essie love

Luau and Aulani...

2014-02-19T01:29:00.000-08:00

Well, we got a few more visitors this week! Mike's business partner Josh and his lovely fiancee, Elise came to stay at the guest house next door. Webb and Laury also got here Saturday night, party in Kaaawa!! Monday we went to the PCC for the luau and show, it was fun to spend time with them all and the show is always so entertaining.

Webb and Laury rocked this island. They seriously moved the whole time and it was so fun to see them enjoy it! I would send them a text message of all the things I knew, places to eat, whatever and they would GO. They are awesome.

Tuesday we went to Aulani to stay at the resort with Kate and Andy. From the first minute we arrived, it was so welcoming with leis and necklaces for the kids. It has a disney feel for sure but still Hawaii and SO nice. The pools are amazing, the snorkeling bay inside the resort was awesome... watersides, lazy river. The beach was beautiful, we snorkeled and paddle-boarded. We had a lot of lava flows and relaxed. We saw Steve Young, lol. Tuesday night, Webb and Laury came over and we went to dinner at a Mexican place. It was yummy and super fun company. We saw Steve Young, lol. Wednesday, the kids went to Auntie's Beach house for activities most of the day so the adults got to relax, scheme business and hang by the pool. Payt made some friends in the pool, too. A few of the characters came around, you can see my excited "minnie mouse" face... Mike and Andy were mocking but I really was that excited for Tess to see minnie. Kate and I went to lunch Wednesday afternoon while the boys went out. It was just a lovely day. The sunsets on the west side are truly amazing... what a fun few days.

The girls did a lot of singing "Let it Go" in the keiki pool..had to document the magic :) We headed home Wednesday night. Cassie had her baby that night, too! three weeks early, so crazy! Kate went to see her and the babe (Andie) before they caught their flight home. It was so nice to have them here I am sad to see them go. love my sis.

Beach life on a Saturday.

2014-02-15T01:05:00.000-08:00

We chased the sun today. Kaaawa was rainy and the skies looked clear north of us so after a little sea glass hunting and breakfast, we drove to the North Shore. We had lunch at Kahuku grill and made our way to Waimea bay. It was beautiful and the waves were huge, really a perfect back drop and no rain :) The kids played in the waves, bombed the sand hill, collected shells and loved every minute. The big boys played in the big waves, it was quite big today. Amy, Jared & crew and Danny & Jeannie came too so lots of kids and lots of fun. Girls were playing imaginary games, making salad with leaves and climbing the sand mountain. There was the most amazing rainbow against the mountain as we were rinsing off and getting ready to go. It was a perfect beach day.

We ate lunch in Haleiwa, walked a few shops (had to buy a shirt for Tess as she was nudie) and hit Matsumoto's on our way out of town. It was a fun-filled, happy day.

Had to document Mike shaved his beard. We all were calling him "danny" for a few days because he looked SO different and really quite a lot like D-Z. Too funny.

LOVE day.

2014-02-14T00:51:00.000-08:00

We got some special visitors in this week. Kate, Andy and their kiddos arrived just in time for Valentine's Day :) The first few days were a little rainy...but we spent some time on the beach. Kids walked to school and had a Valentine picnic. Jeannie, Sheila and I helped with the class party at school for the Kindergarten class...that was fun and there was more candy there than you can even imagine. We played a few games too.

We went to the PCC for a few hours, saw a few of the islands, kids went fishing and ate mochi. It was a little rainy, though. Hurried home to meet the babysitters which turned out to be boys, ugh...long story. I arranged sitters through the BYU-Hawaii babysitter's page, I got quite a few texts and just went with the first one, seemed nice enough. Turned out it was two boys, men I guess you could say, which was totally weird. We have since named them "gaby-sitters" and it's a funny story but it was a bit stressful in the moment and totally caught me off guard. We went to Haleiwa for dinner with Jared, Amy, Danny & Jeannie, Kate & Andy and us. It was fun...I was hoping for clear skies so we could play frisbee golf but alas, the rain wins around here.

