We are taking these small steps….
27
Aug
Today this photo caught my eye as I was looking for something.
It is a note from my mom – 17 years ago….
(read below to see what it says)
My mom ALWAYS left notes for me –
be it when I would get home late after a date and she was already in bed or not there,
or be it years later after we had left the house many years already.
Next week my dad will be visiting me from an overseas country.
This will be his first time ever leaving the country without her.
It will be his first time going on holiday without her.
My mom, living with Alzheimers, was placed in a home of care, the week after their 50th wedding anniversary.
It was a big and heartbreaking move to make.
It will be impossible for her to make the journey to come visit us.
And as I saw this photo, I realised that she will never be able to step into my house again and neither would I in hers.
I have known this for a while..but some days it strikes harder than others….
It was not my idea to have this photo out today to make me sad…but it is my reality.
No more notes from her to me or from me to her
She can neither read nor write anymore and hardly comprehend anything you even say.
It breaks my heart to know that my dad has to come alone – for his sake as well as ours,
but we need to take these small steps to move on with the important role he still plays in our lives.
These are sad, but necessary steps to take.
It will surely be on his mind when he departs.
A departure from yet another part of the life he shared with my mom.
But these notes I am forever thankful for and however painful it is to write this and as sad and sobbing as this has made me today, so happy it makes me that I took this picture that day to remind me of how special she made me feel and how proud she was with this accomplishment of mine….even if she had to do it in lipstick on the mirror !!!
Today she can not be there for us anymore.
But we can still be there for her.
I will miss her on this visit.
But I am thankful for my father whom I can still welcome in my home.
He will be in our home.
And she will be in our hearts.
I will write my dad a note when he arrives
and I will leave some flowers in his room when he comes.
Flowers……for my mom.
The note translated:
“The first C.P.A (CA) to have slept in this room in 25 years !
Luckily she did not take 25 years to get there…
The C.P.A (CA) was 3 years old when she moved into this room
and 3 years ago she married the most wonderful husband that a women’s heart could desire….
Congratulations you two !”
Written by my mom to me (in her own lipstick !! 😉 , the first weekend we went home for a visit, after I became a CPA.
We lived in the same house for 30 years and this was in my room where I grew up.
Typically my mom, she did not only include me in the congratulations, but equally so she praised my husband with this achievement as she knew he was with me every step of the way in getting this qualification.
Ilze
Where’s the missing piece???
25
Aug
Do you think that  DAILY ROUTINES are compulsory to keep a household or a person sane/ effective??
If you HAVE the answer – please COMMENT NOW !
If you are still unsure about the question – read more here:
I am a very organized person – that means my STUFF is organized…..my house….my shelves… but NOT my schedule!!
Having a tidy, uncluttered environment works for me – WONDERS !!! But that’s me.
Organizing our activities and daily routines will affect all those around me ! But – it is somewhat chaotic trying to get my kids on bed same time every day
Some days dinner is ready at 6
…. other days at 7 or 8.
Some days I exercise
…and some days I don’t!
Some days I take vitamins
…and some days I don’t!
So – it is EXTREMELY difficult to keep track of what is happening around me!
I think that keeping ROUTINES – same time to bed each day, same old story each day – will help everyone to get to what we are suppose to do in a day ! And be GOOD CITIZENS of our own health and performances !
But – my FEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!…is to become one of those old people one day who can’t come visit because they have to have their “hair” done on Tuesdays…
or those people who yawn at a party because they usually go to bed at 10pm and now it is already 11pm – my goodness?!
or they can’t go for coffee…because this time every day they do spinning….
or the kids are running havoc because the hostess is serving dinner at 8 pm and we “forced” ourselves into eating everyday at 6 pm??!!
WHAT IF THAT HAPPENS??
What if we loose our easy-going, whatever comes, whatever goes type of attitude and become one of “THOSE” people???
THAT is what stands between me and seriously implementing the routines in this house.
I started implementing ROUTINES and STRUCTURE – I think that is the missing piece???
But I am SOOOOOo AFRAID that will ruin things in the long run??!!
I am so worried I will “over-engineer” this household.
CAN you help me out??
Is it working for you??
Tell me about YOUR routines or lack thereof and how it affects you and your life and OTHERS around you?????
PLEASE, PLEASE dont leave without HELPING ME OUT !!
The rest of my life depends on this decision I take today.
And you will be so happy you helped . Thanks.
I need it.
Ilze
Oh husband……Where art thou ????!!
