So behind

I'm a little slow at keeping up the blog these days, but I'll post a bunch now to catch up. Not sure if anyone actually checks it out anymore, but I'll add to it anyway.

My Morning Hike (and Swim)

I hiked down this:

  

With this person here:

 So we could swim here:

 

What a great morning!

Nearly Impossible

...to get a good picture these days. Apparently my boys enjoy taunting me with silly, obnoxious faces when I am only trying to preserve memories of their happy time as boy scouts. Tsk! Tsk!

Oh Tyson!

Tim, Really?

Still Picturing Swimming in the Moat

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just finished reading the above book. What a delightful read! I must admit I got quite caught up in the description of the place: A dilapidated castle in rural England. It somewhat reminded me of the Cecilia Ahern novel I read a few years back. I guess I really feel pulled toward such settings.

The setting isn't the only favorable attribute, the main character Cassandra--a 17-yr old dreamer, writer, observer--fascinates and intrigues with each page turn. Through her eyes, the reader learns the importance of family, of loyalty to said family as well as to one's self. 

It's a coming-of-age story transplanting innocence with a wealth of emotions and experiences. Dodie Smith captures them well. As a reader, I experienced happiness, intrigue, sorrow, pity, indecision and delight. 

Well worth the time!

First Day of School 2013

School sure starts early in Hawaii--the first week in August! 

This year Tyson starts his middle school career. I can hardly believe it! He also gets to try his hand at navigating around a schedule full of fun classes. I knew he would be just fine when, on his second day, he explained that he went to the wrong class, but didn't get flustered or feel too abashed, just listened carefully to his kind teacher and made his way to the correct room. I'm pretty proud because isn't that one of those nightmares you have as a kid? He handled it pretty smooth.

Besides the challenge of getting use to multiple classrooms, he also has to remember in which building each classroom is located. Hawaii schools have no hallways, no lockers and multiple buildings. It's a very different experience from what I grew up with.

Here are a couple of pictures of his interesting new campus:

 An outdoor gym (above)

and totem poles--not really, but I'm not sure how else to describe the interesting sculptures (below) found on his campus.

Another new experience for Tyson: school uniforms. Uniforms are required, but thankfully, they are easy and comfortable to wear--t-shirts in the choice of three colors: red, blue or black.

Happy First Day of School Tyson!

Now Tim's official first day of school this year occured a day later because the first day at his high school is Freshman Orientation Day. As a junior this year, he lucked out and had one extra day of freedom (other than having to still wake up early for Early Morning Seminary of course!).

Tim likes to be a little difficult when it's time for pictures. He's quite the tease, you know.

But eventually I got a nice one of him.

Happy First Day 2013, Tim!

New-Found Wisdom

"Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression."

from I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Volleyball Nationals - Kentucky

Over Memorial Day weekend I had the pleasure of playing with an AMAZING group of women at the USAV Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Our team name: Easy as Pi. All our jersey numbers made up part of Pi (see pictures below). A little nerdy you say, not so for an MIT alum team--just saying!

In the end we ended up winning our "flight" bracket (I suppose you can call us the winners of the losers' bracket, but winners nonetheless). I think we played pretty well, especially when you take into account the fact that two of the women I had just met for the first time, and I hadn't seen or played with the others in two years.  Not so bad, right?

The best part is that these women are incredible role models. They are brilliant, strong, fit, healthy, nice and really fun to be around. The group consisted of mothers, professors, a librarian, a contract coordinator (me), and more. I found the groups' choice of eateries very interesting. We had Middle-Eastern, Thai, and Cuban--no barbeque though--hmmm.

We spent time at the pool swimming with kids, playing card games and resting from the 3-4 games played per day. For an afternoon activity one of the days, we visited an underground quarry--always out to learn something. The whole trip was a good mix of interesting food, activities, people and fun. It was the kind of girls' trip that I had been needing for quite some time.

And for the last night together we went out and found a pie place to celebrate our team just right! My choice: caramel dutch apple. Mmmm!