4 Months Later...

I finally got Lavea'i's birthday pictures from my sister-in-law (his birthday post). So here are a few.

Who Hit the Home Run?

I bet you can't guess which one of my kids hit a home run. After losing Maika the one night of family home evening, we stayed inside and played a little of "Everyone's Hero" baseball game. I participated by laughing my head off at the kids. It was a GREAT way to end a pre-scary evening. My kids loved the movie so much that we purchased it off of Apple T.V. They have taken to playing baseball in the house. I don't mind just as long as they don't knock things off the walls or break anything. I know one of these days it will come back to bite me in the butt because with Tula'i pitching, you never know where the ball is going to fly.



As they were playing and I was laughing, I decided to document this one. Cliff got to see it from first hand experience when he got home the next night. But, Tula'i would wind up his bat when he is getting ready to hit. When all of them would pitch the ball, they wouldn't let go of the ball. They acted like it is flying through the air while the batter was swinging the bat, so the ball and bat ended up making contact for hit out of the park. So, they ALL hit a home run. Kalena would run and run and keep on running until you tell her she was home. Maika and Tula'i put the bat down and would run around the kitchen one time. Then they were ready for another turn to bat.

Finally Done!

View with all the decorations around it.


Up close and personal.

After using the citrus strip, project #3 became very easy to finish. I am glad it turned out okay. I just need some decor on top to break up the "Oh, so square" look between it and the TV. Anyway, now I can rest for a bit until I decide to paint the kids bathroom.

Lost and Found!

Yesterday was a nice day and I had errands to run in the morning and mid afternoon. Then by the time we got home Tula'i and Lavea'i had fallen asleep and it was time to get Kalena and Maika some lunch. By the time I had cleaned up lunch, it was time to teach piano lessons. After piano lessons, I had to finish making dinner to take it to one of the ladies in our ward who had just had her baby (or else it would have been another night of cereal or something easy). With Cliff not being home, I got the kids bikes out and loaded the food in the stroller. Off we went to deliver the food across the street and onto the park for a bike ride for family home evening.

Just to describe our park: it goes around in an odd shaped circle, but pretty much wherever I was at any given point, I could see the kids. The park is enclosed with many peoples backyards leading into the park. There are 3 exits out of the park and one of them is right in front of our house.

While Kalena and Maika are a bit faster on there bikes, I figured this would be an excellent place to take a bike ride because I would be able to see them the WHOLE time no matter where I was in the park. Both, Kalena and Maika met a couple of other kids that were riding their bikes while their parents were walking around the park. Kalena and Maika decided that they would keep riding around with the kids. The parents had caught up with Tula'i, Lavea'i and myself (due to the sluggishness of Tula'i) and continued on to catch up to their children. Little did I know they were on their way home. Kalena had kept up with the other kids and Maika was quite a ways behind the rest of the gang because he had fallen off his bike into the grass. It took him a little bit of time to get up and back onto his bike. By the time he had gotten back onto his bike, we were not too far behind him. But once he began to ride again, he had made it to the other side of the park in no time leaving us behind once again. Kalena had taken off with the other kids and their parents. Maika saw Kalena leave and decided he would follow her. I couldn't leave my other two boys to take off and go get him. I never considered the fact "What if...my kids decide to leave the park?" But about 30 seconds later, I see Kalena ride back into the park. Once she saw me, she booked it towards me. Little did she know how ANGRY I was at this point.

I had to idea where Maika was at this point. By the time Kalena got to me, who knows where he was riding. He never re-entered the park as far as I could see. I made Kalena get off her bike and I yelled at her for leaving the park in the first place. I know Kalena can find her way home due to a previous experience, but still IT IS NOT OKAY TO JUST LEAVE.

