Let the Good Times Roll...

Committed...

2010-03-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

As I watch the days come and go, my kids grow like little weeds,and as the memories are being made I realize one thing...I need to start documenting these precious moments!!! This is good stuff and I can't miss it anymore.
First, I feel so bad about not giving Tai his own page for his birthday that was clear back in, oh, NOVEMBER!!!!! So, without further guilt eating away at my insides, this one's for you little buddy!

Tai...this kid has and always will pull at my heartstrings. I have been told that I tend to "baby" him, and of course I'm going to baby him...he's my only little boy. When Tai was born he came out with a very loud and
very demanding announcement to the world that he has made his debut. Now, things haven't exactly changed, he can be a little on the loud side and demanding(???) well, let's just say that he takes after his Mom and likes things to go the right way...his way! :) But all of that aside, there is nothing that has melted my heart more than watching him grow up on his way to becoming a young man. As I looked at Tai for the first time in LDS hospital, my hopes and aspirations for him were way low compared to what he has accomplished at such a young age. He is a wonderful straight A student, a very competitive and talented athlete (not by me, of course), is always up for a good laugh, sooo cute with little babies, and has eyelashes that will melt any girls' heart...including mine. I love him so so much and he brings a wonderful dimension to our family with girls. Lucky for him, he has a dad that coaches him in everything he does and helps form him into the wonderful person he is becoming. Tai turned 10 years old on November 17, 2009. And secretly, I shed a little tear as I tucked him in. Love you, bud

Malia Kilinaheokamalulani Gonzales

2009-11-02T10:47:00.000-08:00

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!!

2009-08-29T23:54:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-06-06T20:46:00.001-07:00

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....

2009-06-02T21:50:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2009-06-01T21:49:00.001-07:00

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!
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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!!!

2009-04-03T23:18:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-03-27T22:07:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-03-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-03-17T21:54:00.001-07:00

...And she keeps on growing.

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

2009-03-07T21:13:00.000-08:00

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!
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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?

2009-02-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

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!!!

2009-01-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

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...

2009-01-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

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!!

Tradition # 4,5,6,7, and 8

2008-12-25T16:20:00.000-08:00

Obviously, the bulk of our family's traditions fall between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Starting with Christmas Eve...
Before bed the kids get to open up one present. Mmmm??? What could be inside? Yes, you're right...pajamas. They get excited even though they know what they're getting and I have fun seeing them in their cute new jammies. Even little Kiana got in on the unwrapping...
Check out the new pj's!!!

The cookies for Santa....we had great intentions of making cute little gingerbread boys, but for some ODD reason the dough was weird and we couldn't. So, poor Santa had to have some strange cookies this year. I'm SURE he enjoyed them, though. Right, Santa? Sorry, they were too ugly to photograph!!

Right before bed we say our prayers and read The Night Before Christmas in front of the Christmas tree. This story is one that Tiare made in 2nd grade and I make her read it every year to the other kids. Although we have the actual book, I prefer to read her rendition...I love it because it reminds me of her! She, obviously, did not want to be photographed for this one.

This is what Kiana was doing during the story...isn't that cute???

Finally....Christmas Day!!!
The wait...we tend to torture the children in the morning. Before they come downstairs they have to brush their teeth, wait until everyone is ready and pose for pictures, pictures, pictures...they get REALLY annoyed waiting. This year, I thought Malia was going to have a heart attack if she had to wait one minute more!!

Christmas...here we come!!!

For breakfast we have some sort of sweet roll, hashbrown casserole and a fruit salad of pomegranates, kiwis and clementines that Santa puts in our stockings...

And there you have it...our simple traditions that we look forward to each year. Merry Christmas to all...notice how we're still in our pajamas all day long (a tradition I'm not so proud to post pictures of)....

Tradition #3

2008-12-20T21:54:00.000-08:00

Secret Siblings...

The kids have fun doing this one!!! Each of them take turns drawing someone's name out of a bowl. 12 days befoe Christmas they might leave a little note, treat or small gift on their "secret sibling's" bed. It's fun to watch them look forward to a little something each night. Then on Christmas morning they find out who their "secret sibling" is and get to open up a gift from them!!!

And here they are with Santa...some are a little more excited than others to be sitting on dear old Santa's lap!!

But You Can't Even See Me...

