Christmas!

I have had a really hard time maintaining my family blog. I feel like I used to update once every 2 weeks, and now I'm lucky if I can update once a month!
We have been busy and living our lives day to day in Hawaii. The boys and I go to the beach at least 3 times a week, and the boys love riding in the bike trailer down to the beach. However, it will be nice when Brent goes to school, and i will just be pulling 25 pound Cameron instead of a 60 pound load! My boys are just in their element when they are at the beach, and I'm so glad they have a love for the outdoors as Jared and I do. Rarely do the boys ever cry or complain, or want to leave when we are at the beach. Brent is getting really good at body boarding, and he is such a good swimmer.

Brent Body boarding

Jared and I take him out far, and he can swim all the way back to shore by himself! Cameron loves going in the water as well, but he knows he still needs me to go in. This is nice because I don't have to chase him around and worry about him drowning. Cameron loves playing in the sand and digging holes. He like to find treasures at the beach and collect sticks. Overall, the boys are extremely happy.


I taught Brent's class on Sunday in Primary, and it was fun to see how he has adjusted to the culture. Everybody is "auntie" or "uncle" in Hawaii, so all the kids were calling me Auntie in the class. Brent even started calling me that...it was funny. Then of course there is the greeting of aloha. Brent doesn't say it back yet...I don't think he knows that he is supposed to. I was very pleased with Brent, as he was very well behaved, and pays attention to what teachers say. Seeing him in a learning environment made me hopeful and happy knowing that he will be a good student in school this fall.

Brent wrote his name in the sand all by himself!

Cameron is as sweet as ever. He shows his loves by giving hugs and kisses. When I drop him off at the gym daycare, he won't let me leave without giving him a hug and a kiss...it is so CUTE! He also says "Love you mama!" and this is all without any promptings from me. What a sweet boy he is!

Jared is still enjoying his job very much. He has taken helicopter trips to the top of mountain ranges. Taken trips to Kauai, and Maui, and will be taking a few other trips coming the new year...lucky dog! He also makes it up to the North Shore to surf 2-3 times a week before work. Every Saturday we go to the beach as a family in the morning for a couple of hours, and it is alot of fun. We are also enjoying the fact that Jared gets every other Friday off.

Jared in his helicopter gear...HOT!

I have been staying busy with my 2 boys, and taking care of our house. I love the weather in Hawaii when it is not stormy! It is hard to believe people are bundled up in coats and pants everywhere else. I feel like I'm living summer year around (which is my favorite season).
We all are super excited about Christmas, as Brent really gets the whole concept this year. He has a paper chain, so he can count how many days until Christmas. He is especially excited for Christmas Eve. Jared told Brent that he would sleep with him in his room. Let me tell you how excited Jared is about this! Brent really can't wait. 2 times a year Jared sleeps in Brent's room, on Christmas Eve, and on his Birthday. Brent loves it, and as Jared and him are laying there, he says things like "Dad, let's talk."
Jared and I will be celebrating our 7 year anniversary on the 27th. We will be going golfing (which we both love to do) and going out to a nice restaurant...we are excited to get away!!!!! It has been a great 7 years. In fact, there are times when we are all at home together, me making dinner, Jared playing with the kids, living in Hawaii, I just feel a overwhelming sense of joy for our life that we have. I feel so blessed, and know that Heavenly Father watches over our family, and blesses us with so much. I'm truly grateful!

