A Day at Grandma's Big Blue House

Andrew and  I spent Friday at my house in Northfield

(or as the Florida boys call it "the big blue house")

and he and grandpa had some time together.  Andrew

seemed to like the classic FP toys....garage, hospital

and the village.  His favorite is the beach ball from

Everleigh's party though.  His little teeth are so sharp

I hope he doesn't bite a hole in it!  Had to put up the

old "safety fence"...a chair in the hallway to keep

him from attempting the stairs.  He can move!  I was in

the upstairs tv room and he had crawled into the hallway

and next thing I knew there was water running!  Turns out he

can reach the bathtub faucet.

 So...my first morning back with the kiddos and life

goes on.  It's breakfast time and they're both still in

jammies.  It's warmer that way.

 So..there was a bit of adjustment....

 But..then we got back in the groove.

A big thanks again to Ami's mom, Paula

Schumacher for taking care of our shared

granddaughter, Everleigh and also,

Andrew while I was away.  They were

in the best of hands I know.

 Day 2 and Everleigh is telling her baby....

"Go night, night Baby..."

 Ami and Scott saved a box from their new car seat

and Everleigh and Andrew have turned it into their

own little clubhouse.

Seriously...Hawaii has nothing on this :)

Aloha also means good bye

 love sunset!

 Fireworks Friday night at the Hilton...and the moon!

 Trip's not complete without a stop at Harley...in Waipahu.

 Arizona Memorial in the distance....a worthwhile visit

40 years ago I worked very close to this spot at

the Pearl Harbor Navy Base Exchange Accounts Payable.

 A simple drink and dinner under a Banyan Tree.

Our last morning at the Hilton

So a few more thoughts on Hawaii as we bid aloha...

Never needed a sweater, a jacket or a long sleeved blouse....amazing!

Hard to capture the colors

I really wanted to find the places I lived when I was here but only came close

to the place in Waipahu.  It was at the edge of town...now it's right next to a

6-lane freeway...but still looks good.  We did drive by Tripler Army Hospital

where Chad was born but couldn't find where we lived that was near there.

It was like looking for a needle in a haystack and I didn't remember the

address after all these years.  Aiea has exploded with growth but did

find both churches we attended and one is flourishing with a school and new building.

So many homeless people....maybe it's a lifestyle choice...maybe it's hard times,

but the numbers are rising there.

Hair products have certainly improved.  All those years I struggled with long

curly hair and now new products have made my wavy hair much easier

to manage.  Thank you, Kim!

Saw lots of babies there.  Not sure why you'd bring a baby unless you lived

there.  So many of them were so miserable.  All the hotels are high rise so

getting back and forth to rooms is a challenge to say nothing of strollers, etc.

So much beauty there...and some ugliness, too.  Just a block or two off

Waikiki and it's a tough place to live...

No need to return again but glad we made the trip.  It was relaxing,

refreshing, nostalgic, fun and a great place to reconnect.

Aloha

I'm using Greg's computer which has a sticky "r", but here goes....a few thoughts from Hawaii..

I lived here about 40 years ago and so lots of changes...

Like the whole island went on steroids with housing, roads and high rises....a dusty little 2 lane road through the country is now a 6-lane stop light filled highway with businesses on both sides and housing everywhere..a quiet little beach is now surounded by housing....but not unlike the changes in Apple Valley o Lakeville...

The people here are still very friendly and tuned in to their touism livelihood.

Aloha dress is still the norm on "Aloha Friday".

The scenic spots are the same but you must now pay to park, or like Haunama Bay, you pay $7.50 to swim.  It used to be free, but then the bathrooms are nicer now and there's a snack stand.

The west side of the island, where we most often used to "go to the beach" has become the "wild west"...lots of homeless people and a hard scramble life for those who actually have a home there.  The beaches are still spectacular, but we couldn't find a decent place to stop to eat or use the bathroom.

I still haven't needed a sweater o even a long sleeved shirt....even in the evening.

Bring your checkbook.  Any drink on Waikiki is $12, not including tip...and everyone gets tipped.  Dinne for 2?  Easily $150-200.

Spam is always on the menu, with eggs, in sandwiches, with fish...a million different ways.  Austin would be so proud!

They just passed a gay marriage law which takes affect later this year.

They'e very proud of their native son, Barack Obama.

So...just a few thoughts...pictures to follow when I have my own computer and moe time....There are beaches to walk and mai tais to drink right now...

Aloha!

It's Feb. 3

Dad...circa 1974....when he was 46 years old.

Happy Birthday on Feb. 3...can't not think

of you today....

Palm Trees in dead of winter?

If you check out this blog from time to time you may have noticed that I changed the backround to palm trees at sunset.....cabin fever?  wishful thinking?  too many below zero mornings?  well...yes, but in addition to all that, Greg and I are taking a trip to Hawaii in February.  I lived there for 3 years a lifetime ago, but Greg has never been.  When we were thinking about a winter destination, it just seemed logical to go there.  I've always said it's a place everyone should visit.  I don't want to live there again, but everyone should see it because it is so beautiful....and Greg loves the ocean....so we cashed in some miles and points . . . palm trees and sunsets, here we come!  thanks to Ami's mom, Paula, for offering to come to MN to take over my daycare with Everleigh and Andrew while we're gone, and Andrew and Everleigh for being so flexible.

lunchtime and other things....

 To help make lunch time a little more interesting, on

days when their schedules coincide Everleigh and

Andrew can eat lunch at the same time.  It really

does seem to help them both eat better.  Andrew

has always had a good appetite but Everleigh also

seems to eat more when she has company.



 It's interesting to watch how they have different styles

of play.  Everleigh walks around with cuddling her

babies and trying to feed them.  Andrew is much

more curious and wants to see how things work.

Here she is setting the table at her castle while

he tries to pull the horse apart.  Again, they are

both presented with the same set of toys to play with

yet they chose to play so differently....hmmmm

Not sure why this picture didn't turn out that well, but if

you ever see another pair of Fisher Price Little People like

this, BUY THEM!  They are the prince and princess

from Everleigh's new castle and she carries them with

her everywhere....and puts them in very obscure places!

When either of them is missing she starts calling...."Boy"

"Boy"  "Boy".  If they ever get lost I'm not sure we'll

be able to go on....We need a backup set!