2008-12-16T14:15:00.000-08:00

So here's a Mother of the Year Award moment for you!!! When you want to feel better about yourself as a Mother, read this post!
So, last Sunday our friend, Adam Martinson, took our pictures for our family Christmas card. He got some really cute shots and I was really excited about one certain one. After reviewing each family picture, Adam and I both agreed that this was THE ONE. It's original and we all looked great in it. I was at his house, ready to purchase 100 Christmas cards online when I realized that I needed to pick Malia up from Kindergarten. I told him to hold that thought and ran to get her. We promptly came back and began ordering the cards. I told Malia to look at the cute picture of our family that we were going to put on the card. She looked strangely at the card, looked at me and loudly said, "But Mom, you can't even see me!" Confused, I looked at the picture and this is what I saw...
NO MALIA!!! I was about to order 100 Christmas cards from Costco without Malia in the picture. Better yet, Adam agreed it was the the best picture and his wife, Tiffany, thought it was perfect too! We all neglected to see that one of my children were missing. Now, I can understand Adam and Tiff not noticing this missing detail, but her own Mother????? So here's to you...Malia!! I'll NEVER forget you again!!

Tradition #2

2008-12-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

The Ornaments...

Every year each of one our kids gets a new ornament to put on the Christmas tree. Tiare collects angels, Tai collects snowmen, Malia collects Santa Claus' and Kiana is going to collect teddy bears. We have 13 angels, 9 snowmen, 6 santas and 1 teddy bear...plus I always buy a new ornament for myself! :) When the kids leave the house and are ready to decorate their own tree, they will get to take their ornaments with them as well as memories from their childhood! So...here are the new ornaments from this year!!
Tiare with her new "hula angel" ornament that we got on vacation in Hawaii in January

Tai with his basketball snowman...of course!!

Malia with her Surfin' Santa, again, from Hawaii!

And finally, Kiana with her first teddy bear ornament!!

Tradition #1

2008-12-11T20:57:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to post some of our family's little Christmas traditions. I don't have any original, exciting traditions, but I look forward to the ones we do have. Most of them are the normal, "traditional" ones that everyone has, but oh well. So...here is our first tradition, and one of Malia's personal favorites!!

The Advent Calendars... we usually have two advent calendars. For the first one, everyone gets their own chocolate calendar where we are rewarded each day with a piece of chocolate...the closer it gets to Christmas the closer we get to eating the biggest piece! YUM YUM!!

The second advent calendar we have is my personal favorite. Each day a small little two page booklet is pulled from the calendar. Each little book contains a small part of the story leading up to the birth of Christ. As we read the events everyday that lead up to His birth, a small piece of the true meaning of Christmas is felt in our home. Most of the time it is Malia and me reading the little booklet, but we love it. There is a little hook connected to each booklet that allows us to hang it on our tree. When we have hung each one on the tree, the story of how our Savior came to this earth is spread all over our tree. It is wonderful.
Here is the calendar where we pick a little booklet each day...

Malia, hanging today's booklet titled "The Oasis". This tells the story of Mary and Joseph traveling through the hot, dry oasis on their way to Bethlehem.

For Future Use...

2008-12-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

Can you say blackmail? Hee Hee

Holiday Ho Ho Ho Down

2008-12-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!!

2008-12-05T23:25:00.000-08:00

From the red lights and candy canes outside, the nativity and garland strewn on the banister, to the tree with the train making it's rounds to the small little village, the handmade awesome, incredible stockings hanging on the mantle (thanks, Mom), to the the other decorations that dot our home...Christmas has taken over and we ARE LOVING IT!!!

Give Thanks...

2008-11-28T21:30:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving. I think it is my favorite holiday when it comes to the whole family. I love sitting around my table looking at the ones I love the most. Smiling. Thankful. Happy. Full. The past couple of weeks, as we drive to school, the kids and I have been coming up with at least 3 or 4 things we are thankful for. It's so sweet to hear what is in their hearts (even if it's the wii and skateboards). As they get out of the car and I watch them trot along to school, my heart is full. I am truly blessed. The same goes for my husband...as I watch him rock my baby to sleep I realize that there is nothing in the world that can take those precious moments away. I am thankful. This past Fall was one of the most beautiful Fall's I can recall. I am thankful for the beauty of this world. I am thankful for health, small fingers wrapped around mine, a kiss goodbye, a shoulder to lean on, knowledge of the plan that is waiting for me when I pass from this life to the next, parents who love and care, a smile on a not-so-good day, friends stopping by to talk "just because", the words I love you, warmth, comfort, extended family that cares and loves my own little family, kind words, the way the sun shines through the clouds, my life. I am lucky, I am blessed, I am thankful.
Now...onto the DAY OF FEASTING...
A little pre-feast ride around the block...are we REALLY letting her drive that??

