Week 5: RaFUNzel

Kaia concluded week five with a performance of "Rafunzel". The theme was ballet/creative dance and folk art/jewelry & textiles. Kaia was a bee in the performance. She was having so much fun. This week was a good one in that the mean girls were acting up again, but she knew how to handle it better. I hate to have my kids go through painful situations like these, but in just 5 weeks, she knows how these situations work and how to navigate stuff like this.

Kai-Bee

Anyhoo...our week was great. Mom is coming down to visit us next week and surprising Kaia...because she's fabulous grandparent/parent like that!!! I can't believe next week is already the last week!!! Time is going by fast (mostly) and dragging (sometimes) at times. Other than that, we're good and keeping busy.

Jaron's as funny as ever. He's a big turkey and can be either really funny or really frustrating. Either way, those chubby cheeks & Mama's boyness always gets me...but I try not to let it show. ;o) He started getting sad this week when we dropped Kaia off. One day he even cried. It's nice to see him expressing his emotions and showing how much he loves Kaia. He's also singing the beginning of Chris Brown's "Forever"....hahahaha. I'll write a list of the non-kid songs that my kids like to sing.

We've also been inundated with thunderstorms either everyday or every other day...we're talking, at times, bad enough that we have downed trees. The kids (human & canine) aren't frightened of them too...so that's a blessing! Not to mention, we're saving on our water bills...cha-ching!! FL water bills are insane...we're talk either high $100s but more likely mid to upper $200s!! Yup...makes me love FL even more! ;o)

Our PSP finally is breaking down. We've been using it as our DVD player. So, it's time to join the times and buy a DVD player. Thank God they're pretty reasonable nowadays!

Now, for the good stuff. VIDEOS!!!!

Kaia's Bee Performance...sans stinger.

Rafunzel Finale

LCDR Espiritu

YEA-UH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our dear Uncle Dan just informed us that someone in this family has some special news...

CONGRATULATIONS to my AMAZING PARTNER on making 0-4...Lieutenant Commander for you civilians...a PROMOTION for you non-military exposed civilians!!!

YEA-UH, Hunny!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Since my buffer half is out to sea right now, let me know if you want his sub email to send your congrats!

Way to go, Bear!!! I knew you'd make it!!!

Congratulations to our brother from another mother Alvin Martino who also screened for 0-4!!!!!!

OOPS...Congrats to Jonathan Kim, James Mahoney, Corey Poorman, & Ben Cote too...our other brothers from other mothers!!!

Goldilocks & the 3 Bullfrogs

Yup, it's Friday and that brings us to another end of fabulous week of summer camp for the Kaister. Three more weeks to go! Kaia had fun being splatter-painting, sculpting clay, etc. She's had so much fun and it was TOTALLY worth the money to send her there! Definitely money well spent. This week also brought some tears. I think with Kaia being sick, she was just a bit bogged down. Since Wednesday, she's been crying right when I say goodbye because she said she's really going to miss me. My goodness, that poor little girl...I would NOT miss me! =) But yeah, poor baby has been upset but the only reason why is because she'll miss me. Other than that, she continued her reign as Ms. Popular. The teachers are just so amazed what a little people magnet she is. It's really nice to hear because that means we're doing a good job raising a nice person with a good heart...who happens to be so funny and bubbling over with personality. I'd like to say I'm biased but this girl really does have a huge personality. Ok...time to deflate my head.


Both mean girls from the first week were reunited this week...but w/o any problems. Charlie happened to return to sour puss, but the other girl Bella turned out to be nice. Kaia was really puzzled why Charlie was nice the other two weeks but not this week. Ahhhhhh, my darling daughter has so much to learn about the finnickiness of girls/kids. Either way, Charlie's grouchiness had no impact on Kaia...which is GREAT!


Anyhoo...the skit was really cute. Kaia was a bullfrog & a fish. We're just really proud of her (Jaron & I, that is...Daddy will be seeing these performances at a later time).


All is well here....the kids are convalescing and hopefully this weekend will bring them much needed rest. I have bought a ton o' paint & materials so they can paint their own t-shirts. I'm planning on turning Kaia's shirts that she paints into tanks & dresses...something jazzier than t-shirts. Last weekend I also started Movie Sunday/Saturday (whichever day allows it) and we watch 3 kid movies that I've ordered from Blockbuster's Total Access program. It's a nice chill day and gives us some good cuddle time too. We'll see about hitting the pool. The weather's been icky and, like I said, I'd rather take it easy so they can get better. I DID want to hit the outlets but oh well.


Ooh...Mom also told us that she's visiting us again in August!!! I thought it was going to be another extended weekend trip but Her Royal Hotness informed us that it's just shy of two weeks!!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Too bad Sean's not here because he loves when The Fam (or parts of The Fam) visit since they're always so much help and fun!!!!


Anyway...photos & videos!



Kaia & her fish puppet.

Jaron trying to watch (notice his arm on my leg...he's so cute)!

Kaia & her Hip-Hoptastic teacher Holly. Holly is the one who swears Kaia is going to be famous.

