Dooley's Doodles

Cost of Homemade Breakfast

2012-02-14T07:30:00.000-10:00

I wrote this post a while ago and forgot to post it. I decided that the financial cost is so close that the emotional cost must be weighed too. I let my kids decide whether or not to eat at home or at school. When they are running late or when I am running low on groceries they choose to eat at school but most of the time the opt to eat at home.

I've been wondering lately if it would be cheaper for me to continue making sack lunches or to buy school lunches. Last week I figured out that it is indeed cheaper, if you qualify for reduced price lunches, to purchase lunches at school (See post Cost of Homemade Lunches). Now I'm wondering if it is cheaper to buy reduced price breakfast at school too. These prices are based on the best prices available to the public that I have found here in Hawaii.

(I am going by suggested serving size though I know that my kids often eat more by about 50%)
1 ounce Cold Cereal----------------.17
1/2 cup milk------------------------ .16
total-----------------------------------------.31

1/3 cup oatmeal--------------------.08
1/3 cup milk------------------------.10
2 T brown sugar--------------------.05
total---------------------------------------.23

egg---------------------------------.16
1 slice homemade bread, toast------.03
1/2 T butter-------------------------.04
total----------------------------------------.23

pancakes (waffles and crepes will be similar cost)
2 eggs---------------------.32
water----------------negligible
1/2 cup dry milk-----------.16
3 T oil---------------------.08
1 1/2 C flour---------------.15
1 t salt---------------------.01
bkg pwd-------------------.24
2 T sugar-------------------.01
one batch of 12 pancakes-- .97
A serving of 2 pancakes----------- .16
1 T butter--------------------------.08
1 oz maple syrup-------------------.05
total----------------------------------------.29

peanut butter toast ------------------15
A piece of fruit ---------------------.30-.75
a cup of yogurt ---------------------.60

The Invisible Hand

2012-02-10T08:30:00.000-10:00

“When the servants of the Lord determine to do as He commands, we move ahead. As we proceed, we are joined at the crossroads by those who have been prepared to help us. They come with skills and abilities precisely suited to our needs. And, we find provisions—information, inventions, help of various kinds—set along the way waiting for us to take them up. It is as though someone knew we would be traveling that way. We see the invisible hand of the Almighty providing for us.”

-----Elder Boyd K. Packer, April 1, 1977

Three Stories

2012-02-09T09:44:00.001-10:00

Peggy, my mother-in-law was washing dishes for me yesterday afternoon. As she got to the bottom of the sink she asked holding up some cans, "Is there a reason why these cans and lids are in the sink? Do you have to wash them before recyling here?"

"I never do." I responded perplexed. I looked up from what I was doing to see that the cans were ones I had opened 2 days ago and had tossed into the recyling bin in the kitchen.

Afton quickly chimed in, "Kirkham put them in there. It was one of his chores."

I hadn't remembered giving Kirkham any chore like that. I stared at Afton waiting for the rest of the story.

"On his chore list yesterday, that you left when you went into town" Afton continued, "you told him to clean the cans."

"Clean the cans? OH, Clean the cans! Yes, Kirkham's list read: Take out the garbages/recyling and clean out the cans. . . . .
. . . .I had meant the garbage cans."

_________________________________________

Last week Afton went into her room to get ready for bed and just seconds later let out a little scream.

"Are you OK in there Afton?" I called from my work in the front room.

She emerged from her room giggling and said, "I was putting my arm into my pajama sleeve and a baby gecko jumped out of my shirt and onto my arm. It scared me."

She tried to catch it after but when she grabbed it it's tail popped off.

We've spotted the gecko a few times since. He seems to like the bathroom and the hallway. His tail is growing back.
__________________________________________

I had my first collision with another surfer on Monday. It was Dave. I was paddling for the shoulder (off to the side to get out of the way of the wave and the surfers) when Dave came in on the next wave. He hadn't spotted me, nor I him, until it was nearly too late. I had just enough time to turtle my board--roll over and hide under it in the water--before he crashed into me. I only got a bump on my elbow but I ruined Dave's best ride of the night.

Tuesday I had my second collision with a surfer. This time a newbie crashed into me, out of control, on a big wave. He went flying one way and his board came flying my way. It hit me in the back of the knee, knocked me down and proceeded to run right over me punctuating the crash with the fin knocking into my side. I don't think the other guy noticed what had happened. I paddled in and called it a day. I hope I never did that to anyone unknowingly. I'm still sore.

Making Change

2012-02-08T18:35:00.000-10:00

Great talk at church Sunday. The subject was change. This year has indeed been a year of change so my ears perked up and my heart tuned in. I especially liked an anecdote shared: The speaker had asked his young daughter how she felt about change. She responded "I prefer paper dollars". Though he hadn't intended to discuss money with her he didn't change the direction of the conversation and instead pressed on and asked, "Why do you prefer paper dollars over change?" To which she concluded, "Because change is heavy."

Change is heavy. I had a really tough year trying to muck through all the change being thrown my way. Some of the change I had to carry was a heavier burden than I thought I could bear. I was very comfortable where I was before. I liked what I was doing, where I was living and I was quite content with my simple little life as a PTA-RS-SAHM. I did not want it to change even if it was for Hawaii.

Now that I am here I see that I needed the change, not for the scenery or the weather or the allure of the tropics, I needed the change for me. I needed improvement. Quoted on Sunday was one of my favorite parts of CS Lewis' Mere Christianity:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Because I was comfortable and happy and content was exactly the reason why I needed the change. Since moving I have had to force myself to be more outgoing. I have had to push outside of my comfort zone so I could get teaching jobs and make friends that could be my far-from-home-family (gotta have someone to put on the emergency contact cards). I have had to learn new skills in organizing, delegating and prioritizing to keep the day-to-day of family life running smoothly now that I must be a working mom. I have had to make a real effort to be healthy, to rid myself of pain, and bless myself and my family with a strong and energetic body.

I know I wouldn't have made any of these changes if I'd dug my feet in and refused to make the move. The extra weight of change has at times been difficult however I have learned that life change, like pocket change, gets easier to make the more you do it.

