I Love My Boys

Tonight as I put my boys to bed I had a chance to hold each of them and rock them for a while. I put Sepa and Ikaika to sleep that way, but Kekoa only snuggled for a little while and then wanted to go back to his bed. I distinctly remember holding Kekoa in that exact same chair, but in our first house when he was less than a year old. I held him, trying to remember him at that age. He was so small he fit easily in my arms. Tonight as I held him, his legs dangled off my lap. He is getting so big. (sigh)
This picture was taken just today. I love the candidness of it all. Those are my boys I love so much.
P.S One of my favorite things of today was playing hide-and-seek with the boys today. I love how they have the ostrich syndrome to where they think if they can't see me, I can't see them - even if their legs are sticking out beneath the pillow and they are giggling like crazy as I look for them.

Rubba Dub Dub...

three boys in the tub.....
{picture not added - didn't want my bare boys on the internet}
Sunday morning I gave Kekoa and Ikaika a bath. Sorry, sometimes that Saturday preparation doesn't get all done - plus if I bathe them the day before they are already stinky by the time church comes. What can I say, they are boys.
Anyway, I finished washing the two and was just holding Sepa as I watched them play. Sepa couldn't take his eyes off them so I decided to strip him down and plunk him in. He absolutely loved it. He kicked his feet like he was ready to swim already. It was so cute. Now I just wish I had caught a bit of it on video. But at least I snapped a quick shot.
My three boys. So cute. Whenever I see them in the tub I always think of how they really look like they came from the same palate.

Family History, I am doing it...

Last October, Kyle and I made the decision to begin attending a Native American Ward. We knew some of our thoughts, but overall just really felt that was where we needed to be. It has been a great experience and we have met and become friends with many wonderful people. For the past few weeks I have been attending the family history class. I have learned a lot and feel like I am really starting to catch the bug. I spent the last couple Sunday evenings at the Stake Center working on getting started. Before this, I felt that it was next to impossible to do my family history because of the difficulty of working with Navajo names. But this time is different - I feel enabled because of the resources available through this Ward. There are several people who have been successful in finding Navajo names and we even have a sister who is a professionally paid genealogist (lucky us get to use her for free because it is her calling). Anyway, long story short, I really feel that this is one of the reasons we needed to attend this ward - so that I can get a move on this important work.

The Big 3-0

Can you believe this cutie pie is turning 30 next month?


Yes, Kyle is turning 30 and I am trying to plan his birthday party. I am not good enough to make it a surprise so it is not going to be. But I want it to be fun and memorable. So I am soliciting through this blog any ideas, hook-ups, etc. Because it was the only time his parents could be in town, we are having it a couple weeks early. It will be Saturday August 16th (his birthday is actually the 28th). So let me know who is out there checking this blog and leave a comment. I am thinking that food and a little bit of live music would be fun. And let me know if you'd like to join the party of the summer : ) ha ha ha - I laugh because I am so not good at planning these things. Where is Noreen when I need her?????

Good Friends

I spent the evening with the boys at a little get-together with some old ward members in honor of our dear friends, the Hulberts, who are moving to California next week. Kyle had a prior commitment with his Dad who is in town for a few days, so I had to take the boys all by myself. I have done this plenty of times before, but after a long day and whiny boys I almost gave up on the idea. But we persevered and finally made it. It wasn't long before I was happy we went. We saw a lot of friends from the ward we were in when we were first married (including the Dunkleys - to whom Kyle was a counselor to in the bishopric, the McCords, Browns, Wilsons, Martineaus, Johnsons, Roylances and of course the Hulberts). We ate food and played a couple games. The hit of the party was a water-balloon-sling-shot that fired the balloons a good 500 feet into the air (my guesstimating is not always the best, but they were flying pretty high). And after the sun went down, the weather was actually nice. It was a fun time for all of us.
After we made it home I thought of how grateful I am to have such good friends from that first ward. I hope to always stay in touch with everyone as much as we can. I often think of all the good people Kyle and I know. There are so many good people in this world - not only those I've mentioned, but so many others I couldn't even begin to list them all. How thankful we are to know them and feel uplifted by them. I think it is a wonderful part of the plan of happiness to have relationships with family and friends. I think it is very sweet and comforting to know that those relationships will last beyond the end of this life.

Pioneer Day

We were down in AZ camping for the 4th of July and I felt a little bummed to not have seen fireworks stuff with my boys. After returning home I loved seeing all the cool pictures on people's blogs with the sparklers - so when we came home this evening from our Stake Cook-Out and our whole neighborhood was out lighting up the street I grabbed my camera. Unfortunately Kekoa had fallen asleep in the car and it was well past Sepa's bedtime. So I snapped for literally a minute or two and called it good. So here was what we got.... oh well.


But it was a great holiday - Kyle helped Kekoa fulfill yet another life-long dream of going fishing. I'll let Kyle post about that one. Let's just say were having catfish for dinner tomorrow night if anyone cares to join us. I am a little nervous because the last time I ate freshly caught catfish it tasted like mud. We'll see I guess.
While we were at our Stake Activity, the boys got to ride in a handcart, pulled by Daddy (why didn't I get a shot of that??? ). But it was a great reminder of the extent of the sacrifice the pioneers gave in following their God. I can hardly imagine what it was like.
Though I have no pioneer blood running in me, I am so thankful to those faithful Saints who paved the way for the Kingdom of God to be established to the extent it is today.

B-A-T-M-A-N

So I haven't been the best blogger lately, and I am trying to catch up here. This was from last week. Kekoa was playing with the ABC blocks and asked how to spell Batman. He has been watching LeapFrog's Letter Factory where he has been learning what sounds letters make. So we sounded out Batman and he spelled B-A-T-M-A-N. We used the "V" upside down to create a and "A" since there was only one. And now his favorite hero has now become his first spelled word (aside from his first name).

The Joker must be in town...

because this is what I found in my living room as I was straightening up....



It made me laugh out loud and shake my head at my dear, little Kekoa. He loves Batman and he loves to tie things up. I laugh so hard at his attention to detail in restraining this super hero. The pink thing around his feet was a ribbon that was lying around with the toys. Don't you just love how carefully he tied down both arms. There was no way this dude was going anywhere. Anyway, that is my Kekoa. If I ever sit still long enough and he had the resources, I find myself tied to something. I have also discovered a few times our tennis shoes tied in a thousand knots in the corner where he was suppose to be in time-out.

Sepa - 6 months

Oh my goodness! In editing these pictures (cleaning up a scratch on his nose and popping the color a little) I just wanted to squeeze this sweet little boy. He is such a sweetheart and I love looking at him. I love his big, dark brown eyes and happy smile. He is such a good baby. He is really starting to recognize faces. It is so fun to see him get so excited when I come in view. He has the greatest little squeal. He loves to talk in the morning and reach for things. I dare say he will be the most out going of the three boys - we'll see if my prediction holds true. Anyway - happy half birthday to Sepa. I love my baby boy sooooo much.