Watching the game...

Let the FEASTING begin...

Love around the table...

Which pie to choose??? No need...just have a slice of each!!! Thanks for making the delicious desserts, Mom.

Oh....my belly is full!!!

But never too full for Grammy's homemade pumpkin pie!!

Aaahhhh...my tummy is full of pumpkin and sweet potatoes...YUM!!

But I could still go for a carrot...Hey, Frost, how about you share your nose??

Cheers!!! By the look on Tiare's face we wonder what was in that bottle!!! Don't worry it was sparkling cider!

The official "cleaner upper"...now who wouldn't be thankful for that...or for that cute guy there as their husband!!!

Until next year...Happy Thanksgiving!!

Must Be Love...

2008-11-22T22:21:00.001-08:00

Nothing like a Dad and his baby girl!

2008-11-17T21:22:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Tai. And even though his Mom told him not to, he grew. He grew and grew and grew until it was November 17, 2008 and he turned 9 years old. Well, his Mom showered him with hugs and kisses on the morning of this special day, as he begged her to stop, and she even smiled and enjoyed seeing the happiness surrounding him throughout the day. She enjoyed bringing him pizza and a Jamba Juice to school for lunch, picking up the Baskin Robbins birthday cake he requested, buying him balloons and Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast, wrapping his new Ripstik and University of Utah attire, taking him out to dinner at Bonsai with his family, and singing Happy Birthday to him. BUT, as she tucked him in at night, she got a lump in her throat as she remembered how these 9 years have flown by and in 9 more years he will be 18 and ready to make his way in this big, wide world. So, she hugged him tightly and kissed his little cheek, and prayed to remember every moment she spends with him. Happy Birthday, Tai!

In the Still of the Night...

2008-11-05T05:20:00.000-08:00

As we slept in our warm cozy beds last night, a familiar (friend?) paid us a visit. During the quiet of the night, it snowed. This picture shows what I woke up to as I begrudgingly dragged myself out of bed at 5:45 am to get our day rolling. I truly do NOT like the snow. Well...I guess I like it up until about January 2nd, and then I am SO ready for it to go. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas for me unless it was a white one, and watching the kids turn into white marshmallows as they become covered in snow in their snow-suit clad bodies brings me such joy. And then there is the peace and quiet. There is NOTHING so peaceful as sitting in my home, fire place aglow, surrounded by family as a snow dumps from the sky. So...here it comes, the shoveling (okay, well, watching Kione shovel), the slushy roads, the dirty cars, the wet floors as kids tromp across the house in snow boots, cold fingertips, red noses, and trying to find a place for our dog to go "potty" without getting buried. However, we also get, cozy nights by the fire place, snowball fights, skiing in the beautiful Utah mountains, cuddling up in a blanket with hot chocolate or hot apple cider, Christmas lights on the house shining through a blanket of white, and homes that look like little gingerbread houses covered in sugar. Aaahh...enjoy.

Just Because We Like to Make Fools of Ourselves...

2008-11-03T20:05:00.001-08:00

She's Eating What?!?

2008-11-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

What kind of Mother am I to give my 6 month old popsicles and lollipops? Well, just for the record, I did NOT give her these things. However, her dear old Dad finds it irresistible to share his goodies with her and is introducing her to cavities at an early age, before she even has teeth!

BOO!!!

2008-10-31T22:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!! It sure was a fun time, and the kids had a blast. We started the day out, enjoying a breakfast with some friends, carved our pumpkins, ate chili and brownies at Grammy's, got on costumes, gathered bags, and hit the streets to fill up on as much candy as we could...and oh boy, did the candy come in. Tai's final count was 144 pieces of candy....UGH! Now comes the hard part for Mom, keeping the candy intake down to a minimum each day...yeah, good luck on that one! Anyway, it was a great night, and soooo beautiful out, take a look for yourself...
Can't complain about the beauty that surrounds us as we walk each street in search of treats!!!

One of our jack o lanterns got a little sick after so much candy...

Go Utes!!!

A Friendly Witch!!

And then, of course, there are the costumes...
Our Cute "little bunny"

Super Girl

The "tough" football player

The "we're not sure what to call it" costume..

Way to stay in your costume's character, Tiare!!

FALL!!!

