The Kahumoku Family

It's SOO Great...Jacob's 8!

2011-03-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

Well, Jacob's not officially eight until tomorrow but we celebrated today! Jacob originally wanted to have a "Jesus party" (I kid you not) because now that he's 8 he can be baptized.

After a little coaxing we decided on a Knight-themed party. The shields were ready to be decorated. The goblets were ready to be fancified.The catapults were ready to be fired.The dragon was ready for beheading.The party guests arrived and got straight to work on their shields. They all did a great job! Once they were done decorating, Willie taught them how to properly use their weaponry.
After they had demonstrated skillful shield motions, each knight was given a sword. Watch out! I was on glue-gun patrol to fix busted shield handles.

Once hand-to-hand combat was completed, it was marshmallow catapult time.

Inside they tried to aim for the shield cutouts. (Isn't my Nene getting big? He'll be 4 on Friday!)Outside they tried to aim for Willie, I mean practice distance.The pinata was demolished once it fell to the ground and was beat with the bat. Why are they always so hard to get open?(Baseball season is firing up...and these two brothers are on the same team!)It was all worth it in the end!We royally feasted on cake and ice cream. (Petey ate the tail! This was no Pete's Dragon...) Jacob's favorite part (so he says) was the opening of the gifts. Here he is opening his new underwear! He sarcastically said, "Thanks, just what I always wanted." Everybody thought Jake's underwear was cool. Especially his brothers!I can't believe my baby is eight. My boys are all growing up too fast. It makes me feel old to have an eight-year-old but I am pleased with the choices he is making. I am grateful he has such a good group of friends and we are all anxiously awaiting May 7th...when he'll be baptized.

Did I Ever Mention...

2010-09-24T20:46:00.000-07:00

that Jake played baseball? Well, he did.It was his first time playing and he improved A LOT throughout the season. He was actually a pretty consistent hitter. At one point in the season his coach pulled me aside and told me he led the team in hits, which made me smile. I guess his one-man hitting practices out in the backyard paid off.He played outfield most of the time ...but took his turn at catcher every once in awhile too. He was great to watch. So new at the game, so much to learn.One night after a game he told me that when I cheered for him so loud (yeah, I'm one of those moms) it made him nervous. He asked me if I would stop yelling his name when he got up to bat.I was feeling a little sad thinking that my boy was already embarrassed by me at the tender age of 7. I was relieved when Jake suggested, "Maybe you could sing 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' instead!" So the next game when Jacob got up to bat, I sang 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' to the best of my ability. Sure everyone probably thought I was drunk - but Jake enjoyed it. He asked me to sing louder next time. Later in the season he asked if I could get a trumpet and play "Da da da dadada...CHARGE!" That's my boy.Over the summer we decided to play this game where we would keep track of how many times we could throw the baseball back and forth without dropping it. We named the game "record." Record was one of the chores on his summer chore list. The first time we played, our record was SIX. We threw the ball back and forth for a good hour and the highest we could get to was SIX! We practiced every day this summer and our current standing record is 103. There's lots of room to improve when you're learning something new!Best of all. He got a trophy at the end. Jacob is already looking forward to next season. I think Josh will get to be on the same team as Jake...and we'll get to learn baseball all over again.

Joshua is a Kindergartener!

2010-08-01T21:15:00.001-07:00

Joshua has started kindergarten. His teacher is so nice (and so little)! I know he is going to learn a lot and have fun this year. So far he's sung "Who let the letters out? Who, who, who, who?" Get it? Letters instead of dogs? And then he goes through each of the alphabet letters and their sounds. It's a catchy little ditty.I've never seen a child so excited to start school. He's been anxiously awaiting the day and he claimed he wasn't nervous at all. He even told Willie he didn't need a father's blessing because he wasn't scared. Surprisingly, he wasn't (but he got a blessing anyhow). He gave us all hugs (little brother hug pictured below) and happily bounced into class. I missed him all day and teared up a bit, but I tried my hardest to focus on the exciting part of going to school.

After I picked him up from his first day on Monday, he asked, "Do I get to go back to school tomorrow?" When I told him yes, he said, "YESSSS!" Just like anything new, kindergarten will take some adjusting. Today (as in second day of school) his teacher told me he made "angry eyes" at her. It was all I could do to not laugh outloud. I know that look oh-so-well. If you've ever crossed Joshua, you know the look I'm talking about. We're working on that.I love my Joshua. He is a smart, hard-working, and talented boy. He will do well in school...even if he does have "angry eyes" every now and then.

Jacob is a 2nd Grader!

2010-07-12T14:31:00.001-07:00

Jacob started second grade today. Where oh where does the time go?! His teacher seems very nice and although he had the first-day jitters, I know he's got a great year ahead of him. We've moved over to a different school this year that's closer to our house. It's hard to be at a new place but lucky for Jake, he already has a buddy. His friend Sam (they actually went to preschool together back in the day) is in the same class. One last look good-bye as he ventured into the building. I managed to steal a quick kiss but I'm proud of myself that I didn't cry this year. I'm excited that he's excited about learning.I guess it's hard for me to believe Jake is in second grade because I remember being in second grade. (Here I am in my jean skirt on my first day of 2nd grade.) I kind of jokingly told Will we need to start being nicer to our kids because they're going to start remembering things...Joshua has his kinder pretest this week and then he'll be starting kindergarten next Monday. We are going to miss him greatly while he's away. I'm glad it's only for half the day.What will I do when it's just me and these two little fellas at home?So here I am, 30 years old, wearing my jean skirt today (minus the Cabbage Patch Kid lunchbox) to celebrate having a second grader of my own. Hooray for second grade!!

It's That Time of Year Again...

2010-05-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

Father and Son Campout!! It occurred to me today how excited everyone at our house gets for this weekend. Willie loves to camp and be outdoors, especially with the boys. The boys love anything Willie loves. They were particularly looking forward to marshmallows and fire.I love being able to stay at home and spend time with this little fella! It is unreal how quiet our house is right now. Petey and I got to spend some quality time together tonight and I'm really living it up by ~~watching a chick flick~~ typing transcriptions!

Father and Son Campouts...one of the many perks to being the mother of sons.

I Saw the Sign

2010-05-10T09:45:00.001-07:00

On a long drive home from Las Vegas a couple weeks ago Jake and Josh declared they needed to use the restroom. I rolled my eyes because we were entirely surrounded by desert and they knew it. Willie pulled over to the side of the road and let them out to do their business.

Josh hopped out quickly but Jake flatly refused. I asked what the problem was and he said, “That sign says we’re not allowed to.” Entirely puzzled, I turned around to see a ‘no parking’ sign.

Proud of his reading abilities and obedience, Jake very seriously exclaimed, “See, the sign says, ‘No, Peeing'!"

I couldn't help laughing out loud. It's certainly never dull around here...even on long road trips!

Strength in Trials

2010-05-05T21:14:00.000-07:00

I just watched this video about Stephanie Nielson, who survived a plane crash, and was very touched. I am amazed at the things people go through. It sure puts my trials into perspective and I gain strength from the inspiring strength of others. I have heard bits and pieces of her story and just maybe I'll have to check out her blog now, too.

The Week of Teeth

2010-03-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

This past week has been full of tooth action around here.

Jake lost a big front beauty creating a new smile for him. I love his new look! This makes the ~~third~~ fifth (I stand corrected) tooth he's lost.

While Jake lost a tooth, Peter gained two teeth to make up for it. Now Pete is no longer Mr. Gummy Smile. He has TWO new pearly whites. (Even though they're hard to see, they're there...trust me.)My handsome fellas...teeth and all.

Missing You Dad!

2010-02-26T18:25:00.000-08:00

We've missed you, Dad! Here's what we've been up to today.

Jake came home with a FABULOUS report card and two ribbons, one for perfect attendance and one for being on the "Principal's List." (It's a good thing, I promise!)

Peter decided after two weeks of rice cereal he was ready to venture out...to green beans! This was his reaction with every bite I gave him.

I guess we have another Kahumoku vegetable lover on our hands!

So although you may find yourself bored and lonely in an airport waiting to come home, enjoy it...because as you know, there's never a dull moment here! We love you!!

SNOW Much FUN!

2010-02-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to heaps of snow. I know my brother serving a mission in Minnesota right now and our relatives in Alaska would probably roll their eyes...but it's a lot of snow to us. Church was even cancelled! (That's a first for me.)Nathan watched...as Willie shoveled the driveway and sidewalk.Oh what do you do in the wintertime when church is a no-go?

1. WEAR YOUR P.J.'S ALL DAY and draw, draw, draw. Draw until your fingers hurt and the paper supply is running low. 2. Snuggle with your baby on the couch pull-out bed. Then get your older brothers to join in on the fun, too!Show a little brotherly love with a few kisses.(Ah, lovin' on that Sweety Petey.)Kiss your baby brother...or pretend that you're too cool for that. (Even though Mom already has proof otherwise. Ahem, see above.)
2. Build a Star Wars ship and fly away with your brothers.(Pete's joining the big boys with his Bumbo.)(I love these little faces and imaginations.)(Away they go!)(May the force be with you!) 3. Pause for a snack of toast and hot chocolate.Yum!4. Get bundled up and head outdoors!(I took these pictures from inside the warm house.)(They were so happy to get out there in the cold stuff.)4. Build a huge snowman out front with your dad. Roll 'em, roll 'em, roll 'em! (Josh and Dad rolling the base of the snowman.)Steadily pack that snowman that is taller than you.You know your snowman is big when Dad has to lift you up to put the eyes in!AND put the hat on.The biggest (and cutest) snowman in Kahumoku creation. And that's what we do in the wintertime when all the world is white. It's been a fun day. Jake's got his fingers crossed that school will be cancelled tomorrow...

Laying off the Halloween Candy

2009-11-09T14:16:00.000-08:00

I told Willie the milk for the baby was in the fridge for while I was gone. Imagine the look on his face when he saw this: It was totally CLASSIC. He was a little confused for a split second and then just laughed. I'm just having a hard time keeping my paws off the boys' Halloween candy (ESPECIALLY the chocolate)!

New Calling...New Blog

2009-11-08T09:27:00.001-08:00

(These pictures are from a Time Out for Learning enrichment we had once.)

After having served for two-and-a-half years in the church calling formerly known as enrichment leader, I've been released. I got a little teary-eyed going through all of my past handouts and meeting agendas. It's been good times for sure.

BUT now I'm very excited to be working as the food storage/emergency preparedness gal! This means I'll have some pressure to get my own family prepared. Just the motivation I need, I think.

