Six More Sleeps......

Til Santa comes.  My kids can hardly contain themselves.

This month, like the others, has completely flown by.  So much has happened.  First off, for those that dont know, I am PREGNANT.  Again.  Due in June with our fourth and final baby.  The kids are so thrilled, especially Tevita who insists that we are having a boy.  No questions asked.  He is 100% confident that Heavenly Father wants him to have a boy.  His words, not mine.  But I sure hope he's right.  I will let you all know.

Thanksgiving was a blast with my family in town.  We played cards and Ticket to Ride for about two weeks straight.  For those of you who have never played that game, it comes highly recommended from the Duffin Family.  My mom spoiled us rotten with her cooking, cleaning, and babysitting.  She is just so cheery about it all and does not ever complain.  I love when Dad comes to visit cause there is always something about my house that drives him crazy that is broken.  This trip it was the lack of any light in my kitchen.  He went to the store, picked out a light and installed it right above my kitchen table.  Thanks Dad.  It made it so much easier to kick all your butts in cards!

My husband has been working like crazy.  I swear he sleeps like three or four hours and is right back out the door for work.  Lately he gets home after I am asleep and gone before I wake up.  I am so proud of him for all his hard work, but am totally ready for his boys to come back and help with the company for a bit!  Hurry home boys!

Today is December 19th.  I cannot believe that we are seriously only six sleeps away  from Santa Claus.  A few years ago I bought an advent calendar from Pottery Barn, with pockets for every day of the month.  It has been SO MUCH FUN to see my kids bounce out of bed in the dark wee hours just to see what the elves left them.  There is always a treat accompanied by a note.  Whoever is up first will bring me the note with a flashlight so I can read it to them.  Tevita even told me he needed an alarm clock so he could get up to check the pocket. 

Other than watching the joy this calendar brings, I have been in a serious bah-humbug mood that I have not been able to snap out of.  Not grumpy about the holidays, but just completely neutral to them this year.  If it was not for mom I am not sure if we even would have decorated cookies.  I sure hope I snap out of it by next year cause I usually really LOVE this time of year.  We have another little grinch around here named Shalye who pushes our christmas tree over at least once a day while yelling about christmas being finished at the top of her lungs.  She will climb up on the fireplace and throw all the stockings on the floor.  Then she will tear down the garland from the fireplace.  She will climb down, kick the fake firelogs then cross her arms, let out an "Umph" with a look of sheer satisfaction beaming across her face.

This year I tried shopping and decided it was such a waste of time.  I would just walk in and out of stores aimlessly shopping just to buy the kids presents that they don't need.   Since I have no desire to shop, and my kids do not need a thing, I have decided to suprise them with a trip to Disneyland for Christmas, and just make memories instead.   Ssssshhhhhhhh, it is a SUPRISE!   Thanks to my wonderful mother again who is going to meet us there and help make it possible, since my poor mans gotta stay home and work.  And thanks to Hawaiian Airlines for having some serious cheap airfare last minute.

So much to do before we go.  Wishing you all days that are merry and bright! 

Life as Usual

I dont know why I wait for something BIG to happen in order to blog about it.  Cause not much big and exciting is happening around here.  Most days are usually the same old grind.  Wake up late, rush the kids out the door (hopefully brushing hair, teeth and eating breakfast.....but not always), come home, clean house, do bills, watch Fox news while I fold laundry, go to work, pick up kids from school, fight for an hour about homework, soccer practice, dinner, baths, bed.  And of course all the little things that go in between.
But today was different.  Today I was reminded about the little things and just how important they are.  I don't know why it hit so hard today, but it did.  I was sitting at the beach bundled up in the towles cause I was freezing.  As I sat back and  watched my kids I was so overwhelmingly grateful for them.  I was just in awe as I watched them truly ENJOYING one another.  So very much.  There was so much love.  Just me and the kids and a setting sun.  Nobody else was there.  It was peaceful.  It was magical.  It was a moment of joy, pride, gratitude and so much love.  I am so grateful for kids who really love eachother, who protect eachother, and who completely enjoy eachother.  Who can build sandcastles together and make sand angels, can splash in the waves and dig tunnels while laughing their little hearts out.  That is absolutely what it is all about.

Birthday Wishes to my Princess

My Dearest Malia-

You are magic.

You are a bundle of quirks and giggles and brains.

You get under my skin like no other, so fickle and exact.  And so, so persistent.  

