Archive for the 'Hawaii' Category

Too Long

It’s been a bit too long since I updated and I appreciate if I’ve got any readers out there these days.

What gives?

To start - single parenthood is rough work and the three year old stuff makes it ever so fun.  The tantrums - some days we have none and some days she melts to a screaming pile on the floor when I have the audacity not to read her mind.  It must be really hard to be inside her head - it seems like she’s got PMS mood swings on speed - and I’m like the husband who rolls his eyes at it all.

Living in Hawaii?  Awesome?  Adventure Dad getting Navy orders to a boat here, so that we can say?  Priceless.  But now I must find a house other than my parents in which to live, and make a whole new list of priorities (school?  learning to surf?  Navy wife stuff?) and follow through.
I think instead I’ll go on vacation to the UK to see Adventure Dad then spend a month on the East Coast.  Then, I’ll think about it.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Not a solution. by Papaya Mom on January 17th, 2008
A horrible crime happened in Hawaii today.

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

Saturday by Papaya Mom on February 16th, 2008
It is six a.

Prius Love by Papaya Mom on August 5th, 2007
We've made the leap, in our minds of course, to purchase our next vehicle.

The perfect first day by Papaya Mom on September 24th, 2007
It may have not been the perfect first day home, but it came as close as humanly possible.

Popularity: 90% [?]

Saturday

It is six a.m. she wanted to wake up. I’d been asleep for only a few hours thanks to the frogs playing in the leaves outside our window. We are watching The Backyardigans and I’m playing the internet to stay awake as long as possible on this “cool” morning in Hawaii (lower sixties! this is freezing people).

Jordan came again to save my blog when I messed it up with the last video, thanks. Formatting fun people, I know your envious.

In other news Papaya and I went to the Big Island where she got to walk and feed a dog, feed a horse (or three), hold a baby lamb, feed chickens then steal a fresh egg from the coop, watch whales “spit” but not jump, throw coral rocks into fields of larger coral rocks and walk on lava. Heck she even got to learn more about the petroglyphs - “see Mommy, that one is a circle!” One morning on vacation she rolled over to me in bed around seven a.m. (this part annoys me, the girl used to sleep until nine until I started her on that darn preschool thing) and said “look Mommy, the sun is up, isn’t it amazing?” Yes honey, it sure is.

Feeding grass (and roots) to the chickens
Note the chickens were fed grass and roots.  And come to think of it they were much more interested in the leftover pizza than the grass that she pulled right up out of the ground three feet from their cage.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Too Long by Papaya Mom on April 12th, 2008
It's been a bit too long since I updated and I appreciate if I've got any readers out there these days.

Not a solution. by Papaya Mom on January 17th, 2008
A horrible crime happened in Hawaii today.

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

Prius Love by Papaya Mom on August 5th, 2007
We've made the leap, in our minds of course, to purchase our next vehicle.

The perfect first day by Papaya Mom on September 24th, 2007
It may have not been the perfect first day home, but it came as close as humanly possible.

Popularity: 71% [?]

Boots mean something to her.

Yesterday Bumpa donned his wellington boots to go mow the lawn because he has a grass allergy and I promise you don’t want to see his itchy shins if he forgets to wear them. Then again you may also not want to see a grown man wearing shorts and wellingtons but in that case I suggest you avoid our front yard every other weekend at mowing time.

Maya knows these boots by a different name - barn boots. Everyone wears them to go over to the barn at her Grandma and Grandpa’s house. There it is less about any allergy to grass and more about avoiding that special cow feces between the toes feeling when working with the girls (they are almost all girls - they make milk, remember?).

Maya looked at Bumpa yesterday darning his barn boots to go into our Hawaiian front yard - she asked him if he was going outside to milk the geckos.

He told her they would have to herd them first and it would be hard. His sense of humor has me rolling in laughter now, a day later, and I’m sure I’ll be giggling at both of them a week from now thinking of that little conversation.

If you liked that post, then try these...

BIKE by Papaya Mom on June 11th, 2007
I am dying for a bike when I make the move to Hawaii this fall.

Charles Memminger offends me, or does he? by Papaya Mom on June 24th, 2007
in my opinion of course.

Laughing is not appropriate by Papaya Mom on October 15th, 2007
when you are a children's librarian in a town that sits next to a military base, on an island with many military bases and a mother asks you about children's books on deployment.

Starting to get nervous by Papaya Mom on June 23rd, 2007
I'm moving to Hawaii in October as part of our new year of Navy moves.

Mooooooving by Papaya Mom on July 7th, 2007
As part of moving comes buying and purging - getting rid of things via Craigslist and the like, and also buying things for the next house.

Popularity: 62% [?]

Not a solution.

A horrible crime happened in Hawaii today.  Click here if you want to know about it.

