HAPPY EASTER!!

What a fun easter since Sammy was right at that age...

you know...

where easter egg hunts are fun..

and the easter bunny is his new best friend! (it was santa just a few short months ago)

Brad and I had a blast doing everything the night before....

and Sammy took over an hour to fall asleep he was so excited.

Here are our Easter results:

the baskets he left behind *wink wink*















Can you see the 3 eggs he has hidden here?















Or here?? hehehehe















Or here?
















Now, THIS would be sammy after he found out he would have to eat breakfast BEFORE he tried to eat any of the candy the easter bunny brought.




















"Breakfast makes me STRONG" he says!




















Then we have my monchichi eating her mac-n-cheese, and chicken nuggets. Mmmmmm

















Drinking her flouride water (since there is none in the tap water here in hawaii)
















All in all we had a great easter. The eggs the kids found were filled with jelly beans, poofies, cheerios, quarters, raisins, and a few smarties. The kids made out like FAT RATS! (Thanks Nana for the wonderful box full of goodies, the McDonalds gift cards, and the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD) Thanks you Aunt Diane for the basket, sidewalk chalk (pics to come later) and oh -so- yummy cookies. Thank you Popo and Papa for the awesome swimshirt for bug, and the jammies for monchichi. Thanks to everyone for all the easter cards and happy easter wishes we recieved! we are so blessed!

Oh, let's not forget I made a REALLY good spiral ham dinner...complete with homemade mashed potatoes (hey, is there any other kind?), the most wonderful gravy, and corn. Popo and Papa joined us for dinner. MMM--mmm-mmmm!

But...We sure DID miss our family and friends back home though! Hope you had a great easter! Hope next year we are celebrating it together!

HAPPY EASTER TO MATTHEW, MASON, ALEXIS, DREW, ALAINA, AVA (ambers), KALEB, AVA(tera's), ABBY, JOSH, and HANNAH!!

P.S More pictures to come!

Easter Bunny Pictures

We went and got them done yesterday. I think they turned out great!! I was so worried they were going to turn out like our other set of Christmas pictures (the ones I DIDNT post ar' ar')....you know...the ones where McKayla is screaming and lunging to get away from Santa and Sammy has this smile pasted on his face (for five minutes since he HAS to have that candy cane and was told "only if he smiled") and a nice black eye. LOL

*rolls her eyes*

Oh yeah.....

MUCH better!





Man, I love these kids! LOL

Side note: I am trying to teach Sammy the true meaning of easter as well as give him the fun of the "easter bunny"......so I am trying to figure out how to explain the difference. We go to church (not as often as we should I'll admit) and he goes to sunday school...but he is at that age that he asks questions about everything.... I'm not sure he would understand. Maybe I am under-estimating him. ..........Any idea's?

Kids say the funniest things!~

I got this video in an email my brother sent me.

I am not sure who this precious little girl is.....but she made me laugh so hard.

It's not so much WHAT she says (ok it is)....but it is her facial expressions as well. It's like she truly believes it!

Kids! :)



Did you get the part about the monsters coming out of the t.v?

Ohhhhhhhhhh the joys that parenting can bring!!!!

Need I say more?

Missing friends and family

I REALLY miss my friends and family back on the mainland.

I mean.....R-E-A-L-L-Y!

I had a dream I was back home with everyone....and we were at Grace Baptist for this BBQ (don't ask me why)...

My mom and Cody were there....Amy, Alan and Josh...my cousin Brooke...My nana and papa...my aunt Sue and uncle Stanley (the moose lover :) ) .....aunt judy, uncle ron...oh the list goes on and on and on.
My cousin Jimmy Lee was even there..and I finally got to meet his wife. (oh she was JUST as sweet as I knew she would be.....we have kept in touch through emails....I feel like I know her already....and I can't wait to actually meet her)

Funny how real dreams can be....

how many emotions they can stir.

*sigh*

I need a hug.

lol

Simply the cutest...

Sammy is learning new words every day. Well, let me correct that.

I am HEARING him use new words every day.

Here is one of the latest, it got a good giggle from me.

It came out of nowhere...I don't think I use the word that much...but ? :)

Another 1st

So, we decided to go bowling this weekend. You see, Sammy has had a fascination with bowling since he was 2 years old, and could play it on his Papa's cell phone.

Well, we decided we would take him to see how much he liked the "real" thing.

He loved it!

All 1 game.

I made the game ending mistake by pointing out the arcade.

end of story.

ah well, it was fun while it lasted....and Brad got lucky.....

if we had played that second game,

I would be getting a 1 hr massage tonight....

courtesty of Mr magic hands himself.

ah well...

there's always next time! :)

Anyway, heres some video we shot this weekend (courtesy of Popo)... it was a "great" weekend (shopping and bowling saturday) as Samuel reminded me after a full day at the waterpark on sunday! :)

*sigh*

I need a vacation! :) hehehehe

oh yeah...here's the video's....

The bowling bug...



And the bowling mon-chichi:



That's all folks! :)

Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake that bootie!

A short video of the bugs dancing! :)





TTFN!~

Family escapes danger after boy hears CO alarm


By Amy L. Ashbridge
Staff Writer


ONEONTA _ Kaleb Prentice needed to get up and get something to drink late Tuesday night.


Kaleb, a second-grader at Riverside Elementary School, woke up at about 11:30 p.m. and heard the family’s carbon-monoxide detector going off.


Star photo by Julie Lewis Kaleb Prentice, 8, holds the carbon-monoxide detector Wednesday as his mother, Tera Aikens, holds Ava, 2, and Abby, 5 months, at the entrance to the basement of the family’s home on Mountainview Avenue in Oneonta.





Not knowing what it was, he woke up his mother, Tera Aikens.


A problem with a pellet stove in the basement led to a carbon-monoxide leak. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can poison people or lead to death.


"It was very high," Aikens said. "It was three times the regular limits."


Kaleb said his mother told him that the beeping sound he heard was probably just the television, but he knew it wasn’t.