23
Aug
This is what I loved about the holidays…
that my husband was there to take whoever needed to be “removed” from society for a short while ….
for a little “chat” to get them back on track
to re-think their attitudes and actions !
Back into the swing of things at home and it is THAT time of the afternoon !!!!!
Homework is done and  3 kids plus friends are running wild all over the house….
getting into all sort of little squabbles which totally ruins the peace and tranquility I was dreaming about on the beach ….
Well – he is back at the office, having a real job…
I get that!!
so, it is up to me to sort them out amongst a lot of other things i am trying to do.
Oh, the joys of motherhood.
Have to admit that it was a wonderful break to have a back-up parent for the past 2 weeks!
Not that I have terrible children or an absent husband…
But still – wonderful to have him RIGHT there to take care of things when needed…
and he does such an amazing job with the kids !
Hats off to my husband….
HATS OFF TO ALL SINGLE PARENTS!!!
Ilze
Blogging benefits
20
Aug
Somebody totally randomly checked my blog and sent me the most fascinating links and info that I checked out.!
Keep doing that !!
I love learning new things and keeping life worth living for!!
Had a fantastic holiday! Now back in the swing of things at home, but posted the ones I did and had no time to publish…so, the most of August so far has been holiday snaps…
A new year ahead…new opportunities…new ideas..
THIS TIME MY IDEA was to have a great holiday and the REALITY turned out to be EVERY BIT in line with the expectations we had..and even more !!!
Ilze
The beauty and the beach…
20
Aug
By now – we all know the drill….”how to put our own sunblock..”
…..well, kind of …?!
You dont need to go to the beach to be needing it –
no, the beautiful sun is great but also vicious…
even at the FARMER’s MARKET !!
We went to check out what the locals produced
loved browsing around
especially if the locals are this colourful !!
and how beautiful are these veggies?!!
yum !
not to mention the flowers..
is it possible that things are just more beautiful on an island ???
All that browsing worked up a thirst…. so it was off to
THIS place – which is apparently the best place for
decisions, decisions………
the land of CHOICES !!!
the WORK in PROGRESS
and the HAPPY CUSTOMERS !!!
HOW fun to get all these duckies in your bathtub??!!
“Can I have them mom??”
(there is one in the mail for a lucky friend and one for a relative….mmmm…..wonder who that may be??!)
We just strolled around in the town of HALEIWA…
and met the COLORFUL CROC family !
Maybe this will be us one day …
I thought they would be seriously having second thoughts after showing them “BLUE CRUSH”…
but, it only inspired them……
so, I might go watch the PIPELINE masters one day?!
Don’t think Dad still has aspirations to be the guy on the billboard – but…
ye never know, ye know…??!!
Oh, loved the local vibe around here
…..kind of felt sorry for these guys after I met so many of them still alive at this morning’s market??
I hope this guy isn’t one of them??
Just met him this morning…??!
oohhh…naughty….don’t let the people at the market see this one – this is anything BUT homegrown or organic…
but if you don’t get it in you own country…well, then if you’re a kid… you gotta buy …..a whole LOT …
Does Vanilla Coke make your feet grow..? ‘cos I want this one !!
maybe it is just because this guy is selling them…
and we’ve never bought anything from a guy that looks like this !!
But it’s not only the shoes that are oversized…
MAN!!!!! Is this a burger or WHAT????
This is the only turtle we saw in town….
so we decided to go hit the beach again and go look for some more…
Had to go take one big dive before time run out
the water here is amazing !!
How fun not to be in the office today !!
You get a whole new perspective down here…
But it is cool up here too !
Actually, anything is cool when you can do it with your dad !
Yep – think he agrees…
way more fun when dad joins in !
and hanging out with dad is super cool – especially HERE !!
One last paddle out…
and time to take our stuff…
and go…
The sun has set on our vacation…
It is 1.30 am
and Honolulu is not exactly the most glamorous airport to hang out this time of the morning…
Not often that we have to catch a plane to get to school…
but this time we made it….
18 hours later since we left our holiday home…our car parked at the school at the exact minute we usually arrive from home!!
YEAH!!
On time for school – on the MINUTE
(except that we were a day late?!)
Oh well – anyone noticed??? Neaaaah….
We had a great time !!!!!!
Ilze
Hit the Road Jack !
19
Aug
By now, we have become one with the creatures out here…
So, after a week…it is a good time to hit the road !
Time to go choose a car so the rubber can hit the road.
