Dream Come True

So day before yesterday Peter was off from work and I had a shoot. We had dreams about this scenario - that I would go on a shoot and he and the kids would be playing on the opposite end. Then we'd bring their tired little selves home to a restful, sea-induced sleep. So I did my shoot and came upon my three gorgeous babies and their daddy playing in the sand at the beach after sunset. May this be the first of many moments like this...

Ryenne kissing Cruz on the beach in Wailea

Christmas post is coming - along with other sweet moments. It's been a crazy week. I have 5 shoots, the POD arrived, we've been unloading, unpacking, trying to organize. My life feels a little crazy right now - but in a good way.

I just had to pop on here to tell a sweet story.

After I watched the movie, "The Secret" (which has truly changed my life, by the way), I started a dream frame. I pinned little pictures onto it. Over time the kids started pulling pictures off and then I had to take it down completely when the Austin house went on the market. I took the dream frame to the bedroom and it  had one picture pinned to it still. I leaned it against the wall. Ryenne asked me about the frame and the one picture pinned to it. I asked her, "Go look at the picture and tell me what it is of." She went and looked. "It's a plantation house, Mommy." she said. And I asked here where we are right now, "In a plantation house!" she exclaimed with wonder and magic in her eyes. "Exactly" I told her. And not just a plantation house. A plantation house on Maui. Yes, dreams come true.

Our Christmas Card

If I had the time to do a card this year, it would have looked a bit like this...
(click to make it bigger)

I hope the magic of the season has touched you. It certainly has for me.

Christmas Spirit

I have been touched by the Spirit of Christmas.

Remember I posted the pictures of the kids mailing a letter to Santa? Well I didn't even put stamps on them. I figured the post office would do whatever they wanted. But yesterday I checked the mail and there was a letter to the kids from Santa. It touches my heart that someone has taken it upon themselves to return letters to children. That is so above and beyond and so wonderful that it's just really brought me into this Season.

Several people have touched my life in the past few days.

My Dad really helped us in getting the dogs on a plane. Emmy came to Honolulu where I picked her up yesterday and brought her to Maui. He then took Dexter this morning to the airport to go to Reno where he'll stay for a few months until he can also come to Maui.

When my dad took Dex this morning, Continental told him the crate was too small but they had one for sale for $140. This was a big bummer. But noticing that Dex's crate was brand new, he offered my dad a crate trade and told him "Merry Christmas!". WOW. How amazing and wonderful!! Dex made it safe and sound to Reno where he's currently snuggling with my mom - THANK YOU MOM!

Emmy had a rough day yesterday. When I got her she was matted with poop, pee, and vomit. Poor thing was so scared. As soon as the plane touched down in Kahului I got on the phone with PetCo's grooming department. It was 6:30pm and they closed at 7pm. The groomer, Claire, heard my desperation and said she's wait for me. I brought in Emmy and Claire got her sparkling clean. She even took apart the crate and hosed it down. ABOVE AND BEYOND!!!! Me and Emmy are so grateful!!

And lastly, the other night I picked up the kids and started to head home. My purse had been sitting on the back of the couch and Kai had knocked it over while he was playing. I didn't realize that my wallet had fallen out. I was already to Lahaina when Marissa called me. I was going to turn around, but Peter's cousin Shane decided to bring me my wallet in Lahaina. Thank you Shane!! And then I went to Taco Bell because everyone said they were hungry. The drive through attendant was a teenage boy and I was expecting him to just give me my bags and move on to the next customer. But instead he handed me three individual bags and told me, "I figured each kid would want their own bag. I hope it makes your ride a little easier." and I was BLOWN AWAY. Yes this was a small thing, but it was HUGE for me. So thank you boy from Taco Bell.

My heart is so full right now. MELE KALIKIMAKA.

Full of Love

Daddy is home and all is right in Cruz's world

I received a box of very special goodies from my Mom and Grammie. My Grampy's fishing hat with flag pin and one of his pocket knives. Amazing treasures. So happy to have them. 

Ry's special Christmas face while posing in front of Papa and Gramma's Christmas tree. Priceless.

Relax...

Spent the day with Peter collecting fun things for Christmas. And fun things to do this week to get us in the Christmas spirit. So excited to show the kids!

Whirlwind

It has been such a whirlwind lately. Sadly, I feel like it's not even Christmas.

Today I FINALLY feel like a normal person. I haven't been this sick in such a long time. There were moments where I felt I just couldn't do this by myself. And then Peter came to the rescue like a knight in shining armor to take the load off of me, to let me sleep, to let me regain my strength, to support me as a husband and as a father to the kids.