Busy Doing

2012-02-07T11:17:00.001-10:00

I just finished reading A Day No Pigs Would Die last week along with it's sequel, A Part of the Sky. Good books both. This is my favorite quote from the pair:

"Need is a weak word. Has nothing to do with what people get. Ain't what you need that matters. It's what you do."
(Robert Peck, A Day No Pigs Would Die )

There seems to be a never ending supply of needs no matter where we live or what we make. It's a hard lesson for the kids to learn but harder I think for Dave and I. We wish we could get everything right when we need it. At the same time, however, it is interesting to see that the longer we go without something the longer we CAN go without it.

In the mean time we keep doing our best because we know it is what we do, not what we have, that counts.
__________________________________________________

Last week I worked 4 out of 5 days. One of those days I subbed for Cora's teacher. Cora was on cloud nine; so excited.

I haven't worked yet this week but I do have jobs for both Wednesday and Thursday set up. It is kinda nice that I haven't worked, however, because we have our first house-guests this week: Ladd and Peggy! Yep, Dave's parents are in town for almost 2 weeks. We are so glad to have them here. We have missed them so much.

Healthy Results

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-10:00

I have been working out daily since September 15th. Originally my goal was to get strong enough to surf and to do that I set the smaller goal of exercising five days a week. I found a good circuit training team that I liked working out with (my friends Jenny and Michelle; we have been getting our workouts from GPP.com). By November I was standing on a board and could proudly boast never letting a week slip by without getting in at least 5 workouts.

Though I accomplished my original goal I have not stopped working out a minimum of 5 days a week. I have actually come to enjoy both the workout and how great I feel not to mention how much better my clothes fit me, or in some cases no longer fit me! I've been doing a lot of alterations lately.

This is how far I've come:

9/15/2011
weight 156 (I had lost 3 lbs from the time I moved in June)
bust 39
waist 34
high hip (at hip bone) 41
low hip (at widest thickest part between hip and knee) 43
bicep 13
thigh 24.5

2/2/2012
weight 143--a loss of 13 lbs (I like to remind myself that I have gained a lot of muscle too)
bust 36--a loss of 3"
waist 29--a loss of 5"
high hip 37.5--a loss of 3.5"
low hip 38.5--a loss of 4.5"
bicep 11.5--a loss of 1.5"
thigh 20--a loss of 4.5"!

I have started eating differently lately too: smaller portions, more nutrient packed foods, more protein and fewer carbs. I originally started doing it as an experiment to see if it would further improve my sense of well-being. Within a week I was feeling amazing. No more after meal stomach aches or that nagging hungry but full feeling all day long. Changing my eating habits has yielded me a loss of 6 pounds in the past 20 days without feeling hungry. Occasionally I do get a hankering for something extra carb-o-licious, which I will have, but generally I've found that all the sweets and baked goods that I was enjoying before were the culprits for the heavy and yucky feeling. I mostly steer clear of them now.

I do not have a "weight loss" goal. I don't want to get down to a specific weight or size or anything like that. Instead I am just going to continue improving on healthy habits and see where they take me; see where my body naturally plateaus. I can't help but get excited as I approach the 140 lb. mark though. Last time I was 140 lbs was early in 2001, just before we moved from Washington State to Fresno, Caliornia. It was a year after I had Afton and I had lost all but 5 of the 50 pounds I put on when I was pregnant with her. That lasted until late 2002 when I got pregnant with Cora.

Yes, It has been 10 years since I have been the size I am now.

February's Menu

2012-02-02T17:02:00.001-10:00

Breakfast Options

Protein Shake

Cottage Cheese, fruit and nuts

Oatmeal & nuts

Granola

Hard Boiled Egg

Cold Cereal

Lunch Options

Leftovers

Salad with egg or meat

Sandwich with: ham, turkey, chicken, tuna, egg or cheese and fresh veggies

Tortilla wrap with same as above

Peanut Butter and Honey/Jelly/Fruit

Snack Options

Mixed nuts

Seeds

Dried fruits

Trail mix

Granola

Cheese sticks

Yogurt

Fresh fruits

Fresh veggies

Frozen Fruits for smoothies

Baked Goods

Dinner Menu

1st- Seasoned Tri-Tip, Craisin Coleslaw, Crispy Cucumber Salad, Garlic Bread

2- French Onion Soup, Cheese Bread, Caesar Salad

3- Pizza Night:Cheese Pizza Pockets

4- Hot Dogs, Veggie Tray, Pork & Beans

5- Breakfast for dinner: Pancakes and Eggs

6- Chinese Chicken Salad, Rolls

7- Taco Tuesday: Bean & Cheese Burritos, Rice, Cabbage Salad, Pico de Gallo

8- Beef Wontons, Rice, Steamed Vegetables

9- Papaya Chicken, Rice, Tossed Salad

10- Pizza Night: Pepperoni

11- Leftovers

12- Breakfast for dinner: Spam, Egg & Cheese Biscuits

13- Pulled Pork Sandwiches on fresh baked rolls, Coleslaw, Corn

14- Taco Tuesday: Taco's with all the fixin's

15- Chef's Choice

16- Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

17- Pizza night: Ham

18- Leftovers

19- Breakfast for dinner: Dutch Babies, fresh fruit and bacon

20- Ham Pockets, Steamed Vegetables, orange slices

21- Taco Tuesday: Chimichangas

22- Eggplant Parmigian, Spaghetti, Green Salad

23- Split Pea Soup, Artisan Bread

24- Pizza Night: Cheese

25- Leftovers

26- Breakfast for dinner: Mountain Man Breakfast, fresh fruit

27- Macaroni & Cheese with sausage and peas

28- Taco Tuesday: Quesadillas

29- Fried Chicken, Corn, Biscuits, Steamed Veggies

March 1- Spaghetti with Marinara meat sauce, green beans, french bread, house salad

2- Pizza Night: BBQ Chicken

3- Leftovers

Cucumber Salad

2012-02-01T16:56:00.000-10:00

My neighbor gave me 6 long cucumbers the other day and I've been trying to figure out what to do with them. The boys want to try pickling them using Alton Brown's bread and butter pickles recipe. I don't have all the ingredients and don't have the time to go shopping until Friday. Hopefully the cucumbers will hold until then.