Oh yeah… this could work…
Definitely can work !
Only problem – he’s a little young to drive.
So, we got the JEEP again and let dad drive.
Left this wonderful place …..
where you daily see a bride and groom on the beach…
OOPS ! – did not see that coming !!
And the cool lifestyle….
and some weird people up the trees
to the part of Hawaii they call NORTH SHORE
and there we found…
well –
this guy
and this guy
and this little eat-out…
and we found that here people are as laid back, playing guitar anytime, anywhere….
and they also have BEAUTIFUL sunsets here
So…we knew we arrived at another piece of PARADISE !!!!
Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Ilze
Going down deeper….
19
Aug
You can only go down in the pool so many times and then….
Well, then you need to go down deeper.
I am not quite a Scuba person…..
So we hopped onto a Submarine.
It wasn’t quite on the agenda for the day, just sort of happened.
The Atlantis – Cool !!
Well, we didnt quite just hop onto it…
a boat took us there !
Quite a neat idea to go see what’s WAY down there….
That is IF you trust the driver of the SUB.
(especially since she was a woman!)
No – I think she will be JUST fine !!
The big expectation on the boat of what we were about to see…
…and what we need to look for…
soon became reality !
Waaaayyyyy down…..
were awesome stuff to see like this plane wreck.
Some of us kept looking for NEMO…
but I think we can blame it on those sunglasses she was wearing 100 feet down the ocean that may have caused her to never find him..?!
Even the camera looses so much light that certain colours dont come out anymore….
Certainly dont need shades !!!
We went to 5 reefs before our pilot sent the huge air bubble up to mark the place where the submarine will merge again
Would be kind of fun for us if we just pop up…
but might not be SO FUN for these guys if the Sub just suddenly pops from out of nowhere!
And after a pretty cool afternoon in the Atlantis, we had to leave it behind again and go back to shore by boat
Quite a memorable day !
Ilze
Blogging stopped…but life not !!
18
Aug
Blogging stopped for a while as internet is not always that readily available and as fast as we are used to.
And as my son pointed out…you have to live your life first, Mommy, before you can blog about it…!
That is very true.
If one only blogs and dont find the time to go out there and have fun….well, in the end there will be nothing to blog about !
So, here are some of the things we did after the last posting…
splashing around at the pool..
just hanging’ out at the beach…
…but NEVER without a camera…
Yes – EVERYONE had one …
And I mean EVERYONE…EVERYWHERE ….
So, everything got caught on camera..
the goofin’ around above the surface….
the goofin’ around below the surface…..
But despite having a camera EVERY step of the way…
We could NEVER be as prepared as THIS guy….???!!!
bringing his own tri-pod to dinner in a restaurant to take a shot of him and his date for the evening…
and spending FOREVER to try and set it up..??!!!
To take just that ONE picture of the two of them…with their self-timer….
Really ????!!!!- he could have just asked us – we take a MILLION photos every day
– one more would not have hurt us..?
Got a little bored at times..
but that happened to everyone around here…
Thank GOODNESS we never got as bored as this guy !!
and when we did…some of us found other ways to keep everyone busy..
Like at dinner time –
who thought this was for eating??
it’s for entertaining your family !!
with the “straw-claw” put to use…
or convincing everyone a paper could be folded 8 ways…
oops, sorry – could not prove it…
it can ONLY be folded 7 times EVER !!!!!
(I did not know that – only learnt that at dinner that night?!)
But mostly we were just hanging out together….
just our family….
well..our EXTENDED family
they kind of went EVERYWHERE…
and when they were not tucked away in Mommy’s chest for their “nap”
then they were up on the dinner table – RIGHT there next to the TABASCO…
That’s right – Tabasco and Aurora goes hand in hand….
The great thing about the beach is…
whenever you got too bored….
You could ALWAYS waddle right back into it !!
And on the lagoon’s side….
enough pictures in one day …
is ENOUGH !!!
I said STOP IT !!!
This is my ANGRY face….
Okay… maybe she has a point..
ENOUGH for TODAY !!!
Will be back.
Ilze
Rooster on the Roadtrip
11
Aug
Saturday was another good day. We went on a ROADTRIP.
Rented a car, got a map and decided do just see where the road leads us…
How free – no GPS required…we are after all on an island !
So, the first we found …who knows their history….???
That would be PEARL HARBOUR
The kids saw the movie, so it was really special for them too….
But it was still very cute to see BIG BROTHER walking LITTLE SISTER through the whole series of events again..