It's SO nice to have my sister here. We didn't get many pics together this trip but we sure had a fun time together. I love her and miss her a lot while I am so far away. It's a good thing to have a sister like her. I'm grateful they could come and spend some time with us. They'll be here a few days and then off to Aulani Disney Resort.

I'm also super grateful for my Valentine. He really is the best and this adventure with him and with our children will be one I will treasure forever. He's the best dad. The best support, hard worker, partner. I am a lucky lady. Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Fishing on the Deep Blue...

2014-02-12T00:46:00.000-08:00

My first deep sea fishing adventure. Bright and early in Haleiwa, Hawaii aboard the "Grand Slam"... our captain and his side kick were nice. We headed out to catch our bait and right off the bat saw many humpback whales, it was awesome! Then we saw several sharks around our boat. Freaky Friday. Payton thought it was really cool. Not far into the journey, however, Payton turned a shade of yellow/green and he spent most of his time with his face overboard or in the chum bucket. Poor kid, he literally puked for 8 hours. I felt bad but was impressed with the way he handled it. He was tough and didn't break down.

The first hit was crazy! All the lines started zipping at the same time and we all hopped on a pole and started reeling in, I couldn't believe it. Jeannie pulled in a huge mahi and the rest of us got tuna. It was such a rush! I loved every minute. Danny and I were able to find our "happy spots" on the boat and didn't get sick. I mean I had my moments but with my deep breathing and my oils, I was able to get through it. And when that line started pulling, I was up and at em. Mike, on the other hand, was also a bit ill and he spent quite a bit of time on the couch inside. lol. About half way through, we lost Jeannie to the puke and she and payt hung out together over the side of the boat for the rest of the afternoon. Of course, Greg was gut of steel. No problem.

On the way back in we saw more whales, which I just loved. I'm a bit OCD about it.

We caught a LOT of fish. We were able to take 50 pounds home so we had a big fish fry the next night. Kate and Andy were in town and Sheila and Keoni came over and we had mahi and tuna in many forms. It was a lot of fun

Overall, a great day. My father in law was super impressed and I think I stepped it up a few notches in his book ;) Never a bad thing... giving Miss Jeannie a run for her money. She's always been the favorite.

I had a super fun time. Can't wait to go to Alaska someday and see the Orcas.

Chinaman's Hat.

2014-02-11T00:05:00.000-08:00

It stopped raining. finally! The girls and Greg headed on over to Chinaman's hat via paddle board and kayak. It was a beautiful day and the water was clear... Amy paddled us over. Jeannie was on her own board and Greg and Joan were on the kayak. The hike up to the top of the island is pretty sketchy in some parts, you actually have to use a rope to climb up and I was on my buns a lot. The rock was hot so it was warm to the hands but we made it up and back without incident. The view from the top is pretty unreal. Such a beautiful place we live in, lucky we are. It's a quick hike up and back. I paddled Amy and I back to shore, slowly :) It was a fun hour with these gals for sure.

I love to see the Temple.

2014-02-09T23:30:00.000-08:00

We spent a little time at the Visitor's Center at the temple while Mike was getting his temple recommend interview. The temple grounds are beautiful and it made me think of Grandma and Grandpa Rammell seeing all those couple missionaries in their mu-mus :) We watched the family video/presentation, made me bawl. The kids loved the displays inside. Mike met up with us and we walked around behind the temple. The trees back there are huge and amazing. Mike has been reading a church history book of La'ie and learned so much about the culture and people. He was telling me an amazing story of Joseph Fielding Smith when he served his mission here at the age of 15. And a sister who cared for him while he was sick on the big island. She came to Oahu when the temple was built. President Smith died before the temple was finished but this sister came back and received her endowments. Evidently, there is a statue of her here at the temple. I searched for it for about an hour and never found it, she was hiding from me. The history is deep and thick here. The Lord surely has a place in his plan for La'ie.

