Tsunami Has Been Canceled

O-The joys of living in Hawaii! We have only lived here 7 months and we have already has 2 hurricane warnings and now one tsunami warning. Geez!
We were awoken at 5:27 AM this morning by a text message from my BFF who lives in the central time zone (4 hours ahead). The text: "Are you all OK? Do you know about the Tsunami warning for Hawaii?"
WHAT? So we turned on the news and discovered what was going on... A few hours later we decided to leave the house and get to higher ground. So we packed up food, clothes and supplies and were on our way.
Along the high way every "scenic point", every possible place to pull over along the road was packed with cars. People trying to find a place away from the shore in the mountains to wait it out. We eventually found a place to pull over and hung out in and around the car for about 3 1/2 hours. Luckily we had a portable DVD player to keep the kids entertained along with plenty of snacks (they were munching the whole time). We also have a Mini-Van so there was plenty of room for Hubby and I, are 2 kids and my neighbor and her son who came with us. Fun Fun!
Eventually we got the all clear to come home. Luckily the tsunami didn't do any damage to any of the islands as far as I know.

Mrs. Marine

Aloha Friday #14 Cleaning

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mrs-marine.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Aloha Friday" src="http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m292/PatriciaG79/alohafridaypalmtree.jpg" /></a></div>

What's Aloha Friday? Visit An Island Life to find out.

Question of the day:
What household chore do you hate the most?


A: I don't think anyone enjoys cleaning, its not any fun, but some things are more annoying or difficult than others right? For me its a tie between cleaning the shower (it kills my back) and folding laundry, washing and drying is the easy part, I hate folding it and putting it away. Luckily Princess has learned to put her own clothes away, that's one down! Maybe some day I can get her to do my laundry too!

Mrs. Marine

Who Should Carry the Backpack?

The Parent or the Child? If its the child's backpack, shouldn't they have the responsibility of carrying it themselves? The parent wont be walking them to school forever right, who's going to carry it when they have to walk by themselves?
It really bugs me when I see parents carrying their child's backpack for them as they walk to and from school. I walk Princess to and from school almost every day (we drive once in a while) and she always carries her own backpack, she always has. Bobo is in a stroller so I could let her put in in there so she wouldn't have to carry it. But I feel she should have the responsibility of carrying it herself. Eventually she will be old enough to walk by herself to school and she will have no choice but to carry her own backpack. I figure why not instill that responsibility in her now.
I would totally understand carrying it for them once in a while if they had to bring home something heavy (which I don't think would ever happen, this is elementary school, not High School) but I see the same parents every day carrying there kids backpacks and some also have the lunch box as well, while the child is carrying nothing....

While I'm ranting about backpacks let me just say that the backpacks with wheels and a retractable handle are STUPID. A backpack is meant to be "worn" on your back not drug on the ground with wheels. Any backpack made like that would be uncomfortable to wear on your back anyway because of the retractable handle mechanism pushing into your back. Luggage should roll, not backpacks.

*Feb. 28 (To Commenter's) RE: My daughter is 6, I am referring to elementary school kids, who have nothing more than a folder or two in there backpacks witch weigh next to nothing. So its not going to hurt the child in any way to carry their own backpack.
When I was in High School I was a tiny girl who weighed a whopping 95 pounds and my freshman year they remodeled the school and we were without lockers for most of the year. I have been there and done that with having to tote my books all over school and I walked to and from school as well.
I am sorry if I offended you in any way, that was not my intention. This is my blog and I am going to express my opinion because that's why I have it.

Mrs. Marine

Happy Birthday Sissy!!

Its My Big Sister's Birthday Today!

Mrs. Marine

Family Day is Mandatory

Yesterday afternoon my husbands unit had a "Family Day". It was at a large park on base, there was music, a bouncy house, tables and chairs under tents and plenty of food and soda (no beer, the Marines complained). The funny thing is, in the Marine Corp, on Family Days, the Marines are required to be there, its not an optional thing like it would be at a regular job.
I don't know who picked the time for this thing to start, but it didn't make since. It started at 1:00 on a Friday, kids were still in school. School gets out at 2:10. Not to mention is was still nap time for Bobo. So Hubby showed up on time and I let Bobo sleep for an hour (which was not quite enough for him) then got him up and went over. Then we left when it was time to pick up Princess from school. It had been raining off and on so we decided to go home. Luckily Hubby is not forced to stay the entire time.

Mrs. Marine

February Scent of the Month!

Every month Scentsy has a new warmer and scent for the month that's not in the regular catalog and its offered for the entire month at 10% off! Visit My Scentsy web site to order
The Scent for February is Vanilla Suede! The scent of the month is available in, room spray, Scentsy wax brick, hanging freshener and Scentsy wax bar (top image). The name of this months warmer is Paws (bottom image)!

Stay tuned on March 1st for next months New Warmer and Scent!

Mrs. Marine

Have you heard of Scentsy?

I have recently become a Scentsy Independent Consultant! Check out my personal web site! In case you dont know, Scentsy is wick-less, flam-less "candles"! The wax is melted in a special warmer using a low wattage light bulb! And there are so many scents to choose from! Not to mention a new scent every month! And lots of different warmers to fit whatever decor you have!
Also, with no flame, there so much safer to have around kids! I went to a Scentsy Party a few months ago and I was hooked! I love candles but I hardley ever burn them cause I always have to put it up high where my kids cant reach them. Then I worry about forgetting about them. With Scentsy, I have a warmer going all day on my kitchen counter and another one in my bedroom! My house smells wonderful! I love it!
Have you heard of Scentsy?