(Grandma says it drives me crazy cause we are so the same)

But then you giggle again, or cuddle up with those huge brown eyes and tell me that you love me.  Or sometimes you just bark.... and I know what that means.

I wish you all the love and happiness this year!!!  

You truly are a princess.

Love, Mom

Always laughing....

As much as Tevita can drive-me-crazy, he sure can make me laugh.  Loud.  We have had a few good conversations lately.  This one was walking out of church last week.

Tevita:  Mom, did you know that Jesus and Santa Claus are brothers?
Me:  (laughing out loud)  No they are not.
Tevita:  Yes they are.  I am a really smart boy.
Me:  Ok Tevita, why do you think that?
Tevita:  (very confident)  Cause they have the same beard!


And last night I was trying to talk sternly to Tevita about how I needed him to listen more and blah, blah blah.  I was totally serious and pretty upset at him.....and what does he do???  He gets a real pouty look on his face and starts playing an imaginary violin!  What the heck?  How does he know this stuff?  I cracked up, and he got away with no spankings that night.

Back to School and so much more.......

Oh my gosh, where did the summer go?  It went so fast, and I am a tad bit sad that my house is so quiet.  Tevita started school last Monday.  He is in 1st grade and his teacher is Ms. Elkington.  Aside from a quick moment of panic on his face, followed by a tough face while fighting back tears, he jumped right in.  His teacher is amazing and three times now I have had to wait for Vita to finish the book or painting he was working on before we go.  I am so proud of him.  It seems all the fear and worries of last year are gone and he is beaming with confidence and excitement.  Today was actually the FIRST day that he walked to school all by himself.  He was tinkering around in his underwear as usual, me begging him to get dressed for school when he saw Jordan and Jason walking to school.  He literally jumped up, brushed teeth, dressed, and tied up his hair and was out the door in less than two minutes. As proud of him as I was, I was still totally sad.  He is big, and so completely independent.   I adore him.

And Malia........she has been begging to go school for a YEAR now.  I get the hugest smile on my face when I think of her and school because she absolutely loves to learn.  The day before school started we had a mommy-daugher-date and went shopping.  She is seriously the best dressed kid in her class.  Shopping with her was so fun cause it really was that first step from baby girl to big school girl.  She is rocking the skinny jeans, ballet flats, pink chuck taylors, leggings.....I just cant get enough of her!  When I went to drop her off on her first day she just put her backpack on and headed for class.  Shalye and I were left in the dust.  She was so ecstatic that her big day had finally arrived.  She is loving school!!

Schools OUT!!!

I love summer!  We have had so much fun already and it has only been two weeks.  I decided not to put Tevita into Summer Fun cause I wanted him all to myself.  I love the late nights, lazy days, every day at the beach, movies, family and friends. 

Right after Tevitas Kindergarten Graduation we went  to see Shrek 4.  The kids loved it, and Tame and I enjoyed it too. 

The next week we went to Hukilauland and crashed every day of Laie 7th Ward Camp.  We did not know we would spend the entire week there or we would have set up a tent. 

but. it.was.just.SO.fun

I had no choice! 

The week was full of  all things Disney. 

They even had a light parade with the kids dressed up holding their glow sticks.

The highlight had to be Game Night!  If you have never seen Minute to Win It, you should.   It is such a fun gameshow, and so easy to incorporate into family night, reunions, work parties etc. 

Tevitas highlight was the nerf swords hands down.  He walked with sword and shield at all times, ready to battle any one that got in his path.

I personally loved the slip-n-slide!

We set up the big screen projector last night and watched Alice in Wonderland and Fantastic Mr. Fox.  The yard was full of friends cuddled in blankets on the grass.  It was such a beautiful night.

In two weeks we will do it again, and hopefully every Friday after that til school starts again.

Next week we go to Laie 8th Ward Camp at Kakela. 

We are so excited.

DESTROY NERVOUS

For the past few weeks Tevita has been singing the Beatles.  "All You Need Is Love" was their song for May Day this year and I have watched Tevita practicing their dance for weeks now.

I knew Tevita was so completely freaked out that I have really tried to downplay May Day.

So without too much pushing or prodding I would let him practice his dance when he felt like it, and casually say good job at the end, trying not to psych him out for the big day.