Anyway, I've started a new blog, Save and Store, with tips for saving money and being prepared. Check it out HERE if you're interested and please help me out with any ideas you've come across!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T15:48:00.000-08:00

Yee Haw! It's Halloween time once again...This year we had Sheriff Jacob and Wrangler Joshua.Then there was Buckaroo Nathan.And last (but certainly not least) our littlest cowpoke, Peter.They were quite the posse!It has been fun to have my brother working up here. The boys LOVE Uncle Jason. Jason even dressed up in his cowboy gear and went with Willie to take the three older boys trick-or-treating. They went with Kai and Xavier from across the street, too.They came back with a LOAD of candy. Which they attempted to devour as fast as possible!They were sugared up in no time at all! Willie took the three boys to a scary house that was done by a family in our ward. It turns out our rugged cowboys aren't as tough as they claim to be. They came home crying (literally) with tails of horror. I'm hoping no long-term damage was done.

Peter and I stayed home and passed out the candy with my friend Jenny. By the end of the night our littlest cowboy was sure tuckered out!

Hope y'all had a safe and fun Halloween!

Life is good...

2009-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

and no, Peter isn't wearing a straight jacket.

Happy Fall!

2009-10-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

Uncle Grant and Aunt Pam called to say they had pumpkins in the garden that were ready for picking! It was a very good thing since our pumpkins didn't grow AT ALL this year.

They each got to select their pumpkin and Uncle Grant cut it off the vine. Doesn't Jake look pleased?Josh had a hard time lifting his. I couldn't believe how big these pumpkins were for being home grown! Nathan needed help to carry his pumpkin. He loves his pumpkin and checks on it every day.Thanks Uncle Grant and Aunt Pam for being pumpkin lifesavers!Peter got a pumpkin too. Just his size!

Can't Get Enough of You BABY

2009-09-24T21:45:00.001-07:00

Peter has his own fan club here on the home front, with Joshua being the biggest groupie.Josh loves to be about two inches from Peter's face and talk to him in a teeny, tiny baby voice. He was thrilled when Peter opened his eyes today and looked at him and listened.Nothing will make your "baby" instantly grow like bringing home another baby. (Nathan was pretending to sleep on his blanket...)When did Nathan get so big?!Brotherly love is a wonderful thing!

He's Here!!

2009-09-21T19:03:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled to welcome our newest addition to the family! Willie and I were up early this morning. I needed to be at the hospital at 6:00 a.m. for my induction. One last pregnant picture before we headed off!I got all checked in and things went pretty fast. My doctor broke my water at 9:00 a.m., I got my epidural at 11:00 a.m., and Peter Makanaakua Kahumoku was born at 12:29 p.m.He's a big boy, weighing in at 9 pounds 10 ounces! (Boy, am I glad I got that epidural!)He is 21 inches long.And his head is 14 and 3/4. Did I mention I'm very fond of epidurals?Peter likes to suck on his fingers and has big hands... And big feet.Needless to say it was love at first sight for mom. See him trying to peek at me?Dad is just a little proud. I love how he wore his "Dad's Team" hat for the occasion.Peter got his first "bath" and was looking mighty fine. He had to get ready for his first visitors. Jenny and Sonia came to see the new baby boy.And then the real test to pass...the big brothers came to see their new little brother.They took a little peek at the baby's toes.Josh was smitten and was the first to hold "Petey" and his little "Stinky Pete."When I asked Nathan if he wanted to hold his baby brother, he said, "No, I scared of him." I assured him that Peter was just a baby and he bravely gave it a go.Jacob has never been fond of babies. He claims, "They're boring." He was more concerned with what kind of channels I got on my hospital TV. I didn't push it since he's been fighting a cold.Peter has had a busy first day and is quite a sleepy head right now. We are so happy to have him join our family! (And I'm so glad he's finally here!)

BABY NEWS

2009-09-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

At my doctor's appointment yesterday I was diagnosed with permanent pregnancy.

Okay, so not really. But that's what it felt like when she said, "Well, you're almost at a three."

ALMOST?

Almost a three sounds like a two to me, which is where I was a week ago. Talk about disappointing...

So, I'm scheduled to be induced Monday morning if nothing happens over the weekend. Wish me luck, I've got to get back to my jump roping!

In My Pretty Garden...

2009-09-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

the veggies are growing!Lettuce and cabbage!Cucumbers!

The boys who picked the cucumbers!Carrots!Peas!Cherry tomatoes!Potatoes!

We've also grown (but not photographed) strawberries, cantelope, onions, corn, green beans, parsley, basil, and thyme. See the stool sunk into the dirt? That's my pregnant-mama weeding stool!

We also didn't grow watermelons, pumpkins, and peppers. Not quite sure what happened there because last year we didn't have any problems. Maybe I got them in too late.

New to the garden this year...Roses!Beautiful, sweet-smelling roses. I have to cut the flowers to appreciate them, or I guess I could lie down on the ground to get a whiff...the plants are still quite small!

I never thought I would find gardening exciting. I always thought of it as a grandma hobby. BUT I'm hooked and the boys love it almost as much as I do.

Summertime Boy

2009-09-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Nathan is a summertime boy. He would stay outside and play all day if I'd let him. He loves to "lawn mower like Dad." He loves to dig in the dirt with his trucks and tractors. He loves to play outside for hours just exploring and throwing rocks. This day while he was digging, a little fly landed on his arm. He ran over to show me ...and he was quite intrigued with watching the bug crawl on him. Then suddenly he didn't like it so much. The end.

School Days

2009-09-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Back to school we've gone. Jacob has been enjoying FIRST grade since July. First day picture with the brothers!Waiting in line for his class to go in. He has team teachers so there are lots of students!

His teachers are pretty tough, I have to admit! (I just don't admit it to him...) He took his first spelling test last week. After lots of practice, boy was he ready. I just knew he'd get them all correct!

Well, he did spell all the words right but he accidentally wrote one of the words with a capital letter, so it was marked incorrect. Seriously, rough.

I wanted to go in and argue for him the difference between spelling mistakes and grammar errors and point out that this was, in fact, a spelling test. But I just took a deep breath and smiled and gave him a huge hug for doing so well.One of the many great things about Jake is that he is one determined little fella and he truly strives to do his best. If only we could get his fingers working faster! (His excuse for not always being able to complete his assignments in the given time...) Jacob is rising to their high expectations and I can't wait to see all that he learns this year.

Just so you know...

2009-09-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

STILL pregnant.

I know I'm due Sunday but still...I'm thinking tonight I'll go jogging, jump rope, stand on my head, drink castor oil, jump on the trampoline, drive on a bumpy road, and eat spicy food. Anything I'm forgetting?

ADDITIONS:
*Thanks to Nat Lud for reminding me of, in her own words, "it".

Good Times Fishing

2009-08-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

Willie and the boys LOVE to go fishing. This time Will took some video and a few pictures of their adventure.

I enjoyed a quiet afternoon to myself (and typed) and only called Willie once to remind him to watch the boys and not to let them drown.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

*Willie wants everyone to know that every fish caught is a different fish. (The boys weren't all reeling the same one in over and over...)

"One of the fish was given away, one of the fish died, and we caught and released 16 more...all within a matter of a short period of time. There were a lot of fishermen around that packed up and went home when we were on our third fish within a few minutes." -quote taken from the proud fishing father himself.

The boys are so lucky to have such a cool dad. I can hardly watch this video without screaming to get out of the filthy water. Willie is way more fun than I am. It surely must be because of him we are being sent sons...what better man to raise a boy? Fish On!

He's Here!

2009-08-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

No, not our baby boy...but my sister's! (Who by the way was due after me...)

Welcome to the world baby Ryan Truman Burr!

So arriving six weeks early, baby boy weighed in at almost 6 pounds (5 lbs. 14.8 oz.) and he's 19 inches long. Cynthia's been on bed rest for the last month or so, and I'm sure she'll post the whole story once she's at home and settled.Baby and Mama are doing well...and now I get to wait five more weeks for my turn. Seeing these pictures makes me so excited!

Nelson Family Reunion

2009-08-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Poor Jake only had two weeks between kindergarten and first grade! Luckily he didn't know any different or care...but I only had two weeks to shove in an entire summer. We headed to Vegas. First item on our agenda was the Nelson family reunion, which means from Vegas we quickly headed to St. George.The boys had fun "surfing" and swimming. We LOVE the water.Nathan practiced his swimming skills. He's good at "swimming" to me under the water and kicking his little legs.Here are Jake and Jason (my brother), both looking mighty fine!Josh was excited to see his cousins. He loves babies! Here he is patting Hailey's (my sister Cynthia's daughter) cheeks. Another cousin-lover is Brooklyn (Cynthia's daughter). Judging from his smile, Nathan didn't seem to mind!The three pregnant girls of the family (Cynthia, me, and Leslie) were showered with gifts and games. It was fun to visit with the ladies of the family while the men watched the kids.Here are the granddaughters that were there with Grandma Nelson. It was so good to see everyone!

Preggy Post

2009-08-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

This image pretty much sums up my pregnancy. NO makeup, wet hair, chilling in my swimming suit, and very happy as long as I have food. I have no shame to my game. (Thanks for this glamorous picture, Mom, I think I'll have it framed.)I've been keeping busy and cool this summer by teaching swimming lessons. I don't have great pictures of the swimming lessons because I was in the water too. But here are some my mom took when she came to visit.

Joshua is pulling me to safety from the side. Always remember, "Reach or throw, don't go!" The first time I asked him to help me he just stood up and reached out his hand. I yanked him right into the water. Notice how he's stable on his stomach this time? He's a quick learner.

I taught three two-week sessions with three classes each session at a friend's house. It was so fun and it felt so good to be in the water. Best of all...my boys can swim! Josh definitely got the best end of the deal. Nathan only got one session of lessons and Jacob only got three classes! (Blasted year-round school...)So now Joshua is the best swimmer of the three (much to Jake's dismay) and he is QUITE the fish. He can float. He can glide. And by golly, that boy can swim! I am so proud of him.

Handy Willie (CAN he build it...YES, he CAN!)

2009-08-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

My husband isn't slow in building...I'm just slow in posting. The rolling can rack has been complete for months now and I LOVE it. I no longer have to pull out the older cans to add the new. It's so nice to have a handy hubby.

Here are some pictures and video of Nathan demonstrating just how simple putting the cans in and letting them roll can be. It's so easy to use, even a child can do it...kind of.

I'm still working on my food storage. It is surprisingly fun. (NEVER would I think those words would come from me.)

The Graduates

2009-07-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

Isn't it funny how life just keeps going even if your blog doesn't?

One of the things we've been up to is graduations...