2008-10-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

I have always looked at Fall as a time to reflect. As the leaves begin to change and fall from the trees, our lives, too, begin to take on a new chapter. Bring back the days of pumpkin bread, soups, warm flannel sheets on the kid's beds, hot chocolate and spiced apple cider, making my home cozy with the scents of the season...a new cranberry orange candle or cinnamon scented pine cones, nights of snuggling in soft, down blankets, warm fuzzy pajamas, pumpkins on the porch, oh...how the list goes on. Although I am a sucker for the long, lazy days of summer, I must admit that I am eager for these cozy, fall days. How lucky I am to look outside and see the brilliant vibrant colors that splash around outside of my window, the red that blazes across the mountains, the frost-tipped grass in the mornings that shimmer, yes...I am lucky to live where I live, and be surrounded by good beauty, good friends, and a wonderful family. Which brings me to my next point...every fall I take a few days and allow myself to feel a little melancholy. Not because it is cold and my summer days are gone, but because fall brings on the realization that another year is coming to an end. My kids are getting one year older, one year closer to beginning their own lives, also, one more year has passed that I have been without loved ones who have gone on to the next life, and I, who still feel 18 inside, am adding one more year to my life. Do I want time to freeze? No, that would be silly. Time equals memories, and there are SO many more to make, but, pause...I wish I had a pause button to just sit back and look around whenever I want to. Then, when I am ready to go on I can resume and continue playing the game. But, alas, that won't happen. So NOW is the time. This is the time to love, live, laugh, and enjoy. And now that the cold is here and we are drawn to the warmth of our home, it is time to cuddle a little longer, listen a little closer, love a little deeper, and enjoy a whole lot more! I am blessed. I love my family, I love this time of year, I love all that I have. I couldn't ask for more. So welcome Fall...and thank you for all that you bring to my life.
Picking out pumpkins at our favorite pumpkin patch...

Having a picnic in our front yard under the beautiful changing leaves of our tree...

At the Pumpkin Patch...

After the final football game of the season...

She's the Birthday Girl!!!!

2008-10-24T21:29:00.000-07:00

October 22nd, she turned 6!

Here are the presents that she looked at ALL DAY and BEGGED ALL DAY to open...

Here are the cupcakes she sprinkled herself...

Here is the excitement she couldn't hold back when she opened her birthday wish come true...

Here are the gifts that Mom carefully picked out...

Here is the birthday party that friends celebrated with her...

Here are the girls patiently waiting to watch High School Musical 3...

Here is the family that loves this girl...

And HERE is the girl that is 5 no more, the girl that has to use two hands to show how old she is, the girl that loves to dance, create, play, laugh, be silly, and fun! The girl I will always remember when I first held her and looked into her big brown eyes and thought she was the most perfect thing ever. The girl I love to see everyday as she runs to my car with a big smile on her face after kindergarten. This is Malia!! Happy Birthday Malia, I love you...

Fun Times!!!

2008-10-06T08:51:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we got to have our cousins come up from Las Vegas! We had a blast just hanging out and being silly. Here are some of our favorite pictures...

The two "studs" of the group, Tai and Kainoa...

Having fun and playing dress up, Malia and Maile...
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I don't even have words to describe what was going on here, Tiare and Kaylee ...

Brotherly/Sisterly/Cousin Love!! Malia, Tai, Kainoa and Maile

We're the happiest when we're with our cousins! Tiare, Kaylee, Malia, Kiana, Maile, and Tiani

Oops...She's Clumsy Again!!

2008-10-01T22:41:00.000-07:00

Soooooo....I'm not always the most graceful person! I've been known to run into curbs, thus popping tires, tripping down the stairs, thus breaking my foot, falling on my behind as I attempt to sit on a chair that has wheels, and the list could go on. HOWEVER...how does standing in front of about 40 people, surrounded by a room full of girls that YOU are supposed to be an example to, and knocking down pictures of Jesus sound??? Well...lucky for me, I got the chance to experience this! Tonight we had a wonderfully nice dinner for the Young Women and their families at our church. I, one of the leaders, "got" to sing with the girls at the close of our meeting. During the song, as I was leaning against the wall, I gracefully fell into the picture and knocked it down. The room was silent, I was red, and my dear friend next to me was cracking up, which, in turn, gave me the uncontrollable hysterics! Imagine standing in front of these girls that look up to you, their parents, who trust you with their daughters, your own daughter and husband, and the women you work with watch you as you hit the picture of the Savior, knock it down and then laugh about it!!! Not to mention, during the closing prayer I had a hard time controlling myself and had to squeeze my mouth shut so I wouldn't burst out in laughter. Obviously, it is time for me to either grow up, pay more attention to what I am doing, or be released from being in charge of being an example to teenage girls!!! Where is the maturity level here???