Well the big day came, he got dressed, grumbled a few times about being nervous and scared, and got in the car.  As we were driving he yelled, "DESTROY NERVOUS".   It was not until we got to the PCC that the nervous really kicked in.  Once I found his class he completely freaked out, fell into a ball on the floor, and did not move.  I made sure Mrs K saw him then snuck away.  I watched from a far distance to make sure he did not run, and after about 10 minutes just went to my seat, having no idea what to expect.  When the kindergarteners came out,

SO DID HE.  

I was so proud of him and totally teared up!

For him, this was

a. HUGE. step!

Here is the picture to prove it.  (I did not bring my camera because, quite honestly, I did not expect him to get up there.  So, forgive the picture phone)

(he is in the very back row wearing an orange bandana.  I am sure you cannot see him at all)

Have I ever told you that Tevita is

ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY, COMPLETELY

SCARED.TO.DEATH

of anyone watching him do almost

ANYTHING!

I am not completely sure where it started, I believe it was somewhere between May Day and graduation his preschool year. 

(these pictures were taken at his preschool graduation)

He has recently said, in his own words, while talking about this years May Day, "I am just really nervous mom.  I just don't like people watching me at all.  Its like there is a fight going on with me and my nervous and the nervous has been doing a lot of exercises and is stronger".  He said this while clenching his teeth and tensing up every little muscle in that body.  I KNOW how scared of public attention is because I am the

exact.same.way.

I feel his pain, and yet it completely drives me crazy.   No bribe works.  Not even the light-up sword that he had been begging for for weeks.  (he told me he would wait for Santa Claus)  Basketball games, christmas concerts, Super Citizen.  You name it, he will run.

He had his first baseball game last Wednesday. 

Would not go near the field. 

He told me he had to "ease" his way in while taking one slider step closer to the bench and then realizing it was just TOO much for him to handle before running back to the fence.  By the end of the game he did pose for a photo shoot because he thought I would let him go home if he took his picture. Wrong!  During the last inning he did muster the guts to bat, but instead of running the bases....he ran to the fence again.

So imagine how PROUD of my little man I was during his second game when he hit that baseball and ran ALL the bases,

twice! 

 He even played the outfield!

(and tackled his teammates multipe times football style for the ball)

WAY TO GO VITA!!!

I have so much going on I have no idea where to start.  Mostly cause it is nothing big, just a bunch of little moments passing me by that I HAVE to write about or I will forget......and that would totally suck!  April has seriously kicked my butt.  We started the month camping for the easter weekend at Malaekahana.  (I still crack up that in Hawaii we camp only a mile from our house, but whatever!)  It was so fun.  I am mad that I did not take a single picture to prove how much fun we had.  The weather was beautiful and the kids were really good actually.  Tevita spent the majority of the time digging in the sand or body boarding.  He would wait at the beach until I was down there before getting in the water.  We walked the beach in the mornings while the sun was rising.  The crabs were everywhere and the tide was so low.  The afternoons were spent at the beach of course.  And the evenings were spent roasting hotdogs and marshmallows with the cousins.  On Saturday night we decided to do an easter egg hunt for the kids since easter was the next day.  Jerome and Berenice and Sai and Ipo and the kids hung out for the evening.  Once it was dark we hid all the eggs and had the kids do the easter egg hunt with their flashlights.  It was so much fun except that there was a quick rain pour just before we started so some of the candy in the eggs got a little soggy.  I doubt the kids noticed.  They probably ate it all anyways.  And after the egg hunt, more smores of course!  Sunday morning we woke up, enjoyed the sunrise and went home and enjoyed General Conference.  What a wonderful weekend!
After camping I spent the majority of my time thinking about filing my taxes.  It took me til the 15th to actually get them done.  I have never procrastinated so bad in my life, but I also never have had to pay $7000.00 either, hence the procrastination!
The rest of the month has been full of birthday parties, work, planning Tevita sn Shalyes birthday bash, running to town over and over again.......and baseball! 

The Boss

The only real boss around our house right now is our one year old.  She is SO demanding and so bossy.  Every morning she will wake up and make her way to my bed (if she is not in it already), pull my blanket off while grunting, grab my hand and pull with all her might while screaming "Oclate Ilk".  And then when I get out of bed to get her chocolate milk she insists that I put her on the counter so that she can open the cupboard door all by herself and pick the cup that SHE wants.  Then I have to carry her to the fridge so that she can be the one to take the milk out of the fridge by herself.  Then she will get a chair, push it over to the island and 'help' me pour the milk.  If I happen to pick the wrong color straw, or pour too much milk or if I missed step one and picked out the cup by myself then she will pick up that cup and throw it across the kitchen with all her might while yelling at me.  She is into EVERYTHING, climbing on EVERYTHING.  She will pull that cheezy grin when she knows you are getting mad.

