel like a creep! Especially being as I drive a mini-van and I usually have my kids in the car. I would seriously look like a perv... when CLEARLY I am NOT! lol So, where am I going with this? Marketing...thats where... When you have only females wearing the latest swimwear from Rio you limit your customer base to what? Men, and women who like to look like men.
Now, ready for my idea? Picture the old Diet Coke commercial with that hot construction worker breaking for lunch and all the women in the office next door gathering to drool...
Yeah, now your getting my idea... Put that guy, sans shirt in a coffee shack and thats my cuppa-joe! There are more women than men that buy coffee I bet, why not? While your at it, make a Hooters with men serving! Same idea, perfect old jeans, no shirt and muscles. Think your old man would want to pack up the family and go to "Schlongs?" instead of Hooters? Yeah, I didn't think so. Especially since another idea was for the man-servers was for them to rub your shoulders and ask how your day was while he took your order...
Ok, I seriously need to get going and go play outside with Ryan, its SUNNY out, AGAIN!
When I see the forecast here.. The SEVEN DAY frigging forecast and it has '79 and sunny' ALL WEEK! I want that meteorologists job! Edit, copy, paste SUNNY! repeat...
I see its snowing and cold in Seattle muuuahahahahahahaha Can you hear me laughing maniacally? Sorry, I just can't help but love it here.
On another good note, we rented our home! Thank goodness too, I mean we were enjoying making two mortgage payments, it was sure fun and all, oh and paying the gas, elec, sewer and all the rest for two places was a dream.... yeah... Maybe I can afford a Starbucks or two a month now? Can you believe that coffee shops are not on every corner here? And coffee drive-thrus? They are a needle in a haystack! Thats probably good though, I am a sucker for that immediate gratification, then getting the kids cocoa or the ever popular kids Strawberry Littlefoot at Bigfoot Java. Troy always busting my by finding little empty cups all over the mini-van. Washington did have its pick of the crop of coffee shops as I think back. Everything from elaborate stands shaped like coffee pots to glass and modern architecture to little trailers parked on supermarket parking-lot corners obviously with no running water or "facilities" rendering them unsuitable for most germaphobes like me. Eeeewwww.....
Oh, and the newest trend, baristas clad in nothing but a skimpy bikini. Now, I don't care, who am I to judge? I'd work there but I doubt they'd want to see my fat ass poured into a grandma suit. But seriously, would I ever GO there to get a coffee? Hell no, I'd feel like a creep! Especially being as I drive a mini-van and I usually have my kids in the car. I would seriously look like a perv... when CLEARLY I am NOT! lol So, where am I going with this? Marketing...thats where... When you have only females wearing the latest swimwear from Rio you limit your customer base to what? Men, and women who like to look like men.
Now, ready for my idea? Picture the old Diet Coke commercial with that hot construction worker breaking for lunch and all the women in the office next door gathering to drool...
Yeah, now your getting my idea... Put that guy, sans shirt in a coffee shack and thats my cuppa-joe! There are more women than men that buy coffee I bet, why not? While your at it, make a Hooters with men serving! Same idea, perfect old jeans, no shirt and muscles. Think your old man would want to pack up the family and go to "Schlongs?" instead of Hooters? Yeah, I didn't think so. Especially since another idea was for the man-servers was for them to rub your shoulders and ask how your day was while he took your order...
Ok, I seriously need to get going and go play outside with Ryan, its SUNNY out, AGAIN!
Friday, January 11, 2008
C-5 Flies overhead...
Picture this... a Boeing747 on steroids... Oh, and turn your volume up to max and you can heart a tiny fraction of how loud this behemoth is!
Airplane noise? What airplane noise?
Iroquois Point is known for being in the flight path of both HNL and Hickam. But when you can see really cool jets (mostly F-15's) fly overhead. And sometimes the occasional massively, hefty, huge, lumbering and intensely loud C-5. Who can complain? Besides the kids love seeing them! They guess whats going to be next? Aloha Airlines? JAL? JetStar?
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Getting ready to Boogieboard
Lifejackets? Yeah, I know... Maybe a little paranoid on my part
He's just hikin' up the drawers...
He's just hikin' up the drawers...