Mrs. Marine

Eww Eww Eww Yuck!

What would you do with a little boy who keeps putting his hand in his poopy diaper?
My only solution is to put onesies on him all the time so he cant get to his diaper. But I only have 5 onesies, I don't really like using them anymore, hes kinda too big for them. Usually Bobo tells me when hes poopy but this morning he didn't (this is not the first time hes done this). I was down stairs cleaning, he was playing in his room. When I went back upstairs I first smelled it, then found his disgusting fingers that he had stuck down his diaper. EWW!! I want to gag just thinking about it. I have of course cleaned and sterilized the toys he had been playing with... I think its definitely time to start potty training.

3/4/10 UPDATE: Even in a onesie he still manage to get his hand into his diaper. So, I put PJ pants on him (or any pants that fit snug) and then put the onesie OVER the pants. He looks silly but it keeps him out of his diaper. Luckily he does not know how to unsnap the onesie.
I have been encouraging him to sit on the potty, not a lot of luck yet.

Mrs. Marine

Happy Valentine's Day!

What are you doing today? Anything special?

Hubby and I are going out to dinner and then to see the movie "Valentine's Day"

Mrs. Marine

Room Swap - Bobo's Big Bed

Monday we got Princess a new bed! Its a captains bed, the kind with the roll out drawer bed under it, Princess and I call it the "secret bed". So Bobo got Princess's old bed which is a twin size bed! We wanted to have an extra bed in Princess's room so we have somewhere for family to stay when they come visit.
Also we decided to trade the kids rooms (which ended up being a lot more work than I thought it would be). Not only did I move everything from one room to another but Princess's room needed some serious cleaning and organization. It never got fully organized when we moved in... Also I still had too small clothes and baby toys in Bobo's closet that I have finally gotten rid of! And the changing table that I have been using as a toy shelf is now gone also. All his ties to babyhood are gone.... Makes me a little sad when I thing about it, because we will not be having any more children. No more babies for me. But Bobo will always be my baby!

Room 1 which was Princess's and is now Bobo's is situated in a corner of the upstairs which I think will be better sound wise so Bobo wont get woken up as much when hes sleeping. Room 2 is at the top of the stairs and you can hear whats going on in the hallway from that room. Not good with Bobo being a light sleeper.
Also Room 1 is larger and when ever the kids play together there in Bobo's room so we figured he should get the larger room so they have more room to play. Princess was exited about getting a new room and a new bed, luckily she doesn't realize its a little smaller than the other room.
Ill try to post pictures for Wordless Wednesday!

Mrs. Marine

Aloha Friday #13 School

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.mrs-marine.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Aloha Friday" src="http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m292/PatriciaG79/alohafridaypalmtree.jpg" /></a></div>

What's Aloha Friday? Visit An Island Life to find out.

Question of the day:
When you were a kid how did you get to school? If you have kids how do they get to school?

A: Usually we lived close enough that I walked to school but in 7th grade I did have to ride the bus. And of course once I got my license in High School I drove to school.
Princess rode the bus to school last year and this year we are close enough to walk!

Mrs. Marine

Stroller or Riding Toy?

Bobo and I walk Princess to and from school every day. Currently Bobo rides in a stroller. The one I have is more of a "Mall Stroller" if you know what I mean (big with a canopy a basket underneath and a tray for him). It works but the wheels are not the best for the outdoors (sidewalks, roads, grass, etc.). I have been thinking about getting a "Jogging Stroller" the kind with 3 big wheels, but I wonder if he will out-grow it too soon. I just read a review of one that said it would tip over with a bigger kid... That would be bad. Bobo is going on 3 but he is small for his age.
My other option would be to get some kind of riding toy that has a handle for parents to push. It would need to have a strap so I could buckle him in. I also thought about a wagon, but I would rather be able to push something than have to pull it.
Any thoughts or ideas for me? What have you used or known others to use? Thanks!

Mrs. Marine

Wordless Wednesday - Cheetah

Such an amazing and beautiful animal! This was taken on our trip to the Denver Zoo back in July.

Mrs. Marine

Its been a long month..... Hubby's Back!!!

Hubby has been away training for the last month and he finally comes home today!!! I spent the weekend cleaning the house and organizing so it looks nice when he gets home! Yesterday I went shopping to get all his favorite foods, the kitchen is stocked! I told him I would cook whatever he wanted for dinner tonight!
I cant wait to see the kids reactions when they see him tomorrow! The last time when he returned from being gone Bobo was so exited to see him he was just giddy, he kept clapping and saying "Yeah Daddy" and hugging him, it was so cute! Bobo is still too young to really understand when Hubby leaves for long periods of time. I tell him Daddy's away, Daddy's at work, but he doesn't get why he goes to work for so long. Princess is a little easier to explain it to, I can at least show her on a calendar how long Daddy will be gone.
I think Princess forgot that Daddy is coming home soon, she hasn't asked me about it and he was originally supposed to be back Wednesday. Hubby and I decided he would go get her from school and surprise her! So I have not said anything to her, it will be fun, shes going to be so exited! He will be home around noon so Bobo will have a little time with Daddy all to himself! Then he will take a nap and I get Hubby to myself for a while till Princess gets out of school!!!

Mrs. Marine