Tanuvasa Casa

Have FUN!!!

2011-01-03T21:08:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of stumbleupon.com?

"The premise is simple. You sign up for an account and start browsing websites according to the categories you specify (crafts is one). For each website you "stumble upon," you thumbs up or thumbs down that page. The more you thumbs up and thumbs down, the better suited the following websites are toward your interests. StumbleUpon is basically a filter to get you to the sites you'll love."

I just started using it, thanks to her recommendation and I found this little gem.

In 2011 I will have fun!

Introducing...Eden Molly Litioa

2010-11-09T20:40:00.001-08:00

Hey! So...I'm just a tad bit...um...well...actually about 7 weeks late in getting this post out. Cut me some slack people, I JUST had a baby. Well...ok, I didn't "just" have a baby. It's been nearly 2 months...

Honestly, it's been my toughest adjustment so far. I tried to come home and hit the ground running and I've stumbled quite a bit along the way. I finally had to slow everything down and just take it a day at a time and I think I'm starting to find my footing.

Enough talk. Let's get to the good stuff. PICTURES!!!

We were lucky enough to have our friend Ashley Smiley take these pictures of us when Eden was just days old.

Sa was headed to Qatar that evening so it meant the world to us that she would come down before his big trip.

She was born Sept 15, 2010

6lbs, 14 oz

100% perfect!

Welcome to the family little Eden.

You complete us!

Settling in!

2010-08-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hey friends and fams. We're in Florida and getting all settled in. It's been quite the adventure but the most important thing to know is we're safe, healthy and happy! I only have a quick minute but I wanted to show you what Reedy came up with today. We brought very few toys with us and have bought very little since being here, but we have kept many many boxes from our furniture purchases for the kids to play with. It's been SO fun to see all the fun ways they've been using their imagination to entertain themselves. So here's Reed's latest project: a lego starwars diorama!

Brothers

2010-08-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Links I Love!

2010-06-18T01:53:00.000-07:00

Since temporarily moving in with my mom, some aspects of my life have SERIOUSLY gotten ignored...my google reader to be exact! I'm SO behind on so many of my favorite blogs. I've spent some time tonight catching up on a few and holy smokes, thems is some good good posts! Here's some of the links off my blogger that I love.

This "tough guy tee" from iammommahearmeroar is adorable, but what I love most is here bleach technique. I just have to give this a try!

Even while living at Grandma's house, summer boredom occasionally sets in. I love this "Mom, I'm bored!" jar from skiptomylou. While you're at it, check out her homemade cupcake wrappers made from a cricut machine. Seriously, you'll want to throw a party just so you have a reason to make them!

Lookin' to spice up your marriage but have a budget you have to stick to? Look no further than Love, Actually. She has the CUTEST ideas for dates and simple things you can do to woo him all over again. I'm looking forward to being back with Sa so I can give this idea a try. Since you're there, you might as well take a peek at this idea...I DARE you to make one!

And of course, anyone with any ideas about homeschooling, feel free to drop by my other blog, howdoihomeschool...I could SERIOUSLY use your help.

Calling all Homeschoolers!!!

2010-06-12T23:06:00.001-07:00

Hey friends!

So, I've created a new blog.

It's dedicated to the many homeschool adventures I have yet to have.

BUT....

I NEED YOUR HELP!

what do you say?

Can you check it out?

Wanna follow me over there too?

Wanna impart your wisdom?

http://howdoihomeschool.blogspot.com

woah

2010-05-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

Is it silly to be mesmerized by a bookshelf?

click to get the full spell-binding effect

May Day!

2010-05-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love May Day!

It was wonderful

I was tearing up the whole time

realizing that this is the last one my kids will be in for a while.

Seriously though,

She is BEAUTIFUL

My boys getting ready to go

Here's Reedy as Hurcules!

(I can't get it to rotate, so you have two choices...

you can turn your head,

or turn the computer

mmmkay?)

Elijah's class did England

Wonderful Aquarius and of course

the BEATLES!

He's the one in the yellow looking at the ground...

Brooklyn's grade did New Zealand

Did I mention I think that she's beautiful...

missing teeth and all.

It's decided.

2010-04-23T11:40:00.000-07:00

Ok , so most of you who are my facebook friends already know this. I've been avoiding blogging about it because as much as I feel good about the decision, I am also so sad. Maybe if I don't write it down then it won't happen so soon.

We're moving to Tampa.

Sa's accepted the job.

It's going to be great, it really is.

This is a HUGE opportunity for him.

It will give us time to be just us.

We will get plenty of this

and this

possibly even see a few of these

YIKES!!!

Oh, and I SO hope we see one of these

Why Hello, Barbara Manatee...

But

Every day that the move gets closer

I find myself realizing how much I'll miss this

and this

not to mention this yummy little heaven

The part that gets me the most though

the

people

Oh my friends...

you are all SO wonderful.

Will I find friends like you?

and family

i can't even think about it

without

tears.

life with out these crazy wonderfuls

we share the bonds only sister in laws can understand

and her...

Seriously though, the ONLY thing making it ok to leave her is that she's moving in June too.

And these two...

Well, I'm just not ready to even think about leaving them.

I just can't do it with out crying.

It comes down to this...

2010-04-15T21:38:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I can tell you for certain

We've decided to take the job and not the house

We've decided to stay in Hawaii and take the house

We've chosen to take the job AND the house

We're staying in Hawaii with out the house

Hmmm...but this I promise you

It's one of those.

Ok, back to the big decisions...

2010-04-14T20:11:00.001-07:00

So, I've had people wondering what's up with these big decisions...I don't have an answer to any of this now so don't expect some major conclusion at the end. Some of my sister in laws are waiting on pins and needles for what we're going to do. Sorry ladies, I can't tell you yet because we don't quite now. Let me set the stage...

First of, you know we're going to have 6 kids in a few months right? Ok, just making sure we're all on the same page here. Oh, and we're living in a 2 bedroom place...

