My Olivia. The God curser and spider killer.

Olivia has been totally cracking me up with the things she has been saying lately.  Here are some examples.

We are at the park and she yells to me that she has a "booger nose".  I tell her to run to the bathroom and go and wipe it.  She gets to the door opens it and yells "Mom!  There is toilet paper EVERYWHERE in HERE!".  I am helping Bianca with something so I tell her to just walk around it, get her tissue off the role and come back.  On her way back she starts talking VERY loudly so everyone else at the park can here, but not knowing that she has an audience and thinking she is talking only to me, she says....

"Mom, that was the grodiest bathroom I have ever been in.  It was SO DIRTY and there was toilet paper EVERYWHERE.  And you told me I still had to walk in that bathroom and get mines toilet paper so I went in and just said (while putting her hands up in the air towards the heavens) "GOD!  WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO ME?!?!?".

I about died.  It was so unintentionally hilarious that it took everything that I had to keep a straight face.  All the other parents were totally losing it too, but Olivia was still so disgusted over the matter that she had no idea.  I pulled her aside and told her we need to be very careful about when we talk about Heavenly Father and whatnot.  To use his name when we are praying or talking reverently about him.  I guess according to how she was feeling she used everything in the right context, so I give her points on that one!   One of her favorite movies is Joseph King of Dreams and he says that when he is in the dungeon and in the depths of misery so I think that is how she learned it.  Apparently toilet paper all over a bathroom is the depths of misery for her.

Then Marcus took the kids to the pool last night and a little black girl was playing in the pool with them.  Olivia proceeded to tell Marcus that the little girl, was indeed, black and how that was totally okay because we are all special and different.  Then she went on about how some people have curly hair and some are little and some are REALLY big.  That it all doesn't matter because we are all special.

Just today I killed my third spider of the day and said "I am SO sick of killing spiders.  YUCK!".  (I think all the moving and rearranging things have disturbed some dormant spiders or something because in two days I killed 5 and I am so grossed out by it).  Olivia looks at me and says "Mom just don't you worry about it.  I am not sick of killing the spiders so next time you see one just come and get me and I will take care of it."  Then she walked off to play.

Crazy girl!  She is so funny and thoughtful and we love her to pieces!

Our Next Post IS.......

OKINAWA JAPAN!!!

We have been starting to get antsy, just wanting to know where we are going next so we can start planning.  We thought for a while we were going to Korea so I had researched like CRAZY learning as much as I could to prepare.

Then we got word that Marcus was accepted into the program he applied for and our next post would be to Okinawa Japan!

I must admit at first I kinda crapped my pants.  Out of all the options of "possible" places, these one was low on the list of probability and I hand't even looked it up at all.  Once I stopped freaking out, which only lasted a few minutes, and started googling it up I started to get REALLY excited!

 I mean, how could you not?  Look at these pictures for crying out loud?  This gal, Vashti Radder, will live in this tropical paradise with my babies and my hubby for THREE YEARS!!  The schools teach Japanese so my kids will be bi lingual!

I have been so sad about leaving here because I LOVE this area.  The beach is magical and it is so fortifying to me!  I have been able to be in contact with a lot of people who have lived there or are living there and everyone loves it!

Of course there are downsides, we will be a LONG ways away from family and that will be hard.  We will be on an Island with not a lot of access to the stores I am used to (Target!!) but shipping I am heard is pretty easy with APO addresses and I have a feeling Amazon and I will become FAST friends!

Another downside is our weight allotment for overseas is a fraction of what it was to come here.  So basically we are selling EVERYTHING!  Getting down to the bare basics people!  I started this last week and Marcus jokes that this is now my full time job.  Fielding inquiries, setting up pick up times, answering questions, setting up times for items to be viewed.  A lot of sell and a lot to keep track of!

I keep telling myself "sunny beaches... sunny beaches" whenever I start to freak about all the stuff walking out of my house!

And of course you MUST know that our house would be open to anyone that cares to visit!  Anybody up for a little tropical vacation??   We would love to any of you com and visit, you would be treated to all the fancies that Okinawa has to offer!  

Radder's are going International Baby!

Stressful!

 If I had to describe our last month, it would be stressful!  Marcus has had REALLY late hours studying his brains out and extra Army guy stuff going on.  The girls and I have been trying to just keep ourselves as busy as possible, which works most days and then we have a really crazy day where we all decide to be cranky.

The stress is only going to last a little bit longer though!  Marcus is gearing up for his final testing.  THE BIG DEAL.  All his work this past year and a half comes down to three days of testing.  Marcus is trying his best to stay cool about it, and I am trying my best to stay cool for him but HOLY COW!  It is a big deal.  Counting down the minutes almost!

He has already had his final PT test for record while he is here so that was a relief to get that done, he totally rocked it by the way, SO PROUD of him!  Next test up is a speaking test where he just talks to a proctor in Korean about anything and EVERYTHING for an hour.  The he has a little bit of a break before reading, listening and writing portions happen.

He has done so well so far, his accumulated GPA is a 4.0 and I am SO PROUD of him!  He has worked really hard in his studies and worked really hard being a good Daddy and husband.   Attending this school is a pretty big deal and it is tough.  Army guy stuff on top of all his Korean studies.  A lot of people get rolled back or get sent out of the program entirely.  It is such an accomplishment just to make it to the end of the course, let alone with such awesome grades.

I will be on pins and needles until all the scores come back in!  I know no matter what the scores are, he is going to give it his all.  I am so proud of my Marcus with all that he has been able to accomplish this far!  WISH US LUCK!

Hair Cut Day!