I sure love my people.

Maui Wowie...

2014-02-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

I scheduled some classes in Maui and last minute, Mike's parents offered to keep kids so he could come with me. It was SO much fun. We stayed at the Grand Wailea. That place is seriously like heaven on earth. I had to work Thursday morning so Mike went to the hotel and watched whales from the beach while I taught class. I went to lunch with my gal, Patti and then she dropped me at the hotel. We played at the beach and in the pools, on the waterside like we were kids! The room was a suite and totally amazing. We met up with Patti and her husband for sushi that night...

Friday we worked out, had breakfast and played at the beach/pool. We laid out by the beach and worked together, it was really a lot of fun to spend time with Maui Mike. He was relaxed and fun. We schemed doTERRA and enjoyed being together. We watched the whales breech, I was dying. The ocean there is calm and blue and brilliant.

Then we had hot stone massages at the spa there at the hotel. It was bomb. And the pre-massage spa time was also very enjoyable...5 baths for the 5 islands. Each one with different oils and salts, I could have died. It all ended much too soon and we had to be off. We had a quick dinner and ran to do a bit of training at Patti's church building. There happened to be a Tongan ward doing a fund raiser, cooking mounds of meat and plate lunches. Oh my goodness, it was off the charts.

I taught another class that evening, then we headed to the airport for a late flight home. 30 minute flights aren't too shabby. I'm fore-seeing a bit of island hopping in our future, for sure. Maui is beautiful.

Cupcakes.

2014-02-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

February, already?! Wah, a month gone by. And it sure has been a rainy few weeks...kind of depressing but I won't complain too loud when I look at the Idaho forecasts.

Amy and Jared and the clan have been here for a few weeks now and we are having a great time. They rented a house in La'ie, right on Hukilau beach and it is beautiful. The beach is just a few feet from their backyard and it is perfect. I swear the boys have played football in the back yard for about 100 hours. They are so funny. The twins had a big old birthday, can't believe they are two already. Cupcakes for everyone! It's good to have family around and we are staying busy.

Honolulu Zoo

2014-02-05T23:05:00.000-08:00

Tess and I escaped the North Shore and went to Costco. Well, we got a little side-tracked and ended up in Waikiki. It was crazy driving down there, I got yelled at by a few and there are seriously so many tourists (Asians) ... everything is written in Japanese. The beach is beautiful and the boardwalk of shops is really fun. We went to the zoo for a while, saw all the helaphants and giraffes. We had a good mom & teddy trip before we hit Costco.

Pro Bowl and Friends!!!

2014-01-31T22:47:00.000-08:00

We got lucky enough to have our first Arizona visitors!!! Michelle, Mike & their cute kiddos came to Oahu, stayed at a resort in Waikiki. We had a little bit of rainy weather but the kids sure loved spending time together. Saturday we went to the Pro Bowl pre-game practice at Aloha Stadium. It was awesome! There were players and cheerleaders everywhere. Somehow we managed to get down front row so the boys were all able to see and get autographs from the players and coaches. The faves were definitely Jerry Rice and Drew Brees! Payton was SO bummed when Jerry stopped signing right before getting to him :) But Will, Mack and Parker all got signatures. It really was a fun day. Payton and Parker were lucky enough to go the Pro Bowl with Mike and Michelle. We got to keep the littles, the girls loved playing with Anjalee. And Madison and Drew were fun to have around. I just love little Madison, could keep her as my own.

Lots of beach time and tree climbing. The kids have their favorite tree right in front of the school, it really is an amazing little beach we have right in our front yard.

We also went to the Polynesian Cultural Center for the luau, enjoyed the pina colada drinks in the pineapple! Yum! We also saw the show called Ha (Breath of Life)... it was really a beautiful presentation, loved the message of life and love. I got a little emotional, even. Kids loved the fire dancers and all the hula. I think everyone had a great night. I saw my cousin Megan there, too! This is a small world we live in.

