Stenwood Fun Fair 2010

Help Me Be A Heart Hero :)

I’m joining millions of other kids to help save lives with the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope For Heart Program! Will you help me?

I’m doing Jump Rope For Heart at my school and learning about kids with special hearts. I’m also learning about my own heart, and how to take care of it. And I’m getting active and jumping rope!

Some kids have special hearts – and need our help! I’m raising money to help kids like them. The money I raise will help pay for education and for new medicines and treatments to be discovered. It could help cure heart disease – for everybody!

You can help too! Will you make a donation? It’s fast and easy to do on my personal Web page! Just use the link below.


http://honor.americanheart.org/goto/madisonmanoo


Thank you for helping me save lives and be a Heart Hero! :)

New Rule

The latest rule in the Washington DC Branch household is as follows:

No TV or computer until homework is done.

I don't have to tell you, it is not a popular rule with Maddy, but it seems to be working so far.

If you're wondering what this new blog theme is all about, it's a tribute to MaddysMommy's favorite Facebook  game, FarmVille :)

Farewell Winter, Hello Springtime!

Rach and I were talking about the changing seasons yesterday and came to the realization that we have been in the U.S. for almost 4 years now. Where did all the time go? Has it really been that long? It doesn't seem that long but here we are, Maddy is in 2nd grade, almost eight years old and he has 2 new cousins named Micah and Isla that he didn't have when we moved here in 2006. Wow.

The weather has been great this week. The sun has been out for four straight days now and all the snow on the ground has disappeared. Maddy will be starting his 3rd season of soccer soon and he can't wait to get out there and run around with his friends after being cooped up all winter.

This weekend will be a busy one for the DC Branch. We have bowling league tonight followed by Maddy's school annual Fun Fair tomorrow morning. We might try and have a little BBQ afterward and then there's the Sunday bowling league where we are in 2nd place (after finishing the first 2 parts of the season in last place). If we have time we might try and squeeze a father/son haircut in there somewhere too.

The pics are from Maddy's end of season basketball party where he got a trophy for being the best rebounder and most aggressive on the team. That's my boy!

Artwork at Vienna Post Office

Madison's artwork was chosen to be displayed at the Vienna Post Office for a few weeks. We went by today after his doctors visit to take a picture of his paper weaving artwork. Nice work Son!!!

Another Day Off School

I got a call from the school nurse yesterday asking me to pick Maddy up early from school since he was sick in his classroom and had a slight temperature.

By the time I got there he was feeling better but school policy is if a child vomits at school they have to be withheld for at least 24 hours for observation.

Of course Maddy is feeling a lot better now that he has his feet up on the couch, watching TV and playing on the computer! It's a good thing Mommy is not working today so she can look after our 'sick' boy. I wonder if he will be too sick to go for bowling practice after work? Hmm we'll see :)

The Return of Normalcy

I don't want to jinx ourselves by declaring that the worst of winter is behind us but it seems like the worst of winter is behind us.

It was pretty dramatic watching the drama of 2 consecutive snowstorms unfold on the TV from the comfort of my couch - car accidents on the roadways, power outages from downed power lines, grocery stores running out of food and people grumbling about how much the snow was inconveniencing them.

I don't know what all the fuss was about, at least we didn't have to go to work for a week and if we didn't run out of munchies midweek it would've been a perfect week.

Now that the roads are clear of snow and the temperatures are steadily rising, life is returning to normal. Yes, we can actually buy bread, milk and water at the local Safeway again. Maddy is back at school, Rach and I are back at work, Maddy's got his basketball and Rach and I have our bowling games to look forward to.

Speaking of games, Maddy had a breakout game this weekend. My little superstar scored his first basket ever and ended up with a stuffed stat line of 4 pts on 2-5 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. I don't know what happened, he just decided to go for his own shot after he got the offensive rebound instead of passing it out like he normally does. I normally advocate good teamwork and passing the ball but just this once I was glad to see him go for his own shot.

I asked him after the game if he played well because he had an awesome dad who taught him the basics but he said no, it was just him.

We had a fun night at Fati & Vai's place over the weekend where we had a nice dinner followed by a little friendly poker game. Maddy spent the night there to go to church the next morning but slept in and missed church altogether. If only it was that easy to skip church when I was his age!

