Marry Me

Yesterday, I watched on TV the royal wedding of Kate and William.  I actually didn't really know much about it at all until a couple days ago (not much into the news, I guess).  But I did enjoy watching the event.  It was interesting to follow along and by the end of the day I was caught up in the magic of it all.  The last dateline report I watched ended with a recap of the day to the music of Train in Marry Me.  I loved it.  I loved it all because it really reminded me of how much I love my prince charming and how happy I am to be married to him.  I looked up the song - never heard it before.  Here are the words:

Forever can never be long enough for me
To feel like I've had long enough with you
Forget the world now we won't let them see
But there's one thing left to do

Now that the weight has lifted
Love has surely shifted my way
Marry Me
Today and every day
Marry Me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm

Together can never be close enough for me
Feel like I am close enough to you
You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you
And you're beautiful
Now that the wait is over
And love and has finally shown her my way
Marry me
Today and every day
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Mm-hmm

Promise me
You'll always be
Happy by my side
I promise to
Sing to you
When all the music dies

And marry me
Today and everyday
Marry me
If I ever get the nerve to say "Hello" in this cafe
Say you will
Mm-hmm
Say you will
Marry me
Mm-hmm 

Sadly, the line, "If I ever get the nerve to say 'hello' in this cafe" kinda killed the whole song for me - I was imagining it coming from a guy who smitten by the girl he'd come to love and not just a first meeting thing.  Oh well.  If I take that line out - I think it is perfect for renewing love even years after beginning life together as husband and wife.  My favorite line is "You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you and you're beautiful."  There is not a day that goes by that Kyle does not tell me those two things.  It is such a sweet line, it makes me smile :)
I really enjoyed being a part of the royal wedding in that spectator kind of way.  It reminded me of my blessings and made me fall in love with my sweetheart, Kyle, again : ) And though we may not be royalty, we sure are in the middle of happily ever after . . .

the 24-70 lens

This weekend I rented a lens that I have been thinking of buying for almost two years.  I'm glad that I rented it - though it was fun, I am still not fully convinced that it is worth the huge chunk of my photography budget - I'm going to need some more time.  But here are some random pictures I took with it. 

 I love the way this shot above caught her sticking out her cute bottom lip :) 

Here is the first picture I took of her walking -she's official!

 

 

I did enjoy the fact that having the lens for the weekend forced me to take a few more pictures of my kids that I probably wouldn't have gotten otherwise.  They are darn-cute kids : )

Easter Sunday

Sepa was a little grumpy when we took the pics of the kids - but we thought it was ok to remember the moment.
When the kids got up in the morning we did an Easter treasure hunt.  Don't know why I never pulled out the camera, but here were the clues we left for the kids.  We thought it was a way to teach them along with enjoy a special gift for Easter.

HAPPY EASTER!! Today is a wonderful Day Remembering the Great Treasure That Jesus gave. To find your small treasure And know that you are loved Look where you brush your teeth.	Mommy and Daddy love each other so much they have nothing to hide… Now look where you can cook outside.
Keeping your body and spirit clean is what Jesus taught. Go to the place where you make your food get hot.	Remember Easter is about Jesus and Heavenly Father’s plan… The next clue is where we keep lots and lots and lots of cans.
Jesus helps us feel peace and love. Look where you keep winter gloves	You are almost done, it’s been so fun look where Ka’imi gets a clean bum
No treasure yet but press on ahead,  now look where mommy and daddy rest their head.	Today is the day Jesus has resurrected, by his disciples and Mary he was seen, Your treasure is where we make clothes clean.

For dinner we enjoyed having Papa Buddy (Kyle's Dad) with us for dinner.  Nothing better than good food in your own home with family nearby.

Bunny Stuff

We've looked forward to Easter weekend for so long. We do all the eggs and bunny stuff on Saturday so that Sunday can be focused more on the real meaning of Easter.  For the first (and last time) we decided to go to the community Easter egg hunt.  It was ridiculous.  It lasted about 30 seconds and Sepa got two eggs.  But Koa was kind to share some of his eggs with his brothers.  But here are pictures anyway.

Did you notice Ka'imi's bunny shoes?  I made those cute little things.  Actually, they turned out just a tad big, so maybe they'll be her winter slippers as well.

We did end up dying some eggs - they were some funky marble ones that you rubbed on rather than dipped.  Not my favorite method, but it was worth a try.

My favorite was just being together as a family : )

Do the Potty Dance!

