I have heard of people who have only one child left in the family. The bathroom is always clean, the remote is right where you left it, the sink doesn't overflow with dishes, the laundry is only done once a week instead of daily... I even heard that you grow to LIKE it! Personally, I thought it was only in fairy tales and after raising five children forever, I can't imagine having order instead of chaos in this house. You mean, the toilet paper is full, I won't find toothpaste trails on the counter, hair gel on the mirror, empty containers in the fridge, half full glasses of juice hanging around? Really, is it possible?

Let's cut to the chase---WHO is there to blame if there aren't any children around?

Who cares about Waldo, Where's William?

William has been gone one whole week now. Lucky for us, he was able to take his cell phone with him. Not-so-lucky for William, HIS FATHER (please note, NOT THE MAMA) calls and texts him OFTEN.Too often. I mean, really. Give the kid some breathing room! Geez, next thing I know, Alan will be crying in the hallways at Church with his friends hugging him, hoarding all the chocolate...Good grief.

So, needless to say, I have taken appropriate action and Alan has lost the use of his cell phone until he can learn to control himself. Besides, isn't it supposed to be THE MOTHER who has a hard time letting go? HAHAHA

Our William spent five days in New Mexico at NMMI training for the LTC program before leaving for Fort Knox, Kentucky. ( We spent hours shopping for all his supplies, spent two days getting him ready, went to Wal Mart at midnight, packed his suitcase and when he got to New Mexico the only feedback I get from him is "Mom. You didn't pack any shorts for me!" Man, tough audience.) The cool thing about the program is they continually update pictures of the training and Alan has been stalking the site since William arrived in Kentucky searching the pictures in a grid pattern looking for a sign, any sign, of our son.

I was so sure I saw part of William's leg and the side view of his head--with his whole ear!-- in one picture and got so excited! (Seriously, we had long, heated conversations, debating on whether or not it was William. We REALLY need a life.) I am proud to say that in the most recent posting of pictures from Kentucky, we found an ACTUAL full-body shot of my baby although I'm sad to say, he is proudly holding a REALLY BIG gun. Yea, yeah, yea. I know he joined the ARMY but can't we all just get along?

We have posted the link below for everyone to visit. William is E Company, 1/46 Infantry. Click on Photo Gallery, E 1/46. Click on Basic Rifle Marksmanship then go to slide #4. There's my baby right smack in the middle of the group! Obviously, he's the good-looking one in the hat and cammies...

IF by chance, you spot my incredible, tall, handsome son in another slide, LET ME KNOW. I have to enjoy all this now, because when William comes home and finds out I am spotlighting him and singing his praises, I am a dead woman.

www.usaac.army.mil/acce/ltc_videos.html

President of the Tam Fan Club

My fabulous friend Tamarah, has more talent in her little finger than I have in my mammoth-sized body. She is a mother of three, former Relief Society President and all-around good guy who is service oriented, kind and smart! Tam also is very creative and has put her talent to good use sewing burp rags (Brags) and pillow covers.
check out the link below to view her creativity!

bragsragsboutique.etsy.com
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_1&listing_id=12715551

No child left behind...this year

We have had a lot of changes this week and you know how well I deal with change!! There is not a carb or chocolate bar in sight that I have not eaten and conquered. I have resorted to drinking to dull the pain and am now up to (at least) three Diet Cokes a day. Soon I will need a self-help group (local of course, with the price of gas).

It is not going well for the Mother in the family, but the children are handling things just fine, thank you very much, since the inmates run this insane asylum!

Last week, my Samuel promoted from the fifth grade. He is no longer in elementary school; he is now a sixth grader, a young man in middle school. He received an award from the Rotary Club, “Student of the Year," for Ramona Elementary, one of only two children to receive it in the entire fifth grade. His name will be placed on a plaque in the halls of Ramona Elementary School for time and all eternity or until the massive budget cuts have the teachers burning anything for heat in the winter.

We have had four boys go through elementary school, Cub Scouts, Pop Warner, Little League.... Alan coached Williams’s team for Basketball, Matthews’s team for Baseball. I even coached Alana's soccer team one, and only one, year. There have been countless Blue and Gold dinners, Pack Meetings, PTA fundraisers, field trips, book fairs, Popsicles...Where did the time go?