"It was weird," said Kaleb, who is 8 years old. "I didn’t know what was going on."


Aikens tried changing the battery. When it kept going off, she called 911 and got the rest of the family _ Kaleb, 2-year-old Ava and 5-month-old Abby _ out of the house on Mountainview Drive and into the family van. Advertisement






Aikens said she and her husband, Robert, have talked to Kaleb about the alarms, and he’s had some safety classes at school. Her husband wasn’t home Tuesday night because he is taking classes outside the area.


Oneonta Fire Capt. Jeffrey Walshe said nobody needed to be taken to the hospital. Firefighters cleaned out the pellet stove and vented the house to get the levels back to normal.


Problems with heating systems have led to more calls for possible carbon-monoxide poisoning, Walshe said.


"The (carbon-monoxide) detectors do their job," he said Wednesday.


Aikens said the carbon-monoxide detector was in the house when the family moved in. The pellet stove has been there for about two years.


"We’ve never had a problem with it," Aikens said.


Bette Aikens, Tera Aikens’ mother-in-law, said she was very proud of Kaleb _ and his mother.


"It’s great that he knew to wake her up," Bette Aikens said. "Some kids would have said, Oh well,’ and gone back to bed."


Tera Aikens took the children to her mother-in-law’s house to sleep Tuesday night.


Firefighters told her it was safe to sleep in the house after they vented it, but she didn’t want to take any risks.


"I was very proud of Tera, that she knew to call the firemen," Bette Aikens said. "They’re great. They’re very good."


Kaleb said the firefighters came with a "big truck."


"It was really cool," he said.


Everyone seems to be OK, Aikens said, and the house is fine. She said she talked to the children’s pediatrician, who told her they didn’t need to come in unless they were acting sleepy or showed other signs of carbon-monoxide poisoning.


------

I am SOOOOOO proud of him!! What a hero~ And if you want to see it in the actual newspaper article...here is the link ...CHECK it OUT!

KALEB THE HERO!!!

So buddy, I think you did an AWESOME job! But then again I always knew you were a hero! After all....that smile of yours can brighten my day ANY DAY! I can only imagine how proud your mom must be of you! And your grandma! (hi aunt cindy) Keep it up bud! WAY TO GO!
*hugs and kisses*

Photo and video editing at onetruemedia.com

Childhood Survey


mark the things that you have:

[x]A mom
[x]A dad
[x] A younger brother
[] A younger sister
[] An older brother
[]An older sister
[x]Grandfather
[x]Grandmother
[x] Cousins
[] Half brothers
[] Half sisters
[] Step Brother
[] Step Sister
[x] Brother in law
[x] Sister in law
[x] Niece
[x] Nephew
[] Play brother
[] Play Sister

1. Are you a child of the 70s, 80s, or 90s? since I was born in the late 70's, I would say 80's.

2. Where were you born? VA

3. What state did you grow up in? Hawaii

4. Did you enjoy your childhood? VERY much!

5.When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew? a teacher or pediatrician

6. What do you want to be now? a great mom, wife, and friend...oh and a teacher if I could go back to school.

7. Name the first memorable vacation you took as a kid? Europe!

8. What was your first best friend's name? Monica Aquirre

9. Are they still your friend? Nope...its been SOO long

10. Can you name all the schools you ever attended? Kipapa Elementry, Uka Elementry, Wheeler Intermediate, Dodds School in Garmisch, Munich American High School, Innsbruck International boarding school, Woodbridge High school, Northern Virginia Community college.

11. Who was your first crush? bobby roach (and I thought my (maiden)last name was bad)

12. Were you closer to your Mom or Dad as a kid? both...but my mom and I are extremely close.

13. Do you have any embarrassing school stories to share?

14. What was the first record, tape, or CD you remember buying? New Kids on the Block (hehe)

15. How old is a good age to have kids? when you are ready!

16. Are you scared of anything? Not seeing my kids grow up!

17. What was your favorite subject in elementary school? english

18. Did you buy school lunch or bring your own? bought...but brought lots of snacks!

19. Broke any bones or had any freaky accidents as a kid? nope..and I climed MANY tree's. DID fracture my ankle playing soccer in high school!

20. Were you a meanie head? nope...me? never! lol

21. Favorite board game of all time? pictionary

22. What was your favorite character? barbie

23.Do you still like that character? yup, cant wait till my daughter starts playing with them!~

24. Did you play house or pretend to be a super hero? I LOVED to play house!

25. Seriously are you still just a kid at heart? I can be...but I love to watch my kids be kids! :)


A little VISUAL DNA....thanks Jess!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Oh, and for those of you that have a myspace page ( I know....I know)
*rolls her eyes*
Here is our address...

http://www.myspace.com/itsmekristiann

If you are "silly" enough to have one as well....Add me! :O)

30 years later.....

Hard to believe everything I have done in the 30 years I have been alive.

Looking back I have to admit... I was one BLESSED "little girl".

My life started in VA, (thanks Mom and Dad lol) where I was the child of 2 military parents.

13 months later...we were living in hawaii, where I had the chance to grow up not one block from the beach in Waianae. We use to walk there with my dad and 2 dogs in the morning on the weekends...just about EVERY weekend. :) We also owned a sailboat we took out ALL the time. I think my brother and I grew up on or in the water! ha ha

I also got to grow up playing soccer, going to the beach, and tailgaiting! What a FUN childhood I had looking back now!

Then when my parents went their own ways....

My dad met a wonderful woman named Jane (we now call her Popo, which is chinese for grandma) and my brother and I were smitten! She was so beautiful and stylish. I wanted to dress just like her! :) lol Well, my dad married this wonderful person, and she is now my stepmom. (and friend! :)..how cool is that!?!) That was almost 20 years ago. I am SO thankful to have her in my life and the kids absolutely ADORE her.

