Malia Kilinaheokamalulani Gonzales

How would YOU like to learn to say Malia's name???? Kilinahe'o'kamaluluani. Yep, that's what I found out her middle name was as I sat in the hospital with my sweet little baby. As I looked down at her, thinking that her name was almost the size of a story, I had to chuckle. I had to practice, not just for days, now, we're talking weeks, to be able to say all of my kids' names. But I must say that Malia's name took the cake for being the most difficult of all. Her name means soft, misty rains of the calm heaven...and yes, I did have to double check the meaning from Kione. But her name couldn't fit her better. On a damp, cold October day, a sweet, calm little spirit entered my life. I will never forget how Malia looked straight into my eyes the very first time I held her. And, just as her name says, there really was a soft light rain falling from the sky. But nothing that fell from the sky that day was sweeter than what I had in my arms. Malia has continued to bring a very sweet spirit into our home. She is the first one to offer a prayer, help with baby Kiana, give a hug, write or draw a note for someone who is sad, or just be there with a warm smile. This girl LOVES to read! You can find her on any given Sunday pouring over the Friend magazines we have stashed in the living room. She gives REALLY great, and VERY thorough, Family Home Evenings. She takes amazingly wonderful care of her baby sister and "tolerates" her two older sibling's teasing and taunting the best she can. Although, I must say that in her in her later ayears she has found that fighting back works to her advantage. I love her with all of my heart...she is the greatest 7 year old I know!!!! Happy Birthday, Malia. note....this is a delinquent post, her birthday was October 22nd!

With her Birthday presents!!

Yep, they really do love each other that much....unless, of course, they're playing the Wii together!

A new apron from Grammy = cooking dinner with Mom!

Birthday party with her best buds!!!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MALIA!!

Happy "Late" Birthday, Tiare!!

Well, once again I have failed...I didn't "blog" my daughter's birthday until AFTER the big day. But, better late than never, right? Right from the beginning, Tiare was IN charge! When I was 4 months pregnant, my water broke. The doctors told me there was really nothing that could be done, so Kione and I prepared ourselves to lose our precious little baby. After time spent in the hospital and months on bed rest, a miracle happened and I carried Tiare to full term. Let me rephrase that, I carried her PAST full term. Thirteen. Freaking. Days. Past. My. Due. Date. Can you say BEAR????? Because that was what I had become at that point. Then, on the night of my one year anniversary, Tiare decided that she was coming for sure this time. The next day, August 21 1995 at 1:30 p.m. the most wonderful thing in my life happened to me....I was given a perfect, beautiful baby girl. I will never forget when we took Tiare home. We sat there in our basement apartment in Sugarhouse, SLC, UT. and stared. We stared and stared and stared. Then, we asked each other what we should do now??? Well, being the take charge girl that she is, Tiare took the situation into her own hands and notified us that she needed to be fed NOW! I can honestly say that up to that point in my life I have NEVER loved anyone the way I loved that sweet little baby. I was blessed to spend 4 years alone with Tiare and devote all of my time to her before Tai came along. I will never forget the sweet times I spent with her taking her on long walks, reading and reading and reading, mending her Elmo doll and mending him again, taking her to the beach, pushing her in the swing, picnicking and savoring every moment with her. Tiare has now become 14 years old!!! I don't know how it happened, but I blinked one day and there she was...no longer a baby, but a wonderful, beautiful, sincere and loyal young lady. I could go on and on about this girl...but to sum her up I will say that anyone lucky enough to know "T" will never doubt her faithfulness to the relationships she forms. Tiare is a one of a kind, forgiving, honest, talented person. Her middle name, Kamaleimailani, means beloved child from Heaven. And from Heaven she has come to bless my life, her family's lives, her friends, and those whose paths she will cross in the future. I love you, T. I am sooooo proud of you and would never want anything else in an oldest daughter. Happy Birthday....and I hope this next year DRAGS very, very slowly because I do NOT want you to grow up!!!!

Sometimes It's Just Not Fair...

Life. Sometimes, we have our good days and then there are the bad. Bad hair days, bad mood days, bad friend days, just plain old bad days. As parents we wish we could erase the bad days our kids have and throw them away. I would rather my own kids' feelings be hurt then have them hurt someone else, but gosh, it sure makes it hard to swallow when one of them get hurt, doesn't it? What I wouldn't give to go back in time and make sure I smiled at everyone everyday just in case they were having a hard time. I only hope I can raise my kids to do that. I have a child, won't mention which one, that had something kinda unfortunate happen to them and this child REALLY rose to the occasion and forgave the person who wronged them. This was even after I complained and moaned and groaned about the situation...they still forgave. I am so impressed with this kid, so amazed at their willingness to move on and forget about how they have been wronged. I am blessed to have such a great kid be such a great example to ME! I learned a lot from that kid that day and I sure am lucky to be their Mom.

I love them!

Crickets and Trees....