In the mean time I decided to try making a simple cucumber salad for tonight. This is what I did:

Peel:
one long cucumber and slice diagonally into 1/4" slices
Toss with:
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T fresh basil, minced
fresh ground sea salt and pepper to taste
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

I'm quite pleased with the bit I taste tested; fresh, cool and crisp. I'll serve it with Tri-Tip (Dave's special recipe), toasted garlic bread and some sliced papaya.

It's a Beautiful Day

2012-01-31T09:07:00.000-10:00

This morning had all the potential for a bad start. I woke up groggy, sore and late at 7am-- the kids have to be up by at least 6:30 to get to school on time. Afton and I were up late finishing her History Day Project and Heath was up late completing his Math so all three of us were zombies rolling out of bed. I walked out into the kitchen and found Cora mopping up a bowl full of spilled cereal and milk splattered to the far reaches of the kitchen. Thankfully got the kids going without too much to-do but then I realized I had to be dressed also. The school computer that Afton had been loaned for some video editing for her Project was due back by 8. I decided to throw on some sweats and sneak in the back way. Got home to face my piled up laundry, dishes and housework that have been patiently awaiting my next day-off (Saturday and Sunday are NOT days off for a mother).

It could have been a bad morning but it wasn't. Dave pitched in and helped get the kids going. Heath and Cora helped clean up the milk mess. Kirkham was surprisingly cheerful. Afton didn't do or say much but she did let me braid her hair without complaint. On the drive back from the school I spotted several friends jogging who looked up, smiled and waved. Their hair looked a lot worse than mine and they were wearing sweats too.

It is overcast but the temperature is comfortable and the birds are singing. The clouds will likely blow off over the next hour.There is a slight breeze coming in from the east bringing with it the sounds of the school playground and the waves crashing onto Temple and Hukilau beaches. Though I am sore it is from surfing last night. I know that will be gone in a few hours when I'll be surfing again, once the chore list is complete, of course--a girl has got to get her exercise! For now my house still smells like the fresh baked bread I made last night and for breakfast I am just sitting down to casually eat my fav: cottage cheese, a half pear and some mixed nuts. It's a beautiful day!

Afton's National History Day Project

2012-01-30T23:54:00.000-10:00

So Proud of Afton's hard work on her National History Day project. Yesterday she put the finishing touches on her website entry for Windward District competition. Her project was on Anne Frank. Check out her website
The Reaction to Anne Frank.

All the Way Around

2012-01-26T18:44:00.003-10:00

Last weekend after Heath's swim meet we took the long way home. For the first time since arriving on the island we finally made it around the south shore of Oahu. We didn't take a lot of time to explore because we had other things to get home to but we did stop once for a closer look. It was a beautiful drive that was vaguely reminiscent of the Badlands of South Dakota. Here's the proof:

Signs are for tourists . . . we jumped the wall.

Afton and Cora enjoying the ocean breeze on the "other" side of the wall.

And down they/we went.

I dared Dave to walk out to the very furthest edge and he did. I made him wait and wait for a big ol' wave to break right beside him but I never got a decent shot and then Kirkham went out to see what his dad was doing so I waved Dave back.

Kirkham contemplating.

Afton looking out towards Japan.

See what I mean? Doesn't that remind you a little of the Badlands? (for a refresher of those pics click here)

Cora, Afton and Kirkham

Dave heading back.

Afton and Cora showing off their incredibly large muscles. Can you see them?

Time to head back up the hill to the car. Now you can see that the tourists don't pay attention to the signs either.

The trail up to the parking lot.

East Oahu Swim Meet

2012-01-25T07:14:00.000-10:00

This swim season has been a little different for Heath. The team here only practices a few times a week, doesn't work out over holidays and often practice is cancelled for pool issues. Heath hasn't gotten the in-pool practice time that he has in season's past and has been a tad frustrated with only minor improvements. Nonetheless, he is making the best of what's available and walked away 7th in both of his events. We are looking forward to his next meet this Friday and Saturday in which he is hoping to qualifiy for OIA Championships the following weekend. Wish him luck!

Prepping for his 500 Free. Ended up cutting 26 seconds for a 5:45!

Diving in for the 100 Breast.

Attacking the Breast Stroke dropping time to end up with a 1:14.5.

Kirkham's New Haircut

2012-01-23T11:37:00.001-10:00

This kid loves his long hair and he doesn't mind at all when we tell him he looks like a mop. He doesn't brush it or gel it or do anything to it until he is threatened with the buzzers. He thinks he looks cool. I think he looks like an orphan.

Finally yesterday I had had it. I dragged him outside and chopped away. And this is what he came back with . . . .

A SMILE!

Surprisingly he likes his doo and styled it himself this morning without even a side ways glance or word uttered from my lips. I love seeing those blue eyes again.

2012-01-20T11:15:00.000-10:00

Since last Saturday I have been telling my family that I would be going into town this week. I posted a list on the refrigerator that stated in big bold letters TOWN LIST, encouraging everyone to write anything they needed.

"I'll be going on Tuesday unless I get a sub job." I warned Monday after enjoying the holiday weekend.
I got a job!

"I'll be going on Wednesday unless I get a sub job." I reminded Tuesday.
I got a job!

"I'll be going Thursday unless I get a job." I nagged on Wednesday.
By late Wednesday evening when it was quite clear I wouldn't be getting a call everyone scrambled to write their last minute requests on the list. Cora needed new shoes. Afton requested new underwear. Kirkham snuck in a request for a Pokemon DS game and Heath asked for chocolate syrup.