Life in November

We are finally settled into our house on Hele Street in Kailua. All 365 boxes were gone through and unwrapped, and sorted through. It was incredibly time consuming, and I'm glad I can move on from that. As I have told some of you, the house is not our "dream" home, but there are alot of good things. The outside shower and bathroom are awesome for sandy beach boys to rinse off in. I also like the fact that my laundry room is in the garage as well and not outside in the elements like so many people have it here in Hawaii. We have plently of room in the garage that we have stored all of our things in. There is room for us to park our car, and all our recreational equipment as well. The living areas are VERY breezy, and the layout of the house is working wonderfully for me. There are sliding doors to every room, and I can keep the kids in their playroom with the sliding glass doors shut...it's awesome.
Our ward is a great, active, involved ward. I already feel at home, and Cameron is now adjusted to nursery, and Brent enjoys primary as usual. There are plenty of activities as well as opportunities to do service in the relief society. I love it when there are service things that I can do as a stay at home mom, like make cookies for the marines, etc. We went to an elders quorum activity/dinner or should I say "make plate" fest. The food was fabulous! I was officially introduced to the Hawaiian way of eating. There was all kinds of fresh fish (tasted heavenly!), sesame chicken, shredded beef, salads, etc...I thought I had died it was so good.
We went to the Laie Temple open house this last week, and it was a cool experience for the kids. The temple is so clean and nice inside, it looks really good. Brent enjoyed going into each room,and like the crystal chandeliers everywhere. He also enjoyed seeing all the art work of Jesus all around. I got to hold him up , and look into the mirror in the sealing room, and he said "Look there are so many of us!". I got a little teary eyed when he said that, and remembered when I married Jared and we looked into the mirror as a couple, thinking about our posterity, it was really cool.
The boys and I go to the gym each morning, which is a plus for me. They are doing well at the kids club, and I love having my sanity break for the day. I have been baking bread in my bread machine every couple days, and I love it! It really is so incredibly easy, and I don't have to do anything except add ingredients! And, I don't have to turn my oven on to heat up the house. The bread in the stores here SUCK! It is stale, and expensive. So I feel like I'm winning all around with making my own bread. Breads have to stay in the freezer here so that they won't mold...it happens very quickly because of the humidity and the heat.
Jared keeps on buying Spam for me to make Spam Musubi (slices of spam, pan fried layered with white rice and wrapped in seaweed). I have like 8 cans in my pantry! He wants it once a week, and I say NO! So I will compromise and make it once every 2 weeks, since the kids like it too.
I have also been trying new recipes lately and have to get back in the rhythm of posting on my food blog. So, check it out...there are some good ones coming.
This last Saturday we went to a part of Kailua Beach where there is a small shore break to practice surfing. Brent is learning how to balance, and so am I. I have gotten to my knees, and now I just need to get my feet under me and stay really low until I actually can stand up. It was really fun, and the best part is that the water is super warm. I never wanted to learn in California because the water is always cold.
We are excited for Thanksgiving this year. Our ward is doing an imu (a pit to cook things in) and we are going to put our turkey in that. We might also try and have dinner with another family so that there can be variety of foods, and less work...we will see.
All in all, things are going well, and we now feel like we live here. I miss EVERYONE and will be excited to see people soon. Visitors are welcome anytime!

The Hawaiian Saga...

I wish I had some pictures to post! Unfortunately the connector to my camera is packed w/ my stuff. So, there will be major pictures posted soon!
We have lived in Hawaii for the past 2 1/2 weeks, and there have been some ups and downs. The lows have been trying to find a place to live in Kailua. Kailua is a highly desired place to live on Oahu. It has good schools, the most amazing beach on the island, it sits next to the picture-esk mountains on the windward side, and has ever store and convenience that you could think of. So, trying to find a 3 bedroom house under 3,000 a month has been a challenge. There is also a military base close by, so we are competing with TONS of military families to get the house we want.
Long story short, after 2 1/2 weeks of checking craigslist, me freaking out, and Jared doing everything he can to find a place, we found something. We have had all these expectations that we needed in a house, like:
1. Walking distance to the beach
2. Big yard
3. 1600 sq feet or bigger
4. No ohana house on the property (studio right next to main house that someone lives in)
5. Updated, ie. not a shack held together with boards.
6. Big living areas, kitchen

We ended up having to sacrifice a couple of our wants, but got to keep some of the essentials. We got a 3 bedroom house, under our budget. It is about a mile and half from the beach (3 minutes by car, 8 minutes by bike), Very large living areas, big kitchen with lots of storage, front yard and backyard. However, it only has 1 1/2 bathrooms inside the house. But, there is a full bathroom in the enclosed garage, as well as a laundry room, and lots of storage. The kitchen is origianl from the 1950's. It belongs in a vintage magazine. The stove is the original one from when the house was built back in 1950's. It is very well taken care of, and I'm super excited to move in. The other thing I love about the house is that there are TONS of windows for the tropical breezes to blow in. It will be nice when my kids can have space to ride their bikes in the driveway, and run around in the backyard. We move in on November 2nd!