Lefse? Anyone?
Seriously, don't ya hate when you make a long drawn out recipe that really takes a long time to prepare then you let it sit over night then resume the next day to have it turn out like this?
Hah! My grandma would be giggling.
When I was s kid we had a Lefse grill and we'd make it fresh.
This year we made some fritter/hasbrowns... THe kids hated them, even when gobbed with ketchup- Trying to bribe them saying that they were, in fact, potatos didn't work either..ha ha ha..
So, I made them up and tossed them out to the Minah's (Hawaiis version of the crow) and they didn't even touch them. I think they were actually screeching at me afterwards?
Lefse anyone?
Hah! My grandma would be giggling.
When I was s kid we had a Lefse grill and we'd make it fresh.
This year we made some fritter/hasbrowns... THe kids hated them, even when gobbed with ketchup- Trying to bribe them saying that they were, in fact, potatos didn't work either..ha ha ha..
So, I made them up and tossed them out to the Minah's (Hawaiis version of the crow) and they didn't even touch them. I think they were actually screeching at me afterwards?
Lefse anyone?
Mele Kalikimaka- Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas everyone! Please note the date... Yeah, umm January something.... So what! Right?
So, I am little late in getting this done.
Our first Christmas in Hawaii! It was a first waking to a warm temperature and opening up presents in tanks tops and shorts. I know, I know, shut up Jane, enough about how perfect Hawaii's weather is... But the windows and sliding doors were open and it was warm and sunny... HAH! Okay, I'll cork it
The boys woke up at their usual early ung-dly early hour. Well Ryan did. Andrew was behind him a few minutes. So, by 7a.m. even Maddie had rolled out of bed! She normally wakes up around noon, grumpy. Well, when presents are in store I tell ya, they all had the happiest faces on and their best attitudes! I wish every morning was Christmas!
Santa found our house and he delivered! Dru got a new bike and Ryan got a skateboard~ Maddie got a bunch of clothes( Santa is still able to get her sleepwear and stuff, but the school clothes? Puhleeease mom, you have NO idea what's COOL!) and a big wad of Christmas cash!
Here are some pics:
So, I am little late in getting this done.
Our first Christmas in Hawaii! It was a first waking to a warm temperature and opening up presents in tanks tops and shorts. I know, I know, shut up Jane, enough about how perfect Hawaii's weather is... But the windows and sliding doors were open and it was warm and sunny... HAH! Okay, I'll cork it
The boys woke up at their usual early ung-dly early hour. Well Ryan did. Andrew was behind him a few minutes. So, by 7a.m. even Maddie had rolled out of bed! She normally wakes up around noon, grumpy. Well, when presents are in store I tell ya, they all had the happiest faces on and their best attitudes! I wish every morning was Christmas!
Santa found our house and he delivered! Dru got a new bike and Ryan got a skateboard~ Maddie got a bunch of clothes( Santa is still able to get her sleepwear and stuff, but the school clothes? Puhleeease mom, you have NO idea what's COOL!) and a big wad of Christmas cash!
Here are some pics:
Thursday, January 3, 2008
I am feeling "oh so reflective"
Many of you know my mom died. I am aware of this every day in many ways. So many times, in the last well, almost 20 years I have been reminded of how fortunate my friends and acquaintances are when they talk about their mothers. There ALIVE mothers. Living, breathing, tangible moms, there for them. Usually I really take notice it when they are in the midst of a quarrel or disagreement or when mom is being too "in their business" I have to side with the mom usually, most always. When I do this I am doing it because I have an instant pang of loss, a split feeling of what "their" issue is and an instant feeling of how empty I feel at missing an opportunity like this in my own life. I wish so many times that I could just hear my mom get in my business, what I wouldn't give to hear her opinion about something in my life.
So many times I agree with what other moms say because, in fact I am 40, a mom and at that age where I know a thing or two. Precisely at an age where I could totally respect my mother, in person, to her face and just hug her and say thank you for not killing me as a teenager. She had a lot of good advice. Back then (Wayyy back then in the 80's) I think of an instance where a boy who had set a date with me was over an hour late. my mom told me that I should cancel my date, not bother with him. He blew his chance, right? Well, in my teenage desperation for whatever (the guy was cute or something stupid like that) I managed to go out with him that night anyway. It was a lame date anyways.
