Full Moon Ramblings

Last night was a full moon. In fact it was a SUPER full moon and when I looked online to make sure that it really was going to be a full moon last night I found out that it was also called the Full Corn Planting Moon and/or the Full Milk Moon. Why? I don't know, I didn't feel like doing a full on research on why, but it was nice to know that the beautiful moon that I saw last night had some pretty cool names...coz my days, it was a beautiful moon.

A picture I took last night enjoying the full moon.

When I was a little girl, I used to open up my window and it had a perfect view of the moon, at whatever phase it was at...and I would "talk to the moon" because I was taught that you had to "talk to God"...but I didn't really know how. All I know was that God was "up there" and at night whenever I looked "up there" I saw the moon. So at an early age, it was always me talking to moon hoping that somehow my words were also traveling "up there" to God. Also, it was a good visual for me...I wasn't just talking into space or something...I was talking to the moon and praying that it was somehow reaching God's ears. I know now that it was and has and will always be. But the moon holds a lot of sentiment to me.

The past few weeks have been tough, no doubt for everyone, but my feelings are valid, too. Sometimes it's easier for me to be strong for those who need me to be strong for them when they can't be strong themselves...but for some reason, for as long as I can remember, it has hard for me to allow someone to be strong for me. I somehow feel like I don't deserve it or something...but you know what, I'm slowly getting there. Trusting people more. But last night, as I was sat waiting for the moon to pop up out from all the clouds, I was zooming down memory lane and remembering all the secrets I would "tell" the moon...and I miss doing that.

I journal. I blog. I do have my friends that I talk to, however those nightly moments when I use to voice my thoughts to the moon, was so pure and so heartfelt. And that's what I did last night. I talk and talk and talked and realized that wow, that was something I really needed. I makes me smile to know that that same moon that I saw last night is the same moon that was there for me when I needed to talk all those years ago. I don't even know why I stopped. 

I love the ocean. I love the mysteries that it holds and I can watch documentaries of the wonders of the ocean for hours and hours and (if only I still had internet connection!) I could even let it play for a long time in the background of my daily life whenever I was home. But what also fascinates me is the cosmos. The heavens. The sky. I am a self-claimed sunrise chaser. (Mind you, I am by far a morning person...there IS a difference!) I can cloud watch, star gaze and meteor showers amaze me. I look for those wishing stars and I smile when I can recognize certain constellations. Whenever I can see a planet my heart beats a bit faster and when I spot a satellite passing overhead, it makes me smile. 

Nature is my inspiration. Yes, I hear that all the time. What inspires you? Nature. But it is so true. I can not even imagine life with out nature. And my heart fills up with so much happiness when I realize that there is a creator (God) that made all that...FOR ME. For everyone, yes...but I like to think that He took His time with certain things...a lot of things, really...because He know that it would make one of His children smile...me. At least that is MY belief. 

Yes, the times right now are uncertain. Yes, the times right now are tough, and sometimes...well, a lot of times, I just feel why?! What's the point? But I know, I know that there is an end. And no matter how lonely I feel, no matter how I feel like I'm alone in my struggles, no matter how tough it all is...the moon and the sun will always rise and fall, no matter who is watching it...it just does. And the God who created them loved me enough to know...that in my darkness, I would need light. And my heart is filled one more time.

The full moon over the Olomanas.

Hello March

Hello March! I can't believe how fast this year is going! I seriously feel like I blinked and 1/4 of the year past! But Christmas break is long gone and I have survived this far...and I am so looking forward to Spring break in a week or so!