I wanted to mention one more thing about our house search for the record. I was feeling really stressed and bummed out for a couple of weeks. NOTHING was working out, and we were thinking we wouldn't even live in Kailua. I asked Jared for a blessing, and I felt the spirit very strong while he was giving me the blessing. There was a sense of calmness that came over me, and I knew that everything would work itself out. About an hour after the blessing 2 places became available, and we were the first ones to inquire about it. (This never happened to us) We were able to get someone to show us the house before their actual show date (which is key), and luckily it was a house we liked. As corny as it sounds, I know that Heavenly Father was listening to Jared's prayer, and that he knew the desires of my heart, and how much I can handle. I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, it is priceless to me! I feel not only protected by Jared, but by my Heavenly Father.
Jared starts his job tomorrow, and we are walking him to the bus stop in the morning. He is excited to ride the bus...(what?) he really is. I'm excited to see if the job meets all his expectations.
The boys and I are going to start our new mommy/kid routine in Hawaii. It will go something like this:

Breakfast
Gym
Errands
Lunch
Naps
Beach
Dinner
Bed

Pretty relaxing to me! It's nice not to worry about harsh school schedules yet. Brent will go to Kindergarten next fall, and in Hawaii it's ALL DAY kindergarten....SCORE!

Utah wedding and moving to Hawaii

For about the past 2 weeks we have been living out of our suitcases. The movers came a couple of weeks ago and packed our whole house up, and loaded it onto a BIG crate. I have to admit, it was awesome not having to wrap or pack a thing in my house. We then flew up to Utah, with our 6 bags of luggage (not including carry-ons) to go to Jared's sister's wedding. I'm so happy for Sarah and her new family!

Cameron got his pants and shoes all muddy on the temple grounds right before pictures, so he was the white trash kid running around in his diaper. However, this is the cutest picture of him EVER!


It was fun being with the Underwood's and I also got to play college student for the day. Jared's dad teaches at BYU, and so I went to one of his history classes, and it was alot of fun to transport myself back to the day. I do have to admit, I had to scrape the cob-webs from my brain, so that I could even understand what the discussion/class was about.
We flew to Hawaii on Wednesday of last week, and have been here for about 5 days. We are staying in a furnished rental about a 2 minute walk from Kailua beach. We are desperately trying to find a place to live. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of places to live in Kailua, but we are pretty particular in what we want. I'm sure if time goes by and nothing comes up, we will have to start looking at other options.
I love Kailua! The weather in Hawaii is just SOOOOOOO awesome. Here are some of the things that I love about being here:
I never have to put lotion on my legs, I don't bother with blow-drying my hair, make-up is optional, we eat dinner outside every night, the kids never wear shoes, it rains and then it's sunny a few minutes later, everyone is so relaxed, Jared doesn't start work until the 26th, Brent is a pro at catching baby salamanders, I feel at home, even if I don't have a home.
Brent and Cameron LOVE the beach...the water is so warm, and turquoise. Jared and I have said to eachother several times..."Can you believe we live here?" It really is gorgeous. So, our main goal is to find a house, so that I can make it a home. I think that will be the icing on the cake!

It's almost time!

I can't believe it is almost time to move! The movers are coming on Monday morning to pack all our stuff up. It is weird that the next time I see my things they will have traveled a zillion miles over the pacific ocean. I have been kind of procrastinating packing my suitcases, and things, because I want to live normally for just a few more days.
I really have loved living in Carlsbad. We as a family have experienced 2 major events while living here. First Cameron was born, and then Jared had cancer. The friends and family that have been around us to support us through the good and the bad will always be remembered. We LOVE San Diego culture, climate, and everything that this place has to offer. It is a little bitter-sweet leaving such a great place to live, but how can we possibly pass up Hawaii? Since moving here, I have felt safe, loved and taken care of. It has been a wonderful and growing experience for our family. You only live life once, and I feel like life is flashing before my eyes since I have had children. Now we are on to a new adventure, ready for new experiences and awesome memories.
Brent has shown interest in taking pictures with the camera. So, here are a few pics he shot of the family. Jared and I look REALLY thrilled to have a our picture taken by our 4 year old.


He told me to make a "silly" face in one of the pictures. I look like a cartoon character in it. Friends and family that know me well, will have a good laugh, since I have probably made this face before...for the drama factor...