Then in the 7th grade, my mom met a WONDERFUL man ( at her work) she later married. Cody was AWESOME! He took Josh and I in like we had ALWAYS been his kids. We, on the other hand, had to adapt to having a new presence in the house and having to share moms attention with someone else. (not easy when you are as close as my mom and I are) We moved to germany (Cody worked for the government and accepted a position to get us away from here and to experience new things) Seriously, there isnt a word I can think of, that would describe the amount of thanks I have for him....thank you is no where near enough.'

Germay was awesome! We lived in Garmisch (Oberau, really) and it was the most beautiful place I can think of to date. Josh and I rode trains, went to the wellenbach (wave pools), got to experience the TRUE Oktober Fest (they spell it that way)....and travel all throughout Europe to places like Rome,Czechoslovakia, and Italy(to name just a few). I got to go to a boarding school in Innsbruck, Austria which I LOVED! Sure miss those days! :) Hi to Herr Wenko, Nancy, Autumn, and everyone I miss!

In 95, we moved to Virginia (woodbridge, which is about 30 min out of D.C) I had my last year of high school here...hi to Amber! hehehe Met my wonderful husband here in 98', which is about the only good thing I can say about that location...other than the WONDERFUL church I used to go to (and still do when I am back home!) Grace Baptist! Hi Pastor Tim!

Brad and I married in 2001. Samuel came along exactly 10 months later! :) (we thought it would take longer to get pregnant...but boy was I blessed)

In august of 2003, we moved to Pennsylvania where Brad grew up (and had planned on buying the house he grew up in too) We moved in......but it was too hard to make ends meet. SO...

in Dec of 2003 we moved to Hawaii. To an apartment in mililani first, then a condo in downtown. McKayla came along not soon after (in 2005), and here we are today. Happy, healthy, but ready to move back, buy a house WITH A YARD, and "settle in" for a LONG time!

30 years later!

.....................................................................................

As for my birthday...the day was WONDERFUL....Brad came home at noon, I got a 2 hour massage and facial, (WOW!...no one asked me for a THING for 2 whole hours...can ya believe it?) and then we went out for a lovely dinner at Cattle Company.

Thank you Dad and Popo, for the vacuum (yes, now I will stop borrowing yours lol)..thank you Cody for the thoughtful picture, mom for the card and check...

and everyone else for your wonderful birthday wishes and off key singing! :) I TRULY enjoyed my day and you each played a part! MAHALO!

Well, I think I've said enough....it only took me 2 days to write this. hahaha I'm not kidding. :) Lucky we can save drafts and edit! :)

Hope everyone is well... and as far as my NEXT 30 years go....I think Tim McGraw said it best in his song....(thanks lyrics.com )

My Next Thirty Years
(Phil Vassar)

I think I’ll take a moment, celebrate my age
The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it’s time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years
Hey my next thirty years I’m gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I’ve done
Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears
And I’ll do it better in my next thirty years
My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores
Cry a little less, laugh a little more
Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear
Figure out just what I’m doing here
In my next thirty years
Oh my next thirty years, I’m gonna watch my weight
Eat a few more salads and not stay up so late
Drink a little lemonade and not so many beers
Maybe I’ll remember my next thirty years
My next thirty years will be the best years of my life
Raise a little family and hang out with my wife
Spend precious moments with the ones that I hold dear
Make up for lost time here, in my next thirty years
In my next thirty years

Yup....couldn't have said it ANY better!

peace and love ya'all!

UPDATE:

Guests: Darla (Nana) and Auntie Mabyn have left to go back to PA and have arrived safely! We hope that they had a great time and enjoyed seeing Hawaii. For the 2 weeks they were here we were very busy. I think I saw more of the island than I knew exsisted! Now I know a few more spots to revisit and bring future guests! We saw diamond head, makapuu lighthouse, botannical gardens in Koko Head, swap meat, Kailua, Kaneohe, the zoo, North Shore, a luau, Pali lookout, picnic at Magic Island, to name a few. The kids were real troopers and I am so proud of them! NOW: Big Papa (my grandpa), Uncle Rainey, and Uncle Howard are all visiting from N.Y. They are staying down at my dad's, which is nice since it allows the children to get back on their schedule. We are super excited they are here and can't wait to see what the visit brings!

Sammy: Well he is officially done pre-school. His last day was yesterday. They threw a small party for him and he got a lei. I don't think he quite understands he isnt going back. He even told me he HAD to go this morning. Though after I explained he wasn't going he seemed content to stay home with us. He is an active 4 year old! He is really into flipping right now. He flips off the couch (onto the seseme street couch) or on the floor, in the grass or out the door! haha! He likes to help out around the house and is a great big brother. He doesnt let his sister get away with a thing! :) His favorite meal seems to be Corn Dogs, chips, and oranges. He is SOOO affectionate, but can be really shy. i really enjoy watching him grow and can't wait to spend more time with him now that he's home all day again.

McKayla: She is growing like a weed. Trying SOOO hard to talk. Her favorite word is "stuck"...as we think she is part monkey..... she seriously, gets herself into all kinds of situations!! I have had to lift her off, pull her out of, and remove her hand from more things than i can keep track of. LOL She also says Mommy, Papa, Geesh (her own version of George), no (she's really good at that one), yes, more, ohhhhh, ow, oh noooo and uh oh...there are more but I cant think of them right now. She is such a mommies girl. Attached to the hip unless its to go to her Popo or Dad, and even that's picky. She is finally in her own room in her own bed! Still gets up throughout the night on occasion, but we just let her cry it out. oh and This girl can eat! She eats just about anything. Her favorites (to name a few) are fresh strawberries, grapes, fish sticks, and corndogs. She is such a delight and I really enjoy watching her interact and learn new things!

Brad: He is working so hard. He is such a wonderful husband. He is almost done the house in Kailua. It finally sold for 8 million. He is so proud, and he should be. I will try to get some pictures of it soon. Next task is a house in Aina Haina. Not nearly as nice, but SO much easier, and less stress. He was happy to see his mom while she was in town and I think it renewed his hunger to move closer to home. He finally finished remodeling my dad's bathroom as well. What a project that turned out to be. At least it is over. He is such a great father too. Sammy thinks the world of him, and likes to imitate him alot to include having to wear the same color shirts when we go out. I love this man more and more every day.