Back in December, Christmas Eve to be exact, we put in the paperwork to start the process on a little house we found. For any of you mainland friends...when you're living in a place where $550,000 is the median home price, you have a distorted view of what a good deal is. So, 6 kids in 2 bedrooms, needless to say we NEED something bigger! So, offer gets approved, we move on with buying the house. We set the closing date for Feb 5th. Roadblock. Date gets moved back to March...oh wait, the roadblock is still there. Move the closing date to April 16th...wait, wait, wait.

The loan we're getting is for 0 down (thank you jase) but here's the hitch, the loan expires at the end of April. We would now have to come up with 11g's just for our down payment, not to mention the extra for the closing costs...Not nearly as thrilling as a deal. The whole time we are going through the process, part of me is thinking it's just not going to happen for us and we won't get the house.

Then last week, Sa gets an email with an AMAZING job offer. I can't even begin to say how incredible this would be for him. First off, rediculous pay. Second, experience he won't get here, so SUPER resume building. This would be a HUGE launching pad for him. So, he sends in his resume, they are smitten with him and set up a time to interview. Here's the thing, it's in Tampa. Yup. Tampa, Florida...way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaay across the globe. This would mean a huge change for us. Almost all of Sa's family is here and my folks/sister live barely 10 minutes from us. They are all a big part of our lives. The way of life in Hawaii, you can't describe it unless you live here, so much of it speaks to my soul. I love it, love it, love it. But again, an incredible chance for Sa.

Right after we set up the interview time, Jase calls us and tells us that we're finally past all the roadblocks and we can finally close on this house any day now! WOOHOO...oh, wait a second...

aaaand, we all could use a distraction from big decisions...

2010-04-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, so just the title of that last post was enough to freak me out and immediatly sign off. I'll get back to it, I promise. Just let me get my thoughts all in order and my head to stop spinning. In the mean time, I present to you "Bad Analogies".

I just read this from a mommy forum I belong to.

I was laughing so hard, I woke up my husband. (true story)

Oh, and I've also been up since 2 am, it's now 5:50 am

and I went to bed at 10 pm.

(again, totally true story)

These are genius. I'll go ahead and highlight my favorites,

because well, they're my favorite.

Now...how to work these seamlessly into regular conversation...hmmmmmm



Analogies and Metaphors Found in High School Essays A large portion of these, if not all of them, are the results of the Style Invitational contest from week 310 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/invitational/invit990314.htm). This is a humor contest, which asked participants to come up with the bad analogies Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two other Sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master. - Sue Lin Chong, Washington His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free. -Chuck Smith, Woodbridge He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a Guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it. -Joseph Romm, Washington She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again. -Rich Murphy, Fairfax Station The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't. -Russell Beland, Springfield McMurphy fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup. -Paul Sabourin, Silver Spring From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and "Jeopardy" comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30. -Roy Ashley, Washington Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze. Chuck Smith,Woodbridge Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center. -Russell Beland, Springfield Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. -Unknown He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree. -Jack Bross, Chevy Chase The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease. -Gary F. Hevel, Silver Spring Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph. -Jennifer Hart, Arlington The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can. -Wayne Goode, Madison,AL John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met. -Russell Beland, Springfield The thunder was ominous sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.-Barbara Fetherolf, Alexandria The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.-Unknown He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant and she was the East River. -Brian Broadus, Charlottesville Even in his last years, Grandpappy had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long it had rusted shut. -Sandra Hull, Arlington The door had been forced, as forced as the dialogue during the interview portion of "Jeopardy!" -Jean Sorensen, Herndon Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do. -Jerry Pannullo, Kensington The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work. -Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while. -Malcolm Fleschner, Arlington He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something. -John Kammer, Herndon Her artistic sense was exquisitely refined, like someone who can tell butter from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. -Barbara Collier, Garrett Park She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up. -Susan Reese, Arlington It came down the stairs looking very much like something no one had ever seen before. -Marian Carlsson, Lexington The knife was as sharp as the tone used by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) in her first several points of parliamentary procedure made to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) in the House Judiciary Committee hearings on the impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton. -J. F. Knowles, Springfield The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant. -Jennifer Hart, Arlington The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM. -Paul J. Kocak, Syracuse The dandelion swayed in the gentle breeze like an oscillating electric fan set on medium. -Unknown He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up. -Susan Reese, Arlington Her eyes were like limpid pools, only they had forgotten to put in any pH cleanser. -Chuck Smith, Woodbridge She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature Canadian beef. -Brian Broadus, Charlottesville She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs. -Jonathan Paul, Garrett Park Her voice had that tense, grating quality, like a first-generation thermal paper fax machine that needed a band tightened. -Sue Lin Chong, Washington It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall. -Brian Broadus, Charlottesville _________________

Big decisions

2010-04-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Best dad EVER!

2010-03-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

When my husband was very little, his dad left the family. He has played a very, very small role in Sa's life and even though the only lives a few blocks away from us now, we only see him a few times a year. Sa rarely talks about him, but on occasion, when he's really frustrated about it he'll say, "It's HIS fault I don't know how to be a dad!"

Every time he says this, I'm stunned. Sa is the most AMAZING father. In everything he does, he tries to involve the kids. Take today for example...

This morning we decided we needed to run into town to grab some things and we wanted to leave pretty quickly. We send the kids to go get dressed then Sa turns to me and says, " Babe, you go ahead and shower and I'll get breakfast together." That was music to my ears! I happily run and jump in the shower. After taking far too long in the shower I return to the kitchen. Reed is cutting up portugese sausage and Sa is doing the dishes while instructing Brooklyn how to crack and scramble eggs. He even stands over the kids while teaching them how to cook everything! Could he have done it faster on his own? Absolutely! Was the extra time he took to teach the kids worth it to him? With out a doubt.

We've had an awesome day! We went shopping, took the kids to swim lessons and then to the movies with my sister's family and my mom.

When we get home Sa tells me, "Go ahead and start dinner while I change the oil in the car." While I fix dinner, I hear the kids outside talking and I figured they were just watching Sa. When I go outside to call them in to eat, I am greeted with this picture...