We are moving to Hawaii!!!!

Can you believe it? I have been dying to make this awesome news public, but I had to wait for Jared to let his work know. Jared got a job with the Fish and Wildlife Services. He is in charge of all the natural refuges in the state of Hawaii and the surrounding islands and atolls 500 miles around. It is really his dream job, and we couldn't be happier. We are going to miss Carlsbad deeply, and we really love San Diego, but how can we pass up Hawaii? It has always been a goal for us to live in Hawaii, ever since we got married. Hawaii has always been a special place for us, seeing as Jared spent his high school years there and I went to BYU Hawaii for 4 months. We also went on our honeymoon to Hawaii, so it has been 7 years since the last time we went there. We were able to go out to Hawaii last weekend to check out the city that we want to live in. We decided that we are going to live in Kailua, which is on the windward side, and about 12 miles (20 minutes) from downtown Honolulu, where Jared will be working. Kailua has one of the prettiest beaches, and there is every convience you could ask for in a town. The mountains are super green and there are several little islands to paddle to just off the shore of Kailua. Here is a picture:

Luckily all of our moving expenses are paid for, as well as plane tickets, and professional movers. I'm so glad that I don't have to pack up my whole house! We plan on leaving the mainland on October 6th, and then Jared will start work about 2 weeks after that. Brent is super excited to not have to wear his wetsuit. We are so excited for this adventure!!! Come and visit!

Make the clouds go away!!!!

So this summer has not been so awesome. We have had one week of beach weather, and here it is almost August. It feel like we live in Seattle of something. Each morning there is fog, and then some mist, and then over-cast skies. Anybody want to go int eh freezing cold 63 degree water? Seriously, it is NUTS! Jared read a statistic that it hasn't been this cold during the winter on the coast since 1915...that was almost 100 years ago! Well, such is life, and we probably will get summer weather in the fall.
I had a really awesome experience with Jared this last weekend. I was away in Lake Arrowhead while he was at home. We were making some important/major life decisions, and we spent a couple of hours on the phone working through what choice to make. This decision has been in the workings for about 2 years now, so it has been a long road. After coming to a conclusion together, I now have a stronger testimony of the priesthood. I appreciate the fact that Jared always counsels with me, as his partner when it comes to matters of our family. I feel like a team player, and equal and that my voice is valid and that it is being heard. I appreciate the fact that Jared wants to make righteous decisions for our family, and that he uses the gospel morals to make decisions concerning worldly matters. The gospel is what life is about. It's not about success or money or what you have. It is about trying to be Christ-like, and raising a righteous family, and putting Heavenly Father first. When I have these experiences I value my testimony of the truth beyond words. I truly love my husband for all that he is and all that he does. He really is an amazing leader.
I didn't know if I wanted to write this on my blog. But, I figured it would be great to come back and read what I have wrote when Jared ticks me off...(j/k but not really).

Triathlon, boys, and Legoland

Last Saturday, I did my triathlon, and finished in 3 hours 15 minutes. I was pleased with my time, it went very smoothly, and I had alot of fun accomplishing my goal. I was glad that I did the training that I did, because I was able to enjoy the experience, and felt like I could do another one after I finished! Jared and the boys were very supportive, and it was nice to have their support in all the different transition areas, and water breaks. At one point when I was riding the bike, they were at a park, hanging in the trees, cheering me on, it made me laugh!

The boys keep me busy each day. Brent however, still is a little rough with Cameron, and it sucks that Brent dominates Cameron all the time. There are those moments where I see them interacting like good friends, and it makes me so happy. Cameron is ALWAYS willing to be Brent's friend, but Brent only has glimpses of those moments. I captured a picture where they were laying down in the family room, next to eachother, enjoying being close...it was definitely a moment!

We got Legoland passes about a month ago, and we go all the time. Anytime I have an hour or 2 to kill, I take the kids there. It is only 5 minutes from our house, and the whole process of parking and getting into the park is very fast. They LOVE it! There is an aquarium, and a water park that we can go to on top of the Legoland amusement park, so there are endless possibilities!!! Brent pushed Cameron in the little stroller at Legoland, and felt very grown up. Although, he would push the stroller, looking down at the wheels, and a couple of times ran Cameron into a wall or a trash can...poor, sweet Cameron.