We also visited the temple visitor's center and stopped for a little Ono-Yo. In honor of Pops.

Beach bums.

2014-01-24T22:26:00.000-08:00

We have been beaching it every day, these days! The kids love Castles and Chocolates. They have small waves and they can surf. Sydney LOVES the water, it's so awesome to watch her. I have gotten to see Cassie a few times since we have been here. She watched Tess for me one day and then we barbecued with them at Turtle Bay one evening. Chloe and Tess are kind of the same person, it's pretty funny. The girls started Hula! Auntie Anja teaches them at the Hau'la park and they are so cute. Even Tess is learning how to "umi"

And I must document Mike with his fanny pack, beard and gold chain. He has since shaved but he really is a sight for sore eyes around here.

Avery said to me one afternoon: "Mom I saw the CUTEST thing on the way to lunch today. There was like a hundred baby chicks blocking our path. They were all with their mama, it was just the cutest thing." Kaaawa elementary is home to many baby chicks this month :)

Loving life in Oahu.

Island Life.

2014-01-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

Aloha.

We have been having the time of our life, really. It's the island life and it's so beautiful. Jeannie and I have taken turns cooking dinner (which I have LOVED)...playing hard with Pop and Dama Dama. Payton started basketball here and is a little on the small end but it's a fun experience for him anyway. The Hawaiian kids (girls) are HUGE. They play in the "West Philadelphia" style basketball courts and the games are like 30 minutes. It's a cultural experience for sure. It's fun to see him playing ball again. He has made a good friend, Rylee. They are in the same class at school, too so that's fun.

We have also been doing temple work! Sealings for days! What a cool experience to be in this beautiful La'ie temple with Mike's parents and Danny as a temple worker, doing work for our VanSteenkiste ancestors. I have loved it. And then the Farmer's market after at BYU Hawaii... Yum. The macaroons are off the charts. The campus is really beautiful, too. Mike has been a bearded man here in the islands and totally not up to school standards :)

Stairway.

2014-01-14T00:22:00.000-08:00

So a handful of us girlies (Jeannie's friends Lindsay & Liko too) did the Stairway to Heaven hike... There was no "guard" as we had been warned and it turned out to be a lovely day. The hike was hard and long but the views were amazing. It kept going and going and some spots were skeeeetttccchy. But it was a bucket list item for sure and I was proud of myself for participating. Coming down was hard on the knee and I was jello by the end. The views were breathtaking, so amazing to see this windward side from such a high elevation. I couldn't' walk for 3 days but it was worth it, for sure.

starting up. forgive the acne, this island has made my skin go crazy.

Joan getting after it.

breathtaking. seriously...

it just kept going and going...

so beautiful.

breaking the law.

I'm going to feel this tomorrow.

Aloha week ONE.

2014-01-11T00:11:00.000-08:00

Aloha and Mahalo. So begins the journaling of the #vanhawaii adventures. We sold our house in Arizona, I will have to back post the details. Actually, I'm trying to block it out completely from my memory. It was a hard few months.

We live in Kaaawa, Hawaii. It's on the "windward" side of the island, south of Lai'e. It's a beautiful place with mountains and beach, so green and beautiful.

I digress...let's go back to "getting here..."

We flew from Boise, supposed to have left Saturday, January 4th. But in typical Allegiant Airlines fashion, our flight was delayed, delayed and cancelled! So we hung out a bit longer with Webb & Laury! It was fun.

We met some people from Rexburg on our plane. Turns out they were in our old Burton ward and we have mutual acquaintances. They have 4 kids and they are living here in Oahu for two month. Crazy small world. We keep running into them here, pretty sure that means we should be friends. I will work on that.

Finally, we made it to Honolulu. Jeannie and Danny greeted us with "leis" and a ride to our new home. We were like fish out of water for a few days but I'd say we acclimated quite quickly. The house is lovely, I am really enjoying it. It is close to the highway, that's my only complaint. But it's also very conveniently located near the school and the beach and Danny & Jeannie's house. So that's really fun. Can't believe the beauty of this place.