Work/School is going...going...going...well. I have finally gotten all the keiki where I wished that they could have been 2-4 weeks from the beginning of the school year. I think this is the first time I have worked with the younger 2..some starting on their birthday. And I have to say that it was rather difficult (with this age group) when a child started, since all they would do is cry, cry cry. And when I finally got that child settled, another child would start at a later date, and the whole crying process would start all over again. Which is what happened this year. I had children starting as late as November...and another one that started this past FEBRUARY! It was hard only because the whole dynamics changed in the class and I had to work real hard to get it back to where the children were wanting to learn, instead of trying to grasp to the newness of something...new. But wow, I made it...and I am still loving it, that's for sure! I love my keiki; I love what I do. I love getting to know each child individually and as a group. Each year is different...my goodness, each DAY is different and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now to only try to get the children to stay home when they are sick! I feel like this is a constant battle among teachers...sick children coming to school...spreading their sickness...irritated parents from hearing other children sick and coughing in their child's face...and then having to deal with that as a teacher...who feels like she is now sick from all the sickness spreading around the school. I have never had this many children "allergic" to something. The "reason" why the children come to school with runny noses, coughing, drippy eyes, and a lethargic behavior. "They're not contagious- it's just allergies." But they are STILL leaving a trail of mucus and whatnot where ever they go! But what do I know? They probably do have allergies...

But enough with that. I love my keiki...and I love my class. I love the spontaneous aura I have in my class...the whole "no two days are a like" is so my class. Working with two-year olds is so rewarding because I have the privilege of seeing so much develop in such a short amount of time! A lot of my keiki started not talking...(or speaking in gibberish or "minion-talk"), and now we can talk story for days...and I actually can understand them! I love hearing their thought process, the why of life, and the reason for anything under the sun! I love watching their confidence and self-esteem grow stronger each day and I love seeing "my" little ones start developing ohana feelings for their classmates and for myself. Their attention span is improving...they all love art...and dancing is a must in my class. We have these wonderful impromptu dance/karaoke sessions in my class...and I tell the little ones that as long as they are singing "anything can be a music instrument." They are getting to know the rules to that though...PEOPLE are not drums...and neither are fish tanks. And their little voices singing is so endearing to me! I love how they are in a habit of singing most anything. I love hearing them make up their own lyrics and dancing to their own beat! And I am very impressed with their "clean-up" skills and how they are using their words. They are always game to trying out new things for artwork, exercise movement, activity, and/or circle time.

I was real impressed the other day when we talking about the alphabet. At this age, I don't normally try to teach them letters (we are a more social/behavioral school)...but since our topic for this month is music and literature, I try to introduce to them a letter a day and of course I started with the letter "A." I was telling them that "A" is for alligator and had plans to read the book "There's an Alligator Under My Bed" by Mercer Mayer, pretend we were alligators, had an alligator artwork ready for them...the whole she-bang. But as I drew the letter on the board and said "Okay my friends, "A" is for alligator"...I had a little boy speak up and say, "Aunty, "A" is for Aloha." And he couldn't have been more right! :) We do sing that song:

"A" is for Aloha ("A" is for Aloha)

"L" is for Love ("L" is for Love)

"O" is for Ohana

"H" is for Hawai'i

ALOHA, ALOHA

so, of course...it made my heart smile.



It has been cold, cold, cold lately and a few weeks ago it rained so hard, I thought I was going to get stuck! Where I live there is only one way out on a bridge. If the ocean rises enough from all the rain and floods the bridge (which I am told that it has happened!) Then I guess it's good that I'm so comfortable swimming in the ocean to get to the other side! *laughs* Nah, I have my friends who have boards and boats that could probably get me, OR I just stayed on my side of the bridge and did some artsy stuff while listening to the steady flow of the rain! And since rain doesn't bother me so much, I did walk down to the beach and sat at the shoreline for a bit. I love watching all the moods of the beautiful ocean. Right now it is saying that it is 68degrees. Cold, super cold for Hawai'i. But then then again where my sister lives, I feel like it is much colder than where I would normally be at this moment. At home.

