A Glimpse of 2011

thought i should get this posted before January and the New Year is officially over!

and if you wanna take a look at last year's as well to see what change 2 years can bring, click here

Daddy Initiation

I mean you'd think after 2 years of parenting we've got it down.  haha.  i hear you all laughing now.  but seriously just when you think you've got it under control...

YOUR SWEET LOVABLE TWO-YEAR OLD TWINS, LOCK YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE.  yep.  you read it right.

here's the set up: 
-Mommy has the night off and is on her way out to eat with some other mommy friends.  Daddy is manning the house and doing a mighty fine job--so good indeed that he decides to get a little laundry done.

here's the problem:  
-OUR WASHER/DRYER LIVE IN OUR GARAGE.  i know a tragedy on MANY levels.

the incident: 
-Daddy walks outside to the garage to get the laundry started and then --"click"-- he's locked out of the house.  "uh-oh".

the problem-solving steps:
-go to neighbor, since Daddy also has no phone
-call mommy to see if she will come home---
   * side note:  Mommy doesn't answer numbers she doesn't know, so when i got the call i was talking to a friend and didn't bother to even listen to the message right away.  BUT had i answered...i would have been no help, because i was driving Mike's car with his set of keys and he does not currently have a house key.
-Daddy then remembers that we are in the middle of having to sell our house and there is a LOCK BOX on the porch!  YAY!  except its some hightech digital thing that we don't have access too.

the answer to our dilemma: 
-Daddy calls Realtor, pleads our problem, and sweet Norma comes right over and helps a Daddy out--and since we are in escrow, she just gives the key back to Mike to avoid the problem.

lesson learned:
-a key now lives somewhere where this can never happen again--because just like Mike, i go out to the washer/garage DAILY and leave the kids inside.  I'm so surprised this didn't happen to me! which would have been worse because most of our neighbors aren't even home during the day.

what were the kids doing you ask?  Here's a full account via Daddy who was watching everything through the windows on our front door.
- Well all-in-all it took about 30 mins to get back in the house and for the most part they just kept playing as normal.
-Mike tried to convince Nora to come to the door and unlock it but apparently she just laughed at Daddy and ran away.  A real jokester, that one!
-Nora found all her favorite toys, piled them up on the couch and enjoyed having the space all to herself--no mommy or daddy in her way.
-Holden complained for a few seconds and Nora hopped right off the couch ran over to Mommy's bag, pulled out a box of raisins, handed them to Holden to calm him down--which worked--typical male, food can solve anything-- and then she went back to her couch and toys.

Exciting, I know.  But you better watch out.  It could happen to you too!

Lost

lost in everyday life that is.  sorry.  and i'm not offering you anything much better now.  but here's some random pics from the past week or so.  Happy Wednesday!

a little morning snuggle in mommy and daddy's bed and Holden being a clown as usual. 

 smoothies for breakfast

bright eyes and hair flips

 

 getting a ride from brother

 Playdate at the Larson's

blake and norabird drawing a picture

 stroller riding

Tagged

okay Kim, because i like you ;) and because i'm having a boring few days.
~The Rules~ 
1. You must post the rules. 
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post. 
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged. 
4. Tag eleven people and link them on your post. 
5. Let them know you've been tagged!

ELEVEN FUN FACTS ABOUT ME

hmm...

1. I can shake my eyeballs as well as cross only one eye.  I can not however, roll my tongue or raise one eyebrow. 

2. Well, speaking of-- Two is my favorite number.  I got married on April 22nd of my 22nd year and that was NOT a coincidence. and lets not forget i have twins.  and the fact that i graduated high school in 2002.  two is a pretty cool number :)

3. I played trombone for 7 years, although i tried to pick it up a year ago and seemed to have lost it.  I'd like to take music lessons of some kind again (cello, piano, banjo).  Maybe once i get off this island...maybe.

4.  Mandy Moore is one of my favorite actresses.  I think we'd be great friends.  anyone know her and want to hook us up?

5. One Tree Hill is my all time favorite tv show.  It's on its last season this year.  I'm excited and bummed all at the same time.  and yes, i own the seasons. 

6. I was totally resistant to the Mac takeover--but as of this Christmas I am the proud owner of a Macbook and I love it.  I admit it.  I was wrong. 

7. I hated tuna prior to being pregnant.  Now i love it.  

8.  My nose itches a lot, and i do this nose rub thing that drives my mom crazy.  My kids do it too.  It's genetic...totally not my fault.  

9. I like to alphabetize things, although i am not a very organized person. 

10. I'm really bad at painting my nails.  If they are painted, someone else did it. 

11.  I'm afraid of falling.  Not heights...i actually love being high.  But i HATE jumping off of anything and the feeling of falling is totally scary. 


QUESTIONS FROM MY TAGGER, KIMSY. 
1. What is your idea of a perfect day?  Walking around some foreign city with my sweet hubby that we've never been to before with no worry about the time.  Just exploring, having fun together and hopefully eating some tasty food!
2. Sweet or Salty? Salty.
3. What's a blog of website that you enjoy (besides facebook)? Pinterest. Duh. Although i'll also throw out this random blog cause the writer always makes me laugh Don't Put Chopsticks in Your Hair. 
4. Hot or Cold? Hot.
5. Books or movies? ooo...that's a hard one.  i love both.  A LOT.  I guess books though, because although i'd make it without a TV, not so sure i'd make it without books. 
6. What was the last thing you bought? Clearance Hawaiian Christmas T-shirts from Target for next year.
7. When was the last time that you belly laughed? Although i seriously hope this isn't true, the last time i remember belly laughing, like until i cried, was at a joke Hillary told me last fall.  Oh no, maybe i need to get out. 
8. Do you prefer a date night in or out? Out. I love going out. 
9. If could do anything and you didn't have to worry about finances, what would it be? Take a Trip Around the World.  I look at those flights all the time with jealousy. 
10. What was your best childhood memory? It's not one in particular, but i loved Christmas every year, more than anything--with all the family and its busyness.  Heck i still do.  haha. 
11. Are you still friends with people that you grew up with? Some of them, yep.  I've been lucky to have some good ones.


