Oh Hawaii.

I love you. So much. Almost as much as Ike and my children. It's that good there.

Me and Ike are coming up on 10 years of Marriage, so to celebrate we were lucky enough to be able to go to Kauai. Without kids (thanks to Lindsey and my mama)...for 9 days. In paradise. Yes, paradise.

I had never been to Hawaii before. It was even better and more beautiful than I could have imagined. If I had lots of money, and could bring all of our loved ones with us, I would move there in a heartbeat.

In all of the pictures from the first day I look tan. Compare them to the last day I look white and 10 lbs heavier. I have to say, spray on tans are too much work to only last a day or two. I'm not sure I'd do it again. But I would order the Pork Sandwich with Pineapple again. That first night there was so exciting.

Everywhere we drove it was beautiful. We were surrounded by at least 100 different shades of green plants. We loved driving around the Island and visiting all of the landmarks. Me and Ike just looked at each other in amazement as we drove around.

Everywhere we went there were chickens and roosters running around. I sorta loved it...until we had to sleep in the room where the rooster would crow the early early morning away right outside the window. Then I didn't like it so much, and I wanted to shoot them. I actually had dreams that I did.

Sorry to Jordan and Kate who had to deal with that more than we did. Thank you.

I loved seeing trees like this in the middle of no where.

and drinking fresh coconut, even though it was warm and gross.

One of my most favorite parts of the trip was our Raft Tour of the Napali Coast. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of it. We were able to watch dolphins jump and spin in the air, drive under waterfalls, and in and out of sea caves. We ate lunch and hung out on an ancient villiage. We snorkeled and saw sea turtles, a reef shark, and lots of beautiful fish. The tour guide had to dump a couple of freezing cold water bottles on Ike's head to keep him from throwing up on the raft...but other than that is was amazing. Loved it every minute of it.

{sorry you have to see a body shot of me in a swimming suit}

This is the view while we ate dinner one night at a restaurant on the beach.

A favorite place we visited was Waimea Canyon. It was almost like a painting. I felt like I could jump into it, it looked so fake. As we were there it started to rain, and a few minutes later a big beautiful rainbow was covering the entire canyon.

At the very VERY top of my favorite list is the beloved shaved ice. This isn't just any shaved ice. It is very finely shaved with flavored syrup, with a scoop of Macadamia nut icecream underneath, and topped with sweetened condensed milk. We tried about every one we passed, and there are lots of them there. We probably had 2 a day...hence my change in weight. The best was JoJo's.

Ok, really above all {Here comes the cheese} was spending time with Ike. We had a wonderful time together, and it was such a nice break from our busy schedule back home with work, callings, and kids. We sure love spending time together.

It was truly paradise.
Coming back home was paradise too...we sure missed those kids.

And here is a favorite video of mine. Love me some Jack Johnson...especailly while laying on the beach...

why not....

I'm already so far behind it's ridiculous. I can either never blog again, or just start right this second.

Today is Halloween. Yay! Well, actually I'm not a huge fan. It is stressful getting costumes figured out and making sure they are clean from the parties and such, especially after a 9 day vacation to Hawaii (not that I'm complaining :)) I also always eat too much candy, but I admit I do enjoy that.

My kids love Halloween, like any other kid who loves candy would.

This year we were the Wizard of Oz. It was fun to have a theme and it made it easier to figure out what everyone should be.

Introducing . . .

Luke, the Tin Man

Max, the Scarecrow

Clara, the Lion

Mom, as Dorothy

and Dad...the Wicked Witch.
Very funny indeed
Happy Halloween!
hope to see ya again soon

ode to clara

Her big first birthday was already almost 2 months ago! She is so cute and loved, that I couldn't move on without giving her a little of the spot light...not that she doesn't already get quite a bit of it, but there is nothing wrong with that...

She has just barely mastered the crawling thing, and boy is she fast. She also likes to get up on her hands and legs and walk around like a monkey. I'm ok with her being a little slow with walking, it just means I don't have to chase her around as much, although she sure walks well along the walls and furniture.

I think she knows that I want her to stay my little baby girl for a while longer, and she is just very obedient and happy to oblige.

I just wish she'd obey when it comes to sleeping at night. Every 2nd night it seems like she is up crying. Love her to pieces, but that has got to stop. Cry it out baby, cry it out!

She is usually a very happy baby, but I just can't seem to get a lot of pictures of her smiling her big dimpled smile. She is very much a mama's girl, and gets a little stranger shy, and even family shy. In the mean time I will just enjoy her hand gripping tightly to my arm so I won't give her to anyone. Hey, she loves me, and that makes me happy!

{if you want a cute headband like this I can tell you where to get one!}

She loves to jabber the usual dada, mama, baba. She holds the phone or remote to her ear and pretends to talk. She is such a wiggle worm, we can't keep her still for two seconds. We call her our dog (that sounds mean, but it is cute) as she will crawl quickly to our side with her tongue out panting, and then flip on her back and wiggle and wait for us to tickle her tummy.

She is such an adorable little spaz.

So, her birthday party was on a very special day...not only on her actual birthday, but also on the night of Jimmer's big huge and aparently important game. Now...don't hate me, but I just don't get how one can be the biggest "U" fan around, but then cheer hard for the "other" team. Well, I kind of get it, but I'm not a huge sports fan, so I won't even go there.

