treasuring...

a boy and his daddy...  

snuggling this morning...

seconds before i took this pic, he was the happiest baby... then he realized he wasn't IN my arms!  but, he's in such a cute shirt, made my a good friend here!  also, did i mention that he is sleeping in his big boy bed?  (okay, big baby bed??)  we moved the bassinet (base-net according to jamey) into his room, with the monitor in ours, so we could sleep better.  and i think all three of us (d, me and c) sleep better this way.  and then, i realized if he was in there, he might as well be in his bed!!!

daddy and his baby taking a nap together today.  i get it now when the Bible says that "mary was treasuring all these things up in her heart".  i watch and just treasure these moments.  

did i mention that there is not one, but TWO tj maxxes coming to hawaii?  or, more specifically, coming to OUR ISLAND!  how fun is that???

nora got a new dress in the mail last night... a gift from an auntie.  so cute!  

her daddy told me today, after soccer practice, that it reminded him of the book "ferdinand".  meaning, nora might take after her mommy when it comes to sports.  apparently she was WAY more interested in her name tag and the flowers than chasing after the ball or kicking it.  but, she had fun today... so that's the important thing!  (david also said that he was afraid nora would take after me...   :(  )

christopher had his first babysitter tonight.  he doesn't like to take the bottle, but doesn't complain about it. she said he was good, just wanted to be held (i had warned her!!), and that three wasn't too overwhelming!  phew... i plan to use her a lot this year!  

david and i had a great time.  was saw the movie "act of valor".  if you haven't seen it... you should go see it!  it's based on real missions the SEALS do, and has actual SEALS in it.  we loved it.  

sweet nothings...

jamey and his "pack pack".  and larry boy.  cause he wanted it to be halloween today...

exercising yesterday...  so nice to be out there again!!!

sweet baby boy after a bath.  yes, he is in the pink bumbo.  it's for me... not him!

sweet boy...

the sweet shot i got leaving the hale koa on monday.  some friends were in town from san diego, and we spent the morning swimming with them.  jamey keeps asking to go back to the kiddie pool there!!!

when we got home, they wanted to bring in their beach chairs and sit.  

sweet chubby face...

a blue face... after a birthday cake on sunday!!!

jameys "language":

pack pack- back pack

swamp meet- swap meet

exercise bed- the extra bed in his room

exchusched- excused (like from the table)jameys "language":

pack pack- back pack

swamp meet- swap meet

exercise bed- the extra bed in his room

exchusched- excused (like from the table)

i took just him to the groc today.  it was so fun.  he was BEGGING for an avocado.  he doesn't eat them (although he POUNDS the salsa...).  i asked why, and he told me it was for a friends' little sister.  how sweet!!

he can spell his name, and sissy's name.

today, the kids met "cleaning mode mommy".  but, my house is FANTASTIC!  it started when the guy came to fix my dishwasher... and subsequently fixed my dryer as well.  (he BLASTED a certain brand of appliances, as well...  the ones they have had to keep coming and fixing.  remember that they fixed my fridge 5 times before they replaced it??)  he was the nicest guy!!

i was kind of killing time in the kitchen while he worked.  and started getting really nitty, gritty in the cracks and nooks.  (it actually started the other day when my desk was driving me nuts.  IT was totally cleaned the other day...)  and the kids have been telling me that they "can't clean" recently.  i am so tired of hearing it.  so, i went all nuts on the playroom.  i got rid of a BUNCH of toys they aren't playing with.  and put away a bunch more.  

then, reorganized some stuff... moved a bookshelf upstairs.  moved our telephone stand upstairs.  then we cleaned the kids room.  and they now know (as reviewed several times today...) where every thing goes.  

and then i moved on to christopher's room.  upgraded all the clothes... ones he has outgrown, new sizes he'll grow in to.  and weeded out all these ones that we just won't wear.  our room is next...  but for now, i am sitting on the couch, with a glass of wine. watching mindless television.  with a plan for my projects for tomorrow... i do have a few on the table i can't wait to share!!!

weekend pics...

runaway choo choo the other night with a friend who was in port on his way back from deployment...  en route to san diego...

nora's soccer team...

living life...

sweet babies...  they are so much fun right now!

this kid LOVES his brother...

and making "crab" hands...

sweet, handsome baby boy!!

they also entertain their brother for me!!!

command pt again tonight...

flutter kicks!!

jumping jacks!!

runaway choo-choo...

loving this sweet boy!!!

love those bright eyes!!

he is so alert!!  (oh, and he is 11 pounds, 4 ounces.  21 inches long...)

all three kids in the bath tonight!!

story time...

so sweet...

we have been so busy living life that i haven't taken many pictures or written recently.  we have been having a good time!!  yesterday, we went to the hale koa to hang out with some friends, in town from san diego.  i even PLANNED to take a picture.  and, forgot.  but, it was so much fun to catch up with them!!

sunday was a lazy morning for some kids and a mommy.  and a birthday party in the afternoon.  

nora started crying this afternoon, telling david how much she was going to miss him.  break my heart.  the other day, the kids were praying and said "thank you for daddy going away on his ship".  david was a little hurt.  tonight, they did it again, and when questioned, they told him he had to go so we had money.  david wondered what i had been telling them...  it hit us.  he goes to work to make money for us to eat, have a house, clothes, etc.  they are thankful for what he DOES on his ship, NOT that he leaves!!!  

currently...

a random lunch this week... so fun to meet daddy for lunch in the middle of the day!

daddy got the kids valentines and m&m's with stamps on them.  such a sweet man!  

