Soggy Yard Sale

Today was "yard sale mania" on Helemano. (Helemano is the military suburbs we live in) So the community sets a day and everyone including their dogs' dog has a yard sale. There were 5 on our street alone. Remember way back in the Spring when I was complaining after having 47 consecutive days of rain? Well, ever since then, we haven't had barley any rain. Everything is so dry, there are fires all over the place. But of course, today of all days, it rains ALL DAY LONG. The day we have to lug all our sellable junk out to the carport to haggle away, it is so humid I didn't even need to shower. When it rains here in Hawaii, we sometimes get regular rain, sometimes sheets of rain all at once but mostly it just mists. Have you seen those mist things that you can install on your patio to beat the summer heat? They are like a constant squirt bottle in your face to keep you cool? Well today, it was heavy misting almost the entire day. Talk about 100% humidity!

Anyhow, we sold some stuff and are excited cause that is less junk we have to store in my mom's garage for 6 months. All the pictures are off the walls and although the Army sends movers to come pack us up, I have packed a few boxes myself like the control freak that I am. That was an award-winning run-on sentence. It is really getting real...7 days to go till flight time.

So the "jist" of this picture is that this sign was put up to advertise our sale. The phrase "we are getting out" doesn't make a ton of sense by itself to you civillian folk but to us, it says everything! Whenever I come on base and through the gate the MP's look at my ID card and tell me that it is "due to expire in a month, Ma'm" and all I say is "WE ARE GETTING OUT!!"

I have to publicly thank my husband for the opportunity to use that phrase. It alone brings so much joy to my life. He is truly the best!

Matching Diapers

As if I haven't posted enough pics of my son with the dog, here is yet another classic one. Maile has just ended her heat but up until today she has been sporting matching depends as Finn. I couldn't help but snap this photo. My kids and their underwear.

The latest update on our departure of Hawaii is that we are clearing our house on the 20th of this month and will most likely stay in a hotel until the 23rd when Eric has orders to leave the island. I am very excited to be back in Utah for the Pioneer day festivities. Count em' folks....13 days and counting....

Our Great Country-a few days later!

To celebrate the 4th of July, we went with our neighbors to Schoefield to watch the fireworks. We have done this the past 3 years and it is crazy, insane with people. Each year they open the base to the public and estimate anywhere from 40,000-60,000 people show up. We all gather in this huge field and there are bouncy houses and slides for the kids, food for everyone and all sorts of little stands selling random stuff. Here is Finn with Tia- one of our new neighbors with whom we have really been glad to meet. Tia actually got lost at this extravaganza. We had the MP's (military police) notified and everything. All in all, she was only gone for about 20 min when her mom found her at the McDonalds happy meal house for lost kids. As you can see, she was then givin a bracelet to keep her from getting lost again. Finn and Tia have so much fun together in our pool and on our daily outings to the playground. She is 25 months and even though she has no fear to speak of, and can talk your ear off, they get along great.

Suzette, Tia's mom, was brilliant enough to bring along these blueberries which the kids spent at least a half hour munching on. That was after Finn devoured all of their dried cherries. Geeze! You'd think we never fed the kid! I have decided to stop buying fruit snacks and replace them with raisen's and dried fruit. Normally, I would be concerned that eating so much fruit would give him the runs but since our child maintains the need for cheese in this country, the fruit prevents him from being plugged up.
This pic didn't turn out like I had hoped. It was already dark and the kids were playing with some glow-sticks. Those are the green lights in front of us. As for the lights around my head...who knows where those came from. But at least you can see our faces. Thanks again to my mom in law who gave Eric and I this beach blanket. This will be its last use here in Hawaii. It has been to the beach with us almost every trip. Very useful!