Tonight is so peaceful and quiet. Key word...quiet. THAT is an unfamiliar word in my home and I am happy that it is because what would I do without the sound of this and the sound of that. But tonight as each little and big kid is tucked into bed I am taken back to the summer days of my own childhood. I remember when I was little I had a white cat named Snowball...imagine that, me...with a cat!! (BTW...sorry cat lovers, but I really do not like cats in my aged years) Anyhow, I remember getting up early in the summer to go outside and feed little Snowball her allotment of milk for the day. Then I remember climbing up in my Grandma's apple tree until the sun was completely up and it was time to move on with my day. Then came the joy of running carefree through the sprinklers. Walking down to get a twist ice cream cone. Exploring in the "forest" which was really just a group of trees near our house, and making forts. Lying on my bed reading a book....watching old re-runs of whatever was on....lying under the big tree in front of my house and counting the leaves until I fell asleep, going on long bike rides, french fries and strawberry/banana shakes, suntan oil, midnight hikes, long talks that lasted well beyond curfew, night games, drive in movies, doing nothing at all, sleeping in until noon, pancakes for lunch, picnics by the pond, watermelon wedges, the fresh smell of Russian Olive Trees, the crickets softly singing the world to sleep and the quiet. Why is it that when we are little we are so aware of everything that is around us? Everything means something...it counts. And then as we grow older, we don't have time for THOSE things anymore. Instead we need to do the dishes, fold the clothes, wipe down one last counter. So tonight as I sit here listening to a very loud cricket, I am making a vow to notice. Notice the still of the mornings, the vibrant show that the sunset puts on at night, the way the trees look when their leaves blow in the soft breeze, and just summer in general. What are your favorite summer memories? Please share.

Happy Birthday Kiana!!!

It's a major blogging faux pas when you wait one whole MONTH to post your baby's first birthday!!! However, I am back in business and ready to devote this whole post to my darling little one year old. Kiana is the happiest baby ever. Her smile is constant and very contagious. She loves looking at books, and playing with anything other than her toys...that means she is in the bathroom and kitchen drawers all the time!! Needless to say, any organization that I once had is long gone. That's okay, she's well worth it. She is almost walking (would you want to walk if you had 5 other people who would carry you???), has her two bottom teeth, laughs hysterically when tickled, looooves books, puts up her one little pointer finger when you ask her how old she is, points to her eyes on demand, loves to eat
bananas, cheese sandwiches, oranges, and any piece of candy she can get her chubby little hands on. She truly is the light of our home....it's impossible to be in a bad mood around Kiana. She is learning how to throw little tantrums which are still cute, for now. She will give kisses (the kind that come with lots of slobber) and pats your back. She dances to any music and will push her little toys that play music until she finds her best "groove out" tune. She is a joy!!!


Birthday Balloons from Dad!!!

Ladybug cake made by Mom....mysteriously missing some chunks of cake...mmmmhmmm...wonder who sampled??? Of course everyone is innocent!
>

Oh yeah...bring it on over!!!


The face and hands say it all...



Lots of presents with lots of helpers!


Happy Birthday, Little Kiki!!!

The Most Recent Kid Conversation Starring....You Guessed It, Malia!!!

Malia(getting in the car after school): Mom, do you know what I decided today?

Me: No Malia, what did you decide?

Malia: I decided that love stinks when you're six.

Me (smiling): Really? Why?

Malia: Because, today Ilan broke up with me. He told me he is too young for a girlfriend.

Me: Well, he is too young, and so are you.

Malia: Well, now Micah likes me. But I am just going to be friends with him.

Me: Really? That's a great idea.

Malia (after a long pause and sigh): Yeah, but love still stinks. Because I feel sad.

Me (thinking): Get used to it! It only gets worse the older you get in school.
What I actually said: I know honey, but you'll meet someone else.

Malia (brightening up): Yeah, I told Ilan we could be "together" when we're in high school. He said okay! Now I have to wait ALL those years.

Me(thinking again): WHAT AM I IN FOR????

Two days later at parent teacher conference:

Malia's teacher: Has Malia mentioned anything about boys to you?

Me (cringing): Ummm...yeah.

Teacher: She really likes them and they like her.

Me (cringing, panicking and thinking again): WHAT AM I IN FOR???

Another Malia Story...

This is so cute! So, the boy scouts dropped bags off this week at every home in our neighborhood to encourage everyone to donate to the food bank and leave it on their front porches to be collected Saturday morning. Malia promptly took charge...she filled the bag with canned beans, tuna fish, soup, and boxed macaroni and cheese. When I went to put the bag on the porch tonight I was poked by something inside. I looked in to find that she had also included forks and napkins just in case they needed paper products as well. There was one fork per item and one napkin per fork. When I told her how thoughtful it was of her to include these items she replied, "Well, they need to eat it with something, and I'm sure they don't want dirty mouths and hands." Too cute! She's such a sweetie, well, most of the time...call her home from her friend's house and watch her blood boil! But if you are in need of compiling items for the food bank, she won't miss a beat!