 What a beautiful picture. . . . I was trying to think how we started it this week, but can't quite remember - it just sort of happened - Sepa is finally potty training! And after every trip to the bathroom we do the potty dance - Ka'imi even gets into it :)
I was thinking about it - this will be the first time in almost 5 years I'll only have one in diapers.  That whole time I had at least two and for a combination of 7 months I had three!!!! We keep Luvs in business for sure.  Anyway, here are some pics I took of the proud "big" boy : )

Spring Break

So for some reason I have been having a hard time blogging.  So I am going to just get his one done, even if it is not that great.  Just need to record these things.
So last week was Kekoa's Spring Break.  We decided that we'd spend part of it in AZ with my mom.  It was a great trip.  The boys loved it.  In fact, they didn't want to come home.  On our way back we stopped halfway to fill up on gas.  As we started driving again, Sepa asked if we could go back to grandma's house.  Later, Ikaika asked if we could move to Grandma's house.  Kekoa had the funniest response.  He said he liked grandma's house better because "you can play outside for free."  When I asked him what he meant, he saith that at our house you have to ask to go outside and do something before you can go out (I often make them straighten up or something before they can play outside).  It was funny.   They really did play outside all day long.  On the last full day we were there we thought it would be fun to do a Easter celebration.  So, we decorated eggs and had a hunt.  Here are the pics :)

We did the egg hunt at the elementary school playground.  I told them they had to take a picture first.  Cute.

Here is a picture of them in the dirt and mud.  I've decided that's all my boys need to be happy.

One of the highlights of the trip was Kekoa and Ikaika's first experience driving.  When my siblings and I were young, my step-father let us go out to the airport strip (which is a dirt road essentially and never used) to drive.  It is fun memory for me so I wanted to give the boys the same thing.  Here are the pics I took with my phone.

It was a great trip.  We look forward to going back this summer for our annual camp-out at my grandparents summer home : )

Her first 8 steps

Today, Ka'imi took her first steps!  It happened at church, so I don't have any pictures to go with it.  Funny enough she did her first three steps in the mother's room.  So, no one but me saw her.  She was busy playing with her headband as I was getting the diaper bag together and just shuffled forward.  It was so cute.
During the next block of Sunday school she took two more while holding onto a baggie full of pretzels.  After class was over, I told my brother (who is one of Ka'imi's biggest fans) about it.  We got her to take three more during the transition to the next block of meetings.  So it's official, she took her first steps.  All she needs is the confidence and she'll enter the exciting new world of walking.  She is just like Ikaika was - if she has something in her hand that gives her a sense of security, she'll take the steps.  I still have the memory of Ikaika clutching a shell necklace as he took his first steps.  It's so funny and cute at the same time.

Drum Circle

I tried to get the boys to put away the chairs after the talent show, but alas my boys don't always do as I ask.  The chairs floated around the living room all day (Ka'imi loved that).  While working on a sewing project (cute bunny slippers for Ka'imi) I realized the boys were doing this:

The had put the chairs together in a circle to take turns singing pow wow songs.  They each beat the ottoman that was in the middle of them acting as a drum.  It was the cutest thing.  I took a picture and texted it to Kyle.  It may have been one of the best parts of his day : )
After dinner the boys had to show Kyle and I took a couple more pictures.  Sepa loves to sing.

Reyes Kids Got Talent

 A couple months ago, Kekoa auditioned for his school talent show.  Of the 80 that auditioned only 20 were chosen and Kekoa got to fill one of those spots.  Today was the day of the performance.  He did such a great job.  The entire school was there (around 800 students) and he wasn't intimidated a bit.  I was so, so proud of him.  Here's the one shot I had someone take for me (it wasn't really doable for me with three little ones clinging to my legs):

This is his ending pose.  We had a family friend drumming for him and he did a perfect job stopping at the end on beat.  I love his cute smile.
The best part of the whole day was coming home and seeing Kekoa immediately start dancing with his hoops in the living room.  And then the boys went into the basement to get all the chairs they could find.  Here is what they set up.

While waiting for Kyle to come home for work we planned a talent show to present to Daddy.  Kekoa wrote most of the script (I did Ka'imi's portion).

We had Daddy be the MC.  Here's how the show went:

Welcome to the Reyes Talent Show!
Today you will be seeing some awesome talents, like singing, dancing and stuff like that.  Are you listening?  Are you li-st-en-ing? OK!
Now, first up we have Kekoa.  He will be doing the Hoop Dance.  Also, beware to look for animals like the scorpion and the eagle.

Next up, we have Ikaika.  He will also be doing the Hoop Dance too.  Ikaika has been doing the Hoop Dance for a little really long time (Ikaika wrote that part).

Next, we have Iosepa.  He will be singing his favorite song: Oh Boy, I Got Joy.  He really loves this song.  He's been singing since he was two.

(I love that this picture captures Sepa just as he is at this age.  He dressed himself.  Enough said.  And the one sock thing is pretty much a daily thing.  Don't know why he does it - it's just Sepa).

That was amazing Sepa!  And now the beauty of the talent show, Ka'imihaleakua.  She is an expert climber - daring and adventurous.   Enjoy her beauty and skill.  Her assistant is . . . mommy!

(climbing up on the chair and then standing up is her favorite thing of the day)

(as we cheered for her, she decided to give herself a hand:  )

And last guys is the dance off of the year - a hip-hop-break-dance.  We've got the boys back.  They've been dancing for a very long time.  We know that they've been working hard for us.  Now it's their turn to perform their talents to us . . . for a gift . . . since we did a gift . . . for them . . . 

Thank you for a wonderful time guys! And thank you for coming! And thank you for sharing your talents!

It was a fun time for all of us : )