We were by the park entrance near our house. I made Kalena take hers and Tula'i's bikes home and just leave them. I put Tula'i on top of the stroller and Kalena ran behind me. We took off down the street to try and find him. I was panicking and yelling his name at the top of my lungs. After about 10 VERY LONG minutes of searching and tears beginning to flow from my eyes. I HAD LOST MY SON! The most horrible thoughts began racing through my mind. I couldn't imagine life without one of my children. I finally called our Relief Society president, Sister Smith, because her number is one of the only ones that I have in my cell phone. I knew she would pick up. She immediately got her family and they all began looking. She called me back within a few minutes and had told me he had been found. Our neighbors across the street had him. He had made his way home and began knocking on the door. Luckily, our neighbors were getting ready to take their dog for a walk and found him crying on our front porch. They said they felt bad because they didn't even recognize him. Why should they feel bad? I am the one that lost him.

Let me tell you, I have never been SO scared sick to my stomach. Kalena was sobbing and her world had been turned upside down to lose her brother. When we made it inside the house, Sister Smith and her husband came by to see how I was doing. Cliff called in the middle of talking to them, so we ended our conversation so I could answer his call. After everything had settled a little bit, there was a lesson learned by all, except the two that had no clue what was going on. I am very thankful for living in a GREAT neighborhood where we know most of the people that live here.

Lessons I Learned:

1. I am not Super Mom and shouldn't be overconfident that I can handle everything.
2. I shouldn't have made Kalena leave her bike at home and run along side me. Of course, I realized this about halfway into the searching. (She ended up throwing up right before bed)
3. Heavenly Father has created a plan where families can be together forever...not only in this life, but in the next. I knew this already and Cliff always pushes being with the family, but it made it even more real last night that every minute should be cherished.

Bribe or reward?

We have had the hardest time with Maika going to Primary. For all non-LDS, primary is where children go to learn about the Savior. They sing songs, have a lesson, and do many other things. Maika has always been a hard one to let go of us whenever we go anywhere. Even if we are going to someone's house he will stand as a bodyguard for Cliff until he feels comfortable (which is right before we get ready to leave).

Anyway, Cliff left this morning and since I play piano for Relief Society (women's class the last hour), I could not stay home. I got the kids ready for church and then myself. Before getting out of the car and heading into the chapel, I talked to Kalena and Maika to let them know that they had to be extra good today since Daddy wasn't with us. They did very well until about the last 10 minutes, when I finally gave in because I had 2 children crying. Tula'i wanted to go out and get a drink of water, but needed my assistance to do so and got mad when I told him no. And the other, Lavea'i, was crying because he wanted me to let him down to run around the chapel. Sooooo distracting, so I had Kalena and Maika gather their things so we could leave to go into the hallway. Much easier out there. That was the first hour of church. Not too bad!

Now how was I going to tackle the part of Maika going to primary especially with Dad being gone. Cliff is usually the one that will sit in primary with him until he has calmed down. But, with him gone, I had Tula'i that wanted me to stay with him in nursery (a class for children ages 1 1/2 to 3 years). Cliff had rewarded Maika before by telling him that he would make brownies if he stayed in class and was a good boy. After Cliff sat in class with him for most of it, Maika finally made it about the last 20 minutes. Remembering how much Maika likes brownies, I told him that I would make brownies if he didn't cry and was a good boy about going to class. He told me he would be a good boy and then I proceeded to tell him that he couldn't even cry one tear. If I saw one tear come out of his eye, then I wouldn't make the brownies. So, how did it all pan out?



He was rewarded along with the other three and enjoyed every last bite. Not a single tear was shed except from me because they were tears of joy! Just kidding about my tears, but I was happy he went. The Lord definitely watches over us in our times of need. I thought it would be utter chaos at church, but it ended really well.

Project #2, still working on it!