Thursday morning I got up early, still hoping I might get a last minute phone call. I exercised, showered and prepped for the day double checking the list, mapping out my driving route and scheduling my stops. Kissed the girls goodbye on their way to meet their walk-to-school buddies and had the boys load their bikes and bodies into the truck. I dropped them at school on my way around the Northshore saving them from the 2 mile trek on this cold winter's morning (it was 62 degrees!).

I made it to the sewing machine shop a few minutes before it opened and was so excited to pick up my repaired machine. Something happened to it during the move and it was making a terrible grinding noise. I've been using the girl's cheap-o sewing machine for the last 5 months and it's been driving me crazy. I'm so happy to have my machine back and hope to test it out over the weekend.

Next stop Walmart, 9:30. Running ahead of schedule, hurray! I might be done in time to stop at Sunset beach on the way home. I'd really like to get some tanning time in, just 30 minutes. I walk into the store grab my cart and head down the aisle as I reach into my purse for my list. Still reaching, hands flipping through the contents one by one. Finally I stop, fully open my purse and look down in to confirm my fear: The list was missing! After all that nagging I left it at home.

_________________________________________________

I never got to stop for a tanning session on the beach. It took me a while to get through all my shopping yesterday for two reasons. First reason was the missing list. I had to go through most every aisle of the store trying to jog my memory of all the things I had written and had read. I surprisingly only missed one item: pencil lead. Heath had placed that on the list before leaving for school--Oh yeah! He had taken the list from my purse to write something on it.

Second reason it took me so long to shop was because, while shopping for food items, I was carefully checking the nutrition guidelines on the side. I have been attempting to eat healthier and Dave has recently joined the bandwagon too (kinda). A few months ago my doctor gave me the all-clear to abandon the liver-coddling low protein diet that I was on. Since starting excercising regularly I have noticed a big difference in how I feel when I eat more protein and a lot fewer carbs. I recover from exercise faster and I have more energy throughout the day. As I compared product's nutrition guidelines I considered the ratio of protein to carbs, and serving size to calories. Generally speaking the higher the number the more filling (or hunger satiating) the item would be. I also broke down the price per serving and evaluated the hunger satiating ratio with the cost per serving before deciding if I would spend money on it.

Have I lost you? Sorry. Basically just was looking for the biggest bang for my buck; I'd spend a little more an item if I knew that (based on the above figuring) that it would keep us feeling un-hungry and happy for longer. This is something I haven't ever considered before recently.

____________________________________________________

Thought it was interesting as I was checking labels to find that the "health food" items typically had more sodium and more carbs. Though they said less sugar when compared to other items it had the same amount of carbs, hmmm?! Sugar, I am finding is a trigger for me to feel more hungry. The more sugar I eat the more food and sugar I want. I am trying to limit my sugar intake.

The most interesting comparison of the day though was bacon. I was looking at the Costco brand bacon and comparing it to the Oscar Mayer turkey bacon. The turkey bacon was cheaper and claimed to be healthier with "half the fat" of regular bacon. When I compared the two side to side I deduced that the serving size on the turkey bacon was half the size of regular bacon! Well of course there's going to be half the fat if you eat half the amount! When I compared them in like portion the turkey bacon had more sugar (in bacon?), more sodium and more fat AND it had less protein. I went with the real thing.

____________________________________________________

I proved my own point to myself on the way home from Costco. I hadn't packed myself a lunch this morning planning to get myself a turkey wrap from the Costco Cafe. But after all my shopping, having spent more than I had planned on, the $4 for the wrap put a wrinkle in my plan. I succumbed to the enticement of the $1.50 hot dog. Knowing the soda was going to be way more sugar/carbs/calories than I wanted to waste I filled most of my cup with water and just a squirt of sprite for flavor. After loading my groceries in the truck and before filling up with gas I took a few minutes to eat my hot dog with relish and ketchup after which I entered it into my "My Fitness Pal" app.

I was shocked to discover that my hot dog had just cost me 552 calories, 46 grams of carbs and only 20 grams of protein. My usual goal for a meal is 300 calories, 30 grams of protein and under 15 grams of carbs (I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks per day; each snack, by the numbers, is about 1/3 of a meal). Oh well, I thought, once in a while this kind of thing isn't gonna kill me. I didn't fret over it at all. In fact, I felt kinda good. I had a little extra energy and felt happy and thought that perhaps my body needed the extra carbs to rejuvenate me after the long torturous day of shopping. I filled up my gas tank, turned up my radio and hit the open road for home knowing I needed to hurry to get there in time for the kids.

Within about 20 minutes, however, things had changed. I was struggling to keep my eyes open and I felt so very tired. I made it home without having to stop but once the groceries were in I knew I'd need a rest. I was also hungry when I got home, HUNGRY! I had just eaten 70 minutes earlier and I was hungry! I usually go 2-3 hours between eating. I got myself a glass of water, a cheese stick and went to bed.

The point I proved to myself? An hour or so later I woke up feeling yucky and hungry and determined to not get suckered into a hot dog again. I would have only eaten half the wrap for lunch anyways--those things are huge--so the extra $2.50 would have been worth it for the consistent sense of well-being, not having to take a nap and I would have had another 1/2 a wrap for the kids to sample after school or save for lunch today.
___________________________________________________

I haven't quite figured out how to use these in a formula yet but I think the higher the protein/carb ratio is the better. Right? What do you think?
hot dog cost per serving = $1.50
hot dog protein/carb ratio = 20/46 = .43

turkey wrap cost per serving (1/2 a wrap) = $2
turkey wrap protein/carb ratio = 28/32 = .83

Love Monster

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-10:00

I think you remember how I feel about birthday parties. If not, perhaps you remember my strong opinions on giving and receiving gifts? If not, let me tell you my kids rarely have birthday parties and when they do there is a "NO GIFT" policy usually stated on the invitation. I figure my kids have plenty of junk already and I don't like wasting my money on junk for others either.

Is that rude? Maybe. Do I care? Not really. Why? Because I can't afford to. I mentally and physically can't afford to have more stuff to store and maintain and I financially can't afford the cost of birthday presents for every friend of every one of my four kids.

