I can dress myself

Hokulani can choose her own clothes with no problem and has been doing it for a while. However, she often gets into moods where she wants mommy to choose her clothes for her. For church on Sunday, she decided to choose her own clothes and wanted to wear a shirt with a skirt.

We weren't too thrilled with what she chose, but decided to let her wear it anyway. Here it is. . .

Fruit Lipstick

The girls were eating grapes as a snack. They decided to eat the fruit and save the skin for last. Anuhea and Nalani put the skin on their lips and it looked like plum-colored lipstick. We didn't get a picture of Anuhea's "lipstick", but here's Nalani's (on her bottom lip).

Guard "dog"

May 18, 2008

We were expecting our Home Teachers to come and visit our family. Nalani wanted to wait by the door so she could open it for them. Since she was sitting on the floor, Jason said she looked like the guard dog so we took a picture of her.

When the Home Teachers arrived, Nalani opened the door and hid behind it so they couldn't see who had opened the door.

Chili Cook-Off

May 17, 2008

After Chinese school (on the west side of town), we drove across town to the Oviedo Ward Chili Cook-Off (on the east side of town). The cook-off was at Lake Mills Park in Chuluota, which is still 10 minutes more to the east than our house is.

There were so many different types of chili and they were all delicious! I'd say there were 15 or so pots of chili. We enjoyed trying the different varieties, but the children just stuck to mommy's. Other people also made cornbread/muffins and cobblers and pies. Mmm!

Hokulani received a long bubble tube from her Chinese teacher, and enjoyed playing with it at the park. Here is a picture of Jason and Hokulani playing with the bubbles. Other children later joined in the bubble-popping fun.

Carmel used her mom's chili recipe, and won the chunkiest chili award. (Everyone who made chili got some kind of award.) We weren't sure why it was called the chunkiest, but Carmel thought it was because there were kidney beans, corn, and tomato chunks from the stewed tomatoes (as opposed to just tomato sauce).

This is the certificate.

Rather than a trophy, winners received a bowl of chili (fake) with beans piled on top.

We can take the beans out and use the bowl for salsa!

End of Chinese School Year

May 17, 2008

Chinese School is over for the 2007-2008 school year. Every Saturday we've been going to Winter Park for Chinese School, and the classes are 3 hours long! The children study the Chinese language in different grades for 2 hours, and then they are in a cultural class for 1 hour.

Anuhea has been in the 7th Grade Chinese class, and took 3-D Origami (for the culutural class).
Nalani has been in the 5th Grade Chinese class, and took Martial Arts.
Hokulani has been in the Kindergarten Chinese class, and took Chinese Folk Dance.

Since it was the last day today, the classes were only 1 hour long, and then there was a closing ceremony with performances and awards.

In this picture Hokulani received the 2nd place academic award for her Kindergarten class. We thought that was great, but so funny, because she knows less Chinese than her older sisters and they didn't get anything.


This is a picture of Hokulani's trophy. She was so excited to receive it--very proud.


This is the Chinese School Principal, Conchita Hsu.


The children were all seated and waiting for the ceremony to begin. Can you see Anuhea, Nalani, and Hokulani? Anuhea is in the middle left, wearing a white or yellow shirt. Nalani is next to her on the right (or it may look like the top). Hokulani is more to the right of Anuhea, wearing purple and has pigtails in her hair.


Here's a broader view of the waiting audience.


Hokulani's Folk Dance class performed a dance called Village Girl. Their teacher is Salinda Chen. Hokulani's in the purple outfit in the front row.