THE WINGET FILES

What does it mean when...

2011-09-05T18:03:00.002-06:00

What does it mean when all your 2 year old's prayers go like this
"Dear Heavenly Father, please bless Mama, that she will be nice. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
ALL OF HER PRAYERS!

In heaven in Hawaii

2011-08-26T12:17:00.010-06:00

So our little family was blessed enough to go to Hawaii this summer for a reunion with my side of the family. It was HEAVEN! It was crowded (28 people in a 3 bedroom house + a 1 bedroom apartment that was not yet totally finished), and noisy (17 kids from the ages of 14-3months) but it truly was HEAVEN! For the most part the kids got along amazing well. All the cousins loved playing with each other. We only really needed to regulate the kids who were 3 and under but that is to be expected right?
While we were there we did a lot of things we miss while living in Utah, here is a short list:
- Eat Hawaii food (Hukilau cafe, Papa Ole's, Genki Ramen, 7-11, Sam store, Laie Chop Suey,Malasadas, Matsumoto, Ted's Bakery, Tita's Grill, etc.)
- Swim at the beach (who is the dork trying to teach her children how to SHAKA?)- Surfing
- PCC
- Feel the Hawaii breeze
- Let the kids try ulu, sugar cane, manapua, pake cake, musubi, hawaiian sun
- Let the kids smell plumeria ("melia" as my dad says), the salt air
- Let the kids get to know their cousins- Mike + Kahi sleep (try to) on a twin bad
- Horse back riding at Gunstock Ranch (beautiful!)
- Ezra lost his 2nd tooth
- Attended a temple session in the renovated Laie Hawaii Temple- Visited with amazing friends
- Wrestled, laughed, and played with family- Jump off Waimea rock (a 1st for Nia and I)
- Drive around the island
- Family photos from the so very talented Mark Lee
- Introduce Lydia to Grandma and Papa

All the important things were done on this trip. When we left we were tired and ready a rest from our vacation. It was amazingly fun to have Mike go to Hawaii with us this time. He got a killer sun tan, I will let him share the picture if he chooses. We miss Hawaii, oh man, WE MISS HAWAII! We miss the people, the food, the weather but not the prices.
This trip reminded Mike and I how blessed we were to grow up in Hawaii a place where people truly do LOVE. We had amazing experiences where people showed us and our children more love than we felt we deserved. It was a great reminder of the things we feel we would like to teach our children. We will be back. A HUI HOU!

1st grade is... WIERD

2011-08-25T13:59:00.013-06:00

Ezra started first grade on Monday. It is weird (read: sad, lonely, and WEIRD) to not have him around. Monday morning we made him his lunch, hopped in the car and Mike waited with the girls while I took him. He was really excited, made sure the girls were going to miss him, "Abbi, are you going to miss me?" and then off we went. While waiting outside his classroom I could tell he was getting more and more nervous. When the teacher opened the door and invited everyone in, he grabbed a hold of my hand and started to cry. I was caught off gaurd cause anyone who knows Ezra, knows that he is usually really brave and excited to try new things. I knelt down by him and asked what was wrong. He said, "I just can't believe I am not going to see you for most of the day." I grabbed him in a firm hug and didn't want to let go myself. But alas, I let go and so did he. I walked him into his classroom and sat him on the rug and then left. It was tough.

1st grade is weird for a couple of reasons:
1. Ezra is going to a duel immersion school so the first half of his day EVERYTHING is taught in Spanish. He is having a hard time with that right now (we were warned that he would) but we still feel it is the right thing for him.
2. His 2 best friends Preston and Andrew are in a different class. He does not like that.
3. He is in all day school now and is really not keen on the idea of not eating lunch at home with the girls.

Ezra is going to do great for a couple of reasons:
1. Ezra is a bright kid and deserves a challenge. He will learn that he can do "hard things". That is a great lesson for all of us to learn.
2. Ezra gets to eat lunch with his 2 best friends everyday! That is good news!
3. While I totally miss Ezra, 4 kids at home all day is not so fun. He needs to have time away from his crazy sisters and will love them (and me) even more when he comes home.

Later that day my neighbor watched all the girls so I could surprise Ezra and eat lunch with him. I showed up and waited in the hall. When he came out of class he yelled, "Mama!" It was so fun for both of us. He kept touching my arm just making sure I was there. He later told me that he really felt like crying in his class but "something" inside him was telling him to be brave. We talked about how that was the Spirit doing it's job as the comforter. He thought that was cool, so did I. We enjoyed lunch together and he told me a little about his morning. I left after watching him run out to the playground.

When he got home that afternoon he spent some time reading a book to Lydia. These two are really good buddies (more on that another day). Lydia enjoyed every minute.
That afternoon we surprise ambushed Mike when he got home from work (I highly recommend doing this, it was so much fun!)
Ezra and I spent about 30 minutes filling up water balloons and finding good places to hide. When Mike got home he found this on the door.I was waiting in the back yard for him to have time to read the note. I heard him say, "What the crap?" and then I started counting down 5-4-3-2-1. At about 4 he yelled, "I have the laptop." I yelled back, "Well, you better drop it." He grabbed the bag and ran to the front of the house where Ezra was waiting for him with another attack. At least that was the plan. I ran around to the side of the house to get him with a balloon and start laughing when I saw Ezra running at Mike too. The plan worked I thought. That was until I realized that Ezra was trying to get me. He is a trader. He started yelling, "Boys against girls!" So lame, and so fun!
Our evening ended with a lot of playing and a lot of laughing. Abbi kept saying, "Mom, this is the best day EVER!" It really was.

Here today, gone tomorrow...

2011-04-24T16:36:00.002-06:00

Disclaimer: I have looked and looked for a recent, in focus shot of Mike to put right here and there is nothing because sadly, I am the person who takes the photos of Mike and yeah, I am the one that can't take them in focus. Sorry...

In the last post I talked about how amazing and helpful and loving Mike is. I said there was more to come and here it is.

Since we got married Mike has always been super involved. He cooked for the first few years and is still happiest in the kitchen. I am a lucky girl. I often call him during the day to ask him how long I should cook this or what I can use to substitute for that. He always lovingly, and patiently tells me how to make dinner. Oh, and he never teases me about it. That means a lot to me.
As the kids have come into our family he has never complained about doing dishes, changing diapers, cooking dinner, vacuuming, watching the kids so I can get a break, etc. He is amazing.
With the addition of number 4 I must say that I was really nervous. I did not know what to expect. I had this sinking feeling that it was either going to go really well, or horribly wrong. No in betweens this time, just one or the other. Because of Mike, this have gone really really well.

He has been conscious of everyone lately, from helping with Abbi's birthday party to taking Ezra out for a bike ride just so they could spend sometime together to cooking dinner and letting me rest so that my kanckles could go away and everything in between.

Tomorrow morning at 5am our little family will pack in the car and take Mike to the airport. He is going to Florida for 5 days, for work. My emotions range from excitement that Mike is finally in a job that he loves and they love him, to sheer terror at the thought of being alone and exhausted and alone for 5 days. I have found myself in tears a couple of times just thinking about how much I am going to miss him being around. Is that silly? I have not told him, although I guess I just did. Honestly, the kids and I are going to be just fine, I know we will. We have lots of friends and neighbors and family that are aware of our needs this next week and are more than willing to help. The truth is, I LOVE being around Mike. He is my sanity, my reason (for everything I do, including having and loving our children), my happy place, my everything. So yeah, Mike is leaving and I am sad for my own very selfish reasons. So, shoot me!!!!

And then there were four...

2011-04-21T15:47:00.011-06:00

Lydia Kaha'ionakolo Winget joined our excited little (not so little anymore with 4 kids.... that is CRAZY!) family on April 13th. She was 9lbs. 2oz. and 21 inches long. She is beautiful little girl if I may say so myself...
Here is the story:
I went in for my 36 week check-up and the Dr. said, "Well, you are at a 3. Don't get your hopes up, you could stay there for weeks since this is your 4th baby but if you are feeling uncomfortable, that is why." I was definitely feeling UNCOMFORTABLE and it was hard not to get my hopes up. I went back the next week after that and he said, "Well, now you are at a 4." Can I get my hopes up yet??? NOPE! The next 2 weeks were the same thing. At my last appointment they did an ultrasound and said the smallest she would be was 9lbs. Oh and the ultrasound lady said with a chuckle in her voice and a smile on her face, "just so you know, not that you want to know, but just so you do, your baby's head is off the charts. I can't even measure it with this machine." Oh GOODY!!!!! Mike said I should have told her, "Your head is going to be off the charts, when I smack it!"... Hahaha. So Hawaiian style! So they asked if I wanted to be induced early and I said, UMMMMMM PLEASE!!!
On Wednesday morning we woke up early, wrote a note for the kids and left them, still sleeping, in the very capable, loving hands of Aunty Tricia (more about her later). We were at the hospital and hooked up to the machines by 7am. I had decided (it took a long time... a really LONG TIME) that I was going to go as long as I could without an epidural. See, me and epidurals, we go way back, I usually just get one first thing, and then sleep the whole day while my body does it's thing and then I wake up and push. Since my labors are long 6-18 hours, it has worked for me. Anyway, I thought I would try so, I went without an epidural till about 2:30pm. By then, I was at an 8 and my body was exhausted, I had nothing left to give. I told Mike I was done and he got right on it. I was so thankful for the epidural which brought some much needed relief and I was able to rest for a little bit.
The Dr. came in they told me to go ahead and push. What none of us knew was that her head was turned to the side. So after some maneuvering we finally got her to look the right way and that was that. She was born screaming her head off, which was new for us. All our other kids were quiet, well, for a little while at least.We feel so blessed to have this little lady in our family. The kids all love and adore her. They wash their hands every time they even touch her so they can keep her safe from all the bad germs. Ezra has requested that we make time for him to hold her every morning before school. We are all adjusting really well I think.
We had some amazing spiritual experiences with Lydia while she was in the womb and felt connected to her long before she came out to play. Picking her name was one of those experiences, for the record I will share some of it here. All of our kids have a Hawaiian middle name. We usually give 2 or 3 names to my dad and he finds the translation, tells us, and we pick from there. With Lydia, I found 8 names that I liked, talked with Mike and we narrowed it down to 2. I called my dad, told him the names and he said he would get back to me. A few weeks later, he called and said he felt impressed to call Uncle Cy Bridges to ask for some help with translating the name. Both the names we chose meant the same thing. We felt like that was no coincidence. We chose Kaha'ionakolo because we liked the way it flowed. "Kaha'i" means a cultural hero, someone who knows who they are and where they come from and they are proud of it. Being Hawaiian, raised in Utah, we felt like this was an important thing for our daughter. Also, being LDS and all that means (i.e. knowing who you are and where you come from) is VITAL these days. The next part of her name; "onakolo" means that she will love, accept, and serve everyone no matter who they are, or where they come from. I love the meaning of this name and we all felt like it was the perfect name for her.
The rest of the week was filled with amazing people taking such good care of the older 3 kids so that Mike and I could have sometime to rest and get settled. Aunty Nia and then Aunty Heather and Uncle Jake were all answers to prayer and the kids felt loved and important the whole time. THANK YOU! My sister Kahanu surprised me by flying in from Arizona and spent the afternoon at the hospital with me and Nia and then the rest of the day with my kids.
This was the first time we spent 2 full days in the hospital. We both really felt like it was important for us to connect with Lydia and take that time. So, we sat in the hospital holding her and watching movies. By Thursday night we were asking each other what we were doing still sitting in that room and instantly both knew that we were where we needed to be.
Mike was able to take off from work to be available for our little family. It was such a blessing. By the time he went back to work on Tuesday we all felt adjusted and ready to go. Mike is an amazing EVERYTHING!!! No really, amazing husband, father, friend, etc. More to come on the man later.Anyway, yeah, things are going really well. Lydia is an amazing baby. She really only cries when she is hungry. She complains when she has a bubble but other than that she pretty much just sleeps. Or biggest concern with her (for now) is keeping her awake enough during the day so she will sleep at night. Last night I fed her at 11 then again at 2:30am and then again at 6. I can do that. Anyway, this is a novel. There is so much to share. I will do more sharing real soon!

low rider

2011-04-08T19:26:00.004-06:00

Since so many have inquired, I am posting an update of Kahi's pregnancy progress. Baby is not here yet, but it seems with every spring storm we've gotten here in the last week baby is dropping more and more. She's officially the lowest rider of all gangsta babies. An unborn she-thug, if you will.

Kahi's not due until the 17th, and to be honest, I'd be surprised if she made it that long. Baby would probably already be here, if it wasn't for the relief society president praying that Kahi doesn't go into labor until AFTER she teaches this Sunday's lesson at church (Kahi's new calling).

So how is Kahi handling this stage of pregnancy? Well, she's throwing Abbi a birthday party tomorrow, teaching a lesson at church on Sunday, buying fabric and foam with hopes of making some progress on the reupholstering of our couch before baby comes (yup, you heard right); and she still makes me lunch almost every morning before work. Despite the loud sighs, the irregular contraction pains, and the critical mass her tummy has reached, she manages all this with the most gorgeous smile on her face.

She is one tough momma.

(photo courtesy of Melissa Schoenhardt: www.moxieshots.com)

a sweet tool for you eBay fans...

2010-12-14T21:03:00.004-07:00

Do you eBay? Of course you do. But do you snipe your bids?

If you do, then you know exactly what I'm talking about, and exactly how awesome this is compared to just bidding, and watching, and bidding again, then losing...

If you don't know what eBay sniping is, listen up! Instead of having to watch your items closely and re-bid every minute for the final 10 minutes of the auction, you can hire a web-based robot genius to do it for you! And the cool thing is, they automatically outbid the highest bidder within milliseconds of their bid, and in tiny increments, so your bid isn't super high. The other cool thing is that it can outbid somebody many times over in the last few seconds of the auction. All you have to do is set your maximum bid and then let the robot genius work its magic.

I used a snipe service called Auction Sniper, and really liked it. You can Google search "eBay snipe" and find all kinds of companies. I picked this one on a recommendation of a friend, and was able to win some sweet gear for my Canon 7D with it. Kahi and I are using it to nab some gifts for the kids this year.

Anyway, I dropped a link below to the one we're using in case you wanted to check it out. If anybody uses a different snipe program/service that you really like, let us know!

(by Mike)

Auction snipe and win more items.

Day #15 Nana

2010-12-10T10:39:00.004-07:00

Everyone needs a Nana! I know I do! Not only because she does amazing selfless things like watch my kids for the weekend so I can get away with Mike (more on that later). Not just because she watches my other sisters kids too (on a regular basis). Not just because she is constantly giving to people all the time without a complaint. Those are all reasons anyone one would be lucky to have a Nana.
The reason I need my Nana is because I just do. Nia and I are the youngest of the 5 girls and we spent a lot of years without any other siblings at home. I remember when Nia and I were finally able to have our own room, you would think we were SUPER HAPPY! No, we were lonely and often times would show up in the others room just for fun and only go to our own rooms to sleep. Nia and I can hang out and not say anything and be totally happy. That doesn't usually happen because we like to laugh too much but we could. Maybe one day...
I love you Nana. Thanks for all you do!

Day #14 The scriptures

2010-12-08T22:06:00.003-07:00

To be perfectly honest, the scriptures have always been a part of my life, on Sunday. Since my mission I have off and on, made a commitment to read them daily. My real love for the scriptures has developed as we have made a commitment as a family to read together. Our kids remind us if we try to slack. It has been such a blessing in our lives.

I am thankful to have the scriptures in the first place. All that was put in place, long ago, so that we could have these stories and testimonies is mind blowing! I am thankful for the lessons that apply to my life and the lives of my family in these books. I refer to the stories often as I teach my kids to be kind and loving and that hitting and biting is not acceptable.

I have begun reading them again everyday and feel a real difference in my life on day when I get it done. I once read a talk by Sheri L. Dew where she said that one of the reasons the prophets encourage us to read the scriptures everyday is because that is the language of the Spirit. When the Spirit talks to us, it is in scripture language. I believe it, and know that when I have read my scriptures and made a real effort to put the Lord first in my day that I hear the Spirit guiding me more often!

Day #13 Planning

2010-12-07T19:15:00.002-07:00

I am one of those people that really NEEDS to plan. I can certainly go through my day without planning but I quite literally get NOTHING done. I am so thankful that I have figured that out about myself. I think, no, I KNOW my family is thankful too.
I was diagnosed with ADD in high school, then again in college (the psychiatrist actually said she had no idea how I was functioning). Then again in November of last year I was once again diagnosed and started taking medicine for it. It was life changing for me. I realized a lot of things. Maybe I will talk about it later.
One of the main things I learned was that I need to plan. I NEED TO PLAN! You might laugh but well yeah, that's one thing I learned.
When I got pregnant I stopped taking my medication and it has been tough on me. I have had a really hard time getting back on track. This weekend I had a mini melt down and got to the point where I stopped making excuses for myself and got down to planning. It has been an amazing couple of days and I am looking forward to keeping it up. YAY for planning!
Here is what I planned for today:
Wake up at 6:45am
Make bacon, egg Mcmuffins for breakfast.
Make Mike's lunch
Send Ezra off to school
Girls do 10 min. of reading
Send Mike off to work
Finish paying bills
Decorate outside while the girls ride their bikes
Walk to pick up Ezra
Make lunch
Play with the kids till nap
Girls take a nap
Ezra does piano, reading, and math
When I am done helping him I blog while he has quiet time
Girls wake up
Watch 30min show with girls while Ezra plays computer games
Do jobs (each kid does 2 jobs)
Cook dinner
Dance with kids and play
Have dinner when Mike gets home
Kids take baths and clean up while I clean the kitchen and Mike edits
Family prayer and scriptures
Kids go to bed
Watch Biggest Loser while folding 7 batches of laundry that were also washed today
Hang out with Mike
Blog
Get ready for bed
Read scriptures
Prayer
CRASH!
WOW! See how productive I can be when I plan? I am thankful!

