Aloha Friday | The Angel Forever

Category Archives Aloha Friday

Lost in the movie world

Posted on January 8, 2010 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Since NHL (6) was born, I can probably count the number of movies that I have seen in the theater on one hand. The last was Twilight for a girls day out with a friend. We saw this quite a bit after the release. Prior to that, I think we saw a movie before JSL (2) was born with my brother and his wife. The one before that was NHL’s first time in a theater. We saw Happy Feet with lots of extended family over Christmas break while out of town.

Seriously sad isn’t it?

Although I like going to the movies, the cost is not worth it to me. I like being in the comfort of my own home, being able to stop the movie when I need to use the facilities and tossing the kids into bed if they fall asleep. We recently won a Roku Box and decided to get Netflix with it. Thanks to this we have movies on demand and can have a few DVDs at home.

My problem: I can’t remember all of the movies that I wanted to see when they were in the theaters and are now on DVD. I should have made lists, but I never did. Right now I have Julie & Julia, along with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to watch. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is next on our Queue and after that a bunch of things for TechyDad, the boys and some television shows.

So my question to you this week:

What movies have you seen lately that you would suggest we add to our Netflix queue?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.

Aloha #81

Categories:
Aloha Friday Movies

Looking forward to 2010

Posted on January 1, 2010 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Yesterday, I blogged about memories from 2009. There were ups and downs, but it was still a year full of events that I will always cherish. On January 1, 2009, I was looking forward to the year ahead because we had our first family vacation planned to Disney World. This year, we do not have anything big set for the family. Of course, there are still things that I am looking forward to. Some of the items include:

Going to BlogHer ’10 in NYC with TechyDad. We still need to buy our passes, but already have the hotel reservations made. This will be our first ever outing without the kids since starting our family. Nana and Papa are watching the boys for us to go to this special event together.
Watching NHL finish 1st grade and continue onto 2nd grade. It still amazes me that he can read, write and do so much more. We no long can spell in front of him and now have to text secret code to each other when we need to communicate (sad, but true).
Spending more special Mommy and JSL time with the little guy before he starts nursery school in the fall. Need to find some group or place to join to do things with the little guy and more kids his age.
Having a diaper free house – a girl can dream right?!
Meeting my new baby newphew who is due in February.

There are other things, but just a few off the top of my head. So my question to you this week:

What are a few things that you are looking forward to in 2010? What is your favorite memory from 2009?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.

Aloha #80

Categories:
Aloha Friday looking back me moments

Gingerbread house building

Posted on December 25, 2009 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

Wednesday was NHL’s last day of first grade for 2009. To help celebrate, the kids all helped to bring in supplies for a tasty craft and party. As one of the room parents, I saw the list of items and immediately knew what they would be making. The class was going to construct gingerbread houses using graham crackers, frosting, lots of candy and their imagination. Of course, as a teacher, I knew that NHL’s class would need more adult hands on deck to assist with the group.

JSL and I went into the classroom. I was afraid that he would be all over the place. Luckily, he was content watching the kids, while munching on a few M&M’s.

Meanwhile, I had fun dishing out extra frosting and supplies to the kids. It was interesting seeing those that had never made a gingerbread house (like my NHL) compared to those who were seasoned professionals.Here are some photos of NHL making his first gingerbread house. He was quite into it, but also asked his teacher numerous times if he could nibble on some of the candies. Needless to say, this was a common question in the room of first graders.

NHL had a blast adding frosting to his creation and then putting all of the different candies it. Take a close look at his face above, there’s even some frosting on him. Here are some views of his first ever gingerbread house:

Eventually, NHL stopped adding things to his house to go and read on the rug with his little brother. JSL was already surrounded by a gaggle of first graders!

While they were on the rug, I went around looking at all of the different gingerbread houses. One of my favorites was made by a little girl. She had made many of these in the past. Check out the view from the front and back:

So my question to you this week is inspired by the first graders:

Have you ever made a gingerbread house before? If not, you are not alone . . . I do not recall ever making one. If you have what are your favorite items to use as decorations?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.

Aloha #79

Categories:
Aloha Friday fun holidays jsl messy nhl photos school yummy

Potty talk from the Diaper Kid

Posted on December 18, 2009 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

I will admit it, we were not really the ones that potty trained our oldest son. NHL was almost potty trained before 2 years old with us. Then he was finally able to walk and we lost some ground. Being on the move was too much fun to bother with the potty. A short time after this, NHL was moved into the toddler classroom at daycare. After a few weeks, they asked if we would send in a bunch of underpants and lots of spare clothing. They were going to work on using the potty with a bunch of kids at the same time. NHL loved this. He was able to sit on the potty with his friends and chat while learning. NHL and all of his friends quickly learned to use the potty together.

Flash forward to my 2 1/2 year old son JSL. He has used the potty several times over the last year. Not too long ago he was eager to pee on the potty for a Sesame Street sticker and Diego potty seat. I thought we had something here.

Then, things changed. He was in the tub and had to get out quickly since he seemed like he was going to dirty the tub water, if you know what I mean. Daddy apparently scared him. Since that time, he has only agreed to sit on the potty once or twice. Every other time he refuses.

Me: "JSL, let’s go to the potty."

JSL: "NO! Me no go potty!"

Me: "JSL why not?"

JSL "NHL pee on potty. Daddy pee on potty. Mommy pee on potty. No me!"

*sigh* Mentally banging my head against the wall here. I know not to push this because if I do it will make matters worse. Instead, at least once a day, I ask if he wants to use the potty without an pressure. Typically, the same conversation of sorts takes place.

Of course, the most ironic part of this is my 2 1/2 year old is obsessed with potty talk. He will sit there with a huge grin on his face and say:

"Pee pee, poopy . . . potty talk! Ha-ha Hee-hee!"

This then leads to NHL scolding JSL, telling me to do something about the little guy and his potty talk. What can I do?! I just wish the little guy would channel his potty talk into using the potty for real!

My question to you this week:

Do you have any pointers on how to help potty train a stubborn 2 1/2 year old little person?

It is really too cold here to leave him sans pants and underwear to figure things out. Plus, I think puddles may freeze on contact with our hardwood floors. The potty talk is being worked on via time outs in a chair as I type (literally).

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for starting this fun for Friday. Please be sure to head over to her blog to say hello and sign the MckLinky there if you are participating.

Aloha #78

Categories:
Aloha Friday jsl looking back losing my mind milestone nhl photos sahm

Happy Chanukah and holiday shopping

Posted on December 11, 2009 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

This Friday night is special for two reasons this week. Not only is it Shabbat, but it also marks the start of Chanukah. All of the running around and getting things ready for our family has to be finished. Most items for the boys have been bought for a while (pre-Black Friday). We get them a little something for each night. Books factor into this a lot.

There are one or two items that I still need to get tomorrow. Hubby and I have also decided to purchase tickets to BlogHer ’10 as our presents to each other…at least I think that is the plan. Tonight the wrapping extravaganza will take place. While JL bakes something for gift giving (can’t say what since people read this),I will tackle project wrap and label. Saturday night we are heading to a Chanukah party with my parents, my brother and his family, grandmother, aunts, and an uncle. Right now we just hope the weather holds back on snow/ice for Uncle I, Aunt M and Cousin S can make it into town.