iPhone pics

Ever since I've received my new iPhone 4 a couple weeks ago, I've not only been loving the built-in camera but ALSO the Instagram and Vintage Cam apps. I LOVE the convenience of having a good quality camera and editing tools together with my phone. With it I think I'll be able to keep better record of our lives and save more memories for my children. 

Here's just a few I've taken this last week.

(Of, course I thought it only fitting to publish this post from my iPhone! Ah! the possibilities are endless haha. Yup, I'm pretty much obsessed.)

my little helper

Sometimes I feel like I'm a maid in my house. That all I do is pick up and clean up after the four other people that live here.  Well, lately I have had a little assistent in my daily chores - Malia.  I love it and the best part is, so does she!  She is very good at staying on task and taking direction.  The other day we just went from room to room till the whole house was done and she was completely gung ho about cleaning the whole time.  I was so impressed.  I love my little helper!  

Malia tackling Tali's latest obsession - writing on the walls.  Luckily, I had a whole pack of Mr. Cleans' Eraser sponges - they work miracles!

i love kids

The point of this post is to present that kids are priceless.

(I hope you appreciate my use of alliteration)

Last week was my brother Joseph and Gioey's 6th anniversary so Joseph asked if he could bring the kids over so they could go have dinner to celebrate.  Of course, I said of course. Little Joseph headed straight downstairs to play with the toys.  When he came back up he had stuffed his chubby little feet into some plastic high heels.  They couldn't have been comfortable and he kept slipping and falling, but he wobbled around in them for the next couple hours. 

Last week, Kina accompanied me (for the first time) to drop off Malia and her cute little haole classmate we pick up on our carpool.  As soon as she got in the car, Kina started to talking with her. 

Kina: My name is Kina. I'm three. I'm Malia's sister. We're brown.

Avery: I'm Avery. I'm four. I'm. . . clear.

I was busy in another room, but heard the rustling of paper going on for a while.  When I finally got up to find out what it was - I found Tali in the middle of this mess.  She is so helpful.

Kina in her prayer the other night: "Please bless Mommy she won't be mad cause she has a big tummy".

The other day on the way to preschool, Malia asks me, "Mommy, where did we come from? God or Hawaii?"

it's a new year

I can't believe it's already the 8th of January and I haven't blogged yet.  To tell you the truth, I've actually sat down a few times to write a New Years themed post, but I always walk away with nothing written.  I don't know - I've been in kinda a funk lately.  Like, small-kine down and blah. I don't know what it is . . . but I know if I don't post something tonight another week will pass with no record of my growing family, and I don't want that. So here is my feeble attempt at an update (pls excuse the randomness).

For Christmas, the girls got pajamas and LOVE being matching before bedtime.  I love that my blanket kicking children stay warm throughout the night in our somewhat cooler house.

We rang in the New Year with little pomp or circumstance.  I completely missed the countdown.  Actually, the most exciting thing I did that night was to get my lashes done by my sister, Melba. Love her and love that she does lashes - totally makes me feel gawgeous. Excuse the picture. Whaaat? So fia aulelei yeah? haha

Malia and Kina started piano lessons with Aunty Kalo.  To say they're excited about it is a gross understatement.  They tell EVERYONE they are "Aunty Kalo's students" (they've become familiar with the term because of Daddy's piano studio).  Kalo got them some awesome kid-level lesson books for Christmas and they've been enthusiastic and upbeat about it everyday since. I hope this love for music and learning lingers for a very very long time.

As one of my many NY resolutions to better myself and my life (don't even get me started on that list. We'll be here all night), I've committed myself to get fit and healthy before summer.  One of the things I'll be doing to obtain that goal is weekly 5k's. Our first was last Saturday around the temple - my goal was to run the whole thing and I did it. If you want to join us, call me!

After a totally snow-less Christmas and New Year's I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever get any white stuff to play with.  Luckily, yesterday it finally snowed juuust enough for the girls to go outside and enjoy themselves.  Malia was a pro at making her snowman. She rolled the balls all by herself - she even had to re-roll the middle ball twice because she dropped it while trying to carry it over to the bottom ball.  I was very impressed with her determination.  She used a carrot for the nose, cookies for the eyes and pine cones for the buttons.  Just bummed I didn't get a pic of the finished product. . . I'll try post it later.

In closing, I'm hoping and praying for a wonderful new year full of positive growth and progression for me and my family.  I'm thankful for so many blessings at this time. I'm so grateful for my healthy and beautiful children who bring me so much joy. I'm grateful for my families (especially my parents) who show me so much love and support - I really feel so unworthy.  I'm grateful for my husband who works so hard to provide for our family and someday reach our goals.  Here's to a wonderful New Year!

Oh! Lastly, I'm also grateful for this little girl for making me laugh.

Happy New Year!