 It had been a REALLY long time since I had the girls hair cut last.  Olivia's was looking pretty mangy.   There is a really sweet gal that lives down the street from me and she cuts hair, so I took the girls to her last week to get their hair done.

 Olivia went first, logically so Bianca could see how cool it was to get your hair done like a big girl and then be good for her turn.... which totally worked.  Bianca sat as still as she was able, being that she is two and does not sit still EVER.  
I got them matching bobs and they are so FREAKING cute!

 Bianca kept touching her hair all day and fluffing it up whilst posing.  It was so cute!

They both felt so fancy to get their hair cut together!
Also, on the potty training front.... Bianca is pretty much a rockstar and has been amazing since she decided to start using the potty. I thought we might have some setbacks after a week or two, but she just keeps getting better and better.   Mostly staying dry for the night and she even woke up last night and asked us to take her potty so she could keep her princess panties dry!   So proud of her!

Oakland Temple.

 On Saturday we went with our good friends, the Tonay's, to the Oakland Temple.  It is a two hour drive away and we take turns watching each others kids so each couple can do a session at the temple.   The Oakland Temple is SO BEAUTIFUL and is it such a treat to be able to be close enough to go to it!

 The grounds are gorgeous and I LOVE the carvings in the front and back of the Temple.  One side is Jesus and the 12 apostles and the other side is Jesus teaching the Nephites.  

 Me and my love when we were watching all the kids.  The Oakland Temple has a visitors center that is wonderful.  Displays for the kids to look at, Sister Missionaries who exclaim how cute the girls are.  This one even had short movies you could watch, Olivia loved the movie about the pioneer girl.

 The girls loved walking around the fountains.

The Temple is up on the hill in Oakland and it has the most BREATHTAKING views of the bay area.  Behind the girls is San Francisco and both bridges.  I could just stare at that view for hours.  This temple is unique in that it has an outside upper terrace that loops around the Temple.  So this picture of the girls was when we were up on the terrace.  It has this lovely path that you can follow around and look at all the beautiful flowers and the view.
After the Tonay's were done we went out for some Panera Bread, best food EVER!  Then we headed back to the Temple and Marcus and I had our turn to go.  It was such a wonderful day, even if it was really chilly.  The older two girls and the younger two girls are really close together in age and they play so well together.
If you want to read more information about LDS Temples you can read it there.  

Chocolate Adventures!

 Our really good friends from back home, the Anderson's, have a Chocolate business called Fresco Chocolate.  We found out that they are now selling bars really close to where we live!  It is in Pacific Grove, right around the corner from DLI at 'happy girl kitchen co'.

 Olivia had preschool this morning and I am off this week from teaching so Bianca and I headed out on a chocolate quest!  After a quick bathroom trip we hunted through the store to find the display, I seriously got a little chill when I saw it up front!

 So exciting to see all the hard work and dreams of a family, not to mention a great love for chocolate, out on display!  I asked the people working if I could take pictures.  I explained how I knew the makers of the chocolate

 The staff was so friendly and gladly walked around with me to explain all their products.  Yummy home canned style good with seasonal fruits and vegetables.  In addition to my chocolate, a must have purchase, I also got a jar of strawberry lemonade concentrate.  I am so excited to make some for dinner tonight!

 It is such a funky and cute store.  We sat and ate our delicious chocolate, and it seriously was DELICIOUS, at this cute table with a beautiful arrangement of flowers and vegetables.  I love dark chocolate and this was the BEST CHOCOLATE I have ever eaten. SO GOOD.  (I am not just saying this because I know the makers, this was for reals good stuff).

I wasn't sure if Bianca would like it, being dark chocolate and all, but apparently she has a refined palate! She kept moaning "MMmmmmmMMMMmmmm" after every bite!  The staff thought it was the cutest!

We also made a stop at Target to get her some new panties.  She has still been rocking this potty training and was awesome about holding it while we were shopping.  She held on to her pack of panties the whole time we were in the store, so proud of herself!  I have really been trying to make this time with Bianca special.  I get one on one time with Olivia quite bit during Bianca's nap and after Bianca goes to bed, but it is not very often that I get time JUST with Bianca.

So when I am not teaching preschool, I really try to do something special with Bianca. Sometimes we do a little craft, just us, or get a little treat, or she is my special helper shopping by putting everything in my cart.  I also make sure to keep saying how this is our special time, just Mommy and Bianca and she also repeats it back to me during our morning together.  We both feel how precious the times is.  It has been so good for both of us and I really cherish these moments that are just the two of us!

Mermaid Girl

 Olivia just started swim lessons with Miss Emily last week.  We go once a week and she learns how to swim with her two little friends Gabby and Taya.  Olivia also goes to preschool with these two little girls and they get along so great!  Olivia especially loves Gabby.  They play so well together, off in their own little world of make believe and have yet to ever get into a fight.

 Miss Emily goes to church with us and Gabby's Mom, Christina, got everything all lined up for the lessons.

 Marcus is a really strong swimmer and the water kinda freaks me out.  I am not as comfortable in the water as Marcus is.  I can see Olivia leans towards my disposition with water and I really wanted to get her started on swim lessons early to help her be more comfortable.

 While the big girls are swimming, us Mom's hang out with the little kids in the kiddie pool.  After lessons get over we just let the kids swim and play while us Mom's hang out and chit chat.  It is so much fun and a great end to our week (lessons are on Friday morning).

Here is Bianca with her little friend Gretchen (Gabby's little sister).  Christina's girls and my girls are almost exactly the same age.  Bianca and Gretchen's birthday's are only two days apart!