This One is Hard...

I have a very sad little boy at my house. We had to get rid of our little dog, Kawai. He kept running away and had come close to getting run over WAY too many times. So, after much thought, consideration, and questioning what was "right" we gave him to a friend and her roommate. We feel so lucky to have him there because they truly treat him like he is their child and he gets to come visit us for a few hours every now and then. BUT...even though my little guy understands why we had to do this, his heart is broken. He. Is. Sad. Sooo....Sad! And, in turn, that makes me get a lump in my throat and silently shed some tears behind closed doors. What do you do when your little boy tells you that he feels like his arm has been cut off after his dog is gone? Do you take the dog back and risk him getting run over...or is it just one of those hard life lessons we have to learn when we're young that will make him appreciate and grow in his life? Sometimes I totally question what I am doing...Ready for the REAL heart clencher??? Here it is...

A Boy and His Dog...

What. Do. I. Do???

Happy Birthday, Kione!

Today Kione turned the ripe OLD age of 37...yikes!!! Fortunately, he only gets better with time! When I went to Kione's 10 year reunion a few years ago everyone at the table proceeded to tell me how lucky I was to have married him! Most of you don't know that Kione used to be in the most famous boy band of the 80's in Hawaii. If anyone has an old record player I can bring the music over to rock out on! He also was a famous hula dancer in his day, basketball player extraordinaire, and once even danced for Dolly Parton who affectionately referred to him as her little Hawaiian cowboy. Sorry Dolly, he's my Hawaiian cowboy now! :) Kione is a great friend to anyone who knows him and is so faithful in everything he does. He ALWAYS puts his family first and we are so lucky to have him as our Dad and Husband! Love You, babe!

Kione and Malia hitting the beach in Hawaii!


Kiana and Daddy having another bonding moment.

Kione and Tai jamming on their ukulele.


Kione and Tiare in a friendly little game of whipping each other with the towel...doesn't that sound fun (NOT)


Nope...there is never a dull moment in our house with this awesome guy around. We are so lucky to have him and we love him!!!

This Little One...

...And she keeps on growing.

Winter Days (thank goodness they're almost done!) :)

Well, we did it! We made it through another freeezing cold Utah winter, and I am soooo glad that Spring is almost here. However...we really did have some fun moments and now that I can crawl out of my seasonal depression and have the life in me to post again, I thought I would share some fun times! Now...BRING ON SPRING!!!
Showing some moves on the ice...


Showing some moves as a spectator!

My Handsome Fellas!

A Real Life Snow Angel...

Awww...c'mon, T...it's not that bad! Okay, maybe it is!

New Year's Eve in Vegas with Bumma and Papa!!


Practicing for the big hill!

Malia and Frosty

Ready to hit the slopes!

Ready for Bed!


There you have it! Winter days. Now that the sun will be shining on a more frequent basis and my body will be enjoying the natural form of vitamin E, hopefully I will post more often and leave the cozy hibernation of the walls of my home!

Photographer Anyone?

If you want a totally talented, cute, fun-loving and adorable photographer to take your pictures, I've got the girl for you...and it just so happens that she's staying in my house for awhile. Like what you see below? Give us a ring and we'll set you up to do some spectacular family photos!! She is also the photographer that took the pictures of my girls that I posted a couple of "posts" down...check it out!

The Obamas are Coming for Dinner!!!

So, Kione attended the same high school in Hawaii (Punahou) as our new President did. They obviously were not in the same grade since Kione is MUCH younger than Obama...but this is how the story goes just the same...

On Tuesday, my good friend, Tricia was bringing Malia and her daughter home from dance when Malia proudly announced that her Dad went to school with Barack Obama and we knew his phone number and could call him anytime we want!!!! She then proceeded to notify everyone that he was coming to dinner. Yes, fellow Americans, Barack Obama and family will be putting the country on hold so they can jet on over to the Gonzales home for one of our snazzy, formal dinners!!!!! Well, when she got home and we notified her that even though President Obama and Dad went to the same school together, they didn't know each other and weren't even there at the same time, although Kione claims that he's SURE Obama wishes he knew him (kione).

Well, Malia was torn down and distraught. Her dreams of actually calling the Obama's (including little Malia Obama) over for dinner were shattered! She then proceeded to write a letter to Malia Obama explaining her frustrations! Who knows? It could work!!!


p.s. Anytime, Trish, anytime!

Bragging Rights...

When we were in Las Vegas with Kione's family to ring in the new year, our good friend took pictures of the girls. After viewing them, I have decided that I needed to have a "mommy bragging moment"...take a look at my cute girls!!!! I love them!
Tiare, Malia, and Kiana...sooo cute!!!

Yes...I do love those cheeks and they are usually red at the end of the day from being kissed so much!!

Words just can't describe how cute she is!!!

So cute and oh, so sweet!!