My mom was right. Nothing ever amounted with that guy. He ended up being an inconsiderate nobody. But I went out with him that night against my moms better judgement anyways- stupid. I didn't listen to my mom and this guy thought I was stupid enough to still go out with him after being so late! Even though thats just a little snippet of advice, not really weighty or anything. Its the little things like that I really miss. I wish my mom knew I would never stand for that now! I hope I can convince my own daughter if that ever happens to her.
I miss her laugh. I miss her smell. She smelled like Arpage (sp) perfume. The perfume itself isn't to my liking. When I see it at Sephora or somewhere, if I have enough courage, I will take and hold it up to my nose. It doesn't smell like her. I guess it was just the way it smelled on her. I remember after she died, I was so numb. I can barely remember events in the order they happened. I remember going into her closet and pulling everything hanging together and just burying my face into the mass and taking in a deep breath, trying to capture her scent, somehow I knew it would diminish every day from then on..I was so scared of that.. just disappearing. As if her death didn't punctuate that enough. I still have small things of hers that I have a hard time even thinking of parting with.
I wish when she was alive and that I had asked her more questions. I wish I had remembered everything she said instead of listening like a stupid teenager. Like I knew it all and didn't care, I was so cool. I look back and I was so stupid.
Today, a girl, a daughter of a friend, was asking about living with a boy. She may have been in her mid-late 20's but was still in conflict with her mother about moving in with a guy she is dating. I know my mom would have been against it, not because she didn't wish me the best of what I wanted, but because of the whole"issue" of "living" with a guy. I had to pause. This was yet another moment of when I would love my moms opinion on something. If I had been in this girls shoes I would listen to my mom, I would! I swear.
I wish I knew more about Gloria Jane Lenmark. I know she went to Southwest High School, she dated a guy named Jerry Schardin but broke it off when it became known that he got another girl pregnant. Now, AM I the only one who didn't think that happened back then? Well, somehow after that she ended up with my dad. See, now, being the inquisitive person that I am now I wish I could delve into her past more and find out about her. I wish she was still here to ask. I wish she was still here to get into my business. I wish I knew her when she was growing up...
There are so many thing I do know, but I feel like I missed out so many years of such useful information that I desperately need now, today as I am getting older and realize how much she DID know! How foolish I was to not listen to her better, to be a better daughter. To not be such a cocky teenager.
To all of you who have a mother out there, take it from me. THEY know you better that YOU know you. Listen to them and follow their advice. Consider yourself lucky if your mom is there to drive you nuts.
OK, there, I feel better now.... reflection over...
Thanks for listening :]
So many times I agree with what other moms say because, in fact I am 40, a mom and at that age where I know a thing or two. Precisely at an age where I could totally respect my mother, in person, to her face and just hug her and say thank you for not killing me as a teenager. She had a lot of good advice. Back then (Wayyy back then in the 80's) I think of an instance where a boy who had set a date with me was over an hour late. my mom told me that I should cancel my date, not bother with him. He blew his chance, right? Well, in my teenage desperation for whatever (the guy was cute or something stupid like that) I managed to go out with him that night anyway. It was a lame date anyways.
My mom was right. Nothing ever amounted with that guy. He ended up being an inconsiderate nobody. But I went out with him that night against my moms better judgement anyways- stupid. I didn't listen to my mom and this guy thought I was stupid enough to still go out with him after being so late! Even though thats just a little snippet of advice, not really weighty or anything. Its the little things like that I really miss. I wish my mom knew I would never stand for that now! I hope I can convince my own daughter if that ever happens to her.
I miss her laugh. I miss her smell. She smelled like Arpage (sp) perfume. The perfume itself isn't to my liking. When I see it at Sephora or somewhere, if I have enough courage, I will take and hold it up to my nose. It doesn't smell like her. I guess it was just the way it smelled on her. I remember after she died, I was so numb. I can barely remember events in the order they happened. I remember going into her closet and pulling everything hanging together and just burying my face into the mass and taking in a deep breath, trying to capture her scent, somehow I knew it would diminish every day from then on..I was so scared of that.. just disappearing. As if her death didn't punctuate that enough. I still have small things of hers that I have a hard time even thinking of parting with.
