first grade!

today was nanea's first day of first grade!  she so nicely obliged me by posing with my sign this morning and even took a closeup of her missing two front teeth, one of which she lost yesterday.  this year her class name is the "dazzlers."  her teachers had all the kid's names written on the windows of the classroom to welcome them.  it's so great because her class moved as a whole from kindergarten (they were the explorers last year) next door to first grade, so although they have new teachers, they have all they have all the same classmates.  i think this will make for an interesting move next year when they are all split up for second grade, but i know they will have a great year.

posing at topanga plaza mall

when it's a bright outside...

...use mom and tutu's sunglasses

happy 4th birthday makena!

photo shoot!

for the 2nd year in a row nanea was part of the annual intex shoot in hawaii.  intex is an above ground pool/blow up pool inflatables and toys company that shoots their catalogue in hawaii each year.  last year she went to a cattle-call casting.  this year she was requested!  here are a few shots that noa took.

makena had to get in on the action!

pics from last year's shoot.  look for nanea on the box in a store near you!

little princesses

the girls in their element...

may day is lei day in hawaii...

although may day has always been "lei day" in hawaii, this is the first time that either of our girls have gone to a school where they have held an annual may day program.  punahou's is no joke!  their k-2 program consisted of each grade level performing their own song and hula, with all grades singing songs and/or chanting in between.  students from each grade went up to present the classes and songs, and to tell the stories behind them.  overall, very impressive!  of course, we thought the kindergarten students did the best job.  they not only chanted in hawaiian, but did a hula with kala'au (hula "sticks'") that they made themselves.  They even broadcast a live webcast for those that couldn't be there in person.  You can see it here (you can see her near the beginning of the song "May Day is Lei Day" and again briefly towards the end of their performance.  the webcast is 45 min long, but she's all done after the first 12 min or so).

walking into the gym barefoot in their aloha attire

waiting for the program to begin.  the kids made their lei the day before (with the help of parent volunteers)

let the performance begin!

the 2012 explorers!
room 2

the dream team of teachers

mrs. ditzel

mrs. fa'atea

nanea and her bff, rylee

and last but not least, daddy!