Mike's Take On The New Job

2010-12-07T19:01:00.002-07:00

It rocks.

That's the skinny of it. I'm much busier than I ever was at the library, but we're doing some pretty amazing video work so it's a lot of fun despite the maddening pace of things.

My official title is Video Editor/Junior Producer, but I am involved in all aspects of production, along with the other 3 members of our team.

The best part about working there: the free snacks. If Costco sells it, we've got it in our break room. Hmm...chocolate covered pomegranate...

Day #12: Imagine Learning

2010-12-07T13:48:00.003-07:00

So I mentioned previously that Mike is starting a new job. His first day was yesterday and he was going to write this post but was seriously so tired when he got home I could not bring myself to ask him.
Mike was just hired on to be a video editor/producer (I don't actually know his exact title) for the company Imagine Learning. He is so excited. This company makes educational software. They sell their products to schools in the United States and all around the world. Our friend Joel Kongaika works with Imagine Learning as well and has always talked about what a great company they are. When we moved into our house we found out our Bishop works for them too. When Mike was contacted about applying for the job we were not really in the market for a new job but decided it would be in our best interest to look into it further. It took one meeting with people from their company and Mike was SOLD!
He came home beaming. "Kahi, I really want to work with this company." "OK, I said not sure what any of that would mean for our family. As he went through the interview process it was very apparent to both of us that this was definitely a company we wanted to be a part of, if they would have us.
When they offered us the job we were so happy! Mike has always wanted to be a part of video production and although working at the library was a HUGE blessing for us it was not his passion.
Yesterday, he showed up at work not sure what to expect. They threw him right in. He came home and said, I have 5 videos to edit and 2 to shoot before Christmas break. I had a moment of panic and said, there is no way you can do all that be then. Then I remembered, the only thing he is doing at this job is video. He can totally do that!
I am so happy for Mike that he is doing something he is excited and passionate about and thankful that even though the library was not his passion he did a great job there until something else came through. So, here's to NEW JOBS!!!

Day #11 My Michael Pratt

2010-12-05T14:44:00.005-07:00

So today is the big man's 31st birthday. I keep teasing him that he is now REALLY REALLY old! He quickly comes back with something along the lines of, "So this is how you have been feeling for the last 6 months".
There are so many things I love about Mike. He truly is incredibly thoughtful, loving, kind, sexy (it had to be said at least once!), and so much more. Today we are having a little party to celebrate him and I can't wait. Truly all Mike ever wants to do is have fun and make sure that everyone around him is happy too.
In honor of his amazing 31 years I give you 31 things I LOVE about Mike:
1. He is my best friend. No seriously! Mike and I have been "together"- either dating or married for over 13 years I still can not this of anyone else I would rather talk to or hang out with!
2. The best sense of humor (refer to Day #9 for example)
3. He is an amazing Dad. From snuggles to discipline, Mike is the best!
4. He makes and keeps friends so easily.
5. He still give me foot rubs OFTEN!
6. He is so much fun to watch a movie with. Recently we saw Inception and loved it! The way he watches movies is so insightful
7. He is a spiritual ROCK! He asked me recently if we could start saying a prayer together morning and night. Um......YES! I am so thankful for all his gentle reminders to be a better person!
8. PATIENCE is his middle name! He is always teaching me to be loving, kind, and patient.
9. He loves to serve. He is currently the Elder's Quorum President in our ward and truly is concerned with the men he is charged to serve.
10. He cooks like a maniac. I LOVE WHEN MIKE IS HOME FOR THE DAY! Inevitably he makes some sort of yummy treat that I gobble up!
11. His smile (he has a special on just for me, they are all great but that one is SUPER!)
12. he works so hard for our family. I know so many moms who juggle work and kids and I know that I am blessed that Mike will do whatever is necessary to let me focus on the kids.
13. I love it when he plays the guitar. He has this raw, natural talent that he rarely shows. I get to see it almost every night before bed. IT is one of my favorite ways to fall asleep.
14. He give the kids animal rides to bed, the gorilla is my favorite.
15. His talent with video is inspiring to me. He tells stories like no one else I know.
16. He is wise. Not like, "he's crackin' wise" but really WISE! He sees life so clearly and often times clears the fog from before my eyes so I can see it clearly too.
17. OK, so he's a wise guy too! The "I'm crackin' wise" kind.
18. His eyes. They ALWAYS tell a story. They are beautiful.
19. He likes to laugh. At himself and especially at me. Sometimes we find ourselves laughing so hard before bed we think we will wake the kids up.
20. I love the way he blows his nose. LOUD! When we have a baby sleeping in our room they always either wake up or cry when he blows his nose. It is loud and I love it!
ARE YOU STILL HERE? I'M IMPRESSED YOU ARE STILL READING!
21. He is a sexy man in uniform. Let me explain, when Mike and I were on our missions, far away from each other, I remember thinking, He is really sexy in a shirt and tie. To this day, I love watching him get ready for church in his uniform.
22. He loves a sweet looking ride! He is not really into sports or hunting or any of those typical manly things (I am thankful for that too) but when we pass a nice car. His head turns and he begins to drool. I think it's cute.
23.He lets me spend money on myself when we go shopping for his birthday.
24. He doesn't ever complain about driving a minivan.
25. He is concerned that his pants don't fit. Not because they are too small but because they are too big. "Am I too skinny?" he says concerned. I half laugh and say, WAHHHHHHH!
26. He never tells me I need to clean the house or lose some weight or take a shower or brush my teeth. Doesn't mean those things aren't neglected sometimes he just grins and bares it, cause he loves me.
27. He is always up for a new adventure
28. He turns into a kid in school when his friends from high school are around. I LOVE IT!
29. He will dress up as Captain Moroni for the Young Women and never complain once! He doesn't want to look at pictures but he never complains either!
30. He is everyone's favorite Uncle Mike, (especially Heather's daughter Skye)
31. Even when he comes home dead tired he still, ALWAYS helps me with the kids and dinner and bath and bedtime. ALWAYS!

Michael Pratt, you are the man. I love you more than you know, we all do!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Day #10 Music

2010-12-04T16:44:00.003-07:00

I LOVE MUSIC! I love the way it can transport you to another time and place. Happy or sad, it does not matter. Growing up my sisters and I all loved music and even though it was not constantly playing in house (mostly when we were cleaning) we all LOVE playing music in our homes. At Christmas time, I love playing music. I have noticed the last few days that when I put on the Christmas music I begin to feel overwhelmed with the amount of noise so I turn it off. I was a little sad about that.

This afternoon we fed 9 kids lunch. Mike and I ate ours in the office and talked about how crazy it is to have that many kids in our home but at the same time how much fun it is to have them talking, laughing, and telling (NOT FUNNY) knock-knock jokes! They were all so happy.

By 5:00pm, the kids were all still at our house with the addition of 2 more friends. They were all asking for a snack. I asked the 5 upstairs to stay there and eat their snacks and sent the others outside. They started a game of tag around the kitchen island. As they squealed and laughed I realized, this is the time and season in my life when this is the music I am blessed with. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of times when other "music" is heard around our house. Lots of, screaming, whining, crying, and "NO THANK YOU"! But today, the music was beautiful! Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby will have to sing me their favorite Christmas tunes in another 5 or 6 years. For now, my favorite artist are Ezra, Abbi, Chloe, Preston, Garett, Claire, Ashton, Alyssa, Ellie, Malicai, and Zac.

Day #9 Payday

2010-12-03T10:53:00.003-07:00

Of course I love payday for so many reasons. It means a little bit of stress is lifted for a time. It means we can go shopping for food again and but soap for the kids to take a bath and you know, all that fun stuff.
I also love payday for another reason though. See every time Mike gets a paystub in his email, her forwards it to me for my records. When he does, in true Mike style, he always sends me a fancy little note! I got this one yesterday:

My stub is here, it's here, it's here!
And oh the joyful sounds I hear!
Cha-ching and cling and rustling
Of cash and coin and all that bling!

I [heart] payday!

Mike

See, this is just one more reason I love my husband and I [heart] payday!

Day #8 Ultrasounds!!!!

2010-12-02T18:10:00.005-07:00

Aren't they truly amazing? I hear my mom talk about how she had no idea what any of us kids were and I think that would drive me crazy. Mike and I were able to go to the doctors today and find out what we are having.

It's a GIRL!!!

Mike shot some really fun video and that will come later but for now, that's what we know and we are so excited about it.

Every time we get an ultrasound I am sad when it is done. I feel like I am seeing an old friend after a really long time. I love how every baby has their own personality. So far we know this little girl loves to hear her daddy play the guitar. We all love that little lady! She kicks and kicks when he plays. Abbi was the same way. Mike had a special song he was writing when I was pregnant with Abbi and he would play what he had almost every night before bed. She would kick and dance till he stopped. To this day she LOVES music.

We are so excited to meet this little girl and see how she fits into and adds to our family.

Day #7: The Library

2010-12-02T08:14:00.002-07:00

When we moved here from Hawaii 3 years ago we were without a job and without a plan. All we knew was that we were supposed to come to Utah. We were blessed when he got a job at the Orem Public Library. While he certainly never thought he would work at a library it has turned out to be a pretty awesome fit. They hired Mike because if his video skills which are awesome and plentiful! Since he has been hired they have expanded their media needs and he has done an amazing job of encouraging them along the way.
Our family has benefited TONS! Here are just a few ways:
-A steady job through this tough economy
-Amazing benefits because we worked for the city
-A flexible job that allows Mike to flex his hours so he can be available for us pretty much anytime we need
-A growth in video skills for Mike
-A love of reading that was there before but has certainly grown because Mike was working at the library
-A steady flow of book and movies for FREE (I can count the number of movies we have actually purchased since we moved here on my fingers)

While we have loved our time at the library Mike is starting a new job on Monday which we are all REALLLY REALLY excited about (more to come on that). So, today we are all truly grateful for Mike's current job that has afforded us this wonderful life we have!

Day #6 Abbi's Sense of Humor

2010-11-30T23:59:00.007-07:00

Abbi is so stinkin' funny! Holy Cow! Tonight we were decorating our Christmas tree. As I unwrapped the ornaments she said,

Abbi: Is Santa a octopus?
Mike: Is Santa a what? Haha
Abbi: Is Santa a customer?
Mike: Hahahahahahahaha

Here are some other ones she has said over the last little while:

In a gas station with some special needs people:
Lady: I want some toffee (coffee)
Ezra: Mom she can't say coffee. She says toffee (soft giggles)
Abbi: Mom, do you drink coffee?
Mom: No I don't, it's not healthy for your body
Abbi: Yeah, that lady doesn't drink coffee either, she drinks toffee.
-6/29/10

Instead of saying "Beat ya" when she wins a race she says "bought ya!"
-11/12/10

While playing in the kitchen Ezra ties a beanie around his waist:
Ezra: Mom, it is winter time and I need food for my family so I am having a garage sale and everything is $10.
Ezra grabs Abbi's wand. Do you want this? You have to give me $60 bucks.
Abbi: OK. She walks out of the room and then come back in carrying something
Ezra: No, not 60 books. 60 bucks. See like this. choo choo choo(throwing money out of his homemade pouch)
-6/30/10

Abbi hitting crumbs off her skirt:
"Go live with your friends"
-4/13/10

Abbi blowing the steam off her food:
"Get off you hotty"
-5/4/10

Smashmallows (marshmallows)

While talking about what we were going to be for Halloween:
Abbi: You know what for Christmas I want to be?
Dad: What?
Abbi: A GARBAGE CAN!
-2/20/10

In the car driving to pick up Mike:
Ezra, Preston, and Garett- Abbi we saved you from the semi truck. You were a prisoner.
Abbi: No, I'm not a prisoner. I am a princessor
-8/26/10

Abbi at the dinner table:
Ohhhhhh, I love granola pig (kalua pig)
-8/25/10

OK, I'll stop now. Seriously she keeps us rolling all the time. I love her confidence in what she knows and how she can laugh at herself when she says something funny even if she doesn't know why it's funny! Abbi, I LOVE YOU!

Day #5 Halloween

2010-11-29T21:37:00.010-07:00

OK, so I'm totally using this gratitude post to talk about Halloween since I haven't blogged about that yet but really, I am grateful for Halloween. Every year we make our own costumes, it is our tradition. For better or worse we spend almost all of October sewing and gluing our costumes together. It is an amazing time where Mike and I get to work on a project together and we both have fun doing. The nights are late but hey, in the end I LOVE IT! This year we started late and were a little too ambitious (we finished 1 1/5 hours after we were supposed to leave).
So this year we did "How to Train Your Dragon"
Mike was Stoick the Vast
I was Astrid
Ezra was Hiccup
Abbi was Toothless
Chloe was SnotloutThis year trick-or-treating was interesting. It was pouring rain when we left (not the liquid sunshine kind of rain they have in Hawaii but the freeze you to your very core kind of rain we have in Utah). So we decided to go to the mall. Well 2 things that made that a bad choice. The rest of Utah County also thought going to the mall was a great idea AND only about 1/3 of the stores were passing out candy. So after 30 min. and 5 pieces of candy each, the kids were begging to go to the playground area. We tried a little longer but there were not having it! So much for my candy stash this year! Anyway, we took them to the playground and let them play for an hour and then we came home and they were too tired to go out anymore. So, we cleaned the house for 3 1/2 hours (part of making your costumes is that the rest of your house SUFFERS!) while the kids played, minus the sugar rush( which was heavenly) and then we all went to bed. FUN HUH!?!

We did have a great time walking through the mall. We had a few people take pictures with Abbi and a lot of people commenting about how they liked that we dressed up as a family. That is our favorite part! We are figuring out if we can keep this going even when the kids get a little older. We shall see!

Day 4

2010-11-28T21:53:00.003-07:00

Today I am thankful for my rocking chair. It sits in our bedroom and often becomes a stacking place for clothes that need to be put away. Don't let the neglect fool you though, I am truly thankful for this rocking chair.
Let me tell you a story, when we were living in Hawaii with my fabulous in-laws they had too many rocking chairs for their living room so we put one in our room. Our room was tiny and crowded but we put it in there anyway. I would rock Ezra and sing to him all the time. It was a wonderful place for me to focus on him.
When we first moved to Utah we could not find room in the tiny house we were renting for a rocking chair. I longed for one, I really did. When we bought this house I told Mike that I really wanted to buy a rocking chair for our room. That Mother's day Mike surprised me with one. He knew what it meant to me as a mom, I was so grateful!
Now when the kids really need a mommy snuggle they say to me, "Mom, can I hold you on the rocking chair?" That's my cue to stop what I am doing and pay attention. I am so thankful that we came up with this unplanned system.
Today, Abbi came down with what Chloe had (we found out it is "hand, foot, and mouth virus") and she was just feeling really crummy. She kept telling me she did not feel good this morning and I was asking her why or what felt sick but her little 3 year old vocabulary just could not find the words. "Mom, I just wanna hold you on the rocking chair." That was it, I knew she was really not feeling well. I snuggled her for a long time and then the fever hit, hard. Poor girl was shivering, her eyes were bloodshot, she was pale, and she had dark circles under her eyes. I gave her medicine and held her more. It was so sad to see her feeling so gross and at the same time I loved snuggling her.
So yes, today, I am thankful for my rocking chair.

Day 3

2010-11-27T23:41:00.002-07:00

SLEEP! I truly am thankful for sleep. Since Chloe has been sick she has had some really rough nights. Last night, she was wired till midnight, literally running around and talking like crazy! We finally got her to stay in her bed and then she woke almost every hour screaming like she was having nightmares. At 6am I finally put her in bed with us (which anyone who knows me, knows is desperate indeed) because I was tired of getting out of bed and going into their room. At 7:30 she was up. Mike and I managed to stay in bed for another hour and then sweet Mike got up and made the kids breakfast and let me sleep in.

This pregnancy as noted in my last post and been great as far as not getting sick and things like that. Can I just tell you (try and stop me!) I AM SO TIRED!!! I should really be taking a nap everyday to function properly. So, today I am thankful for sleep and commit to getting more of it so I can be kind and loving and involved with my family!

Gratitude Challange!

2010-11-26T17:47:00.006-07:00

I have a friend, she is amazing and she started a gratitude challenge where she will post something she is grateful for for 365 days. I am taking this on. I has so much to be thankful for and I deserve to record this somewhere. I would love if anyone else wanted to join in! So, here it is, Day 2:

I am thankful for being pregnant! I know this is news to many, I am seriously not trying to keep it a secret just been so busy with life that I have not taken the time to really announce it. OK, so we are expecting and so thrilled about it! We are due on April 19th which is actually Abbi's birthday so we are hoping to have the baby a few days later. We find out on Thursday what the sex of the baby is and can't wait. We of course think a boy would be so fun cause Ezra would have a brother and at the same time would love and adore another little girl!

I actually am usually very happy being pregnant, I feel much cuter with a tight big belly then the jelly big belly after baby comes. I am also so blessed with health when pregnant, I get that there are many many women who are sick for part or the entire time. This is not my experience and for that, I am very grateful!

So here is what seems like a random picture of Mike and I at our ward Halloween party. Just wait for it..... BAM! There it is, some of my friends in the ward were calling it my announcement dress since anyone who did not know I was pregnant before, sure knew afterward!On a side note, these AWESOME 70's outfits are 100% genuine. My parents wore these for their engagement photos! Isn't that awesome!?!

