Soaking up the sun (and sunscreen, of course!)

We returned from the mainland with a heightened awareness of just how quickly we'll be leaving this island. Sure, August sounds like it's a long way off, but we know it'll sneak up on us. Consequently, we've been trying to make the most of our dwindling time on this island paradise.

One of the first things we did was buy an inflatable wading pool. It may seem crazy to purchase a wading pool on an island. After all, no matter which way you go, you'll wind up at a beach eventually! But with two little girls and their occasionally dueling nap schedules, sometimes you just can't get to a beach, no matter how close. So, we invested all of $8 in an inflatable pool, and we've found it to be worth every penny. Kathleen would play in it all day, every day, if we'd let her. Madeline doesn't go in much, but she's just as happy to watch.

And although we don't actually go in the wading pool, we've loved sitting in our backyard, watching the girls play. In fact, that was how we spent our sixth anniversary. We spent the day in the backyard and then, after the girls had gone to bed, cooked up a frozen pizza and uncorked a nice chianti. It wasn't glamorous, but we thought it was great!

As much as we love the wading pool, though, sometimes you just want to be on a beach. On Memorial Day we decided to make the most of our early-rising daughters and stake out a piece of sand. Beaches here get crowded on regular weekends, and on a holiday space is at a premium. We knew that we'd have to head out early. So, when our girls got up, we had a not-too-rushed-but-not-quite-leisurely breakfast, loaded up the jeep (it's our beach car), and drove to our favorite, kid-friendly lagoons. When we pulled up, just before 8:30am, there was already a line of cars at the resort's front gate. And by the time we got to the guard, they were turning everyone away. There was no room at the beach! (Well, no room in the parking lot, anyway.)

Fortunately Daddy had a plan B: we'd spend the day on Waikiki! Plan B turned out to be even better than our plan A. We didn't hit any traffic on the way into Honolulu (a first for us!). The sun was shining (it hadn't been shining over post or on the way to the lagoons). We found plenty of parking at Fort DeRussy. And there was lots of lots of open space on the freshly raked sand.

We played in the sand and we swam in the water. Madeline hung out in the stroller, where she couldn't reach the sand (she's a real sand-eater!) for a while, so Mama even got a few moments to read a magazine. We'd brought lunch with us, and it was a good thing. Being at the beach apparently makes Kathleen hungry; she ate TWO peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. TWO WHOLE SANDWICHES. That's four times what she'll eat at a normal lunch!

Eventually we packed up our beach things and took a walk down to the Hilton, where Kathleen checked in on her friends -- the penquins, the turtles, the koi, the flamingos and the parrots. After spending some time there, we walked back to the military resort, the Hale Koa, and sat at their pool bar for some lunch. (Normally we'd have used that pool, as it's open to military id holders, whether or not they're staying at the resort. However, the pool was pretty crowded because of the holiday.) Jim and I split a salad and a soda, and Kathleen munched on a hot dog. (I know! In addition to those sandwiches!) Madeline finished off the food we'd brought from home, and then happily sipped away on her water. (Had we mentioned that she now drinks from a straw? Jamba Juice. She learned to drink from a straw so she could have Jamba Juice, but she'll settle for water.)

And then we finished off our afternoon with an island favorite -- shave ice. It's sort of like a snow cone, only better. Kathleen loves it, and she's willing to share!

We finally made it to those lagoons today, finishing out the month of May in style. We got there at about 9:15am and had no problem parking! We all had a wonderful time -- Madeline finally learned to love the water and Kathleen paddled around with her inflatable ring (which, to my amusement, she insists on calling her "diamond ring"). Sadly, we didn't manage any pictures of that visit, but we can promise there will be more soon. This circus will be hitting the beach on a regular basis, at least for the next two months!

Happy Belated Birthday, Daddy!

We celebrated Daddy's birthday in a rather subdued fashion this year. We'd only returned from the mainland the day earlier, so we were all still pretty jetlagged. We did manage to go out to dinner. We had some of Daddy's favorites -- coconut shrimp and prime rib. Yum!