Joshua "graduated" from preschool! He sure made some good buddies and had lots of fun in our preschool co-op this year. Since Josh is still four, he'll be starting Kindergarten next year. Luckily, he doesn't seem to mind that all his pals are starting school without him. It makes sense to him that you have to be five to go to school...and he's not five yet. He and I are going to have a grand time together this year.Jacob "graduated" from Kindergarten. (Aren't those caps adorable?)As they came up to the stage one by one to get their certificates, the teacher asked them what they want to be when they grow up. My boy's answer was "A hero." It brought a tear to my eye, even though I know he literally wants to wear a cape and run around rescuing people. To me, he already is a hero.

(Jacob with his Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Isenberg.)

Love

2009-05-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

Lest you think I'm not loved...

Today I got to go to Kindergarten for "Muffins with Mom!" Jacob showered me with gifts, hugs, kisses, and we shared a huge muffin together.

"I love you now!" was Jacob's reply when he saw I had posted his hate note. He wrote it in the heat of the moment...I'm sure. I know he loves me and I'll always love him no matter what.

Mother of the Year

2009-05-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

We all know I'm no mother of the year. Check out this precious note I received yesterday from my firstborn son.We moms don't always get the praise we deserve but I love this quote my mom sent me today:

"Too frequently, women underestimate their influence for good. {Isn't that the truth?!}

Well could you follow the formula given by the Lord: 'Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God' (D&C 88:119)."

In such a house will be found happy, smiling children who have been taught, by precept and example, the truth. In a Latter-day Saint home, children are not simply tolerated, but welcomed; not commanded, but encouraged; not driven, but guided; not neglected, but loved."

Thomas S. Monson, "The Spirit of Relief Society," Ensign, May 1992, 101–2

Also in my inbox today was the most HILARIOUS email I've seen in awhile. THIS (you HAVE TO check it out) had me cracking up. If you're a mom...insert your name!

I'm glad to be a mom even without the media coverage and awards. I'll even take hate notes every now and then.

Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy...

2009-04-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Oh BOY!

We found out today that baby #4 is a boy! It kind of makes me giggle at the reality of it all. Another baby boy to love...I'm really not surprised and Willie is just beaming.

The ultrasound went well. Baby boy wasn't shy at all and he is most certainly a boy. I was very happy to hear the doctor say everything looked good and I loved just being able to see him. I've got a great picture to post later to prove boyhood...

Elmo in Peril

2009-04-25T15:14:00.000-07:00

Joshua claims he can read. (Joshua claims he can do many things...you name it, he can do it!)

He told Jacob he was reading the back of the sticker package and it said, "Elmo runs for his life."I had to laugh when I saw what he was reading. I think Josh should be a writer for Sesame Street. He'd certainly keep things interesting.

Boy or Girl?

2009-04-22T12:44:00.000-07:00

Everyone keeps asking...and no, we don't know if this baby is a boy or girl. We've decided not to find out. SO KIDDING!!

We find out ONE WEEK from today. (April 29th, 9:00 a.m., to be exact)

So in true blogger fashion I have posted a poll on the side. Do tell me...do you think this baby will be a boy or a girl? Let me give you some facts to help you make your educated guesses:

Baby #1 was a boy.

Baby #2 was a boy.

Baby #3 was a boy.

Does that help you know which box you'll check? (Hint, the last two choices are HIGHLY unlikely.) Be sure to check back next Wednesday to see if you guessed correctly!

Tomorrow...I yuv ya!

2009-04-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

A song from Little Orphan Nene:

Nathan's never seen "Annie" before and I'm not quite sure how he learned this tune, but if you mention the word "tomorrow" he busts out in song. I love it!

True Blue Two

2009-04-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

Nathan is TWO! When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday dinner, he told me, "Meat and potatoes." That made me laugh and you'd better believe...he got it.Again our friends from across the street joined in the celebration but this time Xavier came over too. Nathan has a thing with strange men (not saying that you're strange Xavier...) and he lost it the second Xavier walked through the door. Willie is protecting him by shielding his eyes with his hand. Notice Will's tear-stained shoulder? It was quite dramatic.I probably should have been more compassionate but it was ridiculous how he carried on and I couldn't help but laugh.Nathan would try to close the eye that was closest to Xavier while still keeping his other eye open. I hope you didn't get a complex or anything Xavier. Sorry!It was a struggle to even get him to blow out his candles but eventually he did.Funny thing...he seemed to perk right up when we mentioned opening presents.The boys were so helpful in assisting Nathan in opening his gifts.He was happy to have his "dollar" from Grandma and Grandpa Kahumoku!Enjoying his candy bracelet!!After all the boys were snug in bed, Nathan was calling for "Dad!" (He knows who to call for results...) Willie goes up to check on him and shortly comes down carrying Nathan! He still wanted to play with his toys so we let him stay up a bit longer.It's probably the only time he'll ever play with his new toys (or any toys for that matter) by himself!Nathan is such a happy and cheerful fella (unless an unknown man enters the room) and we are so glad to have him in our family. Happy 2nd birthday Nathan. We love you!

Birthday Boy

2009-04-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Jacob is officially six years old! It wasn't his turn this year for a full-blown friends party but he was more than happy to celebrate his birthday with our family and friends from across the street.Poor Josh cracked the back of his head on the window sill just moments before our friends arrived. He sported his trendy ice pack hat for a good amount of the party.Jacob was proud of himself that he was able to blow all of his candles out all by himself this year. Just wait buddy, it becomes more of a challenge each year!After we downed some cake and ice cream...It was present time!Jake would shake these presents and tell us how much they sounded like Star Wars legos. We would tease him that all legos sound the same...how was he so sure they were Star Wars? Perhaps they were Barbie?! He was thrilled to see that they were indeed Star Wars legos.I had to chuckle when Jacob was ecstatic with the ream of paper my grandma sent him. This boy can draw and paper is a hot commodity at our house. She also sent a binder and hole punch so now he has a binder full of drawings!Jacob was pleased with his gift from Josh (still toting that ice pack!) Josh knows anything Star Wars will do!Willie read the card from Grandma and Grandpa Kahumoku while Jake delighted in his money. He bought a Star Wars book and a Star Wars figurine later that week with his loot.The boys were intrigued with the Star Wars card that played music from Grandma and Grandpa Nelson.Lookin' good in a clone trooper helmet. "I have a bad feeling about this, sir!"Nathan thought that looked fun so he gave it a try too.Nathan reading his favorite book to Jenny. I'm so sick of that book. (Nene's into repetition...) I'm glad it was Jenny's turn. Willie reading a new Star Wars book to Jake and Josh. Such a good dad! (Note that Josh's ice is gone. Now he's just feeling the lump.)The legos were a big hit with all the boys. I'm proud to say that although I've never legoed in my entire life, I have now become the Lego Queen. (I know, I know they're legos for five and up. Leave me alone, I'm still proud of myself!) Jacob posing with the Star Wars ship I built.
Happy Birthday Jacob. We love you more than you'll ever know!

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-03-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, my birthday was way back in January but my present from Willie is finally done (almost). I'm most certainly not complaining...he's had just a bit on his plate lately.

For my birthday I wanted shelves in the storage area under the stairs. (Aren't I adventurous?) It had gotten a bit CRAZY in there. Here is all the food that sat in my dining room for two months waiting for new shelves to live on.

This is the tiny space under the stairs where all the food was jammed in a very untidy manner. Try to imagine...I didn't get good before pictures.These are the shelves after Willie installed them. Oolala! Nice laminate wood shelves that are adjustable. The best part...we got all the supplies for free except for the screws! It sure is handy to have a handy husband...Nathan and the other boys helped stock the shelves. It's nice to now know what food we have and don't have just by glancing. I never would have guessed there were 31 jars of peanut butter in our house. Oops, I guess I know not to buy anymore...At this end of the storage area I'm hoping for Willie to build me a rolling can rack to store all the canned food. (Maybe in a couple months I'll have pictures of that!) I'm working to get a good three-month supply on hand.

When it was all piled around the house it seemed like a ton of food but seeing it all on the shelves (and having an inventory list) makes me see how much more work I really have to do. (Sigh...baby steps!)

"Baby K" Is on the Way!

2009-03-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

Just in case you can't decipher the picture above...We are excited to be welcoming another little one to our family this year! I am due September 20th. Some of you (Katie and Danielle!) are good guessers. I suppose it takes a preggy to know a preggy.

The blog, along with everything else in my life, has had to move to the back burner while I'm so sick. It's hard to blog (or do anything else) with your head in the toilet. I am taking the beloved Zofran, so I'm not throwing up as much, but I still feel blah. Now that I'm 12 weeks along I'm hoping and praying that I'm close to being well again.

You wouldn't have wanted me blogging through all of this anyhow. I'm a big whiny wimp. I'm not going to lie...I don't like being pregnant.

There I said it. I almost feel guilty that I don't enjoy pregnancy. I don't feel radiant or glowing or energized from the life within. It is pure HECK for me. BUT it is torture I am willing to go through.

After Willie's accident we weren't sure we could have children. I have felt the pain of longing for a child. I remember thinking I would throw up every day of my life just to have a baby of my own. (Easier said than done.)

So while I extremely dislike being pregnant and sick, I am trying with all my might to focus on the great blessing I have been given to be able to have children instead of wallowing in self-pity and despair. TRYING is the key word.

I am very lucky to have great friends that take good care of me and help me out so much. It's hard being away from my family when I just want someone to take care of me...but luckily I have a wonderful family too. My grandma has come to visit and my parents are scheduled to drop by too.

I'm gonna make it. And the best part is, at the end of all this I'll have a sweet little baby face to kiss on.

PROOF...

2009-02-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

That we're still alive.

Today I gave little Nene's mop a trim. He was too, in his own words, "shaggy."

He bawled and protested the whole time. Don't look closely or you can really tell he wasn't holding still. He is now quite a little man. I both love and hate it. I let Nathan play in the shower to rinse off while I cleaned up the hair. Josh stayed in there with him to keep an eye on things. I could hear Josh saying, "Ne, your hair looks really handsome," and "Nene, you look great with your new haircut!" I just had to smile when I heard such kindness from a big brother.Here is Josh posing with his Darth Mal apple. Willie makes way cooler lunches than I do. Don't be too scared! Yes, Jake is wearing his scripture tote on his head. He came up with this fashion statement during sacrament meeting a couple Sundays ago. I was trying not to laugh and trying to get him to take it off. When I told him it was not polite to wear hats inside of buildings, he told me not to worry because it wasn't a hat...it was a wig.

I'd post a picture of myself to prove I'm still alive but then you'd wish we were both dead...You'll have to take the typing as proof.

My Christmas Highlight

2009-01-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

My favorite part of Christmas 2008 actually came before Christmas. Jacob was asked to speak in church. If you don't personally know this boy, I'll put it lightly by saying he has the gift of gab. He likes to talk (in fact he rarely stops) and he was really excited to get to talk in church.