Bullfrog Performance but no Hip-Hop




This one actually has hip-hop in it.

Le Grand Finale

In Love & Mommy Makes a Friend

So, the other day we got to hang out at our pool with Sarah (the cute young thing that wants to adopt Kaia) and her mom Stacy. We found out that they live in the development across the street from us, so it works out nicely! It was really nice and Stacy is really cool. I found out that she is a fellow lioness when protecting Sarah too! Hehehe. It came out because we were talking about Mean Girls and such.

Anyway, Sarah also let me know that a little boy from the first week of camp had a huge crush on Kaia (unbeknownst to her). Sarah said the little boy, Avery, told her about Kaia and said "I think I'm in love." How cute is that? Hahahaha.

Anyway, new videos & photos will be up tomorrow after Kaia's performance.

The Fam & High School Musical...Sorry, this one's a LONG one!

Ahhhhhhhh...another week done. Last week, the camp was on vacation because of the abbreviated week. That left us with no camp and no daddy. *sigh* It's all good since the three of us were sick and getting ready for The Fam (Sean's collective title for Mom, Kim, & Jason) to come down to FL to visit. I had the attempted abduction stuff to keep my mind off of Sean's departure.

We had a great weekend with The Fam. As usual, they took FABULOUS care of us and we loved spending time with them. Even though our weekend was jammed pack, it was still relaxing. After dinner at Burrito Gallery in downtown JAX, we watched the fireworks in downtown Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. The weather was FABULOUS and, more importantly, NO BUGS (I sound like my hubby now)!!!

Kaia getting beads from a pirate (pirate history is rich in Fernandina)

Jaron having his pirate experience since he was a bit scared the first go-around.

"Sword fighting" with glow sticks.

They weren't DC fireworks, but they were nice.

We also hit up Savannah, GA and Silver Springs, FL. On Monday, Kaia decided to stay home from camp (which actually was a pretty difficult decision for her given that she loves camp AND that it was High School Musical week). When they left, on Tuesday...it was pretty rough on them. Kaia was crying on and off the whole morning before school (we went to the airport at 5am). Sean didn't get any tears from them!!! I guess that's a good thing because I'd rather it be like nothing for them when Sean goes out to sea rather than it being heartbreaking everytime. Anyhoo, as usual, it was hard to see them leave. They are some of the biggest blessings in our lives...that's for darn sure!

Savannah, GA was great...in between the THUNDERSTORMS! Yup...as soon as we got there, the skies opened up and laid a can of whoop a$$ on Savannah. It was still beautiful...and yummy there!

After our DELICIOUS buffet at The Pirate's House...one definite thing I'll miss about the South...FRIED CHICKEN!

Po-po & A-yi taking pictures of the local pirate.

Our family seems to love buying our kids these ginormous lollipops wherever we go!

Sometimes, I'm not sure if our kids remember that WE are their parents. ;o)

Silver Springs, FL is near Ocala, FL. None of that means anything to me either. ;o) We visited Silver Springs and luckily narrowly missed a thunderstorm! We toured the natural springs of the park (where movies/shows such as Tarzan, Seaquest, parts of The Crocodile Hunter, etc. were filmed). The cloudy day worked in favor for us giving us respite from this lovely FL heat. Oh yeah, we did pass Jumbolair. It's a neighborhood of AVIATION ESTATES. Yes, every house has it's own hangar. John Travolta has an estate here. Craziness.

1 of 3 Glass Bottom boat tours that tour the springs.

I'm not going to lie, 80 ft. high and who knows how old this bad boy was...I almost needed a diaper and a vomit-catcher.
The Fam Minus 1 standing inside the Horseshoe Palm Tree...5 years good luck if you pose in the middle.

So, this week was High School Musical...one of Kaia's favorite movies that she still hasn't watched in its entirety. ;o) She had a blast!!! Enrollment was tripled this week...so there were LOTS of new faces and LOTS of older kids. She told me how all these big kids like picking her up and calling her cute. The teachers told me how she's Miss Popular and also that the older kids all adore her. I kid you not, it took an extra 10 minutes to leave because all these big kids were all hugging, kissing, and loving on her! It was really great to see. They were all telling me all cute she is and was a sweet girl she is. They even started loving on Jaron too...who got all super shy and clung to my thigh. Kaia told me how the older girls want to be her mom while they are at camp. How cute is that? Anyway, I'm really proud of her (does it show) and she's totally excelling. We're really blessed to have these two boogers.

I know, it's really hard to spot Kaia...heh heh heh.

Kaia and one of her "moms" Justine.

"Ice" (apparently that's his nickname) and the lead of the show & Ms. Thang. Daddy might not be too happy with this shot (as with the other shot of her & Jordan during Hip Hop week).

Kaia & her Groupies. L to R: Christine, Kaia, Rachel, Megan, Justine, & Ice.

The Groupies/"Mommies+Daddy" saying goodbye again...I think we were actually holding up the rest of their performance.

Seriously, how cute is this??

Of course, I wouldn't leave you without video clips. You can always catch more on our YouTube.

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