Dumpster Diving

I know that one man's trash is another's treasure - or so they say.

Every 4th Wednesday is bulky item pickup day for our area. So, we've been meaning to get rid of some of the kid's "bulkier" outside toys because all they do is throw it into our jungle of a backyard only to have me lug them back up the hill every time. We had 2 small basketball hoops and a seesaw - think plastic, Little Tikes outside toys.

I went ahead and put it out on Tuesday night for Wednesday. We left Wednesday morning and when we came home - the seesaw was gone. This morning, since the pickup guys didn't come yet, Lad took out our old gas grill for pickup only to find the 2 hoops were now gone too.

Okay, I know that I was throwing it away and logically, I'm glad someone thought our trash was good enough to pickup and use. But, for some reason I feel slightly uneasy because it's like someone was watching us. Paying close enough attention to our home to stop, pick something up, and take it. I know, it's probably strange to think that because it was junk but I still do!

Oh, and driving down the hill today, I saw one of our basketball hoops thrown to the side of the road sans basketball net. It wasn't near anyone's property - just off to the side. That made me feel bad because now it feels like I littered!

For my psyche, I hope they come and pick-up soon!!

Five years old...already??

Happy Birthday to our very own Austen! He is officially a 5-year-old! We can't believe he's 5 and about to start Kindergarten. It seems like only yesterday that he was the yellowed, little monkey-look-a-like. (I still think that he kind of resembles Curious George - sort of!)



Austen has been dying to go on a boat for the longest time so I decided to take him on the Atlantis Submarine because you get a boat ride as well as a submarine ride. I thought that he might like going underwater and seeing what happens in the deep, deep water. And he did enjoy it.

I have to say that he really enjoyed the boat ride and seemed "in his element" when we were going out to sea - he seemed calm to me. He sat and just enjoyed watching the water below, the clouds above, and the wind whipping through his hair. I may have to find another boat for him to ride for a longer time.

The Atlantis Submarine ride was really neat, I thought. My only other "experience" with a submarine is the ride at Disneyland and that's not authentic at all. The company placed 4 man-made reefs out in the dive spot as well as 2 sunken ships and 2 airplanes. You are underwater for about 45 minutes going to look at all these things and on each of these structures, there are tons of fish! We saw a lot of fish - but also a stingray, 2 morey eels, and a bunch of sea turtles.

Atlantis Submarine from Mari Panis on Vimeo.

It takes awhile for the submarine to maneuver so that both sides of the vessel can see the spots so Austen was getting a bit antsy - but he was excited to see the fish and really wanted to see the boat. I don't think he got what he was expecting because he kept asking why the boat was down here.



Don't you just love Austen's shaka attempts? Not sure how he got started on that but we get a lot of "thumbs up" photos now.

Later that evening, we took the family to Farrell's to continue his celebration. He got the clown sundae that he wanted and the whole restaurant took time out to sing to him and wish him a happy birthday!

Like all our children, Austen is a handful BUT he is also the most compassionate, loving, and helpful child. When Lad is in the yard or washing the car, Austen will automatically go out to help. When Grandpa was raking leaves outside, Austen went out to help. He always wants to help me in the kitchen. Most times, you don't even have to ask him to help - he just does it.

Austen is a charmer and is warm and loves to hug. I'm a bit nervous about how these traits might pan out in the future. He is super sensitive and is someone who is full of feeling and life. He reads people very well. He knows how to push my buttons but also knows how to charm to make it all okay. All my life I will probably have to withstand caving to his every wish because of his endearing/rascally smile.

Happy Mother's Day??

Was it Mother's Day today? Did my family get the memo?

Anyway, it was another busy Sunday morning but I managed to get some pictures in before we headed off to church. Notice that Dallen was half asleep while dressing, trying desperately not to grumble (his 2nd Mother's Day gift to me) - his white shirt and tie look may just catch on...you never know!



Lad's Mother's Day gift to me - a really long nap! Thank you very much! Dallen also painted a very nice picture for me at school and also wrote a nice poem - acknowledging that I am the one that makes sure he has clean clothes. (At least it doesn't go unnoticed!)

Later in the afternoon, we headed out to Laie Cemetery to visit Lad's parent's graves. Austen was confused as to whether or not Grandma died. He kept asking, "Grandma died?" The only Grandma he knows is my Mom - although he didn't seem TOO disconcerted, he talked to the grave marker quite a long time and took special care to dust the sand and dirt from it. We had to reassure him that Grandma and Grandpa with Murphy and Chancey are Mommy's Mommy and Daddy and the Grandma and Grandpa at the graveyard is Daddy's Mommy and Daddy. I still think he's a bit confused.

Apparently, I'm also a mother to a cat, chicken, and bunny because I'm the only one taking care of them. Seems as if all my kids love to taunt and tease each other - note the chicken's post just outside our screen door? Sugar always finds unusual positions to sleep in and strange places to perch. And since I had space, why not include a cute picture of my mischievous daughter?



Wanted to wish my Mom a happy day - even though she's caring for my Dad who just happens to have some serious pain from kidney stones today. Hang in there, Mom - all the ladies know just how much a male in pain is a PAIN! Hope Dad gets better soon - for your sake! HA! Love you!

Here's wishing all the Mommy's out there a very Happy Mother's Day. Hope you were appreciated today and will be for always!

Home run hitter!

Dallen hit his very first career home run today! Solid to the centerfield fence! We're so proud of how far he's come!

When reality sets in...

Brennen cannot fly. Today, he came to that realization - what a bummer.

Brennen is SUPER into Toy Story and watches it everyday. He just loves "Buzzyear" aka Buzz Lightyear and tries to copy what he does. He even wears Dallen's baseball wristbands, lifts one arm straight out and uses the other to press his "shooter". He also taps his upper chest and says "to infinity and beyond" (or something to that effect) and holds his 2 arms up and runs off in flying motion.

So today his 3 year old brain decides to "fly" from one couch to another with arms up in Buzz Lightyear flying motion. Because of that darned gravity, he thudded on the other couch on his tummy. At that moment, he said "I cannot fly".



Incidentally, he remembers going on the Buzz Lightyear ride the last time we were at Disneyland in October 2008 and he desperately wants to go back.