Usually children just give talks in primary to the other children, which he LOVES to do, but this time he got to give a talk in sacrament meeting to everyone. He gave a talk in sacrament meeting for the primary program (and did a great job) so he was thrilled to be able to do it again.

Now as the mother, I have a different point of view on the whole thing. I was excited for him, especially since he was so happy about it, but also nervous. He wanted to "write" it himself. So we talked about what he wanted to say and I wrote down what he told me to.

He would practice and sometimes at night I could hear him in his room repeating what he wanted to say to Josh. The thing that brought fear to my heart was knowing that Jake could get up there and say ANYTHING! (He is only five let's remember.) BUT it never ever crossed my mind that the exact opposite of my fears would come true.

That Sunday finally came and he was ready as ever. My mom had been able to come early for Christmas so she could hear him speak in church. Willie and I were singing in the choir, Jake was speaking, and both Josh and Jake were going to be singing with the children's choir, so we all had a little part. It really was exciting!

It was finally time and I took Jacob up to sit on the stand by the microphone before it was his turn. I could tell he was nervous, but who wouldn't be? I know adults that can't stand to speak in public, so I thought he just had some jitters and when it was his turn he'd be fine. Well...

Right as the man singing a solo before his talk was about to finish, he turned to me and said, "I'm not giving my talk." WHAT?! He wasn't joking and there was no changing his mind. I didn't know what to do. It was his turn and he wasn't budging.

I thought maybe if I could just get him up to the microphone he'd start up and be fine. I picked him up (honestly what was I thinking?) and stood him on the stool at the microphone. NOTHING. He really, truly, honestly wasn't going to do it. I was so worried about what he WOULD say, I hadn't even thought about him not saying anything.

I frantically whispered things in his ear trying to get him to talk. I felt like a horrid stage mom coaching her child to perform, which so wasn't the case...he had been so excited just minutes before. It was HORRIBLE and the longer I stood there with him the worse it got.

It felt like we were up there for an eternity for all to see. I honestly didn't know what to do. I was praying in that moment like no other. Finally he hopped off the stool and went back down into the congregation, which left me standing there all alone. Not knowing what else to do, I leaned over the kiddie stool and started giving his talk for him. At this point I really just wanted to disappear.

I saw my mom sit down beside Jacob and low and behold he comes bounding to the stage yelling, "Mom, stop!" Well, by golly, I stopped and had a seat. He climbed right up to that microphone and gave his talk. There were many wet eyes in the audience. He did a great job.

I have never been so relieved and so proud and so grateful and so everything in all of my life. I later asked my mom what she had said to him. When she sat down by him Jacob asked her, "Grandma, why do you look so sad?" When she told him she was sad because he wasn't giving his talk he said, "Oh! I'll give my talk!" and ran right up.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if my mom hadn't been there that Sunday and then I stop myself from thinking about it and just thank my lucky stars she was. I guess my favorite and least favorite part of Christmas this year were one and the same.

I had a hard time getting the video from my camera to load, so I recorded the talk on his camera (which isn't as quality) and it worked. This is in essence the talk he gave Christmas Sunday. (Try to picture him in a suit and tie standing at the pulpit...)

Of course never to be outdone, here is Josh who also knows the scripture Jacob learned for his talk. Willie was amazed when he realized Josh had memorized this. I just had to giggle.

I never realized how much the younger sibling benefits from learning along with the older one. (Figures that I would be the oldest!) They both just amaze me and I'm grateful to me their mom.

Willie on the news

2008-12-17T22:44:00.001-08:00

Willie was on the news earlier this week! Last year it was the radio, this year the TV...what's next?! It's so exciting to live with a celebrity. Check him out here (start about 1:48 on the video).

***Bummer, the video is no longer working on the station's website. Sorry!***

Company Party

2008-12-15T22:10:00.000-08:00

I loved that our local party this year was Hawaiian themed, but my favorite part of this year's Christmas party was that I got to wear a muumuu. It is by far the most comfortable I've ever been at a company party! I even had room in my dress for seconds at the delicious buffet!!The entertainment was good (live Hawaiian band, dancers, and then a DJ for some dancing) and the food was GREAT. (Have I already mentioned that I liked the food?)I enjoyed watching Willie run the show and interact with the people he works with. He really did a great job and threw a great party!And when it was all over I took off my flip-flops and put on my snow boots and coat because unfortunately I don't really live in Hawaii.

Visiting Santa

2008-12-15T21:52:00.000-08:00

We took the boys to see Santa. Little did I know Santa would be joined by Mrs. Claus (Mary Christmas according to Josh...gotta love Charlie Brown) and an elf.Jake whispered to Santa that he wants a basketball hoop.Josh shared his wish for a scooter.Nathan was in instant panic mode.

I wasn't going to push it, so lucky me...I got to visit with Santa this year too.

If Santa would have asked...I'd have told him I'd like a cook and a housekeeper.

Turkey Day

2008-12-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

We had a GREAT Thanksgiving this year. We were able to enjoy the good company of dear friends, of which I have no pictures. (-Sigh-) I am a blogger failure. It's just that I get so wrapped up in the moment sometimes and the food was so good...I couldn't focus on much else.

We deep fried our turkey this year for Thanksgiving...YUMMY. I'm more than grateful Willie headed up this project. First there was the marinade injection. Note the BIG needle on the counter.Observe the doctor's intense look of concentration. Did I mention I'm really glad I didn't have to do any of this?! Eck.

How-to-point-at-base-of-flame practiced and demonstrated by Hans. I was seriously worried my house would burn down.The oil was hot and ready, drop it in!A bit too much oil, hence the overflow and classic expression by Willie. Put the lid on, quick!Lots of work for a DELICIOUS turkey. Thanks guys!

We had two other families join us. Mmmm, I'm still thinking about all that great food. You girls can cook!

Give Thanks

2008-11-25T14:21:00.000-08:00

I have been loving this co-op preschool that I'm doing with Josh. We have a great group of six little boys (one was missing today) and us moms take turns teaching. It was my turn this week!The little preschool turkeys singing "One Little Turkey" with their beaks on. Me as a pilgrim with two of my wild Native Americans, complete with their custom designed headbands.Josh shaking his baby food jar wondering when the butter he's making will be done!The FEAST. Yum!When I took the picture I told the kids to say "feast" and Nathan yelled, "EAT!"

I am thankful for a wonderful group of friends for both me and my boys.

Grandpa Nelson

2008-11-22T23:18:00.000-08:00

(Thanks to my sister for sending me this picture of our whole family with Grandma and Grandpa. This was the last time I saw my Grandpa Nelson at the family reunion in June this year.)

My grandfather (my dad's dad) passed away this morning. I have such great memories of him and hopefully I'll be able to dig up some pictures.

Grandpa was such a tease! He wore dentures and would pop them out and make funny faces at us kids. It would freak me out but we would die laughing and tell our parents what Grandpa was doing. Grandpa always just looked at Mom and Dad like he had no clue what we were talking about and would do it over and over when our parents weren't looking.

Grandpa had a love for music and singing. I remember him playing his trombone. I remeber him singing "Mr. Moon" and "Mares Eat Oats" and now I sing these songs to my boys.

Grandpa handed out the Christmas stockings at the family Christmas party. It was a fun tradition to sit on Grandpa's lap and tell him that you had been good all year and in exchange for a hug and kiss get a stocking full of goodies.

I am glad to have known my Grandpa Nelson and what he stood for. He was a man of honor, a true hero, a worker and not a complainer. I need to be more like him. I will miss him, but I am grateful to know that I will see him again.

Strawberry Pickin'

2008-11-22T15:37:00.000-08:00

A "draft" from June 7, 2008. I'm missing my garden now that's it is fall. I never knew how fun growing things could be. Now that I have no pictures I TREASURE these old finds. Here are my silly boys picking some strawberries.
Yes, he hugged the strawberry...

Working Out Back

2008-11-22T15:31:00.000-08:00

Another "draft" post.

Everyone pitched in to help get the backyard done. Jake and Josh were hard workers! (I promise no child labor laws were broken.)

Be still my heart...Josh looks like he was born to farm!Nathan found a rain puddle and happily splashed away.Pretty much if he was happy and out of the way, he got to do whatever he wanted.Will on his archaeological dig.Josh helped pound while Will leveled.Jake measured to make sure that it was up to specs. Lucky for us our friends came to help. (Hopefully it wasn't just because you're the elder's quorum president!) While the boys got the planters settled...The girls laid the weed barrier for the wood chips.
Josh needed a little rest after such hard work!Jakes decided that since he's checked bike riding off his to-do list, next up is the monkey bars. It's not such a hard fall now with the wood chips in.BEFORE:
AFTER:I'm thrilled Will built these planters for me! I can't wait to see if anything grows...

Our April Fool's Baby

2008-11-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

You have no idea how THRILLED I was to discover that I have several old blog posts still in "draft" mode. The reason for happiness? A few more pictures that aren't completely lost. (Blasted, blasted computer crash!)

I have VERY VERY few pictures of Nathan when he was a newborn. I am so happy to have found this one! (This was from a post I did when he turned one.)

Chocolate Lover?

2008-11-13T13:38:00.000-08:00

Want 100 chocolate candy bars? (Who in their right mind would say no?!) My sister-in-law is celebrating her 100th post. Just go here and leave a comment. Good luck!!

If I win I'll share with Nathan. He's a chocolate lover like his mama!

Bellevue, Washington 2008

2008-11-12T20:29:00.000-08:00

It's fun to be married to such a good friend. Sometimes I forget this during all the chaos of regular life. Will and I had a blast together this past weekend.Saturday night we attended a big bash at the bowling alley. Bowling is not exactly our strong sport...But we had fun laughing at ourselves (and each other)!I'm a lot better at bowling with the kiddie bumpers up!

Willie clowned around playing pool but actually did pretty well. It must be all the practicing he does at home playing pool on the kids' table.Sunday night was the formal gala. The entertainment this year was great. During the reception time (before the dinner started) there were three girls hanging from the ceiling doing amazing tricks in these hoops. Will and I chilled on a leather sofas and ate appetizers and watched in awe.This was our table at dinner. Three of Willie's managers (and their guests), one employee (and guest) who was being honored for working for the company for five years, and me (Willie took the picture).Willie and I at dinner. Let's just say yummy!More amazing entertainment before the awards portion of the evening. Wow!We caught an early flight home Monday morning and were pretty tuckered out. It's nice to have a great friend to lean on.

Thanks again to my friend Jenny and Mom for making the weekend possible! The boys had a great time and so did we!

Annual Get-Away

2008-11-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

Thanks to great friends and family, Willie and I are enjoying ourselves on our annual trip to Washington. Willie has conferences during the day...but I don't. It's quite nice indeed.

