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).