Our little Christmas tree sits alone in the corner of the room undecorated.  I haven't even gone Christmas shopping because I hate Wal-Mart (with a passion) and K-Mart is out of stock in just about everything. Anyway, I feel like I've missed this holiday season because of the move and because I was so sick. I haven't gotten to enjoy much of it at all and it makes me a little sad. I know that the kids don't know much of a difference yet, but it's still sad to think that none of our holiday things are here yet. I guess more sad for me than for them. Next year will be better. And of course we're back to Maui holiday schedules and Peter will be working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

I'm blessed to have two busy weeks coming up with lots of photography sessions. Tomorrow Peter and I get an entire day together to go Christmas shopping while the Littles stay with their grandparents. Excited to have some time with him without the monkeys. Maybe now that I'm better I can really start to enjoy soaking everything in that is "Maui at Christmas".

Letters to Santa

Peter is here *sigh* life is easier. :)

Today me and the big kids did letters to Santa. Ryenne's is pretty awesome.

"I want presents." Makes it pretty easy, huh?

They decorated their letters and we took them out to the mailbox. Kai is also sporting a green mustache. And he wanted to do the manly thing and pee in the bushes.

Ry's first day at school & a tour!

Ry had her first day of school yesterday. Koa brought up Shayna to stay with the boys so I could take Ry without the distraction that is "the boys". We walked up together and she held my hand so tightly. We entered her classroom - now keep in mind the school was built in the 1930's and hasn't been updated much since. Her eyeballs opened wide as she noticed the walls were kinda bare and the desks and chairs are all pretty old. Let's just say this school probably gets about a quarter of the budget her old school got. She met her teacher, Mr. Costa, who is an older gentleman. Not quite the younger, type A personality Ryenne had envisioned. But he's really nice and welcomed her. She didn't want me to leave and was thisclose to crying until a group of girls came and held her hand and took her to the carpet to sit down.

I came home and got the boys ready to head to Kihei. I found a clinic I could go to. It was quite an excursion with two crazy little boys in a doctors office. I have a sinus infection and conjunctivitis in both eyes. I look like a haggard mess. I got prescriptions and am starting to feel a little better today but hopefully even better tomorrow. At least my eyes weren't glued shut this morning!

Anyway, took the boys to pick up Ry yesterday and she said she had a great day. She got hugs from the kids in her class and told me all about lunchtime and recess (her two favorite subjects) and the sentence they were working on today. Mr. Costa let me know they're having a tea party today at 1pm and I can bring the boys so we're all going for a tea party! How fun!

And here's a little video of our house! If this is coming by email, you actually need to click the link of the blog to view the video :)



After the tea party today we zip down the mountain to pick up Peter at the airport! SO EXCITED!

Nuggle Me

"Mama, nuggle me...." has got to be my most favorite thing to hear right now. Through the craziness, the tantrums, the 'camping out' in our house - this one phrase just makes me stop in my tracks each time and look my kid in the eye and be in the moment with them. Even when I just walked past this...

Makawao Town

Today the kids made a sleigh out of a box. It was pretty adorable. When Cruz went to take a nap I locked the door, turned on a movie, and curled up in a blanket behind the kids and tried to sleep. It wasn't a real sleep, but it helped. When Cruz woke up I felt a little better and decided to pick up the camera for some images of my babies. My camera hasn't been picked up nearly enough.

Handsome Kai Boy with the tree behind him.

The super big smile - love that smile!

I wonder what was going through her mind?

Then I asked if we could get some on the front step and they actually indulged me. I was a little surprised actually!

My favorite of the series.

Such a cutie!

Showing off the yard and garden.

Look at me! I'm a climber!!

The kids were getting pretty stir-crazy so we walked to Makawao Town which was doing a little Holiday Festival today. The kids got to put their handprints on a horse!

And they got to visit Santa at the library too!

Stogin' on candycanes....

Haha Kai's face in this one cracks me up!

Piiholo stables was doing free pony rides. Score!

And we finished our afternoon painting a portion of the Makawao mural that they were having kids paint.

I'm glad we went cause I'm hoping the kids will be pooped and it was super cute. As for me, not feeling so hot right now. I'm headed to Napili tomorrow with the kids to hand over the kids to their grandparents so I can curl up in a little ball and sleep. We're doing cereal for dinner and then it's off to bath and early bed for everyone! Nighty, night!

The trip over

Pops snapped these from his cell phone from our airplane ride.

At SeaTac

A Cruz Burrito

And these are from going to the beach with Grandmama!

I call this next one "The Earl" cause Nico's eyes are closed like Earl (it's a tv show)

Poor Cruz. He wasn't feeling good at all!

Pretty morning but...

Today was just a really hard day.

The shower in our house is broken so it's being worked on. And since we have just the one bathroom I tried to keep us out of the house as much as possible today so we wouldn't have to use the bathroom with the workers.

This morning I took the kids to feed some horses, but it started raining. Jenna and her boys came with us - so she suggested we go to Kula to check out Kula Country Farms. They were closed for another half hour so we ran around at Rice Park and then went into Kula Country Farms.