Now, that is another long story. But for short...the heavy rains drove the critters out of their homes and so I have been finding a lot of RATS (which I first thought were mice, but was wrong!) INSIDE MY STUDIO. So until they cease to enter my place I have moved out of my beloved studio and have come to live with my sister for the time being. I do go back to my place every morning to get ready for work and after work I stop by before come here to my sister's only because my landlady is still there (for some reason the rats are finding their way into my studio, but apparently not here house) and I go there to check up on her and make sure she is okay and of course, my fish. I have 6 aquariums with my darling fish, and I have to feed them and make sure to do their water changes when needed. But is has been tiring to say the least. The whole back and forth, back and forth of it all. I am so grateful for my sister and her family for allowing me to stay with them, but I also really, really miss my own space and home. Plus, I feel like it's a LOT colder where my sister live...but it's always so good to be with family. :)

My family is growing...and I couldn't be more happy about that! In the past couple of months I have gained several nieces and nephews some whom I haven't yet met, but still love so very much! My best friend had her baby and I am so looking forward to seeing him in a couple months! All these babies are making me smile! I am so happy that I work at a preschool, because watching the new generation grow and develop is such an awesome feeling! I love being a part of a child's life, helping them learn the skills to get along in life...and just watching their personalities shape into who they are. But my family is everything to me; I love them. I love them all! :)



My family makes me feel blessed and loved. I feel like that there is no stronger bond (other than God's love for us!) than a family bond. I also feel like people can choose who is in their family...so I believe that friends can also be family to you.



I have always loved to paint. That doesn't mean that I am any good by far! But I am choosing to get better so I am doing it more. I love to paint with acrylics, but now I am venturing out of my comfort zone and trying to watercolor paint. So. Much. Different! Wow, it's so different! I like it though. I feel as if it's more soft and challenging. Don't get me wrong painting with acrylics is not an easy thing, but because I don't paint watercolor painting as much it's more of a challenge for me. Lately these "galaxy watercolor" paintings have catching my eye and so I wanted to try them out myself. They are so beautiful and so I tried my hand at it, and even though it looked easier enough to do, it was harder...well, more different than what I was used to. I am also loving all these creative quotes! I made a few of these round galaxy with quotes in them and I have given a few of them out to share. They are a lot of fun to made and look at !



Another thing I have been trying is the pointed pen. Wow, that is fun! I love writing with the pointed pen. I have to hold myself back from buying all the supplies for the pointed pen! I actually have a few material for the pointed pen but when I got the tools that I needed from a new subscription box that I subscribe to (The Inky Box-mini). My sister actually gifted me a 3-month subscription to this box and I couldn't be more happier with it! I might have to continue with this subscription because it introduces me to new ways to letter that I haven't even thought about it! With the pointed pen it's a lot different than the brush pen that I am used to. I like that pointed pen because it does force me to slow down and really thing about each stroke of the pen.



Every day I am trying to post something up on Instagram that makes up my life. Whether that be some lettering that I've done, some artwork that I've painted, my fish (I love to aquascape their homes!), some book I've read, a place that I visited/travelled to, a view that that made me smile, my current planner moment, one of my journal entries...something...anything. It's always fun to look back to see what I've done and it's also a fun way to meet people and get inspiration and tips and other things. (Feel free to follow me! @mylife_oceanstorm)



Before I forget, I wanted to mentioned that in the beginning of the year a celebration of life was held for Legend. I had so many emotions as I was a part of this amazing event. Saddness all around, but happiness and awe to see just how many peoples lives were touched by the 3 life-filled years of this young, precious boy. My friend was able to get this picture of while we were walking back to my place after the event. There were so many people who were brought together to support and encourage and grieve with Legend's parents and sisters. I consider myself blessed to have known this young boy who was taken from us too soon. Legend, my you rest in peace, little one. Can't wait to see you again one day!



Well, hopefully I can be more consistent with my blog entries.  I miss writing them...so I will try my best to find time to write. If not, I will be back...one day. :)

"I can't go back to yesterday because I was a

different person then."

-Lewis Carroll

Alice in Wonderland

Please check me out and follow me on IG: @mylife_oceanstorm

Soul Place.

"Did you know that we all have at least one soul place in the physical world? A soul place is a special site or spot where we experience unique feelings of belonging, empowerment and energetic rejuvenation."

