The Holzmans Would Go!!

Alas... another day with a house full of sicko-s. Oh, well, I guess I should rephrase... we were ALL ill. AGAIN. My kids were literally driving hubby and I to the nut house. We knew we had to get out... BUT WHAT??? We are all sick. So, it couldn't be anywhere where we would come into physical contact with humans... or they'd contract our little "bug". It couldn't be somewhere where I had to physically entertain my own children. That is just unheard of while sick... Especially since you all know how hard I work to teach the children Latin before, during and after our play dates... and let's not forget the fois gras chicken nuggets I concoct...
And I digress...
Just before bedtime last night, we were excited by the prospect of the Eddie Aikau surf competition that MIGHT be happening today at Waimea Bay. For my mainland friends and family, who don't know, this competition is only held under certain surf conditions... simply put, HUGE surf conditions.. but they have to be minimum 20 feet (30 foot faces)... and consistent. The competition, since it's inception, in 1985, has only been held 8 times. Last year was my first experience... watching on TV. I was too pregnant to go (and I should also mention I had a toddler toddling my nerves). Anyways. WE reaaaaaallly wanted to go today. But, It turns out, the bay did not call the day.... Eddie would not go today.... BUT THE HOLZMANs WILL!!!!
We decided, what better way to get the family feeling a little better.... than a little, well, BIG surf, and some sunshine and salty ocean air.
WE packed it up, lunches, snacks, tunes, sunscreen and snot rags... and we were Northshore bound.







Riley had a great time...


Gavin... well, we probably should have kept Gavin at home... or at the infirmary... He was in sad shape...


All in all, it was a great time. We got to get out, spend time as a family, and see some amazing waves that just astonish me every time I see them... I have some cool video from our first stop at Pipeline, but for some reason I can't get it uploaded.... I'll post it on Facebook.
Anyways... we are still sick, but at least we made the most of it. And it reminded me to one day, tell my children the story of Eddie Aikau...

Mirror, mirror...

So... what do YOU do when you wake up and all of your plans have been foiled by rain? (yes, so sorry mainland people who are dealing with snow, 70 degrees and rainy with the occasional 50 mile per hour wind gust is my version of sucktastic weather).



I had to think of something quick... and it certainly was going to entail leaving the two monsters to fend for themselves. I know Riley hasn't read Lord of the Flies yet, but I am quite certain she can rule over Gavin for a few hour... I mean minutes, while I have some me time... CRAFTY time. I mean, you trust this face.. RIGHT??



I've had a project in mind for some time now...My sister brought me the materials from California... and like I've said before, thank goodness "stop procrastinating" wasn't on my list of New Year's resolutions (come to think of it, there was no list, I quite like myself with no morals or standards with a passion for gluttony and debauchery)...Anyhow... here is the mirror that I had my sights on revamping...
** Side note on this mirror... my mom originally made this for me about 10, maybe more years ago... Over all these years, and through all my moves... I can not believe this HEAVY ass mirror is still around. It was time for a new look for this beast.





So... I pumped the kids full of snacks and juice... and let them loose in the living room with all of the toys they could handle and (to my dismay) all the Barney I could handle... and after many tears (Gavin's, BTW)... my masterpiece was complete...

(I assure you, the seams are NOT visible up close.. only on camera, to you all, whom I am trying to impress with my SKILLZ... guess I'll have to work on that).



Up close look at the paper I used...



And voila, plans foiled by rain, didn't turn out so bad after all... huh.

SOme recent projects

While I am waiting to unveil my BIG, secret project .. here's some crap I've whipped up lately.

(Thanksgiving card)


(For Ri's room)


(Box for Riley - used cricut cartridge tutorial)

Christmas Magic

My shopping is DONE! Wooohooo. Now it's time for the fun stuff: baking, spoiling the children, and decorating.
Everyone knows the key to successful Christmas tree decorating is to check all the lights before you get them on the tree. And of course, none of them still work, so don't start decorating at 8 at night, because we all know, no one wants to run to the store for more. Especially not when there's eggnog in the fridge and cookies in the oven (yes, I bake almost daily during the season. God Bless you Stroller Strides!) It also helps if you have fantastic helpers to help test the lights... getting them in a tangled mess is key to your success. You are sure to pinpoint the problem bulb while all the lights are wrapped around your child's body and he's ready to stick them in his mouth...