I know it's been a while...

I have been very neglectful! Life has been busy, draining, and fun this last month. Some of you know that I have been training for an Olympic Distance Triathlon. It is SOOOOOOOO hard to train for something and maintain balance as a mother, wife, me. I have been waking up at 5:30am every morning either to run or ride my bike and then coming back before Jared goes to work, and then because I need to swim or go on a bike ride that takes me too long to do in the morning I leave after the kids go to bed to do that. So needless to say, I'm tired, and stretched in more ways than one. My race is this Saturday where I will swim a mile, run 6.2 miles, and bike 25 miles. I'm not doing an "official" triathlon, I'm just doing one on my own, seeing as there are barely any races on Saturday, and Jared will be meeting me in specific spots during the race for water, transitions, etc. My route is awesome, I will be running along the coast, where I have been training for the last 9 weeks. I'm excited to do it, and I'm excited that it is going to be over.

So, last week we went to the Del Mar Fair as a family, and had a good time. The boys loved riding in the double decker bus to get to the fair grounds, and enjoyed petting all the sheep and chickens. (The boys riding on the double decker bus...I love their profiles)

We got a funnel cake and cotton candy....no turkey legs and fried pop tarts for us thank you very much! I wanted to sing the song from Charlotte's Web "...A fair is a veritable smorgasbord orgasbord orgasbord". And I kept asking Brent if we were going to see Templeton the rat all fat and rolling everywhere, he really thought we were going to see him, and kept looking around for him.
We are looking forward to family coming into town, for cousins to play, and major beach time!

Going to lunch in Seattle...

So, it has been a VERY exciting week for us. On Monday, Jared called me from work and asked me if I wanted to go to Seattle on Tuesday for 20 dollars. I was like "are you joking?...what is this all about". Jetblue is celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year, and Jared had received an email advertising tickets to different locations for 20 bucks round trip! Seriously? We quickly arranged for our kids to spend the day and night with my mom and dad, and we took off on a plane on Tuesday morning to go explore Seattle for a day. We flew back the next day in the afternoon, so we had a total of 24 hours in Seattle. Luckily, Jared's sister and brother-in-law live about 15 minutes outside of Seattle, so we were hooked up with a place to stay. We took every form of public transportation, except for a taxi while we were there, including a train, bus, water taxi, car, and a monorail. Here are some of the highlights!

This was the Pike's Market Place

This is the first Starbucks....EVER!

Down at the Harbor

Pike's Fish Market...the ugliest fish I have EVER seen.

Tribal Totem Poles in Downtown

Seattle Skyline, on our way to the island of Banbridge

Hiking in Banbridge, super green and peaceful

Checking out the Space Needle

Just having fun...

The trip was fast, and really fun and cost us a little under 150 dollars for EVERYTHING! Our plane ride was nice too! I love JetBlue! Jared and I felt like we were not living our realistic lives. It felt as though were were childless, jobless, and rich...which none of those things are true. It will be a great memory!

It's been one of those weeks...