And because it's not a birthday without cake, we topped that off with some cupcakes and some ice cream when we got home. Kathleen was particularly excited about this aspect of Daddy's birthday. In fact, when we came through the gate onto post, she handed the guard our id cards (one of her favorite ways to help) and when he handed them back, she said, "Thank you. I'm going to get some cake. Goodbye!"

Madeline won the prize for giving the best gift this year: she said "Dada" for the first time during birthday dinner.

We won't tell you exactly how old he is, but we will tell you thirty things we love about Daddy, so you can probably guess!

1. He's given us lovely homes in beautiful places and has provided for all our needs -- and even our wants!
2. He believes that raising our family is the most important work we do. (He's never even complained about Mama's student loans for a degree she doesn't use.)
3. He makes us laugh. A lot.
4. He does a fantastic rendition of "The Noble Duke of York."
5. He is teaching his girls to love God.
6. He's a great dancer.
7. Although he never learned "Jesus Loves Me" as a child, he sings his own, very sweet version to our girls at night.
8. He's always reading and learning and thinking.
9. He works hard at everything that matters -- at being an officer, being a husband, being a father, being a friend -- and is willing to let go of the things that don't matter.
10. He truly cares for his soldiers and their families.
11. He insists he'll name a son Indiana Jones Golby. (Don't even ask about the rest of the names for our boys' basketball team.)
12. After a long day, he always finds time and energy for a trip to the park or some time at the beach or a game of tee-ball in the yard.
13. He encourages us to be healthy and makes time for Mama to run.
14. Even though we know he really wanted to command a cavalry troop (and he'd have been great at it!), he decided to go to grad school and teach at West Point so we could all be together.
15. He's always helping Mama think about what she would like to do when the girls are grown.
16. He taught Kathleen to sing the Notre Dame Victory March and Take Me Out to the Ballgame.
17. He was the driving force behind teaching our girls to sign.
18. Although he insists that he doesn't want any gifts, he gives the best presents.
19. Whenever the Army asks him what he'd like to do or where he'd like to go, he always checks with us first.
20. He rescues us from bugs and centipedes.
21. He never objects to carrying the pink Vera Bradley diaper bag.
22. He volunteers in the church nursery to give Mama a break.
23. He could sleep through the end of the world.
24. Even when he was far away and very, very busy, he found the time and energy to stay connected with us.
25. He doles out discipline judiciously, but gives hugs and kisses lavishly.
26. He loves a good discussion/debate/argument.
27. He takes us on adventures!
28. He initiated our pizza picnic movie night tradition.
29. He's let Mama purchase more baskets, Polish pottery, shoes, and baby clothes than she has any right to!
30. He makes sure we're safe and happy and -- most of all -- loved.

We love you, Daddy! Happy Belated Birthday!

We Love the Land of Lincoln

Having dispensed of our official duties, our circus departed D.C. with Doug in tow. He was a quiet traveler, although he did require secondary screening at the airport. Those pesky famous generals are such a security risk! Mostly he hung out on the back of the stroller. I have to confess, though, that he took quite a header when I lifted Madeline out of the Maclaren. Fifteen pounds of metal head is more than enough to overbalance an umbrella stroller. Fortunately for me, Doug has battled worse than strollers; he survived unscathed.

Having made the flight across both an ocean and a continent, we decided to make the most of our presence on the mainland. Jim had some of that you've-spent-so-much-time-deployed-in-the-last-few-years-that-we-recognize-we-owe-you-something-leave (there's an official name for it, but it's ancronym and it escapes me) to use, and we decided we'd use it to hang out with our Illinois family. This decision delighted our entire circus, but Kathleen's delight was most evident. Whenever we'd ask her whom we were going to see, she'd yell out, "COUSINS!" (Sorry, everyone else, but you get second place to your children and grandchildren!)

We started off the week with Uncle Eric, Aunt Katherine, Sarah, Ethan, and Melissa in Dwight.

Katherine and Eric had been with us in D.C., and as the flights worked out, we actually beat them home! Eric's mother was home with the children, though, and she gave us a marvelous welcome, complete with a delicious home-cooked dinner. Kathleen couldn't get enough of her cousins or their dog, Belle.