Giving thanks indeed

2010-11-25T21:28:00.003-07:00

At breakfast this morning I prayed that we would each spend the day truly being thankful for each other and all the blessings we have in our lives. After a a day full of fun and a little bit of craziness we are all truly grateful for our family and all the other blessings we have.

Today we went to Murry for an extended family lunch. It was so great! There were tons of people and tons for great food. After we all ate and visited, Chloe was acting really tired (it was 2 hours past nap time) so I got her blanket and binkie from the car and laid down on the couch with her. She laid there for about 30 minutes despite the noise and bustle around us. I knew it was not normal and told a few people I thought she might be coming down with something. I noticed she was feeling pretty hot so I took her blanket off. As she pulled it back up over her I noticed her hands were shaking.

I picked her up to see if she was OK and it was literally like she was gone. Lights were on but nobody was home. She was limp and not responding to me at all even though her eyes were open. I was freaked out so I took her into the bathroom and put cold water on her face. NOTHING!

I called for Mike but could not find him. I ran back to the bathroom and tried again. Finally I sent a few people to find Mike while I kept on with the water. After not getting a response I walked out of the bathroom and as soon as I saw Mike I burst into tears and told him that something was wrong with her. I know I totally freaked Mike out but it was seriously all I had.
We laid her on the floor in the living room and tried to get her to talk to us. NOTHING! Mike got up to call the ambulance and I sat there with her thinking, "I know I should know what to do but I don't. I don't have any idea what to do". Her lips started turning blue and someone asked if she was choking on something. I put my finger in her mouth to check and her jaw locked. Mike's cousin Curtis checked her pupils and everything looked fine. I took her into a room so we could give her a Priesthood blessing when the EMT's arrived. They checked her and determined that she had had a fever seizure.

I have heard about these, although I had never seen one and all the other ones I have heard of were kids who were sick for a while with a fever that would not stop and then they had a seizure. This was so weird. She was fine and then in 30 minutes she had a fever of 103. Anyway, we gave her some medicine and got her fever down and she was totally fine. We came home and about 3 hours later (with the medicine still "working") her fever spiked again to 102.7 in 20 minutes. She was happily playing in the tub, we pulled her out and she started shaking again.
She is fine now and we are so grateful for that. It could have been so much worse. We are grateful for our public safety officials who work on a day they should be able to be with their families. We are thankful for Chloe and her every bubbly personality that let us know something was not right. We are thankful for Ezra and Abbi who were so worried about her that they sat with other family members and cried and prayed together while we took care of her. We are thankful for so many things! It was a great reminder of what really matters!

So yes, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Gratitude feels so good!

The big 6!

2010-10-01T14:09:00.009-06:00

This guy,
who once looked like this,

just turned 6! Holy cow, he's an old man!

We had so much fun celebrating his birthday. We started the week off with a paper chain to count down the days. on his birthday day, Ezra got to choose all the meals. He wanted IHOP for breakfast, Panda Express for lunch and Tucanos for dinner. Alrighty then! So, we had these for breakfast (Ezra called it IHOP style). For lunch I made fried rice and gyoza (Panda style) and for dinner? Well, Tucanos was a little out of our 6 year old birthday party budget, so for his "Birthday date night" Mike and I took him out to Golden Corral (he kept saying he wanted an all you can eat place). It's certainly no Tucanos, but Ezra had a great time. It was so fun to just have it be the 3 of us. We let Ezra talk all night, and believe you and me, HE DID!

A few days later, we had a friend birthday party. It was an Army party. Mike pretty much ran the whole thing! Yay husband! We let the kids put together some marshmallow guns and then he ran then through some drills to make sure they were "qualified". Because like Mike told them, "They were not there to be ladies!" Everyone had a great time! After that, we just let them go at it! They shot each other, including the adults! Everyone was laughing and it was great! At one point Ezra was not listening to the instructions so we had him drop and give us 10 push-ups. He laughed the whole time.

Overall, it was a great, low-key celebration of all things EZRA!

Ezra, you are amazing in every way possible. Here are just 6 things I love about you!
1. Your smile! Even when you are in trouble (especially when you are in trouble) your smile melts me! Thank you for sharing it so willingly and often.
2. You are so kind. You love to see others happy and you love to know that you contributed in some way, big or small. You have this amazing sense of balance too. You know how to give without being taken advantage of. What a blessing that will be for your whole life. Thank you for teaching me.
3. You love to learn. You are constantly asking questions and figuring things out. You have always been that way and now that you are in school it has accelerated!
4. You are humble. The other day when you got awarded at school (Super Sentinel) you came home all excited cause you got a bookmark! When I asked you what it was for, you said, "I don't know, all the kids in the school were there and they called my name so I went up and they gave me a bookmark. It was fun!" I was so confused, but you didn't care what the award was for, you were just happy with the "Tacotime bookmark". PS. for posterity, the award was cause you got 100% on the first math test of the year! So proud of you boy!
5. You love to learn about the gospel and you remember EVERYTHING! I have the privilege of being in Primary so I get to watch you as you soak the gospel up. Your simple faith and love for the Savior is evident to all who know you!
6. You have no shame! When Dad finished his movie he brought home a bike they used on set. It was pink with sparkly things hanging down from the handle bars. It was also bigger than the one you have right now and that (the fact that it was bigger) was so cool to you! Without a 2nd thought you hopped on that bike and rode it all over the neighborhood, so proud that you could ride a big kid bike. You told everyone that it was your new bike. When one of your friends started laughing that is was pink you got upset and ran in the house.
"He's laughing at my bike and telling me it's pink."
"Well Ezra, it is pink."
"Oh. Well he doesn't have to laugh at me!"
"Hey mom, could we paint it blue?"
See what I mean? You are all about doing what is fun in the moment! I love you little man. Thank you for being ours!

Amazing

2010-09-15T09:03:00.002-06:00

I found this video today while surfing the blogs. It is so beautiful. A story of a family (I don't know) and their journey with a husband and father who serves in the military. Growing up in Hawaii, military guys got a bad wrap. Some it deserved? Definitely. And at the same time, as I get older I realize what a HUGE thing we are asking these boys to do. Quite literally some of them really are just boys. I am so grateful for all those who serve and risk their lives for us, for you and ME! Amazing!

Coming Home from Ryan Southwell on Vimeo.

For REALS?????

2010-09-10T18:56:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I was driving and noticed a woman, short (that doesn't really matter, just setting the picture for you) carrying 2 cups of coffee in one arm and puffing frantically on a cigarette with the other. The reason I noticed her though was cause she was walking a little funny. I watched her for a little while and to my horror realized that her "funny walk" was actually a waddle. That's right folks, SHE WAS PREGNANT!

For REALS??? I thought well maybe she just has no idea that what she is doing is quite literally killing her unborn, innocent child. Well, unless she lives under a rock, I am pretty sure she knows that smoking when you are pregnant is a terribly selfish thing to do. Maybe I have been living under a rock, but the last time I saw a pregnant woman (girl really) smoking was when a girl in high school got pregnant. She probably really didn't know any better.

I seriously contemplated stopping my car, rolling down the window and saying, "excuse me, did you realize that smoking is not only killing you but doing worse things to your baby?". I quickly drove the other way trying not to think about it because really, THAT WOULD BE RUDE! As I thought about it all day and into the night I tried to figure out why it made me so angry.

This is what I came up with:

1.Yes, telling her that might be rude, but is it ruder than what she is doing to her baby?
2. Smoking is nasty habit, terrible for adults and even worse for kids who have no choice.
3.. Smoking when you are pregnant is one of the most selfish things you can do. FOR REALS... SO SELFISH. It involves your unwillingness or in ability to give up an addiction you have, even when the said addiction involves injuring a child but alas, not just any child, YOUR CHILD!

FOR REALS!?!

PS. Am I judging this woman? I don't feel like I am. My experience of her in that moment was that she was behaving in the ways I described. Does she always behave in a selfish way, every minute of her life? Of course not, she did however in that moment and in every other moment where she chooses to put her addiction first, behave selfishly. Really, anytime any of us give in to an addiction that affects others we behave selfishly. I have a lot to work on as well, thankfully for me, smoking is not one of them.

Funny, funny boy

2010-09-07T20:58:00.006-06:00

Ezra seriously cracks me up at least a few times a day! Sometimes on purpose, sometimes without meaning to at all. The following pictures are from things he did not mean to do but really, he is one FUNNY, FUNNY BOY!
Ezra was at a friends house a few weeks ago and came home with this on his forehead, wait for it.....He put some kind of suction cup on his head over and over again and had a lovely hickey for about a week.A few nights later he went to bed without a shirt on (one of his favorite things to do). He woke up in the middle of the night cold. so I told him to put on a shirt and go back to bed. In the morning he woke up with this on (Note: He did not sleep in the pack-n-play just wanted to take his picture in there)

Heaven

2010-09-04T19:17:00.005-06:00

Today, this man (whom I love and adore and think is so stinkin' hot. I wonder what I ever did to deserve him) got to stay home with us! No work, no church calling (not that this is bad AT ALL, just saying), no video shoots, NOTHING! He slept in for a little while, much deserved. He played Legos, watched a cooking show with the kids, mowed the lawn, watched a movie with me, painted bathroom cabinets with me, kissed and hugged me (YIPPEE!). Seriously we just hung out. It was a little bit of heaven.

The kids thought so too cause even when Mike did have to leave at 5 to go to work, they let me mow the front lawn and take a shower, without any tears (from them, not me, although the last time I tried to mow the front lawn I came close). They laughed and played and sang together.

I know that today ALL their needs were met! Dad has a very special and unique way of doing that! Mike, you are my HERO is every way!

Just plain creepy!

2010-09-02T20:03:00.007-06:00

A few weeks ago we were spending Sunday afternoon downstairs as a family. There was singing, laughing, dancing, and then there was this...

He's off to school and out in the world!

2010-09-01T20:00:00.008-06:00

Ezra attended his first day of Kindergarten today! Man oh man, was he one excited boy! He has been waiting and longing for this day for at least 2 YEARS! Last week we took him to the school to get tested. As we were walking in he said,
"Mom, I am so nervous, and excited and nervous! What if I don't do good?"
My reply was, "Ezra, you are a very smart boy, you will do great!"
"But what if I do bad and then they won't let me into school?"
"Ez, that's what school is for, if you don't know something, they can teach you!"
"Oh! Well, can you still come in with me?"
On and on it went. He went in by himself and did a fantastic job. It was so great to see him succeed. We are so proud of this boy!

Last night we had a "Back to School Feast" with the theme of "Let Your Light So Shine" We gave all the kids flash lights on a key chain fto put on their backpacks and talked about what it means to let your light shine. It was a great way to start off the school year! I was grateful for the blogs I read that suggested a scripture theme for the school year. Sending Ezra out in to "the real world" (sounds funny but this is about as real world as he has ever been in) has been a concern for me. What will he hear, what will he see and learn? This theme gives us a reference point for when things come up that he is struggling with.

We also gave him a checklist for getting ready in the morning. Things like prayer, brush teeth, make your bed, etc. This morning as I was getting breakfast ready, he came stumbling out into the kitchen wearing only his underwear and dragging his school clothes behind him. He was mumbling his list of things to do to get ready. "I have to brush my teeth, say my prayers, do my jobs". It was so cute to see how excited he was. We had pancakes with blueberries and whip cream and bacon, per Ezra's request and sent him off. On the way there he kept asking if we could just drop him off outside and let him run in, "Please Mom, it will be faster!"

And so it is, my little boy who I have been holding on to for dear life is done being little. Ezra you are larger than life, always have been, and always will. Over the years I have heard other mom's talk about how sad they are when their kids go to school. I thought they were crazy! I looked forward to the day wen I would have one less body in the house all day. Lucky for me, I realized I too would be sad when Ez would not be with us all day, early on, so I took advantage of every moment.

Ezzie Bez, you have been a HUGE part of my world for almost 6 years now and I am going to miss you. Is that ok? You don't know this but I cried as I left you in that classroom. You didn't even look back and I was so happy for you! You are an amazing boy and those around you will see that and love you for it! Always love, always laugh and always let you light shine! Love you buddy!

Ezra has been blessed with AMAZING friends at a very young age. Preston and Andrew are in the same class! They are loving it!

Lots of happenings around here

2010-08-24T14:22:00.015-06:00

Holy Moly! Where has time gone? It has been so long I am to the point again where there is so much to talk about I don't know where to start. Here is a short (maybe) list of things we have been doing around here that I want to blog about (one day, maybe)The last 2 months have looked like this around here:
1. we took a fabulous trip to Yellowstone with my sister Pua and her family!2. My sister Hanu and her family came into town and stayed with us for a few days around the 4th of July! I know it's not a picture of Hanu and her family, I think we got too busy to take any! L-A-M-E period.3. We shot 7 weddings and 1 Quincenera (CRAZY!)
4. Mike's brother David and his wife flew in from Hong Kong and Mike's brother John comes in from Colorado. A great time for Mike's family to be together.5. Mike's Dad started dialysis :-(
6.Ezra made it a goal to finish 68 reading lessons before he starts school (running a little behind but we shall see)
7. Mike signed a contract to be 2nd AD (Assistant to the Director) on a movie being shot here. A HUGE opportunity for him.
8. Our garden grew much more than we expected, it's a lot of work but so rewarding as well.9. We watched Jadin (Heather and Jake's son) for a week while they enjoyed a much needed vacation in Hawaii!
10. Abbi finally figured out how to buckle herself into her car seat, man oh man is she proud of herself!
11. Chloe decided she is ready to go potty and all by herself. Well, SORT OF, she really just likes to sit on the toilet for 3 seconds and then say, "PAU!" and then asks for toilet paper. She also thinks flushing is pretty dang cool! I finally taught her that she only get those things if there is actually something in the toilet. It's something though!12.We watched Pua's 4 boys while she and Marty go on a much deserved weekend trip to Vegas for an awesome concert!
13. We had a fantastic party with friends from our "hana budda" days in Hawaii. So great to see everyone!14. We went on awesome picnics and ate GIANT Cheetos! At our picnics Ezra and Abbi take turns taking pictures. This is one of Ezra's.15. Nap time with Daddy. Let's get clear, Mike was busy this summer that I think it only happened once but it was so dang cute!16. I convinced Ezra that he should try to take a drink from the hose with the spray nozzle of death on it. He trusted me... SILLY BOY! He won't ever again! But the pictures are well worth it!
Wow, I am tired just typing. It has been so great although exhausting. I have this new theory that the weather in Utah turns people a little bipolar. It is feast or famine as far as getting out and doing things. During the winter, NOTHING! You don't go any where or see anyone cause it is just too darn cold. During the summer it is GO! GO! GO! Seriously no time to stop and breathe. Anyway, we are truly enjoying it and looking forward to a time when we are not doing so many weddings and we can have our weekends back.

How LOST Could Have Ended

2010-07-13T09:45:00.001-06:00

You all know how much Kahi and I loved watching LOST. And, if you were watching there with us, you can probably relate to how, um, unsatisfied we both were with the finale. I've held my peace about the whole thing for long enough. It's time for me to tell you all how I really feel.

Well...

Nevermind. Watch this video instead. It says it all, and much, much more.

Long live HISHE.com! (check out this one too, if you crave additional laughter)

I "heart" Yard Sales

2010-06-05T22:20:00.004-06:00

Saturdays in the summer can mean many things to many people. For me, it means mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, and doing all those tasks that I don't usually get to during the week. Saturdays have taken on new meaning for Kahi and I since moving to Utah almost 3 years ago: Saturday mornings mean Yard Sales.

(Special thanks to Scott and Shannon, for teaching us the art and zen of the yard sale. We are forever indebted to you both.)

Last weekend was my first yard sale of the 2010 season. The first one is always a little special; it's a cross between the anxiety of the first day of school and the exhilaration of the first day of summer break. I'm always a little rusty on the first sale of the summer, and I usually end up buying a bunch of stuff I don't need nor will ever use. This time around I think I did pretty good, however. I decided to post a pic of my bounty so that you can get a feel for why I love love love yard sales.

2010 Yard Sale No. 1:

What I Got:
- a kids sleeping bag, brand new
- a Costco brand colander/steamer (goes with the nice Kirkland cookware set)
- a Tamrac camera backpack (the Adventure 2...$60 new on Amazon.com)
- 3 G.I. Joe action figures, with weapons ($5 each at Walmart)
- 3 Star Wars action figures (Force not included)
- 6 Eyewitness picture books (the learning ones for kids)
- a magnetic white board for the kids' playroom
- a family game ("In A Pickle"), practically brand new ($12 new at Walmart)
- a pair of kids size UGG boots for Abbi
- 3 DVDs (Spider-Man, Titan A.E., and The Legend of Zorro)
- a box of nice crafty envelopes (for Kahi's homemade cards)
- a microscope, functioning, with all the accessories
- Wayne Dyer's book, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life ($16 new)
- a cool little wooden boat
- an outdoor lantern (green glass) with candle bell thingy (to put candles out)
- a new and improved Man Cup (not athletic cup, mind you...it's another blog entirely)
- a deck of playing cards (not pictured)

The Damage: $30

Okay, so I may never watch Spider-Man again, but the rest of the stuff? Pretty darn handy I'd say. I would have paid $20 for the Tamrac bag alone! My advice to those new to yard sale-ing: make a list of what you're looking for BEFORE you go. Oh, and don't carry more cash than you're willing to spend, 'cause it'll go fast.

To Scott and Shannon: See what you've started?

Thank you PART II

2010-06-02T01:50:00.007-06:00

Mikey,

Wow, I had the realization today that we have 2 weeks left!!!! YAY! Immediately followed by the realization that that include 2 more weeks without you by my side, holding my hand, and holding our kids! Ok, so I am still loving it here OF COURSE and yet at the same time there is this PULL to be back home with you! Thank you for being so amazing that without you, life is well, SAD!