I have a lot of big huge sports fans in my life, basically everyone but me, so I had to change the party to after the game if I wanted anyone to show up happy. So we had the party at my parent's house, and it started the second the game ended.

K- tell me I am the nicest person ever.

The bonus for having the party at my parent's house was that MY home was a wreck and I didn't even have to clean it!

Making a Care Bear cake makes a mess, and it ain't easy...but I thought it turned out great!

Clara was just not herself that night. She wouldn't touch her cake, smile, or even touch her presents. She threw up right before everyone came to party. Not really how I pictured her 1st birthday.

The next day, we found out that she had a double ear infection, and Rosiola Fever. Poor girl.

Since we didn't have fun smashing a cake, I took some pictures of her smashing some messy oatmeal all over her face a few weeks later. Not as cute and colorful as a cake, but still cute none-the-less...

{I originally took these pictures for my cute SIL blog button, check out her blog
myoatmealkisses.blogspot.com}

Don't ya just think she is the cutest little girl on the planet. Just admit it already. I know, I know. I am the mom and that is how I am supposed to feel :)

I really hope this year doesn't fly by like this last year did!
Happy Birthday to our Clair Bear.

today

Today I did something I don't usually do. I took pictures without actually planning them out. I just grabbed my camera without moving a couch and grabbing a blanket for a backdrop. Totally candid, and totally sweet. These kids are growing up so quickly that I need to capture them in their everyday glory. You probably think that I take tons of pictures, but usually I am taking tons of pictures of other people's kids.

Today started out with me and the boys taking Clara to her one year doctor appointment. Yes, I said 1 year appointment. I know, where did this last year go? She had her birthday on the 24th, and she was not her normal self. She threw-up right before her big party, and just sat their with a high fever, not one bit interested in her Care Bear cake. She had ear infections as well, so I just figured it was not going away like it should. The next day the fever continued and got worse, so as I left for a Young Women retreat for the weekend, Ike took sweet Clara to the doctor again. They changed her meds and sent them home. She seemed much better a few days later...then today she broke out in a rash all over her body. Roseola Fever. That's what she had (not extremely contagious...hopefully!) Poor girl, but at least today she was a happy poor girl.

I love days like today, especially after a week like last week. Last week I was sick, Clara was sick, and the list of to do's went on and on. Today, we all slept in and made it to Clara's doc appointment 5 minutes late, which was right on time in my book. After that, I was a good mom, and took the kids to the library to get a few books. Then we just hung out at home without a care, read books, and baked cookies...and ate cookies too!

And of course Max walked around like this for probably an hour before I made him get dressed, or maybe before I noticed...

Here is a picture of Clara's rash on her tummy. Oh, and her cute chunky legs which I love to squeeze and tickle.

I'm loving this little Max. Loving his blonde head of hair and big blue eyes. Loving him sneaking gogurts out of the fridge 3-4 times a day and eating them behind the curtains so I won't see him.

He says the cutest things and I am starting to see that he is growing up. He says things now that big boys say, like "fart" "butt" and "NEVER!".
Oh boy. Don't really love that.

Another thing I'm loving is that Clara's hair is starting to grow. See that little curl right above her ear?

As I play with the kids, I notice it is after 5. The house is a mess, and the husband guy will be coming home any minute. I think to myself, maybe I should hurry and get up and clean so it looks like I accomplished something today. Did I do it...nope! Instead, I finally caught a picture of Clara doing my favorite thing. She lays on her side after she does a few scoots, scopes out her next destination, and does it again.

Then daddy makes his appearance, after a very long day of work. We are always so happy to have daddy come home. Especially when it is Monday, and we know we have the rest of the night to be together.

Today was a very good day...and that is because we were lazy.

admitting. i sorta {heart} bon jovi....

I just have to say that I live quite the exciting life. Oh yes I do.

I have a crazy busy week. I have tons I am trying to do, and at the same time I am sick with a head cold. I've lost all my motivation to do anything, and I don't know where to begin.

So last night we head off to Bon Jovi. I wasn't really jumping up and down to go, but thought a night out with Ike would be special. Plus, who passes up free dinner and tickets to a concert?

So there we were, waiting for the concert to start. My mind racing, all I can think about is anything but the concert.

Like...

Should I make the Care Bear cake for Clara's birthday Pink or Yellow?
Rainbow belly or birthday bear belly.
Will everyone be mad at me for having her first birthday party in the middle of the Jimmer party?
My house is such a mess. I wish I could snap my fingers and have it sparkle.
Wow, I have amazing friends.
I wish I had more will power and motivation.
I hope the kids are being good for my sweet dad.

Oh...and man Ike is cute in his green John Deere cap.
Oh yea, the house is a disaster.
So much to do at home.

Then...
Out he comes :) I forgot all about all my worries. Hello Bon Jovi. Yes, I guess I really do like him...sweaty t-shirt and all.

no....I did not take this picture, although, that would have been pretty exciting

The music made me happy, and made me somehow realize that all of these small little things don't matter. No one but me cares about the decorations for the party and what shape the cake is baked into. No one but me cares if I look fat or skinny, or if my house is spotless.

I need to just be happy.

Love nights like those. Especially when we come home and the husband cleans the house. That is a bonus.

I know, I live quite the glamorous life.

Today, I'm struggling to make it through again, and pull myself together...but with the sun shining and the kids playing the day away outside, I think I will be just fine.

And my sweet husband will be home soon. Love him.