Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Dear Maw-Maw,

Kyle got the train working that Mom bought you the last Christmas you spent with us.
It is beautiful - I was smiling as big as the kids when it lit up. You wouldn't believe how exciting it is for them to man the controls.
We wish you were here.


Dear Aunt Beth,

I know in my heart that Kyle was unemployed this time last year, and circumstances were hard for us all. But I wish we could have all been together for Christmas. I am going to miss you very much while making cornbread dressing tomorrow. If you were here I am sure I would yell at you for not chopping the celery tiny enough. I don't like the celery, but I couldn't bring myself to take it off the grocery list the other day because it reminded me of you.


Dear Tommy,

I am making a new pie tomorrow. Its going to be chocolate. I know if you were going to be here you'd tell me how good it is no matter what it actually tastes like. I will miss your cakes. And the kids miss you. I bet you'd love the train too.

Dear Me-Maw,

I remember that red double boiler you had. I think of it often when cooking. I was fascinated with that as a child. Two pots. Two pots I tell you. One in the other. Ah-maz-ing.
And you could put your hands in almost boiling water. How did you do that?
Remember the time we baked potatoes in Aunt Beth's fireplace? I thought that was so cool. I need to do it with my kids - but I'd probably cry the whole time thinking of you. And who would be there to gram them with their bare hands?

Dear Gram,

Did you know all those cookies you and Alice made, helped make Kyle and I friends. You see he always had the best cookies in his dorm room- so I stopped by often to talk and have a cookie.

I still chuckle that you always started planning dinner right after breakfast. Sometimes by 10 you'd ask us what vegetable we'd like with dinner. - Sometimes I don't know what I am making for dinner at 6 at 5:59, and I always think Gram would be so much more on top of this than me.

Dear Dad,

Kyle and Benjamin loved this A capella song:

I remembered how much you liked a capella stuff. You'd get to talking about it and then sooner or later have us try something, which no matter what it started as, "it" always ended in us singing Row, Row, Row your boat in rounds. I am pretty sure we sound like complete crap. wait, no - I am positive we sounded like crap. But it was fun. And even though I was rolling my eyes the whole time I'd give anything to go back once and sing it again with you.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and relish the people next to you. One year they will annoy you, make you laugh, cut the celery too big, and then one Thanksgiving you will struggle with many memories and wish you could trade them for more time.

Faith and Family,

Its what its all about.

and its what I am thankful for.

Monday, November 23, 2009

She'll be comin in a Uhaul when she comes....

Nana is feverishly packing, and probably cursing the hell that is moving (no wait, I would be cursing - she doesn't do things like that). She'll enjoy Thanksgiving in Virginia then start making her way to Teckis.
By this time next week she will live on the street behind us, about six houses away.
I lived one street over from my Me-Maw growing up. It really had its perks. I am so excited for the kids! And I am excited for Nana too.
I think she will really, really like Texas. We love it!
so what's up with all you hold outs? come on - come to Texas.


Wednesday, November 18, 2009

shame on you

for not blogging to distract me from my horrible no good bad day.

i'd tell you all about how i've been wronged by the ugly fence and mean neighbor but i'm emotionally drained by the subject at this point.

so since you all didn't write volumes to distract me - I have kept up with the drah-ma over at Cjane's and I loved it :



were you offended by Sis. Beck's talk? I wasn't. I do think I need to read it everyday.

thanks cjane - your writing is soothing, and the comments are distracting. just what I needed.

Do not even say.


Do not even say:

"but at least its a nice fence"
"at least she is paying for it"
"at least its cedar"
"it could be worse - she could not even take care of her fence"

or anything like that.

I fought so hard yesterday, the police did come but they did not arrest me. A lawyer showed up but I did not get sued (yet).

But I am not done. This affects the value of our property. And despite the fact that ownership is still in question, no one will stop and let us figure this out. And if the HOA is right (which they are not) I don't own the second half of the back either, so its not in my power to replace the rest to match if I wanted.