Poor Alana. I am going to smother her with attention in a futile attempt to record every last shred of her childhood. There may be a need for an intervention.

William graduated from Valley View High School on Wednesday, June 11th, the same day Samuel promoted. Our son was stoic, grim even. William did not want to walk or have us come to his graduation and yet, after the ceremony, he had a grin from ear to ear. Wow. That dental work paid off. I haven't seen that big a smile on his face since he discovered girls! My mother sent leis from Hawaii, which he refused to wear before the ceremony, but happily wore after in his euphoria. Of course, they completely butchered our last name when it was William’s turn to walk and collect his diploma. I mean, really. How hard is it to say Keliipuleole?

I finished this semester with four A’s and one C. (Damn that math, I should have given it the attention it deserved.) Combine Finals, one promotion and one graduation and that equals one psycho Mama! (See, I can do math!) Then, to complicate things even further, William left for college on Father’s Day. He flew to New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) for five days and then to Leadership Training in Fort Knox for five weeks. My baby! My 6’1” 18-year-old handsome baby has left the building. Smiling too, I might add.

Life goes on here in the Keliipuleole household but sometimes I just want to hit the pause button to slow it down and take it all in. The batteries must be dead in my remote because it’s not working! Oh well, Carpe Diem!

This summer I will take more classes (Biology!) in the pursuit of becoming a real-live grown-up, Matthew and Sam will go to Hawaii for two weeks (Sam for Explorations at Kamehameha, Matthew for fun) and all summer Matthew will train for football for his junior year. Alana (our social butterfly) will still practice TaeKwonDo and Minor Fields of Study (she is a Black Belt in TaeKwonDo and a Yellow/white belt in JuJitsu and Yellow belt in HanMuDo), go to Girl Scouts and Achievement days for Church. If college doesn’t pan out, maybe I can put my experience as Alana’s chauffer to good use!

Aloha,

LeAnne, Alan, William, Matthew, Samuel, Alana (Rex, Rocky and Jack, too)

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~Fr. Alfred D'Souza

Rocky Road Fudge and a large Diet Coke, please

Easy Creamy Rocky Road Fudge

1-4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 package (10.5 oz) mini marshmallows

Line 8 X 8 baking pan with foil. Lightly grease foil with butter. In a 4-quart saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and crunchy peanut butter. Stir until almost completely melted. Turn off heat, continue stirring until completely melted. Add marshmallows, stir until covered evenly. Pour into lined, greased pan. Spread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. Invert fudge onto cutting board, remove foil. Turn fudge top side up. Cut into 36 small pieces or 12 large pieces. Store in refrigerator.


Great for PMS!! Serve with a large Diet Coke so the calories balance out...LOL

Haole Brownies

When Kalani attended Kamehameha Schools, one of his favorite desserts was Haole Brownies, named by the students for its light color. For those of you who aren't local or local at heart, check out the definition for haole at:
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/h/haole.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haole

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 sticks (10 oz.) butter or margarine
1 level tablespoon baking powder (double acting)
4 cups all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
1-1/2 cups diced walnuts

Directions:

Cream together brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, butter (or margarine) and baking powder.

Add and mix all-purpose flour until incorporated. Add and mix eggs until creamy. Add diced walnuts.

Mix on low with paddle for 30 seconds if using KitchenAid-style mixer. If not available, then mix with wooden spoon to incorporate, but if mixing by hand, add eggs before the flour. (A hand held mixer may not be powerful enough for this heavy batter, but try if you like.) DO NOT OVERBEAT!

Scrape down sides of bowl and then mix on medium speed for 2 minutes or by spoon for 5 minutes.

Grease two 13" x 9" x 2" pans and preheat oven to 375-400 degrees. (Note: If pan sizes are different, pour batter to a maximum of 3/4 of an inch deep.)

Divide mix evenly into pans and place on bottom rack and bake. Brownies will rise gradually for about 25 minutes and then flatten.

Wait for 3 minutes after they have flattened completely, then remove from oven and place on rack to cool.

When warm to the touch, cut to desired size.

From:

Kaleoolakaikahikinaokala Halau Cookbook,

Kamehameha Schools Food Svcs. Dept.