Where Does the Time Go?

2008-09-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

How did my little baby go from this...

To this...

In just 5 short months she has grown right before my eyes. Time goes too fast. Everyday I tell her to stop growing, but somehow, she just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I want to freeze time.

She is our super star...

One Word Tag...

2008-09-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your significant other? Kione
3. Your hair? Irritating
4. Your mother? Awesome
5. Your father? Quiet
6. Your favorite thing? Sunsets
7. Your dream last night? Childhood
8. Your favorite drink? Water
9. Your dream/goal? Peace
10. The room you’re in? Kitchen
11. Your hobby? Cleaning????
12. Your fear? Predators
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Laughing
14. What you’re not? Organized
15. Muffins? Blueberry
16. One of your wish list items? Greece
17. Where you grew up? Utah
18. The last thing you did? Cuddle
19. What are you wearing? Jammies
20. Favorite gadget? computer
21. Your pets? Dog
22. Your computer? broken
23. Your mood? Content
24. Missing someone? Greatly
25. Your car? Denali
26. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
27. Favorite store? Roberts
28. Like someone? Baby
29. Your favorite color? Purple
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Today

All of You...if you want to!

And What Were YOU Doing at 8:00 last night???

2008-09-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

Church volleyball, are you kidding??? Seriously, you are going to play church volleyball and leave me with all of these things to do by myself? These are the thoughts that ran through my head as Kione and Tai came home from football practice and Kione announced that he has to go to the church to play volleyball. One kid needs to be picked up from dance, a last minute trip to the store, for a school supply, needs to be made, one kid hasn't had dinner yet, two kids need to be bathed, stories need to be read, prayers need to be said, a book report, that hadn't been started, needs to be done, a baby is SCREAMING in the car and needs to be fed, changed, and put to bed...and bedtime is in a half an hour!!!!!!! Oh, yeah, and by the way...the kitchen is in complete disarray from dinner. I feel myself lose it as I pile 3 of the 4 kids in the car at 8:10. We get home and, as Kione is playing volleyball, this is what I am playing, it's a game called "balancing act." With one hand I warm up Tai's dinner, as it is in the microwave I make a bottle, as he is eating I read stories to Malia while feeding Kiana, oh, yes, before that I pick Tiare up from dance, drive her to the craft store, entrust my debit card to her (are you kidding me?) and send her in to buy her items she needs for school tomorrow. All the while, Tai and Malia are at it again (yahoo!), Kiana is screaming and I am breathing deeply. After Tai eats, Malia showers, Kiana is changed, the book report is done, and all is quiet, Kione comes in from volleyball. I don't really think he wanted to completely look at me because I am giving him the "I'm really irritated that you were gone" look. I "top" Kiana off with one last bottle and think of the messy kitchen that awaits me. When, alas, I hear glasses clanking, dishwasher starting, cupboards closing, and realize that Kione has cleaned the kitchen for me and suddenly I can't feel irritated anymore. I begin to realize how lucky I am to have a husband that cares about me and is willing to help out when he can see that I need it. So, thank you, Kione for doing the dishes and cleaning the counters, putting away food, reading scriptures and saying prayers with Tai, because I was in too much of a rush to get him to bed and didn't do it myself, and for being a great husband and for doing it all with a smile and kind word when you are done! I love you!

Just a Regular Sunday at Our House...

2008-09-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Sunday...aaahh, yes. It begins at 7a.m. so we can be out the door at 8:50 and on our way to church. Are we REALLY ever out the door on time? Well, some of us are. Malia and Tai decided to walk to church today while the rest of us frantically finished getting ready. As I walked into the chapel, looking for my two kids, Tai runs up to me and proudly notifies me that Malia has been yelling at him in the chapel and one guy even got up to move so he wouldn't have to sit next to "the Gonzales family." Nice, we're off to a great start! Things went fairly well the next three hours, especially after I threatened Malia that she better behave or, I don't know what would happen but it wouldn't be good. She was great and we were on our way to the remainder of our Sunday. One little side note...the primary was practicing for their program which is next week. Each child in Malia's class was asked to share their favorite scripture story. When they asked Malia, she proudly announced that her favorite story was when someone got their arms cut off. A little stunned, they asked her if there was maybe another story she could come up with where nobody gets hurt. Nope!! This was her favorite, there was no other. Finally, they talked her into "pretending" that her favorite story was when Jesus visited and blessed the children. When we were memorizing her part, she wanted to make SURE that I knew, without a doubt, that she did not like this story and she was still standing by the arms getting cut off story. Nice...ya gotta love it, right? Anyhow, this is how the rest of our Sunday was spent.
Showing off our exceptional, acrobatic skills...

playing x-box...

playing church...

playing with toys...

a little game of scrabble...

kissing cheeks...

playing some tunes on the ukulele...

having french toast with whipped cream and strawberries for dinner...
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And finally...going to bed!!!! (my favorite part of the night...that is, after I throw the clean laundry on the floor that STILL needs to be folded!)...GOOD NIGHT!!!