The kids weren't just watching Sa, he was letting them help! I walked out in the middle of him saying, "Now, when you go to buy the filter, you need to make sure you tell them the make, model and year of your car..." They each took turns screwing, tightening, placing the oil box, examining the filter...what ever job that needed to be done, they were doing it. Did I mention that the three out there are 9, 6 and 3? He even let them each pour a quart of oil.

Did you notice it's dark outside? It was getting late, we've had a busy day and you'd think he'd just want to get the job over and done with so he could finally relax! Instead, it was more important to him to have the kids out there helping and learning and slowing him down. This is the kind of father he is and he didn't need anyone to teach him that!

Breaking news...

2010-03-12T20:01:00.000-08:00

OK, so yes, once again I've been absent in the blogging world. I have the perfect way to break my two month silence: CHARLOTTE WALKS!!! ok, well it's actually past tense. She walkED. Seems like she'll only take steps during "The Freeze Dance" song. I really want to see her do it again, but I don't want the song to get played out before she has a chance to show off for Grandma and Grandpa. (You hear that, Mom??? You need to be boarding a plane any day now.)

So, I know I have you all on the edge of your seats screaming, begging, and praying that there's a video of it. Never fear, my loves. I've got it covered. I present to you, with out further ado, a little ditty I like to call "I'm walking, I'm walking...Kapow!" (featuring Eli and Deacon as back up dancers)

Watch all the way to the end and then the title will make perfect sense

*edited to add : don't worry folks, she's fine. Didn't even leave a mark!*

happy little pea

2010-01-14T16:02:00.000-08:00

things around here have felt heavy lately.

thick and heavy.

it's been like drudging around in sludge.

and then I found this...

and I like it.

and it's light and fun and sweet

and exactly what I need.

Of course it makes me think of Sa.

"noone's made me feel so much like me

now I'm a happy little pea"

I quickly sent him an email at work with a link to the video in it.

Cause we do those things,

send music videos to each other to get us through our day.

We're cute.

Knowing him, he'll have the piano part figured out by the time he gets home

now where to get a tamborine...hmmmmm

and apparently spelling lessons because i don't know how to spell tamborine.

Happy Little Pea from The Panic Room Videos on Vimeo.

Gotta give a shout out, I found this here.

if you have a minute, take a look around.

be forewarned, he swears a bit

but his writing is beautiful

and his photography is stunning.

ps...when I found this, I felt like Steph R. or Diana. you know how cool they are.

Head's up: Spiritual Content

2010-01-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

I've been holding off on posting this.
I don't know the words to use or what even to say.
On Jan 7, little Gavin passed away.
He was born to an AMAZING mother and father.
For the past few weeks we have been earnestly praying for a speedy recovery for him.
Through her blog, Natalie has reached thousands
with her testimony of Jesus Christ.
It seems as if her testimony has only gotten stronger though this all.

I...
I have been questioning
I've been trying so hard not to question
but the little nagging voice is there
"Why?"

In finding answers to help me stop questioning and put my trust in Him
I found this

It helps.
It helps me at least.
Somethings are just too big for me to understand.
I must always remember His timing and not mine.

And I must be grateful.
We have the Savior.
We have the opportunity to be with our family FOREVER.

As Natalie says
"God is Good."

Oh Natalie.
My heart breaks for you.

Prayers. Now. PLEASE

2010-01-06T19:51:00.000-08:00

I know it's late in the game
but right now, a little boy NEEDS your prayers.

He is fighting for his life and he needs you.
Seriously.
Now.

NatalieNortonPhoto.Blogspot.com

At this very moment

2010-01-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

my husband is washing the dishes, listening to his ipod and singing at the top of his lungs, completely free on any inhibition. At times like this, I am quickly reminded of how much I am absolutely in love with him.

Our Christmas Eve Visitor!

2009-12-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, Sa and I were getting a bit overwhelmed with all the things to do, so we decided to take a quick breather and go down to the beach. Living as close as we do to Alligator Pond, it's easy to run down for 20 minutes and come back home totally refreshed and ready to face it all! So, we take all 5 youngin's down there and look who was there waiting for us:

Look at him, sunning his belly!

I LOVE it!

4 day's till CHRISTmas!!!! WOOHOOOOOO!!!

2009-12-21T10:44:00.000-08:00

8 kids + 10 cans of shaving cream =

2009-11-24T23:52:00.000-08:00

SOOOOO MUCH FUN!!!!

We've been lucky enough to have Brandi's kids over at our house a lot lately and so I've been trying to think of fun ways to entertain all these kids. My mind flashed back to the old days in Biazza Ridge and the super fun shaving cream fights we would have on the last day of school. Memories...

Well, the next generation loved it just as much as I did.

Kainoa and Reedy

(Is it just me, or does Kainoa's head look photo shopped onto his body here?)

Brooklyn and Teija

Teija, LOOK OUT!!!! Toa's got THAT look in his eye!

AHHHHHH!!!!

Such a good sport. Still happy after all that hair yankin'

Deacon and Kati (the Mr. and Mrs.)

Reed and his shaving cream bomb.

I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that bad boy.

Good ol' Eli. Making that face that just get's me every time.

Seriously, how can you NOT smile when looking at him...

and also wonder what he just did

or what he's about to do...

the damage...

2009-11-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

While cleaning, I came across a note book that one of my kids uses to draw in. Since it's supposed to be a secret, I won't say who. I'll translate for you.

Dear sekrit (secret) book

Ihavea crase(crazy)

Brethr(brother)and his

nam(name)is Deacon.

(amazingly, Deacon is spelled right!)

Apparently, that's some super duper secret...as if we don't already know he's crazy. Well...Eli's probably more crazy.

Goin' to the chapel

2009-11-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

Super busy day, but I just wanted to pop in and let you know that last night I got asked to do a cake for a wedding...a wedding cake y'all! That's ME making the cake!!! I'm super excited. I've never done a cake before for anyone other than family. Wish me luck!!

Hello, Hello, Hello, Is there anybody in there? Just nod if you can here me...Is there anybody home?