After breakfast she looks like this!  You cannot feed this boss.  Absolutely no way!

 

Three minutes of unsupervision she looks like this!  Yes that is a Jell-o packet she is covered in.  You know the kind kids used to dye their hair with in junior high??

After making cookies she looks like this.  Yep, thats butter.  Try bathing THAT off.

The girl is always naked and will fall asleep anywhere.

After a hard days work! 

Today was the laziest day EVER!  I only left the house to go to church and go visiting teaching.  It was kind-of wonderful.  Sharon was up all day.  Yay!  I enjoy her.  And my kids fight over her.  The other night they were sharing a chair at the computer, playing a game, when I yelled from the other room for them to go to bed cause they were going to Sharons house the next day.  Then I hear Malia say that she is excited cause she gets to go visit her best friend Sharon.  Thats when the battle began between Vita and Malia over who is best friends with Sharon,

 "Shes my best friend" 

"NO, she is my best friend"

"Nope, Sharon is my best friend"

"Well Tevita, she can be both of our best friends"

"No she can't.  Well OK fine"

What can we say?  We like her....

A LOT!

And as I am writing this Tevita says, "I love you Sharon.  I am sorry we did not have a pillow fight or play other games or play outside.  So I thought we could play outside when you come again.  And we can play bubbles, and Sorry!, and thats all." 

Malia Puppy Curly

That is the name she gave herself 

---WHEN SHE DECIDED TO TURN INTO A DOG----

First off, totally un-unique name! 

But seriously she has decided that she wants to be a dog.  She has been insisting on playing fetch in the house with the tennis ball (which of course she will bring back in her teeth), but she also sniffs all her food before eating it, barks at you when you ask her a question, and drinks her "pink chocolate milk" out of a bowl on the kitchen floor.

I thought that was enough! 

I was wrong!

She insisted on peeing like a dog too....

in the front yard, one leg up.

And she had to lean down to hold her balance.  Do you know what that means?

Pee dripping all down her stomach and legs!

( I tried to hose her off and she kept barking at me)

Happy Hearts Day

      

I just love the holidays.  I love to make them special.  My husband laughs, in awe, because he says this is a whole new world to him.  I stayed up late cutting and hanging up hearts in all different colors and sizes.  Then I woke up early to make the pancakes, hot pink ones of course.  I cut out a bunch of hearts and put the kids initials on one side and a coupon on the other side then hid them around the house.  They went on a scavenger hunt to look for the ones with their initials.  I was excited to wake the kids up for their valentines suprise, but when I woke them up it was more like a valentines nightmare.  Since church is already at 8:00 am, I had to wake them pretty early.  Once Malia and Shalye got what was going on they were pretty excited, but from Tevita all I got was a "DESTROY VALENTINES DAY" in a deep, loud growl. Then I just about destroyed him til he made my lei into a heart shape and told me how much he loved me. 

much ado about nothing....

Today started out with a 4:30 a.m. phone call from my dear friend Holli-Aynn to tell me to prepare because Hawaii is under a tsumani warning.  I hung up, eyes barely open, and turned on the TV.  There was Joe Moore telling us that this would not be like the other tsunamis, but that they expected BIG, and that everyone needed to heed the warning and

GET TO HIGHER GROUND.

So we packed our car with pillows and blankets, packed the coolers with whatever we could find in the fridge, packed the suitcases with diapers and clothes.  Threw the tent, coolers, rugs (thats how we roll in Hawaii), cots and chainsaw in the truck.  We waited for half an hour for gas, hit up the ATM and headed for the hill.  Luckily Tame's nephew and his family live on a beautiful hill in Hauula and were more than generous to let half of the town run up there to hide. 

So from 6 a.m. til one we camped.   Cards were played, books were read, oreos were eaten and smashed all over camp, and naps were taken (by one man in particular-- see the evidence).  We waited, and waited, and WAITED!

For nothing.

Thanks Heavens.

 I have an entire day with nothing to do and no where to go since everything is closed.  So today I will catch up on the blog.   

Dear Dad,

I think I am pretty lucky to have you for a dad.  You have been my rock, my core, and my example in so many ways.  I do not know another with as much integrity as you.  You have taught with love and understanding.