(oh, and i got roses!!!)

more of lunch.  both kids voted to sit next to daddy...

cue angels singing!  this is my new favorite thing.  i bought the frame this morning at a garage sale for $5. i am going to paint it, but just haven't gotten to the store yet.  the charts are from here.  she has a ton of cute printables.  one is a manners chart and one is chores.  and i am using a dry erase marker on the glass. i think i am going to get two markers, one blue, one pink and use it for both kids.  

i got SO SICK of the whining this week.  SO. INCREDIBLY. SICK.  so, i started with the manners chart.  mostly for the yes/no ma'am.  (i am okay with "mom".)  it worked so well.  and, i have been wanting to start a chore chart with nora.  i think i might eventually change some of the "chores".  like, i want nora to vacuum.  so, that might go in place of the toothbrushing...  we'll see. 

it has, for the last few days at least, had nora responding so sweetly.  she doesn't want a mark taken away for a bad response.  and she keeps track of her "checks" when we are out!!  and, she has even started "making appeals".  (my parents always said that we could make appeals after the correct response... ie...  "michelle, go clean your room".  

"yes mom, but can i make an appeal?"

"okay"

"can i finish the end of this tv show before i go do it?"

it gives the kid a way to explain their actions without having a bad response.  so often, i am realizing, i don't realize that my kids are right in the middle of something when i ask.  or why they are asking for something that i say "no" to.  it's so helpful!  

saying "goodnight"...  

his sad eye this week.  (the right one... it looks better in this pic!)  not sure what happened....  it's not strep, and the doc said his eye looks okay.  they pulled a MASSIVE amount of ear wax out of his ear, however!

christopher's new toy...  HEAVEN!!!  i got breakfast made TWICE this week, friday and saturday, without holding him!!  HEAVEN!!!  (although, james might enjoy the toy more than c does so far!!)

my sweet, handsome man!!  gosh, i love this kid!!!

sleepy baby...

my strawberry bread.  that didn't stay together when i tried to flip it out of the pan...  

our green smoothie today... but with the strawberries i added....  it's a little more brown.  

currently...  my house is clean!  even the floors!!!  (and, cleaning mode wife did not come to visit today... david specifically requested that the house get clean without her!!)  a friend is in port today en route home.  so we are having him and some other friends over for dinner!  

i am not feeling overwhelmed by three.  currently i think the transition to two was harder.  i think a HUGE part of it is my kids ages...  nora was 20 months when james was born.  she was still a BABY!  and the kids are SUCH. HUGE. HELPS!  i am so thankful....  they love their brother and have been really good... (except for the whining when i make them clean up their toys... heaven forbid THEY clean up what they play with!)

christopher is sleeping well.  some nights.  and not well others.  i am working hard to get some type of schedule started, for my sanity!  and, keep him awake for a little bit during the day, so that he sleeps at night!  but, for the most part, he is a good sleeper.  some of this, i think, is the cold his siblings shared with him...  

things i like... maybe love!!

i can now make this at home!!!

A-MA-ZING jam that we sampled.  and sampled.  and sampled at the swap meet.  i am SO going back to buy more.  the 'ohelo is super cool.  there is more info here, but it grows in volcano national park and is the food of the nene's.  it's protected, so you can't pick it.  the lady who made the jam told us she only gets to pick it when there is a big enough crop, every few years.  SO GOOD!!

how my sweet boy lines up his cars.  thankfully, i didn't trip and kill myself falling down the stairs, as this time, it was on the landing!

the love my kids have for each other.  c currently is in the middle seat in the car.  the other two are on either side (it's the only way the infant seat fits into the car... bummer about that one!).  the older two FIGHT about who c gets to look at.  i keep telling them NOT to break his neck turning his head so he is looking at one.  and that i have no control who he looks at.  they can't just take turns and have him look every other ride...  

the sweet valentines i get!

all five of us on the couch for family movie night...

everything about this sight...  absolutely everything.  cherishing every moment!!

the little things in life.  a friend had this drying rack, and i copied.  it just makes it so much happier to dry my pumping supplies on the counter.  i am currently pumping like crazy, trying to build a good stash!  

a fun valentines day...  we had breakfast with the kids at school...  both david and i!  it was so much fun.  the kids had great parties at school and we had a fun afternoon.  a great dinner, complete with wine glass for the kids (with water in them... not wine!), and candles on the table.  now, i am sitting on the couch with the love of my life.  wonder what david's up to??  (just kidding!!!)