TAG ELEVEN PEOPLE...what's with this eleven thing? that's alot.  

1. Dana Kadwell

2. Lindsay Turnau

3. Carrie Davis..you def need to blog, dear!

4. Meredith McDaniel

5. Megan Barbre 

6. Jennifer Allen...for your once a year post maybe?

7. Beth Castor

8. Kristi Larson

9. Katie Kirkpatrick...although i doubt you will ;)

10. Sarah Gabriel

11. Tracey Murray..you up for this? 

Your Eleven

1. What did you want to be when you were little?

2. What is your favorite thing about yourself?

3. What's your favorite city?

4. What's the last thing you ate?

5.  Take a Nap or Push Yourself?

6. Wine or Beer?

7. What is your biggest fear? 

8. Name a book/movie that always makes you cry. 

9.  Do you have a hobby?

10. What is your favorite kind of music?

11. First thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word "floppy"

Ready. Set. Go

North Shore Excursion

On MLK day, we woke up and said..."to heck with our plans to finally put up the Christmas tree and whatnot, let's go have fun!"  and then we did just that.  

we went to one of most favorite places, the North Shore.  and it was a fabulous day!

we started off with brunch at Sharks Cove Grill.  Mike had grilled ahi with his eggs and fried rice and i had an ahi sandwich with onions and avocado.  AMAZING.  How did we just now get to this little place?  I know Jenn...you've been telling me to go for forever. You're right.  It was so yummy.   

After brunch we went to Sunset Beach to play in the sand and watch the 15 foot waves.  That's a pretty good size wave to watch.  It's not SO BIG that no one is out surfing in it--but big enough that it's mesmerizing to watch.  There were local boys (like age ten or so) going out there and owning those waves.  I know that's their life up there, but wow.  It'd be hard as a mom to let my little boy out in that.  

cool waves

 

  Holden exploring

 Haleiwa.  How could you not love this place?  Our favorite surf store on the left, and a yummy shave ice place on the right.  

Nora LOVES shave ice--like dive face first in it--which she did until we could get her a spoon.  haha.

a little surfboard photo shoot.  isn't she beautiful?

our cool dude.  

boards.

Such a Good Day!  We really are gonna miss this!

Shopping Spree at the Swap Meet

 Like i said in a post a few days ago....as our PCS date keeps getting closer, i'm starting to think of all the things we need to start collecting before we go.  So we woke up this morning and decided it was a perfect day for the swap meet.  and really, it was.  it the coolest day i've ever been at the swap and it was actually enjoyable instead of being so blasted hot.

here's our finds for today:

a hula skirt and hair piece...i know i don't really hula (except for my very basic knowledge for some friends at church), but i foresee wishing i had these things when my kids are a little older for show and tells, as well as for whatever hawaii-themed party we will inevitably be at 

 modeling--i really have been wanting one of these since i moved here.  so this was a purchase six years in the making--i love it!

 and then i got nora some too for when she gets older.  aren't the adorable? they are also adjustable and should grow with her as she gets bigger. 

 

and for Holden, we got him a fish hook necklace like his Daddy and his Uncles...and we got a magnet-cause we like them :)

 and for our main purchase and most exciting....

 I've been eyeing the North Shore sign for a long time.  It is the sign that is posted as you enter Haleiwa.  Today when we found this one, we also found the South Shore sign, which i had never seen before.  The lady gave us a deal on both and we are so excited to have them!

On our way home we stopped at Chili's for lunch.  The sugar packets in some of the restaurants on the island are hawaji-themed.  There is a packet for 8 of the Hawaiian Islands.  My friend Carrie used to love trying to get a full set at our table.  I tried for her today, but only had a poor showing with 4 islands.  Eh.  Better luck next time.  ;)

Play Date with Some of our Faves!

On friday we met back up with our favorite multiples, the Larson's and the Lottig's.  They are interacting more and more and it is fun to watch them all play. 

Brooke and Stella...this was pretty funny, Brooke was running full speed ahead pushing Stella and occasionally running into to things, but Stella just seemed to think it was all funny. 

 Blake and Holden

Big Ben playing trains...i guess he needed a little alone time ;) 

Brooke and Little Ben reading

 Nora playing Nite Nite

 Nora and Little Ben playing cars

 Stella and Nora with their monkey babies

 and of course we tried for the usual group pic...didn't go so well this time, haha.  Big Ben was literally crying at the sight of the camera and then most everyone else had ants in their pants!

notice Little Ben's arm around Stella and the Car Slippers on HRB's feet!

there go the monkeys

and this is the best it gets--at least Blake is excited

and they're outta there

the Lottig's had to leave, but we stayed a while longer to have snack and play with a special activity Auntie Kristi had prepared.

sweetie pie girls

Blake stuffed his whole sandwich in his mouth, nutcase ;)

waiting for the water beads

wow!

mom, these are awesome!

Family Bowl

To celebrate Mike's promotion we went to dinner at Moe's--cause EVERYBODY LOVES MOES.  (sorry lindsey, we do have that one!)

and after that we decided to try bowling with the kids...as you can tell HRB was super excited--a room full of balls!

 some of the pics are blurry, we forgot the camera so only had our phones, eh.  H and N both wore leis that were presented to us at the promotion earlier that day.  

 N's excited too

 Daddy showing Nora how it's done!

 Go Ball Go!

and the final score....not too shabby little ones!