Micah and his new wagon

Thanks for the pictures Sachi :) and glad he likes his Wagon :)

Snow Storm of the Century

Happy Birthday Cousin Micah :)

Hip Hip Hooray, can't believe you're TWO today :)
Hope you have a habby habby birthday and eat lots of cake and goodies too
and I hope the PO finds your home address second time round lol.

Much Love Always Uncle Matt, Aunty Rachel & Cousin Maddy xox

PS Happy Anniversary Aunty Sachi & Uncle Mark :)

Good Luck Aunty Lagi!

My sister Lagi is due to have her first baby this weekend. We are all excited for her and Tolly.

Good luck guys!

We'll be eagerly awaiting news of the new arrival and newest addition to the family.

Tolly, we'll be expecting pics bro!

Much alofas from the Washington DC Branch :)

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Mommy started her birthday event early with a Skype session with her family in NZ that lasted throughout the wee hours of the morning. The joy of that reconnection lasted throughout the day in the form of a smile that wouldn't go away. Daddy arrived home after work with a bunch of flowers and we ended the evening with a birthday dinner at the Silver Diner where we ate too much! Now we're all settling in to watch the first episode of the final season of Lost, a perfect way to end a very nice day. Happy birthday Mommy!

Maddy enjoying Mommy's birthday

All smiles

Mom's choice of cake: cheesecake of course!

Happy birthday Mommy!

The day after the snow storm

Yay time to play in the snow

Tried to make a snowman but the snow was too soft and fluffy

A neighbors hot water tank bursts

Firemen to the rescue

The Blue Devils

Maddy played his best game ever yesterday, picking up 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 intercepts (according to Daddy's statistics LOL). We also gave him credit for shooting more (at least 5 attempts) as he rarely does and passes off to his team mates. I managed to capture a few pictures but kept forgetting to film him in action as I was too busy cheering him and his team on.

Shooting practice

Half time break

Time out

In action

ready to pass it off

More Snow

After his 9am bball game - not afraid of the cold or snow lol

Poor Red Dragon lol

We decided to go for pancakes at IHOP.
It looked like others had the same idea because the car park was packed

Traffic on our way home

Tees from Home

Thanks Alison, Stuart & Emma for the awesome P-Town Tees & Calendar. Made me miss home more LOL

Happy Birthday Dillon

Celebrating Dillons 7th birthday @ his home :)

Yummy Vanilla & Chocolate cakes :)

Maddy's New Glasses

We noticed over the past few months, Maddy has been squinting while watching TV and playing games on his computer. We took him to see an Optometrist and she found that he had difficulty seeing small things far away. After trying most of the children's glasses on, we settled with this one. Doesn't he look cute?!? hehe

Looking very smart (and grown up) with his new specs

Like father, like son :)

Happy 2010

Happy New Year folks.

Since the last update, the schools were closed early for winter break due to a snow storm. Maddy and his daddy had fun playing in the snow and I still had to work - crazy!!!

Had a lovely Christmas lunch at Vai & Fati's place, and met up with Ben & Audrey Pereira and their children, who recently moved from Samoa. The kids enjoyed playing Monopoly and running around in the snow.

Thanks for the pressies we received. We are very late in sending ours this year. I worked really crazy shifts during the Christmas period and still recovering from it. Should have them sent out this week. (Sachi if you can send me your new addy, would be much appreciated)

We received yummy goodies, books & card games from Nana, Papa, Aunty Lagi & Uncle Tolly, Grandma & Grandpa, Fatilua Family & Pereira Family and a few neighbors. My younger brother and his family also sent us all All-Black jerseys WOOHOO. Maddy received an AT-AT motorized lego set which he has yet to complete, a Star Wars PS2 game & a dinosaur board game from us. I was lucky to find them a few days before Christmas. Hopefully I'm better organised next year.

We welcomed the New Year with a video night and then celebrated Daddy's birthday with a yummy carrot cake that Maddy decorated. He then took his Daddy to the movies the next morning to see Avatar along with Fati & the girls. Birthday dinner was spent at the Palombo residence - a yummy roast with salad and vegetables and red wine to compliment lol.

Today the boys are back at work and school. I'm on the graveyard shift this week supervising audits and inventory - oh what fun lol.

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas & New Years celebration. Missing you all xox

Maddy assists a team mate