So, it's been a sort of tough week with Brent. As a baby/child, he has always been an early riser, and unfortunately has the genes from Jared, that when he wakes up in the early mornings, there is no way he is going back to sleep. We have tried everything you can think of to keep him in his room until 6pm. Clocks, locks, treats, verbal praise, late bedtime, nap, no nap, repetition on what he needs to do...etc. It doesn't seem to help. So that is annoyance number one. I still don't know how to solve this one.
The next thing that Jared and I are having a problem with, is his discipline. He is a red type personality, and he keeps on getting into trouble. We pick our battles, trust me, but the biggest problem is the listening. I freak out in my head when I have a hard day with him, thinking that I will not be able to handle him when he is a teenager. Jared thinks he will grow out of it, but personalities don't change. Anyways, the whole reason why I'm writing this is to remember how I'm feeling right now. After breaking down to Jared, and us both feeling like we didn't know what to do, Jared said, "Pray to Heavenly Father for inspiration to know what to do. You are his mother, Heavenly Father sent us Brent because he knew we could raise him, and that you can be a good mother to him." I immediately knew what he was saying was true. The day after our conversation, I set my mind out to be calm when disciplining Brent, and to not get worked up all the time with him. I also made it a goal, that I was going to praise him constantly for all the good things he was doing. I also made sure to emphasize several times a day to "make good choices". The day went remarkably smooth, Brent felt good about himself for all the good he was doing, and I was able to keep my cool when he would be naughty. I know this problem of mine seems so minor in comparison to all the big problems out there, but I really felt that Heavenly Father heard the worries of my heart. I also know that I was able to remain calm...(which is pretty rare) because I had faith that Heavenly Father would inspire me to do and say the right things to Brent. We are on day number 2 with the new changes, and Brent's behavior and demeanour hasn't really changed, but I can tell he is thinking through things a little better when he is making a choice. I also feel better as a mother, because I'm not yelling, freaking out, or showing that I'm annoyed on the outside to Brent. It's a lot of work to discipline, and follow through with time outs, explaining what is right and wrong, but it seems to be working. I just want Brent to be the best he can be, and I guess the reason why I freak out when he is a wreck is because I feel responsible for how he is acting.
The bottom line is, I'm grateful for Jared and his wisdom and righteousness. I'm grateful that he has a testimony of prayer, and through that he is able to help me get through a trial in my life. I'm grateful for my faith in Heavenly Father, he is ALWAYS there for me...why do I forget this? Hopefully when I'm having another rough week, I can look back on this post and be reminded of the power of prayer, and the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

A Broken Tailbone and a Hike

Last Wednesday, I slipped on our stairs, and broke my tailbone. It hurt so bad the day after, I felt like I was going to die. But, I feel better now, and the good news is that it doesn't inconvenient my life too much, but the bad news is that it takes 4-6 weeks to heal. I'm popping the IB profen like M&M's!
That afternoon, Jared came home from work early and took the boys on a hike in some hills by our house. He got some really cute pictures of the boys in the flowers and fields. The boys LOVE hikes, and Jared is very patient with the kids as they explore the outdoors. He tells them facts about the plants and animals, and I can tell he is instilling a love for the environment in Brent.

I just love my boys...

I just have to write about how much I love my boy family. Yes, yes, yes, probably at least once a week I feel like I'm going to go insane from hyper Brent, but he truly is a sweet natured boy. This picture says it all...they are all staring at me, with their sweet boyish eyes...
This picture was taken on the train ride down to San Diego Harbor. The boys loved it, and the big boy loved being with his boys, so everyone was happy. Brent thinks Jared and him are equal. Brent still thinks Jared is growing up to be a big boy...(uhhhh, Jared is larger than the average grown male) He also thinks that Jared needs to go in time out when he's naughty...I kind of like this one. They love being twins, so they will wear the same colored shirt, and the same pants on Saturday. We watched our wedding video on Sunday with Brent for the first time. He LOVED it. He asked, "Where was I?" That launched into a full discussion on the premortal life...he really was trying to process everything, and lately he wonders what dying is...it is very interesting to answer his questions...it's only going to get harder, I'm sure.
Cameron's nickname at dinner time is Gaston. When I make eggs for dinner, he eats 3 of them, whereas Brent eats like one. He really has been such a good baby for me, and I feel myself wanting to hold on to the "baby" mentally with him. But, he really is a toddler now...
He adores Jared,and squeals like a pig when he hears Jared's car pull into the garage. When Jared, Brent and Cameron play together, they remind me of a big bear and 2 cubs. Jared often stretches out on the carpet after work, and the kids can't wait to get on top of him. Cameron takes a few loving nips at Jared, while Brent tries to use Jared as a jungle gym. Cameron loves being a part of the pack...he doesn't want to be left out EVER.
I guess what triggered the sudden feeling of gratitude for the boys in my life was watching our wedding video yesterday. It was such an amazing day for me. Watching the video, it was just Jared and I...very in love...happy, and excited to be with each other forever. There were never any doubts or hesitation for either of us when we chose each other to marry, and I love that. In that video little did I know that one day I would have 2 sons that I adore, and cherish so much, and that I would love Jared even more than the day we got married. It's amazing how many hurdles we have had to overcome, and as we are growing older together, it gives me comfort to know that we will be together for ever, no matter what happens in our lives.
I'm grateful for the gospel, which gives me hope and an eternal perspective in life. I feel very blessed...

I have been neglectful...