Me: Whats left to say? I am blessed. :) My family rocks, and I am happy. The only 2 things i would change is I would like to be closer to the rest of the family, and have a house with a huge backyard. I hate the city!

So all in all we are doing great. Sure hope everyone out there is doing well as well. Oh yeah, and a belated birthday shout out to AMBER , ANGI, and DOMINIC!

Pictures galore!~~

We have a ton of pictures from Nana's trip (Brad's mom) and Auntie Mabyn. :) We enjoyed having them and hope that they had a great time and enjoyed all Hawaii has to offer!

Here are just a few of the pic's!~~

"wow...look mommy, and I'm not even blowing it"



"this Barney is great nana, come watch it with me"



Happy Chinese New Year!! Dim Sum anyone? (thanks Popo)



"want some popsicle Kai? I like to share"



"mmmmmmmm"



Us at the luau....we were waiting to go out on a romantic canoe ride!~



Tiki Man bring us some luck! LOL



Diamond Head trip....go sammy go!



Us at the top..we made it!!~~



The reward!



Bubbles anyone? I LOVE these!! I could play ALL day!



Matsumoto's Shave Ice....if you live here or visited YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS!~



Sammy is in heaven!



T.V is on....do I have everyones attention?



"cheese"



"mommy, look I can put my OWN diaper on! I am such a big girl!"



Auntie Mabyn playing at "sharks cove"~



Nana joins in on the fun!~



"hey who is that sexy man in that picture?" hehehe I love my family! We are on the North Shore here....hang ten brah!


Bored yet? hahahaha I had plenty more but I'll spare you! LOL

for now~

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

Miss everyone! (especially Nana, hope she comes back real soon)

Sammy's Preschool Picture!

Can you believe it!? His 1st SCHOOL picture~

(and yes, I AM sending them in the mail as soon as I get the chance!)




awwwwwwww.....I just love this little bug!







In other news:


Brad's mom is visiting us with her friend. :) Sammy and McKayla have really enjoyed getting to know her. :):) Anyway I don't have a lot of time so I'll just post a quick pic....they treated us to a luau. It was a TON of fun. Here is the picture we got! Can we say yummy? lol

Finally Weaned

WARNING: Not a post for men!!!!

seriously...don't say i didn't warn ya

After 15 months.....McKayla is finally weaned.

BUT...

After 2 years...Ol' Aunt Flo paid her visit....

and with her... she brought

Uncle killer cramps

and twin cousin's...good ol' bloat and ol' water retention.

We can't forget the baby....known as mood swings. (you talkin' to me? no way...not sweet ol' me) you forget about her until she rears her head...and then it's time to run and duck....and not in that order. (lol....*blushes*)

So.....Not sure how long she will visit since it's been 2 years....but

who said breastfeeding didnt have its benefits?

