The Joy of Cooking

I try and make holidays a special occasion for my children. Despite my best efforts,  I usually fall short.  My kids are lucky, if on Valentine's Day, they get a batch of sugar cookies.  This year, they were that lucky.  The luckiest one of them all was probably Grace.  She got to experience one of the greatest Joys of cooking, licking the paddle of excess frosting.  Not pictured are the plates that I wrote love notes on with a large heart cookie, two small circle cookies and a few silly bands.  They are all the rage at school these days.

Being home alone with Mom makes Grace the subject of many of my posts.

I am going to try more valiantly to capture my other children as well.  They are just as important to me as Grace.



It's so hard to focus on the area with the most frosting.




See the Joy in her eyes?
Butter Cream Frosting does that to a person.



Yup, You are the lucky one!







This has to be my favorite shot of the bunch.



Of course Grace had to have a hand in cutting out the cookies.  
She had her own dough and this is her own creation.



These hands are going to do so much!




Could she be any cuter?
I think NOT!!!

Baby Girl turns 3

I guess I should stop calling Grace, Baby Girl. But I have loved calling her that and she will always be my baby. On many occasions Grace has told me that she is no longer a baby. I ask her what she is and she simply replies, Grace.

I know she's growing up when I can part her hair down the middle and give her two pigtails. Grace is just one of those kids that is entertained by the world around her. Everything and anything is exciting and fun. Which helps me to see the world in the same light.

The day after I came home from vacation Grace wanted to be potty trained. We went out and bought a fun pink potty for her and brand new underwear. I don't remember potty training being as difficult the first few days as it was with her. When any of my kids pooped in their underwear, the underwear went straight into the trash and the diapers came right back on. But not with her. She was determined. After several #1 and #2 accidents I realized I needed to give her some rewards for making it in the potty. Fruit snacks and Playdough were all she needed. She received the playdough when she popped in the potty. If she popped in her panties, I took the playdough back. It worked like a charm. So much so that when we came home from purchasing said item she sat on the pot until she pooped.

While out to lunch during this potty training time she told me she had to go. We rushed to the potty and she went. Yay!! After that she told me she had to go 3 or 4 more times. Well, you don't kid around when it comes to potty training. Every time we went in there she just wanted to sit down. She had nothing to do. One of these times she looked up at me, must have seen the frustration on my face and said," Mommy, you aren't happy." I told her I wasn't. She replied back, "You need to be happy." Well, I'd be happy if she's stop dragging me back to the bathroom for false alarms.

One more thing.  When Jaren was potty training he would yell to me, Mommy come wipe my bottom.  Grace just exclaims,  Yay, I did it!!  That's my cue to come and help.  So stinking cute. 

Having Grace has been a complete joy. She is full of life and loves life to the fullest. I tell people all the time. Grace has just two speeds, Lightening Fast or Fast asleep. I love my baby girl.



Nothing is more exciting then opening presents. 




See how cut that pig is? 



Once again, my most pathetic attempt at a cake.
I do not like making cakes. I do not like them Sam-I-Am.  It's ugly.
And don't try to tell me otherwise cuz ya'll know it's bad.
Oh, and I forgot birthday candles.  So I had to pull out the ones we use inside our jack-o-lanterns.
Ya, I'm a winner.


These next set of photos I can't take credit for.  I'm the one holding the masterpiece.  Jaren took charge of the camera and captured Grace beautifully.


Big Breath



Big Blow



Big Smile

Missing You!

It's been almost 2 months since my sister visited with her whole family. I missed her the day she left. But I miss her even more now. We had so much fun having her in our home, playing with her kids and especially holding baby Maeve. My girls love to nurture and love other children. It was a fight to see who got to hold the baby next. It does feel so good to hold a baby, especially one as adorable as Maeve.

North to Kapalua

On Friday, after Whale Watching we hopped in the car and started driving North to a place called Kapalua. This is the place where the Ritz Carlton is situated along with a golf course called the Plantation. It's on this golf course that the PGA's first tournament is played every year. It's like $600 to play 18 holes of golf.
We stopped off at several different beaches.

We experienced snorkeling for the first time on one of these beaches.  I think it was Honolua Beach.  But I can't remember and I'm too lazy to pull out my Maui Revealed book to find out.

Snorkeling is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time.  Especially when doing it for the first time.  Someone told me it was just like breathing but it had to be more complicated then that!  You could totally tell we were first timers.  We didn't know how to get out into the water without looking like complete retards.  I discovered that I had to be in the water before slipping on my flippers.  I knew I would be breathing through my mouth but I wasn't sure what was going to happen with my nose.  When I first went under I got a little frightened and sucked in with my nose causing my mask to suction to my face.  What a relief.  I thought to myself this is going to be easy!  And it was.  I didn't find out until almost the end of the trip that Brent was even more terrified then I was.  Of course he's to manly to tell me his true feelings. 

