glow run glow...

getting ready... before the glow sticks!

running into friends!

smiles!

all glowed up!

matching...

more friends!

ready to go...

we were not in the first wave...

more waiting... stealing kisses!

baby's first race...  all done!  

much to my surprise, i RAN the whole thing.  even up the twisty things at the stadium!  it was a very fun race!  but, not everyone took it seriously!  i mean, we went to cross the finish line, and we had to push through the crowd that was just standing there, taking pictures!  

and the people in flip flops didn't really love when we passed them!  even at my slow pace!!!  but, it was such a fun race!!!  and fun to have another cool date with the man of my dreams!!!

sorry i have been so delayed in posting...  i have been napping every day.  and i discovered "downton abbey".  which takes up every evening!!!

elmo!!

he saw elmo on a package.  

how do i NOT buy it for him, when he is clutching the frozen pizza to his cheek.  (or was it just stuck there because it was so cold??)

"facetiming" on his phone...  

lunch with daddy!

does life get better than that???

or this?  I LOVE THIS BABY BOY.  and his daddy!!!  

he found the stroller for elmo and just pushed him around all morning!

i mean, elmo is like baby crack for him.  he is addicted.  i can get him to stop crying, or do just about anything for elmo!  it's kinda cute...  (and our only elmo dvd is "elmo singing with the stars", which is elmo singing with the likes of sheryl crow, jason mraz, hootie and the blowfish, etc.  it makes it so much more tolerable!

today is hawaii statehood day.  which meant no school!  and a beach day and burgers and shakes for lunch.  it was such a fun morning!  c's trunks were a little big.  and i didn't realize it.  they stayed on just fine till he got wet.  then, they didn't stay on.  when i finally stopped fighting them and just took them off (for our last 5 minutes at the beach), he was so happy!  it was funny to watch him enjoy the nakedness!!  

it was one of those mornings life is made of.  not a cloud in the sky.  three ships leaving and entering the harbor.  a sub.  the f-22's.  the turquoise water.  and friends galore.  people just kept showing up.  kids played.  moms sat and chatted.  i love days like that!  soaking up this sun, before we move off this rock!!!

hello family...

our new family picture.  six pairs of slippahs.  an adventure!

snuggles with a tired baby...

sweet baby boy.  on the first day of school.  you wouldn't know this was actually a cry!  he was just so big and handsome!

the new nugget.  

cute, spikey hair!

handsome boy in my sunnies...

soccer with friends!

lunch.  cheeseys.  

there you go.  happy monday!

art...

my artist in her smock...

shark attack where i surf...

her finished pot....

i had a mops (mothers of preschoolers) leadership retreat this weekend and it was so refreshing!  and, d had the kids all day!  on saturday night, we had a "stay at home" date night.  we do it about once a month, and really, it looks just like a saturday night at home.  but, i go get dinner (usually pf changs, cause that's d's favorite) somewhere downtown and he puts the kids in bed.  i walk in and he's rented a movie and we just sit and have a date.  it's a regular saturday night with purpose!

i used to be against the idea of stay at home dates.  i am here ALL. THE. TIME.  the last thing i want to do is look at my messy house, or feel guilty about the amount of stuff i have to do.  but they have really changed for me here!  first of all, a sitter for 3 kids gets pricey!  and sometimes we have a hard time finding one.  or there just isn't anything we want to do.  or we want to make a normal saturday night a little special!  they have become so much fun!  and, it's half the price of a regular date, because we only pay for food!

so, anyway, we had a great date night!  and a great weekend.  and school is back today!  can't believe it's the second week already!!!

first day... on thursday!

getting ready for pics!

my sweet babies...  all grown up!  (1st grade and pre-k)

my pre-k-er.  he's so handsome!

his backpack!!!

my sweet girl!  her shirt was a birthday present from a friend!!!  her mom makes them...

check her out!  sweet keiki boutiki

and her backpack...

i can't believe how fast this week has gone.  and how cranky my kids are after school!  i didn't really expect it.  they have LOVED school.  and i have completely loved their teachers.  i am so thankful for the teachers they have this year!!!  

nora wanted to write a note to her teacher tonight, saying thank you for being such a great (nora wrote "grate") teacher.  i am so proud of her sweet attitude!  

and, on the flip side, james keeps saying when he gets home how much he misses chris during the day. so sweet...  i can't believe how much bigger the kids seem already!!  

back to school... birthday!

love from last summer...

batting practice last summer...

swimming last summer...

dd and sarah.

loving the beib last summer...

it's my brother's birthday.  and since i remembered, before a blog post, i thought i would give a shout out.  i have spent more time in my adult life with my brother.  well, longer stretches.  by default, and because of circumstances.  he was available and helped me move out to hawaii.  he was home both the summers i lived at home.  he spent six weeks here after his missions trip last summer.  and i am so thankful.  he is such a blessing in my life (so are you, byssa and coco... don't get jealous!).  i am so thankful for the way he loves my kids, and for the way that, so many times, he's been a good, manly example in their lives when their daddy was gone.  (and he is even when daddy is around)  

i am probably most like my brother.  and i am so proud of him.  he took a huge risk and just started his first "grown up" job in california.  i am so amazingly proud of his move and his job and his life.  it's so fun to watch him grow up.  and to see his choice in future wife.  just love her!  

happy birthday, dd!  we love you so much!!

little girl, blowing out her birthday waffle.  she told me she had to have a candle in her waffle.  LOVE that she loves to celebrate as much as i do!

her birthday present from great grandpa... a day long art class!

her birthday macaroon!  

birthday pizza with friends...

haha... reposted from facebook...  regarding our tropical storm last week that amounted to pretty much nothing for oahu!

first popsicle.  loving it!  

her art project.  a mosaic terracotta pot.  she loved it!

his new lego.  cause he was such a help...

filling up our last week of summer... pool then fro yo!

mmm...  yummy!  (and yes, i got him his own!  mommy doesn't share!!

it's like two posts in one...  it's back to school day!  i can't believe summer is over, and i have a first grader and a pre-k-er.  j told me tonight that it's okay, because it's a short time!  i told him he was going to grow up and leave me, when he asked while i was still sad.  he told me:  i have to.  it's what the husbands do.  but i will still live next door to you.  he's a good kid!!!

a week of life...

hanging out with friends...

organizing his "stuff".  including his "pho".  (his phone...)

sitting in his spot...

sitting in his spot.  in the middle of the kitchen.  but he looks so cute!!!  and, he picked out this outfit!!

spending her time with Jesus.  she kept asking me to spell words.  she was writing out a prayer for her friends' grandpa, that he would believe in Jesus.  love seeing when the good in my life shines through!  (and not just her yelling at her "kids" and telling them to hurry up, or that she's "too busy".)

corn dogs!  yay for gluten free corn dogs!!!

man, i keep thinking i am going to get better at this blogging thing.  i have been doing it for over six years now!  it should be easy... routine, even!  but, these three kids have a way of taking over...  and they sure are fun!  school starts on monday... we can't wait!!!

we had orientation on friday.  i had asked the sitter to come on friday from 7:30-11.  i woke up to one puking kid.  and at 7:40 when she still wasn't here, i started to wonder.  and realized, i never clarified that i meant AM.  so, i called a friend who so willingly took my kid.  and took the other two, puking one included, to school.  kept him away from others, but we had some paperwork we had to fill out!!  winning!