11 months

i only have 31 days until my sweet little infant grows up. break my heart. the past month with mighty has been eventful, to say the least. he is wild. he gets into anything & everything. he climbs everywhere, up & down park slides, up stairs, off of beds, into tubs, you name it he does it. he is independent. he wants to do everything solo. he climbs all the way up the slide whirly slides, turns around, & comes back down on his bum refusing help the whole way. he is a picky little eater. he loves pizza, ice cream, cheese, pancakes, & apples. he is the fastest crawler i've ever seen. he's not very interested in walking; he gives it a shot every so often, he's walked up to 6 steps at a time. he still wakes 2+ times a night. i don't enjoy the 5 hours of sleep i've been averaging the past few months but this baby phase of my life is almost over so i'm ok to stick through it. he loves parks, tubs, the outside, stuffed animals, looking out the window, the beach, playing on beds, & trying to get into the toilet. he recently conquered his fear of the vacuum! mylo is an absolute delight. his little smile lights up our whole family. his favorite time of the day is when daddy gets home or when we pick cooper up from school. he loves playing with tj & thinks his big brother is the funniest thing alive. he adores his brothers & daddy but they adore him more. i am going to savor every moment of the next month, my last month with an infant.

 

endless summer

this winter has been the winter i've dreamed of all my life. the temperatures stayed in the high 70's to mid 80's, it rarely rained, & i spent most days at the beach enjoying the high winter swells, soaking up the glorious sun rays, & sinking my teeth into some scrumptious bbq. now, i'm not saying this to brag. most people like snow & rain. they like the cold & they enjoy layering up. i even know people that favor cloudy gloomy days. i'm just not one of those people. i hate wearing layers of thick clothes. i despise dreary rain & snow. and i absolutely loath being cold. up until now i spent every fall dreading the upcoming chill. and when winter would hit i would more or less hibernate, only venturing out of my home when it was absolutely necessary (which didn't combine well with my very active nature. stir-crazy doesn't even begin to touch on how i felt). now i welcome the mild dip in temperature (& tourists). i hope i can enjoy many more years enjoying this endless summer on this piece of paradise i call home.

on dating

sometimes i write blog posts specifically to my sons for future reference. they are thoughts i have now that i don't want to forget to share with them later (ok, to be totally honest, since my near-death-accident i'm a little paranoid that i won't always be there for them. and i want to have these words written down in case i'm not here to tell them later.) so feel free to skip this post.

dating is a tricky thing. and doing it right is difficult. but it is honestly, the most important thing you will ever do. because how you date will dictate who you date. and who you date will become your wife. and who your wife is will determine your future family and so forth and so on. so date wisely. here are a few expectations i have for you when it comes to dating:

1. always ask a girl on a date. straight forward & direct. and always ask in person. if that just isn't possible than ask over the phone. never, i mean never, ask a girl on a date through a text, instant message, or email.

2. always take a girl out on a date. none of this "let's hang out at my place & watch a movie" nonsense. i expect you to pick her up & take her somewhere. it doesn't have to be fancy or ellaborate or immenseley creative. sometimes the best dates are simple, like a picnic in the park. you should always make sure you take her somewhere that she will feel comfortable at & enjoy.

3. open the car door for your date. open all doors for your date.

4. pay for your date. no questions asked. your father & i will make sure that you always have money for your dates. do not ever split the bill.

5. walk to the door to pick your date up. never text from the car, or worst yet, honk! and always walk your date to the door at the end of the night.

6. use your good senses when it comes to kissing. don't kiss every girl but don't be afraid to kiss the right girl.

7. listen to your date. the best dates involve getting to know the other person so take your date somewhere that will allow you to talk. ask her questions & share insight about yourself. the purpose of dating is to find someone you could spend your future with. so the longer you date a person the more you should get to know her.

8. always make your intentions clear. if you aren't feeling a girl than end it. don't string her along. it may hurt her for a minute but she will appreciate your honesty. and if you are feeling a connection than let her know. a girl loves clarity. it will make the whole dating process easier if you follow this one simple rule.