The kids started school at Kaaawa Elementary on January 7th. They have done SO well, it's awesome. We walk to school on the beach and we are just really enjoying the proximity to our home. The classes are small, one class per grade. They do a flag raising each morning with the pledge and songs. I am in love with that. Payton has Mrs. Ana--she's the RS Pres in our church. Sydney has Ms. Joy and Avery has Mrs. White--also in our church. Sawyer is in her class too, so that's fun. Their classroom looks out on the ocean, pretty amazing. Dragons become Ocean Warriors...that's our story.

We have adventured and played and visited many different beaches. It's nice to have Danny and Jeannie to show us the ropes. Greg and Joan are here too, so it's fun. We have been taking turns cooking dinner and I like it!!! And Jeannie leads us in morning work outs, which I need. Also I need to stop eating all the good food here. ha.

Headed in to "town" to Costco and Sam's and Walmart. That's not something I want to do very often! Honolulu is a busy place, not my favorite :) The house is furnished and pretty adequately stocked but we did need a few things.

With kids at school and Tess at aquarium with Joan, Mike and I drove up North to see the big waves and had a little lunch at Ted's bakery. Exploring is sure fun.

Thursday, we went to the farmer's market in Kailua, it was yummy. Beautiful town there, too.

Saturday we went to the open market at Aloha Stadium. It was like the swap meet so Greg loved it, ha. We got a kendama (necessity here) for Payt and coconut peanut butter. That's a treat for sure!

That night we did date night in Haleiwa. Wow, that's a cute little town. Yummy Mexican dinner and walked around art studio and surf shop. Such fun.

Church is great. People were kind and the lessons were good. Kids did great at Primary. They have all done really well, so that's a relief.

So that was week ONE. Pictures paint a beautiful picture, loving life!

Aloha and Mahalo.

Finally here.

Back Yard jungle. In a diaper, no less.

Mike and Tess.

happy.

First day of school.

Ocean Warriors. Yes, they are.

Aves loving the slip n slide ;)

Our beach.

Mac nut & chocolate dipped apple banana. Yes, please.

loving the lemonade in Kailua.

Haleiwa.

Payton Michael

2012-07-22T15:35:00.002-07:00

Payt-Payt. Our boy. And what a special one he is. Wish he was as nice as he often is, all the time...but he tries. He's so very good at everything he does. He is gearing up for football now and doing cross fit with his dad. His little body gets so sore and he likes back rubs. He is a good boy. He got a new teacher this year for 4th grade, hoping it turns out well. He was a bit disappointed to not be in Spencer's class, but he's done it before. He has a fun opportunity to go to quite a few of Jared's horse races in SanFrancisco with Mike. He has sure enjoyed that time. He also loved boogie boarding and finding shells at the beach. He is strong. His little body is quite impressive :)

I have been trusting him as a baby sitter a bit, lately. And he has done a great job. He is a very responsible boy. I'm excited for when he is 12 and I feel more comfortable leaving ;) He is caring for his dog and doing his chores and loves playing with friends...especially swimming. Yesterday they did an "otter pop" sale. He is an entrepreneur at heart.