2009-11-09T00:11:00.000-08:00

AAAAAAAANNNNNND I'm back! I know, I know, I don't even want to THINK about how long it's been since my last post. First our internet went down, then our computer went down, and then my camera went down. So far I've fixed 2 out of 3 of the problems. No good camera yet, but I've got my video camera that takes pictures...lame, grainey, fuzzy pictures...which may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but if you've seen some of my friend's blogs with their AMAZING picture taking skills, well, let's just say it's a wee bit intimidating! Life has been so busy that I haven't had more than a few moments to my self lately. BUT, I'm changing that. I'm taking charge! I'm simplifying everything around me so that I have more TIME. I've taken up sewing again and I'm in love with it all over. I have a special project I'm working on and I'm all sorts of excited about it. Here's a preview...

I'll post the final product later.

So, long story short, I'm back. I. AM. BACK.

ps...bonus points to my peeps who can tell me what song is in my title...come one...if you're my kin you've got to know this one...

A woman's worth

2009-08-07T00:56:00.001-07:00

Do you know this woman?

You really should. She's smart, funny, amazing, creative, thoughtful, classy, honest, loving, gracious, beautiful and she's my mom. I am one lucky girl, I can tell you that.

She has been on my mind a lot over the last few weeks. I saw this and it really got me thinking.

Actually, it got me more than just thinking, I was crying by the end of it. I actually felt like I'd been struck by a brick with the realization that this summer marks the 10 year anniversary of my mom being diagnosed with breast cancer. That's right. My senior year of high school my mother was diagnosed with cancer just a week or so before I graduated. I have been through some scary times in my life, but not knowing if you would lose your mom or not is right around the top of the list.

My mom is such a strong woman. If you saw her, besides her little bald head, you'd never even guess the battle she was fighting. She had such an amazing spirit about her. All of the doctors adored her and the nurses would often come into her room to relax because of how soothing it was to be in there and to be around her. She was strong for us and it was what I needed to badly to get though it all.

It wasn't until watching that video that I really sat and thought of what she must have been going through during it all. She was always so positive and confident, it saddens me to think of what she must have been going through behind closed doors. Was she scared too?

I am so grateful that I still have my mom.
I speak to her almost everyday and often calling my mom is one of the first things I do for the day.

She has always been there for me and she helps me to be a better mom.

There are many times as a parent where I find myself asking, "How would mom have handled this."

My kids are head over heals for her and they would all move in with her in a heart beat. She really is an amazing Grandma.

She never does anything half way. Everything she does is spectacular, down to the tiniest detail. She has such an eye for decorating and party planning. She thinks of things most people wouldn't dream of and she always finds a way to pull it off.
Every time she cooks it's the best meal ever.

She is so generous and loving. She has taken in SO many people to live with us over the years, with out even really knowing most of them, just because they needed someone to help them, love them, and show them the way. She has always taught me to leave things nicer than you found it and she truly lives that way. She has a way of helping people be better than before they met her. She only sees the good in people and would never speak ill of anyone.

I am so grateful that I still have my mom. I'm not done needing her yet.

How to be a perfect wife...

2009-07-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era. When I think of the ideal wife, this is pretty much what I picture:

Yes, I know...many of you may scoff at this. I've got to warn you all now, this post may not be for everybody. For me though, this is what I want to grow up to be. It's what I've ALWAYS wanted to be when I grew up. I want to be the skinny little wife in the cute apron with home cooked meal.
I came across this and I felt like it suited my ideals perfecty. I've been using it lately as a measuring stick of how I'm doing.

How to be the Perfect Wife.
This was taken from Helen B. Andelin's Fascinating Womanhood, published by Pacific Press in 1965. The course was designed to teach women how to be happy in marriage.

GET YOUR WORK DONE: Plan your tasks with an eye on the clock. Finish or interrupt them an hour before he is expected. Your anguished cry, "Are you home already?" is not exactly a warm welcome.
HAVE DINNER READY: Plan ahead, even the night before to have a delicious meal, on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.
PREPARE YOURSELF: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. This will also make you happy to see him instead of too tired to care. Turn off the worry and be glad to be alive and grateful for the man who is going to walk in. While you are resting you can be thinking about your Fascinating Womanhood assignment and all you can do to make him happy and give his spirits a lift. When you arise, take care of your appearance. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.
CLEAR AWAY THE CLUTTER: Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. in a bucket or wastebasket and put them in the back bedroom for sorting later. Then run a dustcloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order and it will give you a lift too. Having the house in order is another way of letting him know that you care and have planned for this homecoming.
PREPARE THE CHILDREN: Take just a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small) comb their hair, and if necessary change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them look the part.
MINIMIZE ALL NOISE: Especially give heed to this if your husband has to join rush hour traffic. At the time of his arrival eliminate noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet at the time of their father's arrival. Let them be a little noisy beforehand to get it out of their system.
BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM: Greet him with a warm smile and act glad to see him. Tell him that it is good to have him home. This may make his day worthwhile. If there is any romance left in you, he needs it now.
SOME DON'TS
Don't greet him with problems and complaints. Solve the problems you can before he gets home and save those you must discuss with him until later in the evening.
Also, don't complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as a minor problem when compared with what he might have gone through that day.
Don't allow the children to rush at him with problems or requests. Allow them to briefly greet their father but save demands for later.
MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE: Have him lean back into a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to massage his neck and shoulders and take off his shoes. Don't insist on this however. Turn on music if it is one of his pleasures. Speak in a soft, soothing, pleasant voice. Allow him to relax - to unwind.
LISTEN TO HIM: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first, then he will be a more responsive listener later.
MAKE THE EVENING HIS: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and to relax. If he is cross or irritable, never fight back. Again, try to understand his world of strain.
THE GOAL: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit. Then add to this the application of all the principles of Fascinating Womanhood and your husband will want to come home. He will rather be with you than with anyone else in the world and will spend whatever time he can possibly spare with you. Try living all of these rules for his homecoming and see what happens. This is the way to bring a man home to your side, not by pressure, persuasion or moral obligation

Ok, ok, ok, so some of you may have just ran to the bathroom and lost your lunch. Like I said, it's not for everyone and it's definitly an out dated way of thinking, especially since the whole woman's lib movement. I honestly think though that a lot of men still value these things in a wife, and whether my husband values these things or not, I value them. As you can see, this was a summary from a book, "Fascinating Womanhood". I bought the 2007 version of this book about 2 weeks ago and wow, I really really like it! It's given me a deeper appreciation for what I bring to the relationship as a woman and what he brings to the relationship that only a man can. As women, we have come so far and worked so hard to be equal to men and make sure that they know we can do everything they can do, that sometimes I think we've forgotten to appreciate the god given gifts that make us DIFFERENT. The author is also a member of the church, although she doesn't say it outright in the book, it's clear by the terms she uses and the things she places value on. I've enjoyed the book so much and the change that it has brought about in me that I'm even considering attending the webclass that starts this September!

