I Didn't Know I Wanted to Go.....

The thing is, I didn't know I wanted to go to Hawaii.

My grandpa used to tell us that everyone should go to Hawaii at least once in their lives. I thought that was sweet, but I didn't know I wanted to go.

When my sister-in-law and her husband called and asked if we wanted to go with them, I said yes. I was excited about it, but I didn't know I wanted to.

We planned and saved for two years. We had mid-winter get togethers with computers and books and recommendations from friends. But I still didn't know....

And then we landed.....

And suddenly, I knew I wanted to go to Hawaii.

I was so excited at the airport!  Did you know that just about everything in Hawaii is open air?  Even the airport? There might be roofs on buildings, but there are big open windows so you can feel the air as you walk....

Since we went through a travel agency, we were met at the airport by Curtis, our representative. He gave us our leis, took our picture, helped us with luggage and finding our shuttle. Note to self: always use a travel agency when booking a big trip. Even the ride to our hotel was magical. Everywhere we looked there were flowers and palm trees. And it was warm! Chilly to Hawaiians, though. Cool is relative.

We stayed at Outrigger on the Beach on Waikiki which was beautiful. They were all decked out in their holiday finest. It was hard to remember it was Christmas. The first night, we dumped our baggage in the room well, the bellmen did and we headed to get something to eat. It had been a long day and the breakfast Greg and I ate in snowy Des Moines was long gone.









Luckily, the hotel had two great restaurants to choose from. We chose the Hula Grill based on the fact we didn't have to wait an hour to get a table!  The first meal started a tradition--Mahi Mahi and Mai Tais. You can't get more Hawaiian than that!  I am not a fish eater--heck, I'm not a very adventurous eater. I tried many things in Hawaii that I would not have eaten at home.

We were only on Oahu for a couple of days, so we didn't expect this when we work up in the morning and headed out to the lanai for coffee  my favorite part of every day in Hawaii: coffee on the lanai. Sounds exotic, doesn't it?  WE COULD SEE THE OCEAN FROM THE LANAI!  I know, not a lot, but we were happy just to see a peek.....

My number 1 rule when traveling is DON'T DO THE TIMESHARE MEAL. Greg's rule is DO the timeshare meal. He won.  

But this was just supposed to be to let us know about activities on Oahu.

And it was....kind of....

       And the breakfast was free...and cold

But we did eat an orchid.... I felt like Euell Gibbons, former Grape Nuts spokesman, "Many parts are edible...."

And we did get our tickets for Pearl Harbor.....so worth it.....

to be continued

Aloha

The view from 3/4 of the way up Diamondhead.  

Celebrate XIII: Family, Food, And Back to School

Ahhhh, it feels good to be back.....

This week, I am celebrating

1. Family.  We arrived back on the mainland on January 1. Our boys came for our family Christmas the night of the 3rd and stayed the weekend. I worked the 3rd. Good thing the Aloha spirit was with me. It got me through worrying about everything being perfect when they arrived. I put at the forefront that it was most important we were together and enjoying each other. On Saturday we had a Hawaiian Luau dinner: Kalua pork, Hawaiian baked beans, Mai Tais, but my potato salad, because some traditions can't be changed! We played games, enjoyed the kids and each other, and ate well!

2. Being back at school.  I missed my kids. Plain and simple. I couldn't wait and get back to see them and find out about their break. Some had tweeted me over break, but not nearly enough. And some of them needed to get back too. Gotta love this tweet:

3. Short Weeks: I know this sounds contradictory, but I was sooooo thankful for a "cold" day on Monday and a late start on Tuesday. As much as I missed my kids, I needed Monday to get things cleaned up from the weekend and to just sit!  By Friday, I was out of steam, but Mother Nature helped me out and sent some freezing rain. Not a lot, just enough for a two hour early out. I didn't waste that time. I went home and finished writing up my plans for my new class--

4. Creative Writing 2!  It started with one senior boy who needed another class in his schedule but found nothing he was interested in. "Wish you had another Creative Writing class, Mrs. Day." I have done Creative Writing 2 as an independent study before, so I thought, "Why not?" .  And then I got the idea that the whole course could be an multi-genre project. I jotted down ideas, expectations, etc and then---invited more kids to join it. Now there are five. All self-motivated writers. I can't wait to begin. This week they created their online portfolio and will be ready to start writing next week. I hope to share some of their writing as we move through the semester, so keep an eye out for them!