Unfortunately, here in Laie, birthday parties are a very big deal and everyone has birthday parties. In the last 3 months the kids have had invitations to no less than seven birthday parties. That's as many birthday parties as they were invited to in all of 2010! Now, I don't want my kids to be ostracized or made fun of for not bringing something to honor the birthday kid so we have come up with this solution: homemade gifts. Yes, I said homemade gifts. Still risky and possibly dorky but if done with care it usually turns out well and for a price I can afford.

The Love Monster pictured above is one of the homemade gifts we have made. This one was gifted just this past Saturday and was received with great joy and adoration (Phew!). Afton sketched the design and chose the fabric from my fabric stash and then I made the pattern and sewed her up. This fabric just happened to be from my favorite fleece PJ pants that I recently cut off to accommodate the hot Hawaii nights (Is that terribly tacky or cleverly eco-friendly?). The ribbon, embroidery floss and even the stuffing were also already in my small stash (OK, I admit the stuffing was pulled from an old pillow that was too flat. Again, tacky or eco-friendly I'm not quite sure).

We have also made fabric wallets, purses, pencil pouches, headbands, decorative butterflies, duct tape ties and duct tape wallets.

Pictures of Hawaii: A Pineapple Blossom!

2012-01-16T16:36:00.000-10:00

This blossom is not on one of the pineapples that I have started since moving here. It was planted about a year ago by the previous tenant. I'm so excited to watch it grow!

I worked

2012-01-13T16:16:00.000-10:00

Yesterday I subbed for an elementary Math/ELL class and while I was walking the kids to recess a different teacher asked if I was able to sub on Friday for her. YES!

Today I subbed for Kindergarten; busy little buggers!

Had a good day and glad to be working. Now I've got to figure out dinner and get my household chores done.

Catching Up

2012-01-11T22:13:00.000-10:00

I am very thankful to have 2 jobs this week after having no jobs last week. I would have had three except I had two requests for subbing, from two different teachers, from two different schools, for the same exact day. Bummer!

Last week I got my new business cards with my new phone number out to the three schools in the area. It was suggested yesterday that I consider putting my name in for Sunset Elementary also. Sunset is about 20 minutes away which is a bit of a turn-off for me, I don't want to be so far away from getting home to the kids after school. It is right across the street from Pipeline though (think: ultimate North Shore surf break) and is a very expensive, high-end area. I was told that "as a white girl" it might be easier for me to get jobs there. I'll have to decide if the $10 in gas, leaving earlier and getting home later (potentially much later if a surf competition is going on) is worth the job.

I spent my not working days so far this week getting stuff done around the house. Paid some bills, did tons of laundry, put away all the Christmas stuff, killed some ants and cockroaches, etc. I also rewarded myself with some surfing and tanning. Yesterday I went out to surf Castles (it is just a mile down the highway) and figured I'd just go out for an hour. I was shocked when I got back in the truck to come home and realized that I'd been out for nearly two hours. I did catch a few good rides though.

This morning Dave and I went surfing together. We headed out not really sure where to surf; we just started driving. We ended up at Piddley's which is just East of Chun's. I've surfed here before, though with limited success. Today was no different. I ended up coming in early after taking a pounding by a huge set. I spent the next hour or so recovering on my surfboard on the sand. The sun felt good on my back and dried me out pretty good, at least on the outside. Tonight I still have ocean water dripping from my nose when I lean forward. Surfing is a great way to clear out your sinuses.

Found out today that Afton took 5th place for History Day at school. She will be going on to districts. She has a lot of improvements to make to her project before it is due--again--on January 30th. She is so excited and I am so proud of her.

Heath has another swim meet on Friday. Last Friday he had a meet clear on the other end of the island. No bus was provided so I had to take him. I didn't think it would be a big deal though because I had to pick Dave up from the airport around the same time anyways.

[Did I tell you he was in Austin, TX last week? Some conference or other. He had a great time and learned a lot and visited the downtown area which he said was cool.]

Turned out that Dave's flight was delayed on the runway and I ended up having to continue South without him to get Heath to the meet in time. It was 3 o'clock on a Friday afternoon on the H1 through downtown Honolulu. Heath was late by 15 minutes. Then I had to turn around and head back to the airport to pick up Dave. Back through the same traffic I had just driven through. By the time I got there he had been waiting for over an hour. Then we had to head back to the swim meet. We got there about 6pm. Thankfully it was a huge meet so we didn't miss his events. Unfortunately it was a huge meet and it took forever to get to his events. We left around 9:30 or 10. It was an hour and half drive home, only fifteen minutes of which were used to get through downtown.

Still Friday night, poor Dave had been up since 1am Hawaii time (remember he had begun his day in Austin, TX catching an early flight home). He was kinda funny to hang out with that night. Heath and I kept laughing at him and saying "Yep, I think Dad's tired!"

Pictures of Hawaii: Senna alata

2012-01-09T07:30:00.000-10:00

Senna alata --Emperor's Candlesticks

These 6-8 inch flower clusters cover the ends of an eight foot bush that is sprawling across the neighbors side yard and draping over our brick wall. There is no scent and as far as I know no uses for this flower but isn't it beautiful. I love the brightness of the yellow. I first noticed it blooming in November.

Favorite Quotes: The Phantom Tollbooth

2012-01-07T18:00:00.000-10:00

My favorite Character from the Phantom Tollbooth is found in Chapter 14: The Dodecahedron.

"You'll have to do better than that," scolded the Dodecahedron, "or you'll never know how far you've gone or whether or not you've ever gotten there."
"I'm not very good at problems," admitted Milo.
"What a shame," sighed the Dodecahedron. "They're so very useful."

"All three roads arrive at the same place at the same time," interrupted Tock, who had patiently been doing the first problem.
"Correct!" shouted the Dodecahedron. "And I'll take you there myself. Now you can see how important problems are. If you hadn't done this one properly, you might have gone the wrong way."
"But if all the roads arrive at the same place at the same time, then aren't they all the right way?" asked Milo.
"Certainly not!" he shouted, glaring from his most upset face. "They're all the wrong way. Just because you have a choice, it doesn't mean that any of them has to be right."