We forgot the camera (and contact solution, and my glasses, and the list could go on) so we've been taking quality photos with the phone. We had a nice flight.
And a great dinner, even if I ate too much and almost popped.

I'm not a big TV fan (that might be an under statement) but I've been relaxing and channel surfing a bit. My goodness, I am shocked with the filth. I'm really not used to it and I'm glad. I do, however, enjoy the decorating/remodeling shows. Maybe I'll get out of the hotel room some time today...then again, maybe I won't.

God Bless America

2008-11-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

I voted today! Did you?
Photo courtesy of Joshua. He likes when I make "funny faces."

The PERFECT Family Portrait

2008-11-03T22:08:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? Everyone is looking at the camera and smiling. Maybe we'll use this for our Christmas cards this year. Our best family picture yet!

First Pumpkin Carvin'

2008-11-03T21:21:00.000-08:00

Halloween was really fun with Nathan this year. It was all so new and exciting for him. Pumpkins were one of his favorite things about this holiday! He called them "balls" and enjoyed throwing them around. This pumpkin didn't have a stem for long once he hurled it off his highchair.I was trying to coax him on touching the pumpkin guts. He wasn't so sure...I helped him gain a little courage by forcing, I mean guiding, his hand into the pumpkin...Once I got his hand in that pumpkin and wiggled it around a bit...Nathan's first pumpkin-carving masterpiece.
Here are the old pros with their pumpkins.These big boys have years of experience in pumpkin carving!Our three little pumpkins! (Only Jake's pumpkin ended up with a stem. Poor Josh's pumpkin also suffered the wrath of Nathan.)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-31T10:52:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Trunk or Treat!

2008-10-29T15:19:00.000-07:00

Our ward had a trunk-or-treat last week and like always, we had lots of fun and lots of sugar! The boys got a kick out of wearing makeup ("makeup for boys, right, Mom?") and it was rather fun painting up their faces. May I introduce you to my little skeletons:Kai (a.k.a. Buzz Lightyear) and Jenny joined us in the fun and after we had eaten chilli and all the boys had won at the cake walk, we ventured out to the cars to get the CANDY! The boys sat in the back of the truck and chowed down while Willie and I finished up our bean bag toss game. Jake saved his candy until we got home and then asked, "Now can I eat my junk?" They are pretty excited for Friday!
I love how much makeup Nathan managed to rub off his face! We will not be painting faces the night of Halloween. I have given in to letting the boys wear their masks. Josh had an allergic reaction to the makeup and his face was puffy and red Sunday for the primary program!

First Snow of the Year

2008-10-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

Snow in October???!!! You've got to be kidding me. I was NOT pleased to be seeing this sight on October 10th!!!!Nathan was content to watch from the sidelines for a while but that didn't last long!The three amigos out in the snow while I watched them play from inside our nice, warm home.Nathan LOVED his first snow adventure and just kept saying his new word proudly, "Snow!"Someone was quite pleased with himself and the snowball he threw at me. I was on the other side of the sliding glass door, so fire away bucko.How can someone be so in love with something so cold? I simply do not understand.

Preschool Days

2008-10-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

Jake isn't the only school boy at this house. Josh has started preschool!Five of us moms (and our five sons) started a little co-op preschool. We take turns teaching (so I only teach every five weeks) and it has turned out to be tons of fun! This was Josh's first day, complete with attempted pictures with the brothers.I love how Jake and Josh are such good buddies. They always seem to have a little joke or secret going on that no one else gets.And off another one goes...and yes I cried all over again.

Our FIRST...

2008-10-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

First day of school! We officially have a child in kindergarten!Jake started school a week later than the rest of his class due to his unavailability while cruising the Mexican Riviera on a Disney cruise. (Poor thing!) He was EXCITED to go to school.Pictures with the little brothers.Jacob and his teacher, Ms. Isenburg.Jake and a buddy from church that is in his class.He ran right off and started playing. The rest of the family (yes, we all went!) stood by and watched until the bell rang, he lined up with his class (30 students!), and marched right in. He was excited and gave us each (little brothers included) a hug as he passed by and into the building.I admit that I did shed a few tears but I was wearing big sunglasses so I hid it well. I love this boy so much and I simply can't believe how fast he is growing up. I love it and hate it at the same time.

Josh is FOUR

2008-10-28T13:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little Joshy is already four years old. We celebrated his birthday on the cruise. (This is technically not a cruise post but is in fact a birthday post.)Joshua was thrilled that we went on a cruise to celebrate his birthday. (Ha!) He didn't quite get that the cruise was for this (Grandma's 75th!) wonderful birthday not his 4th birthday.The room was decorated and a little cake was waiting just for him!I hope this doesn't raise the bar for all of his next birthdays...When they brought out a cake to him, he smiled and took a bite right off the top...no fork needed. He is such a little stinker and I love it.This birthday was full of Star Wars toys (of course) and lots of other wonderful gifts.He was one happy four-year-old! We love you Joshy-Boy...NOW STOP GROWING. I really mean it!!!

Puerto Vallarta

2008-09-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

This is the last cruise post...PROMISE. (You do understand that this was the best vacation I've ever had and most likely ever will, right?)

This was probably my favorite part of the cruise. We went to a resort in Puerto Vallarta. It had a swimming pool with a great big alligator slide!Complete with a rope bridge to cross!It was also beach front, so the favorite activity of the day was riding the body boards!Josh was a little more timid than Jake but Willie was good to take each boy out and help them ride the waves. And ride they did!Jacob actually got really good.It was funny to see such a little body holding on for dear life.That's him on the bottom right. He'd ride all the way in. Soon a little crowd was watching and clapping for him.
It was LOTS of fun to hang out and play with our big boys. (Yes, we left Nathan on the ship this time around.)Such a beautiful place and such a wonderful memory. (I'm wishing I was there right now!)

Such CHARACTERS

2008-09-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

There were Disney characters all over the place on the ship. It was fun to see them and see how excited the kids would get when we saw them.The boys weren't so into the princesses...except Jake has always had a place in his heart for Wendy. He is simply smitten!Check out the look on his face when he scores a hug! He looks almost as happy as Grandma does with Jack Sparrow!The boys with Jack Sparrow...Us with Captain Mickey on pirate night. Arrrgh!
The morning we had breakfast with all the characters, the boys were quite characters themselves.

Josh informed me when we got home that he never saw Captain Hook on the cruise. When I told him I'd spotted him while they were in the kids' club...he cried. I really couldn't believe it...these boys are characters indeed.

Keep Moving Forward!

2008-09-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

So bad things have happened to my computer that I'd rather not talk about. Looking on the positive side (my computer was half working) I'm actually very glad for this blog! At least I have these pictures. Perhaps I'll have to blog more to be sure every detail is documented.

BUT one new hard drive later and I'm up and going and moving forward. Let's just pick up where I left off. We can all pretend there isn't a month's gap, right? Need a refresher of where we're picking up? THE CRUISE. (If you've already had enough, just close it now.)The day we went to Mazatlan a large group of our family took a tour of the city. So large was our group that we got our own bus.

All the cool kids sat in the back...just like junior high all over again. Look at this wonderful man I married, an inventor and multitasker! Seat belts and car seats weren't included so Willie came up with his own safety device. Restrain with one arm, read with the other...Sometimes I wish I had an older child to help me. My cousin, Tessa, was so good to Nathan! And Nathan loved the attention!The babies on this bus didn't say "wah-wah-wah"...this baby (my sister's youngest) just smiled...
And this baby slept.Our first stop of the tour was at a place I don't know the name of. I'm a great traveler and highly educated in history and landmarks. I do remember the tour guide telling us this rock (the one out in the water) was white because it was covered in bird poop. Mostly I was trying not to freak out at the thought of my boys going over into the water and landing in the jagged rocks and white waves below. These little concrete walls just weren't doing the trick for me.Doesn't he look eager to take a plunge? I love our family picture. (Ha!) Luckily Will and I know how to look at a camera. My parents and Scott know how to smile nicely for a picture too. This was Scott's last adventure before he left on his mission to Minnesota. Looking back on these pictures, it cracks me up that we are all still wearing our stickers that say what group we're in.Willie and Nathan with the rocks and waves (and tour guide) in the background. Two brothers seeing the sights of Mexico. And yes, I did get them safely back onto the bus without either of them taking a swim. Stop number two was a beautiful Catholic church. Again, no names, just memories of the amazing architecture and decor. Quite different from a Mormon chapel, I must say.Can you guess who helped fund some of the church? HINT: That Star of David in the windows isn't a Catholic symbol.Anyway, the sculptures were cool and I loved seeing it all.A lot of the artwork focused on the death of Christ. There was even a glass box with a statue of Christ dead with a crown of thorns. Josh and I really checked that one out. Interesting, very different, and beautiful all at once.Josh checking out the sights across from the church. Curious little boy indeed!

Then we were off to see some cliff divers. The entire time we were there people were trying to sell us things. I did end up buying two kite-flying things for the boys (which got tangled before we were ever able to use them) and a wooden buffalo statue. It must have been a good deal because they all told me, "It's almost free." (Ha! Come couponing with me and I'll show you free.)Wheeeeeeeee!He even made it out alive. I bet Willie could do that, no problem.We had lunch at a resort and then spent the rest of the day on the beach. The boys were cracking me up with their dancing. They totally went up on the stage and showed off their moves!Go Jakey, go!!Wave jumping, the ultimate in extreme sports. The water was so warm (which would usually make me nervous...but we're talking ocean here) it felt awesome. We looked for shells and jumped in the waves. Josh officially declared he does not like salty water (after getting a mouthful) but it didn't stop him from splashing around with his brothers in the waves!Willie stayed and had extra time at the beach while I took the boys back. I know I have more beach pictures but they're on a CD somewhere, not so sure where. (At least if my computer blows up tonight I know they're safe.)Here are Cynthia and her family in a little taxi we took back to the ship. Isn't it cute?They took the first taxi while we sat (and rocked) and waited...ACTUALLY my Dad took the two big boys and my Mom and I took Nathan in an air-conditioned car. I thought we were all going to die right then and there in the streets of Mazatlan, Mexico. There didn't seem to be a lot of traffic law following going on. I was nervous to say the least. But we made it and we're here to tell the tale!

I know I'm a bit back logged on the blog. I'm positive that slowly but surely I'll be able to make my way through it all and get current. No worries, just about ten more cruise posts to go. Kidding, but really I do have a LOT of pictures!

We Interupt This Blog...

2008-09-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

with a friendly reminder to always backup your computer. Having your hard-drive crash and losing EVERYTHING is never fun. Trust me, I now know.

Do you want to lament the loss of baby photos? Do you desire to feel the pain of losing every document you ever created? Heavens NO! So what are you doing just reading this? Don't waste another minute. Go! Now! Back it all up!!