I am still working on project #2. That was the dresser turned to entertainment stand. It was taking FOREVER to sand the dresser. When I got to the drawers and began sanding, I got frustrated and just put it down. I told Cliff that I needed something else to take off the so called paint. I just happened to call my sister, Cajsa, and she told me to try the "citrus strip" gel. Not only does it smell good, but it works wonders. I tried some paint stripper on the dresser and it didn't work as well. In fact, I think it made a huge mess. I had to wait at least 30 minutes for the gel to work so, in the mean time I decided to come and paint the wall I have wanted to paint in our living room. I ended up staying up here and painting the whole wall and then went back to strip the paint after dinner. So, the gel had plenty of time to sit and do its thing and it came off like a charm. I was down in the basement for a few short minutes. Thank you, Cajsa and Citrus Strip.

So, project #3...DONE!

I don't know if you can really tell the difference in color. But, it is a light green called "rye grass." I wasn't so sure about the color until I got it completely done and the decor hung back on the wall.



Project #5...DONE! (this one wasn't on my list either)

Recovering my kitchen chairs, from blue to a more neutral color. They were covered with disgusting food debris from all the kids that when people came over for a Relief Society activity at my house, I had to use dish towels to cover them so people could sit.

Long Hair Nazi!

Everyone that knows me with my boys, knows that I ABSOLUTELY can not stand it when my boys hair starts to get the slightest bit long. Even when they are little and still have all their baby hair, I don't like it. Well, I have actually been putting off cutting Lavea'i's hair until tonight.

Cliff flew to Vegas for work for the next for days. When Cliff is gone like this, I just don't like to cook. So, for dinner...cereal. And the kids loved it! I am sure they wouldn't mind cereal more often at night. The only reason I cook is for Cliff. He loves to eat.

Anyway, how is it that eating cereal and cutting hair go hand in hand. Well, I have started letting Lavea't feed himself more with a spoon and fork just to get the hang of it. Most of the time he doesn't even use them, but at least tries. Tonight while I was eating with the other kiddos and not really paying attention to what he was doing or if he was finished, I happened to look over after putting some brownies in the oven and cleaning up the cereal and sew he had dumped his bowl on the floor and had cereal stuck all over his hair. Seriously, it could have taken the place of gel. All I needed to do was add a little bit of water and it would have stuck to his head.

I was lazy and didn't want to wash his hair out, so I decided that it was time to cut it off. I like it much better now that it is shorter. Even with the other boys, when their hair even begins to touch their ears, it is time for a haircut. So, here is to cereal and a first haircut.

Catching up!

Lavea'i began walking in the beginning of February. Ever since he has started walking, he now can catch up with the others. He loves going up and down the stairs as well. Before he walked, he didn't really do much normal crawling. In fact, people would laugh at the way he crawled. I don't think I ever got a picture of it. But, I can still get one before he completely stops it. If he is still a little slow at catching up to the older three, he will get down in his bear crawl and book it from one place to another in no time. Along with his mobility comes the stage of "getting into EVERYTHING." I could slap his hands numerous times and tell him no or even redirect him, but he always comes back to doing what he had set out to do. All of my lower drawers in the kitchen are empty because he would make such a mess of throwing everything out of them and then walking off like he had accomplished his task. What a pill, but one that still can melt my heart with his smile.

FINALLY, they know how to pedal!!!

Cliff and I decided to get the kids a little something with our tax returns. I wanted a road bike. But, when it came down to it, I couldn't get myself to spend that much money on a bike for myself. So, I decided to get Kalena a bigger bike and Tula'i a tricycle. Maika just got Kalena's old bike (hardly ever used). Since it is still cold outside and Kalena's and Tula'i's bikes were brand new, I brought all the bikes in the house to let them ride around in the kitchen. At first, Maika would only ride the tricycle until I made him ride his own because Tula'i decided to join in the fun. Since today has been pretty nice and not TOO cold, I decided to bundle up Lavea'i in the wagon and pull him around while the rest of them rode around on their bikes. I CAN'T WAIT for summer to do this more often. since they can all ride something now, I guess it is time to go on little bike rides to the park. YEAH! Pictures to come.