Ok, with that said, today I thank you for sending me home so I could spend 8 hours with my sisters laughing, giggling really, and creating this for my parents

Thank you for working for us so that I could take our kids to breakfast at this fancy place! Fried rice, scrambled eggs, and spam!!!! YUM. Thank you, again, I PROMISE, ONLY 10LBS!

Thank you for letting Abbi sing her favorite potty song to her Papa. "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown flush it down." Papa laughed and laughed. As I took Abbi to bed she said, "Mama, Papa laughed at my song." Oh the sweet moments! Thank you! I will spare you the picture of this one....

Babe, we miss you like CRAZY here's a kiss from Chloe to prove it! Love you!

This is why I'm not in Hawaii...

2010-06-01T21:24:00.004-06:00

Well, this and 50 other reasons.

Kahi thanks me for letting them go, but I should be thanking her for giving me the time I need to get caught up on all the work that I have. Mikey will be a much happier person when the family comes home because of it! (and the pake cake you mailed me helps too:)

I love knowing that my kids fit in amongst the people and places and foods and culture that was such an important part of my childhood. Tells me we're doing' something right!

Dear Mike...

2010-06-01T02:20:00.016-06:00

Have I told you today how amazing you are?

Have I thanked you today for letting the kids and I come to Hawaii for 3 weeks to see my family while you stay in Utah and work so that we can experience this place WE ALL call home?

I didn't?

SHAME ON ME!

Love, thank you for allowing us the privilege of experiencing this:While this view might not mean much to very many people, to you and I this is home. This is our Hukilau beach where we used to meet after school when we first started dating and we were so awkwardly happy. Where I used to sit and watch you as you would jog up the beach from your house. Man, oh man I knew I was lucky then, and now, you are evidence that our loving Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers! Thank you!

Thank you for letting us enjoy all the spam musubi, manapua, kalua pig, palusami, haupia, royal creem crackers, hawaiian sun, mangos, and kunia watermelons we can get our hands on. I promise to only gain about 10 lbs. while I am here.

Thank you for letting our kids experience what it feels like to run and play outside ALL day with cousins and friends they don't even know (yet).Thank you for letting Ezra know what it feels like to play in the warm Hawaii rain ("liquid sunshine"). He screamed, "Oh mom, IT'S WARM!"Thank you for letting Abbi experience playing a game with Papa. You know how much that means to me, THANK YOU!Thank you for letting me see Chloe's beautiful curls in the Hawaii humidity.Thank you for letting us meet this beautiful member of our family.Thank you for letting us experience a Hawaii preschool graduation. So fun, and so COMPLETELY out of control! Ezra cried, "Mom, no one even knows that I am in the preschool grade too. Where is my lei?"
Thank you for allowing Ezra the oppurtunity of being teased for wearing running shoes and socks instead of slippers cause his "slippers and even his naked feet make him run too slow."
Thank you for allowing me to experience this:My first" sunburn that will be a tan by morning" in 3 years! LOVE IT!

Babe, being apart for 3 weeks is a terrible thing and I vow to never do this again, by choice. We all miss you A LOT (understatement of the year!). Everyday Ezra asks if we can go home just to say hi and then come back. Abbi cried for you in her sleep last night and tonight when Chloe hit her head on the bed after trying to dive onto her pillow and missing, she cried for her dada to hold her. I want her dada to hold me too. Seriously babe, we all miss you like crazy and know what an awesome sacrifice this is for you to be there in cold(er) Utah, working. So from the bottoms of our very full tummies, very bare feet, and overflowing hearts. THANK YOU!

A Tea Party anyone?

2010-05-03T10:04:00.003-06:00

Abbi loves to have tea parties so for her birthday we naturally choose just that, a fabulous tea party on beautiful spring day! We had so much fun!

Everyone got all dolled up, the girls in their party dresses and hair clips and the boys in their top hats and mustaches. We bought tea cups and plates at Savers and set up a table for the kids to eat. They were so responsible and polite, none of our tea cups broke, which I thought was amazing!

We had the yummiest strawberry (Mike made with fresh strawberries) and chocolate milk, tea sandwiches, cupcakes, Chinese chicken salad, and the kids favorites, GUMBALLS!We decorated with tissue paper pompoms and pinwheels all made by yours truly, can you tell I had a lot of fun planning a girly party? Don't you fear, those fresh flowers were a bonus from a wedding we filmed the night before (I did not plan on them although they really were LOVELY!)
The most important thing of course was that we were able to give Abbi a day where she felt special and extra loved as we all should on our birthday! We had great friends and great food! What more could you ask for?

ABBI TURNS 3!!!

2010-04-21T14:31:00.003-06:00

Our sweet Abbi turned 3 on monday! I can not believe that she is 3 and at the same time, it really does feel like our family never was without her. She has the funniest sense of humor and such an amazing imgination that sometimes I even get confused. Our family tradition is to each write some things that we love about the birthday person and put them on the wall. Here are just a few:

Abbi is BEAUTIFUL! She has her mother's dimples, and is so cute when she dresses up in her princess dress! -Love, Dad

I love to hear you laugh when you play with Ezra and Chloe. You are so funny in the morning. I love to lay in bed and listen to you guys play! -Love, Mom

I love it when you hold my cheeks in your hands and press your nose against mine. Nose kisses are the best! -Dad

Dear Abbi, How fun for us o be with you on your 3rd birthday! You are really growing up, and we are so proud of you. You are a wonderful sister to Ezra and Chloe. It is so much fun for us to have you living so close to us so we can visit with you often. We love it! Have a wonderful day, and have a fun time. We love you thi-s-s-s-s-s much! -With Love, Grandma and Grandpa Winget

I love to jump on the trampoline and hold your hands. -Love, Mom

Abbi has one of the most creative imaginations of anyone I know! I love to just sit ans watch her play her make-believe games... "doggy" being my favorite! -Love, Dad

I love how you take care of everyone when they are hurt or sad. You have an amazing heart! You are so kind and loving! Love you girly! -Mom

I love when you bring me my doggy and my blanket when I am sad -Chloe

I like to play doggie with Abbi and I like that she will play Legos with me. -Ezra

Happy 3rd Birthday Abbi! We love your beautiful smile, brown eyes and dimples. Most of all we love your vibrant personality and joy you bring to our lives. We love you! -The Binghams

Abbi, you are all of those things and more. Thank you for loving us all so completely and for making our family WHOLE!
Love you,
Dad and Mom

Papa and Grandma K

2010-04-18T11:24:00.002-06:00

Dearest Mom and Dad,

I just thought you might want to know that everyday, multiple times during the day, Abbi prays for you. During her personal prayers (morning and night), over the food or during family prayer, if it is her turn, this is what we hear.

"Heavenly Father bless our family, and Grandma K and Papa in Ha-wai and Helaman."

When she is done saying the prayer she almost always says, "Oh no! I forgot to bless Grandma K and Papa in Ha-wai!" Even if she did say it.

Just thought you deserved to know how much we love, adore, and miss you!

P.S. Are you coming this summer?????? We would love it!!!!!!!!!! L-O-V-E IT! But even if you don't, we still love you!

Consumed with CONSUMING

2010-04-09T09:15:00.005-06:00

Last night I watched a documentary called "The Listening Project". It was about 4 Americans who traveled around the world to ask people what they think about America and it's people. The answers were not really surprising rather a great reminder of the important things in this life. So, what did people around the world want to tell Americans (the people, not the government, that's a whole different post)?
In a nutshell;
"You are too proud, too haughty, to consumed with the idea of CONSUMING! All that stuff is not what really matters. Helping others, being kind, and loving is what really matters."

I thought a lot about all the things we are blessed with and all the time and energy we expend to get more things. LOTS OF TIME AND ENERGY. What if, everyone in the United States took 1 day and saved all the money they would have spent that day, collected it, and sent it to another country, to a people TRULY in need. What if? What would that mean for us, really? NOTHING, one day of no spending? NOTHING! What would it mean to those people who get that money? The difference between life and death sometimes.

Don't get me wrong, I go to Walmart just as much as the next person, ok, probably more than the average person. I am not judging, just evaluating. With that in mind, I went on to LDS.ORG in search for some inspiration and guidance and found both of these videos. The answer for me is clear.
Becoming Provident Providers
The Boys Home

Potty Songs

2010-04-07T10:07:00.002-06:00

After Abbi had been potty trained for about 3 months I would still find her saying, "Bye bye poo poo, bye bye pee pee, bye bye toilet paper!" as she would flush the toilet. It was sometimes a song and sometimes a giggle. Recently Shannon asked if I had heard her new potty song. I had not had the pleasure. When I asked Abbi if she would sing it for me she said, "No, I only sing it at Aunty Shannon's house." "Ok, maybe another time." was my response. Later that night Abbi, with a very shy look in her eye, shared her song with me.
Presenting..... Abbi's potty song (I should get this on video but I make no promises):
"If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown flush it down"
..... Thank you Shannon for teaching my kids such VITAL life lessons, somehow, I missed that one. LOVE IT!

Kahi is the best

2010-03-06T00:22:00.002-07:00

It's true. For so many reasons.

A recent example: she agreed to let me spend a large part of our tax return money this year to buy a new camera -- and not just any camera, mind you. A Canon EOS 7D. She knows how badly I want to make films, and trusts me enough to let me spend that kind of money in pursuit of a dream.

So yeah, that's one reason why she is the best.

Stay tuned for many other reasons (most of which will be written late at night when she's not around to keep me from typing them!).

Dreamy Valentines Day

2010-02-13T12:30:00.003-07:00

I am in a dream right now. Even though my sister Pua works 2 jobs and has 4 kids of her own, she kept her word and took our kids last night. What a blessing! We had a great date night, woke up at 10:30, rolled out of bed, took a shower, had breakfast at noon and now we are putting some fun things up in the kids room as a Valentines day gift to them! WOW, feels so good to be Mike and Kahi again for just a little while. I am missing the kids but know that we are better parents because we took a break! THANK YOU PUA and Happy Valentines Day to all!

Seen and Heard

2010-02-09T14:02:00.002-07:00

After a night of Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D with the Porters (our fabulous neighbors) and eating lots of junk food (jelly belly's, M&M's, popcorn, mochi crunch) Ezra comes into the kitchen and says, "Mom, sorry to tell you this, but I don't think I am hungry for breakfast." -10/10/09

Ezra and Abbi playing in their pirate costumes. Ezra runs into the room:
Ezra: "I'm Jack Sparrow!"
Abbi: "and I'm PONY!" -10/29/09

Ezra: Look Mom, I could definitely buy this for $5.
Mom: You don't even know what that is.
E: Yes I do!
M: What is it?
E: I don't know. -11/8/09

Disclaimer: LOTS OF "BODY" TALK IN THIS ONE BUT IT HAPPENED IN THE SAME DAY AND I CAN'T HELP IT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT FUNNY.

Abbi: Where's my penis?
Ezra: You don't have one.
Abbi: Awwwww, but I WANT one!

Later that day

Abbi and Chloe in the bathtub as Ezra is getting out:
Abbi: I gonna eat your penis.
Ezra: NO ABBI, DON'T!
Abbi: Chloe, no penis! NO PENIS! (x4) -11/11/09

Incidentally (or maybe not) since then, Ezra refuses to bathe with the girls. He wants to be alone, can you blame him?

Ezra and Abbi talking over lunch:
Ezra: ...and then Catherine watch all 3 Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Abbi: Oh yeah, I watched Signing Time, Baby Einstein and Barney... and Spiderman -11/13/09

Abbi sitting on the toilet for the 10th time (trying to teach her to poop) singing, ever so sweetly, "Mommy, I can't poop. I can't do it!"

Thoughts.............

2010-02-05T18:14:00.005-07:00

I HATE FEBRUARY!!!!! For a month dedicated to LOVE it sure does SUCK!
I hate the cold.
I hate the sickness.
I hate that I can't send my kids outside to play (not so they will get out of my way but because kids NEED to run and play and get rid of energy in that way instead of CRYING).
I hate the stuffy house cause it's too cold to open the windows
I hate well...... you get the idea.
These have been my thoughts ALL DAY (sorry kids, sorry Mike)

I told Mike I was grumpy cause I am PMSing (I am- TMI). I told him I was grumpy cause I really NEED a date night (I do. It's been 3 weeks, wah, I know, but that's a long time for us). I told him I just really need a break from the kids (WHICH I DO, 3 weeks of sick kids will suck the very life out of you). Well babe, here's just one more thing to add to the list.

SO....what have all these wonderful thoughts gotten me today? Has allowing these feelings to consume me all day done anything for me??? YES! In fact they have only served to make things worse. Now the kids are feeling extra needy and grumpy and Mike went to work feeling totally overwhelmed because he doesn't know what to do for me. SEE, it's all a vicious cycle. So, here's to a full nights sleep and a better day tomorrow. Thanks for letting me VENT!

Making hair....

2010-02-04T16:34:00.005-07:00

Did anyone who grew up outside of Hawaii call it this?
Abbi walked into the bathroom today and told herself that she was "making her hair". I watched her dig through the drawer and find a comb and brush and a spray bottle (about the extent of beauty products at our house, so SAD!) Anyway, Chloe followed her into the bathroom and Abbi said, "OK Chloe, you stay here and I am going to make your hair." Chloe said, "Uh, um" (yes) and Abbi was so happy. She sprayed and brush for about 10 minutes til Chloe was done a tried to run away. Abbi came to me crying cause Chloe's hair was not done yet (although Chloe's hair was dripping from being sprayed A LOT of times). I told Abbi she could make my hair instead. She seriously stared at me with the "what did you just say?" look in her eyes. Then, a HUGE smile. She went into the bathroom, gathered her supplies, and is (as I type) SPRAYING, COMBING, and GIGGLING, at my hair! I tried to take a picture but the battery died, OF COURSE! She is just so proud. She says when I she is done she will give me a lollipop! WOW what a gal!

30 MINUTES

2010-02-03T18:50:00.004-07:00

Chloe,
Today we got 30 minutes all to ourselves. We played downstairs together. We cooked lunch in the play kitchen, fed your baby, put her down for a nap, and then took her for a walk in her stroller. You were so concerned when I buckled her in, you kept saying, "STUCK, STUCK!" I would take her out, you would give her a HUGE hug and then put her back in. While we were "cooking" you would bring me different foods, I would say the name, you would repeat it, surprisingly well and then throw it in the pot. Chloe, I know we don't get alone time very often (it comes with being the 3rd) but THANK YOU for hanging out with me! I got a beautiful glimpse into your personality. You are one funny girl. I loved every minute of our time together and I am committed to doing it again VERY SOON! Love you girly!

Super Music

2010-01-29T14:51:00.003-07:00

When Ezra was 3ys old, Mike made him a mixed CD of Super Hero songs from movies (some that Ezra had seen and some that he had not). The list included:

Indiana Jones
Superman
Star Wars
Incredibles
Men in Black
Gladiator
Harry Potter
and a few more...

After listening to the CD for about a month Ezra had the whole thing memorized, he knew what song came next and what movies they were from. He calls the CD his "Super Music". We started playing the songs in the car as a way for him to use his imagination while we were driving. So, Abbi learned all the songs too. She called every single one of them "Superman song" but would sing along when we would play the music.

About 3 months ago, we realized that Chloe was singing Star Wars and Superman when she was in a zone playing with something or really happy with something she was eating. It is so cute, I need to get some video of that! Anyway, when we bought our new car we forgot to put our CD's back in. Yesterday, Mike did that and I popped in "Super Music". The SMILES, GIGGLES, LEG SWINGING, and SINGING that followed was just the medicine WE ALL needed.

I love the way music can heal the soul!

Left or Right

2010-01-28T10:27:00.002-07:00

This morning:
Ezra: Hey Mom, I can show which hand is my left hand. Wanna see?
Mom: Sure Ez, show me.
E: See Mom, this is my left hand cause this is my left ear and this is my right hand cause this is my right ear.
M: How did you know that was your left ear?
E: Cause the other day you were telling me that Chloe's left ear might be infected and you showed me which one it was and so I remember.

Ez, if I had only known that I should have been teaching you (for the last month) your left and right, using your EARS instead of your HANDS! I would have done it so much sooner! Love you buddy.

2010-01-26T19:12:00.003-07:00

Chloe is really sick, we think we might have RSV again this year, Mike caught it first. Anyway, she was crying herself to sleep (she has cried herself through the day, ALL DAY) so I went in and worked on calming her down. I started running my fingers across her check and she was loving it. Calmed down right away. When her eyes were closed I started to pull my hand away and she grabbed it before I got far and started moving my hand for me. one hand on mine moving it up and down, the other hand on my thumb, moving that as well. Oh sweet girl, sleep well. Thanks for the fabulous memory etched in my heart. Love you

Grateful for...Tub Time

2010-01-26T13:01:00.009-07:00

Chloe LOVES taking a bath. Every night after dinner she runs to the bathtub. We love it cause it give the rest of us a chance to finish our dinner. She just LOVES IT! These were taken on different nights over the last 2 weeks. I think she really enjoys the time by herself. As the 3rd she does not get very much of that. She can be in there for 30 minutes sometimes.

She does not like sharing the tub with Abbi so she will pinch and scream at Abbi if she is in the tub (we are working on that). She will however, let Ezra in on her special time, mood permitting. Ezra lives for these moments! Look at his smile.She discovered she could make us all laugh by doing this little number. She would dump lots of water on her head and then make this face while saying UH OH! We all laughed for a long time.
When she is done taking a bath she is SUPER snugly. I love it! I had to get a picture of her all warm and cozy, just out of the bath in her new towel from Aunty Lia! Lia, she loves it, you did a great job! Thank you.
Chloe, you have the personality of a GIANT. You keep us all laughing, all the time. We love you!