We watched Ethan play ball and helped pick out flowers at the nursery.

Kathleen grew especially close to Melissa. When we did eventually have to leave, she spent most of the two hour drive asking to "go Melissa home."

But, sad as we were to leave all those fun cousins, Kathleen perked up when we got to see Matt, Alison, and Lizzie at Aunt Margaret and Uncle Craig's house.

There she fell in love with her cousins and also with their toy dishwasher. I'd never seen such a toy before, but Kathleen could hardly be parted from it! We watched Daddy and Matt play basketball -- Madeline especially liked cheering for them.

Various members of our circus also chased down the ice cream man, enjoyed a delicious cookout, toured Aunt Marg's new hospital, visited Grandpa's farm, and watched Lizzie practice softball.

We also got to visit Grandma and Grandpa and enjoyed a beautiful lunch at their house. Kathleen got very excited about some pinwheels...

but Madeline decided to take a little snooze.

And then, before we knew it, it was time to leave. We bid a tearful farewell to our family, with promises to do our best to return (for longer!) late this summer. Kathleen will keep us faithful to that -- she's already counting down!

On our way back to the airport we made a special stop to see Meg and her mommy. They have a beautiful apartment in Chicago, where Kathleen and Meg had tons of fun together. Watching them play together was a delight. We had a delicious dinner, were showered with thoughtful gifts (banana bread for the early flight out!), and tried to get a decent photo of the lot of us...

We flew out the next morning. We'd been nervous about the long flight home, but it went beautifully. Kathleen slept even better than she had on the way out, and when we woke we distracted her with the portable DVD player. Madeline was a doll and spent most of her waking moments flirting with the other passengers! And then we were home. We loved our time in the Land of Lincoln. We promise we'll be back soon!

Our New Friend Doug

At our hotel, we found Aunt Katherine, Uncle Eric, Aunt Margaret, Aunt Angela, Grandma and Grandpa waiting in the lobby! They'd come to join us for the official reason for our travel -- the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award events.

The MacArthur Award is given each year to company grade Army officers (active duty, guard, and reserve) for outstanding leadership. Jim was one of this year's recipients! In addition to a free trip to D.C., the awardees receive a 15-pound bronze bust of General Douglas MacArthur. Leading up to the trip, the bust was a frequent point of discussion in our house. "A fifteen pound bust? How do you even carry that home?" I'd say. Fear not, friends. They give you a tote bag!

Anyway, the events began with a welcome reception that evening where the winners were introduced and everyone had a chance to mingle. The next day's schedule included an awards ceremony at the Pentagon, a luncheon at the hotel, and then Pentagon tours.

As we were planning this trip, Jim and I agreed that it would be unreasonable to expect the girls to sit through a formal ceremony when they'd be so jet-lagged. We decided to hire a sitter from a D.C. area nanny agency so that the girls could play at the hotel while the grown-ups attended the official events. We used the agency recommended by the hotel, stocked our room with games and toys and food (and an emergency back-up: a portable DVD player for Kathleen) and figured we were set.

That morning Jim headed out early for rehearsals. The girls and I stayed at the hotel to meet family and our dear friend Paulie, who'd travelled from West Point for the ceremonies. (Other friends would meet us at the Pentagon -- Jim's mentor, Dr. Snider, along with Dan and Peter, friends from our days in Germany.) I'd scheduled the sitter to arrive half an hour before I was supposed to depart so that the girls could get comfortable with her and so that I could tell her a million little things that might make the day go more smoothly. Only (and you probably saw this coming), she never arrived! I made several frantic calls to the agency and could get no answer. Time for plan B! At first I thought I'd stay at the hotel with the still-sleepy, unfed girls, but with encouragement and help from everyone, we brought them along instead. I threw random things in a diaper bag (including dresses for the girls, who were in play clothes) while the Aunties carried the girls to the bus. Some day I can regale Kathleen and Madeline with stories about how I re-dressed them and did their hair while standing in the security line in front of the Pentagon...