The Top Ten

2008-09-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

I decided that I didn't want my family to forget the things that I love and want to remember about them RIGHT NOW, exactly the way they are, at this very moment. So here goes...

TIARE:

1. Her favorite color is lime green.

2. Her favorite food is steak, french fries, garlic bread, and apples.

3. She sings REALLY loud while she's taking a shower.

4. She's confident and happy with who she is.

5. Her silly nicknames for her siblings.

6. Her fuzzy hair after a good night's sleep.

7. She is a fantastic tumbler (won first place in nationals in her solo competition for cheer)

8. She takes her school work seriously and gets AWESOME grades!

9. She breaks out in song at any given moment.

10. She is the queen of giving funny family home evening lessons.

Malia:

1. Her favorite color is pink.

2. Her favorite food is steak, chicken nuggets, french fries, tuna fish sandwiches and blueberries.

3. When she plays "salon" and brushes my hair (in fact she's doing it right now).

4. How she loves to rub my ears.

5. Her little dance moves.

6. Her passion for fashion (she dresses up every chance she gets!)

7. She loves to help me cook...especially pancakes and cookies.

8. She likes to change Kiana's diaper and has actually done this while I'm in the shower (not a pretty sight!)

9. The way she says her R's.

10. How she skips out of Kindergarten looking for my car and then smiles happily as she waves hello.

Tai:
1. His favorite color is black.

2. His favorite food is teriyaki steak, cornbread, and peaches with sugar and cream.

3. He will still let me cuddle and hug him on rare occasions.

4. Watching him run out on the football field in his little uniform.

5. When he makes Kiana smile while talking in a cute "little" voice.

6. His passion for writing in his journal.

7. His loooong eyelashes.

8. He always lets his little sister "tag along" and play with the guys.

9. The small "poof" of hair that has a hard time staying down.

10. He plays the piano beautifully.

Kiana:

1.Her favorite color is anything bright.

2. Her favorite food is breast milk, formula and rice cereal (yum, yum).

3. She wakes up with a smile.

4. She rolls around my bedroom floor and almost ended up under the bed the other day!

5. She puts up with anything, anytime...this includes the yelling, the barking dog, the funny nicknames and Malia's hair in her face as Malia "loves" her!

6. How she looks up in my eyes as she's eating, stops, smiles, and continues eating.

7. Okay, okay, those CHEEKS!

8. Her huge eyes that can find me no matter where I am in the room.

9. She smiles when I sing, while the rest of the family runs out of the room.

10. The sweet and wonderful spirit she has brought into our home.

Kione:

1. His favorite color is black (I think)...he's sleeping so I can't ask him.

2. His favorite food is sushi (once again, I think).

3. He has a unique ability to fall asleep at 9:00 but is up at 5a.m.

4. He looooves our kids and is very active in every aspect of their lives.

5. He pretty much lets me have my way (well...c'mon....anyone would love that, right?)

6. Tiare's friends think he looks like "The Rock" and tell him he is "soo cool."

7. He takes care of our family and always puts us first.

8. He has an awesome singing voice.

9. He's not afraid to cry and show emotion.

10. If he hates dinner he politely offers to feed Kiana or do some other chore and excuses himself from the table.

Well...there you have it. I'm so lucky to have them all!

Losing It!!