9. date around. but only seriously date one girl at a time. once you've found a girl you are interested in going exclusive with than be faithful. always, always be faithful. if you decide things aren't working out or you meet someone else you'd like to get to know refer back to rule #8.

10. be physical. the right way. hold hands, put your arm around her shoulders or eventually her waist, kiss her head, put your hand on her knee, these sweet gestures speak volumes & make a woman feel cared for. going too far physically only confuses the relationship & it can never be undone.

11. handle her heart with care. women are strong, much stronger than men. but they are also delicate. don't ruin that. do not be responsible for hardening a woman's heart.

12. get to know her family & friends. and let your family & friends get to know her. especially me.

13. when the time comes, tell her you love her, a lot. in fact, tell her all sorts of nice things. everyone deserves to be complimented.

14. serve her. not like a waiter more like perform acts of service for her. make her breakfast, take out her trash, offer her your jacket when she's cold, you get the point.

15. surprise her. again, a little can go a long way. just stick with small surprises. bring her a case of her favorite soda, pick her flowers, or show up at her work for a surprise lunch date.

16. never underestimate the power of the written word. as nice as it is to hear good things it's even better to have them written down so you can refrence back to them. you should write letters or notes to your love often.

17. when the time is right & you've found that special someone get down on one knee & ask her those 4 special words.

**my boys & i have started dating. once they hit 5 i take them on regular dates. we have fun but the whole purpose is to teach them how to date.

heaven on earth

my grandmother passed away this past weekend. she was the last of my grandparents. it is so strange to think that my family ends at my parents' generation. my boys & i went to the top of haleakala to spend some time remembering our dear grandma great on maui's personal piece of heaven. the view was spectacular. i can't even begin to do it justice with either my words or pictures (trying to quickly take good pictures of the sun setting over clouds is a bit beyond my capability). trust me, you just have to see it yourself. we went on a cloudy day. watching the sun set over the clouds was unbelievable. i honestly looked like heaven. i felt so close to my dear grandma. 

catching a glimpse of the big island

 so many craters

sun setting over pu'u kukui poking through the clouds 

my crew 

the boys

my mom has been telling me for weeks to call my grandma. in fact, my mom told me to call each of my grandparents prior to their deaths & i chose not to. i dreaded having that awkward conversation. so i repeatedly put it off. and now that it is too late i regret my selfish act of neglect. i am grateful to know that my grandparents now live on in perfect knowledge & understanding. they know how i felt/feel & they understand. it's only i that have a lack of closure. since, i am the type of person that gets closure by expressing my emotions verbally-or through the written word-i've decided to write what i wish i would have said. when something is nagging at me i have to express how i feel. once i've let my emotions out i feel at peace. regardless of the other persons response, or lack of. so this is the conversation i wish i would have had with each of my grandparents, more specifically my dear grandma jones that just passed.

hey grandma! i just wanted to call & tell you how much i love you & miss you.

you truly are a wonderful grandmother. i am so lucky to have had you in my life. i cherrish the time i've had with you & the example you've set for me. your unconditional love has brought so much comfort to me. by watching you i've learned true meaning of selflessness. you have always put the needs of those around you before your own. in fact, i don't think i've ever seen you ask for anything of anyone. you have always been happy knowing that those around you were happy. your thoughtfulness has no bounds. you never forget a birthday or holiday. i have always looked forward to your handwritten cards. and your baked goods know no rival. i hope that one day i can make your secret cake & those hershey kiss cookies half as good as you. 
i am so grateful for your unceasing commitment to family. you have built a strong happy family. we have so many happy memories & i know we will continue building more memories.

grandma, i know you aren't doing well. i probably won't see you again here on earth. and that breaks my heart. i will miss you so much. but i am comforted knowing that you will no longer be in pain. and i know you will have an amazing reunion when you get to heaven. i can only imagine the joy you will feel when you see grandpa & your parents & sisters, again. i wish i could be there with you & hold your hand. but i know that one day we will have the opportunity to do that again. until then, just know that i love you. 

