Boy in the Bunkbed

Last night was the first night the older two slept in the bunkbeds. Actually there's just a futon on the top cause we don't have a car big enough to get another mattress so we'll have to wait until someone can help us out. But they slept ALL NIGHT LONG in their new room. So proud of these two.

Kai wanted a picture in Ry's bed since it's "high in the sky"

Kai on the top bunk

Handy Hubster

I don't know what was going on yesterday... but there must have been something in the air because not only did I get a migraine, but Peter did too. We took turns watching the boys and sleeping. It kinda sucked.

Luckily, I had bought this huge collection of Chevron Cars (remember those?) off ebay for $50. The boys have been so incredibly occupied that they'll wander into the playroom and play for a good several hours.

Today Peter is being my handy man and he's installed my curtain rod in our bedroom. And he's putting together Ry & Kai's bunkbed too!

My curtain rod birdie

Peter showing Cruz how to put together the bed.

Kai and his Chevron tank truck

Cruz and his truck

Sanctuary

So we've all been sick and kinda stuck in the house. We decided last week that we'd switch our room with the kids' room.

Our room was the biggest in the house and also the newest. It is the only room in the house with a modern door and it's the only room in the house without the charming wood ceiling and delicate touches of the house. I just wasn't feeling right in that room.


The flow of the bigger room is better suited toward the kids anyway - it will fit the bunk beds and dressers so nicely and be a great space for the kids to play.

Today we finished moving around furniture. I have a lot of kids toys to go through and still need to switch the closets, but I already feel better about my new room. It's charming and lovely and so much a sanctuary.

I already have some of my favorite things set up. Other things will need to be re-worked. This room is teeny-tiny. We're talking a modern houses tiniest bedroom. Can't wait to get everything put away and take some new pictures. And I got the most darling curtain rod for over the french doors....

The Lorax with Ryenne

Me and Ryenne on our date to Dr. Seuss' The Lorax.

The movie poster at the theater

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not.

We really enjoyed watching this together. She said to me, "Mommy? Why would anyone want to hurt trees? Trees are awesome!" Indeed they are. Had a great time with my Monkey! 

Hoppin' Mad

I'm mad. I'm mad because I feel like I don't have much of a say of what goes into my kids' body's. I'm mad because things that are super healthy are sometimes unattainable while things that are unhealthy science experiments run rampant.

The US Government says that raw, unpasteurized milk is unsafe, and therefore, illegal for me to buy. There is nowhere on Maui I can even attempt to get it. Yet it's perfectly ok for cows to be hoarded into pens, stuffed with soy and corn, live miserable lives, produce milk that is full of puss an antibiotics (yes, I said PUSS!) and then the milk is heated into a "safe" version of something that has lost almost all the benefits of it's raw counterpart. Why is it ok for the government to tell me that I can't buy raw milk, yet I can go to the store and buy margarine. Margarine is horrible for you. I can go to the store and buy infant formula. Do you even know what's in newborn formula? Here is is in case you're interested (Similac)
Corn Syrup Solids, Sugar (Sucrose), Milk Protein Isolate, High Oleic Safflower Oil, Soy Oil, Coconut Oil, Galactooligosaccharides. Less than 2% of the Following: C. Cohnii Oil^*, M. Alpina Oil^†, Beta-Carotene, Lutein, Lycopene, Calcium Phosphate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Magnesium Chloride, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Choline Bitartrate, Taurine, m-Inositol, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, Mixed Tocopherols, L-Carnitine, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Cupric Sulfate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Phylloquinone, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin D3, Cyanocobalamin, Potassium Hydroxide, and Nucleotides (Adenosine 5’-Monophosphate, Cytidine 5’-Monophosphate, Disodium Guanosine 5’-Monophosphate, Disodium Uridine 5’-Monophosphate).

Why is it ok for a baby to start life on corn syrup solids and sugar packed with soy oil and it's not ok for me to make decisions on buying a whole food product for my family? How is this right? How is it right that stores can now put pink slime into their hamburger? In what world is this ever ok? Why as Americans do we just take this?

I am crazy mad. I feel like I have no voice, even within my own family. It seems like no matter how much I explain how horrible some of these ingredients are, people do not want to make a change. It seems almost like a war with my father in law. I want to cry at all the terrible things going into my kids' body and yet I am the wrong one.

I am so stinking mad. And hurt. And sad. Too many people don't even know what it is they're eating. Our country is just going to get fatter and unhealthier. It's a war alright.

I won't give up...

I woke up this morning to find a love letter from Peter. It made my day. 

