To The Pool!

There was a 45 minute window of clear blue sky in between the hurricanes.  There was no lightning, thunder in the distance, and the twinkies were eager to go swimming...

Take A Deep Breath

Do you notice anything different about this picture?

If you said, "Their really cute."  Well, then your wrong - because that's nothing different.  They're always cute.  (Biased mama much? :)

Need another clue?  Watch this:

That was for Gra Su + Grand Den (:  :)

Here's a third clue, if you haven't guessed yet.

The correct answer is:  these 2 little girls have no swim-vests on, and traded them in for pink and rainbow swim-goggles.  They are all grins because they found a new freedom!  They've been practicing all the steps necessary to learn how to swim... like taking a deep breath, and blowing bubbles underwater, stay where its safe, and listen to mama.  They know they are not allowed to swim without swim-vests, unless they ask me, then I allow one twin off-jacket at a time.  Except for today because papa was present in the pool (which checks my twin water safety rule #1: MUST have 1-on-1 parent to kid while in the water) and K+A's confidence level was awesome, I thought it all safe.  How happy is THIS MAMA that I had my ever-ready mama-cam out.  I'm so glad I did NOT miss this amazing moment!  I'm soooo proud of you, Kacia + Anakai!!

NY - FL Road Trip

Mom's beemer is packed. The twinkies are strapped. Awayyyy we go! Introducing the road trip crew - ready to pull out of the driveway: wing-mom Beth, Anakai-kai, Kacia-roo, and me, your blog hostess and designated driver /camerachick, Sheila (not pictured, as usual).

Day 1
We drove through NY, PA, MD, WVA, VA, and NC. The route we took successfully circumvented all of NJ, and every metropolis (woohoo!! :)

Fun Fact #1: Last time I drove to FL from NY, I met Christopher! :)
Got balloons, binkies, dread locked rasta-bear, snacks, and Dora the Explora playing on DVD. Anakai dons her blanket turban - a sure signal that sleeptime is close by. We were hungry and tired when we finally crossed the VA/NC border, so we asked Miss GPS where should we eat and sleep? She gave us all sorts of options near and far, and found us Japanese food and Elk Inn, in (where else?) Elkin, NC. Apparently we can ask GPS anything - from coffee cups to construction delays - and that still doesn't stop mom from getting into an argument with her.


Day 2
We continued through NC, SC, GA, then FL (yay!) This is where we spent our second night.
This nipa hut is Tito Mort and Tita Luz's bahay kubo (tagalog for home :) It's like driving to the Philippines!

The covered clay pot atop its cooking counterpart is used to cook meals. Its called a palayok. Tita Luzmin made my newest favorite mungo (mung bean stew) without ampalaya (bittermelon) for dinner. Followed by The most beautiful mangoes I've ever seen for dessert - yummmm...ma sarap, eh!

Who is checking out who? This is Kacia-roo with the roo-sters.

The story of
"The Chicken, The Rat, and The Snake"
told by Tita Luzmin

Fun Fact #2: Mom reminds us of the 'Rooster's Call' story. A looong time ago, dad and Uncle Nick heard the roosters in the morning when dad endearingly said in his strong tagalog accent,

"Do you hear the roosters calling 'tok tok ta LAH-ooo'!!"

Uncle Nick (from Armenia) argued, "THAT's not what the rooster said! He said 'koo-koori-cu-KOOO'!!"

Youngster Didi said, "You're both wrong! A rooster says, 'cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Above is a mini-model of an ulog (oo-log) the mountain province dialect for 'honey-moon house'. Its a single room hut perched on special carved wooden stilts. What makes it a 'honey-moon house' is the detachable and retractable ladder feature for the newlyweds! ;^)

Days 3-14 or so: The beach! Pompano was the first beach we hit. The south Florida temperature was averaging in the mid 90's and the Atlantic Ocean was similar. Waves were 1' high, just right for Anakai (yellow vest) and Kacia (pink vest).


Anakai's ready to jai-alai. (Did I mention this playground is perfectly situated adjacent the tiki bar between the pool and the beach? :) :)

Kacia jumps...
... and figures out how to float on her back!

Twin sisters staying cool in the pool.

Kacia chillin' in the half foot waves...

Nap time!

Anakai floats on mama's legs.

Kacia IS Stitch (a cute swimming-monster who is this big terrorizing innocent pool-goers :)

Cuddly Kacia just waking from a seaside nap.

We like to be as safe as possible.

First time to the water park.

Anakai smiling and water sliding.

They lasted all of 45 minutes before the tandem tantrum.

It rained sometimes :( but have no fear, the twinkies will always find something to leap from!!

We visited Lolo and Lola's cemetery.




Our last night. We did it!

Anakai at the Pool '06

Anakai took to the water so quickly! She immediately loved swimming in the pool, then jumping in too. In 30 minutes time, she was jumping off the side wall into the 3' deep end plunging to the depths and pushing up from the bottom! Then, in 45 minutes time, she was turning around and jumping in backwards!! Oh, my tiny diver! Would make any cliff diving mama proud!! (clap...hey!)

Later on we took them to the beach (click 'First Flight' of the twinkies archive). There was NO turning Anakai away from the mighty ocean without her crazy crying!! (After all, Ocean is her middle name)

Here are 3 separate clips.

She learns how to go backwards down the steps + hang on the handrail, Kacia is rubbing her eyes from the sunscreen.

Anakai learns quickly how to jump in and push off the bottom.

We all can't wait to visit again!