ummmm...how long is it ok to breastfeed? till they are in high school? LMAO!

~~~Happy Valentines Day~~~

What a day...what a day!

We were SO lucky that we got to take Sammy to his first football game!!

the cool thing...it's the pro-bowl

And the toppers...it's in Hawaii.

We won't be living here for much longer, so it's SOOOO awesome that we got to do this. It was quite a surprise I must say....

Brad came home yesterday and went online to price the tickets.

I looked over his shoulder ....my eyes bulged..

and I walked quickly away.

no way jose.

Well, about an hour and a half later, my dad gets a call from a buddy of his.

he has 3 tickets, the mayor didnt want to go, did he want them?

ummm.... hmm...do I really need to think about this?

my dad actually had NO idea Brad wanted to go.

He asks me to ask Brad, and I look at him dumbfounded like "are you serious?"

"we'll take them!"

Brad is estatic. He gets the tickets and then calls just about everyone he can think of to tell them to "guess what he has in his hands"

*shakes her head*

The man fell asleep with a huge grin on his face....and it wasnt from me! LOL

Anyway....we just got back.

And it was SOOOOO much fun!!!!!!

We left McKayla with Popo and Papa (HUGE THANKS guys!!)

and took Sammy for some much needed 2 on 1 time!

He absolutely LOVED it. He did not want to leave when we decided to cut it short at half time. He said (cross that...whined would be more accurate) "but I dont want to leave mom, I want to stay and watch the football"

Hello....do I sense a mini Brad in the making?!?!?!

I think his favorite part was the wave. It went around 4 times in a row and he tripped out.

the fireworks were also a hit...as was the crowds reaction to every fumble,touchdown, kick off and good catch! He loved the YAYS...and AHHHHHH's...and COME ON's.

All in all we had so much fun with him.

Hot Dog: $4.50
Dippin' Dots ice cream: $4.00
Malasada: $1.00
Bottled water: $3.50
Bus tickets:$10.00
Beer: $7.50/ea
Sammy's excitment and me being there to see it: 100% PRICELESS!!!!

Enjoy the pic's!

woot woot!~ We arrive!

Sammy starts right off with a malasada...mmmm...

"dad I'm still hungry how 'bout a dog?"

The game's about to start!

One of the many "weird" fans!

Hawaii's "American Idol"...Jasmine Trias singing the national anthem..

"Yeah Boyyyyyyyyy......Steeler's represent!

"Holla" it's the Steeler's defensive lineman Hampton, safety Polamalu, running back Parker, and another steeler man..I cant remember. lol We were pretty close to the field!

Daddy is SOOO excited!

Coin Toss?

Some hawaiian entertainment before the game officially begins!~

This is Sammy's "please can we stay and watch the game mom"

Off on the adventure of finding a bus (but thats a WHOLE 'nother story~!)

How cool of a day! Thanks again Popo and Papa for everything!

Happy 6th Birthday Matthew!!



I can't believe my little nephew is 6.

It seems like yesterday that I was called at work at about 8:30 in the morning saying my sister in law was in labor and had been admitted to Potomac hospital. I was there in 5 minutes. (having no children of my own at this time) and EXCITED.

My 1st birth experience....a real live newborn.....oh how fun.


Tell that to my sister in law kirsty.

She was NOT happy.
at all.
nope.
you wanted to duck for cover.

And of course naive, innocent me...."just breathe kirsty...it will pass" smiling the whole time and patting her hand....

if looks could kill

then..

the epidural.

She is back....

my sweet sister is back.


Then comes the time to push.

I didnt want to intrude so I was going to slip out.
wrong.

She was an angel and let me be there (actually I'm not sure she had a choice as the nurse told me to "grab her leg and hold it back"). but I thank her none the less.

Oh what an experience. One I couldnt have imagined in a MILLION years!

I held her leg, while her mom had the other one, and my brother had his head between his legs sitting down (no, he doesn't do well with hospitals and blood, and iv's..and...well you get the picture).


Out came Matthew.

the most beautiful baby boy in the world.

HAPPY BIRTHING DAY TO Kirsty....

and a



To MATTHEW!! I love you little man! I sure miss you!

Happy 1 year birthday to DREW!!!




Just wanted to wish my cousin Jimmy, his wonderful wife Becca , and their GORGEOUS 1 year old little man Drew a HAPPY 1st!!



To many, many , many more fun birthday's!! I enjoy seeing you grow in the pictures mommy posts of you! I sure can't wait to see how you celebrated your 1st!

Happy Birthday to you!

Sucess in steps

McKayla's transition to the crib is going much better than expected.

She is definetly one for routines.

As long as there is one....she's good to go.

At first it was...mommy and Kayla go into the back room around 7:45 and I would lay down in our bed with her and nurse her to sleep (most nights taking up to 45 min). And then she would sleep in our bed waking up every hour and a half to 2 hours crying to nurse again.....repeat throughout night. *shakes her head*

Now...

around 7:30 I pick her up and sit with her to nurse (trying to break this part of it...but it's kinda her cue that its bedtime) out in the living room. Then when she is done, I pick her up (at this point she is already waving bye-bye to daddy) and tell her its time for bed. Time to say nite-nite to daddy and sammy. She does, blowing her sweet kisses along the way. Halfway down the hall I start singing (in my OH SO wonderful voice *smirks*) "twinkle twinkle little star". We walk into the back bedroom since the crib is in our room...shut the curtains, turn on the humidifier (for noise..I need to get something different)...all the while singing (she is humming with her head against my shoulder...and it feels like she is clinging to me getting all the snuggle time she can while she can) She loves her back to be rubbed...so I'll finish the song standing by her crib rubbing her back. I'll lay her down with George (the monkey), a blanket, and her body pillow IN the crib. And now she sleeps until between 3-5. WHICH Is MAJOR steps for us! :)

Can I get an AMEN?!?

Zippy's Chili For sale!!~

Yay...it's my 1st fundraiser for the school!!! (I know I will rue those words one day)

Sammy's preschool has asked the parents to sell chili tickets to a local restraunt.

Each parent is asked to sell 25.

They are $6/pc ....but you get 1 and a 1/2 pounds of the most DELICIOUS (holla) chili on the island! So in support of KCAA Preschools of Hawaii I am officially one of those annoying parents that if I see you in the hallway or on the elevator chances are you'll hear from me...

"Hi, do you like chili? and would you like to support my son's preschool?"

A lulluby.....

Found this (thanks to a friends blog), and laughed my butt off!~ I wonder if you'll find it as amusing as I did.
This guy is hilarious. His name is Stephen Lynch. If you like this....go to YouTube, and he has a lot more FUNNY ones!



I also like his "superhero" song.

Enjoy!~~ TTFN~

Glad we can come back and edit....I ran across this (in all my free time...right Amber? lol)...and wondered why I hadn't heard of it before. This guy is going to change his name to whatever the highest bidder decides. It is already up to like $31,000.

Hmmmm...this gives me and idea....

:o) :o) ;o)