Barbie + Sharpie =

2009-07-11T15:29:00.000-07:00

Nude barbies, beware! You're gonna wear clothes and you're gonna like it!

Sa laughed at me the other day because we got a few new barbies in our house and I immediately grabbed a sharpie. Anyone who knows me knows that if a barbie wants to live here, she's gonna have to put on a sharpie bathing suit. It's just the way it is. Not even Ken is safe. He started out with a sharpie speedo, but with the way his torso is cut, that just looked REALLY wierd. No offense Ken, most guys can't pull it off either.

Poor mangled hands...Lulu got a hold of them

If you're gonna have sharpie suits, you need to make sure you always have a sharpie handy because after enough wear and tear, THIS happens...

The marker will eventually wear off in the very spots you were trying to cover, accentuating the "busty-ness".

I know a lot of you may not let your daughter play with Barbies, and that's cool too. This is my compromise. However, Bratz dolls...ugh, there's not enough sharpie's in the world to let one of THOSE in my house!

Don't drink and drive

2009-06-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

On Saturday night, Sa was on his way home from having dinner with his brothers and sister. We spoke before he left the restaurant and he insisted that I go to sleep, that he'll be home soon and that he loves me. About 20 minutes before he should have been home, I recieved a call from a strange number at 11:52pm. "Is the molly? Your husband's been in an accident. Please talk to him". She gave Sa the phone and all I could hear was his pain and he kept trying to tell me he loved me. It killed me to hear him crying out for me and I wasn't there for him. I started panicking. I'd heard something about "crouching lion", which is a restraunt by my folks house, so I ran accross to a neighbors house to borrow a phone so I could call my mom with out hanging up with Sa. Finally the ambulance arrived, the woman took the phone back and explained that the crash was by the Coral Kingdom, which is in the opposite direction of crouching lion, and then she hung up. I called mom back, got her headed in the right direction. Thank heavens for a wonderful neighbor, Tupu, who I called and she came running to be with the kids as the slept so I could go to the accident.
When I got close, the line of cars waiting was so long, I had to park and run to the accident. It was the most horrific sight. I couldn't even recognize the car Sa was driving. The door was ripped off, the bumper was on the road and firemen we cutting the car apart so that they could get my husband out. They wouldn't let me near him, wouldn't let me go in the ambulance, and they didn't really tell me what was wrong with him.
For those who aren't familiar with our island, where Sa and I live there's just a little two lane road in and out. The ambulance headed off to the hospital, going towards Kaneohe. In that direction, it would have taken them about 1/2 hour to get to the hospital. However, they wouldn't let me through the reckage to follow the ambulance. My folks and I had to run back to our car and drive the other way around the island...a drive that's almost 1 1/2 hours...
I called my sister mindy and she took her family up to my house to watch the kids. I had no idea how long this may be, and although I really wanted her there, I knew that I wouldn't be able to solely focus on Sa unless the kids were with family.
By some miracle, Sa made it out with only a broken arm and some lacerations. The nurses confirmed that he was hit by a drunk driver, driving an SUV. Sa was in a little civic. He had his seatbelt on and his airbag deployed and it saved his life. Over the next few days at the hospital, some nurses would comment on how they couldn't believe how minor his injuries were.

Thank you all so much for all your help. Thanks mom and dad for getting there first and then helping me handle the horror of it all. Thank you Tupu for waking up and coming. Thanks Min for waking up your whole family in the middle of the night to come watch my kids. Thank you Mikey, becky, Peter, jolena, Joanne, and Dai for watching my kids so that Sa could come home to a quiet house and rest for a few days. Thank you to all the friends and family who came to the hospital to check in on us. Thank you all for your prayers on his behalf.

I know with out a doubt that we have been SO blessed. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father preserved my husband's life. I am so grateful that my kids still have a father and I still have a husband. I can't even describe the gratitude that I feel.

Here is the airbag that helped save my husband's life

This door was cut off, as well as part of the roof so that they could get Sa out. They've had to tie it back on so they could transport the car.
Can you believe that he made it out of here with just a broken arm and a few lacerations??? I'm telling you, it's a miracle.

Here's a link to the article that was in the paper. However, I think they got the description of the other car wrong because it was an SUV that hit him and it's been confirmed that it was alcohol related.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090628/BREAKING01/90628016/Two+seriously+hurt+in+head-on+collision+near+Kualoa+Ranch

Kids and General Conference

2009-04-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

With 5 little kids, general conference hasn't really been something I've looked forward to the past few years. Don't get me wrong...I really enjoy general conference...it's trying to get through it withe kids part that was a struggle. This year, we decided to try something new. Here, the first session begins at 6am, so I don't wake the kids up for it. I woke up and got to enjoy the first hour in peace, and then the kids came out around 7 and just kind of sat around and watched the second hour. They didn't make much of a fuss because they were still groggy.

In between sessions we watched home movies. That was a blast! I think that is definetly a tradition keeper!

I don't know where I read it...maybe an ensign or LDS site...but someone wrote an idea about how they buy a bunch of different little candies, put them in bowls, and assign each bowl a different word. Then when the speaker says that word, the kids get to take one candy out of the bowl. We decided to give it a try but with the kids making their own trailmix.

Here's what we bought: goldfish, pretzels, peanuts, rasins, m&m's, white cheeseits, graham cracker fish, kimi balls, and craisins

Then we put them in little bowls with labels: savior/Jesus, Commandments/covenants, Holy Ghost/Spirit, love, family, scriptures/Book of Mormon, faith, bless/blessings.