2008-09-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful, crisp pre-fall day. Everything was going so well and I was on top of things. The laundry was almost done, the baby was sleeping, the bathrooms were scrubbed, Malia had lunch on time (don't ask)...yes, for once I had things rolling and together! I was feeling pretty good about myself. Tai got home from school at about 1:15 and as he is walking home I am watching him, thinking that he needed to hustle to make it to piano lessons at Nikie Stookey's house in 15 minutes. He comes in and we talk about the days events. He has a snack, we chase our tiny dog as he is being stalked by a much larger dog. So, in the midst of all this excitement, I forget piano (mind you, only a half an hour has passed). Nikie calls, reminds me that Tai is 15 minutes late for piano and says she has some time at 3:00 and can he just come at then? So I apologize and say yes...I will certainly have him there at 3. I hang up the phone and the light turned off in my brain as I tell Tai, "Hey, why don't you call your buddy up the street and see if he wants to play since you don't have anything going on this afternoon?" So, Tai calls his friend and they engage in some serious destruction of the play room along with another neighbor friend. 3:10 rolls around and the phone rings, I see Nikie's number flash across my caller ID... I panic, as I remember the 3:00 piano time. Should I not answer the phone and pretend that my house is on fire, giving me good reason for not sending Tai over there or should I answer and pretend to be yelling at Tai to hurry up and get to piano now...thus blaming my poor kid. No...I immediately answer the phone and say, "I am sending him." Nikie forgives me (again), laughing a little more at the air floating around in my head. I drag Tai away from his friends (the ones I TOLD HIM TO CALL) and send him out the door, leaving the friends to play alone in my playroom. Does this sound like the beginning of someone with severe dementia? Pretty soon I won't remember a thing and I'll be wandering around looking for my home. So if you ever see me on the street with a dazed, confused look, just call Kione and tell him his wife is at it again and he needs to pick her up!

Shot Day :(

2008-09-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

This is my cute little Kiana hours before her 4 month shots...happy as can be, having not a clue in the world what will take place at 4 in the afternoon.

As we walked up the pavement to the doctor's office I could feel the pit in my stomach growing. I usually convince Kione to come with me on these little visits to our good old pediatrician so I can leave the room as my children are being poked with 2 inch needles. But, because of football practice (gotta love it), I am flying solo. As I open the door I can feel my sweaty palms. We make the co-pay, sit down and wait. Kiana is smiling brightly at me while I make a fool of myself with my baby talk and funny faces. THEN..."Kiana Gonzales" the nurse calls. I stand up and feel my knees give way but somehow I make it to the back room. It is fun to see how much she is growing and it's always fun to brag about all of the amazing "things" she has learned. Then, while looking into my eyes, smiling with no care in the world...bam! In goes the shot and out comes the scream. But, she made it. All is well in the world and we're done for the next two months...thank goodness!!!

To Tackle or Not To Tackle...

2008-09-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

I am a paranoid mother. Ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you that I can certainly be a little over the top sometimes. I am a firm believer of car seats, jackets on cool mornings, orange juice for breakfast,veggies and fruit for lunch and dinner, bedtimes, hand sanitizer, helmets, and the list goes on. I am very big (okay, and kinda crazy) on safety. I am constantly yelling out the door to not do any more back flips on the tramp, stop playing with big sticks, or slow down on bikes. How my kids make it through my mothering at times, is a wonder to me. SO....you can only imagine the sheer panic when Kione and Tai announce to me back in August that it is time to sign up for tackle football. For a year now they have been threatening that the time is drawing nigh when my small, cute little boy will be wearing pads, a helmet, and jersey while being tackled to death. I begged, I pleaded, I stomped and I stormed, telling them both that this was not happening, too bad, so sad...I put my foot down and that was the end! Yeah, right, so I thought!!! I learned very quickly that when it comes to boys and their sports, you just don't interfere because you won't win. So... last Saturday was Tai's first TACKLE football game (I lost the fight.) For the last month he has practiced with his little team learning how to bash into other boys his age. Kione has reassured me that he is taking every precaution in teaching Tai how to tackle properly so my little guy won't get hurt. He even took on the feat of being an assistant coach. So there we were, the baby, the stroller, the diaper bag, the bag of snacks, and the two sisters accompanied by Grandpa and Uncle Troy...ready to see Tai conquer the game! The moment I saw the little guy with GONZALES spread across his back, my heart welled up with pride, yes, there he was ready to go. Then it happened, he got the ball, he was off and going, going, he did it! He scored a touchdown. The pride was overwhelming and I was cheering, "Go! Go!" And he did it again!! He scored two touchdowns!!! "Yes," I told the people sitting next to me, "that is my son"...as they were commenting on how great the little gonzales boy was. I almost, ALMOST, cried because I was so happy for how proud and happy he must have felt. But, at the risk of "embarassing" Tiare I held back. Anyway, next Saturday we will return for game two. I will be ready to cheer and ready to be proud no matter what happens!

Tai Teaches Malia a Lesson...