Update: Had to change the song version since I guess whoever downloaded it to YouTube did a copyright infringment, Here is the song anyway, minus the great faces he makes!~ I still enjoy it!

TRUE BLESSINGS!

McKayla

I love how she waves and blows kisses to EVERYONE she meets. She charms even the grumpiest of people. I love how she pats my back when I pick her up, as she lays her head on my shoulder. I love how she gives "high fives" whenever she realizes she has done something good. (she has learned to carry her diaper to the trash and throw it away...of course this comes with finding toys, appliances, and book in there as well! LOL)
I love how when Sammy gets into trouble and has to put his nose on the wall, he will be crying and she will walk up behind him and kiss his back. And then stand beside her brother and put her little nose on the wall, in her innocence not realizing he is in trouble. Just wanting to make him feel better. (and 1/2 the time it is for taking her toys). I hope she continues to be so compassionate. I love how she will be sleeping SOUNDLY in the car, but as soon as you turn the engine off she pops up like "what did I miss...let's go!" EVERYTIME! I love how she shakes her head "yes" and "no" to questions....she looks sooooo cute.



Sammy

I love how he watches out for her EVERY day as we walk to the car....trying to grab her hand, and telling her firmly she has to wait for him. He is so protective of her, I hope he never loses this. I love how he asks for a specific number of kisses each night. "Mommy...lets do 6 kisses...ready.." and then tries to count as his lips smash against mine however many times he chose that time. He is such an affectionate little boy. I pray he never gets too embarrassed to give his o'l mom a hug or kiss. I love how he tells me he has to stay home with daddy "cause he's sick, and doesn't feel good" while I go shopping. (something he would NEVER usually miss) I love how when McKayla wakes up from a nap and is grumpy, Sammy will do whatever he can..including trying to hand her whatever he was playing with at the time....just to make her happy. He hates to see her sad. or anyone for that matter. I pray he always thinks of others.

If you have pearls....

I HIGHLY recommend putting them on while you do your housework! *grins*''

no, I'm not drinking (as a matter of fact I am not a drinker AT all! lol)

I have just decided, that since I don't get many occasions to wear them, Why not?

They are just hanging in my bathroom....begging to be let off the "hook" ...(get it? I have them on a hook ....ha ha ha...*shakes her head*)

And honestly

McKayla has worn them more times than I have.

She thinks they are hers.

As a matter of fact....

as soon as I put them on (necklace and bracelet)...

she started grunting and pointing giving me the "stink eye"..

when she realized I wasnt parting with them (hey...I felt "pretty"....*laughs out loud*)

She shook her fist at me (yes, she actually does this! where she got it??....I have NO clue!) and stomped off to get her "baby" (a cabbage patch doll)

Well...I continued to clean.

I'm telling you.

It put a "hop" in my "skip" or a "jump" in my "step.....

oh however that saying goes. *rolls her eyes*

Everytime I bent down to get a dish out of the dishwasher to put away, my pearls would brush up against me, and I would just feel "pretty" all over again!

It didnt even feel like I was cleaning!

goofy I know!~

Soooooooooooooo.......

if YOU have anything that you dont get to wear often that makes you feel good....


I HIGHLY recommend doing your housework in them! (maybe not the dirty, dirty stuff....but the simple picking up and light dusting.)

You may be surprised!~



Note to self: Wear pearls more often!! (Thanks Cody!~)

One small step for most....~

One GIANT miracle for Mommy!!~~ (right Becca? ...oh wait...read on..you'll see what I mean, and I'm sure after all the emails back and forth and what not, you may agree!)

Yay!~!!~~!!~~!!~!~!~!~!

**does the cabbage patch, and the happy dance running man**

Can you tell how excited I am??

I am literally grinning from ear to ear .

My chest is puffed out (in the proud mommy way, of course lol)

I just keep shaking my head wondering why it took me so darn long.

Are you curious yet?

Well.....

wait no longer...

because...

McKayla slept in her crib!!!!!!!

I know...I know *shakes her head*

It is something that is LONG overdue...her being 14 months and all.

And most would say I am a "horrible" mommy for even getting her into the habit of sleeping with me to begin with. Poo to you! lol I don't regret AT ALL all the wonderful snuggles I got for the past year from her, the small sighs, her hand on my neck, or as she pats my back as she likes me to do for her. Those memories I'll cherish!

I WON'T miss the kicks in the stomach waking me up suddenly, or the whimper every 2 hours so she could nurse. ah well.

the good with the bad they say!~

Anyway..

We bought a bunkbed, and once we get her used to the crib we will move her to the bottom bunk (sammy has the top claimed already lol)

but whoa whoa whoa... hold up...I'm getting WAY ahead of myself here.

After all it has only been 2 days.

The night before last I was exhausted from my hospital trip and needing some time to just be.

So I nursed her, and then put her in the crib to fall asleep on her own!

She cried for about 5 minutes....

and then

WELLA

silence.

blessed silence.

Brad must have asked me a million times if I wanted to go check on her.....and I told him...if he was SO concerned to get his butt up and check on her himself! *rolls her eyes*

Of course he didn't.

So after about 15 minutes of silence I got up and peeked in the room.

She was SOUND ASLEEP!

***insert harps playing and angels singing****

A true miracle in the making. (hey, this is from a girl that used to require me and my boob for about 45 min EACH night to put her to sleep...and then she would wake up an hour later to nurse BACK to sleep again (in my bed)...and then 2 hours later...and so on....so...honey...miracle it IS!)

Plus the crib was used for storage (laundry etc...hehehehe)

So I would FINALLY have some space AND be able to sleep in some other position, other than on my side (OUCH) with my boob stuck in her mouth. (sorry men for that.. :^O )

Well......kinda...now daddy could move back in. (hahahaha)...

of course HE doesnt think it's funny.

He has been complaining about having to sleep out in the living room. (we move a full size mattress in and out every morning and night so he can sleep in peace since McKayla USED to get up every 2 hours to nurse.) And I don't blame him!

*fingers crossed*

Hopefully.... we have started a pattern.

Tonight I stuck her in there after her bath and telling her it was time for "night-night" and singing "Twinkle twinkle little star" I firmly put her in the crib, said I love you and walked out shutting the door.

She cried for about 10 minutes this time. But the results were the same.

AND

she seems to sleep longer by herself, and NOT waking up to nurse. (amen!)

So....my friends.

the time to wean has come upon us.

I think it is harder on me. My little girl is growing up SO fast!

*sniffle sniffle*

but.....

I SURE AM PROUD!

How do you put your little ones to sleep at night? singing? just putting them in there? reading? Any advice would be appreciated!!~~~

