whatta ham!

See these pictures? I miss this little girl. Currently my girl is sick. She's got a stuffy/runny nose, sore tummy and is just not feeling up to par. I miss the craziness, the inability to stay still, the CONSTANT talking ... I'm sure I'll regret saying that, but oh well :)

We bought and decorated our tree and are ready for Christmas! I've got a few more people to buy presents for but we're almost done. I'm loving all of these sales online-- I always look and want to buy, but never pull the trigger. I get major anxiety spending money, especially on myself. And I'm a chronic buy-then-return consumer. I'm sure most retail stores hate my guts.

Anyway, hope everyone had a great thanksgiving!

happy thanksgiving!

happy thanksgiving all! right now we're watching the parade on TV, eating eggs and turkey bacon and just r e l a x i n g until we need to eat, eat,eat! I have to say that I am looking forward to my mom's pumpkin crunch! Wish she would make it year round ;)

So thankful for the Lord who has blessed me with a loving husband, the sweetest furbabies, the most amazing family (and in-laws) and the greatest gift, my little lady! i think it's about time we start practicing this 'attitude of gratitude' every single day of the year.

train fail

there's a train that runs through a mall every holiday season. last year we knew my girl wouldn't do well on it because she's rather clingy and you need to ride the train alone (adults can follow behind it). this year, we weren't sure. we decided to try, so we bought a ticket...

did some photo opps while waiting..

here's the train!


see sassy pants? it's looking good so far!

well, as you can tell, she got on the train. and it started to move. And she was fine. And theeeen, the train stopped (for who knows what reason). And the worker (see above photo) kept talking to b and touching her and b does NOT like to be touched or talked to if she doesn't know you. [she's a strange one, haha] And so ... she insisted on being taken off the train and that was that. oh well. at least we made some progress, right?

Currently: B has some sort of tummy issue and she had a fever last night. I started a massive sore throat last night and didn't get much sleep as the little girl kept waking up crying. It's a rough week thus far.

Here are some pics of the furbabes:

and the infamous long-arm:

Hope everyone is having a great thanksgiving week so far!

peek into our life as of late

well we've been going to tiny tots, work, trying to do some Christmas shopping (but am hesitant because i haven't seen many sales recently!)

vance and i were both off and were able to take our little to tiny tots


think she'll take after her daddy and go into construction?


zoning out on her tricycle ... she loves to pedal all around the room



see jonah on the top of the hill? he was so afraid to walk down..


vance and brooke had to go up and save him!



walking around target...




playing in nordies ... buying presents for two of brooke's friends ;)

2.5

Dear Brooke,

Today you turn two and a half.

It's so hard to believe that two and a half years ago we welcomed a beautiful, grey-eyed, bald little girl into the world.

Every day you continue to amaze and inspire daddy and I to be better people. You are so full of light and energy that we are often ready to sleep before you are!

Here are a two things we hope you never, ever change: (1)we never want you to stop being curious about life. Right now you are in the stage of testing boundaries, stretching limits and though we sometimes scold for you for your own safety (and occasionally for your behavior), I hope that you are ALWAYS asking questions, trying to find new adventures, finding fun everywhere you go.

(2)We hope you continue to let go of anger and disappointment quickly. You are the type of kid that throws a massive tantrum -- for 3 minutes -- and is laughing hysterically about something the next second. Please continue to be this resilient when someone breaks your heart, or you are rejected from a job, or anything, really. Life is too short and most people carry their around their anger and bitterness for too long.

All in all, we just love you more than we ever imagined we could. In the past two and half years I've never slept so little, laughed so hard, cried so much, hugged so tightly and dreamed that my heart would be able to hold my love for you. Happy second (and a half) birthday my little love, my monkey ♥

being a mom

on motherhood

this is from enjoying the small things -- pretty much my favorite blog ever. love the way she makes everything look like they are having the most fantastic time AND her way with words.

and it dawned on me...all these times we look forward to before we're mothers. the moments we think we'll feel like a mom--like park dates or proudly 'showing off' that wrapped little bundle, birthday parties and art projects...yes, they all define motherhood. and while i feel every bit of mamahood during those happy days, it's the not-so-right times that truly pull out of me the primal mama within. checking temperatures half-awake holding a warm head close. sweeping back tendrils of wispy hair from a hot cheek and kissing sad, heavy eyelids. feeling that painful pull on my heart when the ultrasound tech takes a second look at a questionable area. kissing her tiny helpless body under blue lights in the hospital. comforting her sickness. being needed. sacrificing anything and everything to make them both okay...these are the moments i feel my soul has been matched with its calling. where i know i'm doing exactly what i'm supposed to be doing. for a doctor, it might be the day they are published in the new england journal of medicine. a struggling politician, perhaps the moment they celebrate their election to office. but for me...my 'this is it' moments...they are witnessed by none and felt in the dark...when we're rocking quietly together and our souls are synched. in the middle of the day when everyone's at work, but i am happily glued to the couch, intertwined with my feverish girl. when i don't have all the answers and i don't know what to do...but i sure know how to love. that's when i feel it most. this mom thing. i don't know why or how or when...but i know so deeply how to be a mom because my soul was carved to be one and these littles fit in the hollow of those carved grooves...right in the place of my being that says 'mama.'
the rest, we'll figure out.

thoughts

• this article is so beautiful, and so, so sad.

• the whole kardashian 72 day wedding then divorce has really changed my view. . . while i love the drama and their show, it makes me sad to think of all the little girls watching "kim's fairy tale wedding" that resulted in a 72 day marriage. what kind of message does that send? have a fairy tale wedding, then a tumultuous divorce? sad. then i read this article and idk, don't think much of them now. (oh and sue me, i love celebrity gossip and perez hilton)
  

• love this picture and caption

• oh, and just a picture of my girl. you know, just because :)
  

how to: make a spam musubi

this is kind of a weird post since (1) most people i know from the mainland think spam is disgusting and (2) everyone in hawaii knows how to make a spam musubi, haha. but i thought i'd share just in case someone not from hawaii would look and say, "hey! spam might taste pretty good with rice and seaweed" ;) anyway, before you knock it, you should definitely TRY IT. it's a major staple in hawaii for pot lucks, bbqs, and little kids! You never know, your kids might like it...

What You'll Need:
-White Rice
-Nori Sheets (Seaweed, like the ones to wrap sushi in)
-Shoyu
-Sugar
Spam
-Furikake, if you can find it

Heat up equal parts of shoyu & sugar in a large pan and once hot, let the spam soak in it


Lay the sushi seaweed wrap down. This little rectangular contraption is actually created to make spam musubis, but I'd imagine you can just use your hands.


Pour some rice onto the sheet


Press it down firmly (with your hands if you've got to) so it's nice and compact



If you've got furikake, add it to the rice now


Put the spam onto the rice


Roll it up like a sushi (wet one end of the sheet so that it will stay closed!)


Tada! Super fast, super simple <-- the only kind of thing I'll attempt at making ;) Will you be trying to make this for your kids or is spam still absolutely disgusting??