2008-09-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

So, Malia threw a little (okay, huge) fit today because she didn't want to get in the shower. It had been a long day, it had been a tiring day, and I announced that I wasn't cooking dinner because I was exhausted. It was Labor Day and we definitely "labored" both inside and outside of the house. So, I told Kione that we were going out to dinner tonight and that was that! After telling Malia to shower about 10 times, I could feel the tiredness getting to me and the blood began to boil. Tai, who is older than Malia and has seen the "blood boil" many times, decided to step in and take control of the situation before things got bad. This is how the conversation went...

Tai: "Malia, come here right now."
Malia: "What do you want?"
Tai: "Malia, just do what she says. Do you want to make Mom have to be the bad guy?" As I listened to Tai ask Malia this question I am cracking UP because I have told him numerous times that when he disobeys it makes me feel like the bad guy that has to pass out the consequences.
Malia: "Well, yes...I do want her to be the bad guy. Because that means I get to be the superhero." By this time I am laughing so hard that I need to run to the bathroom.
Tai: (resorting to other means of helping the situation...bribery...) "Malia, I have a dollar in my room and I will PAY you to shower." He is really trying to avoid me turning into the "bad guy."
Malia: "Hah! I don't want a little dollar!"
Tai: "Okay, how about two dollars?"
Malia: "No way!"
Tai: getting agitated at trying to help the situation..."Fine, how about ten dollars????"
This continues on until Tai reaches the fifty dollar mark!
Finally, when he announces, "Malia, I will give you fifty dollars if you shower for Mom!"
Malia: "You got a deal! Mom, will you start the shower? And Tai, go get your wallet!"
The blood drains from Tai's face and he wonders what he's done.
Tai: "Malia, okay, I don't really have fifty dollars, but I do have a penny. Will you settle for that? It's a lucky penny!"
Malia: "Okay, fine."
Malia gets the penny, takes the shower, I'm not the bad guy and Tai has saved the day!

So Long Summer...

2008-08-31T21:41:00.001-07:00

Rainbow after an awesome summer storm...beautiful!

Playing ukulele with Elder Ganer

Backyard Picnics with family and friends!

Fourth of July

Hanging out with Cousins!!!

Cute Girls!

All tuckered out from a day of fun!

Kiana loves being outside...

Too much excitement for Kiana to handle!!

Fun in the Sun!

Beating the heat in American Fork Canyon!

Happy 13th Birthday, T!

Kisses and Loves

Malia relaxing on the trampoline

Tai pretending to fly in the sky.

I always get a little sad at the end of summer. Maybe it's because I know there are no more lazy days of sleeping in, feeding the kids popsicles for lunch, making out different shapes in the sky from big white fluffy clouds, late nights outside as the kids play night games, brown bodies running through my house, and the list goes on. Time to move on to schedules, school, homework, music and dance lessons, bedtimes and such. But although we need to wait a full year for this magical time of the year to come again, we will never forget these lazy days of summer!

The First Day of School...

2008-08-28T22:05:00.000-07:00

Malia (kindergarten) Tai (3rd) Tiare (8th)

Just one last goodbye!!

Well, they're off and running. Freshly ironed shirts, pants, and shorts (the one and only time they will be ironed for the year), shiny new shoes, smiling faces and lunch boxes in tote. Leaving behind a sobbing mother, baby and dog. Yes, it's that time of year again when school days are upon us. I must say that having a schedule is nice again but I really miss the sounds of everyone busily running around. It wasn't the summer of FUN that everyone hoped for, due to the fact that we have a little addition to our family that does NOT like the car. But, we certainly had some bonding time within the walls of our home. And although there were plenty of wrestling matches, being sent to rooms, yelling (luckily the windows were closed) and some huffing and puffing, we had a great time being together. I love each and everyone of these kiddies and am proud of them in their own special way.

In the Beginning...

2008-08-27T22:48:00.000-07:00

In the beginning, I started out by viewing a blog here and there. Over time, I became more and more interested in what was going on out there in the lives of all I love and know. Then, to the dismay of my teenager (yes, I AM old enough to have a teenager) I became a little obsessive with checking out as many blogs as I could on a daily basis. Finally, after I had been caught by the teenager (this is Tiare, of course) reading yet another blog, she asked me why I was so obsessed with other people's lives and why don't I just make my own blog??? I guess after seeing the "Mom, get a grip...you are so weird" look for the 50th time, I decided it was time to get busy and create my own family's blog. So, here we stand...at the beginning of this journey I am embarking on to create a view into the life of this family that I love so much!