As it turned out, having the girls along worked out great. There were lots of other children at the event, many of them louder than my own. (Phew!) All the friends and relatives pitched in -- Dr. Snider carried a diaper bag, and Kathleen insisted Paulie carry her purse, and the family all took turns walking along with Kathleen. The only downside was that, since my hands were full of children, I didn't manage to take any photos. Fortunately, plenty of other people did!

Here's Jim accepting his award. We've taken to calling it Doug.

We joke about the award (it's hard not to joke about a fifteen pound metal head!), but we're so proud of Daddy. We think he's amazing. I think you can tell:

After the ceremony and a cake and punch reception, we headed back to the hotel for a luncheon. We hadn't planned on the girls attending the entire luncheon, either, but everyone was wonderful about it. Highchairs and a children's meal appeared out of nowhere. What a blessing! Over lunch we chatted with Paulie and Dr. Snider, relishing the time with them. And when it was all over, we managed this extended family photo.

After lunch, most of the family headed back to the Pentagon for tours, but the girls and I skipped the tour in favor of a nap. We were glad we did. Perhaps one day we'll truly appreciate a tour like that; for now, naps are more our speed.
We finished off our day with a casual dinner out with the whole family and some sight-seeing afterwards. We were honored to be able to visit the WWII memorial with Grandpa, who served in the Army during the war. We were inspired by the memorial and our Grandpa!

When we'd had enough of memorials, we took the Metro home and collapsed into bed. Our full, circus-y day had tuckered us out. We had an early flight out the next morning, and we needed all the sleep we got!

Our Circus Hits the Road

Well, friends, you've not heard much from us lately because we took our little circus on the road. We braved our biggest adventure yet, flying to Washington, D.C.! The Army had offered to fly me and Jim out there so that Jim could attend an awards ceremony, and we decided that the girls needed to come, too.

We left on Mother's Day. A nine-hour flight (another two-hour flight followed that one) with a two-year-old and an eight-month-old isn't quite a Mother's Day spa getaway, but we were together, and we were grateful for that.

Our flight left in the late afternoon, so that gave us all morning to do final packing. By the time we arrived at the airport, both girls were pretty excited.

Thankfully, the overnight flight worked out beautifully. After the initial excitement of being on the plane wore off, the girls both slept for a good portion of the trip. Madeline was an angel in my arms, and Kathleen seemed quite happy in her carseat. We didn't have any crying episodes, and since we managed to sit in the bulkhead, we didn't have to worry about anyone kicking the backs of the seats!

By the time we arrived in D.C., we were too tired for sight-seeing. Besides, it was rainy and cold. Not that cold if you live on the mainland, but really cold if you've been living in the tropics! After we found our hotel, and went out for lunch, we gave into a much needed nap.

We'd arranged our own hotel for the first day of our visit (the Army made the arrangements for the rest of the time) and we stayed at an Embassy Suites. Having two rooms was perfect for our circus! Kathleen slept in the sitting room on the pull-out couch, which we called her super-secret bed. She thought it was the coolest thing ever.

She slept like a champ. In fact, that night she nearly slept through a fire alarm! At about quarter to five in the morning, some sort of "fire emergency" (according to the alarm) required the evacuation of the hotel. Despite flashing lights and blaring noise, Kathleen didn't wake up until we actually picked her up, all bundled in her blankets, and carried her outside. She woke then, and both girls happily watched the fire engine while Daddy talked to a general from Hawaii who happened to be staying at the same hotel. And then, after all that, when we returned to the room and laid Kathleen on her super-secret bed, she immediately fell asleep. And she slept until eleven in the morning!

When we finally roused our sleeping beauties, we made the big switch to the hotel where we'd spend the next two nights. (Amusingly, the first Sheraton we attempted to check into was not the hotel where we had reservations. Way to go!) Once we were settled, we headed out to see some sights. The rain and cold of the day before had given way to picture-postcard weather. What a blessing!

We took the girls for their first trip on the Metro; Kathleen was delighted with the train. She loved to watch them arrive in the station, and she was even more excited to board one. When Daddy didn't have a seat, she insisted on standing, too. It was hysterical. We spent the early afternoon on the Mall. Jim and Kathleen rode a carousel. We all ate hot dogs in the sunshine. (Okay, Madeline skipped the hot dogs, opting for some puree peaches, instead.) We walked around, enjoying the weather, admiring the monuments, and marveling that we were actually there!