When I read that quote a few days ago, I knew right away where my soul place was. Here. This place right here. It's like my own entrance to the ocean. I come to this place to recharge when life happens And life does happen; it gets crazy, hectic, exciting and wild...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I came here today to refocus. It was a really long week and there were times where I thought that I wouldn't make it. But no matter what I know that I am strong enough to never give up. But it's when I come here and I am able to just taking in the healing powers of this awesome place that I feel like it's going to be okay...well, eventually. Life happens, and you just have to "roll with the punches" and get through the tough times, because i choose to make my life worth it. Even if it doesn't always seem that way.

As I was watching the ways come in and out and in and out I was thinking of that one quote, "There is nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shore line no matter how many ties it is sent away." The waves kept coming and each time it ran up the shore it created beautiful lines and smoothed out the sand. It's so mesmerizing to watch. If the waves won't give up, I won't give up. Plus, who am I do deny myself a chance to swim in the ocean? If I give up, I wouldn't be able to do that anymore.

The ocean calls to me, but not in that creepy way, but more in a way that it reminds me that my Creator had the amazing idea to create the ocean knowing that it would help people like me get through life. I like that think that God smiled when he made the ocean with all the amazing wonders in it because it was just beautiful. The ocean reminds me that I matter...I am so small standing beside it, but God still continues to make wondrous things happen because it makes me smile.

But this is my soul place...a place where I can regather my thoughts and my strength to keep going. I hope that I never take this place for granted. It's an amazing place to have.

Hello Henriëtte!

After a long week (why is the week after a vacation always seem to be so long?!) of work I just wanted to come home, put my feet up and just relax. However, that all changed when I got recharged when I saw this lovely postcard in the mail! Elephants from the Netherlands! Henriëtte had contacted me a few weeks ago to do a direct swap and earlier this week she informed me that she got my postcard and so I knew that it would only be a matter of time when her postcard, she informed me that she specifically picked out just for me, was going to get to me...and look it did! And, Henriëtte, it's perfect. :) She wrote that she read my blog, so a shout out to you, my friend! I got your lovely postcard, and thank you! She also wrote that she lives in a small town where it's very crowded and you can hear the traffic all the time, but that she has her ohana with her and that is the most important thing, that and health, and I very much agree with her. Ohana is everything.

Family: where life begins. And love never ends.

TGIF.

It was a rough week. I am so glad that it was a short week. I'm glad that it's finally over. Well, not completely over, but at least the work week is over. I love my job, and I think that as long as I can still say that I love my job at the end of the day, then it's going to be okay. :) Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate long weekends just as much as the next person, but for me that means that "my kids" have not been to school for that much longer and then when they do come in it will be that much more crazier. And it was crazy. I still have a few criers in my class since they all didn't start on the first day of school and some of them this was only their second week of school. Oh, and I have another one starting on Monday. One of the VERY few downfalls of my job is that all the kids do NOT start on the "first day of [official] school." So, it's harder to get on a set schedule when we are constantly [in-consistently] having a new child join my class. It means that I have to start all over again [especially since it's still so near the beginning of the school year!] in teaching them the basics of my classroom. And I have to admit, at times, it does get frustrating when you have to teach the same thing over and over again. I know that for this age, you are suppose to have repetition...over and over and over and over again and again and again. But it's hard when you are trying to help the children adjust to being away from the parents for the first time and trying to get along with people you have never seen before. And when I finally think that we are starting to get there...another child joins and I have to start at square one again. Oh okay, enough venting.

I am so proud of "my kids" Although we do have children joining our class [at what seems like] every other day, there are a few of them that are finally getting it! I have 2 that started with me during the summer, and it's so rewarding to see that they are trying to encourage and help the newer ones learn the class schedule and rules. I have awesome parents. It is always my fear that I might clash with a parent, but this year, I really like my parents and I love how they make it so easy to talk with them. One thing that I do appreciate about living here in Hawai'i is that everyone treats you like family here...and that is how the parents are. I have to remember to keep it professional, but it's so hard when parents encourage their child to give their "Aunty" [me] honi, kisses. And that is a normal thing that it took a LONG time for me to get used to. But I really do love how its so "ohana" like here. And I really like how parents don't only see me as a teacher, but an "aunty" to their keiki.