Top ten countdown....

2010-01-22T11:38:00.007-07:00

Ten- Minutes between Abbi's throw-up sessions this morning (from 7:30-noon. You do the math....)
Nine- Times we got out of bed last night
Eight- Random conversations Abbi tried to strike up at 3am as we slept on the couch together.
Seven- Times Abbi and Chloe threw-up last night
Six- times Ezra said, "I think that's going to make me throw up!"
Five- Batches of laundry (all from #7)
Four- Hours of sleep
Three- Dirty, nasty pillows
Two- Sick kids
One- Very handy orange bowl (formally known as the popcorn bowl, not sure I will ever be able to go back to calling it that)

So sleepy... SO HAPPY!

2010-01-20T20:27:00.005-07:00

FYI: As I write this Mike is filling the bathtub for yet another bubble bath... for me! How in the world did I get so blessed????Mike posted last about the LDS Film Festival happening this week. Last Friday he participated in the 24 hour film competition. He decided on Wednesday to do it and I was so excited for him. He met his team on Wednesday night. A group of people that sounded like the beginning of a really bad joke. A Haole (Haole just sounds so much better to me than White) boy, 23 yrs old, quite (really quiet), makes his own movies, at home, with himself playing all the characters. A Haole girl, about 31 yrs. old, talked non-stop, very excited and willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. A Tongan, from Utah (actually used to live across from our apartment in TVA), married, super mellow, aspiring actor. A Spanish, Asian, Greek man, 45 yrs. old, working actor in Hollywood. 5ft 3in. tall, a non-stop talker, super friendly, called himself an "island boy", uber excited to talk about all things "poly". And then there was Mike.... Ha ha!

He was nervous about how to bring the group together because they were looking to him as the leader since he was directing. He did an AMAZING job. He wrote a script on Thursday, pitched it to his group and sold them on the idea. On Friday he just went for it, he took control like a director should and I was so happy for him. You know when you see someone doing something they LOVE, I mean doing something they ABSOLUTELY LIVE FOR, they have that look, that glow! That was Mike! His group worked from 11am-8am the next morning (Mike was actually the only one that stayed up that late). I personally HATE sleeping in my bed without my Mikey. It never goes well. That night was no exception. Ezra woke up from a bad dream at about 3 (which was right when I decided I was too tired to stay awake any longer) and I was more than happy to let him sleep in our bed till Mike got home. When Ez woke up the next morning he shot out of bed looking for Mike. He was very disturbed when he was no where to be found. We were all so happy to see him when he got home. He was tired but oh, so happy!

The movie turned out great, I still laugh every time I watch it and the kids ask for it all the time. They are so proud of dad for making a movie. Mike, I am so proud of you too. Making a movie is not an easy thing. Period. But especially when you don't know the people you are working with, you don't know exactly what the movie is about, and you only have 24 hours to film and edit! Thank you for working to support our family and then working to fulfill your dreams. You are my hero! You remind me everyday that each of us deserves to find what we love, what we are most passionate about and do that thing! I love you more and more everyday.

9th Annual LDS Film Festival

2010-01-18T13:00:00.003-07:00

Mike here, with an invitation to all Utah residents to check out this year's LDS Film Festival this week. The festival is in its 9th year now, which is a pretty big deal for the LDS film community.

Each year they hold a 24 Hour Film Marathon competition that challenges teams of filmmakers to write, shoot, and edit a 3-minute movie in under 24 hours. To make it even more challenging, they give you a theme you must follow, an object you have to include in your film, and a line of dialogue that must be used. This year's theme: Charity. Object: A rock. Line of dialogue: "I'm the one who..."

Last year was my first time participating in the 24 Hour marathon. I teamed up with 2 guys I know well, and 2 guys I've never met before the contest. Let's just say the entire thing was a great learning experience for me. I'd link the film we did, but I didn't ever get a copy, nor can it be found online. This year was a much more positive experience, and our film turned out to be a silly little comedy that's actually pretty funny.

If you're in Utah and would like to come out and support the festival and our team's effort, come on down to the Scera in Orem on Thursday, 1-21-10, 6:30 pm where all the 3-minute films will be screened and voted on. I'll post our video on YouTube once teh festival is done in case anybody else wanted to check it out.

Morning Prayers

2010-01-14T15:24:00.002-07:00

This morning we were reminding Ezra and Abbi to say their morning prayers. Ezra went into the room and shut the door. As he came out, we sent Abbi in. Chloe stood at the door as it closed, folded her arms and bowed her head and said her own little prayer. Bah bah bah... A-mah.
Love it!!!!! What blessing our little one are!

Take me back....

2010-01-13T08:39:00.003-07:00

This morning my heart is in Laie as I think of the Nortons who in a few short hours will bury their 2 month old baby Gavin and celebrate a life that has touched literally thousands. My heart aches for them and for the pain the whole community is feeling right now. At the same time, my testimony of the love of our Savior who lived and died for us all so we could all LIVE again gives me such peace and joy. So today, as I type this and listen to Barney (for the 10th time in 2 days) I give thanks for my beautiful family and for every sweet moment we get to spend together. Norton's, you too will be able to enjoy your little boy once again! Thinking of you.

Seen and Heard....

2010-01-11T12:03:00.006-07:00

Ezra rushes into the bathroom while Abbi is bathing:
Ezra: Abbi, Abbi, don't talk to me right now.
Mom: Ezra be nice
Ezra: Mom she's talking to me and I have to concentrate on pooping.

Ezra and Preston and cleaning up the toys so they can watch a movie. The movie starts by itself:
Ezra: Mom, will you stop the movie cause it is embarrassing me. I can't concentrate on cleaning up." He meant to say "distracting me"

Preston and Ezra eating lunch:
Preston carves stairs out of his hot dog with his teeth.
Ezra: Hey Preston, can you make a Han Solo? I can, see here's his penis...

Abbi: "What dat sound make?" What's that sound?

Mike as he find Abbi after she colored all over herself with a marker:
"Are you paper?"

Dad: "Are you poopy?"
Abbi: " No, I farted"

Ezra carrying a toy from Grandma and Grandpa downstairs, it falls. "Well that didn't work so good."

Abbi: "26...27...28...29...20-10! I got 100 beans!- 10/9/09

Chloe decided she was not done with her bath yet:

Thankful...

2010-01-08T08:29:00.005-07:00

This morning I am thankful for so many things.
1. People far and wide who take the time to get involved in other people's lives in a positive and constructive way. I spent all day yesterday holding my babies, crying, and reading beautiful messages to Natalie and Richie from people who knew them really well and also complete strangers. Amazing. I secretly hoped they would get 1000 messages by the end of the day so they would know how loved they are. By 10:30 Utah time they had passed it. What a beautiful thing that in a day and age when I feel people are too busy, tired, cynical, and angry to care about anything but themselves LOOK at all this love and beauty. THANK YOU for teaching me!

2. People who take the time to find ways to truly ease burdens. Some of the moms from the playgroup Natalie is a part of (where I met her) set up a fund to help pay for the HUGE medical bill I am sure they are going to receive soon. To donate, click here. Thank you to you amazing moms for being so proactive and thoughtful.

3. Nerf guns: Last night Mike and I had date night. We talked about Gavin and made resolutions to be loving, involved, and grateful in all things, especially the lives of our children. We decided to come back home and find something to do instead of wonder aimlessly and spend money. Upon arriving home we both found the Nerf guns we gave Ezra for Christmas (we found them at Savers for $2 a piece!) and started the funnest war EVER! We turned off the lights and shot each other till we were tired. Then we set up a "tactical training center" (Ezra's little army guys) and timed each other to see who could kill all the bad guys while saving the good guys in 1 minute. Neither of us finished but we laughed and had a great time. Later we organized our massive, dirt floor, storage room and that was that. Nothing fancy, just tons of fun! I am thankful for date nights that allow Mike and I to reconnect. Thank you Binghams for being so willing to trade on a regular basis.

4. Currently, Chloe is in the bathtub by herself (has been for 20min) singing Star Wars and blowing bubbles in the water!

Back from hiding...

2010-01-07T13:31:00.003-07:00

It feels like only this could bring me back from hiding. A friend from Hawaii, a wonderfully involved wife, mother, and friend has had a baby in the hospital here in Utah. I just heard about it yesterday (because I have been so out of it) and was going to post something but got distracted. I just found out he passed away this morning. as I write this I can barely see the screen or anything else for that matter and my keyboard is being showered with tears. I feel their loss so intensely. Let's face it. I did not know Natalie or Richie very well but always admired their love of life, the Savior, and their family. I know that all of those things will carry this wonderful family through this most difficult time. Natalie and Richie, our prayers and love are with you still. If you feel so inclined, let them know your prayers are with them too (here).

Right after I found out what happened Abbi got out of be for the 4th time since I laid her down for her nap. I swept her up in my arms and held her for a long time. Wow! What a blessing our little ones are.

I just got back from taking the kids to the duck pond. It was so much fun! We sang Old McDonald on the way there and they were coming up with some of the funniest animals and sounds. We were all laughing like crazy. When we got there they are ran and squealed as the ducks frantically chased them for food. Abbi was teaching them how to fly and Chloe was just ran them all over the place chuckling to herslef. The boys (Ezra and Preston) were climbing up a hill and sliding back down, all muddy and happy! As I looked at that most wonderful sight I thought, I should blog about this.... and then I thought, no I 'll just remember. Well, I am not that good at remembering.

Then, I got home and found out about baby Gavin, how vital it is that we give thanks everyday for ALL the blessing we have, this blog now has new meaning for me. I will give thanks for all things in this blog. Gavin, thank you for teaching me this most valuable of all lessons during your short life. what a blessing you have been to so many people! Thank you.

Exhausted

2009-12-29T23:09:00.003-07:00

Kahi has been asleep now for about 2 hours. I saw it in her face this evening that she wouldn't last long. Not tonight, even with the kids in bed by 7:30. I on the other hand had some ideas in my head that needed to be put on paper or else forgotten. It's not often I get a quiet moment alone to write.

As I listen to Kahi's rhythmic breathing, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for everything she does day in and day out. After another long day at the library, I thought I was the tired one. Work lately has consisted of extended hours, repositioning of employees, scheduling big changes to go into effect in January, cutting corners and trimming edges to make everything run smoothly with less money than we've ever had...it's been taxing on my body, mind and spirit, and I come home tired!

Yet when I walk through the door and am greeted by my beautiful (tho' slightly frazzled) wife, asking all about how my day was while she whips up dinner and comforts the Noisy One and stuffs crayons and coloring books into a drawer and mediates a squabble between the older two all at the same time--

Suddenly I don't feel so tired anymore. How could I, knowing that once again Kahi has just given her all for the benefit and well being of 3 young kids and their daddy?

I make lists at work to keep track of everything I need to do each day, then check them off as I go. By the end of the day I have between 4 - 7 critical tasks checked off, and I feel pretty accomplished. If Kahi were to keep lists of everything she does, it might look something like this:

-> Wake up. Wake Mike for work.
-> Change Chloe's poopy diaper.
-> Go back in and physically pull Mike out of bed.
-> Make Mike's lunch.
-> Take Abbi to the potty.
-> Plan preschool for Ezra and Preston.
-> Start laundry.
-> Put Chloe down for nap #1.
-> Supervise morning jobs with Ezra and Abbi.
-> Make & distribute snacks to kids.
-> Wake Chloe up from nap.
-> Change Chloe's 2nd poopy diaper.
-> Air out the house after poopy #2.
-> Call Mike to remind him abot something he forgot to do (or will forget to do if I don't call him).
-> Text Mike about that other thing he needs to remember to do (this reoccurs about 3 more times during the day).
-> Make lunch for the kids.
-> Put the kids down for naps.
-> Wrestle with Abbi, give her a timeout, put her back down for her nap.
-> Move Ezra to our bedroom and get Abbi to stop playing with Chloe so she can sleep.
->Take a short break until Ezra comes out of the room and claims he slept for 5 minutes and is no longer tired...

This is just the first half of the day! And these are the things that happen almost daily! When you add the doctor visits, the grocery shopping trips, the walks to the park, the cleaning, the driving to Payson to see Grandma & Grandpa, the folding of laundry...it makes my day at work seem like a vacation.

Kahilau will sometimes reveal to me the many ways in which she feels inadequate as a mother, and it makes me laugh to hear such nonsense (no, I don't laugh out loud). She is and always has been an amazing mommy. Before that, she was and still is a stellar auntie to her nieces and nephews. She has a knack with kids, one that I can only dream of someday possessing myself; and our home--as chaotic as it can seem at times--is a safe haven where the Spirit can be felt and love is abundant.

It's well past my bedtime and my words are starting to run out. I just wanted to let Kahi know that she rocks, pure and simple. I chose her for many reasons, and I keep her for those same reasons and countless more I couldn't have possibly dreamt up myself! I know this is her blog mostly, and I hope this embarrasses her just a little.

Because she's earned it.

A Smokin' Deal for a Cool Gift Idea

2009-12-16T12:18:00.003-07:00

I know some of you have made homemade calendars before, for gifts for friends, family, coworkers, etc. Kahi and I have done them, but they've always been super homemade, meaning printed at home on our crappy inkjet, or printed up at BYUH (where the quality at the time was, well, mediocre). Anyway, my sister Heather makes calendars a lot, and she does an awesome job. This year she told me that she made her calendar at VistaPrint.com. Many of you probably already know about VistaPrint; they do all kinds of stuff, like greeting cards, business cards, posters, magnets with your kids' faces on them, etc.

I checked out VistaPrint's calendar options, and they have some really cool templates and options to fully customize a wall or desk calendar. Normally the wall calendars run for about $15 plus shipping. But with the holiday sale that's been going on, they've been marked down to just $7.99 for the same full-color deal.

I just got on today, and they are now offering the same calendars for FREE as a special pre-christmas holiday sale! Same calendars as what my sis paid $8 for (sorry Head). You still have to pay shipping, but everything else is FREE.

I've pasted the link below (the banner that says "Free Holiday Gifts") since their home page doesn't have the promotion listed. I don't know how long the sale goes, or how fast they ship, so if you're interested in a cool FREE calendar for 2010, check it out. And let us know if you find any other cool freebies there.

Here's that link:

I know iPhoto does something similar, but it's a lot more pricey.

(P.S. This is Mike, posing once again as the lovely Kahilau. I'll get her to post something, I promise.)

Happy "Holidays"?

2009-12-12T14:27:00.013-07:00

I have a surprising declaration to make: I love Christmas!

(O.K. Not too surprising. Who doesn't love Christmas, right?)

But I'm starting to wonder whether or not I like what we Americans blindly refer to as "the holidays." You know, all those extra work days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. What the crap does the word "holiday" mean, anyway? Something tells me we've got it all wrong. To be sure, let's do a quick check with Mr. Webster's online book of knowledge:

"Holiday" has 4 definitions:
1. Holy Day (the literal transliteration);
2. A day in which one is exempt from work, usually in commemoration of an event;
3. Vacation (or that's what the Brits say when they're going to visit Grandmum down in Yorkshire); and
4. A period of exemption or relief.

Hmm...

My brain tells me that we Yanks have chosen the wrong word for this time of year. I don't know about you, but I'm sitting in my office right now, taking a lunch break, but otherwise WORKING. No exemptions for me, not until Christmas Eve (a Webster-compliant, bona fide holiday).

So why do we taunt the working man or the full-time student or our own children for heaven's sake by calling these weeks "the holidays"?

As a kid, the "holidays" drove me nuts. Sitting in a classroom, nose stuck in a math book, listening to gibberish about square roots and fractions and who cares what else. When all I really wanted to be doing involved me and my friends, outside, in the rain (Hawaiian "holidays" are much different than the c-c-cold Utah "holidays" that we're enjoying right now), with a boogie board and a flooded field and a football...and NO math book. It was torture sitting indoors, counting down the days 'till Christmas break, and those 2 glorious weeks of school-free awesomeness. Much harder to endure, mind you, than it was during the week following New Years. It's one thing to be sitting in a classroom when you'd rather be surfing (waves, or web, whatever suits your fancy). It's something totally different when all around you, everywhere you go, on every channel and radio station and website and newspaper, is the unavoidable declaration that Christmas is coming!! Santa's on his way! You better watch out!

How can a kid possibly concentrate on MATH under that kind of pressure?

And the injustice of the "holidays" only worsens as we get older. Sure we've graduated from Math class (well, many of us have...for those Grad students out there, I commend you). But now we're part of the American workforce, working 40+ hours to earn wages to pay for mortgages, utility bills, and health care. And let me tell you, convincing Mom that I'm too sick to go to school has far fewer consequences than taking a phony sick day from the job.

Am I the only one feeling torn by this paradox? Would it be unreasonable to demand that our employers and professors grant us 4 weeks of paid "holiday" leave in the month of December?

Um, yeah, that's pretty unreasonable.

I proffer a solution to this quandary. It's a tale told in 3 parts:

#1. Petition the Federal Government to exercise their vast authority and change the name of this season from "The Holidays" to something more accurate. Here are some possibilities:

--Hanukkah Half-Time

--Wintermission

--North Pole Prep Period (or NP3 for short)

#2. Urge employers to dedicate a portion of the work day to Wintermission-friendly activities for employees. Some examples of what one might consider to be appropriate activities are:

--Sugar Cookie Decorating

--Gift wrapping workshops

--Cocoa drinking by the fireplace (or space heater, if your office isn't properly equipped with a wood-burning fireplace or stove)

--Snowball Fights (for all regions that get snow)

--Copier Paper Ball Fights (for everybody else)

--Staring At Christmas Lights For Extended Periods Of Time

--Gift Shopping At The Mall

#3. Follow suit with the Jewish folk and make the actual Christmas holiday last 8 days. Again, the Federal Government would have to force their iron fist of legislative deity to make this happen. It may be difficult to get Congress to pass this one right away, so it makes sense that we push this one hard and heavy and then fall back to #1 as our compromise solution.

