This picture is from karate tonight...Amelia was really wanting to say hi to Connor...she was waving as hard as she could...trying to get his attention. But Connor was doing an amazing job at karate tonight! He was very focused and didn't even notice Amelia trying to distract him (which is good bc otherwise he would get in trouble for not paying attention!)

This brings back memories of when my sister was little too...I was on stage for a choir performance in middle school.  Christine came right up to the front of the stage yelling "Tracey!!!"  

Shoes were to big and kept falling off...she doesn't mind though...she loves going for a walk (on her terms of course!)

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Wearing swim shoes bc that's the best option right now!

Playing ball outside...airing out her bottom bc of a terrible diaper rash...good thing you can't even tell with this cute smock dress on : )

Happy Sweet 16 Daad! It's not a typo...it's D -double A- D for a long and drawn out Daad!

It is perfectly fitting that our dad's birthday is on February 29...he's always been unique and his Leap day birthday totally fits him! 

 We sent Clyde a Sweet 16 banner that was a surprise and was hanging outside their house when they got home from Orlando on Sunday!

Amelia's newest word is "Elmo!"

She walked right up to the TV...tried to turn it on by herself, pointed at the TV and said Elmo!  Think she was telling me something?!   It was pretty cute! 

Her regular words are Daddy (always with tons of enthusiasm!), Mama and sometimes Mommy...Conca or similar for Connor...she also loves to say ball...anything can be a ball you know...my fave still is when she threw the onion!   She said nana for banana the other day...and then I really think she did say banana once...but haven't heard it again...but she's working hard on words!   She still has her own language which definitely sounds Japanese to us...I think it's the influence of all the Japanese tourists who have given her attention and taken pictures of her over the past 16 months!

VIDEO: Elmo and I know it...Connor's version! Make sure your speakers are on...because the song is really funny!

Does the punishment fit the crime!?

$22.75 from Connor's piggy bank...the cost of a new Japanese sake set...Scott brought it back from Japan for me about 12 years ago...there are 2 pieces left of the 5 piece set...I searched online to get an idea of replacement cost...found a similar one on Amazon (very entertaining!) for $22.75...so I told Connor that is how much he will need to replace what he broke.  He was initially devastated about losing his money...but when he realized that he had some pennies, nickels, dimes and 2 quarters left...he was thinking with the "glass is half full attitude" at that point, which I suppose is good.  And then he looked at me and said in a very positive way, "it's a good thing that you have all that money now!"  My goal is for him and Scott to go shopping to find a new one, maybe in Chinatown here...so he understands the money is to buy a replacement of what he broke...I also had him help to vacuum and mop up the floor...I was trying to emphasize the safety issue at this point, that we don't want anyone to get hurt!

The remnants of the breakage...I have to say, I think this is the first major thing that he's broken...but maybe I am forgetting something...but alas...this one is documented and we won't forget it!

VIDEO: Orange belt test! Connor is left front...so I lose him for a few minutes during the routine...but you get the idea

Amelia spinning...she was pretty good at the belt testing last night...but it lasted for over an hour...she was good and happy eating and spinning for the first 30 minutes or so...but then she was all done so we had to wait outside until it was done...Connor's group went first but they don't hand out the belts until all the students have tested...long night!

Grand Master Lovett was talking to the students before the testing began...he used to have a regular job...he wasn't happy there...so now for more than 20 years, he has taught martial arts to kids...and the moral of his story was that he loves what he does and does not consider it work...in case you were wondering about the background vocals : )   Really glad we found this program but totally bummed that we are leaving just when Connor was getting into it...but hopefully we'll find a new Tae Kwon Do school wherever we move...we STILL don't know where we are moving to...really annoying.

VIDEO: Lining up to get their Orange belts...

The main video of the testing is too big to upload from my cell phone...so trying to figure out another way...but here's a short clip of the end of testing

The 2nd part of the testing to Orange belt...it's called Jesus, King of Kings...

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The kids he tested with...

Orange belt success!

Waiting for belt testing to begin

Funny girl...insisted upon wearing Connor's hat...it would flop over her eyes and she couldn't see very well...but she kept it on for at least 30 minutes!

My sister is on the left...same age as Amelia...notice her top tooth coming in...it's a side tooth...well...Amelia has decided that she wants to be just like Auntie Bean...tried to get a better view of her side tooth coming in...Christine's was a left side tooth...Amelia's is a right side tooth. For Christine, this tooth ended up being pulled when she was older bc of spacing issues before braces...so will be interesting to see if Amelia keeps this tooth!

Last pics in Maui

We enjoy Bubba Gump's...and Maui's location has an amazing ocean front view and free parking...which is nice because parking is hard to come by in Lahaina!

view from our window

playing peek-a-boo with the coasters!

I love her face here...she's having fun!

Connor always gets excited about jello...but he really doesn't like it.  He wants to like it but it's just not happening!  He loves the colors and the smell...but pretty sure it's the texture that he doesn't like...and I have to agree...I am not a jello person.  He took a few tiny bites then gave it to Amelia...she seems to like jello which is not surprising...as most food is her friend ; )

Our little airplane!   It's Island Air and the only one that flies into the Kapalua airport...we've flown into the other airport twice...it's more mainstream...but we dared to be different on this trip!  It was nice to be only 10 minutes from the airport...perfect for this trip!   The airport is so small that TSA doesn't open security until about 30 minutes before the flight!

Underwater pics from our whale watch/snorkel cruise on Sunday...Scott is the official underwater photographer!

First underwater pics with our new Nikon underwater camera. This replaced our Olympus underwater that broke but was covered by warranty...so they sent a replacement check. The Nikon AW100 seems to be much sturdier and so far...takes better pics in and out of water!