Another really special thing about Christmas is the magic. This time of year is really very special. Not only do we believe in this jolly old elf who brings us everything our hearts desire... but we also believe there is enough money in the bank for all the gifts we are buying. It is so much fun to make believe.
But the real magic is in the hearts of our children. To see them with a huge smile when they see brightly lit Christmas trees or see the terror on their faces when you tell them that "yes, your going to sit on that man's lap"... It's priceless. Magical. Really.



CLICK HER TO SEE GAVIN LOVE SANTA

No, but all joking aside. My little girl made me cry the other night... all the while reminding me about the true spirit of Christmas and the magic it brings. We have one of those light switch things that we bought at the As Seen on TV store... you can use it to make anything in your house that plugs in, turn on with the flip of a switch. So, we always use it for the Christmas tree lights. That's not the good part.. though I can see how you'd think so.
Riley also has a magic wand, that makes noise, and that she waves ferociously at her brother's face, hoping he'll disappear. Not this year, my child. Ask Santa again next year. Anyways, I digress... Last night, she was using her wand to turn the lights on the tree on and off... melted my heart...

CLICK HERE TO WITNESS CHISTMAS MAGIC

Happy Holidays!

All about a mom...

There are a lot of things some of you may not know about WHY moms love to be moms... especially why they love to be stay at home moms. I know the most common response to this question would be something along the lines of... oh, children are so pure... it's so fun to watch them grow up... blah, blah, blah. We know that already. That's a given. I'll tell you the REAL reasons moms like to be moms.... and why it it is so much fun to have kids...

First and foremost... who gets to see the sun rise?? ME ME ME. Hey. I don't love 5 am, but I love a good sunrise from my kitchen window with my morning coffee....


Secondly... you get to do things like bake at 5:30 am.... cause you don't have to be anywhere.... and no one can see you when you dip your fingers into the batter and enjoy every last taste of it (note to self: I do know the dangers of ingesting raw eggs, I have just decided a day of puking just might be worth it... should anything ever happen).


Today I made a a sour cream apple coffee cake.... which brings me to reason number three....

Reason three: PLAYDATES!!!! All of you who think playdates are for the kids... are so, so wrong. They are for moms. So they stay sane... There is nothing like a good old-fashioned laugh-fest with a fellow mom (and it helps if she also has a dirty mind, and can cuss like a sailor). Some fun things you may consider when planning your next playdate...

Making the kids cry....





OR... because ANYTHING goes... (like baby boy eating cookies!!!)



Some other benefits of playdates...
* someone to watch your kids, so you can pee in peace.
* usually all the laughing of kid A and B will drown out the crying of kid C
* if your friends are really cool, like mine, you will laugh your ass off for days leading up to said playdate and for several days after.
* and the best part: the kids usually take rockstar naps and sleep like rocks all night long.

And finally -- you can use your kids as an excuse for almost anything (not that I DO... but I'm just sayin'!).... it even works on husbands.... Take note:

Me: "oh my gosh, what a crazy day, I had a vigorous educational play group at the house for the kids today, and I had to bake, and make coffee"
Hubby: "You must be so tired??"
Me: "Oh, I am!!" (insert exaggerated yawn and stretch here)
Him: "Too tired to cook??"
Me: "Yea, I'm pretty beat, I had to teach them Latin today"
Him: "Ok, well..."
Me: "No, I think I can whip something up, does a frozen dinner sound ok???"
Him "What should I get???"
Me: "Well, I'd say sushi, but you look tired too, let me just nuke those Healthy Choice meals"
Him: "Ok, so, some california rolls and some tuna sashimi??!?!???!"
Me: "Ok, great. I'll be on Facebook"

And that my friends, is today's edition of livin' it up mommy style.

2

Dear two years old,

I just wanted to share my thoughts with you. Please realize, I do understand you are temporary, but nonetheless, I must get a few things off my chest.
First and foremost, 2 years old, YOU SUCK. Big time. Never in my darkest of days, have I felt so defeated as I do by you. You are quite literally kicking my ass. And I don't really understand how you do it.

I just wish you could make up your mind, and stick with it. Not cry when I give you something you just asked me for. Stop asking me for candy for breakfast when you KNOW you can't have it. Candy as a reward for going in the potty is coming back to bite me... just as a side note.