"Don't you know anything about numbers?'
"Well, I don't think they're very important," snapped Milo, too embarrassed to admit the truth.
"NOT IMPORTANT!" roared the Dodecahedron, turning red with fury. "Could you have tea for two without the two--or three blind mice without the three? Would there be four corners of the earth if there weren't four? And how would you sail the seven seas without a seven?"
"All I meant was---" began Milo, but the Dodecahedron, overcome with emotion and shouting furiously, carried right on.
"If you had high hopes, how would you know how high they were? And did you know that narrow escapes come in all different widths? Would you travel the whole wide world without ever knowing how wide it was? And how could you do anything at long last, " he concluded, waving his arms over his head, "without knowing how long the last was? Why, numbers are the most beautiful and valuable things in the world. Just follow me and I'll show you."

New Year's Resolutions 2012

2012-01-06T16:00:00.000-10:00

Last year I set some pretty lofty goals for myself. With the year I've had--the big move--I really didn't want to look back and review what I figured I hadn't done but I was pleasantly surprised today when I dug through and found last year's list to see that I had achieved most of my goals.

Yes, there are a few things still lacking; I didn't finish those darn Christmas stockings and I didn't take a photography class and I didn't read any pieces of literature (unless the Fablehaven series and the Phantom Tollbooth count?), and I didn't print a blog book. Having not done these I guess isn't the end of the world--though I usually do take my resolutions and goal setting pretty seriously--I think I will live.

This year I decided that I will change things up a bit and concentrate on one main goal and then I'll write myself a bucket list of things I would like to do this year. This one goal idea does not preclude me continuing to keep up on habits I have formed in years past. I will keep up on all those goodies but I want to concentrate all (or most) my resolution energy on this one thing. Here goes,my main Goal of 2012: Pay off at least half of my student loan.

WOW! I know you're shocked. With all my talk of staying out of debt you may be surprised that I have a student loan, right? Other than our mortgage it is our only debt. When I was young and stupid I financed 3 years of schooling. At the time it seemed like a good idea and I really thought it wouldn't be a problem to pay off once we were out of school and making "the big bucks". We gradually paid off Dave's loans but the big bucks have never come our way and we have been slowly working on my stinking debt for 15 long years; I hate interest! I will not allow any of my children to get student loans and I will refuse to get loans on their behalf. I want this paid off before Heath goes to college in 2 years.

And WOW! I know you're shocked. How in the world am I going to pay off half a student loan when I'm freaking out about the cost of living and having a hard time getting sub jobs. This goal will be a challenge. However, if I can substitute 4 out of every 5 school days I can come close. I will fill the gaps with sewing or something. It's a worthy goal; I will work with determination (and maybe, just maybe, the Lord will provide another miracle?)

Bucket List of things I'd like to do during 2012

Run a 5K race
confidently surf a 3 ft wave (just so you know that is a big wave with a 6 ft face so if I accomplish it I expect you to be amazed and to shower me with praise)
read 3 good books
finish the Christmas stockings
snorkel without hyper-ventilating
learn to night fish hawaiian style
make a blog book
take a photography class
grow and harvest edible bananas
Go to the Island of Hawaii to see Volcanoes national park
Go on an overnight backpacking trip

Looks like it's going to be another busy year.

Resolve

2012-01-05T16:30:00.000-10:00

For the first time in years I did not give Christmas gifts to the kids teachers and I didn't give goodies to my neighbors. Nothing. I somehow ran out of time before Christmas break.

Once again Cora and Afton did not have completed Christmas stockings.

I can't seem to get a handle on my grocery bill here. I am beginning to believe that grocery stores are run by the mob.

My container garden is not thriving. I have gotten 6 smallish discolored tomatoes and 2 strawberries. My basil keeps running off to seed and the only thing I can call successful is my small patch of green onion. I don't often use green onion.

Despite getting rid of all but 7000 lbs of our belongings and moving into a small rental I still feel surrounded by clutter and like the house is never clean.

I am always trying to rustle up sewing business and substitute teaching jobs but I still don't have enough work to make a real difference no matter how much personal marketing I do.

Usually I really look forward to New Year's resolutions. I think about them for weeks and psyche myself up and get all excited about what the new year may bring. But this year I haven't been feeling it. All December long I couldn't even think about resolutions without feeling sick. I felt like I couldn't handle what I've already got on my plate, how could I add more?

On Sunday at church, however, my perspective changed a little. The speaker was talking about New Year's resolutions and three of his statements really stuck in my mind. They were:

Diligence is not perfection-- " For we labor diligently . . . for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23). To me this means: Don't get caught up in doing things perfectly, or even as good as I have done them in the past. I should concentrate on doing the best I can now--working diligently--and trust that the Lord has a plan for me and will make up for my deficiencies.
"Some things simply matter more than others" Robert Millet, Quoted from the Forward of The Infinite Atonement by Tad Callister.To me this means: Don't beat myself up over the goodies, the garden, the groceries. There are more important things to worry myself over.
The race is rigged. We will all come up against obstacles. We will get tired. We will get bored. We will sometimes give up. Feeling down and out and up against big odds is all part of the game. To me this means: that it is just that much more important to remember "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phillipians 4:13) and without Him I can't.

So with these things in mind I have resolved to make some resolutions. I will post them tomorrow.