That way, at the very least, we can finally put an end to this gross misuse of the meaning of what a "holiday" really is. And then we can joyously wish each other a very Wonderful Wintermission.

Thank you love....

2009-11-16T10:23:00.005-07:00

After a particularly crazy day, I left to go to Enrichment (it was still called that then). I came home to find my kids in bed, the house totally clean and THIS!!!! Complete with a book to read, my comfy pajamas and house shoes all ready for me when I was done. Mike, THANK YOU for being so thoughtful of me and my needs. You are the best!

But I was born in Hawaii

2009-11-13T11:08:00.003-07:00

Ezra and Preston were playing downstairs at the Bingham house. Shannon overheard this conversation:

P: Ezra, you're not speaking proper English.
E: Well Preston, I was not born here in Utah like you, I was born in Hawaii. That's how they talk in Hawaii.
P: In Hawaii they say "for reals" instead of "for real"?
E: Yes Preston. It's not me fault, I was born in Hawaii.

Hahahahahaha! Way to represent Ezzie!
It reminds me of whenever Mike and I say something wrong or don't know the answer to a question we always say, "Leave me alone, I went to Kahuku!" Oh my, I miss home!

When it rains it pours.....

2009-11-12T10:29:00.003-07:00

So here's a little story:
The Monday after Halloween we decided to take Mike to work extra early cause he had a lot to do. So, we woke up at 6am got the kids up at 6:30 and were out the door by 7am! Miracles never cease! We were on the on-ramp to the freeway when our van decided REBEL! It would not shift into 2nd gear (we have an automatic). We pulled off to the side of the road and turned it off and started again. NO LUCK! So, we turned it off again and said a prayer. "Heavenly Father, please bless us that we will all be patient and that everything will turn out ok." were the only words that could come out of my mouth. And so it is!
We were determined not to get a tow truck so we drove 3 miles on the shoulder of the freeway going 8mph because if we went any faster the car would stop moving. It took 45 minutes. It was a fabulous thing! We laughed and had Ezra teach us our family home evening lesson. It was actually one of those moments that made me proud of our little family. The Lord truly did hear and answer our simple prayer!
So, we coasted into the Walmart parking lot hoping we might be able to fix it somehow. After adding oils and fluids of all kind, NOTHING. So we called our fabulous neighbor and she quickly came and rescued us! Long story short. WE GET TO BUY ANOTHER CAR! While that totally stresses me out, I am excited to find something that will carry our little family from place to place.
Until we find one, we have been so blessed with the most generous people! Our neighbor offer to take and pick Mike up from work for as long as we needed. Heather and Jake (Mike's sister) let us borrow their 2nd car for a week. They called and offered, so excited to serve! What a great example you guys are! Our good friend Danielle, had an extra car that she was not using and has let us have that until our other friend can get us one at an auction! Thank you guys!
What are we learning through this?
-The Lord does hear and answer prayers, even when everything seems chotic. He is always watching!
-Heavenly Father blesses us with angels to be his hands here on earth. It is so vital that we are listening, so when it our turn to give back, we show up!
-Get our finances in order so we can be prepared to pay for these "emergencies" when they happen.
I am loving life and all the it's amazing lessons!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-09T16:16:00.005-07:00

We had a super fun Halloween this year (as we do every year!) This is our one of our favorite holidays. This year we decided to go Pirate! We had no idea how popular it was going to be but we saw pirates EVERYWHERE which was way fun! We decided Chloe would be our parrot and she turned out SOOOO cute. We had these shoes that squeaked when she walked and yeah, she was adorable. This was the first year Abbi was really old enough to get into trick-or-treating and she loved it! We went around the block, then Chloe and Dad went home to pass out candy, we went another block and Ezra decided he was done, but Abbi wanted more! We went to a few more and then I convinced her that we should be done. When we go walking around the neighborhood she still asks if she can say "trick-or-treat". Ezra built a fort with the bags of leaves in our front yard with Garrett and Preston and they would hide and then scare all the trick-or-treaters! We had a blast.

We also decided to celebrate our new house by decorating it too. We turned it into a pirate ship! With a hanging pirate and some tombstones (totally lame that I did not take a picture til a week after Halloween so the tombstones were broken and the house did not look as cool but on Halloween night, it was cool)!

After trick-or-treating we had the Shumways and the Binghams over for some yummy soup and treats. It was so great.
On a really scary note.... Mike worked during the day on Halloween and so he was a goth guy. His goal is always to dress up so no one recognizes him. Another year of success my love. He freaked his co-workers out all day. Hope your Halloween was as much fun!

2009-10-27T14:04:00.002-06:00

10- days of being sick together as a family
9- loads of laundry (all done in one day)
8- times Abbi cried "Mommy, can I hold you?" (in 1 hour)
7- hot drinks a day (tea, cider, hot chocolate)
6- times out of bed at night (for 4 nights)
5- Movies (some short, some long) a day
4- entire boxes of kleenex used
3- very BORED, TIRED, and SICK kids
2- very EXHAUSTED, SICK, and TIRED parents
1- snowy day later.....

We are at least able to function!! While we are still coughing and have runny noses, we are thankful to be feeling a little better. I seriously do not think I could have managed one more day with all of us sick.
Last week was terrible, Chloe woke up sick Sunday, I got sick Monday, Mike on Tuesday, Abbi on Wednesday, and Ezra on Thursday and then while Chloe was feeling better on Wednesday she got sick again on Friday. So yeah, it has been a hard hard week. I am working really hard at keeping positive that this week will be any better. We can hope right???? RIGHT???

McDonalds game...

2009-10-08T17:38:00.005-06:00

This morning:
M: Hey Ezra, what do you want to do today?
E: Well, I would like to go to Preston's house and go to Panda's for dinner and then eat at McDonald's for lunch.
M: Oooookay, I will keep that in mind as I plan our day.
We did not do any of those things so tonight as we are driving home from the store:
M: Hey Ez, I know you wanted to go to McDonalds and eat and didn't get to do it ,so I was thinking, let's play a game. When we get home, I will cook chicken nuggets and then you can pretend you are driving through and ask for chicken nuggets and pretend I work at McDonalds! Do you wanna play?
E: Politely and very slowly (like I'm crazy) he shakes his head NO and then looks at me like I am retarded.
M: HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHA
It was really so funny. Then to make me feel better he says, "I don't really feel like it today but maybe tomorrow!"
Now that I think about it, is that really a game I want my kids to play???? Maybe if it could replace ever eating there for reals again? MAYBE!

Demon trains

2009-09-28T13:26:00.003-06:00

The first night we moved in, we heard it LOUD and clear! We live about 3 blocks from the railroad and the train comes through town every night! Well, not only do we hear the train itself but also the whistle it blows every 2 seconds (I am not exaggerating!) It really is loud. The first 2 weeks were not very restful. EVERYONE woke up, EVERY TIME the train passed by. Well, we all got used to it, all but one. Little Miss Abbi still asks if the train is coming, and every night this is my loving answer, "Yes the train will come, and you will sleep, or you will have a long timeout in the bathroom with the lights on!-insert loving smile and hug!"

Ok, is that so bad or what? Honestly, we tried everything! We borrowed movies about Thomas and told her the train was Thomas saying hello, that didn't work. We took her over to the tracks and watched the train pass by, "Abbi, isn't that so cool?" "No, I don't like it!". That obviously did not work. We tried to read her fun books about trains- NOPE! We let her play with train sets....NOPE! So, after getting up 4 times every night with her for about a week, in my exhausted state, this was my solution: I stuck her in the bathroom with the lights on and let her cry for a couple of minutes, then I told her to go back to bed and if she got out again I would do the same thing. She did not come out again and the simple reminder seems to be doing the trick. The poor girl was exhausted and needed her rest as much as I did. Slowly it has gotten better, but seriously is anyone else ready to call CPS cause I just reread what I wrote, and I think I might call about myself!

The man is 5!

2009-09-23T21:52:00.004-06:00

Our sweet Ezra turned 5 today. What is it about 5 that is so different from 4? Is it that I feel old now that my baby is 5, that he is so much closer to starting school, or maybe I just see time slipping through my hands? I don't know, but this one was a big deal for us. We celebrated with a pirate party at the Binghams. It was so much fun! All the kids dressed up, we made pirate jewelry, had a treasure hunt (complete with a buried treasure for each kid), and topped it all off with YUMMY cupcakes! It was so great to see all the kids running around, following the clues and then digging like crazy to find the treasure. Ezra had a great time.

Then today on his actual birthday we told him that he could choose what we ate all day. The menu went as follows:
Breakfast: IHOP
Lunch: Turkey sandwich and yogurt
Dinner: Egg Ocean and Spam (also called German pancakes)
He was so happy. After breakfast we sent him off to preschool and went home to clean-up and decorate for him. Mike made the cake and Abbi drew him pictures (asking the whole time if the party was for her. When told no, she would say, "Can we share?") We each wrote down things that we love about him and put them up around the room. When he came home, we opened gifts, ate dinner, and watched a movie. It was so great! We have lived so close to family and friends for so long (which is of course a blessing!), that it has been a long time, no wait, we have never celebrated any of our kids birthdays with just our little family. It was so great to really focus on him and make him feel special. We put the girls to bed and then walked around the room with him and read each note. It was so great to tell him, out loud, all the wonderful things we love about him. What was even better than saying it out loud, was the look on his face as he heard and "took in" all the compliments! This will become a tradition in our family for sure!
Ezra, there are so many things I LOVE about you. In honor of you turning 5, here are 5 of those reasons:
1. Your smile melts me everytime. I am finally to the point where I don't laugh when you are in trouble and start smiling (I kind of miss the laughs...). I have never seen you smiile at someone and not have them smile back, no matter who it is. You share your smile and all the love that comes with it so willingly. Thank you little man!
2. You love life! What a blessing and a great example you are to me! Everyday, you jump right out of bed, ready for the day to start! Thank you for bringing that light and energy into our family.
3. You are instictivly kind and loving and it breaks your heart when you behave any other way. That kind of compassion and love for others will serve you well in your life. Don't ever lose that!
4. You love to play! All day long if you could. It doesn't matter where we are or what we are doing you will find someway to start a game with someone, anyone, and everyone involved is always so happy!
5. You love to play with your sisters. I don't know anyone else who can get Abbi or Chloe to laugh the way you do. Thank you, thank you for taking care of your sisters. This too will serve you well in your life!
We love you little man and look forward to many more birthdays together!

Tea for Two

2009-09-17T13:30:00.004-06:00

I am a FIRM believer that every child needs a really cool Aunty or Uncle that plays and loves to be with them. I used to be that really cool Aunty to my sweet nieces, Pomai, Nalia, and Anela. Those were some fabulous times! But then, I had my own kids (and you all know how much fun moms are...) and then we moved. Ezra has had a number of these Aunty and Uncles, (too many to name but you all know who you are). Abbi however, has not attatched herself to anyone inparticular, until recently. Aunty Shannon, is one of her Special Aunties. Here is one of the many reasons why;
Aunty Shannon invited Abbi over for a tea party just for them. Abbi requested, cookies and milk and so it was... Abbi talked about it all week, it was so fun to see her get excited about something that was just for her. Did I mention that Abbi doesn't like it if I leave her, anywhere, so I was excited to see if she would actually stay at this tea party by herself. We bought her a dress and some shoes and let her wear her dress-up hat, we even cut her hair. It seriously was just so much fun to see her feel so special.
When the time finally came Abbi could not wait, she got dressed quickly and when we got there she hoped out of the car and was gone in nothing flat. Shannon said she mixed her milk, vanilla, and sugar, dunked and devoured her cookies for close to 45 minutes. Heaven!!!
Thank you thank you Aunty Shannon for making our little Abbi feel so loved and special, she really deserves that, and loved getting it from you.
The next day she asked to play with a friend (Noah Shumway) and stayed at their house for 3 hours without me. On Sunday she skipped right into nursery without a second thought! Amazing what some one-on-one time can do for a little soul. Thank you again Shannon for taking time out of your day for her, you know how much that means to me, every mom does!

Some SERIOUS NEGLECTING....

2009-08-23T12:22:00.005-06:00

I am finally getting back to normal, well that's all relative right? Where do I start? It has been 3 long, exhausting, wonderful, exciting, stressful, fun months. There is seriously so much for me to blog about but I am choosing to start with our home since that is where this roller coaster all began.

Mike and I moved to Utah mostly because we have always had a dream of owning a home and we did not feel like that was a possibility for us in Hawaii (kudos to all those awesome people we know that are TOTALLY making it work out there, we wish we had such guts and faith). So, last December we made the goal that by the end of the year we would be ready to buy a home. That was far fetched for us, and I certainly had my doubts, but Mike was sure all along. So we dug in and paid off some debt. In March, we started looking, kind of as a joke and by May the house was ours.

We both fell in love with this house the first time we saw it. We knew there would be some work involved, but we also felt like it was the one for our family. So when we got the house in the middle of May our plan was:

1. Tile the shower
2. Paint a few walls
3. MAYBE work on floor in the kitchen, maybe....
4. Move-in

Well, we started on the shower and we found MOLD! That's right, lots of it! It was so bad it had rotted out the floor in the bathroom too. So, we took that out. Well, the bathroom and kitchen floors are connected so we decided to do the kitchen and bathroom floors together. Well, then we went to paint the kitchen walls and found some peeling paint, so we started peeling only to find LAYER upon LAYER of wallpaper and texture. So, we got to mud all the walls in the kitchen and bathroom. We decided we would make them smooth because we were naive and did not know what that would take. So, by the end, this is what we did:

Bathroom:
1. Tile shower
2. Replace both windows, one with glass blocks
3. Replace floor completely
4. Scrape walls and mud them smooth
5. Add a light fixture and bathroom fan
6. Paint

Kitchen:
1. Tile floor
2. Tile backsplash
3. Scrape and mud walls
4. Redo cabinets

Some of you might have experience doing this kind of work, or a husband that knows. Neither Mike or I had any experience with building (except when I was 10 and my family rebuilt our home, but I was 10...) Mike did most of the work, and amazed me the entire time. He would research and ask anyone that had time. He was still working is fulltime job and them coming home and working more. I fell in love with him all over again. It was incredile to see!
Most days, this is what our schedule looked like:

7am- Wake up
9am- Take Mike to work
9:30am- Kahi goes to new house to work while the kids play (we were staying in Payson while we were working on the house so we tried to avoid going back and forth during the day.)
12pm- Feed kids
1pm- Put them down for a nap (work furiously while they sleep)
3pm- Go to the park or store( keep busy till it was time to pick mike up)
5pm- Go get Mike, take him to the house to work
6pm- Feed and play with kids
8pm- Put kids to bed, work on the house
1am- Pack the kids in the car and go back to Payson to sleep
2am- Lights out

Needless to say, it was A LOT of work, and A LOT of FUN! We are really happy with how it turned out (Although they are not totally done)
BEFORE:

BEFORE:

AFTER:Anyway, I will post more pics later about the other rooms we worked on. Oh and per request of Lilia, here is the most recent picture of our family in Ashton, Idaho for the Winget family reunion (It was so much fun but more about that later)
Our kids have all grown so much and were amazing through all of this. We truly are so blessed!

It is OURS!!!!!

2009-05-16T14:15:00.003-06:00

As of yesterday, the house is officially ours. I don't have any pictures but will get some tomorrow and post them. Please keep us in your prayers as we have quite a few things to work on before we can move in! Also pray for our sweet children as they have been so unbelievably patient with us as the house has been and will continue to be where our focus is for the next few weeks. YIPPEEE! We own a house!!!!!!!!!!

Crazy crazy crazy!!

2009-04-27T14:21:00.002-06:00

Like Mike posted, my sister Nia and I drove with the kids to Arizona last week to see my nephew (Hanu's son Kawika) get the priesthood and see my dad who came up from Hawaii. We decided to drive all night cause it, well, it just sounded like it would be easier that way. Well, let's just say Abbi cried about every 5 minutes, the whole way down there. It was crazy and meant that no one in the car slept. She cried herself sick and Nia and I were HAMMERED by the time we got into town. It was so great to see my family. It felt like it had been such a long time. We had a lot of fun letting the cousins play and just cracking jokes! Anyway, we left Thursday and got back Tuesday morning at 4:30am. Abbi was much better on the way home only crying for the first 4 hours.

Needless to say, we got home still tired and wanting sleep! Mike was so sweet and let me sleep for a majority of the day. Since then, we have been sleeping

lots, cleaning, and packing up for our big move. We are moving in with Mike's parents for the month of May while our house closes!!! I don't have pictures yet but hopefully soon! Here are a few stats until then:

The house is in Provo

2,300 square feet

.33 acre lot

3 bedrooms

2 family rooms

1 play/work room

We can't wait to get into the house. It is going to be so much fun. Anyway, forgive the lack of posting for a little while since, well frankly, WE ARE

CRAZY!

PS. Mike totally missed us which is always fun to come home to. I soon found out that he was not alone. Abbi attached herself to him for a few days after we got home. I would find this all the time (not the popsicles but just Abbi and Dad hanging out!). It was priceless!

And if that wasn't enough...

2009-04-19T01:02:00.003-06:00

(in regards to the previous post)

Here is another song by Elbow that is just as incredible. It's called "Mirrorball."

VIDEO

I could listen to these tunes for hours on end.

It's looking like a beautiful day...