In a discussion some people suggested that these are just the crimes that deserve the death penalty.  I disagree.  Since emotional topics tend to lead to emotional discussion I’m going to quote some nationally recognized groups who are working to abolish what I see as a scar on our society, a human rights abuse, and murder by each of us who choose to be part of this society without speaking up and working to eliminate this type of torture from the government of our country.

ACLU:
The death penalty is the ultimate denial of civil liberties. In the past 30 years, 124 inmates were found to be innocent and released from death row. The ACLU Capital Punishment Project is fighting for the end of the death penalty by supporting moratorium and repeal movements through public education and advocacy. We are engaged in systemic reform of the death penalty process, and case-specific litigation highlighting some of its fundamental flaws.

 Amnesty International:

The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It violates the right to life. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent. It has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishments. It is used as a tool of political repression. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and works for its abolition in all countries. This leaflet includes illustrative examples and further information.

Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation, Inc.

We oppose the death penalty for a variety of reasons — endless trials re-open emotional wounds and put off the time when real healing can begin, the vast resources and attention spent on the death penalty is better spent supporting victims and preventing crime in the first place, the risk of executing the innocent is too high a price to pay, biases of geography, race and class plague the system, executions create more families who have lost a loved one to killing, and many of us think it is just plain wrong for the state to kill.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

The perfect first day by Papaya Mom on September 24th, 2007
It may have not been the perfect first day home, but it came as close as humanly possible.

Too Long by Papaya Mom on April 12th, 2008
It's been a bit too long since I updated and I appreciate if I've got any readers out there these days.

Saturday by Papaya Mom on February 16th, 2008
It is six a.

Prius Love by Papaya Mom on August 5th, 2007
We've made the leap, in our minds of course, to purchase our next vehicle.

Popularity: 71% [?]

Like saying you’ve never had the flu

That is what happens when a tired Mommy blogs about having no time to blog. Suddenly, she has a moment to blog as her daughter for the first time (gasp) asks to put herself to sleep in “her” bed. (note: I’m not crazy - I know this won’t last)

I had a great dinner tonight despite two toddlers bouncing off all corners of the booth. It was great because 1. No matter how wild they were our two toddlers liked one another and were having fun without tantrums or knives and 2. I got a chance to articulate to someone part of why moving here was a great decision for Papaya, myself and Adventure Dad.

Most people “get” that I moved home this year while Adventure Dad deploys and why someone would do that for all the wonderful help I’ve recieved from my parents, brother, his wife and other friends here in Hawaii. Aside from the obvious there were other reasons that I moved “home” to the house where I grew up (okay, the second half of my youth after the townhouse - but let’s not be bogged down with specifics like facts) and where my parents still lived. I was asked a lot of questions and given a lot of advice by friends who had well-meaning opinions (we’ll assume) about a woman in her late twenties moving home for “help.”

1. Are you okay? Many would ask as if my honesty about battling depression means that mine is so much worse and somehow I’m moving home as part of my secret plan to give up my daughter and check myself into some hospital with padded walls. The truth for me is quite the opposite reason - I’ve become a better advocate for myself through the journey of motherhood (aka. now I know I need to be healthy mentally for Papaya who I love more than the air I breathe) and knew that company and community support are things that matter to my daily happiness. I know that it is not popular to admit that the life we’ve chosen is hard or imperfect - but I fell in love with someone who travels for work, heck I even encourage it - and in turn I have had to learn how to handle the lonliness and boredom of having your husband home every night.

2. Well I would too if I was from paradise! Thanks, that is a nice thing to say, but I’m not here for the Rum & Coke on the beach at sunset. Growing up here I felt so lucky - I lived somewhere beautiful and it had nothing to do with the postcards sold in Waikiki. There was the beach at my grandfather’s house with little fish darting between my ankles, sea grapes to “play” cooking games with and year- round ability to be naked outdoors (important childhood thing). Moving back here also allowed me to honor what I loved about this place and “do things right” that I’d seen differently in the eye of reflection. I want to spend time with the ocean, let my daughter’s memories include sandy toes, I want to have her take hula because I regret not doing it, I want to spend time getting to know my brother and his wife as adults because they are awesome people (not to mention my obvious parents who I also want to know and love better), and the list goes on…. I came here with a purpose to live this year following my heart, honoring Maya’s childhood and giving her a chance to know large parts of her extended family on my side that she might not always get to live near. Part of that was seeing how truly wonderful it was to have her bond with Travis’ parents - and there is part of me that is so sad that the time came that we could no longer live “close” to them (10 hours was worth the drive, every single time).

So it felt good to articulate that - even if it is a serious rambling run-on.  Note: As I finished this last night Papaya changed her mind and wanted my cuddles so now I publish a day later, and not so high on my “kid is sleeping” horse.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Not a solution. by Papaya Mom on January 17th, 2008
A horrible crime happened in Hawaii today.