(I'm still getting over the loss of everything on my computer, hence the slow blogging. )

Disney Cruise!

2008-08-31T17:32:00.000-07:00

Hold on tight, here come the cruise details blow...by...blow.

We flew into L.A. and received the royal treatment the moment we stepped off the plane. By the time we got to the baggage claim, our luggage was waiting for us...MINUS ONE BAG. Nathan's bag, of course.

The happy Disney people gave stickers to the boys while we waited. It made it all better. I was a little nervous that the bag wouldn't be getting to us before the ship departed but luck was on our side and it shortly arrived to our room.While we were waiting to get on the ship, we met up with Mickey. When Nathan and I walked up for him to meet the famous mouse for the first time, Nathan reached over and honked Mickey's nose.Apparently I thought it was pretty funny. Luckily Mickey did too.We perused the area around the ship and checked it all out.Then the boys danced and danced to the festive band and we anxiously awaited getting on the ship.Dad making his grand entrance! They would announce your family's name and then cheer and welcome you on board.One of the first things we got to do (after stuffing ourselves at the buffet) is try on our stylish life jackets and participate in a drill. The baby suits cracked me up!

Nathan and I waiting out the drill.

Grandpa and Josh comfy in the theater chairs.

Auntie Lizzy and Jake wearing their neon orange attire.

We ate at Lumiere's restaurant the first night. Good 'ol table nine. The servers rotate with you from restaurant to restaurant the entire time of the cruise so they knew what you liked and how you liked it. I really enjoyed being waited on hand and foot. (Sigh) I sure miss that.The rooms were larger than I thought they would be. There was a bed and couch and at night they would turn the couch into bunk beds and Nathan had a crib (not pictured). The boys loved their bunks!Our room was adjoining with my parents' and a couple of nights Jake and Josh slept in there. They LOVE grandma and grandpa and it was often hard to get the boys away from them! More of the cruise at a later time...to be continued!

Cruise Food - Glorious Food

2008-08-31T17:10:00.000-07:00

The food was fabulous on the cruise. We ate and ate and ate! Everywhere I turned there was more food to be had. We stuffed ourselves silly and loved every minute of it. I really enjoyed not haivng to make or clean any of it up!

Cabo!

2008-08-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

The day we went to Cabo, Willie and I left the boys on the ship. Please don't think we just ditched our kids. When we would go to pick up the boys from the kids' club, they would beg us to let them stay! Even Nathan enjoyed his time in Flounder's Reef. It was nice to know that our children were in good hands and having fun while we were away.

Willie and I left the cruise ship and boated over to the beach for our "excursion."The kayaks and snorkeling gear were all lined up on the beach and waiting for us!

Willie did not want to wear his life jacket (but did, of course) and we were quite a good kayaking pair. (Although I wasn't opposed to taking little breaks and letting Will do the work from time to time.)We paddled out and around the rock formations and spent some time on Lover's Beach.Here is my view of Willie snorkeling behind me.We had a good time swimming with our snorkels and looking at the fish. After a while it was kayaking back to the beach and being boated back to the ship! A fun and exciting day indeed. With Cabo checked off our list we were ready for the adventures of our next day.

Girls Night Out

2008-07-22T23:33:00.000-07:00

Have you discovered how truly fabulous it is to be frugal? Maria and I had a girls night out and made coupon purchases. Aren't we just wild and crazy? Not only did we have fun but look at everything we got! What are you waiting for? Get on over here and let Nicole help you get things for cheap and free! Woohoo!

Let's Go to the Movies!

2008-07-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

Inspired by one I saw a ward in Las Vegas do, I made a little flyer of fun summer things for families to do in our area. (E-mail me if you want a copy.) I've made it a personal quest to try to do all the things on the list, which is impossible, but we've had fun trying!

For the first of our summer adventures, we went to the drive-in movies! (Can you guess which flick we saw?)Being at the drive-in made me feel like I had been sent back in time. I loved it! Here's the big screen where we would be viewing Wall-E. The boys were THRILLED and had a hard time containing themselves.Josh and Nathan all set in their p.j.'s and saving a spot for our friends that were going to join us. No one would dare ask these two darlings to move! Our plan worked and our friends were able to park right next to us.
I don't know if Jake was more excited about seeing the movie or eating all the "junk candy" we had brought to snack on during the show.
They were VERY excited!

Especially once Kai came. They all had fun playing around in the truck while waiting for the movie to start. Silly little boys!Notice the glazed-over look on Jake's face? The previews have begun. He's in official viewing mode.Nathan wasn't too interested in watching anything. He liked exploring and being loud and I was scared he'd fall out of the truck. I took care of him the whole time so I can't give you a review of the movie or anything. It had something to do with robots, fat humans, and a plant.By the end of the movie, Jake and Josh were asleep in the back of the truck. Nathan was trying to hold out but he too was asleep by the time we left the parking lot. Hooray for summer time!

Tagged - Me As I Really Am

2008-07-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

I liked reading this tag on Katie's blog...until I got to the end and saw that she tagged me. (I wasn't so hot on it after that.) This tag was like a freeze tag. I had to take pictures of how things really were at that moment. A dangerous thing indeed.

THE SINK as it really is. You don't know how tempted I was to wash the soaking pan from dinner before I took this picture...but I didn't. I followed the rules.THE FRIDGE as it really is. I've got to clean out some of those leftovers!THE LAUNDRY ROOM as it really is...complete with a mountain of towels to wash.THE TOILET as it really is. The lid is up and I'd bet money the rest of the toilets in this house are in the up position as well. I was just grateful it was flushed.THE CLOSET as it really is. All the empty hangers = I have lots of laundry to do. MY FAVORITE ROOM as it really is. I love my bedroom. Love the windows, love the view, love napping on my bed.MY FAVORITE SHOES as they really are. I'm not into shoes. If I could get away with it, I'd rather just go barefoot. Here are my lovely flip-flops (or "slippers" as Willie calls them) and they're pretty close to being shoeless. I have several assorted colors because I'm into high fashion as much as I'm into shoes.MY HUSBAND as he really is. Will's lifting weights out in the garage while listening to "November Rain." What a stud!MY BOYS as they really are. They fell asleep in the afternoon and weren't tired tonight, so they are reading books in bed instead of sleeping. Jake likes a ton of blankets and pillows.Josh is a minimalist when it comes to bedding. (And was a bit surprised when I busted in taking pictures...)Nathan was starting to stir when this picture was quickly snapped. I can't believe I risked waking a sleeping baby!ME and it doesn't get more real than this. I taught a swim class for some girls from church today so here we've got no makeup, wet hair in a ponytail, still got the swimsuit on underneath, and I'm supposed to be working (hence the earphones)...but instead I'm blogging.

And that's the REAL me. I tag Cynthia B., Kelly M., JoAnna A., Danielle L., and anyone else who's up for a REAL challenge.

Pay Day

2008-07-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

Pay up buddy, you owe me big. I prefer small bills and no, I don't take coupons. O ye of little faith...

For those of you completely lost go HERE and be sure to read the comments. How much do you think he owes me? Thanks for teaching me to flip, Josh! You made a great movie too!!

Good Blog Reading

2008-07-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

Since I've been using Google Reader (ah, blessed blessed Google Reader!) I haven't updated the links of the blogs I read. There are a couple of blogs I've been LOVING lately that I thought I'd share. Since we all know I'm a blog stalker, that's already been established here, these are not people I know, I just like their blogs.

Being Frugal is Fabulous: I'm a sucker for a deal and Nicole has got it DOWN. She makes it all too easy by letting us all in on how to use coupons to get the best prices...sometimes even free! (I just registered with RiteAid and got $50.00 in coupons!) Do be sure to check her blog out and start saving some money!

A Daily Scoop: Warning - Prepare yourself with some tissues before you go to this blog. You will cry. This family has lost their young daughter and I am truly inspired by this mother's courage and faith. In reading about her trials, I am strengthened to get through the pettiness of mine. When I read her blog I want to hug and kiss my children and never let go, and who doesn't need a reminder like that every now and then? (All of her posts are great and these are two of my favorites: Inside the Heart and Perspective.)

Got any other good reads for me to add to my Google Reader? Fill me in!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-07-11T15:11:00.001-07:00

Today is my mother's birthday and I'm hoping she has a great day full of free slurpees and lots of rest and relaxation. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that my package gets there today!Happy Birthday, Mom/Grandma! We love you!!!

Travel Tips Needed

2008-07-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

Exactly one month from today we'll be on a CRUISE! It will be grandma's big 75th (you don't mind me sharing that, right grandma?) and she's celebrating big. She is taking the ENTIRE family on a Disney Cruise. Woo Hoo!!! We are all extremely excited and ready to go (except for the fact that our passports still haven't come) BUT this is something I've never done before!I need some tips from all you cruise experts! Any pearls of wisdom to share with me? I'm worried about getting seasick and I'm having mini flashbacks of the movie "Titanic." I don't want to get there and think, "Oh, I wish I would have brought..." or "Man, I wish we would have..." Fill me in now so I can get it together!

Ice Cream!

2008-07-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite July 4th traditions is homemade ice cream. Strawberry. Sure, I am the ONLY member of this household that enjoys strawberry ice cream but we made it anyway. I like it a lot, so I'm sure I can handle all six quarts by myself...Anyone want some ice cream?

Let's do it the old fashioned way! The boys were such good helpers..They loved using the crank to turn the ice cream so much that they argued over it. We actually had to take turns hand cranking the ice cream maker!
Even Nathan wanted in on the action.
They were a little miffed when I put the electric motor on to finish the job.
They were REALLY surprised when we used this ice cream maker for the batch of chocolate ice cream. It was all too easy!
And boy was it YUMMY!!!

Long live traditions of homemade ice cream!!!

July 4th Breakfast and Parade

2008-07-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a super fourth of July! We started ours off bright and early (I had to wake the kids) with a ward breakfast and parade at the park. The boys loved being in a "parade."Actually our whole family was in the parade because Nathan rode in the wagon and needed a puller. That took up one parent.Jake is uncontrollable on his bike and needed some guidance. That took up the other parent. (I could just picture him taking out the entire parade...) He wasn't very happy that we wouldn't let him loose.Thank heavens Josh is still content with training wheels and was completely and totally independent. Goooo, Joshua!Here's the whole parade crew.The boys enjoyed playing volleyball. I use the term volleyball loosely...there was a net.Jake and Josh want nothing more than to be big and these big boys are so nice to include them and treat them like they're big. Jake was in ready position! Jake and Josh were both in heaven...UNTIL...Out of nowhere Josh just took off running. He didn't say a word, he just had this intense look in his eye and he was off. I was a little confused. Then I saw that someone was on his bike. He was ticked and I was scared. I grabbed Nathan and I started running. I was hoping and praying Josh didn't reach the kid and throw him to the ground before I could get there. Willie saw what was going on and he started running too. (Poor kid testing out the bike thought the whole family was after him!)