Video below (won't show if you're getting this by email, click the blog link)


This isn't a mainstream song on the radio. But it's important and incredibly beautiful. It inspires me - to be a better mom, wife, human being. It's on my playlist and every time it comes on in the car, I need to stop for just a second to take in all the words and know how lucky I am that Peter and I came out stronger on the other side. Take a listen... it's worth it.

Rainy

It's been a rainy, cold day in Makawao. We've been inside and everyone is on each others nerves. I have been trying to keep Kai inside because he's had a fever two nights in a row... but once the rain let up we needed to head out for a few minutes. It was literally 5 minutes until it started raining again. This is the end of our street.

It's my brother Nico's 29th birthday. We didn't make it to the beach with them (didn't want Kai getting cold). So to my extremely talented, sweet, always positive thinking brother... I wish you a very happy birthday. I love you so much!

Dinosaur!

Uncle Tyler found a Jackson Chameleon outside and Ry wanted to hold it. It climbed all over her arm!

Kai was very curious, but didn't want to hold it himself. Can't blame him. I'm not into lizards either.

Cruz got Daddy nuggles this morning. Cuties.

Fever

Low grade fevers I can handle. Let 'em burn out whatever the body is trying to burn out. But high fevers freak me out.

Last night Kai woke up screaming nonsense and shaking violently. He was burning up. His entire body was shaking and it really scared me. I guess I'm still not over all his incidents... his tiny shaking body made me kick into mama overdrive mode.

Peter got me the ibuprofen (he is allergic to Tylenol just as an fyi in case grandparents have him) and we put cold compresses on his forehead. He stopped shaking and became coherent. Just loved on him for hours.

Today he's better. Kept him home from school just in case though. He's happily playing cars. Phew...

Hotel gone bad

I was packing all the kids back into the car after a trip to the mall to play on the sea creature playground. Peter called and said his boss offered him a room (they had to meet a quota I believe) so we should come to the Westin so we could all swim in the morning. The only catch was that Peter worked until 1am.

So I drove to Makawao to grab overnight stuff and then headed to Kaanapali to check in to the Westin. The kids were overtired and bouncing off the walls once we arrived. We were on the 8th floor and Emmy was afraid of the height so she'd go over to the sliding door and just cry and cry. I spent the good part of 3 hours trying to get three Littles to stop yelling and to lay down. It was absolutely miserable.

The next morning Peter got Landon and we hit the pool. I didn't realize there wasn't a kid pool, so it was me and Peter with four children who can't swim, but think that they can. CHAOS. Sad to say this was the worst hotel trip I've ever had. I was stressed and unhappy and that's so not me.

Date Night!!!

A HUGE, GIGANTIC thank you to Susan and Scott for that Roy's gift certificate!!!

We went last night and it was sooooo yummy. I had fish and Peter had steak. Then we followed it up with some chocolate souffle. YUMMY!!!

Bikes!!!

Ryenne and Kai got big kid bikes today!

Ry's bike has a seat for her barbies. She decided to take Rapunzel on a ride.

Kai was a little nervous at first and decided to watch his sister.

Backwards shorts. Always backwards.

Wooosh! Ry is so fast!

We were practicing stopping and going using the brakes.

The house across the street. Nobody lives here but someone comes and takes care of the yard. It looks like the inside is used as storage as there are boxes piled up (see them in the windows?). Love this house though. I like looking at everyday. I wonder what the inside looks like...

My big bike rider!

This Man

Celebrity crushes are just that... fun little crushes. I'm thankful that my man thinks this is hilarious and is not offended.

Bruno Mars

When I asked him who his celebrity crush was, he didn't really have one but sent me this picture:

Peter's "crush"

The truth is, this man is amazing:

Peter

This man makes sure that I have enough rest. He washes dishes. He tickles his children. This man... I love him so much.
Video below for everyone in email mode:

Lahaina with Big Kids

Ry had a pesky cough this weekend so no beach *sad face*

But we did get to take Ryenne and Landon on a Big Kid Lahaina trip.

We took them to Ululani's for Shave Ice and then walked all along Front Street playing tourist. At the harbor we climbed down to the rocks to look at the giant chains and the boats.

Me, Ry, and Landon. Ry is doing this funny thing right now when she smiles for pictures... she puts her chin to her chest. I don't know why!

The big chains we climbed down to check out

Pirate Peter!!

Monkeys at the harbor checking out the canoe

Cousins in Lahaina

They each got to pick out a $5 toy at Longs and then we came home and made lunch.