Yesterday the dustless colored chalk and chalkboard poster board arrived on my doorstop from Amazon and I was super excited to update more of my chalkboards in my class! By the time I was done getting everything I needed to get done during nap time today [a time that I really do value to get "teacher stuff" done!], I only had 20 minutes left to do whatever I wanted. So I decided to chalkboard art my door. The front and the back.

Since the chalkboard poster board on the front of my door was buckling, I decided to buy a new one that was made to be a chalkboard. I think what happened was since I bought a foam poster board and then painted the chalkboard pain on it, the moisture of the paint caused the bucking of the poster board. And so, this one that I got was the same size and is already a chalkboard, so it's flat, and so I switched the buckled one with the flat and I did a fast welcome sign for it.

And then for my door, I used the same font and just wrote and weekend greeting on it. Did I mention how much I love my chalkbaord door?! :) Except for the door knob. It gets sooo sticky and it won't turn and it get REAL hard to open! The thing is that I can't used m other door because the AC is above it and it leaks like no tomorrow and so there is like a constant waterfall coming out of the AC creating a river in front of my door. And it can get dangerous because the kids would try to run in the classroom and slip and fall because the bottom of their feet/shoes are wet. It use to be my front door, but I switched my room around when a pregnant mom (she was nearly 8 months along!) almost slipped and fell and I could NOT have that. That and children falling, I didn't care what anyone was going to say and I switched my classroom around so the back door is not the front door. The only problem was the door knob! I solved that by taping the doorknob...but then that got really frustrating when I kept having to do it because it would come undone and then we would be stuck in the classroom because it's so had to open! So, right before I left for home today, my friend and I....

...took the doorknob off! It was such and old-fashioned doorknob that it was a lot tricky to get off, but we got it off and I couldn't be more happier with my door now! :)

But  am so glad that we have two days of no school to recharge. :)

Here's to the weekend! Whoot! Whoot! :)

I made it!

I made it! It is the end of the week and I am still alive and I still love my preschool job! :) I have to say that it was a hard week to get through: emotionally, physically, mentally. But I am still here and I survived the first week of school. This next week now I have to concentrate on getting Open House ready...oh my. I can't wait until this first month is over (school-wise).

As I was changing out the water in my pineapples on my windowsill in my classroom, I was surprised to fine a pineapple flower in one of the pineapple!

I have to admit that I was in denial at first because I know that it takes a while for the pineapple to grow it's fruit...but no, there it is! I am soo happy and my keiki loved seeing it!

When I got home I was in for another surprise! I got another postcard!

This time it is a postcard from Germany! This postcard took 9 days to get to me from a small town in Germany North Rhine Westphalia.

I know that I say this nearly every time that I get a postcard, but I really do love receiving all these postcards from around the world! It's so exciting and I love how friendly everyone is! :)

Lemon Meringue Pie.

I am so glad for Friday. I have nothing planned this weekend and I am looking forward to actually being able to thoroughly clean my little corner and just get things done! I had things that I needed to get done at school and so I got home late and when I got home my amazing landlady texted me and told me that she got a pie at Safeway for thieir $5 Fridays...and when she told me that she had a Lemon Meringue Pie, I couldn't resist!



She gave me HALF of the pie...and she told me that when she saw it, she wanted to get it to share with me since she remembered that I love anything lemon. I love her; she is so sweet. As much as I love my tiny studio, I know one of the cementing reasons why I love my place is because my landlady is amazing.