We were yelling, "No, Josh, no!" By the time we caught up to the pair, Josh was in tears and yelling (luckily no physical violence occurred) and the little boy on the bike jumped off and ran away. Whew! That was a close one.

Josh hopped on his bike and rode it back over to the volleyball game. He parked it on the grass right by the net so he could keep a closer eye on it. Don't mess with Josh (or his extremely long tongue) he's not one to just take things lying down.I also caught some action over at the sack races. Go girls, go!While everyone had their fun, Nathan and I kept busy. Boy-oh-boy is he busy. We tried a bit of everything.It was a great way to start off our Independence Day!

Indepence Day Fun

2008-06-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

After my little experience at Old Navy (and the talks in sacrament meeting today), I am determined to teach my children the importance of our country and its history. We are going to have a fun-filled week centering around independence.

I LOVE the Sugar Doodle site and there are some fabulous week-long lesson plans that can even be adapted for little children. I found some fun ideas here that we are going to try this week. Wish us luck!

I Declare!

2008-06-28T13:00:00.001-07:00

I went to Old Navy's big hyped up summer sale today. I did love that the flip flops were all $1.00 since they are my shoe of choice. I generously bought a round of flip flops for the whole family. Willie will be getting a few new polo shirts that were $1.97 and a new swimsuit that was 50% off. What did I get for myself at the summer sale? Sweaters. Not quite what I was expecting to be purchasing today but I couldn't pass them up for 97 cents. I don't even think you can buy yarn at that price. The store was packed and the line was long (only two registers open) and while we were waiting not so patiently, they had a little game. A worker guy on a ladder (who I thought should be working a register instead of running a game) explained he would ask questions, we raise our hands, and he would call on somebody. (Man, I wish I had taken pictures...)It was all really high-tech. The good part was if you got the answer correct, you got a ticket for $5.00 off your purchase. I perked right up. (I mean really, that's five free sweaters!)The questions were about things like the origin of flip flops, the most common shoe size, etc. I was towards the back of the line and couldn't even hear really well and figured I didn't have a chance with all the eager ladies raising their hands. Then he asked the question, "What occurred on July 4th that we celebrate?" I quickly raised my hand along with ONE other lady. Huh? Only two of us know the answer? He called on me and I said, "The signing of the Declaration of Independence." Complete silence. I think I even heard a cricket chirp. He looked back at his paper. What the? Maybe he was getting technical* on me, but I seriously doubt it. He looked a little confused and said, "Yes." I don't know what the answer on his paper said but I'm guessing it was obviously something different than what I had said. I leave the three boys in line to go retrieve my prize (remember I was in the way back) and as I'm returning to my spot with the coveted ticket the lady behind me says, "Wow, you're really smart." I almost laughed out loud and held my tongue from saying what I was thinking. Please tell me everyone in that store knew the 4th of July is not just a day off work and for fireworks. I can't get over that only one other person even raised their hand! (Maybe everyone behind me was raising their hands and I couldn't see all the "smart" people behind me.)INDEPENDENCE. FREEDOM. It's a big deal, people. I'm really disappointed in my fellow Old Navy shoppers. BUT I suppose I should get off my soapbox; it is because they didn't know why we celebrate July 4th that I got $5.00 off my purchase. Let freedom ring!

*(The Declaration of Independence was officially adopted on July 4, 1776, but the signing of the "official" copy was August 2, 1776.)

Travels

2008-06-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time visiting our family and friends in Las Vegas! Could we have possibly packed one more thing into our trip? I think not...

Here are the boys enjoying the car ride. Even their stuffed animals were excited to go visit grandma and grandpa! Hooray for Scott (my youngest brother) who graduated from high school!!!
Now with high school checked off his list, next stop is his mission. He will be serving and teaching the very lucky people living in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area. We love you Scott!
Here are my future graduates trying the cap on for size.

The night of the graduation my parents got a suite at the Mandalay Bay. Wowee! It was sure nice. Two rooms, dining room, living room, view of the strip...Did I get any pictures? Nope. I did capture a bit of the shower in our room while the boys were rinsing off after spending the morning down at the pools.A visit with grandma and grandpa would not be complete without a trip to Chuck E Cheese ("Where a kid can be a kid" as Jake likes to remind us). We actually celebrated Auntie Lizzy's (my brother Jason's wife) birthday there. Jake's always such great help when it comes to blowing out the candles. We totally scored with a TON of tickets. Too bad they don't have the Deal or No Deal game there. I know I could have raked in even more...Let's see what else did we do? We went to story time at the outlet mall. The boys enjoyed the stories and I enjoyed some shopping. Pretty smart on the mall's part if you ask me. Tempt you in there with an innocent free activity and the next thing you know, you're reeled into some shopping. (Yeah for the Gymboree outlet store!)After story time all the children were treated to a free ride on the carosel, which was a good thing indeed.I got to visit with a good friend of mine, Sophia. We taught school together back in the day. We had a blast swimming at the club. It was here that Jacob learned his thrilling new trick...a "backflip" under the water. Here are the boys checking out the basketball players. (I know it's a picture of their backs...but unfortuneatly it's all I got.)The boys got an up-close and personal tour of Truline Trucking. It was fun for them to see their uncles and Grandpa Truman at work. Uncle Clay showed them a truck that needed the motor fixed. Uncle Paul let them get in this truck and check it all out. It was pretty high but we were all brave enough to climb on up.Josh liked riding in the chair while Uncle Paul made it go up and down. My hip attachment and I (Nathan is SUCH a mama's boy) even tried it out. Pretty cool stuff. There was a little computer in there for the drivers to sign off on their loads. I had no idea how technologically advanced it all is. Jake and Josh even tested out the bed in the cab too. All in all they came away from Truline thrilled with their adventure and totally sugared out. Candy at the reception area by Uncle Scott, Grandpa Truman pointed out the donuts, and Uncle Rod had a big jar of candy too. Fun times at Truline!Had enough? Well we're not done yet! We ran away to the circus one afternoon. The tigers were fierce.I liked the elephants the best. (I liked the ladies with bicycle handlebars built into their costumes the least.)The boys liked booing at the ringmaster when he wouldn't let the clown blow bubbles the best. At least Nathan was on my side. He liked the animals and would kick his legs and get all excited whenever he'd catch a glimpse.Josh likes to push Nathan almost as much as Nathan enjoys Josh running him around. I was trying my best to just keep them happy so I could shop!Here's the crew (my mom, my grandma, and my boys) posing at the District. We also enjoyed catching up with extended family at the Nelson family reunion in St. George, Utah. Of which I have no good pictures. I guess I was just planning on getting copies from everyone else that was snapping pictures all day (please send them my way). Here is Josh and Great-Grandpa Nelson.I LOVED shopping at the home decorating store in St. George I'd heard so much about, Tai Pan. Wonderful things at wonderful prices. I even got to visit a Cracker Barrel restaurant for the first time. Nathan enjoyed rocking on the front porch of the restaurant.At last, after all of that, you'd think they'd be ready to go home. Jacob was trying to be brave and shed only a few tears. Luckily they did really well on the long journey back home and back to our boring (compared to vacation) life.Sorry to all I didn't get a chance to catch up with. As you can see, it was a busy trip. There's always next time. We love our family and friends!

Blog Stalker

2008-06-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently I'm not a very good blog stalker. Imagine my surprise/horror when I clicked on over to a blog I randomly read and never comment on (hence the "stalking" status) and found THIS.

Hilarious! This made me laugh out loud. Talk about a blast from the past! I had almost forgotten about the Sarah Jones episode. (Thanks for a good chuckle, Drew. Might I mention Sarah Jones is just the tip of the iceberg...you have no idea.)

Obviously I know people read my blog without commenting and I have to admit I do the same. I almost feel sneaky, like I'm spying on their life or something.

So here's my burning question:

Is "blog stalking" a sin?

(If so, please forgive me Drew...and the other 20 blogs I read without chiming in.)

A Boy and His Bike

2008-06-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

***To see Jake in live action check him out here!***

This boy has more determination than any I know. Lo and behold Jacob can ride his bike without training wheels. I burst with pride. He begged me for weeks to take the training wheels off and I told him to keep practising. I wasn't ready yet. I knew it would be hard for him (and me, running along side). I thought he would fall and cry and want the training wheels put back on, but this is the kind of thing where there's no turning back. Finally I gave in and asked Will to remove the tiny wheels. He did fall and it was hard. BUT each time he got back up and wanted to try again. I truly was impressed with his strong will.That very same night Jake was able to ride short stretches on his own. And he's gotten better and better from there. I only have to steady the bike for him while he gets on now. I should know better than to doubt this boy. Once he has his mind set...watch out!
Nathan is intrigued with watching him.
Look, look, look! He can do it!
Jake's not the only one that can ride. Check out Josh's speed racing!Josh prefers his "motorcycle" because he can go faster on it than on his bike with training wheels. He has a need for speed.Nathan may be little but he can ride too!He loves being big like his brothers.Jacob did not want to stop riding. Over and over again we'd go. So while he rode, Nathan and Josh played on "R2-D2." (All fire hydrants are called R2-D2 at our house.)

Joshua is often timid when it comes to climbing (something that seems uncharacteristic for him...) so he was very courageous to climb to the top of the fire hydrant.This picture truly captures the moment. If you look closely you can see content baby Nene, Josh climbing on "R2D2," and Jake crashed out in the street. Each boy so different and each so wonderful.

Before and Afters

2008-06-01T21:09:00.001-07:00

We have to pace ourselves in life, right? That's our philosophy with the backyard too. We've had to do it a little bit at a time (1) because it takes a lot of time and (2) because it takes a lot of money.

Our first summer here (2006) we lived it up in the dirt.

Our second summer (June 2007) we added the concrete, grass, and swing set.

This year (June 2008) we planted trees, added vegetable planters, and filled the swing set area with wood chips.
It doesn't seem like much but little by little we're getting it done. I love comparing the before and after shots to be able to track our slow-but-steady progress.
More pictures of the garden to come...

(I know, a bit of overkill but who knows the next time I'll have visitors? I have to make you feel like you are here!)

Life is Full of Firsts

2008-05-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

Nathan took his first steps today. Three steps to be exact. I was so thrilled for him and it made me happy to see how excited his big brothers were. Did I capture any of that on video?

NO!