We also had priesthood and temple on a piece of paper and these words were freebies...they could pick what ever they wanted.

The kids had to call the word out, so we knew that they weren't just grabbing what ever, and that way the other kids would pick up on a word they may have missed. In the beginning, I was really involved and told them the words I heard, but then they got lazy and waited for me to say the word. So, I moved away from them and all I would say is "oops, you just missed a word" but not tell them which word. This really forced them to pay attention.

Of course, it took some adjusting. We had Savior/Jesus Christ by the pretzels, but then their bags were getting full of pretzels, so we switched it with the raisins...much better!

Surprisingly, love and family weren't used very often. I think I'll subsitute one for pray/prayer...and maybe prophet.

So...what I really want to know is, how do YOU survive conference with kids???

Email to Daddy

2009-03-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

Today while at work, Sa sent the family the sweetest email letting us all know that he's thinking about us and missing us.

The kids decided to write him back...

Blue=Reedy Purple=Brookie Green=Eli Orange=Deacon

Dear daddy
thank you for writing a letter to us. We love you very much. thank you dad for letting us play and play and be the best kids for the whole day of my life. Thank you for saying all this good stuff about us and we love you. Thank you daddy for trying to keep us safe and sound. Thank you for fixing computers and thank you for letting us have the xbox360 if we be good. I love dad. I love daddy because I love daddy. Thank you daddy for taking us to the doctors and seeing Charlotte so we could see her eyes open and thank you for doing a good job being nice and playing with us and being kind. Thank you for making money for us. I love you daddy 'cause you make money and you make me feel very very good inside. Thank you daddy for taking us to our cousin's house and letting us go to grandma's house sometimes. Thank you for letting us play our DS so many times and be good children and be the best kids in the world and thank you for letting Reedy have the preisthood. Thank you for doing a good job and being nice and playing soccer with me and being good and love mommy. I love you because you are a great man and you play with me a lot. Daddy, I love you 'cause you work very hard and you try your best to work and not miss your work you have to do at where you work.

WE LOVE YOU DADDY!

-love-your kids

Underthings...tumbling

2009-02-25T22:01:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the hilarity that is "Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog"? My sister introduced me to this a while ago and I'm so thrilled I just found it on Hulu.com It stars Neil Patrick Harris. Please give it a gander. I promise you'll be hooked after the first number! It even made Sa laugh, and I'd say he's a pretty good measuring stick for what's funny in the world. And this is, people...this is.

dead filter = dead fish

2009-02-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

Rest in Peace Lucas, Gravy, and Sunkist...

Chuck, you beast, your the only one left now...

Coming soon...Reed's Baptism!!!

2009-02-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

Reed is getting baptized THIS Saturday! 2:00pm at Temple Beach!

(Reed and his best friend Kainoa at Kainoa's baptism)

One Month Old

2009-02-20T15:37:00.001-08:00

Super Citizen, Valentines Boy and the Great Aloha Run...

2009-02-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've got some catching up to do....where to start?

Brooklyn was Super Citizen for the month of January. She was SO excited. She's been hoping she would be chosen ever since school started. They hold an assembly every month to honor the super citizens. It's kind of a big deal...

Next up: Reedy's Birthday!!! Reedy turned 8 on Feb 14. I can't believe my little boy has gotten so big. He is such a special kid. Having Reed has changed my life in so many ways and has made me strive to become a better person. He is the most amazing big brother and such a big help around the house. He's so tender and caring and such a complete goof ball. Just the thought of him makes me smile. I love him to pieces and I can't believe he's growing up. I am so proud of who he is.For his birthday, he wanted to go out to his favorite restaurant, The Old Spaghetti Factory. He loves it there because he is positively bananas for their tortellini. You know they are getting old when the kid's menu no longer cuts it. We took all our kids and my dad, sis, niece and nephew. It was a perfect way to celebrate.

Last of all, on Feb 19th I participated in the Great Aloha Run! It's a course that runs from Aloha Towers to the Stadium...8.15miles. I thought it would be a great way to celebrate Charlotte turning 4 weeks old! My dad and I went down together and I walked the course with my sister in laws, friends, and nieces.

Before the Race:
The girls...Nanu and Teyana (my 12 and 13 yr old neices), friends:Emily, Tiffany, Sister in Laws: Samantha and Jolena. That's Charlotte in the stroller.

Charlotte and me.

THE BIG FINISH!

We made it!!! WOOHOO!!!

My Dad, Charlotte and Me...he beat us big time!

Good Morning Love

2009-01-30T14:37:00.000-08:00

Have you heard this song? You haven't? Where have you been???
This is a song written by our friend Jake Kongaika aka cubworld. Within the first 10 seconds of it playing, I was already tearing up. It's such a sweet song and I've been playing it over and over for days now. Jake wrote this for his darling wife Mandy and if you ever meet her, you'll be able to tell in an instant why he's so smitten. Enjoy the song and if you are dying for more cubworld, check him out at http://www.sellaband.com/cubworldmusic/

Introducing Charlotte Kenra Tasalautele Tanuvasa

2009-01-24T12:56:00.000-08:00

SHE'S HERE!!! Charlotte (Charlie, ChaCha) Kenra (after my mother) Tasalautele (named by Sa's mother) is finally here. She was born at 7:37 am, Monday Jan 19. She was 8lbs 2 oz and 20 1/2 inches...our biggest baby yet! Her labor was great, as everyone knows I'm a fan of the epidural, so it was smooth sailing. At about 7pm Sunday night my mom, dad, sister Mindy, and brother in law Steve showed up, we played games and ate snacks. We stayed up until about 11 ish. Steve went home, the rest of us went to sleep. At about 1 am they started me on Pitocin, at 2 I got the epidural and went back to sleep. At 6 am they checked me, I was dialated to a 5. A little more than an hour later I was a 10, and she was born by 7:37. She is healthy and such a good baby! The kids absolutely adore her. Deacon is adjusting pretty well, for the most part. She sleeps like a dream...from 11-6 the first night home. She's waking up a bit more now, but I just change her diaper, feed her and she's back to sleep about 15 minutes later. I don't know how we've managed to get such good babies, but they all have been so good and so easy!