After the Rain

A favorite past-time during rain - sleep!!

 Kai Boy fell asleep on the couch and he still reminds me so much of a baby. He is growing and getting smarter, but he still carries around little baby habits that remind me how very little he still is. He still curls up his feet like a newborn, which I find adorable - but I don't know if this is normal for an almost 4 year old?

Our garden getting lots and lots of water!

Ry making me a fruit salad in the play room

They still love their kitchen!

 This afternoon it finally starting clearing up. Peter headed off to work and Cruz took a nap. I took the older two outside to help me weed. TONS of weeds came up in the past couple of days. We filled an entire rubbish bag with weeds. And our Hydrangea bush gave us some gorgeous flowers and our tangerine tree gave us five oranges with a bunch more on the way.

We decided we should eat some pineapple and paint. So the watercolors came out all over the table already covered with folded laundry (cause that's how I roll). We took the top of the pineapple and planted it in the garden. We'll see what happens!

Ry using her stamps from Gamz

Then little man Cruz woke up from his nap.

Headed to Napili in just a bit.

Wowzers

So I've been eating Paleo for almost a month. I LOVE it. Most of the time I love it. Occasionally I miss some bread and pasta. But on Cruz's birthday I gave in to cinnamon rolls (which were amazing) as well as lumpia and other no-no's and went to bed feeling really sick. Anyway... I have a significant amount of fat that I need to lose, especially around the mid-section and I think it's time to take care of this. It's really hard to exercise at home because Cruz and Kai try to climb all over me and it's frustrating. A lot of people who eat Paleo also do this exercise called CrossFit. So I went and checked it out today. Every day it's a different workout and you try to do it as fast as you can. I did it at 8am this morning. It is 6:30pm and I. AM. POOPED. It kicked my butt in a good way.

Actually, I started a second blog to track these goals and progress. You totally don't have to follow it - it's more for me than for anyone and will probably feature more swearing than you normally hear from me. You can find it here.

I am going back next week for three days of training to get familiar with all their moves and then will start two days a week after that. If you google CrossFit before and after photos, it's pretty amazing.

Cruz's Birthday

For email subscribers, click the link at the bottom of the email so you can see the videos!


Cruz's birthday morning video (with a sneeze)


And his birthday cake - yummy cinnamon rolls made by No Ka Oi Cinnamon Rolls




Ryenne has been working on her Team UmiZumi game on the ipad - it's a math game and she completed the whole thing and got a key to the city award. She was super proud!

And for Cruz's birthday he was baptized at Napili Bay by Aunty Anela. It was a little like the Clampets going for a baptism. We even forgot Ry at home and had to go back and get her.

And I thought it was gonna be Kai making silly faces...

Cruz showing Aunty Anela the buttons on his shirt.

Cruz and Aunty Anela with DonDon in the background.

We all ate way too much and had fun. Cruz was EXHAUSTED by about 3pm. He rubs his elbow or his pico when he's tired. Had to catch these moments of my "baby" falling asleep.

Love you sweet baby boy.

Dear Cruz...

Dear Baby Boy Cruz,

Today you are two and I find myself wondering how this time has passed so very quickly. I remember two years ago today in such vivid detail. You were even a gentle soul coming into this world in probably one of the easiest births on the planet.

2010 was a very hard year for Mommy, and whenever I think of 2010, you are the light - the good thing - that came out of that horrible year.

I love the way you love your Daddy. I love the streak of mischief you're developing, the way you hug me, the way you rub your elbow to put yourself to sleep. I love how your favorite pair of shoes is your blue boots and you yell "Boots!" whenever it's time to leave the house. I love the little cleft in your chin. I love the way you are obsessed with anything with wheels - but mostly race cars and trains. You love to dance and you love the ocean with a fierce passion. You are going to be a water boy for life.

Your Daddy and brother and sister and I love you so much. We are so thankful that you came and surprised our family. Though I am sad that you are not my tiny baby, I am overjoyed that you are my big boy and I look forward to our many adventures ahead. I love you big boy so very much! Happy Second Birthday!

Love you always and forever to infinity and beyond,

Mommy

Your Blue Boots

You and your crazy brother and sister

Two Silly-Heads

I love your wispy hair.

Checking out the train yard.

Mommy and Ryenne made your shirt.

Ry was supposed to be my helper...

Don't know what big brother Kai was doing...

Not quite sure what was going on here either...

Little Man in front of the train.

You are SO BIG.

I love you Cruzito - Happy Birthday!

What your sister thought of the photo shoot....