2009-04-19T00:32:00.003-06:00

Mike here, blogging and such, while the wife and kids are away enjoying the sun and warmth of Mesa, Arizona. For those of you who have had your spouse go away for awhile (especially all those male readers...guys? You there?), you know exactly how empty things can feel at home by yourself. The quietness, the chilly bed, eating meals by yourself, cooking for one instead of 5, no toys to pick up, no little villains to wrestle with after work, etc. I don't believe I'll ever get used to it. Kahi, if you're reading, know darn well that you're missed.

With that little introduction to my current state of being, I've noticed that I get emotional much easier when I'm home alone. Can't really explain it...it's like that feeling you would get when you had a mad crush on somebody, and they maybe knew it, but it wasn't official and every time you'd see that person you'd want to tell them how you feel but can't because you're nervous what they're gonna say, and then you go home and it's like you're homesick for them. That's how I feel. Homesick for the wife and kids. So being emotionally vulnerable like so (and it being about 12:30 am at the moment), I want to share a song that has been in my head all day long. I heard it for the first time a couple of days ago, and haven't been able to shake it. It's by a band called Elbow, and it's called "One Day Like This." Doesn't matter how many times I hear it, I get that same "homesick" feeling, and I love it. Reminds me that I get to enjoy life with people as rad as my wife and my kids.

Here's the video. And be sure to read the lyrics below the video player. Awesome, awesome song.

And if this was a little on the sappy, I-think-this-dude-has-lost-his-mind sort of side, I apologize.

All plugged up!

2009-04-16T07:15:00.004-06:00

2 band-aids, 1 hairball, and a water gun plug later, my bathroom sink is unplugged! Mind you, the baby feeding spoon and who knows what else is still in there, but at least it is draining now! Loving life!

Scared Straight

2009-04-10T12:35:00.003-06:00

Do you ever have one of those experiences were suddenly EVERYTHING is put into perspective and you realize just how blessed and happy you really are? The following was one of those:
Since it is warming up around these parts we have been doing a lot of things outside and I am in HEAVEN! Ezra has wanted to learn to ride a bike for months now and we kept telling him that when spring came we would teach him. So we pulled out his bike he got for Christmas 2 years ago and took off 1 training wheel and he is riding like a pro (eventually we will take off the other one but for now, he is practicing). So today I decided to go to our chapel for a "Mom and Me" activity and we decided to ride our bikes (about 6 blocks). Ezra was in heaven, and the girls were happily riding in the bike trailer, it was AWESOME. Ezra (in true Ezra fashion) also wanted to ride with his cape on cause he likes the way it flies in the wind. On the way home I was riding on the street admiring how cute he looked riding his bike, cape flapping in the wind, and a HUGE smile on his face!

I guess I admired a little too long, cause I didn't notice the SUV coming out of the driveway from the auto parts store. By the time I saw it, Ezra and I were both yelling and the the driver didn't even notice. Ezra was so freaked out he didn't get his breaks on fast enough and plowed right into the wheel well (is that what it's called?) of this guys car. Ezra started screaming cause he was so scared. I couldn't just drop my bike cause the girls were attached so by the time I got to him, I knew he was fine, but we were all a little shaky.

We spent the next 5 minutes (including the guy in the car) talking about how we ALL get to be more careful. It was a very powerful lesson for all of us, one that will stick for a long time! If any of us had been going any faster or been any further along the sidewalk Ezra could have been hit and under that car in an instant.

So as not to freak him out so bad that he never wanted to ride again, we kept going. He was SUPER cautious, stopping at every driveway looking both ways and crossing very slowly. He called dad when we got home and told him he was going to be careful from now on. When he got off the phone he said, "hey mom, dad was really sad for me". He is taking a nap now (1 hour before he normally does).

Son, thank you for being so brave and learning so quickly. Your experienced pulled me out of some pretty heavy "pity partying" I have been doing lately. You have reminded me that family and love is really all that matters. Love you buddy!

High chair fix-up!

2009-04-06T09:43:00.006-06:00

I found this awesome high chair at a garage sale for $2 (similar ones sell online for $30). It is one of those that hooks onto the table. Awesome when you have very little space in your kitchen. Call me picky but I did not have an appreciation for the fabulous 80's fabric. So, Mike has the great idea of using a vinyl tablecloth. I took some pictures cause I thought it would be fun to share the process. It took me about 30 min. total and TOTALLY worth it!

DISCLAIMER: I have never done this before so be patient with my instructions!

1. Unscrew all the pieces including the straps (I used a clorox pen to get out the stains).
Cut the fabulous fabric off and happily throw it in the garbage!
2. Find a table cloth you like (this one was $5 at Kmart), a staple gun, and scissors.
3. Lay one of the pieces over the table cloth and cut it out about 4 inches bigger than the board.
Staple the table cloth on (make sure to pull tight). 4. Cut off excess fabric.5. Do the same with the other piece.7. When you are done you will be able to see the back of the high chair so I decided to cover that part as well (if that would not bother you then skip this step). I cut out another piece of the table cloth 1 inch bigger than the board on all sides. Put double sticky tape along the edges (make sure you don't put any over the hole for the screws, you can feel where they are through the fabric). Fold the edges of the fabric over and then stick it to the board. I used double sticky tape so I could change the fabric later if I want, if you are more decisive than me, you could use glue.8. Last step is to put it all together again. Re-attach the straps and put all the screws back.
9. ENJOY!

I am officially...

2009-03-28T21:34:00.003-06:00

in love with GARAGE SALES!!!!
Our fabulous neighbors are amazing garage sale goers. They get incredible deals and really love going. They invited us last year but honestly, we were too lazy. So this year, since we are on a tight budget and looking to buy a house (more on that later) we decided to give it a try. So last weekend I went to 6 garage sales and got a few things (really I just wanted to get out of the house since we had been stick inside for so long). It was a lot of fun. Mike was so kind about staying home with the kids and letting me go so he was really looking forward to going today. I didn't want to miss out either so, what does going garage sale shopping as a family mean? It means Mike and I wake up at 6:00am, get showered, cook breakfast, get the kids up, dressed, and out the door. We eat in the car as we drive. We had so much fun! We gave Ezra a dollar and told him to go crazy. It was fun to watch him be so careful with his money. He finally did spend it and was really happy with what he got. We were careful too and also very happy with what we got!
Look at our stash:We got all this stuff for $50 (including a really cool bench with leather cushions on top which we already packed away). All of it either stuff we can use now or in the new house and a few things we are going to sell again to replenish garage sale fund. Seriously people THIS IS ADDICTING! We spent the entire afternoon cleaning and fixing things up. It was so much fun. We are sold and will be doing this every weekend from now until next winter! Hope to see some of you out there (Erin ;-)!

RSV=SUCKS!

2009-03-18T10:45:00.002-06:00

A few RSV facts that I did not know until now:
*RSV is a viral infection (no treatment)
*RSV is highly contagious:
If you have a regular cold and you cough, the germs are in the air for 2 hours. If you have *RSV and you cough, the germs are in the air for 12-13hours.
*If you come in contact with someone who had RSV you are a carrier (even if you are not coughing)
*RSV is like any other viral infection and in adults is a really bad cold but in babies, can be deadly. In babies, it creates mucus like cement and makes it nearly impossible to breath (in bad cases)

So, we are all quarantined to our house, yard, or car. We (including Mike) have been told to not go anywhere until all the coughing stops. So, we are having some much needed and forced "FAMILY TIME!" We are disinfecting like crazy, washing EVERYTHING, spraying Lysol every few hours, changing bedding everyday, it's crazy. I know it sounds a little over the top but I HATE THIS so we are doing whatever we can to ensure this gets out of our home. Chloe had it first, then Abbi (she had it worse than Chloe) and now Ezra (he has it the worst by FAR). We are hoping that it will all end soon. We would hate to pass this on to someone else (especially anyone with babies). So, all our friends and famliy out there, just know we are doing this for you! Ha ha, more to come...

To Good?

2009-03-15T18:26:00.003-06:00

Is it possible for a baby to be too good? For a child to be too quiet and happy that she can get over looked in a crazy family? Well, if it is, then I have her.
On Thursday we took Chloe into the doctor after her cough sounded like it was in her chest. She had a runny nose for a few days, no fever or cough (til that morning), sleeping through the night, eating like normal, not really fussy, so I didn't take her into the doctor cause I figured they would tell me she just had a cold and there was nothing they could do (you know how that goes right? we have all had that happen). Well when her cough started I took her in, the doctor told us that she had 2 ear infections and RSV (a respiratory sickness that can effect kids under 3. It can, in really severe cases, cause so much congestion that kids can't breath anymore and some kids die from it). Because it so highly contagious, we have to stay in the house for at least a week. Oh my! Just when I thought we had made it through winter without any horrible sickness. So, what now? Mike and I get to play tag so that we can take the other kids out some during the day. It is crazy but we are truly grateful we found out soon enough to do something about it. She will be fine, we just get to be careful.
Chloe my dear, if you plan on surviving in this family you get to make more noise when you need something. WAIT, did I just say that out loud, really???? Like I don't have enough noise as it is! Sadly the truth in my house is, the squeaky wheel...

Going GREEN Part II

2009-02-24T13:50:00.003-07:00

So last month I posted about our exciting goal of getting completely out of debt ($15,191) by December. I am happy to announce that we now have a fully funded emergency fund ($1,000) and we paid off $5,000 of debt thanks to a fabulous tax return. We spent the rest of that money fixing up our car since it is going to last us another 2 years, buying a bunk bed for our kids (more to come on that), and stocking up on some much needed supplies for the year (making it easier to stay within our budget for groceries during the month). This has been such an interesting journey for me. Budgeting has taught me a lot of unexpected lessons, here are just a few:
1. Debt-free is part of God's plan
Duh right? Well, Dave Ramsey is a Christian man and his book "The Total Money Makeover" is strewn with scriptural references backing up his methods for getting out of debt. He makes the argument that living debt-free is the Lord's way of handling money. I have heard this counsel many times from our Church leaders but until now have not experienced what it feels like to live it. While we are not completely out of debt, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and i am beginning to feel that sense of peace they always talk about. Wow, what an amazing feeling!
2. Budgeting= an increase in gratitude!
Being careful about how we spend our money, saying no sometimes, and really planning for the things we want has given me an increased sense of gratitude for the abundance we have in our lives. Before, I would just spend the money till it was gone every month buying whatever I wanted not really even thinking about what I was doing. Now, I make a conscious decision about everything we spend our money on, from gas to activities for the kids and I have found that when the decisions are deliberate you enjoy things more. I am more grateful for that occasional meal out and more excited to take the kids to the dinosaur museum. We truly are blessed to have so much in our lives.
3. People are SUPER supportive.
Dave Ramsey warns you n his book that people will make fun of you for living in a budget and not borrowing money. I have not found that to be true at all. Maybe it's the economy but everyone is supportive and I thank you all. I have also found out that my previous assumption about not knowing anyone that was totally out of debt was false. I have had a lot of friends let me know that they too, went on the plan and are out of debt. How cool is that?
4. When you are TRULY COMMITTED to making something happen, the Lord backs you up.
There have been so many little blessing along the way that i would have not noticed if we were not committed to this. Like, we committed to spending $300 on groceries in January. I was worried but knew we wouldn't starve so we made a plan, a menu for each meal for the pay period and only buying the food we needed for those meals and price matching. Well, we did it. Every time we would go shopping most of the items we had on our list were on sale. We were able to substitute for items we couldn't afford and everything was fine. I know the Lord was watching over us.
So, our next step is to snowball our payments and start working on another credit card. With the $5,000 we were able to pay off 4 credit cards so we added up all the payments we had been making on those cards every month and it comes to $312. We will now pay that amount to our next card till it is payed off (3 months) and then we will only have 2 more! YIPPEE!
So, stay tuned for more and thank you again for keeping me accountable and seriously GIVE THIS BOOK A TRY, IT IS AWESOME!

NO NAME

2009-02-23T09:03:00.003-07:00

While deleting old contacts from my phone I came across 3 that looked exactly like this:
No name
556-455-65656567679977978899451111
No name
76
No name
222-222-999945654

I left them in there cause they gave me a huge laugh as I realized that I should probably keep my phone away from the Abbi-nator (as we affectionately call her around here)! How did I get so blessed with these adorable little souls?

True Love

2009-02-14T13:44:00.004-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mike and I went out last night to celebrate Valentine's day and enjoyed some See's chocolate, and yummy, yummy P.F. Changs. Those were both fabulous treats that I was not expecting to get this year but the greatest treat came when Mike asked if I was willing to play a game as we waited the 2 hours for our table (so worth the wait!!!) So we started the story game. We play this sometimes with Ezra, where you start a story and then the next person gets to add on. Only this time it was the story of how we started dating. It was so much fun. He told the beginning from his perspective in 3rd person and then I continued. We each found out things that we did not know the other was going through at the time. It truly made the night so much more meaningful. We had a great time remembering Valentine's of the past and this was by far the most fun and the most meaningful. Thank you Mike, for always being so thoughtful and conscious of the important things! I love you.

So, this morning we made chocolate chip pancakes for the kids and told each of them how much we loved them. You know how sometimes when you are talking to your kids and you get that they are listening and get what you are saying? Well this was one of those times. What a beautiful morning. Then this afternoon I got an email from a friend that included this story of true love and friendship. I challenge all of us, including myself to be this kind of friend, make a difference in someones life.
Happy Valentine's day to you all!

The RULES....

2009-02-02T09:27:00.003-07:00

This morning:
-Hey Ez can I play with you? (he was playing with his blocks).
-Yes, but I get to make the rules.
-Oh, I don't think I want to play then.
-Ok, then you make the rules.
-Well, can't we just play with no rules?
-But mom, if we are playing a game we have to know the instructions so someone has to make the rules.
-Ok, you can make them.
-Ok, 1st: you can't stand too close to someones building cause if you do you might knock it down and that's bad. So, you can't stand this close but only this close (showing me the precise measurements with his hands).
2nd: Chloe can watch us play.
Fird (3rd): Chloe can play if she wants to.
Forf (4th): We can play with Chloe if we want the game to end.
5: We can go to Garrett and Prestons if we want the game to be over.
6: If we are super-duper-uber-shmuper hungry then we can eat whatever we want (I had just told him he could not eat anything til snack time since we just ate 20 min. ago).
-Wow Ez, that's a lot of rules.
-Wait mom, I'm not done, just one more! 7: We (meaning I) can play my computer games if I want the game to be done or if it gets boring.
-My goodness, those are interesting rules.
-It's ok mom, you won't remember them anyway.
-Oh yes I can.
As I repeated every rule his smile got bigger and bigger.
-Wow mom! Good remembering!

Hey Ez, while you're at it why don't you add a few more rules that will make your life FABULOUS:
8: No more naps.
9: Jumping on beds is allowed and in fact encouraged.
10: Banish tomatoes from the earth.

Skies the limit buddy!
Hahahah I love this boy!

Make sure to check your kids homework...

2009-01-29T11:06:00.004-07:00

A little bit naughty.... but a lot a bit FUNNY!!!

A monumental day at the Winget home

2009-01-25T21:56:00.005-07:00

The Winget family has decided that we are going to eat more salad. So, every other night we have a fresh salad at dinner. Yummy! I am really loving it and surprisingly the kids are too. So, the other night Mike was putting the salad together and Ezra said, "Hey dad, did you know that I love tomatoes? Will you put some in my salad?" Mike's jaw dropped and so did mine. Let me explain...
I HATE tomatoes. I will not eat them when they are raw, they are the only food I can think of that actually makes me gag. Mike, well, if he could eat a "straight from the garden" tomato every day he would be ELATED! Mike and his dad (whom I adore!) tease me all the time that I am ruining my children by teaching them that tomatoes are yucky. So, I am very conscious about telling my kids that I don't like tomatoes raw but I love them when they are cooked.
Ezra has always said that he did not like tomatoes and my reply has always been, well maybe one day you will like them. So, when he asked for them, we were really excited. Mike got the hugest, proudest smile on his face and happily cut some tomatoes and put them in Ezra's salad.I ran and got my camera just in time to catch this momentous moment in our home. I wanted to show Grandpa Winget that I had indeed NOT ruined his grandchildren...

Hahahahaha. I still laugh every time I see these. Needless to say, all Mike's dreams were dashed in a moment, and Grandpa Winget has not seen these pictures although I will be showing him! Ezra said to me later, "Mom, I changed my mind, I don't like tomatoes anymore." I hear you Ezra and you certainly have support from me. Good job trying!
P.S. Excuse the blurry pics. I was laughing too hard to hold the camera still.

Let the good times "roll"

2009-01-15T18:51:00.005-07:00

Chloe, today you got your first round of shots. Oh man, you were NOT HAPPY and you let the whole office know it. My usually angel-like child (seriously, never cries, laughs and giggles, sleeps for 12 hours at night, and eats on a schedule) yeah you, Well, you yelled, and kicked and were genuinely MAD! I know the shots did not feel good, but I think the real problem was your feelings got hurt when the doctor called you fat! In the nicest, most affectionate way possible right? Well Chloe, she's right, you are a chunk!

You be the judge for yourself. Here are your stats from today:

Height: 26 inches (99% for your age)
Weight: 16.5 lbs (99% for your age and only 7.5 lbs lighter than Abbi)
Head Circumference: 88%
Diaper size: 4 (Abbi is only in a 5)
Clothes size: 6-9 months
The doctor laughed and said, "well at least she's on the charts this time". Haha! I love it! I don't know about you, but I love a chunky baby! And Chloe I love you. In honor of your chunks, this is a picture of your "rolls" we call legs! Keep ' em coming girly!P.S. Thank you for being such a joy in our family! We love you more than you will ever know.

Going "GREEN"!