When we'd had enough of playing tourist, we headed back to the hotel, hoping to give the girls a late nap. And whom did we meet as we walked in the door? Jim's sisters and his parents! They'd come to join us for the "official" part of our trip. More on that later...

Sweet!

Less than 24 hours after the change of command, we're already loving being able to spend more time with Daddy. (We won't dwell on the fact that, even though he was on pass, he still had to go into the office for a little today...) To celebrate Jim's first full day of not being in command, we took a little trip to Baskin Robbins. Ice cream with Daddy -- talk about a sweet treat!

It's not clear whether Kathleen was more excited about being with Daddy or about her scoop of rainbow sherbet.

Okay, maybe the rainbow sherbet.

Passing the Guidon

Wednesday was a big day for our little circus. Jim gave up command of his company in a ceremony held on Wednesday afternoon. Like other ceremonies we've mentioned, it was held on the big, green parade field, with the mountains in the background. For those of you who haven't attended a hundred of these ceremonies in the past, I'll tell you a bit about it. The ceremony (which is basically the same everywhere in the Army) was rather short. In fact, it was just about the right length for the girls; they were mostly quiet and Kathleen sat on her seat very politely, plied with some snacks and some stickers. The ceremony opened with the national anthem, an invocation, and a recitation of the unit's history. Next, short biographies of the incoming and outgoing commanders were read. At most ceremonies the commanders' families receive flowers, but in Hawaii, they receive lei. The girls and I were each given a lei. I wish I'd managed to take a photo of us, because the girls looked darling draped in flowers, especially Madeline, since the white lei was about as big as she is!


To symbolize the change of command, Jim passed the company's guidon to the battalion commander, who then passed it to the new company commander.



Kathleen got rather excited during this portion of the change of command ceremony, and called out, "Mama! Daddy taking turns with the flag! Taking turns!"


After the passing of the guidon, the battalion commander, outgoing commander, and incoming commander each made short remarks. (The incoming commander's remarks are generally the shortest, since all he really gets to say is that all policies and procedures remain in place!) Jim thanked his soldiers and leaders for all their work, reviewing some of the things they'd accomplished, both in Hawaii and Iraq, over the course of his command. After the remarks, the soldiers all sang. No, really, they sing. They sing at every one of these ceremonies. (If you're not in the Army, that seems pretty funny.) The soldiers sang the division song ("We strike like tropic lightning...") and then the Army song. As is usually the case, there was a recorded accompaniment, and the soldiers sang along to that. I think that the company formation couldn't hear the accompaniment, because their singing didn't remotely match up to the music! It was actually a nice way to end -- the silliness of the mismatched timing made me laugh, when I had thought I'd cry.

We were excited that Ben, a friend of ours from Germany, was able to attend the change of command with us. Although Ben and his family live in Maryland now, Ben's still in the Reserves and just happened to be on island for his Reserve duty! We hadn't seen Ben since we left Germany, and it was funny to see him in uniform, because it was as though nothing had changed, although it really has for him! After the ceremony we headed home, and Ben and Jim's First Sergeant (who also changed out Wednesday!) and his family joined us for dinner. It was nice to be able to relax together, knowing that there wouldn't be any middle-of-the-night phone calls and that Jim would have the next day off.

Giving up command is a bittersweet experience for Jim. He has grown close to his soldiers, NCO's, and officers during his time here and in Iraq, and I know there's a part of him that wishes he could stay with them as they prepare to deploy yet again. (The company will deploy to Iraq in the fall, just over a year after they returned home from 15 months in Iraq.) Yet, leaving his company marks the beginning of a new, exciting adventure for us. We're excited to move to California (although Jim insists on calling it the fruit and nut state) and begin graduate school and (most of all) live together as a family.

Hooray!

Madeline's newest trick is clapping. She loves to clap! She'll be fussing sometimes and then suddenly decide to clap, and it's as though whatever bothered her has ceased to exist. She's just that happy about clapping. Although, to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure whether it's the clapping she likes or the fact that whenever she does, everyone in the room cries, "Hooray!" and claps right along with her....