Menu Plan 1/3/12

2012-01-04T15:46:00.000-10:00

2-Monday-Beef and Fresh Saimin (from Chinatown, kept it in the freezer this week) Stir Fry
3-Tuesday--Quesadillas with avocado dip, Salad and pico de gallo
4-Wednesday--(Back to School) hawaiian haystacks with rice, chicken, chicken gravy, green onions, chow mein noodles, apples, pecans, cabbage
5-Thursday--Cheesy Ham Bake (pulling some leftover ham from Christmas out of the Freezer for this one)
6-Friday--Pizza Night!
7-Saturday--Hot Dogs, macaroni salad, veggie tray
8-Sunday--French Toast AUNT DACIA'S BIRTHDAY!!!
9-Monday--Shrimp Rangoon with noodles and steamed vegetables
10-Tuesday--Bean and Cheese Burritos
11-Wednesday--Split Pea Soup (using the ham bone!), artisan bread and house salad

shopping list
eggs
milk
flour
avocado
lettuce
cucumber
tomatoes
cheddar cheese
pepperoni
canadian bacon
tortillas
split peas
celery
tortillas
cottage cheese
bananas
produce
cereal

Prepare for Tomorrow

2012-01-03T21:00:00.000-10:00

Over the break I changed my phone number to a local Hawaii number in an effort to get more subbing jobs. You see, the Hawaii Department of Education sub-line computer will only call local phone numbers to make arrangements on behalf of teachers unable (or unwilling) to do it themselves. By making myself available to the computer--by getting a local number=-I will theoretically get more jobs.

Thus far all my teaching gigs have been set up at least a day or two in advance directly with the teachers but that will change beginning tomorrow. Tomorrow morning the kids go back to school and I might too, but I don't know yet because the computer system hasn't called yet and could call me as late as 7am for a 7:30am job. That means I have to be prepared to possibly go to work tomorrow, or not. I am not a big fan of last minute arrangements like this but I'm quickly learning that such is the life of a substitute teacher.

In case I get a call in the morning I have prepared ahead by:

doing my laundry on Monday
doing my grocery shopping today
setting my alarm to get up early so I can exercise
setting out some "teacher" clothes
having the kids set out their school stuff
making sure there is something quick and easy in the refrig that I can take for lunch
making plans for tomorrow's dinner
reminding the kids of the plans tomorrow so they knew what to expect if I get the call

If I don't get called in tomorrow I have a list of things to accomplish so that I can be prepared in case I get called in for Thursday:

write out and deliver thank you notes with new local number to teachers I have subbed for previously
pay bills
clean my bedroom
make tie for Dave that I promised him
scrub bathroom (especially the tub and shower)
bake bread
finish the already very late Christmas gift for my nephew Ashton
change bed sheets
wipe out cupboards and spray for ants/cockroaches

The Miracle of the Lost Wallet and Phone

2012-01-02T12:57:00.003-10:00

Dave took Friday off so he could watch the end-of-the-year football games and take us surfing one more time before the kids go back to school this week. Around 1 o'clock we loaded our kids, a few neighbor kids, a BYU student, 6 surfboards, 3 sets of snorkel gear and a few bags of goodies, towels and sunscreen into the truck and headed back over to our new favorite spot, Pua'ena Point, for an afternoon of fun.

We met some friends there and spent our time swimming, exploring and surfing. The time went fast and before we knew it the sun was heading down and our tummies were rumbling. We loaded all back into the truck and, still wet and sandy, drove into the Mililani Costco for gas and pizza. It was only a 30 minute drive from Hale'iwa and gas is so much cheaper at Costco than on the North Shore that it was worth it. Along the way we called Grampa Lou and wished him a Happy Birthday and the girls played games on our BYU Student friend's phone while the boys enjoyed the windy ride in the bed of the truck.

Since we didn't want to leave the surfboards unattended the boys remained in the truck bed while the rest of us walked over to pick up the boxed pizza and smoothies. We brought it back and gathered around the back of the truck, smoothies resting on the bumper, pizza box resting on the surfboards, and enjoyed our delicious end to a fun-filled day, in the dark of the Costco parking lot. A few minutes later we were back on the road to home. The boys were snuggled up in the back with the surfboards and a wool blanket and we visited casually in the cab over the course of the hours drive home.

We got home and, as usual, set everyone to work unloading, rinsing, storing and showering. I was in charge of the towels and the beach bags and clearing the truck of trash. I put the thrice used towels in the washing machine immediately and went upstairs to unload the bags, unlock the doors and referee who showered first. This is when our fun-filled exciting day had a turn for the worst.

Dave came up from the now cleaned out truck and asked where I put his phone.

"I didn't see your phone." I responded.

"You were the last one to have my phone." he insisted, "You were the last one to talk to my dad when we wished him Happy Birthday."

"I was, and then when we were getting gas at Costco I put it in the seat in between us on top of your towel and I didn't notice it again after that." I responded, while instantly flashing through my mind was his towel and the others now in the washer. "Did you double check the truck? Or, I haven't finished cleaning out the bags, maybe it's in one of the those." I suggested.

He left to double check and so did I. I ran down to the washing machine and took every wet thing back out and put my head in the machine to make sure there was no phone hidden in the depths. No phone, phew! I walked out to the truck to help him. We checked the cracks of the seats, under the seats, the center console, the back seats, behind all the seats, in the glove box, all the compartments. We went back inside and checked all the bags and the back porch and the counters and the bedroom and the slipper pile. And then Dave said, "Where is my wallet?"

Then the panic set in. We quickly realized that the last time he had his wallet was when we got Pizza at Costco. He had the wallet and the phone in his hand, handed his money over to the BYU student/friend and had the friend purchase the food. The friend gave Dave the pizza box to carry back to the truck while the rest of us juggled the 9 smoothies, straws and big bundle of napkins. When we got to the truck the pizza box was set on the surfboards, the smoothies on the bumper and Dave had begun distributing the slices to one and all. Which means that he must have set his wallet and phone on the bumper of the car.

I quickly dialed Costco hoping that someone would still be in after hours. Someone was but no wallet or phone had been discovered by the cart crew but they suggested I call back in the morning. "In the morning!" I screamed inside my head. In the morning wasn't going to help when next week Dave would be leaving on a business trip and NEEDED his identification, not to mention the travel credit card that was in that wallet. He couldn't wait until morning when by then everything could be stolen or destroyed by water or whatever. We had to take action NOW.

Dave grabbed the phone and tried calling his cell. It went straight to voicemail, a very bad sign. That meant it was off. He then looked up his phone on Lookout, an online app for locating lost phones. Lookout couldn't find it. That meant not only was it off but it was dead; most likely smashed.