She is SO thoughtful and she really watches out for me. I usually leave my porch light on in case I don't come home while there is still light out. And it can get really dark on my side of the house, so if forget to leave my light on, and she takes her cute, adorable dog out for a walk and see's that I'm not home yet, she will text me asking if I'll be coming home, and if so, should she turn on the side light on so that  I'll be able to see. When she makes goodies for whatever party she is going to, she always makes extra to give to me and she invites me over plenty times to have dinner with her or just to hang out. She went with me to see the Blue Angels air show when they came and my family didn't want to go with me. When I mentioned that I have a love for popcorn, she went out and bought me an air pop popcorn thingy...and she keeps an eye and ear out for the weather so that she can tell me what the weather would be like so that if it is going to be really windy, she can tell me to take my plants down so that they won't blow over. She also knows what the weather is like in the Philippines so that she asks me how my parents are when there is a bad storm. And when I went to California a few weeks ago, she jumped at the chance to watch my fish and water my plants for me while I was gone and she refused to receive any payment for it! She is so sweet and one of the most thoughtful persons ever! I'm glad that I met her and I will forever say that God was really watching out for me when  I was looking for a new place because there is no other place on the Windward side that I could afford...much less in Lanikai. I love where I live...and I love the people that surrounds me. :)

Day 13 of 30 Days of Gratitude.

Day #13: What abilities are you grateful for?

I am so glad that it's abilities with a plural form because I have no idea how I would be able to choose one! First and foremost, I am glad for ALL of my 5 senses and that I have them and that I can use all of them. I will never take that for granted! I am also grateful for my ability to be able to have patience when it comes to children. I know that that is a special gift because not everyone can do it. I am also grateful for the ability to appreciate music. I don't know how I can live with out it...music helps me live, I swear it's part of my bloodstream! :) I don't care if that doesn't even make sense! :) I want to say that I am also glad for my ability to be sensitive to body language and emotions. I won't say that I'm a pro at it, but I would like to say that I'm more sensitive to it than the average person. I also am grateful for my imaginative and creative ability. I believe that it makes me more aware of designs and color coordination (especially when it comes to flowers. :)) I know that there are a lot more, but for now, that is all that I can think of.

Family Beach Time.

For my sister's birthday (which is tomorrow) her amazing husband (the best brother-in-law EVER!) put together a fun beach outing with a lot of my sister's friends and family starting at 5pm. The only problem was, I don't get finish with work (my second job) until around 5:30pm...and I had to back track to pick up my sister-in-law, which I didn't mind since she was without a car and she would definitely do the same for me, and she has. And since the beach that he wanted to go to was in town (Honolulu), it was going to take about 20-30 minutes to get there...oh wait, there was also traffic going there (much less getting out of Lanikai, which is where I had to backtrack to)...so it was going to take a little bit longer...so I was bummed that I wasn't able to make it there for the initial "Surprise, Faith, Happy (early) Birthday!" But that was okay, because my sister understood and it was as usual, a perfect day for the beach with family. :)

Magic Island was where it all happened...in Ala Moana...and for a long time that was my favorite beach. I'm not really sure why, but in my defense, when I first visited O'ahu in the year, I believe, 1999 this was the main beach that we went to. And it was the beach that I had my first BBQ birthday for my 16th birthday with my family and my best friend's family (we came with them here because they have family here and we stayed with them.) And it really is a beautiful beach with a lot of shore and one of the stillest waters ever. I use to swim far out over here with my brother every Sunday morning and it's a perfect place to bring family/friend's visitors since it's a really nice family friendly beach. The sun sets here are spectacular and so amazingly gorgeous. You can float in the waters and watch it, you can sit right at the shore line (where there is no worry that a wave will hit you because the waters are that still!), or you can just plop yourself down on a beach chair facing the water and just enjoy the breath-taking view.

 



 



Pictures do no justice whatsoever to the sunset last night. My phone's quality isn't the best either...but if you ever get the chance to see it in person, you should. It's so beautiful...and there are no two sunsets alike.

When the sun goes down on Friday, and when it is dark enough, stay where you are because in a few minutes the Hilton Hawaiian Hotel will have a firework show. Every Friday this happens and you can see it from where you are. Well, you might to turn around, but that's okay...lol...from this beach the fireworks are towards the side...but it's still there.

It was a fun time with friends and family celebrating the birth of my sister. I love her and I'm so glad I can call her MY sister. :)

Day 6 of 30 Days of Gratitude.