So don't comment unless its to agree with me. Because everyone thinks I am crazy to be so mad. and I may be. But its my right to be mad, and apparantly it may be the only right I have left.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

I might get arrested today


do
you
ever
get frustrated?

really
really frustrated?

I
do
and
its
bad.

Like should this be part of anyone's calling:
Factor* =
sum of
minimum
column C
points
needed to
meet rank
in category.
Default =


yeah that's just a sneak peek at scout speak for ways to praise 8 and 9 year old boys, or in other words how to calculate badges for cub scouts. I think its a little (or a lot) ridiculous. But I love my boys and they love to get awards. And now there is a new Den leader assistant who is going to help me with this area. THANK GOODNESS!

about the getting arrested part:

my neighbor behind me is ripping out a quarter of my back fence. the fence that we painstakingly stained, and that I have loved since. Now it won't match at all. AT ALL
different fence, height, color.

She didn't have the courtesy to talk to us before - NO I found out when they started tearing away my fence.
I fought them all day yesterday - I yelled, took pictures, made calls, yelled at people on the phone, and generally bugged them until they left.

The HOA has not helped me and she won't answer her door. So the plan is when the workers show up today I am spraying them with my water hose if they touch my fence again. And I won't stop until they leave, she comes and talks to me, or I get arrested.

Before you come to bail me out Kyle delete this post.

Friday, November 13, 2009

tomorrow's just a song away...

Cora and I like to dance. But I have to admit she's a better dancer than me.
she's got mad moves:


want more? go here

Thursday, November 12, 2009

For your calendar

Ella Marie Oyakawa
will be Baptized on December 12, 2009
She would love for all her friends to be there
Photobucket

Photobucket


Photobucket

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Photobucket

Love it.

Benjamin goes straight to the source for homework help:

Divison
InboxX

Reply

Oyakawa Family

to Becky
show details 4:06 PM (16 hours ago)
can our homework can have remainders?
From,Ben
Reply
Forward
Reply

Becky Sharp

to me
show details 5:52 PM (14 hours ago)
No, there should be no remainders on your homework.

Mrs. Sharp

>>> Oyakawa Family <oyakawa@gmail.com> 11/11/09 4:07 PM >>>

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Awards and homework.

Cora and Maiya were both napping a little while ago when Benjamin and Ella came home from school. It was so nice to sit there and fold clothes and watch them do homework. I had a sweet moment where I realized how much I love my life. I am doing exactly what I want to do with the people I want to be with.
Its nice to be grateful for a moment in the moment.

Here is Ella getting a Soaring Eagle award the other day - excuse the pics I was a mile away.

that is her by the principal - she's still tiny.

And in case you were wondering this is what "homework" looks like:


Benjamin over my shoulder trying to gross me out by wiggling a loose tooth, all the while begging for a calculator to do his homework.
(I try to help with said homework, but really I need a calculator to do it)
Ella reading while playing with her hair, and sticking pretzels up her nose. Is that something Ramona Quimby would do?

Monday, November 02, 2009

Halloweeeeeeeeennn

Ben and Ella ready for the annual Prosper Sock Hop
Mrs. Pocahontas ready for her preschool party
at the sock hop with Ben


then at Maiya's preschool party (mrs. Janette, or sis. Church, or teacher lady - all of which Maiya calls her) made the cutest halloween snacks.
back to the school for Ella's sock hop... at which Cora walked the WHOLE TIME!!
doing the hullahoop
For Halloween Ella wanted a broken leg. She loved people trying to figure out whether she really had a broken leg or not. ($2 crutches from the thrift store and plaster gauze from the craft store: super easy wish come true for her!)
broken leg, good, broken leg and two arms, even better.

Clone trooper (I hate store bought costumes but it was alas another dream come true - for Benjamin, not me)
not in the mood for a photo shoot

actual conversation:
neighbor "hey little indian girl"
Maiya: "I am NOT an indian girl"
"I am POCAHONTAS"

what its all about
Aunt Meg came to trick or treat with us!!!

hope you all had a happy Halloween!!!