We hopped in the car (fortunately a different student had left his car in our driveway while he was home for the holidays. He had left us the keys. It gets better gas mileage than the truck so we took it.) and drove the hour back to Mililani retracing our every step.

As we drove back around the North Shore in the dark of the night I found myself staring at the far side of the road looking for any sign of a fallen wallet. The car was quiet except for an occasional sullen outburst from Dave declaring his utter stupidity. I didn't argue--not because I thought he was stupid for having left it on the bumper, but because I knew it was totally something I would do but had been lucky enough not to have had the phone and wallet in my hand this time.

Driving up the hill from Hale'iwa to Wahiawa, staring into the dark and starry sky I noticed that I had been silently humming a song for the past 10 minutes. It was one I had learned in Primary many years ago and I now forced myself to remember the words.

"I kneel to pray every day,

I speak to Heavenly Father.

He hears and answers me

When I pray in Faith"

"I begin by saying 'Dear Heavenly Father'.

I thank him for blessings he sends;

Then humbly I ask him for things that I need,

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I had twenty minutes left before we'd be there. I had to start praying. Why hadn't I thought of that sooner? So as the tune continued to roll through my head I began praying. I thanked God for the many miracles that He had performed on my behalf before. I reminded Him that He had done much greater things for me like when we were preparing to move to Hawaii and my suburban and motorcycle and Dave's BMW had all miraculously sold within days of being put on the market. The miracle of the house renting out in answer to the prayers of both me and my renter. I reminded Him that He had provided miracles for me that I had never even asked for like the Miracle of the Strawberries and that He had promised in Matthew 7:8 "For everyone that asketh receiveth; And he that seeketh findeth; And to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

I then went on to ask only for what we needed. Dave needed two forms of identification and he needed the BYU travel credit card that had been issued to him for his trip. We also needed just a couple parts of the phone so we could file an insurance claim with Sprint. He had had a lot of stuff in his wallet including debit cards, gift cards, his PCC annual pass, some business cards and insurance cards. He had used all his paper money at Costco but there were coins stuffed into one of the wallet pockets. We didn't need any of the extras. All I asked for was the ID, the credit card and a couple pieces of the phone.

I was still praying as Dave pulled off the H2 (the freeway) and onto Ka Uka Blvd and into the Costco parking lot. Our eyes carefully scanned the cement reaching into the shadows and across the great expanse of the empty lot. We found where we had parked but found no sign of a wallet or broken phone. We circled once, twice and then slowly made our way, retracing our path from two hours previous, back to the H2. There was surprisingly very little litter along the way.

We gazed into sewer inlets and across islands and across the streetlit ramp and highway intently searching for the slightest hint of something broken or strewn. We flipped on our hazard lights and proceeded at half speed on the far right lane of the four northbound lanes. As we drove along I thought I spotted something but wasn't sure. We decided to continue our search to the next exit and then loop around for a closer look.

We drove back around the 6 mile loop stopping at the on-ramp island to double check there--remembering that the light was green earlier in the evening and we hadn't stopped before turning onto the freeway; the wallet and phone combo could have gone flying then--but no luck. Our last hope was that item I had seen before looping. Could that be what we were looking for? With my prayer still on shuffle-repeat in my head we drove very slowly down the shoulder of the dark freeway, hazards still flashing.

We inched along endlessly, eyes straining, necks craning, hopes waning and then there it was: something black. We had just passed it. It wasn't the same shape as what I had seen before and wasn't in the same place. Was it the same thing? something different? was it trash? I leapt from the car with a mini flashlight in my hand and stayed close to the cement wall that the black thing had been resting against. I could see nothing outside of my flashlight's narrow beam until a group of cars came speeding up the highway towards me. In my peripheral vision something white caught my eye three feet outside of my circle of light. I flashed the light over and tears filled my eyes as I looked down at and leapt onto Dave's BYU ID card smiling up at me. I was shaking with excitement and astonishment. I moved the light across more of the shoulder and found the BYU credit card and within a few more steps found the black thing: Dave's cell phone cover, empty.

I continued scanning. I walked and scanned and cried and walked and scanned. I found some coins. As I turned back I saw Dave approaching. "What did you find?" he called out.

"This." I said as I held my hands out, "And you?"

"I found it all. Well, the phone is questionable but I found the wallet and everything else. They were all strewn about but they were there. I just haven't found my Driver's Licence."

I was so overwhelmed. We found it all!? How could that be? In the middle of the night (it was now 11pm), in the middle of a busy freeway, in the dark we found it all! Dave ushered me to the car and had me move it forward 10 feet so he could check the ground under the car for the missing license. It wasn't there. He walked up and down the 1/4 mile+ strip a few more times, crossing the freeway to the median too. He found a few more items: a $50 Outback gift card, a business card of an associate but still no Driver's License. He decided that he needed to walk back further. Because of how his wallet is constructed and where his License is kept he thought that it could have fallen out before the rest of the wallet fell off the bumper. He instructed me to slowly drive down the shoulder for another 1/4 mile in search of anything else, and then take the 6 mile loop around again and pick him up back closer to the on ramp.

I followed his directions and when I came back around to him he was still without his License. Our last ditch effort would be to check the median one last time but expand the search about 1/4 mile back. I drove him up to the spot we thought he should begin. He carefully crossed the four Northbound lanes and spent another 4 minutes searching and came back with his License AND a $10 Starbucks gift card!

It truly was a miracle that we found any of it let alone all of it. Yes, the phone was broken into a bunch of pieces and is obviously unusable (except for the phone cover which is still in perfect condition) but it was found and can be used to file an insurance claim. His wallet is still usable. Some of his cards are pretty beat up but he has them and the gift cards!! What a blessing. I am so thankful for prayer and a loving Heavenly Father who watches over and directs us in our path's and provides all that we need and more.

Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask abread, will he give him a stone?
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

The many pieces of Dave's phone recovered from the H2 Northbound shoulder and median two hours after falling off the back bumper of the truck.