Day #6: What in nature are you grateful for?

Wow, what a fitting question this day when I was just at the beach! I can say so much...but really it's this. I am so glad that with nature it can prove to me that there is a God. At least this is proof for me. Some people may scoff at the idea, but for me, I just look to nature and I see proof.

There are no two sunsets that are alike. There are no two snowflakes that look the same. The perfect distance the earth is from the sun so that we can survive. Gravity so that we can stay on the only planet that we can survive on. The millions of animal life...all plant life, so much that we have not yet discovered all of them.

The topic for my preschool this month is space...and I was trying to explain to my little 2-3 year olds how tiny we really are compared to the universe and all the galaxies that exist. We are tinier than the smallest piece of dirt...we are just a mare speck of nothingness compared so space. And as I was trying to explain to them this concept, I can see that they have no idea what I am talking about. The idea is to complex and abstract. This age can only grasp concrete things, but that's okay...but it's fun to talk to them about it just to see their faces trying to grasp the concept. And as I was talking to them about it, it hit me again how amazing and blessed that we have a God who, even though we live in this extremely TINY planet, still cares for us. So yes, I am so glad that in and with nature, for me, it all points to a God that created it all for....me.

School Valentine's "Day"

Today was the day that we celebrated Valentine's Day at the preschool. I did something little for yesterdays keiki's but today we did a little more...since Valentine's Day is on Sunday, we just celebrated today for the kids. We don't have school on Monday, and so by the time it was Tuesday it would be way passed Valentine's Day...so that's why.

This whole week we talked about what it means to "Love"...your parents, your friends, your pets, your world...and just how to show it and not only did I help them make Valentine's for each other...we did plenty of Valentine's Craft work...which turned out pretty cute! I got some of my ideas from the ever wonderful pinterest...and then tweeked them to be more appropriate for my age group, and other projects I just had in my repertoire of craft/art work.

I also had the children make a print of their hand so that we can make a "valentine" for their parents. Overall, even though it was a SUPER long week...it was also a week filled with fun for the keikis. Wait, what am I saying...EVERY DAY is a fun day with my keikis! :)

Two of my favorite crafts that I did with the keikis were the "Bee Mine" and the "Love monsters!" They turned out SOOO cute! All their craft work turned out super cute! But these two where my favorite!

 

Here is my little Love Monster that I made...but I think my kids did a WAY better job than I did!



 
  
  

 Oh my goodness! I wish that I could post them all, they are just all so darn cute! The kids picked their own color out...I showed them mine...but I let them glue everything and they decided where to put their own pieces...and I loved how they turned out! Oh my goodness, my keikis are my lil Love Monsters! So full of love...and such cute little monsters! :)

 

 

  

Their bee's also turned out super cute as well! I was getting tired of all the pinks, whites, reds, and purple colors that we were using so I asked them which bug they wanted to do for something like "Love Bug"...and they all wanted to do a bee...and so a bee we made! :) And I think they turned out so amazingly cute! My kids LOVE LOVE doing arts and crafts! I usually just leave a table with all kine of different art materials that they can use however they want to use it...appropriately (unfortunately, they are not allowed to draw on the walls, floors, etc.). I usually cover the whole table with scratch paper or newspaper that they can do free art with...but I also have several guided art projects that we do A DAY...they LOVE creating...and I am all up for it! I also love how my class LOVES to sing. I wonder where they got that from! :)

Today we only had time to do one guided craft work because I filled the day with a lot of games and of course we HAD to have our Valentines Marching Parade! :) The craft was a cute one that the kids made for their parents...