10 months. mylo.

this last month has been a blur. the older mylo gets the more chaotic my life becomes. let me see, what's new? 

every day his hair becomes lighter & lighter. he rocks some gorgeous blonde locks. he has dropped to the 75th percentile in height & weight. guess my mighty isn't so mighty anymore. he gave up the paci. on his own. he just decided one day that he didn't want it anymore & hasn't looked back. i wasn't ready to say goodbye to his little soother but it really wasn't that effective. he was just toss it out when he really wanted to wail. he has 3 teeth! the first to come was his top right. it was hilarious. he looked like a total hillbilly with one big front tooth up top. i loved it. he loves giving high fives & head butts. he is very selective when it comes to handing out honis. he has recently discovered what a cool view it is from his feet & he loves it. he loves standing. he crawls onto everything. he works his way up stairs & even couches. this boy is a mover. you should see him go, he crawls so wikiwiki! he hates being strapped into anything. and he has insane balance. he loves to stand in the stroller or shopping cart or his little push car while i drive him around. not safe, i know. but i hold his hand so he can't fall & he loves it. 

he is pretty indpendent & likes to play by himself & explore. he's gotten pretty good & feeding himself finger food. his favorites right now are cookies & guacamole-not together. he loves his family very much. he gets so excited over todd. he squeels & squirms. he is pretty indpendent & likes to play by himself & explore. he loves following his brothers around. especially, tj. he thinks tj is absolutely hilarious. often times they will be sitting in the backseat laughing hysterically over nothing. he is much more assertive than his elder brothers. he knows what he wants & is set on getting his way. i know this will prove difficult as his mother but i am already so proud of him for his determination. he's taken to hitting big kids (cooper's friends) that get in his face too much & steal his toys. honestly, i can't blame him. those kids kind of get on my nerves, too. all-in-all, mylo (or my-my as tj calls him) is an absolute joy. he makes my heart melt everytime he reaches out for me & rests his large head on my shoulder. he is such a delight & i feel so blessed to be his mama.

catchin' waves

lately our lives have been dominated by the waves. it seems like whenever the waves are good we spend every free minute either riding them or admiring them. there is honestly nothing in the world like the waves of the ocean. they are strong, beautiful, & absolutely mesmorizing. it's amazing how each wave is completely unique. i am so comforted & put to ease by the steady rhythym of the constant crashing as they hit the shore.

todd is more-or-less obsessed with waves. he is in the water at least 5 days a week on the sup, surfboard, or boogie board. the boys are getting more & more into surfing & they love riding along with us to catch waves on the sup. coop's even started paddling a bit on his own. when we aren't enjoying the waves first hand we are at home watching movies & documentaries on surfing. we watch the surf report & local web cams. we love heading out to ho'okipa or jaws for an up close look when the waves are big. 

we are so blessed to live on this little piece of tropical paradise. we live in complete awe of the beauty of our home. we try to enjoy all that maui has to offer to the complete fullest.

mommy on the sup

daddy on the sup

wave watching at jaws

i really need to bring my camera out more. there are so many amazing experiences we have yet to document.

hau`oli pakoa 2013

i know i say this every year but, easter really is my favorite holiday. and what better way to spend my favorite day than in my favorite place with my favorite people (although, i really do with i could have flown my sisters, parents,  nieces, & nephews over). we celebrated the holiday with 3 egg hunts (one with our favorite maui mama's play group at kamaole III, one with our dear friends in orinda forest, & one with just our ohana at charlie young beach). we painted eggs, made & devoured many tastey easter inspired treats, & discussed the role our Savior plays in this very special day. i decided to tone down the easter presents this year since we have a much smaller living space & we really don't need all that crud cluttering up our home. the boys didn't mind at all. we barbequed teri beef at the cove for lunch then we headed to my auntie & uncle's hotel for more swimming. it was unlike any easter i've had before.