Beach hunting and snorkeling was a great way to end the day!!

I know landscape photos can be quite boring.  Well, get ready to be bored cuz most of this post is just of the beaches and ocean.   As I reviewed my photos I was sad that I didn't take MORE.  I always do that.  I never take enough photos. 
























Kapalua from a distance

Whale Watching!

The only thing I wanted to do in Hawaii was to see whales. Everything else we would do would just be a bonus.  Just as long as we got to see some whales. Boy, did I see whales!  I was shocked when driving from the airport to our hotel that I could see whales jumping in the ocean from the freeway. I thought,"That's not possible. I have to be on a boat to see one." Well, I was wrong. We saw whales from the freeway, from the beaches and from our hotel room. It was AMAZING!!! I feel so grateful for all the whales that I saw and the feeling that came from watching those magnificent creatures.


First in line, waiting to get on the boat!



Quintessential self portrait (which Brent loathes).



Looking out into the ocean, waiting...  For what?  
Notice Brent's super cute dimple?  I LOVE it!!



For the amazing show to start!!! 
This is the splash that followed the whale breaching!
Breathtaking, isn't it?



Another whale surfacing to breath.
Pictures just don't do justice to how spectacular these creatures truly are. 



A flying Fish!
Whales weren't the only things we experienced on the boat.  Leaving and returning back to the dock were schools of flying fish.  They would jump in front of the boat and fly outward from the bough.  It was almost whimsical to watch them.  I feel lucky to have gotten this photo of one.  Notice it's reflection in the calm ocean water?



I couldn't help but take a photo of the blue water. It was incredible how clear and distinct the color was. BREATHTAKING!!

The Adventure Begins!

Our adventure first started with a short plane ride from Salt Lake to Vegas.  Brooke, Brent's sister was gracious enough to pick us up from the airport, let us sleep in her bed, and then get up again at 4:00am in the morning to once again take a trip to the airport.  Much Mahalo to Brooke for making that sacrifice for us.  I LOVE being around Brooke.  She is super funny and such a joy to always be around.  I am so blessed to have so many great sister-in-laws.  We laughed all night long.  I wish I could have stayed up to laugh more, but bed called and so did Hawaii.


Me and Brooke
This photo also shows off my new hair cut!  Shorter then I requested, but still cute.



Stealing a Kiss
He hates it when I do that! 



So excited to be together.


Aside from the beach, our very first site seeing was done in a park, just in front of the harbor in down town Lahaina.  It's called Banyan Tree park due to the ginormous banyan tree that takes up the whole park.  It's one, solitude tree and it's pretty impressive.  We were there early enough to beat the crowds and lucky enough to get several pictures without a boat load of people.  The early bird sure does catch the worm, or the sites in our case.   We bought a book called Maui reveled and this park is featured in that book.  Luckily it was on the way to a much more important destination, Whale Watching with the Pacific Whale Foundation!!


Yes, it's one giant tree.



The main body of the tree.


Me, looking like such a tourist.

Back to Life, Back to Reality!!

Well, I'm home from Hawaii.  Back from watching whales breach at breakfast, watching whales from the freeway, watching whales from every beach in West Maui, snorkeling with turtles, hiking in lava fields, and driving the Hana Highway.  It was the most amazing experience of my entire life!  Being married to the hardest working tourist, he made sure we saw everything we possibly could while we were there.  And I am exhausted!  I need this weekend to recuperate from my vacation!  I can't wait to share with you this amazing adventure. 


The day before I left I had a nervous breakdown.  Full on with tears and boogers.  I cried to almost everyone on the phone.  I was making myself sick, literally, with worry.  It's hard leaving 6 kids behind.  I didn't worry so much about the kids, I knew they'd be fine.  I worried more for the people watching my children.  6 is a lot, I know that and I am so grateful to those that watched my kids.  All the finagaling that went into the schedules, backing bread, backing zucchini bread, making granola, and washing every last piece of clothing in the house, in addition to all the other bits and pieces that go into a trip was worth it.  All the worry before hand made my trip more enjoyable.  That and the confidence I had in those watching my kids.  I wont lie though, I did have to get a blessing before I left.  The stress was just too much. 


On my birthday Kevin texted to wish me a happy birthday.  I told him there was no better place to spend it.  He hoped I wasn't worrying about the kids.  I told him there was too much to do to even think about them.   I always end up worrying way more then is needed.  But isn't that what we do as mothers?  And in the end all the preparation, stress and worry is worth it.