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

Too Long by Papaya Mom on April 12th, 2008
It's been a bit too long since I updated and I appreciate if I've got any readers out there these days.

The perfect first day by Papaya Mom on September 24th, 2007
It may have not been the perfect first day home, but it came as close as humanly possible.

Saturday by Papaya Mom on February 16th, 2008
It is six a.

Popularity: 72% [?]

Laughing is not appropriate

when you are a children’s librarian in a town that sits next to a military base, on an island with many military bases and a mother asks you about children’s books on deployment.  It’s not “way out” there and “not really a common subject” right now.  In fact - I found over a hundred books on Amazon including the one I bought for my daughter.  Nope - not “travel” honey, deployment, with a big fat D that you might find familiar since your name tag ought to read “Dumb biotch.”

Children learn how to cope from watching us, and from the stories we read.  No - it’s not a “travel” subject honey, and it’s sure not “death” you moron.  It is deployment (shall I spell that again for you?) and it’s happening to thousands of kids on the island you work on (heck within a mile of your library there are sure to be hundreds).  So maybe, next time a mother wants to find a picture book to help her child you’ll keep your idiotic and cruel laughter to yourself.  Or - if I have the guts I might come back and tell you in person how unprofessional and rude your reaction was and how it made me want to cry in public you insufferable bitch.

If you liked that post, then try these...

"Don't be sad" by Papaya Mom on January 4th, 2008
the Papaya said to me, sweeping away the tears as they ran down my face.

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

Popularity: 66% [?]

Like a fish out of water

It’s how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my ‘rents PC but PCs hate me and it’s just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

WiFi - I love you.  Please don’t ever leave me again.

Now if Papaya would oblige me by sleeping, a lot, I could write all the posts stored up in my mind and crowding out things like the knowledge of how to wash my own hair and important things of this sort.  Let me tell you that I am smart but my hair is just a horrible mess without room to remember important woman things like conditioner.

Anyhow.

I’m back online.

Papaya misses her Dad more than we could have imagined but today, through the magic of the internet, they talked face to face for 90 minutes.  It was sweet to watch from afar AND I got some laundry done without tiny toddler hands “helping.”

Single Motherhood (I know - I’m married and still have his emotional support and paycheck), even temporary, sucketh.  I adore Papaya and she is thriving in many ways but I’ve grown as a parent by leaps and bounds all while physically and emotionally exhausted in some new way each day.  Let me bow down to all other Mothers who have done this deployment crapola before me - I am just realizing that it was tough with a baby (his last deployment ended weeks after Papaya’s first birthday) but it REALLY sucks with a sweet little person who is confused and upset and heartbroken and can no longer be comforted with a boob in her mouth.  I mean - I have to come up with a trick equal to that?  Never going to happen.  I’ll have to just keep letting her use “the crusher” to cremate rinsed clean soda cans.  You think I’m joking but I’m not - she loves that like she loves the beach and ice cream.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Laughing is not appropriate by Papaya Mom on October 15th, 2007
when you are a children's librarian in a town that sits next to a military base, on an island with many military bases and a mother asks you about children's books on deployment.

"Don't be sad" by Papaya Mom on January 4th, 2008
the Papaya said to me, sweeping away the tears as they ran down my face.

Popularity: 96% [?]

The perfect first day

It may have not been the perfect first day home, but it came as close as humanly possible.

We arrived on time to Honolulu and met up with Tutu and Bumpa at the airport where Papaya pretended to be shy for about twenty minutes. Poor thing, he body was telling her it was two a.m. so it must have been hard to be nice to all these adults who are there to talk and hug and kiss and tickle you.

She woke up bright and early the next morning at three a.m. Hawaii time, luckily Mama is on East Coast time too so we survived it with little trouble . We ate our first breakfast and unpacked some in our new apartment. We read books and played games and I was so amazed at her ability for imagination.

Example: Opens plastic Easter Egg and tells me the chicken just hatched out of the egg. “We are hatching the eggs Mama.” Then goes on to tell me that one has flown up into the tree and she is going to get a ladder to save it. Once she mimics reaching up she cradles the imaginary chicken and moves on with her game of hatching eggs, lining up the shells and pretending to feed apples to the chickens. It may have happened on one of her cartoons once that a chicken got stuck in a tree (Diego? Wonder Pets?) but darn - she kept that theme going and had such fun with a few empty plastic eggs!

This reminds me one of my goals for living her - minimal if any TV. We are using the code-word “Syracuse” for it (S comes before T and U before V and “SU” is apparently what Syracuse is known for says Adventure Dad). She just zones on it when I put it on and would watch it all darn day. I want the kid to read and play instead, and for myself I want to be a more involved Mama.