But life if full of firsts and although I missed capturing the first steps (we tried to recreate it), I did get Nathan eating his first dill pickle today. Here is my sweet baby boy's reaction to a sour pickle...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

***If you can't make it out Josh is saying, "Good night, sleep..." and Nathan answers, "tight!"

Rainy-Day Gardening

2008-05-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

It has rained almost all day today but that didn't stop us from working on the garden. Rain or shine, we (mostly me) are determined to get a garden in. No garden pictures yet. You'll have to wait until we're finished. Well okay, here's a sneak peak of some of what we got done today.The boys found a worm that was still partly stuck in its hole and they couldn't get him out. They have found several worms with all the rain and each one has received a name (Fred, Joe, Steven, Francee, and Apple) and a new home. These two crack me up!But the funniest moment of the day goes to Willie. He didn't want to be wet but wearing a coat made him hot (because of all his hard working) so he came up with this little number. Yes, he is wearing a garbage bag. I could not take him seriously in this thing and to make it worse, he kept making hilarious comments like "The neck's a little tight" and "Looks like I'm a full 13 gallons." He can always make me laugh.
Even though we were soaked and muddy and I'm already sore (never a good sign of what's to come), I really enjoyed working side by side with him today.

Update

2008-05-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

After Women's Conference I decided not to spend so much time blogging...can you tell? I'm still here though and all is well! We've had a lot going on so here's a quick run down.

I had a great Mother's Day. I spent two meals in bed (breakfast and lunch) and even got a nap. I was one happy mama. I'm certainly glad my children have character and all that, but it sure makes it hard to get a good picture. Sometimes it's tempting to wish they were boring little lumps. Here's a classic shot displaying the personalities we've got here.
The "big boys" got to go camping with Willie for the father-and-son camp out. They were so excited..all..day..long. They woke up ready to go. Here they are waiting as patiently as little boys can for their dad to get home.They were ready to camp. Josh was so anxious to roast a marshmallow. Jake wanted to use his flashlight and throw sticks into the fire. They came home with reports of seeing a "pony" toad and a "big, poisonous snake." They were also thrilled that they got to shoot the guns, and Willie won a gift card to Sports Authority for being the only one able to recite Doctrine and Covenants section 4. (That's my man!)

Poor baby got left in the dust. I kept reassuring him throughout the night that he could go next year. The rule here is you have to be able to walk to go on the father and son's. Willie came home and told me of another family whose rule was you had to be out of diapers to go...I like our rule better.

But Nathan and I had an enjoyable time dining on cold cereal and then really hitting the town with stops at Home Depot (for gardening goods) and Wal-Mart (to peruse at my own speed and not stop at the toys or to see the fish). I ended my night like this and I didn't even share with anyone! Being the mother of all boys does have perks...yeah for father and son's!

The Maiden Voyage

2008-04-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving tomorrow for Women's Conference (Josh asked me today what BYU spelled...) and even though I'm not ready and still have a LOT to do, I can't stand to leave my blog with a slide show of a darn bird at the top.

Nathan got a wagon for his 1st birthday and here are the pictures of him riding along for the maiden voyage on a family walk. He was ready for a ride! I could tell he felt big in his wagon. So much more freedom than a stroller... The big brothers got to take turns riding with him. Josh was happy to be first. Jacob likes to explore. He takes his own...sweet...time checking things out on walks. For some must push and some must pull! (I promise I took a turn too.) The wheels were very intriguing. Nathan was mesmerized at how they kept going around and around.Here's a family shadow picture. This is a good look for us...The one-year-old enjoying his new wheels!

Robin

2008-04-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

A sweet-singing visitor landed on the swingset today. We were all excited to see a robin. We're crossing our fingers it's a sign that spring is here to stay!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Weekend Company

2008-04-26T21:51:00.000-07:00

My sister and her family came to visit us this weekend! It has been fun to see my sister and her cute little girls...oh yeah...and her husband too. The whole deal of the trip was Cynthia's friend would pay for her ticket, IF Cynthia would babysit her kids. We ended up with seven kiddos ages five and under! (Ages 5,4,3,2,1, and two 5-month babies!)

We took the troops to the park to enjoy the nice post-earthquake weather. (Okay, so we just felt a rumble...but STILL exciting.) Here are some pictures from today. I'm not in the mood for details. They're pretty self explanitory, or just make up your own comments for them. Did I mention next week I'll be at Women's Conference?

Las Vegas

2008-04-23T08:03:00.001-07:00

I (and Nathan) got to spend the past weekend in Las Vegas with my family. Scott is prepping for his mission, which blows my mind because it seems like he should still be about 5 years old, and he was ordained Sunday. It was a wonderful visit but I don't have any pictures, so check out my sister's post to see some. This isn't really cheating because although I didn't take my camera, most of the pictures she posted...I took!

This weekend she'll be coming to visit me and then next week...Women's Conference at B.Y.U.! I simply can't wait!!!

Smile of the Day

2008-04-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I know this was weeks ago BUT I can't help chuckling every time I see these pictures. I love April Fool's Day! Even though my plans of trickery didn't go exactly as planned...I love that I got my boys with this classic. Their punch with straws at dinner was really Jello.No matter how hard they tried sucking on that straw (and they were really trying) the juice just wasn't coming out!Willie said he was grateful the boys tried it first because he would have surely fallen for it. I crack myself up just thinking about it...

Fairytale Town

2008-04-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were able to make a quick trip to Sacramento. One of the things we did was visit Fairytale Town. (Watch out boys...Humpty Dumpty is about to fall on your heads!!)It was a boy's dreamland. They ran free and could do everything ALL BY THEMSELVES, which is a big thing around here. The boys enjoyed playing on Captain Hook's pirate ship, watering the Chinese gardens, chasing chickens, climbing Jack's beanstalk, sliding down the slide at Owl's house, and seeing Peter Rabbit, the Three Little Pigs, Mary's Little Lambs...We were all worn out by our adventure!If you're ever in Sacramento, you've got to check this place out. (Located across from the zoo.) It's perfect for imaginations and bringing favorite stories to life. Everything is cleverly named and holds true to the theme...even the bathrooms!

Well Checks

2008-04-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

I took Jake and Nathan to see the doctor for their birthday checkups. They both did a great job, and I was extremely proud of Jacob for being so brave about his shots. (I was also glad to have Joshua there to witness Jake being so brave about his shots...maybe it will rub off on him come August!)

Here are Nene's 1-year-old stats:WEIGHT: 22 lbs. 4 oz. (65th percentile)
HEIGHT: 30 inches (75th percentile)
HEAD: 47 cm (75th percentile)
CUTENESS: 10 (100th percentile)

Nathan is "real" crawling but not walking yet. He likes to pull himself up (and often tumbles over) and can cruise while holding onto things. Nathan can say "ball" (his favorite thing), "bird", "baby" (when he sees himself), "Mama", "Dada", and "more" (He's always hungry). He has eight teeth and more on the way. He thinks his big brothers are very funny and likes to play in/eat dirt.

Here are Jake's 5-year-old stats:WEIGHT: 47 lbs.(95th percentile)
HEIGHT: 44 inches (75th percentile)
INDEPENDENCE: 10 (100th percentile)

It's amazing the transformation that has taken place in Jacob now that he's FIVE. After the nurse told him he won't need shots again until he's 12, he exclaimed, "Oh my HECK!" He can't wait to start Kindergarten and thinks that once they've learned about the letter Z in preschool he'll be completely ready. He's suddenly become completely independent with his new slogan phrase being, "I want to do...what I want to do."

Clean Teeth!

2008-04-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

My mouth is feeling good today. After an eight-year span of not seeing a dentist (that's right, I haven't been to the dentist since I've been married!) my appointment today went surprisingly well. NO cavities. My teeth and gums are a bit sore from all the scraping and cleaning that had to go on from eight years of build up, but I'm so pleasantly surprised I didn't need additional work. Don't worry, I have an appointment already scheduled in six months...I will not be going another eight years!

The BEST gift

2008-04-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

Probably the favorite birthday gift of all was the visit from Grandma and Grandpa Nelson. Grandma helped Jake fill his pinata. Grandpa was the hero when it came to transformer building with Jacob.Jacob and Joshua loved playing baseball out back with Grandpa and Dad. Everyone had to get a snuggle in...except for Nathan who was snuggling in his bed for a nap.

It was wonderful to have Grandma and Grandpa come stay with us and to spend time with them. BUT they are not allowed to come back any time soon...when they leave it reminds me how much I miss them.

Birthday Bash

2008-04-06T12:03:00.001-07:00

The baseball birthday party was a hit! We started off with a home run derby and the kids tried to hit the ball over the fence for a home run (and to get a gold metal). Hooray for our wonderful pitcher.Then, of course, we ate and ate and ate some more. The munchies included all the things you would get at the concession stand: hot dogs, nachos, peanuts, cracker jack, popcorn, licorice, pickles, cotton candy...you get the idea!
The cake was (no shocker here) a baseball!And there were cupcakes for the little guys.Nathan liked his cupcake...a lot!

Then it was pinata time. You've probably already guessed...it was a baseball! Everyone took a swing at it and it ended up breaking off the swing set but not breaking open.Willie bravely (as the picture demonstrates) held the pinata for the kids to whack. I had my camera ready to capture any injuries...but there were none.Once the contents had spilled it was every baseball player for themselves.
Both Nathan and Jacob were thrilled with their gifts. There is a HUGE difference between a five-year-old opening presents......and a one-year-old opening presents!Happy Birthday Boys!

Nathan is ONE

2008-04-01T22:00:00.000-07:00

Our dear baby Nathan was born one year ago on this day...no foolin'. Happy birthday, Nathan.

As a one-year-old you may now look forward to peanut butter, honey, sippy cups of whole milk (bye-bye bottles), and a carseat that faces forward!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Apology Letter

2008-03-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Jacob and Joshua,

I just want to apologize now for the butchering, I mean the CUTTING, I did of your hair. We had fun though, didn't we? The instructions made it look so easy.

You have no idea now that it looks bad because you are little boys that don't even care that you have hair. I'm very glad for that.

BUT one day you will find these pictures, so I only have one thing to say...SORRY.

Let's look on the positive side. At least your handsome faces will outshine any old haircut. I know I can do better next time and by the time you're in high school, I'll be a pro!

Your adoring stylist,
Mom

BEFORE:
AFTER:
BEFORE:
AFTER:

High FIVE

2008-03-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to my big boy Jacob. He is five today!! We are waiting to have his (and Nathan's) party when Grandma and Grandpa Nelson come but today is the actual day of his birth...I can't believe it was FIVE years ago.He was born before we were digital, so I don't have any baby pictures of him to post...but here he is this morning in all his birthday glory.And the post below is just for him. He loves laughing and watching it!

DANCE!

2008-03-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

I always envisioned I'd have little ballerinas, but you've got to work with what you've got! Here are my dancing boys! (Pause the music at the side.)

Don't send a lame eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!