 

I had forgotten to take a pictures of the kids work...and they had taken them all home for their parents, so I was left with this one. The one that I made for my lil DollGirl. I adore that saying..."I love you to the moon and back!" It just makes my heart so happy. :)

My sister had read the book "Guess How Much I Love you" by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram where it says that phrase. Now my lil DollGirl likes to do this thing where she calls you to come closer and she whispers in your ear, "I love you to the ocean, to the sand, to the tree"...just random things that she sees at the moment...and you have to say one back to her too. I love it so much and I hope that she never stops that. Even though sometimes, it's questionable..."Aunty, I love you to the door, to the light, to the rubbish can!" Really?! Rubbish can!? Oh well, she loves me. :)

The Valentine that I had the kids help me make for their parents was this:



I like doing handprint keepsakes for the parents and I would laminate it. I know that I am a sentimental person...and so I can just imagine that whenever I have my own child that I would have a keepsake of how tiny my little ones hand was so long ago.

The poem that I placed on it goes like this:



It was a simple project for them and I hope that they liked it. I know that I did. :)

And last but not least, my TA (who is THE BEST Teacher's Assistant EVER!) and I couldn't let the children leave without a little Valentine from us...so we gave them this:

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the book "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees! It has such a lesson to learn and it's just a fun book that has rhythm and rhyme...and it's just a good book to read over and over again and again! And I love sweatheart candies...so I had to give them just a little of that...and their own little valentine card.

It was a good day today. Long...extremely hyper-active, and non-stopped paced...but a very good day indeed. :)

"We can all DANCE when we find MUSIC that we love."

 -Giles Andreae

Happy Birthday DollGirl!

Today is bittersweet for me. It's my lil' DollGirl's birthday...but today I will be going to my sister's house and staying there until Wednesday. My parent's leaving date is coming closer and closer...and I am dreading it more and more. I hate it.

I am trying very hard to find the good in this whole situation of my parents leaving me and I am trying to put it in the back burner...because I want to feel 100% happy since it is my DollGirl's birthday. In school today, one of my lil keiki's noticed how sad I was and look what they gave me...

....at first I was like "what is this?!" And then they said that they searched the whole playground to find the prettiest leaves! And that is hard to do! There are leaves EVERYWHERE in the playground...and the picture does not do these leaves justice because they are actually a very vibrant, bright yellow! And I thought that was the sweetest thing ever!

Kids are like that. And that is why I LOVE working with them...they have such pure hearts at the age that I have them...and if you take time to pause in you life and just try to understand them, they can be the best people you can possibly be around. My lil' 2-early 3 year olds. I love them. I did keep these leaves and I am going to try to press them and make them into bookmarks of something. It was super sweet of my Keiki.

For my lil' DollGirl's birthday we went to the beach and had picnic food! DollGirl LOVES the water and so it was only fair to take her somewhere where she would love being...and my parents wanted to go to the beach as well...and so since they stayed for her, they helped prepare the food for her little birthday bash that was family. Tracy and Kaleo are family and so they came to. They invited their friends along as well and DollGirl LOVED playing with the girls. :)

I can't believe this little cutie is already 3 years old! She is such a big girl! I can't believe that she is one of my lil keiki at the school...she is my heart and I love her so much! I wish I took more pictures to remember this amazing moment of my DollGirl, but I was too busy have fun in the water with her to take pictures. :)

She didn't even want to get out of the water to eat food! But she did and the food was yummy. It was a simple meal of haystacks...but you can NEVER go wrong with haystacks! :)

This little bundle (who is not so little anymore!) can live off of chips! She loves chips...so haystacks was the way to go...she can eat healthy while eating chips. :)

This little bugger is also growing so fast! I can't believe how big he has gotten! He is sooo active, I can't wait until he can go into the water! I hope he will love it as much as his waterbug sister! This one is a lot more active than his sister was at this age...so hopefully he will take to the water as he does with everything else!

I am going to miss moments like this. My daddy adores his baby grandbaby...and that is how it should be. My mom is super close to KaiBoy as well...I know that it will be hard for them when they leave.

But today was a good day. I know that DollGirl had a lot of fun and I know that she will remember her "Lola & Lolo" more than she did when they first left her at about 7 months old. I am glad that they were ago to see her age one year...they came here around the same time last year to be here for her 2nd birthday and now they are leaving a little bit after her 3rd birthday. I know that they had a good time here. I wish they would stay...but for now...smile because they are here. :)