TTFN!~

Update: We are on day 3...and I again put her in the crib after a bath and a song. She cried for about 10 min again and was out. She did get up a few times, but put herself back to sleep!!!!!!! Around 3 she really wanted to nurse so I went ahead and got her out, did it and we both fell asleep before I could move her back. But PROGRESS is being made and DARN it feels good!~

When it rains.....it pours!~

Isn't that how the saying goes? hehehe.

Well...I just got out of the hospital yesterday after having to go in for difficulty breathing, sore throat, chest pains, neck and back pains, and sinus trouble...(I'm a mess I know!)

Turns out I had walking pneumonia.

nice.

Sammy is STILL coughing.

McKayla was up all night with this croupy cough and hacking.

and poor, poor Brad.

he tried to sleep.

really he did.

We even moved a bed out into the living room so he could be out of the "germs" of the kids and I.

sleep?

sleep?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..ha...ha.....hiccup.

*sigh*

No really...

After about 2:30 in the morning things settled down and we ALL got some much needed rest.

And things are looking better today.

I was So blessed to have Popo and Papa here to watch the kids while I was out of commision...and they have been a blessing by taking time off of work to be there.

BIG MAHALO TO YOU GUYS! THANKS!~ *hugs*

Anyway...I better get off, as the kids require my attention. Sammy wants me to watch him do a somersault off the couch onto this seseme street couch that the kids have.

do I sense another ER visit in the making?

:o)

Love and Blessings to all! xoxo

105.2

That was McKayla's temperature yesterday!

I thought you died at that temp.

Apparently not...thank God!

It started friday night with a slight fever of 101.5. She had been pretty cranky all day, so I knew she was either teething or coming down with something.

Then Sat, we went to the commissary to do our shopping (spent $220...holy moly!) Made homemade beef stew in the crock pot and homemade bread in the bread maker! (both turned out SOOO yummy!) Spent the day around the house...laying low so the kids could get better (Sammy has been battling a cough from before Christmas).

On Sun (yest) we decided to do pretty much the same thing. Low key day. But as I went to lay with McKayla for our afternoon nap, she was ON FIRE.

Brad got her thermometer and I took her temp. Sure enough it ws 104.6 . I waited about a half hour, to see if the tylenol helped or if it went up.

It went up.

It was now 105.2

*enter slight panic mode here*

I called Kaiser Advice line. They told me to take her in to Urgent Care. She was soooo hot, and she was panting, like she couldn't get a breath in.

Brad started running around (almost like when I went into labor) and getting all worried and worked up.

We arrived at Urgent care. I knew that there would be nothing really they could do for her....which is one of the reasons I waited to take her in.

The POOR THING!

They tortured her.

1st with an oxegyn reading machine (they tape this tab thingy to your toe and it monitors your heart rate and oxegyn level) which she HATED. But the nurse got a kick out of her answering her back. She was so tickled. She asked Kayla...you dont like this? and Kayla would shake her head "no". Then she would ask her if she wanted it off her toe. Kayla would shake her head "yes". She said "you dont like it do you?" and Kayla again shook her head "no". All while screaming and trying to shake it off.

Next they put us in the room. The dr comes in, wants her undressed.......hello? It is SOOO cold in there and she is burning up.....how smart is that?

But I had to do it. SO they weighed her. 21 Lbs.

Check her ears...can't see anything. Too much crud, and too small ear drums.

The Dr. is concerned since all she has is a HIGH fever, and no other symptoms. He orders chest x-rays.

Have I mentioned how much I HATE these things. You would think in this day and age they would have a better way for doing these. For those of you LUCKY enough to have avoided the experience....let me enlighten you. They have the baby put their legs through this saddle looking thing. Then you have to stand there and pin their arms up against their head so the nurse/dr can wrap these 2 plastic sides around her middle...locking her into place. Then you have to stand there (holding their hands up) while the dr/nurse takes their time getting the slide ready ...and then taking the picture. **Meanwhile your child is screaming bloody murder and looking at you with such despair in their eyes wondering why you are standing there allowing this. (talk about pure torture for ME) **

Well, when they couldn't get a good side shot and wanted to put her in it again...I had had enough. I went and got Brad. Totally thinking I could sneak out and take a 5 minute breather (she had been screaming for about 45 min at this point).

WRONG.

Brad wouldn't let me leave. When I mentioned stepping out...he looked all panicked and said "but baby you cant leave her...she needs to see you".

damn.

So 20 minutes later and a VERY upset McKayla, Mommy, and Daddy...we got them done right.

only to show nothing.

Then the Dr. decided he wants to clean her ears.

huh?

This child has been through enough.

So I pin her down while they squirt water into her ears to rinse them out. (and rule out an ear infection)

McKayla is still screaming at this point. She is PISSED.

The dr says thats better than lethargic.

yeah right.....I wanted to punch him.

Next they did a mouth swab...to rull out flu.

Nope. not the flu.

Well, he says, we can run a catheter to get a urine sample to see if she has a bladder or urinary tract infection. But that normally has other symptoms like vomiting or less urine in the diaper. None of which she has had up to this point.

I decline

Hasnt the child been through enough?

Well, he says again, there is nothing more we can do.

They give her a tylenol suppository **poor thing**, and tell me I can go home but to come back if it isnt better by tommorow (today).

I am livid.

I KNOW it's not his fault, and in all fairness he DID try and find out what was wrong...but,,,,,

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

I KNEW this would happen and I could have prevented 3 hours of stress on her AND on us.

But like Brad pointed out....isnt it better that they DIDNT find anything wrong?

well, yes.....but geesh!~

Anyway...she is doing better today. Still running a fever. (though its only gotten as high as 102 today)...Still cranky. But at least she seems to be o.k

SO......anyway....all mommies out there....DON'T Panic if you get a temp that high.....but DO take them in. They said anything over 105 needs to be evaluated. Better safe than sorry.

seriously....

I always thought you would be dead...or at the very least in a coma.

Learn something new every day!~

HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY!~