A Little Fear on a Friday Morning...

Yesterday morning started out with more than a little panic on my part. Well, not at first. Madeline woke a little before six, about an hour later than normal. (What a treat!) She and I played out in the living room together until Kathleen woke a little before seven. When Kathleen came out into the living room with us, she immediately looked out onto the lanai and said, "Mama, look!"

There, beyond the (blessedly closed) glass doors, we had a not-so-little visitor. Kathleen had spotted this guy, squirming around on the back screen door:



A centipede. A giant (at least to my way of thinking) centipede.

Now, not only is this guy a big, big bug (and I've got real issues with bugs, people), he also has a nasty bite. Centipedes are mentioned in one of the briefings soldiers get when they come to the island. The soldiers are told that although the centipede has a nasty bite, it's not generally poisonous, at least not for adults. It's only trouble for smaller animals, like dogs and cats... and presumably, my little girls.

So, with that horrifying thought, I launched into action. I left the glass doors to the lanai firmly shut and hustled the girls out the front door. I loaded them into the jogging stroller and went for a run, but not before I left a ridiculous, panicked, rambly message for Jim on his cell phone. Jim was already at PT, so I knew he wouldn't get the message immediately, but I was mostly hoping that he'd get the message and come home and get rid of our uninvited house guest before the girls and I got back.

The girls and I did our usual morning run (about 35 minutes of running and then about 20 minutes of playing at the park, so there's something in it for everyone) and then headed home. I was relieved to see Jim's Jeep as we rolled up to the house. Jim, however, was in the kitchen, blissfully oblivious to my panic, not having checked his messages. Babbling and guesturing frantically, I dragged him to the back lanai and pointed out our problem.

I'll spare you all the gory details, but let me say that, armed with some bug spray and a long, sharp tool, Jim masterfully eliminated the centipede. Thank goodness that guy didn't choose to visit while Jim was gone; I'd have been a real wreck!

Oh, and I talked to pest control. They said the centipede was probably an isolated incident, but they're sending someone out to spray the perimeter of our house on Monday, anyway. Whew! We really like visitors, but not that kind of visitor!

Somewhere Else

Monday was a training holiday, one of those delightful days that the Army gives as a holiday for no real discernible reason. It's one of the upsides to Army life -- the occasional weekday holiday that makes a long weekend. It doesn't entirely make up for deployments. (I'm really bad at math, but even I can figure that out!) But still, it's a nice treat!

We hadn't quite decided what we'd do with the day when we were sitting at the breakfast table together and Kathleen announced, "I want to go somewhere else!" We were happy to oblige.

We took advantage of the beautiful, sunny day to head to the North Shore and look for sea turtles (honu, in Hawaiian). Our first stop was a stretch of beach up by Dillingham Airfield. Jim had been on the beach over the weekend for a wedding, and had seen lots of turtles hanging out on the sand. Unfortunately for us, it appears that the turtles had been wedding guests; they were nowhere to be found Monday morning. Although we didn't see any turtles, we did get to see a small plane taking off from the airstrip. Kathleen was mesmerized.

From there we headed over to the more popular (and at least in terms of turtle sightings, probably more reliable) Laniakea Beach, which most people just call turtle beach. (But it's not Turtle Bay. That's entirely different.) Kathleen perched on Jim's shoulders again, looking out for the elusive turtles.

As we expected, we had more luck at turtle beach. We saw several turtles swimming near the beach. Kathleen was even close to one in the water at one point! I tried to get some photos of the creatures for you (they're so cute!), but between their quick swimming and my slow photography, I just didn't manage. Mostly the turtles just wind up looking like rocks under water. Sorry.

After hanging with the turtles, we decided to head back to Haleiwa for some shave ice at Matsumoto's. Tasty! Unbelievably, Jim hadn't manage to have shave ice before... (I guess that's what happens when you're deployed as much as he has been.) Better late than never, I suppose!

Full of shave ice, we ended our adventure and made it home in time for naps for everyone. You have to love a training holiday!