5. Hawaii.  I know I haven't shared much about our trip yet. I just can't seem to find the words. I've wrapped this vacation  experience life changing event (see, I don't even know what to call it)--I've wrapped it around me like a cocoon and am trying to keep living it. I'm sure the stories will come. It's just taking me a while to process.

In the meantime, 

One Little Word

JOY

My OLW for 2013. It chose me in the midst of family Christmas chaos.
     Dogs were barking
       Kids were giggling
         Adults were cheering on favorite teams
And it all made me happy

JOYful

I vowed to find little moments of JOY in every day.

And I did. And I shared them.  Sometimes as Friday Favorites. This year, when Ruth started her #celebrationlu on Saturdays, I began sharing there.

What I discovered was that because I looked for JOY it was everywhere. A wonderful thing to discover. And because I spent this past year looking for it, I'm sure I'll continue. JOY will continue to be a part of my life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This year's OLW was alluding me.
But I trusted it would find me, just as JOY did.

And last week, as I basked in the sun on the island of Maui, it did just that.

Throughout our trip we remarked on the people of the islands....

• their happiness with what they have
• their willingness to go out of their way for you
• the way they prioritize things
• their pride in their state

When we drove the Road to Hana (the whole thing!), one of the guidebooks reminded us to keep our Aloha spirit while driving this road. It wasn't a place to hurry or be impatient. The CD reminded us to slow down, to not forget to put the camera down and enjoy the beauty around us.

When we first landed on the islands, Aloha was a word used to say hello and good-bye. But I gained so much from traveling there. It's the only vacation I didn't come home exhausted from, the only one where I had tears in my eyes as I had to leave. Hawaii left its mark on my heart. I needed to bring it home with me.

There's a spirit to Aloha that I think you have to find (kind of like looking for JOY). I think it means to appreciate what you have and share with others. It means to be content and in the now, not worrying about what you cannot change. 

And then I looked it up when I began writing this post. I found a great definition for Aloha and why it should be taught to kids! I really liked this section:

• A, ala, watchful, alertness 
• L, lokahi, working with unity 
• O, oia'i'o, truthful honesty 
• H, ha'aha'a, humility 
• A, ahonui, patient perseverance

It seemed to say everything I had been looking for! Here was everything I discovered on the islands. It was the Hawaii I needed to bring home with me and make a part of my life. 

ALOHA

The word and the spirit I will bring to my life in 2014.

Want to know more about One Little Word? Check out Ali Edwards site. She's the one who got me started on this. You don't have to join the workshop, but she gives a great explanation of One Little Word!

Aloha

Here I sit in the airport terminal, finally getting ready to board a plane to take us on a trip we've been planning for a very long time. It didn't seem real. Not when we packed and checked our lists a million and one times.  Not when we dropped Chloe off at our son's home. Not even yesterday as we drove down to the motel where we stayed for the night.

I'm not sure it's real now.

Maybe when I get that lei around my neck....

So this week I'm celebrating

     A much needed break from school and life as I know it

     No grading

     No snow ( a winter storm is heading to Iowa tonight)

    

I am also celebrating 30 years of marriage to a great guy.

It doesn't get better than that.

'Twas the Last Week of the Semester

I actually started this piece on Saturday and had planned it for my Celebration link up. But, as often happens, life gets in the way. So, instead, I share this as my Slice of Life for this week.

With apologies to Mr. Moore….

'Twas the last week of the semester and all through the school
Not a lesson was working, not even the cool;
The artwork was hung in the hallways with care,
Knowing that students soon would see theirs.

The children were working on projects with dread
While visions of presenting danced in their heads;
 Counselors in their office and principals too
Had just settle in for a long week's to do,

When down by my room there arose such a clatter,
They ran to my room to see what was the matter.
Away to the hallway they flew like a flash,
Slid around the corner and ran into the trash.

The light in my room shone on the desks brand new
Gave the luster of working and much stuff to do
When what to my wondering ears should I hear
But kids in the hallway speaking Spanish, Oh dear.