 I appreciate that you knew us and admired us kids as individuals, allowing us to discover for ourselves our interests, talents, and joys.

I love that in our family we all had a voice and were listened to and respected-- even if you did not agree.  You still listened.

I am sure it freaks mom out at times, but I love that you are following your dreams.  You have a gift that I hope one day the world can share what we as your children have been enjoying every day of our lives.

I miss waking up on Sunday morning to you pounding the keys on the piano.  tear.  What a peaceful way it was to wake up.  If I think for a second I can still hear the music playing in my head.

And I miss skipping Sunday School with you as we journeyed across town to the gas station that had the best mix of Diet Coke, to fill up your 44 oz cup.  I love how you are friends with every worker at every gas station in town.  And I love how it is important to you to become their friend because they are people too.

You are my hero.  Happy belated birthday!

I love you,

 Kari

Way too fast........

They just grow up way too fast.  Today had me in tears.  In a very happy, baffled, wierd kind of way.  To most people this post will be no big deal, but to me it was HUGE.  We are hosting a houseful of 10 year old girls from China.  Today they went to church with us.  I sent them to Young Womens and they went, reluctant and confused.  I told them where I would meet them afterwards.  Well, Tame was sick today so he and Shalye stayed home.  The girls were taking way too long to get out of Young Womens and I found myself debating if I had enough time to get Tevita and Malia from their classes before the girls would get out of their class.  Once I saw all the primary kids running the halls I decided I better get Vita and Malia and hurry back.  Well, when I got to Malias class her teacher said that she went with Tevita.  Panic.  New building, new people, new parking spot.  Where would they be?  I went to Tevitas class, the room was empty.  Umm, panic again.  Have no idea where to look next so I walked quickly towards the car only to see Tevita pushing Malias bum into the car while telling her that "Mom will just be here really soon".  How sweet that instead of running the hallways screaming, or climbing the trees outside he would go straight to Malias class, pick her up, and take her to the car. 

New Years Resolutions

I have never been one to make new years resolutions, mainly because I know I am never one to keep them.  But I have been thinking an awful lot lately about what little things I can do to better myself, my family, our finances, our home etc.  I have decided this would be my year to CREATE!  I need to use my mind and my talents and not use money to create things.  Beautiful things, easy things, anything.  Things that usually I would spend money.  So imagine my surprise when I rolled upon a blog called
http://kari-youcanmakeit.blogspot.com/.  hahaha.  Is this a sign from the universe or what??  So any good ideas, not too tacky, pretty modern, easy (I am a beginner!) things to create let me know!!  (And any gardening advice for a woman who has killed every plant she has ever had would be nice too.  Thats my other project)

Hug them a little tighter tonight!

Today has been such a blah, twilight zone kind of day.  And yet it has been so wonderful.  My heart has been aching since I learned this morning that baby Gavin passed away.  I have felt so numb, quite exhausted emotionally, and yet so grateful.  Gavins mom has a way of writing that is so deep, so real, and I have literally felt her pain from one mommy heart to another.  I cannot pretend that my faith would match hers and I have been so touched by her testimony of Christ and eternal families. 
It ended up being a day for me of reflection.  Not anything I planned or any time set aside for reflecting, but more of just a peace and comfort while doing homework, and during bathtime, and even when Shalye diarrhead all over the floor.  I just could not tell my kids enough how much I loved them.  I was smothering them I am sure!  I was just so happy to be able to have them, and hold them, and tell them I love them.  And then my heart would ache again.  Deeply.  For Natalie.  It pained me to know that she would not be able to do the same with Gavin.  For now.  I pray for peace to her broken soul.
I am so grateful for the blessings I have in my life, especially the little ones that cause me to lose my temper way too often.  Tonight I was just feeling blessed and soaking up every little minute.  So tonight everyone, slow down, hug your little ones and tell them you love them a million times.  And even your big ones too!

Pray for baby Gavin

As I am writing this I am bawling my eyes out.  I am not crying just cause I am desperately sad and scared.  I am crying because I cannot imagine as a mom watching your little baby go through so much pain.  But I believe more than that, I am also crying because of the testimony and faith of this beautiful family.  Nothing has touched my spirit so deeply in a while. Although I do not know them well, I have always admired them.  They are kind to everyone, they are humble, the are so funny, and they need a miracle......and lots and lots of prayers!  So please pray for this baby and this family.  http://www.natalienortonphoto.com/