Sydney Kate

2012-07-22T15:26:00.002-07:00

This girl. Sydney Kate VanSteenkiste. She is a beauty and a talented little person. She is reader of the year, right now. Seriously, she always has a book in hand, using the head-lamp to read at night. The funny thing is she starts like 4 books at a time and reads them all a bit at a time. We have been going to the library every few weeks and they are working on the summer reading program. She is also a great swimmer, in the pool hours at a time. I have also had her in swim club this summer. She and Payton took a cooking class in June and they LOVED it. I enjoyed having them in the kitchen preparing the recipes they learned. It was really fun...wish it was all year long :) She turned 7 in June and had a fun family dinner at Rio Rico and a friend party a few days later. We went to see the movie "Brave"...then home for cake and presents. She had a special birthday...one gift in particular: a plane ticket to Boise to see her Sophie! She got to go by herself (I was a wreck) for 6 days. She did great and had a wonderful time. It will be a special memory for her and I feel like it helped her confidence. She knows she can do things on her own. We ended up not going to Idaho this summer but stayed in California a bit longer than planned ;) So we had her flown into LA and reunited with us...it was sure fun. Although it was a trains, planes and automobiles sort of adventure getting her from Boise to Salt Lake. I was thankful for all the people that helped get her safely back to us. She is starting 2nd grade this year and she got the best teacher in the school, so that's exciting. She is a smart girl. Verrrrry emotional and sometimes internalizes all her feelings. She has a hard time communicating when she's upset. I know I'm in for it when parenting this girl throughout the years. But when she loves, she loves so strong and amazing. She is a mother hen, constantly taking care and watching over her siblings. She is kind and spiritual. Even Payton looks to her for answers during family night. She is very thoughtful and tender. We are coming up on her one-year broken leg anniversary. We are going to have a little party to celebrate "brokey"... I love this girl and I'm proud of the young lady she is becoming. I can't believe she's getting baptized next year. I must constantly remind myself to tread softly with her for she is Heavenly Father's sweet daughter and needs that extra care and compassion.

Avery May

2012-07-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

This little "sassy sprout" as her dad calls her, is so much fun right now. Seriously. She is pure entertainment and joy. She is beautiful and growing up so quickly. She is hilarious and witty. She is kind and loving. She is reasonable and consistent. She is "happy when's she's happy and sad when she's sad"... (direct quote). She loves playing with friends and brother and sisters. She is getting to be quite a confident swimmer. She is counting the days down until she can go back to pre-school. She is a singer and a dancer. She makes up songs and dances. She turned 4 in May. We had a super fun friend party at the house after school with sprinklers and ice cream sundaes. She loved it so much

She loved playing at the beach in California. She was the bell of the ball at the horse race at Hollywood Park. She really just is happy and fun to be around. And pretty much my favorite 4 year old ever. She is mature for her age and talks like a 12 year old. She is growing...her little body is filling in and she's quite built...kinda like her daddy. Avery is one big blessing to our family. I am so lucky to be her mama.

Tess Marie

2012-07-22T15:08:00.002-07:00

This picture pretty much depicts the girl as of late. She is angry and unhappy. And yet, she brings me such joy. She is such a beauty with such a personality. Let's talk a bit about why she's angry.

1. I stopped nursing her. She is officially weaned...and sooo mad about it. She still begs daily even though it's been quite a few weeks since we've been done. She doesn't really like to drink milk or anything else for that matter...except muscle milk. Mike has introduced her the stuff and that's turned into her "boobstitute". Not sure if that's the best choice for a one year old but it helps.

2. She's hungry. Because of said "weaning" I just think she is hungry a lot more and can't quite figure out how to fix the problem. And she's stubborn so it has to be her idea if she's going to enjoy her meal. I tell you what, she's a pill.

3. She's teething. She is working on 2 molars at the moment which I think are making her pretty miserable.

On a more positive note :) She is talking up a storm. She loves the word "no" which is naughty. She says mom, dad, buddy (payton), dinee (sydney), woo-woo (doggy), teet teet (birdy), hee hee (horsey), baby (she LOVES babies), fishy, more, nana (favorite food), cheese, baba (drink), book, shoe....I'm sure there's a few I'm missing. She is walking/running everywhere and loving the pool. She is going to bed really well and sleeping through the night. She won't sit still to watch a movie or show. She is a busy bee, starting to pull stuff out of the cupboards. She has cute teeth...kinda looks like mater. She has a whole mouthful, actually. She loves her mom. But is quite fond of her dad, too. When she's in the mood, she loves to play with the kids. She loves giving kisses, high fives and bump the rock. She'll pretty much kiss anything that breathes. We sure love her. Little pistol and all.

my kind of camping.