Rice Park has an amazing view! For those that don't know what they're looking at, we're on the slopes of Haleakala in Kula. Looking down you see the valley of Maui with ocean on both sides. You also seet the West Maui Mountains and the island of Lanai there to the left.

Cruz putzing around

Kai in front of the gardens

The farm stand where we bought strawberries, tomatoes, and cabbage

Ry checking out the pony

Happy Sunflower!

After our little trip to the farm Cruz was overtired and hungry. So back home we went where I made them chicken stew with rice. Everyone ate all their food and then dumped their bowls over on the table and the floor and spilled rice everywhere. Not just the baby, but all three. And I lost it.

I had been up since 6am bathing, dressing, feeding, and cleaning up after the kids. I didn't get dressed myself or even wash my face until after 10am. And here they were leisurely throwing their food and bowls around like cleaning up after them is all I am here for all day long.

So then we went to Kahului to have Ry's tb test read so I can register her for school tomorrow. We get home and the older two go running off into the house without even a regard that I had small stuff to carry in and could have used their help. I guess it's just getting to the point where it's really, really hard to be by myself. There is nobody to help me clean up, take out the rubbish, give baths, feed, do laundry, edit photos, ect. I am just overwhelmed and exhausted. I honestly don't know how single parents do it! I have been going, going, going nonstop for the last two months and I think my body is telling me that I just need a break. I joked with Peter that when he gets here on Tuesday I'm giving him the kids and running in the opposite direction! haha

All joking aside - I love them immensely. I am just so overwhelmed!

Full Tummy

Turns out an old friend from high school lives right next door. I went to see her today and she welcomed us into her house with a big dinner and lots of toys. The kids quickly fell in love with Auntie Jenna. Ryenne even got to help make dinner and had a hot cocoa tea party. We dined on rice, mashed potatoes, steak, roasted pig head, and an eggplant/tomato/onion salad. It was so good. When she heard I just have one pot she grabbed one of her pots and filled it with chicken stew and helped me walk home. What a wonderful day!

The View from Here

Another Picture the Holidays theme... the view from here. I might re-do this one because if I have this one published in the book the kids might be mad at me later on. But this is so real and so them at this moment.

This morning was our first morning waking up in the house. We made cinnamon rolls and while they were baking the kids started going through a box of books that Nico gave them. The books are from when we were kids and they are like little treasures. From the dining area, I snapped this image of them. Ryenne is shoving hair out of her face, Kai is picking his nose, and Cruz is trying to see the book even though it's upside-down. Just a little glimpse at how they are at this age, unstaged, on a regular morning.

The older two did excellent in their first night in the house. We read stories after bath and they fell asleep no problem. Cruz fell asleep no problem but woke up at 3am with a super stuffy nose and phlegm. I did as well so we both took medicine together and I couldn't get him down again until 5am. Lucky for me the older two slept in until 9am and Cruz and I woke up again at 8am.

This morning it's a little windy and rainy. But between the rain showers we walked to Makawao school and I got the paperwork that I need to register Ry. We're heading down to Kahului this afternoon for a TB test as that wasn't required in Texas. We can hear the school bell from the house and at recess we can hear all the kids playing. Ry says she can't wait to start school. Poor thing will have about 4 days of school then be out for Christmas break. I know she's stir crazy being with her little brothers all day.

We also walked around the garden area and pruned the hydrangeas that are growing on the side of the house. We took off all the dead flowers and hope that it'll give us some new bunches of flowers.

We are loving the house - can't wait to put my furniture in it and hang pictures to make it our own.

You hold the key

I had to think about this one.... You hold the key. A literal key? Well the new key to my house isn't that pretty of a key. Then I went to the front door to hang a bow with Ryenne and I saw the new doormat that I picked out yesterday and it dawned on me that this was my answer.

Aloha in your heart is the key to everything. And it didn't hurt that our slippers were there. Slippers at the front door of a plantation house... pretty awesome. This is Hawaii at it's core.

On another note, when I changed Cruz's diaper this morning, a fortune from a fortune cookie fell out (of his diaper! I know, right?) and I had to laugh because this is what it said:

Kinda fitting since I'm moving onto the mountain, dont'cha think?

I was very thankful that Marissa and Eugene followed us to Makawao today to help us get more organized. And a very special letter with stickers was waiting from Gamz too.

All You Need is Love

I missed Picture the Holidays yesterday so I have two today.

The first is ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE.

And here they are. My monkeys. My beautiful three plus my amazing nephew. I am so blessed to have these children in my life. I often reflect on how many years I wished for them, prayed for them, and cried over not having them. And yet here they are. Even in my moments of feeling like a complete crazy person, I still ponder that time in my life when they weren't here. And I am so glad that they are here and chose me to be their mommy.

We bought the little tree from Lowe's today. We put it in the corner of the living room and also hung a bow on the front door. It's starting to feel a little bit more like Christmas.