I also wish there was a simple solution for things that used to be so simple. I.E : BEDTIME. NAPTIME.ANYTIME. I used to be able to tuck you sweetly away with your lovey and paci and all the dolls and bears your heart desired. You stayed there. And you slept. Now, if I am lucky, you won't kick, or hit or climb out. You'll keep your diaper on and there won't be pee or (gasp!!) poop in places there shouldn't be. But there is no solution you see. A crib tent will be the ultimate target of destruction if I choose to cage you. But a big girl bed is not quite an option either. I used to think a quiet monitor meant a sleeping angel. I now know it means a plot to knock your mommy down a peg. I know it means you are eating crayons and finding a stamp (still trying to figure this one out) and stamping your doll's faces. A big girl bed, is in fact, for big girls. You, two years old, are in limbo. Not a baby, for sure, but not yet a "big girl".

Two years old, you DO make me laugh. You say the funniest stuff and CAN be the most precious thing - AT TIMES. Like telling mommy she has two chins (thanks!) and telling me that everyone is two years old, and mommy is 30 (thanks for knocking off a year, almost two). I love how you ask to play "dress up dollies". But, you know, two years old, if you could just relax a sec, so I could go and get them (after I clean up the mess you made with your lunch), it would mean the world to me.

I wish you understood that diapers and wipes cost money, two years old. Because they do. So when you tell me you have to poop, and I take off your diaper so you can sit on the potty for a milisecond, that tape is not re-usable. I need a new diaper. Grr. And those wipes that you pull out of the box by the handful, when the monitor I am listening clearly indicates you are sleeping (big fat LIE) - those are expensive. Two years old, please stop wasting wipes.
Two years old, I wish it was simple. But it's not. It's you trying to become three years old, then four, then five, and by the time I know it, 18, 19, 20. Two years old, please know I am trying my best. That I hate you, but GOD DAMMIT, do I LOVE you. I want you to discover YOU. I want you to be independent and self-sufficient. I want you to push the limits and be who YOU want to be. I guess that means, I want you to be me. Two years old, I am trying to be as patient as I can be. There will be tears (mine and yours). But there will be hugs and kisses and so much love. I think two years old is a struggle for you - your independence. But please know, two years old, it is a struggle for me as well. We are in this together, two years old.

Two years old. Only 338 days to go. And then comes three, which I've been told is ... WORSE...than two years old.

(This) Home is where my heart is.

FINALLY!!! I never thought I would live to see the day of no more boxes and packing tape.

I know I've said it before, but this time I mean it - I finally feel like I am home.



This house is perfection. Everything about it makes me smile. We have a garage for all our junk. There is plenty of space for the kids to have a play "area"... no more play "room" - but let's be honest here, I was SICK and TIRED of cleaning up a room full of toys night after freaking night. So, it's a lot more manageable this way. We also have a ton more storage space to keep some of those pesky toys tucked away for Goodwill... I mean, a rainy day.
We have a living room... and a dining room -- that wasn't an after thought. SO it is a true room for dining, not a lanai turned 4 sheets of drywall and we'll call it a dining room. Nope. We've got the real deal.
And I LOVE, with emphasis on LOVE, my kitchen. It is open, it is spacious, it is perfect. I can see the kids while I am cooking. Now I can cook and bake whenever I want..not just during nap time. I can actually be a half way productive human again, since I can see my kids from the kitchen.
We have an upstairs!! YAY! Since I've lived in Hawaii, I haven't ever lived in a 2 story house (remember, this is my 11th, yes 11th move!!!!) The kids each have their own adorable little bedroom... which I have yet to fully unpack or decorate. And the master... is ENORMOUS! It was actually two rooms turned into a giant master! We have 2, count them, 2 closets... one of which is a walk-in!! Yeeeehaw. No more making hubby hang his clothes in the kids' rooms! The second closet will be devoted to my craft stuff (read:scrapbook paper!!).
And the view... oh, the sweet view. It is spectacular. Amazing. The breeze... we hardly have to run the air, with the exception of for a few of the peak hours in the middle of the afternoon... Oh, and the air works. Don't worry, we checked.
Everything here is just fantastic. We are in love.
Now we can concentrate on living our lives and not trying to find the place to do it. So happy to finally be home.
Life is good.

(Oh, and PS, I am fully aware of the fact that my shutters need a good power wash!!).