2011-05-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday night we went out to dinner with Granny, Pop & Judy at Sauce. Then we went camping! In our back yard! It was awesome: beautiful weather, kids loved it, easy and best of all, little miss Tess could sleep in her crib inside! We roasted marshmallows, made s'mores, told spooky stories (ever heard of the "ghost cow"?) and Mike sang us to sleep with his music. Mom joined Tess inside about 5 am...but the rest of them lasted all night and wanted to do it again the next night! Great memories.

six weeks

2011-05-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

Couldn't love this six week old baby any more than I do. Man, those cheeks! I kiss them all day long. Lucky mama.

Tangled.

2011-05-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Avery turned three and she wanted a Tangled party. We invited our family and close friends to celebrate with us and I had a lot of fun planning this shin dig. I also had a lot of help with food...I didn't do it on my own. Avery's amazing nursery teacher made her cake and it was so perfect. Avery loved it! And it tasted awesome too. Dinner was yummy...Mike smoked a brisket and pork shoulder, a few friends brought salads, Queen Ju Ju dressed up like a "queen" and Princess Avery sure thought that was special. We set the tv up outside and the kids watched "Tangled" while we ate yummy dinner and spent time together. Avery had a great time blowing her candles and opening her gifts...she got a lot of Rapunzel goodies, dress ups, clothes, art supplies...you name it. Thanks for all who took the time to celebrate with us. My favorite part was after it got dark, Mike and friends lit 3 floating lanterns and sent them into the sky. Everyone watched and waited and cheered when they took off. It was awesome. The details were fun...the Rapunzel hair on the front door, the "Rapunzel paints" for a favor, Pin the frying pan on Flynn Rider, sidewalk chalk, the banner of pictures that my friend Stacey took of our little tangled girl. It was just a fun time, great food, good company. I cannot believe Avery is three. She is so grown up, so smart and funny. She is unique and dynamic and people cannot help but love her. She is a blessing and pure entertainment to her family. She loves her baby sister. She looks up to her big sister and wants to be like her. She worships her big brother and he takes care of her. I am blessed to be the mom of these naughties...I really am. Happy Birthday Avery May!

One Month

2011-05-07T09:35:00.000-07:00

Tess baby is one month old.

It's crazy how time on the "baby out of the womb" side goes so quickly in contrast to "baby inside of the womb" time. The last month of pregnancy is like a minute counting, aching, waddling mess. And this past month has been one of joy. Pure joy and enjoyment of this little peach. Granted, the bags under my eyes are the size of a small state...and there's nothing glamorous about a post-partum body or mind (I've been riding the hormone roller coaster). But it is a special time, one not to be taken for granted. But sadly one that passes too quickly and because of the lack of sleep and sanity, maybe one that we don't remember like we should. I have sincerely tried to take it all in. Enjoy just staring at her and marveling at the miracle her little fingers, toes and lips are. She is a beautiful girl. She is lovingly called "Tessie", "Tess baby", "Tessie Tess", "Tangled Tess" and "Tiny"...She is especially loved by her big sister Avery. The video monitor has been put to good use as it is my right hand man after finding Avery IN Tess's crib. (We've also found her with her fingers down her throat...and she's moved her across the house more than once). Needless to say, I'm on my toes. Tess is sleeping in her crib and has been since week 2. I just can't deal with the baby noises :) She is doing pretty well the last few nights, giving me 4 or 5 hours at a time. She has the dreaded newborn rash but hoping that clears up pretty soon. She is holding on to her dark hair, she has long, dark lashes and the biggest poutiest lips. I love those lips. She also (don't hold your breath) has blue eyes. Our friend Margarita said with surprise "She has eyes blue"...so that's our favorite saying. Whether or not she stays eyes blue, it's not likely. But they are big and beautiful. She is a good baby, pleasantly sleeps and eats and bats those big eyes in between. She likes her swing, tolerates the bath, and loves going on walks in her stroller. She has attended more baseball games than any one month old and she is loved by all. Payton and Sydney beg to wash their hands and hold her. They really are great with her. Sydney is a good little mother hen. She thinks it's pretty special to be big and able to help. I have to say 4 hasn't been too huge of a transition for me. Not like 3 was. I am feeling great and loving being a mom to these kids. So my house isn't the picture of perfection and I don't cook as much as I should...I am draggin my feet big time getting back into my church calling, taking it one step at a time, but I am enjoying myself. I am certainly too hard on myself, hate to look in the mirror, etc. But I am trying to remember that I am doing the most important work I could possibly do now. It's our Heavenly Father's work and as daunting a task that seems...He helps me do it the best I can. I am thankful for this month of joy. This addition of joy to our home. Love you baby Tess.