Ok….I admit – I just couldn’t choose between these picutres…
they are so adorable together !
But it was a good place to start our road trip and remember this..
Our trip ended in the afternoon with our final stop at HANAUMA bay..
AMAZING beach in a Nature Reserve area
(you actually have to watch a video before you are allowed entry!)
so when you get your chop from the cop you are allowed in !
SInce everything is preserved …the coral reef and sea life is just incredible for snorkeling!
So, that’s exactly what everybody did
but those who stayed on the beach…
had to bring their own sea-life creatures
that is besides the Yosemite Bear she brought along…
But there were also the creatures we did NOT bring
who expected to find a ROOSTER on the beach??
THAT suddenly sparked the interest and a whole new load of fun on the beach.
Pity he wont come in the water… I miss my family…?!
awwww….. STILL snorkling…
Meanwhile – back on the beach.
I did not really mean for THIS to happen??!!
WHy, oh WHY did I let this happen ???
TIME to get out of the sun.
TIME to hit the road again
So we headed home
LIFE IS STILL GOOD !!!!
Ilze
Surfing and Shopping goes together, right…..?!
9
Aug
or so the dragons told me….?!
They also said : “Good Morning… another beautiful day !!!”
In fact – a great day to go for SURFING LESSONS !!
So, that’s what we did…. I mean…half of the crowd did….
Here they just returned from their session…
with my Monkey turned into a real ROXY chick !
I know my son and that big smile says just one thing –
“OH MAN….. THAT WAS FUN !!!!
and the instructors were cool too !!!
but THIS is hard work …
“You know how much this weighs, Mommy??”
but YES – Handsome also enjoyed it !
For me….
I prefer spending time with my family in the calm waters…
without the big waves….
In fact…
I can do this the W-H-O-L-E day long.
In the lagoon…
or the KABOOM like some of us call it…
Yes – that would be ME !!!!
But who cares what you call it…
Lagoon – Kaboom
It’s a great place for the family to hang out…
But the beautiful waters of the sea kept calling us back…
at least Lollipop now runs TO the water and not FROM it….
So, we spent the rest of the morning –
everybody just doing their own thing…
I watched a little Oprah in the car just before we left,
was about this book,
saw it in the bookshop here – mmm???
….maybe there’s the answer??
Oh well – reading it anyway !
ohhhh…but SOME people are not used to THIS much laziness…..
“We can fix that Daddy…
you can be a CUP holder…”
THAT could be hard work…
as a BIG can for a LITTLE girl can take a looong time to finish..!!
and around here it does look like only SOME people get to do all the work while others just enjoy the ride….
but she did not see this coming…
You DO have to wash your own shoes an awful lot around here…?!
Talking about shoes –
Never thought I would buy CROCS..
but I DID
and wow !!!!!….they sure are comfy !!
With the SURFING done for the day, the only thing left was to go SHOPPING …
that’s what the dragon told me to do, this morning, right?
Surfing and Shopping goes together…
so, off we went…
HAPPY CROWD
See the BIG SMILE on MY face??
Maybe one day she will understand the fuzz about Victoria’s Secret …
that’s all I could make of this face I got when I pulled out my camera in thes hope while she was waiting on me..
But then there is also the GREAT world ahead of someone who has had her FIRST personal shopping experience today…
First your dad has to give you money and explain how it
works
(tip: if your dad is not doing this anymore, try to find a husband who will…
give you the money that is…..
by that time you would need no more explanation how it works!)
Little nerve wrecking..but the relief when the man finally puts the “princesses” into the packet !!
Lollipop’s first transaction completely on her own…
oh, don’t worry – she’ll get the hang of it !
But everybody got THEIR turn
The “BACK TO SCHOOL” list is not exactly the way it was in my days…
OH….the evil….
Why, oh why, did Eva ever take a bite out of that apple..??!
but NO TECHNOLOGY can beat the TREAT of going into BARNES & NOBLES –
ESPECIALLY if the whole store has books in YOUR language !!
Lost them for a while, but was very happy to find them
– even if it was on the floor…
ONLY thing we forgot about the US, is how many choices there are in ONE FOOD COURT…..
but we ended the day with dinner and a show at the pool
and there is ALWAYS the poor sucker who volunteered to be the audience participant.
But for us… well, we all got everything we wanted or could ask for for the day..
…..except for the pink champagne I ordered and then got this !
But the day ended in fireworks
So no one really cared.
Ilze
My name is 