After her first bath

I don't know if you can see, but the boquet on the left (from Sa's work) has snap dragons...my favorite!!!

nap time

If you can stand to see more, here is the link to her newborn pictures taken by the hospital.
The password is babytanuvasa

http://www.our365.com/newbornportraits/babydetail.aspx?birthid=4313054f-f5f7-4a11-865f-bd388d5e7e4d&babyid=1012b4cb-14ec-4c92-b874-e007a222308c

Being induced

2009-01-18T14:48:00.000-08:00

Today is my due date and here I am in the hospital! WooHOO!!! Because I have gestational diabetes, they wouldn't let me go to far past my due date, so I had been scheduled to be induced on Tuesday morning. I couldn't sleep last night. I had realized that my brother in law, Steve was flying out Tuesday morning to start his tour in Iraq. Talk about rotten timing! So, I decided to call the hospital this morning at six to see how busy they were and if there was anyway I could be induced today instead. Six hours later and here I am! Don't hold your breath, though. I doubt I will actually have Charlotte today. Instead of using pitocin, they have decided to start with the cervix softening suppository...they won't even really check me for another 12 hours. That won't be until midnight. So Sa and I are going to have a quiet, kidless day in the hospital. We'll hang out, watch movies, play cards...I'm looking forward to it. Today is going to be a great day! I'll post more as thing progress...wish me luck!

What a wonderful man

2009-01-07T23:38:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been the one to sit with the kids in the room, making sure Deacon stays in bed as they all fall asleep. I'll admit, I enjoy it most nights. It gives me a chance to sit a read quietly and it gives Sa a chance to quietly unwind...on Xbox. Tonight Sa offered to lay with them so I could relax on the computer and do nothing. I was more than happy to let him! It was very quiet in there, and I have been on the computer for a while now, doing absolutely nothing of great importance when all of a sudden I hear footsteps in the hallway. I had been listening for the footsteps of a 230 lb man...but these sounded more like the feet of a 23 pounder...and then a second set of footsteps...only a few lbs heavier start dancing in the hallway. As hard as it is for me to say, I was a bit irritated at first. Weren't they supposed to be going to bed? Isn't this supposed to be MY time??? I got out of bed...the footsteps scatter...one set runs to the toy room, the other set goes back to the bedroom. And here is the picture I found waiting for me.Immediatly, my heart softened. Here is the man who has been waking up at 4:30 every morning so he can get to work two hours earlier than usual. This way, he can be home two hours earlier and have even more time with his family. This is the man who today, came home and went straight in our room, changed into gym clothes, went back outside and played with his children for over 2 hours outside. Today he was busy teaching them basketball and then moved on to volleyball. He is the one who hauled them off to Tamuras so they could pick out a special ice cream treat for tonight. As I cooked dinner, he was the one to spread out the sleeping bags and all of our pillows on the living room floor so that he could sit and watch Kung Fu panda with them...for the 20th time this week. As I am trying my best to escape and get quiet time tonight, this is the man who can't get ENOUGH time with them. I am so grateful for the incredible father that my children have. They are so lucky. I am so lucky.

silly goat

2008-12-09T23:08:00.000-08:00

It's been a stressful day. I found this and it cheered me up. Silly goat.

yup, that's an electric fence...

Thank you to our troops!

2008-12-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

If anyone knows me, you know I'm a big supporter of our military. My father served in the Army for 32 years and I currently have one brother-in-law who serves in the Army, one serving in the Air Force and another in the Army National Guard. I am so grateful for all that they and their fellow soldiers have done to protect my family and our nation. Like they say, "Land of the Free, Because of the Brave..."

I wanted to pass this on, it's something that Xerox is doing...
Let's say thanks to all of our troops, separated from their families during the holiday, and remember their sacrifice as you sit down with your family!

Xerox is printing and sending cards to our troops, absolutely free!!! All you have to do is go to the website & pick a card to be sent. It will only take a second of your time...

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

Remember when...

2008-11-22T22:37:00.000-08:00

I posted on Diana's blog, and so now it's my turn..

Do you remember when?

Here are the rules.1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! If we're only blogging friends or if you're a blog hopper who happens upon my blog regularly...leave me a comment. There must be reason you keep stopping by! Say something! If you don't have a blog or don't know how to sign in, sign up for an account! You won't regret it!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog (if you have one) and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty fun to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you... either on your blog, in my comment box, or I will email you back!

Twilight movie

2008-11-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

...just saw midnight showing of twilight...soo good...very funny...must sleep...

Funny things heard around our house lately.

2008-11-17T23:35:00.000-08:00

My kids are SO funny...well, at least to me they are...

We've been talking a lot about the baby and the kids wanted to know how she can eat in mommy's tummy, so I explained to them all about the umbilical cord. Well, at my next appointment, Elijah walked up to a poster on the wall and wanted me to point out the "PELICAN cord"...hahaha...comedy gold!

We were driving by a small field of sheep who were in desperate need of a shearing and the kids were wondering what we do with wool. We talked about how you use wool to make clothing and how clothes can be made out of different materials. "My shirt is made out of cotton" I said. And then Brooklyn chimed in, " I have a candy shirt on!" "A candy shirt???" I asked. "Yes, because cotton comes from candy"...get it? Cotton candy?!?! ok, ok, so I mentioned that at least it's funny to me.

As we were driving, Eli and Brooklyn were getting into a little scuffle in the van. Eli did do something to hurt her, but the way she cried was COMPLETELY over dramatic. I had had it, at this point and was not in the mood for drama. After scolding Elijah, I turned to Brooklyn. "I know he hurt you, but it wasn't bad enough for you to cry like that. Sometimes when it's a small hurt, you just need to say ouch instead of letting out such a loud cry!" And then Eli pipes in "Yeah mom, that's what I was doing. I'm training her not to cry!" I swear, that kid's mind is way too quick for a 4 year old...and yes, he was still in trouble.