I wish when she was alive and that I had asked her more questions. I wish I had remembered everything she said instead of listening like a stupid teenager. Like I knew it all and didn't care, I was so cool. I look back and I was so stupid.
Today, a girl, a daughter of a friend, was asking about living with a boy. She may have been in her mid-late 20's but was still in conflict with her mother about moving in with a guy she is dating. I know my mom would have been against it, not because she didn't wish me the best of what I wanted, but because of the whole"issue" of "living" with a guy. I had to pause. This was yet another moment of when I would love my moms opinion on something. If I had been in this girls shoes I would listen to my mom, I would! I swear.
I wish I knew more about Gloria Jane Lenmark. I know she went to Southwest High School, she dated a guy named Jerry Schardin but broke it off when it became known that he got another girl pregnant. Now, AM I the only one who didn't think that happened back then? Well, somehow after that she ended up with my dad. See, now, being the inquisitive person that I am now I wish I could delve into her past more and find out about her. I wish she was still here to ask. I wish she was still here to get into my business. I wish I knew her when she was growing up...
There are so many thing I do know, but I feel like I missed out so many years of such useful information that I desperately need now, today as I am getting older and realize how much she DID know! How foolish I was to not listen to her better, to be a better daughter. To not be such a cocky teenager.
To all of you who have a mother out there, take it from me. THEY know you better that YOU know you. Listen to them and follow their advice. Consider yourself lucky if your mom is there to drive you nuts.
OK, there, I feel better now.... reflection over...
Thanks for listening :]
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
PTSD squirt guns...
Moving to Oahu has it's benefits. After Troy's SIX deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and one to Djibouti I thought "I have HAD it with deployments!" I love our country! I love our soldiers! Don't get me wrong, but after 6 deployments over there we, as a family, were s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d! When Hawaii came up I was mad-crazy about getting here. No deployments! Barely a TDY! The kids love having their dad around! Every night he comes kayaking up to the backyard after work... Weekends he is there! What a change from before when each month he was gone at least 2 weeks on average! THe kids would go berserk for the first week, then mellow out into a schedule about the 2nd week then Dad'd show up again and back to berserk till things settled down... In time for him to leave again. It was tough to say the least.
Military kids grow up so much differently than other kids. They sacrifice a lot and probably understand and realize to what extent only when they grow up.
Living in Hawaii has given our kids another chance at normal. It is a blessing that I am so thankful for.
Let me tell you something funny...
The other morning, it was early, Troy was recalling a dream he had that night. He described it as being in Afghanistan, up in the mountains. He was in pursuit of two taliban soldiers. Troy was running up after them as they were in position to shoot Troy and the others he was with. When he had a good enough shot when he was within range to shoot he fired his M-4 and only WATER came out! His M-4 was a water-pistol! He motioned to one of his other guys that taliban were on the ridge and that guy fired off his handgun and killed a couple. When Troy shot again, his M-4 shot a full stream of water "pretty far".... He woke up.
So, basically, Hawaii has been good to Troy. He has played around enough here in paradise to prove that his dreams are now fodder for strange PTSD dreams with squirt-guns. I am happy for this.
Military kids grow up so much differently than other kids. They sacrifice a lot and probably understand and realize to what extent only when they grow up.
Living in Hawaii has given our kids another chance at normal. It is a blessing that I am so thankful for.
Let me tell you something funny...
The other morning, it was early, Troy was recalling a dream he had that night. He described it as being in Afghanistan, up in the mountains. He was in pursuit of two taliban soldiers. Troy was running up after them as they were in position to shoot Troy and the others he was with. When he had a good enough shot when he was within range to shoot he fired his M-4 and only WATER came out! His M-4 was a water-pistol! He motioned to one of his other guys that taliban were on the ridge and that guy fired off his handgun and killed a couple. When Troy shot again, his M-4 shot a full stream of water "pretty far".... He woke up.
So, basically, Hawaii has been good to Troy. He has played around enough here in paradise to prove that his dreams are now fodder for strange PTSD dreams with squirt-guns. I am happy for this.
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