Update: McKayla developed some kind of splotches all over her neck and part of the way up her face. So I called Kaiser and spoke with Dr. Meyers (a.k.a Ben Stein)...because her temp had also gone up at this point to 103.8. I explained everything to him (about the Urgent care visit and what the dr. there had said) ...and then I explained what she had developed since then. He immedietly said it may be a common childhood illness called rosolio (not sure if thats the rigth spelling). He went on to explain that ALL children get it before they are 2, and it is most noticable (but not always) by a high unexplained fever,and splotches on face and neck. HELLO! Thats EXACTLY what it seemed she had! *whew* He said it wasn't serious at all, and it would go away on it's own. However if she changed any of her 3 A's (appetite, attitude, and awareness) then I should bring her in to the Urgent care. He would be working there tonight. SO....hopefully it is all she has and it will go away soon. I'll keep you updated.

Here is a pic of my "bad" mama!!

*thanks Nana for the Steeler tattoo's!*

What a ham...what a ham indeed. This is just one of the poser pictures she did for me. I'll be back on to post them soon!

Hope everyone had a GREAT NEW YEAR....and PLEASE keep in touch!

Leave a comment if you can...I often wonder who jumps on to check in on us!~ You can leave a comment under anonymous, and then put your name at the bottom. Of course if you haven't the time..I understand! Peace, Love, and Happiness all!~~

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Just some video's of the kids!

1st we have a father and son duet. *sigh*...giggle ..giggle..snort. It really is great blackmail material!




Then we have miss McKayla...haming it up FOR SURE! I love this girl!~



Hope ya'all had a great weekend! We went to the waterpark to use our passes for the 1st time. butit was quite cloudy and a little too cold, so we were only there for about an hour and 20 min. It was A LOT of fun though! Popo and Papa were kind enough to watch Kayla so I got to ride the rides! fun fun!

Other than that it was a mellow weekend! I like those! :O)

NO MORE TOYS!

It is amazing how much toys you can collect. We have everything. And if that breaks...don't worry we probably have double. LOL

I have filled 3 massive black bags full of them.

.....Tumble time Tigger, computer games, remote control cars, books, baby toys.....

the list goes on. I wish there was an orphanage or somewhere I could take them that would REALLY like them.

I mean Goodwill is fine and all, and I HAVE taken lots of stuff there before...but I think they charge too much for what people give them, for other people that may need them. (was that confusing?)

I have taken all my maternity stuff to a catholic charity that I knew housed homeless pregnant woman, and it had them do chores and good deeds to earn coupons to "buy" stuff people donated. I thought that was really neat. Though these are mostly toys and a few shirts and shorts Sammy has outgrown. I want to give them to kids that don't have toys. Any idea's?

Well, I better get back to the chore....I can't believe how long it is taking me! Of course having 2 MONSTERS ooohing and aaaahing over toys they had NEVER paid attention to before and mixing my piles up was no help!~ LOL Though it was fun! And Sammy got a kick out of trying to give away all his toys (seriously!) to the kids that are "sad cause they dont have any." He wanted to leave and go drop them off as soon as we packed the 1st bag. And he hasnt stopped asking me to leave ever since!! He keeps saying "Come on mom, can we go give these toys to the kids now...they are sad.. hurry" or "Is it time yet to go mom? The kids are waiting for us" It is nice to know he is so worried about other people! I love seeing these traits come out in him!

*sigh*

I am the luckiest mom in the world! (though I am SURE a bunch of you beg to differ! LOL :o))

P.S. I am doing much better since the previous post. Nothing has changed but I have had my cry, and it's a new day. :o) So thank you ALL for your touching emails and comments letting me know I am not the only one in this world that feels like this!~

Woe is me...as my mom used to say! The pity party is OVER! :o) haha (for now)

Of all the things I miss.....

I miss my mind the most! ar ar

no, seriously.

I think I lost it right around the middle of Dec.

I need a break.

away.

away from everything.

I am at that point where if I don't get some time to myself (and I mean MORE than 1 or 2 hours..which is normally spent cleaning.) I am going to lose it.

I clean.

it gets dirty 5 minutes later.

I cook.

then I have more to clean.

And when my dear husband is kind enough to give me that hour alone in the tub for a good soaking, and the luxury of reading a book (my fav PAST time)....

it is normally interuppted with the escape artist Sammy (who comes when dad's attention is otherwise diverted with his sister...*oh oh...do I sense a mini-me in progress?* I am in trouble! ) who comes knocking (as loud as he can, scaring the beegees out of me and causing me to almost drop my book)

"MOM.....MOM....Can I come in?" (followed by another insistent rapping) *rolls her eyes*

"No Sammy...Mommy is busy"

"Whatcha doing mom? Can I come in?"

"No sammy...please leave mommy alone, I'll be out soon and we'll play"

*his bat ears pick up the sound of water*

"Are you taking a bath mom? huh? Can I take a bath with you pleeeeeeeaaassee" *knob jingles frantically*

*enter brad...who realizes Sammy is missing*

Brad: "sammy leave mommy alone,,,come out here and play"

Sammy: "nooooo. I wanna take a bath with mommy...MOMMYYYYYY..PLEASE can I take a bath with youuuu?"

*enter struggle between father and son...and then a bunch of bribing*

"wanna some crackers Sam?"

"NO"

"want to go to the park?"

"NO"

"want a cookie?"

"NO"

"want to watch mickey mouse clubhouse?"

"can I have a popsicle too?"

"ok"

*voice trails off* " I want a moon one...and can i watch the one with goofy sick? it makes........"

*sigh*

Oh...it doesn't end there. But I'll spare you the baby crying, and Brad throwing his hands up in the air saying "I guess they just want you babe...what do you want me to do?"

SO....

Sorry I got off on a tangent there......

no, but seriously....

I wish I had someone that understood.

DH doesn't.

My dad (papa) just laughs and says i should have 4 more.

Jane (popo) bless her heart, DOES take them for me (like last night..she was even kind enough to make them dinner...so Brad and I had 45 min to ourselves) but I know she is tired after a long day and doesnt want to try and manage 2 kids...and like i said I spent that MAKING us dinner...so there really was no "time".

I KNOW I chose to be a stay at home mom. I wouldn't CHANGE a thing....even if I COULD be driving a mercedes (as my dad likes to point out) We have to make sacrifices, and are happy to do so.

It's a full time job.

no sick leave...let alone a sick DAY

no vacation

No breaks

No one telling you what a good job you are doing (.....or not, for that matter......no wait...i have my dad for that)

I am just tired.

physically. mentally.

But who hasnt been there that has kids right?

*sigh*

stick a fork in me ya'all

cause I'm DONE!~~

Goodbye 2006....Hello 2007!!

*clink clink*

To a wonderful year full of love, laughter, family, friends, blessings, trials and growth! To 2 wonderful kids that show me the meaning of UNCONDITIONAL love every single day. To 3 set's of parents, that even though we may not be as close as we would like...you are in our hearts always! To the friends that have been there for all the ups and downs! To many more years full of LIFE!

*clink clink*