2009-01-12T13:32:00.010-07:00

"Green" as in money...Yup, that's right, those are ALL of our credit cards! And man, o man, does that feel GREAT! So, the Winget family is on a massive campaign to get out of debt. We are done! In 2008 we stopped using out credit cards all together but I didn't want to get rid of them, just in case... Well we didn't use them at all last year. Great right? Well, then why are they still here? As long as I have them around there is a possibility that I will use them again. So, we cut them up.
Why am I telling you this?
A couple of reasons;
1. I want to be accountable to as many people as possible for the lofty goal that we have set for our family.
GET OUT OF DEBT IN 1 YEAR!
That means we get to pay off $15,191 in credit cards.
(wow, I can't believe I just told you all that, but there it is, the ugly truth).
2. We have some friends who went on this get out of debt plan a couple of years ago, and this year got themselves completely out of debt. Before they told us about this I had never even known anyone that wasn't at least "a little bit" in debt. They have inspired us to see the chains debt brings and so we are taking this on! If it weren't for them, we would be far worse than we are right now. So, I am hoping that this will inspire some of you to at least look at your money situation and do something about it! Stop using your credit cards, start using a budget, pay off 1 credit card, eat out one less time this month than you did last month. ANYTHING!

I will be posting something once a month about how we are doing on our plan. So, what is our plan? How the heck are we going to pay that much money off in a year? Here it is, up to where we are.
1. Buy the book "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey (or borrow it from the library) and read it fast! I read it in 2 days and I am not a very fast reader.
2. Start living on a budget. This is the first one Mike and I have ever had. Seriously, I won't lie, it has been a huge change for us to be on such a detailed budget but it is working and we are grateful. Dave Ramsey lays it all out in his book.
3. Put everything extra you have into a savings account until you have $1000. Why not use that money to pay off the debt? Because if you don't have some money set aside, when an emergency comes along you will turn back to your credit cards cause that's all you have.
So, like I said, I want to be accountable. So, if you talk to me on the phone, on the street, or even in church, I challenge you to ask me how we are doing. Keep my honest!

Hormone Overload!

2009-01-06T10:42:00.002-07:00

Literally... yesterday morning I was making breakfast for the family and remembered that I needed to take my birth control, so I grabbed 2 pills (I had forgotten the day before) and put them on my plate. I turned around to make sure the juice was mixed, grabbed some cups, and went to go sit down. When I noticed...NO PILLS!!! Oh Crap! I looked on the floor, on the table, and still no pills. I looked at Abbi, yup you guessed it, she had taken both my pills! Oh NO! I called poison control and they said there was no issue, the pills are low in iron and should have no effect on her... Well, no effect isn't exactly what happened.
Abbi cried and cried ALL day long. All she wanted to do was sleep. She went down for a nap at 9, woke up at 10:30 and then was sobbing at 12 to go back to bed. I held her off till 1 and she slept till 4. She was sobbing again at 6 for another nap. It didn't matter all day what I did, she was just mad. Is this a sign on things to come? Does anyone want a teenager in about 12 years????

I LOVE Christmas music!!!

2008-12-22T10:11:00.002-07:00

That's right, this year is the year I can actually say that I LOVE Christmas music. I have spent all month collecting it from many different places (Mike's library, my sisters, the internet). We have a friend named Jake Kongaika (Cubworld) who has an incredible voice. He is one of those people that has raw musical talent. This year Jake recorded a few songs and sent them out to his friends and family and I thought it would be fun to pass them on to you! Download them and enjoy! Merry Christmas!
PS. He has joined a group call "Sell-A-Band" where he raises money to produce an album, he has a link for it on the download page. If you enjoy his music, click on the link and check it out!

Click here to download the songs!

So shame...

2008-12-13T13:11:00.004-07:00

So the other morning I was busily getting the house picked up and taking care of Chloe when I heard Abbi start whimpering, she got louder and louder sounding more and more disturbed. I walked into the livingroom and found her with a sharpie in her hand. Oh no! I scanned the room for what she had destroyed and then I spotted it....I could not help it, I started to laugh. Then, doing my best to teach her that even though she got a laugh out of me it really was not acceptable I took her to the mirror and showed her what she had done. To my surprise and almost sadness, she was really upset cause she couldn't figure out what was wrong with her face.
She still is traumatized, I showed her the pictures the other day and she turned her head and started to whimper again. She still won't even look at them. I guess it's not a bad thing, at least she won't play with that sharpie again! Well, that's what we are hoping right?

My favorite things!

2008-12-10T10:58:00.003-07:00

So here are my 2 favorite things right now:

1: These amazing videos have been a part of our "kid collection" for about 2 years now but just recently have become a staple in our daily routine (well almost!). Mike was telling me the other day that most people that come into the library looking for kid movies have never heard of these. So, for those of you that have never heard of these, they are FABULOUS. They teach kids of all ages American Sign Language (ASL). Ezra has always like them and has recently putting the words he knows together into sentences. My secret wish (well not anymore) is that we will run into someone that is deaf and he will see that his cool trick is actually useful too. Since we started showing these to Abbi, they are her favorite and not only is she doing the signs but her verbal skills have shot through the roof. The best part about it is that she feels like she is accomplishing something cool when she learns a new sign. You can get to their website here. There dvds are a little bit pricey. Ok, who am I kidding? They are definaetly an investment! But well worth it I feel. So, here's a cheaper, more practical idea. Go to your local library and borrow one. Most libraries have them, anyway, just a fun idea for the little ones.

2: Fun4kids!
My friend Amy Rodriquez (formally Smith) has created a fabulous blog full of activities to do with your kids. Amy majored in Early Childhood Education at BYU and is currently a stay at home mom of 2 beautiful girls. Ok, so here are my favorite things about her blog:

1. She picks a theme each week, during the holidays the activities are geared toward what we are celebrating or the seasons
2. She has a list of books to read to your kids that go along with the theme
3. She has fun songs you can sing and teach your kids
4. She has a fun, inexpensive craft your kids will love.

It is fabulous, you can spread it through out the week or pick one day and just to a few things. The thing that is great about her crafts is there are easy, and they don't require a lot of obscure supplies. I have been using these activities with Ezra and Abbi since Chloe arrived and they have really enjoyed them all. So click here and be amazed at the ease of activites that are educational, easy, and fun for all!

2 months old... Too much lovin' of this little girl (NOT possible!)

2008-12-07T21:29:00.004-07:00

Chloe is officially 2 months old today and she got blessed! It was the perfect day to gather together with family and celebrate this beautiful girl. The blessing was amazing, this is probably one of my favorite things about having a new baby. I love hearing what our Heavenly Father wants to say to our little ones. We had the honor of all of our family members that are close enough being there and that was so fun to have us all at church together. I missed having my parents there and am reminded once again of how many things I took for granted in Hawaii. I know they were there in spirit.
Chloe, what a blessing you are to our family. I can not imagine our family without you. You bring a sweet peace to our family that reminds us of what truly matters. Your smile melts us and your eyes make it very clear that you have a lot of stories to tell. Thank you for being you! We love you!
Here are some pictures from our day:PS. Can you tell that Mike is loving his lens?

1+4+35-6+2-16+4-5+17+3-6-4= Happy Birthday Mikey

2008-12-05T20:58:00.004-07:00

It's his BIRTHDAY! We had so much fun planning Mike's birthday this year. Mike has never been a fan of his birthday. Since we have been married I have not been able to convince him to take time off from work on his birthday so we could do something fun. Well, this year he finally gave in and my goal was to show him that it was worth it. I enrolled a lot of people in my plan and I thank all of you that joined in. We woke him up to omlets (one of his favorite foods)! Well, almost, he had put the ingredients together cause he is so good at it but we got everything ready. Ezra hid his present and we played the hot and cold game for him to find it. We gave him a camera lens he has been asking for since this summer when he saw the pictures Malia Littlefield (Navalta) took with hers. He was VERY VERY happy about that! Later his sister Heather came over for lunch and watched the kids while we went to the Park City outlet stores to find him a nice jacket (another thing he has been asking for for a LONG time). He got a great one that he loves! Right as we got home from that his friends J, Will, and Doug (all friends from high school) showed up and kidnapped him for dinner and a night hike up to a hot springs near by. Needless to say, he deserves all of this and more and in honor of his birthday, here are 29 reasons why:
1. He is the most AMAZING husband EVER!
2. He is also the most AMAZING father EVER!
3. He loves the Lord
4. He has a great sense of humor
5. He works so hard to provide everything we need and want
6. He is a dedicated friend to many
7. He COOKS!
8. He CLEANS!
9. He can engage you in the most delightful conversation about nothing and yet you leave feeling like you were edified.
10. He loves to serve and make others happy
11. He is a lot of fun to watch movies with
12. He will watch and actually enjoy a good chick flick with me
13. He is one of the most naturally talented people in know
14. If you didn't know him well, you would never know #13 cause he is so humble about it
15. He truly loves my side of the family
16. He is a wonderful son and brother
17. He tells it to you like it is, with love and concern
18. He is always truly concerned about how other people are feeling
19. He tells the best stories to Ezra before bedtime
20. He plays the guitar while I fall asleep in bed after a long day
21. He can scrapbook, sing, write music, sew, cook, clean the house and decorate it, take care of the kids, and watch football, man oh man, he can do it all!
22. He still loves to dress up and play superheros
23. He tells the funniest stories of causeing trouble while growing up in Laie
24. Give him 5 minutes and he can make the grumpiest cashier lady laugh
25. One of the first things he does almost every morning is wash the dishes
26. He takes beautiful pictures
27. He loves nature
28. Because we grew up in the same place we can sit a laugh for hours about the "hanabudah days"
29. He has stuck with me all these years and i can't wait for more!
Love, HAPI BURFDAY! We love you!

I love this time of year....

2008-12-02T15:02:00.011-07:00

Thanksgiving has come and gone and since I have been slacking in the blogging department, (how do people do it all?) I am catching up. For thanksgiving we were blessed to be invited to dinner with Mike's side of the family. There were lots of people and lots of good food. We enjoyed ourselves and I was especially grateful that they only asked us to bring a "relish tray". Ok, so maybe this is a Hawaii thing but I had no idea what a relish tray was... for those of you who don't know it was simply a tray of pickles and olives. YAY for easy! I actually felt a little bit guilty but got over that pretty quick.

So with thanksgiving done we are ready to move onto my favorite holiday... CHRISTMAS!! Mike and I have loved Christmas since we started dating. It was shortly after that when I discovered something about myself, Christmas music, most of it, makes me feel sad and lonely, even though I have always had lots of family and friends around. I couldn't figure it out for years because I didn't have a particular memory that I could link to feeling that way. Well this year, I finally figured out why Christmas music does that to me. For the first time in my life I can see how lonely and sad for home my mom has been for years. Hawaii is certainly no Utah, it's beautiful and she loves it there, but it is not Utah. She never complained about being in Hawaii, especially not at Christmas time but I have always been pretty sensitive to her unspoken feelings, and now, I can relate. Don't get me wrong, I love Utah, we are truly enjoying ourselves BUT it's no Hawaii and I still miss home. So, this year I am newly grateful for my mom, who despite missing her home and family terribly, spent time creating the most amazing holiday memories for me and consequently creating a longing in me to be home for the holidays.
So what do you do when you are in charge of creating those same fabulous memories for your own children? You remember how blessed you are to have your own little family and enjoy all of the festivities around you. Luckily we live in Utah where there are TONS of things to do with the kids. On Monday we went to the Provo lighting ceremony which was fun, but LONG!!! The lights and the faces on our kids when they came on there well worth the wait. Tonight we are going to Thanksgiving Point to see the reindeer and Sat we will go to the Christmas parade. I am committed to creating those most amazing Christmas memories with our family and being the kind of mom that I was blessed with.
So here are some of the traditions we have started doing every year:
- Our Advent Calendar (We read a scripture about Christ's life and then the kids get to pull out an ornament to put on the calendar
-Decorate our door by wrapping it with a ribbon and a tag from Santa
-Make a gingerbread house
-Go to see the lights at Thanksgiving Point and Temple Square
-Buy a tree and decorate the Saturday after Thanksgiving
-Pixie a family
-Buy an ornament for each kid (after Christmas sales)
-Add a new Santa and snowman ornament each year

What are some traditions that you have started with your own little family? I would love to hear about it.

Also, here are some funny pics of Chloe, I set up some blinking lights and set her under them. We did this with Ezra and he made the same funny faces but really liked it after a few times. We will see what happens with her. She is such a great baby and we couldn't imagine not having her in our family.

Like father, like son

2008-10-30T10:32:00.003-06:00

The other day we had DADDY APPRECIATION DAY! It was so fun. We drew pictures for Mike and made him breakfast in bed, (didn't give it to him in bed cause I knew Abbi would be climbing all over him) waffles, fratata, juice, the works! The kids were so excited to let dad sleep in and surprise him. I got to talk to the kids about all the amazing things Mike's does for us, it was great. I bought some daisies for Mike (our wedding flower). I put them in a cup and was ready to put them on the tray. Ezra said "Stop mom! I have a great idea!" He gave me our popsicle maker and said he thought the flowers would look great in there. I told him to go for itt and this was his finished product. It was awesome.
I posted about how Mike loves to decorate a couple of months ago and it looks like he has passed that on to his son. I love your love for life and beauty Ez!

Oh my......

2008-10-20T08:54:00.003-06:00

Ok, so after reading all of your Oh so sweet (almost too sweet, haha, I love you all!) comments I feel a little guilty about the post I am about to make but, not guilty enough to not share. So, here we go....
Our schedule last night.....
9:40 pm- came home from Grandma and Grandpa's house (so much fun)
10:15 pm- Kids are finally in bed (2 hours late)
11:00 pm- feed Chloe
11:45 pm- Go to bed
12:15 am - 1:30 am- Burping and changing Chloe trying to figure out why she is screaming. Finally get her to go to sleep on the couch in the living room.
3:00 am- Abbi wakes up SCREAMING, give her binkie and put her back down, 10 min. later, she is screaming again.
5:30 am- STILL sitting up with Abbi, can't figure out what the heck is wrong... then I remember, she would not eat her dinner but she ate TONS of candy cause we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house and they have yummy candy. Mike and I have both been up multiple times
5:45 am- Mike gets up to take over with Abbi and lets me sleep
6:45 am- Feed Chloe
7:00 am- Take over for Mike so he can sleep. Abbi is still WIDE awake
8:00 am- Wake Mike up to go to work
8:15 am- Ezra wakes up (1 hour late)
8:30 am-
SHE SLEEPS!!!!!! And of course just in time for the rest of our lives to start up again. No nap for mommy today :-(
Oh well, there's always tomorrow right?

Simple Abundance....

2008-10-15T12:43:00.008-06:00

So last night as I climbed back into bed after a middle of the night feeding I was so tired I was sure I would fall right back to sleep but instead I found myself (probably because it is the only time when a mom can actually think) reflecting on how abundant my life truly is. I lay there watching Mike sleep and could feel his need for rest as he has been so available and invlolved since Chloe entered our family. What would I do without him? I tried to venture a Walmart trip (only cause we were totally out of diapers for Abbi) and chickened out on the way there. I called him and asked if he would be willing to spend his lunch break at Walmart with us so I did not have to do it alone, without hesitation there he was. Thank you Love, you are my hero!

I thought about our sweet Ezra, so excited about all things Chloe. One of his favorite things to do now is to sit and hold her while he
watches his 2 morning shows. He sings her songs, rubs her tummy and just wants to be near her. She is by far my sleepiest baby and yet put her in Ezra's arms and get him to sing, she is wide awake in seconds and just loves being there. Thank you Ezra for reminding me that none of the other stuff really matters, what matters is spending time letting those aaround you know how much they mean to you.

I see Abbi, so lovingly pass out hugs like they are chocolate, and really they ARE! Chocolate for the soul. Despite being booted out of the baby slot she loves Chloe and has adjusted rather well considering how little she is. The first thing she says when she wakes up in the morning is, "BABY, CHLOE, CHLOE!" She has the greatest sense of humor as she is starting to ask us to watch as she dances or struts around the house with a silly hat on. What a blessing she is. Thank you Abbi for knowing how special babies are and for reminding us to play and enjoy life despite the chaos.

And Chloe, what a calm, peaceful baby she is becoming. After a few sleeplesss nights and a lot of prayer she is falling into a lovely schedule. She is sleeping 4 hours at a time at night and only waking up to feed once. Now that is more like it! She is awake more often than before and can sleep through anything! YIPEE, cause we have a small, loud house!

My mom was able to come up for the baby and we were so excited to have her. She was beyond helpful as we could barely function most mornings we were so tired. Despite protests from Abbi mom was so patient and loving. What a treat it was to have you mom. Thank you for teaching me to love and cherish my children. You always told me that being a mother was the greatest thing about being a woman. I have days when I forget that, thank you for always reminding me through your example. I love you!

My in-laws took the kids the night we had Chloe and I do believe the kids were more excited about being with them than they were about Chloe coming into the world. When we found out we were inducing our conversation with Ezra went something like this:
-Hey Ez, guess what is going to happen tomorrow.
-What?
-Mommy is going to have the baby tomorrow.
-I get to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house and sleep over?
-Yup you do! And we are going to have a little baby tomorrow too!
-I'm so excited I get to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house and sleep over!

What a blessing you have been to us as moved away from all things familiar (meaning Hawaii). Thank you for being so stable for us. Thank you for loving us and our children. Thank you for being you and reminding us not to sweat the small stuff and to take it easy on our kids cause after all, they are just kids right? Love you guys!

Last but not least, all of you! Thank you for your sweet love and your congrats. We have been overwhelmed with love and concern. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for being so aware and loving! We love you all!