It has been awhile...I felt the quilt of feeling like I'm not documenting the life of the Underwood family. I'm so grateful that I have created a blog to document the happenings of our family. It is fun to go back and look at the changes of our family.
I have felt busy for the last couple of weeks, even though I'm not a busy type of person. We as a family love that it stays light, so that Jared can do something outdoors with the kids when he gets home. We have been going to the beach for the last couple of weekends as a family from 9-12 noon, the kids get worn out, and take NICE long naps, which Jared and I enjoy. My sister Lana came into town the week before Easter. We were able to do a few mommy things together, and let the cousins make memories together. Here is a cute picture of our 2 youngest, they are 4 months apart.
They look so sweet and innocent in this picture, but wait until they unload all the stuff in your kitchen and bathroom cupboards!!!
We took the kids to the strawberry patch in Carlsbad, and they ate so many strawberries...I thought they were going to turn red. It was really fun to see all the cousins on my side of the family together. They really all look like they are related in small resemblances.
After Lana left, then Jared's family came into town for Easter weekend. We went to the beach on Saturday, and Jared went surfing. He came in from riding a wave, and stepped on a sting ray, and it stung him. Good thing it didn't shoot the barb in his heart like crocodile hunter!!! It got him on his heal, and Jared was in alot of pain! The pain lasted for about 2 hours, while he soaked his foot in boiling hot water to break down the venom. I swear, Jared is kind of going on a bad luck streak lately. Lets see, there was getting stabbed in the cheek with the point of a surfboard, cancer, poison oak that lasted 2 months, and the sting ray incident. What next?????
We had a fun Easter Sunday being with family and eating good food. I guess it's really time to start the diet that I have wanted to start for the last 6 months...ugh.
Just for memories sake, Brent loves playing the Snow White Game. You pretend to eat a poison apple, and then pretend your dead, and then he gives you a kiss, and you wake up, and we do this like 20 times in a row...fun, fun. He also said something funny the other day when there was a fly in our house, he said, "Momma, you dead it" as in you kill it. We are working on past and present terms.
Jared and I call Cameron our little plopper. If you are laying down on the ground, he will come over and sit on you like a chair, sometimes his chair will be your face. He LOVES dogs, and he loves building towers with his blocks. He says a word, that we don't understand..."Unst"...it sounds German to me.

I really love this time of year. Spring, Easter, it stays light longer, summer is around the corner, everything's green, stress free...
I was talking to friend about it, and I realized that my least favorite time of year is Christmas time. I know it may sound weird, but here are my reasons:
1. Weather sucks
2. Too much stress
3. Too many parties
4. Too many crowds
5. Putting up and taking down decorations = added housework
6. I pack on the pounds from all the decadence
I do enjoy watching the excitement on Brent's face during Christmas time, but that's about it! I guess I just don't like the busyness of it. Yes, I know I have control over my OWN Christmas, but I get sucked into the pit of it all.

Moving on...I know I have mentioned this before, but Brent is sure a smarty pants. He has a little OCD in him, that if channeled in the right way can be very useful later on in life. His latest, is doing "collections" as he calls it. He will gather items that are the same, and organize them into piles or lines. Much like this scenario in the picture.
He focuses, and takes the job very seriously. My complaint, is that there are piles of things EVERYWHERE. Of course Cameron loves to see what Brent is up to and wrecks his collections, and that causes friction between them...friction equals fighting, fighting equals crying and chaos. But, I figure, there could be worse things right?

Cameron is still a cuddly littleman. I love that he is such a peacful little boy. I treasure the times when he wants to be close and feel secure. He is REALLY into and that has to do with Doggies. He says the word "doggie" ALL the time. He loves to read books morning, noon and night. He loves Jared, and doing anything that Jared is doing. It is hard for Jared to divide his time between the two boys since they are both obsessed with him.
Jared is enjoying spending time with the boys. He is such an amazing dad. As a dad, he gives 500%. I'm so glad that he loves to be with his family over anything else. It feels good to know we are number one in his life.
As for me, I have really been enjoying doing a food blog. I have also been becoming better at dealing with yeast breads. There is something gratifying when you work with yeast, and it turns out. Oh, the little things that bring me joy! I have also started training for an Olympic Distance Triathlon. It has been great, and I feel great too! That's about it for our family...loving the life we have!