When Tutu and Bumpa awoke we went to Cinnamon’s which has beautiful outdoor seating which helps when Papaya wants to do a little leg stretching while I’m eating my Mahi Mahi Benedict. Back at home Bumpa and I cleaned and organized the fridge while Papaya explored her new yard under Tutu’s supervision. The girl has a thing for dirt facials - in fact this lead to one of the two bath/showers we had to take this day!

After the bath and lunch Papaya napped while I got to go grocery shopping at Down to Earth with my new awesome grocery bags and stock up on yummy stuff. I did meal planning through Thursday when we will go to the Farmers Market and get inspiration by what is fresh and in season!

While Maya played I got to organize and unpack some new Bento Boxes, our new Laptop Lunchboxes. I’m going to work this week on putting together the closets/desks in our beautiful new apartment and on spending a lot of time in the front yard letting Papaya play in the great warm outdoors!

Post-nap my brother, his wife, my step brother, his wife and son all came over to spend some family time. We took the Keiki to the beach where Maya made sure to remind Uncle and I that we needed to jump at each wave so no water got into her mouth. Her favorite moments were sitting in the sand with measuring cups - a classic picture of simple and happy childhood. Post-beach we washed off the sand and ate a little dinner before she collapsed into sleep - at 7:30 p.m. which to her little body was 11:30 p.m.

I feel so full and happy about how this move is turning out. We miss Adventure Dad of course, but we get to talk on the phone right now and things here are as well as I could hope. The Papaya is loving her “new” bed which is actually my one from childhood (how cool is that?) and her family here. I am looking forward to a week of appointments, reunions with friends and sitting in my front yard in paradise watching my daughter play happily with a rake and a hula hoop.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Saturday by Papaya Mom on February 16th, 2008
It is six a.

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

Not a solution. by Papaya Mom on January 17th, 2008
A horrible crime happened in Hawaii today.

Like saying you've never had the flu by Papaya Mom on October 28th, 2007
That is what happens when a tired Mommy blogs about having no time to blog.

Prius Love by Papaya Mom on August 5th, 2007
We've made the leap, in our minds of course, to purchase our next vehicle.

Popularity: 96% [?]

Prius Love

We’ve made the leap, in our minds of course, to purchase our next vehicle. It’s time to retire the Liberty (at 150K soon) and since we are moving to Hawaii (the land of $3+ gallon gas) it was time to think fuel economy. I’d test driven the Hybrid Highlander yet after comparing it mileage wise to the Prius, there was just no compare. It’s huge on the inside for a car and when I’m getting “bad” mileage I’ll be in the low 40’s mpg. Yeah, that’s right - over three times more than my Liberty is spitting out these days.

So…most importantly - which of the following vanity plates should I purchase, or should I stay with the simple rainbow?

Option A:

Bishop Museum

Option B:

Hawaii Community Foundation

Option C:

Planned Parenthood Hawaii

or…Old Standard….

More on the Prius later.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Too Long by Papaya Mom on April 12th, 2008
It's been a bit too long since I updated and I appreciate if I've got any readers out there these days.

Not a solution. by Papaya Mom on January 17th, 2008
A horrible crime happened in Hawaii today.

The perfect first day by Papaya Mom on September 24th, 2007
It may have not been the perfect first day home, but it came as close as humanly possible.

Like a fish out of water by Papaya Mom on October 13th, 2007
It's how I felt - without internet (on MY beloved Macintosh computer - I had access via my 'rents PC but PCs hate me and it's just not the same) for what I think may have been an eternity but Adventure Dad assures me was only a few weeks.

Like saying you've never had the flu by Papaya Mom on October 28th, 2007
That is what happens when a tired Mommy blogs about having no time to blog.

Popularity: 40% [?]

Mooooooving

As part of moving comes buying and purging - getting rid of things via Craigslist and the like, and also buying things for the next house.

I’m awaiting a design for a closet I’m adding to Papaya’s room in our Hawaii Apartment - it used to hold a refredgerator in that space so it’s not normal sized.

I’m having more fun shopping for things like this:

Oh, the wonderful places to spend my money - like A Toy Garden and, well, other stuff I can’t think of right now.

If you liked that post, then try these...

Boots mean something to her. by Papaya Mom on January 27th, 2008
Yesterday Bumpa donned his .

Starting to get nervous by Papaya Mom on June 23rd, 2007
I'm moving to Hawaii in October as part of our new year of Navy moves.

Laughing is not appropriate by Papaya Mom on October 15th, 2007
when you are a children's librarian in a town that sits next to a military base, on an island with many military bases and a mother asks you about children's books on deployment.

BIKE by Papaya Mom on June 11th, 2007
I am dying for a bike when I make the move to Hawaii this fall.

Charles Memminger offends me, or does he? by Papaya Mom on June 24th, 2007
in my opinion of course.

Popularity: 34% [?]