Procrastinators united. It could be a trick,

I knew in a moment, we must be done quick.

More rapid than eagles the courses they came

They whistled and shouted and called them by name.

"Done Spanish and Math class, finish Science and Art.

Complete Speech and English, be still my heart.

Race to the library and run fast to the gym

It's Madrigal weekend, Don't let the Grinch in."

And then in a instant, I heard in the hall

The yelling and shouting of my name being called.

As I turned in my shoes and was looking around

Down the hallway all students came with a bound.

They were dressed all in items from their head to their shoes

And the clothes were all colorful, oranges and blues.

A big old hat they had put on his head

And he looked like my momma going to bed

Others just laughed, while some were quite merry!
They found joy in learning, It wasn't so scary.
Those little old projects were started anew
And the work didn't stop although the wind blew.

The computer screen smoked and glowed as they worked
And their projects showed they hadn't gone beserk
They had a focus, showed yearning
And showed all of us their amazing learning.

They were happy and fun, a right jolly young bunch
And we laughed when we saw them singing at lunch.
A tweak of their plan, a a sharpening of lead,
Soon gave us to know, we had nothing to dread.

They spoke all their words, shared learning with all,
And plans for the break echoed down all the halls.
And grading a project as soon as it's done
Will ease all the stress of January 1.

I ran to my car, to my team said good-bye
 And away we all drove from Crestwood High
But we each exclaimed as we drove out of sight,
 Happy Break to all, and to all a good-night!

Of Panda Whales and Zebra Bears

3 hour early out day. 20 minute classes. Weird conversations.

 Today’s conversation between two of my boys revolves around the movie “Free Willy”. They are talking quietly in their corner. Eventually, they bring me into the conversation.

STUDENT 1: Mrs. Day, was Willy confined? Think the title “Free Willy”

ME: Yes,

STUDENT 2: See, I told you

ME: (continuing) he was confined and they worked to free him.

STUDENT 1: No. He was free….

I continue working. Other students are typing. They continue talking.

STUDENT 2: (has googled “Free Willy” to prove his point. He shows his computer to the other student)  See, I told you.

STUDENT 1: Nope, right there says he is free.

ME: Actually, I think he’s dead.

STUDENT 1: Yea, that means he’s free.

STUDENT 2: What kind of whale was he? Like a Panda whale? You know, black and white.

ME: (took me a minute)  Yes, we call those killer whales

STUDENT 1: (to the other boy) Have you ever seen a zebra bear?

ME: (Laughing out loud) Best conversation ever.

They are quiet for the rest of the class. But as they leave the room….  “

“Free Willy!”

Chloe Writes: Dogboys Have Cooties

Dogboys have cooties. You know that, right?
They're loud
      They never settle down
              And they're down right NOSY
What good are they anyway?

Dogboys. Ugh...

I was so excited to go to my BFF Bella's house last weekend. I would get to spend time with Bella, play with the kids, maybe get a few little snacks from Max :)

Battle for the pop tart

I raced to the door as soon as we pulled in their driveway. Of course, it took Mom forever to get to the door. Couldn't she just let me in the house and THEN unpack the car? Or just let Dad unpack. Geez.
Finally, I ran in the house and stopped dead in my tracks.

There was another dog there. A dogboy.

Now I love my peopleboys. They like to cuddle and play fetch and run. Sometimes they even share food with me (but only when Mom and Dad aren't watching). But dogboys are gross (well, except for Teddy, my other BFF. But he's family, like Bella, so he doesn't count).

Dogboys never leave you alone.

Everywhere I went, he followed me.  Mom and Dad thought I was afraid of him, BUT I WASN"T!
I just didn't want him sniffing me all the time. GROSS!

I did everything I could think of.....
    I sat on the couch by Mom
        I hid in the kitchen
            I even jumped over the back of the chair
                I even growled a little bit

but, nothing worked. He just wouldn't take the hint. I didn't want to play with him. I just wanted to see Bella.

He did go home in a little while. I thought, "Good Riddance!" But (you won't believe this) he came back the next day!

What I really don't like is I think Bella wanted to play with him more than me! And Mom and Dad thought he was soooooo cute and nice just because he's younger than me.

But he' not! He's a dogboy.

And everybody knows, dogboys have cooties!