Avery.

2011-05-06T11:38:00.000-07:00

Avery is 2...nearly 3.

Avery is a pistol :)

She is funny.

She is a favorite at nursery.

She loves nursery and playing with the "tids"

She loves to play with "Tendall"

She can't say her K's :)

She dances and wrestles and fights.

She loves to play with Sydney and Payton.

She loves baby Tess (to a fault...)

She likes to watch shows on the i-pad (dora, caillou, bubble guppies, arthur)

She loves to take a bath with bubbles.

She pees her bed when she naps.

She likes to read books.

She loves "Tangled"

She likes to play outside.

She cannot wait to get big and go to pre-school.

She is one of a kind.

She'll talk your ear off in her high pitched voice :)

She has a love/not love relationship with her daddy ;)

She is a blondie.

She is petite.

She is a good eater.

She likes treats.

She likes to touch and kiss and love and touch her baby sister.

She likes to go to AJ's.

She is a good singer and makes up her own lyrics.

She sleeps in the bottom bunk.

She likes to walk on her dad's back.

She loves her mom.

She likes to run around in her panties.

She is the best.

xoxo, Aves.

Sydney.

2011-05-06T11:24:00.000-07:00

Sydney is 5. Almost 6.

Sydney is in Kindergarten.

She is our mother hen...

She is a sensitive, sweet girl.

She is BEAUTIFUL (as a boy in her class would say...)

She loves to hold baby Tess.

She is a helper to Avery and includes her.

She loves her friends, mostly Sophie.

She loves to play and swim.

She just got her hair cut short and it's so cute.

She is fun and creative.

She loves to draw and color and make a mess.

She loves going on Daddy daughter dates.

She loves new shoes (and she has big old feet!)

She loves to wear dresses.

She goes to Let's Play Music and is great at it.

She is Sydney Sweet Cakes (to Dama Dama)

She loves Aunt Judy. They are two peas in a pod.

She has beautiful eyes.

She has a body and disposition like her mother.

She's sleeps on the top bunk.

She always does her chores (with a little reminding from mom).

She's a good friend.

She is a blessing in our family.

love you so, Sis.

Payton

2011-05-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Payton is 8.

Payton is great.

Payton is our only boy...but he is the BEST boy.

He is finishing up 2nd grade in about a month.

He loves his friends...Spencer is his best friend.

He loves school and is so smart.

He made it into ELP.

He is playing minor baseball and learning a lot.

He is a great big brother and takes care of his 3 sisters!

He loves to hold baby Tess.

He is kind and has a good attitude.

He plays the piano and just had a recital :) He memorized both of his songs!

He is athletic and runs super fast.

He is determined and when he gets something in his mind, he cannot drop it (like buying a camera with video...about drove me nuts!)

He is a friend to all.

He just got his hair cut short and spiky like his dad's.

He loves to play.

He loves cub scouts.

He is sensitive.

He likes to eat corn on the cob.

He likes candy.

He loves to read.

He is a collector.

He is AWESOME.

Love you Payt.