It's odd how most of the funny things my kids say happen in the car...Again, on another drive (it's probably because we live an hour away from anything and have to drive forever just to get to wal mart) Brooklyn announced that she wished she was rich so that she could help all the poor people. "Where did they get the cups?" Reed asked. "what?" "you know, the cups...if they are homeless, where do they get the cups to collect the money?" So apparently to Reed, if you can afford a cup, you're not THAT poor!

you never know what is going on in their heads....

My nutty brother and sister in law...

2008-11-13T01:37:00.001-08:00

For those of you know know Danny, or his wife Lindsay, this will be absolutely no surprise that together, this is what thier brains came up with! They are so funny! I saw this on thier blog and loved it so much, that I had to post it here too. It's this years version of thier family christmas card...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjfJSjhyaR4

By the way, if anyone could teach me how to put the video right on my blog...I would appreciate the help!

Ok...I admit it...I'm a fan!

2008-11-13T01:28:00.000-08:00

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!

Pumpkins on parade...

2008-10-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight we took the pumpkins that we got from the pumpkin patch(I'll post those pics later) down to my parents house to carve our pumpkins. We had so much fun. I purchased little kits with plastic faces so the little ones wouldn't get bored. Here's what we came up with...

Brooklyn and Deacon

Elijah and Grandpa

Mindy, Steven, Reedy, and Grandma...who's hair is still green from making witches brew at the kid's school.

The pumpkins! (Brooklyns, Reeds, Eli's and Deacon's)

More pumpkins! (Stevens...the guts are for the effect, Saren and a Molly/Brookie collaboration)

Pumpkins in action...HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Time for Halloween Fun!!!

2008-10-29T23:31:00.000-07:00

Here's what we made for FHE! Thanks Rach for the idea. That's the fun of having creative friends, I get to mooch off of thier cleverness...

They are ghosts made out of paper towels. The kids each decorated one and when we turn the fan on they spin around! We have to keep it on the low setting, so the fan's not exactly useful as an actual fan, but if we turned on on full blast, I'm afraid the ghosts wouldn't survive.

We've been decorating the house, too. I've held on to the fun things that the kids have made over the years, and I pull them back out and use them to decorate my kitchen. Here's some work from Eli and Brooklyn...it's pretty obvious that they both had the same teacher...

Here are some other decorations around the house...

My entry way

The towels are a few years old and a little stained...but I love them!

My lastest late night project. You can't see it very well, but it's on a halloween place mat.

I just love seasonal decorations!!!

Saionara!

2008-10-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

We had to say good bye to Sa yesterday. He's off to Japan for 2-3 weeks. I'm not sure exactly what he'll be doing, but he said something about re-imaging 3000 computers for the army. The kids and I were SO sad. You would think that after 4 years of college ball and all his road trips, we would be used to it! It's all my kids have ever known is daddy traveling, but it's still so hard on them. They cried almost the entire hour long ride home. We can't call him on this trip since his cell phone doesn't work over there, so I think it will be harder on them than the last trip.

Saying good bye to Eli and Reed

Poor thing, you can see Brooklyns tears...

Luckily Deacon slept right through it all. He has the hardest time of all when Sa leaves.

I'm hoping that he will post on the blog while he's over there so that the kids can see what he's up to.

A day at the beach

2008-10-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

Friday was such a wonderful day! The kids were out of school, my dad and Sa took of from work, and my brother Matt and brother in law Steve are here. What better way to spend the day then at the beach! We all went down to Kahana Bay equipped with kayaks, surf boards and body boards.

Here's my Dad, Matt, Sa and Brooklyn

Stephen (My sister Mindy's son) and Reedy Boy

Sa thowing Reed into the waves

Brooklyn swimming
Elijah showing off his muscles

Deacon enjoying the water

Me, Matt and my pregnant belly...(only because it was requested...)

The newest member of our family!

2008-10-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Introducing "Mister Yoshi"!!! After years and years of the kids begging, and years and years of us promising "We'll get one when we move out of student housing," we finally did it! We got the kids a dog. We weren't planning on getting a dog, and we definetly weren't planning on getting one a week after our(grandma's) precious Lamb Chop died, but one look at Mister Yoshi and we were hooked. He's a maltese, just like Lamby, which is perfect for me because, let's face it, I'm already cleaning up after 4 little ones and I can't throw dog hair in to the mix. This dog is a saint, too. He will let the kids, especially Elijah (who tends to be our craziest), do ANYTHING to him. They carry him upside down, lay on him, put him in a head lock, fling him over thier shoulder...I better stop there in case any of you are with PETA...but you get the picture. We all love him and hopefully he will be with us for a long time!

*by the way, sorry it's taken me so long to post. The only time I can get on the computer is at my folks house. Imagine that, I'm married to a computer guy and yet we don't have a working one of our own!!!

Brooklyn and the Gold Medalist!

2008-09-08T00:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday is now soccer day at the Tanuvasas. I am coaching Brooklyn's team and Reedy is also on a team. We also have my nephew Stephen who plays, so we spend all morning at the soccer fields. This past Saturday was especially exciting because Natasha Kai was there. Natasha played on the 2008 US Women's Soccer team which took the gold! She grew up in our area and is a local celebrity. Brooklyn was amazed to see a girl who grew up in such a small town and was able to make it all the way to the olypmics. I walked up to Natasha and asked her if she would take a picture with Brookie. She was so nice about it and told Brookie to do her shaka for the camera...but in true Brooklyn fashion she did her rock star hand instead. Natasha loved it! It's so nice to see that someone who is a professional soccer player and now a gold medalist is still willing to take the time out to inspire a little girl! Brooklyn has decided that when she grows up she wants to be an olympian just like Natasha.

It's A...

2008-08-29T19:37:00.000-07:00

Hey friends and family, for those of you who don't know yet, Sa and I are having another baby. Yup, number 5 is on the way. We just had our ultrasound on Tuesday. I am so happy to report that according to the ultrasound the baby is healthy and there are no complications yet. I am due Jan. 15, 2009. I will post an ultrasound picture as soon as I am able, but for those of you who are curious, we are having a GIRL!!! Woohoo!!! Don't get me wrong, I adore my boys, but I am so excited to finally be getting another little girl!